Moroni 9: 6
And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us
labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under
condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay,
that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the
kingdom of God.
Family and Friends,
Na mi yequia ni. (I was a farmer.) Elder Ferrell and I are doing
our best to learn Twi so I now say this when I am introducing myself! When I
tell people here that I am 18 years old they think I am lying. Then I tell them
that I was a farmer and they really don't believe me. Luckily I still have some
calluses from using the shovel so I just show them my hands and they are amazed
that a white man knows how to work. I've been very grateful that my parents
taught me how to work hard because missionary work is not easy at all.
Missionary work will never stop until every child of God has heard our message.
It is a daunting task. But each day we wake up and do our best to do the work
of the Lord.
On Monday last week the Ghana Accra Mission and the Ghana Accra
West Mission had the opportunity of hearing from one of the 12 Apostles of
Jesus Christ in these latter-days. Elder Rasband from the Quorum of the 12
Apostles visited us and we were able to sit at his feet and learn through him
what the Lord wanted us to know. I'll never forget the wonderful experience. We
arrived early and we were sitting in our seats 30 minutes before he arrived.
When Elder Rasband walked through the door we all stood. It was a special
moment seeing a very humble servant of the Lord making his way to the front of
the room. Honestly I was amazed at how normal he was. He is a little shorter
than me, he likes smiling and I could tell that he was even a little nervous.
Elder Rasband was a very normal man but I know that he has been called of God
to do things that are miraculous. He is normal but he is also a special witness
and friend with our Savior Jesus Christ. At the beginning we were able to shake
his hand and after he told us that he had just shaken the prophets hand the Thursdaybefore.
I didn't want to wash my hand. Then before he spoke he called on two
missionaries to share their testimonies, and one of them was MY COMPANION!
Elder Ferrell heard his name and he just looked at me and said, "Me?"
I was laughing and he walked up and then they asked me to come up with him so
that after he shared his testimony we could just stay on the stand with Elder
Rasband. I was sitting right behind an Apostle of the Lord for 2 hours. And
again I marveled at how normal he was. He was sweating! I don't know why this
surprised me but I was happy to know that he was a lot like me. We have both
been called by got to serve Him here on Earth. We have both been given power to
help people as they journey back to their Father in Heaven. In many ways we are
alike. I was very impressed with his testimony that he shared at the end. He
closed by saying, "The Prophet and Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints are not strangers to the voice of the Lord." He
spoke, doubting nothing. After being with Elder Rasband it gave me a lot of
motivation to come closer to my Savior. I desire Him to know me and trust me,
so that when He reaches out to me He will know that I am worthy and willing to do
His will. Elder Rasband is a very ordinary man, but with God he is
extraordinary.
We had quite an exciting week! In our apartment we had 4 Elders
that serve in two different areas. One Elder in our apartment went home because
he was very sick and needed more help than the mission could provide. And
because of the short number of missionaries in our mission, the missionary that
stayed was not able to get a new companion. For the past week Elder Ferrell,
Elder Koronikalou, and I have been working together as a companionship in two
different areas. And our areas are huge! It is about a 30 minute bike ride to
the beginning of Elder Koronikalou's area and our area is just as far. We have
been riding bikes. A lot! But on the plus side, my legs have never been
stronger! :) The funny experience that we had this week was in Haatso, Elder
Koronikalou's area. It was a little after 7:00 and we were walking in
the area towards the last lesson we were to have that night. We noticed some
lightning on the horizon but it looked pretty far so we weren't worried about
it. We had our lesson which ended after 8:00 and then we went to
Elder Koro's Branch President's house to pick up two bikes that he had left
there. We came to his house and visited for a short time when it started
pouring. Lightning, thunder and rain. The compound we were in was quickly
filled with water up to our ankles. But we were safe inside, trying to wait out
the storm. It was around 9:15 and the rain wasn't letting up so we
started looking at options. We were going to walk the bikes back to the
apartment but because of the rain we didn't want to be out there for that long,
but we needed the bikes the next day. We decided that Elder Koro and I would
ride the bikes back in the rain while Elder Ferrell would take a taxi and drive
beside us, carrying our scriptures, phones, socks and shoes. We took off our
shoes, grabbed the bikes and were off to find a taxi. We found one and then we
took off pedaling barefoot as fast as we could in the pouring rain and the
flying mud. I said earlier that Haatso is about a 30 minute ride on bikes and
that is because of the many hills. Elder Koro and I had a blast though. I was
just praying the whole time that I wouldn't hit a deep pot-hole and face plant
on the road. I hit many potholes and power slid over many pools of water but
thankfully we were protected and we made it back to the apartment soaked,
covered in mud, but safe. And our shoes were dry so I was happy. :) We spent
the night washing the mud out of our shirts.
This week I learned a lot about Diligence. As I said earlier, the
missionary work is not easy. And it never was supposed to be. Your days are
spent trying to find, and help, those who are prepared, come closer to Christ.
You talk to many people and you come to love them as your brothers and sisters.
You want them so badly to have the joy that you feel and yet they don't seem to
care. You invite them to act on their faith and so many of them keep doing what
is easy for them. You face many disappointments and it seems like what you are
doing is all for nothing. As missionaries we have these feelings a lot. And I
know that many of you have these feelings in your own lives. You work so hard,
in school, work, family and activities. You do so much and you work harder than
you ever have and it seems like nothing comes from it. The advice I give for
each of us comes from a Book of Mormon prophet named Mormon. He says,
"notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently." Whatever
the hard circumstances that we are facing we I ask that we work diligently.
Keep working and keep pushing because if we stop we will never reach the goals
that we have for ourselves and the goals our Father in Heaven has for us.
It is in the struggle that we become strong. It is in the hard times that we
find that we are not alone and that we must do our part to receive the help our
Savior is willing to give us. Whatever you are facing does what you can and
stand with faith, knowing that God is with you to help you. Do your part and labor
with all diligence and He will make up the rest. I know that we have a loving
Heavenly Father. He sent our Savior, Jesus Christ, so that we can live and
return to Him again. He has provided us a way and we must be diligent as we
work our way back to Him. Our Savior will help each of us, as He has many
times, as we are diligent.
I love you all and ask for your prayers for the missionaries
working diligently around the world.
PREPARE IT
Mi Kwaba,
Elder Bergeson
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