It's GHANA be an adventure!: Let Us Not Be Weary

Galations 6: 9 - 10

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

Wo Ti Se Bus!!

My family and friends, I pray that you are doing well and enjoying the time that you have been given. I love this saying from a recent convert, wo ti se bus. It means, "Your head looks like a bus." It is kind of an insult but because of my companion and I's haircuts, the kids that live in that recent converts house were shouting it at us, thinking that we look like bus's, or tro-tros. I was a little offended at first but had to laugh as they make car sounds when we walk by. Apparently our haircuts are very "fresh" so they look like new cars. Life is always a little better when you laugh, so we just laughed. We all go through challenges that make it easy for you to get down, but when you are feeling a little discouraged, just yell out "Wo ti se bus!" and remember me in Ghana.

Elder Hanberg and I experienced many miracles this week, as it always seems to be when you are working with the Lord in His work. Each week as missionaries, we have goals to find new people to teach. This usually comes from talking to people at their homes or in their shops, or a member introduces us to a friend. This week we were going to visit a member and one of her friends who is investigating the Church. Before we walked into the compound we passed a young man sitting at the entrance just listening to the nice local Ghanaian music. I had seen this young man few days before when we were riding our bikes to Church Sunday morning. He was carrying water on his head and I remember thinking, "He should be coming to Church with us today." I didn't know he stayed around there, but I said good evening and told him that I liked his music. We shared a laugh and I told him we would go come. We met our friend inside the compound and she said that she was just too busy today to meet with us. She listed the excuses and all of them sounded very legitimate, so we sat down with our member to see how she was. After a moment my thoughts returned to the young man. I asked of him and she said that he lived next door. He had just graduated from Secondary School and was now looking for work, so he was staying with his mother. Elder Hanberg and I went back and introduced ourselves to my very good friend Patrick. Patrick is 18 years old and is the most humble man that I have met. He is just a good young man and he does what’s right in every situation. We asked if we could share our message with him and that we would be returning in 2 days. He was excited and quickly said "Yes, I would love to learn." We have seen Patrick two times after that first day and he has been the best learner. He has so many questions and is humbly looking for answers. The question that I loved most from him was right after we learned of revelation. He said, "I pray to God a lot, and I was always told that I need to go to the pastors to have God tell me things. But can God really speak to me?" I was amazed at the faith and desire that this young man had. On Saturday we had our second lesson and at the end we invited him to come to Church the next morning. He said yes. Sunday came and my companion and I arrived with another investigator to the Church and prepared for the meetings to start. We had all of the opening exercises and were preparing for the Sacrament when I saw Patrick at the gate with our member. And Patrick didn't come alone, he convinced his little brother to come too. In my mind I saw the picture of him carrying water last Sunday when I thought, "He should be coming to Church with us today." Now Patrick was coming, he just needed to be invited. The Lord is preparing many to come closer to Him, we only need to be bold enough to invite them to change.

On Friday, Elder Hanberg and I had one of our worst days. Friday was a holiday and we tried visiting 18 people that day. Only two were home and available to sit down with us. In the evening we went to a member's home so that I could show Elder Hanberg where he stayed. His name is Brother Osei. We knocked and out came Brother Osei and he was in a rush. He told us that there was a member in our ward who was in the hospital because her two small children had Malaria. He was going to give them a blessing and was so happy to see us. We quickly walked to the Clinic and met Sister Pearl and her two children. Her daughter is around 5 years old and her son is 2 years old, both were on beds with the sickness that I had had a few weeks ago. Sister Pearl was so happy to see us and asked for me to give the blessing to her daughter and for Elder Hanberg to give the blessing for her son. After both she herself asked for me to give her blessing of comfort. After we left the Clinic, Elder Hanberg and I talked about our purpose as missionaries, that it is to help others come unto Christ, it doesn't say to only help non-members, but everyone. That day, although we had had a hard time finding anyone who wanted to listen, we had helped our sister feel the love of her Heavenly Father and the strength of her Savior, and so we had fulfilled our purpose.

The funny moment came as we went to visit an investigator who we always have trouble meeting. He is sometimes in the house and the way that we know is because his TV will be on. We got to his compound and opened the gate. The TV was on so we parked the bikes and went to the door. As we got closer we saw a small boy lying on a bench in front of the door, and he was just snoring like he hadn't slept in days. I felt terrible having to knock, but we really wanted to see our friend, so I knocked loudly on the door, and turned to see how the boy reacted. The boy didn't even move. And no one did inside either. I knocked again. Still no sound except for the snoring and the TV. I called out and the investigators son answered the door and told us he was not home, and then he slammed the door. Still, the small boy did not move or wake up! My companion and I were amazed at this boy's ability to sleep through anything! We even stopped to take a picture with the sleeping boy. As I thought about this funny moment, I thought of the spiritual comparisons. Many of us are so sleepy, or weary, as the scriptures say. Every day we are alive but we are "tired" of doing the things that will bring us closer to our Heavenly Father. We are weary in well doing. Even I as a missionary sometimes get tired of doing the same work every day. It is challenging and often a little disappointing, and I am sure many of you experience the same feelings in your own lives. I took strength this week from Galations 6: 9 where it tells us to "not be weary in well doing." We should not be weary because we will soon reap the rewards of what we have sown. This week as you begin to feel weary, and as you want to sleep like the small boy we met this week, I ask you to remember that you will soon have the reward of what you are working for now. So don't be weary. Do well each day. Serve others, and as you serve them know that you are serving your Savior. Do what you know you should do and be who you know you should be.

I love you all and ask for your continued prayers.

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Mi Kwaba,

Elder Bergeson