Back to the Bush: Baboons and Naked People

 Sister Bernice (a recent convert) and Sister Howard (Bryan's Ghana Grandma)

Hello everybody!

I hope you all had a wonderful week! Mine was insane. On Wednesday I receive a call from our zone leaders informing me that I was being transferred! They have finally kicked me out of Nungua. My former companion, Elder Fuller, is going to be training. Yay for him! He will do great. I'll miss that guy.

We continued working the rest of the week and I started saying goodbyes. Sweet Moses, I am going to miss Nungua! It has been such a great area. I have so grown to love all of the people there, especially the members of our ward. They have been wonderful to me and I can never fully express my thanks to them. Sunday was hard as I bore testimony for the last time in the Nungua second ward. 

From there I picked up my luggage and went to meet my new companion. His name is Elder Palmer. He is from Cache Valley. He is awesome. He came out one transfer after me. He is very tall and very smart. 

And my new area is... Juapong (dwa-pong)! I am in the bush! That means mountains, rivers, lots of green, and naked people. I am actually really excited about it (except the naked people). As we were driving here there were some baboons casually crossing the road. You know, just normal stuff. One was a mother with a baby on her back. Pretty cool. Our apartment is perhaps the nicest I have seen in our mission so far. I will send some pictures of it as soon as I can. The only problem is we currently have no running water... Aw man! 

Well that is all I have time for this week. I will get you more details next week. I love you all. Thanks for all you do. God is in the details. He knows us and our needs. Have a blessed week.

 Final Day in Nungua - Elder Fuller on Bryan's right, Elder Kallon on his left.

Questions from Mom:

Q. What new word in twi would you like to share?

Now I have to learn a new language! Ewe. I will share some next week.

Q. What was your most spiritual experience this week?

Bearing testimony in church was pretty spiritual for me. As I spoke of the Savior's atonement the Spirit confirmed to me that through Him all wounds can be healed.

Q. Tell us something about your bishop…

My last one just welcomed his first child into the world! My new branch president is funny and chubby. 

Q. What is a Ghana tradition you have not told us?

They wear some very long and very expensive cloth whenever there is a funeral. They have a cool way that they wrap it around themselves and drape it over their shoulder.

Q. How are the elections in Ghana coming along?

There are posters everywhere and trucks driving down the road blasting advertisements. Nothing too unusual.

Q. What was your funniest experience this week?

I bought five liters of ice cream before leaving Nungua. We ate until we were drunk off of ice cream. It was hilarious. 

 

Questions from Kurt:

Q. Who cuts your hair? How much does it cost, and how often do you do it?

I just go to any barber I can find. They don't know how to cut my white man hair, but they try! It costs about the equivalent of one dollar. I get it cut maybe once a month.

Q. How do you keep bugs out of your food?

Sometimes you don't. Protein is important though, right? Just kidding mom. We usually try to keep it in an air tight container or I just store it in the fridge. The bugs don't usually go in there.

Q. What's a place you pass every day or a person you see all the time that will represent that area to you when you leave?

Q. In Nungua the chapel came to symbolize the area to me. We did so much there with weekly meetings, cleaning, teaching people, parties, and baptisms. 

Questions from TeriAnn:

Q. If you were here, what would you be for Halloween?

Probably Batman.

Q. What is your favorite Halloween movie? 

The Adams Family! And The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

Q. Do kids in Ghana ever get dressed up in costumes or something like it? 

Not really. :(

Q. Have you met any new people who are instant favorites in your new area? 

Yes! There is a member named Michael who owns a small chop bar close to us. He is very funny and makes good food.