The Perfect Plan of Happiness

 Mission Leadership conference - pizza, a rare treat in Ghana, was served.

Bryan's companion, Elder Beck, in the middle with the glasses.  He is from Lehi and this is his last transfer.

Hello Family and Friends! 

What a week! I hope you are all doing well. A few days ago when we returned to our apartment in the evening we found a present waiting on our bedroom floor. It was another scorpion! I guess this is a bigger problem than we originally thought. We called someone to come and spray our apartment for us, which he did on Saturday. Today while cleaning I found several large cockroaches and a centipede in areas where he sprayed. They were all still alive. The adventure continues! 

Here in Danfa we are blessed with a lot of awesome investigators to teach. It is hard to work all of them into our shcedule for the week. We are planning to baptize three of them on the 25th of March. Their names are Mary, Doris, and Theresa. Sister Mary moved into our area a few weeks ago. She was learning from the missionaries where she lived and attending the church there. She moved here, showed up to church, and pretty much asked us to baptize her. I can't say no to that. Doris is Mary's good friend. Sister Doris doesn't speak much English, but with some help from Mary she is also growing to love the Gospel. Theresa has been meeting with the missionaries for a while now. She is in her mid twenties and just loves the church. She is good friends with many of the members and she has a sweet, happy spirit about her. I am very excited for all of them!

As we went around teaching this week many of our investigators questions and concerns lead us to talk about the Plan of Salvation. In particular, we spent a lot of time teaching about the Fall of Adam and Eve and its significance. I have found that many people struggle with the idea of God commanding Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil when it was part of His plan all along. This use to be a major concern of my own. While I do not know and comprehend all of God's reasoning behind the Fall, I have come to realize that it stands as a powerful example to all of His children. God gave Adam and Eve a commandment knowing full well that they would transgress it. God knew they would fall. That is why He also provided them with a Savior. Jesus Christ was chosen before the world was created to raise God's children from the Fall. In like manner our Heavenly Father has given us commandments knowing perfectly that we are simple and weak children who will break His commandments and fall. And so the Savior was foreordained to not only save us from the Fall of Adam and Eve, but also from our own falling to temptation and sin. God gave Adam and Eve a commandment knowing that they would break it, just as He knows that all of His children will be imperfect in keeping His commandments. But out of His perfect love he has provided a plan to redeem us from our sins and mistakes. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is perfect and infinite. He can and will reconcile us unto God on the conditions of repentance. There is truly no greater sign of God's love for His children than the Savior whom He sent to redeem us from our sins. I am forever grateful for the perfect plan of happiness available to all mankind and that I can be lifted back to my feet when I fall.

I just love being a missionary. This is the Lord's work and I am happy to be a part of it. I miss you all so much and I continue to pray for you each day. Thanks as always for your love and support. Have a wonderful week. 

Love,

Elder Radmall

Questions from TeriAnn:

Q. What was the happiest moment you had this week?

My happiest moment this week was talking about video games with Elder Beck while eating fried rice and chicken. 

Q. What was the strangest thing you saw?

A giant centipede! It was big and creepy and it moved fast. 

Q. What made you feel grateful to be alive this week?

Thinking about my awesome family! 

Questions from Mom:

Q. What was your most spiritual moment this week?

This week we visited a member with a son who is pretty severely disabled. They have almost no money

Q. How many people are in your branch?  Do you have a ward choir?

We are just about up to 150 members. They have a wonderful choir. They even sang last Sunday. The branch is hoping to become a ward in the next couple of months. 

Q. What do the youth in Ghana do for mutual?  Do they have a mid-week activity?  Do they ever involve the missionaries?

I am not really sure. This is the first area I have served in where they have mutual. 

Q. What is your favorite tie? 

I think my favorite tie right now is one that my trainer gave me. It is a brand called Jatala. They are made in Nigeria and they are indestructible. 

Q. Dad noticed you paid fast offerings last year.  Did you take the money out of your missionary funds?  Do you have enough for food each month?

We are asked to pay a fast offering each month from our subsistence money. I have more than enough for food. 

Q. How much pain is your toe in?  How are your shoes holding up?

Not too much. I can still walk and ride my bike just fine, so nothing to complain about. My shoes are still sturdy as ever. 

Note from mom - Bryan has a cyst in his finger that was mostly likely caused by the car accident.  The mission nurse tells him it will probably need surgery when he gets home.  

Here is a report on Bryan's car accident from a blog by the Pace's, a senior couple serving in Ghana.  This blog post had details we had not known before.  We love the Pace's.  Sister Pace serves as the mission secretary and we receive emails from her occasionally.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Angels Watching Over Them

Monday, we received word that four of our missionaries were involved in a vehicle accident near Akuse. (Akuse is located about 2 hours northeast of Accra and is part of the Kpong District).   The missionaries, themselves actually informed us that they were ok, but that there were injuries.  The four of them were riding in a taxi toward Akuse to see the missionaries there and to have an activity.  The taxi hit a pothole and blew a rear tire.  The driver over corrected and the taxi rolled over.  No one but the driver was wearing a seat belt, so all four missionaries were thrown to the roof of the car and then into each other as it flipped over. (Only drivers are required to wear seat belts and taxi drivers cut them out of their vehicles!!) Fortunately, everyone stayed inside.  A good Samaritan stopped and transported them to a local hospital.  At the hospital, the medical team bandaged them up, took X rays, and saw no major injuries. President Heid immediately asked our mission nurse, Sister Jones and her husband, to drive to Akuse, pick up our missionaries, take them to their apartment, pick up some clothing, and to bring them to Accra. Within a few hours they were at the mission home and under our care.  They were again assessed by our Area Physician and further treatment administered.  One of the missionaries had some cuts from the glass but most were just seriously bumped and bruised.  They were extremely fortunate ,given the circumstances.  We truly believe that the angels were watching over them. (Remember we had a mission truck totaled a few weeks ago when missionaries hydroplaned during a rainstorm.  We have been doubly blessed with no injuries in these recent two incidents.)

Three of the missionaries are back in their areas at this writing.  For one of them, however, President Heid requested that he say a few more days.  He was suffering from a concussion and President felt he needed a little more time to recuperate.  

We are so glad they are doing well and are dealing with this traumatic experience with strength and courage.