Called of God

Hello Fam-bam and Friends!

I hope your week was amazing. The last seven days just flew by! I can't believe I am writing to you again. This was Elder Beck's last week in Ghana. This morning I dropped him off at the mission home and picked up my new companion. Tomorrow he will land back in the US. I will miss having him as my companion. We became very good friends in our six weeks together and I have learned a lot from him. We have a lot of plans in place to play video games together when I get home. My new companion is Elder Scott. He is from Idaho, the land of spuds. He is super funny and kind. He has three older siblings and did wrestling and football in high school. It looks like the Lord has blessed me with yet another great companion. 

This week a lot of our time was spent going around for Elder Beck to say his goodbyes. That meant we saw lots of members and investigators. On Thursday we had a meeting at the mission home. It was great to hear from President and Sister Heid and to learn from their teachings. If those two aren't called of God, then I don't know who is. President Heid taught us about the difference between administering (dealing in more temporal affairs) and ministering (dealing in the spiritual side of things) and how these two are related. Then we got to eat pizza. Lots and lots of pizza. 

We were able to meet with Sister Doris again this week. She has been working with our branch president to try and work out a way that her and her fiance can get married as soon as possible. She is such a wonderful woman. Despite her difficult and unusual circumstances her testimony of the restored Gospel remains strong. She has no doubt in her mind that the church is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. She knows that she will be baptized one day and she looks forward to that day with hope. That is what true conversion is all about. When we are converted our testimony will stand through the trials of mortality. We will not doubt despite Satan's attempts to make us do so. We will be like the people of Ammon who "never did fall away." I am so grateful to be blessed with the Gospel and for the hope and joy it brings me. I hope you all have a great week. Thanks for your prayers and support. 

Love,

Elder Radmall

Questions from Kurt:

Q. What scripture has been most impactful to one of the investigators lately?

I think Alma 7:11. We were teaching a sister that Christ has suffered all of her pains and afflictions and that He can succor her in her times of need. 

Q. When was the last time you upchucked the boogie?

Haha the one and only time I have thrown up on my mission was actually two weeks ago. I must have eaten something bad because I was up all night puking in the toilet. It was not a pretty sight. But with some prayers and a little nap the next day I was better and we were able to go out and see our people. 

Q. What has been the most challenging but rewarding part of your mission of late?

I think the most challenging part has been seeing the suffering and hardships the people of Ghana face. There is so much poverty and sickness. But the most rewarding part has been offering those who are struggling hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Questions from Mom:

Q. Have you been given a release date or any travel information?

My flight will leave on June 12 at 10:05 pm. We will be going through Amsterdam again. I am not sure what time I will arrive in SLC. 

Q. Is Sister Doris boyfriend interested in the gospel?  Has he had the discussions?

Yes. He is interested and we are trying to teach him along with Doris. The only problem is finding a time when he is around. He is a busy man. He understands the importance of the Gospel and he is very eager for Sister Doris to be baptized. 

Q. Funniest moment of the week?

We have a member in our branch who works at the distribution center by the temple. Last night we were invited to her home for dinner. She told us some funny stories from working there. She said that one time thieves broke into their warehouse and ended up stealing a bunch of women's garments. A few months passed by and they started to forget about the whole thing. Then one day as her boss was driving to work he found a man selling a bunch of interesting looking, colorful dresses.  Upon further inspection he realized that it was the missing garments. The thieves didn't know what to do with them, so they died them and sewed them into dresses! I probably shouldn't find that funny, but I got a good laugh out of it. 

Q. Most spiritual moment of the week?

I think my most spiritual moment of the week was yesterday as we sang our sacrament hymn. We sang "I Stand All Amazed" and I really thought about the words as we sang. "I tremble to think that for me He was crucified, that for me a sinner He suffered, He bled and died." How very humbling to think of all that He gave for a weak and simple sinner like me. 

Q. Who can we pray for this week?
This week I would be grateful for on prayers on behalf of a less active member named Vicential. She is going through some serious challenges with her husband and children and she needs some help finding hope.