Disappointment and then Reward

Well this week flew by so fast. Rough week for my companion. He fell sick and literally couldn't move for like 2 days which was somehow not easy but you make with what you have and I can't use it as an excuse to slack around ha-ha. I used the time and read... I Read and read and read! Really learned so much and dug deep into the gospel. I came to understand so much more about the gospel. I don't think I have ever read so much like that before. But it was a blessing. I really felt the spirit and even was able to read Book of Mormon and New Testament and around 10 Laihona and Ensigns. I can honestly say the church is true. Book of Mormon is the word of God and we do have a living prophet who leads this church under the direction of Jesus Christ who is at the helm.  If you haven't read the Book of Mormon before... it’s not too late to start. Once you start you will begin to notice a difference and feeling happier in your life. If you have read it... Read, it again.  

Gordon B. Hinckley said something 4 years before he died when he walked out of the temple. " I am starting' to finally understand the reason and meaning behind why we do things the way we do in the church" now those aren't the exact words but it was close. He said he was STARTING... If he is just starting? Have we even begun??  The church is true without a doubt and the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. It is the key stone of our religion and is the most correct book of any other book on the earth! One thing I always remember is all these people’s salvation relies in my hands.... Scary thought... so there's no time to waste I just have to keep working!! I love these people. 

This area is so hard... Members don't help at all like they are suppose too... so means just lots of work and contacting on the missionaries...  The people hear will usually let us teach them but they have a hard time progressing. Finally, this week I decided to start praying and even decided to fast for my area and things this Sunday.  Well for the last weeks we have been here not one investigator has been to church. This Sunday we had 8. sitting in sacrament only 1 investigator came and I was glad. because that morning we went to go pick a few up and all of them "weren't feeling well or weren't there"... lied to right to our face. I was just thankful I came.... 

After sacrament was finished I felt the need to go look out the window out front of the chapel. Standing in the sun by the front gate was a family we have been teaching. 7 kids all came to church and had been standing there for an hour and wasn't sure what to do.  Evince -14, Issac-12, Cillis -11 and there is 4 others. Joshua, Steven, Mami.  and a little 4 year old Maxwell ... The Lord truly answers prayers.. and I know he heard mine... Power of prayer is real and fasting can bring miracles and blessings.

There is a differences in just praying and fasting then praying and fasting with a purpose and with real intent”. After church we met with a member at his house and taught his brother who had been going to church for a month now and wants to be baptized but never met with missionaries. and then received 6 referrals from the same member right after. the referrals were just rolling in after church... this week we have close to 10 referrals we get to go meet and see. Referrals are a blessing because it’s from a member and 10 times more effective then contacting for hours...

This week was Thanksgiving... we went to a small shop and got American pizza ... kind of. It was pizza with tons of veggies but no cheese... I still enjoyed very much!!

Service this week was fetching water like the whole day for some older women who had to walk about 5 blocks or so to fetch it from a wale.. I have so much respect for them carrying it on their head. it’s not easy at all... more water was on me by the time I got to the house then there was in the bucket. ha-ha I can’t balance a bucket of water and walk....  But I guess this week was a blessing because I needed to let my hands heal. ha I have never had so many blisters from last week’s service. I love service and truly feel god’s love through it. I will do whatever it takes to take the burden from someone else. no matter the cost or pain. blister I look at it like a scratch on a phone... the phone still works and you don't mind the scratch! ha-ha

Life is good here and mission is going well!! training is teaching me a lot but one foot in front of the other and the days just keep flying by time is going and thank you for the prayers and support. I appreciate it. I’m praying for all of you each day!! I love all of you!!

I'm doing great!!

LOVE YOU

Elder Hill, your friend, your brother, your son, your grandson

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 Pizza with everything you can imagine minus the Cheese

 

Hauling water is not easy on your head.

Blisters from Service!!! It was worth the pain....

Members of the Obuasi Branch

 MORE pictures of 

hiking to the waterfalls last week

Having a great P- DAY!!!

JUST HANGING AROUND!!!

Service

I can honestly say this week was one for the books! serious! wasn't easy but way worth every second. This week was nothing but service it felt like. I felt like it was time to start serving everyone that looked like needed help... which is a lot of people... We fetched water for hours one day for women, moved tile, washed clothes, dishes, carried things, pounded fufu, fixed a toy for kids at a school, Prepared corn and other foods, made bonku, Shoveled and wheelbarrow, and so much more...

One experience of service I loved most was when we were having a hard day contacting and no one would give us even 5 mins. We soon came across an Old man shoveling sediment like sand into a wheel barrow and taking it clear down the road. Mid-day. super-hot... old man. shoveling and they carrying like 80 pounds down a crappy dirt road...  I didn’t even ask if I could help I just walked over took the shovel and said let me help. the smile that came to his face was there for days. this old man was confused why a white man was helping... moving this big sand hill making many trips was not easy. and the tire on the wheel barrow was flat... so didn't help. After about 20 mins there was half the town gathered around and people just watching amazed why someone even a white man would help? after finishing we told him we would come back the next morning to help with his house next and as we were walking back to our apartment a distance away people stopped us and said." you have done well, you are the guys that moved the pile of sand?"  the word had spread that fast and so many people had seen our act of kindness... Just from one act of service I know it touched the hearts of many. Even the next day we went at 630 to help the guy but he wasn’t there... just nearby his house was a lady doing maze. dried corn and you take the cornels off the cob. not easy... after helping her for 2 hours my hands were done... shoveling the day before and then this. man my hands just had blisters and a blood blister right on my thumb. but service brings blessings and service with a smile and some pain and sacrifice brings miracles... I love service and was full of joy this week just taking these peoples small burdens in that moment. Just as Christ has done but he has done so much more and will take our burdens from us as we turn to him and ask for forgiveness of our iniquities. he will take those burdens away and we can feel that same joy and unconditional love.  

This whole week we have not had running water so every two-three days we have to go fetch water clear down the road.  I really have come to appreciate running water a lot more. Think twice when you are wasting running water because I have to walk like 500 yards to get water just to shower and buy water to drink hahah not easy but it’s a good experience a good lesson to learn. Luckily we have had power here and there but I can’t complain. it could always be worse. I'm blessed.  

I have truly come to love service even more. even though its tiring or hard it’s worth it in the end and I have come to see the joy it brings s people. People here are stubborn and don’t think white guys can work. well now they are starting to see. haha even people offered us money for helping and we turned it down and the look they gave us was priceless. They were confused but you could just see the light of Christ in their eyes. almost as if they were touched by the spirit! 

Contacting and training are teaching me so much and is difficult at times. it can be hard some days we just walk for hours in the heat and no one will accept us or our message. service is the one way to a person’s heart. it really shows humility and can change someone’s day and life more than you know. I'm enjoying mission and not only am I leaving my mark here in Ghana but it is truly changing me into the man I need to become! time is going but the lord is so aware of us. I have really felt so close to him this week more than I ever have. The church of Jesus Christ church is led by Jesus Christ himself and this is the only true church on the earth today. I know that without a doubt. Thank you for everyone who has made it possible for letting me be here. I love you all and I feel your prayers. thank you, they keep me going and the emails and letters I love so much ... make my day. Love you all and I am praying for each and every one of you .... everyday....

Have a sweet thanks giving!! enjoy for me ha-ha I will probably just go get some nice fried rice or a pizza I hope ha-ha but smile! life is good! keep praying and reading the scriptures and set aside the worldly things and focus on you and your family relationships and feeling that love in the home!!

Love your friend, son, brother,

Elder Hill

Hauling drinking water

Hiking to the water falls in Obuasi

Hiking to the water falls in Obuasi

Hanging with all the missionaries on P-DAY

Gorgeous View of Obuasi

Our awesome Kitchen!!!

Main room, dinning room in his apartment.

Training Week - Tender Mercies

Hello Everyone, 

This week was definitely an adventure. Was a big learning experience for me, I got my new companion Elder Powell. Cool guy! Training is not easy but teaching me a lot. Like how to be a missionary and have that exact obedience. Opening up a new area while training is not easy. Contacting 24/7 and members aren't very active so somehow hard to get member presents and referrals. But its ok the lord works in mysterious ways. 

This Week I have been laughed at more for no reason ha probably just being white and can't speak fluent Twi ha-ha not easy but it doesn't bother me. It's not a big deal, I was always taught, if you don't have anything good to say don't say it at all so I just turn smile and wave. All I can do and I just do all I can. 

Well the power was off two days ago and that was not the best night of sleep. Nicer apartment then the last one ha I can at least have space ha. But this town is sweet. surrounded by mountains and its beautiful. The people for the most part are very willing to listen. So we teach and teach like crazy.... In 3 days we had 17 new investigators...  the area is progressing small small but we will see what happens when we have a full week to work! My mission is sweet. Even this chapel has AC units and its way nice. Serious! I just enjoy!  During church I seem to just read and try to stay awake it feels so good. Plus, I can't understand a thing what anyone is saying in Twi most of the time. but I can always feel the spirit why I'm there. Church is the same everywhere you go. just a different setting and people is all. 

 I had the opportunity to meet this deaf guy who is endowed and been going to church since 2005 he can’t hear a thing or read lips but goes to church so he too can have salvation. There is no one at church to translate for him but he goes too so he can be an example to his kids, he has five children. He doesn't have a job but still manages to pay for his kids schooling that is 35 cedi’s a day which is like 15 dollars a day. We had the opportunity to meet this guy at his house because my companion can sign and I know small so he wants to teach his deaf friends and wants us there. He had many questions so I literally wrote 4 pages so he could understand for when we couldn't sign back. Not easy but the guy can read and used to be a member of church of Christ but he read James 1:5 and took the challenge and read the Book of Mormon and ever since has known the truth.

Oh how my testimony has grown this week having to get out of my box even more and just talk to EVERYONE it’s been a good experience and even this deaf guy "Yaw Johnson" has truly showed me there is no such thing as an excuse.... He has no idea what is going on at church but still comes because he loves the lord that much. How that touches my heart very much... I even had the opportunity to see the power of the priesthood work this week while giving a young lady a blessing of comfort, not knowing what to say before, as I started giving the blessing I truly felt the words come to my mind and mouth.... I never knew any of those things that she needed but she felt it and I felt it... That whole day I just felt peace. the power of the priesthood is real and the church is true, it is the only church on the earth who has the authority and foundation of Christs church. 

I love all of you and grateful for your prayers! I am blessed with many FM's this coming week and life here is sweet. small small but the reward will be great! time is truly flying and I'm growing more than I ever imagined. I'm doing so good and enjoying mission and the changes it has to offer in my life. The blessings are coming. look for the Lord in all things. He is aware of you and your needs and know that I pray for all of you each day!

LOVE YOU LOTS!!!! FAMILIES ARE FOREVER!! 

LOVE ELDER HILL

The kids in Obuasi love the ELDERS

Elder Hill and Elder Powell

Brother Johnson he is deaf but a great man!

Obuasi, Ghana new area great opportunities  ahead

New Beginnings 11/9/15

Hey everyone

Well this week has been something else. The end of the transfer is here and I just hit 5 months! time is flying!  Even I got a call from Mission President on Friday saying he needs me to train... and I'm not staying in Kumasi. I'm getting moved to Village/bush in Boulais. I'm excited because I don't know a thing about the place and I'm training a fresh missionary! It’s exciting but somehow scary because I'm somehow still young on mission. President has a lot of faith putting me in a whole new area, that is white washed but it will be interesting! A new adventure, and time will be flying!

I have come to really see my purpose here even more. I feel the lord is using me as a planter. I plant the seeds of many and prepare them to be baptized... turns out I haven't been fortunate to see/be there for all the people I have prepared to be baptized. But have seen how they have progressed and I have brought many to the light and many more to come. This next Sunday we have 3 being baptized and I won’t get to see the joy from their faces coming out of the waters of heaven. But in the end its all worth it... and to me unlike some missionaries... it’s not about numbers to me... 

This last week we taught one lesson to an older gentleman and how I felt and saw the spirit testify to them!! Seriously amazes me just from my testimony how he never questioned the message we taught him but wanted to truly know after the lesson if what he "felt" was true.

I had the opportunity to meet some elderly women that were supposedly old as dirt seriously like 100 plus. And still going strong up walking and carrying things on their head. maybe it’s the fufu that makes them strong ha-ha.

I'm going to miss this area. I have really come to bond with them but am excited for a new area, new adventure, and new challenge... the lord is always with us and the gospel never will change. No matter what laws are made .... Christ is not divided and is and will always be one. He is the same today, tomorrow, and forever. What is right is right. and what is wrong will always be wrong. You can justify everything but the savior was direct and we see in the bible he taught in over 40 parables to the people but in the Book of Mormon he teaches in "plainness"! The Book of Mormon is the one book and only book that can bring you closest to your Heavenly Father. If you have already read it... read it again... Don't stop. The prophet is warring himself out in the gospel so often tell myself why can I? why can’t I ware myself out in the gospel!? I am thankful for the restoration of the gospel and for my family... the one thing people miss and don't see the most in life is love.... love from our Heavenly Father and family are always there because worldly things seem to always become distractions for us and lead us away from the main and most important things in life... Christ and our families. Keep praying and look to heavenly father in every thought!!

Love you all! I'm doing sweet and I’m hearkening unto to the work for I'm getting lost in his vineyard and only trying to do his will and follow his path... Blessings are coming. as long as you look to the lord First in all things! Always!!

Elder Hill your friend, son and missionary!

It does not just rain in Ghana it pours he was soaked!!!

Playing some RUGBY with Elder FUE

Made pancakes with the mix they found in Kumasi with homemade Huckleberry Syrup.

Making fufu!! its's not easy

He likes to help make it and he doesn't mind the taste!

Eating dehydrated ice cream on a hot day!!

 Riding in the Tro Tro (bus)

Elder Merrill, Elder Hill and Elder Peterson

Nothing better then a package from home!!

This is pictures of Helena's House

 Eating FUFU

Enjoying some KFC in Kumasi !!