Greetings From Ghana

     Hello everyone! It is me Elder Bowden, once again bringing you another wonderful episode of: "Heat, Sweat, and Baptisms". All part of your pay-per-read. The price is $0.000000, so don't worry, its free to read!  LOL.

     I want to start by talking about what I did this morning. Once a month we get a chance to go to a store in the mission area called Shoprite. It is I believe a South African Company, but it is just like a small Target. So today was the day that we got to go. Here is the crazy thing. In the same area Ghana has been building a new mall. It is supposedly the 3rd largest in all of Africa. Biggest in all of West Africa. Well Shoprite moved into this new mall and WOW! That is all I can say, it was like walking into a mall back home. Seriously I thought I was back home the way this new mall looks. It is outstanding. You do not feel like you are in Africa when you enter. Almost all the stores are foreign, although there are a few that are definitely African. It was such an amazing experience to enter. Below is a article about the new mall.
http://graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/32978-west-hills-mall-opens-for-business.html
   
     This week was hot, and when I say hot I mean HOT!!!! Light off almost every other night. It is killing us. I do not know why Ghana is doing this to their people, but it is horrible. Right now it is light off in our area. Thankfully the cafe' we are at has a back up generator. I don't wanna go home because if I do it will only be to light off. That is not fun. I wish the Church would invest in some generators for us that way we wouldn't have to suffer. . .oh well, sometimes we must be patient in all things. Including light off.

     Church yesterday was really good. We had five investigators who came! Jerry and Nathaniel were there, although they are always late. Another that will be baptized with them next week Sunday is Tina. She is super excited for her baptism. We took her to the Ghana Accra Temple on Thursday and she got to walk around and meet President Hill.  It was truly a wonderful experience. I was so happy to take her. I am very excited for Jerry and Nathaniel because I see them as leaders in the future. Both are so amazing and so wonderful that words cannot describe how happy I am for them.

     I love this ward. This ward is truly an amazing ward. Transfers are next week Wednesday and I do not want to leave here. I love all the members, I know the members of this ward more then any other ward. They are so supportive of us right now. We gave them an idea to do Christmas Caroling this December, and they seem to be on board. I am happy because we really are trying to make the end of the year a wet one (baptisms). We have six investigators with baptismal dates for that month and two came to Church yesterday. I am so happy. Scared because I don't wanna leave: "nevertheless, not my will, but thy will be done."

     The Sisters are doing well. One goes home on Monday! 18 months of hard work are finally finished. It was great to serve with this sister and it will be sad when she goes. She came after me, and she will go before me. . .not fair. . .oh well, she has done her job, and has been training a new missionary for the past 8 weeks. Now we look forward to a new sister joining us next week. I am excited to work with her IF I get to stay and work with them. That is my hope.

     Well, I guess I better be going. Thanks for all of your love and support. I hope all of you have a nice day. I am praying for all of you and hope you are praying for me.

Love

Elder Bowden