Well...sorry about not emailing any of you back last week. I hope that I repented today. Well lets get to it. Last week we had transfers. Exciting because this is my last transfer on mission. I will be staying in New Town for the last six weeks of my mission. Great. I also have a new companion. His name is Elder Graves. There is a tradition that the last companion on mission is the missionary to "Kill you" So Elder Graves will be the one to kill me. It is funny because his name is Graves. . .Get it GRAVES. . .Haha. Elder Graves will send me to my Grave. Get it? He is from San Jose California. He is the tallest missionary in the mission. He has been on mission a little over seven months now. He is into computers video games and star wars and a lot of that good stuff. So he is cool for me.
Also found out on Sunday that the New Town Ward will be split this upcoming week. Which is weird because we had our Ward Conference last week and now they will split it in the upcoming week. Crazy I know. It is whatever. It is being split because a lot of members stay in a farther part of the ward boundaries and have to travel all the way out here for Church. However, the rented building that they are going to be using is not yet finished. . .so they will still be going to the same building. . .which can not even fit everyone into it as is. Whatever. Now there will be one ward (that will be the one i am in) and one branch (the other missionaries will be in) for now. Okay, so it will be cool to see how much faster the work progresses once they actually get their building.
We had five investigators come to church yesterday. It was really cool. I didn't think that all five would come, but it was amazing to see that all five of our investigators with Baptismal dates for the 15th of March came. Please be praying for them. They need it super badly. Also Pray for rain. It is the reason for all of the light off I believe, and as the months go by there is less and less of it. We are in the late beginning of rainy season and only twice has it rained and only for about 30 to 90 minutes. I hear the even in Utah it is pretty bad. So I will be praying for you and you can pray for me. Sounds like a good deal.
As the weeks roll by, I would just like all of you to know that I plan on returning on the 31st of March. I will be landing at the Salt Lake City international airport. I will not be flying to the St. George Airport. This is my own choice because I will be going to General Conference that weekend. I also want to do some training up in Salt Lake City and because the area is higher in elevation I want that to help kick my butt a little bit. It will help push me to train harder and harder. I just am so excited to hear from all of you once I am home. It is not easy. At transfers last week everyone was talking to me about it. One was like. . .your still here? And I was like. . .ya! And he was like. . .bro you gotta go! And I was like I KNOW!!!!!. LOL.
Ok well I am going to sign out for this week. Hope you all have a wonderful day and week and we will see ya later.
Love
Elder Bowden
-----------------------------------------Elder Ty M. Bowden, Ghana Accra West Mission-------------------------------------------- This blog is written by Elder Bowden and his family. When we receive a letter, picture or an update, it will be posted on here so all of his friends and family can see.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
Another Week
Hello everyone! Greetings from Ghana once again. It has been a very nice week here in the land of Ghana. I would just like to start by informing all of you that are interested in the AFCON that was mentioned just last week of what happened. Ghana and Ivory Coast made it all the way to the finals, and it was a a close one. After 90 minutes it was 0-0, so another 30 minutes were played and we were still left at 0-0. So it went to the dreaded penalties. The winner of the AFCON 2015 was non other then Ivory Coast winning
0-0 (9-8). Sorry Ghana. . .next time.
Light off is not easy oh. If there is one thing that I would of done when I first came to Ghana, if I had known, was I would of bought a backup generator. They were like only 100 cedis and could of easily run an apartment of missionaries. Oh well. Now they are like 300 or 400 Ghana cedis so that is not possible. So we suffer with 12 hours of no light, and 12 hours with light on. So sleeping has been a real pain, but I have gotten used to it but my companion has not. He just tosses and turns. I feel bad for him.
This week was good (minus light off). We had a lot of lessons and made a lot of contacts. Because of my duties as a District Leader I had to go on two exchanges this week in order to keep up with going on exchanges with everyone. On Wednesday I went with a missionary named Elder Legg. He is a great guy. He knows how to teach and how to do it to each persons level of understanding. It was so funny. One lesson I just couldn't stop laughing because he was just making jokes with the investigator the whole time and it was applying to the principle that we were teaching. It helped that person understand more of what we were trying to tell her.
The other exchange I went on was with my MTC/AP Elder Clark. He is in my District so I went with him into his area. He has a truck! It was great. His area is a completely different world, compared to the rest of the New Town Ward. My area and the other Elders area is mostly Muslim and poor. Elder Clark's area. . .BMW's, Porsche's, Lamborghini, Audi's and other nice things like that. We saw an Audi R8 fly by and we are both like WOW!!! Who knew Ghana had one. His area, is so different that I was wondering why it wasn't it's own ward. It really could be, but then again there are only like 10 members in it. AND IT IS A MASSIVE AREA!!!!!!
We had four investigators at Church and it was sweet. During the second and third hour the Bishop gets up and starts finishing the members for failing to pay their tithing and all that good stuff. It was so funny, he went through every column on the tithing slip and explained what it meant and what it did and why we needed to contribute to it. Even the "other" section he took time explaining it. I was shocked. So was Elder Clark. After church everyone rushed up to pay their tithing. So funny. Even some investigators payed their tithing it was soooo good.
I think that will be all for this week. Thank you so much for all of your prayers on my behalf. Let's make these next two months good ones! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
ELDER BOWDEN
0-0 (9-8). Sorry Ghana. . .next time.
Light off is not easy oh. If there is one thing that I would of done when I first came to Ghana, if I had known, was I would of bought a backup generator. They were like only 100 cedis and could of easily run an apartment of missionaries. Oh well. Now they are like 300 or 400 Ghana cedis so that is not possible. So we suffer with 12 hours of no light, and 12 hours with light on. So sleeping has been a real pain, but I have gotten used to it but my companion has not. He just tosses and turns. I feel bad for him.
This week was good (minus light off). We had a lot of lessons and made a lot of contacts. Because of my duties as a District Leader I had to go on two exchanges this week in order to keep up with going on exchanges with everyone. On Wednesday I went with a missionary named Elder Legg. He is a great guy. He knows how to teach and how to do it to each persons level of understanding. It was so funny. One lesson I just couldn't stop laughing because he was just making jokes with the investigator the whole time and it was applying to the principle that we were teaching. It helped that person understand more of what we were trying to tell her.
The other exchange I went on was with my MTC/AP Elder Clark. He is in my District so I went with him into his area. He has a truck! It was great. His area is a completely different world, compared to the rest of the New Town Ward. My area and the other Elders area is mostly Muslim and poor. Elder Clark's area. . .BMW's, Porsche's, Lamborghini, Audi's and other nice things like that. We saw an Audi R8 fly by and we are both like WOW!!! Who knew Ghana had one. His area, is so different that I was wondering why it wasn't it's own ward. It really could be, but then again there are only like 10 members in it. AND IT IS A MASSIVE AREA!!!!!!
We had four investigators at Church and it was sweet. During the second and third hour the Bishop gets up and starts finishing the members for failing to pay their tithing and all that good stuff. It was so funny, he went through every column on the tithing slip and explained what it meant and what it did and why we needed to contribute to it. Even the "other" section he took time explaining it. I was shocked. So was Elder Clark. After church everyone rushed up to pay their tithing. So funny. Even some investigators payed their tithing it was soooo good.
I think that will be all for this week. Thank you so much for all of your prayers on my behalf. Let's make these next two months good ones! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
ELDER BOWDEN
Monday, February 2, 2015
LIGHT OFF!!!
Well I guess I have got a lot of explaining to do. Last week, well. . . as I was about to get on, LIGHT OFF! Let me tell ya, it has not been easy these past two weeks in the light off and it is usually been in the night time so sleeping has not been easy. I thought that I was used to it, but dang these past two have been a real killer and it is all of Accra too. Don't know why. It is actually amazing that I am talking to you people with light at the moment. Usually the cafe' I am at has a backup generator, but for whatever reason there was last week. . .it failed. So It had to be repaired so hopefully tonight IF there is light off then we will be prepared.
Now I will attempt to cover two weeks worth of valuable information. So I will start kinda in the middle. Last week Sunday we wake up and are getting ready for church and as we are leaving we unlock our door and notice that the key mount has been tampered with. Like someone took a hammer and tried to break it. Also a screwdriver had been forced through the crack of the door to try and shimmy it open. ALL FAILED. Whoever it was definitely is not a pro at unlocking/breaking into apartments. This is strange because a week earlier the Zone Leaders apartment HAD been broken into and then ours following. Not sure if they are related but you can never be too certain. After this the mission sent some guys to double our protection. Adding a second door key AND an alarm pad lock. Also me myself added a bike lock for kicks and giggles. Ain't no fool gettin' in this place now!
We had two really good weeks. I was really happy because it has been a really good month. Not like the greatest but better then one could think for the area that we are in. We have found a family we have started to teach and hopefully starting next week they can come to Church and worship with us. Not just them but several others. We did have 4 investigators at church yesterday. Our teaching pool isn't really that full however, in fact most would say it is empty except for a few drops surrounding the drain. I feel differently because a few months ago the pool was being used as a skate park. However there is room for improvement. Our baptismal dates are very low compared to when I was in Dansoman and we had more then ten a week. We will improve on the ruff edges and hope for the best.
My companion is doing well. He is learning and teaching more. I basically just let him plan and do everything (I've been planning and doing everything for almost 18 months, I'm tired)! He has been doing well. Loves reading his scriptures and every minute that he gets he is busily eating them up. Keeps on going. Great guy.
Last week Monday, me and my companion, the APs, Office Elders, and another companionship went to this place in the APs area that has a MINIATURE GOLF COURSE!!!!! Who would of thought. Actually I've known about it for a long time. Ghana actually has two full 18 hole golf courses (we would go there but it costs 100 cedis to play), so why be surprised that they also have a Miniature Golf Course. I know right! It was so much fun. 18 mini holes of fun!! Just like the courses back home. It is owned buy a woman from England. Accent and all. Totally worth it.
A little sports updates this side of the world. Not sure if I have ever told you about this, but in Africa they do a tournament called the Africa Federation Cup of Nations or AFCON. So Ghana is in the Semi Finals against Equatorial Guinea who happens to be the host team. If Ghana wins they go onto the finals against either Ivory Coast or the team they play. So it is really exciting to be here. During two major sports events in Ghana, first the FIFA World Cup where America humbled Ghana 2 - 1. Now Ghana is back for revenge in the AFCON. GO BLACKSTARS!
So I am outta here. I love all of you so very much. Hope you have a great week.
Love,
Elder Bowden
Now I will attempt to cover two weeks worth of valuable information. So I will start kinda in the middle. Last week Sunday we wake up and are getting ready for church and as we are leaving we unlock our door and notice that the key mount has been tampered with. Like someone took a hammer and tried to break it. Also a screwdriver had been forced through the crack of the door to try and shimmy it open. ALL FAILED. Whoever it was definitely is not a pro at unlocking/breaking into apartments. This is strange because a week earlier the Zone Leaders apartment HAD been broken into and then ours following. Not sure if they are related but you can never be too certain. After this the mission sent some guys to double our protection. Adding a second door key AND an alarm pad lock. Also me myself added a bike lock for kicks and giggles. Ain't no fool gettin' in this place now!
We had two really good weeks. I was really happy because it has been a really good month. Not like the greatest but better then one could think for the area that we are in. We have found a family we have started to teach and hopefully starting next week they can come to Church and worship with us. Not just them but several others. We did have 4 investigators at church yesterday. Our teaching pool isn't really that full however, in fact most would say it is empty except for a few drops surrounding the drain. I feel differently because a few months ago the pool was being used as a skate park. However there is room for improvement. Our baptismal dates are very low compared to when I was in Dansoman and we had more then ten a week. We will improve on the ruff edges and hope for the best.
My companion is doing well. He is learning and teaching more. I basically just let him plan and do everything (I've been planning and doing everything for almost 18 months, I'm tired)! He has been doing well. Loves reading his scriptures and every minute that he gets he is busily eating them up. Keeps on going. Great guy.
Last week Monday, me and my companion, the APs, Office Elders, and another companionship went to this place in the APs area that has a MINIATURE GOLF COURSE!!!!! Who would of thought. Actually I've known about it for a long time. Ghana actually has two full 18 hole golf courses (we would go there but it costs 100 cedis to play), so why be surprised that they also have a Miniature Golf Course. I know right! It was so much fun. 18 mini holes of fun!! Just like the courses back home. It is owned buy a woman from England. Accent and all. Totally worth it.
A little sports updates this side of the world. Not sure if I have ever told you about this, but in Africa they do a tournament called the Africa Federation Cup of Nations or AFCON. So Ghana is in the Semi Finals against Equatorial Guinea who happens to be the host team. If Ghana wins they go onto the finals against either Ivory Coast or the team they play. So it is really exciting to be here. During two major sports events in Ghana, first the FIFA World Cup where America humbled Ghana 2 - 1. Now Ghana is back for revenge in the AFCON. GO BLACKSTARS!
So I am outta here. I love all of you so very much. Hope you have a great week.
Love,
Elder Bowden
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