WEEK 47: Miracles

These pictures were from his birthday time but I don't think I got them added on here:  He made his own cake--strawberry covered with Nutella and mango and bananas with batman as his decoration.  He is modeling the soccer jerseys his other American flat mate has purchased.  They got to watch some of Saturday conference at the church with pizza!

Hello friends,

This week was actually a pretty good one! Lots of amazing experiences. So this week started off normal but on Wednesday I started to feel a little sick. I thought it was just something I ate so we went back to the apartment for a while I took some drugs used the washroom and then continued our day. Then next day I woke up feeling more tired than normal and a little nausea, but I'm in Africa sooo usually that just means I'm in Africa haha. So we went on with our day. After seeing like one person I was dead and covered with sweat and I was not feeling well at all sooo my companion and I went back to the apartment and I took some more medication. 

We decided to go get myself tested for typhoid and malaria and it turns out I had malaria, again. haha. So we bought the drugs and I went back and rested but surprisingly I started to feel so much better in such a short time. like it even got to the point that I was feeling close to or at 100 percent in just a few short hours. I was shocked. Then we got a call from someone we started teaching saying they really wanted to see us. My companion asked if we could go and I told him I feel great so yeah lets go! Well this person did in fact really need to see us, and we were able to give her a priesthood blessing. Following that visit we learned that one of the children we have been teaching who will be getting baptized this week was also affected by malaria and would be going to the hospital the following day. We were also able to go to her and give her a priesthood blessing as well. (A quick sidenote for her is she told us that she was finding comfort in reading the Book of Mormon while she was ill.)  As soon as we finished seeing those two people who needed blessings it hit me. hard. All that strength I had plummeted and I was DUST. I thought it was a great experience though that helped me realize God is mindful of his children. He gave me enough strength to go out and serve those who were in need. Soo yeah that was pretty cool. 

Then the following day after that I was still dead, so I just slept all day, however it was my moms birthday so I was able to call her and that was also wonderful as always. Actually that was also a mini miracle because I only had enough credit for 1 hour of call time but somehow I talked for over 2 hours and the credit still didn't finish! 

Then on Easter Sunday Africa West was able to watch conference. 21 investigators showed up for us! I just loved hearing our prophets voice. This conference was so uplifting and gave me a greater motivation to repent and strive harder to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ. So yeah honestly this week had its downs for sure, I mean me and the washroom were best friends for a few days, but the ups were just so much more overbearing I could hardly notice the trials or hardships thrown my way..  

I do not now, nor will I ever regret the decision to forget myself and serve the Lord for this very short time of my life. I will be eternally grateful that I chose to go whenIi did, and most importantly go worthily. I know that I was called to serve in Ghana because thats is the best place for me to be. I also know that God protects those he calls to serve no matter where in the world they may be. Just like Nephi I too know that  the Lord will "prepare a way" for all of his children so that "they may accomplish the thing which he commanded them"(1 Nephi 3:7). let us not forget that ".many are called but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen, because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world and aspire to the honors of men"(Doctrine and Covenants 121: 34-36). Sometimes we need to take a step back and reflect. Are our hearts set upon the word? Do we aspire to the honor of men? Or do we not trust that the Lords way is the best, trusting the promise that he will provide the way for us to accomplish what he commands? On my mission if I have been able to reflect on anything it has been these three questions. Being so far and away from the world I know has helped me focus on what really matters. I have been able to see that doing the will of God always works out, even if it does not make sense at first... Soo yeah thats about all for this week. Love you all! 

Elder Pace