This week was transfer week!  That means that there are missionaries leaving and missionaries coming.  It is always sad to see the missionaries leave, because for some of us, we will never see each other again.  In this group there were missionaries from Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Bostwana and just one from the United States!  We are grateful that we will see Elder Riley again because he lives up by our daughter in Utah, but we probably will not see the others.....so that is sad!  

So with the missionaries leaving.....the flip side is that the very day that one group flies out, the new missionaries fly in!  This week we received 23 new missionaries!  We received  missionaries from Fiji, Malawi, DRC, Liberia, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire and the United States.  French is the language of 13 of the missionaries that came this week.....meaning that for training, we needed to have translators.  The missionaries that speak French did go to the MTC to learn English for 6 weeks, but we all know that to learn a language it takes much more time than 6 weeks! The amazing thing is that if the missionaries will apply themselves and study and talk in English as much as they can, they will learn English and what a blessing that will be in their lives going forward! It is always fun to have new missionaries here....they are just full of wonder and enthusiasm!

Here is the group of 23 that arrived this week, with President and Sister Kunz.  I know some of you do not know our grandson Max....but we think that Elder Ta'ase ( the big guy in the back row third from the left) is his  doppelgänger!  So now we have two missionaries in the mission that remind us of two of our grandchildren....(Elder Ison and Elder Ta'ase ). 

Here is a picture taken at the airport when the new group just arrived getting some words of wisdom from President Kunz.  

Just a random picture of a 3-wheeled little vehicle where the driver is exhibiting his Tetris skills!  I wish I could say that this is uncommon, but it is very common to see this around Kumasi. It never ceases to amaze me!

I don't know if you can see this picture very well, but in the back of this 3 wheeler are 2 very large cows!  Don't ask me how they fold them in there to fit!  I think the cows must be very flexible like Gumby~

We got the task of delivering two sisters to their new apartment for transfers this week.  We were so lost.....honestly  we don't get out of the office to the areas that much (except to the store and the bank) .  Thankfully, Sister Betty (pictured in the teal dress) rescued us by coming to us in a truck and having us follow her to the apartment...that is just an example of how kind and considerate the Ghanaian people are, especially the members of the church!  She was especially happy to find out that we had Sister Pitlagano (in the orange blouse) with us because she wanted to say goodbye to her!  Sister Pitlagano wasn't flying out to go home until the next day, so it was a tender mercy that she got to see her before she left.  

One of the first things that I noticed about Ghana is that they do NOT have an organized method to dispose of trash.  It isn't uncommon to see piles of garbage like this on a corner.  They do not have garbage trucks that come every Wednesday at 9am and take the garbage away....so either they put it in a pile near where they live, or many times they burn it where they are.....or a combination of both.  There are little trucks that pick up garbage, but people would have to pay for that, and most just don't have the extra money to do that.  Because there is really no "sanitation" department there is litter everywhere....one would say why don't they put their trash in a garbage can?  Well, there are no garbage cans around like there are in the States where the garbage collector will come around and empty it just doesn't work that way here, thus there is a great amount of liter too!

Today I traveled to Bibiani with the Kunzes and Sister Moomey to do some training.  It was my task to train the Relief Society Presidencies. (The women's organization of the church).  As you can see from the picture, we also had some men in the training.  They were counselors in the elders quorum presidencies of their branches.  We had a good training together, although sometimes when doing these trainings, I feel like I am giving them  a drink of water from a fire hose.  It is just so much information for many who are new members of the church or  who may be new to their particular callings.  At the end of the training, I told them that I realized it was hard to carry out these programs of the church with limited people, resources and instruction.  I just asked them to do their best and to always remember that the Lord had called them, and that He would not only be there to support them but that he would magnify their abilities to carry out the work that they have been called to do.  It is really a humbling experience to do these trainings. 

After the training, we drove to the apartment of the Elders ( Tano, Kanu, Diakuilayi and James)that live near the building that we were at.  They were waiting for us near the street surrounded by these darling children.  There were 7 of them in all.  They are all from the same family with one more that is older at home.  The children here are always so delighted to see us....probably because we are "obronis" and some of them have never seen a white person in their life!  They also love the missionaries and follow them around like they are rock stars!  I love the kids here......

Just another example of a decal that one would see here in Ghana.  It is particularly meaningful to me after a week like this.  It is always stressful having missionaries coming and going, especially for me because I am the one that makes the travel plans for the missionaries going home.  I told President Kunz recently how stressed I get if I don't get the tickets rather early so I know they are set and he asked me "what is the worse thing can happen?"  "They will be delayed!  It isn't the end of the world"....and of course he is right.  After doing

it now for 9 months, I have learned that indeed "God will provide." So many times, so many things could have gone wrong and they didn't.  I know that the Lord is in the details of this work and that he will provide!  That is why one of my very favorite scriptures is: 

 Proverbs 3:5-7

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I know that this is true.....I have had too many experiences in my life up to this point to deny that He will indeed direct my paths.  Thanks for your prayers and support.  Stay strong and steadfast!

Love,

The Garrisons