Final Post 11/18/2013

Final Dinner

Group Photo

Final Breakfast

Last Temple Visit

Heading Home

These are the final pictures Seku’s Mission Mom posted of his last day.

Final E-Mail 11/5/2013

Dear Family,

You’ll be glad to know I’ve mostly recovered from all my ailments.
Thank goodness. I thought I was going to be coming home half dead and
beaten. Now I’ll be at least somewhat healthy. This past week has been
good. It’s just been one of preparation and service. We’ve been
preparing two kids for baptism and it seems that they’ll be ready for
this week. Saturday. Eric Okine and Clements Yeboah. Eric-11 yrs and
Clements-9 yrs. Both sweet kids. Just making sure that they’re both
ready. And then on thursday we went and cracked cocoa for Sedem the
RC. It was an interesting process. And though slow I can now crack
cocoa. The funny thing is near the end of the 4 hours it took I ended
cutting my thumb on the cutlass. It wasn’t very big but apparently it
was deep. It wouldn’t stop bleeding. I also tried to hide it as best
as I could but with like ten other people around it was impossible.
they made a makeshift bandage and wrapped my thumb. When we came home
that day it opened up again and started bleeding so some of my clothes
have blood spots on them now. I don’t really have very much to say for
now. Maybe I’ll just share this experience with you. So Sunday we had
the opportunity to watch General conference. What I’ve been waiting
for a month already. We get there and lo and behold they were watching
conference in badly translated Twi. NOoooOooOO!! So I was like ok I
have faith. Let me pray so that I can understand the translation. No
matter how hard I tried to understand I could only pick up bits and
pieces. I couldn’t really get what the speakers were saying. (sigh).
So I gave up and figured next week I suppose. Later that night we were
visiting the counselor in the District. When he said oh let us watch
conference and they fed us the most delicious groundnut soup I’ve had
in awhile. Even though it took a second to figure out I was able to
watch conference I was able to understand it in the end. Just like I
prayed for. Miracles come in different ways. Sweet huh? Also there was
apparently an eclipse yesterday. The first one I’ve experienced. It
happened just after church. I was confused because I thought you would
be able to look straight up and see it but nope the sun was still
shining. I did notice that temperature was a lot cooler and it was
like shady. but it wasn’t until I looked through dark glasses I was
able to see that yes there was something indeed in front of the sun.
It was pretty cool. Well I have only a few days left now. Not sure
what else to send. I’m gonna miss the people here. I’ll miss the time
here. Even though I was not perfect on mission I know I didn’t waste
my time here. I know I can’t ever pay back God what he has done for me
here. So needless to say the church is true. I’ll finish mission with
that. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

 

 

 

E-Mail 10/29/2013

Dear Family,

Physically this week has been really going against me. Last Monday I
hurt my ankle. But did that stop me? I think not. I got sick with a
cold that’s still persisting and sucks the energy from me. Did I rest?
NO!! Have we been pushing to far away places and going further than
usual? Yes. So right now I have my ankle wrapped in a ace bandage and
hopefully it’ll be fine in the next day or so. And all my cold
medicine has run out pretty much so now I’m trying to wait out the
cold. Worst comes to worst you might be meeting with a sick Elder
Holder in the next few weeks with a small limp. We ended up going to a
village called Antiamoakrom. It’s like a 50 minute hike outside of
Kenkuase which is already a 30 min. bike ride. There are some Less
active members who live there. Their reason for going Less Active.
They got too old to walk that far every week. I understand. That place
is pretty far from kenkuase and Nuamakrom. But now it would seem like
they are trying to get themselves organized to get a group or branch
started in their village. It will take some time but if there are
enough people interested I see it happening. Even on Sunday a few
people from there came to church in Kenkuase. We started off with more
members than usual. Just a testimony of the power of simply visiting
people. Just visit a person and good things will happen. I’m pretty
sure that’s the entire concept of home teaching  We went to farm for
Sis. Beatrice this week. We planted Maize or in American we call it
corn. Was I tired? I think yes. Did we return Saturday to finish the
job? Yes. Anyways yesterday I spent the day resting my ankle and my
body and just in general sleeping most of the day. I still ended up
getting too worn out when we left and returned in the evening. (sigh).
Aside from that we’re trying to get a few people ready for a temple
trip. we’re trying to get a few kids ready for baptism. I don’t know
why most of our candidates are children right now. Oh well. Soooo ya.
I don’t really have anything else to share for now. I have just
counted I’ve been on mission 732 days. It has been two years. Whoa.
Which reminds me. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY
BIRTH-DAY TO MOM AND DAD MIKE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Alright see you two weeks. Booyah!
Loves,
Elder Holder

E-Mail 10/21/2013

Today I’m in Cape Coast and we just got finished playing ball. Football. I didn’t get to play as long as I wanted to but I did come out of it with a hurt ankle so that means I must have played a bit at least. We’re pulling out our sub today and wouldn’t you know it no one can pull out they’re full money. Oh well thats about usual so no worries. It’s actually really sweet that Corbin and I will be giving our talks on the same day. That’s tight. I kind of with that I would come home a bit sooner to go and help on some of these projects but sounds like you guys will be finished soon. As for my companion. He lives in Ogden and was adopted from Russia. He’s a good worker and a good missionary. I don’t really have to worry about him and take care of him at all so I’m cool with him. As to answer mom’s question on how mission has built me it kind of goes back to what she said. The basics. The lesson in sunday school yesterday was “how do we become spiritually self-reliant?” Well that’s pretty much what mission is. It forces you to go over the basics over and over and over again. To understand them at a deeper level than before. To make sure that when you go home you won’t just fall away but that instead of relying on your parents for spiritual strength you can give that to others. You literally become a light to others. That actually had me pondering when going on the unbearable tro tro ride down to cape this morning. I was thinking of different directions to go when I come home and for the few that I’m considering it would put me in situations where I would probably be relying on myself for the most part for spiritual things. That’s what mission is for.  I’ve been working just the same and we’re actually getting quite a few investigators. We’ll see how many of them are ready by November. It should be one or two. The others I’m positive will make it there in the next little while. All the while Sedem the Rc from a few weeks  ago completely humbled me yesterday. We went in to go and teach him about the priesthood and we got to how it’s about service and he just shared an experience he had that I hadn’t realized. He was going to some pentecostal church before and when he started coming to latter-day saints the elders of that church started asking “why, Why are you going to that church?” Even them they got on the topic of service. In the course of it Sedem brought up this question ” If any of you goes to help on the farm will you be ok if there’s nothing to eat?” They all said no. That’s their payment. If there’s no food then their actually being paid. He said “these Latter-day saints elders came and said don’t worry yourself for food we will come just to help and to serve.” The Pentecost elders said he was lying first. Then tried to make excuses because we were foreigners. He told them no they did it because it is about service. I was just like whoa. I didn’t realize we had that kind of impact I guess. Just to go without the expectation of food. It didn’t really seem like all that big a deal to me. It really humbled me. Aside from that we’re beginning to get more members involved especially since many of the people we’re teaching are kids. That’s nearly impossible otherwise. A sweet family that seems to be coming along pretty strong. One man had a dream and his wife readily believes the things we have taught already.For the man I think he’ll be in the next baptism very soon. As for everything else who cares it’s of the world. I’m just trying to make my things last till the final day. That’s all for now. Talk to ya later. Oh and what topic for the homecoming talk?

From the Is am Bestest,

Elder Holder

Email 10/15/2013

Dear Family,

 Sorry for last week. We went into town and all that but we were unable to email due to there being only one cafe and it’s connection is terrible. Did I also mention of four computers only two were working.  So this week is my time to shine.  Just a fast update. I may have been freaking out about the whole last transfer thing. Being two weeks in I’m still able to work and keep going and keep busy thank goodness. Thanks for the advice Kylie. Things are going well with my new companion and we’re at the very least getting things set up for a few baptisms to be happening in the next few months. I’m hoping for this month but things would have to work out just right for that to happen. I think more than likely probably after I go. We’ve gotten a bunch of referrals as of late. The funny thing about that is some of them are people we’ve been seeing for a long time. We trying to work with the members on them but it hasn’t really set in that they should be there helping us teach the people that they have given us to teach. We’ve even been able to get a few more people in Kenkuase finally. It’s taken a bit but they’re beginning to come. Along with trying to keep everything straight and going from here to there for whatever meeting things are well. I noticed this week that a lot of things that I studied have come up in other ways these last few days. I studied the purpose of callings using Moses as an example and how callings aren’t just so we can help others but also to build and teach ourselves. That came up in church on sunday and I gave a talk on it and the Branch President even was told to stress the importance of callings for people who want to go to the temple. Then I studied through galatians and in chapter two it talks about Paul, who I guess got in an argument with Peter, was in the right even though he was the junior apostle. Even our leaders who have been called and ordained of God can make mistakes and I think that matches what you said in your email. We really need to set a realistic standard for our leaders. They aren’t perfect they’re just trying to be. Just like us.What else? Those were the big things. We had a health meeting in Cape Coast today hence I’m emailing you right now. In it Pres. gave us a good instruction on the Book of Mormon. I’ll admit it seemed like it was more for missionaries to build there testimonies in it and use it more effectively for themselves than for teaching investigators. I enjoyed it. I also got interviewed for the temple today. Apparently my temple recommend expired two months ago and I didn’t notice so I got a temporary one until I go home whenever that is. Not too much else to report on. Last Friday when going down Kenkuase hill which is hardcore and in of itself, my back tire blew. Guess who walked the 50 min. to and hour back to nuamakrom. That’s right, Elder Lucas and his companion. It was good though. It reminded me of Mario. A straight path with bush on each side and you have to dodge holes and water and stuff. At one point I was playing the theme song in my head. I’m getting a cramp in my hand so I’ll write some more stuff next week. I’ll be back in Cape on monday. Talk to ya’ll then. Latas family,

Loves,

Elder Holder

E-Mail 9/30/2013

Dearest family,

  Another transfer and now my last one to have any change before
coming home. My companion Elder William is leaving to go to Assin Foso
and I am receiving an Elder Lucas from America but adopted from
Russia. I’m not actually really sure what he’s like but it’s only one
transfer I think I can make it work. As far as I know he’s a hard
worker so as long as he’s not stubborn I should be able to keep going
until the end. No wo holla. It’s funny that you thought about me
punching people in the face. As I thought about it that’s one of
things that’s really cut down on mission for me. I don’t say it as
much anymore. That’s good right? This past week ended up being really
slow for us. Kenkuase which was our powerhouse area has just been
killing us the last few weeks. Every time we go no one can meet with
us and all the people there just aren’t progressing. Because the
people to teach there are so far apart it’s hard to know where we
should go to find new investigators. Nuamakrom is still going strong.
We had one baptism this past sunday with Sis. Beatrice Adjei. She’s
been coming to church for years. She pays her tithing. She’s been
ready for a loooong time but because of some confusion with
traditional marriage things she wasn’t able to be baptized. So now I
have had the pleasure to be there when she was able to be baptized and
I can honestly say it was good to be a part of it. She’s a sweet
woman. We’re hoping to have another man this next week. Bro. Sedem.
He’s pretty much ready we’ve just had to figure out his work with
church but I think now he’s good to go.He’s one of my favorite that
I’ve taught so far. We’re hoping for a few more but I think we’ll have
to start finding some new people to come and be baptized. Which is
fine. It gets me out of the house and keeps me focused thank goodness.
This week will probably be really slow again because of all the
transfer things going on but we should be able to pick up next week.
The closer I get to the end the more and more I miss Ghana. It’s going
to be hard. We watched the best two years and the other side of heaven
today for our P-day activity and sad to say there were parts where I
teared up a little bit. I now know what those movies are going through
like I’ve had those experiences and now I realize how much I’m going
to miss them. I won’t be able to get them back home. The hardest part
will be leaving all the people I’ve come to know. That one hurts the
most. But I gotta see my family at some point I suppose. Nothing else
really to report on but I love you guys. I’ll talk to ya’ll later.
Much loves
From the is am bestest,
Elder Holder

E-Mail 9/23/2013

Dear Family,

 This past week has been pretty good. Not to say that the last few weeks haven’t been good but this last seemed more. As I’ve tried to clean up my language and to be more obedient to the mission rules which was an assignment given from Mama Shulz I have noticed this past week that there does seem to be a different spirit around. Even as I have been praying most nights to be more humble and patient I can see the difference. It’s like I have more access to the spirit than I did before. I’m not saying I’m perfect on the rules and I accidentally say bro or dude but things are looking up. This past week we’ve had sweet lessons with a few people. One of them is Sis. Beatrice who should be getting baptized this week. She doesn’t speak english and obviously we don’t speak the twi very well. Even with that as we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ she was able to get it rather quickly. She would say bits and pieces in Twi and I could tell that she understood all the things that we were teaching. She knew the process of the gospel and what it is for already. It was just like “whoa”. Another I could say was Bro. Kweku. We just met him yesterday while going to another appointment. He told us to go come. Our appointment failed so we went and came. We sat and got into the Restoration with him. Near the end I just felt prompted to share 3 Nephi 11 to explain how the Book of Mormon can be a testimony of Jesus Christ and therefore as a testimony for everything else that we teach. He brought up the question so “If that’s what you teach what does that mean for the rest of us?” For those who don’t go to the church. I guess that might not quite make sense to you but I could tell that he really understood what we said about the Restoration. What it means if Joseph Smith is a prophet and the priesthood is back on the earth. We told him that it isn’t us to decide for him but that it’s something that he will have to figure out on his own. Asking to be patient and humble is making me struggle more I feel like. Then something comes and I just say to myself “C’mon, don’t worry about it.” Thank goodness part of our reward is given from our desires. Aside from all that we’re about to hit another transfer and another set of good missionaries are going home. This mission is changing fast. I’m going to miss those guys but I know I’ll be seeing them soon. Which is my next thing. I don’t know how I’m going to react to next transfer. It’s really the final countdown. I don’t know if I’ll just go off the deep end or just tank. I honestly can’t tell what I will do. It’s kind of freaking me out. For the most part I can predict what I will do in general. but now I don’t know. It’s crazy sauce. For now that’s all I have for you. Next week we’re trying to get some kind of party put together for transfers so possibly next monday you’ll here from me or tuesday. Just wait and see like always.

From this your son,

Elder Holder

E-Mail 9/18/2013

 

Dear Family,
 

 I’m sorry for last week. We sincerely tried to email. On Monday the there was no way to get onto a computer at the cafe and on tuesday the connection was working and we had to leave. Sorry. As for this week the government of Ghana decided that all foreigners staying in the country had to register and get id cards or on November 1st if your caught they’ll kick you out. So we’re spending the day in Cape coast getting it all for the mission. Even I don’t think we’re going to get home until very late. My first thought when I heard that it would take effect Nov. 1 was “why don’t I just not get the card? If they catch me they can only send me home two weeks early. When I should have already been home.” Then I decided maybe I shouldn’t make sarcastic thoughts like that. Anyways as for last week we did good but we have run into a few hiccups. One of our investigators is just having trouble with money and he’s trying to support himself so he’s having problems coming to church. We’ll have to wait on him for a few weeks. Then our other one may in fact be a polygamous. I had no idea. But he has multiple children from multiple women and he claims that he’s married to two of them. hmmmm. We talked to the father of one and he said that he didn’t do the knocking (traditional marriage) so I’m not sure anymore. He now knows that what he did was wrong and we’re helping him through the repentance process but I don’t know exactly how to tell if he has fully repented or not. That is our dilemma. On other news from the heart of west africa, our branch pres. showed us woman who has been coming to church for who knows how long. I thought she was a member. And so now we’re just going through the lessons with her so she can be baptized. The only thing slowing us down is that she doesn’t speak english. She knows enough of the church doctrine that we can get through the teachings with her without too much problem. She’ll be baptized by the end of this month. Aside from that I get kind of bored in Nuamakrom sometimes. At the times when we’re not working. There’s nothing different to read in the apartment and its only two of us so at times I’m just like meh. Reading your letter it sounds like everyone just needs to hit the ground running with missionary work. The big push seems to be a sign of the times. It’s good to see you guys are keeping busy. Even me at times when we don’t have anything to do at our house or on pday I say to myself why don’t we just go out and proselyte?  We’re not doing anything else. Looking at your Rm from sunday. His is name Elder Masterson. I know a kid from highschool who went to the phillipines. I decided I need to start praying to be more patient and humble… again. Sigh. You would think after the past times that I would be there but here we go again. I’ll just talk about today and then finish. So as our zl’s got up and told us what the mission wants us to do. The hardest one I have to say is from the Assistants. They want us to clean up all the slang in our language. Things like dude, bro, homedog. And many others. I have to say some were understandable and just completely inappropriate. Others I was like “whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s take a step back.” Oh goodness  this one will not be easy. Oh well. I was called to do I suppose. Oh and I now have a immigration card in Ghana with my picture on it. I noticed that my face seems fatter. I’m not quite sure how but regardless, I still look just as good. Seriously though the beautiful ladies will have to watch out when I roll around. Sorry just had to add that in. Anyways time is running out so need to write to a few more people. Until next week. We’ll be in Cape.

Sincerely,
Elder Holder

E-Mail 9/3/2013

Dear ole Family,

 I suppose I had better start listening to you guys more. We had pres. interviews today along with district meeting. They instructed kind of on how this new teaching should go. It really focuses more on how we begin teaching people. It should work to change the atmosphere when we teach. I liked it. I still have to change up some things that I do. In addition during the interview I asked pres. if I complain too much. He said no but that I could probably be more positive. So this whole time I thought I was just being honest but instead I was actually being a bit pessimistic. Oh well lesson learned.It was a good interview and I enjoyed the instruction. The only problem was we had to get up at 5 in this morning just to get to the meeting on time. So right now I a bit tired and i haven’t really eaten anything all day so I’m also hungry.  This past week we went on splits with the zone leaders and I got to go with Elder Harris. It was sweet. Not only does he know movies, comics, and various videogames but he’s also incredibly sarcastic. I will say that I did enjoy the day. He also gave me advice at the end of the split it just kind of struck me I guess. He said ” you’re a good missionary. Just keep being a good missionary” I don’t know why it stuck with me so much. It’s just something simple but it might be some of the best advice I’ve gotten in awhile. We also learned that one of our investigators has some issues he needs to take care of. His situation is based off the need for money, just like most people. He’s trying and I really feel for him. I hope that things will begin to turn up for him. Especially now that he’s getting closer and closer to baptism. We also went to kenkuase again, and guess what I learned something about testimonies. Someone had asked a day before “can you have a testimony of Jesus without being converted to the church?” I had to say yes. As I thought about it more I was like ya. The only difference is that as being a member of the church your testimony is more perfect than others. All the honorable people who refused the gospel of Jesus Christ because they were blinded by men will receive the terrestial glory. So good people who most probably have faith in the saviour but not the saving and essential principles in the gospel which you need to make it to the celestial kingdom. As I continued in my thoughts your testimony will continue to grow until it becomes perfect. Essentially until you know the saviour. Pretty much an Apostle or prophet. Other people’s knowledge of the godhead is limited and often incorrect so their testimonies are limited. To have a perfect testimony you have to come and know the savior a little more. Whether through his church, his prophets, his words(scriptures). etc. That’s just my little thought from this past week. Other than that I got my B-day packages and they hit me hard the first few days. My body wasn’t used to the sugar and sweets, at least not as much as I was eating. I turned in my travel plans today so the itinerary should be coming soon. Thank goodness. Not too much time left. Time is far spent, there is little remaining. That’s all the big stuff and I can’t really think of others. If I do I guess I’ll send next week. As for now Yebehyia Y?

From the is am bestest again,

Elder Holder

E-Mail 8/26/2013

Dear Ole Family,

 

 Ete sen? The times are going. For some reason the last week was a bit slower than usual which is weird but even though it was slower than usual it was still more than my other areas. So it was slow but it just went down to average so it still wasn’t bad. A missionary left from Kenkuase this past week. He walked with us for the last time on Wednesday. He got set apart on Thursday and went to mtc on friday. His name was michael. Now we’re working with his brother another guy in that little village. It’s nice to have translators and to be honest we probably wouldn’t be very effective if we didn’t have some of the natives with us. So some things of the last week. We had a general family home evening. We had a few people come including sedom. He ‘s doing good and I won’t lie I expect him to be baptized somehow soon. He already knows about Joseph Smith and doesn’t seem to have any problems with the first vision. The only thing keeping him from church is that he has to farm sometimes. He farms for a another person so if she calls him he kind of has to go. That’s what happened this past sunday. We also had a few guys Samuel and Thompson come. Their both young guys but they act just like some of the boys. Like college friends. I don’t know how to explain it really. You would just have to meet them. But they actually came and they’re actually sweet. I also started exercising like two weeks ago and I gained back some of the muscle I had lost in the past few months. But then something happened on wednesday. We were making our way to a another village on our bikes. I started up a hill and realized that my companion wasn’t with me. Well I waited a sec and then said i would go and head down. I didn’t want to ride down because then maybe he’ll be coming up. Oh and by the way my bike doesn’t have brakes. so I decide just to ride on the pedal thinking I’ll have enough control to stop when I want to. I get to the bottom of the hill and my companion is just off on the side fixing something on the chain. I kept riding by because I was going too fast. so I then tried to slow myself down putting my foot on the tire. Then my foot commenced to get caught in the tire and I flipped off. I ended up tearing up my hands a bit when I landed. Mostly my left. (sigh). We kept riding and i cleaned them off at the village we went to. So the next day when I still tried to do some push ups.The stinging hurt too much and I had jacked up my wrist a bit so I stopped there. I’ve been waiting to fix the brakes but I haven’t had enough money and we’re in a place where it’s not very easy to fix the brakes. so hopefully this week we can figure something out. I got my travel request form finally and my birthday packages. I was quite happy about that. Now we just have to figure out how to them back to our home because right now their in the Zone leaders apartment. suck. We’re in Cape Coast today and so I’m emailing right now instead of tuesday. Next week we’re coming down for combined meeting so we’ll be down again next week. Not really too much else to say. I guess I’ll leave it there. love you guys and talk to ya’ll latas

yours truly,

Elder Holder