The Dreaded Obruni Monster

Brothers and Sisters, friends and family, I love Ghana, but one disadvantage to being white is that half the adorable African kids are mortally afraid of you. It is a worse problem in Sunyani than anywhere else I have been on my mission. We are teaching a young married couple, Steven and Ruth, and they have a little girl name Felicity who, bless her heart, screams bloody murder and wails hysterically every time she sees me. #lowkeyracist Luckily Steven and Ruth came to church but Felicity was not having it with the two obrunis in investigator's class, so I spent most of the second hour out in the hallway reading the Young Women's Teaching Manuel. I read the chapter about dating and what young women should be looking for in a guy. It was a good read. #advicetotheyoungmen

Also, Elder Effiong and I joined the District Choir. It was... very interesting. We'll be singing I Am A Child Of God in Twi at District Conference next week. #Meyenyameba 

The good news is we got free malt and dinner roles out of it.

Kelvin came to church again and would've been getting baptized this coming Sunday but because of District Conference we are bumping him back to the 10th of September. He'll confirmed on the following Sunday. #greatestdayofthewholeyear

Also, Godfrey from Offinso was baptized on Saturday! #WAHOO!

That's really all for now folks! Love ya!

Elder Henderson

With Elder Effiong

This was just sent to me. This picture was taken about 5 years ago. This makes me REALLY happy. #sensational6

Elder Effiong with the Odumase landscape in the back.

Selfie on the work grind.

This tree has two trees growing on top of it.

My companion fixing a washing machine that was left here. (He was successful!)

I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go

Monday, August 21, 2017

Well kids this was a VERY interesting week. But it was a great one! I spent pretty much the whole time getting acquainted with all the new investigators and members here in Nkwabeng. As it turns out, though, the area I proselyte in isn't even Nkwabeng, that's just where my apartment is. Every day we walk outside and pick a taxi to Odumase. #itsprettyfar And it's somehow difficult because the chapel too is in Nkwabeng, so we are asking our investigators to travel really far to come to church. But they are coming anyway so that shows faith! #ifgodfreycoulddoitsocanyou

Our best investigator so far is a 14 year old kid named Kelvin. This kid is a freaking stud. His older brother Eric was baptized just a few weeks ago and we just started teaching him when I got here. This kid is so smart and he came to church on Sunday! #boomgoesthedynamite. The good news is that very soon Odumase will be splitting off into its own branch and it will be there in Odumase so that all the members and investigators there will have it a little easier. The taxi fair isn't very expensive but it is still really hard for people to get and set aside every week. That should happen sometime next month.

Also, for any of you who may be wondering, Elder Smith called me yesterday and Powerful Godfrey will be getting baptized on Saturday! That makes me so happy. He has wanted to get baptized so bad and now he finally can! That man has had a long and hard wait. 

Also, one last thing. For those of you who don't know my dad turned twenty-something this week so I hope you all were able to wish him a very happy birthday! That's really all this week everyone! I'm looking forward to this upcoming week to see what happens. Much love to you all!

Elder Henderson

Saying goodbye to Fried Rice Frank

Saying goodbye to Osei

Saying goodbye to my dignity

Saying goodbye to the branch mission leader, Brother Antwi

Saying goodbye to my firstborn in the wilderness

In the Hollow of His hand

Transfer news came this week and I WILL be leaving Offinso. It was somehow predictable because I have been here for so long. But yes... I will be leaving my son [Elder Smith, his trainee] behind and going up to Sunyani in an area called Nkwabeng. #youdonthavetotrytopronouncethat

And while I'm sad to be leaving Offinso I am really excited to go up to Sunyani. My companion is from Nigeria, Elder Effiong. I was actually in the same apartment as him in Tamale for three transfers. We'll enjoy together. He's a great missionary.

I'm attaching some pictures of some of my best members that I've been working with in Offinso. It includes recent converts, Sunday-school presidents and Elders Quorum Presidents/families.

Sorry to say but due to varying circumstances the baptisms back in Offinso will need to be postponed. But luckily those investigators are being left in the capable hands of Elder Smith.

I'm so grateful for my time here in Offinso. I can honestly say that the most important thing I've learned here is to rely on the Lord. I remember in an email I sent to my mission president several months ago I expressed some concern that I was overwhelmed with work and thus losing control of the work in my area. His response really stuck with me. He said, "When it's all said and done, it should really be the Lord who is in control anyway." This whole time I've been kept safely in the hollow of His hand and one of the things that I think we all can learn, is to allow him to take control. As we do that our lives will be blessed and we will be happier.

Love you all!

Elder Henderson

The Life and Times of Elders Yao Afriyie and Kwaku Boakye

August 7, 2017

Well everyone, Cecilia was baptized on Saturday and confirmed (and sustained) on Sunday. #YEEAAAAHHHH!! #itsabouttime I always love having confirmations on fast Sunday because it gives the convert a chance to bear their testimony. Cecilia was very shy to speak into the microphone but the Branch President was gracious enough to translate what she was saying for us. She'll be a powerful contribution to the branch.

For those of you who are unaware, in Ghana the name you receive is based on the day of the week that you are born. So all us missionaries have our own Twi names. I was born on a Thursday which makes my name Yao. Elder Smith was born on Wednesday making his name Kwaku. Kinda fun. A lot of times since we are missionaries we get called Akwasi (Sunday born) and as we walk by we hear people saying "'kwase 'broni" #noproblem

Unfortunately, I'm skeptical about Godfrey and Felicia getting baptized this Saturday. We are still planning on them but Godfrey didn't come to church yesterday and Felicia has been out of town for funerals so it is very possible I won't get to see their baptisms since the life and times of Yao Afriyie and Kwaku Boakye could be ending this week at transfers.

We had a lot of interesting experiences this week. For one, about 3 months ago Elder Smith and I contacted a market preacher and gave him a Restoration pamphlet. He then promptly dropped off the face of the earth until Wednesday when he showed up at the front door of our apartment at about 7:00am. He said he realized that the church he was being a Pastor for at the time wasn't true and that after diligent prayer he said God told him he needed to talk to the white men. #noproblematall We had an emergency lesson on our front porch in our pajamas. #thepowerofprayer #noIdonthavepicturessodontask He came to church yesterday so that was sweet.

Well that's it for this week everyone! I'm looking forward to what will most likely be my last week in Offinso! Wish me luck!

Elder Henderson

When your mission language is Twi.

Our outdoor font

This is what happens when a Ghanaian and a Kenyan get ahold of a fire extinguisher. 

This is what Ghana looks like.

Cecilia and her kids at the baptism

Zion's walls shall ring with praise...

July 31, 2017

Well everyone, I've got good news and I've got bad news. I'll start with the bad.

The bad news is that Godfrey and Felicia are both very ill. As a result neither of them could come to church yesterday. The problem is that they are both somehow old and prone to illness. Felicia could still be baptized this week if she gets feeling better but if not we will have to postpone. Godfrey's baptism is scheduled for next week but if he doesn't make it to church next week we will have to postpone the baptism. And, with transfers coming up soon I'll most likely be leaving before then so I won't get to see it. #sadday

The good news is that Cecilia is all set for her baptism on Saturday and is more than ready (and anxious). She'll make a powerful contribution to the branch. Cecilia is powerful because she's such a hard worker and is such a sincere soul. Cecilia's victory is the kind of thing to make "Zion's walls ring with praise". #powerfulcecilia

We've been placing focus on a lot of our less active members of the church recently that were converted with the first missionaries that came to Offinso and quickly fell away after they left. The biggest downside to being a white missionary in Ghana is rumors get spread that we give people money or promise to send them abroad if they join the church. #nottrue So I guess that was often the case with some of the earlier converts in this area, who quickly fell less active when they realized that wasn't the case. Some of them have recently resurfaced as we have moved our proselyting efforts to other areas and we are currently working with the former Elders Quorum President, former Primary President, and one guy who believes that blessings eliminate the need for hospitals. #alsonottrue  We've got a lot of work to do.

Last bit... Shout out to Ondine Morgan who got called to the California San Jose Mission. And also shout out to Colton Condie who leaves on his mission this week!

Much Love to you ALL!

Elder Henderson

Sweet church in Old Offinso

Elder Smith taught some percussionists how it's done

This is me and the artist.

Powerful First vision painting I bought.