Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. OW.

September 25, 2017

Eusbett [a restaurant] was nice! Just in case anyone was wondering. I have pictures, but they will have to wait until next week because I'm running out of time and pictures here take a long time to upload.

Transfers came this week! Elder Effiong is getting transferred to Obuasi #cityofgold which is essentially on the other side of the mission. My new companion is going to be the only other theatre geek in the whole mission, Elder Whipple! I'm super excited about that! He's from Missouri, I've been in the same zones as him most of my mission and this last transfer he was my zone leader. Now he's been released and he's coming to be my companion for his last transfer before he goes home.

Elder Forrest is also getting transferred. He's going to Konongo (Nkawkaw), to be a zone leader. So with him leaving I'll be the new district leader in the Penkwase district. I'm heading down to Kumasi today for district leader training.

We started going to the gym this week. #hencemysubjectheading It's been a great way of making sure I'm up by 6:30am but man... I'm sore. This is the first time I've lifted since I've come on my mission so... nkakra kakra akoko benim nsuo, I am managing. I figured it would be a good idea since I'm currently skinnier than I've been since I was 16.

Anyway, much love to you all! I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Elder Henderson

Zip-a-dee-ay and Heigh-dee-ho!

September 18, 2017

Man! Thank you all so much for the powerful Birthday wishes! It only took 11.5 months of my mission but I'm finally 19. #oneyearolderandwisertoo I know all of you want to know what I did for my birthday so I'll just tell you... I proselyted. But never fear, because tonight I'm going to feast at Eusbett! #feastuponit Eusbett is the hotel here in Sunyani. A few weeks ago we scouted out the restaurant. It has a lot of food that I haven't seen in a very long time so I'm excited.

My birthday was actually very VERY sweet because I had the wonderful privilege of confirming Kelvin. It was a really powerful experience. I was actually worried (and so was he) because he came late and even missed sacrament. We were worried we would have to wait until next week but luckily after the last talk the Branch President called us up and we were able to do it just before the meeting ended. Now we are working on family history with him. #yayforgenealogy

It's interesting because family history is really REALLY difficult to do in west Africa where absolutely no records were kept by anyone until Ghana gained independence from Great Britain. So he's gonna have to do some digging but we are hoping to get his mom involved in helping out with this as a means of introducing her to the gospel. She's a great woman but she has never had any interest in meeting with us or leaving her apostate church. #seedifficulties

Well, I hope you all know how much I love each and every one of you. I love hearing from you guys #andgettingpicturesfromyou and I'm so grateful for the overwhelming support I've been getting from home. I want to make it very clear how much credit my parents deserve for my being here. I love them so much and I'm so grateful for their amazing examples to me. I hope someday to be as powerful as my mother and father. I love you guys.

PS Here is a picture of my birthday banku!

Elder Henderson

Birthday Banku

At Zone Conference with Sister Cosgrave

"No unhallowed hand will stop this baptism from happening!"

September 11, 2017

Man, this week was interesting. #veryinteresting

First off I had a boss exchange with Elder Forrest. #forgottotakepictures

But also, Kelvin's baptism!! Which by the way was in jeopardy when we showed up Sunday morning before church to fill up the font and the water pump at the church spoiled. So we had to get in touch with the District president, take our candidates and our baptists AND our Presiding Authority, to the District Center, and do the baptism there. It was sweet in the end. I attached pictures.

We had another hiccup when the other companionship's candidate couldn't get himself all the way under the water. Seriously for the life of him he couldn't do it. Finally after like, 8 tries they were successfully able to immerse him in the water.

Kelvin did it on the first try. #gokelvin

Sorry guy's that is really all I've got this week. Love ya!

Elder Henderson

IT'S MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY!!!!

September 4, 2017

Today is a very special day friends and family because today my mom turns... not a day over 25.

If you have not had a chance to wish her happy birthday, the day is still young! Therefore I officially dedicate this email to my wonderful mother. And her birthday gift... LOTS OF PICTURES!!! #YAAAYYYYY

This week has been interesting. My companion has a twisted ankle so that is the only real explanation for the pictures below. We've been seeing this mystery nurse woman who apparently has the remedy. What you will see below is my companion in lots and lots of pain. #wedontseeheranymore

We had District Conference this week and it was awesome! All the missionaries #exceptelderguevara in the Sunyani zone participated in the District Choir. It was pretty special #tonedeaf but special. The good thing about it was it really invited the spirit into the meeting.

Mine and Elder Effiong's plan to get 6 investigators at District conference did not go well. We fell victims to the classic case of investigators telling us they were on their way to the district center just to get us off their back. But we did have two investigators show up. Kelvin and Gloria. Both are youth age. Are youth represented this week and honestly our adults kinda failed us. It may be time to clean house. #youthpower

Kelvin remains super powerful and will be getting baptized on this coming Sunday.

Gloria is a neat story. Gloria was a fresh investigator when I got to Sunyani and she had never come to church before. When we met were her last week she confessed to us that she initially didn't believe what we were teaching her at all and hadn't been keeping any commitments. We boldly invited her to just try keeping commitments and reading the Book of Mormon on her own and praying about it, promising that she would feel good about it if she did. We asked her to read King Benjamin's sermon and kinda left it at that.

The next time we met with her she told us that she had been reading and that as she was reading the things in the Book of Mormon were starting to make perfect sense. She said that after she prayed she felt like the book was true. We explained that that was the Spirit and she should remember that feeling because it will continue to teach her. 

After District Conference she was really anxious to be baptized. The only problem is that she leaves for boarding school next week, and probably won't be back until Christmas. But she is taking the Book of Mormon with her and has promised to read it every day.

That's all for this week kids! Remember to wish my Mom a Happy Birthday!

Elder Henderson

My comp and me outside the District Center

Elder Effiong and the foot lady

Elder Forrest trying to compose a rap

The view from inside the mosquito net

My companion and I looking flexing for District Conference

My companion and I looking flexing for District Conference

Us with Gloria and Kelvin

District Choir

Our flexing district

Elder Forrest and me

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