Happy Thanksgiving!

 Hello friends and family!  Here is a catch up to what has been going on with us the last month or so.  Time is flying by and sometimes it is hard for me to find some time when I can do a little writing.  

This last month we took a drive up to Bolgatanga.  We are building a teacher's quarters for a school in this very remote area by the name of Kulpeliga.  Kulpeliga is located about 45 minutes east of Bolgatanga.  It is considered the upper east region of Ghana.  This region is very different from where we live in Sunyani.  There is definitely more of a Muslim population in this area.  It is also hotter and dryer up there.  It seems flatter too.  More savannah like.  The people speak a different language as well.   We had a beautiful drive from Bolga on a dirt road.  We passed by many people that I'm sure had never seen white people in real life before.  They get excited and wave and smile and always help us feel welcome.  Helping people feel welcome is very much a Ghanaian trait I want to carry with me when I return.   It feels as if we bring a little hope to the communities.   As we were traveling through the savannah we passed over a little bridge.  There were 5 or 6 little boys that were about 7 years old sitting in the shade under a tree next to the bridge.  I wish I could have snapped a picture of them candidly but we were moving pretty quickly.  They were all smiling and waving.  Some were toothless.  It was a picture for the heart.

This is us introducing the Site Monitor to the Contractor in Kulpeliga

Elder Fuell standing by the concrete blocks they made  for the building as they prepare for the foundation

Soon after we returned I busted of part off a crown of one of my teeth.  I had to visit a dentist...  The crown that broke off had pretty good ware as it was put on 25 years ago when my daughter Janaye was a baby.  I visited Doctor Clu in Abesim.  I liked his web site and decided to pay him a visit.  Dr. Clu said he could do a zirconium crown for me.  I decided to take him up on it.  He did an excellent job considering I don't think he has had the opportunity to do very many crowns.  I'm sure he is more in the business of extracting.  I kindly let him know I was a Dental Hygienist from the United States and that I understood dentistry and that I had plenty of time to make the visits necessary to get the job accomplished.  This crown will last me a while I'm sure.  Thank you Doctor Clu for your good work and kindness.

Heard of sheep just outside Dr. Clu's office.

We were so grateful to celebrate Thanksgiving with our Senior missionary dear friends.  Last year we were completely overwhelmed with just arriving here that I don't think we even celebrated Thanksgiving.  I think we went to Kentucky Fried Chicken just the two of us.  This year was amazing!  I felt a little guilty when some of the Young Elder's were asking about what we did for Thanksgiving.  God bless 'em.  I feed them as often as I can, but there are 22 Elders and Sisters in our zone.  We figured it was time to fill our own well.  The African Elders and Sisters mostly had never heard of Thanksgiving and where fine with working all day.  It was the American Elders that had a difficult time.  Some went to a new restaurant called Big Bites and had dinner. 

Big Bites actually cracks us up.  They take your order and then it is a surprise of what they actually bring you. The waitress doesn't write anything down and typically they don't speak english.  Haha!  It is fun.  We took a companionship out for lunch one day.  One Elder from Zimbabwe leaned over and asked me if I could help him order.  He had never been out to eat at a sit down restaurant before and he was very excited and grateful.  I went over the menu with him and helped him order from the waitress who spoke limited english.  Haha!  It is always an adventure. 

    Lunch with Elder's

Yesterday we had transfers and it also happened to be Elder Fuell's birthday.  Elder Fuell said it was one of the best birthdays he has had.  He was doing exactly what he loves to do and he heard from all of the kids either by phone call or a quick text which he loved.  He also heard from Grandma Frei, Karen and Joey and Lynette and Danny and Chauna.  This is one of the things I love the best about Louie.  I love how he enjoys simple pleasures.  When we arrived at transfers all the missionaries sang him the most rousing rendition of happy birthday I have ever heard.  I love how the Africans sing with such energy.  It ended up being about a 12 hour day of transporting luggage and missionaries to where they needed to be.  We lost a few great missionaries, but we always gain great ones too, so the work moves onward.  Oh, also, the medical couple and the AP's made sure Elder Fuell had a few cans of Dr. Pepper to take back with us.  It was just a beautiful day for Elder Fuell.

This is one of our favorite people we have met in Sunyani!

Akuragu Francis

Akuragu called us back in February to ask us if we could help him get his mission paper's in.  Akuragu lives with his adopted parents President and Sister OfosoAppiah (former district president of Sunyani).  We soon came to find out he had some health issues that needed to be addressed before he would be allowed to serve.  It required him to take his medication faithfully to get himself in a position in which he was healthy enough to serve.  At first he was a little discouraged, but Elder Fuell and I felt strongly that if he was faithful in doing what was required he would be good to serve.  We fasted and prayed with him and his family and miracles have transpired.  After plenty of back and forth with the missionary department and several medical tests, Akuragu has finally, 10 months later, been cleared for missionary service.  The missionary department said that he will have to serve in country, but he is so excited to serve.  He will be a powerful missionary.

I also want to talk with you about our friend Julius.  A few months back some missionaries in our zone wanted us to come with them when they were teaching Julius.  Julius said he woke up one morning and his legs no longer worked.  I think he may have contracted polio.  That is not confirmed though.  because he could not attend school any more he started reading The Book of Mormon that the missionaries gave him and was converted to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  He had one obstacle though.  He didn't have a way to get to church.  A powerful missionary by the name of Elder De Guzman from the Philippines came along and decided he would carry him to church.  Eventually his entire family was baptized.  Elder Fuell and I found out that Julius qualified for a wheel chair from the humanitarian department.  We went to work to help him get his wheel chair.  Lots of back and forth and follow ups have occurred but in the end he will receive his wheel chair this week.  We are so happy for Julius.  We know that it does not resolve many of his troubles (Ghana is not very wheel chair friendly), but we hope it will help him with some independence.  

   

Julius is seated on the far left behind Elder De Guzman, Elder Njelika is next to De Guzman

Elder Njelika carried him into the baptismal font and baptized him.

This week I have been studying the beginning part of 3rd Nephi and I came across these scripture which I realized is on our missionary plaque.  

I will part with this

We love you have a great Christmas season

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life."

"And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen."

-3 Nephi 5:13, 26.

Love you all!

Elder and Sister Fuell