From Nov. 14, 2011: Soccer Boots to Elder Moses; Temple Trip; Insights from President Judd; Really Hot and Dusty; Ghananian Values

Well on Monday Elder Macaulay and I went to Alajo to deliver the soccer cleats my sister had sent to Elder Moses. The boots were really nice and Elder Moses really liked them. While I was visiting Alajo I visited a few people and picked up one or to things from some people. It was good to see some familiar faces and being able to see Elder Moses before he returns home the 7th of December. Elder Moses mentioned how people miss me here and it felt how the people in the Adenta area miss Paul Booren. If I can have people feel that way about me years after I have returned home then I have done my part. 
 On Wednesday our Adenta district and another district had our temple trip and interviews with President Judd. We started preparing at 3am to be at the temple at 7:30. As we were leaving our place around 5 we were waiting for a tro tro with me signaling private cars to stop. A woman in a luxury SUV stopped and knowing that we were missionaries from the church she offerd to give us a ride into Accra where we reached the temple at 6 being very early. I realized that very few people would view hitchhiking as a safe practice, but here it is more common or at least for us perhaps in our shirt and tie attire. My interview with President Judd went well and he said I'm doing a good job which was nice. During the instructions some things I learned  1. The Atonement of Christ is a given in our lives, but our faith is required on just how much influence this limitless gift will have in our life. 2. When we believe the Fall of Adam and Eve was a bad thing we then feel that Adam and Eve outsmarted God meaning God isn't a perfect being and therefore not God. 3. Life is a cycle of the Garden Of Eden, The Fall, and the Atonement -too good to be true, reality and pain sets in, and redemtion comes to lift us up.
  I can't recall anything that happened a bit on Thursday. It was hot and really dusty to the point of tasting the dust and having it stuck to our bodies. It's when it gets this dusty that I don't feel comfortable in the clothes I am wearing. 
 Friday was where two instances of the subject of homosexuality were brought up with people  and I figured I would include the feelings recorded to shed light on the culture. Africans are much less tolerant with homosexuals than people back in the Western Culture. They cite God created a man and woman for a reason. Elder Macaulay said that if homoexuals were being anything more than 100% private about being gay people would go up to them and shoot them (in public) A Ghanaian's view was somehwhat nicer and said that they would be beaten in the street. I did find it interesting though when Elder Macaulay found some glitter a member had and rubbed in on his face and arms exclaiming that he loves glitter.  We also had a lesson with a man named Nii and how he doesn't go to church because the pastors here take the money for their own pockets living in 1.5 million U.S. Dollar houses with the members who had given the money suffering to survive. He did state the fact that people view establishing a church as one very effective money making method. 
  Sunday was our Stake conference and it was good to see many member and missionary friends. I saw several missionaries that will be leaving in a few weeks so it was nice to say farewell. I had mentioned in a previous weekly update that I had done an interview with a member to help me translate. Apparently he was so impressed that he had gone to several church leaders to tell them about the experience as well as President Judd via a written note that President Judd gave to me to keep. it was an interesting experience and I was grateful with the member's thoughtfullness.  

The sisters (6) in the district want us to sign for some talent show for the missionaries on Christmas and we are working on getting out of that. Your opinion on my voice doesn't compel me. I don't feel that my talents are reflected in a talent show. I think each zone will sing a hymn though. 

For the temperature I would check at the moment, but the internet link isn't working. All I know is that it is hot and really dusty.