From July 23, 2012: Alex Boye Concert; Elder Bladen Sick for a Whole Week

 The week as a whole was on the average side. Elder Bladen was sick for a full week with strep throat which interfered with some of our work efforts. I was able to take Elder Ndarya (Elder Hurley's companion) on a split to see a few people which was good. Elder Ndarya is adjusting to Ghana and I think the split in another area helped him. He is a good missionary who understands the gospel and who is working, like all of us, to convey his knowledge in lessons. Alex Boye's concert was a much needed morale booster with our results in the area and the companionship's sickness. We were reinvigorated and touched by Alex's powerful testimony.  Alex Boye is a musical artist and also sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He came to Ghana to promote the church. The start was not what we were expecting. He was getting jiggy with it, but it turned more spiritual .
   The end of the week proved more fruitful than the start by receiving two part member referrals. Unfortunately they both were not able to come to church. Isaac had his lights out and wasn't able to iron, and Gifty didn't have shoes to wear to church and as a result said she would buy some this week for the coming Sunday. Gifty and her brother live with their father who has them sell alcohol to make some money through the week when he goes to work. It's not a fun situation to be in as Frances was visibly embarrassed with a drunk man interrupting our lessons, but we understand and we tried to show him how there isn't anything to be embarrassed about.
 Aside from all of this, Sunday we were able to bring our baptismal candidate, Margarete, to church. While she is a member's relative and only 17, Elder Bladen and I are able to see her come to love the message we have and the church. We have a few more leads in our area from members as well, and we are optimistic for them next month. The ward is also doing well. I gave a talk on chapter 13 of the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, and I feel that it was a sign they are trusting us more. The ward is very good. they just  need to see the missionaries being real and trustworthy missionaries, which Elder Bladen and I are working to do. Elder Bladen and I are getting along well. I think after being sick for a week, he was starting to become overwhelmed and discouraged and I have been working to inspire him.