What may be foremost on "Missionary Moms" minds is our ADDRESS CHANGE! We just changed our mission address. Our mail will now be delivered to this new address which is about 100 meters from the Mission Home and our mission office. (Sorry I didn't post this sooner - the internet is having problems reaching my computer - for downloading and posting, so my posting has been greatly delayed) I'm trying to look at this as part of the Ghanaian charm (:
FYI - we moved the mission office to #3 Cocoa Palms which is 2 doors down from our mission home (we are at #1). Our mission couple will be living upstairs and the office occupies the downstairs rooms. This really makes it a lot more convenient for all of us working out of the office. Our old commute could be as long as 1 hour and it was only about 2 K between our home and the old office. (New Office pictures in a later blog)
The new mailing address should make it faster for mail to arrive since it is a smaller and less congested post office and easier and closer to get to. (We can even walk there:) We will still go to the other address to pick up mail - at least for several months - to make sure no mail falls through the address change cracks.
You may still use pouch for some letters (see instructions to right). All packages and letters should be addressed:
Elder/Sister_______________
Ghana Accra West Mission
PMB CT 209
Cantonment
Accra, Ghana, West Africa
If you received the address from your missionary without the "Cantonment" line, it will still get to us. The "CT" is short for Cantonments but the Postmaster at that office added the line. It may be more efficient and
help get our mail faster. We just got our first letters Monday (now almost 2 weeks ago) and it only took 1 week from the U.S!
Address above may be used for packages and letters. Pouch mail remains the same (address in right column)
FYI - Our experience is that the U.S. flat rate envelope arrives here the fastest and the envelopes are seldom opened by customs.
As explained above, the internet has been a challenge but I can't blame everything on that. We had a super full February, as well as the last week of January when we spent a wonderful week meeting with Elder Bednar, Elder Clayton and their wives. One of the great perks of being here on a mission in Ghana! We had missionaries go home (below), new missionaries arrive from the MTC, transfers, a mission tour with Elder Dube for a week and the office move which occupied lots of time. That along with the regular 24/7 activities of a mission the blog didn't make the time allotment cut or when it did the internet did not cooperate. Not excuses, just real life here:)
We had 6 missionaries "Go Home With Honor" on February 4, always a mixture of happy for them and sad for us to lose them. As I've said before it gets harder and harder as I grow to know and love them more. We are grateful for their faithful service!
Photo OPS in front of the temple on their last day here.
The Assistants, 6 missionaries and President and Sister Hill.
and our office couple, the Walls.
The end of mission tie exchange.
Last afternoon shopping in the Craft Market.
So many crafts/masks - so little space left in the suitcase!
Men In Black - US missionaries last to leave.
Oops - flight was cancel - SNOW delay - Not snow in Ghana!(:
One extra night staying at the Mission Home!
MINI-TRANSFER!
Mini-transfer in January had our Assistant heading out to the Bush for the last couple of months of his mission. We will miss him. He and President will miss the bantering(:
For the others transferred it's hard to say goodbye to companions!
New Missionaries arrive from the MTC on February 5th - one Elder - one Sister!
With their new trainers:
Besides the new missionaries we are using ward missionaries (most waiting for their own mission calls) so that as we lose and don't replace missionaries, we don't have to close down areas. New MTC missionaries and ward missionaries meet to be trained before going to their assignments.
Transfers - probably about 40% of the mission went to new places. It's always a great time for gathering, greeting old friends and meeting new companions.
It's hard to say goodbye again and be off in taxis and TroTro's (mini van buses) heading to new areas.
Thanks to those who have worried about no postings for so long. Sorry, I thought we were over the delays and got this post ready to go almost 2 weeks ago and we had an electrical storm that not only knocked out our power (including burning up our WiFi modem and TV receiver) but knocked out the phone line, which apparently supports the high powered WiFi that it requires to send this. In addition, apparently the reduced connection made it so the post didn't save so I had to re-enter all the pictures and information. I'm hoping a soluction to our internet problem comes soon. Thanks for your patience and notes of encouragement!
We're all well in Ghana!
