Q&A with Elder Nelson

Give us Captions to the pictures- The two at the river were just when we were walking. Those kids love to catch fish for fun in the disgusting water. Note that the bank is partially made out of garbage. It just breeds disease. The other one is just me playing the piano in the apartment. I sent it because of the tan line on the back of my neck.

Tell us about he progress of the preacher's son. He's taking us to meet his friends from school next Sunday. He's been distributing the pamphlets as we supply them, but we have yet to meet any of the fruits of his labors. So we'll see.

Have you seen any crazy wildlife lately? Goats

Tell us about some of the people you have been working with and their background.- Dad

What do kids in Ghana want to be when they grow up? American. Haha sad but there are so many people who want to travel and make a lot of money.

How do the people spend their spare time. Watching television. A lot of people complain that they don't have money, but they are always inside watching. Especially these stupid translated soap opera episodal shows from India. I tell you, they're making a ton of money off of Ghanaians. 

Tell us about your new companion. Conversion story, family... He was born as a child of record. His parents were members. He has three brothers and no sisters and he's the third-born.

Describe your apartment. It's actually really big, especially for just the two of us. As far as I can tell, we have infestations of ants, geckos, rats, bats, and doves. But they mostly stay out of our way and we kill a few of them occasionally to warn the others.

What are most people afraid of in Ghana? Lots of things. They're afraid of rain, which immediately stops all outside interaction at the first sign of any sprinkle. They're afraid of juju (black magic). The wicked traditions of their fathers permeate the society so that *almost* everyone is affected by it just a little bit. Even members will ask us funny questions about it. They are afraid of other things, but none are coming to mind right now.

What options do they have for vocational or college education? They can go to college, which they call "university". One interesting thing is that it is relatively common to get scholarships for high school, but there are really no available scholarships for university--exactly the opposite of life in the US. 

What childhood games do they play? I know what they are, but I don't know the names. Some involve clapping and jumping, some involve drawing in the dirt, and some involve catching fish in poopy rivers.

What did you bear your testimony about yesterday? I bore it about how the members are a light to the world. Now that they know the truth, it is their responsibility to learn more and follow what they know. In doing so, it will bless their lives and help lift those around them.

Where do they go for vacation? Recreation? They actually travel a lot more than we do. One of the most common trips to take is "to my hometown", which is the place that their parents reside and they were born. Some of them seriously travel every other week.

Describe what you smell in the marketplace. Rotting meat would be high on the list. Animal poop is also sold in little balls (used for soup (yes, really)) and is also on the ground, emitting a pleasant fragrance. The smell of scone-like things frying is there. The smell of sun is also there.

Do you have a bike? Walk? Trotro? We used to have bikes, but the other Elders needed them more. So now we do a lot of walking and occasionally we take a taxi.

If you could teach one principle and have it stick, what would it be? Easy. KEEP COMMITMENTS. 

What comfort food do you crave? Fajitas.

Well I have to go now, but thanks for the questions. I'm loving mission life and everything that comes with it. Have a great week! 

Elder Nelson