FROM GHANA WITH LOVE (one last time)

Hey guys! 

How are things?  This week has been great. I had my last baptism!!!!!! Joseph is great, and packed with faith.... thats him in the picture....its sad to think about it, but, this is my last week in Ghana. Man its been a blast! I have realized this past week that I have made so many friends. I can honestly say that I have fulfilled my purpose as a missionary. Even though I did not baptize 100 people, I helped others come un-to Christ. It feels great to have accomplished 2 years. I never would have thought I would see the day of me saying good bye... But just as you guys have always said " YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS" that has honestly been my motto on my mission!

Well the time has come for me to say I AM COMING HOME!!!! Well... if they ever find out my travel plans!!!

Love you all thanks for your support. I will see you soon 

FROM GHANA WITH LOVE (one last time) 

Elder Riddle

ps. 2 timothy 4:7
      I Have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith:

    

Last Baptism.....Joseph

I had the opportunity to email back and forth with Bobby today.  It is so rewarding to talk to have a conversation with him about his last few days serving. He is defiantly "Returning with Honor" This is one of the things he told me...

I don't know how to feel right now. I am so happy to come home but... I love these people and it really hurts that I wont be able to see them for a long time. I am kind of just a body right now just going thru the motions......

One last picture of Kumasi

Way to end my mission.......

Hey Everyone!

So, I have 2 weeks left and I am just trying to stay alive! This week has been good. it has gone by very fast.  We were going to have a baptism this week but he was not able to come to church. He had some one call him to come and visit them. So, this week will be my last baptism in Ghana... kind of sad but a great!! Way to end my mission. This guy is prepared. His name is Joseph. He comes to every church activity and he is very excited about the temple... They talked about it at a mid week activity and he has been hooked on it ever since. We saw him earlier today and all he said was.. "can I still be baptized this Sunday?"  He is great!!!!  Well, I dont want to take up to much room because...I AM COMING HOME!!! I want to save the stories to tell you in 2 weeks... Ii know that the last sentence sounded backwards but thats my broken English coming out!!

Love you all

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle

I will see you in 3 weeks!

Hey Everyone!

Well I just wrote this long email but then the power went off and it did not save my email. So, you get a smaller and less detailed email...sorry!!!

This week has been alright. We have been trying to give people baptismal dates but they are not progressing towards those dates. It has been a little stressful and sad that we are giving baptismal dates but people are not coming to church. We keep on moving their baptismal dates back further and further and its sad because I wont be here for their baptisms ): Not so cool, but I will continue to work hard and find people for the next missionaries.

Well, my time is short and I better get going. I will see you in 3 weeks!

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle

Happy Birthday Elder Riddle......

Hey Everybody 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME........not on saturday.... I spent all day in bed sick with who knows what! I slept most of the day and when I did go outside I got a birthday surprise of cold water thrown in my face by the Bishops kids.... it was funny.. but it killed my body because I was having joint pain along with my sickness and it just made my body hurt even more. But, now the sickness is gone. For my birthday I got a bottle of coke and a drink some how like gater-aid and a sucker stick....the sucker was eaten by one of the Bishops kids.

So, we have been finding some success in our area! We are planning on having 3 or 4 baptisms this month before I come home. Some very prepared people... one was taught by missionaries 10 years ago in Cape Coast and now understands what they were teaching.....its cool to see how people are prepared.

Its crazy that I am home in a month. I cant wait to see you guys. 

From Ghana with love 

Elder Riddle

37 days left

Hello Everyone!
Well I have passed my first week in Kwamo Ward.  It's a very nice place but I miss UST ward so much. But, things are great in Kwamo. We live in the same house as the Bishop so we get fed every evening.... it's nice. The area is cool but very few people speak English. Its hard because my last area was the college campus so everyone knew how to speak English. Now I am back to the village life style... my companion is great his name is Elder Holmquist and he is from Montana. He is a great kid. He just finished his training so he is ready to work.  As for me, I feel like it is taking all my strength just to get out of bed in the morning. But, I am trying to work because my companion is great. I don't want people to remember me as the missionary that "died" his last transfer! 

We have been teaching a lot of people this week and have been inviting people to baptism like crazy. People are accepting the dates but THEY DONT COME TO CHURCH. So, we have to go back and teach them the importance of church but they still dont come.... its sad!!!!

Well, I think that is all for this week! I love you guys. Thanks for your support 

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle 

Mission Rule no.1 baptisms always come after you leave your area!!!!!!!

Hello Everyone!

So I am being transferred.... for my last transfer on mission... not cool at all! Here I am in UST minding my own business finding people that will be baptized very soon and then BAM I am being sacked from this area and being taken to a place called Kwamo with a companion named Elder Holmquist.  

Mission Rule no.1  baptisms always come after you leave your area!!!!!!!

So right now I have been stressed because I am coming home in 6 weeks and then when I got the transfer news. I almost had an anxiety attack I feel so stressed right now!!!! 

I don't know how to feel right now because I dont feel like I have enough time in this area to do much...   My mind is just scattered right now. I am sorry for the very random email.

So, I am coming home in 6 weeks. I only have 5 more emails left!!!! 

Don't worry even though I have the stress level of a pregnant woman giving birth in space! I will enjoy this last few steps of my mission.

sorry once again for the random email.

From ghana with love 

Elder Riddle 

Alive and Kicking

Hey guys.

How is everything going?  I hope all is going good for you. How is school? Work? Social life? Dating(Rachele and Alex)? Church callings?

 

So this week has been very interesting for us. iIt started off great, we have been finding great people but the problem is trying to meet with them. They are mostly students and they are always busy...ALWAYS. But, we have been finding some cool people, one of which is sister Anita. She is schooling at KNUST for sociology. She is a very cool girl and is very interested. She has a baptismal date a day after my birthday.  This week we had some things standing in our way from getting out and teaching.  Thursday we had a meeting with President Holmes and on Friday and  Saturday my companion got sick again and then on Sunday I got sick form eating bad food (not fun) but today we are doing great we are alive and kicking.

This week we hope to have no distractions in our plans. We already have had some problems.... we don't have money today so we are trying to live off of nothing... money should be in tomorrow so its some how like we are having 2 p-days this week.... hopefully no more surprises.

Well I will let you guys have a good week.... bye.

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle

Companion is sick......

Hey Guys 

How are things going? I hope all is well...

This week has not been so good for me because my companion has been sick. So, we have not been doing much work. But, I have been able to use the time that we had in our apartment to read the scriptures. Man I have found so many useful things in places that I have marked before. Its crazy how the Lord works. Well, I am sorry I don't have much to say. I have done nothing this week and I have no news, except that my companion is better now. We have a big week in front of us... I hope you are all enjoying.... 

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle

Elder Seyoum

Elder Riddle and Elder Seyoum

Mormon.org Cards

Hey guys how are things going?
Well for me things are going a lot better because I HAVE A COMPANION!!!!  His name is Elder Seyoum he is from Virginia very sweet guy, his mom and dad are from eastern Africa.

So Elder Seyoum and I have been working very hard trying to find people and let me tell you, there are very prepared people in this area this week. We have given 4 baptismal dates for February 2,9,and 23. and this week we are going to be giving another 4 dates! Man people are prepared.  So the people we gave dates to are Alex he is a student at KNUST, Emmanuel he just finished his schooling down in cape coast, Pat... she still has not been baptized but this next Sunday is her day, and Isaac he was a random contact. We met him smoking on the side of the road and taught him the word of wisdom and he accepted it!!!  

We have found a new way of contacting... we have been going  to the student appartments and hanging up mormon.org cards on the bulletin boards and it works....its been helping us in the work.

Thats all from me love you all

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle 

ps 9 weeks left but whos counting 

HEY GUYS 

How is everything going????  Well this week has been funny. Yesterday my companion went to Accra! He is trying to get a job at the MTC...  um... so right now I don't have a companion!!! Even when we told the Mission President that my companion had to go to Accra all he told me was well, try and FIND a companion!   THIS TRANSFER IS NOT A GOOD ONE!   When have you ever heard of a missionary finding his own companion?  Honestly, I dont think my companion is going to come back. He will probably get the job and stay in accra. So, I have know idea who is my next companion!!!!   

Well, besides the fact that I dont have a companion, things are going good well for the most part.  On Sunday we were going to have pats baptism but the women she is staying with forbade her to come to church... so that just destroyed my week. But, I am looking on the up side, we have plenty of new investigators coming in to our teaching pool who are excited about the gospel...

Well thats about it for me! Sorry, no cool stories this week. I just realized I will only be emailing home 9 more times     WOW!  

love you all 

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle  

Its cool to see how God prepares people

Oh this week has been hard!
There is a reason we preach the gospel 2 by 2!!!!!   This past week I have been with a ward missionary who is preparing for his mission. He does not understand how the missionary lessons are laid out. Which  means I taught all the lessons... not fun. But, he is a cool kid. He is going to South Africa.  Now this week, I am with a stake missionary. His name is Elder Boadi he served his mission in Ivory Coast. He got home about a month or so ago. I will only be with him for 6 weeks, well 5 now. But then I will be with a normal missionary again. 

This week we had a cool experience. We were able to contact a new investigator that is schooling at the university. He has been prepared for about 2 years. He was contacted by some missionaries in Sunyani, but for some reason they were never able to meet up. He was doing his own research and found the church web sites and even started listening to the Mormon tab. Then about 2 weeks ago he was again contacted by the missionaries. He then came to Kumasi for school. He has a desire to know the truth. He has a baptismal date and he is coming to church. Its cool to see how God prepares people.  (it may have been me that contacted him 2 years ago I can't remember)

Well thats all I Have for you guys this week. Pictures are coming! 

From ghana with love 

Elder Riddle 

ps never mind the computer is to slow to up load pictures.... sorry, maybe next week 

Crazy Transfer News!

Hello everyone!!!! 

how are things going?

I have some crazy news for you all.. so this week we got our transfer news for the transfer next week...Elder Kaufusi is being transferred to a place called Nkwakwa (n-ko-ko).  As for me, I am staying in my area. The funny part is that from Wednesday to Saturday Ii am going to be with a ward missionary. And then on Saturday I am going to be with a stake missionary the rest of the transfer.. honestly I am very confused right now. I dont know what to do with a stake missionary? Oh well, I will just go with the punches!

This week has been great! We had our baptism and conformation this week.... it was great! 

We found a new investigator this week named Faustina. She has a baptismal date on Jan 26 and she is very excited. Thats about the only interesting news I have today.

Ya, i got nothing else... this week was dull some how.  Nothing really interesting has happened

sorry about no pictures i forgot my cord

From Ghana with Love
Elder Riddle

Christmas In Ghana 2013

Hello

I just talked to you guys but here I am again !!!!!!! Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!   I was expecting pictures of every ones Christmas gifts, but I guess not.

So something great has happened since I talked to you. We were talking to a member family at the church one day and they had all of their family there. We were asking them about their baptisms and we found out that most of them are just cousins to the family and have been baptized. But, we talked to one and found out he was not yet baptized. He said that he has come to church about 10 times. He has been at school so he could not be baptized. So, after figuring this out, we jumped on it and started teaching him. In our first lesson he told us he wants to be baptized before he goes back to school!! The hard part about this is that he is going back to school next week! So, we are teaching him everything this week and having a baptism on Saturday! Crazy! He is very smart, and he asked his Uncle for a Book of Mormon the first week he was living with him. He started reading it. We Don't even have to ask him to read he just does it.... its cool. So, we are having a baptism on Saturday and things are great 

From Ghana with Love

Elder Riddle  

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Cleaning Bread Pans for Service Project on Christmas Day

Fresh Bread!

Merry Christmas!!

So...the letter we got today from Bob said "hey sorry for the short email but I will be talking to you in 2 days "....that was it except for these photos!

Merry Christmas!

Kente Cloth

Making Kente Cloth

UPDATE: I just got an email form Missionary Travel.
Bobby will be leaving Ghana on April 1st and be home April 2nd!!!!! (16.5 hour Flight)
 Merry Christmas!

Grateful that I can bless the lives of the people here in my area!

Hey everyone!
How are things going?  Things are going great here. Just having a good ol time waiting for Christmas! I got the packages. Everything is still all wrapped up and looking nice!  I did enjoy the candy though :)

This week has been good and really fast. I feel like I just emailed yesterday.  Yesterday, we made history in the church... we had a special stake conference and they split the Kumasi Stake. Now we have the Ghana Bantima Stake and the Ghana Dechemso Stake. Its cool to see the church grow. At the conference we were able to hear form President Holmes and Elder Curtis. It was very cool to see how the church is growing. I also got to see some of my recent converts! They are all doing great and are strong in the gospel. Some of them have callings and it makes me happy to see them.

Well this week we are having our Mission Christmas party. We are all getting together and having some fun on Thursday. It should be good and fun.  So next week is Christmas and I don't really have a planned time of when to call home. I will have to discuss it with my companion. One of us will call in the morning and the other in the evening...  so I will let you know next week.  

We are having a baptism this week!!!! If she passes the interview... her name is Sister Pat. She is very powerful. She has a huge amount of faith. When we first met her she did not even go to church. She did not know she could pray for herself and she just did not understand the gospel. But, as we have been teaching her she knows that everything is true! She just accepts it right then and there. Whenever we teach her,  she always asks "why?" and then we explain it better and she just says "OK". She has a very powerful testimony.  The other day she got very sick and her mother took her to the hospital. She spent the night in the hospital. While she was sleeping she had a dream and she told us the all she saw in her dream were Elder Kaufusi and Elder Riddle and then she woke up. She figured out that she needed to have a blessing (we have not taught her about priesthood blessings yet) but she figured it out by herself. So the next day she called us and we went and gave her a blessing. She is doing great now and she is looking forward to her baptism on Sunday!! I know the priesthood is in this church and I am so grateful that I can bless the lives of the people here in my area with it. 

love you all

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle 

Worn out in the work!

Hey everyone.

How are things going?  How is the cold? Don't worry, I am also starting to get cold as well here.

Well, this week has gone by fast. Yesterday as we were going to church I said Were we just here yesterday? Man weeks are flying by. This week we have had a ton of let downs. We have been trying to give baptismal dates but our investigators are all leaving for Christmas soon. It is killing our teaching pool.  But, we will keep on doing the work as best we can.

Today we had a zone activity and we just came together as a zone and played some games and talked. I have 3 former companions in this zone Udo, Chiweshe, and Sharma and my companion. That is cool! It was good to see and talk with them.

There is a rumor around the mission that we are going to have a Christmas party on the 19th. That should be good. The entire mission should be getting together.

I am sorry that I don't have much to say this week. But, you all should be getting to talk to me on christmas.... its only like what 16 days a way?!!!!!

Well this week has made me very tired... dad always told me how tired he got on his mission, not physically but spiritually and now I know how that feels. This week has taken a stick and beat me until I was both physically and spiritually tired. But, I know tomorrow I will feel a ton better.

well i love you all 

have a great week.

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle

The church is true!

Hey guys, how is it going?

It sounds like you guys enjoyed your Thanksgiving. How was the food? I can't even imagine how good the food was and how much there was of it! So, what are the plans for Christmas? Are you guys staying in Utah ?   I saw the pictures you sent me and man everyone is getting so old (not mom of course) but Kaylee looks like she is 10, Mic looks as if she could now beat me up, and Alex is starting to look like Amanda... sorry Amanda I was not saying you look old... Rachele is starting to look responsible . Nick looks like a skinny Santa. Amanda... looks very stubborn still  but ya, everyone is changing. I don't know about dad because it seems he is afraid of the camera!

This week has been a very challenging for me. We have been having problems with one of our investigators, sister Afia. I have talked to you guys about her before. She understands everything we teach but this week she has been acting like she does not know us and it is blowing my mind! I don't know what to do. Its not easy being a missionary.

We have had some success this week. We have been able to see some new people but the new people are college students. We have given baptismal dates to some of them but they are all leaving kumasi for the Christmas break in a few weeks. So, we will have to wait until they get back but that is not until February!!!!!!  The work is starting to slow down for us a little bit because everyone is getting ready for Christmas.

So mom was asking me some questions about my apartment and I just realized that I have not said much about it.... but in our apartment we have 4 elders we have a fairly large apartment its about the size of my apartment at Dixie.. it has 2 rooms a bathroom, a study room, a kitchen and a large room that we use as our washing room. We have lights (most nights) and we have water. When we have lights which is normal for Ghana. We live on the top floor of a 3 story building. Its great climbing the stairs every night.  

Well thats about it right now. Nothing to cool going on just some teaching and a ton of walking!!! I love it! The church is true! 

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle

Elder Riddle and one of the Members.

Thankful in Ghana

Hey guys!

How are you doing? I am sorry but this email is going to have to be short.... I have been having problems with my computer.... ): This week has been great! We have had some success (not a ton) but some. We are planning on doing something for Thanksgiving. I don't know what, but we will take some pictures for you guys. It sounds like you guys are having a fun holiday season (which reminds me... don't for get about me while black friday shopping, I need a new long sleeve shirt so I can look fresh when coming home)

We just entered into a new transfer. Nothing is happening with me and Elder Kaufusi, but things are changing in our district.  Its crazy to think about, but I only have 3 transfers left. I can not believe it. Time is going to fast.  

Well, I am thankful this turkey (chicken for me) season for my lovely family. For helping me throughout my life and my mission. I love you all!!!  Have a good Thanksgiving 

Love you all 

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle

Look what I found!!!!!

Hello everyone!
How are you guys doing?   Well this week has been a normal week. We have been finding people to teach trying to give baptismal dates but they always say, "I have already been baptized".  S,o we have to go this week and resolve some concerns but all in all this week has been good .

Louisa was confirmed yesterday at church. While she was being confirmed I had a very happy thought come to my head that said ...Ah now she has the Holy Ghost she does not need to depend on anyone anymore just the Holy Ghost, and that she is now in the hands of the members, we have passed her on. But this thought also made me sad because I don't know if I trust these members with my recent convert. This year in the ward we are in they have had 24 baptisms. But, already 5 of them have become less active. I think Louisa will be come a very powerful leader in the church. We told her after her baptism and confirmation to write down her feelings about everything and she has 3 or so pages written down just about her baptism. She is very in tune with the spirit, and i love it. 

Tomorrow is going to be a joke for teaching because Ghana is playing football and it is a qualifying match for the world cup. Everyone is going to watch. So, watch for me! I don't know if you can find it on the tv but you should be able to watch on the internet.

Wednesday is my companions birthday so we are going to go and buy pizza or hamburgers it should be fun.

On Saturday is transfer news nothing should happen to me though 

Well I hope you all have a good week 

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle 

Look what I found!!!

It tasted good!

General Conference and Baptism!!

Hey everyone, how is it going?  

This week has been great. We have not been able to have many lessons this week because we have been focusing on Louisa and her baptism but it was a very good week.

Tuesday was normal district meeting and a lot failed lessons ...

Wednesday was very busy. We had a meeting for all the trainers to see how the  training is going. That meeting went from 11 to 1:30 and we did not get home until 5 because of traffic. It was not good because then at 5pm we had our coordination meeting. So, we were not able to see anyone that evening. 

Thursday we had another busy day. We spent a lot of time trying to find new people to teach and going over a few things with Louisa before her interview on Friday. 

Friday was our only normal day. We taught some lessons and then at 5:30 we had to go to the church for Louisas interview (which she passed)

Saturday we had a service project with the sisters in our district for one of their investigators, we weeded their house.

Sunday the day I have been waiting for. Baptism!  Sunday was very good but a little long for church. We watched General Conference. Not just one secession but we watched 2. Both Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning sessions. We did not end church until 1:00. It was long and then we had the baptism which was good but the members ruined it, they kept on saying that they had been their to long and wanted to go home. 

Well thats my week... nothing to exciting but we had a baptism and that made all the bad days worth it.

From Ghana With Love 

Elder Riddle 

                        Pictures are Elder Kaufusi, Louisa, and Elder Riddle