Week 37 - Under New Management

Dearest Family and Friends,

This week I got busy on the mission sewing machine and made some Monkey Tails. We called them Fox Tails at home, but monkey tails sounds more appropriate in Africa!  First, I gathered some fabric scraps and bought some tennis balls and socks. Next I put the tennis ball in the sock and sewed on a long tail of three different colored fabrics. Then I made a proto-type for the Opare family and it was a hit with their kids, so I've made a couple more for the Buduburrim Children's home. I think I could turn this into a small business, or at the very least share the idea with some of the seamstresses in the area.

This week was my turn to facilitate Sister Scripture Study using D&C 76. The sisters divided into groups to find power statements about the three degrees of glory. They also answered the question "How can we be valiant in a testimony of Jesus Christ?"  One of my favorite talks on this subject is Bruce R McConkie's October 1974 conference address.

We are officially under new management this week! President Tandoh was transferred to the Accra/Kumasi coordinating councils replacing David Mensah who joins us in Accra West/Cape Coast. Pres. Tandoh has been a wonderful mentor to us and we have grown close to him, so initially it was hard to think about changing managers (kind of like when your VT companion/route gets changed) but if you are flexible you won't get bent out of shape. So, we are embracing the change and are already enjoying working with David.

On Saturday we trained Church Service Missionaries for Kaneshie stake. These "stay at home" missionaries are Stanley and Jennifer Mensen. They will work in the SR program with us, and ultimately take over our role in Kaneshie. They run a boarding house, have seven children and 13 grandchildren. One of their sons is studying medicine at John Hopkins University. 

Christiana, our reading student, is such a joy to meet with. This week she shared the first verse of a favorite hymn with us. We taught her the next two verses and Elder Lambert explained the meaning of the words. Suddenly her face lit up as she understood what "burst the fetters of the mind, from the millions of mankind" meant as it refers to the doctrines of false teachings holding us in bondage for hundreds of years, and that with the restoration of the Gospel we are freed from that bondage.  Ironically, learning to read also "bursts the fetters of the mind" and as a result of both the restoration and reading.... "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

We love you,

Elder and Sister Lambert

Mary carrying a pan of okra 

Angel Moroni on the Accra Temple

Cuteness?!!!