February 15, 2016

Hello everyone!!

Not a ton of stuff to report this week. We had the mission tour this week, so it was a slow week for finding. The mission tour was really good, we got to hear from Elder Terence M. Vinson and his wife Sis. Kay Vinson.  We traveled about 20 minutes away to Madina for the meeting.  They both did a really good job motivating us and helping us to see how to work not just harder, but smarter.  It was nice seeing some of the Elders that I flew out with at the meeting.  The only other thing worth mentioning is that we have a baptism on the 27th! We are baptizing brother Theodore. I mentioned him in my emails weeks ago and now he is finally getting baptized! We still have to work with him on understanding some doctrine because he gets confused but he knows that it is true. He tells us that every time. He is a nice man that will for sure stay in the church. I really cant wait to have a baptism. It is super exciting. Also we had transfers and our whole apartment is still together. That most likely means that next transfer 2 of us are leaving. Transfers are today and tomorrow. I did find a couple of foods I really like, fried yams and jollof rice.  Jollof rice is the Ghanian version of paella.  Its nice to find some food that isn't so different from the food back home.  Well, that is all for this week. I love you all so much. Also before I forget. 3 MONTHS BABY!!! Also, DONE WITH TRAINING!!!! Love you all! Have a good week. 

Love

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Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission

February 8, 2016

Well this is it.

The final week of training. It feels really weird to say that. I will say that I am very excited to say that though. It is a wonderful feeling. Also this week I hit 3 MONTHS!!!!!!! I really cant believe that. It is amazing. It really does go fast. It is going to be scary how fast it goes when training is over. 

We have 3 baptisms scheduled for the end of the month but, I have no idea if I will be here for them because after this week anything can happen. This week was really interesting because I was with Elder Kohler a lot (the other American elder in our apartment). We went on splits most of the week. It was good because we got to learn from each other. We also found out that if we were ever companions we would absolutely KILL IT in the field!! We work so well together. The Lord definitely is with us. I say this because on Friday we had a really interesting experience. We were visiting with an investigator that owns a small drugstore. We were just chatting and visiting with her when all of a sudden a customer starts to talk to us and starts quoting scriptures from the bible. Come to find out he is one of those one man churches.(They are all over here in Ghana, it is really annoying.) So we got into a bible bash that we didnt really want to be in. We actually "won" the bash because he started to walk away and say that he had to get to his sermon. It was really annoying but I am so thankful for the Lord because had it not been for Him I would not have kept calm and would have lost my temper. I am so thankful for this Gospel. It is crazy to see all the other churches and their crazy ways of preaching and praying. I for sure know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for it.

P-day this week was also a little different.  My companion, Elder Sam, had been complaining about having a toothache.  He asked me to take a look and when I did I saw a big hole in one of his molars!  OUCH!  So my protective mode took over and I said we are calling the mission office and getting you a dental appointment.  A few hours later after a root canel and lots of novocaine Elder Sam and his tooth were doing much better. So yeah, that was most of my P-day.

Well talk to you all next week. Love you!!

--

Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission

February 1, 2016

Hello Everyone!!

How are you all doing?! I hope you are doing well. So this week was kind of a bummer. The baptisms we had planned didn't happen. The reason is because in African tradition you have to present a dowry and some money to take the womans hand in marraige. You can't just tell the family that you got married at the LDS church and that she is now your wife. Of course in church policy that is what is supposed to happen, but in traditional culture here you have to present a dowry in order to marry a woman. So that was our big problem. It really put a damper on the entire week because they both really want to get baptized so we are hoping that they are able take care of that quickly. Please keep them in your prayers.  

Our district did have a little get together though, so that was fun. One of the sister missionaries leaves tomorrow so our district got together to say good-bye to her. We also watched the worldwide missionary broadcast this week, so that was really nice. I learned a lot of things from it. This work is definitely hard, but I am so glad I am doing it! The baptisms will come soon, I know it. Today for P-day Elder Kohler and I went to the Accra Mall and chilled there for the day. It was really fun. We even got pizza!  

Well I love you all! Until next week!

Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission

At our church building - Sunday, January 31st. 

January 25, 2016

Etesen?! (How are you? In Twi)

How is everyone doing this week?  I hope everyone is doing good and that they are well. Our week was really good this week. We had a multi-zone conference up in Kpong.  Its up in the mountains about two hours away by tro tro. The weather was foggy and overcast the whole day.  It was a nice break from the heat in Accra!  The American elders got together and played a little American football, it was a lot of fun.  I also found out that four of the American elders are going to Sierra Leone.  It was closed because of the Ebola epidemic, but they opened the country again just recently.  One of the elders is a good friend and it will be hard to see him go.  I definitely plan on staying in touch with him. 

   Our investigators that are getting baptized came to church so they are right on schedule. The baptisms are scheduled for the 30th, so keep them in your prayers.   We met all of the goals that we set out to do this week so that felt really good. It is hard to believe that I am almost finished with training! It still feels like yesterday that I got here and was so tired that I feel asleep in class in the MTC. The time truly goes fast and I cant even imagine how fast it will go once I finish training, only 3 more weeks. Before I know it I will be back home talking to everyone in person about Africa!! The work is definitely hard, but I am so glad to be here to do it. I know this is where I am supposed to be to do the work. It is slow but, it is going good.  As an Obroni (white person), Bruni for short, I definitely stand out.  The kids always come up and hang on me and want to talk to us.  But it also helps us get in to teach people because they are curious what I am doing in Ghana, so it's all good. It is still just as hot as ever here so please send some of the cold weather our way. We desperately need it. I hope everything is going good back home. I love all of you.

"We have been taught as Nephi of old of goodly parents who loved the lord, We have been taught and we understand that we must do as the Lord commands."- Childrens Hymnbook

Sincerely,

--

Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission

January 18, 2016

Hey everyone!!

     I hope everyone is doing well this week. I actually had a really good week. We found a few new investigators while we were actually teaching one of our other investigators. They happened to just be sitting there and we asked them if they wanted to join the lesson and they said yes! Also we had a couple of investigators at church yesterday, Sister Joyce and Brother Benjamin (they are a couple). They are both on schedule for baptism on the 30th of this month so keep praying for them!! We also had our first official district exchange this week. It went really well. I went with Elder Omokoh and Elder Sam went with Elder Kohler. It is funny because that day they ended up finding a whole ton of people to teach so we have a few potential investigators lined up, which is really nice. 

     We also had zone training this week and Pres. Heid and his wife ended up stopping by during the training.  It was great to see them both.  The work definitely is tough, but I am so glad I am able to do it. I still can't believe that I only have less than 22 months to do the work, and if I look at the council that Pres. Heid follows then I will only be in about 4 to 5 areas my whole mission. (Council from the first presidency is to keep a missionary in an area for at least 6 months.) So it looks like I will be in Botwe a little longer!! I dont mind though because I really like this area. I am in the Ashaley Botwe ward, which has about 100 members with about 50 active members.  It is crazy how fast the weeks go, Monday ends and next thing you know its Monday again.  Well that is really all I have for this week. I hope you all have a good week. My love goes out to you all!!

Sincerely,

--

Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission

January 11, 2016

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone had a good week and that you all are enjoying the new year! Not much really happened this week because I ended up being sick a couple of days. It was also a tough week because a few of our strong investigators didnt show up to church so it was really frustrating. While I was sick though I learned a lot of things from the scriptures and from the preach my gospel series called "The District". It really taught me a lot of new and interesting things. One thing that I learned is that it is okay to be bold as long as it is appropriate. I got to exercise that on Saturday in our first lesson. It ended up being 2 hours of listening to a pastor and his friend talk so it was kind of funny and really boring and spirit killing but, right near the end of the lesson I picked up a Book of Mormon, bore my testimony on how it and my testimony of Christ saved my live and instantly the atmosphere of the lesson changed, I could actually feel the Spirit in the room for the first time in those long 2 hours. Also after I did that they said that they would read the Book of Mormon, so I know for sure that when we are bold and when we do what the spirit tells us to do we can be an instrument in God's hands because that is certainly what I was in that moment. My advice this week would be to not be afraid to share the gospel with people you know because you have no idea if they are ready or not. The worst they could do is say no which really isnt all that bad. I would also say that if you get the chance you should watch "The District", it really is powerful and can teach you how to be a missionary in your lives.
"All that glitters is gold, Only shooting stars break the mold"- SmashMouth
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Elder Travis J. Roberts
Ghana Accra Mission

January 4, 2016

Hey everyone!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope everyone had a good New Years Eve and Day and that no one got into too much trouble. My new years went really good. New Years Eve we went to the ward party , so that was fun. We shot off a few fireworks and had some good food. I have a challenge for everyone. If it is possible I want you all to try to find a Ghanaian Restaurant and have some Ghanaian food. I know that they are over there. Also if you choose to accept this challenge start with Fufu in Peanut Butter soup. It is not made with peanut butter. That is just what they call the basic soup. Also if you do, send me a picture and tell me if you were able to eat the whole bowl. This week was kind of tough because of the holidays so I am glad they are over. It makes our job as missionaries easier!! I cant believe that I am already half way through training!! It will be nice when it is over though, that way I won't be at the bottom of the food chain!! I cant believe that in one week I will only have 22 months left!! It really goes fast!! I havent read my scriptures much this week because we actually have been pretty busy but, a scripture I like to keep in my mind is Helaman 5:12, (it is only my favorite scripture), "It is upon the rock of our Redeemer that we must build". So lets always remember to build on the foundation of Christ, that way the devil shall have no power over us. I love you all!!

"The wise man built his house upon the rock, the foolish man built it upon the sand. Who got washed away?" Quote by Elder Roberts

Sincerely,

--

Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission