Week 6

Hello everyone!!!

Wow,I cant believe it, I am almost halfway done with training!! That
is so exciting! It is crazy to think that Christmas is already over. I
am thankful and sad at the same time. I really enjoy this time of year
but, now it is easier to focus on the work instead of what is going on
at home. I am so glad that I got to call home this week. It felt so
good to talk to someone who was actually in the US. LOL This week was
kind of crazy because we had so much stuff going on. We were going all
over the place!! On Wednesday we went to Kofaridua for our multizone
Christmas devotional, then we had Christmas, so it was pretty crazy.
The devotional was really fun because we got to see a lot of the other
missionaries in the zone and got to just hang out with them. This week
was kind of slow in the work because people were focused on Christmas
and were going to their churches, so they didn't really want to listen
to us. Also we didnt get to do a whole ton of proselyting because we
were so busy. In the scriptures I am reading in 2 Nephi and am in the
Jacob and Isaiah chapters, so it is really interesting and frustrating
at the same time! That is really all that happened this week. Talk to
you all later!!

"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, might, mind, and strength"

Sincerely,

--
Elder Travis J. Roberts
Ghana Accra Mission

Week 5

Hello everyone!!

Wow I can't believe that it is already Christmas!! It is crazy to think that it is already the end of the year!! There was not that much action this week. Although on thursday I went on exchanges with the zone leaders. That was actually pretty fun. I actually got to see Elder Crosby and Elder Frandsen (two of the elders I flew to Ghana with). It was really good seeing them. We taught a couple lessons. One of them was trying to show that Elijah and John the Baptist are 2 different people. That was really interesting. Also when I was up in Donfa I got to stay in one of the nicest homes in the mission! It actually feels really good up there and there is real food there!! When we went to the mall earlier this week it felt like being home. It is actually super modern!! It was crazy, it felt like I was walking into the promenade mall at home. It is not anywhere near the size of it but still felt like home. Other than that nothing really happened. On Sunday we had the ward Christmas program. It was actually really cute. The primary kids did a super job!! I am so thankful to be serving a mission and for all the work I am able to do for other people. I know this is what I am supposed to be doing. I love you all and will see you in 2!!

Sincerely,

--

Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission

Weeks 3 & 4

Hey everyone!!,

MAN, I can not believe that it has already been a month since I have left!! It is crazy! There have been so many things going on that I am not really sure where to start. I guess I will start with that I HAVE A BAPTISM ON JANUARY 10th!!!! It is super exciting!! His name is Brother Rein and get this, his brother is the stake president in Accra!! We are also teaching his younger brother so we might baptize him as well. So please keep them in your prayers!! 

We have a few other investigators that we are teaching but they are not really ready for baptism yet. The thing that is hard over here is that everyone is already a christian or a Muslim. Everyone is super nice and will listen to your message though. My companion and I and the other 2 elders are actually in one of the tougher areas of the mission to get people into the church. We do our best though. It is funny because today this morning, on the way to the cafe we had the scariest but funnest tro tro ride yet. We were sitting in the back seat and the lift door on the back wasn't fully shut so it was super sketchy, but extremely fun. Also when we ride bikes on the road we could literally stick our hands out and touch the passing cars. It is really fun. Sometimes it is really hard because I miss home but then I think, "Hey you are only here for 2 short years, focus on the work and you won't feel that way." 

Probably the hardest thing is that we don't always have power so that is kind of annoying. Oh yeah on Saturday we helped the members clean up the church building and afterwards got to eat Kenke with Pepe soup. It is actually really good. It is still hard to eat food here but I am getting better at it!! I have also started to pick up a little Twi. I don't have an accent though and I don't think that I ever will because on Thursday we had a super awesome zone conference and one of the elders going home spoke. He was from America and had no accent at all, so oh well. That is really all that happened these last 2 weeks. I will try to be more regular with weekly updates!! Feel free to send questions, I would love to answer them. See you all very soon!! 

Sincerely,

--

Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission

Weeks 1 & 2 (First letter from the mission field)

Hi everyone!!! 

How are you all doing? I am doing really good here in Africa. It has been super fun so far!! It is really weird over here. The reason it is weird is because parts of Ghana are really advanced and other parts are really not. You can literally see the old and new next to each other. Also people actually have decent cars over here. At least 75% of the population has a 95 or newer. So let me start from when I first flew out. In New York I ended up meeting 8 other elders. They were Elders, Crosby, Shumway, Kohler, Miller, Howland, Frandsen, Madson, and Harrigfeld. We all got along super well and are pretty good friends. Elder Kohler is actually in the same apartment as me in my first area. 

So when we landed we ended up spending at least two hours in the airport trying to get all of the luggage. There was a lot of it. By that point we were all sweating so much. Then after that we were all carted off to the MTC!! We were all assigned into districts and most of us were in the same district. My companion in the MTC was Elder George. He is from Zimbabwe!! He is a really nice guy and will do super well on his mission. The Elders I stayed with were Elders Akpu, Otieno, Agesa, George, and Mutiani. They were all super cool. I will say that the MTC was good but, I am glad to be out of there. The entire day consisted of sitting and eating. Also an hour of sports. So it got old pretty fast. Our teacher was super cool though. His name was Brother Afful. He is from Ghana and is a really nice guy. 

My Senior companion is really awesome. His name is Elder Sam and he is from Nigeria!! He has already been out for over 10 months!! Crazy right? Just wait till I get to that point. I will say that I do not want to see any kind of rice for many many many many years after my mission. The MTC ruined it for me. I will say that pineapples are really good though. We ended up going to the temple last Wednesday and it was super awesome. The Ghana Accra temple will always hold a special place in my heart. It is crazy to think that I am going to spend two years over here but, I know this is where the Lord wants me and I will serve him with everything I have in me. I know that my friends are where they are supposed to be and that they will be great missionaries as well. I will say that when I got into the mission field I wasn't exactly sure this was where I was supposed to be, but now I know for sure it is. 

We already have an investigator and we are teaching him today!!! There are also some baptisms on Saturday!!! I know that the work is really moving in Africa and that there is no better place to be right now.I love you all and will see you in less than 2 years!! Already crazy to think it is less than 2. Once again I love you all. Be safe and be the best person that you can possibly be.

Sincerely,

--

Elder Travis J. Roberts

Ghana Accra Mission

Ghana MTC

TJ arrived at the Ghana MTC on the 13th of November.  He was in the MTC for 11 days, then on to his first area!  The video link is for a slide show of TJ's group while they were at the Ghana MTC.

https://youtu.be/jONleJX6ufs

Just arrived at the MTC!



First companions




First meal at the MTC


Helaman district


All the Americans in TJ's group


At the Accra Temple



The whole group TJ was with at the MTC

Farewell and leaving for the MTC in Ghana

Just a few pictures from the farewell open house and at the San Diego airport

Preparing to serve

Just a few pictures of TJ getting ready to serve his mission!

Mission Call!

June 23, 2015

Its here!  TJ just got his mission call in the mail today and we can't wait to open it and find out where he will be spending the next 2 years!

Wow!  TJ has been called to labor in the Ghana Accra (English speaking) mission.  He will also go to the Ghana MTC, so he will spend the entire two years in the country of Ghana.  We are so excited for him and can't believe this part of his life is actually here!