Photos from Christmas Week and Farming

The decor in the mission apartment - LIGHT THE WORLD!

Handsome?  Yes!

From Dunkwa On Christmas Day

Hello everybody! It is Christmas. I know none of you will read this day of but that's alright. I will still write it just to make sure there is something to read.

So i actually want to concentrate on a line from Gandalf that i had in my talk right before i left. "Some say it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I have found that it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps evil at bay. small acts of kindness and love" This is a very powerful line if you let it sink in. The small things we do each day have power beyond our understanding. It is the small sins that end up dragging us down because we end up justifying them. It is also true on the opposite sense, the small deeds that we do can build up so much strength and power over time. Waving to someone having a bad day, smiling at your sibling, singing in the shower, making people laugh, all of this and so much more can make so many amazing things happen. 

Use those small acts and change a life, use them to change the world. Don't let the world change you get off your chair stand up tall and change it yourself. Only you can change your world. Keep going, keep working and keep moving. I love you all I know you are all doing amazing things. I want to be able to see just how much you have changed the world when I get back. 

You have all been powerful influences in my life, be that influence in another's life. You may not change their world, you may not change their whole day, but even a smile changes a second. Sometimes a second is all that matters, make a light shine for a second and anyone can go to where it had shined.

I miss you all.

Oh I got to go farming!!! I love farming here, it was pretty much the same as always but that doesn't change my response. Farming just makes time vanish I still have no idea why though.  

Love you all talk soon. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! 

More from Around Dunkwa at Christmas Time

The apartment at Dunkwa, decorated and ready for Christmas!

The streets of Dunkwa walked on by these amazing missionaries in their sandal-clad feet, trying to be like Jesus!

A jungle sunset caught perfectly!

Carrying water for laundry on his head.....look at the sweat on his arms.....oh my goodness!

An evening lesson that turned out to be quite fun for everyone!

Photos from Week 14 and This Crazy Ghana Life!

A little one waiting for Primary to start - precious little boy listening to Edison teach a primary lesson!

This is my favorite.....Edison teaching primary a world away from home and changing lives of these sweet little ones.  I look at the sandals on his feet and the children around him and I can't help but think about the song, I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus.....

The wall decor in the apartment keeping things on track and progressing.

More scriptures to keep the boys pointing in the right direction.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas! Even in Ghana!  Those lights on the brim actually light up and blink!

Week 14 Letter!

Hey Guys!!! 

I have missed you all so much. I cannot believe all the growth I have seen all of us go through in our emails to and from each other.  I love that!  I look forward to Mondays when I learn so much from the letters you send to me. Thank you for taking the time to do that and for boosting me up. I will make sure you are all in my prayers. I am thinking of you (someone on the other side of the world is thinking of you, isn't that weird).

Today's topic of conversation has been one that I have had plenty of time to practice lately.  I want to talk about disappointment and failure. This is a weird topic, I know, but it is something that has been going on with me and my companions and our whole mission really. So, I want to talk about it. 

Many times on my mission, lessons fall through, things don't work out, and people don't always do what is needed to feel the spirit or really understand a gospel principle (this includes the missionaries, not just the investigators). But there is an Elder in my district that talked to me about it on an exchange we had last week. His name is Elder Abel and he is a super nice guy and just a transfer ahead of me on our missions. He mentioned that if we are trying our best to do what the Lord needs us to do then all the failures and all the disappointments and difficulties and planned by him or used by him to make us stretch. 

Do your best and anything that happens is His plan. Sometimes it is to test you, make sure you really will work your best no matter what happens. Sometimes it will be to lead you to what is really necessary. Life is hard - it has ups and downs (especially on a mission, I think) but if we are doing our best to follow our Savior, we can know that He is always in control. No matter how dark the shadows seem to get. No matter the climb we have to take He will always be there if we are trying to get to Him. 

Miracles can happen even when we seem to be in a gutter, they don't happen when we are above it all. We get lifted up because we fall, so reach out and start climbing again. Sometimes those gutters are the only things that move us forward, so don't be afraid. If you ever need a little help I am always here to talk. You are all people I care about and that will never change.  I am developing a great love for the people of Cape Coast and especially of Dunkwa.  I would do anything to help them be happy.

I love you all. Keep moving and don't ever stop. If we stop that's when we fail.  I have learned that any movement in my mission, is better than no movement.  So every morning we keep getting up and walking and walking and walking.  I didn't get to farm this week so that made me sad but maybe next week.

Merry Christmas!

Elder Edison Butters

The Baptism of Famous and Kingsley

FROM GHANA THIS WEEK:

I miss you all so much, I really hope you are doing well. I am praying for you.

Ghana is really weird and strange. I thought it would get used to it faster than this but everyday seems to bring a new strangeness with it.  Another car fell into the gutters this week.  When we went to help it out it was obviously in bad shape and the owner could not get it moving at all. Another truck came and they hooked up a tow cable to pull the other car out. What me and my companion didn't notice is that they used the handle of the tow bar to attach it not the actual hook up.......that did not go so well. My dad and my brother will recognize that this was a very bad idea. The car did not get pulled out that way, so everyone decided to wait for a bigger truck. It was at this time that me and my companion decided to just go back to the apartment and find a more effective way to serve. It was a cool experience to watch the people of Dunkwa work together even when things didn't go well.  They expected a larger truck to come along and solve the problem. Life doesn't move very fast around here so everyone has time to help each other in times of need. I like that.

These past weeks have gone by quickly. honestly I think I have found a secret to it. My secret it that if I am involved in farming during the week, my time flies by. It is a very good thing I love farming because if I didn't the weeks and days we do it would drag by. I am farming later this week and I love it.  God knew I would do well with a sword in my hand and it probably wouldn't have looked too good to walk the streets of lots of places with my cutlass on my back. So, that is how I have gotten my testimony that I am where I am supposed to be!.

Oh we had two baptisms this week!!! Not sure how I forgot about that. I cannot wait to see how the two brothers we brought in really change because they are now members. Their names are Famous and Kingsly. They are really amazing guys. I cannot wait to see what they do.  Elder Stephens and i will keep a close watch on them over the next several weeks. Watching God in their lives has been wonderful.

This week I want you and me to think of our families a bit more. We don't always understand how important a family can be. We believe in a God that has planned out a path to get us back to him. We believe that God's actions all have a purpose. So why don't we pay more attention to the family he has placed us in.We all have a work to do, for most of us that work doesn't need to leave the walls of your home. We all need to make sure that all our family members know and understand how much we love and care for them. 

Family is the most important social group of God's plan. He placed us all in a family to grow and learn together. He also made sure that in this situation we could learn to love, we could become the person we need to be. This week I want to challenge all of us to see if we can find something we need to learn or to teach each and every family member. Just keep in your mind that none of us are perfect, so learning may be the path to take.

I miss you all so much, I wish i could just send letters everyday with everything that i have done. I am sorry I can't do that but a good read of my journal should be entertaining someday.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Elder Butters

Photos from the Ghana Cape Coast Mission Facebook Page!

Edison performed the role of "a shepherd" with his Zone at the mission president's home for their nativity celebration.  These photos were placed on the mission facebook page tonight and I could not be happier to have found them.

Photos aren't easy to come by from so far away so when they come, I steal from whomever has posted something.  So grateful for technology, social media and a mission president willing to share. So grateful for that fantastic smile from so many miles away.  Doing good things for God's children is a very good thing to be doing at Christmas time.  I will repent for feeling a sprinkling of sadness that he will not be around us this year.

12th Letter From Ghana - Swords and Chopping Trees!

Hey everybody!!! Guess who?

Today I want to quickly mention something I have been taught and studied about. We know a lot about prayer; we all understand how it works and why it is important, but something that I have discovered recently is how it allows us to really progress. One of my district members showed me that when we pray we are able to align our will with God's. We all know that God is unchanging and Eternal and we know he understands the full picture then we ever could. When we pray we may ask for things and really go to him with an open heart and a contrite spirit, but if we do not let His will become ours nothing can really change. His plan is perfect even the parts where we are told we have to grow through challenges. Everything He does is perfect, so when we ask for things we must always understand we need to be hand in hand with him, not trying to rush along the path. Even Jesus Christ said "not my will but thine be done". He knew what He was about to go through was going to be difficult He knew it would be hard but he also understood that God has his plan, and that's the plan that we must follow.  

We must also understand that when we have aligned our will with His, it is now on His timetable. He isn't going to change his plan to fit us, we have to change to fit his plan. Patience is something that I have always struggled with, but as I have begun to look at it this way I have been able to more fully accept my trials and times for growth. It isn't easy but then nothing that means anything is really easy.

This week has been insane, we have been so busy lately. This past week me and my companion have been trying to say hello and check in with all our investigators which is an awesome plan, the only issue is we don't have enough time in a week to do that. We have ended up cutting into our days even more finding every available second to proselyte and teach. We have also been attempting to say hello to a few members and show our support. This week we ended up going farming and weeding twice!! I was so happy, next week I should be able to send photos.  

I use a sword to cut down trees that are so tall. This lets the farmers farm their land. It was so awesome! I loved every minute of it and every sweat drop was worth it.  I can't believe Heavenly Father found a mission for me where I use a sword!!!

I love you and appreciate your letters and prayers.

Elder Butters

First Ghana Thanksgiving!

The Elders of Dunkwa gathered for Thanksgiving Dinner - two chickens (a real treat as meat is super expensive here) and all the trimmings! Look at those smiles!

The happy Thanksgiving Chickens.....he will never forget this meal.

From above, the feast looks impressive and it makes me happy to see watermelon on the table - Edison's favorite fruit so he might not die of malaria.

Letter 11: Lifting A Car!

So this week has been crazy!!!  (I  know I say that every week but this Ghana life is beyond anything I imagined - something new every day and an adventure every minute). Before i go into what I really want to share today I need you all to know a few things. For one, I have come to the realization that I live in a minecraft world...... Yes that is right a minecraft world. It is a perfect comparison:  the land, the layout, and even the houses are all similar to minecraft houses and cities!!! Me and my companion came to this conclusion some time ago I just forgot to tell you all, but now you know that I live in the world of Minecraft, so that is good. For those of you unfamiliar with the game, everything is made of building blocks and looks very choppy and pretend.  Dunkwa is similar to this because everyone builds their homes, stores and other buildings with materials they find laying around.  So everything looks very pretend, very clumsily put together and very much like building blocks.

Best story ever:  Last Monday after I got finished emailing and finished my proselyting for the day, we started walking home. On the way, we saw a car drive into a huge gutter ( There are giant gutters that line the sides of the road - often people park their bikes in these gutters because it makes them harder to steal - the gutters are probably four feet deep). We, and a few other guys (there were a lot of us) picked up the car and pushed it out of the gutter!!! It was so cool!!! It was my super hero moment for the week! Okay, well those were just some cool moments and ideas I wanted to share.

I didn't have something prepared to write about which wasn't smart.... Hopefully I can say something inspiring.

I want to concentrate on 1 Nephi 7 and 8 ( you can find this online if you don't have a Book Of Mormon) It talks about how Lehi returned to his house after receiving a vision (I suggest reading those verses and their footnotes). He returned home and cast himself on his bed because he was overpowered by what he had been shown but as he rested he was again shown another vision. I want to talk about how this relates to homes. If His home had not been a place where the Spirit of the Lord could dwell, he couldn't have received more, he would have been left with what he had already seen. It was only because his house was clean and invited the spirit that he could have received more. We must strive to have a home where the Spirit can be, if it is not the environment where that could happen how can we expect to feel anything in our homes. We have to keep it prepared to feel the Spirit. Now I am not saying it has to be a perfect house, at my home there were still arguments and disagreements, but love was always there (even when it didn't seem like it was). We don't have to be perfect just make sure that your home is a place the Spirit can be if you will let it.  

I miss you all so much, and love hearing from all of you.

-Elder Butters 

Photos From Stormy Cape Coast

The local pastor had a good thing to say!

Too much fufu for any one person to eat but these missionaries ate and ate and ate just to be polite! They were filled to brim and then had another appointment and were fed again....thankfully they understood when Elder Butters and Elder Stephens couldn't clean their plates.  And, yes, that is ONE serving of fufu for these boys....

The marketplace outside the apartment.

Getting ready to head into town and taking photos of that storm that is coming in behind them.

Letter Ten from Dunkwa

FROM ELDER EDISON:

This week is insane I have been non-stop busy so I have been able to do very little study, I hope that changes but i do have a message to send this week that I thought about yesterday.

In the hymn "if the Savior stood beside me" there is a line that talks about if we would change if we could see the Savior standing by us. I want to concentrate on the part "if we could only see" (or something like that). It implies that the Savior is standing by us! He is there to guide us, lead us, and Love us. It seems strange that this is the truth but it is. I want to cross reference it with the Scripture verse "when ye are in service of the least of these my brethren , ye are only in the service of your God". The people around us are those that learn from us. They are the ones who can teach us, lead us and show us Gods love. When we take this into consideration what does that really mean when we are walking around school, a park, or just with friends. We may always think of it as we are constantly being judged but I like to look at it a different way: we are being given the opportunity to let others feel closer to God in all we do. Every action we take brings others closer or further from the path they need to be on. We must understand our role in God's plan. We are important and we are essential, you can never forget that. We each have something we need to do, so be brave and make someone else smile. But remember you cannot give what you don't have. I love you all. I hope this letter makes sense. I know a lot of what I type isn't what is in a usual email from a missionary but I really do hope you can get something from this.

Life is hard at times but remember no matter how hard it gets, you are a child of God, nothing is hard enough to keep you down if you want to stand. So do not decide to let life hit you down, don't let life be in charge. Get up and hit life in the face!!! You are stronger than you could ever know. No matter what anyone tells you be ready for life, your value is not based on what others see. It is not even based on what you see. God Loves you, someone who is perfect, someone who is greater than any on Earth right now has decided that you are worth loving. Never forget that. You are loved by God

Yesterday we went to a members house for a meeting. They told us they wanted to prepare food, which was fine the only issue was when we finally got there she hadn't started preparing the food. This was an issue because we had a full day planned. We ended up having to cancel a few appointments and re-scheduled some because it is seen to be rude to deny a meal. After three hours the food was ready. It was the largest amount of FUFU I had ever seen!!! I about died. I think a picture will come with it this week. It was way too much but we had to finish. It took us close to an hour with both of us rushing it. When we finally got out we had one last appointment scheduled with more members!!! They prepared us more food. I nearly threw it all up twice and ended up not being able to finish but they understood. I swear it was one of the hardest things I have had to do my entire mission.

Do your best this week and I will do my best here in Dunkwa.  Happy Thanksgiving!  I will be using mashed potato mix sent to me by my grandparents and cooking two chickens for the special day.  The four missionaries in my District will eat together and I will share my precious mashed potatoes with them.  Another hard thing to do on my mission...ha ha!

Love, Elder Butters

Photos from Week Nine

The market after closing time - sometimes they teach sitting at these tables.

The Plan of Salvation by Elder Stephens and Elder Butters

This lady is especially kind to the boys and treats them so very good -

I am grateful that Elder Stephens is side by side with Edison in these early weeks of life in Ghana.

Week Nine! - Swollen Ankles

In 3 Nephi 18:31 and John 10:14 it talks about how Jesus Christ knows and has numbered his sheep. This is a very important line: He has and never will forget you. You are never and have never been alone. At times we may feel forgotten. In the Garden of Gethsemane (don't know how to spell it.) The Savior himself asked why God had left him, he had to go through what he did alone, that was the trial he had to pass. As long as we strive to be by Him He can have a place with us.

When we stray too far from the path it may seem impossible to get back. But we have been told that the Shepherd would leave his nighty nine other sheep to ensure the safety of the one. We can know that we can return.

This has been something that has been very hard for me to accept, it is so easy to say that we are not important enough for a miracle, that we can be passed over. These are lies, don't listen. You matter. In the sight of the Lord why wouldn't He try to save you. You are worth more to Him then anything else.  I have struggled to come to terms with this myself. I can't always see why I would matter, there is no way that i hold an important part in his plan. This kind of thinking leads to many unwanted and scary situations. Don't let them stop you. You are important, you are a child of God. You are not and never will be someone that gets passed by the Lord. You are the one that he would leave the others to go and find. You are the one that will not be forgotten. I wish I was there to tell this to each one of you. I wish i could show you the love God and Jesus Christ hold for you. I know without a shadow of a doubt that they do and it will never change.

Remember if I can see your importance from Ghana and without being able to see you as God sees you imagine what they can see. Imagine the power they see you hold. You are the person they need you to be. So remember that you are not forgotten. If you ever feel like you have been, pray and see what the feeling is like. Ask for comfort and pray to feel his love. And listen.

This week has been crazy with lots of new people wanting to talk and many people willing to listen. I cannot wait to see How this area really grows in my time here. It is incredible to see what has already happened.

This Tuesday i noticed that my ankles were incredibly swollen (like four times the size they should be) I finally called it in to the mission home nurse and they said it happens when you walk as much as I have been. I now have to sleep each night with my feet elevated to get the swelling down. It is not fun at all. I hope you are all doing well. I miss you and Love each and everyone of you. Keep working hard

Love, Elder Butters

Photos from A Week of Zone Conference and Illness

Meetings for zone conference at the mission home - this provided for lots of socializing with other missionaries and lots of food options.

Love that smile that belongs to me!  He looks surprisingly terrific considering he was super sick all week and had a fever of 102!  He smiled through it all and managed to survive the bus ride over bumpy roads for four hours both ways to and from the meetings.

He is on the left side of the photo peeking out from behind two elders.

The Praso Zone - front row left side of photograph.

Love this kid of mine - the missionary next to him seems to be a perfect match for Edison!

Random backyard wildlife.

Elder Nash was visiting for the Conference and I think this is the only photo that you can tell Edison is not feeling very great on this day.  My poor boy - chin up!!

Letter Eight - First Sickness and It Was a Biggy!

Hey guys I hope you are all doing well, it is another week and I have more to talk about!!!

 There Was a talk given by Dieter F. Uchtdorf this past general conference (i was able to ready it thanks to it being sent from America). It talks about three sisters and how each and everyone looks at life a little differently. It stood out to me because of the accuracy of the depiction. for the sad, she id described as feeling like the victim. She believes that she is only acted upon and cannot act for herself in a way. The second sister is angry at the wold, she blames the trends and people in it for all her problems. The third sister looks at the world glad to be alive, and doesn't care what others say.

These are all parts of us, first i want to concentrate on the victim. When you believe you are the victim you allow others to take choices and you remove possibilities from yourself.  The only person that is hurting you is you. When you say you have never had control because others take it from you (for some things it is possible but not for all) you need to realize that you always have a choice, you can choose to sit down and take it, OR you can Stand up look them in the eyes and prove you and not a punching bag.

When you are angry at everyone else (it is easier to blame the world rather then yourself). It is simple to think that when someone disagrees all they are thinking of is the worst for us. We cannot think of it this way, if we continue down this path we won't like the outcome. When others are better or have different ideas, listen learn (even if you just learn more about their desires). Do not be angry for not being the best only be frustrated when you realize that you only gave 99 instead of your full 100. Each day we need to be able to look back and say we gave our 100 (not the 100 of the person next to us or our siblings 100 but our own). 

Be glad, if life hits you down, why show it that you can be played with. Stand up and hit it back; put a smile on your face and gleam in your eye and keep going. Nothing can hurt life more then you taking a punch and not being effected. Now i am not saying there are not hard times, times when we all drop into a bawl in pain. There are times like that. But remember those times only end when we decided to get up and keep walking forward through life. 

I am always here to help if you need it.

SO this week has been crazy, on Tuesday i woke up with a fever of one hundred and two!!! That was a lot of fun. It took me out for a few days which wasn't the best. But getting back to my area (I was at a Zone conference) took four hours on a very very very bumpy road. It was not fun. SO this week I have not been able to do much. I am sorry that this is my only story. Hopefully more will come.

Love you all

Talk soon

-Elder Butters

Week Seven Photos

Still can't believe that this is where I live!

These types of meetings happen frequently in our area.

Our steel wire box for our drinking water bags - it appears that we need to replenish.

Another great shot of where I live!

The pop tarts left by Sister Gleed after her surprise visit.

The new sword!  Best thing ever!

Week 7 Letter Home

Hey everyone!!! |So this week has been insane, we have been so busy. But before i really begin talking about that i want to concentrate on 1 Nephi 8:24-28, These verses talk about how there were some people in the vision of the tree of life that made it to the tree and completed and partook of the fruit. |But they began to cast their eyes around and saw a great and spacious building..... after hearing the scorns and the jokes that were being cast at them they allowed themselves to fall into forbidden paths they let themselves get lost in the mist of darkness. Please i beg all of you, do not let this happen. \|When you are called upon to look at those who cast scorn at our religion don't stand by and let it happen. We must respect others beliefs but we must ensure that our voice is heard as well. It is sometimes easier to let others believe they are right just t avoid confrontation but in a way that is keeping them fro the truth that is keeping them from drawing closer to God. We cannot sit by and let people laugh at and mock the truth. It is so hard, it isn't easy, not even for missionaries, but we must try. Our religion is not something to be ashamed of, falling into shadows because you are ashamed to have known the truth and to have traveled the path that has been asked of you is crazy. never use sin (the mist of darkness) to try to cover the fact you have done what God has commanded of you. Keep working keep trying. 

That is one of many things that i will talk about on my mission. I hope it helps those who needs to hear it. Now I would quickly like to talk about the spirit. The Spirit is a gift from God it is not something that we can just expect to have at all times. The way me and my companion teach it is a a toy, when a toy is given to a child and they do not use it properly of use it at all it is taken away until they understand the rules or the true purpose of it. I have begun to realize how it is taken for granted a lot of the time, we believe that we deserve to have it not matter where we are or what we are doing. We even believe that it should be common. this is not the way, this is something i need to work on so much and would challenge anyone reading to do the same. Every time we feel the spirit we should honestly want to record it, we should treasure those moments because they are the moments where we are closest to our Savior and our God. These times are opportunities to bear testimony to stand up and raise the ensign to all who will listen, we cannot let them pass by because if we do we are no longer using the gifts that God has given us. There is a story about this, the story of the Talents, the men who use the talents receive greater rewards while the man who throws his away and wastes the gift that he has been given is shunned. Don't waste the gifts God blesses you with. whether they are personal gifts or those meant to be shared use them the way the Lord would have you use them. Only then can we become the person that we need to become. 

You are all strong, you are all brave. Use those strengths an keep moving forward. We must always try because if we don't how can e progress. Yoda once said "Do or do not there is no try" however great the line is I wish to expand it without trying there is only failure. When we do not attempt we will never succeed, how can we expect to learn and grow when we give no chance for growth. We can't we will never change. I want all of us to see how important trying is even when Yoda (a great master) said we either make it or we don't. So try and see what happens because when we don't we miss a chance.

This week has been so busy i have been going non-stop to be honest. i really hope i can keep going at the pace that i have set for myself. I hope you all know that you have all given me strength and energy to do what I have needed to do. I wish i could be there to share all the thoughts and feeling that i have every day but that defeats my purpose as a missionary. i am to go out and help teach the world not just my family and friends.

I love you all so much. Keep working hard. When we show commitment God can be there as well working along side us everyday. Hope to hear from you all soon

Photos from Dinner With Katie Gleed and Her Friends

Out of nowhere, Katie Gleed and her friends appeared in Ghana!  They took us out to dinner and sent photos home to Mom!  She is mom's new best friend!

Katie Gleed - Edison's Newest Friend (and Mom's Angel)

Below is the text of a letter that Mom received today from a stranger who was an angel to me!


Hello 😊

My name is Katie Gleed. I live in Utah but was traveling in Ghana and ran into your son 😊 he said to tell you he is doing well. We thought you might like this picture from dinner yesterday. We took them out to eat and then unloaded all of our excess American food to them. They are great missionaries. Loved by the branch, happy and working hard.

With love,

Melanie, Rachel and Katie

Letter Number 6

To Everyone:

I am not really sure what to say about this week. I have been able to study a lot on consecration, there are really good talks on it. Most talk about how we must be willing to leave all that we have been given by God on the Alter of Sacrifice. If everything is given from God we should never hold anything back when he asks for it in return. 

Job is the go to example for this. His life was turned upside down. Completely rewritten. He went through so much, even his friends told him to Curse God and Die. His answer to this was to pray to god about how he should have been more patient and about how he wished he had done better. Can you imagine., having everything taken from you and then turning to God and saying I am sorry that I couldn't give it to you faster then I did. It has taught me a lot. I hope this makes sense. I hope you all see what he was put through. But I want you all to read the last chapter of Job and see the blessings that he receievd in the end. We can have that as we try and become consecrated to the Lord. 

I have had a very interesting week, not going to lie it has been very stressful. We went on exchanges with the other elders in Dunkwa (there are four of us - normally there should be eight in this area but right now we only have four - that is why we teach lessons constantly and barely have enough time to use the computer today - we have been teaching all day) then my companion had to get an ID renewal so I had to be placed with other Elders for that time . That was a lot of fun. But I did realize that Elder Stephens and I like to work hard and we have the same standards and the same way of doing things. It was hard to be with the other missionaries who did things a bit different. They weren't bad but just different. I like how Elder Stephens and I have things working. Truthfully, Elder Stephens makes me think that this is what it would be like if Benjamin (my brother) and I were companions on a mission. But everything seems to be finally going back to normal, well normal for Ghana. I cannot wait to be home to tell stories about this place, I have been keeping a journal and even collecting my talks. Just so I have evidence of all that happens here. 

God love you, tha'ts the first thing i state to people who will accept talking to us. I want you all to know the truth behind it. For example can you imagine the pain that it took him to give up His son, for people He knew would probably not care about the sacrifice. How hard would that be. Imagine the pain when He understood that the sacrifice both Him and His son were making would go unnoticed and unwanted by hundreds and thousands of people, and still knowing that if even one would come to Him the sacrifice was worth it. He loves you. Never believe otherwise it is easy to believe that He does not notice you but that is so far from the truth. God Loves you more then you could love anyone.

I miss you all, I hope that everyone is doing well. Don't worry about emailing me. The internet sucks so I may not be able to email back but I will try.

Love, Elder Butters

*From Elder Butters' Mom:  Please keep emailing him.  The internet is super slow and today was frustrating for him. Some of this letter is spliced with things he sent on a chat with me because he couldn't get the letter to send.  I told him to not worry about all of that but to be off doing good things.  We will keep writing regardless of whether we hear from him or not. Thank you for supporting this kid who forgot to mention in his letter that "I bought my first Ghana sword this week".....for those of you who know Edison, you know that his mission is now a success!  The proud owner of a Ghanaian sword.....what could be finer?!

Photo catch up from Start to October 15, 2017

Feels like home - his new home in Dunkwa!

The animals make themselves at home too - perhaps he is on guard duty for the drying laundry.

A street near their apartment in Dunkwa.

Pasta and bread - that amount of tomato sauce seems about right for Edison!

Is that the cutest face, ever!

The young man in the green, Brother Fisi, is being baptized by Elder Edison today!

What a great team they make!

Ta Da!!!

He has always been a great teacher of the young around him and Ghana offers glorious opportunities for him to perfect this skill.

Letter #5 - Busy and Getting Busier!

I got my first baptism!!  This was a young boy, Brother Fifi, who I had taught since I got to Dunkwa. I did not start teaching him but I took over teaching him with Elder Stephens when we arrived here. When it came time for him to be baptized, he specifically asked for me to do it for him.  This was a huge blessing!

Well this week has been insane. It still rains nearly everyday which is nice because it cools everything off but terrible because the humidity goes through the roof. So, please, stop blessing the rains down in Africa.

Oh before I forget, when I went back to my apartment last Monday the power was off. We thought it was Dumso (when electricity stops working) but it lasted over a day. We then realized that the power had been cut off to our apartment, completely. It was terrible. We called a few people to fix the problem and they said it would be up the next day first thing. We then went another full day and night without power. It wouldn't be that bad if I was in Utah because I would just put on more layers but in Ghana that is not the solution. Sleeping has been hard. But luckily for us we got our power back on when we were going on our fifth day with it off. Wow I love Ghana.

I have been going non stop the past few days, but that is to be expected. I I have gotten better at speaking the language but I still have so much to learn and to progress on. I wish it came easy to me but as always it is not a gift I have.

Luckily I have been blessed with another gift, I can now eat really anything that is put in front of me. Fufu, Banco, rice ball, anything. It is great because there isn't much of a selection where I am located. 

So me and my companion have figured out how to have an apartment fund and an extra fund for things we want. It allows us to cut the money that we spend each day. Because of this we have learnt that we live off of three or so dollars a day. Which would not work in America but isn't too bad out here in Ghana. 

I miss you all. I would love to hear from everyone. I am also sorry if i do not get back to you right away. There is so much to do and so little time to do it.

Love to all of you,  Elder Edison

*Things get better every single week and I am meeting so many people. And we are so so so busy!

Surprise Photos from Elder Stephens' Mom!

Elder Stephens got to use the computer to send photos today and I was able to connect with his mom who was good enough to share those photos with me!

Elder Stephens has been out one year as of October 5 - he and Edison get along great and they seem to have been busier than busy these last two weeks.  So grateful for missionary moms all over the country.