More Farewells and Arrivals

This week was highlighted by the arrival of 10 new missionaries and the departure of 9 of our most experienced.  The mission really is like a "revolving" door, in a state of constant change.  We also welcomed a new Assistant to the President.  His name is Elder Bailey and he is from Liberty, UT just a short distance from Ogden, UT.

Elder Lyman attended the
Provo MTC and the others went                                         NEW ARRIVALS
to the Ghana MTC.  Elder Lyman 
was delayed coming on his mission
because had an appendicitis operation
and then returned to his home in Texas
to recover.  He came into Accra on 
a late flight from the US, so he has
been "hanging" at the mission
home getting adjusted to Ghana.

New AP, Elder Bailey, with AP Elder George, who has only been with us a few weeks also.  

On Monday and Tuesday we bade farewell to our dear Elder Beck, extreme left, two Tongans, five missionaries from Nigeria, and a sister from Kenya who was not in the picture. The two Tongans are from the same area and are relatives.  Another "brother" is serving in the Ghana Kumasi mission.  At one point all three on their mission were able to attend the Ghana Accra Temple together. 

Elder Beck was a great Zone Leader.  Prior to his mission he was in the Utah National Guard and make three jumps out of a plane.  He is from Lehi, UT, and lives quite near to Stan's mom.   Elder Beck will return to the National Guard and resume his college education. 

Also departing this week are the Websters from Sydney, Australia.  (Sister Webster is Maori and originally from New Zealand.) They have served as executive secretary to the Africa West Area Presidency.  This is essentially a 24/7 "job" as volunteer senior missionaries. They have become very dear friends and we will miss them terribly, especially since they are so efficient in their skill set, plus they choose where the senior couples go to dinner on Friday nights!!!! You might recall that Elder and Sister Webster had a visit from their son, (Stanton), and his wife several months ago.  In talking, we learned that our son Ryan and Stanton were companions while serving in Canada as missionaries.  

Once again, with arrivals and departures, we engaged in a major transfer.  The mission home was alive with activity.

Wednesday we attended Zone Council in the Christiansborg Zone.  Elders Nissinen and Allen are new Zone Leaders and conducted all the instruction.  They did a great job.  

Elder Nissinen is from Cornelius, Oregon.  His dad has a landscaping firm there and they maintain our yard at home while we are here in Africa.

This is the Frederick Dei-Oppong family, who stopped by the mission home this week to say goodbye to the Heids.   This family is heading for Salt Lake City for training for 18 months. Frederick is a Self-Reliance Operations Manager for the church here in Ghana, and was the "boss" for President and Sister Heid when they served as senior missionaries helping with the Perpetual Education Fund.

 Love this orange tree in bloom .

In preparation for the new mission president in July, the church did an appraisal of our building and grounds.  They painted the exterior of the mission home and decided for security purposes to increase the height of the wall around the perimeter.  The work is still in progress.  Sister Heid thinks this will make a great backboard for tennis practice!

Saturday, the Hadleys in the back, organized an Easter breakfast to say farewell to the Websters.

Our P-day activity for Saturday was to see the movie, "Beauty and The Beast."  We asked for the "senior" discount.  Our ticket categorized it differently.....   Isn't it nice to know that we are considered children again?  We start out life as a child and we finish up as a child!!

Had to share this picture of Stan and Wayne Jones starting the generator in a thunder and lightening storm last Sunday evening.  Normally the generator will come on automatically when the city electricity is lost, but on this occasion the Jones's lost power and our apartment still had lights.  So, a manual start was required.  They were master engineers and we had power!!

Friday was a special day in our family.  Our grandson, Calvin had his 8th birthday.  On Easter Sunday, his father baptized him and confirmed him a member of the Church.  We would have traveled to Pennsylvania for this occasion, but we are in Africa.  His other set of grandparents and a cousin were able to attend and support him.