Monday, April 28, 2014

Kaitlan and Cecillia had their babies!

April 28, 2014

Family,

Yup I was able to see that Kaitlan had the babies on Tuesday and I was so happy for her!! But seriously I was so perplexed to think that it was nine months ago (somewhere around there) when she told me that she was pregnant with twins!! Time flies by. In Ghana Kaitlan would name them Kwabena(boy) and Abena(girl). That is what they call Tuesday borns here. Also Cecilia had her baby boy on Wednesday!! She called me Wednesday night and told me that she wanted to name the babies Mormon Eppich Asante.... that would be so awesome if she did but I’m not sure yet. They take a while to name their babies here. I wish Kaitlan could have held on to those babies a little longer so she and Cecilla' could have had the babies the same day but its ok. I;m just happy everything went well with both pregnancies. Ya I forgot that Mother’s Day is approaching fast. Do you want me to Skype or call.......(Kade has only been able to call) And as for the instruction to the new missionaries, I just talked about the small and simple things of missionary work brings to pass great things..... daily schedule, area book, companionship unity.... things like that. I’m not in danger or anything going to the military barracks they just don’t allow foreigners to come in. 

This week was pretty busy. We struggle to meet people to teach. I don’t remember if I told you but we are not allowed to contact in the military barracks so we have to have the light of Christ so people contact US and want to know more. That is how we do our work here. We are working with some sweet investigators. A nice young couple who came to church yesterday for stake conference. I hope they enjoyed it and that it didn’t confuse them. That is only thing that I don’t really like about the new ward and area is there are a lot of white people. I just feel weird when I see them, especially if they aren’t senior couples. Oh on Saturday night after the stake conference my companion and I and the ZL in this zone went to KFC and ate dinner haha. It reminded me of when dad would take us to Wendy’s after the Priesthood dealio. It was super awesome, but cost me like 30 cedis (around 10 dollars) for everything which is really cheap back home but now I don’t like to spend that much very often because you can buy a lot here for 30 cedis. But it was totally worth it! Also we actually already started to work on next transfer! We have a tough situation where 4 zone leaders are going home and they all need to be replaced, than the following transfer we have a couple more going home.... so it will be interesting! 


Well family I love you all and hope all is going good for you back home! The church is true and everything just makes perfect understanding in the church! That is one of the ways I gained my testimony in this church is how clear everything is. There is no confusion. Have a great week



Elder Eppich

Monday, April 21, 2014

Enabling Power of the Atonement

April 21, 2014

Family,

Well this last week was a busy one but definitely a great experience! Ill try and talk about as much stuff as I can if I can remember everything, but I'll probably forget some. So I'll just start off with Monday night... One of the coolest things on my mission to be a part of was finalizing everything for transfers. We walked into President Judd's office and we knelt down and President Judd gave the most amazing prayer about being directed by the holy spirit to place the missionaries in the right area. Then we just started moving around pictures of the missionaries in different areas and different companions seeing which one we felt right about. It was awesome because we could joke around and have an awesome time together with President and the holy spirit directed us on the correct path. As I look at the companionships now I feel like it was a success! The whole thing reminded me of that talk when they placed the missionaries in their assigned mission. I can’t remember who gave that talk right now but it was similar to that. I hope you understand what I’m saying.  

Wednesday morning we had to wake up at 4 am to drive and pick up the new missionaries from the MTC. By the way, driving in Ghana is nuts and is hard to get used to! But I feel comfortable now! (Kade has an uncanny sense of direction like his cousin, Randy Anderson. We always told him he would probably serve a mission where that skill would be utilized.)We brought the new missionaries to the mission home around 7:30 and they had to do some work with Elder and Sister Crisp, who are wonderful.  Then we had a new missionary devotional where Elder Izekor and I gave instruction then President Judd gave the new missionaries their trainers. We finished that up around 2 pm and had to help all the people in need on the transfer day! We were actually able to even teach a few lessons in the night but I was dead tired, and fell asleep right away! I hope I can last without any naps and not very much sleep :)

The rest of the week was pretty calm and we were able proselyte a lot. I guess we will still teach around 25 lessons a week and so that will be nice. Sunday nights are very busy doing the numbers for the mission. We didn’t get to bed until midnight last night, but it is all good!

Our area is 75 percent military barracks and we can’t be there too late because I’m white and so sometimes the work is slow, but currently we are working with some awesome investigators! Elder Izekor is a great missionary and a joy to be around.

On a nasty note we saw a 7 yr. old boy crying in a tub of water naked and we asked what the problem was and we noticed that they had just circumcised him...... I felt bad for the kid, but I guess in Kenya it's a tradition they don’t circumcise them until they are 14.... awkward lol.

But back to the good stuff, our 1st counselor works for the USA embassy and he is from Spokane Washington. Him, his wife and three children live here. They were actually married in Columbia River Washington temple...small world. He is a very nice man. His name is Matthew Robinson I think. And if Steve McGary comes to Ghana by all means I will see him because where we stay is right next to the temple.  I don’t know what he looks like tho. lol

Also Happy Easter! Can’t believe it’s already here! Soon I will be 20 yrs. old! So weird to think about! I have been really studying Christ's death and the Resurrection this last week. It was a great experience.  I was thinking about everything. A lot of people testify of the Healing power of the Atonement, which is great and without it we are nothing, but I just want to testify of the Enabling power of the Atonement. This is unique doctrine to the church that Christ not only suffered for our sins but also for our sickness, infirmities, afflictions, death, and so forth. I would encourage everyone to study Alma 7 this next week and learn more about the Atonement. It is an infinite Atonement and we are nothing without it. I love you all and hope you have a great week! I am excited for Kaitlan and David this week!


Elder Kade Eppich

Monday, April 14, 2014

Leaving Tema and New Town. New Assignment.

April 14, 2014

Family,

Well this week was once again busy for me! I actually received transfer news early this time. Unfortunately I will be leaving Tema and New Town :( I’m going to miss that place very much, and the awesome people there. I was hoping to see Cecilia give birth before I left but I guess not. But it was a perfect last Sunday to be there because all 8 of my recent converts were at church and I got some nice pictures with them! So yes very sad that I’m leaving but I’m trading all of that for a washing machine, air conditioning, and a truck!  President Judd called me Sunday morning and asked me to be his new Assistant! I was a little overwhelmed but I knew that is what the Lord needs of me! So Sunday afternoon the AP came and picked me up and we went and did the numbers for the mission at the mission home and finished around 12 midnight. It will definitely be a lot different being an AP but I’m super excited to be around President Judd! He is awesome. My new companion is Elder Izekor from Nigeria. He is super awesome and very loving. So I’m currently at the mission home just learning the role of an AP. The previous AP that I replaced goes home tomorrow, and my comp can’t drive so I have to learn how to drive fast. It is going to be so weird! I slept real nice though with A/C in my apartment and then this morning we washed the car by hand. It probably sounds so weird that I’m talking about all these small things but its so weird thinking about the things I have now! I went to bed with dirty clothes and woke up with clean ones:) the only bad thing is the washing machine doesn’t do very good on the collars so I have to scrub them before putting them in the machine! 

This week should be a little busy because it is transfers so we’ll see how it goes! I hope Kaitlan and Cecilia give birth on the same day! That would be so awesome! Well family I love you all and hope you have a great week! The church is true!!


Elder Eppich

Monday, April 7, 2014

The Gospel blesses the lives of all those that live it!"

Cecila's baptsim
April 7, 2014

Family,

Well this week was a very busy one! I was running around doing baptismal interviews and we had Mission Leadership Council on Thursday so everything took me out of the area quite a bit, but it was ok! Cecilia was baptized on Saturday and it was so awesome! We had an RM baptize her and it looked really easy even though she was a little bigger. She bent her legs perfectly so it was easy on him. It was awesome to see her come out of the water with her big ol belly poking out haha. I’m sure she will have the baby in the next week or two! We are pushing a little harder for her husband now but he is being stubborn, there is nothing more that Cecilia wants than a temple marriage and to seal her family together! It’s awesome! So I pray her husband’s heart will be softened! Ill try and send a photo of the baptism.

When Elder Kisembe and I went to MLC on Thursday I saw Elder Van Scheltema (Kade’s trainer) at the area office in Accra, (the Accra West Mission was preparing for their MLC as well) and he told me that sister Deborah, one of our converts that we baptized in Kaneshie was preparing to receive her endowment!!! I was like what the heck that is so awesome! I’m so happy for her and the way she is living her life! He also told me she is dating a member in the ward and she is doing online BYU pathway! Dang I was so happy to hear that! The Gospel blesses the lives of all those who live it! I’m curious if President Judd would let me go and attend her endowment session.

Also, another cool thing is one of the guys that goes to the same gym as us, he is basically my personal trainer, I kept inviting him to church and I didn’t really think he was serious, but he came yesterday!!! I was so shocked and he loved it! So I went and taught him yesterday. He doesn’t stay in our area, but I went with the missionaries to have a smooth transition from one missionary to another! It sounds like General Conference was amazing! I’m excited to watch it in the next coming month! (they receive a DVD of some of the sessions in a month)I love GC and I can’t believe I have been on mission for 3 of them!! I love you all and hope you have a great week!


Elder Eppich