Seeing the Miracles of Hard Work

Elder Eppich and other missionaries eating fufu with grasscutter. Grasscutter is a BIG African rat!!

1 year anniversary in Ghana

Elder Eppich and companion eating pizza, a rare treat.

February 10, 2014

Family,

Well this last week was an amazing one for us! Elder Strong and I worked super hard and we definitely saw the miracle that came from it! So I will have to describe to you everything so that you can understand how big of a deal it is. So Tema New Town is about an hour-long walk to the nearest church building or a very expensive taxi ride. Keep in mind New Town is a very poor area and they don’t have a lot. So yesterday we had 9 investigators at church!!! That is an amazing number where we are serving! We just have found some super awesome people that we are working with and they are all willing to make the sacrifice to come to church! I can’t wait to see how everything grows when we put a branch in New Town! It will definitely be a huge blessing. The only thing that is stopping us right now from doing it is finding a branch building. So Elder Strong and I have been asking around and are praying for a new building to bless the lives of these great people!

On Thursday, Elder Ballard (other zone leader) and I went to Accra for our Mission Leadership Council and we talked about a lot of stuff and really applied with what we learned from Elder Bednar to our council of about 14 missionaries. Then on Friday night we met with the Stake president (Elder Ballard and I) and were able to talk about a lot of things. President Morrison is an amazing Stake President! Currently in the Tema stake we have 3300 members and Elder Bednar has asked Presdent Morrison to do whatever it takes to be able to split the stake by December 2014. To do that we will have to have 3800 members in the stake. So basically he was telling us that we have to bring 500 souls to Christ by Christmas time, and we can totally do it with the help up faithful missionaries and members! It will be awesome to be able to see that happen!

So yes I burned a shirt and yes mom, I will send photos! Elder Strong and I were able to celebrate by going to Eddy’s pizza and drop 40 GHC (this is about 20. US) on some pizza. It was so amazing!!!! (Well not really, but it was the best I have had in Ghana) so that was nice but I don’t feel any different from being on a mission for a year now. haha

I’m super jealous of all the snow that you are enjoying right now! A few nights ago I was able to sleep with two fans blowing on me inside my mosquito net but it got me too cold so I had to turn one off haha. Well I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Eppich, Sr.

Elder Bednar in Ghana and One year mark as a missionary!

In Tema, Ghana. This scooter belongs to an investigator that is paralyzed from the waist down. When he isn't in this he crawls around on his hands. 

the original district Elder ujifusa(not pictured), ELDER Rain, me, van Scheltema, Thornhill, Nelson.

February 2, 2014

Family,

Well this week was an awesome week!! On Tuesday there was a member devotional with Elder Bednar and the missionaries that brought investigators were able to attend, we brought 3! It was so awesome! Elder Clayton, his wife, and Elder Bednar’s wife got up and bore their testimonies and then Elder Bednar got up and wanted everybody to ask him questions about the church! And there were over 2000 people there, so they just started to send around microphones and Elder Bednar answered them! It was such a sweet experience! One thing I learned in that meeting was when you are facing lots of trials and challenges just keep your head up, lean forward, and keep pressing forward! It was awesome! Our investigators loved it! But Thursday is where it was way awesome! To start off it was combined missions and so we got to see all the missionaries in the other mission that we knew before the mission split. It was awesome to see Elder van Scheltema, Hansen, Thornhill, and Elder Rain (my first District Leader) we got a sweet pic of our very first district! It was a powerhouse district because all of us are leaders in the mission now! I will send the photo! So basically it was the same kind of meeting with Elder Bednar! He got up and told us that we will be doing the talking today and ask questions. But before he started he talked about taking notes. He compared taking notes to the Book of Mormon. (I hope I say it right because it was way awesome how he explained it.) The book of Mormon was split into to sets of plates, the large plates were a history of everything that happened, but the small plates were spiritual promptings that they received and wrote down. So he told us he wants us to keep "small plate notes, and write down impressions that we receive from the Holy Spirit" and not take "large plate notes, where we just write down what he says" it really caught me by surprise the way he said it but I instantly loved it! So that is what I was trying to do, just listen all by the spirit and learn from the spirit and not from Elder Bednar. Elder Bednar was funny and just a normal man, but obviously he had a stronger spirit with him! He also said something that I really liked. It was "if all you heard was a great talk, then youre not listening!" I learned so much from the spirit that day and how I needed to be a better missionary and how to best help the zone! Elder Bednar talked a little on the Saviors ministry and how he ministered to the 2500 people "one-by-one" and how sometimes its not about how many baptisms you have or your lessons, but being able to help a struggling missionary! I know that is one of the reasons why I got transferred to Tema!

This week will mark my year on my mission! I can’t believe how fast it has gone by for me! It doesn’t seem like that long ago when I got to the MTC and now I am a year out and serving right next to the MTC! It blows my mind! One of the things Coach Riner taught me is how important the third quarter is! From the start of the third quarter you can see which team came ready to win the football game and has that strong desire to keep fighting and coming out after halftime ready to give it their all! So every game we gave it our all at the beginning of the third quarter and that momentum followed us the rest of the game! I truly believe that is one of the reasons why we did so well!! Now as I liken this to missionary work, I hope you will understand what I’m saying.  I am currently entering into the third quarter of my mission and I want to give it my all and keep that momentum running the rest of my mission! I don’t think coach Riner meant to refer that to missionary work (or maybe he did) but it applies very well here! 

Also, no we don’t have an oven but I guess there is one at our meeting house. Today we went to the MTC and played volleyball and it was so much fun! I miss just being able to go out and do whatever I want lol!

I love you all and miss you! I hope all is well and you have a great week!

Elder Kade Eppich

Ps I got the packages! Thank you so much! I love you and the summer sausage and cheese was awesome! They have crackers here that I can buy when the Ritz run out!!

Elder Bednar is coming to Ghana!

Elder Eppich with family of investigators

Elder Eppich and Elder Strong

January 27, 2014

Family,

Well this last week was transfers and I’m sad to say that I got transferred to Tema. It was so hard to say goodbye to Kpong after 7.5 months but I enjoyed every minute! I got dashed a lot of stuff from members/investigators so that was way sweet!  I have already seen a few reasons why I have been sent here to Tema and I know this is the place I’m suppose to be! But my new area is called Tema NewTown. Its a sweet place. I'ts somehow like the slums I guess but I’m just used to the living conditions that it doesn’t seem different. The biggest trial we have is that our area is very far from the meeting house, so that makes it pretty tough. I guess we are going to create a Tema New Town branch in a couple of weeks! Our area is right on the beach and so that is really sweet! Except the beach is where the poor people stay because it’s somehow cold there and the rich people don’t like the cold so they stay away from that area.

So my new comp is way sweet! His name is Elder Strong and he is from Centerville, UT and been out for 6 months. He is a hard working missionary and is way funny so we get along really well! The other ZL is just a little ways away in Kpone and his name is Elder Ballard (yes Elder Ballard’s grandson) we have a lot of work to do but I’m excited to see what we can do together! Also to get to our area there is a huge cocoa factory that we pass and every day it smells like fresh brownies!!! Haha it’s the worst but best feeling in the world loll and not too far from our area there is like legit hamburger and pizza places!!! So Elder Strong and I are going to enjoy! I felt like I have done good on budgeting and now I am afraid that I will go crazy a little bit (not really) but we have a maxx mart and they have like Costco brand stuff and also frozen chicken nuggets and things like that! Its expensive but will see how I hold out :)

So some bad news that I broke my camera somehow and an Elder here can sell me his for 200 GHC and I’m not sure what I should do...have you send me one and take the chance of getting it stolen or just buy this one here. Idk how good of quality it is because it was bought here in Ghana. Also I need new shirts! Mine aren’t too good right now. I kind of slacked off when I washed at the beginning of my mission and so the last 6 months I’ve been fighting a lost battle. I’ve been looking for shirts here but haven’t had much luck. Most the ones you find at the market are used and don’t have the right size.

This next week we will be privilege to have Elder Bednar come to our mission and speak to us! I’m super pumped to hear from him and see what council he has for our mission and to make it even better it is combines with the Accra west mission and so I can see all the missionaries over there!!! I’m so excited to see Elder Van Scheltema again! Well I love you all, have a great week!

Also, I haven’t received any packages this last week but we will see if this week if I’ll get them.

Elder Eppich, Sr.

Elder Eppich in Tema, Ghana

"We will see what the Lord has in store for me"

January 20, 2014

Well, I cant believe kraymer is home! It seems like yesterday he gave me that hug and I started to cry like a little baby haha (do you remember that??) I bet he is a little different to be around because he is a RM and makes me wonder if I will be the same way. I think I will just be shocked with the whole culture change. I'm happy you liked the beads so much. Did you like the blue one I sent? That one was all me and I thought it was cute :)

Well, this last week was pretty good week for Elder Steinman and I! It will be our last one together, I'm 85 percent sure. We were a little frustrated because our investigators we were preparing for baptism next week didn't come to church. But we have this family we are working with that we met two weeks ago and they have come both Sundays in a row and then came last night to a church program to celebrate the 10th year of the Accra temple.  They met a lot of members and loved it! The program was a little different because they let people ask questions about the temple and they answered them but it was good! Oh, one of my RC (brother Samuel) We baptized him and his wife 7 months ago and he is the man with one arm and he bore his testimony on how he was living a bad life and people tried to kill him with a cutlisk(machette) and he blocked his head with his arm and they cut it right off! and then how he came to know Christ through the Church! It was way awesome but he started yelling a little bit.

I have no clue what is going to happen for transfers! Everyone in the branch tells me I'm the one getting transfered this time but they dont want me too! So we will see what the Lord has in store for me!  I love you all and hope you have a great week! Im officially Elder Eppich, SR. 

"There is no sacrifice when you are in the Lord's service"

January 13, 2014

Family,

Well I'm happy you got the little package and letter I sent you. Sister Bridgett has already left on her mission so it is too late for you to send her something. That is sweet that Jarom and Heidi are leaving the same day! That will be good for both of them. They will be good missionaries. I need a new journal! So maybe you can send one in that package. It can be any kind that will fit in the package. And some more drink mixes. I’ve seen Elders have like little crystal light containers that you just squeeze into your water and its ready to drink.  Maybe some of those would be nice but I’m fine with whatever. 

This last week was a good week for Elder Steinman and I. On Tuesday, President Judd came to our district council and we were able to get a lot of help with some of our investigators’ concerns. President Judd was telling us how he meets with a lot of the church leaders in Ghana and he says most of them all come from the Kpong/Ho area and how we need to continue to work hard to find the elect. He also told us how Satan is not happy with the 3 new branches created out here and so that is some of the cause why we are having the challenges we're facing. The rest of the week we knew we had to work hard because we had a mission tour with Elder Vinson from the Area Presidency and it was really nice! One thing he said was that to always remember that "there is no sacrifice when you are in the Lord’s service". That really hit me hard just thinking about how everyone says we are sacrificing 2 years of our life, but really we are not! After the meeting, Elder Vinson chose 4 missionaries (before the meeting started) and I was one of them. I met with him for 10 or so minutes and it was really awesome! We just talked about family, mission, and the growth I’ve gained these last 11 months. I’m really curious why he chose me out of close to 60 missionaries. I guess maybe we will see in the future.

I’m happy you all enjoyed the trip to Mexico! I hope you are planning one when the family is all together again :) love ya lots! Have a great week!

Elder Eppich

"The Gospel really does bless individuals and families!"

Brother Deborah's Baptim

Sister jessica and her mom Emilia. Jessica is leaving on her mission this week.

Sandra and Ellis Family Baptism

January 14, 2014

Family,

Well this last week was a very nice week! Brother Deborah got baptized! idk if you remember him but he was the man who would read all the time! I've never met any investigator that would read as much as he did!  Sister Sandra got baptized as well! Her husband, Ellis, was baptised the week before and they are such a loving, happy family! Their kids are so cute!! The gospel really does bless individuals and families!! Brother Ellis always tells us when he see us, "thank you so much for coming into my life and look how happy my family is!" Sister Sandra gave birth like 4 weeks ago and named the baby Evelyn.

Other than that I honestly don't remember what really happened this last week! We met this super awesome man named Richard and he came to church in a full suit and loved the church! He accepted a baptismal date even before he came to church. Four years ago right before his father died he told him to search for the true church and he was trying to decided between our church and a church called new testament baptist church and one of his friends was attending there and so he just decided to join that church but we were able to find and teach him about the restored church!

New Year's here was celebrated a lot more than Christmas! It was crazy! There were fire works going off all night with lots of drinking. It was so funny to see all the drunk people dancing their Ghanian dances haha.

I can't believe it is 2014!  I graduated high school 18 months ago!! haha so weird to think about!  I'm doing great here. Kpong (area he is serving in the bush) is so amazing and I'm going to have a hard time leaving here if i ever get transferred out! I pray that I don't. Love you lots, enjoy Mexico!

Elder Eppich Jr (soon to be SR :)