"Strengthened my Testimonry of Being Obedient"

October 14, 2013 Family, Well this last week was a nice week for Elder Steinman and I. Today we were able to go to the Akosombo Dam and it is huge and really nice! Dr. Dughbatety and Bro Eric (I baptized his wife) took me and my comp. It was a really fun time! Dr. Dughbatety is a way awesome guy! Have I ever told you about him? Elder Steinman and I had a really cool experience on Saturday where we met a man, in my opinion, an elect the Lord has prepared for us! His name is Elvis. It was a Saturday night and we were walking to our next appointment when a small boy came to our side and told us a man had sent him to go and call us. So, we turned around and far away we saw a man waving his arms at us. When we reached the man he told us to sit down and talk with him. He then told us that last week he had entered the church but left right away because he didn’t feel welcomed there. But the few moments when he was there he had felt a nice spirit and wanted to return to the church, but he didn’t want to go because he didn’t know anybody in the church and so all week he had been praying for God to place someone in his life to help him feel welcome, and on Saturday night his answer to his prayers came when he saw two white missionaries walking far away! We talked more and taught him a great lesson! He came to church the very next day and enjoyed it very much! He was able to discuss with President Akuse about the church, and he really liked everything! This whole experience really strengthened my testimony of being obedient and not wasting time at people’s houses or staying too long at our own apartment. If we would have stayed maybe 5 minutes too long at someone’s house then we would have never met this man and his sweet spirit! Made me feel really good about being in the right place at the right time! We’re going to continue to work with this great man and see how it goes! Sister Pat and the family is doing really well. Our investigators are doing good as well, we are trying to work out some of their concerns. I don’t really like to talk much about our investigators in case something happens where they end up no joining the church. Kinda like “not counting your chickens before they hatch”. Dad do you remember saying that to us when we were working with those mini pumpkins a long time ago? But that is kinda the case here. We have some solid ones that we are working with and by God's grace things will work well with everything!! And yes I met Elder and Sister Call on Saturday. One of their responsibilities are teaching the members here the new curriculum, “Come Follow Me” . They did some training in the Kpong branch and sister Cosgrave was like “hey that’s one of our missionaries”, and so a lot of the members were saying I was a movie star and then a small cute little girl came up to me on Sunday and said she say me on the big screen lol. Oh and our zone activity last Monday was way sweet! Sister Cosgrave and Elder Cosgrave prepared us Hawaiian haystacks! It was so nice! Then a few of us spent the night in Ho at their apartment because we had zone training meeting the next day and she made us pancakes!!! They’re so sweet! It’s so nice to have couple missionaries here. I wish I had more time to try and cook more! Wow I can’t believe Dallas is 8 years old already!! That’s so awesome for him to be baptized! They should have waited one year for him to be baptized so he wouldn’t have been a child of record and they could have helped the missionaries out by getting them a baptism hahaha jk. Well, family I love you all and I’m grateful for everything you do! Have a great week! We get to go to Accra on Thursday for a temple trip and meet with President Judd! Love you all the church is true! Elder Eppich

The Church is True

October 7, 2013 Family, Well this last week was a really nice week for Elder Steinman and me! This week we really focused on working with branch missionaries!! We have 10 branch missionaries that will probably be leaving on their own mission in the next 6 months, and it helps so much to work with the members because they know the language really well and the area a lot better than us!! We had a lot of cool experiences this week! One was we were contacting in Somanya and we had the feeling to go and contact this house and we met this really nice guy named Jared and we gave him a pamphlet and the next day he called me and was asking questions about Joseph smith, the Priesthood, the church and all those cool things! Basically taught a lesson over the phone for him Haha, the only bad thing is he is going to Ada for university so we won’t see him tell he comes back! But he definitely has potential in the future! The next cool thing is about Sister Pat! It so cool but so frustrating! Haha so this last Sunday the whole family comes to church and Sister pat and her older Sister Gifty both paid their tithing!!! It was so sweet because she called and asked if we pay tithing the next day and we told her yes and showed her how to do everything to pat her tithes! It was one of the coolest things I have seen on mission, yet also one of the most frustrating as well because she won’t commit to a baptismal date. But this fast Sunday I fasted for her and with her paying her tithing I know the Lord will open the windows of heaven and poor out the blessings on her and their family! Plus our Branch President has really been working a lot with her so that is nice!! Hahaha so funny story, this last week it rained a lot and hard and both Elder Steinman and I love the rain and so we would go and work in the rain, and while we were walking to an appointment a car comes flying by and hits this puddle and a bunch of mud just came flying up and got all over us hahaha it was so funny because you see things like that happening on movies but this time it happened to us! We just walked it off and when the rain was falling hard we would just walk under it and try to wash it off by rubbing the clothes together Haha so funny!! I’m doing really well! A lot better week and seriously it flew by!! I don’t get sick (knock on Wood) and I’m staying about the same weight. I’m never hungry anymore because I can cook some way nice beans, rice, stews, and pasta!! The only thing bad about it is it takes time to cook Haha. I’m super jealous that you all got to watch General conference!!! That’s the only bummer here Haha but its ok we will probably watch it the last week of October or the first week of November so we will see!! Well I love you all and thank you for your support!! The church is true. Elder Eppich **(This is an excert of Kade’s letter to Todd. I included it for blogging/book purposes.) This week was a lot better than last week ! I don’t ever get down but I get stressed Haha. Especially now because I’m district leader and our zone is the highest baptizing in the mission, and so when we don’t reach our goals it seems like we are letting down the zone and mission and the blame normally comes to the DL Haha but its all good! This month our zone of 26 has a goal of 50 baptisms so we will see how it goes! Our district is hoping for 10! Yes as a district leader I have to go on exchanges, do baptismal interviews, and give instruction at district meeting. It’s really nice and I enjoy it! We have a sweet district!! That’s awesome about GC imp so jealous Haha! I’m happy your foot is healing slowly and your little scooter run was way funny (I emailed a video of Todd on his scooter in our house ) Haha well I love you very much!

"There's No Place I Would Rather Be"

September 30, 2013 Family, Haha I liked how you said "Y'all" in your letter Mom. (I am in Texas) This week was a pretty good one. It was pretty frustrating but with awesome experiences. So we asked Sister Pat to really pray and ask God if 1) If this church is the true church 2) If she needs to be baptized into the church. A little after she prayed there was a voice that came into her head that said "Yes, Yes!!!". I have no doubt that it was the Holy Ghost because when she told us the story you could feel the spirit so strong!! But then she said that "But I’m not sure if it was the Devil speaking to me or the Holy Spirit" and I was like what??? are you serious? But the last few weeks people have been really pounding her with anti-Mormon things and it’s so frustrating because she doesn’t want to offend us so she wouldn’t tell us what the concerns were until a few days ago. They are just crazy things that other churches say about our church, like when you are baptized they take you into a secret room and blind fold you and whatever body part you touch on a table is what you have to donate when you die. Haha some crazy things like that! But the end of the story is that Sister Pat and her family needs more time! She is fearing men right now more than God.Our branch President lives close to her and so he visited her and talked with her. Hopefully a few weeks will help solve her concerns! We found more investigators this last week. One man who is 20 and we contacted him on Monday and he came to church on Sunday and really liked it! He already asked about serving a mission himself!. Oh we met a lady the other day whose name is "Janet" and that was the first time I’ve heard that name in a long time and it blew my mind lol. Also I’m so happy I brought my Keens on my mission because that’s all I wear now except on Sunday when I wear my normal shoes. They are so much nicer to wear! Also mom have you had a chance to send those pictures of me to give to RC and a new USB? I still haven’t bought one yet. One thing that really helped me out this week was I was reading in my personal study DC 100!! I changed the names of Sydney and Joseph with Kraymer and Kade. It was a really cool thing to do and I know the Lord takes care of everything back home for us while we are gone away! Oh and I had a Friend name Exodus (he is a Rasta man) but super cool guy and he split my scriptures and put African material on it and it looks so awesome!! I’ll send a picture. Well I love you all and I’m grateful for you all. Yes we will be able to watch conference but it won’t be until the end of October :( I can’t believe it was over a year ago when they announced the age change for missionary service and it changed my life!!! I love it. It seems like yesterday, I could tell you everything that was going on when I got your phone call! There is no other place I'd rather be than here!.......ok except maybe Dairy Queen, Costa Vida, Tucanos hahaha, naw I’m just kidding. I love it here :) Edler Eppich JR

"I Know Who the Lord Calls, The Lord Qualifies"

September 23, 2013 Family, Well it was a nice week but a little stressful Haha. On Wednesday we went to Accra for transfers and I got my new companion. His name is Elder Steinman and he is from American Fork, Utah. I’ll try and send a pictures of us :) He is a super awesome guy and we work hard together! I also got a call from President Judd the night before and he asked me to be district leader, I was really surprised! I didn’t think they would split our district but they did. I was called to be the district leader of the new district. I know who the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies. Well we were supposed to have a baptism for Sister Pat, her son and brother. Everything was going good except on Friday Sister Pat’s pastor from her previous church came and visited her. The last 2 months he hasn’t made an effort to come but right before she was supposed to be baptized, there was lots of opposition! They decided to postpone the baptism to next Sunday, hopefully it will be ok for the 29th! But I know Satan does not want this family to join the church because of the great things that this family will do! We were still able to have the Zone Leaders from Ho come down and do the baptismal interviews on Saturday, so all should be good for next Sunday I pray! That’s crazy about that storm!!! I can’t believe it blew over our tree in the back yard! Well I love you all and pray for you every day!! Have a good week! Elder Eppich

Training again in Kpong

zone in Kpong

Zone in Kpong

September 16, 2013 Family, Well everything here is going great! and I’m happy that you guys have had light off for a few hours!!! (Our power went out during a huge storm last night and was out for 13.5 hours) Now you kinda get a little taste of me here in Ghana. Although its being doing really well these last few months! (no lights off) Sister Pat and Dominic are doing good! I got a picture with Sister Pat and her white baby that I will send to you guys. It’s so cute and something you don’t see. And as for transfers, Elder Halavaka and I will be split up! :( Kind of sad but that normally what happens once they finish their training. President Judd called me Tuesday and asked me to train again and I accepted! I went to Accra on Thursday for a small trainers meeting! It’s always nice to go to Accra from Kpong because there is a little baboon sanctuary type thing and so when we drive by this forest there is always baboons sitting there or walking on the road Haha. It’s funny because people will just walk right by them and the baboons don’t mind them at all! I’d be freaked out that one of them would attack me. Oh before I forget do you think you could send me bishop Edmonds email address? I want to email him. Thanks. Since this was Elder Halavaka and I last week we wanted to work hard so we taught a lot of lessons and plus we needed to see everybody frequently. We will be having a baptism on Sunday and so please pray for the success of all that. I know your prayers back home really help as well! Mom, we will have more than 10 new investigators each week but some of them aren’t very serious but just want to sit down with white people and learn about Jesus. That’s awesome that Bryant came home! I miss those guys Haha he looks good! And yes President Judd is an amazing guy! You will definitely meet him one day! That’s cute that you took me and Kraymer to primary on Sunday! I bet they loved that :) I mean who wouldn’t :) Haha. Well I love you and I’m grateful for everything you do for me! The church is true! Elder Eppich

zone in Kpong

"The Game Don't Leave the Player"

Baptism of Emmanueal in Kpong Ghana

September 9, 2013
Family,

We had a baptism yesterday but it was only for Emmanuel! Sister Pat and her son Dominic decided to wait a little longer before they get baptized! Hopefully on the 22nd! But I'll still get a picture with their family as soon as I can and it would seriously blow your mind how white her baby is. Its so funny and makes me laugh every time! The package was very nice, but I haven’t really used much of it though! The Mike and Ike's reminded me of my four wheeler accident Haha and I hadn’t eaten any for so long!! The zone activity was way fun and all I can say is that..... The game don’t leave the player hahahaha jk but I didn’t do too bad for not playing for so long! We seriously played for like 5 hours Haha I was literally dead the next day Haha my body hurt so bad afterwards!! But it was a blast! Even Elder Cosgrave came and played with us so that was way cool! Then we went to Elder and Sister Cosgrave house and ate spaghetti and it was super nice! Plus we had garlic bread as well! That’s awesome you had your first violin lesson! I bet you’ll pick it up fast!! That’s too bad about the football game. I can’t believe it’s been 2 yrs since I started my senior year! Wednesday we had zone conference in Kpong and it was way awesome! One thing that president Judd told us that stuck out to me is that the reason they split our mission is because "the window of Ghana is rapidly closing" and so we need to hasten our work! It’s so true what he said because Ghana is getting more westernized if that makes sense. People are trying to make more money and care less about religious things. Obviously it’s not going to change instantly but my guess in the next 10 yrs the success here in Ghana won’t be the same as it now! We have transfers next week and I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen. We know they are splitting the Kpong branch into 3 branches, one in Akuse, Kpong, and Odumase so idk what’s going to happen to me. If they open a branch in Odumase it will struggle at the beginning because I think there is maybe 20-30 or so members there, but the work will increase because people will come to church from Odumase and Somanya because it doesn’t cost as much. Our zone is a growing area where there has never been branches or missionaries before. It’s an exciting time for the Ghana Accra Mission and its cool to think that I’m a part of it! I had a cool experience this week where I think I figured out another one of the many reasons why I’m here in Ghana and in Kpong especially! Not just a spiritual experience but kinda of an experience of what I want to do in life and how I can help the people in Ghana in the future once I become established in my occupation. I won’t tell you now but maybe in the future time :) Well I love you all and I’m glad all is going good with everyone home!

Elder Eppich

Loving Life as a Missionary in Africa

September 2, 2013 Family, Well it was a good week, yesterday both Vanilla and David showed up to church 15 minutes early so that they can be confirmed! This is way awesome because African time is like 30 minutes late to everything Haha and so we really focused on getting them to church early! And yes I got the package! Thank you so much I’m blessed to have such amazing mother and family :) and also support from cousins and friends! I still get letters from them and it helps so much! Thank you :) and yes Elder Avery gave me a hug yesterday when they stopped by in Kpong Haha it was funny, he said I have something from your mom....and then I’m like what? And he gave me a big hug it was really funny Haha. I’m testing out that oxi clean-stain remover later today! I think it will really help to make washing a little easier. So the coolest thing happened a few days ago! We were sitting at an investigators house in a small town outside of Kpong called Nuaso and I see this lady in the distance and I’m like oh she looks familiar and when she got closer I realized it was Sterling!!! One of my very first baptisms in Kaneshie!! I’m like what the heck?? she came running over and yelling my name Haha she said she just came to visit a friend and when she was walking she saw elder Halavaka and she was going to ask him if he knew me and when she got closer she saw me Haha! It was so awesome!! She is doing well in the church but her father died last month which is sad! The whole time I’m just thinking in my head, what are the odds that we would run into each other!!!! It was a way cool experience to see her again :) So yes the investigator with the little white baby is still doing great! She spoils us every time we go there! Like a nice full meal Haha. Her and her son Dominic will be baptized on the 8th!! I’m really excited because she is going to be an amazing member of the church! She is really good friends with one of the counselors at the branch and so that helps very much. Then another boy name Emmanuel, David| (the RC) best friend, will also be baptized on Sunday by God's grace! His father is actually a member of the church but stays somewhere in Accra. Elder Halavaka and I are still doing great! We talk all the time and so the weeks go by way fast!! We have a funny little thing where we always start laughing about and that is when one of us trip over a rock, the rocks here are all over the ground and so they stick up maybe a few CM but we’re just so tired that we kind of drag our legs or don’t pick them up high enough and so we trip over something small and look at each other and just start to laugh Haha. We ended up not going to Koforidua because one of the missionaries got chicken pox and so they kind of isolated him so nobody else gets it. A lot of missionaries here, especially the Africans, haven’t got the chicken pox and so they are being extra careful. So they moved zone conference to Kpong on this Wednesday. We're in Ho right now emailing early because we’re having a zone activity here. We have a lot of missionaries who love sports and so we put everything together to come play football, American football, basketball, etc. I’m way excited and then Sister Cosgrave is going to make spaghetti for all of us missionaries! Booyah Haha That’s cute about little Reagan Haha she is going to be big by the time I get home! And I’m glad grandpa is doing so well now! I told President Judd about him when he wasn’t feeling very well, and he said he will keep him in his prayers and I know that really helped! Alright well I love you all and I’m grateful for the prayers, love and support!! Have a great week Elder Eppich



Break the Fast meal and they made their own french fries



Sterling and Elder Eppich