Sunday, April 6, 2014

We have been so busy training Elder and Sister Crisp that we have hardly had time to think that we actually be flying out Tuesday night.They are a great couple and will be a great asset to the mission. What a privilege it has been to get to know them and to see the Lord bless them when their brains have been pretty much on over-load.

We said our last good-byes at Senchi today and when my sweet Emmanuel put his head in his lap I knew he was having a hard time controlling his emotions. By the end of Primary he was my same smiling boy, especially when I gave him the picture of him and me. I told them how much I loved them and would pray for them and asked them to pray for us too. I bore testimony to them to remember that Jesus Christ was to be the rock that they must build their lives on just like parable of the Wise Man in the song we often sing. It was a emotional good-bye with Sister Duodo and it is a choice blessing to see how much she has grown. I feel she will love the children as much as I have loved them and will soften even more in her approach with them. I know all will be well.
Elder and Sister Crisp went with us today and enjoyed the experience. We were all invited to lunch after Church at Brother and Sister Amake's home. It was a delightful visit and great food in a beautiful setting in Akosombo which is close to the Volta dam. He is the counselor in the Senchi Branch Presidency who replaced Elder Avery.

We will have our last apartment inspection trip tomorrow and will pretty much let the Crisps do it all with us just along for the ride. Then it is back to the office to review those things they might feel they need, and mention a few more that have come to mind in the early morning hours when going back to sleep wont come. We will also have our last experience with the Ghana toll booths tomorrow and our last Monday as well.

We had a great meal Friday night with the couples and President and Sister Judd. Elder and Sister Cosgrave sang a song that they had written words for us to the tune of the old Mormon Sunday School song. It was delightful! It is wonderful to have such wonderful friends and one never knows when we might meet again. Elder and Sister Wall who serve in the Ghana Accra West Mission and who we also trained, joined us.
 Saturday we were putting a few more shopping places in the GPS, did more office stuff and treated the Office Elders and Assistans to root beer floats We actually found American A&W root beer while shopping and Elders Nash, Fausett, Bradley, and Izekor were in 'heaven'. This was Elder Izekor's first experience with this. We then took the Crisps out to lunch to another good place and then more office work.

Well, we are anxious to be with our family and meet baby Jovie for the first time. We may even have a baby boy with the last name of Hipple to meet. The last we heard, Angela and Dave needed to see him before they could decide between two names so I won't spoil the surprise. We won't be able to see all our family at the beginning as the Michigan Averys are too far away. We won't be in Caliente until about the 15 of April to see our Nevada Avery family and as we pass through Cedar City to see our Utah Avery families. Elder Avery's dad is in northern Utah and is not doing well and we need to spend time with him as well as spending time with Angela with her new baby.

I know I have said this before, but it has been a choice experience. We simply love the missionaries! They are the greatest and we admire them so much. It has been an honor to serve under President and Sister Judd. I have learned so much from them. Though their mission will soon be coming to a close in a few months, their is no slowing down by them in their dedication to the missionaries and the Lord's work. I hope that we meet up some day with them and possible some of these great missionaries. We have been close to so many people and we will miss them: Paul Adjei our right hand with apartments, Joseph, Dixion, William, Justice, Ben our security men and much more, Isaac our bike repair man to name a few. I can't forget Kofi who is over the vehicles, Samuel who has helped so much with baptism records, and Kobina who helped with the travel and all that entailed. I pray the Lord will bless them with all the righteous desires of their hearts.

With love,
Sister Avery (mom, grandma)