Missionaries in Ghana

The Easter 2005 Accra Dinner Group
Merrills (medical), Armstrongs (family history), Skeltons (executive secretary), Markhams (audit), Lords (mission office)
Leishmans (humanitarian), Strongs (humanitarian), Whisenants (Public Affairs)

Elder Marlow and Sister Nancy Lords from Layton are our new apartment neighbors. They are now handling the mission office work and the Nobles have moved out to a village to proselyte. Soon after arriving, Sister Lords fell on a poorly placed step in a restaurant and broke her pelvis. Dr. Merrill facilitated medical care. X-rays showed that the hip sockets were not invloved, so Sister Lords choose to stay in Ghana to recuperate. She said, "I know the Lord wants me here, so I am staying." In a week she was getting around with a walker. In a month she was back to work. These are strong people.

Sister Nancy Lords	Elder Marlow Lords

Sister Rosemary Armstrong Celebrated a Milestone Birthday Recently
(no number mentioned)

We wonder what she wished for as she extinguished the candles.	Rosemary is very popular. Somehow the secret got out and gifts came in.

There was a dinner for her at a favorite Chinese restaurant.	And a dinner by her at her home. No wonder she is so popular!

For the record, we do actually work a lot.

Elder Armstrong helped the two brothers from Togo on the right get names ready for the Temple. Brother Lahi from Ivory Coast on left helped with French translation.	Elder Markham meeting with a Bishop and clerk to review the ward financial records

Sister Markham uses her computer to track our work in databases and spreadsheets.	Sister Markham likes mail, but 60,000 letters in three days sounds incredible.

In preparation for the Temple in Nigeria, the Church wants to update as many records as possible. Sister Markham was asked to handle the printout of Ordinance Information Sheets for all 60,000 members in Nigeria. She collated and stuffed them into envelopes she had addressed for each ward and branch. Working on the project part time, she completed it all in three days. The employees were impressed by American productivity. She is hoping that many sheets will return with updates properly recorded.

Elder and Sister Barnes from Boise, ID He is a retired police officer and claims he has arrested many people who were driving better than he does every day in Ghana.	Elder and Sister Leishman from Centerville, UT They had just returned from a mission in Indiana when they were asked to come to Ghana to help establish an audiology clinic. He is a retired audiologist.

Some of our mentors and friends are nearing the end of their missions.
That means we become the 'old-timers.'

Elder and Sister Skelton from Hull, UK Our mentors from before day one, the Skeltons will go home in May. They will be missed.	Elder and Sister Whisenant from Provo, UT They will extend a couple of months to see the Aba Nigeria Temple dedication to completion. They are Public Affairs Directors, so they will be sprinting to the end---literally.

The young missionaries keep us both smiling and amazed.
Through April there have been over 1100 convert baptisms this year.

Elder Thurman from Blackfoot, ID Sister Markham reminds us that there are four missionaries from Bingham County, Idaho in Ghana now.	Elders McCready and Davis, The Supply Elders Supply Elders have a 4WD pickup and keep all the missionary apartments supplied. Need a fan, dishes or aprons--call supply! They also deliver mail from the mission pouch so Sister Markham gives them cookies.

Elders Richards and Allen One arrived the week this picture was taken. Can you tell which one? Young missionaries are outside working all day so they get tan. They don't have A/C in their apartments so they call Ghana the perpetual tanning salon and sauna.	Elders Genaw and Thurman brought new converts to the Temple to do baptisms for deceased ancestors. The work ethic among these Elders is tremendous.

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