...Any interest in some Hot Pink Chicks?
Web Page Contents
Click to jump directly to a table of contents.
Pssst Buddy...
...Any interest in some Hot Pink Chicks?
Come on, take a look...
...right over there, under that banana tree.
There they go, in the open by the path! Do we dive?
Oh man, that is so not on my diet!
Let's get outta here...
...before my appetite is ruined for the whole day!
Would you eat a purple hot dog? How about a blue french fry? Of course not! Sophisticated marketing research has long taught that color affects appetite. Seems that villagers in the Ghanaian jungle have read the book. They know that birds of prey won't eat hot pink chicks. So right after the defenseless chick is hatched, it is dyed. And extra dye goes on the hen for family resemblance. This not an Easter promotion, it is a survival technique.
Web Site Update Table of Contents
Don't miss the Cameroon Temple Excursion, the Measle Missionaries and the Jungle Trip.
Hope you enjoy.
Click the buttons below for this month's features.
Movie Stars In mid-August, a video crew from Utah showed up in Accra to take some clips of employees and missionaries to be used in a new orientation movie being produced by the Church. In addition to church headquarters in Salt Lake City, six different area offices are being used for filming the movie, which will be used worldwide to orient and train new employees.
|
|
|
This crew was always working. Richard Hart was the producer. |
The crew included (l-r) Tyler Meiners, Kelly Mecham and Scott Featherstone. |
|
|
|
They moved a lot equipment around for each "take." |
The employees had fun posing for the scenes. |
Sisters Faustina Otoo, Juliet Amakye and Sister Markham
were the 'stars' of the reception area take.
| This crew of professionals was able to turn the Area Office into a veritable movie studio. Here Scott hangs out of a third story window for a shot of... |
|
... the Temple Complex Custodial Crew.
|
They even spent half an hour hanging out of a Ghanaian Air Force helicopter making several passes over a crowd of employees, missionaries, and temple patrons in front of the Temple. |
Waving at the Helicopter
|
|
|
The helicopter made passes from several different angles. Here it turns beyond the Stake Center. |
We only took photos after the pass so cameras wouldn't show up in the movie. This time it went behind the Temple. |
|
|
|
Everybody got to visit between passes of the helicopter. David Stapley, the Director for Temporal Affairs, is the obruni in the center of this picture behind the sister in black and white. |
Brother Hart knew President and Sister Richie of the Ghana MTC while they presided over the Virginia Roanoke Mission. Small world. To the left is Kurt Krieger, Church legal counsel for Africa. |
|
|
|
Our favorite scene was of sister employees in African dress waving from the Temple steps. |
The video version will undoubtly be better, but the still shot Sister Markham took is totally beautiful. |
Who wouldn't want to work with this happy group?
(l-r)Front row: Jesse Assobga, Francisca Kulelor, Faustina Otoo, Juliet Amakye,
Wendy Asare, Peace Yeri, Emelia Ahadjie;
Second row: Leticia Boakye, Marian Esiape, Vincentia Korkonoo, Joyce Cudjoe, Angela Adjaye;
Third row: Yvonne Ansah-Arthur, Awo Otchere, Jane Sarfo, Sroda Okudzeto,
Felicia Quansah, Florence Amoah, Lydia Anno
Hey, who let Elder Wilson and Elder Wall in this picture!
Table of Contents
Click to return to the Table of Contents.
Missionary Stars
The real stars around West Africa are the young missionaries. They continue to amaze and inspire us. They are also a lot of fun to be around.
|
|
|
Mormon missionaries are a common sight on the streets of Accra. Like Elder Dickson... |
...and Elder Duffin, who serve in Lartebiokorshie. They are anxiously engaged in a good cause. |
|
|
|
Elder Chapindura from Zimbabwe While they may seem different in many ways,... |
Elder McKnight from South Africa ...they are bonded by their testimonies of the gospel. |
|
|
|
Elders Agyapong and Spencer Cape Coast Mission AP's dropped in for cookies. |
Elders Wilson and Hill Elder Hill is a new AP in the Accra Mission. |
Elder Spencer, from Grimsby, England, is very near the completion of his mission.
Sister Markham asked him what he thought about having served in West Africa. His response was,
"It's the best mission in the world! I have loved every minute of it!"
His companion Elder Agyapong added, "εkyεn mission biaa!" (It's greater than any other mission.)
Tanner (Elder) Ainge, wife Heather and their moms
came for a week to see his mission areas. He was (and is)
a great leader and role model for missionaries and saints.
|
|
|
Elder Lowe (center) knows Elder and Sister Hales (new PA directors) from home. Small world. |
Elders will do almost anything for a ride. There are five in the back seat. Elder Gould is lying across four laps. |
|
|
|
This is tropical Africa, so Elder Thurman has adjusted his hair style. Don't worry back home; his curly locks will grow out again in cooler climes. |
Elders eat native food off the street. But cravings come out when we take them to restaurants. Elder McAdam is eating sweet and sour pork with french fries. |
|
|
| Elder Royal standing by a village oven | Elder Royal with an investigator family |
|
|
| Elder Royal tracting with Elder Gould | Elder Royal smiling with Sister Markham |
Over the years Elder Markham has compiled a list of people whose names also describe them, like the philosophy professer named Riddle and the electrical engineer named Watt. Elder Royal is on the list. What is special about this missionary? Not much, he's just a kid from Atlanta who went to the Provo MTC to learn French for his mission in Ivory Coast. He was evacuated to Ghana due to civil unrest. He served in urban Accra speaking English and rural Assin Foso using picked-up Twi. Last we saw him, he was waiting for a visa to be transferred to Cameroon (French speaking). Do you wonder what emotion he feels when he hears the hymn, "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go"?
Ever want to coach an All-Star Team?
President James and Sister Carolyn Ritchie of the Ghana MTC
have that opportunity. They bless the lives of many young
men and women from Africa, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and
North America. The Ritchies, from Heber, Utah, are on their
fourth mission, the second in Africa.
|
|
|
Father and Son: Bishop Jonathan and Elder Kwasi Koranteng |
Friends: Sylvanus Fenuku and Elder Koranteng |
One of the most exciting things we witness in Ghana is the strength of the second generation members. There are now many children who have been raised in the Church going on missions and being called to leadership positions. Above is our good friend and MSR supervisor, Bishop Jonathan Koranteng, and his son, Kwasi. Kwasi is the second to enter the MTC of three close friends who have grown up together in the Church. The third friend, Sylvanus Fenuku, has been called to the Ghana Cape Coast Mission and will be close behind his companions. Sylvanus and Bishop Koranteng were taking Kwasi to the MTC to prepare him to serve in the Nigeria Ibadan Mission.
Below is Sister Teresa Ansah. Her family joined the Church when she was a child. The parents lost interest, but her mother's friend invited Teresa to spend weekends with her and attend church. Teresa has remained faithful. She has a degree in accounting and has completed a one year service obligation for the Ghanaian government. After her mission she plans to get a master's degree. She has been a Temple Ordinance Worker and is known and loved by many senior missionaries. Her father attended church to hear her speak, as did a non-member uncle. The uncle has been supportive of Teresa, but not of her church activity. He felt the spirit during the meeting and promised to collect family names for Teresa while she is away. She is called to the Nigeria Lagos Mission.
|
|
| Sister Teresa Ansah and her Father | Father, Teresa and Uncle |
|
|
|
Sister Ansah is greeted by Pres. Richie of the Ghana MTC |
New Elders Michaels and Spurgeon They learned French at the Provo MTC to serve in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission which includes French speaking countries Togo, Benin, Cameroon and C.A.R. |
Table of Contents
Click to return to the Table of Contents.
Pioneer Stars
Throughout his life Elder Markham has dreamed of being with the Mormon pioneers.
Serving in Ghana has made his dream come true.
Elder Markham with Pioneers Faustina Otoo and Emmanuel Bondah
Below is a letter written by Faustina Otoo on 20 June 1989 to Sandra Rogers, who did some work in Nigeria while working on her PhD in Nursing. Sister Rogers became friends with Faustina who was the branch Relief Society President in Lagos. When this letter was written, Faustina had returned to Ghana.
“I know you’ve heard the news by now, about what’s happening in Ghana.... They have taken over our church buildings, driven our local missionaries home, seized our cars, and are riding them aimlessly in the city and also the regions.
“They (the media) say Joseph was a criminal who died in prison.... They talk about the difference between Christianity and occultism. Friends leave their places of work and homes from far off to come and show me the paper or what they saw on the telly or (heard) on the radio, different kinds of news, to convince me. But I am happy I live in this time when all these things are happening.
“We were always told we were the pioneers in Africa. At least, I have a little of the experience of what the pioneers had. To me the gospel is a pill. I have already swallowed it and it’s having effect on me. There is nothing I can do. And also I still have my standard works beside me and it is doing one of its numerous jobs, consoling me.... I know this gospel is true and that’s all that matters. Don’t worry about me, it’s going to be history soon.
"We've been meeting in our various homes, the Afful family and the Asare Boadu family meets to worship. I have a talk on Sunday.
"Persecution is severe now. 'And should we die before our journey's through. Happy day, all is well.' Till I hear from you, I want you to trust me, for I will never give up this gospel."
Excerpt from Walking in the Sand by Emmanuel Abu Kissi, pages 249-251.
Before leaving for Africa, Brother Mabey attended the regional representatives’ seminar, during which President Kimball said,
“We have an obligation, a duty, a divine commission to preach the gospel to every nation and to every creature.... We feel that the Spirit of the Lord is brooding over the nations to prepare the way for preaching the gospel. Certain political events have a bearing upon the spreading of the truth, and it seems as though the Lord is moving upon the affairs of men and nations to hasten their day of readiness when leaders will permit the elect among them to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ....
“And what about Africa? They have waited so long already.... Are they not included in the Lord’s invitation to ‘teach all nations?’ Are they not included in ‘the utmost part of the earth?’
“Then, most appropriately, he read portions of a letter recently received from a schoolboy in Ghana. The young man had expressed fervent hope that he might be baptized a member of the Church and in time receive the priesthood. He spoke of the way his heart thrilled to the strains of ‘Come, Come Ye Saints,’ “Come, O thou King of Kings,’ and other songs of Zion.”
From page 9 of Brother to Brother by Rendell N. Mabey, one of the first authorized LDS missionaries to West Africa. The African schoolboy was Emmanuel Bondah, currently serving as District President in Assin Foso, Ghana.
Table of Contents
Click to return to the Table of Contents.
The Accra Ghana Temple at Sunset
Top of page
Click to return to top of this page.
Click here to return to the mission page
Click here to go to the Ben and Julie Markham Family Home Page