Some of you reading this will remember Steven Spielberg’s lovable extraterrestrial named E.T.. In the movie, not only is E.T. a skilled botanist but he’s also a talented engineer as he creates a telecommunications device using a Speak & Spell toy. After creating this makeshift phone, E.T. and his earth pal Elliot dress up on Halloween night and cycle to the nearby forest where they find a place where E.T. can phone home. The call is made to E.T.’s crew which eventually arrives to pick him up.

That is the inspiration for the title of this weeks blog post. Last week was our 25th transfer (at least the majority of it – as we have 5 more missionaries coming in 2 weeks). Our mission was selected as a pilot mission to send mission phones home with the missionaries. These are the phones they have been using throughout their mission. We are working through the process of how best to do this as it requires the removal of the Church security software called MAS 360. Here is a picture of the 7 missionaries who went home last month shortly after finding out that they would be able to take their phones home with them. The concept here is to help these young missionaries get a good start after they go home, knowing that a good smartphone can help them enroll and succeed in BYU Pathway Connect. Once we have completed the pilot, then it will be rolled out to the entire Africa West Area … and perhaps even further. It is an exciting development and will really help these returning missionaries succeed in the next phase of their life, especially as they pursue education. So now missionaries will get to take their PHONE HOME.

These missionaries going home came in on Tuesday afternoon, the Loveland’s did the self-reliance presentation with them, and then we had dinner together. Hannah fixed a simple rice and chicken dinner. After dinner, we taught the missionaries how to play “Pictionary”….well sort of. We learned that drawing the term “agency” can be difficult for someone who has never played before. We ended up having a lot of fun with the game, and the missionaries got better and better as we went. We also talked about the next phase of their lives and answered a number of questions that arose. It was a nice evening.

Most of Wednesday was consumed with preparation for the MLC meeting on Friday. I had also received the Assistant’s instruction and spent some time going over it as well. I redid the 17 points of consecrated obedience making them all “Thou Shalt’s” instead of “Thou Shalt Not’s”, which was something we introduced later in the week at the MLC meeting on Friday. I also prepared the program for the Tamale District Conference and sent it off to President Issac Martey (District President) for the names of speakers and hymns. We will also be dedicating the new District Center at the conference. We were overjoyed to find out that day that the Goodrich’s have been cleared to return and we are excited about having them back. It was a good Wednesday!

On Thursday, we received 12 new missionaries. Eight were from the MTC, one came directly from America, and three came from the Philippines. We were really happy to receive all of them!

We spent the entire day with them and finished up in time for dinner at 6:00 pm. The day consisted of orientation about the mission vision, health & safety, finance and subsistence, and a mission devotional on integrity.

We had two missionaries from our member districts returning from the Nigeria Benin City Mission that were supposed to be in at 4 pm. We initially received word from missionary travel that something happened with their flight and it would be Friday afternoon before they would arrive. Then right after we finished dinner, we received a phone call that they were at the airport. The Pack’s were kind enough to go pick them up. We waited around for them and then I interviewed each of them and extended an honorable release and we got them on their way. One to Techiman and one to Sunyani. It was after 8:30 pm by then, so we brought the two new sisters back to the Mission Home bunkhouse and slept well that night. They had been really patient waiting for us to finish with these returning missionaries.

The next morning we were again up early and off to the Mission Office shortly after 7 am. We started the Train the Trainer session shortly after 8 am and finished about 10:20 am.

As soon as we finished with the “Train the Trainers”, we headed over to the transfer grounds. There was a lot of activity, but it didn’t take long to get everyone loaded in their vans and taxi’s and headed back to their areas. We had all hands on deck, including all of the senior couples in Kumasi and even the Kirk’s came up from BIbiani and helped us. Alex drove the mission van and made the route out through Kwamo, Ejisu, Effiduase, Asamang, Agona, and Mampong.

We left the transfer grounds around 12:00 noon and stopped at KFC for some lunch. We headed back to the Mission Home for about 30 minutes and then were back at the Mission Office for the Mission Leadership Council that started at 1 pm. The Assistants did an amazing instruction titled “Opening the Gate to the Covenant Path”. I spoke about the Power of the Word and then asked these two questions: 1) What will I do to increase the power of the Word that is in me? 2) What will I do to improve my personal scripture study? It was a really good meeting.

We finished up with the MLC, dinner, a few interviews and interventions and made it back home by 8:15 pm. Another great day and the end to a transfer week that kept us hopping.

On Saturday morning we arose at 4:30 am and by 6:00 am were on our way to Techiman for the District Conference. It was presided over by Elder Samuel Annan-Simmons, who also works as the Ghana Temple Recorder.

In the Saturday session, talks were on: Preparing young men to serve missions, inviting all to come unto Christ, Keeping our Church Buildings clean, Serving with all our heart, might, mind, and strength (LaDawn) and Covenants (me). Elder Annan-Simmons then spoke about ministering and did a couple of excellent roll plays on how to do ministering interviews. We had 38 in attendance. We stayed at the Techiman Couple’s apartment, but for some reason there was no water in the outdoor tank. And not much we could do on a late Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, the Thompson’s who left in August of last year, had a reserve trash can filled with water that came in extremely helpful for flushing toilets and doing a few dishes. The adventures never end….

In the Sunday morning session, talks were on: Integrity and Discipleship (district president), and being valiant in our testimony of Christ (Joseph Asante – my second counselor). LaDawn and I took 4 minutes total and just bore our testimonies. Elder Annan-Simmons took the bulk of the time and spoke about temples and covenants. We had 278 in attendance.

In the Sunday afternoon adult session, talks covered the topics of: Having a current temple recommend, self-reliance principles, Repentance (“If you want to be miserable, don’t repent!”), Home Centered – Church Supported gospel learning, Standing as a Witness of Christ (LaDawn), Tithing (me). Elder Annan-Simmons then spoke more about ministering. We had 92 in attendance.

After the meetings we met with the District Presidency and each one of them offered up what they felt they needed to go and work on as a presidency. There were three men ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood just prior to our final meeting with the presidency. Following that meeting, LaDawn and I left the building, but stopped by a former branch president’s shop and spoke to him for a few minutes. I felt I had a message that the Lord wanted me to deliver to him, which I did. He has stopped coming to church and we need him back. But there is some repentance that is required that he is not ready to address.

From there, we drove back home and arrived at 6:45 pm. The Assistant’s came over about 7:20 pm and we put together the plan for the Monday night MLC meeting. We also talked about their instruction to the MLC and how they might be able to improve on it further.

As I have mentioned in last week’s blogpost, this was a 5-week transfer. Everything was compressed and quite honestly we were happy to get it behind us. The district conference at the end of the week, pushed us even a bit harder than we would have preferred. The good news is that a 7-week transfer always follows a 5-week transfer. We will be in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivorie next week for the Mission Leader Seminar which will also bring a welcome change of pace. It is essentially a “free” week where we will have some down time to the daily rigors of leading a mission. How grateful we are for this privilege to serve as Mission Leaders at this time and in this place, as we work tirelessly with our own small “Army of Helaman” as we gather Israel one last time, Together in Ghana.