Dear family,

So sorry about the slag on the email this week.....things got pretty busy yesterday.

I had to go to Accra to a dermatologist to get a rash checked out, not a big deal really they just want to make sure that it didn’t become something bigger than it needed to be.  Not the most ideal situation but Sister Judd is taking good care of me.

Anyway this was a really good week, one of both the best as well as worst that I have had in a long time.   Elder Clarke was sick for about half of the week.  He is a good guy, we get along pretty well.

Taylor with Elder Clarke...at their 'round house'.  Thank you to the office couple for sending us this pic! (like the yard!)

 
 The days that we were able to get out though were awesome, we have really made the university a focus lately which has been a ton of fun.  Probably some of the most fun that I have had teaching on my mission!  Each lesson is so different, they have real questions and concerns, we really get to teach them which is really cool.  We didn’t get anyone from the ‘uni’ to church this week which was a bummer...but they had a good excuse, someone called “thief” on the floor which basically means they were all on lock down.  Ghanaians really don’t appreciate a thief so when they find one, they seem to usually take it to the extreme!  This week though, while we were contacting one of the dorm blocks, we stumbled upon a member that is super stoked to work with us.  He got all the numbers of the people that were around the campus and promised to be calling and bringing them to church and what not which is a massive help!  I have really learned a lot about the type of member that I will be when I go home.  I’m really excited to be that guy for the missionaries.  I have seen the incredible effect it has on the work here and have promised myself to be that kind of help when I go home!  I’ll be first in line!

I am so tired this week!  It’s been a week full of work outs....’spiritual work outs’ as strange as that sounds.  I know I had experienced that before, especially at the start of my mission, but this week...every night I literally felt like King Lamoni, “And now, when he had did this, he fell unto the earth, as if he were dead.”  There were times when we would get out of a lesson and I would literally have to go and sit down for a rest before I could teach another lesson, it’s difficult to explain and comprehend probably unless you have experienced it, but it was literally like the spirit just drained me of all the energy I had.  I can honestly say that this week was the week when I have been able to teach through the spirit more than I ever have in my entire life!  It was crazy!  Things to say, examples to use, doctrines to teach just came out of my mouth like I knew them perfectly, while I was talking.  I would learn as much as the one that was listening.  It’s super strange, but I know perfectly that as we study, learn all that we can and try our best to do what is right that he  will definitely open our mouths to speak the words that that person needs to hear.  Anyway I’m getting a bit more ‘in shape’ now I think, so hopefully this week will be a bit better.  I don’t feel like I can really complain about spiritual tiredness though, in my opinion...that’s a pretty good kind of tired.

We’ve got some sweet investigators right now.... I’d say my favorite is James.  We have taught James just once now because he is so busy, but Sunday just showed up for church and he absolutely loved it!  He came to church realized that his brother is in our ward!  He works at the area office,  now what  are the chances of that?!!! James was that golden contact where you contact like 100 people throughout the week and he was literally the last person that we contacted on Saturday night! It was crazy! His wife had been given a Book of Mormon a few years back and over that time has read half of it! He is so cool.  James is some sort of producer of a big-time African magazine called ‘Agoo’, it’s sold throughout the U.S.  and England and the rest of the world.  His kids are either in their last year of university or are doing their national service.  He and his wife are a real family, a family that really love each other, so it’s really fun to go and see them.

Next is Oti. Oti is a retired BBC documentary director and a really good guy.  He came to church this week as well, has a pet parrot which is pretty cool! I tried to pick it up this week, but it tried to bite me and it’s beak was huge so I let it be...and kept my fingers ha ha.  We actually have a very very good teaching pool right now.  I’m very happy with the people that The Lord has put into our path! He is definitely at the helm of this work, I just keep the decks clean and make sure the paperwork gets filled out.

Well I love you all so much!  You’re one awesome family. I couldn’t ask for anything more. 

Well...my time is going quick, I have an unidentified rash, and I am so happy!

Again love you all so much!

See you soon,
The elder-Elder Bradshaw