Week 49 & 50 - Christmas Thoughts, Winding down & Morocco

CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS

Christmas has come and gone.

Tender memories from years past flood my mind.  

Although far from home, I can still imagine the celebration...not letting my mind linger too long and risking a deluge of tears.

Living in a foreign land, no pomp or circumstance.

Just an overwhelming feeling of love for the birth of my Savior, His life and example, and His great atoning sacrifice.

I am beyond blessed.

💓💚 💓💚  💓💚  💓💚  💓💚  💓💚  💓 

WINDING DOWN

As the year began to come to a close, our boss let us know we could have a little time off if desired.  We desired.  So we planned to head to Rome and see the temple there, revel in the holiday spirit in the city center and get some R&R.  We were cut short in our desire, as we soon discovered the Area Presidency was putting a new policy in place to prohibit travel outside the African continent. What? Yes, we were disappointed.  Next best thing... visit Morocco. This plan was approved. Trip was short and sweet, but totally enjoyable! 

MOROCCO

Morocco is located in the northwest corner of Africa and is bordered by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is stunning in landscape and geography. Morocco is just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. The flag has a red background (representing the blood of the ancestors and unity) with a green star in the center (representing the five pillars of Islam). Our guide told us the people lovingly refer to the design as looking down on a big tomato. 😁

CASABLANCA

Hassan ll Mosque

The largest functioning mosque in Africa and the 14th largest in the world. The walls are hand-crafted marble and the roof is retractable (very cool feature!). A maximum of 105,000 worshippers can gather together for prayer: 25,000 inside the mosque hall and another 80,000 on the mosque's outside ground. It is seriously ginormous inside!!

Rick's Cafe

A restaurant, bar and café located in the city of Casablanca, Morocco. Opened March 1, 2004, the place was designed to recreate the bar made famous by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the classic movie Casablanca (actually a set created in Hollywood to seem like Old Medina in Casablanca). 

Famous Quotes from the movie:

“Play it, Sam,” is not only one of the most famous lines from Casablanca, but it's one of the most misquoted lines in film history.

“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” 

“Here's looking at you kid.

L'Eglise du Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart Cathedral)

The Casablanca church was constructed in 1930. This former Roman Catholic church/cathedral ceased its religious function in 1956, after the independence of Morocco. It subsequently became a cultural center. It has hosted numerous art exhibitions.

Eglise Notre Dame de Lourdes

A Catholic parish church located in Casablanca, Morocco. It was built in 1954 and constitutes the second church in Casablanca after the Sacred Heart Cathedral.  

Old Medina

A small district dating back to as early as the 15th century. With narrow alleyways, old and crumbling buildings, and somewhat fast paced vibes (scooters zipping through these alleyways as we wandered the paths - feeling totally lost), the Old Medina is very authentic, providing a small glimpse into another time in history.

Authentic Morrocan Food - Tajine

A tajine is a North African dish named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. We had several different dishes and shared them all, discovering lots of new flavors and aromas!

Next stop...Tangier

We then took the highspeed train to Tangier. "Al Boraq" is a 323-kilometer (201 mi) high-speed rail service between Casablanca and Tangier in Morocco. The first of its kind on the African continent, it opened on 15 November 2018 after a decade of planning and construction. The train was named Al Boraq after the creature in Islamic tradition believed to have transported some prophets, including the Islamic prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem during the night journey. 

 

This trip can be summed up in a few simple words... cool, colorful, amazing!

• 44 degrees every morning with a high of 64 in the daytime
• Everything was so much cheaper than Ghana!
• Friendly people, great food, interesting!

Sending much love from Ghana for 2024!!!!  Happy New Year!!!!! 💓💛💚

Week 48 - Doing Good, Hearing Good...Looking for God

DOING GOOD

In the 10.5 months we have been in Ghana, I have seen SO much GOOD!  In a continent where there is huge poverty and difficult living conditions, it can be easy to see the negative side of life here. 

In 2022, the extreme poverty rate in Africa stood at around 50 percent among the rural population, compared to 10 percent in urban areas. Together with poverty, malnutrition is also widespread in Africa. Limited access to food leads to low health conditions, increasing the poverty risk. 

In 2023, 46 percent of the continent's rural population was living on less than $1.90 U.S. dollars a day.

I'm grateful to see the GOOD being done here in the Africa West Area.  One of our responsibilites for work here, is to oversee the contracts for humanitarian efforts.  We have humanitarian missionaries and employees, who go around looking for opportunities to do good.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds homes, schools, classrooms, sanitation stations, boreholes for clean water, toilet facilities, does renovations for hospitals and other medical facilities... I could go on and on.  In short, there is SO much GOOD being done around the world!

Here is one of the more recent humanitarian efforts.  Click on this link to read the story.  And here is a great video with our Area President, Gifford Nielsen sharing his fun personality and words of kindness to the orphanage.

Church of Jesus Christ Renovates Buildings at Orphanage in Tamale, Ghana

I'm so grateful to belong to a community that focuses on helping the world be a better place.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides aid to people around the world without regard to cultural or religious affiliation. I love to check out this page ocassionally to see all the GOOD being done around the world!

3,692 humanitarian projects in 2022

$1.02 billion in expenditures

6,300,000 hours volunteered

190 countries and territories served

HEARING GOOD

As we drive through the crowded streets of Ghana, it can feel overwhelming at times.  At every stop light, there are many people begging at the windows for something to eat, adults and children.  We carry crackers and snacks in the car, but these meager handouts can all be gone in a matter of minutes.  The other day I was sitting at a stoplight and had nothing else to give.  I rolled my window down to greet the men in makeshift wheelchairs, asking for something, anything.  I had nothing, but wanted to share this moment with them anyway.  I asked them if they had a song for me.  This beautiful man began to sing from his heart about Jesus Christ, saying that God had given him the words to the song (only got a couple of seconds on video).  It was so touching and left me full of love for humankind.  The world can be a beautiful place, despite the hunger and sadness that seem endless.

LOOKING FOR GOD

FINDING GOD'S PRESENCE IN DAILY LIFE

“. . . seek, and ye shall find . . .” Matthew 7:7

We’re told to look for God in many places—in the scriptures, in our daily prayers, in our weekly worship—but God is everywhere. His presence surrounds us. Once we realize this, we can begin to learn how to find Him in our daily lives. Consider ways you can find him in your life, no matter what you’re doing or where you’re going.

See your world through the lens of gratitude

An easy way to celebrate His presence in your life is to find reasons to be grateful. Search for things to be thankful for throughout your day—even if they may seem small and silly at first. Maybe you snagged a great parking space at the store. Maybe you found the perfect birthday gift for a friend. Or perhaps it was something as simple as your favorite song playing on the radio this morning. Keep a journal of these daily victories and you’ll be amazed by how quickly the pages fill up.

Thomas S. Monson said, “Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love.” When we find time to pay attention and thank God for the little joys in our lives, we will be much more aware of His presence, of the small ways He blesses us every day.

Seek His glory in the beauty of nature

“In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.” Psalm 95:4–5

Nature has its own spirit, it’s own quiet sense of majesty. Take time to celebrate the beauty of God’s wonders that are right outside your door. Whether you explore the wildness of the mountains or simply care for the houseplant on your windowsill, there’s grace to be found in every natural creation of God.

Feel His presence as you serve your fellow man

There are few better ways to find God than in service. When you serve others, you will feel His love and presence and how proud He is of your desire to help people. This will also let you share His love with others—they will see His spirit through you.

This can mean working in a soup kitchen or local homeless shelter—but don’t forget about the small, daily acts of service. You can sprinkle little kindnesses throughout your day by helping someone with their groceries or letting an overwhelmed parent cut ahead of you in line. Little acts of love are the best way to bring God’s light into the lives of others.

Search for His spirit in moments of stillness

The world rushes by so quickly. With everything from school and work to family and friends, it can often feel like you don’t have time to breathe and remember God—but it’s in those small, quiet moments that we feel Him the most. Allow yourself moments of stillness throughout the day, taking the time to search for His presence. You’ll find that He can be found in the most unexpected places.

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

Sending LOVE and joyous wishes for a beautiful Christmas Holiday!

💓💛💚

Week 47 - MTC Caroling, DMV, and late Thanksgiving Dinner

Photo Dump

TRO-TRO TRAVEL... Going somewhere fun for the holidays?

Ever tried carrying 3 mattresses on your head?

Absolutely love the babies on the back of mommas! 

MTC CAROLING

Last Monday evening, the senior missionaries were invited to an open house munch & mingle event at the Emerald City (what we all lovingly/envy-ingly call the gated living accomodations directly behind the Temple complex and Area Offices, that houses the area presidency members, the Director of Temporal Affairs, and the current Area Legal Counsel - our boss).  Everyone brought something sweet or savory to share.  It was fun to see their homes decorated festively for our upcoming Christmas holiday (we have nothing in our apartment for festive decoration).  Good music, good food, good conversation and more were the theme of the evening.  

After all the mingling, about 40 of us senior missionaries headed over to the MTC, which is literally next door to the Emerald City and Temple complex.  The night air was humid and hot.  After arriving in the courtyard of the MTC, we began to sing.  Slowly, the young missionaries began to recognize the singing and began coming from all over.  We sang for at least 30 min, everyone joining in!  The missionaries loved it, even getting a little rowdy and letting loose.  It was fun to watch them all!

DRIVER AND VEHICLE LICENSING AUTHORITY

On Friday, we left the apartment early and headed out to get our Ghanaian Driver's License, a requirement after you have lived in Ghana for 1 year.  After 1 year, your international driver's license is no longer valid in the eyes of Ghana, even if you have a 2 yr international permit.  The entire process took about 3 hrs.  First you check in, then wait in line to get an eye test (50 cedi - $4.15). Then more paperwork and another fee (675 cedi - $56).  Then wait, wait, wait and enjoy the signs in the lobby and a coke (on the house). 

 

     

My favorite conversation went like this:

DVLA: "We need your sim card number."

Me: "You mean my phone number?"

DVLA: "Yes please."

I give them my phone number and wait. Then...

DVLA: "Sorry, that number is already in the system."

Me: "What? My phone number is being used by someone else?"

DVLA: "Yes please."

Me: "Are you saying I need a new phone number?"

DVLA: "No please.  We just need a Ghanaian phone number that is not already in the system."

Me: "ANY Ghana phone number will work for me as long as it isn't already in the system?"

DVLA: "Yes please."

Me: "Give me a second."

I then began looking through my contacts of missionaries that were soon to end their missions.  Surely, there must be someone's phone that wasn't already in the system.  After trying 6 sets of numbers, I had success!  Found 2 numbers that were not in the system of missionaries heading home and not planning to get a Ghana driver's license.  Now, those 2 totally random numbers are officially linked to our driver's license. 😏  

Not sure why it took so long but we are now official! 

THANKSGIVING DINNER...Late but not forgotten.

One of Jordan's all time favorite meals of the year is Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixins.  So this weekend, I began the preparation.  The only turkey I could find was about 8 lbs.  When I opened the packaging, I was shocked to see a very purple looking turkey.  Good thing we have Google!  Upon further investigation, we realized young turkeys not fully matured have not had the time it takes to build a layer of fat, hense the purple hue of the meat under the skin.  After seasoning with butter & herbs, then roasting, it tasted perfect!  Add to that... corn, stuffing, praline yams (had to use pumpkin squash instead, but the topping is the best part anyway), cranberry sauce, and cranberry jello.  Our visitors kindly brought almond-cranberry rice pilaf, green bean casserole (with homemade fried onions that were incredible) and the best home-made rolls ever!!!  We skipped a dessert.

I'm the absolute worst selfie taker!  So on that note, have your SELFIE a fantastic holiday season!!!

Much love from Ghana!  💖💛💚