The new elders and sisters came in from the MTC on Monday. Normally transfers are on Wednesday, but the Area Office didn't want the missionaries traveling on Tuesday from Accra. (It would have been the day before elections and they didn't want anything to happen). So we had 3 sisters spend the night with us Monday night. And all the new missionaries were gone on Tuesday. And the 9 missionaries going home came in on Tuesday also. They spent Tuesday night and Wednesday night at the MTC. We had the famous Fufu dinner Tuesday night.
The fufu is the glob of dough in the middle. Then chicken and soup. We ate the chicken.
Here is Elder Affy and Sisters Akello and Ihezie.
On Wednesday, the AP's had to keep everyone busy for the morning. Then they had lunch, watched a movie and the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional and then another dinner. Guess what - it was chicken and rice!
The office elders and APs all sharing what we couldn't eat.
Elders Ameyaw, Smith, Hepworth and Garry.
Wednesday night, The Sorensens joined us for dinner and spent the night with us. We got up early, came to the mission home, picked up some luggage and started on our way to Accra. It only took us 2 1/2 hours. The construction is done and it is very nice.
So off to the area office again for money, non-residency cards and sim cards for new phones that the mission had to buy. And of course, it took forever!!!
We ate some lunch before going into the temple. And here is the group of 9 missionaries.
Sisters Ntalu, Ihezie, Akello, Amedzro, Stevenson, Sande and Ngalamulume.
Elders Affy, Lath, President and Chukwu.
Temple session was awesome. It was basically just our group.
Sister Amedzro's sister met her at the temple and they took a bus to their home.
After KFC, we took four of the missionaries to the airport. Their flights left at 6:00 pm and we needed them there by 3:30. The airlines wouldn't let Elder Chukwu take his carry-on. It was too big, so he had to pay $30 extra. But everyone else made it okay.
The next four were quite the story. We had told Sisters Ntalu and Ngalamulume that they could have 3 bags of luggage. And they were all over weight. But they insisted. Sister Akello and Sande went through the line without any problems. Then the fun started. After 1 1/2 hours at the ticket counter, Sister Ntalu had paid an extra $150 american dollars for her luggage and Sister Ntalu had to buy and extra plastic bag and move things around. Sister Ntalu had laid her passport down and someone took it to the information desk, but we are all looking for it.
We brought back to Cape Coast with us, one bag from Sister Ngalamulume. Books and extra things from Sister Ntalu. We told them they would have to contact President Stevenson to make arrangements to get the things home.
So we got them upstairs and left, thinking all was well. About 20 mins later President Stevenson was calling telling me that the sisters visas were expired and they needed to pay some money so that they could get on the plane. Wayne and I drove back to the airport - another 20 mins - and ran upstairs to see what we could do. I knew that the travel department wouldn't make that mistake, but I didn't know what to look for either. Their plane was leaving in about 30 minutes. After a long discussion with the immigration people, I paid the 160 cidis to them so the sisters could get on their plane. (What a racket!!!) They rushed through screening as quickly as they could and we waited just outside. Pretty soon, here they come. Sister Ntalu is crying. I had to call the Travel Dept and let them know what was happening. And she was really upset. There was an extension on the visa! Why immigration didn't see, I don't understand. Anyway, we took them to the Alma House to spend the night and they would fly out the next day. Wayne and I got back to the Hotel by 10:30 pm. Another very long day. We don't think we're liking the airport anymore.
When we got back to the office on Friday, we talked to the President and said that something needed to be done with the luggage problem.. And he agreed. We just need to discuss and come up with a solution.
Saturday, I spent all day in the house in my jammies. It was so nice.
Michelle and Rob sent us some pictures of Maui and Keo. Just had to include one.
We miss you and love you all.
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