Boti Falls

During the first week in October, Elder and Sister Fitzgerald (executive secretary to the area presidency) invited us to go to Koforidua, about a 90-minute drive north of Accra, to visit the senior missionaries who serve in that district. We were delighted to see a new part of Ghana and spend a few hours with Elder and Sister Scoville. They happily welcome visitors because they don't get to Accra very often. After picking them up at their house, we drove 17 kilometers to a beautiful forest reserve to see Boti Falls and Umbrella Rock, two favorite destinations in that area.

  

This is an overlook near Boti Falls (behind us). The 
river Pawnpawn flows down from the mountains
 until it turns into waterfalls in the heart of the forest.

The Scovilles and Fitzgeralds, standing at the top
of 250 stone steps that take you to the bottom 
of the 30-meter-high falls and a large pool. 

YM/YW

Trade Fair Ward has great young people. It has been fun to get to know them. The Young Men and Young Women each have one room to meet in on Sundays, so age groups can't be separated for lessons. It's pretty hot and squishy, but the kids don't care. They're happy and love to be together.

 

Elder Stoker teaches the boys on Sundays and serves an an adviser to Joshua Ewusi, the Young 
Men's president. Joshua is on the left. A new counselor was just sustained today. The lesson 
materials are the same here as throughout the world, although access to the internet is a challenge 
for lesson helps online.  

I was recently called as an adviser to the Young Women's President, Victoria Quaisie, who is on the
right. Her counselor on the left is Mavis Puplampa. Since I was not released from my Relief Society
calling, I now teach these cute girls on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Sundays, with my RS lesson on the 3rd week.

Fufu

A much-beloved staple in West and Central Africa is a root-based dish called fufu. Before cassava was introduced to Africa, fufu was made out of cocoyams or plantains. It originates from Ghana. Shortly before we left the U.S., we were introduced to this Ghanaian food when we read a book by Chinua Achebe called Things Fall Apart. We had no idea how popular this food still is. Fufu is to Ghanaians what mashed potatoes are to traditional American cooking.

This is the cassava plant. You see it growing everywhere in Ghana.

General Conference in Accra

Many of the senior couples who serve in Accra gathered in the Church's area administration building on Saturday afternoon to view the first two sessions of General Conference held in Salt Lake City. We enjoyed a pot luck dinner between the meetings. This is a great group of people -- our new friends from Idaho, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Arizona. The areas of their service include Young Single Adults, Perpetual Education, Self Reliance, Legal Counsel, Executive Secretary, Medical, Temple, Mission Office, and Public Affairs. We really enjoy the occasional associations that bring us together.