Lovely night with friends

 Our Relief Society meeting was great. Beforehand, Comfort came early and made a very delicious cabbage stew (without pepper) and rice. Baaba came a little later and we had a great discussion on teaching discussions, the years activities and of course Ministering Sister roster.  And then Erica came and gave her two cents worth on our years activities that we were planning. She had some really great ideas and insights.  She brought her husband and his friend from Nigeria. When Jeffrey came home an hour later, the men had a great scripture discussion while we were finishing up. 

I invited Comfort and Baaba to have supper with all of us as I could see that the scripture discussion was going to go on for a bit. Comfort needed to get home and Baaba had eaten her supper and was on the phone with family. 

I heated the left over Fried Rice that Comfort has made for my Sunday guests, Baaba had baked some plantains in the oven for us to try and I had Comfort's cabbage stew and rice to add to the table. Comfort had already made the meal at one time or another - perfect for Ghanaian guests.

Side note of vote:

When each person had come, I had given them all a sample plate of different kinds of plantain bread from plantains left on my counter that had turned black. They had a slice of plain, chocolate chip, coconut, and coconut with peanuts plantain bread. The plan was voted nice (damned with faint praise), the chocolate chip was a new and delicious taste - like a dessert, the coconut was praised by two, and the peanut and coconut was esteemed by all. So.....I would serve chocolate chip plantain bread/cake and plantain with coconut and peanuts to those who can eat peanuts. 

Back to the supper story:

We had a really good time around the table with lots of sharing. The baby was adorable, when her mother put her on her back and she fell asleep, I brought out a pillow so Erica could sit at the table and talk with all. It was wonderful, fulfilling, and good. Lots of answers found in the scriptures.

Joshua's friend from Nigeria, branch president coming to temple because his was closed.

Good friends

Sharing Fufu

 When Baaba came over for our Relief Society meeting on Thursday, she said she brought something for me to try. I actually think she brought her supper and wanted to share it with me. I did take a few bites and share her fufu and stew for just a little bit. Then I told her I had enough. I just knew this was her supper.

She really is a sweetheart. It was surprisingly good and not super hot. Nice.

This was a shared bowl, very Ghanaian

Happy Birthday Elder Braunberger

 It is so fun going out with friends for celebrations! Elder Braunberger wanted to go on his birthday last Wednesday to a very nice restaurant. It was the same one we went to with Elder and Sister Nelson. Pomona is an excellent Italian restaurant, everything I have ordered has come back delicious and awesome. And so it was for his birthday. The Manwarrings, Adams, and Braunbergers enjoyed the night.

"When in Rome....

 It has been fun experimenting with the different kinds of ingredients that are available in Accra. Many come from Europe. After baking with Sister Tagoue, I started using the "margarine" that is a staple of bakers in this area.

It is called Cook's Margarine and comes from Holland. It is creamier than Crisco and doesn't melt on the counter. In fact, that is where I leave it. It comes in big and little tubs and I have never seen it as a brick in the grocery shelves. Actually I have no idea where it can be bought as my friends go into the market and bring it back.

As a side note, my flour, rice, margarine, and fresh vegetables, bananas, and apples all come from the market where my friends go in to dicker and bring me back a deal. I know if I show up the price will immediately jump. So it is nice to have friends. 

This "margarine" is excellent in almost everything I have tried - with the exception of sugar cookies. It did not do well in place of butter. I made another batch for the kids at the OSU library. Evidently butter cannot be replaced in some recipes. This is a nice baking ingredient. I don't think I could use it for toast or such. Since we don't eat much bread except in sandwiches, it isn't an issue. So I give this "margarine" a qualified thumbs up. Good for baking!

Versatile Fruit

 I discovered the plantains that Comfort and Baaba left on my counter were turning black - literally.

So.......I jumped onto my friend google to see what I could do with them. Hey you can make plantain cake/bread. Interesting. So I made up a batch or two and it isn't bad. The jury is still out on whether the plain plantain cake or the added peanuts and coconut to the plantain cake is better. Evidently there are two ways to make plantain bread - once spicy, and one sweet. I just happen to find the sweet one first. 

Plantains can be fried as crispy chips, or fried in wedges, or made into bread or cake. There are very nice to tone spicy foods down a bit. And fun in different types of cake or bread too.

Swimming fun with the ladies

 It was a rare morning when all the area presidents were in town. We had a lovely swim with a list of exercises as we chatted with each other. A great way to connect.

Andrews

 We got in touch with an old friend Andrews! He is not old, but we knew him a few years ago and he worked for a bit in the OGC office just before we left. He looked for work for a long time after that contract was over and has gotten another short term job getting the seminary and institute building in Cape Coast going. It will be the first of its kind in West Africa. Cape Coast is where the church began in Ghana. 

Andrews is such a wonderful man. We were very humbled to realize he came all the way from Cape Coast just because we asked him to come to dinner. He didn't want to miss. It was really wonderful to talk with him and hear his story and what he is doing now. I am glad to know him. Hopefully next time he comes up we can go to the temple with him and his girlfriend Vivian. 

Balance

 Now I'm done. All the stockings have been given out, the missionary box has been dropped off at the mission home, the last of the little sacks of goodies have been given out. I just have cards to send. I'll probably send ecards to my friends. It has been a fun Christmas season and I have enjoyed my projects.

Fun things that went in the missionary box

I have been making plans for January and cutting down on spending and making strict budgets for the new year. In our zeal to to good and be generous we/mostly I have over stepped over the mark. Too much, with too high of expectations is not good for anyone and not good for us either. I am listening more and not jumping to fix things. 

So my plan is to still be generous but not overly. I have cut out a few things that were getting to be too much. I won't be making banana bread every Saturday for a Monday distribution with drinks. I am going to only spend so much on suppers for Sunday and have a strict budget for ward happenings. I am listening more when I am told very sad stories and asking the person what they are going to do. I am finding my balance. 

Jeffrey was helping me out and started adding up my budgets. We worked out a doable plan. But first thing that happened was an invitation to a wedding. Something over the budget plan.

I asked him how much we should give. He asked if we knew them and why we needed to give anything. Ahhh, because it is expected? Is it expected? What do I know of a Ghanian wedding? Besides the fact that there are three ceremonies for an LDS bride and groom to go through. Everyone talks about the Bride Price and the hoops the grooms family has to go through to get the girl. 

Now I am getting mixed messages from the people I am talking to. And no, I have never met the bride or groom. I know her very kind and generous father who works near us. Ah balance, to go or not to go.....

Expectations:

As an example of too much too high: The first time we went shopping at MaxMart in the store we went to every Saturday for our first mission in Accra, Jeffrey gave the security guards 100 cedis. Way over the mark. He knows how much inflation as risen and knows that salaries do not match. Well.........every time I go back on my own I can see the expectation is 100 and there are three guards. The girls at the front. Then I pay for a driver. So to go to that store, I need at least 700 cedis to start out with (about $47). Nope, it is too much. So I don't shop there anymore. 

Now the stores I go to, I let the driver do the tipping. Much better, more affordable. In fact, more of my shopping is being done by native people. I can pay Comfort to go to the market and still get a better deal than I would in the grocery store. Win-win. She gets a little and I pay less. 

Eugene and Dumevi get Cook's margarine, rice, and flour in a bigger bag at almost a third less than the grocery store. Winning again. 

Hopefully I will be in a better place and feel good about my decisions. 

Sun is moving

 Back in May I noted that the sun comes up near the Temple spire, in July I noted that it had shifted. Today it is past the Stake Center and almost at the MTC. It comes up and goes down in a different place than. it did in May. So......will it travel back the same way until May again or shift around the horizon?  My bet is that it will shift back the same way it came - but who knows? We'll have to wait and see.

It is hard to see where the sun actually is, but it is close to the spire, but not as close as it was in May

Now it is coming up over the MTC - quite a big shift. Sorry about the steamy windows.

Ok, almost the end.....

 I have left over stuffing for the stockings. Baaba came over twice to help sew up and turn the stockings I needed to finish for the Senior missionaries. With her help it went very fast. Sunday morning I will turn over the box of 'stuff' to Sister Manwarring so she can finish up and give out the stockings to the Senior missionaries in the Area Office. 

I think I'll do something else next year. This was fun and I enjoyed it very much. Still. I'm sure there is something else that is a little easier with the same message of thought and love.

It was interesting to have a man in the temple come up and introduce himself and tell me he was grateful for the stocking and also that he still had the scissors from the last stocking I gave him three Christmas's ago. Very nice. 

Senior missionary stockings

Baaba mended a sweater for Grandma, some temple dresses that needed mending, and helped me finish up the last of the stockings. She did the sewing while I snipped and turned.

Big box of left over stuffing pieces

Ebony Nativity Set

 Wisdom came over tonight with the larger Nativity set that has more animals than the basic set. I don't think I have seen ebony that hasn't been dyed a deep black. It was nice to see it in the shades of natural color. I really liked the ebony, but I don't want any trouble at any border. One couple had to give up their ebony pieces as it was confiscated at a border. It sure is beautiful.

Michael and Family

 Last Sunday we had Michael, his wife, and three sons over for a Sunday dinner. The boys were adorable. The parents were constantly with one or the other doing things for them. I don't believe I ever had so many kids so close together. They seem to manage just fine! We were so happy to have them over.

A Beginning

 Sister Addy came up with two prototypes of bags to take to the temple. Sister Kaku wanted the one with zippers so the sacred things could be kept secure. 

Sister Addy brought 18 more over last night and I dropped off most of them  to Sister Kaku's apartment. It felt like Father Christmas came when Bishop Addy brought them over his shoulder in a sack! Sister Addy has the pattern, directions, and has started a little production for the Addy bags. I hope I will see results of people coming to the temple without a plastic bag or having their clothes rolled up under their arm.

A New Addy Bag

Looks like Father Christmas!

Baaba had come and was helping out with the stockings. Sister Addy was interested in the process.

An End

 Today we dropped off all the stocking stuffers for the Area Employees. Comfort and I took the black cart that hauls loads in and out of the cars and up and down the elevator - over to the area office and then over to the MTC guard shack and then back to the AP apartments. 

I feel very good about this project and love how many I was able to entice to add their touch. One, I went to the gathering place sewing class and recruited 2. Susie helped me think of and order two things from Amazon to bring back in October 3. Daniel in communications added his toffee candy. 4. Juliet added her peanuts 5. Gloria came over and helped me "stuff" the clear bags 6. Shauna added mint candies 7. Bobby got all the pens and pencils and brought the clear bags to stuff 8. Comfort helped me deliver the bags, the stop at the area office recruited two more - Mabel and her friend - who delivered the goods personally to each person in the area office building. 

An idea born in July and finished in December. 

Set up and ready to stuff - more stockings for Senior missionaries to be sewn

Gloria helping stuff the sacks

Stuffing and creating more stockings

Comfort came to deliver goods from the market - then helped me deliver

Sorted, labeled, and ready to deliver

Though it wasn't much - the stockings were only six inches tall - at least it is an acknowledgment of them.

The senior missionaries wanted stockings too. I said only those in the Area Office - as there are probably a hundred in the missions in Accra. I am sewing them up, but someone else is stuffing them - though I may have some extra stuff for the stuffing. We'll see.

Done

 The last batch of banana bread is in. I have an hour until it is done. Done. I am not sure if all those bananas made 28, 30 or 32 batches. Somewhere in the middle I lost count. The first twelve went to the Ward Devotional on Sunday evening. 

This is a public venue so I'll just say I am figuring out how to work with the culture I am in. I had a nice chat with the Bishop on Monday night for about 15 minutes that helped me deal. All is good, just interesting. I dropped off eight loaves for him to use in visits.

On Saturday evening I realized I had a cold. The tiredness and unclear mind were my main complaint. No aches or pains like when I get the flu, just tiredness. 

I went right on making banana bread on Monday and Tuesday. A stop or two to make a couple of batches of brownies for the grounds crew for Juliet to bring with her sobolo drink.  Another stop to make regular bread for lunches.  

Today is Wednesday morning and the last of the bananas are finished! No bananas on the sideboard. I have developed a OCD method of putting together batches and how I take out and put away ingredients. I keep projecting how Laura Nausin did her weddings, luncheons, graduations, with ward and stake events thrown in. Hundreds of thousands of rolls. I can see why she does exactly the same thing every time. Watching for the same things that can go wrong. I have thought about her a lot lately. I wish I was as organized and efficient as she is. But then she took years to perfect her style.

Now that I'm back again, it is night. The house is clean, supper is over. The blessing Jeffrey gave me is working and I am feeling better. 

I am making plans to reorganize my world and not let it run away with me. Make my own boundaries and work for those things that I feel are the most important. 

Family Home Evening

 When Walker texted asking what time he should come, I and Jeffrey remembered we had asked him to come for Family Home Evening! Both of us had forgotten.

Luckily for me, Comfort had made Jollof rice for a family that did not come on Sunday. I was able to have a dinner ready to go in half an hour. But.....he didn't come for another hour and a half. As we started to worry about him, he arrived and told us that at the last minute he had to stay for someone to come and get something (I was too tired to remember the story) before he could come to our home.

It was very nice to see him. I visited from the other end of the table and watched he and Jeffrey talk. I had to leave early and go to bed as I couldn't stay awake anymore. It was so nice to see him. Walker is one that we watch and help out once in a while because he is ours.

Ward Devotional

 Baaba came over in the afternoon and cut up the material lengths for the tables and she took them over to decorate.

Comfort came over to pick up the loaves over to the Stake Center. It was so heavy I had her take the wheeled cart in our apartment complex to bring it all over. I said that Baaba's stuff was still here, so Babba could bring the cart back when she came.

Someone took pictures that ended up on the ward post and it looked like everyone enjoyed themselves. I ended up talking with family and had a good evening. Baaba came back and said it was great. I'm glad.

Banana bread and Sobolo drinks

Meeting old Friends!

 Despite having a cold, we decided to go to the North Ridge ward as we had promised to do. I put on a mask and felt like home when I walked into the chapel. 

Jeffrey and I asked each other if we would be considered a visitor as we knew Bishop Addy would ask us for a testimony if we are considered visitors as he always does. So even though it was fast and testimony meeting, he did ask us and the other young missionary who was getting transferred to bear our testimonies. We are visitors:)

I think the last time I was there I talked about the power of pulling down the powers of heaven through prayer. I had no problem testifying again that prayer is a real power and can change things.

One of the testimonies was a young man that had gone on our young adult trip. Ah life is good.

I ran into Prince's mom and sister but was surprised at how big his nephew had gotten. He was a baby and now he is a boy. We talked to several people we knew.

It was so nice to be back. The problem was I felt tired and kept sneezing and coughing so we left after sacrament meeting.

I did keep baking banana bread.....

Thanksgiving in Ghana - Senior missionary style

 No pilgrims, no Indians, no big feast of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November in Ghana. But the missionaries still celebrated on the Saturday after with lots and lots of food and lots and lots of people. 

I just have to say the turkeys in Ghana are different. The neck is left on, the long feet are put inside along with the innards - no little packages, and the legs are not tied together. But most of all, I noted that they are not brined or frozen with any seasoning at all. The turkey smelled.....like dead meat. A smell I associate with my childhood. Dad bringing things back to be cooked. The nice plastic wrapped turkey's I am used to are really nice. And now I know they are nice. Do they put a preservative on them?

My turkey came frozen in a large plastic bag that was tied at the top. I needed two turkeys and it was nice to pick up two of them on Wednesday when I went to order. They cost a lot! I was assured by Eugene that turkey farms are in Ghana, but not very many of them. I am glad it wasn't imported...I think. The cost was just about as much. But you have to have turkey for Thanksgiving!

So I let them thaw in the fridge. 

What was I thinking?!! Despite the plastic bag and the other plastic bag from the store, they dripped off the shelves down my fridge onto the bottom shelf where it caught the lip of another bag and filled that with blood and water. Oh so much fun to clean and disinfect that whole place! I really hate that dead meat smell. Next year I am signing up for a salad - or bringing a pre-cooked ham. 

The other bag of course, had things I'd bought for a missionary package. -- A young missionary. I will start all over again. 

I put the turkeys into cooking bags and let it go. I should have seasoned the whole bird. Ah, the things we learn. The gravy needed a lot of seasonings to be nice. I cheated and added a McCormick gravy pack to help it taste normal.

Bobby made an emergency run with more flour, brown sugar and things I was running out of with the banana bread.  It was so very nice of him to go get what I needed and bring them over. He has a small shop and knows where to go to get things. I paid for a taxi and the supplies with mobile money. I love mobile money - so convenient.

The senior missionaries were so much fun and had decorated the tables up so wonderful. real round tablecloths, squares of color and square pumpkins in the middle. Orange cloth over a box and green for the stem. Simple and very nice. 

I was the only one to invite a couple of friends. Juliet and Baaba really enjoyed themselves and the food. I brought containers so they could bring something home. Going hungry at Thanksgiving time is not right.

Missionaries in the Africa West Area November 2024

I went home very tired. 

Until I realized it was more than tiredness.