Day 48 - The Church in Ghana

Wherever you happen to visit an LDS church meeting in another part of the world, you can take comfort in knowing that it will be fairly similiar to what you are accustomed. When you visit other locations, however,  there are always unique perspectives that give the church a certain flavor in the location that you should choose to visit.

Here in Ghana is no different. Today for example, there were many things that happened at church that are worth mentioning.

1) When he who directs gets up to welcome everyone, he will start by saying "good morning." Almost in unison, the entire congregation will repeat "good morning"

2) During sacrament meeting, the leader speaker was Elder Cranney (the senior missionary that we spoke about at the beginning of my blog). He gave a very good talk about tithing and about how you will be blessed by paying your tithing. The message must have hit home with one woman and she got up out of her seat, walked to the front of the the chapel, and proceeded to ask Elder Cranney for a tithing slip. He politely asked her to return to her seat and mentioned that she could get one after the meeting was over. Talk about giving such a power message that you inspire people to act (or get out of their seat :) )

3) During Sunday school, the lesson was on Samuel 11 and 12 "Create in me a new heart." We were talking about the story of David and his fall with Bathsheba. Somehow the conversation turned to whether or not David raped Bathsheba. For the next ten minutes or so, several people felt that it was their moral responsibility to voice their opinions on the matter. Finally, the teacher happened to look over at Andrew and I. We gave him the "its time to move on" look and he finally moved on.

4) So in sacrament meeting I was flipping through the front of the hymn book that I happened to be holding. There in the front of the book I found this image. Kind of ironic. (Does this mean that whomever wrote this will be punished by God?)

5) We had a joint meeting with the relief society and priesthood. Towards the end of the meeting, the first counselor in the branch presidency was walking around waking up people who were dozing off. Good thing that doesn't happen in the states or else they might be waking me up every week :)

These are just a few perspectives that I have noticed on the church while here in Ghana. Church will never be the same after experiencing the church here in Ghana!!!!