Cape Coast Ghana

Dear Friends and family,

We have arrived in Cape Coast where we will be living for the next 18 months serving a mission. After five days of intense training, studying and preparation in the MTC (missionary training center) we left the snowy hills of Provo, Utah and flew to the warm, humid weather of Ghana. We were met at the airport by President and Sister Sabey, the President of the Ghana Coast mission. We went from the airport to an area conference held in the Accra Stake Center. It was very warm but made tolerable by lots and lots of three bladed ceiling fans and wide open windows. People were so friendly but what I noticed first was how the mothers carry their babies-on their backs. I must learn how to do that. The babies are so content and it looks like it would be easier on your back too.

We have learned a little about Accra. It is the best place to buy groceries since there are no grocery stores in Cape Coast. We learned a new way to drive: You can drive anywhere as long as you keep going the same direction as the rest of the traffic! We found out that if there is a little bit of room in front of you, cars from either side will try to get in front of you whether there is room or not. And if they want to go around you, they will just creat a new lane as long as there is room.

After our shopping we started the three hour drive to Cape Coast which turned into much more due to the heavy rains that fell. It has been such a long time since we had experienced so much rain, thunder and lightening. But driving a new truck in a country we knew very little about in driving rain and following President Sabey without getting cut off by another car was a challenge at which Frank was very successfull! Wouldn't want to do that again!

We have a home we are very comfortable in. Homes here are made out of cement! There are no grocery stores here. We buy vegtables, fruits, bread at stalls on the street. When we go into the town of Cape Coast, there are lots and lots of little places where people are selling anything you could want to buy. There is never a set price-you deal.

Some of the people live without much electricity. Along the ocean are many thatched roof homes. It is so hot and humid here that all they have is something to keep the sun off of them. They cook outdoors in front of their houses. Now there are some nice homes in some areas. The Mission home is as modern as can be. It is also fenced in with barbed wired on top of the fence and also a guard house. You don't just drive in, you wait for him to open the gate. If he is not there, you get out and open the gate yourself!!! We have a fence around our house and a gate also. I am getting very good at opening that lock and gate each time we come home.

We have been doing some traveling trying to find the groups of people that are meeting together that are connected with Branches. Some are so far out that they only walk in once a month. A branch is a small group of people with a Branch President and they are under the direction of a Bishop of a ward close to them. The goal of the mission is to form branches for these groups so the people don't have to walk any longer than 30 minutes to get to a meeting house.

There is exciting work going on here. The people are amazing in the church and out of the church. We have been treated so kindly and have been welcomed where ever we have gone. Some of these places are miles away from towns. These are not towns as you would know, but a town of people who are clumped together trying to make a living and existing. They seem to be a happy people and make a living doing what ever they can. I have driven by women sitting in piles of rocks who are hammering at the rocks to break them down to smaller sizes. Next to her is another person making that pile of rocks even smaller. They do this pounding day after day. Goats and sheep run free. There are plenty of dogs too to watch out for as one drives along the bumpy small highway trying to dodge potholes, animals, and cars. There are woman walking with babies on their backs and trays or basons full of goods on their heads all along the roads. The children are beautiful and if they can, they like to get close to us and touch us. We hear "Hi Brunie" which is their word for white person. We wave and smile and they wave back. They like to talk to us. All the people are polite-even the taxi drivers. They seem to be hurrying along but they will wait for you if needs be if you need to turn. It is a matter of taking turns with this people.

We are enjoying ourselves and meeting people. We are always greeted with smiles where ever we go. We are happy to be here.

Elder & Sister Turner

MTC Moments by Mom...

November 4th:

We are having the time of our life. We have been so overloaded with all that is required of us. We can't keep track of anything!!! Today we got more shots and went to hear Sister Beck speak at a fireside. Bro. Oman was playing the organ. His wife did the costuming for Emma. I hope that you get that DVD as I know it will be wonderful. We taught a discussion today to an 80 year old man. He was a member but was pretending not to be. He came to our room and we spent 45 minutes with him. It was a real learning experience. Tomorrow and Thursday we do the same thing only with other principles of the gospel. We can do this. It is so strange to see Dad in a suit but oh is he handsome. Today we heard "Hi Turners" and looked up to see Elder Cooley. After handshakes, he said, "See, I'm wearing the socks you gave me!"

November 7th:

We leave Saturday morning at 5 p.m. for Salt Lake and our flights leaves at 8 or 8:30. We have had such a wonderful week but our minds are crammed!!! We have met such wonderful people-we will miss our daily classes with them. I have a picture taken wiwth the people that are going to Nygeria instead of us. They are going to work in the office and live in a new apartment -one of four that is surrounded by a wall. We think that we got changed because the president there needed help with finances and this man is an accountant. So everyone is happy except him--He wanted to be outdoors and do missionary work. They even have their room right next to us. This place is incredible.

Sending Mail to Ghana

The Church has established the Pouch Mail program to help families to communicate better with their missionaries in countries with poor mail systems. When you mail your letters to the Pouch Mail Department in Salt Lake City, the Church places all the letters bound for one mission in a big package and ships them to the mission through an express carrier service. When the letters arrive at the mission office in the destination country, the office Elders open the package of letters and distribute them to the Elders and Sisters throughout the mission.

Church leaders are asking members to send single sheet letters folded into three parts. Then do the following:



• Lay the blank side of the single-sheet letter facing down with the writing facing you.
• Fold the top of the letter about one-third of the way down, and crease.
• Fold the bottom of the letter to the top of the first fold, and crease.
• Use two pieces of tape or two sticker tabs on the top to secure it, not more than one inch from each side, but do not seal the ends.
• Do not include any other item in the letter such as printed pictures, currency or medication, etc.
• In the top left corner, write the return address.
• Affix a stamp in the top right corner
• In the middle of the sheet, write:

Elder & Sister Turner
Ghana Cape Coast Mission
P.O. Box 30150
Salt Lake City, Ut 84130-0150

More to come on sending care packages...