There is no place like Africa, that much I know!

The "All Africa" Service Day

To tell you the truth, it doesn't feel like I am coming home. There have been a few times I have realized it, but I feel like this week is normal. I feel like I have investigators to help get to sacrament meeting, and other mission stuffs to attend to. Today and yesterday I did almost all of my packing so that I "can give full attention to proselyting for the rest of the week". This week I have been eating banku and kenke, because I know that I wont get to have some for  long time. Yesterday a white man came to church. He served his mission here 9 years ago, and here's the best part, he also served half of his mission in Sierra Leone, and half in Ghana. In his time there was 20 or so missionaries in Sierra Leone, it had two zones, Bo and Freetown. I was surprised at how much he still remembered from both places and the food and languages. I hope I can do the same.

To answer your questions:

1. Yes i do remember that I have to speak this Sunday. Even yesterday I gave a talk in our sacrament meeting, and Elder Peck (a senior couple visiting the ward) told me that I could use it for my home coming talk. I have my ideas.

2. I have no idea about customs anywhere... But I do know that the bag I have can hardly open, only I use pliers... so good luck to the customs people in seeing whats inside...

3. Yes the letter is for me (We received a letter addressed to Cody Beckett from Elder Beckett). It says on the back "the time you go to school" (his translation from - Di tem u de go na skul). I have sent myself some letters to open at different times in my life addressed to Cody and sent be Elder Beckett.

4. The "All Africa Service Project" is a service done by stakes across all of Africa. Each stake organizes what and where they will do the project. It went really well, we even had pass a long cards to give to people who asked us who we were. I did some weeding (cutting the grass with a machete) and now my arm is sore. Its not an easy something to do.

5. MLC means Mission Leadership Council. It is a meeting for all the zone leaders and the sister training leaders. We are instructed on how to be leaders and what the mission is trying to do.

6. (Do you think peanut(our dog) will remember you??)Let's see... I hope that she does!

7. Oh sorry to hear bout grandma's surgery. I hope she will be feeling better soon.

8. All of those things sound okay. At the air port, I only want family there to pick me up please! I can see everyone else at home. That would be great!

I WENT TO THE TEMPLE! The temple was so awesome. After MLC  three other missionaries and I went to the temple. It has almost been two years and I have been waiting to go there. I forgot a lot of stuff about the temple! but the promises of the temple are real and I felt them as I went out working for the rest of the week. I was singing the primary hymn on the way "I love to see the temple", I want to go back soon.

"I love to see the Temple"

Well Mom, this is your last letter from"Elder Becket". Mission has been super good for me, and I know that if I didn't come the lord could not have used me to find some people here in West Africa. I realized that very early in my mission. The truths of the gospel are sunk deep into my heart as I have labored for the right. I have seen and witnessed the atonement in my life and in others, and that full blessing of the atonement  cannot come unless we have faith in Jesus Christ and follow the teachings of the prophets which are Christ's. I have a love for black people and Africans. There is no place like Africa, that much I know. I am scared of some of the stuffs that happen in the US, but I hope coming home will be normal. I like my scriptures a lot, you will see that when I come home. Well I will be home on Friday and will continue in the work of the lord "te te go" 

Me ba sisia, y!

Ar de com jus naw, ya!

Elder Beckett

PS - Dad see you soon, I can't wait to ride at the river (dirt bikes) ...if it's not to hot! Can't wait to talk about life with you soon!

"Elder Beckett, you are going home o!"

Any missionary I talk to, these are the words I hear, "Elder Beckett, you are going home o!" haha everyone has said it, but I don't feel it, I hope I don't feel it, till next week. I feel like I have had my mind in the work, that means my mind is not at home, or the airport hahah. Now that you have said it (I asked him how he feels about coming home), I have really enjoyed Ghana, I have really enjoyed mission and I will enjoy it this week too.

Laundry day!

Making dinner!

Cutting Elder Van's hair!

This week we have a lot of activities and meetings. Today we had a combined activity with another zone, we played football, vollyball and basketball. We had a water balloon fight, and the sisters in the zones made sweet rice for us. To put that thing together killed me hahah I am tired now. Tomorrow we meet with the stake president to talk about missionary work, Thursday we will go to Accra for MLC, and Saturday we have our "All Africa" service project that happens once a year, in fact I never did one in Sierra Leone, I just missed it. So this will be my second in Ghana, we will go clean a hospital. The project last year I had just come from Salone, and we also cleaned a hospital, and I was afraid of it, because I thought ebola had come by then to Ghana.

I have done alot on my mission, and I wish I could do more.

Mama ar de go work, mondai wi go tok ya

love

I can't believe 1 year has passed since I left Sierra Leone

That sounds sweet with that you invited that guy to church and that the elders are going to go teach him! Who is at the river with you people? I saw some of the photos too.

Our week was sweet. This week we had our recent convert confirmed, which doubled as a completed family. Member referrals work! We are still trying to work with members in our area to make things run smooth in the ward. Home teaching is great, we don't even have to put in much effort to arrange home teaching. On Sundays our Elders quorum president organizes everything and tells us who we will go with and what times! Isn't that sweet. Our mission president wants us to help get home teaching going in our units. We have seen some cool stuff. We go on splits with the home teaching companionship's. 

We went on exchanges this week, it was nice to go to another and teach with Elder Bautner!
 
 I can't believe 1 year has passed since I left Sierra Leone. I would love sooo much to go  back to sierra Leone!

Here is a picture memory from last year leaving Sierra Leone:

Packing up to leave Salone.

That big pile of clothes is everything that would make the weight go over the limit in the lugguage. We had weight limits with the evacuation so we had to leave it behind. I have lots of stuffs there!

All of those books are our area books with all of the information of our investigators on it that we left behind for when the mission opens back up.

My evacuation group before heading to the airport (Cody is the short blonde guy under the umbrella whose head is half blocked and he's sandwiched between two others..hehe!)

President and Sister Ostler waving goodbye!

Everything is sweet.

I feel strong and I feel like I should have 6 months left!
Elder Beckett

We knock on doors, stop people in the streets and talk to everyone!

Wow thats sweet, that  makes me want to work with missionaries when I go home. We knock on doors, stop people in the streets, talk to everyone. Thats how we tract. But most effective is member referrals. I like my new companion. I was worried at first, but we have relly been doing well and getting work done, even though we had  busy week. My compion is Elder Mabizela from South Africa, Port Elizebeth. Yes it seems Iwill finish as a zone leader.

Me too, I like family history, I want to do some when I come home.

I would love to do the missionary pannel thing! That sounds sweet!

The talk sounds cool I will put something together. They gave me my flight itinerary this week. That ws weird, I feel like I have been on mission for 6 months.

 I'm glad Elder Van got back okay.  I am sure I will see him again.  The "A" button on this key board is relly hard to press so thats why some of the words are missing the letter a.... 

Elder Weegie from Liberia - one of my favorite guys!

These two are brother and sister and are returned missionaries. They are from Sierra Leone and they moved to Ghana for school. I know where they stay in Kossoh Town in Sierra Leone.

Our place in Tema

Elder VanWangor made it home!

On splits with Elder Bautner

Another great week, I have felt uplifted having looked back at the week.
Well, at the beginning of the week I was in a tri-panionship with Elder Udonsa and Bautner, so to make most use of our time on Tuesday we went on splits. I took a member and we taught and found people. Wednesday was transfer day, I was with Elder Mabizela and Sunders. I did six interviews on Wednesdy for some elders in the zone, it took a long tiime, but I'm glad we got to see so many baptized. We have been doing home teaching with our ward and that is one way we have been finding less activies and prt member fmilies.

Tema Zone

We hd zone meeting this week. We talked about family history, an acceptable offering to god on our missions and our new missionary handbook that we have about rules in our mission, and how the mission runs.. I had a few missionaries share experiences about how they have shown faith, purity nd diligence on their mission. It was motivating.

Everything went well but there is more to do.

I look forward to more weeks like this.
Elder Beckett

Elder Van and I had a sweet time!

Yes I have my drivers license, but its at our mission home in a safe, so I cant tell when it expires. wow thats a lot of news from home! I wont get trunky, just don't tell me too much about home. Right now I feel the weight of the zone on my back, because my new companion is going to be learning the zone leader stuffs so it keeps me awake and on my toes. Elder Van finished very strong, so I will follow him and do the same.

This week Elder Van and I had a sweet time following the spirit. When we were at a point in our day that was not planned for, such as all appointments bounced us, we would pray and after seeking the spirit and paying close attention to its promptings we found two families this week. It would be funny to see ourselves from a third person point of view: sometimes we would pass a street, and I would be prompted to go back, and we would, but we must look a little crazy turning around which must look like for no reason to others. Its not bad, I am willing to look a little crazy to do the lords work. Elder Van Finished hard. Even today while he was traveling to the mission home he contacted someone and sent his information 
to us.

Me and Van!

FM (code for "free meal")

Zone business!

My New companion is from South Africa. He is one of the district leaders in our zone. I haven't been to the temple since I left the MTC, but I will go at the end of my mission, actually in a few weeks I think.

This week we have a baptism and we are happy and our candidate is happy.

We had a zone conference this week with 3 zones, we met at our chapel, so we were scrambling to make sure everything was in order and ready.

Whelp thats all.

Elder Beckett

Oh boy, I cant believe they are home!

Mom I am doing really good! I am so sorry that this is short. This is Elder Vans last week on mission, and his last p-day, so the market kept us long and we are just now coming. 

Oh boy, I cant believe they are home!

Cody's good friends Max Moncur and Zak Morgan gave their return mission talks together 

 Thank you for all your support. This week we have a zone conference, so we have to set all of that up, and last week we had MLC, so we went to Accra for training. This week I had a man ask me about the restriction of black people from the priesthood. That was the first time I have had the question. I am glad that just a day earlier it was discussed about in MLC and I had an answer for him. I don't like that part of history, but I am glad for how things are today.

Mom love you and the family. Next week ya!

Letter from Cody's Mission President to our stake president regarding his return - this is about to get real! :-)

We lit off fireworks this week!

I cant belive the faces that I am seeing in these photos|!!!!! What do you call that orange rice(spanish rice - oh okay, we call it jollof here)? Our home looks unreal sometimes. The pics are nice! Life at home doesn't seem real. BTW: you sent me a letter about what I want to eat when I come home. I was thinking I have missed 4th of july and thanksgiving. So if we could have a bar-b-q for forth of july, and a small thanksgiving dinner that would be so sweet.

I was looking at my Instagram on a members phone who wanted to see my Instagram and boy have I changed. The things I thought were funny and the style I was having are not me again. 

 I was singing our national anthem this week of course, and the second and third verses are my favorite. The third verse talks about how we should praise the power that has preserved us a nation, and our motto in God is our trust.  

Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."

It doesn't seem as though we (U.S.) are having too much trust in God for him to preserve us as a nation when I hear about all this gay marriage approval and the white house being lit up in rainbow.

Any ways we light off fireworks this week. Well some of our members did, they were more than happy to do it for us. There was a Chinese store in our area, so we bought them there. There are lots of Chinese people in Tema because of the port but the Chinese really know how to make Roman candles! 8 shots, with mortar power, for 75 cents a stick. 

4th of July fireworks 

We got a new ward mission leader this week and we are so happy to work with him. Almost all our ward mission leaders have been young single adults, so we are happy to work with an older sealed family man. His name is brother Kufualor.

Well God Bless the USA and the Church.

Elder Beckett

Alcohol had ruined her life and she wanted to fix it all!

Wow I didn't know it was that short. I guess thats right, I thought I had 10 weeks. Well, its going by quick, and I don't think about it too much.

Our area is going good this week. We had 3 members bring their friends to us, and we have been teaching all three and all three came to church. Their is an older woman in our ward who brought a friend to church, and the friend was totally wasted and I hear of this happening in other churches in Ghana, but I've never seen it at ours. Well at first I thought that the woman wouldn't listen to us, and that the member just picked this woman off the street and brought her to church. The member just handed the woman to us and said we should teach her, then walked away... on Wednesday we decided to go and see the drunk woman and the member,a and I was super surprised to see that the woman had not had any alcohol since Sunday. Ends up that she had a really wonderful life, with a husband, 4 kids, and a nice house. Now she doesn't know where her children are (probably with the husband) and she stays with friends at night. She was in tears on Wednesday because alcohol had ruined her life and she wanted to fix it all. So we gave her the Book of Mormon in TWI and we have a member read it for us and translate our words into twi. Its so sweet to see people who are so humble and want to change their lives and what better than the gospel of christ, that pushes all for good and righteousness.

My MTC trainer. I never thought I would see him again!

I will most likely finish here and elder Van will go home in 4 weeks so he will finish here too.

Yes I heard  few "Happy Father's Day" wishes at church. Not as big as mothers day. They have some similar holidays, and some that are unique to Ghana

huh good old summer.

Love you mom! Happy Fathers Day dad! Thank you for all your support.

Elder Beckett

We have had lots of adventures as companions!

It doesn't seem real to me that I have almost two months left. Max will come home in two weeks. Wow, that will be quite a Sunday with him and Zak speaking.

I am really happy about my mission. This week I went through my journal that I started at the beginning of my mission. I wont able to go through all of it, but how much joy I had in reading about the experiences I had in my mission. I hope I can read them to the family when I get home, and look at pictures. I am having such a great time!

I don't know if you have seen the movie "Ephriams Rescue", but we watched it today and it really inspired me to do what is right and have faith.

One thing from last week is that we went to the new town apartment  for exchanges  but because it was late we both stayed in the area. I'll send a pic, but we took the soft church chairs and slept on them with our mosquito nets. It was a great sleep over.

So in Ghana almost all people have an additional name, that is given, based on the day you are born. So I am Kwamie (saturday) and elder Van is Kwabena (tuesday). So we tell a lot of people that that is our names, because many struggle to say our names. So its funny to walk down the street and hear people calling for us "kwamie and kwebena". We have had lots of adventures as companions. As zone leaders we do a lot  We go to Accra once a month to receive training as leaders. We go on exchanges, we give sister missionaries blessings, and any other random stuff that comes up.

I am happy to be here, and I have realized so much that this is the lords work.

Love you mom and dad. I hope all is good at home.

Elder Beckett

 Kwebena and Kwamie working in the rain!

The elders were a big part of the choir!

Dear Beckett and Van Wagoner Families,                                                                5-27-2015

My husband and I are serving as public affairs missionaries in the Africa West Area.  We live in Accra, Ghana and work in the Area Offices here.  At the time, we are assigned to attend the Tema 3^rd Ward on Sundays and to teach a Temple Prep class there.  Also assigned to that ward are a couple of the greatest missionaries!  We have had the opportunity to associate with your sons on Sundays for the last month or so and will be there for at least another 6 or 7 weeks.  We have really enjoyed the chance to get to know these two fine elders!  They seem to love the members and the feeling is returned!  They are always so upbeat and uplifting. 

Last Sunday was the Ward Conference.  The ward music chairperson had undertaken quite an involved musical number.  It brought several hymns together in a way that was unusual.  It turned out wonderful!  Your sons, The Elders, were a big part of the choir.  They started the number with just the two Elders singingBrightly Beams Our Father’s Mercy.  It was beautiful and so fitting!  They added so much to the choir that day and they always do. 

I just wanted you to know that they seem happy and they look great (and healthy).  You can be proud of them and know that they are anxiously engaged in The Lord’s work.   We love seeing them on Sundays.

Sincerely,

Sister Peck

Cody and VanWagoner

Dear Sister Beckett and Sister Van Wagoner,                                                         6-1-2015                                                                                   

I just wanted to report on your missionaries after the flooding here in Ghana (news story  here  and an inspiring story of a missionary who rescued people during the flood here ). Tema, where they live, is a high part of the Greater Accra area.  There was lots of water but no real flooding in Tema.  We talked to them yesterday at church.  They're doing great.  The Tema 3rd Ward is a great Ward.  The bishop looks like he could be in the priests quorum and he is an awesome bishop!  He is so loving and reaches out to the members in such a wonderful way.  When we finish the Temple Prep. Lessons there, we will probably be assigned to another Ward and it will be hard to leave, but that's the nature of missionary work.

Just thought you might like to see how happy your sons look!  Notice how clean their shirts are! Very impressive! They're doing a great job!

Sincerely,
Sister Peck 

"Sister Peck has been super nice to us! She gave us a box of cereal on Sunday! Which was awesome, I always love cereal  Yes our bishop looks young, but not too much, because I can see most of the ages now a days." 

Sister Beckett,                                                                                                      6-8-2015                                                                                                                                

We are from Pocatello, Idaho.  We have been in Ghana a little less than 5 months.  We have really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know many of the wonderful people here.  The members here are so devoted and so full of faith.  One of the things we do as Public Affairs missionaries is keep up the mormonnewsroom site for Ghana.  It might be interesting to you go on and see some of the things that are happening here.  If you are interested, go to  www.mormonnewsroom.com.gh     Be sure and look at the resource article that is located below the headline articles.  It is entitled, Emerging with Faith in Africa.  It’s really inspiring.

Sister Peck

Mom,
Can you send me a recipe for Rice Krispy treats? Sorry about this, I typed a big, sweet email about the week, but the internet crashed before I could send it, so we had to move computers. To answer some questions.. I come home on August 20. We have had a rough time here, but we have our shoulder to the wheel. I am doing sweet.

Love Elder Beckett

                                                             

It really is a small world! The nurse in the picture, Nancy Kraus, is good family friend of ours who was on a medical mission in Ethiopia and happen to cross paths with a former missionary that Cody lived and served with in Sierra Leone before they were evacuated out and this missionary is now serving in Ethiopia  Cody's response when I showed him this picture: hahaha that is Elder Dramadri!!! e na MI bra! (he is my boss!) that is too good. My Uganda man!

Nancy's Facebook post with this picture: Part of yesterday. Missionaries came at 9 to help with cargo...cargo arrived at 2. They helped with other things and I gave them some money and told them to go out to lunch and they returned and worked for a good two hours unloading the truck here. Loved meeting them. Their families should be proud of their service #eldertjorntonkamasutah #elderburnetteoregon#elderrobinsonutah #elderdramudriuganda@beckettbunch he was with Cody in Sierra Leone ❤

We are doing our part of the work!

Hey mom,

In general conference, there was a mention of a family in Sierra Leone, the Turay family. There is a video on the church website about her and it shows her clinic. Her clinic is on the side of their house. I used to live in their house for the first 3 months of my mission. If you see the part of the video where there is a roa in front of the clinic, I used to pass there every day. They are a really sweet family! 

Click here to see the video Cody was talking about. Click here to listen to the inspiring talk from Henry B. Eyring who referenced the Turay family at general conference. 

WOW! Looks like lots is happening. Dallin came home, seminary looks great. Yes they have seminary here in ghana, and in sierra leone. They have early moring and evening. Jana's party looks like it was fun! Mom, did you make the cakes? Chad, and grandma look like they are doing really well.

Our week went well as we worked with the members.I was feeling that the members were thinking that we were not working with all of our effort, because we have very few people at sacrament meeting. This week we actually had 2 lessons with a member present, but we took members with us about 5 or 6 times. Many of the investigators that we planned to see with a member did not keep their commitment to meet with us. It was nice to have the members with us, they were really disappointed to not meet with the investigators, and it even gave them excitement to do missionary work. 

Tema is not all that easy, but we are doing our part of the work. I am trying to find the things that I can improve on so that I can be a better tool to do this work. Because missionary work requires the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost can only be present when we are clean an our desires are righteous, it makes missionaries to really seek the spirit and align themselves with the lord and do HIS work. 

I look forward to the day when I can work with the missionaries at home, are our missionaries serious about their work?

Mom thank you. I sent a letter to Jeff a while ago, did he get it? Dad, thank you for emailimg me each week. I have really enjoyed them. Thank you for all the care and concern.

Welcome to West Africa - "Swag up for Jesus"

The two have come together!

This week I received a package from grandma neicy. It was sweet, she gave me some home made candies...that was nice. 

Our area has been pretty rough, we are planning on having a baptism next week but we have had a rough time, so we fasted this week, and we are trusting in what we know is true. While fasting, I felt that God knew what we we're doing and was okay with him. 

We have been teaching a woman at a small medical clinic, the clinic has a bible, but we have been teaching so many people there that now the clinic has a Book of Mormon. The two have come together! 

I don't have much to say this week, I am hungry, and a little tired. I am fine, I am happy doing this work!

Thank you mom

Celestial Cedis

It reminded me of the joys of home!

Thats sweet, I never got to do trek, where did they do it? Good ol overals. Wow the pool looks sweet, do we have a diving board again? 

Seeing Brother Rex was sweet! It has been a long time, and reminded me of the joys of home. It was really nice of him to find me. Where I am was not very close to him and he sacrificed some of his time to visit and deliver the package you sent. I sent back with him something for you. 

Our home teacher and friend Dan Rex was on business in Ghana and was so kind to take time from his busy schedule to visit Cody and deliver a package from home. "Seeing Bother Rex reminded me of the joys of home."

This is what Cody sent back with Dan to give us. A missionary from Fiji carved this into a Book of Mormon. 

The package you sent was sweet! I am glad for conference and I got to watch conference this week. It was so sweet. I got to pass the sacrament on Sunday, and it has been a really long time, it was really good for me. Remembering Christ as I pass the sacrament and helping others to partake and renew a covenant was humbling. The pictures in that package were awesome, thank you mom, Jana and Zac and family. And thank you Brother Rex for doing some home teaching in Africa!

Sometimes it doesnt always go the way we plan!

Mother's Day gift from Ghana! Our last mission call home but our first time to Skype in with him the whole mission!

Wearing out his "sole" in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Elder Van and I

I was able to talk to Brad which was sweet, and we also made hamburgers last night, so we really enjoyed. Happy Mothers Day again!

This week I moved back to our area (Tema), and I am back with Elder Van Wagoner. We were separated for about two weeks to help out with the french missionary who has been waiting for a visa. Also with Sister Stevens, could you understand her when she called?

So I am getting cloth to make our family some cool shirts for the guys and skirts for the women. So I don't know what size to make Jeff and dad and brad and you and jana for the skirts. Do you like these fabrics ? I will need your measurements.

Elder Kadima ...A french man in our apartment!

Elder Sibeko and I

I got to see one of my former companions at the conference. Conferences are more exciting these days because I know more missionaries.


My mission is nice. Sometimes it doesn't always go the way we plan, but I have a great time telling people about the gospel of christ. My health has been good, I have an ingrown toe nail, that was almost healed, but I kicked a wall and now it hurts again.