Post #17

Hi Everyone,

          So that is good to hear about all the happenings of Axtell. It has not been raining at all the past month. Things are dry and humid! But they say that now the weather will get windy, and more cool in the day time. But yeah, this week was good for us. We are always trying to stay busy and it seems that each or every six weeks, (which is a transfer), just keep going by faster and faster. O and today is my fourth month mark since I left home. 

          This past week we were unfortunately not able to baptize Steven, due to some appointments failing.  We were not able to teach him everything.  But this coming Sunday we are baptizing him and a young man named Shadrack as well. They are very excited to be a member of the church, and get on the right path. We have been able to teach more lessons than the previous weeks. I think that we had 24 or so lessons. We have been able to find some new people to teach.
          This past Wednesday, we were walking back to the apartment from Kokoteswie, and this guy named Francis was driving past in his truck and asked if we needed a ride. So we said, “Yeah sure”. We started talking and told him that we would like to meet with him because we have a very important message we would like to share. So we planned for Saturday. So yesterday, we met him and we taught him the lesson one. He said that he felt something that he has never felt before.  He said that he would like for us to come back and continue.  We plan on giving him a Book of Mormon next time and continuing. 

          So as for the exciting side of things; not so much, just things are pretty much the same everyday.  But from time to time something will surface.  Like (I think it was last Tuesday or something) we saw this guy getting chased by this cow that had this little calf. She was chasing him all over this field trying to get him with her horns.  He was always a step ahead of her. It was quite funny to watch. So other than that, that is Ghana lifestyle for a missionary. O and also just now as I was typing this, I heard some cracking noise. So the next thing I know, the vinyl roof is on top of me and dust everywhere. So yeah, I guess I’m really in Africa,!!  haha...  Ceilings falling in on people while they are browsing!! haha...

          I am starting to speak twi to people where they can understand me now. Also, I am able to speak a little of a Northern Language they speak in the North.  There is a place here in Obuasi that the people stay. They sell goats, sheep, all types of fowl, and also cows. Yesterday, I said “Zonola” which is good evening.  Their reply is “Naba”.  When I said it, the guy was all shocked and dumbfounded; like, "Did that really happen". “White man speaking my language?” Haha…

           So yeah, anyway thank you again so much for everything. Let me know how the fair goes. I hope you do well with the steers. I know it’s a very busy time of the year. I know you will have em looking nice just like last year. Yeah, I wish I could be there to feel the cool fall air that is setting in. But make sure you take advantage of what we all have back home. I love you all.  Take care! Stay safe! Have fun!

           Love Ty.

This is the internet cafe where the ceiling fell in on me today. 

This is where I come to email. 

This is the terrain of Obuasi.

Post #16

Hi Everyone,

          Well Africa has just been Africa the past week. Lots of crazy things always happening. I've decided; to survive Africa you need a lot of stamina and guts!!  hahaha.. It has not rained for about a week now, and its been pretty hot. We have been staying pretty busy; my companion and I. When I get depressed or homesick, we just go out and try to forget about it, and move on. We are on our fourth month in the field. Before we know it, we will be a year. Then its all coasting back down the mtn. hahaha.. Everything is going fine.

          Elder Cockrum and I are really rippping up our area. We are finding and teaching people left and right this past week. We were able to have three new investigators, Shadrack, Jerry and Hagar. They are really progressing. We are planning on baptizing Steven on Saturday; (but not for sure yet), and then hopefully Shadrack, and a guy by the name of Felix. Felix is a really good guy that really likes to feed us. He fed us fufu on Thursday, and wants to feed us Ampesie (yam) this next week. He is also progressing, but he still needs to come to church. The chapel is really far from our area, so the people have a hard time coming; but we had two of our people we teach come yesterday, Shadrack and Steven. So about Rosca, we have cut visiting her down to once a week. We will let the Lord do his work on her. She really needs to be humbled. But as for everyone else we are teaching, they are serious.

          So the highlight of this past week would probably have to be when we went to a (so called) waterfall. We went there early this morning. We took a tro tro for about twenty minutes to the east of Obuasi. We got to the place and waited for a member who lives close by. So while waiting, a bunch of guys came and talked to us. When the member got there we started to walk.  The Ghanian guys wanted us to pay them 20 cedis a piece. So we are not stupid, cuz we know that they don’t do anything all day, and they just wait for white guys to come and give them money. So the whole way there, they were asking for money. So finally, each of us gave one guy one cedi.  I was expecting a real African water fall when we got there, but it was pretty much the small water fall up to the canal. I was not impressed too much. hahaha.. O and I also saw some moonshiners on the way. They were just a brew-en their shine out in the middle of the jungle. So yeah that’s probably the highlight.

          Next time you send a package, please send me some vitamins if you could.  Anyway, thanks again for everything.

         Love Elder Blackburn

This is the small village where we waited to go to the waterfall.

Here is a picture of a lady with a baby on her back.  

Sometimes they are carrying things on their heads too.

Post #15

Hello Everyone,
          So I’m doing fine and I’m still alive. haha…. Well this past week was good. My new companion is good. The weather has been really really nice this past week. Its been cloudy, and it lightly rains quite often. But from mid morning to late afternoon, most of the time, the sun is just scorching. It feels like it’s right above you. I can barely open my eyes when it’s like that, cuz it’s so bright. Thank you so much for the package, especially for the priceless pictures. They are awesome.
          So yes, there are eight missionaries in Obuasi that live with me now. Their names are Elder Barker - Indiana, Okuchukwu - Nigeria, Okoro - Nigeria, Gakaka - S. Africa, Anderson - Texas, Sonpon - Liberia, then me and my companion. Its pretty crazy at times. It gets dirty easy, but we clean it good every Monday.
          This past week we were able to go to a place called Akrofoum. (it’s a village). We went with two other missionaries for a family home evening. We took a tro tro for about a half hour from Obuasi. We rode in a really old/crappy one. There was Reggie playing really loud and it was probably going around 70mph down this crappy road out through the jungle. I thought to myself; I’m really in Africa!!  This is awesome!!  I still can’t believe that I’m actually here at times.
          We are teaching this new guy named Steven.  He has a baptismal date for the 18.  The only thing he needs to do is to come to church. That’s the only problem with the people we teach. (coming to church)!!  But he has given us a bunch of referrals, and we are planning on contacting them this week. I have not been able to talk in church yet. The missionaries here don’t talk in Sacrament. But we do have to teach the investigators class. I think I’m next, for the next week, or the week after. So the discussions with the investigators, I am the one that takes the lead, and keeps the lesson going pretty much, and saves it when it gets too deep. So it pretty sweet. There is only so much we can do to help someone, but for them to know the truth, they have to pray. That is one thing that she does not want to do when we come. But she is getting better. The Branch here in Obuasi had a BBQ this past Saturday. There are a bunch of Australians that are here because of the gold mining. They put on the BBQ, and had chicken breasts and some kind of sausages. It was pretty good. It was nice to actually have some nice looking and tasting meat for once.
          So the highlight of this week was on Thursday. We were walking in town, and three guys on horses came running through town riding bareback and yelling and hollering. All they had on the horses was a halter, and they were wearing rubber boots. I guess thats Ghanian cowboys for ya. hahaha....  It was quite the site.
          So it is good to hear that you had a good time at the reunion. It sounds like the mountain is looking as good as ever, and the cows doing great. It’s always good to have lots of good help pushin em off to Snow Lake. I bet that it was fun and nice to get out of the heat. I can’t believe that it’s fair time again.  WOW!! It seems like yesterday that I was dragging Chap around with the horse in the Hide Race.   So just remember that you are always on my mind, and all the memories we have had together.  I really can’t believe that I have such a great family. I love you all, take care, have fun, and have a great week.
Love Elder Ty Blackburn

This is an open pit goldmine on the hill.  

They are everywhere!!!

This is me pounding fufu. 

First it's boiled, and then pounded into a dough.

Post #14

Hello Everyone,
          Haha… Here it is Monday again. lol  Well this week was good for me and my new companion here in Obuasi. His name is Elder Cockrum. He is an awesome companion. It feels nice to be Senior companion now. I am the one that makes all the decisions, and takes the lead in most all of the teachings. He comes from a place called West Plains, Missouri.   He is a really big hunter and comes from a farm.  He was a Rock Mason with his dad before he came. When he came, we were able to kind of start a new page, and focus on contacting and finding more people to teach. We decided to start to proselyte in a different part of our area called “Estate”.  Me and my new companion are getting along very well, we are both O' Bronie!! (Its Twi for white man). So we get a lot of that, and an occasional China!! So yes I can speak a little twi.  Just small talk, Kakrakakra, hahaha it means small small.  I am always listening to em talk, and doing that has helped.
          So one of our people we usually greet and talk to on our way to our area, she just gave birth. She really likes my name, and always says it. So she decided to name her baby boy “Blackburn!!!”  haha… pretty cool I guess.
          We are hoping to have 2 baptisms on the 11th of August. We are still working on Rosca. I have been really studying the scriptures and trying to study doctrine. These people here always have lots of questions, especially about the Bible. So I’m progressing little by little.
          This last Wednesday, some of us went to Kumasi to get our new companions. I was able to see Stetson, and bunch of other of my MTC Mates.  They are doing good, and have lost a little weight. So not too much news on any one new.  We were able to help someone pound FuFu!! It was pretty fun. So this week, nothing much too exciting; just another week on Mission.
          I hope that you liked the small gifts that Jason delivered to you. They aren’t much, but I thought that I ought to do something like that. When I come home, I will really bring Africa home with me.  The place where they sell the wood carvings is pretty crazy! They really want your money, especially if you are white. I would have to say that since I have been here, I have become quite the negotiator and learned how to "JEW" them down. Hahaha…
          So I hope that you have a good time on the Mountain, and get all the cows moved. I bet that it looks good with all the rains. So yes, getting out of this heat and humidity is something that I always think about. On some days, the sun is almost too hot to even stand out in it. So I would have to say that I am suffering over here when it comes to he heat….When I get back, I won't know how to act.  Hahaha..  I hope you have a good and profitable week, and make sure to enjoy your self on the Mtn.
Take care, and thanks again for everything.
              Love You all,
        Elder Ty Blackburn

P-Day in Kumasi.  

I met up with Elder Larsen who was returning home to Loa, Utah after 2 years. 

 I sent home some African souvenirs with him. 

Elder Meredith and I with Rosca.  

Post #13

Hi Everyone,
          Well here it is Monday again. It seems like I’m just skipping from Monday to Monday. So this week was good.  I have not been sick, and am feeling good.  So my companion Elder Meredith is being transferred to a place called Bibiani. On Wednesday, I'm going to Kumasi to drop my companion off.  He is taking Elder Larsen’s place as District leader, and I am going to be with one of my MTC mates; Elder Cockrum, from Missouri. I am very exited to be getting a new companion.  I’m going to be senior companion.  It will be good.  I’m going to have to step it up a little more. So all the missionaries that have served here in Obuasi have serve here for about 7-9 months; so I imagine I will be here until Christmas. Maybe by then, I will be able to train.
          So I guess I have lost weight..   Hahaha… You think so? I guess that most of the missionaries loose weight in Ghana. Well, we usually walk 5-7 miles a day. Our area is far from our apartment, so we usually take a tro and then when we come back, we walk. And my pants are baggy. I had to buy a new pair. They are kind of bell bottoms. And I have started to exercise in the mornings. When I do, I feel a lot better, rather than if I don’t.
          We keep the apartment clean. We clean it really good on Mondays. The only person that does not like to clean is Elder Barker, and his companion. The flooring in my room is like a lenolium. It’s really easy to clean. So about the spiders and crazy creatures. I have seen many lizards, spiders, but not snakes yet. They say there are many black and green mambas around.  They say, because of all the mining, the wildlife has moved out.
          So my highlight of this week was; when we were coming back to the apartment and we were walking, we saw a bunch of people standing in a circle shouting and yelling. So when we got close, we asked a guy what was going on. He said that they caught some armed robbers trying to steal fruit. He said they were going to beat them or stone them. … Pretty crazy!!
          We are still planning on baptizing Rosca; probably not until the 11th of August. She gave us some small apple pies (like you buy at McDonalds) again, yesterday. She is powerful! We are planning on baptizing her, and maybe another guy.  I am going to do a combined one with Elder Barker. So President Holmes is always opening areas that have never seen or had missionaries before. I hope I will be able to be a missionary that could open up a new area one day.
          So I am doing fine, and I can’t believe that I have been out three months. WOW!!  They say that is what happens when you work. I can’t believe that you are cutting second crop already. It seems just yesterday you told me you were going to cut first crop. Haha… That is really good to hear that Belle and Chap are working hard; and fighting over what to do. Trying to fill my shoes. Haha.. Keep up the good work. So thanks again for everything.  I miss you all.
            Love Ty

This is me and the other missionaries that I live with.  

This is my bed.  It wasn't too comfy at first, but now its fine. 

It's pretty nice to have a fan blowing on me all night.

This is our apartment. Its huge!! 

 It's one of the nicest apartments in the Ghana, Kumasi Mission. 

It's very roomy. 

Post #12

Hi All,

          So this past week has again flew by. I have been able to stay busy. I have found that when I get discouraged or depressed, I tell my companion, “Lets go to work, we are here for only two years, lets make the most of it”. I have found that when I work, my days are much better. So yes, it has been raining just about everyday, and it is always muddy and wet now a days. It also sounds like you have been having some good storms. All the prayers and the fasts worked. We can always liken this to the Book of Mormon. When they lived righteously, they were blessed, and they prospered and flourished in all that they did. So it goes to show that you are living right. 

         I was all smiles while I read your email. Hearing about all the hard work you and the family are doing. You don’t know how good it makes me feel to hear all of these great things happening. I know that it is because of my service, and also all the prayers. It also sounds like you had a good time at Elkhorn as a family. I bet it was a lot of fun to get away and to relax.

         So yesterday we had a Branch Conference. Our Mission President, President Holmes, came and gave us all a really powerful message. Especially the members! The members here need a lot of work and help. They just come to church on Sundays, and then go home. They don’t do home teaching, weekly activities, helping the missionaries, feeding the missionaries, etc.. So I think that yesterday helped a lot. 

        So this past weeks highlight would have to be when we were teaching this lady named Barbara. She is middle age women who is a teacher. She has been dodging us and making excuses. But last Wednesday, we went to her house and asked if we could teach her. So we started to teach her the Plan of Salvation. So about half way through she started to cry when we were reading from the Book of Mormon. The spirit was really strong, and now she is progressing good again. And another highlight is when we went to a place called Junction. It’s a very small town or village. I guess you could say (it’s where the roads of cape coast, Accra, Kumasi, and Obuasi meet). So on the way we passed a place where the houses were made of mud and sticks. They were all cooking with fire with big pots, and had their babies on there backs. I was not able to get a pic but maybe next time. It was really cool!!

        So I love hearing all about everything back home. I hope you are enjoying your summer break. Have a very good and profitable week.

            Love Your Son Elder Blackburn

 This guy handing out tomatoes was a very loud experience. 

There were many many ladies yelling and cussing in twi (Ashanti native language) pushing and shoving each other to get the best tomatoes. Hahaha…  

It was really quite something to see.

Post #11

Well Hello Everyone,
          I am doing well. This week has just been another week in Ghana. I am doing good though.  No I have not been sick lately.   hahaha. Yes, I am feeling fine; just homesick at times. I am very happy to hear that all is well and that the rains are starting to come. It sounds like the cows are doing good and that my cows are being watched over too. Its really good to hear those things.
          The only thing that really bothers me is my companion. He is a really big boss, and always likes to have his say in everything, o and he is a really big smacker. Gad, about to drive me up a wall. But other than that, I’m just kicking it one day at a time. I really love Mondays though, they are my favorite. I get to listen to music, and see how everybody and everything is back home.
          We are still teaching the Rosca lady. This past week we gave her a baptismal date and she accepted for the 27 of July. And yesterday she gave us some small meat pies, and she says this week she will give me my apple pie.  So stuff like that makes Ghana more enjoyable at times.
          The poverty is really bad. They say that Ghana is the 3rd poorest country in the world.  So yes, it’s real poverty for sure.  It’s definately a humbling experience too.
          So the food is getting better. I am able to eat fufu now, but as for the other exotic foods its still pretty hard for me to take. My gag reflexes are still strong.. Hahaha…
           So. I hope you all have a very fun time with family this weekend on the mountain. Give it a HELLO from Ty would ya. hahaha. ..You know that I am very jealous and wish I could be there, but this is where I am suppose to be right now at this point in my life. I can’t believe it’s almost been three months since I left. Man, I am going to be home before you know it and everything will be in order and taken care of thanks to great men like my dad. I really appreciate you and all that you are doing for me. Also since I have been on my mission, I have realized the importance of families. And how we can all return back to our Heavenly Father and be Families Forvever. I love you and always am praying for each and everyone of you. So take care, till next week.
         Love you,  Elder Blackburn