The Abomosu Mini-Mini MTC

The Abomosu Branch future missionaries (41 with leaders) along with our English speaking Group 23 during a visit they made to the Big City - first trip for most of them out of their village. Besides the MTC they hit the Temple Site, Airport, University and the Police Station (???) They all made the five hour drive in this van. Yes, when the doors were pried open forty-one individual personages fell out and filed into the MTC - loaded with smiles - even though packed like sardines – they brought a wonderful spirit to the Garden of Eden.

Here they were being taught how to become Proactive. “Between those two fingers is a brain and God intended us to use it. If He could create a world, and he has made us to be like him, then we too must have unlimited potential. We go on missions to help us learn how to unleash some of that potential power.” Everyone commited to come to the Garden of Eden when they were old enough. Meanwhile they promised to work on five things.
1) Become like Nephi
2) Become a Proactive Latter-day Saint
3) Be a 100%er in Seminary
4) ACAD (Read A Chapter A Day from the BOM)
5) ASAW (Memorize A Scripture A Week until their mission)

What a trip this had been. WE have visited the Garden of Eden (MTC), the Temple, and we are going to the Airport, what more in the world could there be?

Man Can Live by Bread Alone (Not)

The Temple Bread man - this is our Bread 'store'. This good brother bakes two days per week in his home and then hits the street two days each week to peddle his wares. Every Tuesday he arrives at the temple site with a 'trunk' full of white or brown loafs or rolls. Within an hour his pockets are bulging with money and his car will be empty. It so happens he is open for business on the only day we go to the temple with our missionaries so we can load up our trunk before we feast on the 'real' bread of life inside the temple. When his four days of baking and selling are done he spends the next two days inside the temple working as an ordinance worker. His wife of many years is not a member - figure that one out - she assists in the bakery but not the bread of life. By the way the bread is 6,000 cd's per loaf or about $.65 (price went up from $.55 when we first came - dang inflation - glad the temple prices haven't gone up).

"They needed some air"

As we stepped out of our apartment we were met in the hallway by these eight shoes who were looking quite ready to tell us a story - it was a simple one - the two Sisters explained, "They needed some Air". With that logical explanation we continued on our way but immediately, we began noticing our own breathing and realised how totally accurate they were - it is nice to have plenty of air. Often in our busy life we forget about some of the simple things - some air to breathe, some 'rays' to feel, some water to drink, someone's hand to hold.

A Missionary Family

The James William and Carolyn Orton Ritchie family as of August 2001. The picture is full of missionaries and future missionaries.
Several membes of the James W. & Carolyn O. Ritchie family expanded to incude Grandma Elda Ritchie (just a few months following the passing of the Patricarch Leon J. Ritchie) and Dr. Keith Leon and Vera Butler Ritchie, the oldest Ritchie son along with most of his family. They were holding their annual reunion (Jim and Carolyn had returned to Africa). The Reunion had been named the The Ritchie Rockfest (Helaman 5:12).

The missions served by the members of this expaned family are worth recording. Leon and Elda Ritchie had two sons, Keith Leon and James William. The mission list is as follows:

Leon and Elda Ritchie - Rapid City South Dakota Mission

Leon and Elda Ritchie - Manila Phillipines Temple Mission

Keith Leon Ritchie - Sweden Stockholm Mission

James William Ritchie - Scottish Mission

Vera Butler Ritchie - Southeast British Mission

James W. & Carolyn O. Ritchie - Mission President Virginia Roanoke Mission

James W. & Carolyn O. Ritchie - Hamilton New Zealand CES Mission

James W. & Carolyn O. Ritchie - Africa Southeast CES Area Director Mission

James W. & Carolyn O. Ritchie - MTC President, Ghana West Africa Mission

Keith L. and Vera B. Ritchie - Mission President, Sweden Stockholm Mission

Bryan Ritchie (Keith and Vera) - Thailand Mission

Brent Ritchie (Keith and Vera) - North Carolina Mission

Bruce Ritchie (Keith and Vera) - Brazil Rio de Janero Mission

Craig Ritchie (Keith and Vera) - California Ventura Mission

Alison Ritchie Murri (Keith and Vera) - Italy Pravda Mission

Dan Murri (Alison's husband) - Brazil Belle Horizonte Mission

Cameron Ritchie (Keith and Vera) - England Manchester Mission

M'Recia Ritchie Clawson - Virginia Roanoke Mission

Charles C. Clawson - (M'Recia's husband) - Norway Misson

Michelle Ritchie Parker - Brazil Sao Paulo North Mission
Chad Parker (Michelle's husband) - Virginia Roanoke Mission

Wendy Ritchie Heywood - Spain Madrid Mission

Rob D. Heywood (Wendy's husband) - Texas Fort Worth Mission

Ryan James Ritchie - Nevada Las Vegas Spanish Mission

Paul William Ritchie - Mexico Puebla Mission

Robert Tyler Ritchie - Guam Micronesia Mission

Adrienne and Curtis Clyde - Heber City South Mission

Jonathan Joseph Ritchie - Scotland Edinburgh Mission

Eliza Evensen Ritchie (Jonathan's wife) - Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission

Thirty five (35) full time missions.

Sixty Nine (69) years of full time service.

The Jim and Carolyn Ritchie children in their Pre-Mission years.

Back Row: Paul, M'Recia, Ryan, Michelle and Wendy

Front Row; Adrienne, Jonathan and Tyler

In Hawaii with all the returned missionaries and their families and Grandma Ritchie on the eve of Jonathan and Eliza's marriage. Jim and Carolyn were on 'leave' (with permission) from their Africa West Assignment for the wedding and a several year pre-planned family outing.

August was a mighty big month for the Ritchie's

The two superstars of the month are Cole Richard Ritchie (who 'dropped' in on the 24th of the month, at the hefty poundage of nearly 9 big ones) and Chase James Ritchie, his brother (born 6 February of this year) who was sealed to his family on the 13th in the Salt Lake Temple.
The official picture of Cole Richard Ritchie born on 24th August - the youngest of four small children - the oldest won't be four until Christmas Day - so if you want to enjoy changing diapers, drop into Cole's house and take your pick - they guarantee to always have one 'ripe, and ready for harvest'.
Jessica, the mother of the youngest Ritchie crop, celebrated her birthday on the 8th - and is seen here with her crew, Jackson, Madison and her husband, Ryan who is holding Chase at the Salt Lake Temple where Chase was just sealed to his family, only eleven days before his little brother, Cole was born - (the superstar of the month - see above). Busy and exciting month for this family.
This picture does not totally represent the raving beauties these three young ladies have become (and it is a few years old) but the only photo we have on file here in the jungles of Africa, so they will have to live with it until they send me better or more updated 'shots'. Two of these future Miss America's had birthdays during the month, McKinzie's (right) turned over double digits (10) on the 3rd, and Allie (the oldest Ritchie grandchild) in the middle, offically became a teenager (13) and wanted to know if she could borrow the car. She also became an offical missionary letter writer with her own email account and has flooded cyberspace with letters, quizzes, questions and other salient information composed in every font size and writing style which has made her missionaries very happy campers. (By the way Allie, it's your turn...). McKinzie has been busy his summer with moving to St. George with her family and starting in a brand new school, a school that just opened its doors this year. Kylie, the other star of the picture, is part of the show but not celebrating a birthday this month. More on her during her month of celebration.
Jonathan's 24th birthday was on 23 August. They too, have had a very busy month. They are seen here with President and Sister Gunnell, the Accra Ghana Temple president and matron, and brightening the photo is Eliza, Jonathan's beautiful and vivacious wife. They visited us in West Africa in June. Jonathan just graduated from BYU, accepted employment in Las Vegas, bought a home and moved to that warm and exploding city - all within a few short weeks. Hope he stopped long enough to eat his birthday cake.
Robert Tyler Ritchie, in his fine attire and beautified by his bride, Emily, also increased his age (28) on the 25th. He too has had a busy summer. In early Spring a special bug 'found' him, and nearly 'done him in'...he survived with good medicine, a great bedside nurse (Emily) and temples literally all over the world with his name lying on their alters. He also graduated from University, accepted employment - also in Las Vegas - bought a home and as we speak is unloading his few belongings in their first home. Katelyn, pictured above and below, is seen at her best - and her most curious. She celebrated her 1st birthday on the 26th, just one day after her father, Tyler pictured above. She is one of four grandchildren who have been born (and therefore unseen in living color) since we came back to Africa on this second tour of duty.

Savannah, a beauty and a brain, is celebrating her 10th birthday on the 29th of this month. She has been a good writer to her grandparents and has always lived to make her parents and grandparents very proud. She is most competitive and enjoys the Blue Ribbons of life - recently breaking some running records at the local country fair with her race ready legs. Can't wait to cheer her, her brothers and cousins as they run again next year.

Kezia's Grandparents

Sister Ritchie has found her a cutie - Kezia - who has totally adopted her as her offical grandma and it has made this Grandma of 26 - almost 27 - very homesick to hold the 'rest' of her brood. Checkout the smile (Kezia's) - she has everyone falling all over themselves to cater to her every need (but then everyone feels that way about the other 'smiler' as well).

Grandpa Jim has never been a natural with this type of work until they reach at least 14 - more honest would be 18 - 30 but this little sweetheart only speaks one discernabale word and it sure sounds like 'grannpah'. Even during the morning devotional when the intercom and microphone are on and his voice is being broadcast all over the building, Kezia will hear his voice and with her most cutest pointing finger call for her next favorite lap to sit on. Maybe there is hope for the 'ol man' yet...

An Eternal Bond

Elder Dixon from Kaysville, Utah and Elder Grah from Abobo, Ivory Coast

Today was a mighty fine day for our Missionary Training Center. We were the center of the universe for two young men. One, Elder Georges Grah was on his 12th day in the MTC and Elder Dixon was on his 730th day and heading home to his ‘new’ life. Elder Dixon had just finished his mission in Cameroon, a French speaking country East of us – and a part of the new Cape Coast Mission.

One year ago Elder Dixon was in the Ivory Coast and was part of the evacuation of the “White” missionaries during their political and civil turmoil. Just before he left he was a key player in the conversion and baptism of Georges Grah. Today, barely one year later this ‘last convert’ is a full time missionary and is preparing to return to his country to do what Elder Dixon has done for him – give others a total new way of life.

As they embraced and some ‘not few tears’ flowed it was a very reflective moment for all of us who were witnesses to this eternal bonding that was happening right before our eyes. The bond between a convert and a missionary is truly an eternal one.

In our morning devotional, after we asked Elder Dixon to bear his testimony, we shared some stories of some eternal bonds we had created since my Scottish days in the early 60’s with Elder Haight. I shared a wonderful experience where Carolyn and I had been in the Sydney Temple during our mission to that part of the world. I had borrowed the President’s phone and as I exited his office, the Temple secretary who had overheard me introducing myself on the telephone asked, “Are you the Jim Ritchie from Heber City, Utah?” When she could tell by my expression that I was, she continued with, “You baptized me 40 years ago in Scotland”. The re-connection and the email relationship that has occurred is priceless as we have each shared our histories, challenges and family growth since those days in Glasgow - truly an example of an eternal bond.

We also pondered the next 40 years that Elders Dixon and Grah will share their experiences – mostly via email. Elder Grah will send pictures of his mission successes, future bride, family, church leadership experiences and then pictures of the day he will escort his children to the Temple and the MTC. Elder Grah will share with his children the feelings he had the day he was with Elder Dixon - his ‘converting’ Elder – when they met at the MTC in 2005. Elder Dixon and his family will shed tears of joy as they read, remember and reflect on Elder Grah and his family.
The bonds that missions create are truly Eternal – and bring us ‘never ending happiness’. The memories of Members, Converts, companions, leaders, investigators, merchants and neighbors all become a part of the mosaic of one of the most incredible memories that God has foreordained for us to share. Missions truly are miracle making moments.

Elders Dixon and Grah with Sister Ritchie and Elder and Sister Snow of the Seventy who were also with us for a Devotional

P.S. As I concluded this writing and added this picture I was struck with the thought about the impact that missions have had on the six of us pictured above (including the picture taker).Where else but in the Lord’s church would you find six full time volunteers – with six totally unique histories - meeting in a remote town in Ghana where the six have combined for 20 full time missions and 42 years of full time volunteer service – in three languages. When you add their children and their spouses, you begin reaching "a lot" of missions. That's a lot of Eternal Bonding.

Elder and Sister Lowell "Rusty" and Tamara Snow

Elder and Sister Lowell Snow, the newest member of the West African Area Presidency visited the MTC where they both spoke to our missionaries. The church is very small when it comes to events that shape and impact our lives. Forty eight years ago - 1957 - as a fourteen year old I went on a National Boy Scout Jamboree to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and because we were only two from Heber City we were assigned to a Troop from St. George Utah with a Scout Master by the name of Snow and a troop full of Boy Scouts from St. George, among them a thirteen year old with rusty colored hair and therefore earned the right to 'go by' Rusty. I had not seen 'Rusty' nor had any dealings with him nor remembered him in any way until meeting him in the parking lot of the West Africa Area Offices on his first morning arriving to work in Accra. It was not his Rusty hair - because it is now 'not' Rusty, but instead something about him rattled a memory of a hot train ride across the United States many years ago and a dusty march into a centeral camping area with a young man who everyone referred to as Rusty. Imagine, I can't remember what I had for dinner last night but I remembered a thirteen year old scout named Rusty. Well today he is Elder Lowell "Not Rusty" Snow and accompanied by his eternal companion Tammy, mother of five and grandmother of twelve. They delivered a marvelous 'pair of counsels' to some very attentive missionaries.

Also, Carolyn and Elder Snow 'grew' up together in St. George - same class in school until "Rusty" split from St. George and 'went North' during his high school days. She had never had occasion to run into him again but between St. Geoge growing up memories, mutual friends and Valley Forge swapping neckerchiefs, we were not without converstion material.

They had dinner with us - food is always good and will sustain life but when we have special guests we eat a notch above normal. We love having guests. Also Sister Vivian and Elder Mintah our two French Teachers 'dined' with us.

Elder Dixon from Kaysville dropped by on his way home from Camaroon where he finished his mission and spent the night with us because the mission home is too far away in Cape Coast to make the journey there and back before flight time to Kaysville International Airport. It was a special experience for both Elder Dixon and one of our missionaries, Elder Grah because Elder Dixon had baptized our Elder just over a year ago and the reunion was special for all of us. (Read "An Eternal Bond" on this web site)

NO FREE LUNCH

NO FREE LUNCH ... Except at the MTC

The man asked me if I had ever shopped at K-Mart? That seemed like a strange question to ask me over the phone on a Saturday morning. I cautiously answered in the affirmative which seemed to be the right answer because he then informed me that my name had been drawn as the grand prize winner in a contest they had just concluded at the local Simi Valley store. He kept calming my skeptical heart with the parade of prizes that were now mine and asked me to come to the local store to pick up my award certificate. I was never asked for a check or a credit card number or to pay $49.95 or any such usual request that often accompanied these ‘freebies’. Finally I began to accept this ten day trip to Hawaii (for two) together with $10,000 cash as being ‘for real’ and I began to let my mind start visualizing the romantic beaches of Waikiki.

The drive across Simi Valley freeway to the K-Mart off ramp seemed longer than usual and the brisk walk to the managers office was continuously interrupted by customers and merchandise being marketed along the path. Finally, my proactive knock on the door announced my arrival. They seemed to take longer than good customer service prescribed to open the door, but finally I was face to face with an ‘authoritative’ person who was capable of ‘making my day’ with my PRIZE CERTIFICATE. My pride made it difficult to grovel and ask for it as I thought it would have been far better to have already posted a welcome sign for such a winner, have the cameras ready and the band prepared to play, but instead she stands there and makes me ask for it.

“Hi”, I finally say, “I’m James W. Ritchie (pause, hoping for the band to begin to play) the prize winner (the words were coming a little slower but hoping the convincing smile on my face made up for the horrible thought that was beginning to curl up in my stomach) – the grand ... prize ... winner!??” The look on her face was worse than the answer but her words made an unforgettable grove in my cerebral cortex as they bore deep into my small little mind, “You too, huh?” (Dale Carnegie’s book on How to Win Friends... would never have trained her to use the word, “Huh?” – that was totally an unnecessary overkill and of very poor cultural taste.) She could have began her speech with, “I’m sorry” or some other softening blow, but no, it had to be quite loud and condescending, “YOU TOO, HUH?” I saw her lips moving some more and she said something about being the tenth person that day who had come to claim this non-existent prize but I really didn’t care what else she had to say. I made some childish responses where I claimed to dislike Hawaii and how money is the root of all evil and I hate to travel, especially to islands with beaches and resort hotels and coconuts and pineapples, places where people peel my grapes...all the while I was backing up and hoping few had seen this stake president who had fallen for the ‘sucker of the week award’.

On the way home I started to laugh at myself (beats crying) and remembered words that my parents had drilled home during my growing up years on the poultry farm: “There aint no free lunch!” I thought about how easy it was to dupe me when it seemed the offer was something of value and my effort was unnecessary to receive it. I’m the kind of guy who has sent in some of the Readers Digest Sweepstakes but never dared admit it – hoping that this one time I might get something with no more investment than the postage stamp. I knew better, I had been taught better – those things in life that really mattered were nearly always the items with the most expensive price tag. But a free lunch was still appealing and I had fallen for it again.

The lessons are numerous. Consider these thoughts. Why doesn’t Heavenly Father show us all where the gold mines are? Help us ‘find oil’? Or let us heal everyone with our Priesthood Power? Or let us learn the great lessons of life at the beach instead of from the sweat falling from our brow? Why can’t we get our Return Missionary Honorable Release with a mini-mission instead of a two-year course in Mountaintop I? Why do we have to knock on so many doors to find the Elect? (He knows where they are, why not do the ‘Passover thing’ on each door to save us a lot of time?) Why do we have to get up with the Chickens to get the ‘worm’? Why does a university degree take so many years? Why can’t money compound quicker? Why do I have to choose between my Gold Account and a Houseboat on Lake Powell? Golf Lessons and a mission to Mongolia – even Outer Mongolia?

Let me use missionary work as an example and try to share why it ‘must’ be difficult. If we tried to exercise the attributes of a Return Missionary, like total obedience or Proactively or automatic and proven leadership and we did it without those attributes being driven into our character and embedded so deep so that no matter the circumstances we would never falter, we would fail under crisis. We have to become Like Unto Moroni. We must be automatic. WE must never waiver. Those attributes don’t come with a one time test or a weekend wonder. They come with consistent and uncompromising effort. They take time to measure. They take time to harden the spiritual muscle and resolve. They take time to prove that the joy that comes from those hardened spiritual muscles are far more rewarding than the quick fleeting feelings of pleasures that the K-Marts certificates have to offer.

THERE AINT NO FREE LUNCH! The sweat of our brow was the Lord’s intended school master. He said, “There is a law upon which all blessings are predicated...” He called it the ‘”Law of the Harvest”- “As you sow, so shall ye reap.”

So, I have decided that I had better forget about the Readers Digest Sweepstakes or the K-Mart Hawaii Grand Prizes or the Idaho Lottery and I will forget about Ed McMann showing up on my front porch (besides even if he drew my name, once he found out we were in Africa he would draw again – just my luck).

If you see me on the beaches of Waikiki you can bet your savings that either I paid my own way or my kids sent me – that’s as close to a free lunch as I’m going to get. You ever dream of eating Lunch in the Celestial Kingdom? I’m told that once you are inside the gate, Lunch is Free – They call it the Celestial Exception.

Wisdom's Works of Wonder

How would you like to be able to take a piece of wood and in a few 'days' create this piece of work? His name is Wisdom and he's good. We have had a harder time helping him learn 'wisdom' when it comes to his business practices but if he ever gets as good with his money management as he is with his hands he will also be much more self-reliant.
These two pieces - one his famous Noah's Ark and the other one his equally well known Nativity Scene are also masterpieces of work. They take weeks to produce and his bill for each will be about $100. Don't try and order as he is backed up for months - better just admire the beauty from here.

Group 23 and their 'Attending Angel'

Eight future Stake Presidents and two future Relief Society Presidents plus some friends and supporters as they attend the Ghana Temple for their first visit
Four young men from the Ivory Coast, one from deep inside the Congo, three Elders from Nigeria, three Sisters from Ghana, a teacher and our MTC Counselor, Bro. Ajeigbe join us on the 'Hyde Park' lawn outside the Ghana MTC for our Sunday picture.
"How Beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of them that bringth good tidings" (D&C 128:19)

The 'feet' of our missionaries - and a 'Friend' - on the sacred grounds of the Accra Temple.

(Even one of the Angel's who protect these missionaries wanted in the picture - only the pure in heart can see him.)

The Sisters and a Friend

Sister Vfokuo, Teacher, Sisters Owusu, Ritchie, Mensah and Selasi
Most of the same Sisters with a Friend

The first day to the temple for our missionaries is always a big day for them and for us. This was the first day to have one of our new teachers with us, who had just returned from her mission to the Ivory Coast and Sister Selasi, the MTC Chief Custodian who is known as "Deep Clean" as she enjoyed her first trip to the temple.

I am an Expert Witness

I WANT TO BE AN EXPERT WITNESS TO THESE...

I WAS ALSO A WITNESS TO THIS...

I've dreamed of having this happen to me while driving in Africa (or anywhere for that matter). You are passing a car or van with traffic coming towards you and the unit your passing decides to pull out and race along side and suddenly you find yourself 'facing' disaster and not just a normal every day disaster but a really 'BIG' disaster - a big green truck...you have nowhere to go so you try and cut back in but it is too late...Yesterday this happened right here in 'River City' - exactly in front of the MTC and I was a witness! I'm only outdoors about once every three years and at that one moment I'm outside those three cars came together - liteally - right in front of my eyes and ears...I really was a living witness.

As I thought about this experience and took a picture of the three car crash I couldn't help but compare me being a witness in the crash to what we do here inside the MTC - we are teaching our missionaries how to be witnesses. The better they are able to 'see' the Atonement; the better they are able to 'see' the Sacred Grove; those who have put Moroni to the test - they become the best Witnesses. When they 'know' those events happened and they 'know' the Book of Mormon is the world of God - they become powerful - expert - witnesses. They become as good of a witness to the First Vision as I was to that wreck which I watched happen. I know those three cars collided and I know even more assuraedly that Joseph Smith was not alone that day in the grove. I am an expert witness to a car crash and to a Restoration and the amazing thought I had as I compared the two events is that I know with more surety about the Restoration than the wreck I just 'saw' a few hours ago.

At the MTC we are here to prepare witnesses - expert witnesses - witnesses who know that Jesus is the Christ and who know it better than if their own eyes had seen him. And besides, today, the wreck is gone and all evidence that it happened has been towed away - all I have left to prove it ever happened is my picture and my memory, and it will fade with time - but, the Restoration is different - as I read my Book of Mormon today the Restoration became even more real than it was yesterday. I think I'm Stickin' with the Restoration - I know it happened and yesterday is already getting fuzzy.

Ghana Sisters

Some African Sisters and a couple of North American 'enterlopers' who 'snuck' into the picture. These sisters were at temple site to take part in the movie being made by the church. They are all employees who came in their 'normal' (not) work dress to be in the movie.

Kezia

KEZIA

Meet Kezia, our most recent granddaughter - Ok, that's not quite the turth, but when she sees me she puts on a charming smile and calls me 'Gra-pa' so what more could you ask? She is our youngest 'missionary'. She is the daughter of one of our chef's and comes to work with her mother everyday - her father is in America trying to get an education and has yet to met this future Miss World. Pretty hard for Grandma Carolyn, especially, not to do some lovin' of this little African beauty.

Selasi Sampson aka "Deep Clean"

Stage Name: “DEEP CLEAN”

Meet Selasi (Wonder Woman) Sampson or ‘Deep Clean’ as she is better known here in these parts. She is shown here in one of her ‘rooms’ - we know it as the Chapel or Assembly Room – but to her it is one of her sanctuaries where not a single dust particle escapes her dreaded ‘most wanted’ list. It may sneak into her building but it will die before it can cause any damage.

My Mother was one of the hardest working women I have ever known. Nola Davis, Florence McDonald, Pat Duke, Nellie, Merle and Reva were no slouches with a broom and a dust mop...my wife has always run a microscopically clean ship, but with each of them I could – if I would have had a mind to (don’t remember ever doing it, but...) - sneak up on a lamp shade or under the dining room table and on a bad day find two or three of those sneaky dust babies who got away from their persistent and through mop...

But I don’t think anyone has ever been known to escape the clutches of ‘DEEP CLEAN’. Let me share some evidence. I have yet to come back to our apartment after she has polished the last doorknob and find anything that has not been sanitized and Celestialized. The TV and VCR have always got to be re-tuned as she can’t resist cleaning every button and not just the top of each button but around and in the valleys between buttons - she can’t help herself – even after I explain to her that I’m a technological reject and how I struggle to master the on/off and change channel buttons on the remote - and if anything doesn’t come on with a push of either of those two buttons I go into deep depression - even after I plead with her that those few particles that fall between the buttons will last until January she can’t stand to leave the room without them knowing she saw them ‘go in’ and they must ‘come out’.

More evidence? The bottles on everything in the bathroom are closed and sealed shut. The taps are turned so tight (she’s not only through, she as strong as a team of oxen on the road to Zion) it takes a pipe wrench to get the water to even drip let alone flowing again (with some careful explanations about the sensitive nature of water gaskets she finally consented to stop putting the Herculean touch on the taps).

The soap bar (not just the dish) in the shower has been thoroughly scrubbed and properly placed in the dish - how much cleaner can you get than the soap bar? Why does it need cleansed and sanitized? I’m sure she has found the few little stashes of money I have ‘put away’ and hidden - I’ll bet she knows how much I have and has restacked each bill and placed them face up. Those are enough to make my point.

Oh, one more. One day the sound system in the building, died – that’s quite serious (not like Vietnam or Iraq, but for us, pretty emotional) Our Physical Facilities man happens by and with his expert help we discover the problem: Deep Clean had cleaned so deep that when she had sanitized (she never just cleans) the audio visual room she had probed so deep with her sticks and cleaners that she had hit an on/off switch so deep under equipment that Houdini or the Watergate crew couldn’t have found it – but Deep Clean had gone where no mop (or rag) had ever gone before.

She’s that good – probably the best – and we know that no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom - she will make it for sure.

What lessons can we learn from this amazing lady?
1) Be Clean.
2) Help others to be clean.
3) When you’re the best - you will be respected.
4) Your reputation is earned by your performance – therefore PERFORM well.

WE know we will never forget Selasi. ‘Deep Clean’ has earned her great reputation with Performance – that may be the old fashioned way – but it’s refreshing – and it smells good!

Fun Pictures

Here we are at "Show Time" with the Church Film Crew
President and Sister Ritchie at the Ghana MTC Sign

Our good friend and fellow home ward (Valley Hills 2nd Ward) member Richard Hart with us at the MTC
Scott Featherstone and Richard Hart getting the film "stuff" up to snuff and ready to work their magic.

The Movies

The Temple and the MTC in Ghana became the hottest new movie set for an upcoming ‘thriller’ to be produced by the Church. You won’t want to miss it - below are some sneak previews – never before released for human viewing (or non-human for that matter).
(See if you can pick out some of your favorite ‘stars’.)
Group 23 with teachers and staff in front of MTC
New Temple Video??Another Angle - Sun Worshippers? This is who they were all waving too – the camera man in ‘the’ Ghanaian Army helicopter.
I have no idea who this is or what many things could be said about such a totally perfect head but the study of this piece of work should not be taken lightly - or quickly!
(I thought I was sneaking a picture of the helicopter - I didn’t want to ruin the ‘shoot’.)

Start saving your money you won’t want to miss this box office record buster...