Like Unto Moroni or Like Unto Pele?

DECISION TIME! Elder Uriah Mensah Asante of Accra Ghana going to serve in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission had to make a more difficult decision than most. A star player for a Ghanaian national football club, he had a very bright future as a rising star and future football hero - a dream of nearly every young man from the time he kicks his first ball. He, with his mothers help, finally makes his decision and arrived at the MTC this week along with twenty seven other future church and community leaders. He put his mission ahead of his football ambitions.
With his valiant mum and a brother he arrives at the MTC. In his own words we share part of his story. "My family joined the church in 1985. My dad became the branch President and all of us were being raised in the church with a wonderful family, but then when I was eleven something happened. My dad was released as Branch President and he changed all of a sudden. He stopped going to church. We did all we could for him but things kept getting worse for him. He eventually left home, divorced my mum and I have never seen him since that day. You can imagine how we all felt. Things became very difficult for us. My mum did not earn much from her job and things got hard. My mum has been so very supportive, loving and caring in all things. In fact, she has made my dreams come true by helping me get to the MTC, she is so wonderful and I love her so much.

My mission was a very difficult decision, even though I had decided to go as a little boy. The missionary who baptized me made me to undestand the importance of missionary work. But when I was growing up and discovered a talent for football my thoughts also started changing. I then started thinking that school, football and money to help my mum were more important. I stopped planning for mission because I was gaining fame and money in Ghana Football. But, my mum sat me down and said to me that in everything we do we need to put God first and other things will follow. I was touched by what my mum said to me and here I am anxious to serve the Lord. 'When you do the Lord's work you will receive the Lord's pay'."