Ghana Gazette

With the Christmas rush over and the pressures we felt to keep their minds on the MTC and not home, it was a real treat to greet our next group of missionaries - they arrived (or were supposed to arrive) on January the 1st - but only one really got here as expected - he was the American from California, Elder Pito (Polynesian background)had never been out of USA.. - the Nigerians were all bumped from the morning flight to the last evening flight, our two french men (From France no less - our first that we have experienced) we didn't even think were coming because of visa problems and had it not been for a worried mother who coaxed the French Mission President to phone and see if the two elders had arrived okay, we would not have been at the airport to greet them. Our missionaries coming from the Congo got into Addis Abbaba to discover the flight they thought they were coming on wasn't coming - they'd have to stay over two days in Ethiopia to get the next one, but one did leave the next day so they were only 1 day late - so we were basically a day late getting started. It also marked the first time that we have had more French speakers (7) thans English speakers (5). And for President Nielson, it was so good to hear the French French again - I had forgotten how fast they can sometimes speak (thanks Elder Richard) - and how nice the sounds flow. They were a super compatible group and did a great deal of mixing - even given the difference in languages. A great way to start off the new and second year of our assignment.