Adventures of the American Law Student in Africa: "Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods"

Ghana has two missions and several stakes. The Woodwards (the senior couple that live below me) invited me to attend church with them this week in the furthest remote ward of the stake. That is the ward to which they are assigned and go to every week. Always up for some adventure I accepted the 7:00 am whistle and traveled to the city of (well I don’t remember, but it was an hour drive west). The ward building (pictured below) was standing room only, and those who showed up late (many did) often endured the embarrassment of wondering around the small room. The church rents the building for them to meet in and a new chapel will be completed by the end of July. It was a fun meeting and I enjoyed all three hours. I found the title of the first talk interesting “Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me.” Once again, I was taken back by the boldness of the sister declaring that there was too much worldliness around us. I couldn’t help but wonder “if she only knew” or “what is she talking about?” I guess it just goes to show that worldliness isn’t what you have, but what you aspire to have. I found the setting for the talk most enjoyable and enriching. I would have never have come away with the same message had I been sitting in my Provo ward. After church I tagged along with the Elder Woodward as we went on Elder’s Quorum visits. I think only 1 out of the 5 we tried to visit were actually home, but I never went up to the door. I just walked with them down the streets (mud paths). Elder Woodward drives one of the only 3 cars in the entire ward. So when he comes down they try to use him to get out and see some members of the ward. I actually had a partner who decided to endure the extra driving in exchange for a ride home. 20 years old, he too had been a member his whole life. As we crossed over a mud washed road he commented, “not like in America, where everything is clean and proper.” I told him that it is true that the roads are paved but the families are often falling apart. “What do you mean” he asked. I attempted to explain the best I could some of the failings of capitalism. The marking mantra that more products equal more happiness, and the extent people go to try and buy happiness with things when the "things" happiness requires is right in front of them. I tried to explain that people spent money they did not even have. At this is mouth literally dropped. “How,” he gasped, “how can someone spend money they do not have?” I don’t think he quite grasp what I meant by “sub-prime,” and I didn’t want to start pointing at people as examples. I admitted that America did offer more “opportunity” to people of all classes, if they are willing to work hard and take some risk, but that sometimes, people have abused this opportunity and suffer great loss.

I am not sure what he thought of America by the end of our conversation, but I hope he felt maybe a little less envious of the image that we sometimes portray. In truth, I wish there was more I could do for him. He thought I was rich. I told him I was $16,000 dollars in debt for school. He asked if I had two meals everyday. I blushed and walked on.

The Road the Church Building is on