Another week in Ghana

Hey everyone,

Well I can honestly say 6 months flew a time is going fast! I'm learning so much each day. Lately I come to really see the power of prayer like Any time I’m in need of a ride somewhere ether a tro(bus) or any car every time without fail I have always had a ride instantly. now I know prayer doesn't work that fast always but lately it has. I have seen it and truly come to see the progress in this area progress. This week we taught a lesson to two men Kofi and Emanuel which were referrals and they are really progressing but after the lesson was over there was 6 other people gathered around sitting that brought up chairs to just listen. 

This week we had MANY interesting deep doctrine questions asked to us by investigators and every time. I would turn and look at my companion Elder Powell (he’s in training) and see if he wanted to answer and give me a sec to see what comes to my head... EVERY-TIME without fail the moment I started talking the words came. Without a doubt the spirit played a big role in this week’s investigators and lessons and everything. No way I knew the answers to these before.... But I always had a scripture to back it up and a reason. One question was. What name was Jesus Christ baptized in....? ha-ha well there Isn’t much scripture for that one but I said it what came to my mind. Like for that question I said this since you probably aren’t sure ether... He was baptized as an example to fulfill all righteousness and as an example to us. Through him can we return to the father only through him. He is the truth, the way and the light. (john 14:6) that’s just a small piece and went deeper into it. But after one lesson we taught a well-educated man that asked us deep questions and every time I would look at my companion. Well I ended up answering them to the point he was speech less. and after this lesson we were walking and my companion looked at me and said. Wow training is not easy. How did you know all that...? ha-ha well training is not easy but I told him.... that wasn't me... that was the spirit that you just testified.

 I give it all to the lord .... The spirit is the true teacher and is so aware of us... I will say this again and again.... The Book or Mormon is the word of God and another Testament of God without a doubt. I asked my companion if you had 1 billion dollars on one side and in cash and on the other was the Book of Mormon and all you had to do was say the Book or Mormon isn't true and the money is yours. What would you do? 

Without a doubt I will never doubt the Book or Mormon... I know it is true and that is the most abominable sin we cannot be forgiven of...  says it in Mathew somewhere! forgot at the moment but the church is true and it is true because the Book or Mormon... and so much more... talks about it even in the bible. People just don't read ha-ha ... that's what movies are for right ha-ha.

This week was sweet.... went to another funeral and one of the weirdest things. you just sit there and listen to loud crappy music that will give you a head ache in seconds very strange but its culture so it’s cool ha-ha their funerals last 3 days long. not easy at all hah ... but I hope this next week we get to do some more service! the hands are healed and ready to roll!! Life is good here in Ghana. doesn't feel like Christmas cause its dry season and same ol same ol.

Be thankful for ALL that you have... I haven't had running water for a month now! until today! came on for now but we will see how long it lasts this time... Fetching water is not easy and even Our fan has been broken in our cement box room not easy to have no fan at night in Ghana. too hot ha but you just learn to accept it! like it is what it is!!  when life doesn't go the way you think it should or want it to you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and just keep moving forward. Time is flying!!

Love you all so much and thank you for your prayers!! they keep me going!  love all of you and pray for you all! Enjoy the winter Holiday! and don't forget why we truly celebrate Christmas!!

Love Elder Hill

Eating some FUFU

Elder Hill and Elder Annan

Nice to see he has put the bath towel to good use as a skirt!!

Obuasi walking to an appointment

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Enjoying some rice and BBQ sauce....

 Playing some Soccer on P-Day

Packages from Home!

 

Getting the Ensign was honestly the best gift you could send he told us.

 Riding in the Tro Tro ( No Leg Room)

I have let this blog go and its time to get caught up and updated.  So much has happened since I last posted. Our life is so blessed. more posts to come

Wow has it really been 4 years since I last did a blog.So many things have changed and are changing.  I guess I better get caught up. Life has been busy but its time to slow down and enjoy life alot more.  I think I will spend the weekend trying to catch up.

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT.....a little something I can't live without!

So this last year a dear friend of mine gave me some homemade laundry soap. and I fell in love with it. It took the red dirt out of my clothes, plus it costs me about $2.00 for a 5 gallon bucket which is roughly 400 LOADS. It is so easy to make and I LOVE the smell of it.

It does not sud a lot but remember that it is not the suds

that get your clothes clean it is the product you use.

So this year for neighbor gifts I made a small laundry soap for a few neighbor's. and I am making Granola to go with it. I think everyone I know is searching for a way to save money while things are tight. I want to share this recipe with you so enjoy....

These are the 3 GREAT products you use.

Here is the recipe give it a try...

LAUNDRY DETERGENT

4 C. HOT TAP WATER
1 BAR OF FELS NAPTHA
1 C. ARM & HAMMER LAUNDRY SODA
1/2 C. BORAX
Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with the water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Fill 5 gallon bucket half full of very hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons, add once soap has cooled. Top loading machine: 5/8 c. per load Front loading machine: 1/4 c. per load Makes approx. 400 loads

Christmas Time!

So excited for Christmas to be here in a week. I love this time of year. I love the kindness that people show to each other. I love the music I could listen to it all year. I have not blogged in a while. Things are crazy here.
We had a great summer visiting Island Park and Bear Lake. School starting Justin loves 1st grade he has Mrs. Ruesch. Jayson is doing K-12 online at home and is doing really well his teacher is a professor at Dixie College. We have been to New Harmony Picking apples. Travis went to Alaska for 6 days and I loved getting the whole house rearranged and clean. We found out we were having a boy not a girl and Kailee and I both were pretty sad about that because we are out numbered. It will still be fun. I will post more later with pictures.
Blogging is harder now that I can't copy and paste any more I used to copy my journal entry and add a picture and it was so easy now I can't do that so it takes longer sorry it has been a while.

About time to update we are going Private!!!

Things at our house have been busy. I am going to try to get his updated over the next week or so. We have been busy with scouts, summer fun, school kids and sports. So I need to get this caught up. I am going private so if you want to still be able to read this please comment and leave your email so I can add you. There are to many people I do not know on here and so it is time!

Happy Anniversary 14 years!

I can hardly believe that Travis and I have been married for 14 years today. I am so lucky to have such a great husband. We have had some really hard time in 14 years and some amazing moments. I would do it all again! I adore Travis and our 3 wonderful kids. I love you Travis I am so glad you are in my life. Being married has been a great adventure. Thanks for all your hard work and commitment to the kids and I. You are an awesome guy and I look forward to many more wonderful years together!!!!!

Pictures !

Travis and Justin at donuts with dads and reading boolk. Justin really had fun he loved spending time reading with Travis.

Justin getting an EKG they said he had 3 broken ribs but 4 months later they said he never had broken ribs but a heart problem. What a trooper this kid is. Doctors say everything looks great the problem has fixed it's self.

Justin always with a smile!Fall pictures!

One Picture out of 20 and the are all looking at me.

Our cute little family 2009!!!

Catching up!

So I am going to get caught up today on this blog. Life has been crazy but I really need to get up to date so enjoy!

Update!

So it has been along time since I updated our lives. Not that alot of you read this but I want to get caught up. So in the next couple of days I will be updating my blog. There have been lots of changes at our house and things going on.

Rodeo Time again.

Thursday night the boys and I went to the rodeo with Mr. Prince it was also his 50th birthday so that was fun. We had a blast Travis couldn’t gohe had baseball and we missed him. Jayson is still determined to rope and bull ride so we will see.

On Saturday we went with Travis and my parents and Brent’s sister it was fun again no kids except Jayson . Brent came over and washed the horses and then him and Jayson went to the Sunbowl . Brent was giving rides on his horses that night to his students.. But when Travis and I got to the Sunbowl we got a surprise. Jayson was riding with Brent in the Sunbowl it was something to see. Jayson and Brent looked like they were having a great time and what a fun memory for them both. Jayson said it was awesome.

Justin in the parade

We have had a fun week Justin got to be in the rodeo parade with my dad’s bank Town and Country. He loved it so fun but long walk. He looked so cute in his hat and boots.

Kailee started Preschool!

Kailee started preschool and LOVES it! She is so cute every day. Her teacher Miss Mary is wonderful and has such a fun class with only 12 kids. She goes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday mornings. So on Mondays and Wednesdays I have NO children at home I am not sure I like that feeling or and ready to not have anyone home.

To Honor a Friend.

I would like to take a moment and honor a really good friend of our family. Brent Prince has been teaching school for 25 years. He teaches the kids the Code of the West and what it really means to… Live Each Day with Courage, Take Pride in Your Work, Always Finish What You Start, When You Make a Promise Keep It and many others. These are all great things for our young youth to learn.

How many of us really know how to live each day with courage. Brent does he watched his beautiful New Harmony burn, his dad become ill. His life has had a lot of changes and when most of us would crumble he is facing it all with courage. Brent always finishes what he starts and when he starts something he finishes it no matter what.He always gives his best effort, nothing is ever done half way. And there is no doubt if you saw his class room he takes a great deal of pride in his work, both in the class room and with his awesome metal sculptures.

Brent on his Birthday in 1960!

He has a love for his heritage and we could all take a lesson from him on that. He turned his blog in to history of the town he loves and the people who made it what it is today. He has made the Cemetery in New Harmony a beautiful place. I know if his mother were here she would be so proud of the kind of man he is today. Every night since the fire in New Harmony Justin prays for his friend Mr. Prince and for New Harmony.


Brent has had a huge impact on our family. When Jayson was in his class he got very sick. One day after being in the ER Jayson insisted that he had to see his horses, no we do not own any but he wanted to see Rookie and Shorty. I was not sure that was such a good idea I knew Jayson would want to ride and I knew he could not climb on. I will always remember that moment when I watched Brent and JD pick him up and put him on that horse and walk him around, it brought life back to a sick boy. He called me all the time wanting to know how Jayson was and giving his class mates updates. Justin has gotten to ride with Brent on many occasions he loves it. Justin’s neck muscles are not as strong as I would like and horseback riding is so good for that. Justin also got to pick apples at Brent’s apple orchard and cannot wait to do that this year. Riding horses has given my boys such confidence. The lessons they learned from picking apples is priceless.


Those of us that have gotten the chance to know Brent are better people. Our youth are better youth and our young kids who see his example are better kids.

I would like to thank him for his kindness, compassion, friendship listening ear, Since of Humor, Courage, positive outlook on life and for caring enough to teach our children what matters most.
A year ago at this time we were getting ready to honor him as our Rodeo’s Grand Marshall.

This Thursday Brent will be celebrating a birthday and to honor him on that day. Ask yourself this question… What have I done to better the people around me? How have I served my neighbor, friend or family? What legacy am I leaving? I hope today you will make a decision to do something for someone without asking what’s in it for me?

Because this is how we can honor a man who has done that for us.

Brent and Jayson

Happy Birthday Cowboy & We Wish you MANY Happy Trails!

Sad Days!

It has been a couple sad days here for us. On July 25, 2009 lightning struck a tree above New Harmony. And the Forest service would not go put it out. What was a tree burning that could be put out by one person is now a huge fire being fought by over 350 firefighters. It has burned more than 10,000 acres of land taking everything in its way. Several homes and structures have been burned to the ground. Our good friend Brent Prince lives there, and this has been devastating to him and all that live there.

This is a picture of Brents Brother Vernile watching the fire get close to his home.

You might be wondering how this affects us well the last 4 years we have gone to New Harmony either picking apples or riding horses. Jayson loves to ride in the mountains with Brent there and they have had some really great rides. It is like losing a good friend and we will miss seeing the mountains and hills and fields green and beautiful.

Now these once beautiful green mountains and hills are black and the tall trees are dead. And the pioneer heritage that was there is gone. We send our love and prayers to all the New Harmony community for the huge loss they have and hope that the land will someday come back green and beautiful again.

It is truly sad that a fire that could have been put out was left to burn like this. Why do we have the Forest Service if they do nothing to protect the land or the people?

These pictures are taken from Little Mountain , it is now a watching point to see the fire how sad.

BACK TO SCHOOL!

Back to school they all go. Our school started on Aug 13th. Jayson is in 7th grade oh how I feel old. Justin is starting kindergarten. Kailee starts Preschool in 2 weeks and cannot wait. Jayson loves his classes and Justin loves Mrs. Snow. We are looking forward to a great year. I am already filling up my little bit of free time with PTA. I am over the Walk A Thon on October 8th it is the schools fundraiser. So I am really excited about that.

Jayson at 6:45 am

Kailee had to have a picture with Justin.

Justin's big day!!

Fort Building!!!

Fort building is my kid’s favorite thing to do.at home they use every blanket and any space to make forts so it was no suprise when we got to Island Park that is what they wanted to do. Justin was moving logs before Travis got there so he was so excited to have his dad help him finish his fort and teepee. There is something about a dad and not just mom helping. It turned out great. Justin was so sure he and Jayson would sleep in it but Jayson would not.

I look forward every year to Island Park for a lot of reasons but the main reason is this… there is NO TV,NO Radio ,NO DS. Just my kids and a huge forest full of possibilities. How great is that. I know a lot of people who would be so bored with out their electronics and TV not my kids they love this. It always brings lots of fun memories for years to come.

How cute is she?

Our family Fort with a sign on top that says " The Hill Family Gang" Believe it or not the sign has been up there for years.

AND THE WINNER IS....

My dad taught Jayson how to play rummy when he was about 6. They play every chance they get. So when Travis and dad got up to Island Park on Saturday the first question asked was "want to play cards?" So dad won a few then Jayson won a few. It went back and forth and after 3 days my dad said no more. He was tired of losing.

Jayson had beat him so many times that he did not want to play any more. Maybe next summer dad but then Justin will be playing watch out!!

Check out those serious faces!!!

The strategy to playing, taking a moment to move your hand around.

He may have beat Grandpa but he has not beat me.....yet!

THE BIG JUDD!

It is true that there is a hamburger the size of a dinner plate. We went and ate there. Justin thought it was great he loves lots of onions and pickles and tomato and lettuce so this was just the place to take the kids to fill them up. We had along day of Huckleberry picking, playing in the water and building forts.

Justin working on building a fort out of trees and logs. I had a really hard time getting him to come and eat because all he wanted to do was work on his fort.

At the end of a long day this is the veiw I love the most.