Melynn goes to Africa

For the longest time, Melynn has had a desire to visit Africa. 

Signing up to go to Ghana with HEFY fulfilled that dream.

In telling you about Melynn's experience I decided that I would just post part of an email that she recently sent her sister about her trip......"I just came home from Ghana and it was pretty awesome. Pres. Uchtdorf was on my plane to Amsterdam, so that was pretty freaking cool! Once we got to Ghana we took another short flight to a city called Tamale where we spent our weekend doing safaris and getting to know each other. One girl on the trip became my good friend, her name is Megan and she’s from Utah and we just had a really good time together. Of course I became close with everyone though. During the work week we did a lot of digging and pouring cement. I got a lot of cement on my clothes and had to throw a lot of them away but I have this pair of leggings that I love that I’ve been trying to scrub down for awhile because I just can’t give up on them yet. During the trip I had a really cool experience. It was on a day when everyone was super tired and kind of ready to go home and I kind of feel into that sadness and “doneness” as well, but then i took a moment to look up from my work and I saw all the beautiful green trees and blue sky in front of me and I felt Heavenly Father say that He is proud of me. I felt the spirit really strong in that moment and I tried to cover up my tears haha because everyone else was just working away. But I’m so grateful for that experience because sometimes we get so caught up in progressing toward exaltation that we forget that Heavenly Father loves us as we are and is proud of us for how far we have come. When we weren’t on the worksite we spent a lot of time with the ward and they were really cool. Whenever the ward sang hymns it was super powerful like I’ve never heard before. You can tell these people really love the Lord. I’ll attach some pictures of my trip below :) we did some other really fun things like going to the beach and shopping at the market and going to the temple! It was weird because the boys in my group baptized us and I’d never seen younger men do that before. Also I got you some super cool African pants that I’ll be sending your way. I love you so much Darby and I think all the work you are doing in Kirkland is super cool!"

After Melynn landed in Salt Lake City (the day before meeting her HEFY group),
Dave and Kristi picked her up from the airport. Later that afternoon,
Dave took the kids rock climbing.

photo of HEFY Ghana Nsawam group #3

It looks like Elder Uchtdorf is not very excited but Melynn said 

he was talking when the photo was taken

The group stopped in Amsterdam to change planes.

The kids stopped at this hostel to sleep and then took a plane to Tamale the next day.

Photos taken at Mole National Park

Going on a Safari

visiting a village and seeing how they make shea butter

Canoeing through the village

visiting a Mosque

participating in African dancing around the bonfire with the locals

After the kids returned to Accra, they had dinner on this airplane.

going to church on Sunday

meeting the local kids while serving with the missionaries

FHE with a family from the ward

Photos taken at the work site. 

The kids were helping to construct a children's center.

taking a break from the work site and 

playing with the kids from the neighboring school

Took a weekend trip to Kasoa. Melynn loved playing soccer on the beach.

at a slave castle

on a canopy walk

meeting with Phillip, an investigator.

having fun with the ward members

Melynn with her group mom

The kids final day was spent at the Ghana Temple.