“I’m a farmer and don’t know much of God. My wife lives in the Northern Region and she is not here. I know small, small English and I go to my farm to work”. These were the words of Atta Yeboah to Elders Dominic and Edwards as they contacted him. Yet they felt as if the Father had prepared this man to hear the words of Christ. The missionaries went to the farm with him one day and planted Peppi along his side. They gently loved this man into the fullness of the gospel they are here to preach. The lessons were long and sometimes slow but the Light of Christ was again fanned with the whisperings of the Holy Spirit testifying of their words. He reads slowly in the Book of Mormon and yet feels the love promised to all that will open their hearts. Dressed in white, he entered the font and received the words of salvation from one who holds the power to unlock the heavens for he and his family. Tenderly he was immersed in the waters of repentance and raised up as one ready for the cleansing of the Holy Ghost to enter his life. That following Sunday he traveled to the Northern Region to bring his wife and son back to his home in Abomosu. He testified of his newly found “pearl of great price” to his now reunited family. On July 3rd he received the Gift of the Holy Ghost and the cleansing wash promised to us all.
Timid but faithful to his commitments, he attended Church. Members wrapped their arms around him and taught him of brotherly love for all of Heavenly Fathers children. It was that week the flood came to this area and Atta’s entire farm was lost. His livelihood and food supply was wasted in just a matter of hours. For over 3 weeks he could not see the soil of his heritage or feed his family from his labors. The Church members came to his house within one day of the flooding, and checked on the family’s well-being and delivered corn donated by others that had plenty. His wife was so impressed that members sought them out and shared their small, small food portions. Atta commented to me one day months later, of his deep rooted testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel by the acts of kindness offered during those trying times. Though he needed help himself, he harvested Cassava alongside his priesthood quorum members, to be given to members in need. When he came home after that service, there was fresh corn and 2 large Cassava at his door step. The Lord knew his family and blessed them for their faith. “…and are willing to bear one another’s burdens…” was perfectly planted in Atta’s heart and actions.
The Elders continued to nurture the family with the good word of God and both Patricia and their son Prince were prepared for baptism. This would be a joyous time for all of the missionaries as well as the branch, for you see, very, very seldom do whole families come into the Church together, even within a few years, here in Africa. But this was a choice family the Lord had prepared before the world was. Atta was conferred the Aaronic Priesthood and now could take his beloved wife and son into the same waters of repentance that he had entered a few weeks before. A date was set and preparations were made and his wife, 3 days before the date, shared a miracle with Atta, “we are having a baby.” Excitement filled his heart and the home that night as they had not had a child since their son some 16 years ago. The decision was made to postpone her baptism until she felt comfortable and farther along in the pregnancy. On the set date, Sept 23rd, Atta took his son into the font and with his right arm to the square, he pronounced the words that would unlock Prince’s future with Father in Heaven. It was an occasion we shall never forget.
This past Friday Oct. 28, 2011 at 5:24PM, missionaries, presidents, high councilmen, priesthood brothers, and a numbers of sisters from the Abomosu Branch, with tears in our eyes, gathered around an open air font. Atta Yeboah dressed in sacred whites, raised his arm squarely and spoke the words of salvation. “Patricia Boakyewaa, having authority of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen” So reverently, gently, and full of love for his companion, she was laid in the water so clear and raised again to a new life. Today the Holy Ghost was conferred, and her transgressions of old were swept away through the Atoner who loves us all. Atta Yeboah’s family is now on the path and holding fast to the Iron Rod, faithfully pressing forward to Oct. 30, 2012 where they will kneel, still holding fast to the Rod of Iron, and humbling partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life. Sister Dalton and I will witness yet another miracle that sacred day.
(The picture above is this family at Patricia’s baptism)
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