An Intimate Visit to the Nungua Ward in Ghana
A Photographic Essay by Scot Facer Proctor

Part Four

click photos to enlarge

I started walking around the outside of the chapel and looking in through the open windows.  This brother’s lesson was so compelling I had a hard time continuing my work of letting you have a front row seat here in the Nungua Ward.  He clearly loved the gospel with all his heart and his students seemed to be glued to his every word.  Click on the photo to enlarge it.  Read the comments on the board.  Look at his love.  Note the painting on the wall.  This is pure LDS.

I had to take this picture.  This teacher’s hands were covered with chalk and it just reminded me of how it is teaching a lesson on Sunday.  Note the manual is the same one we are familiar with in the States.  I know that this should be no surprise but sometimes we separate the rest of the Church in our minds as being so different from us.  Not so.

This beautiful young woman was intently listening to the lesson as were all the youth in this Sunday School class. 

Nearly all of them had their scriptures and followed along with every reference.  This is a tender scene to me.  It reminded me of President Packer’s vision of a generation being raised up who know the scriptures better than any past generation, who have better tools and a better understanding of the gospel than any in the past.  It takes my breath away.

These youth are the future leaders of the Church in Ghana.  And it is here in Sunday School, in priesthood quorums, in young women’s and young men’s, in primary where they are being trained.

I noticed with most everyone in the Nungua Ward that they had their hymnbooks side by side with their scriptures.  They love the hymns here and sing them with full voices and full hearts.  Notice that her book is opened to “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.”

Yes, gospel doctrine class was taught in the chapel here.  It was fun to attend and listen to them talking about the challenges of Nephi and Lehi in the first seven chapters of the Book of Mormon.  Their insights were wonderful, their comments insightful, their faith evident.

This good brother clearly loved the Book of Mormon and loved to teach.  He was articulate and precise and full of testimony.  I truly found myself wanting to stay for gospel doctrine class here.

Clearly the Saints use their scriptures here and love to participate.  They had no idea we were coming to visit and seemed to hardly notice that we were there.

I walked out in the hall for a moment during class and I couldn’t help but feel I was walking on sacred ground.  Here is a place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells.

Would it surprise you to see the First Presidency message on the bulletin board?  Well, here is President James E. Faust’s message on Family Home Evening from the Liahona.

Click here to see Part 5, the final section of our visit to Nungua.  You can’t miss the group picture of the Nungua Ward here.