The Mission Tour and Sunyani Model

General Authorities visit our Ghanaian missions about twice a year called mission tours.  We were really surprised and honored when Elder John Dickson took the time out of his busy schedule and visited Sunyani shortly after we arrived in Africa.  He and his wife were delightful.  We went to dinner at the Eusbett for pizza (a rare treat) and truly enjoyed their company.   It was only a few weeks after his visit that Gary was called to be the District President of all Sunyani.

The official Mission Tour was in September and Elder LeGrand Curits was the visiting authority.  He and his wife accompanied President and Sister Holmes to Sunyani, and after meeting with all of the missionaries, inspecting the meeting houses and then meeting with all of the Branch Presidencies and priesthood leaders, they all came to our little house for dinner.  It made a lot of sense, since it always takes about 2 hours time when you order food at the Eusbett (the only semi-decent hotel and restaurant in town).

The evening and company was really wonderful.  We did learn over dinner that apparently our little Sunyani is discussed quite frequently by the Prophet and Twelve Apostles.  It is termed the "Sunyani Model" and is a new concept (2 years old) for opening a foreign area to missionary work.

Usually the Church sends a couple of missionaries into a new location; they proselyte, baptize, and as the membership grows, they lease meeting houses until the membership requires the building of chapels.  In Sunyani, two years ago, Elder Dickson started an entirely new concept and method of opening an area.  They selected Sunyani as an area to be opened, divided it into four geographical sections, leased large homes in each section and placed two missionaries in each house.  The missionaries then taught the people and they would meet right there in the house they resided in.  As the memberships grew, branches were formed and then the missionaries were moved out , leaving the buildings for the branch meeting houses.  All of our four areas have now become branches.  Two of them have the missionaries out and two of them are in the process of moving.  We have also picked up additional companionships and now have twelve missionaries here in Sunyani.

We are hoping we can continue to open up new areas around Sunyani the same way and are already sending some of our missionaries out to Kenyasi, Chiraa, Techiman, and Abesim.  A small number of members already living in Kenyasi have been begging for months to have the Church come there and we just got the go ahead from President Holmes to send a companionship there once a week.

We had no idea that Sunyani was the posterchild of this new concept.  It does put a lot of pressure on though, knowing our progress is being watched so carefully. It is exciting however to see the Gospel spreading here in Africa.