Planning the Move and Making the Commitment

One of the greatest benefits of the pre-move trip was to assist us to know what to bring and what not to bring to Ghana. Our sweat reinforced that we would be bringing a lot of cotton clothing. My shopping trips helped me to notice what I could not buy here.  Having been forewarned, we actually arrived in Ghana with 2 suitcases full of food.  And what did we take?  Chocolate chips, of course, because Western style chocolate chips are like gold here.  We also brought some Fiber One bars, nuts, Crystal Light, and sugar-free jello.  One suitcase was full of tuna ($3-$5/can here). 

We decided to keep our home and our daughter and son in law plan to move in and watch it for us.  So we had to move into the basement and put some things in storage.  But all in all, we look forward to returning to our home some day.  

We had to decide what clothes, books, music, DVDs and household goods to take.  We took some things just to remind us of home and family.  Pictures and some memorabilia would help create for us a new home.  We also had to purchase the over the counter medications and prescription medications we would need.  

Gregg is very willing to go to Africa and will miss all the things I have discussed.  But he will greatly miss golf and his Saturday foursome.  This is something a woman cannot understand.  But I take it at face value and recognize that this is a big sacrifice for him.  I encouraged Gregg to take a set of golf clubs even though he may not get to use them much.

Gregg encouraged me to continue singing with the Tabernacle Choir until the day we left for Africa.  I feel so blessed to have enjoyed over 5 years with the Choir.  It has truly been 5 years of "once in a lifetime" experiences. 

Through all this, there was still the concern of leaving home.  This prompted a trip to the Bountiful Temple where we sat together in the Celestial Room.  What came to our minds at almost the same instant was -- that we had misunderstood where home is.  It became clear to us that "home" is with Heavenly Father.  Our house in Utah is a nice place, but just part of the journey "home."