What preparation goes into coming on a mission?

Meet Elder Kyeremateng Kwaku Boateng.  He gets it.  This outstanding young man joined the Church in 2007 at the age of 15 in Kumasi.  He had come home from school and met the missionaries who were at his home to give a blessing to his little brother who had been ill.  His mother decided to listen to the lessons and so he joined in.  Both were baptized on the same day.

Upon receiving his call to serve a full-time mission in the Cote D'Ivoire Abidjan Mission, Elder Boateng increased his preparations to serve by working with the full-time missionaries, and reading and studying the scriptures.   On the Monday prior to his entry into the MTC Elder Boateng and his mother traveled from Kumasi to the Ghana Accra Temple and spent the week in Temple Housing.  Each day Elder Boateng would attend endowment sessions and perform proxy baptisms.  He recalls that he did at least 3 sessions per day.  Missionaries in Kumasi had suggested that he take questions to the temple and spoke to him appropriately about what to expect.

Last Tuesday, Elder Boateng baptized each of the member of his district several times as they performed this sacred work for deceased people whose names had been previously submitted.  It was particularly fascinating to have him baptize the tallest missionary in the MTC, Elder Legerski from the United States.