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Looking at Life, there are no short cuts
Our generation has lived to see the time when most of the children of earth live their lives from day to day with heavy hearts, with threatening danger, with the fear of uncertainty haunting their sleeping and waking hours, in the midst of physical want, mental anguish, and deep sorrow.
Of the seven billion children of our Father in Heaven who walk the ways of life in this our day, some one-third are, or have been in the recent past, actually or technically at war in one way or the other, and of those comparatively few who have thus far escaped, many millions are daily witnesses of its ugly, threatening shape, some closer, some more distant. And then, add unto this public tragedy the personal grief and worries and disappointments of all the men of the Earth, and the burden of sorrow appears to be such as would crush the spirit of mankind.
But this it fails to do, because there is yet sufficient faith in the ultimate triumph of good, sufficient confidence in the eventual accomplishment of justice, sufficient belief in the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, and sufficient assurance that these fleeting days are only a drop in the sea of eternity. Thinking of life in terms of any given moment or any given day of any given year might give it a sombre, disappointing character. But thinking of it in terms of a march toward achievement without limit, into worlds without end, in pursuit of knowledge too vast to be exhausted, with hope too real to be daunted, and purposes too profound to be understood here and now – in the light of such things to be realised, the difficulties of the moment become secondary, and the certainties of the future overshadow the uncertainties of the present.
To those who are discouraged with their own lives, or with the outlook in general, we cite the example of a prophet of God who was young and who loved life and who thought his lot was hard and who complained of those experiences which he had been called upon to pass through, and unto him, the Father of us all, gave this word: “My son, peace be unto your soul. Thine adversity and thine affliction shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all.” (Doctrine and Covenants 121: 7 and 8) Of such is the message to all who are weary and sick of heart.
Within our generation we have learned to do many things better and more quickly than have ever been done before within recorded time. This efficiency has given us many blessings and material advantages. We have seen the assembly line and the factory belt pour forth material goods at a speed that is almost beyond our belief, even though we know it to be so. We have seen the words of men travel with the speed of light, and man himself move more than half the speed of sound.
But the by-product of all this is the idea that we can make short cuts to any destination we may have in mind. Those who suppose this, fail to differentiate between material and intangible things. We may turn our automobile and airplane motors with ever increasing speed, but we can’t build character faster than a man lives, faster than he gains experience, faster than he learns to cherish principles. We can increase the production of household conveniences, but we can’t find intelligence where it doesn’t exist, or integrity where it hasn’t been planted and nurtured. We can pour concrete across the course of a racing river, but we can’t pour honesty, courage, fidelity, devotion and self-reliance into our children in any way except the old fashioned way the hard way, as some would now describe it. We may revolutionise an industry in six easy steps, but beware of people who want to make a man in six easy lessons – who offer to give us poise and culture and talent and a commanding personality in a short time, for a stipulated price, with a minimum of effort. These and all the other elements of human character, don’t come by the speed-up system.
Looking at the thing squarely, we must face the fact that there is no short cut to any worthwhile horizon, where man himself is concerned. And those who think they are on a shortcut are in reality on a detour. Those who ignore the rules and disregard the commandments, are fooling themselves, and only themselves. Those who gamble for high stakes with the issues of life, aren’t gambling at all– they are playing a sure game a game they are sure to lose. “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way” the Saviour of mankind said, and those who travel the by-paths will find that they are chasing after mirages. No matter how difficult it seems at times to live life in all of its fundamental soundness, both of preparation and of practice, it is, in reality, the easy way, because no other way leads anywhere that anyone wants to go. And this all men would do well to remember when they begin to cast about for short cuts to glory and for easy access to the ultimate and intrinsic values of life.
Samuel Enos Eghan
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
