Hi!!!!

It’s going pretty good down here! We had a sweet time at the Christmas party! We left on Thursday and spent the night in Takoradi with our whole district, which was pretty fun. Then Friday morning our whole zone took a tro to Cape Coast, which is where we had the devotional. It was at the Stake Center there. It was sweet! The whole mission was there so it was cool to see some people I hadn’t seen for a few months! We listened to some talks from missionaries, President and Sis Shultz, and sang Christmas hymns. Next we all had a big lunch of like 5 different kinds of rice and chicken, then we watched Forever Strong!!! That’s a good movie! That’s the Shultz' favorite movie. Our mission motto is Kia Kaha Forever Strong. So yeah, that was nice. Then we did the talent thing. It went ok haha, some of the other zones put a lot of effort into theirs so ours was a little flat. But yeah, not bad.

So today we are in Takoradi for Subs, so I will get to send pics!!! But also I got the two packages from Grandma and Grandpa, still awaiting the big boys though haha. I am betting they will come this week sometime, we will see! But I am excited to open them later today when we get back! The spiders in our apartment are usually small, but every now and then there will be big giant guys. They are fine though, they don’t do anything haha. Yeah, Elder Chishinji is great! I was thinking that Zambia was where Kylie went, but yeah I forgot about Pat. Sounds like Zambia is sweet though! He is a really cool guy.

Our 5 that were preparing for baptism have stalled out A LOT. So we had one guy named E, and he was doing ok, he just didn’t know for himself so we were willing to just work with him on that. But the other day we showed up to our appointment with him and he was tipsy as crap haha. So yeah, that’s gonna take some time. Another guy we've been teaching is kinda a whiny guy. He is like 28 and doesn't have a job and always complains to us but he never goes out to look for one. The other day we were teaching and we pulled out of him that the reason he wants to baptize is so that God will help him get a job, so yeah obviously that is a problem. He only thinks of material things. It’s hard to explain, but we had a whole hour long talk about what a blessing is and he only thinks of money and stuff. So we are working on that. There is a couple named Daniel and Elizabeth and they are solid, but they have not come to church in a month. So those 4 are all indefinitely postponed. There is one lady, Anna, who is solid. She will get baptized probably on the 28th. She is awesome though. This has been a stressful week though because of those guys. It’s so hard sometimes to judge whether or not somebody needs to be postponed and how to handle it. We could baptize every person we meet, but the challenge is making sure they are ready. That is what is hard about this mission. Not finding people, but getting people to understand what the Gospel means and getting them to commit to it for their lives.  But yeah, it’s been a slow week, really it feels like December has just been slow for us. Not a whole lot of lessons are being taught. We have been traveling so much and doing so many different things that we really don’t have a rhythm going right now, but hopefully after Christmas things will mellow out. The transfer is on the 23rd and it sounds like Axim will get 2 more missionaries!!! So what will probably happen is that Cardon and I will get split and get new companions but we will both stay in Axim! That would be cool. Tomorrow is when they call the trainers so if I am training I will find out tomorrow.

One thing I miss about home is the ward. The branch here is so inefficient and stuff. Our branch out here is pretty sad at times as far as leadership goes.  Our recent converts still haven’t gotten the Priesthood, which is frustrating. We have been trying to push the Branch President to do it, but he is so busy he never has time. Each week we do the tithing but we couldn’t this week because somebody took the modem from the office and nobody knows where it is soooo….. I was just thinking about how awesome of a ward we have. Give the Bishop a high five or something from me the next time you see him and tell him atta boy haha!

But even with all the stupid little things it’s still awesome out here! Our recent convert Moro is awesome!!!! He is really being a champ. We have started teaching his twin brother, also called Moro haha. That’s their last name but they go by it because their dad is Muslim so their real names are Husseni and Al Hassaan. But yeah the brother is awesome too!!! They are both really smart and humble. We taught the bro yesterday and Moro 1 was there and helped us and he was just being a boss!!! He was telling his brother how awesome the church is and helping him understand things! I really liked that lesson, it was sweet. We have this guy we teach named Samuel and he is deaf. He can talk and stuff, but his ears have some problem so he can’t hear. It is interesting. Luckily he can read though so we just have him read the pamphlets and we write out things on a note pad. But he is funny. He fed us rice against our will and we couldn’t say anything cuz the guy is deaf. Then he brings us out some hot chocolate and he used unfiltered water so there was no way we were gonna drink that. Luckily we were teaching outside so when he turned around we just threw that stuff into the bushes haha! One time he gave us a roll of toilet paper for no reason haha. Yeah Ghana is weird at times. Speaking of getting things, we have a blind man in the branch and on Fast Sunday he got up and told everyone they need to give the missionaries food and stuff so we have gotten like 8 pineapples and a bag full of bananas. Man pineapple out here is unbelievable! It isn’t acidic like home, you can eat a whole pineapple no problem. Which I often do.

We are going into the dry season but right now in December is a mini season called Homatone. It gets kinda dry and the mornings have been cold! Like low 70's. The days are hot though. Apparently the Sahara Desert blows dust down here or something too, so that’s Homatone. But yeah it sounds like January and February are the worst months. I will trade you climates haha! That’s crazy about Adam getting braces pretty soon! I guess I was like 13 or 14 though when I got mine. He is growing up fast! I am proud of him. Sounds like he is being a boss! I am so thankful to have such a great family! I am so happy to get to call home!! Yeah I’m gonna call, I don’t trust the internet out here enough to Skype. But yeah probably around 8-9 on Christmas day! Oh by the way, in Takoradi there is this hotel called Nkromah Plaza, I think I have mentioned it before. But there is a restaurant that is owned by a member in there so on Christmas Eve we are all going there as a Zone!!! We will get big discounts too. The place is like a restaurant back home apparently, so that should be a sweet Christmas Eve. But nothing compared to being with all you guys!!! But really I love you all and am so excited to get to call!!! Thank you for all you do for me!!! You are the best parents in the world! Love you!!!

 Armed and Dangerous in Ghana!  Us with our swords. The guys are named Prince and Samson! This was right after we clear cut the rainforest.

So in Axim there is an island just off the coast. In December the ocean level falls a bit and you can walk to the island!!! Look at these people walking to the island. Man I want to do that sometime.

 Yeah!

 Elder Beck, who trained Elder Cardon, Elder Cardon, and me

Elder Cowan and my MTC companion Elder Halterman. It was nice to see them and talk for a bit!

This is at the Christmas devo! Elders Lebaron and Hinckley, all from DHS!! It was a nice little reunion. Elder Lebaron got out one transfer before me and I came out one before Hinckley.

This is what I had for lunch last p-day! Bacon BBQ burger from Ankobra Beach resort!!! I saw a pic of it on the mission blog and had to go and try it! It cost 36 cedis though...and it really wasnt anything amazing. But still!!!! Look at that bad boy! (they only get 180 cedis per month, expensive burger!!)

This is one of 2 giant balls of fufu that the man Francis gave us. This is what we threw off the cliff haha!

 Giant rat anyone?

Don't mind if I do! Haha yeah this bad boy was going on the grill!!! Sadly we had to go teach, but I'd like to try some sometime.

This is Paul who was recently baptized along with his cousin Kojo. But look at their wrists, they got some of the bracelets!! 

Some girls that we gave some of the bracelets to. The girl in red is a member and her mom is the one who feeds us fufu every sunday! The girls name is Peldina Kainya and the mom is Felecia.

This little girl got a bracelet as well. She was shy of the camera and just sat down haha. You can also see a little hand in the corner with a bracelet. I couldn't really get a pic of that girl though.

Look at the ingenuity here. This is a true MacGyver bike, I am sure dad would be proud!!! We saw this thing driving around one day and there was a little kid just chillin on the chair. I was so sad that I wasnt able to take a pic, but one day we were walking and I saw it!!!! I was way happy! That chair is just being held on by twine in case you were wondering.

My Thanksgiving dinner of Chicken and potatoes and gravy!!! It was really pretty good! Also had some Jello! Thanks for all the fixins!