Sunday, December 7, 2014

Week 63- 7 Hours and Bumpy Roads Later!!

Hey family!!!  We are so dang blessed!  I am so glad to hear about Cami and the progress she is making.  I only hope that we will recognize God's hand in this miracle and show him thanks.  Its true Mom as I read your email, Satan and his followers do everything they can to bring us down and sway our priorities but we control our decisions and how long we allow him to tempt us.  He has truly tried to distract me my whole mission and it hasn’t been easy but if we focus on our blessings it seems easier.  It sounded like you guys had a great week I am so happy.  The Page's came over that is so cool, I have been praying for that day for a long time now, I know Heavenly Father has been watching out for them and preparing them for a long time that is so dang cool!! I am so happy!!:) I miss those good motorcycle rides with the family but I am glad Dad and Colby were able to do that:)  We are so blessed, as I stay in this village I don’t even like bringing out my ipod or camera because it would take these people their whole life to save up money to buy one of those items, we are truly blessed!!
Well transfers were on Wednesday and we had a long ride ahead of us to get to Asuom.  It took us about 6 hours to get to Kwabeng and we ended up staying the night there and then took another hour to get to Asuom. The road was terrible and we were jam packed in a tro-tro it was just a big adventure I loved it, my butt was so dang sore though haha.  IT was funny about half way there we pulled over to take a bathroom break on the road and a bunch of men got out PLUS some women haha I was laughing so hard lol:)  Asuom is so dang sweeeeettttt!!!  I love it out here!!! Everyone out here is a farmer and you see tractors on the road, and people walking around in irrigation boots, it just reminds me of home:)  One day I hope to stumble upon a potato field haha that would be so cool!  We heard there was fresh milk out here so we have been trying to find it but no luck yet.  Asuom is just a village, it’s hard to describe but most people speak Twi so we are having to learn it very fast.  Our apartment is the nicest in the mission however.  Asuom actually has some huge houses, rich people love to build their houses out there because it is peaceful and in the forest.  Our apartment has ceiling fans everywhere and our land lady has a huge generator that powers our apartment when we have light off it’s so cool.  We have huge sofa's we plan on every night I feel like I’m in freaking heaven.  It’s so foresty out here. At night you can hear crickets and animals and I just feel like I’m camping all the time I love it.  It cools off so much at night, it’s still hot in the days but night feels great and you sleep amazing.  IT is so safe out here, I feel way safer out here than Accra.  The only worry is we are far from a good doctor, so we have to be very careful.  Elder Graves is awesome I love him so much and he always makes me laugh!  In my apartment we have Elder Apia from Ghana and Elder Itjedere from Nigeria.  We are enjoying so much out here.  Our apartment, water and everything is safe out here dad don’t worry! 
Well I am serving in a Branch of about 25 people haha and we meet at this little house behind this school.  We have a lot of work to do with this branch because with how many people we have out here the branch should be a lot bigger than it is.  I love the people though they are so humble out here it’s amazing.  Everyone allows us to speak and allows us to sit down with them.  We have a member out here who works in the bank and is very well off and she takes care of us out here, she has a car so we always have a mother out here that will be there for us.  As I sit out here I just feel like the missionary on the Other Side of Heaven, the Branch President basically is just like Elders we need your help and they put a lot of responsibility on us, basically we are trying to keep this branch running, we have the keys to the church and we are just trying to basically help this branch learn the foundation and principals of the church.  In just three days of proselyting we put up better numbers than I did with Bangi in three months. 
On Saturday we traveled to Kwabeng to enjoy thanksgiving with Elder and Sister Dalton.  They are our senior couples out here and they are the best people I have ever been around I love them so much!! They served for 18 months went home for 6 weeks, President Hill called them and said he needed them and they came back for another 18 months they are the best people.  They live in Obamosu and that’s just an hour away so we have them as well if something happens.  Elder Dalton is actually building a school there and was just named a chief in obamosu which is a great honor in Ghana a chief of a village is the one who determines what land people get, so basically they are like a mayor.  He is a lesser Chief though but it is still very cool, they are from Utah!! Well Elder Dalton cooked Grilled Chicken and corn it was so dang good I loved it!! It was a lot of fun!!


So as well we don’t have a cafe in Asuom so we have to travel to Kade every week to email, but we make it every other week so we will just see what happens its very expensive to get out here every week, so we may be writing letters haha!! I am actually very close to Oda so I may go there one Monday and see mommy B again!!:)
Well hopefully next week I will be able to update you on some new investigators and spiritual experiences but opening an area is not easy haha!! I love you guys so much and am so full of gratitude this week!  We are so blessed as a family.  It’s not east but I always remember what dad told me that for Carsons nothing ever comes easy.  I love you guys very much, I miss you and pray for you every day.  We get to talk in 24 days!!!:) 
I love you guys!
Elder Duke

Pure Water fight with his zone