Weekly Email

Hey family it was great to hear from you all! I just want you to know I'm sure excited to see you all again and have been thinking about that a lot. However me and my companion are working hard and I don't talk about home at all unless they remind me. I mentioned to my companion that we are enjoying this transfer and he said its true man but it's good enjoyment. A lot of the time missionaries think enjoyment is doing apostate things like watching movies or playing video games but we are having fun working hard and truly are enjoying helping others come unto Christ. We have been meeting a lot of sweet people but having a hard time helping them progress. We are teaching a group of young adults who are from 18 to 20 years and they are very humble and are very receptive to the gospel. The only problem is family influence, you know Christ instructed the apostles that the gospel would cause contention in some families and cause the truth seekers to be hated is so true. In this group we have Francis, Sarah, Esaaba, and Ema they are great and we have enjoyed teaching them. There is a family that we have been teaching every Saturday and they feed us Banku and Pepper with talapia every time. They are a very wealthy family and are so kind. They love the teachings but aren't progressing💩we love them though and we are part of their family that's for sure. My recent converts are doing great however. I talk to them all on a regular basis and they are all doing great. Some are thinking of missions while others have traveled to other countries where the church isn't even there. I have one that traveled to a Muslim dominant country and will probably be the only member in the country so the Savior works in mysterious ways. We teach so many people it's hard to point out all. We are however teaching a woman who is going through nursing school her name is Alberta she is such a great woman. She is working hard to become a nurse and her exams are coming up but she still gives us the opportunity to meet with her and learn the gospel. She told us that when you make time for God he makes time for you and I loved that. We have her a baptismal goal for the middle of August and hope she is baptized on this day.
I gave my final testimony in ZTM meeting and it was a very spiritual experience. I gave it with a good friend of mine who is also leaving this transfer Elder Beacum.  I realized as I bore my final testimony to those missionaries how much I have gained a testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. I have been honored to serve Him and am grateful for this experience it has been the most challenging two years of my life but I thank God for those challenges they have shaped and molded me into who my Father in Heaven wants me to become.
Family I love you all so much I am very proud of you all. With my companion he is a stud and has had to support himself since an early age and he told me that he has never talked to any missionary about his personal life and about his ambitions and goals except with me. We talk about life and about what we think each other should do. He said his dreams and goals have changed with me and he talks about selfless sacrifice for his future posterity. He is a great guy and we got a lot of trust with each other. I know We are companions for a reason and I think it's to help us both for when we go home. I love you all tons and hope this email finds you all in Gods blessings!

Love,
Elder Carson

How can 1 enjoy when all can enjoy!!

Hey all!!:) I loved your emails last week! It sounded like you are all doing very well! I can't believe you are all enjoying the summer already it's wild. I can't believe that I am on my last transfer. This week was transfer news. Elder green is leaving to Bakoshie he will enjoy. My new companion is Elder Mutawe he is a great guy. I actually helped seal him to his parents in the temple. We are now going to enjoy my last transfer. Elder Thapellie is going to the bush. I am staying with Elder Lewis Reese though and that will be sick he is a great guy we have got along very well these last couple of months. We are going to enjoy my last transfer. Did I tell you it's my last transfer?? Hha I’m so pumped! I'm sad I have to leave this place and my people but happy to see my family and not sweat anymore!!!!! 

This week has gone so fast and good for Elder Green and me! Green celebrated his 19th bday on Friday! We celebrated it on Saturday though. We went to the mall and chopped chicken and chips, Dr. Pepper and snickers. He loved his bday! Elder Chatterley is going home on Thursday. I am sad to see him leave he is a great bud of mine now. He will be going to Provo for school so I will meet him again. This week Elder Green and I taught some very powerful lessons together. We contacted a woman named V and she has just moved to the Accra area and said she doesn't have a church in this area yet. We knew God had lead us to this wonderful woman she is very receptive to the gospel we are so happy to see how she progresses. She is around 27 years and has a couple children that she is raising alone. She has such a special spirit about her. This mission we do a Book of Mormon devotional every Thursday. Well I was the discussion leader and we learned about Alma and Amulek when they were called to the city of Ammonihah to preach to the wicked Lamanites. Well we have been using this story with our investigators and recent converts and they love it. Ghanians don't really read they just know stories in the Bible so when you tell them stories hey I tell you what they love it and it has really helped out investigators know that the Book of Mormon truly is the word of God! A funny story this week is Green and I like doing stupid things at times and really like messing with Ghanaians at times! Well we were contacting and we were knocking gates and I saw an old man sitting on the curb of a house so I waved at him and I could tell he wasn't too happy to see us but he was an older man and we somehow ended knocking the gate by his house and as we were walking up to his house he said "I'm busy I'm traveling" so we said okay no problem and then we knocked the gate and we knocked....he then said I told you I'm traveling sooo! Well I looked back at Green and he said knock again so we knocked again haha Green started to laugh and then we decided to go. Well as we were leaving we started a casual conversation with the man and he would talk to us and then get mad that he was talking to us haha. We asked him da what is your favorite food? He began to talk to us and then he would shake his head and say why are you worrying me. So we decided to go and we were laughing so hard....we play like we don't know anything about Ghana and the people here are so understanding they are so patient with us even if they hate the church so we abuse that a little bit. C and K are still doing so well; C has been at school all week so we haven't been able to meet with him. K though is doing sweet! Sunday was such a great day. Green bore his testimony and it was just a great Sunday! Elder Chatterley has an investigator that loves missionaries and feeds them every Sunday so for his last Sunday he fed all of us. We chopped nice fufu and light soup with fish. We then immediately after had a FM with our second counselor to the stake president😅. They fed us so much food and gave us some drinks. One is called Alvaro it is like sparkling cider it is so good! I was so full holy cow I slept like a baby! 

Family I love you all very much! I am so grateful for the way I have been raised and the family I have grown up in. I feel so blessed. I want you to know I still want us all to go to the temple though as a family. How great of a privilege we have to be sealed as a family. As I have been over here and have seen so many different faiths we are so lucky. We need to show our gratitude to Heavenly Father and serve Him in His house. Remember we are all beggars everything we own or have accomplished is from and belongs to our Father. We are so blessed. I love you all very much and love my Heavenly Father and His son so much!!

Love you all tons,

Elder Carson

No matter where we go we always find our way back home!

Hey you all!:) I loved your guys last email it was great! Thank you mom and dad for the help with school and everything I really appreciate it! Sister keale our office couple called me last week and asked what airport I want to fly into? I told her Salt Lake so it's confirmed; we will get our itinerary next month. I can't believe the time has come, it has been a very hard long grind but overall I have grown so much since I have been here. Truly a mission is a life changing event I am grateful I came!  Grandma and Grandpa sound great with all of the family. 

This week has been such a great week. I have been battling the flu I think but it only kept me down for one day not three(dad) haha. Did I tell you I found monster energy drink chili I bought two haha they were so dang good. Green and I had some surprises come to church last week. We contacted a woman who is a New Jersey woman and she goes to church in America and she showed up at church it was a surprise because we contacted her in May and kind of thought she will go home very soon so we will let the elders there teach her. She enjoyed church though, we also got a bunch of other people who just decided to come to our church and they really enjoyed it. People here really love the fact that we learn at church, they get tired of listening to a false pastor preaching for 3 hours and going off in weird voices (what they call gift of tongues). So they really love learning instead of being yelled at. We are teaching a couple from Congo and they are progressing so well😄 they are such a great couple, the man is truly searching and trying to find the real church, he is praying and doing very well. I went on an exchange with elder Jake Jones. He came to Ghana with me and knew Jackson Kunz from Utah valley he had a buddy play there also. Jones and I have been good friends on mission despite serving in different areas but it was great to go out with him. He is now our AP so he is a great missionary. We taught some great lessons together. I was sitting in the one bedroom we were in and it was light off and we were sweating trying to teach and I was like despite all these circumstances I face here I am happy serving and teaching these people I love it! We were in coordination this week and Green was saying the prayer so I decided to fiddle his butt with a pen and Elder Thalelli couldn't hold his laugh in and made a little kkkkkkkkkccccccc sound haha it made all us missionaries laugh....o are ward mission leader didn't really know what was going on but it was funny! The Gha people a tribe has a culture that for one month there should be no music played or loud noise anywhere and that festival just ended and now there is always loud and annoying music everywhere. Literally when you go to a wedding or a party the music is so loud you can't even talk to anyone it’s like this is giving me a headache, so for this last month we have enjoyed peace😳! 

Family all is well I want you to know that I know Joseph Smith is a prophet. A man can never bring to pass all the things Joseph Smith has done unless he is guided by God. If this church isn't true I would love to see a man try to do everything Joseph has done, all the good, the teachings, the Book of Mormon, no one can do it. The Church has been restored; this is The Church of Jesus Christ! I am grateful to be in it! We also need to understand the importance of taking the sacrament. This sacred ordinance is a testimony to our Heavenly Father that we still remember the sacrifice our Savior has done for us. If we are grateful for what Heavenly Father has done in our life we need to show it by taking of the sacrament. I love you all very much! I again am so proud of my family I truly feel I have the best family. 

I love you all!!

Elder T-Cars 

Week 89- Love ya all!!

Hey family! Sorry I missed emailing you last Monday I have been very sick, I think that I had the flu....it's been raining a lot and the weather has been very cold (82 degrees) I literally woke up the other night shivering. I saw dad was sick and he was down for 3 days....man if I had that sickness I would have been healthy in 3 hours haha;) it sounds like you guys have been enjoying with motorcycle riding, the color run and school is out. I have been very good though I love your emails from all of you. Grandma and Grandpas emails are funny haha. 

So you heard about the flood, it has really devastated people here it has hurt my heart to see these people. The water would enter their rooms and destroy everything so the last couple of days as we ride and proselyte we see everyone's stuff on the road trying to dry out their clothes and their mattresses it's very hard to see. Please keep them in your prayers. Green and I were coming home that night from the church, it had been raining for about 5 hours and then we were like okay we better go. We put on trash sacks and then biked to the house. Well close to our junction we were riding and the water just kept getting bigger and bigger then next thing u know we had water up to our waste and all the roads were flooded. So we pushed our bikes to the house in waist deep water...it was wild. There was a large canal close to our junction and it filled up clear to the top and 3 people were swept into it and passed away it was sad, the water wasn't too strong though Green and I were able to get through with ease but Ghanaians hate water and none know how to swim so they were freaking out. Well Green and I dropped our bikes off and said we got to help people out there. So we didn't take our shirt and tie off we just ran out there and helped people cross the road, pushed cars as best as we could and just helped children and anyone that needed help. There were a lot of heroes that night. So many people were very grateful for us. One man was in the car with his wife and the water was coming over his hood and entering his car. He was almost in tears asking me to please help. I just helped him relax and told him to keep his car off or it would flood, then when he has a straight shot to get out of traffic we will turn it on and push him out. We did that and he was okay. Green and I and some Ghanaians cleared up a whole highway of traffic it was sweet. Where the explosion happened it was about a 25 minutes away from me. The missionaries there faced it a lot worse than we did their apartments got flooded and they saw a lot of dead bodies. Overall it has been a distress in this country for the past couple of days. The economy here is getting worse and worse by the second. The government doesn't do anything here. The president said this happened because the people liter and the gutters get blocked with trash....and that we shouldn't liter. Now that is true this country is dirty but the government doesn't provide rubbish bins for us to throw things away. I have never seen a trash can in public here. The flood has been hard but we are managing. 

The work however is going very good. Green and I are doing sweet like usual. We baptized a man named Isaac and three of our recent converts received the priesthood we were so happy for them. The ward is doing so good. I love this area. I tell you what I found a monster my first in 21 months I bought it without thinking I loved every minute of it. I tell you what I'm losing my desire small small but I'm hanging in there. I love my Heavenly Father so much and Jesus Christ. I am trying to do my best for them as I finish. Family I love you all very much!! I am so grateful for you all!! I'm sweet, I am with great guys and are finding great people to teach. I love you all tons!!

Love you guys tons!!!

Elder Carson 

Week 87- 10 Weeks??

10 weeks???

5/24/2015

Family, You would think the longer you are on mission the less you would miss your family...it's not true I think I miss you all more and more as I have been out longer. I am so glad that you are doing all well. Mom track sounds sweet I am glad you are enjoying it. It sounds like everything else is normal. I loved talking to you all. I didn't talk to dad or Colby as much. I felt bad after forgive me if it offended you. Colb and dad it sounded like you guys had a great week. Dad, don't worry about this Muslim stuff in Ghana. I feel so safe here. I'm glad you are getting work done and all is well there. I saw some pictures and realized we now have a water purify in our house I was like what the? I think home will be a lot different, I think it's normal to you all but to me it will be a lot different. Thank you so much for always emailing me every week. You guys haven't missed a week...I am truly blessed. Countless amounts of African missionaries will never receive an email from their family members. Most have just packed their bags by themselves, said bye and left some of them their family members don't really understand what they are even doing. We are truly blessed, my heart is full every time I open my inbox and see my family member’s emails.

I love this area and my companion. This has been one of my funnest areas. I am serving around excellent missionaries and love the area. I'm serving around Elder Lomano(tonga), Nxele(South Africa), Thapeli(South Africa), Green(Arkansas), Lewis-Reese(Pittsburg), Mbyia(), Chatterley(Washington). We are really having a lot of fun together. Chatterley goes home at the end of this transfer and said this has been one of his best couple transfers. It seems every Monday we are doing something...we never rest. Sometimes we go to the temple and play basketball, or we go to the mall, or we have a Braii(grill). Last Monday we did a Braii, this Monday we are playing basketball, and next Monday we are roasting a pig from our Tongan brother haha we are enjoying. Last night (Saturday) was elder Nxele Bday, it was raining so we were like let's go buy a cake and celebrate at the mall...so we ran through the rain and had a great night celebrating our brothers Bday! We have had a ton of memories together and it had been a lot of fun!
In our area we are having problems keeping serious investigators that our progressing. We are contacting and teaching 10 new people at least a week but none of them are turning out to be very serious. We however baptized on Mother's Day George and Enock. They are excellent men and have strong testimonies of the church we love them and are so grateful for them. We just confirmed them this Sunday and they love the church. We also have another man named Issac who is also progressing in the gospel and will be baptized next week Sunday we are so happy for him. Also we have a young woman named Jennifer who we teach with George and Enock. She loves the church and loves the teachings we are happy for her she will be baptized next month.  We taught this woman in this huge house 4 weeks ago Saturday and she has been wanting us to come every Saturday. Well her family is an excellent family, very devote Christians and well respected people. The woman travels all throughout Africa and America and is very wealthy. They hold family devotionals every night before bed they are a great family. Well last Saturday they fed us nice bancu with tallapia fish it was great and then she gave us a present and it was snickers, milky ways, and chocolate I almost cried I was so dang grateful. It tastes different than ours there made with real ingredients and made in South Africa but they were so good. She then gave us fresh mangos right off the tree I love mangos so much I can eat them until I'm sick haha. God bless that woman. We also were Able to get a young couple to our stake conference in Kasoa last week. They are from the democratic republic of Congo and loved the church. As soon as they saw the church they were like oh okay we have these all over at home. I love Ghana whenever a visitor comes over they bring out water on a plate always and are always very welcoming. Then if they recognize you as a servant of God they have so much faith and want to serve you with all they have. It's so hard for me because I was raised by dad to never accept such things like that. So I have a hard time especially when I know that they have very little or no money at all. All I do is bow my head and pray as hard as I can that God will bless them for their kindness and he always does.  Members especially recognize this and love to feed the missionaries and it’s so hard because you know they don't have money but they recognize that we are servants of God and they want blessings so they strive to always help us. Members here rely on missionaries to much however they respect and love us very much.

Green and I are getting along better than ever. We are having a blast every day. We buy a 3 cedi(75cent) ice cream quite often and we enjoy chopping that ice cream together I think we have feelings for each other haha just kidding but we are definitely brothers and feel like we are just chilling every day. I thought of grandpa and Dad and how much they love to get ice cream so we decided to get ice cream more haha. We have done some really great things together. We fellow shipped a less active a young man and he loves video games haha so we got along very good talking about video games and we got him to church.  Green and I were riding our bikes and it was blazing hot 94 degrees and we were sweating our shirts were soaked and see through and we were being smart a** about things and Green said I'm going to kick this goat. Well as we rode by some road side goats he booted one in the butt and it flew some ways and we laughed and laughed and laughed until we were off our bikes dying of laughter with tears down our eyes. I'm sure Ghanaians were looking at us like these freaking dumb a 's are laughing over this haha it was so dang funny!!  I have loved all my companions we have all had good laughs but Green and I laugh at times until we can't breathe so we are doing very well.

Family I love you all very much. I want to encourage and invite all of you to read your scriptures at least once a day. I love the scriptures dearly. I thank God that he has helped me gain a testimony of them. Heavenly Father can truly speak to us through them. The sweetest thing about the scriptures is they lead us to our savior Jesus Christ and if we come unto him we can find answers to all our questions. I am over whelmed because I want to read so many books and scriptures but have so little time left on my mission. I do my personal study and then read at night to put me to sleep I love the scriptures so much!!! I know they are true and I know all the prophets in them are true listen to them and learn from their success and also from their weaknesses.

I love you all tons,
Elder Carson

Week 83- Yo Chick!!

Yo Chick!!!                                                                                                                                          4/26/2015

Hey family! As I read your emails I am so thankful for my family, I truly feel so grateful as I read all of my families emails. I'm sorry my emails are getting sparser, it's not easy, I’ll work on it. Dad, Darin is such a hoot, I could just picture his big smile as you come out to see his truck, with his little head nod and a hell yeah this truck has a Cummins haha.

I really enjoy this area. It's really a nice area, it's a lot different then the village but it’s still a great area. We have some wonderful investigators. We actually had a baptism on Sunday. It was a young man named Isaac. He is 19 years old and has the strongest testimony of the restored gospel out of all my recent converts. I know I came to Odokor to help him get baptized. We get along very well. He wants to go on a mission so bad, so I'm excited that some of my recent converts want to serve, that brings me so much happiness and joy, I know a mission is the best thing for everyone at mission age. The three girls I baptize in Kaneshie, the oldest wants to serve a mission, she would do excellent I am very close to that area like my area now borders that area so I was able to see all my people I have loved it. We are also working with two men named Isaac and George: they come to church and love the gospel. They want to be baptized on may 3 so we are so excited to baptize these men and get some future melchelzidek priesthood holders. Enoch he sells sunglasses at circle, a major selling market. He walks around all day with sunglasses on his head in 90 degree weather and makes on a great day 20 Ghana. That is about 6 dollars. He will work from 6 am to around 7 pm he is a great guy and loves the gospel. Elder Green and I are doing our very best here. This area is not easy. The people are very stubborn. They love there church even though they know it isn't doing the correct things. We just try our best to get everyone to pray to ask Heavenly Father if they should join us....the ones that do always join the ones that don't usually remain in a midst of darkness.

In the mission President Hill has set a goal he wishes us to achieve each month. We call it 2 fers. It's 2 baptisms 2 recent converts with a temple experience and 2 less actives returning to the fold each month. It's not easy to achieve this goal each month but it has given me something to work for each and every month. I have yet to achieve it all in one month but I have exceeded in other aspects. In Asuom my companion and I reactivated around 5 people that all hold church callings now. While we didn't get as many baptisms as we wanted. I love these 2 fers though it is sweet. I wish to set goals similar to this when I am just a normal member. Goals are such a wonderful thing. I don't know anything really spiritual to say this email other than setting goals. A talk I read striked me to set goals to write down the progress I am in, in the eternal aspect of things. Like get baptized, graduate seminary (didn't do that one dang it), serving a mission, getting married in the temple, always have a calling, always pay my tithing etc. I love the prophets and apostle as I listen to their talks and instruction it always motivates me to set more goals to help me achieve exaltation and happiness in this life. Family the Book of Mormon is true it is the word of God. Read it every day and feast on its words and I promise you will gain the desire to read it more and will find so much peace in this life. I love the Book of Mormon so much.

I got your package thank you so much I am so thankful for you guys. I love the m and ms I don't need any more packages though god bless you I was thinking I was finished it was a good surprise. Family I love you all very much I pray for you all every single day. I pray for everyone. Tell all that I love them including Grandma and Grandpa. Green and I play catch every morning and I'm missing ball but I am thankful for green!

I love you all tons!!!!

Elder Carson

Week 80- Transfers

Transfers                                                                                                                                  4/8/15

                                                                                                                                                                    Well family it was great to hear from you!! I can't believe we will talk on the phone in like one month it is pretty sweet. My final home call! I'm grateful that you are all doing very good, happy and healthy. I know God lives and loves you all very much he has watched out for you as I have been here. Thank you for keeping me informed with Grandpa and Grandma and also Camille. It really helps me when you let me know how everyone is doing. Thank you for the emails and thank you so much for the support. I know that with whatever happens in life my family will always be there to support me and I am so grateful for that! 

Transfers were here o! I was transferred to Odokor. Elder Jessee was transferred to Tantra Hills. I am so sad to leave Asuom my heart wanted to stay there but I was losing my fire there. So I know God knew and knew that someone else needed to come and rekindle it a little and get full flame again. It's hard as missionaries sometimes we get stuck in routines and start just going through the motions. Especially for me I like getting into routines. It really speeds up time and helps me stay focused. However at times I really need to take a step out of my routine and see what God would have me do in that situation of time. It applies to us in our journey of mortality. Are we stuck in routines? If so we have the Savior and the Holy Ghost to help us. We can take a step out of our own clouds and see what do I need to be doing in my life, what should I do to please God. Don't be afraid to change. 
Asuom was so sweet, I will forever miss my gym out there that is killing me right now, now all I do is just normal push ups and dumb bells made out of gears haha. It was very neat however that on my last Sunday there we had a baptism. We assembled the font(a small swimming pool) and baptized one of the greatest men I have ever met, S N. I will never forget his sacrifice he had made to join the Lords church. I will use his example in my homecoming talk I know of it. He speaks very broken English but he and I got along so well and he and I will be great friends in the celestial kingdom. You know it's not easy serving in Africa. When you say goodbye it's most likely goodbye forever. It's not easy. 
One thing that I again have realized is the importance of  “blessed are the poor for they are the ones that will inherit the kingdom of God.”  My last Sunday in Asuom we always heard of this big plantation called GOPDC. So I decided to go see it...make a memory as Grandma would say. Well Elder Nyampong and I got us a moto, piled three of us on a little motorcycle and went on a 10 mile ride to see it. It was so neat the whole time I was like my family would love to see this. They had a huge farm of Palm Nut and  had a huge plantation. Well they had an air strip(Dad) and it was very interesting the whites lived on one side while the Blacks were on the other side. There was the sweetest swimming pool, with tennis courts chii it was so tempting. Well we decided we are here so let us do a little contacting. Well we contacted some big houses and the first two houses were Africans. Very nice humble people. Very welcoming and very friendly. They loved talking and were very interested in what we were doing. Well then we went to the whites side and they were all mostly from Belgium(explains it) and we contacted them and they were so rude and so prideful. One guy in particular was sitting outside reading and we walked to his presence and started talking. Well you know me I love small talk so I was trying to chat with him. I asked him a question of what exactly the plantation does? He said as you can see in a very rude way. Chii I almost gave it to him. I about said yeah it looks like a slave plantation so maybe you can correct me. I just said okay we will see you another day and we left. You know I will forever love Africans because they are so friendly and so inviting. I will never forget their examples to me. I then realized why I'm not in America because I would get in a lot of arguments when people are jerks...God does know me haha! 

Well Odokor is so sweet. We have a sweet compound and some sweet tenants. They are very wealthy so they take care of us. They love me too so they have fed me almost every night with nice grilled chicken and smoked fish. The down side is they love partying. They love girls and are always drinking and bringing girls over. So they keep us up when we want to sleep with loud music and drunk laughter but other than that its way sweet. We have everything we need here. The nicest mall in west Africa is just down the road and we have one of the greatest doctors in Africa in our ward so we are very blessed. It's totally opposite from Asuom where we were alone and had nothing haha. However they did get another senior couple from Idaho, he was a dairy farmer and is a great guy he was sad I was leaving there. He saw my cowboy hat and o buddy we clicked right away.

My companion is Elder Green he is from Jonesboro Arkansas. He is about 5 months on mission and is a sweet guy I really like him.  He had a beautiful girlfriend and is handsome himself. He played the French horn in band and loves football so we get along pretty good. I played the trumpet pretty freaking  good when I used to play haha.

Well family I am going to chop rabbit. I have a video of it. First I am in the same apartment with Elder Lewis-Reese from Pennsylvania and again Elder Uzoho who was companions with Elder Jensen when I was training Elder Luvhengo while Jensen trained Elder Uzoho...that was almost a year ago haha. Well we all get along very well I love Uzoho I call him Nija haha sweet guy. Well he likes rabbit but doesn't like killing them I think. So he bought one and I had to kill it the ole African way last night. By cutting his head off. It was a first for me...had to make a memory. I did it very fast so it didn't suffer but still I felt bad haha it's like dad says when you about shoot the dogs that last look just gets you but if times get rough I know how to do that stuff. We will chop him to tonight. 

Well Family! I love you all very much. I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful family. I am grateful for the prayers you send my way. I am getting anxious to come home but still working as hard as possible. I want you to know I hope I will forever keep the gospel of Jesus Christ by the Grace of God. I know it is true and know that my Heavenly Father lives. I feel at times we forget that he is an actual being and he is actually at the other end of our prayers. He is our father and he does love us. I am thankful for my Savior. This Easter was very special for me, the number one thing I have learned since I have been a missionary is that the Savior is the most important aspect of our lives. He is the reason we get to live with our families forever. He is the reason we will be resurrected and because of Him we can find peace and happiness in this world. He loves us and I love him very much! Can't wait until we meet again.

Love you all tons,

Elder Carson
(t-cars) this name is what everyone calls me here haha!

Week 79- Go and Come with Honor!!

Hey family!  We are able to email today "by His grace" as we say in Ghana.  I sure love this place and will have a hard time leaving it. It sounded like you all had a great week.  Cami is so dang funny, reading dad's email and mom's email this week made me laugh and really miss her.  It was good to get a good laugh though.  I can’t believe the weather is changing already, it seems too early.  I am grateful that you all had great weeks, that you are all happy and safe and doing well.

This week was a great week for Elder Nyampong and me.  We really had a great week and really felt the hand of the Lord as we went throughout the day.  The Asuom branch is really struggling, to be honest it is on the verge of collapsing, we are trying our best and coming up with ideas from the Lord on how to change it but the members aren't willing to put in their parts to change it and it is really affecting us all. Pray for this branch oooooo.  We have been working with a couple people who are really progressing.  We have a man whose name is S.  He is such a great man that I will never forget.  He is so determined to change his life and has so much faith in Jesus Christ. He knows that this gospel is his only way to have true happiness.  It’s funny though because he speaks Ghanaian pigeon English so when I try to speak to him we have a good laugh because I can only hear the pigeon but to speak it dea is not easy haha.  Also we have an older women whose name is E. She has been coming to church and is such a sweet lady.  She doesn’t speak a lick of English so my companion does all the teaching and I just laugh and draw pictures as he teaches on a small white board we have.  We invited her to pray to know if the church was true and the following lesson she told us that she as she was praying saw Joseph Smith when he saw the light and knew it was an answer to her prayer.  Well we went there Sunday and she told us that her friend had told her that the church was not true.  My companion did a great job by saying who are you going to listen to God or your friend?  She responded with of course God and then she came to church so it was sweet.  We have a few other people that we are working with that are being very stubborn and aren't being honest with us. I tell you what though this Church is so dang true.  You know I was just discussing with my companion the culture in Ghana and the mindset with members with the topic of going on mission.  Here in Ghana and I think it is safe to say in West Africa, the culture in the Church is if you are a man worthy of age to serve a mission basically you have to go.  Their mentality is if you don’t serve you bring dishonor upon your families head and upon your own head.  You know I don’t know if this right because it may force people to go when they don’t want to but I also agree with it because not only does that aspect of their mentality make sense I think we miss out on so many blessings into our lives and miss out on such a wonderful learning experience that you can only learn on a mission.  A mission is so important, it truly is a university of life, it teaches you so much about the gospel of Jesus Christ and truly helps you develop a sure foundation that will carry you the rest of your life.  I was once participating in a family home evening in Kaneshie with members and with a group of young single adults.  We were celebrating the departure of a leaving sister missionary.  It was so cool to be in this single room with so many wonderful people strong in the faith.  Well as we were closing they asked each of us in attendance to give the future sister missionary some words of advice. Well it went through about 9 of us then it was the turn of a young 9 year old girl.  She said 5 simple words that changed my life.  She said "go and come with honor." I thought of such a powerful statement by such a young girl that is the mentality that each of us should have. I think this is what God and Jesus said to us as we left their presence to gain a body and be tested I imagine God saying "Taylor Go and Come with honor my son."  I will forever live my life so when I stand before that Judgement seat of God he will say "well done thou good and faithful servant." My family the church is true, prepare yourself in whatever way imaginable to magnify our callings, go on a mission or do what you know the Lord expects of you at this time. I love you all very much and miss you like crazy!! I will see you in 4 months!!!:)

Elder Carson

Week 76- Bang!!!!

Hey family!!!! it sounded like you guys all had a pretty good week.  I tell you what I love having a companion that can speak Twi it truly has hastened the work out here.  Training has been sweet it has truly gave me a big push and he is so motivated to work so it has just helped me get out of the being trunky rut.  Elder Nyampong is a sweet guy we get along very well; he reminds me a lot of Boehmer so we get along great.  Elder Esplin is sweet too he has so many card games that are so sweet to play...one is called BANG it is the best game I have ever played and would recommend it to any missionary coming to Ghana.  The missionary work has been sick out in Asuom we are running into a lot of distractions; Satan is definitely at work out here. We have had so many distractions with family members, members causing issues, and so many other things, I feel like I’m serving in Oakley. There is a literacy program that President set up out here and that has been sweet we have a sweet investigator from it named N.  He is a great guy that can’t wait to be baptized he extended himself a date so we are very happy with him.  These past couple of days I have been really thinking about life and other things, and have realized however how truly blessed I am.  Sometimes to be honest I make myself stressed because I am so grateful that I am like scared to come home I don’t know it’s a weird feeling but words cant describe how grateful I am to my Heavenly Father for the way I have been raised.  I was studying however and I have always wanted a way to give back my gratitude to God which is why I strive to work hard always, but I was studying in Jacob and Jacob pleads with us that we need to give freely or something along those lines in Chapter 2 I think.  Well a seventy said a way to show our gratitude to God is by paying our tithing and offering.  It really touched me as not only are they commandments but they also are a way of showing thanks to God.  We have so much to be grateful....I wish you could just see what we see here....you wouldn’t care to give offering or your tithe.  We have truly been blessed and we have so much to be grateful for.  I hope we can all strive from this day forth to pay our tithe and offering.  We have seen miracles from our Heavenly Father and have been blessed with a wonderful community, country, and family.  We may not be perfect, but Jesus Christ will help us become it.  It’s not much but it something that touched me this week as a way to show my thanks to God.  The church is so dang true, I know it with my whole heart, if you don’t know it, or you are lacking some things, just read the Book of Mormon, with a humble heart and that will change.  Literally the Savior is the son of God and our redeemer, it pains him when we don’t do what he has taught us, he did die for us and he loves us, his arm is always outstretched and never shortened...come unto Him!!!

I love you all very much!! Tell Grandma and Grandpa that I love their emails and letters; they give me more life and motivation for the coming weeks.  Dad and Mom thank you for writing me; I am blessed to have a family that emails me every week.  Count your blessings and the send thanks up to your father.  Love you all!! Love You Colb man!!!

Elder Carson

Week 74- Hugs and Goodbyes!!

Well family it sounded like you guys had a great week.  All is well here in Asuom!  We had a wonderful baptism last week Sunday and had a wonderful baptism this week as well.  Asuom is really progressing the lord is blessing us out here!  Well transfers were in and Elder Itedjere is going to Oda my last area and Elder Graves is going to New town Accra.  They are both very happy but we are sad to see them go. We have gained a big brotherhood and respect out here together and it will be sad to see them leave, I love them both like brothers.  Elder Jessee is getting a guy named Elder Esplin and I will be training a new missionary.  I am happy with the transfers.  This week was somehow rough, I think because of transfers news we all were kind of dragging but it was still okay.  We weren’t able to see all of our investigators this week but that’s how it goes some days.  We are facing a lot of trials out here.  Every investigator Graves and I have is facing outside influences.  Two of our serious investigators have had their parents tell them they can no longer come to our church.  One was a 16 year old boy which is understandable but the other is a 26 year old woman who is in fear of losing her money from her family.  Satan is definitely an influence when others come to the knowledge of the truth.  I have actually really been studying Satan and his tactics so to say.  I have read the story in 3 Nephi when the king of the gadianton robbers uses flattery words to try to persuade Nephi to surrender.  Then I read about him in 2 Nephi I believe chapter 29. It’s amazing how much these passages portray Satan and how careful we have to be with him.  We see it all the time especially what we learn about in 2 Nephi.  Where he justifies things and uses a little truth with a lot of lie.  one he uses is basically Just do this for example not pay your tithing, not keep the commandments, maybe lie a little, or cheat a little or things that to us seem harmless.  He will say God will just whip you and you will be on your way, or god is merciful I can worship him how or the way I like.  My response is NO we cannot do what we wish to do with our own mortal minds, we cannot kindle our own fire, God has a way and we have to follow it!  We have to keep our covenants; we have to do everything he expects of us, it’s important.  This has really been on my mind a lot lately because Satan has sucked me into this mentality sometimes, even here on mission.  It’s okay to listen to this music it doesn’t swear, it’s okay to not study today, you studied yesterday, it’s okay to not go to church as long as you are keeping the commandments......NO don’t listen to him follow what God has told us, his plan is eternal salvation not eternal damnation. 

Family I love you a lot!! All is well. I love you guys so dang much and miss you all like crazy!  I am so grateful for you all.  Grandpa and Grandma I love you guys too, can’t believe you bought another trailer that’s sweet, love you both very much!!

Elder Carson

Week 73- All is Well!!

Mom all is well. Tell Dad that we are okay.  We had an activity as a
zone on Monday so we couldn't get around a computer to email.  We are
experiencing a lot of light off lately and it just came on so we
decided to shoot a quick email home.  I am fine.  It’s crazy about
Spencer.  Is Josie married yet?  I love you all tons.  God is truly
there, don’t ever doubt Him.  I’m glad to hear about Colby and dad, all
will be well.  Love you mom.  Tell Dad and Colby and Grandma and
Grandpa too please!

Week 72- Keep on Fighting the Good fight Soldier

Well family, I apologize I think it has been about 8 weeks since I have sent a good email your way.  The village is definitely not an easy place to be, but it is such a rewarding experience to live in a village in West Africa for hopefully 8 months.  Again since I have been here my gratitude towards my Heavenly Father has been increased every single day.  As you live in real poverty and deal with real problems here it makes your heart ache, but then you are constantly feeling Gods love towards his children also and that is so sweet to feel that every day!  Again I can’t write really worth a........... Yeah but I’ll try my best.  It sounded like you all had a great week.  It’s been a while since I have heard from Colby?  Did he get that Lineman Scholarship?  Also I loved the stories of Cami.  She literally is a walking testimony of blessings and miracles of missionary work.  Dad happy birthday you old fart haha!  I’ll be able to kick your butt when I get home haha chii it’s been a long time waiting for that day haha.  Happy Birthday Dad, I am always reminded of you out here.  Thank you so much for the great experiences, all our camping trips, motorcycle rides, crashes, boating chii there are plenty but Dad our family is so blessed and I know that is from your sacrifice to work hard for the family, Love you Dad.  Mom don’t worry I’ll be home in 6 months!  I have got some work to do outhere first and then I will be home. 

Well we are experiencing miracles every single day out here in Asuom.  I have gained such a strong testimony on how truly this is the Lords work and how we are merely instruments in His hands.  Now saying that as missionaries we have to do what is right, we have to be obedient and willing to submit ourselves to the Lord and his will for us.  Now trials, hardships, discomfort, and maybe opposition will come, it’s a guarantee when we are submitting ourselves to the Lords will.  Now the natural man would shake his fist into the heavens and say "God how dare you," or "God why me." However we should look at these events in the way that God trusts us. He is telling us, I’m going to make you work to return to my presence, I’m going to make you prove yourself. If you do well He will say "well done thou good and faithful servant. “It’s my prayer that we as a family are doing this. This church is true, it’s not just a normal church or a way of life, this is the dang church that JESUS CHRIST himself established a couple thousand years ago.  Family we have to do all we can because we have to be able to live with each other in Celestial glory with our wives, children, grandchildren the whole deal.  We got to keep our covenants, there aren’t any ifs ands or buts we got to do it!  Serious though this aint a game this is eternity!

This week we experienced so many great things.  First was a sweet experience Elder Graves had.  He is such a stud!  We are working on praying with faith and relying on the Spirit and  not relying on logic.  Well Elder Graves said as we were about to begin proselyting Elder Carson I think we need to go contacting here today. Now me I’m like Graves we have contacted there like every day man are you sure...he replied with he was.  So we went and contacted there. Well we contacted a woman whose name was C.  She had traveled to Asuom from Accra due to some financial difficulties and she had just given birth to twins.  Well we contacted her like the next day she got there.  C is awesome and we had some powerful lessons with her, where the spirit day.  She opened up some of her concerns and expressed her interest in knowing the true church.  Well we taught her lesson one and she loved it.  Well long story short she came to church on Sunday.  Graves is such a stud I was so happy for him he did a great job.  It was a testimony to him and me on truly relying on the Lord for direction. Well we have an Investigator I who will be baptized on Sunday.  We are so happy for him.  He has such a strong testimony!  The ZL's did the interview for him and they said he is more than ready.  We are working with some other people but we will see if they will progress.  Here in Ghana so many people want to see us, most of the time it’s for different reasons than salvation so we really have to be close to the spirit to help us discern who truly has a desire to change.  We face a lot of challenges out here. We can’t speak Twi fluently so we can’t really teach lessons in it and in the village a majority out here speaks Twi.  It has been hard but the Lord keeps placing people in our path so we are hanging in there.  We are experiencing miracles in the branch out here though.  We had again around 70 people at church again and we had 14 INVESTIGATORS at church!  The other companionship Elder Jessee and Elder Itedjere are doing awesome.  We had around 6 investigators at church and they had 8!  It was so dang cool, I was very happy on Sunday.  Then the members went after church to see some people who didn’t come and that is a huge improvement out here. Also we are doing a literacy class out here and are teaching people English and that is really helping getting people to church.  The instructor is awesome, he is our old branch president and he does a great job. 

Well family again I know everyone says this church is true but holy smokes it is.  Literally losing yourself in the service of your Heavenly Father and helping others come unto Him, you truly find it.  I have experienced so much joy since day one of my mission.  Words can’t describe what we see every day out here, but I can truly feel the Saviors love for his fellow brothers and sisters as I serve in His name.  The Savior loves us so much, as I think of him suffering in Gethsemane, pleading with God for help but still enduring through the pain, then carrying a cross all the way to Calvary, helps me understand how much he loves us!  The Saviors hand is never shortened it is always outstretched towards us; all we have to do is grab on.  I love my Redeemer so much.  I don’t think I would have gained this love if it wasn’t for the Book of Mormon.   You know to be honest I had some spiritual experiences at college which is why I am here but I had never read the Book in my entire life as member. I’m not proud of that but as I got out here I realized well I can’t tell these people to read the Book if I haven’t read it.  So I read it and I keep reading it, and I keep reading it.  This book from the first chapters all the way to the end talk about our Savior.  The book of Mormon is truly the word of God and truly draws us closer to Jesus Christ more than any other book.  Don’t ever doubt this book, don’t listen to the world, don’t listen to haters just get on your knees and ask God if it is true.  I am not the most spiritual person and can’t write what I truly want to say but I know God loves us. He has promised Angels on our left and on our right.  He won’t ever fail us or forsake us.  He is simply always there.  I so testify in the name of our great Redeemer even Jesus Christ Amen.

Well I can’t share our funny story this week but I will when I get home it’s so dang funny tho! 

I love you all tons!!!

Elder Carson

Week 71- Keep on Fighten Soldier!

1/26/2015 7:54 AM

Hey family! It’s been a long time.  In our village we have had lights off for the past couple of weeks so we can’t travel to Kade to email. We try to use the church computer but it is very slow and I usually go last so everyone else can email.  I sure appreciate the emails though they mean a lot to me.  Just to hear how you are doing and how everything is going really helps me out here.  This village is pretty sweet, don’t worry we are doing fine out here and the Lord is watching out for us every day.  It sounded like you all are doing great so I am happy about that it makes it easier on me. Please stay safe skiing and sledding.  Colby hang in there boss, magnify your calling and you will feel blessings and you will be happy trust me.  It feels so nice to help people. 

Well the village has been such a rewarding blessing in my life.  If you are selfish and ungrateful before you come out here that should change real fast.  The way people live and the poverty you see is not easy.  I hate seeing Families suffer and children suffer.  We are truly so blessed to live where we live and yet we still complain. This village has taught me a lot of how ungrateful I have been in my life.  Thank Goodness we have the Gospel and I can share that with them and help them receive blessing into their lives.  Dad thank you for the inspired thought last email.  I did somehow have that attitude.  I try justifying it Dad because this is the most Christian country in the world and every person believes in Jesus Christ.  Well every church is just taking advantage of these poor people.  Every church here takes what they call collection and of course tithe and offering and they walk around with bowls, or place one at the front so everyone can see if someone pays.  It forces people to pay and forces people to lose money

money, (sorry the internet shut off. )  I am going to lose internet our generator is going to shut off!! Everything is sweet don’t worry about me I will try to email later let everyone know I am okay.  Tell Grandpa and Grandma that I love them very much and love their emails and letters.  Also tell Preston and RaeAnne and Cami we are so blessed!!! We will have baptisms next week!  We had 86 people at church on Sunday...compared to 22 when we first came the lord is blessing us so much!!! I love you guys very much I will come to Kade next week and email you more details try to write questions for me!!! I love you all tons!!!

Elder Carson

Week 69- Brown Shirts!

Helloooo Fam Dam!!!!! How are you guys?  I don’t have much time to email we had light off all blessed day and it barely came on while we were playing football with a bunch of scrubs (Elder Itedjere)  so we decided to come over and email real fast.  I don’t have much time because there is only one computer and all 4 of us have to email so I’ll make it fast.....I’m alive!!!!

Love Elder Carson

P.S. Nothing really happened this week, I traveled to Accra for MLC and that was fun, I was with Elder Chatterely and Elder Nelson for 3 days and that was sick.  However the drive to Accra was very dusty, long, and bumpy.  My shirts were brown when I got back.  I am so happy about Brayden what a stud.  I will tell you more next week.  I love you all very much and pray for you when I think about it....haha no I’m kidding I pray for you every day every prayer.

Another P.S.  Elder Jessee who I just left in Kaneshie was transferred to our district so we are enjoying again.

Love you guys so much,

Elder Carson

Week 68-Sacrifice brings forth Blessings.

Well I haven’t emailed in a long time so there is a lot to share but I will summarize it short so my companion can email.  Well we had our Christmas conference and it was done so well this year the spirit was so strong.  The best thing was we were able to go through a session and for me remember the Savior.  During the session I sat in Elder Curtis and Elder Dube were both sitting in the front, the spirit was so strong those men are wonderful men and have a spirit that dwells with them.  Well we also went on a long hike with our Zone out here in the good ole Abamasu Zone. We hiked into the mountains and hiked to a big waterfall it was beautiful. There wasn’t much water but it was sweet.  The whole time walking through the rainforest I was ready to see a freakin T-Rex or something it was sick.  Here in Asuom the living conditions are just what we need.  We have a cold shower every night and pillow to lay our heads on.  The apartment is the nicest in the mission and we have a generator, we are the only apartment that has one.  In our district we have elder Itedjere from NIgeria, Elder Grave from California and Elder Appiah from Ghana Cape Coast and to say the least we are always laughing and enjoying.  At first we had our rooms divided into separate rooms but we wanted to be closer so we moved our rooms into a common room so we could chat whenever and that has really brought us closer together.  Dad this place is safe don’t worry boss, we have all the food we need and a good clinic just in case we get sick but we are staying healthy and all is well don’t worry.  Also Dad Elder Dalton is a great guy he has served here as a senior couple for 4 years almost and wants to buy an XR400 I don’t know if you are selling mine or what your plan is but he said he was interested.  He will be home January 13 and I know you would love to hear is homecoming talk.  What’s scary is that goes our senior couple out here and we are alone so there is no fast transportation so we really have to take care, but again DAD don’t worry boss all is well.

Well some cool stories while I still have some time, the other day Elder Graves and I were proselyting in this village where a majority speaks Twi and we met a member speaking Twi to us and we sat down and tried conversing the best we could with her.  Well as I was sitting there, here in Ghana by the way the livestock just roams however on the streets, well there was a goat there (goats are the funniest creatures)  Well the dang thing started sprinting at me while I was sitting down and jumped up on my bike and started to turn me into a little school boy haha it was so funny Elder Graves and I were laughing pretty hard. We have also killed a big cobra out here and have some cool encounters with other insects it’s been wild but fun.  You see children getting beat almost every day and that breaks your heart but here in Ghana you can voice your opinion however you want so I always tell them to stop and here in Ghana it’s not the parents that raise their children it’s the whole country so they usually are just quiet you just say please please stop in Twi and they stop because it’s a pure beating, Dad before you get riled up that’s what we do here so it’s okay.

Well we have been doing the work out here as best as we can.  The pilot program the Church was trying was a huge success and I will report to President Hill on Thursday about it, Heavenly Father has truly helped us out here.  We have done a lot out here but I think all we did was bring a new spirit, that motivated and encouraged members to do missionary work so we are getting it done out here.  I imagine I will finish my mission here and I sure hope so.  We have some very good investigators out here as well.  We have a young man named I. He had never gone to church and one day he called our member and said I want to go to your church so he came and we are teaching and he is progressing so dang fast.  Also we have a young man named C.  A very smart educated man who knows Catholics is very wrong (they allow Gays) (which is forbidden in Africa) so he is striving to find the truth and thinks he has found it.  Also we got a sweet referral from a member and as we went to contact them we went into their home and it felt like a member’s home and Graves said how aren’t these people members.  Well they are a new married couple and have just left the Jehovah witness church and so they are very receptive to the gospel. There is so much to tell you but so little time.  WE had a branch party and we had around 120 people there and that is a very good turnout, boy oh boy it was sweet.  Elder Graves and I were dancing during musical chairs and they loved it. I took a bunch of videos so you will get them soon for Dads Bday!!!!:)

Well you know I was reading in 2 Nephi and I think that is my most favorite book in the Book of Mormon now.  I can’t remember the exact chapter but it was talking about how the Saviors arm is always outstretched for us and never shortened.  If you think about that and visualize the Savior always reaching his arm out towards us. Regardless of what we have done or what we are doing Christ is always there to grab us and pull us up.  I love the Savior so much; I am reading the book mom sent me and it has really made me realize how important the Savior is.  If there is anything that I have learned or gained while serving my Heavenly Father is that I know the Savior lives, he died for us and because of him we too can return to live with our Heavenly Father again and eventually become as him.

I love you guys so much! This email I feel so blessed. Coach Brabant wrote me and was a huge answer to my prayers, I know Heavenly Father Blessed me so much and I am so grateful for him.

Thank you so much for the gifts I love you all very much!!!

Elder Carson

Week 67- No letter again!!!