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!!!