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!!!

Week 66- No letter this week!!

Week 65- Busy, Busy, Busy

Hey family! I love you guys tons!!  I don't have much time to email but I just wanted to shoot a quick email to you and tell you guys I love you tons and thank you for the emails.  I have so much to tell you though about this area, Heavenly Father has blessed me with great district members and we get along very well. Also he has trusted in us here in Asuom, we have a lot of responsibility here.  According to President Hill he wants to turn Abomosu into a stake by the end of next year and the only thing holding us back is Asuom.  We had to start from the basics though, we started home teaching, visiting teaching, a calling tree so everyone gets called, we assigned ourselves to each auxiliary in the church.  Graves, my companion, is in Primary and is doing great it fits him perfect the kids love him, Apiah is in Elders Quorum and they love him there and he teaches great while Elder Itedjere is in Young Men and Young Women and he has so much swag and just fits perfect with them, while I'm in Relief Society...you know me with women haha!!! Well we are emailing at the church and everyone needs to email plus we get to call soon so its chill but know I'm safe, Tell Elder Graves mom that he is safe and doing so dang good he is a stud.  Well Mom, Dad, Colbs and Family!! I was so sad about Pam it breaks my heart but I was just telling these guys that she will accept the gospel and we need to do her work for her!! I love you guys tons!! Next Week we get to talk!!!

Elder T-Cars!!!

Week 64- No letter this week

Taylor is in the bush and doesn't have easy access to the internet so no letter this week.  Bummer!!!

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