November 27, 2012

Hey everybody!

Wow, I just had such a busy week...I feel like I've been saying that ever since that I came to Praso.  On Thanksgiving we weren't able to celebrate anything because we had to go to a meeting in Assin Foso with the Stake Presidency.  The meeting went well and the missionary work is going well there.  The Assin Foso stake had a total of 36 baptisms this last weekend so it was a pretty big weekend.  Our zone was having a big baptism on Saturday and we didn't have enough clothes so we had to borrow some from the Assin Foso zone leaders.  Getting all of the interviews and stuff done this week with the help of the district leader was a miracle. Saturday was the big day of the baptism.  We were able to get all of the candidates to the chapel in a village called Nuamakrom except for the ones from Kenkuase. We had to end of taking a tro tro to Kenkuase and we found out that the seven people had been waiting there for two hours but the person who was supposed to come with a tro tro never came and we couldn't find him.  The problem with that is also that there is no network in those places so we can't make calls.  We got them to the church and got them ready and everything went perfect after that.  Our zone had a total of 25 baptisms and we had a total of 13 for my companionship. We also got transfer news that night and we found out that my companion and I are staying together for the next six weeks so I'm happy about that. Monday we had our Thanksgiving dinner and it was so good.  The whole day that power was out so that is why we couldn't email.  Right as we were sitting down to eat at 6:00, the power came back so we were really happy. I can't believe it is almost December. Before I know it I'll be calling home!  Well, have a great week, I have to go!

Love Elder Kitchen

November 19, 2012

Hello again from Ghana!

So for this last week, it seems like everything was just one long day and it's all blended together.  I'm trying hard to think of what's happened but I just can't remember.  Oh yeah, so on Friday we went out to Kenkuase again.  It feels like it was like a month ago that we did that.  We hitched a ride with a guy going there so luckily we didn't have to walk so far.  We got there and one of the members showed us around everywhere.  He took us to some investigators and members that live there.  We honestly went into the jungle to go and visit people.  We walked 40 in one direction while we were walking through Cocoa tree farms and then we randomly showed up at a place where there were a few mud huts and we taught a part member family there.  I tried cocoa beans and they are extremely gross.  I can't believe something as great as chocolate can originate from something so bitter and gross.  If I smell drying cocoa beans again I think that I'll throw up.  I felt like I was going to die out cause it was so hot but it ended up being cool.  That place is so cool...there's no phone reception or electricity and it is on the border of the Kakum national forest but I love it there. I just wish it wasn't so far away.  Sunday we had stake conference so we all went to Assin Foso to where the stake center is and watched a broadcast from Salt Lake that was for all of Africa.  They just recorded it and had all of the Stakes and Districts show it on this last Sunday.  The meeting was great and it was great to hear the prophet speak since it's been quite a while since I have done that.  We even got to ride to the conference in an air conditioned bus!  Ghana is too dang hot...I'm sweating through my clothes as we speak! Haha. Today for P-day we went to the castle in Elmina which is next to Cape Coast.  It is the largest slave castle in all of West Africa.  It was sad to see the conditions that they had to pass through during those times. It was not a good time in history at all.  This week is going to be extremely hectic with interviews and stuff for the whole zone...I'm not looking forward to it at all. I'll let all of you know how everything went next week.  Well, thanks for everything and have a wonderful week everybody!

Elder Kitchen 

Mission Tour Sitati 2012

November 12, 2012

What's up everybody!

So life's cool here...that's about it. haha. I can't even think about what happened this week.  I feel like I'm just too busy to keep everything straight.  Oh yeah, so both on Tuesday and Wednesday my companion and I went to Cape Coast to do some things. The time that we went on Wednesday was for zone leader council at the mission home.  All of the zone leaders from the mission came and we met and reported on how our zones are doing and then we received some instruction from President and the APs.  There wasn't anything big that came out of the meeting but it was really good.  We had a huge plate of food after that was delicious.  It's been about 15 months since I had eaten there so I feel like it was about time.  We have some investigators in Praso that we are still trying to prepare to be baptized on the 24th of this month.  It seemed far away when we started planning it but it's just getting closer and closer now.  We went clear out to Kenkuase again on Sunday.  It's that village that is in the middle of nowhere.  The meeting was good.  It's funny because they treat the missionaries as if it's general authorities coming.  They get up and come over to us to ask if they can do certain things or if we can help them.  They are really sweet people.  The only part that I don't like about that place is the killer walk.  On the way back it started to pour so we had to run and find cover. The problem was that the cover that we found was not really covering us.  We were practically sitting on the ground and the rain was getting us wet.  It finally stopped so we had to get back to Praso when we were drenched.  I just wish that taxis or tro tro's would go out there when we wanted to go there!  Today we came down to Cape to do a district activity at one of the chapel's here.  We've just been playing different games and having fun all morning.  So as I said before...life's cool here!  Thanks for everything family!  Have a great week!

Elder Kitchen

Novemeber 5, 2012

What's up everybody!

This week was probably one of the most tiring weeks ever. One Wednesday night, we went out on splits with some Elders in a village called Nyenasi and I had to sleep on the floor which was just cement so that was extremely uncomfortable. Then we were with them for half of the day on Thursday before we came back to Praso just to go and get another tro tro to go to Assin Foso to have a meeting witht the stake presidency and the Foso zone leaders to talk about the missionary work that is happening in the Assin Foso stake. The ride there is just about 39 km but it is on a terrible dirt road and the tro tro is just bad. My shirt was completely brown by the time that we got there and I was so sweaty and gross. We had to sleep over in Foso after the meeting and then in the morning we went back to Praso on another crappy tro tro where I had a huge goat sitting under the seat by me. It kept making noise the whole time that we were going. When we got back we went and showered and got ready and then I went out with one of the Elders in another village called Hemang and I was with him for the rest of the day. I was happy that I was at least able to sleep in my bed that night. The next morning we went on splits with the Elders in my apartment and I went with Elder Cavaness. He's a great guy. He just came out, but he is really trying to work hard. So then Sunday my companion decided to go out to a village that is really far away where we have a branch but there a no missionaries there. We went because the branch president said that he has some people for us to teach. We took that crappy dirt road to a small village called Nuamakrom and then we had to walk four miles down a small path that we just in the African bush. There is no electricity or phone service in that place and they worship in a small school house that is falling apart. It was really cool to be there for church though. The walk back was not fun because we had to walk the four miles back and we were also carrying a big bag of oranges and bananas that the people gave us. I slept extremely well last night. It was just a long but successful week. Back at Praso ward some of our investigators that we are teaching came to church so we were happy about that. Life is cool here, but busy. Thanks for everybody who sent me the emails…it was great to hear from you!

Love Elder Kitchen