12/23/2013

hey guys! what a crazy adventure this whole mission thing has been huh? If someone would of shown me the things i would go through coming on a mission here i would of never come. it's amazing how even in the darkest moments we still have strength to push forward. i have really seen that the worst thing we can do is to give up at or on something. As long as we don't give up the Lord WILL help us, every time! I am so very greatful for that as i have needed time and time again sometimes day in and out. I thought it was really funny what u said about the ghanains traveling and how do they get the money to do that? haha i ask myself that same question all the time! haha the poor elders that came into take half of my area 4 months ago have been having a rough time. one of those experiences was the other day when their inv was supposed to be at his interview by 5 or something and they called him and he said oh so sorry i traveled to sunyani... they were like wha?! why do they never even call?! haha that stuff happens all the time. 

As for christmas i will be calling. im not sure what time though. whenever my comp is done with the phone i guess. i assume you'll answer ur phone this time right? haha also no they do not have any shops in the accra airport. not even terminals. just one big hot sweaty pavilion thing. ha i will be going through the temple b4 i go home though so that will be cool and im looking forward to that. yes i did recieve my package thanks so much! im saving it to open on christmas even though i already read what was inside. haha we also bought a christmas tree today!!! yes! haha its about 2 ft tall and we have 3 ornaments! haha pretty sad i know but it's all good. as for christmas we don't have to proselyte but we r supposed to look for opportunities to serve. 

ok well this week was exciting. we had our christmas party in kumasi on the 19th and since we live so far away we came the 18th and slept in kumasi at elder hopkins apt. elder atandji and i went down early though so i could say goodbye to some ppl. I was able to go say bye to elizabeth and godfred and the rest of the fam that i baptized in asuoyeboa! ah it was so awesome! even if i was super sick and vomited right in front of them... haha elizabeth and janet and daniella are all still super active. Godfred isn't active but he's not LA but i gave them all ctr rings and they all promised to go to church forever! they r my fav converts on mission! just so fun to be around and truly friends! I wasn't able to see charles and the fam though he couldn't get off work. i then went to ust and saw some of my ysa friends there and also bridgett. We also saw augustine who is LA but he was super happy to see me and gave me a big hug! haha i showed the ust elders to him though and he said he would start coming. I didnt get to see paa kwesi though. 

The party was cool although i was still sick so i didn't get to enjoy the food. i'm feeling ok now. Elder atandji and i really put our heart and soul into the work this week trying to get our invs at church and wouldn't ya know it we had a big fat ZERO at church! only the 2nd time my mission that has happened. oh well... i'll be giving a talk for my last sunday here on the 2nd coming of the savior. that should be interesting. 

Tonight we had our techiman christmas party with all 3 groups here and it was a TON of work as u can see by me not getting a chance to email till now. Sis gifty, Vida and some others were in charge of the cooking. it was pretty sweet and we did the nativity and everything. they all LOVED it! even though it was ghanain time and it was supposed to start at 4 but we didnt start till 5:30 cause no one was there. well guys i'm doing my best here! i will be in the single digits days left here on christmas and i can hardly believe it. i can see myself wasted tired, sick, and smelly with an unshaven face of 2 days getting off the plane and u guys are like is that him? haha it'll be great! love u all! Pls continue to support me more than ever in ur prayers! 

-elder slade