August 27 2012

Haha I have heard that Ghana has gold mines as well, but I think their
government is just super corrupt. Because Ghana has Cocoa beans as
well so really they should be doing really quite well, but you don't
even see the Ghanain chocolate here, but apparently it's one of the
best chocolate's you can get in the world. So ya I haven't seen any
gold. I'll let you know when I'm coming home if I find any haha.

Sweet, I'm excited to have chickens when I get home. Maybe I'll teach
you how to kill a chicken when I get home. My companion is thinking
about getting one for his birthday this coming Saturday, but he's
probably getting transferred out of the area so we'll see on Saturday
what happens I guess. I'll probably get the call on Wednesday or so if
I'm becoming a trainer so we'll kind of be able to tell if he's
staying or leaving. There's 16 new missionaries coming so it's pretty
likely that I'm going to train.

I'm so lucky for all the support that I have back home. There's a lot of
strength knowing that there are people behind you. It had to have been
hard for Moroni when he was by himself, but I suppose he was
remembering all those who had gone before him and who would come after
him.

It's good to hear from you
Love you

Elder Adair

August 20 2012

Hey tell mom sorry I didn't get to send her an email. My computer shut
down when I was trying to send it. And tell Adam I'll send him a
letter this week as well.

I'm doing good, Ghana's fun. Transfers are coming up though so that'll
be interesting. 2 more weeks and I'll probably be training and Elder
Barnett will move out.

I can understand people for the most part. I think they can understand
me. Either that or they are really good at faking like they can
understand me.

Umm I haven't really been taking pictures. But I did take a picture at
that bridge and with the crocodiles.

Mmm peaches. I forgot about our peach tree.

Well it was good to hear from you guys.

The work is going well. Selima and Racheal are going to be baptized
next week, and hopefully Lawrence the week after that.

The time just flys by doesn't it? I can't believe it's almost 6 months either.

I still haven't even used any of my birthday money haha, I even tried
to celebrate this month. I got some nice biscuits everyday and I went
out to that Cape Coast Restaurant, yet I still have 45 Cedis left to
spend for this final week of the month. I think Dad taught me to be
too tight with my money. Avacados are coming back though. I saw a few
today. They're kind of expensive right now so I'm going to wait a
little while to buy some.

Now that Elder Barnett is probably moving out I'll be washing by hand
now. This is going to be interesting. Hopefully Elder Jackson's method
works

Sorry for the short email this week.

Love you all

Elder Adair

August 13 2012

Haha the excercise still isn't coming along amazingly. On Saturday we
did a service project shoveling dirt and carrying it in big pans to a
wheelbarrow, and then wheelbarrowing it to a guys house. We did half
the job and said we'd come back next week. Then we went and fetched
water for some less actives which we've been doing for weeks. My
back is dead now though. We're going to play football (soccer) today,
but I think I might have to skip out. I also have a sore on the back
of my foot from my nike shoes.

We haven't been able to go out again with the assistants. The time
they came our appointment flogged.

It's about as cold as a windy day back home at night. I wake up quite
cold  like I need to have a light sheet to stay warm. Luckily some
Missionaries are going home and I'm getting some more sheets and a
towel. My towel is disgusting now so I'm excited for that.

I don't think the Humidity really makes it much colder, it just makes
you sweat alot. But the rainy season is pretty much over so it's
starting to warm up again.

Haha the girl that was talking to me last week at the computer wasn't
serious. The girls mostly just want to get married so we don't really
teach them much. Usually their first question will be "are you
married?"

Melanie sent me some pictures and some were at Lagoon, it looks like
you guys are having fun. The kids are looking old now it's weird.
Especially shawn's kids.

Ya it's amazing to think of what Abraham grew up with, yet he turned
out to be a great leader.

For me the Bible keeps getting more interesting, It's slowly starting
to make more sense for me. I was looking through the scripture mastery
that they have you memorize in Seminary, and I was surprised that most
of them we use for missionary work as well.

Soo this Saturday we had a mini party for Elder Rogers who is going
home. We went to the Cape Coast Castle Restaurant and I got Hawaiin
Chicken with Chips for 10 Cedis. It was the most amazing meal I have
ever had. I ate the Chicken fat and bones and everything on my plate.
It all tasted amazing. Afterwards I bought a Fan Ice and a Fandango
(Ice Cream and some Orange Juice). I was in heaven.

Also since he is going home Elder Adair is the new Zone Leader in our
apartment. So now we have 2 Elder Adairs in the apartment starting
tomorrow. We'll have 2 guitars as well so I'm excited. Maybe I'll get
to jam with him as well! I didn't even think about that. Oo sweet.

Daniel Donkoh came to church right when the sacrament started so he
missed his confirmation by about 1 minute. But he brought his friend
Lawrence who Elder Jackson told me to go and see. He's progressing
really well and keeping all of his commitments. He has a testimony of
the things we are teaching, and when we gave him the Book of Mormon he
said "I already know it's true". Soo it's exciting to see him
progressing.

Elizabeth is a cool girl as well, and I'm sure she would accept the
gospel, but she has 2 kids and is super busy. Every time we come she
has her hands full making food, or washing the kids, or washing the
clothes, or fetching water, etc. I'm not sure what to do in that case.

There's a couple more of the Bakaano boys. One is Sammy, He works at a
bar but he doesn't like to meet with us one on one because he wants
his friends there with him. We were teaching them together and it was
going really well with him, but then all of the sudden he didn't want
to see us when we split into one on one lessons. Slowly we figured out
it was because he didn't like meeting one on one.

Then there is Clifford, he's an awesome guy but his reading isn't the
best so I think he doesn't like to meet with us. He came to church
when Daniel was baptized. I think friendshipping him a bit more will
help.

Then there is Eugiene, I haven't gotten to know him very well but I
think he's like Sammy and just would rather meet in a group. I think
he just likes being with his friends so if they sit down for the
message, he will as well.

I don't know if I told you about Dennis, but he works at a Fan Ice
shop and we've been teaching him for a while. He's awesome, but his
Aunt is paying for his education and he has to go to her church if she
will continue to pay for his education. We aren't really sure what to
do in that case either. He'll probably have to wait 3 years until he's
graduated before coming.

Then Sister Erica referred us to a couple people living by her.
Angelina and Lydia. They are really cool and they both came this
Sunday. Haha Sister Erica is so powerful, I'm pretty sure she talks
about the gospel to everyone she meets and she works hard to help them
come to church and make sure they feel comfortable and watches their
kids and helps them get to nursery. Powerful powerful powerful..

Her friend Mike Nyarko was baptized a couple weeks ago.

But ya basically she does hair, and just talks to people about the
gospel while doing their hair, and by the time we get to teach them
they already know quite a bit about what we believe.

I guess our time is up

Love you all

Elder Adair

August 6 2012

Hmm.. What to tell you about this week.

Haha yesterday the assistants came to check on how we are teaching our
lessons. I'm excited to see the feedback that they give.

I'm feeling pretty good. I did a little bit of excercise this week
(Yes this is the rule I struggle with, I have to wake up 15 minutes
early to have time to do it.), but my body was killing the rest of the
day. I was trying to be quiet because everyone was sleeping. I started
doing jumping jacks but it was too loud.. So I just started bending my
knees and basically bouncing up and down without letting my feet leave
the floor. I'm sure it was quite hilarious to watch. But it killed my
back. My back still hurts right now. Then I did 15 push ups (Yes I'm
weak). And when it was 6:30 I did 100 jumping jacks.

I always thought it would be waking up on time that would be the
hardest, but it's quite easy.

I'm trying to figure out how to start excercising just enough to
improve but not be killed for the rest of the day. Haha that's my tip
for all future missionaries back home. Be fit, before you come on your
mission.

Hmm.. I don't know what to say.

On Sunday, Mike Nyarko was baptized. Haha that guy is hilarious. After
the baptism he was like "Let's do it again". But he'll be a strong
member. He's friends with one of the strongest members in our branch.
 He's powerful. I thought he was like
17 when I first met him.

Sorry I haven't written much. There's a girl talking to me while i'm
emailing you haha, she wants to be friends.

But ya the weather here has been quite cool for the last few months,
but I think it's about to start getting hot again.

Yup. You're going to have to give me more questions to answer because
I can't think while I'm sitting at a computer.

One of my favorite general conference talks is still that one that
Thomas S. Monson gave on having a positive attitude, believing in
yourself, and having courage.

Everyday I have to work on those 3 things.

"Our doctrine is clear, we emphasize our faith, not our fears"

God is here to help us along the way. He wants ALL of us to return to
heaven. He didn't make this plan for us to fail.

Soo my message for you guys is to have a positive attitude, and know
that God has made it possible for you to succeed. He has provided a
way for all of us to return to heaven. He knows that you can do it.
God knows all things, he has all power to fulfill all his words. Trust
in Him.

Love you all

Elder Adair

July 30 2012

Moooooommmmm... tsk tsk tsk. I told you not to send me anything.
Seriously. I can get those pro biotics here in Ghana for a million
times cheaper i'm sure. Medicine isn't expensive at all and it's the
same stuff as back home.

I could probably get what you can get for 1 dollar that you can get
for 10 dollars. So at least ask me before you send anything and I'll
check if they have it here. You don't need to worry about medicine,
it's if I needed to get surgery that you would need to worry.

So if you haven't sent it yet, don't send it. You want me to look for
pro biotics? I'm on it today. They have everything here. If I find
something that they don't have I'll tell you. The reason is i'm on a
Ghanaian budget not on an American budget that I can't get the same
stuff as back home.

That is sad about Trinity though.. We make mistakes all the time
though, and at least the puppies have someone to help them rather than
the animals born in the wild where they just die without any help. (note: we had one of our puppies die)

The main things I have are tomatoes, onions, green onions for cheap.
I'm thinking about making a light soup with Tomatoes, onions, Peppe,
Garden Egg, Green pepper, Carrot, and Cabbage today. Light soup is my
favorite (It's what you eat with Fufu) but I'm not sure if it'll turn
out so well for my first time making it. Especially when I'm just
guessing.

I have chicken boulion, I bought a huge pack that will last my whole
mission. Then we have curry and shrimp maggi (boulion). I haven't
really looked for much other spices.

I've been feeling pretty well. I've had a runny nose and sore throat
this week. I lost my voice for a couple days, but I was able to go out
proselyting. I had one day that my stomach starting hurting and it
felt like I hadn't eaten all day. So I got some bread after the lesson
but I don't think I got enough. We had one more lesson for the night
so I just endured it. It was painful though, I didn't speak the whole
lesson and I was just telling myself I'm going to make it.. I'm going
to make it.. Haha. But When I got home I just ate a huge loaf of bread
and layed down for like 15 minutes and then I was fine again. I don't
understand why that happened because I actually ate more than usual
for lunch. I had rice, onions, soy sauce, and a couple hot dogs (We
found a place that sells them for 2 Cedi's for a 10 pack which is an
amazing deal, Usually it would be like 6 Cedi's at least, but you do
have to buy a ton of them so they're cheap). But ya it was weird.

Yes I'm able to use my Debit card, but I haven't needed to. I still
have money from when I got the flight here and I brought 200 dollars
with me.

Yes thank you Jackson! We've contacted Elizabeth now, and taught her a
few lessons. She's a cool girl, and she's always home so she's easy to
get in touch with. We're taking her to a FHE tonight. We also met
Clifford, and the third boy that you were talking about was Daniel
Assan Andoh. Yup, we know him very well. In fact, he was baptized
yesterday. Dang I forgot to write down
his email. I'll get you his real email next week, but he wants Jackson
to write him. He remembers Jackson well. Sorry I keep calling you
Jackson I'm just use to using your last name now. But probably don't
put his email online on the blogs if you're still doing the blogs.

Anyways Clifford came to his baptism. Haha it was funny they were both
really nervous, but it was cool. We haven't been able to share a
message with Clifford yet, but we'll probably see him this week.

We tried to see Diana, but she wasn't home. And maybe we'll try and
contact Abigail this week. Thanks again James! If you think of anymore
just let us know, and we'd love to go and see them.

I'm with my companion for about 2 more weeks for sure. Then there is a
small transfer because 3 missionary's are going home. And then 3 weeks
later there will be 16 missionaries coming, so I'll probably be
training. We'll see how it works out. Uh oh I'm probably going to lose
my washer. Scary thought.

Hey I'm finally getting my shirts altered! Hurray, my shirts have been
huge this whole time. I'm just a slow poke to get them altered. I
know. Random thought sorry.

Oo mom you're back at home by yourself. That is weird. We're all grown up
now. You still get Cherish and Suzy though soo I think that's fair
enough. And Brandon is just down the street.

That's cool Brandon can have a dog there. Is he getting along with his
room mate now? Is he still going to the gym?

It's the vegetables I think I'm lacking on, so that's why I'm looking
for ways to put it in my food. In the morning I've been having Indomie
with onions, then lunch rice with onions and soy sauce (I'm hoping
this light soup will taste better with rice because my stew hasn't
been cutting it for me. My stew tastes awesome on an egg sandwich, but
I only eat those for dinner), then for dinner I've just been trying to
use up my stew with an egg sandwich, but since it's been apostasy week
(Last week of money) I've been using up my flour. I used the stew on
it once and it was alright.. A bit hot. Haha I put a lot of Peppe in
my stew.

With fruit I just eat 50 pesewas banana every day. I don't know if
that is bad just eating one type of fruit and the same food everyday..
Probably is. But if I get pineapple or oranges they don't seem to help
with the after affect... Mango's and Watermelons.. I could get.. the
small mangos are out of season and so the big one's are expensive. I
think watermelon would have the same effect as the pineapple. I also
could get an apple and just eat half of one I suppose? They are 1 cedi
each. But they are small.

I think Avacado is out of season as well. I thought it was just
because we weren't in town but in the village, but even today as I've
been walking through town I haven't seen any avacado's.

Once again, don't send the probiotic. I'm going to look for it today.

P.S. Sarah Mackliet thanks for the email haha you make me laugh

P.S.S. Courtney Tribe, I'm looking for your last letter you wrote me
so I can get your address, but if not could you email me it real
quick? And also, I saw a Yellow Hummer in Ghana the other day. I'm
pretty sure that was your dream car? One in a million chance that
you'd find one in Ghana.

Now I think my time is up. I know my letters tend to talk about food
way too much.

Love you all

Elder Adair

July 23 2012

Sorry I used up most of my time reading Jackson's email writing down and taking some tips from it. Thank you for getting him to send me an email. It was really cool to see that I knew all the places that he talked about and a lot of the investigators that he had taught as well. There is a boy named Daniel that we are planning for his baptism next week that he taught. He was part of the big circle of boys that Jackson was teaching by the Bakaano round about. He's an awesome guy and seems to have a lot of friends in the ward already so it's exciting. We will also try and contact some of the investigators Jackson had been teaching, a lot of them I already knew and some of them I haven't heard of before so I'm excited to go and find them.
note: James Jackson is a guy from Centerville, Utah. Brady took guitar lessons from him he just returned from the Ghana Mission just before Brady left. Brady is serving in the same area's as Jackson and knows the people he has taught and Brady is even teaching some of them.
The other day we taught Adrina's sister Allswell. We were doing a service project for them of fetching water, and we found out for the first time that she had been seriously investigating the church before. We were shocked as we were teaching her about what she knew, she definitely has a testimony of the church and knows that it's true. I was interested that you said James that she was afraid to leave her friends, because we thought it was the fact that their mother wants them to come to her church? Anyways I felt like crying after that lesson because she definitely definitely knows it's true. But she wouldn't let us come for another lesson or even come to church.

Josephine came for the first time since I've been here, yesterday. We've been having small visits with her, but she usually runs away if she gets the chance. She's an awesome girl though and she knows that the church is true, I don't understand why she doesn't come to church. But yes I was basically jumping for joy, and wanted to give her a big hug but obviously couldn't.

Thank you for the warning about not doing FHE's too often at Sister Donso's because she just recently returned from a vacation in England, and she's an awesome lady but she has invited us to come to FHE's every other week so maybe I'll let my companion know to not do it so often. Anyways, tell Jackson if he thinks of anything else or wants to tell me anything else about the area I'd love it. It was exciting to learn a bit from him as well.

Sooo the food situation.. Mmm some Elder's take more than their portion so that making soups and sharing it dealio doesn't work out so swell.

The thing is I don't eat Ghanain food that often. And I don't see how I can make a stew for a week if my stomach gives up on it after a couple days. But I'm slowly finding out a bit more things I can make and what other Elder's do. I think I'm mostly going to have to be creative with the vegetables. My next attempt will be pancakes with onions and avacado.. hahaha it just makes me laugh. But it's probably better than pancakes with Jago (It's like swedish pancakes)

Yes I take the pro biotic with my doxy everyday. It's pretty easy since I have to take the doxy anyways.

Ya we're having alright success in the area. For how hard we're working it's not really that good though. Maybe it's the area? We're looking for ways that we can improve though. We're starting to work more with the members and so far it's helping a bit.

Aw that's where the waterfall was. Bridal Veil Falls up Provo Canyon. I was looking at Cherish's picture and I was like where did they go to see that? I'll have to remember that waterfall for a date idea when I get home. Write that one down so I can have some ideas haha.

Trinity is having puppies? Hmm it's not fair that I don't get to see how big Trinity is though.. hmm... 5? My guess is 5 puppies.

My stomach is feeling well. Now I'm still just working on eating healthier so I can worry less about getting sick.

Hey! You keep reading the letters I send to people. Tsk tsk tsk. eavesdropper?

Love you too mom

Mmm there was something short I wanted to share that I thought was cool. It was from the teachings of presidents of the church - Brigham Young

"What hinders this people from being as holy as the city of Enoch? I can tell you in a few words. It is because you will not cultivate the disposition to be so. this comprehends the whole. If my heart is not fully given up to this work - I will give my time, my talents, my hands, and my possessions, UNTIL my heart consents to be subject. I will make my hands labor in the cause of God, until my heart bows in submission to it.
  I have now told you what course to pursue to obtain an exaltation. The Lord must be first and foremost in our affections, the building up of his kingdom and cause demands our first consideration."

I thought this was cool because the gospel does cause us to work. But as we do so the Lord becomes the one whom we cling to and our affections are placed on. I was reading a couple scriptures this morning about the attitude of Laman and Lemuel on the ship and how they set to please THEMSELVES. Compared to the attitude of the Brother of Jared when he was on the ship and he was set on praising GOD. I think as we turn to please god rather than ourselves - that is where the true satisfaction comes from. The true joy that lasts. It also makes us able to endure any trial and find joy during it, knowing that it is only bringing you closer to God. This life is the time to prepare to meet God.

Love you all,
Elder Brady Adair

July 16 2012

 

Hey I'm feeling pretty good, my stomach feels weird throughout the day
but I just deal with it. It's hard to find things to eat because I ask
everyone what they eat and I just hear the same 3 things - egg
sandwich, rice and stew, and indomie. I think the locals just know how
to make different varieties of stews, but if I ask someone to make me
a stew I get sick of it after a couple days of eating it. I would make
multiple stews but I think it would just fill up our fridge.

That's not good to hear about the chicken noodle soup cuz it's
actually lasting me 3 weeks now. Umm I'm not sure how long they say
stuff lasts, I'm just mostly trying to survive haha. I guess i'll
start sticking it in the freezer. Problem is, I don't know if there is
enough room for that much soup.

I think i'm just going to buy some indomie and put onions and garlic
in it, my companion has been doing it lately and it looks pretty good.
Plus it's quick to make.

Tsk tsk, Hmm we got a book of recipes we can make for the mission, but
i've studied the thing over and over looking for new things and so far
all i've made is-swedish pancakes - I get my carbs but lots of sugar with the syrup.
-chicken noodle soup - It tasted good for a couple days, but it
doesn't taste too great now.
-rice and a stew that I learned at the beginning of my mission - So it's the battle against the stomach and time basically.

For fruit I get about 2 of our size bananas back home a day.

This week we've started out a new lesson in the mission that we think
will help with finding people to teach. We are just working with the
members more. I get nervous when I work with the members haha, but I
just do the best that I can. Hopefully I don't mess too much up :P.

Today we watched 17 Miracles again for Elder Rogers birthday. He's one
of my zone leaders that we live in the same apartment with. For dinner
last night I had a 1 liter bottle of Hot Chocolate and some Biscuits.
Once again not good for me at all. And by the end of drinking it I
realized it was a bad idea. I should probably think before I act huh?

But don't worry as we watched 17 Miracles I made up for it by eating
another pack of biscuits that my companion brought for the movie and
some skittles Elder Rogers had gotten for his birthday.

Last Monday we had a FHE and watched "The Testaments" with Ebenezer
(our recent convert) and Brother Minnow (he's preparing to serve a
mission). They seem to be becoming good friends which is cool, and
Ebenezer even called him when he was sick to check to see if he was
ok. Haha they're so caring here, it's awesome.

Tuesday we had a combined District Meeting and we learned a little bit
about the Book of Mormon and how the Bible came to be. Pres. Shulz was
instructing and the Assistants. And we got to eat fried rice and
chicken which was nice.

We got to see Brother Davis and it's mostly just sad because he knows
that this is the true church of Jesus Christ, but his family is
supporting him so he can't be baptized. They don't have any hard
feelings against the church, but they feel that since he's been a
Methodist his whole life he can't change churches. We can't contact
them either to explain why because they live in Accra.

Daniel (Andoh?) is an investigator we met just talking on the street.
He had been taught by Elder Jackson. He's doing really well and we
think he will definately one day join the church.

Dennis (Maybe he's Andoh.. I can't remember) He's a guy we've been
teaching at a Fan Ice shop. He's a really cool guy, and when we taught
him he thought our beliefs were strange, but he's taken the time to
pray about our message and he actually ended up coming to church even
during the rain (which is awesome). It sounds like he might have some
difficulty joining the church though since he doesn't live on his own.

Racheal - Awesome awesome awesome 15 year old girl that wants to be
baptized and definately is ready but has to wait 6 months. She has
family in the church so she'll be a strong member.

Selima - An awesome girl as well, but she's having a difficulty coming
to church each week. We'll continue to pray for her.

And there's a lot more but ya just so you know a little bit about what
is going on.

On Saturday we did a little service project of filling up members
buckets with water. It was fun to do, and it's always nice to see that
it makes the members happy.

I'm not sure how much time I have left so I'm just going to send this email.

Tell Emily if she gets bored enough she can make herself an angel
dress and then rush in to help those poor pioneering trekkers in the
middle of no where :). Hahaha and then to take a photo of it and send
it to me so I can laugh. Good plan.

Love you all

Elder Adair