WEEK 4/104: Adjustments

His trainer; Elder Johnson

His mission president and wife: President & Sister Cosgrave

The new arrivals (President Cosgrave sent these pictures today!)


Hey everyone!!

Well I'm in Kumasi and it's awesome!! The roads are very scary. IDK if there are traffic laws but if there are, then they are not enforced, at all.  It's a free for all. Everything is very cheap here and the food isn't awful. My companion is great!  His name is Elder Johnson and yes he is American. I am his last companion so he sent in a special request to have a white one. I don't have much time left so I will keep this very brief. 

I learned that as you study and read the Book of Mormon every day the spirit can help recall scriptures at very important times in your life when you need it most. For me on a mission that is when I am teaching. Heavenly Father is aware of all his children and loves us so much! Never give up, and the church is true! 

If you need more info on my mission ask my mom, and I'm sure she will tell you what she knows!! (He knows me so well!)

Love you all

Elder pace

OK...I have to share a few other little details because they were quite fun to read about...First of all I laughed when he said Kumasi is "awesome".  Here's his unfiltered version:  

My first week has been so great. Kumasi is nothing like Accra though. Think of the worst gettoh in America and that's better than the nicest parts in Kumasi hahah. My apartment is very gross and I had a hard time living in it for the first few days but I'm getting used to it now.  There are mosquitos and flys everywhere, especially in the kitchen. haha  One of the first things my companion said to me was, "Did you enjoy your hot showers in the MTC" I was like yes? He was like well the enjoyment is over, the shower is freezing, and he is sooo right! But it's not the worst thing. I'm really exhausted by the time we get back home by the end of the day."

He said they are doing a lot of finding because the members are saying they are too busy to help them so they have been doing surprise visits that usually works better :). 

He said church service is in Twi (language) so he doesn't understand anything.

"My trainer and I get along very well, the only thing is he told me he wants space when we walk and stuff.  So I walk like 10 feet behind him. That's a bit odd but other than that I actually really like him.  He is a great trainer and I'm very blessed.  I'm in and out of the *"honeymoon stage" (see below).  I think I'm transitioning into it though.  Mission life is hard but it's not unbearable.  My trainer told me that I'm teaching very well.  He said most people don't even talk for their first three weeks. I sometimes even find myself teaching more than my trainer, but I think we have pretty good unity in teaching.  As I teach or when they ask questions I sometimes have scriptures just pop into my head and it really helps. I love the scriptures. There wasn't much time to read in the MTC but I have an hour out in the feild, or more if I read at night. I started the Book of Mormon over in the MTC and I'm now almost in Alma.  

We will rarely eat with members, we usually just buy food off the side of the road, its cheap and already made soo yeah it's easy.  My favorite is fried plantains. It's basically french fries but better. My second favorite is fried rice. (He said he ate all of the protein cookies he took with him already.). He said everything is cheap except for American food and chocolate.  He said a loaf of bread costs 2 cedis (pronounced ˈsādē) which is 50 cents.  A really nice meal here would cost 8 cedis which would be 2 dollars.  They get 100 cedis for each week which is "honestly plenty".  He said he usually will spend 10 cedis or less a day.  An American pizza though is close to 50 cedis or like $12.

His companion has a washing machine so he doesn't have to wash his clothes by hand.

*A previous mission president's wife told Tanner there are three stages missionaries go through..the three "H's":  1.  Honeymoon stage (where everything is new and exciting and you run around taking pictures of everything) 2.  Horror stage (where you wonder what in the world you are doing there and how on earth you are going to survive for 2 years). 3.  Harmony stage (when you forget about yourself and just focus on loving the people and everything works together and the time you have left is no longer long enough!).