December 5, 2011, email highlights

Hey Mom and family! Everything is fine here. Lauren's baptism sounds awesome wish i coulda been there, and you just had to talk about enchiladas huh? oh i want some so bad!!! i wish we could make enchiladas but we can't. No tortillas, it's a bread shop, like bread made in a coal iron stove outside then put in their house. They don't make anything else, it's not really a store, just bread bread or more bread ahaha. I got the pics Lauren looks good and so do u and dad:) best looking family i've seen in a while! haha.
I haven't done much today. Every first Monday of the month we have to deep clean the apartment, which is easy. I haven't gotten the other package yet but i'll let u know when i do. I am going to be sending u one too:)) be ready for Africa in an envelope haha!!
We haven't really gone sight seeing on our p-day. Sight seeing is work haha so we work and sight see when we are working. It's cool but we just walk, walk, walk, and walk some more. We ride taxis and tro tros. Tro tros are vans like our taxi cabs that are full of random people it's weird!!! but ya i had a bike but i broke mine they are crappy and i was riding mine and the pedal broke and the handle bar literally broke in half haha, crazy, huh? but we just walk alot. Fufu is getting better, i guess, i still just wanna chew it! We eat with the members all the time now:). They are looking for better bikes for us now but idk when we will get them but we r just walking now.
Guess what? i was sick, had some tummy problems but i'm all better now:) and oh i got hit by a car.....

(insert Mom freaking out now)

I am still taking my meds i was sick just cuz of the food change but i'm fine now. and ya i got hit by a car just my back... it hurts but i'm ok, luckily i had syrup and oil and a bunch of stuff in my bag, but i'm fine:)
We have taught alot and we have 4 baptism this Saturday the 10th.
My time is out mom i have to go i love you have a good week. I emailed Dad tell him hi and happy birthday love you:)

highlights Tuesday, November 29, 2011 e-mail

Hey mom. sorry i was so busy yesterday so i can email today but how are u? things here are beautiful and sweet ha i love it hmm i think? but ya:) i miss u all and love u all.  but u will never guess what i had for thanksgiving dinner:)
We bought a chicken, killed it deep fried it then made rice and potatoes and hot dogs mmmm such a feast:)))
We went down to Cape Coast yesterday and played footballlllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!! on the beach:) ahah ya it was so much fun!!
We have an apartment, its like a little house with 2 bedrooms, tile floors, a kitchen, bathroom and eating room and its cool i guess. not like home....at all... but we are around a bakery and there are lots of kids everywhere haha so its cool. the bakery sells just bread, nothing else no cookies here or anything sweet just wanna be ice cream:/
My fante name is quacey potokoo (qua-cey Po-tae-koo) means sunday born wolf or sunday born beast/wild animal:)) its perfect ahha!!
I'm loving it here, the beauty and the people are amazing but i miss alot back home and i hate hand washing my clothes. i hand washed yesterday and made my hands bleed:(( not fun and i have blisters on my feet that hurt so bad:((
I made a list of things to send me:)
hair clippers, maybe salt sugar seasoning, more tigers milk bars more twizzlers like the big package hah tootsie rolls:)) the green apple caramel suckers, skittles, chips, mike n ikes:) maybe more jerky and peanut butter too, and some grape jelly if u can that would be amazing because its so expensive here:/ lined notebook paper alot please, maybe more stamps too, pictures of the house, u guys, my truck, etc. and make sure you put all these things in ziplock bags even if they are already bagged up :)
The Fante language here is hard to learn but i am ok with it. they speak ok english here.
I love you all be safe I have to go now:/ i love you!!!! be safe i work hard and pray for u all every night. kia kaha!!!!!

Highlights from E-mail, Monday, November 21, 2011

Hey Mom! Monday is my p-day it's sweeeeeeettt! It's 1525 now and we just played bball so far, next week maybe American football!! I bought a sweet nba jersey cheap 8 dollars, 11 cedis:)
I love my area now it was rough the first day but its sweet now. My companion is sweet i like him alot, hes cool hes like me we have alot in common. He's a country boy who likes to do work and he is a good teacher. we do cook for ourselves mostly. The fufu i had last night with fish head and crab and chicken stew it was ok. i think im just sayin that cuz im hungry! and we live with two other elders, elder Dodd who is from Utah and elder Kebee from Sierra leone. I also got ur package already just fyi and i love you mmmm u have no idea how much u saved me!!!!! but my next package u should send it in the pouches or letters not boxes. u can send plenty of letters for cheaper. i have to pay a 13 dollar duty on the box but the pouches/letters whatever they r that r flat rate have no duty. just make sure u put everything in a ziplock bag please.
I am eating alot of wanna be top ramen, eggs, and bread.  i only drink water here or expensive soda cuz its imported, but no milk or cereal. The milk is expensive, like 15 cedis. I have had fufu twice and its okay ha its weird to swallow and the crab is yummy, fish head is ok, but the crab here so far is yummy but like i said my companion is so sick!! We are saving the potatoes for a special day Thanksgiving we will pig out. But they don't celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas or Halloween here so i need candy. they don't sell it here.
Ghana is okay still nothing like home. im going to wash my clothes today by hand for the first time. we will see how it goes. i rolled my ankle playin ball. sucks. All the other elders like me, hah im the big man! the heat im getting used to.
We are having a baptism on saturday this week maybe 2, a small boy we r teaching Jr, ready to be baptized just need to brush up on things. We r teaching about 7 people and all possible baptisms soon:) i am eating my vitamins, and i sleep under a net. idk how much longer i can be on here but the cafe is a hole in the wall literallyyyyy. thats why i cant send pics sorry. hah ummmm idk what else u wanna know but i hope Lauren's bday was awesome. im glad u got my letters i sent more i love you guys so much and am so thankful for u all!!! i miss u and happy birthday mom and eat plenty for me. i will write some phrases down for u next week to learn:) i love you all be safe today. love u!!!!!!!!!!!muahhhh

E-mail November 17, 2011

Hey mom and family! i love you all so much and i am so grateful for everything you have given me. Africa is tough it is kicking my butt big time. it's hot, the food sucks, not alot of clean water and the power goes out alot so no fan:( but the good things are the weight loss (hopefully), the walking, the tanning, and learning things for myself. But also giving people the opportunity to hear the gospel and how true it is!! We are about to baptize a sister and we just got a new investigator today. They speak Fante here, not Twi, which blowwwwwsss hah. It's hot and wet but ok i guess.....had fufu didn't like it much hopefully it will change though hah. I'm serving in the Makessim area, but ya ha im here by the ocean humid and hot as ever. Everyone calls me big white man hah it's funny. I have a sick companion his name is Elder Coleman Hunt he's from Washington State, Seattle, he's my age and a country boy but he's tight and he's only been out for three months ha crazy, huh? but im goin to be teaching a new companion in 3 months also so crazy, hah, im scared. The language they speak is hard and difficult to understand. i hope u get my letters and i hope i get ur package soon if u send it flat rate i don't have to pay a duty just fyi. aha, but i love you all and i hope all is well. Tell Dad i love him and thanks for everything i miss you guys so muchhhhhhhhhh. i know the church is true. everyday i open my eyes and am so happy and scared and thankful i honestly want to just cry sometimes. but something the pres assistant said is real mean or strong men stay here. babys and whimps go home. i am strong i am true and i will stay! i will be an amazing missionary!!!!! Tell everyone hi and i love them. Talk to you soon muah happy late bday Lauren!!!

E-mail November 13, 2011

Hey mom how are you guys all doing? I will be leaving the MTC in about 2 days. I am so excited!! I can't wait to get out of here. I don't like the MTC anymore. Me and my companion are great. He's a great guy and a funny kid. idk if I can print out all the pics I took for him so I might have to send him the pics when I come home from my mission. I can't stand sitting in the dumb stupid class rooms any longgggeerrrr. It sucks. I love it here thou its a lot of fun but i seriously just want to go out and teach already!! I can't express to you how ready I am. I've learned so much about teaching and it's sweeettttt. The  biggest thing I have learned is that you must teach the people and not worry about teaching them the stupid lessons. It's about the investigator's needs and what pertains to their life, not the words on the page!
I sent u guys all letters so let me know when u get them. Sami did write me i got her email. I wanna know when u send the package pleaseeee. I didn't want a big fan, just a little like portable one that uses batteries itd be great!! But tell Dad and everyone hi for me and that i love them. Tell the extended family, too.
The temple was great and we had a great time and i got some sweet stuff for cheap:)) i got the b of m cd set and the new testament cd set, two b of m and 2 of the children b of m readers for 5 dollars!!!!!!!!!! crazyyyy its so cool though:) im not coming home with really anything i brought i am going to buy some sweet stuff here:) uggh I'm ready to leave here cuz the French r annoying me hah. But i don't know when i'll be able to email again because i am leaving the MTC the 16 so i am out of here. I don't know where i'm serving or my new companion but i've met some pretty awesome kids here that i won't ever forget! It's going to suck saying bye to them. I've been playing alot of soccer during exercise. Anyway, im lost in which questions i've answered and which ones i havent so im sorry if i didn't answer all of them but im out of time. Tell Lauren happy birthday and i love here and im sorry im not there. i love and miss you all so much. hope ur not having too much fun cleaning without me:) haha love you all!

Food and Lodging at the MTC

Elder Randall and his companion practicing the handshake!

E-mail Sunday, November 6, 2011

I sent 3 or 4 pics. idk why the others won't send. but ya hah oh and could i get some kool-aid to-go packs or just something ahah please:) love you all bye!!:)

On Sun, Nov 6, 2011 at 12:49 PM, Elder Cody Randall wrote:

Alright, yes, you have so many questions and i wish i could answer them all but i'll try.. so the things that i need are a little fan, AAA batteries and AA batteries, tiger milk bars, jerky, the power converter, a big bag of twizzlers, my CTR ring thats on my key chain, my sun glasses and ryan's quote:)) sami said she got my email? she didnt reply. lol maybe u can ask and see if she did cuz i didnt get anything. but i am loving it here! i am leaving the MTC nov. 16 and i dont know why but it won't let me send pics - it makes me mad . but i am loving it  here. the food isn't too bad to get used to u just have to be smart about eating! hah i eat alot of rice and chicken. the fish is grosssssss! i wish u could see what i have to eat, but yesterday i met a man who lives in Ghana and he's biiggg haha he said that he would bring us pizza the next time he visits. i'm soooo excited:) idk if it'll happen though i hope so. he seemed serious hah. but i am going to the temple again this tuesday and im excited\;0 i'm having so much fun here but i'm missing everyone so so so much! tell ryan good luck for me and to be safe. and tell everyone i said hi and that i love them. the MTC is a mind opening experience! it's amazing!! i can't stress that enough! i'm learning so much and my investigators are hard at times but they are really really fun:)  i haven't gotten any lettters from anyone else. hah. idk when i will get them but i'm excited to receive some. if i don't receive any you'll have to give me court's and bradey's addresses again. but anyway... hah! the top bunk in the back corner is the worst but i love all of my roommates! the coolest room for sure! all we need is francom and bush in there and we would be stacked! i get along with everyone and mclennan is a good man. but i just pull my bed off of the top bunk now and sleep on the floor in front of the fan so its not hot at all and i sleep like a baby:)) but we don't cook. i wish if i could cook mmmmmm it would be yummy! hah but i'm excited to go out into the mission field and buy new and cool extraordinary things oohhhhhh booooyyy:))) but ya ha hopefully i can send u pics this time. i will try:) i love you all and tell dustin good luck with baseball loosy goosey haha! and tell lauren to feel better and brendan goodluck with baseball too! and tell dad to take it easy so he doesn't hurt himself again, and u have fun at home:) hah i'm sure u miss going shopping with me. but i miss u all too! but i also need some more shaving cream, too. hah jus saying|:) any way i'll try with the pics. i love you all talk to you soon!!::))

Email November 3, 2011

(NOTE: Cody sends/writes emails the same as he texts. So, the punctuation is less than desirable. But he says he can do it faster this way!!)
Hey mom and family - life at the MTC is actually fun!! and no i can't buy anything from anyone leaving the MTC. im here with 70 other new missionaries freshhhhhh. we have been learning alot thou and idk if it's hit me yet either, but i feel like i will be home soon and will soon see everyone but its only been a week since i've been gone! but so far it's been an amazing experience! i am learning alot about the gospel and how to effectively teach it to investigators. we r actually having dry runs on "investigators" (fake ones). but it's really cool and it helps you realize how it is and what u have to do and accomplish. me and my companion have taught 3 people: 2 boys, bro. german and bro. bossman and 1 girl sis. yaa. bro. bossman is a man who wants to learn more about eternal life and how he can live with his beautiful wife and family again. our lesson went well and we r to teach him how to pray and more about church our next lesson. bro. german is about 25, single and a party animal. he likes to drink and smoke but he loves his grandpa who is a member and looks up to him and wants to quit smoking and drinking but doesn't know how to. i asked him if he liked to read the scriptures and to pray and he said yes . and i asked him how it made him feel inside he said great! so i told him maybe when he feels like he needs to smoke or drink that he should read the scriptures or pray and feel that goodness inside with out having to get drunk or have to smoke. he said he would try and do that and he was very very excited! we also asked him to come to church with us that it would also make him feel good. he committed and we r happy. the sis. yaa is difficult. the lesson was going well i guess my companion wasn't being awake or happy enough for her so she said to come back another time when he is more awake and happy. so i did a good job he just didn't. but it was still a fun and good learning experience. church here was good nothing really new. i didn't have to talk in church hah so it was fine. but we r having fast sunday this church which i'm not too thrilled about but it happens. i feel like i'm smaller but idk you'll just have to tell me in the pictures. everyone still loves me cuz i'm so big and i'm making alot of friends. the food is alright. the chicken and rice is really the only thing i will eat. but ya its ok. i need some more jerky and aaa batteries and a lil mini fan and some more tiger milk bars (like the whole box) they taste amazingggggg! haha but everything is going good. how was ur work? i mean did u work yet? and dustin is probably loving driving my truck to school. how r brendan and lauren doing in sports? let me know. thanks for sending that thing to sami! did u let her know you sent it?? but anyway thank you so much i love all of u guys and u guys r always in my prayers:) i almost forgot - yes i went to the temple. i loved it and had a blast :) it is beautiful! i'll try and send pictures:) but i got two books of mormon in the languages Twi (ch-wee) and Fante. Nyame do wu ( God loves you) :) remember that!! hah love you all so much and thank you again!!! talk to you soon:)

Elder Randall arrives safely in Ghana!

Hey mom! Africa is amazing i love all the people and everything. The food is alright its not that hard to adjust to it. the hardest thing to adjust to is the heat!!!!!!! It sucks the humidity is the worst. i sleep literally in my sweat! i have an amazing companion. His name is elder Nwoko his is from Nigeria he is quite a character hes kinda a little me. the MTC is quite amazing its fun and we have alot of classes but we get alot done and study alot. i dont know if i will be able to email everyone because i only have 30 mins to email and i have alot to say i can email every sunday for now but ya im excited to be here and couldn't be more ready. i am learning alot and couldn't be happier here. i have plenty of pictures. but i dont know when im going to be able to send any of them or anything. im looked up to in a sense and everyone loves how big i am and they say im like a john cena or a bautista its funny BUT my companion is about 5'7 and a whole 100 pounds and he has the bottom bunk and he has me sleeping on the top. i never thought id miss my soft bed and warm delicious food and cold room so much i love the place and the people but i miss being cold. i need a power converter and i need samis email and her address i forgot to get it. but maybe u could just text her and tell her everything is going good for me?:) im happy to be here i miss everyone at home more then i could have imagined! i cant wait to begin serving here and learning more about the culture. i like everything here but the food at times and the humidity i wanna be cold again and the only time that ever happens is when i take a cold shower! i miss you all and love you so much! have fun and be safe until next week:) love you all!!!