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| Beautiful beach |
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| baptism |
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| Elder Randall's new way to carry his scriptures:) |
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| Old school house where they meet as a unit |
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
A few pictures
emails 7/2/12 and 6/25/12
Email highlights 7/2/12
Hey! I just read ur dear elder from last week and it sounded like u all are having a great time. I love the pics! It’s so great to see u all!! Everyone is growing!!J I miss you all tons!! And I hope all is well, and tell Lauren to be happy and that I love her!J haha that’s crazy soo many apricots, haha send me some!!J ) and this week was great, it was really really awesome, I loved this week:J ))))!! I’m doing great and feeling great, and me and my companion are great!! The area I am in is SOFOKROM and it is GRRREEEAAAATTT!!!J I live with 3 Nigerians, elder Akpan, elder Williamson, who was 1 of my MTC mates, and elder Mbeson, my companion. And yes, it is rainy season, it will rain for a while. haha WOW, good job Brendan, tell him I said that! I am proud of him!! And next time we go camping I will be there, maybe, haha, but man I’m loving it here really!!! The things here aren’t too hard, I’ll be sure to explain every picture to you all and you will laugh and enjoy with meJ Aha, so this week was awesome, I sent a long letter explaining it, cuz if I were to write it here it would take the whole hour. So ya, this week was great. Cape Coast came to Takoradi and played soccer today for p-day, it was great, I got to see my dear friend Elder Rogers, love that guy, and all the others, it was really goodJ And I’m getting to look fit, not fatJ haha so I wanna be super ripped!J haha. That’s good that you are working, are you enjoying? Oh, and if ur sending any packages anytime soon, send me shampoo for my hair please, I’m all out, and candy is always invited, as well as cake mixJ haha. I love you all so much and thank u for everything u have done for me in my life and I love you!! Hope you get all my emails!.Hope u have a great week and remember I love you all sooooo very much and I pray for u all the time. I wish and hope and pray that all is wellJ Have a great week, I will, too, and be safe!!J HUGS AND ALL MY LOVE TO VEGAS!! My times up!
Email highlights 6/25/12
Hey Mom! How is work? I see ur working tons!! Ahah sounds fun. I’m great, nothing too new here just a lot of walking and working and having fun though! This week went by super fast, it was sweet.. having funJ oh, btw, I got the book of Ghana, its super cool!!!!J Did you get all the pics I sent last week??? And my new awesome good looking Cody Randall face book pic?? Lol if not please doJ Have a great day at work. Love you mom have a great week!!!! All my love and hugs!!!!
emails 6/4 and 6/11/2012
Email highlights 6/4/12
Yes, its rainy season, it will only rain more, haha. But its okay. I got my packages and yummy!! Thanks so much for them im so thankful and grateful. I loved the letters and the pics!!J I want more pics! I’m in Sofokrom, not Kojokrom. My area is good, teaching a lot and should have a baptism this month some timeJ . And idk if or who will be going this transfer. Hope all is well. This week was good, had fun. Had interviews on Tuesday, went very well, um then I was sick until Sunday, went to church, had meeting to go to, then came home to lights out, power outL Then it came on finally in the late night. Then we came here today and played football, soccer, and ultimate Frisbee, and it was fun on the beach!J and now im here emailing u. Let’s see what the week has in store for me.J And yes, I bought the book of Ghana, I’ll be getting it soon cuz it can only be bought in Accra. I love you mom and AGAIN I AM SO THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING U HAVE DONE FOR ME!! Send my love to alllll!!!J
Email highlights 6/11/12
Well, I’m not going anywhere. Nwoko is being transferred but not far so I will still see him all the time. I’m getting a new companion named elder Mbeson. He was in the MTC the same time as me. He’s really cool, I’m excited. I’m doing very well and having tons of fun!:] Tell Lauren “go girl!” on scoring 2 goals soccer champ!! Ahaha. I am missing out on so much. What Mom u sent me 2 more packages? You’re crazy thank you so much!:]]] You have no idea how grateful I am!!!J I love you so much and miss you all like crazy but I’m working hard and learning tons, but I still miss you! No amount of work can deny that! This past week I went to go see a family and taught them a spiritual thought, and when you go to their house you have to walk through a school for the deaf, so when we walked through all the kids ran to me and hugged me and smiled and I had no idea how to act since I didn’t know how to sign and they couldn’t hear me so I just smiled and waved and embraced all of their hugs!:] It was so neat! Then after we left the lesson they taught me how to sign “how are you? “ “I’m from America” and “I am SUPERMAN” haha. So when we left I asked as many as I could how they were and I was from America and that I was superman!!J It was such a neat and cool experience and so humbling!! I love you mom. Have a great week! Send my love to everyone!!:]]
Yes, its rainy season, it will only rain more, haha. But its okay. I got my packages and yummy!! Thanks so much for them im so thankful and grateful. I loved the letters and the pics!!J I want more pics! I’m in Sofokrom, not Kojokrom. My area is good, teaching a lot and should have a baptism this month some timeJ . And idk if or who will be going this transfer. Hope all is well. This week was good, had fun. Had interviews on Tuesday, went very well, um then I was sick until Sunday, went to church, had meeting to go to, then came home to lights out, power outL Then it came on finally in the late night. Then we came here today and played football, soccer, and ultimate Frisbee, and it was fun on the beach!J and now im here emailing u. Let’s see what the week has in store for me.J And yes, I bought the book of Ghana, I’ll be getting it soon cuz it can only be bought in Accra. I love you mom and AGAIN I AM SO THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING U HAVE DONE FOR ME!! Send my love to alllll!!!J
Email highlights 6/11/12
Well, I’m not going anywhere. Nwoko is being transferred but not far so I will still see him all the time. I’m getting a new companion named elder Mbeson. He was in the MTC the same time as me. He’s really cool, I’m excited. I’m doing very well and having tons of fun!:] Tell Lauren “go girl!” on scoring 2 goals soccer champ!! Ahaha. I am missing out on so much. What Mom u sent me 2 more packages? You’re crazy thank you so much!:]]] You have no idea how grateful I am!!!J I love you so much and miss you all like crazy but I’m working hard and learning tons, but I still miss you! No amount of work can deny that! This past week I went to go see a family and taught them a spiritual thought, and when you go to their house you have to walk through a school for the deaf, so when we walked through all the kids ran to me and hugged me and smiled and I had no idea how to act since I didn’t know how to sign and they couldn’t hear me so I just smiled and waved and embraced all of their hugs!:] It was so neat! Then after we left the lesson they taught me how to sign “how are you? “ “I’m from America” and “I am SUPERMAN” haha. So when we left I asked as many as I could how they were and I was from America and that I was superman!!J It was such a neat and cool experience and so humbling!! I love you mom. Have a great week! Send my love to everyone!!:]]
email 5/28/12
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| rainy season |
Hey mom I miss you and the family so much. I love you all so much, too. You guys are so amazing. I hope everything is well and send my greetings to all the family in Tucson!!! I’m glad you got all my pics. Yes, I sent tons of them, I know, sorry, haha. But how is everything at home? Everyone done with school yet?? Thanks for the email of everyone. It is rainy season here, its been raining A LOT hah its cool though, I love it a lot and I love my area, it’s so fun. I cant believe it’s almost transfers!!!! It’s flown by, its swwweeeeett I can’t wait to get all my packages, I should get them tomorrow, but we’ll see fingers crossed!! I can’t wait to see what’s inside!J ) I love you all so much and happy to hear ur all good and having fun in Tucson!!J ) I love you all more than words describe..farther than the deep blue sea runs and more than the ninja turtles love pizza!J ahha I love you all!!!J )
Letter dated 5/20/2012 (received 6/15/12)
Dear Family!
How is everyone? I’m doing grand-tastic! I can’t believe it’s already been a week since I called home and talked to you, it feels like just yesterday! CRAZY! But this past week has been sweet! Didn’t teach too many lessons, but it’s okay, we did our best, they just fell through - that happens sometimes. Sooo no problemJ . Had a baptism on Saturday, I was “John the Baptist” LOL. Our baptism on Saturday, started at 4 p.m. then out of nowhere a GIANT storm blew in, out of nowhere! It was crazy! You could seriously see the dark start to cover the light, it was crazy, but by the time it was baptizing time it started POURING!! And our font is outside, so I baptized Joseph and Rebecca, both 20+ in the rain, it was really really coolJ !! We didn’t leave til 7 cuz of the rain, it was cool though!! Came home to our area where we live - power was out, only our area, it was out all night, didn’t come back till after 3 in the afternoon today, it sucked! But today was cool, went to Sofokrom, my ward, and took sacrament, then we left and went to a unit of about 15 people, if that, and had the rest of church with them, then taught a girl named Rich, she’s cool and smart, too, so it’s sweet!J So, all in all, I’m great, having a lot of fun and learning tons! I love you all! Be safe and know you are all in my thoughts and prayers and heart!
Love & Hugs from Africa! XOXO
Love,
Elder Cody Randall
letter and email 5/14/12
Letter dated 5/14/12
Hey Mommy!
Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mom!J I hope your mother’s day was really good! What did you guys eat for dinner? Yesterday was amazing! I love talking to you guys! Everyone sounds like they are doing good. The kids sound like they’re growing up & I’m missing it! But, I love you ALL! Like I said on the phone, I’m doing great and having the most fun I can! I definitely miss you guys more than anything! The first like 5 mins of our call I was like shaking with excitement! It was sweet as you probably could tell, I’m working hard and learning A LOT! Sorry about the purple ink, it’s kinda the only one I’ve got left. Lol But today we woke up around 8 and then I made an onion and egg sandwich and ate it, it was yummy! Then we deep cleaned the apt so now it’s nice and spotlessJ It’s nice. IDK what else we’re doing today, it’s 12:30 now, so ya, idk, but I LOVE YOU!!J Something I forgot to tell you is there is a dance here called Azonto (as-zone-toe). It’s weird, but I can do it. I’m pretty good at it and whenever the songs play to dance to in market and stuff, I dance, so some people know me as Azonto man, or Kwasi Potakoo LOL. It’s funny! I’m enjoying, can’t wait to get my letters and packages. I love you and THANK YOU sooooo much! All my love from Africa. KIA KAHA!
Love,
Elder Cody Randall
Email highlights 5/14/12
I freaking loved talking to u yesterday, too, I miss my moommmmmmyyyy!! But I love you all so much and Nwoko was so happy to talk to you he had a huge smile on his face. Idk if u heard him, but he said, “I love Elder Randall and we are working hard together”. You’re right, who doesn’t love me?? LOL jk, but I love you and miss you all so much. Good timesJ ) But thanks dad, I love you all and im learning a lot, haha.
I know it’ll be a long time again before we talk, but the time should fly, I hope. The next time we talk I will only have a year left.)) aahh go go go!!;)) but ya it was so great to be able to talk to u all on the phone, it was awesome!;) but you know me I’m doing my best with my journal. Kinda slacked, but ive been writing in itJ haha, but its all going well;)) I m going hard and working fast getting it done!!J ) I love you all so much and tell everyone hi and I love you and sending my hugs from Africa to home!!!!
Hey Mommy!
Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mom!J I hope your mother’s day was really good! What did you guys eat for dinner? Yesterday was amazing! I love talking to you guys! Everyone sounds like they are doing good. The kids sound like they’re growing up & I’m missing it! But, I love you ALL! Like I said on the phone, I’m doing great and having the most fun I can! I definitely miss you guys more than anything! The first like 5 mins of our call I was like shaking with excitement! It was sweet as you probably could tell, I’m working hard and learning A LOT! Sorry about the purple ink, it’s kinda the only one I’ve got left. Lol But today we woke up around 8 and then I made an onion and egg sandwich and ate it, it was yummy! Then we deep cleaned the apt so now it’s nice and spotlessJ It’s nice. IDK what else we’re doing today, it’s 12:30 now, so ya, idk, but I LOVE YOU!!J Something I forgot to tell you is there is a dance here called Azonto (as-zone-toe). It’s weird, but I can do it. I’m pretty good at it and whenever the songs play to dance to in market and stuff, I dance, so some people know me as Azonto man, or Kwasi Potakoo LOL. It’s funny! I’m enjoying, can’t wait to get my letters and packages. I love you and THANK YOU sooooo much! All my love from Africa. KIA KAHA!
Love,
Elder Cody Randall
Email highlights 5/14/12
I freaking loved talking to u yesterday, too, I miss my moommmmmmyyyy!! But I love you all so much and Nwoko was so happy to talk to you he had a huge smile on his face. Idk if u heard him, but he said, “I love Elder Randall and we are working hard together”. You’re right, who doesn’t love me?? LOL jk, but I love you and miss you all so much. Good timesJ ) But thanks dad, I love you all and im learning a lot, haha.
I know it’ll be a long time again before we talk, but the time should fly, I hope. The next time we talk I will only have a year left.)) aahh go go go!!;)) but ya it was so great to be able to talk to u all on the phone, it was awesome!;) but you know me I’m doing my best with my journal. Kinda slacked, but ive been writing in itJ haha, but its all going well;)) I m going hard and working fast getting it done!!J ) I love you all so much and tell everyone hi and I love you and sending my hugs from Africa to home!!!!
Highlights of phone call from Mother's Day 5/13/12
Highlights of phone call from Mother’s Day, May 13, 2012
Cody sounded sooooo good!! He is really loving it there, and focusing on the missionary work he has been sent there to do. He says that Takoradi (the closest “big” town) has a garden mart where he can get things like cheese and m&m’s. haha. But things are much harder to find there than in Cape Coast or Mankessim. He gets 140 cedis for his monthly allowance, which is about $90.00.
He eats a lot of chicken and hotdogs. They make spaghetti with hotdogs. He says they are packaged and safe to eat.J They make a lot of stew, and egg sandwiches. They also eat fufu and banku, matsu (rice ball), soups and fish. He has eaten chicken, goat, antelope, pig, cow, and rabbit.
The houses are mostly mud huts, shacks, or made with stone/bricks. They don’t have a/c, so the have slits cut into the sides of the house (I assume between the stones) to allow the air to move through the house. Sofokrom has a really long dirt road to get to it. He doesn’t have a bike in this area, so they walk everywhere. It is less humid here than it was in Mankessim. He is still very close to the coast. His apartment is pretty nice he said. They have showers and water filters so they can drink the water. They sleep in mosquito nets.
He had a lot of scriptures to share with us. Dustin called him the “scripture encyclopedia”. Definitely not something the pre-missionary Cody would have done much. I told him he was getting so smart. His reply was, “there is nothing else in the clutter of the world on my shoulders”. WOW!
A few words he shared with us - abudum = dog; agemwa = cat; apanchi = goat; ahcoco = chicken; aheem = how much; apontini = male goat (the most disrespectful name that you can call someone there).
He still asks for a lot of food for his packages. He wants chocolate chips, garlic salt and seasonings, mashed potatoes, instant gravy, instant alfredo sauce, candy, protein powder, jerky, cake mixes, brownies, twizzlers, pop tarts, tuna - so I continue to send him packages with primarily food in them. If you have seen any pictures lately of him, he keeps getting thinner and thinner. What else is a mom to do?!
He loves letters, but it can take several weeks for them to get to him. Keep writing himJ
He has a Nigerian companion. They work hard together. I got to speak with Elder Nwoko for a few minutes. He has a very heavy accent and was hard to understand. But they get along great, and they were companions in the MTC, so that is really cool. That doesn’t happen much apparently.
It was so great to talk to him!!! We talked for 2.5 hours. I had to miss church, but it was totally worth it!! It was so hard to say goodbye. But I am so proud of him! He is experiencing things that most of us can’t imagine. He is an amazing young man, and his Mom is sooo proud!!
Cody sounded sooooo good!! He is really loving it there, and focusing on the missionary work he has been sent there to do. He says that Takoradi (the closest “big” town) has a garden mart where he can get things like cheese and m&m’s. haha. But things are much harder to find there than in Cape Coast or Mankessim. He gets 140 cedis for his monthly allowance, which is about $90.00.
He eats a lot of chicken and hotdogs. They make spaghetti with hotdogs. He says they are packaged and safe to eat.J They make a lot of stew, and egg sandwiches. They also eat fufu and banku, matsu (rice ball), soups and fish. He has eaten chicken, goat, antelope, pig, cow, and rabbit.
The houses are mostly mud huts, shacks, or made with stone/bricks. They don’t have a/c, so the have slits cut into the sides of the house (I assume between the stones) to allow the air to move through the house. Sofokrom has a really long dirt road to get to it. He doesn’t have a bike in this area, so they walk everywhere. It is less humid here than it was in Mankessim. He is still very close to the coast. His apartment is pretty nice he said. They have showers and water filters so they can drink the water. They sleep in mosquito nets.
He had a lot of scriptures to share with us. Dustin called him the “scripture encyclopedia”. Definitely not something the pre-missionary Cody would have done much. I told him he was getting so smart. His reply was, “there is nothing else in the clutter of the world on my shoulders”. WOW!
A few words he shared with us - abudum = dog; agemwa = cat; apanchi = goat; ahcoco = chicken; aheem = how much; apontini = male goat (the most disrespectful name that you can call someone there).
He still asks for a lot of food for his packages. He wants chocolate chips, garlic salt and seasonings, mashed potatoes, instant gravy, instant alfredo sauce, candy, protein powder, jerky, cake mixes, brownies, twizzlers, pop tarts, tuna - so I continue to send him packages with primarily food in them. If you have seen any pictures lately of him, he keeps getting thinner and thinner. What else is a mom to do?!
He loves letters, but it can take several weeks for them to get to him. Keep writing himJ
He has a Nigerian companion. They work hard together. I got to speak with Elder Nwoko for a few minutes. He has a very heavy accent and was hard to understand. But they get along great, and they were companions in the MTC, so that is really cool. That doesn’t happen much apparently.
It was so great to talk to him!!! We talked for 2.5 hours. I had to miss church, but it was totally worth it!! It was so hard to say goodbye. But I am so proud of him! He is experiencing things that most of us can’t imagine. He is an amazing young man, and his Mom is sooo proud!!
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