Merry Christmas Everyone!
This week went by faster than Bunny after a bath! December
always flies by! Especially when your on a mission! Something I noticed is that
I have been a missionary for 5 months already :O I can't believe that! When I
first came, I was like "fetch, two years?" but now I have really seen
that I need to cherish every moment of my mission! It goes by way to fast! I am
so excited that next week I get to call!!! We got our little sim card things
already so I put it under my Christmas tree along with the Christmas packages
that have been staring at me for a month. People here don't really even open
presents on Christmas, the main thing they do is just save up enough money to
make as much food as possible. (mostly fufu)
This week was good! We had a zone conference which was fun!
We also took two investigators to the temple site for a Christmas program! They
even had a couple Christmas lights there and a nativity! (Not as good as Salt
Lake but it was still nice.) Another fun thing I did was eat some sea food
things with Kwame! They're kinda like little sea snails that you use tooth
picks to get out of the shells! (Picture attached.) Kwame just bought a whole
bag for me and said "I need the shells, so could you eat as much as you
can?" I was a little hesitant but I helped him. They tasted pretty good.
Elder Tawodzera refused to take them though. I am so glad that Mom always told
me to eat my food even if I didn't like it. It helped prepare me so much for my
mission!
Teaching wise, this week was a little tough, everyone
traveled or wasn't at home, but this week we will try to find more people and
keep working hard! My companion is doing really well as my son. He rides his
bike like a intermediate rider now! He only has trouble with sand and with lots
of traffic. This week we were riding with lots of slow moving cars and he
slowed down too much and fell sideways. He would have fell in a really deep
gutter, but there was 5ft squared wooden pallet that was over right where he
fell. He always has had a good attitude when he falls which is good of him.
Whenever we mess up, it's okay to laugh (as long as nothing is broken.) and
then move on.
I laughed at myself a lot this week which is always good.
Once as I was biking through sand and palm trees, I was singing the lyrics
"Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright, the sun all through
the day and all the stars at night" from "Melekelekemaka" So
that applied to me very literally. Also I was playing out keyboard in our
apartment and one of the set songs on it was "O Christmas Tree." so
as it played I sang the version on house guest. "Shoobie doobie doobie
wabbie do". The thing about quoting movies is that no one who is African
knows them, so I thought I would share some of my fun "American Moments"
with you.
One more sweet thing that happened this week was when me and
my companion were just walking and this little girl with short hair
and earrings just came up and held my hand while we were walking, I
looked at her but she didn't even seem like she cared. Then I asked her her
name and where she was going. She said her name was Sarah and that she was
going home. Kids here are so adorable and I'm not even annoyed when they yell
"Obrunie!" all day. I just love being here and I know God knew it was
the best place for me.
Well Christmas is almost here and it's so exciting! I know
that this Christmas will be different than others I've had, but I know that I
am in the right place. Something my mission president said is that "All
the love we feel towards our family, friends, and loved ones comes from the
Savior." which is so true. What a joy it is to celebrate the birth of our
redeemer and our Lord. I can testify with everything I have that Christ lives
and that he loves us. He knows every single bad feeling that we've felt. He knows
how to help us. He has given all mankind his light and the knowledge of good
and evil. It is only upon Christ that we can be saved. So as this Christmas
season keeps moving forward, let's always remember him and try to make everyday
to be like Christmas. I know these things are true and I say them in his name
Jesus Christ Amen.
PS Congrats Grandma and Grandpa for your mission call! I am
so excited for you!!! I'm glad the Salt Lake trip went well! Man, I wish I
could have been there to see Dad as a chaperon. :D
Pictures: Me and Kwame eating "Sea food"
Me with my Christmas tree! Sorry I couldn't get a dark
picture, It wouldn't show up.
Thanks again for all of your emails! Merry Christmas
Everyone!
Love ,
-Elder Ballard
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