December 18, 2012

Just a little explanation:  Both mom and dad emailed Taylor so he could just do one email. Also, we as a family bought an action figure that is a missionary and we are taking it with us places kind of like "flat Stanley" and taking pictures, etc.

So I guess I'm talking to both Mom & Dad in this Email? That’s fine it might work better that way. I love all the pictures you sent me, the one with the truck really helped. It’s hard to describe what my truck really looked like without just talking about a monster truck :)

  Ok you'll need to send me a picture of the Charlie Brown tree you but up. That sounds so funny. I helped but a tree up here at the MTC the other day. Nothing much, Christmas is really not that big of a deal here in Ghana....so far at least. The only lights that I have seen up are from some night club across the field from here, great right?! J Good to hear from Landon too< I was thinking about football the other day (the American kind) and it brought back a lot of really good memories :)

I'm sending a letter; I just keep adding and adding to it so hopefully I'll get it out soon. The letter should allow me to be more emotional (as much as I can be :P) and more detailed then these emails. But I really appreciate everyone thinking of me out here, I know I'm thinking of everyone back home too. I love you guys and God be with you.

~Elder Ray~

PS I like the little missionary, but he doesn’t look nearly as good as me, right? Oh and I leave here on Wednesday!!!!

I for some reason I forgot to mention this in the message earlier, but Happy Birthday mom! I know it was yesterday, but here it is. I hope you enjoyed the singing and food. I thought about it being your birthday all day and was thinking of sending you something, if I do you might get it in April :) Well anyways Happy Birthday <3

Taylor outside the Accra temple - it is about 20 miles from the MTC

 Taylor and the boys  - not sure what the hand signs mean but I'm sure there is a story behind it.

 in a classroom in the MTC

 eating fufu - must be a little messy

 Taylor and his new friend Elder E from Missouri - he is going to Liberia

December 12, 2012

Family~

I would love some earplugs right now. I'm really wishing I would have brought a MP3 player with the church music now. I really miss listening to any sort of music and everyone seems to have one here...with earphones!?! Maybe next year for Christmas or my birthday you could send me one :) So I just got back from the temple. It was beautiful, very lovely building stuck in the middle of the city- which makes the temple really stand out amongst the other not so nice buildings around it. Some of these names I have had to do baptisms for I had no hope in a million years of pronouncing right (haha) not even other Africans could!

   So are you posting everything I say to a blog? Cause a few kids have told me they've been following me, I'm just worried now about what I say-not really :) I wish I had some crazy adventures to tell you, but nothing really amazing takes place here that would dazzle anyone. Just a lot of spiritual growing and bonding with these other boys here. So did I tell you there are 3 other boys (Elder Conners, Ujaifusa, and an Elder Bay) here from Utah, all Salt Lake area. Yeah Elder Bay, that name with mine has created some funny moments (we switch our tags every now and then) Then a kid( Elder Hutchison) from just over the border in Idaho, a little place called Elba...I believe I knew where that was before coming here. Me and him are pretty good pals, also a good friend here is Elder Elliott from Missouri. Me, hutch, and him are all super tight. Then Elder Evans, also way cool, is from Las Vegas, together we make up the Americans! Besides Elder Honor from the UK, 2 boys from New Zealand and a kid from Samoa, plus one from Fiji. Everyone is from either Nigeria or Ghana and places close by.

  Thanks for sending the pictures, I can't print them but it was nice to see them.  I really enjoy getting these emails from you and my sisters (still haven’t heard from Kiki :)) and the one from Dad and Dad & Dalton, plus the ones from friends. It is something to look forward to during the week. Keep working on the house, maybe when I get home the kitchen, bathroom, my room and everything else will be done! haha then I don't have to do it :) or maybe just my truck should be finished right?

Nope nothing on Christmas yet and I believe that I leave here next Tuesday...I think? But I will find out all that later from President.

Yeah you can send me music like that- it still is something that can hold the spirit- even some instrumental song like the one from Legends of the Fall or True Grit would work at least that “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” :)  Anyway, yes I got those lyrics thank you very much, but now I have to get off, So until Sunday, I love you and all is well.

Love, Elder Ray

December 9, 2012

This is Taylor's email from Sunday December 9, 2012.  We are a little spoiled because while he is in the MTC he can email on Sunday and Wednesday but he only has about 30 minutes on the computer.

Well the heat is getting not so much better, but at least some what unnoticeable.....no what its still terrible and almost feels hotter these last couple of days, but I'm getting stronger so yeah it can bring it on haha :) Ok the scripture I want to use is 1 Cor. 14:8, its a pretty good one, its not my true grit one, but I figured you"d have no problem with that :P

   I'm actually understanding the kids and teachers a little better here. everything they say is like a fast mumble and you only need to catch keywords and their facial expression. The MTC here is torture with a dash of seminary. Don't get me wrong The teachers and kids a fine and MTC president is extremely nice (reminds me of Bishop Scott a lot) But we are stuck inside this building all day with just a little time to go out a play soccer yaa! The food is not bad and really ok, just really spicy and we eat the same thing day after day. I'm finally over jet lag, but a few boys like to stay up late and makes it hard to sleep. Luckily my roommates are good with the curfew. My comp is a native from Cape Coast named Elder M (luckily he had an easy last name)and we get along fine. We have a lot of differences but I can make it work. He can be hard to understand at times though.

   Sounds like everything is going fine back how and the kids are alright(who song reference :)) I think I have gotten all your emails and it should get more easy here once I'm out of the MTC and have more time to compose. Did you get mine where I asked for some pictures of you guys...family and what not too. I don"t have anything like that. Oh and could you send me the lyrics of "Come thou fount of every Blessing" they don't know that song here and Its always stuck in my head( so is Let My Love Open the Door by Pete Thownshed but you don't need to send me that :) I don"t have a lot of peoples emails, just home address so if you See Tyler or you know friends tell them to send me an email so I have there address to include in updates and other family members too :) Well take care, tell everyone I love them and I'm holding strong out here in the last frontier (ok so maybe not star trek, but I"ll have to tell you about my star trek experience in the next email)

  ~Love Elder Ray~

Off to Ghana!

Elder Taylor Ray reported to the Ghana MTC on November 30, 2012
Sending him off at the airport was a lot harder then we expected however we were reassured because he met up with 2 other elders that were heading there too!
He traveled almost 24 hours and arrived to 88 degree heat and about 90% humidity - let's just say he is trying to adjust to the heat!
We have had a couple of emails from him and he's doing well (other then the heat!) and is in classes learning a  lot but the "English" in Ghana is not really anything he is used to at all!