New mission and new area - Feb 25, 2013

Dear Mom & friends,
 So I have left the coast and headed to the edge of the jungles of Africa! Oh yeah Crocodile hunting next P-day baby! We were really surprised that it was me who was transferred, cause Elder P. had been in the area quite a while, but I'm now far far way in a place called Kasoa. We bike a lot here cause the area is massive entire missions can fit here. That is why if I stay here until July I might be ending my mission not in the Ghana Accra Mission, but the new one. Yup you found out the surprise, we will soon have the Ghana Accra west mission. I think it would be cool to be thrown into that new one...we'll see :)
 My new comp is Elder O. from Kenya. He is really funny kid and I'm enjoying him a lot. The best thing about the new apartment is.......a washing machine!!!! Yes that's correct; I guess a few months back a member donated it to the missionaries in Kasoa. We have six Elders here and 3 of us are from the MTC, which doesn't happen ever. Me and Elder B. are here with a Elder D. is from Guam. Ghana is having water shortages now, cause why wouldn't that happen while I was here. So we filled the baptism font with the nasty lake water I have ever seen. I'm surprised the people weren't killed in the water(though they would have been spiritual clean and ready to meet God) So all together I have baptized 10 people, and they have been good solid  converts(so far).
  Well after I'm done here me and Elder B. are going to go buy pick-axes so we can dig a speed bump in front of our house to help with the dust, then we might go look for hamburgers somewhere out here they can be found! Doing great, everything is coming together just fine.  :) :)
Love Elder Ray

I was lucky enough to be online while Taylor was so this is part of our conversation that we had back and forth....it was great to be able to talk to him in "real time"!!

Sure Send this message to all my friends if you can. Hopefully I'll have some great adventures this week to report on. Next package you send include some American deodorant like old spice. This stuff I have is terrible and only works sometimes.

Man Elder O is way excited to try BLUEBERRY pancakes haha -he is really funny. Yeah we can still get some foods here and I'm thinking I'll be trying some Croc steaks this week or at least soon. My packages may be here but it might be a little while until someone either comes from or goes to Accra and gets the mail. So it will just sit at the mission home until I get it.

The Elders that have been here before said the croc moved to fast too catch (I guess they were trying to catch smaller ones) so they ended up bringing home a turtle. They made a really nice pen for it in the yard but it was stolen the day before I got here. I guess the local thieves really wanted a turtle. Pancake mix is just really handy and it is really good too. So thanks for sending it –does MapleLeaf have anything else that would be good? IF so send it!

Taylor in his new area of Kasoa

Another pic

Elder Ray and  Elder C

This was on Christmas and Taylor found that cowboy hat in his apartment!
They all went to the "KFC" for Christmas dinner but apparently it's not quite like the ones in the States!

Pictures!

This is Elder Ray with his companion Elder P

They have been serving in Christianborg which is a suburb of Accra

(sorry Taylor sent this in December but because of how he has to send it I had to figure a way to convert it to a jpeg)

Elder Cook's visit - February 18, 2013

Dear Mom, family, & friends,

No packages so far, but then we usually don't get mail until Tuesdays so I'll have to let you know next week. though I'm sure if you just covered them in more Jesus pictures they should arrive just fine(unless its a Muslim  working at the post office, there are a lot here.)
  That is so cool that Dane & Nate got their mission calls. Nate's dad went to Canada so it makes sense-except for the Spanish speaking part. Dane should do well too(I'll need is address when he leaves)
 Elder Cook was not bad, he didn't say anything groundbreaking or send any kids home( I guess Elder Holland did that a few years ago) but he did share some really fun things about his mission, like how he was Elder Holland’s senior companion, cool huh? Then he really focused on working with less actives and told us a mission doesn't have to be so strict we don't have fun and enjoy it. An apostle telling us to have fun on our mission? we better listen to that :)
  So we have a shower, but when the "light is off" we have to use buckets to shower and then when we run out of water we go buy little bags of water to barely get wet & rinse with. All in all its not really as bad as it sounds, because after a nice hot day which is everyday any shower feels good :) We only have a burner top that runs on propane so we are limited on what we cook - though I recall a old Mtn man way of making an oven with a pot and some large rocks. Elder Bradley( my district leader who is cousins with the Bradley's from Manti) has heard of that too, so tomorrow we are going to attempt at making cookies...or burn Ghana down hahaha its ok we live in a cement & adobe house.
  We are thinking that I'll be staying in the area and Probst leaving cause he has been here a long time, but we'll find out tonight, he might be called to ZL or DL. Either way I'll miss him, he has been a great "father" and is now a great friend, We'll probably be seeing each other a lot back home. For today after I'm done here we'll be traveling to the famous Accra Mall that all the missionaries talk about! Its the largest mall in west Africa so its about the size of Ace hardware and everything cost as much as staying at the 4 Seasons. So we'll see how nice it is, but I hear they have Ice Cream! :) :) :)
  We that's all for this week, stay tuned though cause there are many more adventures to come in these next couple weeks, things I can't write about now cause Pres Judd has told us to wait....but it should be good :) I love you all and miss everyone just as much, though I'm loving the work at the same time.
 Love Always,
~Elder S. Taylor "Kwabena" Ray~ (yup that's my name I got also "quise" or whatever it is)
P.S. Our Senior couple is the Averys, they are also the office couple. Elder Avery is the coolest guy, me and him have really hit it off( mostly cause I've been fixing bikes so he doesn't worry about them) He kind of looks like the Bishop from the "Church Ball" movie and sounds just like him. Something I've noticed :)

So just for Mom,

Also I might be needing more pancake mix again soon, this stuff you sent is heaven, especially since it was blueberry( do they have raspberry  pancake mix?) also maybe so more olvatine mix wouldn't hurt. :)
Then a funny request...any church teachings or any teachings on the Old testament man "Abner" you could find and send me. He was a captain for Saul and worked with King David. I have been reading a lot about him and won't to know what our church or even the world thinks about him.

Elder Cook's visit - February 18, 2013

Dear Mom, family, & friends,

No packages so far, but then we usually don't get mail until Tuesdays so I'll have to let you know next week. though I'm sure if you just covered them in more Jesus pictures they should arrive just fine(unless its a Muslim  working at the post office, there are a lot here.)
  That is so cool that Dane & Nate got their mission calls. Nate's dad went to Canada so it makes sense-except for the Spanish speaking part. Dane should do well too(I'll need is address when he leaves)
 Elder Cook was not bad, he didn't say anything groundbreaking or send any kids home( I guess Elder Holland did that a few years ago) but he did share some really fun things about his mission, like how he was Elder Holland’s senior companion, cool huh? Then he really focused on working with less actives and told us a mission doesn't have to be so strict we don't have fun and enjoy it. An apostle telling us to have fun on our mission? we better listen to that :)
  So we have a shower, but when the "light is off" we have to use buckets to shower and then when we run out of water we go buy little bags of water to barely get wet & rinse with. All in all its not really as bad as it sounds, because after a nice hot day which is everyday any shower feels good :) We only have a burner top that runs on propane so we are limited on what we cook - though I recall a old Mtn man way of making an oven with a pot and some large rocks. Elder Bradley( my district leader who is cousins with the Bradley's from Manti) has heard of that too, so tomorrow we are going to attempt at making cookies...or burn Ghana down hahaha its ok we live in a cement & adobe house.
  We are thinking that I'll be staying in the area and Probst leaving cause he has been here a long time, but we'll find out tonight, he might be called to ZL or DL. Either way I'll miss him, he has been a great "father" and is now a great friend, We'll probably be seeing each other a lot back home. For today after I'm done here we'll be traveling to the famous Accra Mall that all the missionaries talk about! Its the largest mall in west Africa so its about the size of Ace hardware and everything cost as much as staying at the 4 Seasons. So we'll see how nice it is, but I hear they have Ice Cream! :) :) :)
  We that's all for this week, stay tuned though cause there are many more adventures to come in these next couple weeks, things I can't write about now cause Pres Judd has told us to wait....but it should be good :) I love you all and miss everyone just as much, though I'm loving the work at the same time.
 Love Always,
~Elder S. Taylor "Kwabena" Ray~ (yup that's my name I got also "quise" or whatever it is)
P.S. Our Senior couple is the Averys, they are also the office couple. Elder Avery is the coolest guy, me and him have really hit it off( mostly cause I've been fixing bikes so he doesn't worry about them) He kind of looks like the Bishop from the "Church Ball" movie and sounds just like him. Something I've noticed :)

So just for Mom,

Also I might be needing more pancake mix again soon, this stuff you sent is heaven, especially since it was blueberry( do they have raspberry  pancake mix?) also maybe so more olvatine mix wouldn't hurt. :)
Then a funny request...any church teachings or any teachings on the Old testament man "Abner" you could find and send me. He was a captain for Saul and worked with King David. I have been reading a lot about him and won't to know what our church or even the world thinks about him.

Roll with the Changes - February 11, 2013

Dear Family,                                                                                                                                                 Well we did our best to find some comfort, but we had just as bad if not worse luck with the power this past week. I think we had it off at least 6 days and it seems to always be at night! which is the worse time to have power off. While everyone was complaining about it I remembered the Reo Speedwagon song: "Roll with the Changes" Which I got thinking and that's how I have always lived my life just to "Take it on the Run" whatever trial comes my way.
  Ok I'm really looking forward to packages. I never realized how much I just love music( just wish I was better at playing) as long as it not rap/hiphop/country I enjoy it, even though I'm leaving my favorite music behind for 2 years(21 months now) though I did hear our neighbors watching CSI( its the big American show the people love right now) and yup I could hear that wonderful melody of Roger Daltreys voice and John's Bass with the always smashing (literally smashing) sound of Pete's guitar haha then later I heard Bryan Adams playing at a bar. I was just walking past the bar that's all, don't worry.
  So we had another Baptism this week. the good thing is that everyone we have baptized are still coming to church! That’s a problem with some of the missionaries out here. they don't baptize and retain the people. We also had our ward split yesterday, just shows you how the work is moving along. And Elder Cook is coming this week which I'm super excited about.
  Tell Breanna that I'm so proud of her, really national Honors is something I could never do.) Tell Kiki I'm way happy for her too! Drivers Ed done, wow everyone is really moving along back home. Maybe she can drive the suburban for me while I’m gone? Thank Emma for the boondoggles all the little kids think they are awesome. And I'm glad to hear Dad& Dalton finally got their letters, which I feel bad took so long. I look forward to hearing back from everyone soon as well, Right? :)
   Well take care until next week. Try not to freeze because I hear its really cold back home - out here the hot season hopefully should be ending soon then comes the rain! We also got our water problem fixed so don't worry about me there. I also fixed everyone bikes, my bed, and a few other things around the apartment cause we had an inspection ( I'm hoping we won) The Senior couple was quite impressed with my mechanic & carpenter skills, defiantly  see my purpose here in Africa...to fix everything hahaha
Love you so much
~Elder Ray~
P.S. Don't worry to much on the packages, cause I don't want to stress you guys back home- you are already paying enough for me but next time you do send it just stuff the thing full full full. I do though need more crystal light packages(lemonade is the best) and maybe some BBQ sauce and whatever else fun thing you'd like to put in there( pictures are some of the best things a missionary can get I believe :) ) But if anything just send letters, because I love to hear from my family.
Oh plus could you really try to find my David Swenson( last name might be wrong) his mission or even if he is home  - you might even need to use my FB to ask him or is mom but I really want to talk to him. Thanks again.

No Power, No Problem - February 4, 2013

Dear Mom & Family,
  So last week we had no water, well this week brought with it a new challenge...no electricity for 5 days which also meant no water again! haha The apartment we are in is really not a Marriott hotel unless those are full of spiders, malaria , & cockroaches too.
  We should have had power, but our little meter box on the house was spoiled( anytime anything breaks they say spoiled, I'll probably be saying that for awhile when I come home too) we called the mission electrician and he said he was "coming"( which in Africa means a couple days or not at all) So once again I spent a lovely week without water, sweating to death at night, and having all my nice tomatoes and fruit go bad in the fridge. I was a little upset because I bought a really big mango but had to throw it out because of the power-outage. Something that is really not bad out here is the bananas & mango, they are fresh and extremely sweet to the taste...maybe close to what Lehi's fruit was, then I always imagined a holy white pear for the fruit he saw in his dream.
  The mission tour got us out of one day of teaching, but only just that, though it was really worth it. Oh and guess what next week we just found out that Elder Quentin L Cook is coming for a fireside! I'm really excited cause now I'll have met 3 apostles( L Tom Perry at the Pageant and Robert D Hales at stake Conference.) So I'll be sure to let you know how everything goes with that.
 I got the Jesus sticker covered packages and they both came together. So maybe those stickers worked? Thanks so much for the pancake mix, it will be put to use right away so get another ready ;) I'll find a use for the seasoning too even the top ramen one...was that Dad who put that in? Thank Uncle Curtis for me and I don't know but could he/you get me cheese? even just cheese sauce powder like that comes with mac & cheese. Oh and chicken wings wouldn't be bad :P - maybe sauerkraut & horseradish sauce? Anyway thanks for all the stuff you sent me, it was really quite something to celebrate( even the other missionaries were worked up about it.
 Well I'll be hacking through the African wilderness keeping myself clean & health, looking for those the Lord has prepared for me
Love,
Elder Ray :)

PS did you get the picture of my emails & did you send the MP3 player yet? Just so I can keep my eyes out for it. If not see if you can find president Judd's 2010 conference talk a download it on there along with Bruce R McConkies last Conference talk( I hear its an amazing one) Thanks