Huge Blankets of Buckets of Pools of Oceans of Rain

Big news this week guys :)

But first I'll answer some of your questions!

Good I'm glad you got the pictures! I was trying to send about 8 more but the network at the Vodafone died so I couldn't haha. And this week we didn't go to town, so no pictures (it's those OLDDDDDD computers)

Yeah we are always busy teaching people. We actually have so many investigators that sometimes we can only meet with them once every 2 weeks.

Oh man I am for SURE growing spiritually. I feel as my knowledge of the scriptures and of the words of the prophets increases, so does my desire to constantly improve myself. Because that is what we have been told perfection is. Perfection is when you are constantly improving.

Constantly finding areas of your life that you can change to follow God more. And I hope you are having that same feeling as you read every night now. Even being this far away from you guys, the fact that you have started reading every night fills me with joy and happiness.

I hope you have begun to notice greater blessings in your life, or even have begun to notice blessings that were already present but went unnoticed. And never forget that trials are meant to happen. Trials are for our own benefit. Because when you overcome them, your faith grows stronger, and it only becomes easier to overcome the next one, and the next one, and the next one. When you sincerely put ALL of your trust in the Lord and have faith that if you follow his example that things will work out, then I promise that everything else in life falls into place. Just like how Alma and other missionaries in the Book of Mormon took no thought of what they would eat or drink or wear, and put their full trust in the Lord, and look what amazing miracles they worked. I know that the Lord will do the same for anyone who puts their trust in Him. He takes care of those who have faith.

These are all things that never really clicked before I left for this mission. I always obeyed (sort of) because I knew I should, but once you really start changing some things and IMPROVE (key word), you start to become blessed with this knowledge and everything starts making more sense. Everything about our purpose makes more sense. Our purpose is to follow Christ, go through trials and gain experience, and to share FREELY the knowledge that we receive FREELY.

Of course I'll thank them! Next week I will send a letter to grandma and grandpa, and also one to Brother Madsen.

Yeah I do need a journal soon. I need a new big one, and also I'd like a smaller one that's got like the band that wraps around the front.

Know what I mean? Basically like the address book you sent with me, but a journal. Same size too. Also, could you send "Hymns without Words"? It's a CD that Elder H. got and I LOVE it. Also, I was wondering if you could get a copy of my priesthood line from the bishop or clerk or whatever. I think it'd be really cool to have that here. Also, anything on that green laser yet? ;) Also, whenever you send Idahoan taters, can you get the roasted garlic ones? They're my FAVORITE so far :)

For any future packages, don't send hygene items unless I ask. They have legit shampoo and soap and all that good stuff here. Like American namebrand even. So sending it is sort of a waste :P Sorry I never mentioned it before haha.

Yeah the dry season is pretty intense, but it's nice. No basically dry season here, is the same humidity as summer at NY. Like, it's 'quote unquote' "dry" season haha. It's not ACTUALLY dry. But the rainy season is EXTRA rainy. Since I've been in Ghana, it's only rained 3 times. Once on my first day at the MTC, and twice on the field. One of which was on Saturday....a story I'll tell below.

Yes yes yes mom I'm taking my pills haha. It's required. If we don't mission president will kill us. So don't worry! Plus, I don't want malaria! And yes, killywilly is AMAZING. Except we found out how it's spelled. It's "Kelawele" so maybe you can look it up!

Yeah remember I told you we have a whole room for laundry? We hang everything up inside. Also funny to hear about Elder Blanchard's problems with clothes drying, AT LEAST HE HAS A WASHER! Hahahaha.

Glad you liked Forever Strong :)

Elder DeMarco is SUPER spoiled. And yeah, the day we watched the movie Pres. Shulz told us he actually was in the mission pres. training with Pres./Coach Gelwix haha. That's why we were allowed to watch it lol.

Notes for this week:

-Like I said before, I got BIG news! An hour before we came to e-mail today, President Shulz called and told me I'm training!!!! So I'll have a son very soon and Elder N. will be a grandpa and Elder W. will be a GREAT grandpa hahaha. And Elder H. is my uncle, and Elder N. is Elder H.'s brother. Get it yet? Haha. That's how it's done out here in GCCM. We call 'em sons and fathers and so forth. Also, whenever a missionary goes home, his last companion "kills" him. Elder W. killed his trainer before he trained Elder N. haha. So yeah, both Elder H. and I got the training call, so looks like Elders N. and W. will be moving out! Hope I train someone SWEET! But when you train you train for 12 weeks (2 transfers). It's so weird. I feel like I JUST left, but I'm already almost done with my 2nd transfer. I'm about 1/8th done with my mission already! I only have to do this 7 more times and I'll be home! :) And in one month it'll be only 5 more times! So awesome. I love it.

-On Saturday, we were able to feel a HUGE storm brewing (rare for dry season!). So after a P.E.C.(Priesthood Executive Committee) meeting with the bishop it was like 6 and we looked in the direction of our apartment and it was PITCH. BLACK. and looked in the direction of Tanoso (our area) and it was nice light blue sky. So Elder N. was like, "bro we need to get home." (Ghanians all hide when it rains and refuse to meet so there's no reason to go 45 minutes out to Tanoso) So we start going home (about a 15 minute walk) and the wind comes. INTENSE wind. Blowing SHEETS of dust. So we're shielding our eyes walking into the wind all epic like. Then....the rain....HUGE BLANKETS OF BUCKETS OF POOLS OF OCEANS OF RAIN start coming at us! So we start running home (about halfway home at this point). We got so soaked so we gave up running.

We were soaked head to toe. Not a square inch left untouched. We just started singin in the rain walkin while all Ghanians watch from inside their houses. It was so awesome. Only thing.....it was dry season, so there's just dust in the air constantly like a cloud, so when the rain was coming down it was collecting it and so it was basically raining mud.....so then we got home and checked our stuff. All of my stuff was perfectly okay except....my scriptures. OF COURSE RIGHT?! They aren't ruined or anything but from Matthew to restoration of the gospel in the topical guide is damp and wrinkled now. Oh well. Haha. Good thing these scriptures don't hold any sentimental value.

I decided, the ONLY things I care about bringing back home intact, is my little book I've been working on (IT'S A BEAST RIGHT NOW! It's like Indiana Jones'
father's little journal with all these sweet drawings and notes and stuff), and my journals. That's it. Haha.

So that's all for this week! Love you guys!

-Elder Gagne :)