E-Mail and Photos 3/26/2012

Dear family,

This last week has been pretty sad. I didn’t know that it would be so hard to leave my first area. I think part of it was that I wasn’t expecting to leave but “I’ll go where you want me to go” Even though almost everything about my new area is superior to Asuoyeboa I still miss it. But I have water now,and a big apartment with tile floors, a ceiling fan, a pump that works, and reliable water pressure. I actually started taking showers at night too now because our water is so good. The first night I got to kojo bedu I took a shower. It was the first real shower I had had in almost two weeks. Was it glorious?, Did the water Shoot out intensely? did I actually feel clean for once? the answer to all these questions is yes. It was awesome. I didn’t realize General conference was this next week. I’m not sure if I’ll get to see it or not but I hope I do. So Kojo Bedu. When we walk around it doesn’t feel like I’m hiking for 9 hours a day. If the roads aren’t paved they’re at least flat. Not as big a problem with the language because more people speak english here. Our ward actually does what they’re supposed to for the most part. Elder Hansen and I came down to a pretty sweet area. We live with the Zone leaders, Elder Bunker from Utah and Elder Nzuki from Kenya. They’re both cool guys. I thought I was doing things pretty good as a missionary but then I saw how those two do things and I was like whoa, I still have a lot to work on but I’m doing alright for where I am on mission. I think Pres. put me here to learn from them especially. I think Pres. Shulz has got something planned for me but I dunno. It could be nothing. We almost didn’t get to email today so that’s a warning for the following weeks. The power seems to be more sketchy here than in other places. We have been out of power since yesterday and so we went to town to get food and came back. The power was on so we came to the internet cafe and right as we sat down the power went back out. We waited for like 10 min. before it came on again. If you randomly don’t here from me one week that’s why. This week we have just been trying to figure out our area and picking up people that the old missionaries were teaching. I found out that I sweat more here than I did in Kumasi. It’s not as hot but it’s more humid. Alotta the time I don’t actually feel hot I’m just sweating super bad. I just started the BoM again.I think I’ll get the most out of ti than I’ve ever gotten. It’ll be sweet. I’m getting super dark. that’s cool i guess. not too much else to talk about. We added two more baptisms to the church this past sunday. They happened under Elder Hansen and I even though we didn’t put in all that much work for them. One is Charles and the other is Richmond. They;re both powerful guys. We have a few more lined up into next month so that’s a nice change from how’s it been. We’re trying to prepare them for the baptism so that’s cool.  that’s about it. I’ll talk to you guys next week.

Your son,
Elder Holder

So here’s some pics from just before I got transferred. One of them is my trainer and I at the bus station. It might’ve been the last time I see him until I get home. Then there’s one of my trainer, me, Elder gagne (grandson to my trainer), Elder Hansen(grandson to my trainer), and Elder Slade(Great grandson to my trainer) the pics loaded so normal things. bye bye o

Elder Wheeler and me at my Transfer

E-Mail and Photos 3/19/2012

Dear Family,

        Freak man!! What the heck. They’re transferring me in the middle of training to a new area that we are going to be white washing. Ajeesh. I didn’t think I would be leaving Asuoyeboa so soon. I’m actually going to miss this place. It’s only been 4 and a half months. I’m already moved somewhere. I feel better about it now but when we got the call I was freaking out. I’ve made some good friends here. I’ll go where I’m needed though. Anyways lets move on to the rest of the week. We in the apartment known as Asuoyeboa have not had water since last week saturday. It is now day 9 of no water. we’re scraping by though. UUmmmm because we haven’t had water to make food or clean dishes I’ve been spending a little bit more money than usual so don’t be surprised if there is a withdrawal of like 20 bucks or so.Before I forget my student loan issue should be  coming up soon so here’s a heads up. Anyway Elder Hansen and I are going to an area called Kojo Beidu. apparently it is close to a beach and isn’t super far from the mission home so I’ll packages a ton faster now. Oh and I did get the packages last week. Thank you by the way. You probably could’ve gotten everything to fit in two envelopes but whatevs. I’m moving out of Kumasi stake and it’s going to be a big change. For one I won’t be speaking any Twi but I’ll have to try picking up Fante. Which is harder I guess. Hopefully I’ll figure it out but I don’t know. 

Elder Hansen, Sister Julieanna and Elder Holder

Tomorrow we’ll probably just be scrabbling to say goodbye to all the people that we want to. Then Wednesday we’ll be gone. I hope where we are going will be cooler so I don’t sweat as much. Even though it hasn’t been as hot, it’s still been pretty humid so I still sweat like a beast. Mike that’s freakin’ awesome. that quickening of your understanding has already started and now it’s not gonna stop. Please send me more insights. Those are the best. I also decided that instead of the four horsemen of the apocalypse that there might be five. I quote “then there came a pale horse:and the name of him who rode it was Death and Hell followed with him” Rev. ch. 6 I think. Anyways It’s the only place I’ve found that Hell is capitalized. It’s the name of a personage of something. I’m glad you got my song picked out and you’re working on the girl already. That’s sweet. Please not Makayla. Preferably not taryn either. You guys could even think outside the box and go outside the ward. It’s no rush though I still have 20 months. That’s right baby I’m under 20 months whoooo!!!!!!!!!! Boom. Before you know it I’m gonna be home enjoying thanksgiving. Heck Yaaaaa. The random guy didn’t come to church but the four kids did. We tried getting to their parents and they all said that they would come next week. doubtful and now we’re leaving soooo I won’t be able to see it through. Disappointing. I think that might be why we haven’t had any baptisms so far because we’re leaving. So either we wouldn’t be there to continue strengthening our converts or we wouldn’t be able to see them baptized but I don’t know. It makes me feel better I guess. The woman in that picture is named Sister Julianna so she’s awesome. A little repetitive but a cool lady. Well’s I’m getting off so I’ll talk to you guys next week. Tell Tristan he’s doing awesome. Everyone be strong and study your scriptures gosh dang it. If there’s anything you can do to make almost everything better it’s that. Peace out from Elda Heelda,(the kids pronounce my name wrong sometimes)
Sincerely the best missionary,
Elder Holder

Here’s some pics from the last week. The first is what happens when your apartment doesn’t have water for 5 days. The dishes pile up and everything else just becomes messy because we don’t have enough water. Right now we’re at day 9 of no water. We’ve been having to buy a bunch of sachets which are 10 peswas each. that’s like a dime. I’ve spent 22 cedis on sachets this week. that’s like 22 dollars. that’s the comparison. We’ve washed clothes with that, done dishes three times like that. and showered for the past week or so with those. It’s pretty sweet I guess. Oh and that woman is a member that’s been helping us out. We took a pic because we are leaving soon. that’s all.

Elder Holder No Water 2

Elder Holder No Water

E-Mail March 12, 2012

Dear Family,

            I’m glad everything is well. As for you Mike Congrats. The temple ordinance worker is going to be awesome. Now that you’re doing that so many things are going to open up to you. You’ll be able to lay some major knowledge on me and that’s exactly what I’m hoping for. I love getting huge questions and mind blowing knowledge on mission. It honestly is about half of what we talk about in our apartment. It’s sweet.  Sooo I tried to send some videos to you guys but the memory is too big for the computer. I’m not sure what to do about htat because they’re sweet and I don’t want to delete them but they take up too much memory on my camera. I;ll have to figure out something with that. Watching the videos made me feel better that I haven’t lost my charming manner.  Weather wise the last week or so has been a little extra hot. I SWEAT LIKE A BEAST!!!!! It sucks a little bit. then we had a big storm roll through fast on Saturday. The lightning was so close that it scared my companion a few times. In a few months ya I’ll probably be transferred somewhere else but who knows. Some sweet stuff happened on Tuesday of last week but I don’t remember what but I remembered I wished it happened before so I could’ve written about it.  Oh well.As for today we had a combined zone activity where we went to a lake and it was cool. Just got to actually relax and chill instead of being stressed and worrying about this or that. It’s nice. As for people being baptized, well our only for this month is not going to happen because his father won’t let him. He’s still living under the fathers house so he’s a little stuck. He says once he’s more independent then he will baptize but until then i dunoo. We are going to try and talk to his father some time this week. Those kids who came to church came again yesterday. they brought two more kids with them. We also broguht some random guy we met on the way. A pretty solid day. The kids drive me crazy though. I’ll go through their ages. 3, 7,10,12,13. Sometimes I hate my life.  Not nearly as much bothers me anymore so that’s nice. I just bore a testimony about if we have the gospel then we don’t really need anything else and all the bogus stuff that happens all the time is just whatever. LIke it sucks but I can hanlde. Our water and power has been sketchy and we found out our bucket lady literally collects a crap load of water and thats’ why we never have any water in the mornings. I ran out of money last friday becasue we needed to buy water to shower so I pulled out 60 cedis for todays activity andsome other things. I fell in a hole today while playing frisbee. It was big too and it hurt my leg a little bit. All other investigators that we have are being pushed to april 1. Hopefully we’ll have some. we will if people stop traveling. Have you guys chosen a good girl to come and pick me up from the airport, with a stereo, playing Blow me away by breaking benjamin yet. I expect that to happen. I’ll be crushed if it doesn’t. In fact I might pass away which will be sad because you haven’t seen me for two years. A little tragic really. The packages I think have finally gotten here but I won’t know till tomorrow but I’m pretty sure they’re here. That snickers is going to all mine Muahhahahaha. well I am doing well. If you want ot send me food it’s all good but if not no probs. Anyway Ghost leader signing off,
Your missionary,

Elder Holder

E-Mail 3/5/2012

Dear Family,
Is there no pleasing you? Jk but seriously. I was requested to send pics of my area so that’s what I sent. I’ll try to get some more of me in them for next time but usually it’s just me seeing something and saying sweet! Let’s take a pic. You try to find twi lessons but honestly you wouldn’t really be able to talk to anyone and well ya the only place you would use it is in Ghana and even then mostly only in Ashanti region. Sorry about Devin’s Visa stuff. That sucks hardcore. It happens though. I don’t ever remember getting reimbursed for anything though so you lucked out there. Dearest Michael I’m so proud of you getting an interview in the temple. I hope you get it because then you can drop some knowledge on me from all the enlightenment and quickening of your understanding that you will receive. I had one the other day about the relationship between a chapel and the temple. I figured it this way. The church house just prepares you to enter the temple. It’s like the aaronic priesthood of church buildings and the temple is Melchizedek. Also, the Sacrament ,which is an aaronic priesthood ordinance, is done in the chapel while sealings and endowments are done only in the temple.  Just barely figured that one out a day or two ago.It was sweet. ya stuff like that would be cool. Tell Garrett to enjoy being in the states for as long as he can. Ya that kind of companion sucks but he just has to get him in shape. Plus he can still get as many brownies as he wants, thousands and thousands of brownies. Oh my goodness he’s a lucky man right now. Oh and I still haven’t my packages yet. I thought they would come last tuesday but I was definitely disappointed. No snickers, no ice cream. But as we were leaving our mission tour the zone leaders asked us if we wanted to get some pizza and I was like “4 month mark” , “pizza” ,”better than the last pizza” what are we still doing here lets go. It was way good pizza just a little bit on the expensive side but I held back. I split a pizza with Elder Hansen.  It was good and totally worth it. Oh and mom sorry but you ask way too many questions. There is no possible way I can answer all of them. As for the pics the one in front of the dump is elder hansen, those people in the half built house live down the street ( I wouldn’t call them neighbors), and I don’t remember what shack sent. If it’s a dirty stone type one with like tables and stuff then ya or it could be someone elses house. A lot of them look the same. elder Hansen and i can work together pretty well not too much in common. Found out he can hacky sack a little bit but other than that him and elder gagne talk about more stuff than me and him do. Whatevs, in two months it won’t really matter anyway just as long as we did our part. Our lessons have suffered this week and we’ve been struggling on that front. We usually have a well planned day with back  ups and then everyone fails at the same time. We’ve been trying to contact like crazy but so far no one real serious. yesterday 3 kids decided they wanted to come to church which was cool but it turned into me baby sitting for the most part. And then I tried figuring out a baptismal record for someone who baptized before i even got there. All I needed was birthdates for the parents, his children, and the place he was married. He knew where he was married and that was it. We tried figuring out his parents Bdays from when they died and their ages and I guess they both lived to 110 yrs. old. So yaaaaa… Then he has to call his 7 kids and find out their stuff before i can send the paper in. Records are not found here and it makes it very difficult sometimes. I had a sweet idea about what to do when I get home next year. Have Devin find a song by Breaking Benjamin. The only thing I remember about it is that it says “Only the Strongest will survive”. I don’t think that’s the name but it might be. Then Bring a girl to the airport with you guys. She needs to a modestly dressed cute/hot girl. As I come through have her hold a stereo up that plays that song and then bring a pizza too. And as all that happens I’ll run in slowmo to you guys with your eyes filled with tears and well I’m pretty sure it’s be epically awesome. One last thing. Devin research all you can on the vikings. Where they were majorally populated, when they came into prominence and some of their basic beliefs. Mostly in regards to the end of the world, thor, odin and things like that. then get back to me. I have a theory I need to find out. Oh and if you guys are interested look up the book of Hagoth. It sounds sweet. I love you guys and i’ll let you know how things are going. Sweet, bye bye o
Your dearest asimpakofo,
Elder Holder