Caroling in Obuasi!

Hello all!

This week has been a very nice week!

We really had two big events with it being Christmas week. The first was on Christmas Eve. We went caroling with all the Elders in Obuasi (14) in downtown Obuasi! That very nice and we could see that it made people really happy to have a bunch of young white men come and sing them Christmas carols.

On Christmas I got to talk to my family! That was very very nice and it made me really happy to be able to see and hear them! Except somehow it just felt I was being interrogated the whole time! Kidding! If you have any questions on how I am doing feel free to ask them!  Merry belated Christmas and an early Happy New Year to all!

Odo,

Elder Brandt

Another Trip to Kumasi, Christmas Celebration and a Blister Beetle Bite!

For all,

This week was really cool! We had the opportunity to go to Kumasi again for a Zone Conference! That was on Thursday.  That is where a bunch of missionaries went, we had some instruction from our Mission President, sang christmas hymns, and presented skits! It was lots of fun!

On wednesday we were able to travel up to Kumasi and to have the day to ourselves! We went and printed pictures. Then we had some Plantane and Contombre Stew for lunch. Then we went to the Ghana National Culture Centre in Kumasi.  I was able to buy a nice necklace for cheap. I think it is made of brass and it is a Ghanaian symbol called "Rams Horns" which means humility and strength. It was only GHC 5. I had this shoulder bag that I brought with me that spoiled. It was a cheap one anyway but I needed a new bag. So while we were there, I bought a backpack with a Kente fabric on it! Very cool! was only GHC 40.  Then for that night we went to the Mission home to stay the night. Played games and had fun!

Unfortunately around here it does not really feel like Christmas time! It is dry, dusty, and hot! Although I look forward to skyping my family! I am very excited! I wish all of you a Merry Christmas!

Afishyia Pa! (Merry Christmas!)

Me odo enpaebo (My love and Prayers)

Elder Brandt
*** We get to Skype Taylor at 5:30 AM Christmas Day! We are very Excited!

This is from a "Blister Beetle" the real name is a Champion Bug.

It was pretty painful, but I just took a certain pill for it and it was gone in like 3 days.

It left a pretty cool scar! Really not that big of a deal. 

(He says this so his Mom doesnt worry!)

But ya... cool scar!

We saw this in Kumasi! 
Colorado License Plate???

How the heck did this get here?!

Trip to Kumasi, New Companion and Weird Fruit!

Hello All!

First I will start by answering a few of my Mom's 1 million questions!  My new companion Elder Ike (ee-kay) yes he is actually taller than me! Our companionship is going great! We get along very well and have over-acclompished a weeks worth of work in 4 days! He is powerful!  Our branch is doing very well and Elder Ike really wants to help it grow! Since I have been here I have gotten pretty close with our mission president, President Cosgrave.  He a fantastic man, with lots of wisdom and knowledge he loves to share with us missionaries!

First thing this week. On Monday we went to a members house because she wanted to feed my previous companion before he left.Traveling to and from is way too far for walking so we have to take a tro-tro. So we went there and she prepared us BIG Bhanku! I can honestly say that it was quite the struggle putting it all down!  Then coming back, we got in a tro-tro and began coming home. The driver began going faster and faster.  I am pretty sure he was in some rush because he was going soooooo fast!  As we were coming, we hit a big dip without him slowing down.  I came off the seat completely, hit my head on the ceiling and after I landed back on the seat, a bag of bananas that used to be in the trunk, landed on top of my head. That was pretty fun. haha. No worries. That is very uncommon.

On Tuesday I had to escort Elder Nortey-Annan to Kumasi to be trained as a District Leader.  After his training, we went to KFC! It was a very nice taste of home! :) On the way home Elder Nortey-Annan wanted to stop and barber his hair. So I decided, I will try it to just to see how a Ghanaian barber will look on me. They actually did very well! They payed very close attention to detail, which unfortunately also made it take forever. haha.

Wednesday I  got my new companion Elder Ike! He is from Nigeria and he is very cool!  We get along great, enjoy all of the same foods, appreciate the same kind of humor, etc!  Hopefully we will continue to work well together!

Odo,

Elder Brandt

 More African Wear Pics

 My New Companion...Elder Ike (ee-kay) from Nigeria

 On our trip to Kumasi...we got to go to KFC!!!

 I think he missed French Fries!

 Weird African Fruit!

 Cool New Hat...Why Not?

 Merry Christmas from Africa!

Stylin' in some new Threads!

Hello All!

      This week was pretty cool!  We also had a little bit of funnies thrown in!

First event was on Monday! I got some Ghanaian African wear!  We bought the fabric for GHC 40 (Cedis) and then we got it tailored by our Branch Mission Leaders personal tailor for another GHC 40! So total I spent GHC 80! Which I think is equivalent to about 20 USD! Not bad! I am also very very impressed and very very satisfied! :)

Just on Friday, we taught a guy named Enoch. We first met him a week before. We were walking by one of the football (soccer) fields in Asonkore right by the apartment. As we were walking by, he stopped us and asked us if we had one of the "Books according to Mormon".  We told him we do not have one with us but we can bring him one another time! He said that would be great! So on Friday we went to go and teach him and give him a Book of Mormon.  As we taught him, we learned that he was taught by missionaries over a year ago and was given a Book of Mormon.  He told us that when they gave him the book, he had already heard that the book was demonic and he would be cursed for reading it. With these thoughts in his head, he said he opened the book after they left and could not even pronounce the first name, Nephi.  Then the very next day he went and gave the book back to those missionaries and said that it was not for him.  When we explained the Book of Mormon to him, we read with him the first paragraph of the introduction. After reading it, I could see something click inside and he instantly knew that the Book of Mormon was not demonic, it did not replace the bible, and there was nothing bad about it. He thought it was incredible how the Bible and the Book of Mormon work together, and how it makes sense because the Bible was written by prophets in Jerusalem and the Middle East, and the Book of Mormon was written by prophets in the Americas.  Some other things we learned about Enoch is that he was a tourist and he has been to America, Turkey, Russia, Liberia, and Austrailia.  He also plays on a semi-pro football team in Kumasi! (maybe that is where he gets his traveling money)

On Thursday, we found a new investigator named Blankson.  He lives in Kwabenakwa, our other area where we work, about 1.5 - 2 miles away.  He seemed like a pretty good guy!  And then, we went and taught him on Saturday.  When we went to meet him by the bus stop in Kwabenakwa, he seemed to be in a very good mood!  Then he said we would go back to his place so we can begin teaching him.  Then for some odd reason we started walking in the opposite direction of his house.  I was not entirely sure what was going on. Maybe he was trying to be funny?  We continued to follow him, as he meandered around pointlessly for about 10 min babbling about something in Twi.  Then I began to be suspicious, but I did not want to jump to any conclusions.  Then he finally led us back to his house.  This day, Saturday, we were teaching with our Branch Mission Leader, Ike Mensah.  As soon as we sat down, Ike confirmed my suspicions... He leaned over to me and whispered, "Why are we about to teach a drunk man?".  Dang it.   I was really really hoping that I would be wrong thinking he was drunk.  When we told my companion that we should not teach him and see him another time, my companion insisted we teach him anyway.  So we started teaching him about the Word of Wisdom.  We told him that there are 5 things that we do not put into our bodies, so as to keep them clean on the inside. First, alcohol. He was somehow fine with that one. Second, tobacco. He was fine with that. Third, tea. He was fine with that. Fourth, coffee. HE FLIPS OUT.  What do you mean no coffee?! He continues to talk for about 20 min about how coffee is sooooooo good for you. When you are tired, drink coffee.  When you are sad, drink coffee.  When you are just thirsty, drink coffee.  When he finally finished, we told him about how we do not drink coffee because it is a "hot drink" and how it easily becomes addictive which limits the agency we have been given by Heavenly Father. He responds by saying how we will drink cold coffee from that day forward.  When my companion mentioned that our bodies are like temples, we keep them clean inside and out, he says how he is not jealous of other peoples big houses or nice temples.  He is perfectly happy with what he has.  He told my companion to come see something, but I was not allowed to see. I had to come anyway because I have to be with my companion, he took him to his room. He unlocked the door, opened just enough for my companion to see, shuts the door, locks it, and walks back to the bench we were sitting on and says, "You see that is what I have and I am happy with it!"

As far as the rest of the lesson, I leave that up to your imagination how it went.

Finally, this Wednesday I will getting a new companion. Elder Nortey-Annan will be going to Asuoyboa, Kumasi and my new companion will be Elder Ike (ee-kay).  Elder Ike is a Nigerian and I keep hearing from people how cool he is.  I am pretty excited!

Love,

Elder Brandt

Hello all!

I had a good week this week!  My mom claims I am getting better at the whole letter writing thing. That is weird!

After this short letter I take it back  : )  haha

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Because I did!  Elder Ashby (from Utah) and I celebrated Thanksgiving with fried chicken and mashed potatoes! I did the chicken and he did the mashed potatoes! It was so good! I will include pictures! 

I keep hearing how Colorado is snowy and in the teen degrees! Here it is the same as always! 500 degrees with 120% humidity!

I have started getting myself some Christmas music now that the season is beginning!  The way I will be celebrating Christmas is by relaxing and calling my family!

Sorry I do not have much to say this week! But I hope you all find joy in the pictures I will be sending! :)

Love you all! 

Elder Brandt

 My KFC experience came in handy as I fry some chicken...

Fryin' some birdies

 Thanksgiving Dinner!

Elder Ashby (from Utah) ready to chow down!

FOR ALL:
      

We had a pretty good week this week. Nothing very special happened so sorry I do not have much to report.  Yesterday, Sunday, was interesting because we got to watch the Sunday morning session of General Conference. I did not get anything out of it because we watched the Twi translation of it.  I received a package this last Friday the 20th! Thank you Momma Hansen! :) You have no idea how nice the jerky was! (I am sure it was probably Steven's idea)  My mom just reported the amazing, beautiful, white, pure, amazing snow that was just showered down upon Colorado! :( I wish... haha

Currently our two most powerful investigators are a man named Issac Appiah. And another man named Patrick!  They are both very kind, spiritual, and god-fearing men! They are both so excited for their baptism dates! Besides them we have about another 3-4 people with baptism dates but they are the ones that stick out to me the most! Do not get me wrong I love all of my investigators the same!

This morning we went on a hike. Except for it was more like mountain climbing because I felt like I was walking up a black diamond ski slope! It was nuts!  Also this morning I took some very cool Ghanaian fabric to a tailor to be made into Africa Wear! I will include pictures of the fabric this week and next week me wearing it! :) 

I love you all! Make sure my mom is not worrying about me too much!

Odo,

Elder Brandt                                                                                                              

Matthew 5:14-16 is a great read!

 My favorite little guy Emmanuel!

 Angelina and Emmanuel

 Just me being my cool self

 Sorting beans!

Fabric I bought and took to a tailor to be made into African shirt and trousers!

Stay tuned...

Hike Pictures

 My companion Elder Nortey-Annan

 Elder Ashby

 Elder Hill

 The Hills are alive in Ghana!

The Obusai Gang

Vegetables and Dessert (i.e.Elder Brandt's version of sweet and sour) : )

November 16, 2015

Hello All!

There were so many things that happened this week that were awesome! And also some not so awesome things... but that is the nature of the work here!

Let me start with the vegetables...  
Earlier this week my companion and I were walking from one village to another.  Between those two towns the road goes downhill and then uphill and cars often like to go very fast through there. It is pretty scary as a pedestrian because if people here know their car is 4 feet wide and there is a gap 4.2 feet wide... they will go for it!! Maybe slow down small small if they feel like it! Yikes!  Anyway, as we were walking we could hear a car coming from behind us, and as it approached the horn was honked a couple times. My companion moved off the road and right as we turned to look at the mini-bus we saw it run over a dog!!!  I was so heartbroken! I will not go into detail about the rest.  But, even after the bus hit the dog, they did not even slow down! All I saw was one guy lean out the window, shrug his shoulders, and lean back into the car!

This week we also had Friday the 13th!  It did not exactly go well for us. haha. Every morning my companion heats up water on the stove for his bath. This morning as he was pouring it from the pot into the bucket, he spilled a bunch on his foot and got a pretty nice burn.  Next, as I was cleaning up the kitchen small small, I bent over to pick something up and knocked over our crate of eggs.

Before: approx. 15 eggs

After: 2 eggs

Then later in the afternoon, we were teaching a lesson to Isaac who we just baptized yesterday, Sunday!  As we were teaching him my companion and I were sitting on one bench and he was sitting on another bench.  In the middle of our lesson, the bench broke!!! My companion and I both fell to the ground!  Ha!

Now I will give the dessert!

This week our branch was able to go the Accra temple and when they came back, all they could talk about is how happy they were and how amazing the temple was!

On Sunday, 15 November, we baptized a young man named Isaac Beppile (Gala)!  He is a very powerful guy!

Also this week on Wednesday we had one Elder move out (Elder Lindley) and we another brand new Elder move in! (Elder Naawu).  Elder Naawu is Ghanaian and a very powerful teacher!  I think the week was a little hard for him though because he was trying to spend every minute of his free time cleaning. He even tries to bathe 3x a day. I think he is starting to loosen up a little bit but I am not sure.  I really like him though! He is a funny guy!

One story about Elder Naawu,

      Just last night the 4 Elders in our apartment we were all hanging out in me and my companions room. Elder Naawu was sitting on my bed with me, and Elder Ashby was sitting with Elder Nortey-Annan on his bed. Elder Naawu was looking around and saw the picture of my family I have hanging over my desk.  He saw it and immediately pointed at Lauren and asked if it was my sister.  I said yes and he quickly responded by telling me he wants to marry her! I was slightly in shock! For the rest of the night he was talking about how beautiful Lauren was and how I was going to be his future brother-in-law! I am currently in the process of bringing him out of the clouds as gently as I can haha.

Hope all is well with all of you!

I love you all! 

Please Email me! :)

Odo,
Elder Brandt

PS - Sorry also the internet is crazy slow today so I cannot send pictures today :( 

I will be sure to send them all next week though!
Love Elder Brandt

A Day in the Life of Elder Brandt in Obuasi...

Hi Family and Friends...

I will definitely be in Obuasi for Christmas! We even have a branch member, Brother Samuel, who has a farm and said that his pineapple and papaya are almost in season and he wants to give us a lot of it for free! :)

As far as the weather here. It still rains but it is definitely starting to slow down as we begin to enter the dry season! The rain is much much lighter and not as frequent!

This week was the end of a transfer which means missionaries are going to be moved around and transferred. For me, my companion and I are not going anywhere. Elder Lindley is being transferred to Dichemso which is in Kumasi.  Elder Ashby is staying in Obuasi and will be training another new missionary. So in the apartment we will have one new missionary! Nobody knows who it is though.

I have become really close with some of the branch members.  Specifically a girl named Angelina and her son Emmanuel.  They are both very cool, nice, kind, and lots of fun to be around. I am going to miss them very much when I leave. 

I can now say I know how to work hard. After walking around in the hot sun for 8 hours a day in a shirt, tie, and trousers! I am sorry not much happened this week and I have no pictures. :( I love you all and wish the best for all of you!

Odo,

Elder Brandt

The average day of Elder Brandt: (per request of mama brandt)

6:30 am - wake up

7:00 am - bathe with ice cold water using a bucket and a cup

7:15 am - get dressed

7:30 am - breakfast and take doxycycline (anti-malarial pill)

8:00 am - personal scripture study

9:00 am - scripture study with companion and confirm day plans

10:00 am - (because I am still in my first 12 weeks) additional study and training.

11:00 am - lunch

12:00 pm - leave apartment

12pm to 8pm - teaching, serving, finding new people to teach.

8:00 pm - return to apartment and plan for tomorrow

8:30 pm - eat dinner

9:30pm to 10:30 pm - free time

10:30 pm - lights out

JK - Here are some pictures...

 Elder Ashby, Elder Lindley, Brother Samuel and me

 Asonkore, Obuasi

 Me, Francis Aseidu, Elder Lindley, Elder Nortey-Annan

Me!

Halloween, Soccer, Baptisms and a Package!

Akwaaba!

October was a success! I think... jk! Great week! 

We got to celebrate Halloween yesterday by carving watermelons! Halloween Ghana style!! 

This morning we got to play a zone Football (soccer) game!  It was district against district!  We lost 3-4 :( Fortunately I realized that I was still not bad at soccer! I could juggle the ball with an average of about 6-7 hits before it hit the ground. Also some of the Africans were able to show me a few tricks and I was able to do them.

                                    My package came!!  I received my package on 30 October!  Loved it!! 

By package I mean a new hat!

Ya.... I am a Ghanaian Samurai Elder

On a typical day we usually walk around 5 miles! That will most likely increase as I finish my training! 

My pants fit fine. I switch my shoes everyday.  Yes, I have gone down 1 notch in my belts!

Love you all!
Elder Brandt

BTW I baptized 2 more people yesterday : 0  : )

Joe and David and Elder Nortey-Annan

 Boys from the Obuasi Branch!

Found this weird bug on my shirt!  

Hiked to a Waterfall...beautiful but dangerous!

October 26, 2015

DEAR ALL
I am doing very well!
Last week went pretty well! I'm sorry I'm not very good at this whole writing letters thing.  I think I am finally acclimating to the humidity and the heat! Other good news is that i still have not put on any sunscreen and have not been burned! I have pretty darn good looking watch tan line!  It is very difficult finding different things to eat here.  Almost every single meal consists of bread and egg. Occasionally rice.  I am pretty excited to see the Christmas card for this year!  I would like to see pictures of you guys in your Halloween costumes!  Anna Hansen winning the chili cook off..... not very surprised!  Steven Hansen, learn how to cook lots of things from your mom, and do not be like me. An uncreative cooker!  Fortunately I will get a copy of the Ensign with all of the General Conference talks in it!

Things with my companion are OK. It is kind of a bummer he loves to argue about anything and everything and is very stubborn. Other than that he is a pretty good guy.  The other Elders in my apartment are Elder Lindley and Elder Ashby.  They are both from Utah. I also found out that they are both going to Weber State after their mission. Elder Ashby is 13 months out. Elder Lindley is 2.5 months out. I get along really really well with Elders Ashby and Lindley!  Recently I had coconut water straight out of the coconut! So good!  Recently as we walk by a fruit stand, to buy a pineapple slice, or apple, or banana!  Fruit here is very delicious as long as you buy it from a good vender.  

This morning we had a zone activity and we went and climbed a waterfall! It was pretty dangerous but it was very beautiful!  At one point I slipped and was sliding down the waterfall. I would fallen down the rest of it had Elder Nagata from Fiji not been there to catch me.  Very fun trip!  And after having my life saved we had a whole bunch of chicken back at the apartment!

In the next package...Candy would also be awesome!  Beef Jerky would be a dream come true!

Odo,

Elder Brandt

 Hanging out at church

 Cow!  Part of everyday life here!

 Maze

 Goats and chickens, they are everywhere!

 Pigs

 Members of the Obuasi Branch

 Brother Ike Mensah, the branch mission leader

Elder Ashby, Elder Nortey-Annan, Me

     

Me, the egg Model!  : )