Wednesday September 23, 2015
That's awesome that dad is recovering so quickly! I also certainly hope that Lauren has fun with homecoming week! I will continue to try and send you more pictures. Tell Connor that getting Class Representative is Awesome and he is doing great things! I'm very happy that you guys are also making an effort of reading the Book of Mormon! Elder Burdge is from Provo, Utah. The thing that has surprised me the most was at how bonkers and silly the African Elders are! They love to constantly make jokes, laugh, and make more jokes! Although they definitely know when to focus and feel the spirit! I think the thing I love most about being here is the singing! Someone is always singing! Just walking into the bathroom I'll hear 3 or 4 Elders belting "Called to Serve" or "Spirit of God". And It's absolutely amazing to hear the French speaking Elders when they all sing because they are very very good and it is very easy to feel the spirit! The food here is still pretty good -we pretty much for every meal just eat rice, meat, and fruit. Plain and simple, nothing very exciting. I would love to receive pictures from you guys! Someone just said we will be able to print when we are out in the mission field! I love you guys so much and I'm including you in my prayers. Hugs and Kisses with lots of love in between!!!!
Stories:
I packed a good amount of candy in my bags. Occasionally I would share with a non-american elder just to see what they thought of american candy because most of them have never had it before. There is one very large Samoan Elder here and at one point I had given him some chocolate covered peanuts. A couple nights ago I was in the bathroom and he approached me and asked me if he could have some more while he had a $5 bill between his fingers. I told him that he was not allowed to pay me and had him follow me. When I gave him the rest of the bag (because I didn't want it) his eyes got bigger than a deer in headlights. He asked if I was being serious and when I said yes he yelled thank you, gave me a big hug, and ran away giggling.
A couple nights ago we were hanging out in our room and talking about how many girls we've each kissed. All of the elders in our room are american except for one from Nigeria and his name is Elder Akharia. When we asked Akharia how many girls and he said one. When we asked Elder Longman and he said three, Elder Akharia gasped and literally just fell to the floor and pretended he was passed out from shock.
The other night we watched a devotional video on Joseph Smith. Watching the video reminded me of the game stick pull. So that night in our room I took out the wooden handle from my clothes washer and we started playing stick pull in our room. This game spread and eventually we had the whole upstairs with all of the elders playing stick pull in the middle of the hallway with the wooden handle from my clothes washer. I only lost to one elder and it was an elder from Nigeria who was about my own size. (The Zone Leader got in a little bit of trouble.)
Lots of Love,
Elder Taylor Brandt
P.S. In my next package can you send me either a pair of drumsticks or a pocket sized Preach My Gospel? Drumsticks are allowed by the way and I think i'm slowly dying on the inside without them. hahaha.
Also some family pictures would be great!! :)
<3 LOVE YOU!
Elder Brandt
The Amulek District
English Speaking going to Kumasi
Learning!
This is the group photo of the September 17, 2015 MTC group totaling 78 missionaries.
Today they gathered to hear Elder John Koranteng, an Area Seventy.
These shoes will walk MANY Miles!!!
Taylor is bottom center-A mom knows her shoes! : )
