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!  : )          

Lots of Rain and Mud!

Good Morning from Obuasi!

October 19, 2015

HELLO

      This week was good not much has happened.  My companion and apartment mates are really cool!  One story that happened was a big van tried to drive through a small gully. What a goof. The worst part was it was night time and it had just finished raining also.  So it was dark and crazy muddy. There were lots of people there and we spent two hours trying to push this van many many times and nothing happened.  We also tried digging it out which did not do much because every time you scoop some mud out, more mud slides in and takes it's place.  After about 1.5 hours my companion and I said a prayer off to the side.  Right after the prayer, we pushed the van out on the first try. This really strengthened my testimony of prayer and that Heavenly Father really does answer our prayers and help us out. I love you all and would love to hear from all of you!

Love Elder Brandt

And my roommates stole my camera... 

 Elder Ashby...

Had a Great Week but still in a little bit of Culture Shock...

 Hello All! 

I have a great week! I am still in the stage of trying a little bit to adjust to the culture!  The culture is incredibly different from sweet little Colorado!  Not to mention the food!  The other day I got an orange Fanta. For some reason it tasted better than usual!  It's also a little new having to cook all of my own meals!  My mom is not there do it :(  Not to mention we also cook everything on a stove top.  Everything we eat is carbs, carbs, and more carbs.  Every meal is either rice, bread, or noodles.  With that is either egg or some type of meat.  

      The morals here are also very different!  During a lesson with someone, we saw and heard the neighbor next door caning her kid. (beating with sugar cane) I was very bothered on the inside, but nobody else seemed to care or be fazed.  As far as washing my clothes, I am starting to get used to it.  I am also getting used to the fact that there are dogs, chickens, lizards, goats, and sheep EVERYWHERE. It is a little ridiculous.  

      Everything here is packaged in bags. When we go get some water is is in a bag.  You just bite of the tip of a corner and drink it.  I also got some chocolate ice cream the other day. In a bag of course. It was pretty good though!

      I have had lots of experiences, but I have even more to come!

(P.S. It is Obroni not Obloni.... my bad haha)

Odo,

Elder Brandt

Questions and Answers...
Mom:  How is your companion?
My companion and I are getting along pretty well! He is from Accra!  His English is very well. We usually try to teach in English. A lot of the older people here only speak Twi. It is a pride thing... haha  

Mom:  How big is the branch/ward? Do you have any more baptisms scheduled?
The branch has about maybe 30 members.  
Through October and November I believe we have 18 baptisms scheduled!  

Mom:  How is the cooking going?  What kind of meat are you eating?
Cooking is going well! It is basically cooking the same thing over and over haha
As far as meat we usually eat sausage.

My 1st Area...Obuasi / I am "Obloni"

Hello all!

      I am in the Obuasi zone.  I am right outside of Obuasi covering two small villages by the name of Asonkore and Kwabenakwa! It is in the mountains, but nothing even close to the Colorado mountains!  

My trainer is Elder Nortey-Annan.  He is a Ghanaian from Accra. 

 He is a great guy, just finished his training and is only 4 months out on his mission.  

It rains almost everyday here but the dry season is supposed to start November 1st! Although we have somehow stayed dry so far!  It is a little different having to cook for myself.  Most meals whether I cook or not consist mostly of rice, bread, egg, some kind of stew, and water.  I have also been having a decent amount of Indo-mie. The Ghanaian version of Ramen. (I like Indo-mie better!)  Unfortunately I do not get to watch General Conference for the duration while I am here.  We have had a lot of lessons with a lot of people and the culture here is soooo different!  If a woman wants to breastfeed her kid in the middle of a lesson, she will stay right where she is and not even try to cover it up. She just gets the job done.  I also had my 1st baptism yesterday.  An older lady by the name of Victoria Asanti.  Also on Saturday, we committed 4 more people to baptism.  So everything is going well!

      I have gotten used to the term "Obloni" which means 'white man'.  Everywhere I go, kids will see me, start chanting Obloni and just want to be able to give me a high five! (Either that or ask me for money).   My p-days are on Monday. So this morning I got to wash all of my clothes by sitting on a stool with a giant bucket of water with soap powder.  I also get to go do some grocery shopping today! I love the work I am able to do here. I really miss and love all of you at home! But I also love the people here so much! I am currently healthy! Although while I was hanging my clothes on the line inside, the fan was going and I cut my finger on it. It is all cleaned up and fine though.  

Odo  (Love) Elder Taylor Brandt

 President Michael Cosgrave and Sister Cosgrave

 BEANS!  : )  HA!

 GOAT!

 The hills of Obuasi

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