Jan 26, 2015

GOING EXTREME

So first I have to apologize with a humble heart that I dont have any photos at all this week, I took plenty but the antivirus software on this computer wont let me upload them, So next week I promise. Again I am so sorry.

But this week was good! I went to the Mission Home to get some training as a District Leader and it was really good! I learned a lot and we got fed after so it was a good time. I saw a lot of Missionaries I knew there and was able to spend time with them. And Elder Erickson, (he served in Liberia) he goes home at the end of this transfer and I've gotten to be real close friends with him, so it was nice to see him there too. 

Okay so this week the power has been so so so so bad! hahah like we're lucky if we get it for 6 hours, then it's off for about 12 or more. No, it's a nuisance for sure but it's not horrible, as long as you have running water... No we did for most the week, except for Thursday or Friday (I don't remember)
like usually one of the faucets we have would still run cus its so low to the ground but that day not one drop. like nothing. So we did the next best thing: went to Emilia's shop and bought a big pack of water sachets (500ML plastic bags of water). Because frankly we NEED to shower. Yupp I showered with 4 water sachets, it was pretty darn awesome. Im pretty proud of only using that many, but I know if I practice I can get it down to 2, there are elders who can. Haha was it a perfect shower? nope but it was good enough, the power was back that night so I washed some clothes and took a shower as well. But yeah no power isnt the funnest thing so stay grateful:) 

I would have more to say about my photos but since I cant add them I don't know if I have much else to say. umm well we have Ramen noodles here but its a Nigerian company called Indomie, so it's like I'm living in college in terms of food. OH our subsistence has been raised from 120 every two weeks to 135 ever two weeks (45 Dollars) and its gonna be great! We've been doing pretty good at budgeting as a apartment so this will be fun. But that's my life as someone living in AFRICA, so crazy to say. haha But I love you all, stay Golden. And don't forget to pray.

Elder Verdoni

(Mom found an old pic and some pics from the internet)

500ml bag of water

 Indomie  

Jan 19,2015

TRANSFERS

Hey guys! Well this week was pretty darn interesting! To start we didn't have any subsistence (money) on Monday like we should have so that was a downer and since it was already real late when we were going home we knew it wasn't going to be easy to get a tro tro home.. and it wasn't.
We stood at one station for like 20 minutes to no avail and then decided to walk to Kejetia (bad choice) so we walked for about 20 minutes to this horribly packed and crazy place. ( A HUGE tro station to get you anywhere in Ghana basically) and we were there for maybe an hour with no luck. But a cop shot his AK47 through the roof of his building, I have no idea why but it was insane. So we walked back to where we were originally and eventually found a taxi to take us home. We got home around 9:30pm.

The next day we were told our Sub was there so we could go grab it, Elder Abrams and I went to retrieve the Dough and buy some food, among other things we went in together on a box of Honey Bunches of Oats!!! (it was 50 cedis lol) worth it.

But like the heading says, this week is transfers and.... BUM BUM BUM... I'm not going anywhere haha. In fact none of us are. But I was called as the District Leader! Crazy! haha I'm pretty young on Mission but I'm glad President gave me this opportunity to grow and serve. But this is also means I'll be in Nkoransa for another 3 months AT LEAST haha. 

But yeah this week the power was off for three days and that was especially no fun when the water went out but all of it came back this morning! (holla)
But that was my week! life is good here! The food is still crazy and boy do I love Plantain.
Love,
Elder Verdoni

little girl, she's really smart

I FOUND THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST
VERSION OF THE BOY SCOUTS.

future missionaries

my breakfast this morning-

No power? still gotta bathe

Jan 12, 2014

A CRAZY WEEK

Hey everyone!! Well as the subject suggests, this week was pretty cool/crazy. So let me tell you.
But first I apologize for this being so late, (its 6pm) We were fighting a fire, but I'll get to that;)
So this week, Elder Nweke had Malaria and man that was no good! We even spent one whole day in the apartment, so I read a ton and caught up on my wash, but he is still alive and cured now so no worries.

Zone conference was this week and man that was a ton of fun! It was 6 hours long and Elder Abrams and I had to be there an hour early for interviews, so we all woke up at 5am. But I learned a lot of things from President Holmes. it was really edifying and the lunch was so so so good. They catered rice and chicken. But unfortunately my camera died in conference so I don't have any photos:( but still super fun.

Well Collins, Emilia's son, was baptized on Saturday (I was Alma the Baptist) and It was a great experience. They are an amazing family and the Lord has blessed them in so many ways. But Sister Akua, an older lady who doesn't speak English will be baptized in a couple of weeks and I'm so excited for her, she has a ton of faith let me tell you.

But okay now this was the crazy part. This morning we (us four Elders) were all cleaning our apartment when someone starts banging on our door yelling in Twi, he was saying "fire". One of our neighbors houses caught fire and so we dropped everything and went to help. I've never fought a house fire before but wow it was crazy, like we were the only ones fighting, besides maybe 4 others, breaking up the roof to get the water in there, Elder Abrams and I braved the smoke to actually get to the flame with buckets of water, my eyes were hurting pretty bad. But we fought it for maybe 20 minutes and it was insane. But we did it and we spent the next couple hours cleaning up the mess. We had to take off parts of the roof for the smoke and heat to clear. And knock a hole in the wall for the water to escape. Almost everything was destroyed. it was really sad,especially when the homeowner showed up. but she is alive so that's a plus.
Just a crazy experience. kinda cool

And also today we have no subsistence. haha there's no money. no money=no food. haha so we will see how this goes, it should be here tomorrow. but that was my week!
so till next time.
You guys are awesome. And I love all of you. This work is divine.
Elder Kwabina Otu Agymeng (Verdoni)

post-fire soot. Its hard to see in the pic but it was a lot. wicked.

Brothers being brothers

Sick Elder in the bed

 Elder Verdoni and Elder Abrams

Elders Verdoni and Nweke

Porridge

Jan 5, 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well Happy New Year everyone!! It's 2015 and that's kinda crazy! But this is my Mission Year, the one entire year I spend on my mission, and now I say that I go home next year! lol. But this week was pretty fun! So let me tell you about it!

Our ward held a new years party and us missionaries went to help set it up and prepare in the morning. We helped cook banku and pound fufu, and they also slaughtered a goat, like right there on the church lawn! hahah. It's normal to them but man it took me by surprise, but also cool. That night at the party we showed up and ate Jollof rice (Freaking delicious by the way) and just hung out. But man the music they were playing wasn't church-y at all, like it was rap music, Drake and Lil Wayne rap music. Now it disturbed me but out here American curse words don't mean a thing, to anyone. So they were enjoying and I was uncomfortable but I still had fun.

I went on exchanges with elder Abrams again this week and that was sweet. We worked hard and got tons of attention because, well, we're both white. We stopped by one of our members houses to say hi and they fed us some soup, but while we were eating said soup, FROZEN WAS ON THE TV. It was flipping legit, I mean I didn't watch it, but if I did I would say that it wasn't the whole movie,  just the "let it go" music video, again only if I watched it.. but they invited all 4 of us missionaries to eat rice ball with groundnut soup with them on Saturday. So we did and it really is one of my favorite dishes here, it's sooo good. (they don't have peanuts, they have groundnuts) but my work here is good. I was able to wake up and still celebrate New Year for the US since when it's midnight there, it's only 7am here so that was cool.

But yeah that was my week, reading lots, teaching lots, oh and zone conference is this week so expect some cool photos! But I love you all, and hope you have a great week!!

Elder Verdoni

Email to Mom
Wow you got snow!! Thats so flipping cool! I wish it was cold here at all, hahah some of people here say it's cold and Elder Abrams and I laugh, cus it's not! lol (Mesa, AZ got snow on New Years Eve. It's a rare day when we get snow!)

(Is Zone conference with all 180+ missionaries?) No, just like 3 zones and conferences are every 3 months, so about 4 a year, but they're fun and we get fed really good and I'll get my mail so I'm excited!!

Kids from church

This is my African spoon!

Cereal anyone?

Cooking french toast on New Years with Elder Abrams

Rice ball

Goat before dinner

Goat for dinner 

Exchanges with Elder Abrams

A huge wasp