Feb 23, 2015

Hey everyone! Another Pday and it"s as good as always! This week was pretty good in general actually, it wasn't easy by any means but it was a good week, so let's talk about it.

Tuesday we had our Zone Meeting and I love those, I get to see all the other Missionaries in the Zone plus the Zone Leaders who I really look up to. Elder Erickson bore his goodbye testimony as he goes home the end of this transfer (one week), he is a sweet guy and served in Liberia!

We also had Specialized training from President Holmes on Wednesday about working more effectively with Church Leaders, so it was nice. I love him, crazy to think he goes back to South Africa in 4 months. I wont be surprised if he is called as a Seventy. Okay so Brandon requested that I give him a rundown of my day, so I decided to give it to all, so here it is!

6:30 I wake up, write in my journal and exercise till about 7:10. I then shower and cook breakfast which is usually porridge, eggs, or Ramen lol. I am studying by 8am, and continue until 10am. by 10:15 We are out the door and teaching, either with set appointments or contacting new Investigators, 3 days outta the week we gotta pack ourselves in a tro-tro to go to a different town to proselyte. Around 1pm we stop to eat some biscuits for lunch and some water, that takes like 10 minutes. Then we are out teaching till 8pm. We then go back to the apartment to close and plan for tomorrow which takes like a half our. I report our Districts numbers (goals achieved) to the Zone Leaders then eat dinner. Then we just listen to music, chill, study, do whatever till 10:30 when I go to bed. And that's it, That's everyday of my life. and I love it.

But it is a lot of work. I walk and work and sweat like crazy, it's sweet, It's not easy here, Work is really tough, and can be very disappointing but man I love it here, I wouldn't change it for the world. This is where I'm supposed to be.
I love you all

Elder Verdoni

Feb 16, 2015

Pday time!

Hey everyone! another week ended already, time really flies here. It was a good week though! so I'll talk about it:)

Tuesday we had District Meeting again, and again I'm still in charge so I taught and what what, but instead of the normal routine, I read Chapter 40 of "Jesus the Christ" titled "the Long Night of Apostasy" I really just wanted to refresh the Districts memory on the Apostasy and get some good juicy details, it turned out really well! What happened after though, not so much. After the meeting we went to see an investigator, Patricia. We were teaching then all of a sudden BOOM, I felt like I was gonna die, I felt so so sick. I could barely teach but I tried my best. After the lesson BOTH elder Nweke and I could barely even walk, we were both super sick. I guess it hit him around the same time. By the time we made it to our apartment we were both out of it, we made it to our beds and slept for the next 5 hours... super weird, we both woke up better, just weak. ruined our day but we were fine after! weird huh?

So there's tons of reggae here, like it's everywhere and it's not that I'll willingly listen to it but wow I'm starting to enjoy it. haha

Saturday I went on exchanges (change companions for a day to train them) with Elder Abrams and it was cool! We were in an area called Kokoben and it was a good day! I really like him, we have gotten really close and it was just really interesting to be able to train him to help him become a better missionary, while also noticing things that I could do better, it was a good day. But that was the exciting parts of my week! Except getting soaked on the way to the internet cafe today. We got caught in a huge storm haha, but I love you guys! Sorry, still no pics, my SD card is still fried, but they will come eventually!!

Elder Vehdoni (the way it's pronounced here)

Feb 9, 2015

A GOOD WEEK

Hello world! It's another week and that is crazy because I swear I was just here, but oh well so this week was really good actually, well it turned around.

Tuesday we had our District Meeting, and the difference was that I was in charge, including a 30 minute training/instruction session (HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TRAIN MISSIONARIES WHO KNOW MORE THAN ME) (but I did it and it was actually a spiritual lesson, I was proud of myself and the other Elders said they learned something, that was a big weight off my shoulders, but it's back since I do it again tomorrow haha:)

But like I said, this week turned around because the first few days were tough, so so tough. No one wanted to listen, our appointments failed and I received the rudest reject so far. Elder Nweke and I laughed it off but man this old lady was rude!! But we tried.

I finished the book Jesus the Christ today. (If you don't know what it is, it's basically the best book you could read if you really want to know the Mission of Jesus Christ better) I learned so much through it, so I have started it over but I'm gonna go through it a bit slower this time.

Thursday I went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders! more specifically Elder Kinghorn, I flippin love that guy. He has become one of my really good friends here and I was so happy to spend a day with him. We worked in my area, Trede, and it was a good day! he is a great teacher and I learned a lot from him. But the rest of the week was normal, we achieved and over exceeded our goals though as a district and wow I couldn't be happier! Some of them (like Sacrament attendance) was the highest This district has ever had! so proud of them.

But other than that we have had a few HUGE storms this week. I loved it! the dry season is ending and I couldn't be happier. BRING ON THE RAIN haha. It was a good week, I hope it was the same for you all!

I love you!
Elder Verdoni

I WAS GONNA SEND PHOTOS BUT THIS DARN COMPUTER HAS JUST DESTROYED MY LAST SD CARD. SORRY GUYS

The Mission President showing them the map of the area. Obviously no power so done by flashlight.

 

Feb 2, 2015

"I think I can, I think I can"

Hellloooo everyone! I hope all is well with all of you! Life 11,000 miles away is pretty good too! So let me tell you about my week then!

Tuesday we had a Zone Meeting and it was really good, I learned a lot and it really encouraged me. The District Leaders had a particular meeting with the Zone Leaders after and that was really cool. We discussed the progress of our Areas and what we could do to improve the Mission Culture. (The Culture of the mission has been "let's be disobedient" in the past, so we are really trying to change that. A lot of missionaries are really really obedient now so its great) I left that meeting feeling very edified and uplifted. 

Our power situation is still horrible (And I suspect that to last the next 19 months) 6 hours on and 12 hours off, or sometimes it will just do whatever it wants, Everyone has agency I suppose. But We still have running water so no wahala (pigeon english, learning that too)

I went on exchanges with Elder Enweonwu on Thursday and it was really good, he is a great Missionary and super funny. I loved it. Although it was weird being the one doing the training since I'm DL but it was good, we both learned and have a desire to improve.

But here comes the bad new...I broke and SD card..my music SD card. I put it in the card reader wrong and when i tried to pull it out..CRACK it snapped in half. So there goes my music! haha it killed my day but all will be well eventually. The other elders have music so it's still good
I ate fufu yesterday! And I didn't hate it! okay I didn't enjoy it but I ate it all this time! So that's a definite improvement on my part.

Being District Leader is a lot of work and responsibility but I love it. It has helped me grow and I've learned a lot from it. It is a great position for me to serve the Elders around me.
Well that was my week!

My photo SD card for my camera has also experienced some problems (again) so I don't have as much but here are some!

Pounding Fufu

Eating Fufu

Remember the movie "Cool Runnings?"

 

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