GETTING ALL CULTUREFIED

Dear Family,

So everything is going just fine here in Kumasi. Our zone met in town today to get all culturefied at the Asanti Cultural Center. It was all right but I think its just a tourist trap. I did buy a pretty cool painting of an African warrior man. We all went to get Fufu afterwards. I'm starting to really like the stuff. If I ever bring my children here I'm not taking them to a lame cultural center; instead I'll make them pound fufu with me with some naked woman in the Village. That's real Ghana!

So after reading some of my friends emails who are in other missions, I started thinking whether or not I'm growing as much as they seem to be. I sure hope I am, but It really doesn't feel like it. I think in a way every mission has its own way of changing the missionaries serving there. I'm sure I'm being molded (or rather I'm molding myself) in far different ways then the missionaries of North or South America. Luckily I'm in the best mission for me and thats what counts:)

Last Thursday we had the opportunity to meet and talk with Elder Dickson of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He is a really cool and powerfull man who has been serving for 21 years, all over the world. He gave us a great instruction on how to take the extra step to becoming a better missionary. It was pretty sweet.

It gets dark at about 6 every night and we get home at around 8 to 8:30. Yep, that means mosquitos every night for about two hours. Don't worry I pretty much never get bit (I guess I inherited my father's awesomeness). The only time I can remember getting a bite was when I got malaria... I guess one is enough.

I got the shirts this week and I sat smelling them for a long time.... Thank you very much.

My companion and I are starting to get along better as we start to understand each other better. The first step was just understanding each other's accents. Living with only one African for 2 transfers has basically taken away any african accent I had and Elder Ekaette has his crazy Nigerian way of saying things. He really is a funny guy though and we will get on together just fine. I think its pretty funny that he thinks he will be leaving after this transfer when the average missionary stays in Kumasi for at least 8 or 9 months. Sorry for him...

So I don't know if I wrote about the bats. If not let me know:)

We are still teaching a few families. I think there is only one that is actually serious though. Brother Acheapong is the brother of a late member who came to church following his funeral. He is very intellegent and has a great attitude about investigating the church. He doesn't know where the true church is so he is willing to keep the commitments we ask him to. I know that if he keeps those commitments, he will know that this is the true church. Almost everybody here wants us to come "preach them" but none of them ever come to church. They don't read what we ask them to read and they don't pray about it either. The worst part is that they will never tell us to not come back. I really like people that just tell us no. Brother Acheapong asks us great questions and is willing to bring his whole family to church. Thats pretty awesome:)

I'm glad Elder Woodhouse is doing well. I can tell you I've never seen someone look as nervous as he did the day he was leaving. I'm sure he'll be all right:)

I envy all of you in Southern Califronia right now. Rain and Cold is awesome. We get plenty of rain but it is always hot and humid and I SWEAT ALL THE TIME. Its not fun at allllll. Oh well, I'm gonna suffer when I come home cause I'm getting used to the weather here.

We get paid 110 Ghana Cedis every months in cash. We don't get our own credit card cause it wouldn't work in very many places.

So my room is going to be pretty awesome huh? I just want to feel like i'm living with Sherlock Holmes.

I'm out of time already:( Thanks for the packages, especially the camera. I know he will love it.

I love you all and miss you!

Elder Harris