Great News!

La Familia,

  I can't even begin to explain how happy I am with all the good news I've received today! 

  I'm pleased to hear about Lacy and Geoff. They're both awesome people and I'm glad they have this opportunity to be sealed together!

  Also, Kyle's mission call....SWEET!! Man, I'm stoked for him and for the work he'll be doing. I really hope he prepares himself between now and then and really takes this time to start being a missionary NOW. If he's living the missionary standards and rules now, he'll have no problem in the field and will be accustomed to the Spirit that is present with those who live their lives as such.

  Oh, and thanks for accepting BYU!! I'm glad I made it, and the Spring semester sounds sweet! That means I'll have time to hang out with the fam and totally make you ready to chuck me out when the time comes for me to leave(;

  Ok, so Grandma, I wanted to reply to your letters you sent me recently (which I'm still VERY grateful for). That quote I also found very interesting. It brings up the point that, since the beginning of time, men have always questioned a supreme being, whether or not there is a God in our lives and, more importantly, if He cares about us. We were teaching a lesson this week and were in the book of Ether, in the Book of Mormon, and we had just shared a scripture with our investigator when I noticed a verse. In Ch. 12, verse 4, Moroni gives the explanation I believe that best fits why men believe in God, and the reason I personally believe. As I continued to think about it though, I reflected that, if we really are the children of God, as I very firmly believe we are, then it would be only natural to ponder and believe in our Heavenly Father. This would support that it isn't just a mental explanation to give us comfort over the contemplation of death, but is in reality, a divine attribute we've inherited from a loving Heavenly Father who is VERY interested in our happiness and, more importantly, our journey back to Him. Your quote gave me the opportunity to really ponder and reflect upon, and I'm very grateful for that, and I hope that my insights have been somewhat coherent for you haha. 

  Ok, I realize that I made you all worry too much about me, although I am very grateful that you put my name in the temple prayer roll. I am perfectly healthy, and still loving every minute of life here in Odoben! Dad, I just want to let you know, that I haven't had cow's stomach, but I did get to have cow's tongue this past week. It wasn't bad, just very, very chewy and it gets stuck in your teeth small, which is a pain.

  This last week we got to travel to Cape Coast for the Christmas Devotional which was really nice! I got to see all my MTC buddies and we were able to swap stories of how we've been. I am inspired by the humility they all have and the anticipation they have toward missionary work. We got nice food, listened to some talks on Jesus Christ and His birth and life(which I'm a lot more interested in and grateful for) and had a talent show zone by zone. Overall, it was a great time and I got to meet a lot of other powerful missionaries. On a side note, my grandfather is going home this transfer. His name is Elder Ani, and he's been the Assistant to the Pres. since I came out and is such a humble person. He's also from Nigeria (told you I was black(; ).

  Now, about Christmas and all that business! Transfer day falls on Christmas day....but Pres. Shulz moved it a couple days ahead, so transfer day is on the 23rd now, but the news on who's training this next transfer will actually come tomorrow....a lot of the other Elders think I'll be getting a call to train, but I don't know. Whatever happens, the Lord will be in it (quote from the Restoration movie about Joseph Smith...love that movie haha). Oh, and Christmas day will also be our District Mtg. day, so I'll be able to email you and let you know what time I'll be calling later that evening. We get an hour to call, and I'm not exactly sure about all the little details yet, but just expect a call between 10am-1pm, your time.

   So, that's about it for this week! We pushed a baptism back a week because they missed sacrament meeting, which is KINDA important haha, but it'll happen next week fo sho!  Also, Ghanaians don't make shoes my size AT ALL, so could you send just a regular pair of flip flops? I don't NEED them......but they would be nice to have instead of my crocs, which I wear too much haha!

  Well, I love you all and I still pray for all of you everyday! True story(; I hope you all continue to be happy and well and recognize ways you can better serve God and be worthy of His sweet Spirit!

Elder Collins