Warning....

Warning: If you have an aversion to gross amounts of manly sweat, you should stop here. If not, you will soon grow an aversion to gross amounts of manly tears(;

  

So this last week in Odoben, all four us missionaries got to go on a "bush" adventure as we went with one of our recent converts to his farm. The looks on all the Ghanaians faces as they saw us walk down the road carrying our machetes to go weed, I could practically hear them thinking, "These white people are crazy!"....which some of them did yell out to us in Fante,(the native language) but we just kept going.

 It was a 20 min. walk to the actual forest area (aka the bush), and then another 30 min. hike from there to the actual farm. This all sounds pretty nice so far, right? Well let me add the fact that it was around 100 degrees out and 90% humidity before we got to the bush, and then 100 degrees and 150% humidity when we got inside the bush. I started to call myself a crazy white person as we started to work, seeing as it felt like we were working with thick blankets wrapped around us.

  

The actual work though, went well. We were able to chop down most of the weeds in this man's farm and see the look of surprise on his face as he realized that not all white people are fat and have never worked in their lives...which is the belief of every Ghanaian here (hence the awkward stares walking through town). 

  

Let me tell you this though; you don't know just how much water the human body has stored in it until you see it all leak out of your skin. The sweat almost just runs right off of you like tiny streams, which made me think we were probably like tiny sprinklers as we worked....ok, now I've grown an aversion to gross amounts of manly sweat.

 The bush experience was really fun though, and all of us missionaries felt really good that we were able to help this man out in a small way. I really love service now and the feelings it brings to you as God lets you know that what you're doing is good. So, even though none of ya Americans can have a "bush" experience, you can still go out and serve someone...anyone really. And I just want you to see, if there is ever a time you do service and DON'T feel good afterward.

  
That's all from Africa this week, have a good rest of the week wherever you are!

Elder Collins

Christmas Week

Afishia Pa! Na afin combette!!

  

  Hey!!! It was soooo nice talking to you all on Christmas Day!! It was nice hearing all of you and realizing you all sounded exactly the same....except for Adam, who all of a sudden sounds like a mountain man, and I'm sure will look like one when I get back(;

  

  The Ghanaians here have a funny way of celebrating Christmas. They start around the 20th and don't stop until the New Year, but what they do is they start getting mass amounts of fireworks from who-knows-where and setting them off EVERYWHERE! The kids literally just light the firework, chuck it, and run. They don't really even check to see where they chuck it is the problem, and I've seen a few kids get beat by some Ghanaian women because of their "good aim". The most annoying part has been the laser pointers that all the kids acquired (I personally believe from an underground black market set on destroying missionaries). The reason being is because all these kids have made it a game of shooting their lasers into the Obroni's(White man's) eyes as they're walking from place to place. I would probably have exercised my right to the laying on of hands if I weren't so blind from the little buggers...jk hahaha....kinda(;

  Also, kids dress up in these outfits that are more fit for Halloween than for christmas and go around with a posse of drummers dancing for people and then asking for money. It's funny to watch, and when I can send pictures I'll get you one. The adults on the other hand, they all seem to believe that the white men are here to give them gifts, because all of them ask us where their Christmas gift is. I typically tell them that I am ready to give them theirs, but only after I've received mine....they stop asking after that(;

  Oh, and in response to Grandma's question about the passing of Nelson Mandela a while back (which I'm sorry I haven't replied to it sooner), the Ghanaians didn't do as much for it as I thought they would. The tro's played Obama's speech about Nelson Mandela, which was a decent speech I thought, and the people talked about how he was a good man, but that was about it. I live in a village though, so I don't know what it was like in the cities.

  This last week we were blessed to have 3 baptisms, 2 from Asikuma (our last) and one from Odoben. The 2 from Asikuma were Vida and Mary, a mother and daughter who I started teaching my first week on mission. The other baptism was of Sarah Y., but her baptism was kinda my favorite of the 3. The reason being is because her father John, our recent convert, was the one who performed the ordinance. Man, it was sweet seeing him right after baptizing her, how happy he was and the huge smile on his face! He was nervous before the service and actually expressed to me how he didn't think he should do it, but I got to tell him my gratitude that my father had gotten to baptize me, after which he went through with it, and I know he didn't regret it.

  Other than that, the week was spent getting Elder Loader familiarized with everything. He came from "the city" so the "bush" is new to him, but he's excited, and we've already had a great time getting to know each other. He's actually big on working out and we've started to work out together small, so who knows, maybe I won't lose all of my meager muscle that I have after all(;

  I'm sorry for Tyler, and I hope he gets better soon. I'm gld the family is doing well, and I hope you have a great New Year's!!

A fin combette!!

Elder Collins (Papa Tintin--tall father)