November 11/ 2013

So our Monday morning email from Carson arrived and SURPRISE!!!  He finally figured out how to send me a picture!  Yah!  The first one he sent me is of him and all the missionaries that were going to the Kenya, Nairobi Mission. 

"ya that is all of the missionaries going to The kenya mission it was alot of fun."

I'm not sure about all of their names, but I've tried to read their name tags and I think the ones in the back row from left to right are:  Elders Elliott, Warwood, Russell, Tebbs, Anderson, Griffiths, CARSON WILLIAMS, Rawson.  The two in the front are Elders Nkhomo and Barasa.

The next picture is a little odd.  Looks like he's showing me what he eats for supper.

"Elder Ojjogolo made the rice and I made the beans and sauce on top."

"What's in it?"

"ya it was Beans some onions, and some dehydrated beef stuff.  (can't afford the really stuff so had to improvise a bit.)  ya it was very chewy and it doesn't taste the same it is very emotionally i tell ya.  ya but i think i'll be ok over hear with really burger and fries."

And sure enough, the next picture is his burger and fries.  I had to ask him what kind of sauce was on the fries though.

"Ketchup and Mayo like i say i think i'll be just fine."

The last picture he sent was of his first companion in Tanzania.

"ya that is Sibanda."

And then he told me the funniest story!

"Zone conference is in Kinodoni so it really isn't that far but I got thrown under the bus the other day.  Elder Ojjogolo received a letter from home so we went over there a picked it up.  and just as sister Knecht went to get it she was like, "Oh, Elder Williams i have something for you."  all i could think of was is it HERE the packages from home.  ARE THEY FINALLY HERE.  and then she walked back and said here you go.  some water Filters for your house...

poop.  well at least I got something atleast.  Elder Ojjogolo cried his eyes out because he was laughing so hard.

and so those packages will becoming hopeful during ZC.  But as of right now they are either gone. or in Nairobi just chilling.

Poor Carson.  So then we just started to do a bit of instant emailing. 

"How did you finally figure out how to send these pics?"

"i just learned patience and did you every doubt me... :)"

"Well...there were some moments that were pretty tough.  But I have to say, praying a lot seemed to work pretty good!"

"oh ya...ya i know i know i don't have to repeat it  I know I know... :)  So are you at work right now."

"Yup!  I skipped my last two breaks so that I wouldn't feel guilty about spending some time on the computer with you.  Love talking with you!"

"hmm that is cool.  so hey this last week has been lots of work but alot of fun.  We have taught 18 lessons and have handed out 6 books of mormons.  and in 2 hrs we are going to FHE to go see this RC family and two of them are about taylor's age and they are soooooooo much like TAYLOR.  It is crazy every one i see here reminds me of someone back home.  it is nuts.  it is starting to hurt my head.  but it is crazy.  like lots of the guys in the MTC have reminded me of friends from home.  So how is it back home is it snowing a whole lot.  and now for the really question have you guys go skidooing yet??????"

"Yes it snowed yesterday  It's cold here.  I'm sitting up at triage and every time someone comes in I get blasted with a wave of frigid air.  But no...not enough snow yet for skidooing.  Do you even want to know about it when/if we do go?"

"Well not really no. Thanks though.  ya i've read your letter.  bummed out my granps and his leg.  That has probable been alittle stressful.  but ya sweet thanks for the letter always good to hear from home.  Ahsonte sons."

There were a few other burning questions I've been wondering about this week...

"Well, I was wondering about you maybe developing your other pictures, writing on the back all the details and info, then sending them to me.  I thought that might be easier on you.  Also wondered how expensive real ground beef is.  And how much is the dehydrated stuff?  What about milk?  Can you get regular cow milk?

How did your baptisms go?  Was there one the end of October and one the first part of November?

Honestly, I would love to hear anything you have to say.  Just ramble on son.  It gets me through the week.  Do you ever get to go sightseeing around on your pdays?"

"ok um i don't about the whole developing photos and sending them to you.  that is a awesome idea.  I will have to think about it.  no you can't get ground beef around here unless you are willing to literal cut your arm and leg off.  milk ya but I haven't really been into it so far.  Actually Elder Sibanda would make custard everyone once and a while it was very good.  probably around 1-2000 tsh.  so not much.  we have only had one baptism and it wasn't in my area but it was still good, because it was my new comp how did the baptism so he has been very excited and very encouraging to get someone baptised in Sinza so ya.  No not really we don't do much sight seeing.  we only been to the beach once and realistical there isn;t much to see in this area.

hey ya thank you.  i am suffering from withdrawls from root beer and country music.  :(  i have had to impervise.  it is a good thing they have mountain dew and sinkers here. or i would be in trouble.   Hey thanks again.

"MOUNTAIN DEW!!!!  WHAT!!!  Are you sure you're supposed to be drinking that there?  I'm shocked!  And what the heck are sinkers?"

"Sinkers bar kind of like Mars but with peanuts.  hey there is nothing against the dew."

This is the letter that he wrote to my parents:

Hey thanks again.  ya i'm really enjoying it hear and it is alot of fun.  but it is alot of work.  Just this last week we have had 18 lessons alone and we have placed 6 books of mormons.  it has been alot of fun.  Hey Pole about Grandpa.  Hope he is feeling better soon and hope you guys are doing alright with the farm.  Thanks for all that you did for me over the years.  Actually just the other day i found a hole in my pants but i was able to stitch it back together and it is all good.  Thanks again. 

Elder Williams

This was his letter to Ken:

Hey thanks again.  Ya last week has been a lot of work but at the same time it has been alot of fun.  Me and my comp we have been walking and walking around. and just this last day we accounted for the week and we had taught 18 lessons all together and we had handed out 6 book of mormons it has been alot of fun.  From everybody's letter i seems like i haven't missed much.  Hopeful work is going good/ or have you stopped working to take kaylee out hunting?  either way is ok i guess.  Should go over behind the dump if i remember correctly there is a few bucks over there too.  but ya that sounds like a lot of fun.  but ya what i think is going to happen is we are just going to phone  that is how i assume we would do it but i don't know.  i'll keep you posted.  Oh ya we just had this last appointment with this girl she is about twenty and hehe it was hilarious because all she nows is swahili and so we sat down on this step kind of think and she sat really really close to my comp and a it was so hilarious and he even said he was uncomfortable.  We found out that she lives in Kinodoni so we said wouldn't be easier for you to met with the other Elders and she was like NO!  she has been texting my comp and it was so weird but it was funny.  because she said she would attend church but she has dated these two branch missionary dudes there and she is scared of them.  She never should up but she wanted us to come teacher at 5 at the church and my comp was like no.  ha it was funny.  and it been and good week hopefully it's been good for you guys back home.

Thanks again.  Write back soon.

Elder Williams