April 14, 2014

     So excited to hear from Carson today.   I was worried I was going to miss him because my alarm clock for 4 am didn't go off.  Ken woke me up at 6:25 for scripture study with the girls and when I saw what time it was, I screamed that I was late!!!   But when I looked at my emails...he had just sent me a letter at 6:24!  Sounds like divine intervention to me!!!  It was a great morning after that!  Here's his letter...

Hey mom Shikamoo. (Hello)

Hey that is cool. Really excited to see that package. (I told him I'm sending him a Canada Day Celebration package today.)  But also before i forget we are getting new couples. Michael and Karma Mickelson. I don't know if they are of the same branch as the Michelsons in our ward but ya they are coming. Sorry about the calf. Wow Really Doug and them have another Boy Wow that is awesome.

Ya Janae told me that she was going on splits with the sisters. But she said that it was good to see you guys again. My i don't care Realistically we are just friends. So you do what ever. Me i'm just alittle confused as of late bout what to do when i get home. So ya what ever, i don't care do what you got to do.  (I asked him if he would mind if we went to her missionary farewell when she gets called.)

Ya we flew to Arusha, But we drove to Tanga. It was a 5-6 hrs drive before we got there and it was really village like i missed it alot but we got momentarily stuck for a second but we pushed ourselves out. Maybe you never know.

Don't worry everybody is just saying that i'm loved alot by family. So thank you for that. and i love those tin cans because for me they ARE FREEEEEEEEEEE!!!  (I asked him  if he gets embarrassed by the packages I send.)

So if you want keep sending them if you want.

But thank you soon much for everything. love you lots.

But for us this week has been interesting. We came back on Wednesday to find that it had rained Mon-wed and then from then it rained ALL week. We would try to work but we would come back soaked to the bone. But overall it is all good. We had two baptisms this week. Lots of fun.

Love you lots.

Hi Carson,

So good to hear from you.  Yes you are loved a lot!!!   Always remember that!  Sorry about all the rain.  Better rain than SNOW!!!  I think that's why Grandpa's calves are sick here.  It's cold, then wet, then windy, then snowy, then cold, wet, and it goes on!!!  

That's great about the baptisms.  So awesome.  Would love to hear more about that!!!  Also...loved hearing about you going to Tanga.  That story about the investigator teaching other people was great.  I watched a video about Pioneers in Africa and it was full of stories just like that.  So humbling and inspiring. 

How are you feeling?  Are you still getting sick or are you starting to feel better yet?

And do you need a copy of the gen conf ensign?  Love you!

Hey pole sona. Well for the baptism. One was a handmaid to a member and the other is the brother of the boy chained to the wall. We baptized his other brother Nahori and through him we where able to get to him. really cool. Every Friday we would teach Ester the maid at the members house and she would be there. Really Really cool Power of member Present.

Ya the tonga people were great, It was like a little farming community. I have pictures but his computer is messing with my emotions very nicely. but ya it was a very cool experience.

Me i was sick on Monday but now i'm doing good,

No not really because we get those with the transfers so in about 4 weeks we will get those. So by the time you send it and i get it  we will have three copies so its all good don't worry about it.

Thanks love you too Carson

Yes that is very cool!  By the way, how is the boy chained to the wall?   That sounds so awesome about the maid.  Good for you!

How was Arusha?  Is that by Mount Kiliminjaro?  Did you get to see that big mountain?  Did you get to see any wildlife on either of your excursions?

Glad to hear you're not sick anymore.  I'm serious about the vitamins though.  Go get a bottle or make sure you're eating some fruit and veggies.  (I'm a mom...we are supposed to preach that all the time!!)

Ok...no Ensign from me.  I guess I'll just have to send more hot rods!

Glad to hear you're taking more pictures.  Don't worry about the computer.  As long as you have them for when you get home.  You'll never regret having too many pictures. 

Love you too Carson.  Is there anything else you need over there?  We just finished scripture study and are now getting ready for school.  I'm taking Ashlee to see the Doctor at the Raymond hospital this morning to get her cast checked.  Exciting stuff!

The guy who did marijuana so his father chained him up to the wall. Arusha was awesome nice and cool the first day but the 2nd day i was hot. Mount kiliminjaro was awesome. You'd wake up and walk outside the door and there it was towering over Arusha very very cool. No there is like no wildlife in this area. Ok you keep preaching and as for the listener i can choose whether to listen or not. :)

Ya sure send more hot rods and nut rolls but not so much those kolaid packets i'm all stacked up and don't need anymore thank you.

A Canada Togue. Um my comp is making a request of more Flavored gum and chips please thank you. and he says that he loves you lots. 

Seriously...you want a toque?  I thought you said it was HOT over there!!!  What are you going to do with a toque?  I will remember gum and chips.  What flavor is best? 

I can't find anymore Koolaid packs but I have sent those Mio water flavors.  Is that what you don't want?  Sorry if I overloaded you with them.  Just thought it'd be a nice change from plain water.

How is the companionship going lately?  You two always look pretty happy in your pics.  Hope things are going well.  Let your companion know we love him too and hope he's doing ok.  Hope you both take care of each other!

Love you

It is all for remembrance. Honestly when do you get to wear a Canadian toque in Tanzania. Any he likes all. Ya we are doing good. and it seems like we are staying together another transfer. 

Ok...I'll see what I can find.  One or two...does your comp want one?  When is the next transfer?  How do you feel about staying together again?  Have you been getting in any new missionaries yet? 

Can't wait to see the pictures of Mount Kilimanjaro...I've been looking at some of the pictures of it on the internet.  Hope you took one with you in it too!

Love ya

as many as possible. Next transfer is 6 weeks away. Its cool. ya we are getting 4 keyans.

Umm... so ya love you lots hope today is eventful and fun. Love you.

All right.  Not sure what you're gonna do with that many toques though.  Good that you're getting more help out there.  Sounds like the field is very ripe to harvest!!!   Any big plans coming up this week?  I'm working four nights starting on Thursday this weekend.  (Bleh)  

So nice to be able to chat with you today.  Awesome and I love it!  Ashlee wants to send you a message too....she wants you to know how much she loves me.  That girl...she's so great!  What an awesome kid.  Oh look...she's right here next to me wanting her hair done by me.  Awwww.  I love her too!

ha ha ha ha...I only get so much fun being the mom.  Let me have my moments Ashlee.  (Ashlee and I have this joke going this week.  Because of her cast she couldn't type very well, so she would tell me what to type and I would type it.  She didn't appreciate me typing in extras about how wonderful her mother was...ha ha ha!  Hey...I gotta have some fun at this mom job!)

Love you too Carson  :)   :)    :D

No not really but you know something might pop up. Hey love you too. Mondays are alot funner after talking to you for a bit. Looking forward to mothers day when ever that is.

Love you

I LOVE Monday mornings too!!!   And I can't wait for Mother's Day!  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!!!  I still think it would be easier for me to call you but we will do whatever you are allowed to do.  I want to hear you say "phoot-a-ball" again!!!  Ha ha ha!!!   And I love hearing you bear your testimony. It makes my heart happy!  And it makes the weeks ahead so much easier!

I love you like crazy Carson!  

By the way...Mother's Day is only 4 weeks away!!!

oh you reminded me on tuesday we talked to pres about a raise in our allotement and he gave us mosiah 3:19 to read  So ya i don't think we will get a raise at all. so i think maybe at the end of this week or next week i might need to go to the bank to support myself. Thank you Love you Carson

Oh thats kind of hard to argue with isn't it.  Sorry about that.  I guess you need to do what he's asked.  Good luck with that.  You might have to get those branch missionaries to pay their own transport.  We don't mind you taking out your extra money if you really need it...but...well...I guess you and the mission president know best.  Good luck with all that. 

But...like we've said...you need to learn about managing a budget...it will help you later on in life...so again...good luck with all that stuff.  I sure am proud of you and all you're doing.  I love you tons and tons!!!

Oops...Dad's home from doing his horses.  I need to go and iron his shirt and pants for work today.  By the way..how is laundry going for you?  Oh and I remember something I was going to ask you.  One missionary mom was complaining about her son getting sick doing baptisms because of parasites in the water?????   Does that really happen over there?

?????I DON"T KNOW????? but between the two of us who is worried about me spending. Remember i was the one who didn't buy my girlfriend anything because of fear of it being expensive. ;) so ya but love you lots almost of time. hope to her from you soon.

yes...I remember.  (Cheap!!!!)   But...you are the one who has to figure out all that stuff.  Good luck. Well, we better run.  We love you so much and pray for you and think you are awesome.  Good luck this week Carson.  Hope it's great and not too wet.  Sounds like you might need some hip waders soon.  Don't think those will fit in those little cans!!!  But good luck.  Hopefully your shoes are lasting in all that wet!  Love you so much.  Take care this week.

Love you to the moon and back

Mom

sawa love you too.

Awww...sure miss that kid!  Can't wait for Mother's day! 

I think on the last post, I put up a map picture of where I thought Tonga, Tanzania was...but if it's supposed to be "Tanga", Tanzania...then this might be the correct map...

And then I also found some pictures of Arusha on the internet...this is one looking at a different mountain called Mount Meru:

And here's a poster for Arusha and Tanzania National Parks:

Then this last one is supposed to be a view of Mount Kiliminjaro from Arusha.  Not sure if these are very accurate...but they're pretty pictures anyway.  And it gives me some kind of idea of where Carson has been.  I really hope he's taking some pictures...these look like amazing places to see!

Here's Carson's letter to Ken:

Hey Shikamoo?

That is good to hear. This week every since leaving and coming back it has been raining KABISA. Alot like this whole last week has been rain rain and more rain. we still had two baptisms but overall everytime we went out to work we would come back home 2 hrs later Soaked to the bone. and also my comp and me are somewhat sick. I recovered on Tuesday but for him he is sick and we plan to go to the hospital today but we will just have to see. Hey thank you so much. and i know what you say is true. Even for us we are doing our best and just remembering that god is at the helm. this is his work whether we want to be part of it or not it will go on. Thank you for your example to me on going on a mission and helping me to become how i am today.

Thanks again. 

Carson

Love you lots


    I was curious to see what's been going on in Dar es Salaam lately, so I happened to look up the daily online news from there...(I should really learn NOT to do this anymore!!!)

These are the districts in the city of Dar es Salaam:

     Well...it's going to be a loooong week till it's Monday morning again.