Meet Kingsford.

just Alex…


This little guy is adorable. This week at church as he was chilling with me in the back, he was pretending to be like me. So a little at a time he started taking my things and using them the same way I would. It started with the pen that was hidden behind my tie. Then he saw I was chewing gum and he stole that right out of my mouth. Then he took my nametag, my watch, my ring and my white-hand-book. I fell in love with him. Then he stood back and told me to take a picture. Hahaha. Maybe one of my favorite pics I have taken here! I love Ghana!

(elder Kingsford)

Focusing on Families

just Alex…

Hello family! All right so once again, as always, I thank you for the emails. You’re too sweet to do that. To get straight to the point, I got 2 packages from ma and pa, and one from g-ma. Mom, the pants fit perfect. Thank you so very much. The journal is awesome. But really the whole package was all about the calendar. That thing was incredible.

(Elders Mackay, Darrow, Holmes and Christensen)

As for this week, before I get onto the intense zone conf we had, I will first talk small about Steven. He is this guy that came to church with his friend 2 weeks ago. He is a student in what you know as college. He is studying business. He seems really sweet and we had our first lesson with him this last week. He’s very busy going to lectures and stuff so its not easy to find time to meet him but our first lesson went really well and I’m excited to continue with him. When we first showed up I saw on his laptop the Steven Coveys 7 habits you sent me. Mine is up on my wall and I quickly related to him. So that was cool. He’s smart and teaching people who understand English is so very awesome.

We also found out this week that Sister Julie will be married on the 5th of March. Which is so sweet. She wants her baptism as soon as possible so I think as of now its planned for the 6th of March. Really so cool. She comes to church every Sunday and has been taught by so many elders. She has just been waiting patiently for the marriage thing to work out and now it’s finally here. So many missionaries have investigators who are in the same boat (Justice and Cathryn down in Sekondi). e Holmes is more then happy he gets to be here for the baptism. We will find out transfer news on the 7th (happy flippin b-day to Stephanie)

Marsha (in Sekondi) was baptized this week. I called her and got to chat with her. That was sweet. She was very, very happy and mostly happy that she waited so I couldn’t see it. She was basically waiting just to show her hubby she wore the pants. Sigh. It happens.

(Elder Darrow, Marsha and Rex)

Also Pricilla wasn’t baptized on Sat. She had something happen in school and couldn’t go. So they pushed it to Tuesday. They say she still wants to so I’m sure it will work out. We can only pray right?

(Elder Darrow and Pricilla Jackson)

As for zone conf this week, it was very, very sweet. Pres gave some powerful instruction. He explained how right now we are probably the oldest mission in the world right now. Because of the 2 huge mtc groups. In Aug 09 we got 24 then 15 then like 10. In 3 transfer our mission was doubled. Now it’s getting to the point where those elders are getting close to their way out. Then he really gave it to us about how we should be doing great things because of our experience and really pushed us to sprint to the end. In doing all that he announced the new goal. It’s his last goal as pres. It’s the 9th one and every other one he has completed. (If we complete the current one we are on)

The new goal of the Ghana Cape Coast Mission:

1. By Sunday, June 26, 2011, every missionary in the mission will baptize someone who has a family member in the church.

2. By Sunday, June 26, 2011, every missionary in the mission will help one family to be sealed in the Temple.

-A living couple goes to the Temple and is sealed.

-A widow(er) is sealed to a deceased spouse.

-A living child is sealed to parents.

-A deceased child is sealed to living parents.

He is really focusing on families. That’s all we ever do. It’s so important. When a whole family joins they are so strong. So we will be doing a lot of work with the members who are ready and haven’t been sealed. Really just trying to make that family forever. So awesome. Im excited to get going on that one. He also had a deep doctrinal discussion with us about the atonement and grace and works. It was powerful. Pres is such a stud. Really came out of that place ready to work.

He also changed our daily schedule. Before we were basically out 30 min earlier than most of the missions, because when Pres first came to Ghana, a lot of places didn’t have lights so you couldn’t really teach after 630pm or so. But now he has seen otherwise. So we are back to out the door at 10. He really has just pushed for being out for 9 hours. No matter how you get it done, just being out there for 9. Things are going sweet.

I'm very much enjoying my time with e Holmes. We laugh so much. I love laughing.

(matching tie companions - Elder Darrow & Elder Holmes)

Thanks again for all that you guys do and for the support you give.

Once again the calendar was amazing. You did very, very well. Thank you.

BIG LOVES

elder darrow

Called to Serve

by dad

Pictures from the last few months.

Pounding plantains and cassavas to make Fu-Fu.

Helping the sisters in the ward cook.

Making Kakra from plantains

Alex says they are always looking for opportunities to serve. Here they are helping to make bricks. The process involves filling a single brick mold with a concrete, sand, and water mix. Then they carrying the filled mold to an area where they can tip it over so the brick can harden. Once they harden, they are stacked and ready to use for building.

Filling the mold.

The drying process and the finished stack of bricks.

They caught the tater.

by dad

This week Elder Darrow expressed gratitude for emails, bemoaned the news of the Utah coach Jerry Sloan retiring and lamented about how long it takes for mail to reach his new area in Kumasi. The Harmattan Winds, Sahara winds that blow sand the first couple of months each year, have come and created a haze in the sky and makes the air quality a little less than desirable.

Here is what went down this week. This week we went with the zone leaders. It was really cool to be out and about with e MacKay again. He’s such a stud. Didn’t think I would get that ever again but SURPRISE... I did…

As for the highlight of the week. e Holmes and I walked around roaming and looking for service. A lot of the time when you serve, they feed you. Which is a bonus, but sometimes, all it really does is make for one great story, and here goes...

We went to a family who isn’t even really investigating the church they are just good friends to the missionaries. (Seed has been planted... in time). Well we got the chance to help them fetch water. Really such a humbling experience. I always forget how much of a luxury it is to turn on the faucet and boom! Water. Well they were filling all of their empty gallon jugs. I would guess they were 5 gallons. We took them all to the closest working well and one-by-one filled them. Then we loaded them up on our noggins and carried them back to their house. Soaking our shirts and making a mess. It’s not easy. I have so much respect for the women here. They do WORK. They are so strong.

So after helping them we came back to their place and they had a little table and stools set up for us to eat. What’s weird is that they had the table set up in the front of their house so all could watch. Usually when you’re fed your put in a back corner somewhere so no one can see you. Well they come out with our food, a big bowl of okra stew (research okra) and 2 big fat balls of Banku. Banku is made with cooked FERMENTED corn dough and cassava dough. They put that in a big pot and heat it up and mix it with water. It turns into this sticky ball of warm nasty stuff. Some missionaries learn to love it, but as for this guy... I DONT THINK SO. e Holmes also does

not like it so when she put down 2 huge balls of this stuff we got REAL worried. 1 ball is a little bit bigger than the size of softball. I have tasted it once before but hated it, so I would go out of my way to avoid this stuff. And I did very well. Went 11 months without being forced to put this stuff down and at a last. They got me. (They caught the tater)!

I take the first bite and just about lost it. It’s not like when you’re first learning to eat fufu where it just slides down your throat. This stuff sticks and doesn’t go down so easy. Each bite got harder and harder for me to swallow. It seemed like this was a never-ending ball of Banku. The problem was I was out in front of the whole family and kids so; A) I couldn’t just take a baggie and put it in my backpack cuz they can see me, and B) they are watching so I can’t really make nasty faces as I eat it. I have to show a poker face the whole time. Being totally honest with you, mentally it was the hardest thing I have ever done. Bite after bite I struggled to swallow then I had to use all my strength just to keep it down. NOT EASY. There isn’t a single one of you back home who could have stomached this. It was a full-blown miracle that I ate it (cuz leaving any left is not an option). Honestly it was. The blind can see. The deaf can hear. And I ate Banku. All the same in my eyes.

To make the whole thing awesome is on the way home I puked it all up. Very Sad. It’s like "hey elders... come and do some hard labor for us and then sit down and eat some food only we like!” Sweet?

That small warm fuzzy feeling I had from doing all the service was thrown up with the banku.

Love you all so very much. Thanks for all that you do. You guys are so awesome.

LOVES & SNICKER-DOODLES

Elder Darrow

Loving my time here.

Just elder darrow...

(Elder Holmes and Elder Darrow - Kumasi, Ghana)

As for things here in Kumasi, I'm loving my time with e. Holmes. He is so very close with members, which is so important, so we have been seeing a lot of them. I’m doing my best to get close to them. It takes time though. We don’t have a ton of investigators. Mostly cuz every time we have someone who speaks Twi the other companionship takes them cuz e. Adu-Gymfi speaks Twi. So it’s just easier. So don’t have a ton of people to teach but I’m sure we will soon.

We do have a solid family we are teaching. Sister Julie (who isn’t a member) is trying to get married to her husband who is a member. They are planning on getting married the beginning of March so hopefully that will come thru. Their son is Kingsford. He is the little boy who I met at church last week. He is a stud and each time there I get closer with him. I love the kids. But no surprise!

One thing that I have noticed here in Kumasi is that the wards are a bit dysfunctional, but they have incredible faith and put in the work.

(Bantama - Kumasi Zone Jan 2011)

As for updates from Sekondi... I received a phone call from e. Matheson. He told me Marsha is being baptized on the 15th of this month and Pricilla has been pushed back to the 19th. So things are going just great back in the home town.

Also so you know, every single p-day I have long talks with e. Dadegon. He is so, so grateful for you guys. Every single letter he trips out. Thank you so much for doing that.

Not a whole lot more to say. Sorry we don’t have a ton of time.

Love you guys big time. And thanks again for all that you do.

elder darrow

Asuoyeboa - Kumasi, Ghana

just Alex. . .

Okay so this has been one crazy, crazy week. I don’t really know how to sum it all up and I don’t know if I really can, so I figured I will answer every question you asked me. I hope that will make you happy.

Secondi - Yes saying goodbye was sad. It was very hard cuz there were so many people I loved there but lucky for me I somehow knew it was coming and it wasn’t a huge surprise to all the people when I said I was going. It wasn’t easy by any means. Was very hard to say goodbye to the Lambs. I love them so much. Don’t worry momma. She took care of me. Sent me off with food for the road. She rocks.

Wednesday - Transfer day was crazy. To make a long story short our bus broke down near Assin Fosu so we had to wait for a new bus from Takoradi. So we spent 3 hours playing football on the side of the road with little kids. Was a long day. Left our apt around 9 a.m. and got to my new one around 11 p.m.

To give you an idea of the ease of travel in Western Ghana (or lack there of), Kumasi is about 120 miles due north of Sekondi. That’s about the same distance from Provo, Utah to Logan, Utah. That drive would take about 2 and 1/2 hours. Transfer day took 11 hours (not counting the 3 hours of soccer).

New apartment - it’s really cool. It’s a bit bigger then my old one. Doesn’t have as much of a main room as sekondi so we eat in our rooms but it’s a sweet place. No complaints. Wait… one! only one bathroom but it’s cool. I still have a working fridge and e. baron has a washing machine so it will be coming up next few weeks. :-)

Reliable power? Well... T.I.A (This Is Africa). Reliable power is a hit and miss but it’s all good. I brought my old net for sleeping so no need to worry there. Do I get hot water? Yes I do! What I do is I take a pot and if I put it on the stove I can boil water. But that’s usually for cooking. If your talking about the showers... still freezing

Walking? - Yes. Our area has no bikes. We have a huge area and as soon as we step out our apt we are there. Basically to explain our area, we are a 10 min normal car ride from Kumasi on the road that leads to Sunyani. But because the traffic is INSANE up here it takes about 30-45 min just to get into town. Kumasi is nuts. I went to central market and its crazy. So many people. I love it though. I love the city. Basically there is one main road and our area is all around it. Our church is about a 15 min walk from our apt and it’s in the middle of our area.

Shopping and Internet?- well in the city of Kumasi there is tons. Lots of great shopping. I can’t find too much stuff that isn’t in Takoradi. Basically there is a just lots lot more. As for Internet there is a nice Vodafone cafe in town that we will use some times but there is one right by our place that we will usually go to.

How's the companion and the rest of the apartment?- e. Holmes is awesome. We get along so well and he is a great teacher, he knows how to work and we laugh all day long. I forgot how much I love laughing. He is just a solid guy and I really hope I get to be with him for a while. BUT he has been in the area for 6 months. So a change this transfer wouldn’t be out of the question. So I’m just trying to soak in the awesomeness while I can. As for the apt. e. Baron is a really cool guy. His comp Adu-Gymfi is a Ghanaian. He has 2 transfers left. He’s really cool. So we have a lot of fun.

In church on Sunday I had "the whole new kid at school" butterflies and was real nervous about fitting in and making friends and was worried about it. Well 20 min into sac meeting a little boy (Kingsford) saw me and came over to investigate who I was he’s maybe 4. Well he ended doing a full-on Hook / Peter Pan face examination and I guess he saw it fit to be my friend and we chilled all meeting. I guess he knew I was looking for a friend and wanted one too. The people here really are so awesome

So that’s about it for now. I think I have said it all. I will talk a lot more about the area and the people but it’s only been a few days and I don’t know much yet. I’m still getting settled in. just know that I’m happy and healthy and that all is going well. Thank you so much for all that you do. Love you guys big time.

xoxox

your baby boy

elder darrow