Big Birthday Week!!

It's the big birthday this week!  Elder K turns 19 on Wednesday.  It's going to be strange to not have him here to celebrate, but look forward to hearing how they mark the day in Ghana.

We got word last night that Elder K's mission mom, the Mission President's wife, passed away.  We haven't heard yet what happened, but we are praying hard for her husband, family and all the missionaries who will be affected by this.  I hadn't written my email before I heard the news, so I was able to address it when I wrote last night.  I actually woke up to an email this morning.

Dear Mom, 

 

Yeah we got word this morning (about Sister Hill). We will be getting a new Mission President. It had an really big effect on Elder Barfuss and Kaelin because they got to know her really well. But it's God's plan, not ours.  He will do the best for us.

Thank you all so much for the birthday money.  I have some very interesting things that I will bring home.

I've finally started to write in my journal every day. It is way surprising on how therapeutic it is. It gives me a chance to write my feelings of the day.

We had a couple more snakes in the compound. One was a cobra, but it got away. The mission gives us machetes to deal with snakes because the risk of someone getting bit is too great, so the black mamba we caught, we had to kill it.  And i know that the mission says no touching, but the monkey was on a leash and i wouldn't get that chance in America. ;)

I can't wait to talk to you in 47 days. I love you all soo much!!!

Elder Keddington

I am so grateful that these missionaries have each other during difficult times.  Sister Hill's death will give them all an opportunity to learn how to support each other and will be a real experience for growth and learning.  It sounds like he will be a good strong support for those sweet missionaries.

We love that boy (and wish that the snakes would just stay way!) and are grateful for all that he is learning and the man he is becoming!