Six Months!

Dear Mom, 

This is the week, I will be one-fourth done with my mission. It is insane!  We got a lot done this week. I'm starting to meet different types of investigators, both super interested and very hard to work with. For example, we have this one girl who had a certain problem a few years ago and because of that she need to have a special interview, but she won't do it. She still has a desire to be baptized, but she won't take the step to do it. We are praying very hard for her.  

But it balances out.  Yesterday we went and met with one of our member's brother. He had a very nice house, even by American standards, and a huge pet dog. This thing was almost as big as me!  We were introducing ourselves and I said I was the oldest of 5 children. The member then told us that his brother is the oldest of of 17! So, yeah.  But the man has a very strong attitude towards us teaching him the gospel.  He says that if it's God, he will follow. So that was a motivational boost right there.

Thank you so much for sending a wifi camera. All the missionaries are taking pictures and I'm just like "that looks fun".  Ummm - I hope he still has the regular camera that he went out with!  I was able to send a wifi camera so that sending pictures would be easier for him.

So, I have reached the 250 lb mark and today, playing basketball, I touched the rim for the first time in months.  I was ecstatic!

Well, Mom, I'll report what I do for my 6 month anniversary. I love you with all my heart.

 

Love, 

Elder Seanshine Keddington

 

 

I can't believe that Thursday is his "Bump" day.  Six months out!  He seems to be doing great and I am so grateful!  I love having a missionary.  He is an angel!

There's Basketball in Ghana - WooHoo!

Dear Mom, 

Greetings from Kaneshie! I'm in the city, about 25 minutes from the temple. I have a mall in my area AS WELL AS BASKETBALL! WOOO HOOO!! I arrived on Tuesday and said goodbye to Elder Kaelin. My new Companion is Elder Samuel From Nigeria! He is a really hard working missionary and this week we had over 20 lessons.  So different from Kwabeng.  We already have 2 baptisms coming up.  Everything is expensive though and it's a good that Barfuss And Kaelin taught me to budget.

My other Brothers in my apartment (which is named the Salt Lake Apartment) are Elder Prescott from Hawaii and Elder Finch from Highland.  They are both incredibly fun guys. Prescott likes to play basketball.

The people in this area are great. I loved Kwabeng, but the people there saw me and asked for money every single day.  It got old very fast.  Here they don't do that. It's amazing.

We have basketball here at my chapel (which is like one back home) and one at the Temple site. Today we went and played basketball with other Elders from around the area. It was a blast and very refreshing. I will start losing weight like crazy now.

Like I said, Elder Samuel works hard!  This week we had over 20 lessons and have two people committed to baptism and more are on the way.  It's so different from the city where you just went and saw some just to say hi.  Here its hard work!

Well, I don't have much else to write because I'm still getting used to the new area. I will continue to update you about how I start adapting to the city.  I love you all very much and I'll write you next week.

 

Love,

 

Elder Seanshine Keddington

 

Hey guys - did you get the idea that he's excited about the basketball?!  It sounds like he is excited about everything.  Bring on those lessons!  Love this guy!

Transferring to the City!

Dear Mom, 

We got transfer news. Both me and Elder Kaelin are being transferred! We got the call on Saturday and we were both shocked! I am going to Kaneshie in the city and Kaelin is going to Kasoa. We both are leaving the bush. Its crazy! They are bringing in Sister Missionaries to replace us.  All the branch members were very surprised and a little sad. We were too. We love these guys and they've been so supportive to us. 

I don't know who my next companion is but I will let you know next week.  It's going to be strange leaving Kwabeng. This has been my home for 5 months. I will miss it. But I am excited to go to the city to get some contrast on the bush.  The Binghams will drive us to Accra tomorrow morning. I will get their names for you guys.
 

Well, I don't have really anything else to report. This is my first transfer out of my first area, so I will have a ton to write about next week.  I love you all so much and I'll report next week.

 

Love,
Elder Seanshine Keddington

Exciting times in Ghana!  It will be interesting to see how he does in the city.  I'm so happy for him and know that great things are in store!

A great week!

Hi Mom, 

This week went by very well. We had our branch conference and 150 people showed up, which is a record! The number of investigators that came to the class was over 30.  It's incredible!  We're going to start teaching this week. 

We went to the pig roast today the pig was very good. We all had bugles and afterwards we watched The Blind Side.  We get transfer news this week and I'm pretty sure Elder Kaelin is going to leave. He's been here for 8 months, so it's time for him to go.  As for me, I'm going to have to show a missionary the area.  It could be my first taste of leadership out here.

 I got my package! They found it! Thank you so much for the stuff you sent me, the Valentine candy and the book. 

 I want to share a dream I had this week.  It kind of struck me as a bit of reality.  In my dream, I was out here on mission when I was in a car accident.  They gave me the choice, in my dream, to either go home for surgery or surgery here and stay out on the mission. It was so real I actually felt pain, but I chose to stay out on my mission.  It was actually really cool experience.

I love you so much, mom!  I hope you and dad had a fun time on your vacation and I hope the kids get better soon.  I love you all so very much and you guys keep strong there.

 

Love, 
Elder Seanshine Keddington

They may not be long letters, but these letters are changing!  I love that he knows that he is in the right place.  I couldn't be more grateful!

5 months

Dear Mom, 

 

5 months down 19 to go! I'm not gonna say it flew by, but it went much faster than expected. This week was very nice. We taught 8 lessons and got a new baptismal commitment. Over all, a pretty sweet week.

Ghana is really starting to feel normal to me and I'm getting used to it more and more each day. They say once you hit 8 months then Ghana has hit you with everything it has.

Health wise, I'm doing great! I've reached the 40lb mark on lost weight and I've completely cut soda out of my diet. I am eating mostly fruit and bread and drinking plenty of water. I am back to 260lbs.

Teaching wise, I have baptized 2 people into the church and have contacted a little over 200 people, so the work goes on.  

 

Next Monday we are going to the waterfall to roast another pig. So it's going to be a good week!

I miss you guys everyday, but I no longer feel any homesickness and I know I can make it the rest of my mission.  I'm at the groove point where everything is normal.  This week is our branch conference and I will be singing in the choir.  We will be singing my favorite Hymn!! #62. (All Creatures of Our God and King)

Well, Mom, I love you so much and I miss everyone and love them. I couldn't have made it this far without you. Sorry this email isn't as long but it has been kind of an uneventful week.

I love you all so much,

Elder Seanshine Keddington 

I adore this piece of my heart who seems to be getting used to Africa and his mission!  So very blessed!