Christmas Week!

After a zone on zone football game.  Always the stand out - wearing yellow when everyone else is in blue!

Hi Mom! 

Christmas is here! I am so excited to talk to you guys! This week was awesome in some aspects, not in others. It was awesome because we went to the temple with our recent converts! Everyone was so happy to go to the temple and everyone is looking forward to our next trip! Hopefully soon! The teaching this week was not that great. All of the members who usually go out with us were busy all week, so we had to get by on our own. Bawjiase is not an English first town, so our options were limited. Fortunately everyone will be home for the holidays this week so we will be able to take a member everyday.

I will be able to Skype at noon. I can't wait for it! We are going to Accra tomorrow for a mission conference. It will be great to see everyone. 

I love you guys to the Moon and back! Can't wait for Christmas!

 

Love,

 

Elder Seanshine Keddington

 

P.S. Sorry for the beard in the pic. I'll shave :)

Haha!  The kid is such a hairy beast, I'm always bugging him because he has a beard shadow in his pictures.  I love that he jumped on with the PS before I commented on it.  He makes me laugh. 

 

 I can't believe we get to talk to him on Sunday!  It's the only Christmas present I want!  It's absolutely amazing how precious those visits are.  Especially since I haven't gotten a Sean hug for almost 16 months!  I am very much looking forward to talking to him.  This is his last Christmas away, but we get to look forward to Connor being gone for next Christmas.  Gigantic sigh!!!  It's totally worth it, though.  

 

We hope that his Christmas is wonderful and that he is able to make a few other people's Christmases great! 

The Branch keeps growing!

Hey Mom! 

We had another Awesome week! We finally had our baptism! She was a 15 year old girl. Also, our recent convert was confirmed! My new companion and I are getting along great! I am the senior companion. (crazy right?) All in all the work is going fantastic! The big news is that our branch is going to the Temple this week. We will going to do baptisms with our recent converts. They are extremely excited. It will be a great experience for them. 

I cant believe how good Connor looks, I'm gonna look ugly next him when I get home! Haha! I am super excited for Christmas. Its gonna be awesome to see you guys. 

I love you guys so very much!

Love Elder Seanshine Keddington

He sent me a video this week (that I can't get to upload) of the peoples' reaction to the current president of Ghana being ousted in the election on Wednesday.  There were shouts of joy, fireworks, horns honking and a lot of celebration.  It sounds like it was the outcome the people wanted.  It was so good to hear his voice.  I am very excited to talk to him on Christmas!  The mission is going well and he seems very happy!

Election Week in Ghana

 

The mall near him is not too shabby!

Hi Mom! 

Big news week! It snuck up on me, but we got transfer news! Elder Kabasele is going to Swedru and I got Elder Ngwenya from Zimbabwe. I am now Senior companion. Elder Ngwenya is a really cool guy. He was in the same apartment as me when I was in Winneba. Our baptism is actually this Sunday, because we had Stake Conference. So now we have a new Christmas transfer!

So, election time in Ghana is in full swing. It's getting pretty crazy!  We were in Bawjiase yesterday, sitting in a tro (like a cab) and  waiting to go back to Kasoa.  Our tro driver was then attacked in broad daylight, in front of everyone, because he is a supporter of the current president. Elder Ngwenya and I were in the front seat, right next to him. I was genuinely nervous! 

Its getting wild over here! Here's to another awesome week!

 

Love you all so very much!

 

Love Elder Seanshine Keddington

 

He said the driver of the tro was ok.  Just a normal everyday thing.  Wow!  The missionaries are supposed to stay out of crowds today and on election day, tomorrow. On Thursday, the day after the election, they are not allowed to leave their apartments because of possible civil unrest.  President has turned that day into "deep clean your apartment" day.  Very smart!  We are hoping all stays calm and well.  What an eye opening experience for these young men.  We are grateful for wonderful guidance from his mission leaders.  He looks great and sounds wonderful.  He is down to 209 lbs, so right about 100 lbs down.  Amazing!

He snapped this picture while we were FB chatting

This is a tro.  Not sure if it's the one they were in or not

Elders Kabasele and Keddington on Thanksgiving Day

Baptisms in Kasoa

Almost every member of the Branch after Ofelia's baptism

Hey Mom,

What an awesome week! Our baptism went great! Our convert, Ofelia, wept as she was welcomed with literal open arms into the branch. As you saw in the picture, our branch is small but strong. I love them all. Next week we have another baptism for a 15 year old girl named Rebecca. It's amazing how much the work is building. All in all, another awesome week!

So for Thanksgiving we went to the mall and had a big rotisserie chicken. It was delicious. Also, the other picture is not Spaghetti, its Woache (whaaa-chea).  It's pretty much just beans and rice.  It's really good. I have grown to love the food here.  I know crazy, right?

I love you guys so very much! Here's to another awesome week!

Love,

 

Elder Seanshine Keddington 

I'm not sure where he is getting the smaller shirts he is wearing, but some are a little too small, I think. Haha!  He looks so great, though!  I mentioned to him during our FB chat that it was snowing today.  He told me that it sounded like Heaven because the 90 degree temperatures year round get pretty toasty.  He will definitely need to get used to the changing seasons again when he gets home.  All in all he sounds and looks great and we couldn't be happier!!

More work in Kasoa

Hi Mom, 

 

Another great week out here. We had a pretty good week teaching. Yesterday, we went to the Kasoa stake center to watch a special broadcast from Salt lake City for West Africa.  It was a nice Sunday, We had 2 of our investigators come. Both of their baptisms are on the 27th. We are excited for them and for the branch! The work is truly moving forward.

So, for Thanksgiving I think we will go to the mall and eat a big meal of chicken. I am so jealous of that deep fried turkey you're making, though.  It sounds delicious.  Tell Connor thank you for the Harry Potter wand.  Sounds like the movie was fun.  You guys can keep it there for me when I get home. I am going to try my best not to get trunky! Haha.

I love you all so very much! Another week, another blessing!

 

Love, Elder Seanshine Keddington

 

Fufu and Palm Nut Soup with Fish.  He said it was delicious!!

Elder Keddington (before a much needed shave) and Elder Kabasele

 

Happy 20th Birthday!!

Hi mom! 

We had a fantastic week yet again! We had 2 investigators at church.  We taught them about the Sabbath.  Also, we confirmed our baptism.  He received the priesthood and he passed the sacrament! We are so happy and excited about the progress in this fast-growing area! We are truly blessed!

My birthday was awesome! I went to the mall in Weija, we played pool, and went to the grocery store and got a bunch of stuff we don't normally get.  I had a double chicken sandwich, which was divine!  I was sick the next day, but it was so worth it. I got my birthday package. Everything was wonderful!

Here's to another great week, in the service of the Man upstairs!

Love you all so very much!
Love Elder Seanshine Keddington

 

He was able to get a nice camera/tablet with his birthday money - yay!  So back to pictures next week!  I asked him if he had heard much about our election there.  He said he heard that Trump had won, but no one really pays much attention to it because they have their own election coming up on December 12th.  The missionaries have been told to stay indoors on that day because there is supposed to be quite a bit of violence associated with the election.  Sounds fun! 

 

He loves his companion and loves the area.  He feels incredibly blessed to be able to serve in that wonderful corner of the world! 

Definitely a Missionary

Transfer Day with Elder Reeves

Dear Mom, 

 

We had another fantastic week! My area is a bit like Kwabeng, as in it is right on the edge of the jungle. It's a really pretty village. We had an awesome week of teaching. Our baptism was awesome! Our candidate's name is Dominic and he was received into the branch with open arms. Also, one of the recent converts in the branch was ordained a priest and given the priesthood. And to top it off, I taught the Gospel Essentials class. I taught about the temple and baptisms for the dead. They asked some pretty tough questions, but with the help of the Spirit, I felt I answered them OK. All in all, it was a great week, teaching wise. I did a rough estimated, and since I got here, my companion and I have walked a total of 40 miles!  I come home tired, but satisfied each night. 

 

Thank you to everyone for the birthday money. I really appreciate all the support you guys give me. I couldn't do it without you guys. I love you all and pray for you everyday.

I love you guys so very much and thank you for the birthday wishes.

Love Elder Seanshine Keddington

Wow - this kid sounds like a missionary!  The tourist is gone.  I can't believe my baby boy will be 20 this week!  How did that happen.  He told me in our FB chat that in some ways, he feels like he's turning 30 instead of 20.  14 months in another country will probably do that to you, especially when you were without running water for the last 4 months.  He sounds so great and is loving the people and the place.  I can't wait until he can get to Accra and get a new camera.  I'm dying for some pictures!  Love this guy and all he is doing.