"Kojo Bo"

Dear Family,

Hello! Thanks for the birthday wishes, however early (by necessity) they are! :)

This week went pretty well! Though I forgot to write down the funny stories that happened this week. Usually I get them out of my system when I come home and talk with the apartment mates at night. Oops! Tuesday though had an awesome thing planned for the evening: the baptismal interview! All went well. :) M passed, and the baptism came on! We went to the chapel straight after studies and everything on Saturday to make sure the font was filled and... it wasn't. What else is new? ;) We waited the rest of the day at the chapel as the font filled; it took longer than we expected. So we were there until 5, when the baptism happened! For some reason that is still beyond me, they asked me to baptize. Okay! I did, and it was awesome. I really want to send you those baptismal pictures, but this cafe isn't working very well.

The Spirit was so strong at the baptism! I mean, it wasn't completely reverent the whole time, but that didn't surprise me. Especially when the missionaries demonstrating how the baptism would work accidentally both fell over on the ground.. It was hilarious. :) (Elder Allen and Elder Johnson) Everything turned out okay, though, and a really cool thing happened right after the closing hymn and good closing prayer. Some people said that they wanted to sing another hymn, so the Relief Society president, Sister Zwennes, stood up and we all started singing "How Firm a Foundation" :) Everybody was singing, and we were all going over to M and shaking her hand as others were slowly filing out. It was a really cool experience! :)

Zone Meeting on Friday went well: I still haven't received any packages. Blah. It doesn't really make sense why they haven't come, but hopefully I'll at least get the scriptures that were ordered! After everything on Friday we finally got out to visit some members, and we joined Ekua and the Julanders for a nice movie night! That was really cool, though I was exhausted and sleeping through the movie (good thing I've seen it a bunch: the Saratov Approach). Benjamin wasn't able to make it because of work, but both of them are doing great. Ekua taught the Relief Society class yesterday!!! It was awesome. (but I didn't exactly see the lesson itself... haha)

Elder Allen and I introduced our "sons" to fufu!!! That was hilarious. I have a feeling, after eating a few meals from members already, that I might struggle with keeping my weight down for the next month or two. But at least Elder Johnson likes fufu. ;) He did well! I got it all on a video.  [I asked him why he'd gain weight and he said, "he [Elder Johnson] can't eat too much. It's heavy food, so it takes practice. I'll gain weight because he won't be able to take as much of the load! XD" ]

We taught this amazing man named E. again! I was a bit worried because he disappeared off the face of the earth for a week, but he's back! And ready as ever to be baptized! I think I already shared the story of him coming in during the district meeting, but this is a follow up story. :) We've talked to him about being baptized, and he's agreed to the 25th of April! I'm so excited. He's understanding everything so well, and he has absorbed the doctrine so well. He's another miracle.

We didn't really get the chance this week to see all the people that we wanted to see this week, but we have another chance this coming week! The area is progressing, and we're doing our best. Elder Johnson and I had some good bonding times this week, and he's doing good. He's a great guy, and I love serving with him. :) This birthday should be a good one! I haven't really registered that I'm actually gonna be leaving the teen years now, but at the same time, I haven't really registered that I'm still in the teen years. It's pretty strange, but fun! I'm excited for how this week will go! I hope I can get more sleep, 'cause lately I've been EXHAUSTED, but at least I've been working hard. I feel good!

I love you all so much! Thanks for the love, too. Do good things, like the commandments and such and such! :)

Love,

Elder Price

PS did I ever mention that my Fante name is "Kojo Bo"? It means "Monday-born" "Price". I'm one of the few missionaries with a last name that can be literally translated in Fante. Most missionaries get other various funny names. :)

[I reminded him that in addition to being born on a Monday, he was born the day after Easter, which is a holiday in Ghana, "Easter Monday." He said:]  

Easter Monday IS a holiday here. :) I never thought about it being Easter Monday... Cool!!

[I asked about M's upcoming wedding:]

The wedding will be Saturday morning. We'll be there. :)

[Update: Photos from this week that we received later:]

"Elder Ekpo and Elder Johnson riding in the back of the Julanders truck to the zone activity last Monday"

"Zone activity last week"