I've been out 3 months!

Buah!

Today we decided to wake up at 6:00am so we could get all of our cleaning assignments done so that we could leave after companion studies at 10:00. So we went shopping and now we are at the internet cafe at 12 writing and must be about 4:00 am for you. 

Anyways, Elder Manzini and I have been killing it with these families this week. President Ostler says that we should be focusing on families. Families progress slower but it is way more sweet when they do progress. We are teaching some very educated people in our area, so it has been fun, especially because I have to study a lot about some of the questions people give to us. My favorite people to teach are school teachers and old people. The teachers are very knowledgeable of the bible and the old people are just sweet and will actually give us the time. For some reason the old people and the very young people are educated, and the middle aged people are not. I think it might be because of the war, but who knows. (Sierra Leone had a civil war lasting 11 years from 1991-2002)

So this was week 12 and that means that I finished my second transfer. I have been out 3 months and I no longer have a trainer. We no longer have extra hour studies, so we get to go out and teach more! It also means that transfer news came. I am being move out of the area. This is kind of a bummer but it was expected because 20 more missionaries are coming in this week so a lot of people are being moved around. I will be going to the east side of Freetown to a place called Kosso Town. It's near Grafton or Waterloo if you want to see it on a map.

Kosso Town where Cody is being transferred to is a costal town about 10 miles from Freetown. It is set around a forrest reserve and the major industry is farming and coal mining. It also is the home of a large police academy training center of the Sierra Leone Police force.

 It's a bummer because I love the people I am teaching and I love the apartment I am in and the nengo (sweet) elders in the apartment. Elder Manzini will be training again. He has been training his whole mission (9months).

Sweet family that Elder Hales and I taught

At our apartment desk with Elder Manzini and Elders Hales

Elder Manzini - I'm going to miss him

My secret beer company ... haha!!

My bed ... notice the fan at the end of the mattress...haha nice luxury! 

I'm  going be with a Elder Flement now and from what I hear he is a sweet guy and he is from London or something. So maybe I will pick up an accent! That was about the biggest thing that happened this week.

At the beginning of the transfer all the elders in my apartment went and enjoyed sweet food and good things from the super market, so they blew through all their money quick. So for the past 2 week we have been eating one meal every night we call it stew. It's s rice with a tomato sauce on top of it. The tomato sauce is made by  frying some onions in oil. When they are fried you add tomato paste and stir it in. Then if there is too much oil we add an egg and it thickens up. Then we thin it out with some water. Then add pepay (peppers... spices) doli and magi. Throw in some sliced hot dogs and enjoy. I don't have exact measurements because I make it by eye and not with a recipe. Tomorrow I am going to make some sweet slop because I have extra money and could afford the stuff for it. When I was at the super market today (best-in) I saw a Monopoly board. I was seriously looking to buy it, but it cost 420,000 leons. That is about 100 dollars for a board game. I told a guy in the store that no one would buy it, but he said that people would... he wouldn't lower the price so that was no fun. I miss the good old days of Monopoly or even Risk till 2 in the morning! 

Today I got mail..... all of the Dear Elders you send me and one package. The package was from Grandpa and Grandma Richins. They sent me some sweet oatmeal which will be handy in my new area because there is no supermarket there. They sent me some sweet candies (Hershey's, Kit Kats) which are like getting back on dry land after you have been on a boat, barfing because you are sea sick. They were glorious! I could just feel grandma's love inside each candy bar. I love you grandma! The best part of the package was something that I know is really precious to grandpa. He sent me his US Navy issued Book of Mormon and Principles of the Gospel that he received in 1949. They are in pristine condition and have been really cared for. I feel really honored to receive such a thing. I wont take them out with me proselyting or crease the books because I don't want to wear them out but I will read from them when times are tough and to really study the 'Principles of the Gospel' book. I will take really good care of them. I actually got to use it today. The 'Principles of the Gospel' book is like a church library condensed into a small book and it even has hymns in it. Basically everything a US Serviceman would need while he is away from home. Because I got my small hymn book stolen earlier this transfer I was able to use the hymns in the small book today. Its nice to have that hymn book for companion study. This morning when I opened that package I could feel grandpas love, like I had my hand in his or even as if he was hugging me. On the inside of the book grandpa wrote the years he served and I hope to be able to honor him, my family, my priesthood, and the lord and add two years to that service. I love my grandpa and my family that has allowed me to be the person I am today.

My Granda and Grandpa Richins

On my missionary tag there are two distinct names. The more significant name is Jesus Christ, and the other is Beckett. Everyday I honor and serve these two. My Savior and my family on both sides.

Welp I'll be home soon!

Love Elder Beckett