Mon, 9 March 2009

Dear Family,

I hope you all had a good week this last week, I had a terrific week. This transfer just got over and i am sending Wade home. He is not very excited to leave but it's his time to go. I found out saturday that i will be getting a new companion. I will recieve an Elder from Brazil who dosent speak english Elder Soudre. President said that he thinks this will help me improve my Portugese and i am very excited for this. My house will have Me and Elder Cordano, another American and my new companion and Elder Cordano will train a new missionary from Lisboa, Portugal. My house will be speaking a lot of Portugese. All of us have less than a year in the mission so it will be pretty fun.

This week for me has been fun and it will be hard to see Elder Wade leave. We have made a good relationship and i will miss him alot. Oh ya by the way he is going to try and come to Shelley in the next month to drop off some things to you. I've got some ideas for something that might keep you a little busy mom. I have a bunch of faberic i want you to make a bed spread out of and maybe even some pillow cases. He will bring these things to the house, i told him how to get there and i will give him mom's cell number in case he can't find it.

About the camera i think i will juist buy one here I will pull out $200 dollars next week so please make sure there is enough money in my account. Thats awesome i will be getting that much money back, it makes me not have to worry as bad.

I have a feeling that i will be teaching alot more with Elder Soudre because we don't have any responsibilities other than being regular missionaries. This is going to be awesome. I am super excited as you can probably tell. This last week we gave a baptismal date and we will have a baptism the 4th of April. I want to let you know that i love you all very much and miss you. I can feel the blessings of being a missionary, IT is very hard i am struggling but it is making me a stronger person. I know the church is true and that this wonderful work is of God and will change anyones life if they give it a chance.

Love,

Elder Edwards

P.S. Grandma i just wanted to write you a quick note and let you know that i love you and am grateful for all that you do for me. Thanks for the prayers, they really help and keep throwing them my way. You would love it here it is so beutiful and the people are so nice. I know that we are all children of our heavenly father and that we will all return to live with him some day. I love you so much and miss you tons. I hope you have a great week. LOVE you!!!!!!!

Mon, 2 March 2009

Dear Family,
Everything here is awesome i am doing great and continuing to have a blast here in Mocambique. The people are awesome and they usually let us talk to them no problems so thjats pretty nice. I think this past week was a great week we got a lot done missionary work wise. We were out teaching alot and didnt have to be cramed up in the church that much this week.

We are teaching some really cool people, we have two 20 year olds who just got back from vacation and we taught them twice this last week they are Imundo and Tony. I think that we will see alot of success with these 2 i am excited to see what happens. This last week we had something really cool happen to us, We went to this guys house to teach him the first lesson. When we got into the lesson he had alot of questions about family and he was a smart guy. He has been prepared by the lord to be taught he has a wife and 4 little children and i think he really likes us. It is amazing to see how someone can be so ready for the gospel. It is just like he knows what is right but he didnt know where to find out these things. I am really e3xcited to go back and teach him about the importance of families and that he can live with his family forever. I can tell my testimony is growing tremendously and i want to share this gospel with as many people as i can.

I've got some bad news too. Mom your gonna be mad at me but guess
what? My camera got stolen. I am super sorry and i feel horrible
because i had just gotton all the pictures off my three cards put on a disk and they took my camera and the three cards. I am lucky that i got all the pictures off of the cards before they were stolen. The sad thing is was my camera was stolen at the church when i was in a meeting. And we had a power point and i think when we turned the lights off for the power point it got stolen then. So i don't know what to do. The cameras here are expensive they are $200 and i don't think i have the money for it. So if you could let me know what you think i should do please write a lettter. They said you cant send cameras in the mail either because people will steal them. But just let me know what you think and i am very sorry. I got a couple of things i want to know about mom. My personal card expires Dec. of this month so just thought i'd let you know i'm gonna need you to send one about dec. time. Also if you could i would like to know how much i have in my accounts. i have spent a little bit on some carvings and things.

The work is good though and i'm gonna try and connect some photo's so you can see what it is like here. I got some of the people and the church and our house and me of course. I hope you all have a good week and i miss you all alot and can't believe tomorrow i hit 6 months i love the work and wouldnt rather be doing anything else right now in my life, I hope that you guys have a great week anf i look forward to the letters. Love ya lots,

Elder Edwards

Mon, 23 Feb 2009

Hey Fam,

Another week down they are just flying by arent they. We had a great week this last week we have a new investigator and we have a lesson with another one tonight. We are really starting to step it up i think that my companion really wants to end his mission on a good note so me and him are going all out. We have been teaching like crazy. I am starting to teach about half of the lessons and feel that my Portugese still has a long way to go but it is coming along.

This past week was Zone conference it was really nice to see president Packard because he only comes up to Beira every 6 weeks. But in my interveiw he told me that there would be 34 missionaries leaving in the next 3 months and that people from my group are going to have to step up to some leadership positions early, that made me kind of uneasy because i don't feel like i have enough experience. But he is directed by the spirit and he will do what he is told.

This last week there was a wedding at the church, when you hear wedding you think of a nice pleasent ceremony, well guess what, not in Africa. There was american rap music going and everything. The weird thing was the reception afterwards the people were all dancing and screaming in dialects it was kinda cool though. We got home that night at 11 so i went right to bed.

This last week me and Elder Wade had a different person cook us dinner for every day of the week it was awesome. We ate Mocambiquan food every night it is way good. We had Matopa, Chovie, Rissoes, Shamoses, and crab it was so good i think we are going to do it again this week.

Well its great to hear about the team i hope they do good at State. Let me know. I can't think of anything for the package except a lot of gum. Love you all lots and miss you tons too. Endure to the end. Love Ya,

Elder Edwards

This place is Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sun, 15 Feb 2009

Dear Fam,

I'll just say it right now. I don't have pictures but i hope to here soon. Here you can't just stick the card in the computer because the computers are full of Viruses and if you do they will ruin your card so the solution is you get them put on CD's and then you can stick the disk in the computer and send them. I have a member in our branch who is going to put all 4 gig's of my pictures on disks for me and he got Malaria this last week and said he hasnt been feeling good so he didnt put them on disks but he said he will try to get them to me next Sunday. SORRY.

This week flew by as well we had a really good week, we had the most lessons in one week i have ever had since i have gotten here. You guys would love it here i already do. The language is coming along slowly but surely. The new mission president for this mission has already been called the Spendloves. The mission will probably turn into an all portuguese mission which will help me tremendously. They will be coming in the first of July.

Last night we were walking to a house and all the sudden the sky light up with lightning. It was crazy, we were at a house and it started to rain a little so Elder Wade said we should go home before we got soaked. Well we took about 10 steps away from the ladies house and guess what? It started to pour on us it was great theres nothing like walking about 7 blocks to get home in the pouring rain. (It was like walking to Kings from our house.) But as i was walking completely soaked i thought to myself this is awesome. I looked up into the sky and the clouds were red and the palm tree's were all around. It was beautiful. It was one of those moments when i think to myself dang im in Africa. I love the expeiences and am enjoying my time here.

We have been teaching quite a few people lately and i somewhat enjoy teaching now, i think that is like the hardest part for me. i can talk to people just like regular talking but when i try to teach gospel it is really tuff for mr, but it is coming around. I love the people in my area and i don't think i will ever want to leave. Elder Wade dosent want to leave it either but he will miss them alot. He only has three more weeks here and he is counting down the days but he really is going to miss it.

Thats cool to see the pictures, the bathroom looks awesome are you guys really going to do the upstairs one next that would be cool. Sadie you looked great you looked very happy in the picture and that dress looked awesome to. I can't believe how fast the time is flying by i think i am going to love this mission like none other. I already do but i can only imagine myself in a year when i can speak when and how i want. Keep the prayers flying my way they really hekp. i love you all so much and miss you a bunch as well. I would love to see some more pictures of Ainzly if at all possible and a family picture would be awesome to If you could i want the family picture on our trip to island park at the falls. And just a random picture of me and jesse on that trip if you could. Love you lots and look forward to the letters next week.

Love,

Elder Edwards

Sun, 25 Jan 2009

Hey Family,

How the Family doing? Sorry that i couldnt send a letter last week the internet wasnt that great and i didnt want to sit infront of a computer for 4 hours to write one letter. Mom i have some answers to you questions. I have not got my package yet, I am doing fine we have been getting quite a few more investigators lately the members are helping out with that a ton. We have a baptism marked for the 7th of Feb. I am pretty excited. The weather has been very dry, it rained for like 2 weeks straight and for about the last two have been very dry. I think that it will rain alot here really soon.

I really enjoyed the pictures this last week the new door looks awesome i like it alot. I also enjoyed the pictures of Ainzly, she is so cute. I think that she looks alot like her mother. Dad thats quite the beard you got going on. The house is gonna be totally diferent when i get home. By the way this transfer i hit my 5 and 6 month markes crazy huh.

I am really enjoying it here i am having the time of a lifetime. I am learning a new language which is very difficult but it is teaching me that as i continue to try and ask the Lord he will provide. I am loving every minute of it there is nothing i would rather be doing at this time other than serving a mission.

I hope everyone back home is doing well i will be trying to get pictures in the next couple of weeks. But it was good to hear from you all and i hope you have a good one and i will talk to you soon. (Next Week, hopefully the internet is better)

Love your son and Brother

Elder Edwards

Mon, 19 Jan 2009

Letter #1:

The internet isnt working sorry i wish i could write :(
Look forward to letters next week
Elder Edwards

Letter #2:

Hey,
This week was great
Mom my shoes are gone along with a pair of slacks a white shirt and some garments. ya but its ok i can buy new for really cheap. I wanted to tell you something i can get a diamond here and i was thinking it could be for my wedding ring and it's not very expensive. I can get a diamond the size of a dime on a ring and then another one the size of a pencil eraser for $750 but it would be awesome to give my future wife a diamond ring from Mocambique. so let me know what you think. The person getting it goes home in 4 months and he is going to go to BYU-I and he will take it home to me. Just let me know next week. You remember that ring i found with the metal detector try and find it and put it in my package please. Let me know.
Love you guys sorry about the internet i look forward to the letters.
Love Elder Edwards

Sun, 11 Jan 2009

Dear Fam,

Another awesome week actually i gave the whole mission a laugh. I have a disgustingly funny gross story for you guys. It all started this last saturday we went to a members house and i got in kind of a crappy situation. i accidentally steped on this cement thing on the ground and the next thing i know it collapses you can probably guess but i was up to my belt in somthing all i can say is i was standing over the septic tank. It was the most disgusting thing ever i was covered in Mozambican crap. So i was in a pretty crappy situation. but i made it out ok. i went home and cleaned off scrubbing my body so hard that my skin hurt. I think that i was the cleanest i had been since baptism when i got out of that shower. But it's another great story for the mission, something i will defenetly never forget.

Well we have another investigator with a baptisimal date she is way awesome her name is Saundra. She comes to everything the church does even the things she's not really supposed to. But president told me i was most likely getting transfered this next one so i will be leaving my branch. I am kinda sad because i hav e made alot of good freinds here in Beira 1.

The language is coming still it is way hard for me but i just need to continue to talk to people and my language skills will increase. I enjoy everything iam going through in my mission so far i have learned so much and will continue to learn as i study. The Holy Ghost is an awesome help on a mission and in life i have learned that it helps.

Well i hope you guys liked my story i am doing just fine don't worry about me i love you all so much and am grateful for your prayers. Have a great week and have fun watching ainzly mom. I want some More Pictures of her and the family maybe even Kraigs girlfreind. Love you lots.

Your Crappy Son And Brother,

Elder Edwards