LOVE my new area! December 15, 2014

Hey so first off. The lady that called you was mamma v! She said she wanted to call you and thank you for having me come out here. she said that since she is my momma here, she wanted to talk to my momma back home. so sorry for that.

So kennedy!!! good job for pushing through on your 100 mile bike ride. im super proud of you. and now, youll get a puppy :) woo! what kind are you getting? jess and brian look super happy with the tree you gave them.

So....my new area is the best thing so far that has happened on my mission. there are four of us. me, my awesome comp elder snow, and the zone leaders. AND THE POWER NEVER. GOES. OUT. i miss constant power so so much. its only gone out once in four days and it was only for half an hour. my last apt it was off guaranteed every other day, and sometimes two days in a row. so this is so so nice. the calling of a DL is cool. its just us four elders and then four sisters. my first district meeting is tomorrow so thatll be cool. i still dont know what to instruct on yet so im kind of nervous.

So this week we were teaching this kid named kelvin, and he asked an awesome question. he's very smart for his age and he follows really well. he's nine, and his mom is a member. anyway his question was, "when we get to the celestial kingdom, if we like fried chicken and rice, will it be there? and can we eat it?" haha it was so funny. that kid is so smart.

I love my new area. im sorry about using money. i feel like im just wasting it. that bag i bought. it wasnt that much but i cant really even use it now. so sorry. anyway. i cant wait for christmas. itll be so fun to get to see all of you. i also will be buying some ties. these are for me, dad, and bridger. They are so cool. its made out of a very popular fabric. i want to get a ton for friends and people back home. well i gotta go. but i love you all so much.

stay happy and keep smiling!

Love, Elder Madsen

Transfer to Dichemso!

hey fam! 

so, lets start with your letter. dad we tried hard to meet with that lady (we met down  that one road) but she was really busy. really really busy. and she seemed less interested. macquel, its really just the temp that changes. when its winter there, its really hot here. when its summer there, its a little cooler here. morghan i'm sorry you've been sick, and kennedy good luck on your 100 mile ride! so i bought a cool bag to proselyte with. it was only about 7 U.S. dollars. also dad, one of my zl's saw the inserts in my pmg and he wants them. so can you send me an attachment with them that i could forward to him? thanks. if not, thats ok.

and fam i got some news.....im being transferred! to and area called dichemso. my comp will be elder snow. he's from the us. And, im being called as the district leader! although ill miss this area, im excited to leave. i need to see more of ghana! being a dl will be fun too. im somewhat scared. but itll be good. in my district i have the Zone leaders and sister training leaders. so i dont know, giving instruction to them will be kind of weird, they are way older than me on mission. but im still way excited. as far as pics. i havent been taking a ton so i dont really have any to send. so ill have some probably next week in my new area and new comp. 

ill miss my friends in my apt. but i will not miss the apt. in my new apt the power is on almost all the time (so ive heard). haha so compared to every other day...thats pretty nice. anyway. i love you all so much! i cant wait to hear about how your next week goes. i love hearing from you! love you love you love you allllll!

-elder madsen

December 1st!

hey hey fam!

so first off. your week sounds amazing!! haha my friend out here loves lindsey stirling. ill show him the pics :) that is so cool. 

so this week was good! i went on an exchange with my zone leader. and the day was soo good. i was able to see what it was like to have a hard working comp again. i loved it. i just hope my next comp is like that. we just worked hard. and the day just felt amazing. i really really liked it. so dad. bishop saw what you do for work. he is super impressed! he feels on top of the world just knowing someone who does so much for this church. so good job :). and also. he printed the family pic you sent him and hung it in his office. and i was just looking at it. and i had a thought come to mind. that we have such an amazing and pretty family! seriously that picture is amazing. our family is awesome.

                                   (this is a pic of my bishop, his wife and kids)

so yesterday i saw a spider so big, that instead of running to get around, it hopped. it wasnt like a little jumping spider. it was a huge hopping spider. so scary. and i had a thought come to mind yesterday. this whole time ive been thinking about my mission. and i have been so worried about enjoying it. and having it be easy. but i realized yesterday how selfish of thoughts those are. i shouldnt be out here for me. i was called to ghana to serve. not to have fun and mess around. i keep getting down that im not learning a language. but missionaries dont go on a mission to learn a language, they learn a language to serve a mission and to spread the gospel. so i have just been trying harder to keep my purpose in mind. it doesnt matter where you serve. just as long as you serve your hardest. even after i realize this, i keep getting down about where i am. haha its not paris. or italy. im not learning a language. but i am serving a mission. so thats all i need to know to make me happy. and i can learn a language when i get back. ive been trying lately to keep negative thoughts and words out of my life. anytime a negative thought comes. i just shut it out. and it has definitely made a difference. i just need to stay positive. 

(me with my comp & bishops family)

anyway. i love you all. i hope you have a good week. im almost 6 months! crazy. anyway. love you all!

-elder madsen