Shrimp

SO!  Alexander has been on his mission since February 2012 and will get home March 2014.  He has been serving in Africa, in Mozambique, in various cities.  He was updating his blog himself which was awesome but then was only able to send emails to me.  I have been awful about posting them!  I am going back through his emails to grab all the photos and hopefully get them all on here for you. Along with some of his inimitable commentary!

This photo was taken by a lovely couple also on a mission there.  She said it was just a photo op and she didn't really make them clean the shrimp... Alex fixed her computer while he was there!  I'm glad they are getting some great seafood!!

Catching up

Alex is unable to post so I am filling in!

7/1/13  So I am still in inhamizua!  Was District Leader for three weeks because our DL got super mega ultra sick and now he is going to be traveling to south Africa for treatment!  I am now just a boring old senior companion and am still with the same comp.  Can't say I am too excited about that!  So the plans for marrying people are not going too well our most promising couple is now trying to pay Lobolo which is a sort of Mozambiquan tradition that requires the man to pay for his wife...super lame!  We still have another couple that we are hoping will get married and baptized this month!  I really wish that my siblings would email me...I get two emails every week one from the greatest mom the world has ever produced!  And my band brother!!!  And he just kinda joke emails me every week!!  I dont really have a whole lot to say these days and it is really hard to take pictures when I can only have my camera with me on p day...sorry.  I love you and am super glad you and the girls are having a blast!!!  DFTBA!!!

7/8/13  I LOVE YOU!!!!!  sounds like *sniffle* it was a lot *sniffle* of fun! *sniffle*  Anyhow life here is great super excited about the BOX!!!  I am going to start looking at getting wooden things for each of you because they are super awesome and they are not buyable any where else!  My companion is kinda wierd but its all good!! We are working hard and trying really hard to prepare our fams for baptism...and marriage they are having a little dificulty with their parents...Parents yick!  We had a great 4th of july!  I and the other american in my house sang the star spangled banner and ate cookie cake with blue and red dark chocolate m&ms!!!  Super nice!!!  Still hoping to someday recieve an email from my SIBLINGS!!!!   And btw mom minecraft was the new huge game when I left!!!  Now that it has made the xbox though I know it isnt gonna die any time soon!!!  Super excited for the box and hope you are all super happy and healthy!!!!  QAPLA!!!   Dont Forget Trolls Block Acne!

7/15/13  On to the bad news Philip...what a selfish jerk goin and gettin married before I get home...I think it may take me a while to forgive him for that!  I am not very happy about this mom!  In fact this information has ruined my day!  I am sure she is probably perfect for him and all that corn but I was super hoping he would wait a little bit so I could be there!  Tell him to wait till the next break from school!  Or I will never talk to him again!!!! (only partly serious but still partly!)  Elizabeth wrote me and the octipus wrote me and Bishop\brother miller wrote me!!!  We have a couple getting married this next saturday!!!  WOOHOOO!!!!!!  They are super old!!!!  And I believe they have been investigating the church for 5 years!!!!!  They are awesome and super funny!  I love you all!!  Except Philip!!! JK  QAPLA!!!

7/22/13  Well Philip is the one getting married so he can do what he wants but make sure he knows exactly how much he is going to regret not having me there!!!!  Well if yall spend more time around jessica I am positive she will start to catch on to the jokes!!!  After she sees afew of the movies we love like 2001 a space odyssey!  And heard at least some wierd al!!!!  "You said you've had that desk top for over a week?  Through that junk away man it's an antique!!!" Anyhow I sent you another email!! And I love you with a passion and super mega ultra miss you!!!!

GRAVY MIX!!!! I still have brown gravy but the poultry gravy is just about gone!  I cant ever think of what I want in my package when I am at internet!  maybe cookie or browny mixes...Orange milanos!!!  some socks!  A bat'leth ummm Junk food is always good!!!  Also Motab cds!!!  The mormon messages on dvd!!! 

This is 2mac a rapper I met in Inhamizua we ran into him yesterday and he gave my companion and I a Cd obviously autographed!  He is for sure going to hit it big!!!  Here is the whole CD and pics of the case!!!   I apologize in advance if there is anything bad in the music but he seems like a nice guy and I have obviously never heard the music!!!!  ENJOY!!!!

 

8/19/13  SO MOM I actually did spend aproximatley 6 months taking bucket showers just so you know!  I LOVED your email and am really happy for philip!  I hope that everything works out and she makes him happy!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!  So glad you had a good one!  I dont think I know anybody you guys hang out with these days!!!  Congrats on the new calling!  Does that mean you are no longer in charge of the young single aliens? I mean adults ;)   I am a tiny bit sad I am missing out on everything!  But its all good because I know that its yall that are missing out HAHA!!!  I am going to send a ton of pics now so get ready!!!

 

8/26/13  So for starters!  Totally use me to guilt everyone and their dog into going to philips wedding!!!  It super sucks I can't be there but it would be so much worse if no one was there!  Tell them they don't have any choice!  Just by the way I have spent this week TELLING people what to do and I don't enjoy it all that much but it makes me feel good if that makes any sense!  Philip is only going to get married once and they CANNOT miss it!  I will ONLY miss it due to ...yeah...SO THEY CAN'T!!!!   Yeah so that's all I am going to say about that!  

    Sorry for the lack of pictures this week but they were very few kodak moments in the house and at times we were out and not working...those times are very few.  I am having a ton of fun and I these last couple of days have been a little rough, you know it is kinda hard not being able to share any memories with any one!  I can't just turn to somebody and go off about the time that...my new companion is a great missionary and all that good stuff but he doesnt care about most of the stuff I say.  I mean I don't blame him I am pretty boring but it kinda sucks!  Also this has caused me to in my spare time think about yall, which (no offense again) sucks as well...No more depressing talk sorry bout that!  I love you guys and hope you can convince the grand parents to show up to Philip's wedding!  

 9/2/13  Dear Mommy,  I am just coming to realize how incredibly blue I am!  My current companion is the coolest thus far I just needed to adjust to his sense of humor and everything, but now he and I are doing great and our area is starting to explode!!!  We managed to get a man named 2mac to church!  I believe I sent some pictures of his cd to you!!  He is super funny and seems to genuinely want to follow Christ.  I am having a great time and I was actually talking to another Elder in our house, who also has a brother to be married near christmas and we were thinking about trying to talk president Kretly into letting us skype for the weddings!!!  I thought that would be awesome!  We will see how that goes! lol!  We had another baptism this weekend and my companion got to do it, which he super enjoyed!  All baptisms here are either done in the Beira or Manga because those are the two chapels that have baptismal fonts.  Here are some pics from said baptism!  

9/9/13  MOMMY!!!   So you don't have to worry about people being nice to us!  Everywhere we go people offer us food, the only problem is we are generally not supposed to eat it...But my companion is super chill about everything and its funny cause we will be walking to a lesson and people are eating, and as we pass they ask us to come eat with them, we have been thinking just how funny it would be to just walk over and sit on the ground and it with a group of people we don't even know and just eat their food and run!  I think it would be hilarious and it is exactly what they want!! 

    Good news we have been teaching 2mac and he is going to be baptized this next saturday!!!  He is sooo excited and we are too!!  

    I am super proud of myself for being the most fun!!!  I solomely swear to be even more fun when I get back to america, the land of the home, and free of the brave!!!(is that right?) I have so many stories for you guys and I cannot wait to just stay up ALL NIGHT telling you about them!  MUAHAHAHA!!!!!  Anyhow I am still working as hard as possible and having a blast, I am still super excited about Philip getting married and stuff! So yeah I sure love you guys!!!  Dragons Fall Through Burnt Arachnids!!!  Dungeon Fun To Be Appreciated!!!  Dawdling For The Best Awards!!! 

    I LOVE YOU!!!

9/16/13 Well mommy I am super mega ultra happy this week we finally are getting out of the chapel we are in and moving to a much nicer one!  While we are in the nicer chapel they are going to build us a chapel in Inhamizua!!!  WOOHOO!!!!  Then we will have our own chapel and that is going to bo super nice!!  Here are some pictures of the baptism!!!!   Also my I was released as the second counselor yesterday which means that we can finally focus all time and effort on missionary work!  YAY!!!!  I am looking forward to coming home probably a little too much!!!  But it's ok as long as I am still working hard and not letting personal feelings detract from the work right?  I was thinking this past week about my response to Philip getting married and a feel really bad about the lack of enthusiasm for it and the selfishness...he hardly has time to read my emails but if you could tell him I'm sorry I would really appreciate it!!!  I am super excited for him and can't wait to meet my new sister in law!!!

9/23/13 Hi mom I am going to magoanine which is pronounced Magowaneenee.