Jayden got the package...sort of.

Momma B!

What's crackin' cracka lacka? Hey. This week was full of neat stuff! Just packed full of eventfulness. Ah, I have seen so many monkeys, but for some reason, the ONLY times I've seen them, I didn't have my camera on me, or they were out of camera range. I'll keep tryin though! Promise haha. We see tons of starving cows, chickens and pigs, and goats. That's mostly it. But, in the swamp right by town that we walk through to get to Kyabakuza, we have seen a few cranes and a few cob. So that was fun. Then I saw some other stuff at the zoo, but that doesn't really count, does it? haha

So the package. I went to Kampala last Tuesday for ZDM, and we stopped by the mission office. My package was there, or at least part of it. It came in this big ol bag and I looked in, there was just a box full of stuff all torn apart. The contents were mostly there, but I had a bunch of chocolate in there that was the other people's chocolate. It was melted all over everything. Ugh. But, it's all good, he dropped off the rest on his way to Kampala, and I got everything. He got his chocolate, everyone is happy. Apparently they are missionaries running some bible class for the Baptist church. Whateves. The SD cards were all there, the tie was there, so no worries. I will send the pics of me next week, I haven't had time yet. Unfortunately, I can't view the pictures on my camera, so I can't see them, and I can't watch the videos... So that kinda stinks. I'm copying all my photos on to one of the cards and I'm gonna send that one home. That way you guys can have ALL the pics.

Transfers are NEXT week, so I'll let you know. I think I'm leavin though. It's been 6 months here haha. Who knows though, could just be here the whole mish. So the house we built. That really probably won't come in handy later on in my life. The way they build here... It's just terrible. Pathetic, really haha. It's just made out of dirt bricks, with dirt cement in between. I just can't believe how awful the construction is here. Oh well, I guess it works for them...

Wow, I am actually really relieved to hear about Glen. That sounds like it was a very nice funeral. I'm glad he can now just get progressing in the next life rather than have to suffer in this life. He's just a fantastic man, really. Great example, too. He knew where he stood in life, and made the best of it. One of my favorite talks is by Dieter Uchtdorf, and it's called Lift Where You Stand. God puts us in certain situations in our lives, because he knows just where we can grow the most, and do the most work. Glen really understood that, and he did everything he could to be a righteous disciple of the Savior.

Man, Olympics. NO ONE cares about the winter Olympics here. At all. It's all about soccer for them. They just don't know what snow is, so they don't care about it haha. They all watch the Summer Olympics though, because they had a Gold Medalist in the Marathon. But that's the only athlete they've ever had I think. I am glad I will be back in time to watch the Summer Olympics again! I love it. I am kinda bummed about one thing though. I have found more of a love for soccer. AND I'M MISSING THE WORLD CUP. Oh well. It'll be back in 4 years.

Elder Oliphant is still good, still has his strange ways though. Whatever. I think he is going to stay, and I will be transferred. I think I'm going EAST. We'll see though haha. Our investigators. They are pretty good. We had two more baptisms this week on Saturday. They have been investigators ever since I have been here. They were waiting for a guy to sign a paper of divorce so they could be baptized though. You know. Polygamy and stuff like that haha. So they are good to go, and are gonna be awesome members. We are teaching people who are smart. That's the requirement these days. Hopefully that will give us LESS less-actives, and MORE people with callings. No, we really don't have much support from the branch. We have to support the branch. Our main goal right now, is to get the branch to a point where they could still function if the missionaries were pulled out of Masaka.

Hmm. Most spiritual thing. Elder Oliphant and I fasted for some new gators, and for people to come to church. Well, when church started, about half of the normals showed up, and we had maybe 50 of them there. It was pretty devastating. So we were all down, and sad, then one by one they started walking in during the whole meeting. By the end of Sacrament, we had a new record of 128 there. That hit me pretty hard. Awesome.

Funniest thing? Oh man, I have to create all my own humor. Uganda is a very dry place when it comes to funny things. Okay, I got one. So, Elder Oliphant this week has started whistling down the bodas, and just making jokes and stuff. It's actually really funny. One guy stopped, and we talked to him, and eventually got him to agree to take us to Kampala on his bike. Kampala is a 3 hour drive away in a CAR. Well, he gave us a price. 500,000 shillings each. That's $200 each person. Haha so that was really funny. Sorry if that isn't really funny to you. I feel like most of things I have to tell people about Uganda aren't funny to them. This place... You have to experience it all to find any of it funny.

So I hope you are all doing well, tell everyone I say hi. I am so glad to have all of you for support. It means the world to me. It honestly would be so much harder out here if I didn't have you guys. Stay awesome, kay?

I love you like... a Mom? hahah

Elder Beardall