Weekly Update~ "Best Thanksgiving Feast in the Mission!"

RJ in the Sugar Cane Field

Chad the Turkey

Poor Chad!

Plucking the Feathers off the Bird!

Feast Prep

Homemade from Scratch!

Proud Elders

Dinner is Served!

RJ at the Field

Helping Out at the Baseball Field

RJ and Elder Chabra (Mission doctor)

Elders Wearing Traditional African Walle-Walles

Dear Family and Friends,

   I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and had a great break from school. As for me, having an all American district living together definitely has it's perks because we did Thanksgiving right. Thanks to recipes from home, day trips to Kampala for supplies unavailable in Lugazi, Elder Ray's cooking wisdom, Andrew, our guard's wisdom with cooking turkey, we were able to pull off the greatest feast in Uganda history. The final menu included mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade rolls, macaroni and cheese, a full turkey, green bean casserole, creamed corn, and a banana cream pie and a pumpkin pie. We literally made everything from scratch. We spent literally all Wednesday night and Thursday morning cooking.

   For exercise Thursday morning, we slayed Chad, our turkey, in our backyard and it was one of the more gruesome deaths I've seen of an animal given the fact that we did it with a dull machete... sorry for the details. After proselyting Thursday, we came home in the evening, invited a few of our ward missionaries and Andrew, and feasted. We were even able to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers the next day.

   In Lugazi, Henry Odong who is a baseball coach of a local little league team in town. I don't know how many of you followed the Little League World Series this year, but there was a team that qualified from Uganda. Henry was trying to get a visa to be able to attend, and my Dad was able to read his story on facebook and they began talking. It eventually came up with him that I got transferred to Lugazi and my Dad got his number and gave it to me a few weeks ago. Last week, I was able to meet him and he showed us where he and his team practice and this Friday, our district was finally able to go to a practice.  It's going to be a common thing going over there to help out with practice and serve them in that capacity.  A year ago, never in a million years did I expect to be in Uganda on a baseball field, pitching to a bunch of kids in a pick up game. It was literally one of the best days of my mission and it made me so happy to be able to play the game I love and grew up playing with a group of people I've grown to love in a place I love. I'm looking forward to more opportunities to be able to serve them in the future!  I also dropped a pamphlet for him, I'm talking to him on Wednesday about it:)

   Yesterday, we were able to see the organization of the second stake in Uganda in Jinja! It was one of the coolest things I've ever been apart of. It was neat to see the overwhelming joy and feeling of accomplishment in the congregation. Many people have been working for decades to help organize this stake and the spirit was so strong when people bore testimony about what becoming a stake meant for them. There is going to be another application submitted for a second stake in Kampala in a few months. I consider it such a blessing to be able to be here during such an exciting time for the church in Uganda. I'm excited what the next few months has in store for the people here!

   Lastly, today I was able to go golfing again with the district and Elder Chabra. We all decided to wear Walle-walle's to rock the African style. After, we had the most amazing Indian food I've ever had in my life. Elder Chabra lived in India for many years and he said the lady who cooked our food makes the best Indian food he's ever had.  I love you all!

Love,
Elder Hazen