Check Elder Collins Mission Site for New letter

This is not a picture from Zach. I just hated putting a post and no pic!!!

Happy Birthday to my oldest son!!

Happy Birthday to you my Bryan!! 22 years and I can still see you as a little boy!! I know you may think that is strange but one day you will understand. I am so proud of you and the maturity you have shown. You are a joy to your dad and I. I can't believe you are living as an "only child" right now. I always tease you that you will be Sarah's problem soon but I'm just kidding. I will miss you. I love you. Sorry I missed your big day. Sounds like your sisters filled in well for me!!

Who is that handsome Elder???

Maybe I should go to Africa and walk everywhere!!! Oh wait, I am in Africa. Yep I am in Johannesburg visiting my in-laws, Donnie couldn't come so I came in his place. I am having a blast seeing new and different things. I wish Zach wasn't 3000 miles away, but they wouldn't let me see him anyway. Keep an eye out for upcoming post of my trip. Back to Elder Collins. He has lost weight and is even more handsome than when he left. Ghana seems to be a wonderful place for him!!!

Elder Collins March 16,2008 email

Please go to Zach's mission site listed on the right of this blog to read his latest letter.

New Updates from our Elder in Ghana

Ok so I re-sent the email from last week. and about Isaiah that will be one of the last things I study so don’t look to me but man I study and it just feels like there isn’t enough time to study everything I need to!! But I'm doing my best and we are keeping busy. Transfers are this Thursday so next week we will see if I’m still here!! So have you sent the package yet?? And as for mail... I got one written letter from mom and Kristi and one dearelder thing from mom, Liz, and Kristi. So tell people if they sent something I still haven’t gotten it. So we had three people baptized this week and we got about 7 more with a baptismal date set so the work is good!! So last week I told ya'll about some people this week I’ll share some fun and some spiritual things. So fun!!! Well first this isn’t really fun but it would be funny if yall tried it. I challenge yall to wash your clothes by hand for a week and just see what fun it is!! LOL ok so I found burgers in Ghana!! At the cape coast castle there is a restaurant and we go there every Pday now to get burgers and fries. Now it is nothing like a burger at home but it will do for now. Then I’m sending my card home this week or next with about 260 pictures. Today we went to a place named " Kakun national park", and in the park you can take a tour and go on these rope bridges. Now the bridges are 45 meters high and about 50 meters long. There were 7 of them and I took a few pictures of that. It was crazy our whole district went to it. Ok so for spiritual. First I am repenting of this and I will do it everyday now but I have been really bad about writing in my journal, so sorry... but just something I’m noticing as I teach I don’t even really think as I teach. When I am teaching I say something that is totally new to me and I have to write it down. But I just think that is cool so I guess that is teaching by the spirit!! But the work is awesome and there is nothing I would rather be doing!! Ill talk to yall next week. Oh and I wouldn’t mind a few questions every week so I can have something to write about

Hey everyone, so to answer the?’s really quick. First no I only use the plunger for my clothes but I only use it at first to mix the detergent in then it’s all hands!! The weather is hot and humid all day every day and I have yet to see a drop of rain! JeNece asked if I have any girls that want to "kiss" me or want me. And the answer is YES, I have 3 "wives"!!! lol so three women want to marry me and take them back to America but no worries I told them no and that I got a girl at home. But I don’t, so I lied but I think God will forgive that one...lol. She also asked about the people and about baptisms, and that is what I’ll write alot about today.So the time here passes kind of quick but everyone says the first transfers are the slowest, so the mission is going to fly. Also we are very, very busy. We teach about 30 lessons a week (this week was 35) and we walk about 8-12 miles per day!!!! so far we have had 2 baptisms and this Saturday we have 3 more, and we get about 5-10 new investigators a week. So we are very busy!!!!Ok so last week I said something about a pope and a prophet. So first the "pope". Ok so he is not the real pope but his name is Benedict and he is a guy that went to school for years about religion so he is very smart. It is hard to talk to him for less than an hour at a time. But he has been taught all the lessons now and we are baptizing the "pope" on Saturday. Ok now for the prophet!!! Ok so this man is a Pentecostal "prophet". And he really thinks he is called of god. So he came to our area to try to talk to the Pentecost churches in the area and he stayed at a member's home that is right next to us. So we taught him quite a few times and told him all about Joseph Smith, plan of salvation, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. And he believes almost everything and he said the book of Mormon is one the best books he has ever read but he still thinks he is a prophet!!! He thinks that Joseph Smith is just one of his fellow prophets. He also took a book of Mormon for his wife and paster...lol. But a seed has been planted and we did what we could so we’ll see..So those are the two big people we have been talking to and I’ll write about the two other guys we are baptizing this week next Monday.So that is how it is here. Make sure Ethan learns my name and remembers me!!!Love elder Collins

If any of you would like to send Zach a letter the easiest way is to go to "dearelder.com" and select Ghana Cape Coast mission, to Zachary Collins. They send them to the mission home and they distribute them to the Elders. I am sure he would love to get mail!!

Our Little Genius!!!

Meet Mr. Ethan Thomas Clifford.

At 15 months he can climb up on a slide and go down in various ways. (He can even pose when asked to!) He can also play the game at Cracker Barrel. How many of you can do well at that game???? He is an endless source of joy for me and for our whole family! He brightens a gloomy day. Grandkids are the BEST!!

Meet Our Star Volleyball Player!!!

Yep you guessed it, Tiffany Collins Harper. This is her 3rd year playing volleyball with her school, Norton Elementary. They, sad to say, have not done very well. But JeNece, Ethan and I are always there. JeNece and I take score each week. It is fun to watch. This week they played Grayson Elementary and Norton only had 6 players to their 9 players. Whew, I thought we were in REAL trouble. (That means losing disgracefully, like 2 to 25) We WON, yep. WON the first game, it went into overtime, and was 30-28. Awesome!! GOOOO Norton Bears!! Then we lost the next two, but they were respectable losses. We really enjoy watching Tiff play, she is getting pretty good! I miss all the ballgames we used to attend. (Did I just say that????)