Elder Kaden Goodrich : Fast Sunday

Today we were fortunate enough to email with Kaden for a few hours this morning. We were really happy because he thought he wouldn't get to email for another week because he leaves the MTC tuesday morning!
I just wanted to recap some of the information he shared with us today. He said that the MTC has typically seen 4-5 North American missionaries in an MTC group. His group arrived with 19 American elders. The title of the email from the MTC president was "The Americans have landed!" Kaden said that one of the upcoming MTC groups is expecting 40 North American missionaries!! There are about 60 missionaries in the MTC at a time. They are mainly from Africa and America and a few of them are serving French speaking missions.
Kaden has made some awesome friends with some of the American Elders in his district. The majority of the Elders in his district are also called to the Accra West mission, so he will possibly serve with them again. They have been a great support to one another during their time at the MTC.
He told us about the food and has gotten the opportunity to eat Fu Fu which is a native dish. He described it as eating uncooked bread dough with very little taste. Fortunately they eat it in a soup, probably like a dumpling. He said the food is good but sits really heavy on your stomach.
He said the weather isn't too hot but very wet. It is built into their schedule to shower twice a day. Thank heaven the MTC has been doing their laundry. Too bad he is on his own starting next week.
We have been blessed to receive Kaden's journal entry every evening. He has a wifi camera that allows him to email pictures from the camera to us when he has access to wifi. This has been a tender mercy while he has been in the MTC but will end when he leaves on Tuesday. I wanted to share part of his journal entry with you from today August 2, 2015.

A few of us got permission to email around 1:30 and we got over three hours to chat online with our families. This was such a needed and special time. Hearing of what was going on with my family was so great. I miss them everyday here but it makes me think of a quote that is framed in my parent's room. the quote says, "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." This quote along with 1Nephi3:5 have strengthened me and given me the drive to finish what I started. Enduring to the end has taken on a new meaning to me as well. There are so many comforts that I lack here and its hard to deal with stuff like that but I will be blessed for my long suffering and obedience while here in Africa. I'm scared to take the next step into the field and away from the comfort I have found here at the MTC, but I cannot progress and grow without being under strain.