NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

May 15, 2017

NNNOOO!!! The Petersons are going home :,( and I've only just gotten to know them... Seriously, the coolest couple missionaries in the entire world. I've only met them a couple of times but Sister Peterson is just so nice and Elder Peterson is just so chill! And ya wanna know what makes them even better?! THEY CLIMB! Elder and Sister Peterson used to climb sooo much before the mission! IN FACT Elder P even made an attempt to climb the nose on El Cap! He got rained out on day two though... But seriously they are so cool and I'm going to miss those guys... 

ALSO it was so awesome to talk to you guys yesterday! It seriously just made my day. I have the best family in the entire world. And along with that, I have the best MOM in the world! CATHERINE SUEANN MCDONALD FRAGA, I LOVE YOU! Thanks for birthing me and carrying me around in your body for nine months! I just do not know where I would be without that wonderful woman in my life. I cannot even find words to express how thankful I am for you. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

The work over here is going well. We continue doing our best to invite others to come unto Christ, and it is just the best work I could ever ask for. I'm gonna miss it when this is all over :(

Now on a spiritual note, I would like to share a little thought from my mission. When me and the fam were talking on the phone they asked me "What is your favorite part of being a missionary?" My answer to that question is that I am honored to stand worthy enough to suffer through whatever difficulties may arise in my mission for Christ. In the book of Acts we find one of my favorite stories in the Bible. It is in Acts 5:40-41. This is the story of Peter and John preachin' the good word and their attitudes when going through really hard times, it says:

"40 ...They had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."

Missions are hard. Missions are freakin' hard. But I'm so grateful, just as Peter and John were, to suffer shame for His name. Because, after all he did for us, it's only fitting that we give as much as we can back. I love this gospel more than anything in the entire universe. I know that it blesses lives, because I've seen it bless mine, and I am so grateful to be a missionary, to have the opportunity each and everyday to share it with others. I love God, I love my family, and I love you all! I hope each of you have an amazing week.

Much love,

Elder Fraga

Guernica and Uno

May 1, 2017

This week was boring. We were not allowed to leave our flat for most of it. I discovered a new passion of mine, making puzzles. I'm working on a puzzle right now and its a real beast. It's 1000 pieces and it's black and white. It's of the painting "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso. and might I say, it's growing on me. I went from thinking "hmmm, Pablo probably took some crack cocaine before drawing this." to "Hey, ya know, Pablo Picasso really revolutionized art! He did things on his own terms. His art was unique, and I don't think any guy off the street could REALLY do what he did." It was kinda cool. 

I also got to study the scriptures a lot. The scriptures are always nice and my love for them has really grown since coming out here. We can learn SO much from them. I've been recently studying the Old Testament and might I say, the passages in Psalms are AWESOME! I start reading and I can't walk away, it just sucks me in! It's cool. 

After we were released from being coped up for a few days, we went and bought a lot of ramen to add to our food storage, because eating beans for breakfast lunch and dinner three days straight made us really gassy. 

We finished the week well, but we were still very cautious of all the riots and stuff. So it was thrilling. Got tear gassed again and it still sucks, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was last time haha... Just a runny nose and itchy eyes. 

We had 3 baptisms this week, but they were for children of record, not investigators. still pretty great though! 

After church, we visited members and I got to play guitar for the first time in 7 months! :') We also played Uno which was great... I won every time. And there was a 3 year old who stole my harmonica and started playing it and it was so cute and funny. It was just awesome. 

Today was nice. We went and played futball with the other elders and it was fun. When we were on our way back there was the poem from What about Bob on the window and it made me smile:

Roses are red

Violets are blue

I'm a schizophrenic

and so am I.

Now as a challenge to all back home, I challenge EVERYONE reading this to get up and bear your testimony next fast Sunday. In fact I dare you I TRIPLE DOG DARE you to bear your testimony. Just do it. There's nothing to lose, only things to gain! It'll be great!

Terrible decisions... Just Terrible...

April 24, 2017
Decision 1- We decided to buy recorders... I don't know what to say. I'm sorry for all those times I would march around the house playing that wretched instrument... I now understand why you guys would get mad at me even when I was playing it in the basement with my door closed... I'm sorry. 

Decision 2- We got haircuts... I hate haircuts. We walked in and sat down and waited as we each took turns with the barber. Word of advice, if you are a white man getting your haircut in Kenya, don't go last. After all were done but me, I proudly walked over to the barber seat and awaited my trim. I don't know if the guy was tired or drunk, or what, but he left me looking like freakin' Wolverine over here!  I have a big bald spot on the top of my head and wings that stick out four feet on each side of my head. I just wanted to fly away with the newly received gift -_- I wanted to look like a missionary, not a freakin' monk...

(What Elder Fraga looks like now...)

But you know what??ch was just great. They were for a sister named Mercy, and a brother named Paul. It was nice to see them enter into that wonderful covenant, and see the smiles on their faces as they left the water! I'm so glad to be able to be a missionary and to learn more everyday! 

I would like to encourage any and all people reading this to take advantage of the footnotes at the bottom of the pages when you are studying your scriptures. They are awesome!

Much love, 

The Frawg Dawg

Thoughts on the Temple and Lost Weight...

April 17, 2017

Sorry, I don't have a lot of time, but I love you guys! 

Things are going out here. We had a baptism last week for a kid named Jim. 

I loved your guys' letters. I hope everyone is doing well back home. Not a lot to say on my part, but, I love you guys! And mom, I'll ponder the topic of the temple this week and give you my ideas, but as for now I'll say, it's literally as close to heaven as we can get on this earth. It's a step out of this place, and who wouldn't want that? I know I sure do! I'd love to have the opportunity to take a break from this world for a little while... 

But i love you! 

Also! some good or scary news depending on how you look at it! I'm on my last belt loop! Anymore lost weight and i'm gonna be cuttin' holes in my belt like Christopher McCandles! Crazy!

 

And, also, I love you! Thanks for the night stick! I sleep with it! haha...

Love, 
Aidan

Luxury!

Lesson Learned...

April 10, 2017

Lesson learned: Fish CAN taste the way they smell. Blahh...  

Well, transfer news came... And just about everything has remained the same! Which is good! Same area, same companion, and we have all the same dawgs in the district, BUT we are gaining two more! Elder Harrott! Yes, the awesome guy from England who was in Chyulu with me, and a guy named Elder Ocheing! I haven't met elder Ocheing but I’m sure he’s a good guy.

Things over here are going well. Same old, same old. But as an update on a few things, we should be having a baptism for a chick named Mercy and a guy named Jim next week! Woot!

And as well, for those who are following the story of Pastor James, we have only met with him twice, so don’t be getting all over excited in your minds, but he accepted a baptismal date, which is pretty cool.

Another great thing that we had this week, was GC! That’s right! We got to watch General Conference! All the talks were just so flippin’ awesome. I especially liked the Argentine guy who talked about how confused he was when his wife rejected his marriage proposal, and how he thought he was "the whole package". That guy is awesome.

Everything else has been going pretty good though. I don’t have a lot to say, but we treated ourselves to a nice game of pool inside of this nice parlor that we found. It was just such a luxurious experience... I’m sure you will be able to tell from the pictures. Pretty crazy.

Elder Fraga

Paradise Lost