Week 83 (12/24/2012) - Christmas SKYPE!

Hey family!

How is everyone doing today? I love you all so much! So I was waiting a while for a computer today at the Stake Center and by the time I got one, everyone else was already almost done! haha so I have about 3 minutes to write because everyone is waiting for me to finish to lock up the church! haha but anyway, I just wanted to write you all really quick and tell you all that I love you! I love you all for your emails and support here on Christmas! I can't wait to talk to you all tomorrow! I hope that everyone is enjoying their Christmas Eve and that you are all thinking about Christ! I love you all so much!

I love you all so much for your love and support!!! I will tell you all more about my week tomorrow! Make sure you all write a few questions that I can answer! And make sure everyone is there - Derek and Paige, Britny and Luke if possible - I want to see everyone!

I love you all!!!!!!

Love,
Braden

Tuesday, December 25 - Christmas Day

We got to Skype Braden today for Christmas! He is doing so well and finishing strong. A few fun photos and things we learned: 

• He only has about 3 transfers left!
• He will most likely no longer be Branch President after a few weeks because there is a member in their area that just moved in that would be the perfect BP
• He loves to share the gospel
• Liz is a "legend" in Braden's mission for being the "perfect girlfriend"
• He realizes that he is a "weird" missionary
• It is bittersweet that he comes home so soon
• He is happy and well! 

Week 82 (12/17/2012) - A little Christmas Cheer - EFY, Fun, and Parties

Hey family!

How is everyone doing this fine December day?? haha

I love you all! Today I am sorry if my letter is a little short! We are writing early to be able to go to a place called Perquin, here in Morazon! A member has a house there that has like a ping pong table and an awesome kitchen and stuff! I think I sent a couple of pictures or something maybe about it? haha but anyway, 6 of us missionaries are going up there to enjoy a nice day and cook some food!!!!! WOOOOOO haha it will be fun! Also, this Wednesday, we will be with the President in San Salvador to have our Christmas party! So that will be fun too! But nothing compares to next Tuesday! Christmas! Yay! I will be on Skype in the morning at about 10 o'clock my time. I think it is about 9 o'clock over there...is that ok with everyone? I hope so! If not, let me know. I will be on the computer for P-day the day before Christmas.

Anyway, this week has been an awesome week! Today at 4:30am, all the youth of our branch went to EFY! That's a big thing here because it only happens every 3 years! So all the youth are so excited! We have been going to each of the youth's houses, getting them all excited and helping them get all their stuff together to pack because none of them ever do anything haha...but it was fun getting up early this morning and seeing all the youth so excited to go! They will all love it there! 

We are still working with the Familia Rosales! We still think that they will be baptized on the 25th! There are just a few challenges that they have still, but we will see! If not, it would be the weekend after that! They are awesome people! I love them!

I love you all! I hope that everyone is having an amazing Christmas season! It is truly an amazing time of year! I love it! Make sure you all read a lot about Christ this week in your studies! I love you all!

Stay close and keep the emails coming! I love you all!!!

Love,
Braden

Week 81 (12/10/2012) - Hola from Sunny El Salvador!

Hola Familia!

How is everyone doing!? I love you all! I hope that the snow is treating you all well! I saw in the pictures that dad sent me that there is a little bit of snow on the ground in front of the house dad is building! Cool!!

I am glad that everyone is doing well, though! Thanks for sending me all the emails and letters! I am excited to receive the packages in a week or so! (I will probably get them this next week when we have an activity with the President! Speaking of that, if I don't write on Monday, it's because I will write on Wednesday next week) but I love you all! I hope that you are all in the Christmas spirit and you are feeling Christ's love!

This is an amazing time of year! I remember that last year at this time, I didn't really feel the "Christmas Spirit," so to speak. I think it was mostly because I didn't understand the language! But this year I feel the difference! I love the feeling of Christmas! I really loved the Christmas Devotional a couple weeks ago! It's an amazing time of year and I love to serve at this time!

So, as for Skype I will be on it Christmas Morning, I'm still not sure of the exact time yet but I will let you know after I talk with my companion!

The reason that we will be having to Skype in the morning is because of a baptism! The Familia Rosales decided to not get baptized on the 22nd but to be baptized on the 25th! They wanted a day to remember so they definitely did a good job with that! It's going to be so cool! I will let you all know how it goes!

Apart from that, all is going well! I love it here! I have been learning lots and lots! Something cool happened this last week! We went to a member that lives about 20 minutes away from our house by bus and it was a place we had never visited before! We went to go talk to a few of the friends that he had out there, and as we walked up to each house, everyone recieved us with so much love! Each person, even though they didn't know us, dropped everything, set up some plastic lawn chairs (that's what they use here for furniture) and they all sat and listed to our message! Sometimes I have felt like a little mad at people here in this country for not listening, but as I went to this place and I talked to each of them, I felt again how truly humble and loving each of the people are here! It's amazing! I love it!

I love you all!!!

I hope that all is well up there in Utah!

Love,
Braden

Week 80 (12/3/2012) - Tarde Alegre and upcoming baptism!

Want a coke? haha

All the members at their activity!

A picture of 2 girls dancing at a branch activity we had (if you notice, one of them is Stefany! The baptism we had in September!)
 

Primary kids in their branch! 

Hola familia!

How is everyone doing today?? I hope that everyone is doing really well! It is all going well here in El Salvador! It sounds like things are getting cold down there this week! I hope that there is a lot of snow there! At least in the mountains! Are the ski resorts open yet? I really miss snow and skiing! I say that haha but as I get back, I am going to be dying with the cold! Hermana Glazier went back last May to her son's wedding and she said she was really cold there...and it was 75 degrees during the day! I wonder if you need to buy me a big parka! haha I can be like an Eskimo while all the rest of you guys are getting un-thawed from the winter! Speaking of parkas and stuff, do you guys still have my orange ski outfit? Don't sell it! haha

Anyway, this week has been great! We had a cool activity! They call it a "Tarde Alegre," which means "Happy Afternoon." It is basically a talent show from the branch! It was fun! there were a bunch of people that sang and danced. There was even an act thing that they did from a Spanish program that would be like the equivelant of Giligan's Island (like it is an old show that was really popular...it is called "El Chavo del 8") but it was fun! I attached some pictures!

Also, the Familia Rosales accepted to be baptized this month on the 22 of December! They are great! The Familia Abrego isn't getting baptized yet because of a paper that was expired, but we are going to do all we can to have them baptized before the end of the year! They are always in church and just love it there! I love the converts here! They are so strong and just love the church!

Anyway! I love you all a lot! I'm excited for the Christmas season! The devotional was great last night!! I love you all!!!

Love,
Braden

Week 79 (11/26/2012) - Thanksgiving and awesome investigators

A member's daughter that wanted to wash her pants in a river by herself haha people here wash their clothes by hand in the river when they don't have water in the house, and the little girl wanted to help! She's a cute girl!! haha 

"Two little girls! We are teaching their Mom!"

"Our Christmas Tree!" 

Thanksgiving Dinner!

Hola Familia!

Sounds like everyone had a good Thanksgiving! I bet it tasted awesome! I really do love Thanksgiving! There is so much food and good stuff to eat everywhere! I love food :) Here in El Salvador, we talked a family into making us food and they were going to make a genuine Thanksgiving dinner! But last minute, they canceled on us! But they said that instead, they were going to take us to eat in the best restaurant in town! It was a place like a Chili's, but the food was a little better! I sent a picture of my food! It was chicken and beef with shrimp (that's the two things on top if you were wondering what it was) and mashed potatoes! I LOVE MASHED POTATOES! So I decided that I really miss turkey, you will all have to have some turkey ready for me when I get home! and banana bread...MMMM I miss banana bread! haha

I love it here and it is going well!!! If all goes really well, then the Familia Abrego will be baptized this next weekend! I am so excited! We also have the Familia Rosales that wants to get baptized as well! (that's the family from San Marcos!) They came to church for the first time yesterday! I am so excited for them! I love it! Also, Miguel Angel is doing awesome! He is a priest now and is even leaving to visit investigators with us! I love him so much! He is such an awesome convert! I love it!

As for the work here, we are working hard! It is really hot in the day and it has been cold at night! (like 70 degrees haha) But I have to wear my long sweat pants from Lizzie to keep me warm!
But it is all doing really well! It is such a huge place here! There are so many people that have never heard of the church and it is awesome to tell everyone about it! I love it here and I love all of you!!!

So, this week we had a multi-zone meeting! But my companion was really, really sick and we couldn't go! I was super bummed haha I had to sit inside the house all day and read! I went crazy! haha I used to love to just hang out in a house (before my mission) but I seriously almost went crazy and we were only there until like 5! haha I went crazy! I was like exercising, just trying to find something to do! haha but it was all good! Now my companion is well! He is feeling better and we are working again! Love it!

Have fun for the holidays! I love you all!!! I promise I will tell you all lots of stories on Skype this Christmas! Think of a bunch of questions you can all ask me or something! You can make like a list or something and I can tell some stories!

I love you all!!! Stay close!!

Braden

Week 78 (11/19/2012) - Festivals, Snow, and Familias

Hola Familia!

Hi! How are you all? Is all going well up there in snowy Utah? I hope there is still snow! I love snow! If there isn't, keep praying for snow! Or at least pray that next year when I am home, there will be lots of snow so I can have a nice white Christmas! haha I love the weather here, though! This is the best time of year for weather! At this time of year, there is a lot of wind and the temperature drops at night! It is so nice to sleep when it's not 100 degrees! haha Woo!

But anyway, this week was a good week! There has been a HUGE festival here in Gotera! They have had celebrations every single day for the last 18 days! It ended yesterday and I was so glad! Every day, all day they set off loud fireworks and at night, they have really loud dances with music that is really, really bad! haha it's funny! But I am glad that I am able to sleep now! The music is so loud and goes until 1 or 2 in the morning! But it is all tranquilo (quiet) again!

So anyway, all is well with investigators! The Familia Rosales (the ones we found last week that lived close to my last area) are progressing! They are reading the Book of Mormon a lot and they are doing great! They haven't been able to go to church yet for problems they've had with health but they will be going this next week! They are great! Also, we've got the Familia Abrego... they have problems with papers still! Do you guys know anyone that is going to Honduras soon? haha just kidding! We need a miracle! Keep praying for them! Also, there is a little girl that is 13 that we are teaching as well! Her name is Maria and she is a twin! Guess what... her twin sister's name is also Maria! Why do you name twins the exact same name?! haha the sister is already baptized and we are teaching them both, they are doing well!

Anyways, love you all! Happy Thanksgiving this week! I hope you all eat some pumpkin pie for me! Pumpkin pie is not found in El Salvador! haha I love it, so eat lots of it! Anyway, enjoy your week! I love you all!!

Love,
Braden

Week 77 (11/12/12) - Baptism of Hermano Miguel Angel

Baptism of Familia Abrego

A sister in the branch, Hermana Noemy, with her daughter Maria. They are teaching the daughter because she isn't baptized yet.

Baptism of Hermano Miguel Angel

Just another cool sunset.

Hola familia!

How is everyone? I love you all so much! I am doing dandy here!! We had an awesome baptism this last weekend! Hermano Miguel Angel! WOOOOO I am so excited for him! He is the coolest guy ever! I attached a picture of his baptism here! I got to baptize him and it was really really cool! I love it when I get to do the baptisms! He has such a strong testimony of the gospel and especially about the authority and the priesthood! He studies a lot and does a lot to learn! He loves reading the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants! I love it!!

So anyway, I love hearing from all of you each p-day! I love hearing the news and how everyone is doing! Thanks for all the pictures this week! I love seeing you all and seeing that you are all doing so well!!!

So this week was really good! We had the baptisms like I already told you guys, but it was really cool! Another really cool thing happened this week! So we were looking for a referenece and we couldn't find the house, so we started knocking doors looking for the person. At one house, a lady had moved. I asked her if she knew where the person lived and she told me she didn't and that her and her family had recently moved there. I asked from where they came and she told me that it is from San Marcos! That is part of my old zone! So I told her that I lived there and I asked her if she had talked to missionaries before. She said no but that her husband had! So her husband came out and told us how about 12 years ago, he met the missionaries and that he LOVES the church! He has read the Book of Mormon and loves church but he could never get baptized because of his dad. So, we went into the house and started talking to him. He told us that his wife as well didn't like the church but that he really wanted him, his wife, and his daughter to go to church! So we gave him our phone number and said we would come back this week. Anyway, Saturday morning he called me up and asked if we could meet! We said that we had a baptism and that we would be busy but that he could come to the baptism. He said that something really good had happened, we asked what it was and he told us that his wife had decided to give the church a chance! He said that they would be coming to the baptism and that she wanted to see how it was there! And then the real miracle, they came to the baptism!!! WOOO it was so cool! They are so awesome and I love seeing them! They look so happy and just like a perfect couple! We will be going back to visit them tonight! YAY! Their names are Jorge (Dad, 28 years old), Maria (Mom, 27 years old), and Rut (Daughter, 7 years old). They are awesome!!!

Anyway, that was about all that happened this week! I am really excited to keep working and hopefully the Familia Abregos baptism will be this week or next week! It's going to be cool!!! Sorry I didn't write very much today but I hope that you all like the pictures!! I love you all so much!!!!

Stay close! Love you!!!

Love,
Braden

Week 76 (11/05/12) - Lots of good news and the beginning of the holidays!

Hey Everyone!

How is everyone today? I am glad to hear from you all this week! I love opening my email and getting lots of support and love!

That's so crazy that Rilee is leaving to go to Argentina! They speak cool down there! They have a different accent than us! They speak replacing the "y" and the "ll" sound with a "sh."Anyway, you probably don't understand but that is so cool! We are going to have a family reunion in a few years and we will all be speaking Spanish to eachother! Sweet...haha

So, that is so cool I am excited about all the changes that are happening in the family! Winter is almost here! Well, here it has stopped raining and it's just hot all day! haha WOOO! But that is so cool! I am excited for Thanksgiving and all the holidays! I love holidays! It's definitely not the same here away from family, but it is still so cool! I think that we are going to be making a turkey or something as a district for Thanksgiving! It will be cool! I will be able to talk on Skype this year again! I think I will do it on Christmas day this year! It will be on a tuesday!! WOO!!

This week we have been working hard! Miguel Angel is ready for baptism this next Saturday! He is so cool! He has progressed really fast and is really, really excited for his baptism! I will be sending pictures next week! Sorry I haven't sent pictures in a while! The computers I'm on don't have an SD port and I don't have a camera cable to change pictures but I will find a way to send the pictures of Hno. Miguel Angel!

So, this week was the Dia de Los Muertos! That is like Memorial Day here! Everyone goes to the cemetary to decorate the graves, put flowers, pictures, and the whole 9 yards! Haha it's funny how much they do! Some people go to their graves and sit by them all day long! haha how funny is that?! But anyway, as a branch, the youth and missionaries went to the cemetary and painted grave stones! (Here they are made of cement, instead of granite, so you have to paint them! haha) But anyway, it was really fun to go and to enjoy the service project! I loved it! Also, this week was Halloween! Woo!! That's so cool! I love Halloween! This year the Area Presidency called and told us that we had to stay inside after 7 o'clock (sometimes some weird things happen here because they don't celebrate trick or treating, they celebrate like witchcraft stuff..it's weird). So we came back to the house and we made corn on the cob (something rare here because its always off the cob and it was so good!) and we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and just talked for an hour or so! It was awesome! I loved it! It definitely wasn't like a party or anything but it was out of the normal! haha fun stuff!!

So anyway, I had a good week! We are working hard and we are happy! I love it here! I love you all! And I am excited to hear from you all next week!!!

Love,

Braden

Week 75 (10/29/2012) - Change for the better

Hola familia!

How is everyone doing?? I love you all! So this week, we had baptisms!!! WWOOOOOO!! Roxana, Mauricio, and Oswaldo were baptized this last Saturday and it was awesome!! I LOVED TO SEE THEM GET BAPTIZED!!! They were all baptized and it all went smoothly! I baptized Mauricio, Erick (a kid in our branch) and Roxana and my companion, Elder Fizgerald, baptized Oswaldo! It was really special!! After the baptism, we all came back into the service and Roxana and Mauricio shared their testimonies with us! Roxana told us about how she had made a huge change in her life. How she knew the church was true and she started crying a little bit even! She is not the type of person to cry but it was a really cool testimony! I loved it! Also Mauricio shared his testimony, Mauricio and his little brother Oswaldo have been waiting since April to get baptized! They have been waiting on the parents so that they can be baptized, but the parents gave permission for them to be baptized before them! They will be waiting for a few more weeks for their baptism! Mauricio also commented on how much they have changed! It's really a complete change in them, they have come from a family that has a lot of problems, problems of abuse and fighting but they have completely changed and it is awesome! I love it!

Also, I have a new companion this week! His name is Elder Fitzgerald! He is from Virginia and is like a giant bear! He is taller than me and weighs about 250 pounds! He's so huge! He reminds me of the guy off the King of Queens show that is sometimes on TV. If you don't know who I'm talking about, just ask Dylan, he´ll know! He's really funny and is ready to learn! He never thought he would be a Counselor in a branch on his mission! But we are learning together! I love him and he is great! I love being here! It's great to be here and to serve! I love it!

So anyway, this week has been a really good week! I hope all is well at home! keep working hard and remember to always be happy! God wants us to be happy and if we continue looking for him, we can find peace in every moment of our lives! The gospel is true! There is a quote from one of the prophets I don't know who it is haha but he said that, "As we accept the gospel and apply the Atonement in our lives, God promises us all the blessings of heaven." As we apply the gospel, live the commandments, and repent by applying the Atonement, we can recieve all the blessings that God has for us in this life and the life after. God gives us a chance to change. He loves us! And as we love him we can recieve guidance! I love the gospel! It's so cool!

So I promise you guys that I'm not too weird! haha I have gotten a few comments from people that have said that I am weird haha but I promise I haven't changed that much! I still love cooking and dancing in the kitchen!! :) Love you all!!!

Love,

Braden

Pictures!!! Our Branch President

We got some photos yesterday from a miembro in Braden's branch.

Branch President, Elder Woodfield

The baptism of Familia Abrego

Braden with his companion, Elder Fitzgerald

Week 74 (10/22/12) - A change for good

Hola familia!

¿Como están? Espero que todos estén bien! Les amo mucho y quiero decirselo!!

How are you all? It's been a great week here in El Salvador!!! I hope that everyone is doing well and that you are all enjoying the fall colors! So, guess what?! My companion has changes!!! How sad is that! We are going to be having a baptism this next week and then in the next couple weeks a few more baptisms! He'll be missing them all! But I am sure that he is going to be doing well in his new area! But all is well here in Morazan! We have been working hard to prepare the Familia Abrego for this next week: the three kids will be getting baptized, then the parents will be baptized next month! Miguel Angel is doing well also! He came to church yesterday and loved it! He came with his little 5 year old girl and she also loved church! We are starting to teach his family now as well! They live in another part of our area but they are starting! They are great!!

So, this week we had a lot of cool experiences! We have been working hard and talking to a lot of new people in our area!! We have had a lot of success and we are really happy! Something that I have noticed that I really love, is the power of testifying. I have found that as we live the gospel as God asks us to live it, we are able to change lives with our testimonies! In my patriarchal blessing, it talks about how as I share my testimony I can influence lives. But it also says that to be able to do that, I must live the gospel. I have been making a lot of changes in my life, I have been feeling the spirit guide me to come closer to do the right things, and as I follow the gospel, God allows me to help others. I feel that is the same with all of us. As we strive to live the gospel, and we get away from the little things that aren't right, we can help others and change lives! I loved the conference talks that mentioned this! I have been thinking a lot about the talk by Elder Bednar and Elder Holland and I really love it! I have learned a lot as I strive to "choose the right" haha...Wow, I sound like a primary kid talking or something haha but just stick with it, I promise I'm not too weird haha you all still love me, right?! haha I just love the gospel and how it changes lives! It has changed my life and I am excited to help others change as well!!!

Anyway, I love you all! Stay happy and keep working hard! I love all your emails each week! Thanks for all the updates and news that you always send us! I love you all!!!

Love,
Braden

Week 73 (10/15/2012) - Papusas, dry season, and success!

Stefany's (9) baptism 

Us and the Book of Mormon! We were waiting for a bus and a member took a picture of us :)

A cow got into our church!! haha I don't know how it got in, but we had to scare it out! haha where I am is a bit like the valley, there are cows in the streets sometimes and the people wear cowboy hats! haha

A little kid they called Billy that is one of the kids in the Abrego 

family! Everyone thinks he's crazy and a little devil, but I like him! haha  

 Dinner last night... :)

He made papusas!

Hola familia!!

How is everyone today?? I LOVED the pictures that you sent me Dad! It looks like the mountains are getting so pretty! I can't wait to see snow again! It sounds like everyone is doing pretty well up there! Is anyone getting ready for Christmas yet?? It doesn't even feel like it is October! Haha the weather here is the same as ever! The rain is beginning to stop for the year though. Really soon, it will be the dry season here and I will be wishing for more rain! Haha but it is supposedly (if that's how you spell that word haha) supposed to cool off a bit in December! Haha We'll see!! But its crazy being here! I love the branch and I am finally getting a hang of things here! We organized a temple visit this next weekend for all the members! We as missionaries can't go, but we organized it to be able to help them enjoy the temple that is here in their country!! It's crazy!! Many members that are endowed haven't been to the temple for 3 to 5 years! It is because we are so far away! Before the dedication of the temple here in El Salvador, the closest temple was about 10 hours away in Guatemala  And now its about 3 hours away here in San Salvador!

But anyway, all is good here! The Familia Abrego came to church this last week! Woo! We finally made a breakthrough with them! We set a baptismal date for the 27th of October for the kids! And then in Mid-October, the parents will be getting married so we set a baptismal date for the 29th of November! Woo! They are really excited and just stoked to keep going on! As for Hno. Miguel Angel, (by the way, I always write Hno./Hna. and I dont think that I have ever told you what it means! Haha but Hno/Hna. are the abreviations for brother and sister in English!) But anyway, Hno. Miguel Angel and Alfonzo didn't come to church this last sunday! We still don't know why, because we weren't able to go to their houses yet, but tonight we will go there! Haha but keep praying for them! They are awesome and always read the Book of Mormon! We are also starting to teach a ton of new people but we haven't taught them very much so I will tell you about the others a little bit in the future :) I love my area because it is so huge! It's like endless little cities that are just FULL of people that have NEVER heard about our church! It's awesome! Haha

But yep, all is good here!!! Just working lots and having lots of fun! I love you all!!!

But yep apart from that, just another great week in Morazan! I got my package from Lizzie today! Woo! :) haha I´ll write you all a little more later!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Love,
Braden

Week 72 (10/08/2012) - A great weekend of General Conference!

These are the baptisms from Los Alpes over the last few weeks! I tried sending them last week but they didn't work!

Love you all!!!

This is the baptism of Josue

This is the baptism of Rene - Elder Mehr (last companion) on the right

Hola Familia!!

How is everyone?! I love you all!! So, how was conference for everyone??!! I loved it!! I definitely learned a lot!! haha got a few "slaps in the face" too, if you will! haha it was all good though!

I hear the weather is steadily changing up there! Colder and colder, is it? Sounds awesome!! I think it was one degree hotter the other day! haha seriously, the temperature never changes here! It's always the same! haha. But anyway, all is good here! We had a good week! Worked hard! Everyone is happy and well!! We had several investigators come to church this last weekend! We had Hermano Miguel Angel that came and then also Alfonzo! They are two guys that live in different places but we found them both at about the same time! We have been working with them and visiting them for about 2 weeks! They both love reading the BOM and have been reading a lot! They are progressing really fast! Miguel Angel is about 40 and a little while ago separated from his wife but he has 2 daughters that he visits a lot! But he is great! We hope that we can teach his family as well!! He is great! Alfonzo is about 60 years old and he lives with his sister! He is also awesome! He has already read into Second Nephi and he has only been reading for a week! It's awesome!! I love it!! But then there is also the Familia Abrego! They are great! Some of them have a hard time coming to church on occasion so pray for them, but they are doing well!! The dad will be going to Honduras this next month to get the papers so they can be married and get baptized! They are great though! We may be baptizing the kids in two weeks though because the parents don't want us to wait to baptize them! haha so we may be doing that! but its all good still!

So, on to conference! I loved it! One of my favorite quotes was from M. Russell Ballard: "There is a power in our love for God and His children, and when that love turns to tangible acts of kindness, it will sweeten the world with hope and love." We are all like the little bee that he described. We cannot do it all alone but we must work together to help in everything. We can't hold pain alone, we can't help alone. We must work as a team to overcome struggles, to overcome pain, and to help others! If we do this we can become as the bees and have enough food together! I loved the analogy of the honey. Honey sustains life, honey is one of the substances in the world that can completely sustain and help us to survive. As well, if we work together, we can receive the equivilant of the honey in spirit life. The fruit that it talks about in 1Nephi 8. The only thing that can give us complete happiness and joy in this life! But we cannot do it together! Anyway, I really liked that!

Also I loved Elder Eyring. God does not place the pavilion, we put it there. I loved the story he shared about his daughter-in-law. She had been praying for years to have a child and then one day she decided that instead of asking for what she wanted she told God that she was going to give Him her life. She took off the pavillion that was keeping her from God and he recieved the blessings he was looking for! We all have our own types of pavillions. we need to look and find what they are, whether it be work, pride, personal desires and many other things, we can overcome it and find the blessings we are looking for! God is willing to bless us and help us and we must be willing to give ouselves to him to be able to do the things that he requires.

Anyway, I loved conference! God loves each of us! He loves us NO MATTER WHAT, and we can come closer to him through sincere efforts! I love the gospel! I love the oportunity I have to help and to serve! I know that everything happens for a reason. Remember that The spirit can only go TO the heart, it is our choice if we let it in! All the messages in the Conferences can be let in, but we must let it come in! I love the picture of Christ as he is knocking on a door and there is no door knob for him. We must let him in :)

I love you all!!

Stay strong! Stay close! But most importantly, stay close to the Lord!!

Love,

Braden

Week 71 (10/01/2012) - Birthdays, babies, and funny investigators. Oh, and a baptism.

Hey family! 

How is everyone?!

So, I seem to remember forgeting to tell Derek "Happy Birthday" in my email a few weeks ago! Sorry Derek! I hope that you got your little package and that you liked it! It's Chelsea from England, right?? haha anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! And also, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" Dad!! I love you!!! Will you be getting a wheel chair this year or are you still going along with the walker hehehe haha just kidding! I love you Dad! You are still the strongest Dad I know! You could still totally beat me in an arm wrestle!! haha I love you all!!!

Apart from that, I hope all is going well! I hear I am going to be an uncle again, eh? What will his name be? Send me pictures! I love you all! Go Britny and Luke! (I'm waiting for news from Kortnee and Dylan? haha where's the baby anouncment??? hahaha just kidding!!)

So, apart from that this has been a great week! Had another great Sunday yesterday full of interviews! We called a new Young Men's President! We are getting organized and it is great! To answer your questions, no my companion can't be in the office with me as I do interviews, there are specific rules to interviews as a missionary (for interviewing investigators and members alike). As I am doing the interview (especially if it is a woman or a child), my companion has to be right outside the door or at least within 15-20 feet. That way there aren't any false accusations or anything! Apparently this is how it works as well with bishops, they should never interview a woman or child alone. There should always be another priesthood holder there close by! I am learning so much about church administration reading the manuals! haha it's awesome! The Bishop's manual is the best! It talks about excommunication and tons of stuff that was kind of blurry to me before but now its all clear! It's awesome!

So apart from the branch we are working hard! We had a baptism Saturday! As I mentioned last week, her name is Stefani. She is 9 and is awesome! I got to baptize her, too! The first time in the baptismal font since March (the other baptisms were baptized by our bishop)! But it felt really good! I love baptizing! It's awesome!! But also with Hermano Miguel Angel, we put a baptismal date for the end of October! He's progressing pretty well! We also went contacting yesterday and found a lot of really good people! I will tell you all more about them when we go back and teach them in this next week!

Another thing... I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! I'm sorry to say but I am pretty sure my email next week will be just full of quotes and stuff haha make sure you all watch ALL the sessions! I LOVE CONFERENCE!!!!! It's just awesome!!

So funny story that happened yesterday! So this is to let everyone know how many different types of people you get to know! We were walking down a road at about 8:45 last night, and I knocked a door. I saw a hammock inside the house swinging so I knew there was someone in there awake, but they didn't stand up! so I knocked again and said "Hey, how are you?" No one answered, but I knew there was someone there so I knocked again and then I saw the guy standing up from the hammock, he came to the window to talk to me (that's something normal here, they don't open the door, they just talk to you through the window) But then I was like, "Hey, we are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and we are here to share a message about the gospel of Jesus Christ. What's your name?" And when I said that he didn't say anything he just started to close the window a little bit. Then I said, "We know its a little late, but we would like to come back some day this week?" He closed the window a little more. "I said uh..... Hola?" and he closed the window all the way. so I just said "Thanks hermano see you!" and walked away! haha it's just funny because on occasion you will meet people that just dont want to talk to you at all! haha I don't know if he was dumb (like can't speak) or something, but there were other people in the house talking and they could have come to talk to me too! haha but it was funny! I love contacting people! You meet some of the weirdest people! It's great!!

Anyway, that's all for this week! I love you all! Good luck with all the birthdays and babies coming! I love you all!!

Love,

Braden

Week 70 (09/24/2012) - Saludos de Gotera!!!

Hey everyone!

All is good here in sunny Gotera! It is really really hot haha...How is everyone up there in Utah?? All going well?? I got some letters today!! Woo!!! I've been waiting a while for letters! I don't know why they took so long to get here, but they are finally here! haha I got 3 from Lizzie and 1 from grandma! Thanks!!!

So this has been a great week! We have been working hard here in Gotera! It is a really fun branch and we have a lot of people that we are working with! It is definitely very different being the Branch President but it is good!! I have to give interviews and give advice to people that are way older then me! haha it's great! It is different because I am used to doing interviews with people that are non-members and ask me questions like, "Can I wear sleevless shirts in the church?" or "Now that I am going to be baptized, do I have to wear a skirt all the time? The bible says that I shouldn't wear men's clothing??" haha but now I am answering questions like, "How can I be closer to my husband/wife?" "Can I still take the sacrament?" and things like that! haha very different! But it is very good to work with all them!! I really do love it! It requires a lot of planning and stuff to be able to do the things with the branch and missionary work at the same time! I am still getting used to everything but it is going really well!

As far as investigators here, we have a family that they have been teaching here for a few months! They are the Familia Abrego! They are really cool, but they need to be married and they are waiting for some papers from Honduras! But it is good! They are just waiting for that! So pray that the papers come quick! We are also teaching a family that, as of a few weeks ago, were inactive! It's the Familia Munguia they are awesome and their daughter that is 9 is going to get baptized this next weekend! Yay!! Her name is Stefani and she is so cool! Her and her sister (who is 7) look so alike! haha I always confuse them!! I'm getting their names down! haha but its good! I will get you a picture this next week! We are also teaching a new guy named Miguel Angel! He is really cool! He is very receptive and reads what we leave! He will be going to church this next Sunday so pray for him!!

Also, yesterday, Josue Mendez from Los Alpes got baptized! Wooo!!! :) He is so cool! And the Familia Cañas will get baptized next week! I hope to get pictures soon to send them to you!!!

So this week we had an activity in the temple! All the investigators from the mission came to the temple to go to different stations and learn about the temple! It was really cool! It was really spiritual and as always I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE!!! Really, there is such a spirit there! After being here for so long, I don't really notice the discomfort as I am walking around on the streets, but as I walk onto the temple grounds, I just feel safe and peacful! I love to go to the temple and I love feeling the Spirit there!! Take advantage of the temple!! Go every week!! I love you all!!!

I love you all so much!! Keep praying for me and I feel each of your prayers! I love you so much!!! Stay close!!

Love,
Braden

Week 69 (09/17/2012) - Hola from hot Morazan!

An investigator, Hermano Marcos - Braden really likes his socks

New zone! Go San Miguel!! He will miss being a Zone Leader, but it's all good!

Mosquito nets to protect them from the mosquitos - woo!

This is where he lives in Morazan, it is hot and the streets look like St. George 

New comp walking through the streets to an investigators house!

Hey family!

How is it going up there in Utah?! haha Kortnee and Dylan got back this week, yeah?? Fun! I bet Mexico was way fun! But just so you kno, guards and police with machine guns and shotguns and rifles is a very, very normal thing! haha but don't worry! haha I was also pretty freaked out the first time I saw someone with one! haha I thought I was going to die! But no, totally normal! Now the funny thing is, when there are guys that have shot guns and their guns are so rusted over that I highly doubt they shoot! haha I hope that you enjoyed Mexico!!

But guess what?! I had cambios (changes)! I told you all last week that I was going to change and well, I changed! haha my new area is called San Francisco Gotera in the department (state) Morazan! But the cool part? The place I am serving at is a Branch instead of a ward! And this Branch doesn't have very many priesthood holders so, I am the Branch President! Now I realize that it probably doesn't make any sense... haha. Well anyway, here in the mission, there are 3 areas that the missionaries serve as the Branch President! A Branch President is basically a Bishop, but just over a smaller amount of people! So I am here serving as the "Bishop," so to speak, of about 60+ people! I am still serving as a missionary, working with investigators, knocking doors and all that, but now it is also my responsibility to interview the members for temple recommends, work with the budget of the branch, plan branch activities, call and release people into callings, and just do a whole bunch of other stuff! It's crazy! It is so fun though! The people in our branch are just amazing! They are all so loving and are really good! I am going through and organizing the Ward Council (Elders Quorum, Relief Society, Primary and YM and YW) and just getting to know everyone and the new area!! Also, I am no longer a zone leader (too much responsibility in the branch) so I'm not going to be working as much with missionaries now, but thats okay because I have so many other people to worry about! haha I love it!

The cool part about it all is, I have a really cool companion!! He is also serving in the ward as the Second Counselor to me and the President. His name is Elder Castillo (Castillo means castle haha) He is from Mexico! He lives in Puebla (a state in Mexico) and he is just awesome! He is really humble and just ready to work! He is amazing and helps me a lot in my duties! (like finances haha I have no clue how to deal with finances! Especially tithing haha) but it is really cool! We are doing great! We work hard and are ready to work even harder!

So, here in Morazan, we are close to a place called San Miguel, which is the hottest place in the entire country! We are in a place that is lower than sea level, and so there is always low/high pressure (I can't remember which one) so it is really, really hot! I feel like I am walking around in Saint George on a really, really hot summer day, and then you add humidity! haha I sweat so much! It's great! But on the bright side, my office in the church has air conditioning! haha so that's definitely a great break! :) But it's great! I love it here and just feel so excited to get to work! It is definitely a really great change! :) My area is HUGE! Like 4 hours from one end to the other! Apparently, I have a part of Honduras in my area as well! haha so that's awesome!

Anyway, all is well here! I am loving life and I love you all!! Keep working hard and doing all that you do! I love you all! Stay close!!

Love,
Braden

(Presidente Woodfield hehe just kidding)

Week 68 (09/10/2012) - Upcoming changes and lots of success and baptisms!

The whole Zone after last week's Multizone 

Elder Mehr and Elder Woodfield making tamales with Hermana Rosa Guadaloupe

Familia Mendez

Braden and Elder Mehr with a member family that makes them really good food! He is going to miss everyone!

Hey everyone!

How are you all doing??

So, crazy news! I have changes this week! This time I did find out a few days before, thank goodness! haha I will be changing areas this Wednesday but I don't know where I will be! It makes me kind of nervous but at the same time it is really good! I'm excited!

It sounds like everyone there is doing great! I hope that you are all happy and enjoying the fall weather! I miss trees that change colors! But at the same time I love how green the mountains are here!!

So this week has been a good one! I won't be around to see all the baptisms this month but I will be able to see pictures! This month, the Familia Cañas, Josue and maybe Rene will be baptized here in Los Alpes! And then all the other people we have been teaching will be for October! I am so excited about all the baptisms! There will be a lot of really good people going to church! This week, we had 12 people come to church! I am so excited about that!

So I want to tell you all a really funny story! So there is this guy in our area that works really close to our house. He is slightly crazy and speaks a little bit of English! Just to let you know a little bit about him, to say "hi" he yells "yes sir!!" haha he just does a lot of strange things! So anyway, yesterday we were walking up to the church and it was raining, and there was this drunk guy passed out laying in the rain, and this crazy guy was standing there with his hands in the air yelling (in Spanish) "Lazarus, rise! Come with me! Rise!" (lLzarus, like the New Testamant story) and the drunk guy was just mumbling and all mad because he was being bothered haha...Anyway... as I wrote that, I realized that it might not be very understandable! Anyway, just know that it was a really funny scene! Something that you would never see in Utah! Some drunk guy with a slightly crazy guy yelling at him haha it was great!

Haha anyway! So this week has been good! We had a lot of really good lessons! We taught Rene yesterday and he has really been progressing! He hasn't drank since last week and he is doing really good! He seemed REALLY happy! The ward members are really stepping in and helping him to feel welcome! It is awesome! He just looks so happy!!

Also, we have the Familia Mendez that is progressing really well!! Josue will be baptized in 2 weeks and his mom is going back to church! (She is already a member) but I just absolutely love missionary work! It is just awesome!!!

Anyway, apart from that, this week we've just been working hard! We have Elder Alameda from our zone with us again (we're in a trio again with him) because his companion went home to get a surgery! So we have been working with three missionaries again! Wow this last change has been crazy!! haha I love it!

I hope all is going well! I love you all and miss you all lots!! Stay happy! Stay strong! And keep reading your scriptures and going to church!!

Love,
Braden

Week 67 (09/03/2012) - Drunk guys and Chicas reunion

In front of a national landmark, the Salvador Del Mundo (Savior of the World) 

Elder Mehr and Braden

New shoes! Woo!!

Hey everyone!!

How are you all???

How is everyone?? I love you all! I am so jealous that the fall weather is heading in! That is so cool! I love fall! I only have to miss one more!! As for here, there have been some CRAZY lightening storms lately! They always come at night at like 930 10 oclock but it is crazy! They just strike all over the place! haha it's pretty cool!

It sounds like everyone has had a good week up there in Utah! All is going well!! For us here, it has been a good week as well!!! This last monday after writing, we went and got my shoes! I sent a picture, they are hushpuppies! I like them a lot! Also something really cool! On Monday, I was walking down the street to go get some food at KFC when I saw Raul Chicas walking toward me! He is the dad of the family that got baptized in March! I LOVED SEEING HIM!!! He is so happy! He called up his wife and I got to talk to her as well!! Apparently he has received the Melchizedek priesthood and is serving as the Second Counselor in the Sunday School Presidency! His wife is the Second Counselor in the Primary Presidency and the son is the Teachers Quorum President! Woo!!! He told me that they are preparing to be sealed in the temple this March! WOOOOOO!!! I am so excited!!

So that was a cool thing this week! Also, this last Tuesday, we had a cool multizone! We learned how to plan better and make goals! They taught how it isn't just a mission skill, but a life skill! I learned a lot and am changing a lot of things to be better at planning! Lizzie should be happy about that haha...

Other than that, we have been working hard this week! Oh! I had to go to immigration to become legal again! I am a legal Salvadoranion resident again! haha But as for our investigators this week, we have been teaching a new family! They aren't married haha but they are great! It is cool how we found them! There was a drunk guy that walked up to us on the street and said "I want to stop drinking!" (Elder Mehr afterward said "If I had a quarter for every time I heard that, I would be rich!" haha drunk guys tell us that all the time but they never change!) But anyway, we gave him a pamphlet about the WOW and we left him at that! Well, this saturday he finds us again, and said that he hasn't drunk in a week and that he wanted to come to church! Him and his wife came to church yesterday! It is cool! So we are teaching them now as well! Josue is progressing really well and will get baptized this month! Familia Canas (Candalaria, Rafael, and Denis) will also get baptized this month! But Rafael has problems with going to church and work - pray for him so he can overcome it and come to church! Thanks! As for Rene, he has been drinking lately.... keep praying for him to be able to stop drinking and to go to church! Thanks family!!!

Anyway, life is really good here!! I love it! Stay happy, everyone! Keep up the emails and the love! I love it!

Thanks everyone!!!!

I love you all!!

Braden

Week 66 (08/27/12) - lots and lots of investigators...and cool meetings

This is Familia Canas. They will be baptized in September!

Eating frozen yogurt...you don't find it very often there so Elder Woodfield had to take a picture!

This is a husky found in a member's home the other day. Her name is Loba. Braden lovessss huskies!

These next two pictures are from Braden's companion's (Elder Mehr's) girlfriend...too fun!

Braden and Elder Mehr eating Elotas!

Braden fell asleep after a long day..."spooning" his journal haha

Hola Familia!!!

How is everyone?? I love you all!! I hope that the fall weather is treating you all well!! Guess what??!!! The weather here is EXACTLY the same!! haha gotta love it! So, that seemed like a pretty cool fence there down the driveway! My first thought was "doesn't that make it too skinny for the boat?" But then I realized that we don't have the boat anymore! haha so all is good, right?? Looks good!!

All is well here! Just normal mission life!! Sounds like everyone is doing really well up there! I hope that everyone is happy and doing lots!

So this week has been really good! We found a cool family! We were hiking up this mountain, contacting a colonia when we found them! We knocked on the door and the Mom came to the door, she is an inactive member and has been inactive for about 8 years! Her husband and her son aren't members! She started crying when she told us that she had been praying for someone to come and help her family go to church! They are so awesome!! We started teaching the son (Josue) this last week and we met the dad, Gilberto, on Sunday! (He works all week long) but it was really cool! It definitely helped me know that the Lord's hand is in everything!! He really and truly is preparing his children to accept us! I loved it! The son will be baptized the 15th of September! We are still waiting on the Dad because he didn't go to church yesterday though. Pray for them!!

Also with Familia Canas, they are doing really well!! They are having a few problems coming to church, but they are progressing really well!! They have changed a lot and have really have recieved an answer to their prayers!!! I love to see changes like this!! It is awesome to be a missionary!!

Familia Lino still hasn't been able to go back to church because of his work!! We say that the Lord is blessing him with a lot of work so he will make money to pay for their wedding haha keep praying for them!

We are also teaching a guy named Rene! He is a golden investigator! This last Sunday, we told him we would be at his house at about 9:15 to pick him up for church, and as we were leaving the church building he showed up there asking us why we hadn't stopped by earlier haha he loves church and comes on his own! It is awesome when they come on their own, it doesn't happen often, normally they need outside help! haha it is great!!!

So I forgot to tell you all, but about 2 weeks ago, there was a 5.8 earthquake here! It didn't cause any damage or anything but it was really cool to be in one! I have never been in an earthquake before and it was so weird!! It felt like you are on one of those magic carpet sidewalk things at the airport but instead of going in one direction, you were going in all directions! haha it was cool though that's all I have to say!

Also yesterday, we had a meeting with all the Bishops in our stake and the Mission President! We presented a few parts of the church handbook on how to work better in missionary work at a ward level and stuff - it was fun! I kind of like meetings haha is that weird??

Anyway! I love you all!! Thank you all so much for all your emails and love!! I love getting them every week!! Keep them coming!! All  is good here!!

Love,
Braden