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
Monday, November 26, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Week 77 (11/12/12) - Baptism of Hermano Miguel Angel
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| Baptism of Familia Abrego |
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| A sister in the branch, Hermana Noemy, with her daughter Maria. They are teaching the daughter because she isn't baptized yet. |
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| Baptism of Hermano Miguel Angel |
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| 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
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
Monday, November 5, 2012
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,
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
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
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!!!
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
Monday, October 29, 2012
Pictures!!! Our Branch President
We got some photos yesterday from a miembro in Braden's branch.
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| Branch President, Elder Woodfield |
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| The baptism of Familia Abrego |
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| Braden with his companion, Elder Fitzgerald |
Monday, October 22, 2012
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
¿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
Monday, October 15, 2012
Week 73 (10/15/2012) - Papusas, dry season, and success!
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| Stefany's (9) baptism |
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| Us and the Book of Mormon! We were waiting for a bus and a member took a picture of us :) |
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| 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 |
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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
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Dinner last night... :)
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| 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
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