March 21

its been.. well. Like the name says, a strange week. 

Tuesday, I had to go to the city for immigrations. Since I was in San Blas, I wasnt able to get my residential ID, so they waited till my old one expired xD So we got on a 6am bus and got to airraijan to visit a family my comp knows, and they made us dinner :) we got to the city at like 9...

wednesday- well.... Immigrations. We got there at like 8am. It was nice to see all my friends again :) Broadhead. young, etc :) I was the oldest missioanry there for purpose of immigrations xD freak. Blas messed me up. It was a good day. We were going to go to the temple as well, but satan being satan.. held us back with traffic and we missed our session :/ 

Thursday- well... we took an 11pm bus last night and got here at 5 am.. and when i woke up at 9... I had pain in my throat... and upon checking... I was sure i had strep. so i went to the doc... he ordered a day of rest and 3 days of shots. crap. Elder Meren also had strep.. so we hung out together all day.

Friday- Well.. we kind of started saying goodbye to people with my comp... if he has changes he will leave in a little over a week, and some of our investigators work 1 week on and 1 off.. so it was his last chance to see some of them. at 5pm.. we went to help the sisters sign the contract for their new house :) their new house is super pretty 

Saturday- There was a service this morning, and me and Meren didnt feel well enough to go. so... carrillo and alan went ahead, and me and meren got our shots, and then spent another day working together. we talked to a couple of investigators, and we went and talked to our branch president. The first time we have been able to visit him in his house. My goal for the next change is to focus on the members... we cant do anything if we dont have the help of the members. yall are more important in each area than the missionaries are. Our Landlord also made us Kabobs and hot dogs for dinner, and MADE a ping pong table and we had a ping pong night with him xD it was super fun. 

Sunday- It was... a decent day. I wasnt feeling well so we only stayed for Sacrament and stunday school... one of the members told me they didnt want me getting everyone ssick :P so we went home and rested before we went to lunch. We went to lunch with Hno. Guerra. it was cool :) that family doesnt like the missionaries much but im trying to gain their confidence :) Later, there was a family history activity in the church that the asked for our help in, because I had expereince indexing. however... they didnt really need our help so it was kind of a waste of time. but oh well :)

Monday- We went to go print photos and spend some time with the elders who live with us.. it was pretty cool.  Its been a good day:)

But those are the experiences of my week. Things are craqzy, but Im doing the best that I can do given the circumstances. Im on the home run stretch, and I want to run in well- home plate is the one that you cant steal in baseball.. I need to run this one better than the rest- I cant just jog in. I need to sprint to the end- even though im tired. its like the lat leg of a race. youre tired, but the pace you keep in the end is more important than what you put in in the beginning. The lord is carrying me through, and im working hard for him. Trying to do everything to the best of my ability- I good principal to apply for the rest of my life- Finish what you start, and do the best that you can ALWAYS. Im thankful to be a missioanry :) Im thankful to serve the Lord, and Im looking forward to seeing what the lord has in store for the last leg of my mission

Talk to yall next week!

Elder Bradburn

Baboon

March 14

well... I think the title of this email basically summarizes my week this week. the life of a zone leader is definitely stressful. although Im glad to be able to serve and help the missionaries in my zone- even though im not the best, i do my best. 

Lets start of the summary of my week-

Tuesday- well.. we had district meeting.. which started late.. as always.  and then afterwards, the sisters needed help with their house. soooo.... we went to their house. They have been having problems with their landlord so theyre going to move out... so we helped them talk to their landlord and get everything figured out. we also took a mattress from their house (they had an extra) but.-.. we had to carry it home. so we carried it like 20 minutes xD we took a video xD I went on divisions with Elder Irias. we werent able to get much done because most of the day was over but.. oh well. we visited one family and we talked to some members. 

Wednesday- Zone Conference!!! President Carmack came :) it was great. afterwards, president promised me an interview. but... I had to wait till 6pm for the interview, an then its 45 minutes in bus to get back home... so we lost another day but I got to have an interview with president :) He interviews all the missionaries every 3 months, but I havent been interviewed sine October becaue I was in Blas. but talking to president helped me a lot :) 

after, we had to help the sisters with their house. AGAIN. We also gave a sister a blessing  because she has to go home early for health, so she wanted a blessing. aand that ended our day. 

Thursday- We did weekly planning. which killed a huge chunk of time as well. We had a lesson with the Cortez family. we got there at 6. it was kind of... interesting. the womans mom came and she started telling us like that she couldnt read the BOM or anything unless she had permission from her pastor.. and we just talked circles for hours. We were stuck because they also happen to feed us dinner :P it was one of the most frustrating lessons of my misión. but it was alright. they a great fcamily- as you can see by the fact that they arent even members and give us dinner. 

Friday- well. today... all of our appointments fell, and it was 105 degrees and we were tired and frustrated. so we sat and talked for a while. at 4pm, we had an appointment with the landlord of the house the sisters want to move into, to approve the house. it took like 1 hour to walk over there, and the landlord was late. 

after, we went down to contact out a part of our área. it went pretty well, but nothing impressive of great really happened. 

Saturday- It was a decent day. we went to lunch and there was a liquidation sale next door, so we stoped by real quick to see what they had. I bought a bowflex scale, and clock with thermometer, and a measuring cup set (the only thing that has been holding me back from cooking) 

after, we went to talk to valory and lenny :) there mom (less active) decided to join us today :) which cool and nice. I cold tell by the look in her eyes and talking with her that she really misses coming to church. has to work on sundays. 

afwards, we went to play soccer at the chapel with a group of investigators that have been coming. This time we had like 15 investigators show up! it was great :) we taught a lesson at the end and everything. 

that night, with my new measuring cups, I made no bake cookies :) 

Sunday- well... due to the clock with thermometer... I discovered that when I wake up freezing cold at night, its 80 degrees Fahrenheit... im going to die in the states. 

church went really well :) I got to bless the sacrament :) I love doing that. 

after church we went to Virginia 4... but.. well.. there was no success there. our only lesson was with a family of members (the wife is less active for health problem) she was having some anti missionary feelings, so im glad we were able to go. She was getting mad at me for things past missionaries have done and calling is children.. so I interrupted her and asked if we could sing and say a prayer and keep talking. In the hymn she started crying and things were calm afterwards. I appologized for the past mistakes of missionaries, and promised her I would be true to my Word and do the best I could in my time here, and then we shared a message with them, and it ended really well.

Monday- well. this morning we went to  the Border of costa rica. which was sweet. but hey they are closing internet so im going to start sending potos now. Love yall! Thanks for keeping up with my crazy life :)

-Elder Bradburn

-El Fulo (the light skinned one)

March 7

Well... nothing particularly special happened this week. we went to volcan for pday (ill talk more about that later) and that was really the only special thing.. OH we also had mission leadership council on wednesday:)

Tuesday- the highlight of tuesday was our lesson with Valory. Shes progressing very well, and is going to get patized in 2 weeks with her little brother. (shes 18 andhes 14) In the lesson she called my companion fat like 3 times xD so Carrillo has decided to put us on a diet xD poor guy. 

wednesday-  well.. wednesday was consejos... so we basically lost our whole day to that :P we had to be in the David chapel (40 minutes away)  at 9am, and it didnt end till like 2, and then lunch and clean up after that. but oh well :P Consejos was good. They hit obedience hard, as we are having some struggles right now in the mission. 

Thursday- We had a Zone Meeting to talk about Consejos. It went pretty well :P I talked about obedience 

friday- xWe had a sister missionary that was sick so she asked us to accompany her to the hospitalin David. we lost a huge chunk of the day, but I think we supported her pretty well. so it wasnt a waste of time. 

Saturday- we had a service with an investigator :) we helped mix concrete and pour it for adriveway. super hardwork but super fun :) it was great. 

Sunday- Sunday was a good day :) we had a really cool broadcast forcentreal america that was really good :) although i left my agenda in the bunker (the place where theccomputer is, and we dont have the key) so thats why7 im not able to be so detailed in this email xD 

We went to Volcan to do a branch rfescue (visit all the lesss actives and stuff there) and it went well :) volcan is super cold! I had to wear a hoodie for the first time in mymission while walking around outside. super  crazy! 

Monday- we had out pday in volcan (we spent the night) and played soccer all day together :) supert fun. 

Tonight we have a lessson anddinner :)

well. Im doing really well :) things are going well here, and always getting better :) Im exciting to see what happens the last 6 months of my mission, the last 6 months I want to be proud of. Im trying me best to be the best that I can for the Lord :) 

 thats basically my week this week. orry im running out of time! Love yall! talk to yall next week

February 29

Well... officially another week has disappeared. the time that I have left is being shortened as every week passes. I think I go to bed and wake up the next week. I can count on one hand how many changes I have left, and I dont like that. But what can I do? Take advantage of every day more that I have. Do my best to be a good missionary and represent the Lord the best that I can. 

well lets start my week:

Tuesday-  last week my comp went to Costa Rica for visa issues (he had to leave the country and restamp his visa) So Elders Zamudio (close friend of mine) and Almendarez came to be my companions (and also came for District Metting) but ya :) we also had our district meeting from Elder Alan, which went well.

Later, I spent the day getting lost in my area withZamudio and Almendarez.. we got almost no work done... but on the bright side... i know how to get around my area without my companion xD

Wednesday- We had our first Zone Meeting :) it went pretty well. I taught the zoneabout the importance of short and powerful lessons, and the elements of success as a missionary (5 elements that president  carmack taught the zone leaders a few months ago). It went really well :) I had two missionaries try to teach the entire Restoration in less than 5 minutes- a practice that I like because you start to realize which information is important, and which information can be taken out- There is a lot of fluff that will just confuse the investigator and put too much information in their head. 

Not to be full of myself, but Im trying very hard to be obedient and a good example- there are 12 other missionaries that are looking to me to put the example and show them how to do things... its a lot of pressure.

That night, we had a ward family home evening at the church with the ward :) it was pretty fun :)

Thursday- We had a mission leadership meeting in David :) it was actually really cool. everybody who is a ZL or a DL or a sister training leader in the whole interior showed up. So I got to seeSharp (from Blas) and my excomp Elder Mejia (chorrera) again :) it was super cool :) and that basically killed our whole day... 

Friday- We did weekly planning in the morning, and that went well. I got a better knowledge of the area in that time. 

it was a decent day.. our lessons could still use some shortening. I dont likebeing in the same lesson for an hour (PMG says 45 minutes at the longest).

We had a good lesson with Valory and Lenny... it was a little bit of a machete. We havebeen teaching them for several weeks, and theyhavent read or gone to church (she is 18 and he is 14) and they say they want to get closer to God.. so we kind of layed it all down for them- they wont get closer to God just because we are teaching them- they need to read and come to church.

Sautrday- We had a SERVICE with theElders of centro. Bagels I miss manual labor- that was the cool part of blas. We hlped people in their farm like 3 days outof everyweek. We helped a guy dig a trash hole and role huge stones out of his yard :) and they made us breakfast before, and lunch after :) cool people. afterwards, Carrillo and alan were wasted so they took a nap, and then we had soccer at the church at 4. we had like 10 investigaors show up :) super cool :) although i injured my hip in a fall.

Sunday- well we went at 830 in taxi to pick up valory and lenny to bring them to church :) they were ready and came! so that went really really well :) third hour we eneded up having to teach them serperately, to resolve some questions they had. but it ws great.

we didnt have lunch so we went home with the other elders sto make some lunch. I ended up taking a nap because my hip was bothering me from walking around all day. that night, the 4 elders from puerto came, because they had to spend pday with us. so we set up dinner appointments and everythyihng :)

Monday- well.. me and carrillo got up at 5 to exercise like normal, nd at 645 we went all 8 of us to go playsoccer at the church :) super fun. 

another highlight... Ive been having issues sleeping in the bed.. so I talked with the landlord about bputting in hooks for my hammock- so we installed that last night :) we had to literally MAKE one of the hooks with rebar and a saudering iron and a huge srew xD but it works. i slept like a baby.

another highlight... i have 9 blisters xD basically any common place to have ablister, I have one there. PLUS one on top of my foot (from wearing shoes again)

anyways :) its been a great week, and I hope this week is even better. im doing my best to be the best I can, and to be as obedient as possible. Its interesting how being around disobedient people can kind of put a drag on you...

Anyways :) Tings are going great :) Im ejoying the mission, and serving the Lord the best way i know how. Although sometimes its.. very noticeable to me that im not perfect and I have a lot of room to improve. A lot of improvemtn to be the kind of missionary the Lord wants me to be. But im going to keep fighting to be better. So I invite all of you to obey the commondments of our Heavenly Father, and be the best youcan- we cant be perfect in this life, but we can do the best we can. 

I love all of you, and im greatful for those of you who keep reading my emails and blog :) take care this week!

Elder Bradburn

Baboon