April 25 - Winter is Here

So there has been talk about a late winter this year.. but it looks like God knows better than meteorologists in a third world country :) winter has started :) this week we have had rain most every day- which means its only 80-90 degrees everyday. and at night it gets to like 75. I have to wear a jacket and blanket at night when its under 80... 

in other news.. Im sick again.. I have diahrea and intestinal tension again... so Im going to get anothr parasite check.. I had one 2 weeks ago, so maybe it didnt die or i got a new one... 

Anyways.-.. Jumping into my week :) 

Tuesday- It rained.. and I dont think its the rains fault, but all of our appointments fell. so we had... tnothing :P It was a great day though :) I felt good about the work we did. We also got a call from the old landlord of the sisters complaining that we needed to fix things... so we planned to replace the glass that morning. 

at night we found this cool guy named Marti. hes dope. He totally accepted a fecha and wants us to keep talking with him. Hes a cool guy.

Wednesday- We had our district meeting today :) Elder Meren asked me to teach, so I taught about keeping up passion for the work, and working through the hard times, becaue i think passion and stuff have been low. 

it was another day of plans falling... but still good :)

Thursday- not better... we helped the landlord of our house mix concrete and fill a hole for support beams so he can build a balcony between our house and the other elders.  We also made enchiladas for lunch :) 

Highlights of the day- We approached the door and yelled "buenas!!" and a lady watching tv looked over at us, and her husband came to the door, they saw us, and then resumed position in front of tv. Super rude xD rejections just make me laugh now.

second highlight... a dude smoking a cigarrette walked by us.. we were goin to contact him, but he pulled out his phone. I saw the screen. There was no phone call XD he just had the screen on to the lock screen xD tool. 

Friday- a good day. We had divisions and I went with Meren to his area :) they had some cool investigators and stuff :) theyre working hard 

Saturday- well... highlight of the day... we play soccer as a finding activity every saturday (lik 30 kids show up very saturday and we end up sharing a message at the end) It started raining during sccer this time... and... a lightning bolt fell! somewhere scarily close to the soccer field, and abve us it split into 2 and went around us. but both bolts fell within 50 feet. super scary. everybody came out alive. we stpped playing at that moment. 

Suday- well... walking to church at 845.. the branch president asked m to giv a talk xD so I gave a talk. my problem actually isnt preparing a talk.. its shortening it... especially if I dont have time to prepare it and be shorter. so my talk went longer than it should have. but its all good. 

We had a lesson with a cool guy named allan. he is a little.. sketchy but he wants to listen and change. 

we also talked to a family of a mom and her 3 daughters :) that was a ctually a super cool lesson. we put a fecha with 2 of them :) 

Monday- well... we got permission to go to... Cerro Punta :) so I have some dope photos :)

but anyways.. things are looking up. trunkiness is normal at this stage.. but havig psotive investigators helps SO MUCH.Working hard and things are going well :) I love you all! have a great week, and remembr the Lord in all things!

Elder Bradburn

April 18 - Hitting the Pavement

well.. as the title states, we hit the pavement this week :) Not that we werent before, but I have really good with how hard we worked- even though we didnt see ALL The success we wanted, we had a great week and I feel good :) thigns are going great and we have been seeing miracles :) 

Tuesday- We had a zone meeting. It went pretty well :) We started divisions with Elder Moran and Elder Irias afterwards :) I had a great day with Elder Moran. We kind of ended up walking most of the day, but it was alright :) we found a nwe part of the area that Ive never been too, and adventured and conracted because the few lessons we had fell through. That night, we talked with Anothony, and he promised he would go to church (he didnt come, BTW) and then I had a GREAT burger for dinner :) 

wednesday- We fixed up the sisters old house because the old landlord was pissed with some of the stuff that was broken (most not our fault.. but to be good people we fixed it) and our landlord helped us fix a bunch of the stuff for the other house :) After, we went looking for Juan Carlos, but never found him. We totally got lost and didnt find him.. but we contacted abunch :) That night we cooked and had a family home evening with valory and lenny and their mom :) 

Thursday- we went early to help our landlord mix concrete and stuff to make a foundation for the second floor of a house on his farm :) progress is going quite well. We did weekly planning and studied after we got home.

It started POURING rain on us... we walked down to Itzels house, but she rejected us and made us talk to her dad.. who talks a lot and has some issues... but I think we had a good lesson with him :) I hope he progresses. Hes chritian, doesnt believe in the bible, but believes in reincarnation. 

We contacted another house, and while talking with a man out front, a teenager that I TOTALLY recognized walked out the house. The grandma of a family just died, so there is abunch of fmaily from all over in town. There was a family there that I know from Chorrera :) she asked for a blessing. It was a cool moment (and she gave us iced tea to drink.. but we didnt realize until after we drank it...)

We also had a campfire family home evening with a couple members and an investigator (english speakers only... 2 fluent latins, 1 gringo, 2 gringo missionaries, and 1 latin who is studying english) and it went pretty well :) 

Friday- Today was a dope day :) We walked way down to Bugabita abajo to teach a sweet lesson with a sweet catholic lady :) I think she is kind of positive, but I dont think its going to be her time yet to get baptized. 

It started pouring rain so we had to take a taxi to get our umbrellas fgrom the house...  

Totsch is starting to make me super trunky talking about marriage and stuff all the time xD im excited to get married.

Saturday- We had lunch by the house at 130.. so we walked super far, got lost, and walked back to lunch xD it was fun xD we got some contacts in though :) not a ton of positive people.. but is all good. gotta love getting lost in the backroads. 

We went looking for some appointments we had, and several fell (we think they were there and lied about not being the person... We had a cool lesson with a lady who we hadnt talked to before, but the lady wasnt home so she wanted to listen :) she basically  kept trying to terach over us but we finally got her tobe quiet and listen :) she lives super far away.. there are no missionaries that far :/ 

We had a lesson with Valory to invite her to baptism, but she said no :/ because she has some personal problems she cant tell us about.. so we are trying to gain her confidence and teach her that she can always repent and change and that obeying the commandments will make her happier :) 

We had a sick lesson with the kid from the campfire :) this time we swpoke spanish so he could understand and really focused on him. We taught him lesson 1. He is golden, and super interested. only problem... he has university EVERY SUNDAY FROM 8am until 2pm... dang it :( maybe it isnt his time... but maybe we can get him to drop out :P 

I also burned my 18 month páir of pants :) 

Sunday- We had church and stuff that was cool :) I love sundays :) Although, all of our lessons fell,We had a great lesson with an investigator that Ive gotten alog iwth really well :) his wife is mormon, but he is hardcore adventist, and wont let the kids go to mormon churchuntil they are 18 and can make the decision themselves.  but we are working on that :) they made us dinner.

Also... we have totally gained the confidence of President romans family :) I love that family soo much :) they are great people. We have helped solve a few.. problems in the branch :) and with their family. so things are going really well here :) 

I love things here!!! I had talked with president carmack about me staying here to finish my mission, and he said it was very possible, but it is the next mission presidents decision, so we will seewhat happens! I think these coming changes will effct that a lot... so on may  9th ill know if i might die here or not... But I hope I do :) asking the Lord, but in the end I want to do whatver he wnats most for me :) 

anways :) thats where we are at for today :) sorry I dont have more time to write a little more.. but I love yall

April 11 - Miracles, Rocks and Parasites

Well.. this week has been great.. it has consisted of.. well... Miracles, rocks, and parasites :) all things that a good week on the mission needs :) As im sure you are all curious how these things all fit together... cue theme music...

Tuesday- Well.. we had planned to leave with Carlos Senn, and we though he would show us like a ton of less actives and stuff... which didnt happen.. but we filled the time finding a few people he knew, and some members who need some extra help :) We also had a great family home evening with the Bugante family about missionary work and why we need the members so much to help us. It was great- that family has already helped us a ton :)

Wednesday- It was kind... in ponga pues. It wasnt the best WORK day ever.. we had consejos. Which are great and all, but it kills most of our day from the area.. but its all good :) we spent the rest of the day contacting and setting family home evenings with members and less actives :) 

at 8:50 at night we were walking home (we have to be home at 9, unless a lesson runs late, at the latest 9:30) and a taxi pulls up and tells us "hey. I have a kid for you to talk to. Get in the taxi" and well.. we both felt ok with it so we got in. turns out that it was just a kid that really wants to learn english and practice, so his dad found 2 gringos walking home one night xD but its great because the kid is now a positive investigator.

Thursday- We went with San Jorge to his farm to help him dig some holes to build a two story floor :) it was super fun. We had another great day of working hard and stuff. Although we got stood up by several investigators that we knew were home... but oh well :) 

Friday- We had interviews with president carmack..which was GREAT!! I love talking with him. Also... I was feeling bad, and my comp took a parasite test, and came positive, so I decided to take one while waiting for president (being zone leaders we are held till last) and i came back positive too xD soo... that explains why ive been having cramps and stuff xD 

Saturday... We did divisions with Elder Meren and Lau :) I went with Lau. It was a great day :) We finished the day of in a family home evening.. thats when the Lord threw a rock at me. I feel like the lord has been throwing little pebbles at me asking me to work with members... or do little things for the members, andguiding me. But in that family home evening, he threw the whole rock at me. My eyes were opened to how much potential this branch has, and how much better things will be if I continue working with the members like im doing :) super exciting :) 

Sundy - We had a super busy day set up for today :) But it went GREAT :) we had a couple of investigators fall, but some other positives, and a bunch of future investigators that we contancted :) I swsera theLord just keeps HANDING people to us. I dont think any of our investigators have really been found by us,... the lord just has us in the right place at the right time for people to talk with us :) 

Anyways! thats why my week went :) Things are going great here, and Im looking forward for the coming week.l Although my time passes by WAY too wquicfkly, I love being here and Im so greatful for the time that I have to serve the Lord :)

love yall!

April 4

Well... Im not going to jump ahead... youre going to have to read the whole thing to figure out what miracles my week contains :)

Alright... starting off... I told everyone that I had changes!! Elder Totsch would come to be with me... and.... well. He came. He got here tuesday afternoon! and Carrillo left Tuesday night. So tuesday was really just a day of hellos and goodbyes.  We also helped the sisters move their house :) 

Wednesday- Elder Lau came and brought me a package, and we had our Zone Meeting. Me and Totsch feel that we need to focus on the members and working with the members... (something that Ive been itching to do here for a while) and so we started the change off with a new initiative for the zone... Everybody needs to have 7 lessons taught to active members every week.. to help strengthen the branch, our relationship with the branch, and to get refferrals. So that is what we focused on with the zone. We spent the day ( because I was sick) cleaning up the house, sweeping, mopping, etc :) so now we have a clean house.

Thursday- we had to plan for the week ahead, and the change, but then with the time left, we went and visited some people.. We went to do the first thing we had taught the zone- we went to find some members to set up family home evenings with. We got 4 family home evenings set up, and with like 3 or 4 referrals, and were able to teach a couple of lessons to the neighbors that live nearby :) I think this will be good.. It seems as if nobody has tried to work with the members here before..

we finished the night off with a famiy home evening at our branch presidents house :) it went pretty well. I really like our branch president.  we taught a lesson about relying on Christ and letting him be the center of our lives. 

Friday- well.. we had an appointment with the angry landlord of the sisters old house... so we went to have a meeting there with her (we jogged there) and we have to replace a few things in the house... but its all good. itll be fun replacing things :)

We spent the day walking a TON, but got what work we could done. The highlight, is that we had a lesson with the santo family ( a super cool recent convert family)

Saturday- well... CONFERENCE!!! conference was amazing :) My favorite talk of like ALL TIME was Elder Nelsons from Priesthood session... I think we as members took a lot of machetes.. there were a lot of talks about how we all need to shape up.. sounds like we are in the last days.. The home is no longer a place of refuge- The world has found its way in through cell phones and the internet.

well.. that was our whole day...

sunday- Sunday was super cool :) another amazing day of conference :) afterwards, we went to go have a family home evening, but the family wasnt about to do it. so we visited a few of the referrals that we had gotten, and I think those lessons went really well. the Lord has been preparing these people for a while. LAter, we found a less active kid who is super super positive- he went inactive over some youth girl drama.. but he says he will come to church on sunday :) that kid is super cool.

Later, we went to go talk to Carlos :) Basically... upon expressing our desire to leave with him.. He cleared his entire schedule on tuesday to be able to take us all day to meet less actives and friends of his.. super excited!!

Monday- well.. this morning we went to pricemart of buy food in bulk... I love pricemart :)

anyways.. that was more or less everything that happened to me this week :) Im a little short on time (trying to download all the conference talks from this weekend) so I love you all! Im greatful for this church, and for the modern day revelation that we recieve through apstles and prophets of the Lord on the earth today!

HAve a great week!

March 28

well... just like the title says.. Its been a week full of illness. me and two other elders in the house have been taking turns being sick. its been an insane week xD Its also been the last week of the change :) changes should be reported today.. hopefully before I finish in internet ill be able to update this email with the changes...

anyways.. starting with my week :) 

Tuesday- We had a district meeting and an Elder Quintanilla goodbye party... it was the last time the whole zone would be together in one place so we said goodbye to Quinta.. it was actually really cool... but scared me a little in how close the end of the mission is... What must it feel like to be on his end of the goodbye party? Learning how he feels is closer than i would like it to be... The day then turned into an administrative day.. We had to print off some things and meet the sisters landlord again and a whole bunch of other stuff... we got done what we could though. 

Wednesday- Things have been getting a little... uhhh.. tight I guess? with changes coming up we are all having anxiety about getting split up I think.. I dont know how else to explain it :P Meren got upset with his companion and asked for emergency divisions.. so we did some divisions to give them both a break.. I think it was good. It was something needed for all of us, switching up the commpanionships a little bit for a day. 

Thursday... well my companion got the flu.. so we got stuck in the house :P 

Friday... Stuck in the house. But I got to go to a service activity for a member with Elder Alan :) that was super fun. and then in the house again xD 

Saturday... stuck in the house because Carrillo ws still sick and the nurses ordered another day of rest. I spent the day helping the Landlord fix things up aroud the property

Sunday- Well.. We went to church... and then I came down with diahrea and stomach pain. sucks :P Sooo... me and Meren stayed in the house together because he as well has diahrea and stomach pain xD we keep getting each other sick. We all just kind of take turns. I also took the oportunity to start making Better than... Sex cake for the goodbye party. 

monday- still not feeling well. We went up to the Landlords farm space to help burn trash and to see his property.. it was really pretty :)

Well... I still dont have changes yet so I guess yall will have to wait till next week to see if things have changed... one of the 4 elders of our house for sure is going to leave. So things will be different. Im just excited to see where the mission will take me next. This week (because Im about to complete 18 months in the mission) Ive been take count of the last 3/4 of my mission, and figuring out all the things I should have done better, so that I can put goals and improve myself a lot more for the last 1/4th. I want to be the best ever for these next 5 months. I want to make this time more dedicated to the Lord than it has been.. let him work more through me. This week is changes.... Itll be the CHANGE of my mission- not just companion. (if he even leaves)

everybody, keep on keepin on. Give it your all, no matter what you are doing. Be the best that you can be, and listen to the Lord. We all have a spectacular oportunity to listne to the Lords prohpets and apostles this wekend. I encourage everyone to attend or to listen to conference in the chapel, or in your homes, or whever you might find yourself. 

Love yall! have a great week!