Photo update - end of August 2016

August 8 - The Beginning of the End

Well.. I think I can safely say that this is the beginning of the end. It doesnt feel like ive made it this far, but I have. Im going to finish strong. Im going to work as hard as I can. Im going to pass the finish line sprinting. 

My companion is Elder Duron. He is a brand new missionary, I went to go pick him up from "greenie" orientation on tuesday. Hes 26 years old, finished his degree in computer engineering, and worked for 2 years before deciding to come on a mission. Hes a really great kid. He has a desire to work, and a desire to be obedient. This past week we have been "hechando fuego" or in english... Throwing fire? Burning it up? something like that. Basically, we are working really hard. 

Lets go over the week...

Tuesday- I went to go pick up Elder Duron at 12 at presidents house. We are 8 or 9 trainers... All the trainers have like 4, or 5, or 6 months. When I walked in, everybody asked how much time I have. uhhh... 23 months. and all the sudden attention focused on me. Why does me leaving attract so much attention? for that reason I try to lie most of the time xD  

We left after orientation to come home at like 7. So we didnt do anything that night... we went home and ate dinner, and unpacked a bit.

Wednesday- The fire ignites. We started working well, in the morning. We got stuck in a zone meeting at 3pm, but the zls got there at 4 (they called me and asked me to start their meeting for them xD here i am thinking i didnt have responsibilities like that anymore)  and it ended super late. .... so... restart for thursday.

Thursday- yesterday was like when you first light a match, it hasnt quite lit all the way, and you have to let it catch better. Today is the day that it actually got well lit xD 

a kid named leo came out to work with us in the afternoon, to show us a few things in the area, and helped us out a TON. great kid :) He showed us a few positive investigators that I didnt know about. 

Friday- We didnt get to work a ton in our area, but we worked hard. We showed the hnas again the part of the area that used to be ours. at the end of the night, fulfilling revelation from Jeffrey R Holland (He always says that its the LAST house, the LAST contact, that is the golden family) and we visited our recent convert. her 2 children (22 and 28 years) were there and are BOTH super interested in getting baptized. theyve seen a real difference in their mother in the last few months since she met the missionaries. They both accepted baptismal dates for the 20th. 

Saturday- Well... funny story... Our food list says "flia Castillo" so I called family Castillo in the phone... the live in another ward and we had to take a taxi. But... apparently that wasnt the family. They just recieved a phone call from missionaries and agreed to give us food xD so.. it was kind of awkward but it turned out ok :) 

Sunday- Sundays are always great days. We fasted :) Sunday we were all over the plcace... the Lord blessed us a TON with rides from members :) we were headed home at 9 from dinner, and hoped that we could find a taxi in the back of a neighborhood thats really far out, and Hno Balsas was basically waiting for us in his truck XD what luck :) well... not luck.. it was a blessing :)

Monday- well... we have a good day ahead. We had a teenage girl call and ask us for a lbessing because she has some kind of test today that she probably didnt study for xD sadly, ex nihilo creation doesnt exist :) even for God. but we have a good day of Deep House Cleaning ahead of us, and a family home evening.

Im so so so thankful for the oportunities that my Father In HEaven has given me. I wouldnt trade the last 2 years for anything. Ive learned so much... but I still fault a lot :) a month is enough time to do a lot of work :) its a lot of time. Still a lot of room to grow. 

I love yall! talk to you next week, and ill see you soon

August 1 - My last change

alright sooo... first things first. Today we received changes :) MY last change in the mission :) IM GOING TO BE A FATHER. Im going to train a brand new missionary :) Idont know who or where hes from or even his name. I wont meet him until tomorrow. But the name of Elder Bradburn will live on! haha :)

alright.. well.. jumping into my last week with my current comp... Sorry i havent been writing the last few weeks. Im getting tired and writing emails takes a lot of energy xD 

Monday- we spent the day painting our bishops hou8se :) It was super fun. they also let us use their washer and dryer to wash our clothes :) they are such a cool family. 

that night we went to Luizs house, and we found out hes living with his girlfriend :/ so we will see how that goes. We are going to teach him again tonight and talk about the law of chastity. 

Tuesday- me and Elder Miller did a combined District Meeting... it wasnt planned, but we had our meetings in the same building, and we happened to have the same message prepared for our districts. Afterwards, we went with Hna Olvera and Hna Velasquez so they could show us a part of our area that changed (the area boundaries recently changed)

wednesday- we kind of just explored and contacted the new part of our area :)

Thursday- My comps foot started to really bother him, so we couldnt really work. We just went out to a few important appointments, and to show aliaga and langi their new area.

Friday- because of foot pain, no work

saturday- All day service :) cool but lame :P We finished at 3 (we helped a member as a zone to cut their super super tall grass with machetes.) and after we had ward mission correlation. and made goodbye tacos for hna Olvera.

Sunday- Pte. Current came to speak in sacrament :) it was cool. In church they did a special missionary work activity in 3rd hour... Guess who was in charge?? THE MISSIOARIES. When did they tell us?? during the opening hymn for 3rd hour... ofi... and in front of our mission president xD dang members.... oh well :) Between the 4 of us we made it work :) 

Monday- today... we hiked cerro Cabra as a zone :) it was super fun :) I love hiking :) I miss it a ton... going backpacking and stuff. soon ill be able to do it a ton again :)

anyways.. thats my week... next week i can report to you on my son :) yall have a great week! Love yall!

July 11

Well... this week has been great. sort of. Ive been stuck in the dang house all week. Ive been having some chest pain, so I havent been able to do much. The doctor decided that I have Osteochondritis.. or swelling of the cartilege of my sternum/ribs. I got a few shots and stuff xD im now feeling better xD

Tuesday- well... My birthday.. The missionaries figured out when my birthday was dang it. So Hna. Olvera and others bought a bunch of fruit for my birthday (they know im healthy xD) and then we went to Panama to go get the results of my x rays.

Wednesday- We got permission for my companion to go to the mall to buy new shoes (he had some terrible shoes that caused him some bad foot problems) and we were given the rest of the day to rest, so his foot could recover.

Thursday- We had our zone meeting and learned of the new rules and things that our new mission president is putting. Lets just say that a lot of things are changing... I think its for the better though :)

I went to the doctor, and he told me I had Osteochondritis (my x ray and EKG came back normal) and ordered me 3 days of antiinflamatory shots. ofi! along with rest until I finished the shots...

Friday- well.. rest day xD 

Saturday- xD also rest day. 

Sunday- First day being able to leave!! How do I start it?? waking up at 6 amwith stomach pain :) haha.. the life of a missionary.. I think my body is starting to deteriorate. I had to hold things together during church, and during ward council and stuff. Apart from that it was a good day though :) I love Sundays.

Also this week they changed the area that we work in... So Ive been working for 3 weeks in an area that isnt actually my area xD but now we can work for sure without being interrupted. Looking forward the the week to come! 

Matthew 11:28-30. Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give ye rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for i am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

My memorize scripture that stood out to me this week. Ive always loved that scripture, but I have struggled in the past to find it... So It was a memorize scripture, and now ill never forget it. Christ suffered for us so that we dont have to suffer. Hes there for us, we just have to look for him and ask for his help. 

Anyways. I love yall! Have  a great week!

Week 2 in Arraijan

Things are going well.. time is going by way to fast. I still cant believe im basically halfway through my second to last change in the mission.... holy cow...

anyways. this week has been cool. Im still going strong with memorizing a scripture everyday :) I figured by now i would get too tired and or not have the energy or desire to do it, but the desire still goes strong :) Im on Ether 12:6 today :) times are good! 

Not a ton has hapened this week. Ive just been a little sick so we didnt get to leave a ton this week. but things are looking up :) Im trying to do the best that I can in the time that I have left... Im starting to get tired but its all good. Faith is hope for things which are not seen which are true :) what do we have if not Faith and Hope for better times to come?? 

Anyways. I love yall! thanks for keeping up with me and my life!! 

Elder Bradburn

Arraijan Zone

Well.... Ive had changes!! I dont have a ton of time to let yall know whats up so Ill just summarize my week... its been great.

On Wednesday morning I got here, and we had our zone meeting. I have some close friends in this zone... including and shout out to... Elder McNamara!! woot. 

My companion is Elder Garfias, from Bolivia. hes a cool kid.

We have been having a good week... we have bee nhaving to learn our area... our ward was just split, and our area kind of changed a lot. We lost our best area, and gained a chunk with nothing in it... so we are basically opening an area :)

Im excited for this coming change :) itll be great. 

I short spiritual thought... Ive been memorizing a scripture everyday for like almost 2 weeks now. On sunday a return missioanry gave a talk about one of them. 2 Nephi 31:20. "Wherefore, ye must ALMOST pressforward, with ALMOST a steadfastness in Christ, with ALMOST a perfect brightness of hope, and ALMOST a love of God and all men. Wherefore, if ye ALMOST press forward, and ALMOST feast upon the words of Christ, and ALMOST endure to the end, Behold thus saith the Father, you will ALMOST have eternal life.

so basically.. work hard! Be obedient to the laws of God! He wants us to make it back to be with him, and he wants to bless us with eerything we need... but we need to follow the commandemtns... not ALMOST follow them...

anyways.. I love you all! have a great week!

PS... happy birthday Dad (June 26th)

June 20 - Passing through trials

Well.. So that everybody knows, I haventwritten in a couple of weeks b ecause I got sick and their wasnt much to write about. But this week I have been cured and back to pounding the pavement :) 

There isnt a ton to write about thi week anyways... Tuesday we went to the hospital in David to find a better doctor, and that doctor figured out what I have. Soooo I wasable to start leaving again the next day :)

I didnt bring my journal so I dont remember super well what the events have been the past few days... but its been good :)

I heard this week about a promise President Thomas Monson made to the missionaries. If a missionary memorizes 1 scripture every day of his mission, he will have a photographic memory. I didnt hear about it until now.. so if I do it for two years from now.. I have faith the Lord will still bless me if I try xD its been going well for 5 days now :) 

Shout out to all the Fathers for Father´s day :) Im so greatful for my Dad and the example he has been for me in my life. Hes always been there for me througheverything. ready to talk and help me no matter what my problem is. Thanks Dad for always being there and carrying me through my trials :) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZlXWp6vFdE

Well.. I think thats going to be it for this week. Im sorry its so short and I dont have much to talk about. Yall have a good week and ill talk to yall later! :)

Elder Bradburn