May 21, 2012

It's days like yesterday that make me think "Oh crap, I only have 6 months left"

Remember that awesome family of 8 we were teaching? They all got baptized yesterday, including the father's sister that the other elders in our apartment were teaching. It was one of the coolest baptismal services ever. It looked like Michigan in the winter; white.

Today we are going over to have a family home evening at their house. We have been doing them every Monday for the past several weeks and they love it. We have had different members of the church come with us to help them learn how to hold an FHE and to make it more fun. I included a picture of the family's baptism and I'll send more (maybe in the mail) of the family when we're at the FHE. It's getting to know families like this that make me not want to ever leave.

We are teaching so many more great people. I'm excited for the month of June. My companion and I are having a blast together and we're praying that we both stay here in Edinburg for one more transfer. It will be Elder Covington's last transfer. We were saying that it would be totally unfair for one of us to leave and have somebody else come into this area and inherit such awesome families! We have worked so hard. Pero, ni modo. Whatever happens, happens. But I still hope I stay here in Edinburg!

We're going to play some basketball later today. One of the guys that got baptized yesterday, the 21 year old son, is hopefully going to come too. He was talking smack to us yesterday saying that he was going to school us on the court, so Elder Covington and I are going to show him what's up. :)

Well, love y'all bunches.

Elder Brett

May 14, 2012

It was so nice being able to speak to y'all on the phone yesterday! (Except for you mal, sorry) The time flew by so fast. The next time we speak, it will be thanksgiving! Crazy huh.

So I only have 6 more months left to write you emails as a missionary, and my goal is to answer all of the questions that you ask in your emails to me. I know, I tend to forget or rush to fast to be able to respond. I'll do better. Also, I'll make sure and send some more pictures. I haven't been taking as many as I did when I first got to the mission, and I need to repent for that. Pictures are way better than me just trying to describe what I'm doing, so I promise to send more pictures. Just not today, I forgot my cord...

On Saturday we were riding bikes (Side note: In Mercedes and here in Edinburg I am in a car area, but there is a mission-wide rule that Saturdays are bikes days, and all companionships must ride bikes from at least 11-4. But because Elder Covington and I have a bunch of little errands and meetings, we run out of our monthly allotment of miles so we ride bikes several times a week) and we were riding around all day stopping by people but it was getting a little frustrating because we didn't really encounter anyone outside that we could talk to as we rode from place to place. Finally it got to about 6:30 and we had an appointment at 7 with the C____ family and as we were riding to their house, we saw a lady outside a broken down trailer hacking away at the weeds near the side of the road. We pulled up, hopped off our bikes, and asked what we could do to help. She was hesitant to accept our help, claiming that she wouldn't want to see our white shirts get dirty. I told her that we had been riding on our bikes all day and I had been using my sleeve as a handkerchief, and that we probably couldn't get much dirtier than we already were. We then told her to give us the tools she was using and she could take a break.

We only had 25 minutes but we obliterated as many weeds as we could. She said she had a hard time pulling the weeds in the ditch so pulled all the ones in the ditch that we could. It was a ton of fun. The neighbor next door was sitting outside and he started poking fun at the lady saying that she was so lucky for getting free help, and then the lady started telling us again how she felt bad and that her neighbors were going to think that she was using us for free labor. (She already tried offering to pay us) We told her not to worry, we'd stop by their houses next to offer free service. Before finishing up and getting on our bikes, we set up a time to come by tomorrow afternoon with the rest of the missionaries in the zone so we can finish cleaning up her yard and house. Turns out, her house was broken into and the doors and windows were smashed in just recently. Then before taking off, the next door neighbor came over with 3 ice cold water bottles for us. Finally, we got to the Celedons and had a magnificent lesson, as well as a miraculous experience, which I will have to share next week because my time is running out and I need to email president.

Love y'all mucho!

-Elder Brett

May 7, 2012

Yesterday was the best day ever. This time I mean it for real. Bro. and Sis. G____, who I knew when I first started my mission in Rio Grande, now live in Edinburg and they took me back to Mercedes/Weslaco so I could participate in the baptism of the Ochoa family. They are an awesome awesome family that I grew real close to but was forced to say goodbye to before their baptism when I left for Edinburg. I was able to baptize the daughter, Vanessa. I'm so glad that I am still close to my old area! It was sooo cool being able to walk back into the chapel and see everybody that I knew. Let me tell ya, it felt like my "welcome home". It was the largest baptismal service I had every seen, and two of my recent convert families were there. I got to see the missionaries that were in my old district, I got to see my hijo (the elder I trained) Elder Ferrel!!!, and I got to see Elder Duke again. I was in a trio with him and Elder Anderson when I first got to Texas. He took my spot as district leader, after having been my zone leader up on Corpus. Yesterday was the best day ever.

We're still pretty stoked for this gigantic family that we're teaching. I love having lessons with them. I have not taught a lot of people who have had such a strong desire to learn more and to keep the commitments that we leave them. They are such a sincere family. Hopefully all continues to go well. They really love the ward. The Spanish families here in Edinburg are amazing. There's a Spanish branch in michigan right? I need to check it out when I get back home.

I can barely believe that I'll be calling home this weekend. It feels like just yesterday that I was calling home on Mother's day when I was in Rio Grande City. How much has happened since then?! My goodness.

Les quiero muchisimo!

-Elder Brett

Yesterday was the best day ever. This time I mean it for real. Bro. and Sis. G____, who I knew when I first started my mission in Rio Grande, now live in Edinburg and they took me back to Mercedes/Weslaco so I could participate in the baptism of the Ochoa family. They are an awesome awesome family that I grew real close to but was forced to say goodbye to before their baptism when I left for Edinburg. I was able to baptize the daughter, Vanessa. I'm so glad that I am still close to my old area! It was sooo cool being able to walk back into the chapel and see everybody that I knew. Let me tell ya, it felt like my "welcome home". It was the largest baptismal service I had every seen, and two of my recent convert families were there. I got to see the missionaries that were in my old district, I got to see my hijo (the elder I trained) Elder Ferrel!!!, and I got to see Elder Duke again. I was in a trio with him and Elder Anderson when I first got to Texas. He took my spot as district leader, after having been my zone leader up on Corpus. Yesterday was the best day ever.
We're still pretty stoked for this gigantic family that we're teaching. I love having lessons with them. I have not taught a lot of people who have had such a strong desire to learn more and to keep the commitments that we leave them. They are such a sincere family. Hopefully all continues to go well. They really love the ward. The Spanish families here in Edinburg are amazing. There's a Spanish branch in michigan right? I need to check it out when I get back home.
I can barely believe that I'll be calling home this weekend. It feels like just yesterday that I was calling home on Mother's day when I was in Rio Grande City. How much has happened since then?! My goodness.
Les quiero muchisimo!
-Elder Brett