Hijole. Another week gone by. 

So we had mini missionaries this past week and it was so much fun! They would come over every morning at 7:15 and we'd do studies like normal and then begin the proselyting day. We'd get home at 9 and plan until 9:30 and then they would get picked up by a member and stay the night at the member's house. The week went by so fast. We found a bunch more people to teach. 
The two guys with us were Angel and David, both of whom I knew in Mercedes and Weslaco so it was super cool seeing them again. And then after a whole week together, we became super close. They are both 16 and so excited to serve missions. I feel like there are just a million stories to tell because we had so much fun this past week, but I'm just going to tell one. It's a funny one. So:

We were at a members house for a meal appointment, and we didn't know the family too well so it was cool to be able to spend a little time getting to know the family. He told us about his conversion story, his service in the Navy, and his plans that he has now. During the entire conversation, their little 14 month daughter was all over the two mini missionaries and my companion since they were all on the same couch. She kept trying to get on their lap, but they didn't really let her. Instead, they would just kind of shake her hand and play with her little fingers just to keep her occupied and satisfied. She kept going back and forth between the 3 missionaries and they all took turns giving her a little attention while also listening to the dad. The dad then went into the kitchen to finish preparing the meal but he kept telling stories and I was really into it and focused since I wasn't dealing with the crazy girl, and in the meantime she's all over Angel and Elder Wilson. Angel starts to play with her hands and giving her high fives and stuff and then she switches over to Elder Wilson and he starts doing the same thing. At this point, the story the dad is telling while in the kitchen is pretty interesting so we're all listening intently. Well, unbeknownst to Angel and Elder Wilson, the little girl crawled away but they both thought she was still there. Elder Wilson is gently playing with a hand that he thinks is the daughters' and Angel is letting who he thinks is the daughter play with his hand. Hahaha after several moments, Elder Wilson looks down and realizes he is stroking Angel's hand! Before he can even pull his hand away, Angel looks down and realizes Elder Wilson is stroking his hand! Hahahaha oh man it was so funny. I couldn't suppress the laughter. Let's just say it was a super awkward moment. 

Man in addition to that, there were just a bunch of cool things we did this week. It was so fun having the mini missionaries with us. It will be cool to stay in contact and see where they end up serving.

Okay, gotta run. Love ya!

-Elder Brett

It's funny how you can have such an amazing week one week and then an even more amazing one the next. This past week was pretty much amazing.
The couple that we have been teaching is getting baptized this sunday. We taught them the restoration and they just loved it because it made so much sense to them. We found two more families this week, and plan to keep finding more. Elder Wilson and I are having too much fun together. There's no way that we will be together for another transfer. I'm not sure missionaries are allowed to have this much fun. Also, we're having too much fun in our apartment with Elder Munsey and Elder Stott. I have a feeling that this transfer is going to go by so fast. I don't like being the oldest missionary in the apartment. They like to make trunkie jokes and make me feel old. I'm glad I still have 4 months left. So much more I want to do :)
The mission president's son beat me up pretty bad in basketball last p-day. I'm still sore! We're going to play some more basketball later today and I'm hoping I'll be feeling better. Vamos a ver.
I feel like if I don't write a detailed story, I just write a bunch of simple sentences; kind of like a checklist of what I did. Hopefully it's not boring to read! But for reals, this week was awesome. Oh and this week, we are getting mini missionaries! We're getting two youth males from the stake to be with us for the entire week. It's a chance for them to see what it's like being a missionary. We're super stoked because we will be able to do splits and get more work done. Should be fun.
Okay well, that's about it. Edinburg is the best. It's hot but fun.
love,
Elder Brett

July 16, 2012

It was another awesome week :) My companion is Elder Wilson from Las Vegas Nevada and he's super cool. We get along great. Elder Munsey and Elder Stott are the two other elders in our apartment and we're all having a bunch of fun living together. Elder Stott just came from the MTC and it's fun to have a greenie in the apartment again. Reminds me of the good ol days.
We found some awesome people this week. We're teaching two separate couples that each have cute little kids and it's been a ton of fun. It's cool because we're somewhat close in age and we get along really well. We're teaching one in English and one in Spanish. We're also teaching the brother of one of the guys that lived in my area in Mercedes. He is a recent convert and he now lives in Edinburg with his family (He was living in Mercedes with his sister). He's way cool. He's 16 and loves soccer. He used to play with us on Mondays with us so it'll be cool to have him play with us again. 
Man, this week was just awesome. I wish I could explain it all. I need to run though because we have to turn in some forms to the mission office. UGH.
Anyway, things are going amazing. I love being a missionary :)
Love,
Elder Brett

July 9, 2012

Sup fam,

4th of July was awesome. We had an awesome day going by different members and eating wonderful food (rice, beans, and carne!). We had to be in our apartment by 7 for safety reasons, so we all took chairs out to the front lawn and watched the neighbors light off fireworks and see some big ones off in the distance. Both of our neighbors were having barbeques (carne asadas) and I guaranteed the other elders that within the next half hour we would get food from both of them. After about 2 minutes, the neighbors to our left yelled to us and asked us how many of us there were. We yelled "somos cuatro!" and then they came over with mexican burgers and potato salad and beans and chips. It was delicious. Then about 20 minutes later, the neighbors to the right of us came over with styrofoam boxes/plates with chicken, beans, and rice. We were sooo full, but it was soooooo good. It was nice to just relax for a while. I think our neighbors thought it was weird because we were just wearing our normal clothes and they are used to seeing us in our white shirts 

and ties.

I get my new companion tomorrow. His name is Elder Wilson, from Las Vegas. I met him at a meeting we had last week and he seems really cool. He's just about to hit his one year mark so he's pretty joven. It will be good. Elder Munsey is the district leader in the apartment and he's getting a greenie! So the apartment is about to get a whole lot younger. It's going to be weird being the oldest missionary in the apartment. 

I'm including pictures from the 4th of July breakfast the ward had; one of the four of us elders that live in the apartment together and one of me with meliza c____ and her family. The other is a picture of our small little zone in the last zone conference. The conference was combined with another zone though so it was much larger than that. 

Love y'all lots!

-Elder Brett

Wow. There is just one more week in this transfer! This was THE fastest transfer of all time. I can't believe that I'm about to start my 14th. Unbelievable. It's been cool being with Elder Covington as he's about to go home because it makes me feel like I still have a lot of time left. I wonder who my next companion will be. I'm guessing he's going to be younger than me (in the mission). 

We're still working on building up our teaching pool. As a zone though, we are doing great. We had several families come to church yesterday that are investigating the gospel. Did I mention that our entire zone attends the same wards? English and Spanish. There are only 10 people in our zone right now, including us, but we should be a total of 12 the start of the new transfer. I love being in a small zone. It's weird that my next area will most likely be my last (unless I end here in Edinburg, then this is my last!) But I'm guessing that I'll go to one more place. Wow.

I included a picture of Meliza and her family. Meliza is the niece of the C___ family. Meliza and her daughter Vida got baptized a few weeks ago and they are one of the coolest families I've met on the mission. Their son angel is 5 and he's a riot. Now her mom and brother Arturo (both included in picture) are preparing to get baptized, and should later this month. They all lived in Lansing for most of their lives, and Arturo is the one that I want to have stay with me at Michigan for a week or so. He's not a big fan of south texas; he wants to go back to Michigan pretty badly. Oh and guess what, Meliza was called to be a primary teacher and actually teaches her daughter's class. haha it was pretty funny when she received the call and figured out that she'd be teaching Vida. Vida turns 10 in just a couple weeks though so it won't be for very long. Meliza is such an amazing convert and already has so many friends in church. She reminds me of my convert Tabby from Corpus Christi. Tabby by the way is transferring to BYU in the August. Crazy huh?

Life is amazing. Thanks y'all for the letters and love. 

Hasta luego,
Elder Brett