Elder Brady's Motto

"I have desired that while serving a mission that I am to do God's will, not mine. If it is the will of God that I should spend my days proclaiming this Gospel and bearing testimony of these things, I shall think of myself highly privileged and honored. When the spirit of God is upon me, I think it matters very little what I suffer, and what I sacrificed - whether I secure the honor or dishonor of men, or where I die, if it so be that I can keep the faith, fight the good fight, and finish my course with joy, I have all eternity before me in which to enjoy myself."

Monday, October 22, 2012

Van Nuys 1st Ward


Hello Family!

So I got my transfer call and it was exactly what I hoped would happen! I am now serving in the legendary Valley that I have heard so much about my entire mission! The San Fernando Valley, which is what our mission is actually named after so I am stoked! Come to find out, its even more ghetto than East Lancaster! I didn't think that was possible!

They also put me with an awesome missionary whom I am already really great friends with! Elder Scottie Johnson! He has been out one month longer than me so we have seen/hung out with each other a lot in the past year and a half. Right before the transfer meeting we were talking to each other how awesome it would be to serve together and we had our fingers crossed, and it actually happened! Elder Johnson has only been in the valley for one transfer and so we are both getting thrown into the "pit" together. They have a lot of different nicknames for places down here that we are coming to find out. They also say that Van Nuys is the Heart of the Valley, so we will get the full effect really quickly :) The first night I was here, there was a car chase where a cop slammed a car into a barrier and 12 cop cars showed up to the scene where the victim started shooting at the cops so they all unloaded back, destroying this poor car... The missionaries in the ward next to us witnessed it and they had to bear testimony of what happened and couldn't leave the area until the cops were done "cleaning up"...
It's interesting how I feel total peace and comfort with where I am at serving Heavenly Father at this time, even though it's a super sketchy place, I know nothing can harm us when we are doing the work of the lord. It'll all work out as we walk down the streets in our little spirit bubble ;)

Elder Johnson and I just got called as the new Zone leaders in the Granada Hills Stake. One of the last zone leaders down here just went home and the other one got transferred so they just changed the zone leader area from the Sherman Oaks ward to the Van Nuys ward now. We have both served as ZL's for 6+ months now so we feel that we are going to do great together. He was a ZL up in Ridgecrest area (bishop/mammoth)!

Well, I feel like I am going to get some crazy stories and experiences serving down here in the Valley... I can't wait to show you guys these areas where I'm serving... It'll blow your mind. My mind is currently in shock. I feel like I am seriously in a movie at times, being in the world but not of it!
Oh! Yesterday we had our usual 7 AM meeting with the stake presidency and this one was so much better! President Jex is the stake president that we get to work with! We had a lot to talk about its funny odds that I am actually here like we envisioned before the mission started! President Jex is such a cool guy. Also, after I bore my testimony in my new ward, people came up to me and like half of them had some kind of connection to draper! One even asked if I was related to an Andy Brady? I was like heck yes I am! I am still a learning the names of the 200 people I met yesterday, but I am sure they will become "extended family" to me as well, just like in previous areas...

Things are going really well! I love you all! Hope you have a great week!

P.s. Touchdown Jesus and First down Moses was hilarious! Thanks for that.

Love, Elder Brady
---NO REGRETS---

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