Last week as a full time missionary...

So many emotions!!!  

Thank you so much for all those birthday wishes! Those pictures were priceless! Yesterday was such an awesome birthday day! Everyone was asking me what i was going to do for my birthday and i would just tell them, "i'm going to church!" :) Some people from down in the valley even found out/remembered my birthday and surprised me at church with a cake! haha. Then pretty much everyone found out and i had a fan club with me for the rest of church! It was hard as a missionary haha. Everyone was treating me like i was some celebrity yesterday. It definitely was a fun day and got a ton of birthday wishes that's for sure! It was a real feel good day as our phone was getting blown up by all the missionaries out here texting me happy birthday. Great birthday for sure, i was super spoiled and realized i know a ton of thoughtful people! Even our dinner appointment made Cafe Rio and brought out brownies and ice-cream! Love the Kilgore family. 

This past week was amazing as we received/gave more trainings than i have ever experienced my entire mission. President asked me to give another departing testimony again since it was my last time at Mission Leadership Coucil. Those are always super hard to give and i get very emotional. It's impossible to put 2 years of experiences into a 5 minutes testimony.  

Friday we ended up training the zone for a solid 3 hours, then right after, about 100 youth participated in this weekends youth conference and we talked with them for 4 hours about what we wish we knew before the mission and answered all of their fun questions that they have been thinking about. It was a good time. We slept like a rock that night after 7 hours of trainings! Then the next day all the youth were pairing up with a missionary in the mission and would tract with them for 5 hours! It was awesome! I got a pretty shy kid from our ward who is 17 and after a while i got him to open up and got the "deer in the headlights" look off his face and he ended up knocking his first door! He was so proud after and kept getting better and better! It was so cool to see him do that. His first door, he introduced himself, then the guy said,"not now," and he asked if we could come back another time and the guy said "no," then slammed the door in his face. He turned and looked at me with a disappointed look on his face and i just immediately said...,"Nice! Your first door! That was awesome!! You're going to be such a great missionary! Then i high fived him and he started smiling and we began laughing about the situation. -It's all about attitude- Then he wanted to keep doing more because he said he loved the peoples' reactions! We had a great time together and he was on fire. Then come to find out, pretty much all the youth returned with this missionary fire and now they all want to come out with us more! Complete success! 

I cannot believe that this is my last week. It feels so weird as everyone around here constantly reminds me! 

I will try my best to find a place to store my stuff until we come back. I've got a couple places in mind, but i'll call President Jex first. Thank you for all your help! 

I love grandma Tripp! I only know of her doing that for 2 other missionaries. She is so awesome. You'll probably meet her at Kena's baptism. She supports all the baptisms in the valley. She is so amazing. We like to call her the Grandma of the Valley. :) 

This week we have a lot to look forward to, and at the same time, not to look forward to! We are having our amazing twice a year mission temple trip this Tuesday! Tomorrow! Then Wednesday i am doing my LAST exchange with a set of missionaries.Thursday is the temple trip day for the departing missionaries so we will be going again then! Wooohoo! Then Friday will be my LAST District meeting, LAST Saturday which we'll be having Ari's baptism! LAST baptism as a missionary. Then my LAST Sunday/sacrament meeting... Probably have more opportunities to bear my testimony and cry some more  for the LAST time;) Then to finish the week, i have my departing interview with President Hall at 4:30 on Sunday. 

It's looking like an amazing week and yet, not, with a bunch of LASTS... 

Anyways, I love you all so much!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! Your the best parents ever!!!

Well, i'll talk to you again soon if i make it alive through this emotionally draining week ahead! :)  

Love, Elder Brady

NNNNOOOO RRREEEGGGRRREEETTTTSSS!!!!!