27!! In Saugus

Surprise! I'm e-mailing you and it's on Monday again! ha-ha Sorry I had you guys worried last week. But anyways, I have great news for you! Elder Norton and I DESTROYED Saugus this week, and broke the all time teaching record of <<<27>>> Lessons in one week! We also met with Jesse at Central Park like we were talking about because he did show up and had an amazing lesson! We also now have a total of 4 INVESTIGATORS now!! Whoo! Stuff is finally happening! We were all over the place and biked easily 100 miles this week. Man, I don't really know what else to share... that pretty much sums up our whole week! Elder Norton and I are getting pretty good at teaching together and get along great! Oh! We had our usual 9-hour zone conference, this week as well which took up mostly all day Thursday! We heard some awesome training and got to see President Martin again. He saw us together and forgot we were together and look shocked, as if he had forgotten, then as the light bulb in his head came on he said, "wait were you and Elder Norton MTC companions?" Yes Sir we were!! Ha-ha then he just looked back at us while shaking his head and said "Oh no how did I not see that!" Then we just said, "Because it's meant to be Pres!"  - I have been so lucky with my companions and love each of them to death. Norton is my third and I'm his sixth! Ha-ha he has not had a companion longer than 6 weeks... and let's just say, I'm opposite. So hopefully we'll get to stay together. - Playing basketball the other day, I Elder Norton and I were dunking and one of my attempts failed and I got rejected by the rim... and that's not even the worst part, a sharp pain went through my back and now it's super stiff and hurts when I breath in to hard... Lesson learned. - We taught Elder Quorum this week and shared a BOMB lesson!! IT was on the last General Conference talk "You Matter to Him" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  You'll never guess what we did ;) okay, I'll tell you. With our creative brainpower that Elder Norton and I have, we tied it all in with Lion King! We showed the clip where Rafiki takes Simba to the water to look at his reflection to discover himself and realize that his father lives in him <"Look Harder" says Rafiki> (We are children of God and created in his image) and Simba's father appears to him in the clouds and tells him to remember who he is and to reach his full potential. A lot of great quotes from that 3-minute scene and all of Elder's Quorum just blew up about it and we had a great discussion about how we matter to Got and we are not forgotten. We also read (Moses 1:4, 6-7, 12-13, 16) and how is emphasizes "My Son" and Satan tries to temp Moses, but Moses tells Satan to get away from him because he is a Son of God.  Some great Lion King Quotes we used off the top of my head...

"You have forgotten who you are, and so, have forgotten me"

"You are my Son"

"You are more that what you have become"

"You must take your place in [my Kingdom]"

"Remember who you are"

Lessons like these are so much fun and making teaching an enjoyable experience :) Especially in Elders Quorum ha-ha, such a funny group.

The last thing I am going to share is more of just a funny story... So there is a dance around here known as Mormon Prom. And one of our really good friends in the ward wanted to ask a girl and had a big plan of how to ask her. Come to find out if you ask a girl in a way that has already been done, your lame. So he is a funny guy (Senior in high school) and with us, came up with a very Original idea. "I know! Let's have the missionaries ask her!" So yeah, Saturday night we asked a girl to Mormon Prom and her family was laughing so hard and recorded the whole shebang. So now it's the talk of the valley right now. I'm going to try to get a copy of it to show you how we did the whole thing. It was absolutely hilarious. We are known as either Timon and Pumba or the Missionaries that asked a girl to Mormon Prom now. We have such character around here. Such great memories already and its only beginning of week 4 in Saugus! 

Whelp, fun stuff. I probably have lots more to share but can't think and this computer is about to go black and shut down in 30 seconds so I better send this off!

Love you all and hope you have a great week this week! 

Love, Elder Brady

Valentines Week

Hey Family!

Sorry I didn't write you guys yesterday, because of the Holiday, the library was closed, so we got permission to come up and write this morning. Thank you so much for all the pictures this week! I officially have the cutest nieces in the world! Air Elle... ha-ha that was so awesome! And her swimming suit. I seriously cannot believe Logan is as big as she is... I just look and think, you have got to be kidding me and just laugh. That picture of her helping Papa G paint was priceless, holding on to G $'s leg :)

I love the Maxson's! They are such wonderful people and it has been so much fun getting to know them! Mother Helaman decorated our door with tons of hearts for Valentines Day so we had a nice surprise when we got home! Well things in this area are going good as always! Come to find out, in the past, Bishop Stanley, (our Bishop) who doesn't really even talk to the missionaries, (so Elder Norton tells me) came up to us Sunday and somehow knows about my background and where I came from and challenged us to teaching 25 lessons a week! This area averages around 10-15... So from missionaries always living under the radar in this ward are now in full throttle! Ha-ha. We are going to try really hard to find some new people because like you said Dad, no matter what area you are in; there are people that need help! When I got here this area has a total of 1 investigator, someone who we like to call an "Eternigator" (an Eternal Investigator) who has been meeting with missionaries for the past 6 years... but besides this, missionaries just share messages with members in the ward.

Everything is coming together a little better now after getting a feel for this place for the past 2 weeks. A couple of nights I felt a little depressed, because I wanted to continue teaching the people I loved that we had out in Lancaster and not teaching anyone here at all. Sad combination... But, Last Saturday we met a skater kid named Jesse (20) on the street that is questioning life and investigating religions at the moment. We got his number and we are meeting at Central Park today at 4:30! So hopefully that goes well and he shows up. I bet he will, he was pretty emotional with us and is searching for answers. So if he really wants to know, He will come. :) Well we need to get going now so we can teach a record braking 25 lessons in this area for once! After all Bishop, it's all about the numbers? Even if that sounds weird (because it does to me), but a very important lesson that i have learned is, Always listen and obey your church leaders and you will be blessed. Even if they are wrong, they're right! 

P.S. this is only Elder Norton's 2nd transfer being DL so we are both figuring this stuff out together. Ha-ha  

Real quickly, I just wanted to share that we just found out about our new Mission President that is coming this year! President Hall! I will just copy paste everything Pres. Martin has told us below.

 I have exciting news to share with you.  Brother Kenneth T. Hall and Sister Dianna M. Hall have been called to succeed myself and Sister Martin as the new mission president and wife on or about July 1, 2012.  The Hall's have already been highlighted in the Church News as a new mission president but without a specific mission assignment.  The new mission president assignments will be published in the Church News on March 3rd.  Below is the article that appeared in the Church News.  The Hall's have four children.  Two daughters age 18 and 13 and two sons, age 15 and 7.   I had the pleasure of speaking to the Hall's this weekend.  They are bubbling with excitement to serve in this great mission alongside each of you.  They were fun to speak to.   The Halls have a very deep faith in the gospel of Christ.  They are people of capacity.  You can trust them to lead you well and lift the mission to even greater levels.  Sister Martin and I already feel a great love for the Halls.  Now with that said, I want you each to know that Sister Martin and I will serve to our capacity to the last moment of our mission.  We have much work to still complete here.  We have many missionaries to teach, many seekers of truth to baptize, much work to do with the stakes, wards and branches, many miracles to still experience.  We will finish our course until the Lord says: "Your work is done here."  In this tender moment, we realize even more how precious each of you are to us.  We are all fellow servants in the work of the Lord to bring about his great purpose, which is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."  So let's remember whose errand we are on and get back to work!
 With heartfelt love,President Martin Kenneth Troy Hall and Dianna McConkie Hall.
Kenneth Troy Hall, 43, and Dianna McConkie Hall, four children, Arrowhead Ranch Ward, Glendale Arizona North Stake. Brother Hall serves as a gospel doctrine teacher and as a stake strengthening marriage instructor and is a former stake mission president, stake Young Men president, high councilor, bishop, high priest group leader and missionary in the Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission. Former senior vice president, Pet Smart, Inc. Born in Richland, Wash., to Troy Edward and Lucille Yancey Hall.Sister Hall serves as a Relief Society president and as a stake strengthening marriage instructor and is a former counselor in a Relief Society presidency, counselor in a Primary presidency, institute teacher and gospel doctrine teacher. Born in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., to Stanford Smith and Kathleen Ann Sorensen McConkie.

Well like always, we've got to get going especially because it's not P-day and we have appointments to get to.

P.S. I think we might miss e-mail again on March 12th (so hopefully we'll e-mail the 13th if we can) because the entire San Fernando Mission is coming together to hear L. Tom Perry!!! And Elder Richard J. Maynes!! Speak to us!

Love you all!

Love, Elder Brady

---No Regrets---

Happy Birthday Grandma Erickson!

First Week in Saugus

Hey family!

I wish I could share everything that has happened but I am at the Santa Clarita Library and am now timed for a half hour and used a lot of time getting a Library card! So I've got to fly before this computer kicks me off!

Answer Q's time: We live with the most awesome members ever! Brother and Sister Maxson! We call them Mom and Pops (Pops is retired and sis Maxson works at a school as a special Ed teacher.)  Let's just say, they spoil us :) ... ha-ha. I believe this is the address to their house...

21137 Elder Creek Dr.

Saugus, CA 91350

Thank you for telling Colton my message and I’m glad to hear how well he is doing and how well his farewell went! Congrats man!

That picture with Abby was so cute, and I also notice our house in the background, and it looked, plain? What’s up with that MOM! Ha-ha right as I’m gone the house goes basic? JK. Probably have another project going on correct?

Anyways, This place is beautiful! I am going through another culture shock down here... Mostly everyone is white! Completely opposite from Lancaster. Everyone down here has been telling me that I am being rewarded for the last 7 months of my efforts ha-ha. It truly is amazing around here. The weather is amazing and always feels perfect! I can't even describe. 

The move went really well! Ludlow and I got a ride from Grandma Kabel because he got transferred to Sherman Oaks. 

The people are really different, they ALL have cars here... and are pretty dang wealthy. Which means that they are pretty well off and usually don't want to hear our message because they are "happy and satisfied."

But we will still find the ones the Lord has prepared!

It is so great to be back with Norton again. And on top of that to be with Brother and Sister Maxson (Pops and Mother Helaman) The only thing is, is that they weren't kidding when they said that this is the hardest bike area in the mission! My legs feel like they are going to explode! Right now sitting at this computer, my legs have the same feeling after I go to those weeklong football camps... dead tired. We have rode easily 80 miles this week and none of it is flat!!! (Norton has a speedometer and mileage thing equipped to his bike) we average about 15- 20 miles a day. It seriously is comparable to riding to the Draper temple from our house to get to some members houses... We pray they don't sign up for dinner... ha-ha. Mostly all the roads in our area are titled "_____ canyon". And there are even some streets with the names of "Evening Star", "Celestial Ct", and "Moon Dust" ect. Because of how ridiculously high they are.  We rode about 5 miles to get to this library, so just from e-mail today we will have already rode 10... and now this stupid computer is flashing at me saying I only have 5 minutes left. Dumb... anyways back to questions, Norton has been D.L. for the last 2 transfers he has been here. (He has been here 3 months) We figured something really funny out, that we have been companions where each one of us are District Leaders.

Our District is only 4 missionaries and it's us, Elder Elliot and Elder Morgan and they are on bikes as well so we don't have a car in our District so Elder Emery and Walker (Zone Leaders) try to help us out with their car occasionally. They are going to take us over to Kennard's area to play basketball as a zone today at 3:00. (And he requested that I cut his hair today again because I did such a good job for the 4 months we were together:) We have some serious ballers in our zone. We have a total of 10 in our zone, which is super small. In Lancaster we had 11 in just our District. Well this is all the info I can think of at the moment before this dies! Sorry if I missed anything. Love you all!

Love, Elder Brady

---NO REGRETS---

Serious News Update

Holy Schmoley... So this past week has been insane! Lots of stuff went down. First off though I’ll answer some questions. I do keep in contact with Ty Robinson, we write probably once a month. I have also heard from Colby and Colton! If I still don't have any time to write Colton back before he leaves, tell him bye for me and thank you for the shirts :) He is an awesome friend and he'll do great out there. It's sad to hear about Casey... I hope everything works out for him. I love these guys.

Okay, well I can't wait any longer, are you ready for the serious news update! I am going to < Saugus3rd > (Santa Clarita area!) and you'll never guess who with! Elder Norton! hahaha Best friends reunite! We called each other when we found out and knew it would happen eventually! It's destiny. So Saugus is technically in Canyon Country and where we are at is supposedly the hardest bike area... I have stayed in contact with Elder Norton and he told me about the area he was in and I remember thinking how I wanted to accept his challenge and conquer the "hardest bike area in the mission". Ha-ha well, guess what? Now I will! I will actually try to forward a little part of our conversations... Anyways, besides all of this, Ludlow and I had the best week of our entire missions last week! Our unity is incredible and everyone looks at us with awe at how well we got along and complimented each other. We had so much fun. I am getting into a routine where right when 9-10:00 rolls around I am dead tired from all of our chaotic days and just want to go to sleep so badly. Ha-ha totally different from m college days when Brandon and I, on average, wouldn't go to bed until 4 in the morning...

The baptism went super well! I got to baptize Gayle and be apart of Ben's baptism. This is the best way to leave an area, 2 baptisms the day before we leave! We were talking with Bishop White and we realized that Ludlow and I were both "born" in this area, and now we are together to "Kill" (End) off the elders in El Dorado. (I killed my first Area... Uh Oh. ;) We are legendary in this area. It truly feels like home and all the people feel like family. It will be hard to leave, especially when all day after we bore our testimonies at church and told/thanked everyone. It was an emotional day and we had very touching conversations with these family members all day long yesterday. We truly feel loved back here... Some wanted to call up President to change his mind while others just told us how much we have touched their lives and cried. We had the spotlight pretty much all day and took like a thousand pictures yesterday of everyone we could. Grandma Kabel is going to drive us down to our places. She is so awesome. I am going to miss these guys. 

Lots of changes are happening to our zone. Elders in El Dorado are officially gone, and it's just two sisters now. Sister Mix and Sister Stewart. Sister Brown goes home. So Mix and Stewart are going to have a lot of work on their plate to take over this area by themselves and are very scared and nervous but they will do great... Salisbury is depressed because our AMAZING STRIPLING WARRIORS pad is now just going to be him and his new companion by themselves.

I am so excited for my new area though! I hear Elder Norton and I are going to live with members. That will be sweet :) And Elder Kennard is in my zone so I will see him again! Also Elder Emery is my new Zone Leader down there! Holy Awesome! We are all reuniting! Time to go see them! Well, we are going to go now because Ludlow and I have tons of stuff to do today! Talk to you on the flip side! Hopefully all of this gibberish made some sense!

Love, Elder Brady

---NO REGRETS---

Gayle and Ben's Baptism

Hello Family!
I really have very little time today... So I'll see what i can do in ten minutes.  Thank you so much for everything you guys send to me. I love reading your letters! To answer a couple of questions:
The weather is beautiful. Probably around 70 and then gets cold at nights but it definitely does not feel like winter yet... they say it's around the corner but we'll see! We get money at the begging of each month (only 2 more days) and it's like 140$. Transfers calls are this Saturday. This transfer went by super fast! I feel like a lot of things will change this time... and yes i will bring my bike with me wherever i go because it is that cool. It will be hard to leave if that is what Heavenly Father finally decides? This place feels like home to me and the people in this area are like family. I love it! Sister Brown leaves in a week and she will go back to North Carolina. I haven't heard much from Elder Norton but i have his e-mail. He has had like 5 companions and is on his 3rd area right now. He is actually a District leader down in the valley! Way cool. I hear good things about the valley and have been there only a couple times very briefly. 


We went down with the Castillo's and hiked at a place called Placerita Canyon? It was amazing! we took some awesome pictures! It felt very tropical, very sunny, and there was a very mild rain at the moment which made like a mist in the air. Rainbow's were forming around us as we were hiking up mountains and through forests! Very memorable. Bro Castillo is such a cool guy and we had some great talks on the top of the mountain overlooking the whole Santa Clarita Valley! Amazing. Reminded me of the hikes we went on dad, conquering Lone Peak/ (and that other place was that we went with Brent and Daniel) Teetons? Timpanogas? Wherever it was, it was amazing! Well anyways, many cool miracle's happened this week! 


We had interviews with President which is always an awesome experience. President made a bet with me that he would give me 20$ out of his wallet if i made a three point shot because i was on fire and draining them! Then of course right after i said that, Miss. He said that his whole time serving as President, no basketball player has ever won his bet. I was so mad! haha. Then at church yesterday, i felt such a strong spirit and it was one of those days where i felt so insanely blessed! I felt so much love just looking around at the congregation. These are truly awesome people. I am so glad i have had the opportunities that i have had. Heavenly Father is spoiling me in this area. Then, BIG NEWS! Gayle Prove, a really sweet lady that is going to get baptized this Saturday came up to me and asked me if i would baptize her! It was such a shock but she said i couldn't think of anyone better to do it. I almost cried... She is such an awesome lady. So i will be baptizing Gayle @ 1:30 this Saturday. Then Ben Castillo's baptism is Sunday @ 5:30! Lot's of Miracles are happening in El Dorado Ward.


P.S. I don't know if i told you about Brother Goodwin yet, but he has been attending church with him all member family for over a year and everyone thinks he is a member. He just doesn't want to get baptized. But a couple week ago he was asked again to pray about it and he got an answer and said YES! So he got baptized last Saturday! Woot! Woot! Missionary work is so awesome! I love it! Helping others come unto Christ is the best feeling and most important thing you can accomplish in this life. The Spirit is amazing and works wonders. I feel so privileged to be guided by it in very thing we do as missionaries. The Holy Ghost just leads us to miracles. I love you guys so much, you are the best family EVER! I feel so lucky to have a family like you guys and appreciate it more and more everyday being out here in Lancaster and witnessing heartaches everyday. Keep being strong, you guys are my
Heroes.
 
Love, Elder Brady
---No Regrets---

Weekly email

Hello Family! Thank you for all your love! Those updates were awesome! Abby's first time skiing! Those pictures were amazing! Nice work Abs. Ha well to answer some questions, you're right mom, my card is broke already ha-ha... but don't send me anything. I already have that money you sent, I WILL learn how to budget eventually. Thank you. And transfers are on the 5th. I have no idea what to expect... I would assume stay? Because that is the only news I have heard so it's becoming routine. :) President told us that he doesn't need both sets/5 missionaries in this area so possibly one of us is going to leave. We'll see. Sister Brown ("my mother") is finishing her last transfer and goes home in 2 weeks. Very sad. She asked me if I would give her a blessing because she is getting very nervous and sad about going home and needs some strength because she knows going home is a good thing and she should be happy! So we went over there last night and gave her a blessing. Exercising the Priesthood is the most amazing feeling in the world. The powers of the Priesthood TRULY ARE inseparably connected with the powers of Heaven. Every time, without fail I know that it is all Heavenly Father giving these people blessings, and I am just an instrument in His hands for him to speak through. (I feel like I should share the details of how I feel when I participate in a blessing.) Right when the blessing begins, the room always goes silent. Such a still silence to the point where you can hear the silence... ;) Then, as I start thinking of things to say, I feel like I am floating and the sensation that I am going to black out comes over me because the Spirit is so strongly present. But then, at the same time my mouth keeps going on and on. I always try to remember what I am saying to figure out if it even makes any sense, but I never can. Then after the blessing, sister Brown says thank you so much that is exactly what I needed. Then runs off to write it all in her journal before she forgets. We all sat there with each other in awe over how amazing the Priesthood power is. Then sister Brown looks over at me (as she is writing in her journal) and says I almost got it all, I just need to remember one of the first things you said... I just looked back at her and said, Sorry, couldn't tell you...

It really is so awesome to be able to be so fortunate in this world, where 80 billionish people have lived, and be in the sliver of time (past two hundred years, out of however old the earth is...40+ billion years old?) where we have access to the FULLNESS OF THE GOSPEL. Not even just access, but also to be so fortunate to have it be in the SMALLER fraction of people that actually have it apart of their everyday lives. - We must share this with everyone possible. - 

Overall, this week was considered "slow" number wise. Ludlow and I got a stomach flu/fever thing this week from something a kind soul in our ward insisted on feeding us... and we were K.O.ed for 2 days. But besides this, it was a very good week!

Well I have to go now, sorry if I forgot anything. We have amazing plans for today! We got permission from President Martin to go with the Castillo's who invited us to go hiking with them down in Santa Clarita! We are stoked. I love them so much and it will be awesome to spend today with them and do something rather than sitting up here at the church all day. Love you all

Love, Elder Brady

---No Regrets---

Bring Souls unto Christ

Hello Family! I'm glad you got the pictures okay! I have already taken some more cool ones that I can't wait to show you. Thank you for the packages as well! Looking forward to receiving them this week! That picture of Dad with Logan and Elle was priceless. Very cute! Sorry that you are feeling so sick Kristin, but it will be WELL worth it :) Mom, I am so glad you met Grandma Kabel! She is so awesome! I love her. Ha-ha I heard that she was having some trouble getting in contact with you and was trying to call me but we were in the middle of a teaching appointment and couldn't answer but I'm glad it all worked out!

Let's see what else is new this week? We found another sweet investigator this week that really solid. His name is Tavares Andrews. Black dude with crazy dread locks and way cool. We gave him a book of Mormon last Tuesday and came back and visited him on Thursday and he was already on the book of Enos! Holy Cow! Nobody does that out here... He's awesome. He told us to come back next week and he should have the book finished by then and then we can really start talking and teaching the discussions. We're pretty excited about that. Most of our investigators are not keeping their commitments that we give them; therefore, they are not progressing very well. We have had about 7 baptismal dates but we are trying a new strategy now. So we dropped all of the dates and are now telling our investigators that if they want to progress towards baptism then they need to come to church first, and then we'll start talking. We don't know what else to do so we are trying this strategy? We'll see if it helps!

The Susan dilemma is getting better... We have not had much contact with her, but she knows that we are here for her if she needs it. We cannot be her savior but we can bring her unto Him. That is our job, to teach them the way. (Whether they are willing to accept the message or not is up to them.) This is when the thought hit me, Christ brings souls unto the Father, and we bring souls unto Christ.

We have had a lot of success this week and things are looking more up than they were last week. Thank you for tender mercies from the Lord. We had a lot of great lessons where afterwards, we KNEW that it was the spirit telling us what to say because they were amazing. We just need to listen to the spirit and we will be guided to those people in need and directed what to say to them. This is the Lord's work and are only the instruments in his hands. So we need to try our best to stay in tune with the spirit so we can accomplish his work.

Well we arranged some of the ward members from El Dorado to come play basketball up here at the church and they all now just arriving. So I'm going to go school some guys and show them what's up. Love you all and I am glad to hear everything is going so well at home. Until next week

Love, Elder Brady

---No Regrets---