Monday, July 14, 2014

ONE YEAR?

Lagoa de Araçatiba

Dear Family,

Last Thursday, I hit the one year mark of my mission. It gave me an opportunity to look back on all of the wonderful tender mercies and tender moments since I left the airport in Spokane and started what I was called to do. It´s been a crazy up and down rollar coaster, but I´m pleaed to say I have very little regrets and I can´t wait for what the rest of my mission has in store for me! 

Wow, hearing about all of these lost packages frustrates me quite a bit. One of the best things ever as a missionary is receiving a fancy package from home. As far as packages goes, I haven´t heard of other missionaries having problems, it just seems like I´ve had bad luck :(

Transfers are this week! Not a whole lot happened in the mission, probably because of the new mission President. I´m staying in Maricá with Elder Inácio, the other two elders in our branch are staying with us as well. I was super worried because I LOVE Maricá. I have no idea how I´ll be able to leave this place, because I love this people and the members are getting animated to help us, we´ve been able to reactivate lots of members recently, and investigators are really progressing now.

We had a big branch activity on Saturday that lots of people went to. It was called a Festa Julhina. Lots of people dressed up like cowboys, eating weird food like sweet potato candy (for being a fan of sweet potatoes, I´m surprised that it actually was kinda nasty), and other stuff. Our mission president didn´t authorize (is that a good word to use?) us to attend the party, so we worked like normal. The members weren´t very happy about that, but obedience brings miracles. We´re looking for miracles here.

Our investigator Shirlei is progressing really well, she said she already knows that the church is true, but she wouldn´t give us a sure answer if she´ll be baptized until our visit with her... tonight! Pray for us! Ana and João are also doing really well, we just need to help them be patient and prepared for their wedding. Ana told me that mom accepted her friend request on facebook? carumba gente

We´re really excited in Maricá, especially since we´re having some great growth in the branch because of members coming to church every sundaynow and reactivations. Now we´re working really hard with the leadership and members to work with us so that we can prepare new converts to fill the church house. Our goal is to have a piece of land already bought to build a chapel before the end of the year!

I love you all! I love packages too, so don´t give up on me and the world sketchy postage system! 

Elder Braun

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