....The Christmas Eve nosebleed I told you about.
Hey Family!
First of all, in this very moment, I´ve got to be the happiest missionary out of the almost 90,000 elders and sisters serving on the planet. I have three reasons I´d like to share why I´m very happy. 1) I got to talk to my wonderful family last Christmas, 2) Christmas was absolutely wonderful with many wonderful miracles resulting from our work this past week in Abolição, and the last but certainly not least 3) I´M BACK IN MARICÁ!!!!!
I absolutley went crazy when the assistants announced to everyone at transfers this morning that I´d be serving in Maricá. All the Elders and Sisters that know me know that I LOVED my 7 months that I served there, even though it had some rough moments, I learned how to love the people I was serving and learned how to forget about myself while I was there. My new companion is an American (The first for almost a year), and his name is Elder Faulkner. He´s from Texas, has been serving for almost a year, but he only has 4 months serving in Brazil. From the 3 hours I´ve had knowing him (Since I had never met him before) he seems like a great, humble kid with a real desire to serve.
Sooooo It was kind of tough to hear I was leaving Abolição. Even though it was a difficult area to get some real progress, we had a few miracles. On Christmas night, we went to visit a less active man named Ary who hadn´t gone to church for almost 15 years. When we arrived there, he wasn´t home, but his daughter and wife (Who had never received the missionaries) showed some interest in getting to know the church. They agreed to visit on sunday, we didn´t think they were absolutely serious, but when we saw them arrive, we were THRILLED. Elder Gonzales and his new companion have a great family to teach and prepare for baptism and eventually the temple.
Seriously, all I have on my mind is is the excitement to revisit the investigators, recent converts, and less actives here in Maricá, those that I studied, prayed, worked, and taught to help understand more about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the importance of keeping our heavenly Father´s commandments. I hope that this excitement, along with more study, prayer, fasting, work, obedience, and faith will help me to prepare this branch get closer and closer to becoming a ward. The other companionship´said that there are already plans to become a ward in february.... WOW. If that´s the case, I´m hoping I can still be here until then to be a part of this wonderful experience.
Family, miracles happen. Our Father in Heaven looks out for everyone of us, and I´m so happy for the privelege he has given me to learn so much these past year and 5 months. If I stay in Maricá until the end, I certainly won´t complain, I just hope I can gain all the experience and wisdom here that God is preparing for me. I love you all so much, and wish you the very best for this upcoming New Years!
Love,
Elder Braun
After their visit at the church and 15 years inactive, Ary and his family
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