A good missionary birthday for sure

Wow Brandyn's got the beardy look now, that’s a bit new...for me at least. Sorry bro I can’t grow a beard to match ya...

whoooo!
I’m 21!!
It was an incredible day, we didn’t get a ton of diner but that’s not what matters... we woke up at 6:30 as always and got out of the house at 7ish to get everything ready for the baptism of Brian and Steicy Morales (Wily´s date has gone back to the 8th, but really whatever day they want to be married) and it was good we did, we were busy! The water from the fount came out all nasty green! We finally decided that we would have to empty it and fill it again to see if it would clear up. We then left to help B&S´s mom prepare for the refreshments, pupusas! (Kinda like tortillas but filled on the inside with pizza cheese and beans and some meat) YUM lots to do, then to look for our appointments to teach. A busy but fulfilling day for sure. The fount filled up again, but still green! O well we did it anyway and everything was great. For lunch I called for pizza, Dominos had this special New York style pizza that was pretty tasty, and came with a coke that we couldn’t drink. We gave that away to some neighbors. All in all we came back to the house satisfied. A good missionary birthday for sure.

Today was pretty eventful too; we went to semuc champey again! Btw I found out that semuc chamey is Kekchi for ¨the river that hides under the earth¨ cool huh? The rides in the buses weren’t as fun but nothing big to complain about, all fun goodliness.

This week is GENERAL CONFERENCE!! Who’s exited? I am! And guess what...

It’s my last one here

The next after that I will be recently home and comfy to see it heheh. It’s going to be great.

No letters or packages yet but really I don’t mind not receiving them, the finish line is close (not to sound baggy). I’m kinda short on what to say this week, it’s been pretty normal, all goes well in the area lots of new and really good investigators. We just barely got off the bus from semuc champey and that’s why we are writing so late.

I’m so sorry for not having much to say but my mind seems a bit scrambled right now with the rush to get back to our area, buy food still, write emails and get to important appointments! I love you all so much and I hope to write you guys a bigger better email next week, take care!

Elder Andrew James Bronson

A wedding birthday baptism with lots of pizza

Sounds fun that you guys are having some good weather; here it’s been pretty rainy, lots of umbrella use. It’s been a really good week for the work, lots of young men left with us to our teaching appointments and we had tons of lessons with members present. two of our investigators had plans to be baptized the 3th, but wouldn’t have been able to be confirmed until the 9th of October, so with a little help we were able to move the date up to....THE 24TH OF SEPTEMBER baptism birthday! Wily also has plans to be baptized the 24th but he needs his legal papers before he can be baptized so we will see if he can pull that off. A wedding birthday baptism with lots of pizza.

Last Saturday was fun also, the sister missionaries in our ward had a baptism, and being sisters they can’t perform it. The boy, Sergio, wanted me to do it, so I did! The pictures I’m sending are from the baptism. He’s such a funny kid to haha the life of the party, I was just happy to be able to do the baptism; it was my first for quite some time...                                                                         

As for letters and things for my birthday I haven’t received anything but mail comes a little late here, I’ll keep my hopes up that something comes through, but it’s not such a big deal, mail is so few and far between (something natural for the mission) that I don’t worry about it. Haha this week I’m going to be 21!! Mom, your boy is 21 years old, oy I should just go buy myself a walker and retire. I hope the party at home goes well; I’m not going to ask you to save me a slice I might just buy myself something here.

Sorry guys but I’m not sure what more to write about today, last week was good but not incredibly eventful. One story came to mind:

Yesterday our last lesson was a family we contacted, a reference from their neighbor who is an investigator herself. It was really dark, only by candle we talked. We came into the house and started talking with just the wife and her 2 little kids, someone in the background was praying/weeping creepily, I already could imagine what kind of alter might possibly be stationed in that room...ugh. Well we start talking with the mother about eternal families; how she can see her kids forever even after death. Next the father came in; he was the one praying in the other room. He sat down and asked us kindly what our purpose was in visiting. I responded that we are missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. ¨oh, the Mormons.¨ he replied, I’ve heard about you guys...seven wives right? I don’t believe that’s good, I don’t want that, I’m not really interested.¨ We continued to teach about how the family was about one father and one mother, married for eternity but I’m not sure that he really understood. He told us that he had recently changed his life and came to Christ by joining his Evangelical church. The real message was that he wasn’t interested. Alright, prayer and finish. I knew that I had felt prompted to knock that door, but I didn’t know why until their oldest son Hector came out of the shadows of the bed in the corner of the room. He had been listening the entire time but had been lying down because his tooth was hurting, but now that we were readying to leave came out and commented that others have passed by before, but didn’t teach quite as clearly. When we taught he understood, and he liked what we had taught. He asked if we had a church nearby and if he could come and see it. He seemed like a shining speck of hope among the family. We hope that we can find him this Sunday where he told us to meet him, that would be a really cool turnout.

Alright guys I love you take care, keep me updated on anything cool that happens up there in Utah and at home, until next week!

Elder Bronson

Here in Coban everything is beautiful

Wow you guys have some incredible sunsets. Here in Coban everything is beautiful, but there are hardly any sunsets, sorry mom.

Haha wow I miss Brandyn SO MUCH. I honestly miss him as much as I miss you guys; a member of the family is he! Man I miss him; it’s going to be awesome to see everyone again.

Alrighty for the week, my companion was sick last Monday and we didn’t leave the house, on Tuesday we had important appointments so we left, but came back to the home early for the same reason. Sunday we didn’t leave the house either, September 11th here was voting day and seeing that this isn’t the United States of America and the passing of power is a little crazy at times we didn’t leave the house either. It was by far the most calm relaxed Sabbath day I have had in so long... since my first area in Juana de Arco. My companion decided to put the Day of Rest into action and slept for like 5 hours, I studied the Book of Mormon in English from Ether to Moroni 10, took some well needed time to just ponder about things and studied. I looked at what the Gospel Principles book says about what is the day of rest, what it said really helped me clear my view, maybe it will enlighten you guys too. At first I thought it was a day to just take a break right? Go to church worship God and take it easy, but it turns out that we do all that so that our minds will be clear and free to think about God and spiritual things. It’s a day to remember our need for spiritual nourishment as well as the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We can do service even though it is a labor because we do it thinking about God helping others is helping Him. Anything that would distract you from the Lord would be inappropriate, but anything that would bring your attention to Him would be perfectly good. It also talked about how it ISNT a day to just sleep all day, because that would be very unproductive, and in the same way wouldn’t be focusing on spiritual needs. It’s that focus that matters.

Last week a member gave us a reference to her niece that is now living with her, that wants to be baptized. She’s only 8 years old but her story isn’t a very happy one. Her parents are abusive and don’t care about her, they abandoned her to her aunt Marcela, and even her aunt isn’t always the most understanding person. When Marcela, the member, told us the story Olivia, the 8 year old broke down crying. She jumped on me and cried on my shoulder, I didn’t stop her, poor little Olivia. The day before that, Tuesday, we were going into our first teaching appointment with them but they weren’t home, so we came back in the night to see if they would be. It was already very dark, and they only have candle light. We came up to the door and Olivia answered but said something about someone being in the ¨Santo¨ (or I guess you could say Holy Place) but didn’t mention that her aunt wasn’t home. We came in and followed her deeper into the house, I had just entered, Olivia already disappearing down a hallway I stepped on some dry sticks. How cliché. Next moment some not-so-friendly guard dogs came charging into the room through a dark doorway.  All I had in my hands was my Book of Mormon and my companions too, I’m pretty sure if Olivia didn’t come back to drive them off I could have been dog chow. Saved from 2 hungry canines by an eight year old. ¨El Santo¨ turned out to be a big room with walls covered in newspaper and a little closet with a sanctuary of candles and Jesus Idols, complete with some Kekchi lady chanting something creepy in Kekchi. Ummmm... see ya Olivia, well be back tomorrow when your aunt is home! Haha the thing is the lady doing all that was the groundkeeper, and not a member. Still really creepy.

I had a crazy dream the other night that as a missionary I had fallen to my death, SPLAT.  But being a missionary when I died I became an angel and was still in the service of my God, watching over other people and putting my hands on their heads giving them blessings when they were weak. Later on I saw God on a throne, but it was something silly like in an office building, I went back to my angel duties of floating around. It was kinda neat, sorry for the randomness.

 The pictures this week are of something that we did last week exploring a little place called Las Islas (the islands) it was pretty neat but my computer didn’t want me to upload them last week so I did this week. This week just today we went to some waterfalls about an hour out of Carcha, it was really cool but we got soaked just from the heavy spray of it.  It was so HUGE. And my camera was out of batteries. Ugh. But my companion took some with his so I will still have some hopefully.

Love you all so much please take care this week and use you time productively, know how much God loves you and just wants you do make right choices, that’s basically the only reason why we are here on earth anyway.

LOVE,

Elder Bronson

I’m hoping for a birthday present from above of a baptism that day, how great would that be!

Alrighty then another change another companion...oy more companions. You are right Mom I have been highly blessed to have so many good companions in a row, my new companion is named Elder Opazo, from Chile, South America. ¨the only country to fit inside a tortilla¨ and its kinda funny here in Coban there is a special type of chile called Chile cobanero, and that has basically now become his new nickname. He was trained by Elder Bowman, my second trainer so it looks like we are mission ¨brothers¨. He’s an amazing guy and we are really focusing in on baptizing this change. Last weekend we fasted for baptismal dates and the Lord sent us 5, and two of which are very sure for the 30th of September. My birthday the 24th falls on a Saturday and I’m hoping for a birthday present from above of a baptism that day, how great would that be!                                           

Just today we went to explore some little tiny waterfalls but we got to go in Pday clothes and I got some really good pictures. I won’t be able to send them this week because the computer is being lame but maybe next week you will see my epic slingshot vs. wooden sword battle with Elder Hale, from Las Vegas. Intense with the raging water down below!

 Change week was a little crazy, Tuesday night I spent the night with Elder Umana again in our house in Coban 2, he said it was really weird being back there. We waited all day Wednesday for our companions to arrive but there was a teacher strike that blocked a couple of roads and they didn’t get here in time and I spent the night with Elder Umana in his place. If you are wondering how the living is here, in my house at least there is running water in two sinks, one kitchen one bathroom, the house is kinda small but we don’t need much space. Plenty of light, one of the better houses I think. I really like it.

Well I too have come to the point in not knowing what more to say. Plenty of things happen every day all week but they seem so normal now that nothing spectacular come to mind. I’m emailing Elder Pincock every week something small, Hawaii sounds fun too, they might just have as many chickens there as we do here. Did you know that he knows how to hypnotize a chicken? That’s one that I don’t even know how to do. Well my beloved brethren I hope all goes really well back in the summery states, I love you all so much and can’t wait for next week to write you all again. Take care!

Elder Bronson

Haha I had a little bit of extra time and found an email that you guys sent me one year ago on Labor day.  I was still in Santa Elena with Elder Segura, I had just received a package of music and peanut butter and jelly and pop tarts. How strange is it to think that far back, but it seems like it was only just a little bit ago, time has gone so fast.

Love you all

The Lord has once again been answering our prayers and fasts

You guys aren’t going to come pick me up? Esta bien... I’ll be waiting in the airport for you all then. That’s still a long ways away.  That’s pretty awesome that you guys did something so big for Wesley’s Eagle Scout Project and that you found a cool camera. Bonus!

This week was also a little eventful for us here. Last night we were waiting to hear about changes until about 10:30, nearly going absolutely crazy. So crazy in fact that we started goofing around, at one point we were even pillow fighting. Can you imagine how loco that wait made us? I think my companion won the pillow fight too. When they told us we were both in shock. I have been here in Coban 2 a total of 3 changes and Elder Turcios just got here, but HES leaving, and for the capital! provecho... this will mean my 8th companion in 8 changes.  It’s getting a little bit loco. It would be nice to just stay with someone for more than just 6 weeks for once right? Now I need to show him the area, get to know him hope to get along with him. I can get along pretty well as long as they are obedient, more than that nothing bugs me too much.

So guess what happened just today, I bought a new hoodie for 20 Quetzales and lost it already. We were waiting for a bus and I left it there on the bus stop. Nooooo! It was fairly cheap and I guess someone needed it a little more than me so I guess it’s alright. I didn’t even like it too much anyway. More than that I have diarrhea, nastyishly. It should only last a couple days and then go away, but I think it might have been from eating a funny banana after shaking hands with a drunk guy whom we were helping rolling in motorcycle home so that he doesn’t crash. Maybe it was that.

The Lord has once again been answering our prayers and fasts by helping us find some really interested and really good families to teach. Nothing too crazy to find them just contacting but some good references from members. Some of them have asked us were the church is because they want to come see how it is. This morning we had a treat from Wily Contreras. He works in a place called Pollo Campero, it’s a chicken place kinda like KFC but a little smaller. Here it’s huge. He was working a morning shift and invited us to breakfast. It was really tasty, a bacon omelet with beans and cream and cheese, bread rolls... he even threw in a big ol peace of fried chicken! As a dessert he gave us some French toast sticks covered in cinnamon and strawberry syrup. All with orange juice and some water. We even got to take a picture with him while he was working. He’s honestly such an amazing guy who has made an incredible change in his life. His wife on the other hand makes it really hard for him to be baptized. Why can she just accept to be married? They have kids and they are happy together!

The pictures are of us doing some service for a member family, the Rodriguez´. And no we are not being mean to the chicken, it’s a local custom. I’m pretty sure it’s one of the household chores here

Sweep the floor
Walk the dog
Abuse the chicken
Nah I’m just kidding but we really didn’t do anything to the poor creature just give it some loving attention with our cameras. It took forever to catch the little girl, she’s really speedy. Image 8 is my companion’s broken umbrella that he lost 3 weeks ago, and broke 5 min after finding it again. And image 9 is some soup we made for lunch, it was TASTY but by around 5 o clock we had to go back to the house to grab something to eat we were so hungry...

Well my beloveds I still have a while to go but I will see you all soon. I only have 4 changes left, just four agendas more to fill and than it’s OVER nooooo!!! Stay safe, keep reading the Book of Mormon, if you aren’t reading the Book of Mormon, repent and start reading it now, and say your prayers. All you guys are so grown up now and I just want you all to be strong spiritually as well.

Take care, till next week

Elder Bronson

Priesthood power

Thanks for the letter mom, I have one ready but it’s a small package and I need to wrap it first haha.

There was a hurricane? Man this whole missionary bubble thing would be nice to see through so I know when to bring my umbrella. Yesterday was when it happened right? Story time. We were walking around with a member, a priest named Junior; we were exploring and knocking doors in a completely new part of the area. It’s an area that I have seen from a distance but had never visited, one of the really poor on-the-side-of-the-mountain villages that reminded me of how the Polo´chik supposedly looks. I had brought my umbrella luckily, and a nylon covering to wear as a cape so my backpack wouldn’t get wet and I’m REALLY glad I did. We had just climbed a long tall bunch of stairs made out of dirt (more accurately clay) and had stopped to knock a small sheet metal door when the rain started. Imagine your craziest microburst there in Utah with a little bit more weight. The stairway we had used just literally 2 minutes before was now a nasty little waterfall, impassable. We went toward the left where we saw more houses as the hill went upward. Maybe 10 min later we found our way out and the rain stopped. I was dry from the knees up, knees down I might as well have been walking in the waterfall. Know what? It was awesome. No new investigators from that experience though...

As for the birthday package I don’t know if I will be having a change in about a week, I think I will but I have no idea for where. I was actually thinking that instead of a great package or putting it in my account you could save it at home for something really special when I get back, and will be able to use it haha. No, I won’t feel bad for not receiving a birthday package.

Sunday morning we passed by Jose Barrios´ house but his mom came out saying that he left about an hour ago he said he would return in 10 min, but didn’t. He didn’t take his cell phone either so we were unable to call him. The bap. date fell, but I’m sure it’s all about time, no worries. Wily and his ´wife´ were unable to come either for work problems with the two of them, but the Morales Twins Brian and Staci came. Staci told Elder Turcios that she wanted him to baptize her, and Brian told me. That will depend on if I have a change or not. This Saturday the sister missionaries have a baptism of a cool kid named Sergio; he said that he wants me to perform the baptism for him. Sweet!

Also last Sunday (I guess a lot happened Sunday huh haha) we gave an interesting blessing. During priesthood meeting the sister missionaries came to us and told us of an investigator that they brought who wanted a blessing for some type of disease, I don’t remember what it was. The thing is that the sister missionaries also told us the real reason she wanted a blessing. Apparently she has a boyfriend whose father is what they call a brujo, like a wizard or something that supposedly curses people’s illnesses. Pure devil work. The investigator felt strange afterward, afraid and almost...not alone eeeesh. I and Elder Turcios went to a quiet room beforehand to offer a prayer asking for guidance in what to do. When we went in nothing seemed strange, her boyfriend was there also with his necklace with a big ol´ cross on it. I anointed with oil and Elder Turcios sealed it with a blessing. Nothing out of the usual more that that she would be cured slowly but surely from her disease according to her faith, be made whole. After the blessing we took a step backward and waited for her to get up or say something. We waited maybe 3 or 4 min until I broke the silence asking how she felt. She began to cry saying she felt the presence of someone who loved her, like giving her a hug, she felt clean again. the sister missionaries and us all bore our testimony and shared a little bit about how if we keep the commandments God will bless us and prosper us. It was very spiritual; in the end she offered a prayer. During the prayer she started crying so hard saying how thankful she was that she had to stop and breathe for a min or two.  Priesthood power.

Those are the exiting news that of the week.  For the friend requests on facebook the only name I recognize is Luis Rey, the others only by a photo I might recognize them, I know a lot of Ricardo’s and Floras here.

Well my beloved family you know how much I love you and wait anxiously for a Christmas call. No, there are no volcanoes in Coban, just rolling hills, so I wouldn’t get my hopes up for another emergency home phone call, sorry mom. Keep safe everyone, please just trust in God, sun or rain they are His great purposes. I love you,

Until next week

Andrew James Bronson

p.s. the photos of the couple signing papers is from a wedding-baptizm that the Elders from Ward 1 had and invited us to. yum!

I’m not baggy; I just want to work effectively and find some souls to save

Alrighty Boy Scouting fun. Eagle project time, I remember mine...and how I got my award how many days before my 18th birthday? Like 3? Heheh...

Well the work is going...and going...this week none of our serious investigators showed up for church, just one little boy of 17 that doesn’t even live in our area but is really interested in the church, we are hoping that all goes well for him (Pablo). Wily still needs to get married so he will not be getting baptized the 20th, but Jose Barrios has a bap. date for the 27th, to do so he neeeeeeds to come to church this week, keep praying please. The twins from the Morales family didn’t come to church just because they didn’t feel like coming....lame. It’s hard for them they are only 11 and their mom doesn’t want to help them get baptized at all.  Every Sunday we see her taking off on some motorcycle with some guy we don’t know. In the opposite direction of the church. Why? no lo sé.

Things are going very well with my companion Elder Turcios, he has almost 3 months in the mission but knows how to teach really well and we have a blast. We are always laughing together about something it’s a great time, and we feel the spirit strongly in the lessons and when talking with people.  Changes are only a little over 2 weeks away now it’s starting to go unbearably fast, just 6 weeks by 6 weeks like taking steps right left right left...then it’s over, 6 months more! Only 4 changes! But don’t you worry I’m not baggy; I just want to work effectively and find some souls to save. It’s harder than it sounds. Feel the spirit!

I’m working on another letter; it will be coming in a little package with a couple cool little trinkets. I’m sure you´ll like it. Have you sent a birthday package yet, or are you going to save the money for something when I get back? It might be better that way, but I’m not sure, do what you guys feel would be best. It hasn’t been raining quite as much lately, some days we have left our umbrellas in the house, but there are good storms about every other day. I’m fine, healthy, skinnying pretty good, but I feel really weak.  All my muscle melted away and my arms feel like sticks. I’m doing only about 35 pushups in the morning and in the night, and fighting to keep it a habit. We are trying to eat healthier but it’s kinda tough sometimes, oh well.  The bug bites you see on my legs in some of the pictures are from a flee problem that I had a bit ago, the solution is simply DONT TOUCH DOGS even clean house dogs will donate a couple of his happy parasites to you, and when they get in your bed they get stubborn and don’t want to leave.

This week we have interviews with President Watts and after that we have zone conference, two days of work lost! But excellent instruction gained.

Well family I love you please keep yourselves safe and strong, I hope to receive letters from you guys also, I will be sending my soon.

love love much love

Elder Andrew Bronson