Oohhy yea I had a fun time opening my package, I'm not going to lie the socks might have been the most needed thing, or maybe the music haha. Since buying new socks and new shoes walking has been AMAZING I feel like I could run everywhere and not get tired. The sweets where just far too numerous so I had to share a ton with my companion. Thanks a ton for the music it’s well loved here, specially the CD This is the Christ, it has helped me to feel the spirit a lot more.
Did I already tell you that there was an emergency change a bit ago and I have a new companion Elder Vindel? Another Latino companion without any English but at this point it doesn’t matter at all the language. I gave the stocking to Elder Marquez when he left as a present from me and for Elder Vindel we’ve been sharing all the candy and jerky. Elder Vindel is pretty cool, he’s more serious (by a lot) than Elder Marquez, and at first it was hard because he was a little frustrated over the transfer and the fact that I still didn’t know the area absolutely perfect. I've been being as charitable as possible, cooking breakfasts, always sharing everything and giving complement whenever appropriate and things have been going well between him and me. When he’s mad he doesn’t talk at all but when something spiritual and awesome happens and he’s happy life is great. Were pretty good friends.
For the Christmas party we met at the church in Molino Zone 6 with a couple of zones and it was a big ol zone meeting. Talks from president and a tiny Christmas presentation but I was with Elder Winkle the whole time and with a ton of my friends so we had a blast. The food too was great.
Hmmmm spiritual experiences. You said you had a dream about me? Saturday morning was just like any other, I think I might have had a dream too, and you mom were in it. For a part of it you were here with me. It was a pretty fun dream a lot of secret passages and it was mission related. As for sad and grim things I don’t know...saturday-sundayish I was feeling pretty frustrated over not having any investigators or any baptismal dates, especially on Sunday morning when NONE of our investigators came to church, not even the awesome ones. We were expecting a ton to come and none did. It continued until Sunday night when we were able to meet with some investigators and help them to accept a baptismal date. Hopefully we will be able to put a couple more and actually find some success and baptisms in this hard area! I invite all to pray haha
Saturday night I had a pretty cool experience. We were with some recent converts Marco and his wife MariaJosé and also Eric. This was a story that I haven’t heard. Eric and MariaJosé were married and had some kids but after a while came another guy (Not Marco, someone else) who pretty much destroyed their marriage and they separated, where MariaJosé later married with Marco. Eric still lives very nearby and visits extremely often to watch after his kids. He and Maria don’t have any problems anymore together. He’s pretty confused about temple sealing for his kids, for if Marco and Maria are sealed in the temple would all the kids be sealed to them and him left out or would they be sealed to Eric and Maria as blood children. When it was just us two and him I had a thought come into my mind, a phrase of my patriartical blessing where it says that people will come to me for advice and basically I will help perfect the lives of a lot of people. It that point I felt like I should almost act like a councilor to Eric, and as we were talking we felt the spirit very strongly. I told him to start again to do the small things like read the Book of Mormon and pray, pay tithing and go to church and he would find happiness again in his life. I hope I helped him.
Today was really fun too, we went to a place called Tikal Futura and played bowling! I played a very fair game and actually won, all with plenty of divine help. Afterwards we went...to Chili’s!! Oh how tasty! I bought a mushroom swiss burger and fries and decided after the Christmas season (or after I run out of chocolate) I’ll eventually be healthy again. I’m still doing 30 pushups before breakfast lunch and diner as many days as I can minus Sundays.
Once again, I’m sorry, these computers here in Meta Terminal just don’t like to use my camera so I can’t send any pictures this week but I’ll get on that. My memory card is nearly chock full of pictures all the way back to Juana de Arco with Elder Vargas!! When that finally fills to its bursting point I’ll send it home to you guys, I’m sure you will enjoy that a bit ;D. The other memory card I’m working on putting a ton of videos on it just for you guys, that will be done...when it also gets full.
Much love to all and to all a Merry Christmas, I’m super exited to talk to you all! That will be a wonderful present for both of us. I miss everyone a ton and just want you to know that all is going well here, I just hope all is super well at home, I have to be careful not to let my mind wander to me being home with you guys for Christmas, that would be dangerous. Gatta focus!
I truly love you all with all my heart, be safe and be strong, please; it’s the biggest present you could ever give me.
Elder Andrew Bronson
Monday, December 13, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
My new companions name is Elder Vindel
Oooh Wesley had a professional shave mmmhhhhmmm. I remember my fist shave...out of 3... Yeah I just don’t have a hairy face. And as always I'd like to say DANG you all look so different ahhhhhhhhhh...but that’s understandable because I look a bit different too.
Alright question time!
Have you fixed your shoes????? Please take care of your feet. 1. Yup I bought shoes just a bit ago, right before emails I decided it was time when the last pair I owned started putting holes in all my socks and started eating my toes to a nice brilliant red chaffing.
Please re-size your pictures before you send them. Your last email didn’t arrive at our house until 9 pm and your pictures were 1 or 2 MB in size. . Alright I didn’t think about it earlier but I’ll start resizing them for y´all.
Share with us some Guatemala Christmas traditions that you have learned so far. Christmas traditions in Guat? Tamales. And more tamales. everything tamales. There’s eggnog down here did you know that? Not a single person knows what the heck it is but its here. Really Christmas is nearly the same after all the tamales. Lights on the rich peoples houses, Christmas trees and Christmas hymns. Santa everywhere and big 'ol wreaths and all. A merry Guatemalan Christmas to you all! Ho ho ho!
It’s been an interesting week I’d say. Tuesday… on Tuesday the owners of the house decided to repaint where we live so the house was all messy and things where everywhere when we got a call at 2 o’ clock telling Elder Marquez that he has an hour to pack his things, he’s headed for Coban on an emergency change. It got really chaotic after that and we rushed to do everything and get down to the bus station where we were put with other elders for a bit. I was with Elder Seppi my missionary brother (Elder Bowman was his dad, or first companion, and Bowman was also my second trainer, or my missionary mom) we’re great friends and it was awesome being legitimate companions for 3 hours. We all met up in Zone Alemada with Elder (Michael) Smith the holiest elder of them all and another personal friend of mine. He told me ¨hopefully you can help your new comp out a lot.¨ Wheee… another elder with something to solve. Does President think I help people that much? Personally I'm not so sure but it’s the Lords way right? I was put with a new elder and sent back to Lomas. My new companions name is Elder Vindel, my fourth Latino companion in a row that doesn’t know a single spot of English but by now I can communicate just about perfectly in Spanish anyway. He’s from El Salvador and has 4 more months than I do.
The week was rough. Elder Marquez knew when people would be home and the whole ward too, I know the names and the places but not the times so we were left to wander without direction quite a few times. I could feel he was frustrated with me; he hardly talked and always walked behind me instead of next to me. On Friday night it came down to it. He told me that he wanted to call the President and go home and when I tried to motivate him he just said quietly under his breath that he didn’t want to even talk to me anymore. Just a moment after we entered into our appointment. This family needs alot of love right now, their son of 10 years wanted very badly to be baptized but President said he has to wait for his family to be baptized with him; the problem is that they can’t for a divorce issue with prior spouses. We could tell they were all disappointed and I didn’t know what to do, but Elder Vindel stepped in and showed some real concern and love for the wellbeing of their family that really touched them and me. The rest of the night we were both filled with the spirit and incredibly happy to be here helping people. It was one of the best nightly planning sessions I've ever had and since then we’ve been working more in tune with the spirit, having more success and much more cooperation and companionship between us.
That’s my missionary story of the week hope you all are filled with love. How was the Christmas devotional for you all? I thought it was INCREADIBLE. I guess when your on your mission everything spiritual is amazing as so.
Have a merry Christmas everyone, this Wednesday I’m opening my Christmas package, it just so happens to be the same day as the missions Christmas party so it will be an exiting day. I love you all and I know that this is truly the work. The Gospel is true and really fixes and gives purpose to our lives. I know the Book of Mormon to be the literal word of God and Joseph Smith truly a man called of God to restore the plenitude of the Gospel of Jesus Christ here on the earth. I love you all more than I can say and wish you always the best. I’m always praying for you.
Elder Bronson
Alright question time!
Have you fixed your shoes????? Please take care of your feet. 1. Yup I bought shoes just a bit ago, right before emails I decided it was time when the last pair I owned started putting holes in all my socks and started eating my toes to a nice brilliant red chaffing.
Please re-size your pictures before you send them. Your last email didn’t arrive at our house until 9 pm and your pictures were 1 or 2 MB in size. . Alright I didn’t think about it earlier but I’ll start resizing them for y´all.
Share with us some Guatemala Christmas traditions that you have learned so far. Christmas traditions in Guat? Tamales. And more tamales. everything tamales. There’s eggnog down here did you know that? Not a single person knows what the heck it is but its here. Really Christmas is nearly the same after all the tamales. Lights on the rich peoples houses, Christmas trees and Christmas hymns. Santa everywhere and big 'ol wreaths and all. A merry Guatemalan Christmas to you all! Ho ho ho!
It’s been an interesting week I’d say. Tuesday… on Tuesday the owners of the house decided to repaint where we live so the house was all messy and things where everywhere when we got a call at 2 o’ clock telling Elder Marquez that he has an hour to pack his things, he’s headed for Coban on an emergency change. It got really chaotic after that and we rushed to do everything and get down to the bus station where we were put with other elders for a bit. I was with Elder Seppi my missionary brother (Elder Bowman was his dad, or first companion, and Bowman was also my second trainer, or my missionary mom) we’re great friends and it was awesome being legitimate companions for 3 hours. We all met up in Zone Alemada with Elder (Michael) Smith the holiest elder of them all and another personal friend of mine. He told me ¨hopefully you can help your new comp out a lot.¨ Wheee… another elder with something to solve. Does President think I help people that much? Personally I'm not so sure but it’s the Lords way right? I was put with a new elder and sent back to Lomas. My new companions name is Elder Vindel, my fourth Latino companion in a row that doesn’t know a single spot of English but by now I can communicate just about perfectly in Spanish anyway. He’s from El Salvador and has 4 more months than I do.
The week was rough. Elder Marquez knew when people would be home and the whole ward too, I know the names and the places but not the times so we were left to wander without direction quite a few times. I could feel he was frustrated with me; he hardly talked and always walked behind me instead of next to me. On Friday night it came down to it. He told me that he wanted to call the President and go home and when I tried to motivate him he just said quietly under his breath that he didn’t want to even talk to me anymore. Just a moment after we entered into our appointment. This family needs alot of love right now, their son of 10 years wanted very badly to be baptized but President said he has to wait for his family to be baptized with him; the problem is that they can’t for a divorce issue with prior spouses. We could tell they were all disappointed and I didn’t know what to do, but Elder Vindel stepped in and showed some real concern and love for the wellbeing of their family that really touched them and me. The rest of the night we were both filled with the spirit and incredibly happy to be here helping people. It was one of the best nightly planning sessions I've ever had and since then we’ve been working more in tune with the spirit, having more success and much more cooperation and companionship between us.
That’s my missionary story of the week hope you all are filled with love. How was the Christmas devotional for you all? I thought it was INCREADIBLE. I guess when your on your mission everything spiritual is amazing as so.
Have a merry Christmas everyone, this Wednesday I’m opening my Christmas package, it just so happens to be the same day as the missions Christmas party so it will be an exiting day. I love you all and I know that this is truly the work. The Gospel is true and really fixes and gives purpose to our lives. I know the Book of Mormon to be the literal word of God and Joseph Smith truly a man called of God to restore the plenitude of the Gospel of Jesus Christ here on the earth. I love you all more than I can say and wish you always the best. I’m always praying for you.
Elder Bronson
Monday, November 29, 2010
I had my fist tuktuk ride the other day
That’s a ton of snow holy cow; right now here the weather is just about normal. Not too cold and not too hot, a little hotter than cold I think...ha. I was tempted to buy Christmas lights for our room but my companion (it’s his first mission Christmas too) said he’d probably cry every night of sheer bagginess if I did. Oh well maybe next year. And that’s a ton of hair too holy cow it’s a house full of skater boys.
Well............yeah so I already received your Christmas package and the one from the Grigg family, I received them on Thanksgiving Day and have decided to wait on the big package at least until the 8th, the smaller one from the Grigg family I already opened and have already almost eaten everything in it minus the socks haha. My companion Elder Marquez is exited for his stocking too. It just really hit me today that this is my first Christmas of 2, I have an entire year left it only now seems like so much more! Dang...nonetheless I'm not going to be baggy.
I did send you that side bag and it has a couple of last minute things stuffed in too. I hope you enjoy them. Ohh here’s a story; I had my fist tuktuk ride the other day coming back from divisions in Canalitos with Elder Busto. It was too late at night for the buses to be safely running and there was no other choice. Elder Marquez made me a little nervous about riding one by saying that he was scared of doing so. They are small and kinda rickety, in a recent letter I drew you guys one. It’s like a motorcycle with three little wheels that looks kinda like a little baby jeep. They work kinda like taxis but not as expensive. Honestly on some of the turns it was a bit frightening but overall a pretty cool little ride through the jungly Canalitos at night.
In the work all seems to go alright... we only have one sure baptismal date for this Saturday a young boy named Ever. His whole family is ready except his parents are struggling with a divorce with previous spouses and a remarriage! not all that rare in Guatemala... our other interested investigator had something happen in the family in which he had to move away and only visits randomly once a week. DANG. Pray for new golden investigator families aright? Haha we really need the help the area is very rich and everybody knows ¨Los Mormónes¨ and how to get them to go away. Still trying though!
Well............yeah so I already received your Christmas package and the one from the Grigg family, I received them on Thanksgiving Day and have decided to wait on the big package at least until the 8th, the smaller one from the Grigg family I already opened and have already almost eaten everything in it minus the socks haha. My companion Elder Marquez is exited for his stocking too. It just really hit me today that this is my first Christmas of 2, I have an entire year left it only now seems like so much more! Dang...nonetheless I'm not going to be baggy.
I did send you that side bag and it has a couple of last minute things stuffed in too. I hope you enjoy them. Ohh here’s a story; I had my fist tuktuk ride the other day coming back from divisions in Canalitos with Elder Busto. It was too late at night for the buses to be safely running and there was no other choice. Elder Marquez made me a little nervous about riding one by saying that he was scared of doing so. They are small and kinda rickety, in a recent letter I drew you guys one. It’s like a motorcycle with three little wheels that looks kinda like a little baby jeep. They work kinda like taxis but not as expensive. Honestly on some of the turns it was a bit frightening but overall a pretty cool little ride through the jungly Canalitos at night.
Today was a bit fun too. We celebrated Elder Whited´s 20th birthday eating at a member’s house. While waiting for the food we played Jenga and I didn’t lose; I felt pretty good with myself. On one of my turns I took like 3 and a half minutes trying to remove one precarious block. After we started playing ¨Scum¨ which is a Boy Scout camp card game with face cards that was pretty intense. We eventually started playing with added rules and it got even more so. I was king one time and scum the last two rounds, ouch my cards stunk. It was all fun though. We had ice-cream and chocolate cake too it was yummy.
In the work all seems to go alright... we only have one sure baptismal date for this Saturday a young boy named Ever. His whole family is ready except his parents are struggling with a divorce with previous spouses and a remarriage! not all that rare in Guatemala... our other interested investigator had something happen in the family in which he had to move away and only visits randomly once a week. DANG. Pray for new golden investigator families aright? Haha we really need the help the area is very rich and everybody knows ¨Los Mormónes¨ and how to get them to go away. Still trying though!
Well as always super much love to one and to all, hope thanksgiving was great, mine we just ate more than usual and called it good. Take care of yourselves I love you way too much for anything to happen. I dearly want to see you ALL when I get home ;) but I know you are safe, God is watching over you and we have already seen evidence of that right ha. Stay strong in the family prayer and scriptures alright? It’s the basic things that bring the big blessings. Prayer, scripture study, church, tithing. Don’t forget the others but those 4 are pretty important.
Can’t wait till Christmas when I can call you! What a present right?
AMOR
Elder Bronson
Monday, November 22, 2010
It was the jungle adventure I’d been waiting for
SO MUCH SNOW!!! Dang that seems so weird. Here we're having a cold front but por su puesto no hay neive (obviously there isn’t any snow) and wow you all have grown up so much in the past almost year. 9 months haha. Yeah it is true that Christmas time makes missionaries baggy. I'm not a baggy missionary, but a couple days ago I was listening to some amazing Christmas music coming from the members that live in the same house as us and the day was all cloudy and grey. That morning we went to help a member family paint their house (this was Saturday) and everybody was still sleeping in all nice and cozy. It made me want to be home all warm and happy for Christmas but alas, my duty is here and there is nowhere else I’d rather be. Other missionaries would look at a plane and think Oh I only have 7 months left! I think OH DANG I only have 15 months left, let’s GO elder!
 |
| Martin De la Cruz |
Last week I didn’t have a chance to send you guys pictures so this week I got you some good ones haha about 26 or so lets see. Some of those were from a very exiting adventure we all had. The first two are from my last day in Santa Elena visiting with the De la Cruz family, and the second is a picture of when Martin was back in the Army being all buff holding a chain gun and wearing gun belts...that’s my convert! We spent a lot of time there that night looking at everyone’s baby pictures and getting ready to miss them like family.
Alright for this adventure. Tuesday, the day after I emailed you we did service in Canalitos with the rest of the zone chopping up with machetes. After all was chopped we walked around the property a bit and there was a path going down the side of a big foresty mountain. We felt very adventurous and went down. At the bottom there was a little passage way with a cave and everything. It was the jungle adventure I’d been waiting for since receiving my call over a year ago, it was amazing! There were even bats in the little cave. I hope to do more of that kind of stuff up north when I go.Questions
* Tell us about your new area and your new companion
Last week I told you all about my comp and area, Elder Marquez, and Lomas Del Norte. It’s a very rich area that’s very hard to contact but theirs a lot of members there and a ward mission leader. Even the bishop seems pretty cool. Me and Elder Marquez laugh a ton and always are joking around but working so hard! Saturday when we were contacting when trying to find investigators we started laughing so hard that we actually had to stop and sit down for a couple of minutes.
* How are your shoes? Are they fixed?
No I haven’t done anything about my shoes but hopefully I’ll have a good opportunity tomorrow.
* Do you have any new investigators?
New investigators we taught one and he even came to church on Sunday. We put a baptismal date with him even. His name is Hugo. Besides him we only have so-so possibilities.
Well I’m going to use some time trying to work photos so I’ll end here. Love you all and pray for you every day and night, hope you all have a good thanksgiving! Christmas is just around the corner!
Elder Bronson
Monday, November 15, 2010
I feel like a missionary again!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOM! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOM!
Much love
Ahhh bueno, another Monday and another email! Haza, again happy birthday!
Alright the moment you have been waiting for...transfers...
I..
...
...
Got a new area! And a new companion too haha.
My new area is called Lomas Del Norte, and Mrs. Winkel might recognize that name. Elder Winkel served in this area for nearly 6 months and now it’s my area.
It was really a surprise to me to hear that I was the one with the change I expected to be in that area for a lot longer to help out the family De la Cruz. I was kinda sad because by the time we got the call and had the chance to visit everyone I wasn’t able to see Martin and tell him goodbye, only over the phone. Tuesday when saying goodbye to everyone we stopped at the De la Cruz house for a diner goodbye where we had hotdogs! We ended up spending nearly 2 hours there; they really are my family away from family. We spent some time going through baby pictures of Angelo and the family, it was awesome! One of the pictures was of Martin maybe 20 years ago or more when he was back in the army. Holding a chaingun and being buff! Yup, that’s my convert. I was so sad to say goodbye but I had a reassuring feeling that my next area would be good for me, better.
From Juana de Arco up the hill to Santa Elena back down to Lomas del Norte, back to zone Atlántico. My new companion is Elder Marquez (mar-kez) who was one of Elder Winkle’s companions and has the same time as us both, 9 months. Oh ya! Change conference was our 9 month mark, 9 MONTHS MAMA. Last Sunday was your birthday, which also means that it’s my 1 year mark for having my endowments out.
Elder Marquez is from Honduras like my first companion Elder Vargas, he’s super humble and super fun. He reminds me a lot of Elder Winkel because he’s so happy all the time, sure easier to be happy when your companion is too. The house is nicer and bigger, the computer isn’t being very nice and isn’t letting me use my camera to send you pictures so hopefully next week. I remember how the computers here in this area kinda stink...anyway. We found a ton of church pictures and put them up everywhere. In the kitchen there is a sink, and in the bathroom there is also a sink!! We have a ton of pots and pans and cockroaches...yea dad remember before my mission you always joked about cockroaches everywhere? Well in Juana de Arco we had a fruit fly problem and almost a cockroach one, in Santa Elena almost as well with the flies and mosquitoes and now it’s a big cockroach problem! I constantly have to squish em. Eww.
The area is nice, it’s big and really much more beautiful than all my others because it’s much richer. Contacting is hard but there are a TON of members and the ward leaders seem really nice too. Instead of begging for help announcing stuff we just suggest it to the ward mission leader (who in this area is active) and he takes care of it and really helps us out. The colonia lomas del norte looks just like a suburb with LAWNS and everything! It’s incredible! Already I am loving the area and my new companion, we constantly are laughing and teaching, obeying the rules and PLANNING. I feel like a missionary again!
No I have not repaired my shoes and now even my spare pair have wholes in the bottom, lots of walking ha! Today we are going to check out this little shop we saw in our area with a few shoes so hopefully something.
I've been healthy, healthier and healthier trying to eat to a better diet and now my companion was to try eating healthier, I just need some good healthy food meal ideas. We bought another blender so things should go easier. The only thing is just today after our pday activity of dodge ball my stomach felt kinda weird...then I ate taco bell and that didn’t help! I was at one point in the bathroom wondering if I was going to throw up but all was well nothing happened and I'm feeling better. The power of prayer!
I already told you that my new areas hard for contacting, lately we’ve spent a good deal of time looking for new people and nothings been happening. We hardly have ANY investigators right now and we’ve only really visited less active members lately and been asking for references. Hopefully some news soon! Last Thursday when getting to know the area during the day we were offered cake four separate times!
Hmmm I can’t remember really if there was something awesome to tell you guys or not, I'll have to write it next week if I remember it later. Once again sorry for no pictures, dang computer. Oh! One thing is I’m sure you will hear soon from Elder Smiths mom is that he’s going to Polochik! To learn KEKCHI!! You know what that means don’t you? It means that he’s going to be there FOREVER AND ILL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
We will....eventually...well in the meantime I express my love for all of you, there’s a scripture that really hit me yesterday Moroni 8:16, ¨un amor perfecto desecha todo temor¨ or a perfect love casts out all fear, a great one for missionary work! Much love siempre, más que puedo decir. Please take care of yourselves, I love you.
Elder Bronson
Much love
Ahhh bueno, another Monday and another email! Haza, again happy birthday!
Alright the moment you have been waiting for...transfers...
I..
...
...
Got a new area! And a new companion too haha.
My new area is called Lomas Del Norte, and Mrs. Winkel might recognize that name. Elder Winkel served in this area for nearly 6 months and now it’s my area.
It was really a surprise to me to hear that I was the one with the change I expected to be in that area for a lot longer to help out the family De la Cruz. I was kinda sad because by the time we got the call and had the chance to visit everyone I wasn’t able to see Martin and tell him goodbye, only over the phone. Tuesday when saying goodbye to everyone we stopped at the De la Cruz house for a diner goodbye where we had hotdogs! We ended up spending nearly 2 hours there; they really are my family away from family. We spent some time going through baby pictures of Angelo and the family, it was awesome! One of the pictures was of Martin maybe 20 years ago or more when he was back in the army. Holding a chaingun and being buff! Yup, that’s my convert. I was so sad to say goodbye but I had a reassuring feeling that my next area would be good for me, better.
From Juana de Arco up the hill to Santa Elena back down to Lomas del Norte, back to zone Atlántico. My new companion is Elder Marquez (mar-kez) who was one of Elder Winkle’s companions and has the same time as us both, 9 months. Oh ya! Change conference was our 9 month mark, 9 MONTHS MAMA. Last Sunday was your birthday, which also means that it’s my 1 year mark for having my endowments out.
Elder Marquez is from Honduras like my first companion Elder Vargas, he’s super humble and super fun. He reminds me a lot of Elder Winkel because he’s so happy all the time, sure easier to be happy when your companion is too. The house is nicer and bigger, the computer isn’t being very nice and isn’t letting me use my camera to send you pictures so hopefully next week. I remember how the computers here in this area kinda stink...anyway. We found a ton of church pictures and put them up everywhere. In the kitchen there is a sink, and in the bathroom there is also a sink!! We have a ton of pots and pans and cockroaches...yea dad remember before my mission you always joked about cockroaches everywhere? Well in Juana de Arco we had a fruit fly problem and almost a cockroach one, in Santa Elena almost as well with the flies and mosquitoes and now it’s a big cockroach problem! I constantly have to squish em. Eww.
The area is nice, it’s big and really much more beautiful than all my others because it’s much richer. Contacting is hard but there are a TON of members and the ward leaders seem really nice too. Instead of begging for help announcing stuff we just suggest it to the ward mission leader (who in this area is active) and he takes care of it and really helps us out. The colonia lomas del norte looks just like a suburb with LAWNS and everything! It’s incredible! Already I am loving the area and my new companion, we constantly are laughing and teaching, obeying the rules and PLANNING. I feel like a missionary again!
No I have not repaired my shoes and now even my spare pair have wholes in the bottom, lots of walking ha! Today we are going to check out this little shop we saw in our area with a few shoes so hopefully something.
I've been healthy, healthier and healthier trying to eat to a better diet and now my companion was to try eating healthier, I just need some good healthy food meal ideas. We bought another blender so things should go easier. The only thing is just today after our pday activity of dodge ball my stomach felt kinda weird...then I ate taco bell and that didn’t help! I was at one point in the bathroom wondering if I was going to throw up but all was well nothing happened and I'm feeling better. The power of prayer!
I already told you that my new areas hard for contacting, lately we’ve spent a good deal of time looking for new people and nothings been happening. We hardly have ANY investigators right now and we’ve only really visited less active members lately and been asking for references. Hopefully some news soon! Last Thursday when getting to know the area during the day we were offered cake four separate times!
Hmmm I can’t remember really if there was something awesome to tell you guys or not, I'll have to write it next week if I remember it later. Once again sorry for no pictures, dang computer. Oh! One thing is I’m sure you will hear soon from Elder Smiths mom is that he’s going to Polochik! To learn KEKCHI!! You know what that means don’t you? It means that he’s going to be there FOREVER AND ILL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
We will....eventually...well in the meantime I express my love for all of you, there’s a scripture that really hit me yesterday Moroni 8:16, ¨un amor perfecto desecha todo temor¨ or a perfect love casts out all fear, a great one for missionary work! Much love siempre, más que puedo decir. Please take care of yourselves, I love you.
Elder Bronson
Monday, November 8, 2010
You could imagine a whole bunch of grandpas and grandmas and how they would react to a couple of handsome young men, one from their native country
What do you want for Christmas?
Christmas...well my list isn’t that big so you’ll have to be a bit creative filling it up but here goes, mostly just silly things
-more music from Jon Schmidt
-more socks ;D
-a booster pack of awesome yugioh cards for my ever geeky companions...and my ever geeky me.
-an English hymnbook
-lots of prayers for the people in this area
Did you get your shoes repaired?
As for my shoes I haven’t had them resoled, I did look for new ones today but they hardly have Americanly sized shoes here and the ones they did have weren’t up for a year of walking or were just plain weird so I'll keep looking and get a pair resoled. My socks are dying too because of the holes in the bottom of my shoes that let nasty water in and when it dries it hardens and is really kinda gross. I'll get right on fixing em if I can find a place.
Did you get to baptize the other Martin?
No the other martin I didn’t baptize, during the week they picked somebody from the ward to do it and that’s fine with me, I hardly knew him. On Sunday it turns out that he didn’t even show up, either sick or nervous I don’t know. The sister missionaries didn’t seem so happy that day.
Tell us a spiritual experience you had this week.
I'm using my new agenda now so I don’t have all my spiritual experiences that I’ve written down during the week.. Hmm alright I have one for ya. I was doing morning divisions with Elder Davis and he was playing some music that was so incredibly amazing, it wasn’t specifically church music but it was talking about Christ and I felt the spirit so strong! Afterwards I went home and after eating lunch I was pondering about Lehi's dream and the iron rod. The words of our last general conference came into my head I can’t remember who but the sister said to ¨hold on the to the rod with BOTH hands¨. I remembered something that they talked about in seminary like picturing yourself there with the numberless multitude holding on to the rod. I instantly had an image jump its way into my mind of me holding on to the rod with all my might, both hands held firm, then me reaching up and partaking of the fruit of life when the spirit hit me so strong with a confirmation that if I hold on to the rod like I am doing right now I WILL PARTAKE of that fruit. I sat there at my desk with tears streaming down my eyes for a good few min. That experience has definitely been a huge help to me lately, now more than ever, I KNOW that this gospel is true. I KNOW with all my heart and feeling that God loves me, and so does his Son. I want so much to give this joy and happiness to so many others that I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the opportunity to be here.
There is a ward member in our area that owns a taxi so he gave us a lift to the area office pretty far away from where we live, down in the big city. We got to the building and inside saw my first bishop from Juana de Arco who commented on how much weight I've lost. He told us the doctor was on the 3rd floor so we went, and they told us that he was on the fourth. We get up there and they said the he is on the fifth floor teaching a Spanish class so we went. On the fifth floor was a small office type thing that said that he wouldn’t be in the class and he might not even have arrived yet, so we could go into the class to wait for him if we wanted. We entered and it was a group of senior missionaries learning Spanish. You could imagine a whole bunch of grandpas and grandmas and how they would react to a couple of handsome young men, one from their native country. The teacher was one of the teachers from the CCM and she had us come up and tell where we were from, what mission we were in, and after bear our testimony having the older couples listen for words that they recognized. Their Spanish was so little that it reminded me of when we were in the CCM and didn’t know a thing, I kept almost wanting to correct them but I decided not to look dumb and interrupt and make them feel inadequate so I didn’t but it was a great experience and there was a lot of love and a good spirit in that room, people really wanting to serve the Lord. We went back down to the 3rd floor and found the doctor and he fixed everything up within 5 min and we were out again.
I love you all so very dearly and hold that each and every one of you will work so much harder on holding on to that rod! God loves you and wants the best for you, always trust in him and you will never truly be sad, even Lot had that eternal peace when he lost everything, and in the end everything he had was literally doubled.
Until then my God be with you, I love you,
Elder Andrew James Bronson
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| Andrew's Artwork |
Christmas...well my list isn’t that big so you’ll have to be a bit creative filling it up but here goes, mostly just silly things
-more music from Jon Schmidt
-more socks ;D
-a booster pack of awesome yugioh cards for my ever geeky companions...and my ever geeky me.
-an English hymnbook
-lots of prayers for the people in this area
Did you get your shoes repaired?
As for my shoes I haven’t had them resoled, I did look for new ones today but they hardly have Americanly sized shoes here and the ones they did have weren’t up for a year of walking or were just plain weird so I'll keep looking and get a pair resoled. My socks are dying too because of the holes in the bottom of my shoes that let nasty water in and when it dries it hardens and is really kinda gross. I'll get right on fixing em if I can find a place.
Did you get to baptize the other Martin?
No the other martin I didn’t baptize, during the week they picked somebody from the ward to do it and that’s fine with me, I hardly knew him. On Sunday it turns out that he didn’t even show up, either sick or nervous I don’t know. The sister missionaries didn’t seem so happy that day.
Tell us a spiritual experience you had this week.
I'm using my new agenda now so I don’t have all my spiritual experiences that I’ve written down during the week.. Hmm alright I have one for ya. I was doing morning divisions with Elder Davis and he was playing some music that was so incredibly amazing, it wasn’t specifically church music but it was talking about Christ and I felt the spirit so strong! Afterwards I went home and after eating lunch I was pondering about Lehi's dream and the iron rod. The words of our last general conference came into my head I can’t remember who but the sister said to ¨hold on the to the rod with BOTH hands¨. I remembered something that they talked about in seminary like picturing yourself there with the numberless multitude holding on to the rod. I instantly had an image jump its way into my mind of me holding on to the rod with all my might, both hands held firm, then me reaching up and partaking of the fruit of life when the spirit hit me so strong with a confirmation that if I hold on to the rod like I am doing right now I WILL PARTAKE of that fruit. I sat there at my desk with tears streaming down my eyes for a good few min. That experience has definitely been a huge help to me lately, now more than ever, I KNOW that this gospel is true. I KNOW with all my heart and feeling that God loves me, and so does his Son. I want so much to give this joy and happiness to so many others that I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the opportunity to be here.
There is a ward member in our area that owns a taxi so he gave us a lift to the area office pretty far away from where we live, down in the big city. We got to the building and inside saw my first bishop from Juana de Arco who commented on how much weight I've lost. He told us the doctor was on the 3rd floor so we went, and they told us that he was on the fourth. We get up there and they said the he is on the fifth floor teaching a Spanish class so we went. On the fifth floor was a small office type thing that said that he wouldn’t be in the class and he might not even have arrived yet, so we could go into the class to wait for him if we wanted. We entered and it was a group of senior missionaries learning Spanish. You could imagine a whole bunch of grandpas and grandmas and how they would react to a couple of handsome young men, one from their native country. The teacher was one of the teachers from the CCM and she had us come up and tell where we were from, what mission we were in, and after bear our testimony having the older couples listen for words that they recognized. Their Spanish was so little that it reminded me of when we were in the CCM and didn’t know a thing, I kept almost wanting to correct them but I decided not to look dumb and interrupt and make them feel inadequate so I didn’t but it was a great experience and there was a lot of love and a good spirit in that room, people really wanting to serve the Lord. We went back down to the 3rd floor and found the doctor and he fixed everything up within 5 min and we were out again.
I love you all so very dearly and hold that each and every one of you will work so much harder on holding on to that rod! God loves you and wants the best for you, always trust in him and you will never truly be sad, even Lot had that eternal peace when he lost everything, and in the end everything he had was literally doubled.Please keep yourselves strong and safe, follow the spirit, strengthen your
families with the gospel, it’s the greatest thing you could ever do, and after my two years in heaven are up and I will see you all again.
Elder Andrew James Bronson
Monday, November 1, 2010
Halloween exists here but they don’t do much because it’s so dangerous at night!
Yay another pday and time to write my beloved family...
Halloween exists here but they don’t do much because it’s so dangerous at night! ...and nobody has a ton of money to spend on candy. Instead they have some sort of holiday today the 1st of November. I'm not sure what it is but it makes the guys running the bus demand double. A whole 2 quetzales! That’s like 25 cents!! Sheesh.
I am not always sure what to say about my comp because one day it will be terrible and the next it will be just fine. This is the first relationship in my entire life where when we fight we get along better with each other. This has happened twice. I've honestly learned a ton because of him (I don’t know if I'd say from him but because of him maybe) about how to improve and be more Christ like in even the little things that don’t seem to matter, but really make all the difference. Changes are about a week and a half away and I’ve already received secret news from Elder Davis that he’s going to get a change and I’m going to stay here. I really like this area and there is SO much more I need to do here so I’m super exited to stay longer.
During church also one of the Sister missionaries investigators, also named Martin, told me he wanted me to be the one to baptize him (sister missionaries don’t have the priesthood and so cant baptize), his baptism is scheduled for next Sunday early in the morning.
Questions?
I am using the oils from time to time specially the roll on oil for acne. It has been helping a ton. As for more essential oils right now I think the supply is still good, no need to worry.
Something funny or awesome hmm? Well I just continue the email I guess
So! One thing, on Tuesday 2 things really. One was my companion doesn’t know the meaning of COMPANIONSHIP even after 22 months. He abandoned me 3 times in one morning going over to a neighbor kid’s house to do who-knows-what. One minuet studying, the next I’m alone and he’s nowhere to be found. I tried to talk about it and he got MAD. Aye-aye elder...2, when we were walking the hill back home in the night there’s a bus that parks up there and they gave us a lift up the hill, a small act of random kindness. Saturday 2 things as well. 1 I spent the morning with Elder Davis while both of our companions went on a little division to help somebody repair their car (Elder Plata, Davis´ companion is a great mechanic) me and Davis talked a ton, he’s an incredible missionary and I’m SO glad he’s here in the same district as me. The other, when we passed by Martin to walk with him over to the church for the baptism we came in the sheet metal door and the first thing he said when he saw me was ¨ah! mi salvación!¨ haha it feels incredible to have helped someone come to the knowledge of the restored gospel, I really feel like I already accomplished a lot on my mission, and I still have like 15 months. SO EXITED!
Alright one last thing I think, buying groceries today was a little different. When I was talking to Elder Davis part of it was about how he’s trying to keep healthy, and has replaced all his nasty foods for healthy things, like fruit for snacks and stuff. I went shopping with him today and tried the same. Practically all I bought was fruit, veggies, granola and oats, yogurt and all sorts of deliciousness. And a cheap blender. SWEET. That and I’m working out every day now minus Sundays haha! I’m hoping to really change my body and get fit and healthy, maybe when I get back we can have a ¨who is the healthiest¨ contest ha!
MUCH LOVE
Elder Bronson
Halloween exists here but they don’t do much because it’s so dangerous at night! ...and nobody has a ton of money to spend on candy. Instead they have some sort of holiday today the 1st of November. I'm not sure what it is but it makes the guys running the bus demand double. A whole 2 quetzales! That’s like 25 cents!! Sheesh.
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| Drawn while Elder V. was bible bashing with an investigator about angels |
Last Saturday we had another baptism! Could you guess who it is? Angelo de la Cruz, son of Martin de la Cruz whom I baptized about a month ago. And who performed the ordinance? HIS FATHER. The kid is incredible. He was the only one of his family besides his mother who hadn’t already been baptized and he might be the most faithful next to his dad. The water was cold and his dad had to do the ordinance a number of times because he didn’t have to prayer perfect (he only has a month being a member so I don’t blame him). Nonetheless by the time they got it Angelo the poor little guy was shivering like crazy. What a real trooper. the next day on Sunday they weren’t planning on being able to make it to church for some super big thing with the family (martins very first time being absent since we found him about 2 months ago) so bishop Paredes wasn’t planning on doing it, but Angelo came to church anyway, just a
bit late for a usual confirmation. The bishop knowing he was there didn’t do anything about it and even though Angelo was present they didn’t confer upon him the Holy Ghost. (Our bishop isn’t very helpful...even to the sister missionaries) when Elder Davis heard he was MAD. He told me that even though Martin and everyone were in a super hurry they where running to church and when they got there (E. Davis was outside) his dad told Angelo Go! Go! Hurry for your confirmation! Run!..But the bishop didn’t do it. Ugh. Angelo the incredible spirit he is didn’t murmur or anything, what a trooper.
bit late for a usual confirmation. The bishop knowing he was there didn’t do anything about it and even though Angelo was present they didn’t confer upon him the Holy Ghost. (Our bishop isn’t very helpful...even to the sister missionaries) when Elder Davis heard he was MAD. He told me that even though Martin and everyone were in a super hurry they where running to church and when they got there (E. Davis was outside) his dad told Angelo Go! Go! Hurry for your confirmation! Run!..But the bishop didn’t do it. Ugh. Angelo the incredible spirit he is didn’t murmur or anything, what a trooper.During church also one of the Sister missionaries investigators, also named Martin, told me he wanted me to be the one to baptize him (sister missionaries don’t have the priesthood and so cant baptize), his baptism is scheduled for next Sunday early in the morning.
Questions?
I am using the oils from time to time specially the roll on oil for acne. It has been helping a ton. As for more essential oils right now I think the supply is still good, no need to worry.
Something funny or awesome hmm? Well I just continue the email I guess
So! One thing, on Tuesday 2 things really. One was my companion doesn’t know the meaning of COMPANIONSHIP even after 22 months. He abandoned me 3 times in one morning going over to a neighbor kid’s house to do who-knows-what. One minuet studying, the next I’m alone and he’s nowhere to be found. I tried to talk about it and he got MAD. Aye-aye elder...2, when we were walking the hill back home in the night there’s a bus that parks up there and they gave us a lift up the hill, a small act of random kindness. Saturday 2 things as well. 1 I spent the morning with Elder Davis while both of our companions went on a little division to help somebody repair their car (Elder Plata, Davis´ companion is a great mechanic) me and Davis talked a ton, he’s an incredible missionary and I’m SO glad he’s here in the same district as me. The other, when we passed by Martin to walk with him over to the church for the baptism we came in the sheet metal door and the first thing he said when he saw me was ¨ah! mi salvación!¨ haha it feels incredible to have helped someone come to the knowledge of the restored gospel, I really feel like I already accomplished a lot on my mission, and I still have like 15 months. SO EXITED!
Alright one last thing I think, buying groceries today was a little different. When I was talking to Elder Davis part of it was about how he’s trying to keep healthy, and has replaced all his nasty foods for healthy things, like fruit for snacks and stuff. I went shopping with him today and tried the same. Practically all I bought was fruit, veggies, granola and oats, yogurt and all sorts of deliciousness. And a cheap blender. SWEET. That and I’m working out every day now minus Sundays haha! I’m hoping to really change my body and get fit and healthy, maybe when I get back we can have a ¨who is the healthiest¨ contest ha!
Well love you all and keep it safe please, I always pray for you. An interesting scripture to look up is D&C 35:13. Oh and I have a question for the day:
¨according to Lehi, what flavor was the fruit of knowledge of good and evil? ¨ the answer is in 2nd Nephi 2:15
MUCH LOVE
Elder Bronson
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