Monday, August 12, 2013

The Best Two Years...last E-mail of Branden's Mission

August 12, 2013

The Last Letter!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the last e-mail that you will all need to send me. My plane is scheduled to leave at 3:30 in the afternoon the next week, but Presidente And Sister Fusco want to do something special for us, so I don’t believe that I will have any computer time. That is really weird to say... the last e-mail. The same thing that you explained is running through my head. I am So Excited to run off the plane and to be with you all again, But I feel like I am leaving all of my Brazillian family behind. But until now, I have only had about 5 min to ponder about all of that so it isn’t weighing me down too much. Don’t worry mom, you have the first hug!!!;)

Yesterday a missionary that arrived together with me met up with his mom here in Brasil. He lives together with me, and his mom came to visit Brasil for one week together with him. While we were waiting for him mom to arrive I began to get butterflies... and it wasn’t even my mom haha. I think it is a glimpse of what I will feel here in a week. It has been interesting to see the missionaries that are going home and watch their behavior. Everyone with their head high, and strong testimonies getting on the plane. Putting myself in their place I am very grateful for my mission and everything that I have passed, because now I can walk with my head high and my testimony and not look back. Last night my first companion (Elder Cornwell) had his last dinner! He had to go home a week early and so we got to dine with him and Presidente Fusco. While we were there they also had the dinner for the Brazillian Fathers day... HAPPY FATHERS DAY AGAIN DAD!... We were in the presence of Elder Torgan an area seventy, and Elder Godoy´s parents (a member of the seventy). To hear their testimonies was incredible, and also to hear my first companion’s testimony and to see how much he has grown is great. He Lives in Richland WA so we will see each other a lot after the mission ;)

This week was CRAZY!!! We are working on transfers... and we are helping Presidente with some changes that need to be made in the mission. So until Thursday we were in meeting all day and all night! The good thing about that is every hour that I am with Presidente Fusco I am learning. We also get to eat with him, where normal missionaries can’t afford to eat ;) We then had an assignment from Presidente to do a division with another missionary on Friday to see if he is ready for more responsibility. So we arrived on Saturday for the first time in our area! Our numbers were horrible, and three of the numbers that presidente looks at the most are baptisms (we called our baptism every day, and taught her through the phone and she was baptized on Sunday!), Investigators at church, and new investigators. We went out inviting everyone to church and teaching new families. We taught 20 new investigators and we were able to get 7 people at church too! That is completely with the help of the Lord! I am very grateful that He is watching over me. So even with all the meetings and tasks we were able to have a productive week!!!

I have been praying for experiences to strengthen my testimony, and also I have been praying for energy and power to finish my mission on FIRE!!! Sunday I received my answer. When I entered the waters and put my arm to the square I got a feeling very strongly in my chest. I looked around at everyone that was watching the baptism, and I saw the real reason of why we are here as missionaries. Not just to baptize everyone, or teach as many people possible, but to build a big family in the church. Help others work together, and grow together until they reach the Celestial Kingdom! It was a great feeling.

This next week is going to be even more rushed then last week! We are going to finish the transfers with Presidente Fusco, and We are also going to have 5 zone conferences!!! Today we are here preparing the training all day on our P day, so we can give trainings all week to the missionaries at the zone conferences. Then we are going to have dinner with the families that are visiting their missionaries Saturday night with President Fusco. Then we are going to have out last interviews Sunday afternoon and dinner Sunday night! We are not going to have time to breathe!!! But that is exactly how I wanted to finish my mission Sprinting!

I Know that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. I know that The restoration happened and that Joseph Smith Saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Every time that I hear the words of Joseph sited I feel that it is true. I know that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient Prophets for our days like Nephi explained at the end of his writings. I know that My life has been changed because of this church, and I know that our family will be together forever!

I love you all!!!

Elder Heath

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