BOM Challenge

In Colton's last email he said that he was going to read the Book of Mormon by Christmas. He was doing it as a challenge from his Mission President. It is going to be a Christmas gift to Christ and to himself. If any one would else would like to join in the challenge, the more the merrier.

In order to finish the Book Of Mormon between Christmas and the end of the year you need to read 5.7 pages a day.

Don't do Anything Stupid

Yeah, I'm actually not fat! haha. I just never worked out before my mission. You know I must have dad's kinda figure haha. So once I started doing push ups and sit ups and riding a bike every day for like 10 or so miles, it's been working out for me. p I think maybe it helps I cant eat all the crap food I want now too. Although I still do have a box of Honey Buns a week; cant give those up.

This week has been AWESOME!! No joke haha. And way crazy too. On Saturday we had Leslie's baptism. It went really well. Her parents who were completely against it came also!! It was a great experience and we also took Ryan to it. He is getting so close to committing,we are still hoping and praying. He's gonna come with us today and play Basketball. Then go buy some ties with us at Ross. It should be fun. On Sunday we had the confirmation of Leslie and then it was the primary program as well. Such a good Sunday! It's always so cool to be able to participate in that kind of thing with someone you taught. It took a lot of work, a lot of prayer, a lot of fasting, and a lot of energy. It's awesome to finally see her taking that step that the Lord wants her to take.

We also had a Zone Conference on Monday. That was pretty sweet as well. I always love the testimony meeting at the end. It's cool to be able to hear other Elder's testimony's and then bear your own to them. The spirit is always so strong. We were also challenged to read the Book of Mormon by Christmas as a Christmas present for our selves and for the Lord. So I started over again. I read the first couple chapters again. I'm still finding things I didn't catch the other couple times. I love it!

Oh man, this week we had an interesting run in with the cops, nothing big, so don't worry mom. It just strengthened my testimony of how much love you can have for someone you just met. I swear I was about to start busting down doors taking names and maybe a couple in the chest for this lady. But being official representatives of the church we cant get involved. And that is wisdom from God for sure. It just amazed me looking back on the situation (which again, mom wasn't anything! don't go calling around about it!) that I felt that close to someone that I met only 2 months before. And before my mission I would have probably been to afraid to even talk to. The Lord definitely plays a huge part in this work. God said himself that this is his work. I am so thankful that I am a part of that. I love being that tool that God himself uses to help people come to the realization that Jesus is the Christ and that our Father in Heaven loves each and every one of us.

Anyways I've got to go, but i love you all, and don't do anything stupid!!! haha

Love,
Elder Bragg

2 lb Block of Cheese

HEY!!

Yeah and I heard about the game to. . . I called someone from our ward for some info and they just happened to be there and it was just ending haha. Good timing on my part.

The typical day for me is.
6:30 -wake up, work out, and stretch. . . (and it must be working too cause I'm up to 175. . . I know right haha)
7:30 - shower and get dressed
8:00 - personal study. . . and I just finished the BOM for the first time on the mission! I'm way excited. Many more to come...
9:00 - companion study
10:00 - say a prayer before we leave and go tract till
1:00 - lunch
2:00 tract some more and go visit potential investigators/ Less Actives/ that kind of stuff
5:00 Dinner
6:00 visit the above mentioned. That's when we usually have appointments so we teach a lot at night also
9:00/9:30ish- come home plan for the next day and sit around
10:30- in bed
Yep that's the day and not just a usual day, that's every day. Other then p-day and Sunday. I love it. I feel so organized haha.

Laundry skillz (notice the Z for the extra cool spelling) are off the chain! I'm getting good. I got out a grass stain the other day. I was way proud of myself haha.

Yes I'm minding my manners at every ones house. I haven't used my fingers my whole mission haha. You'd be proud. They feed us everything. This ward is way awesome about feeding us. I think we've only not had a dinner appt twice my whole mission. It's usually really really good. . .except all that stuff I don't like to eat. But I choke it down anyways. I'm on a mission. Gotta do what you gotta do. I even ate a whole tomato the other day. So gross, but heck, I ate it.

Now this week a lot happened, but I'm sure I won't remember most of it, so here it goes. . . First off. . . We were eating dinner at a members home this Sunday and I saw they had a good cheese slicer. . . So I was like. "HEY! Where did you get that! I've got to get one!" and sister Zollinger was like "Hey! Take this one I've got an extra and I don't remember where I got it!" and that basically made my week! (for my temporal need of course). So I went and bought a 2 pound block and ate a pound that first day haha. I was in heaven. I've have the block 3 days and its almost gone. Feels like home again.

We also had a lesson with Ryan (this 18 year old investigator) this week. It went soooo well. He really wants to know if its all true and if he gets an answer he said he'd be baptized. . . all he has to do is pray!! We are way excited. He's way close.

Then also we were helping the Froese family move (Jim being the investigator that dropped Elder Penrod and I) and Bishop Pingree totally committed him to speaking in sacrament and promised him if he read and prayed about it he would get an answer by the time he talks. . . We kept our cool the rest of the time and then when we got home I like freaked out. That's so exciting. So now he is progressing again and we are working with him. He'll hopefully work out this time, but dang. Its been such a turn around with him. I love it.

Then the Powers dad gets home this month and when he does, Summer Powers should be baptized. Then of course. . . . Leslie (the one Elder Penrod and I taught) is flying back on Friday, getting baptized on Saturday, confirmed on Sunday, and flying back Monday! I'm way excited for her too. Seeing the change that she has gone through has been a huge blessing and teaching her was always a great experience. So that should be great!

We've got a lot of other things going on but I'll tell you those as they keep progressing cause I'm almost out of time haha. But the work is going really well. Elder Bryson and I are working hard and I could always use more ties. . . I mean and I love you all!! haha. The Lord has really been helping me this week dealing with things that have happened. It's a lot of work, but there is no where else I'd rather be. . .

LOVE YOU ALL!
Elder Bragg

Elder Bryson

That's awesome, sounds like things are going pretty well back home. At least for the most part. Yeah, we heard about the whole BYU game. Brother Sucher in our ward keeps us up to date. I guess he made his little girl cry because he got a little too excited about the blocked kick, pretty funny. Oh, I don't know if you were watching, but we were at the Giants/Rockies game last Wednesday. It was way fun. The Giants killed them too. It was a good last p-day to spend with Elder Penrod. I miss him a lot more than I thought I would, haha. But he's at home now with his family so that's good.

My new companion's name is Elder Bryson. . . he's. . .older to say the least. I think about 25 or 6 now. He has a degree in chemical enginering. I can't even spell it and he's already earned it, haha. But yeah, he's a very interesting guy, knows his scripture like the back of his hand. It comes in handy a lot, haha. He is really good at relating to those people who are a little more intellectual. The Lord has definitely put us together for a reason. I seem to be able to relate to the more child like side of everyone, haha. I don't know. its just the way I am, haha. So it's good to have him around. He is a hard worker as well so that's really all the matters.

Oh man and the last 2 days while we were tracting he recited Aladdin word for word. . . yeah, the whole movie. Normally that might have been annoying, but since I can't watch any movies it was pretty cool, haha. Like I said, smart fella.

The lord has definitely helped me the last week with adjusting as well. I have been praying for a lot of guidance on how to address different situations and it seems to always work out just the way they should. Not always how I would like them. But definitely the way they should. It's always nice to know that the lord will help us through our struggles. Especially when serving a mission.

I have also been asked to give a training on personal revaluation this Friday to a bunch of Missionaries. So I have been thinking a lot about the steps that we need to take to receive that revelation for our selves. It's kind of cool because when they asked me I was reading the story of the Brother of Jared. And we all know what happened there, haha.

Anyways, I kinda freaked out when I heard Nicole was engaged. I definitely am expecting and announcement, haha. A lot changes when your gone for just a couple of months. I'm sure it will be a whole new world when I get back in 2 years. (see there's the Aladdin coming out now) The work is going really well over here. Like I said, with Elder Bryson we are able to reach a lot more people then we normally would and get them at least interested. It's pretty neat to see and be part of. So if all goes well, we should have 3 baptizms this transfer. Leslie, the girl Elder Penrod and I taught is flying back. Ryan is getting really close to committing to baptism and Summer Powers is just waiting for her dad to get back from the Middle East so he can baptize her. We are really excited and working with a lot more people as well, its cool,haha. I love you all! Thanks for all your support!

Love, Elder Bragg

Drop Off

HEY HEY!!

Nate sorry my mom spit in your hand, she can be a little weird at times but just do it back and you'll fit right in with the fam haha.

This week was a good one. After we wrote emails last time a member took us out to the batting cages. . . They had one that pitched 85 and I hit 7 or 8 of those. It was way cool. I did way better then I ever did for FHE. I just kinda figure its the lord helping me now. haha.

We got a new investigator too. He's awesome. His name is Ryan. He's a boyfriend of some girl in a different ward, but he lives in our area so we took him haha. He's sweet. We are gonna try to set him with a date tonight. We are meeting at the bishops house so it should be really good. We are excited. We've already got 2 dates set and there pretty committed. Then we will get another tonight hopefully. So the work is defiantly progressing and we are still working really hard.

I love you all and I love being out on a mission. We get to see miraculous things happen every day and what a blessing it is. Oh man and I'm almost done with 3rd nephi. I love that book haha.

For transfers Elder Penrod is headed home, so I get a new companion. No clue who it is yet. I'll find out tomorrow morning at transfer meeting. He's coming from out west too so I'll be in a different area for about 5 hours waiting for him, then we will go back to the area and go to work. I'm way excited.

I'm sending some stuff home. All my disobedient ties, the program from the baptism for my book haha, and yeah sorry Mickie and Matt I'm sending home that freaking awesome picture. (It was a vinyl picture of a skater) I loved it too, but its not directed toward the savior so I probably shouldn't have it. Now there is a picture I saw in the mtc of Christ and the creation that was way cool. It was all these crazy colors and stuff in the background. Thanks you for it. It is going in my apartment when I go home for sure haha.

Thanks Kristin for dropping that stuff off. (Editors note: I did not see Colton. All I did was drop some stuff off while I was in CO for a baby blessing.) That blanket is sweet. I use it every night now haha. And my legs are still getting bigger. Kristin can tell you why haha. She saw the hills.

Oh man and I totally got to fat for my temple pants. . . I know right. We eat to much, but I'm working on it haha. They were small to start with anyways.

We are off to go see a Rockies game. . . they are playing the giants. I know right. I can't get away from it haha, but it will be fun. So that's whats going on. Its pretty sweet. This next transfer will be a great one again, so I'm pretty excited.

Anyways I love you all and remember to do missionary work. It's not hard and the lord promises us he will help. So who better to get help from.

LOVE,

Elder Bragg