Wednesday, November 26, 2008

ITS ELDER BRAGG!!!

HEY EVERYBODY!!!!

ITS ELDER BRAGG!!!

I'm sure you already new that though. How are things back in Meddy? I find myself talking about Medford and how great it is there then here. haha I can't help it. I'm pretty bias.

I didn't know so many people were getting married? you should let me know their addresses so I can write a couple of them and tell them congrats! Or better yet, send me the wedding announcements.

Anyways, we had a great week. Elder Pond and I are pretty much official brothers now. We get along way to well and are even to the point where we get into arguments about stupid little things cause its fun. Yeah, its been a pretty awesome transfer. Unfortunately it ends next Thursday, so we will see what happens. I'm kinda hoping nothing changes though, that would be sweet. I'll have to let you know.

We had a really good week of work. We taught over 18 lessons this week! It was so good. Our tracting hours were down cause we were teaching so much, awesome. We also had 4 baptisms! An awesome muslim family, I love them! I had the opportunity to baptize the 2 kids, Zack and Edrise (Ed). I'll have to send home some pictures. They are a way cool family. They are going to grow up to be the greatest missionaries ever, I swear. The mom already has so much faith and the kids are so good. I can't wait to hear from them later.

And on another note Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I'm pretty excited. We do get to play football in the morning and then eat. Luckily, we still get to go out and work (aka work off all the fat I will eat). But it's going to be any awesome day! There is so much that we have to be thankful for. I will have been on my mission for 6 months and one of the biggest things I've learned is to be thankful for EVERYTHING!! Heck, we don't even have the right not to be! It says in Mosiah that God gives us every breath! Just being alive is a gift! Let's be happy about it! I know I am. Because not everyone gets that chance like we do. Too many abortions of God's children; they couldn't be on this earth, but we are here and the scriptures tell us we are here to be happy! So be happy and be thankful! There is plenty to be thankful for. Maybe we can slow down for a bit and think about it. I promise you'll look at everything a whole lot different if you haven't before.

With that said. haha. What I am most thankful for this Thanksgiving is the Savior Jesus Christ. He has given me every blessing that I have and that I love so much! Family- with out him, I wouldn't be able to be with them for time and all eternity. Health- with out him, we would all just die and be dead in the grave forever, there would be no resurrection and no perfect glorified bodies, which is one of the reasons why we are down here as well. Oh, there are many more things that he gave us. In fact, he gave up everything so that we could have it all. He suffered every pain and affliction, every scraped knee and skinned elbow, he felt. So that when we are down and feel pain or sorrow, he can be there to raise us up, to help us back on our feet. When we can't walk, he'll carry us. How is that not something to be thankful for?? I love the Savior Jesus Christ with all my heart and I will never be able to express in words how much I am thankful for what he has done for the world. . . . for me. . . Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Love,
Elder Bragg

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

All the Cool Missionaries are Doing it!

HOWDY DOODY EVERY BODY!!

How goes it on the western front? It's going way too awesome over here. We have been having a lot of success with the work. In fact, yesterday we didn't even tract! We just taught! I loved it.

Oh man, we are going to have 4 baptisms on Saturday. Yeah, I know right!! I get to perform 2 of them and Elder Pond is doing one and then a ward member is doing the other! They are the greatest family EVER. I'll definitely have to send you some pictures so you can see how awesome they are!

Oh man, another pretty cool thing. The Zone Leaders called us Monday morning after they got out of their meeting with President and all the other ZL's and the assistants. I guess Elder Pond and I had the best numbers out of the whole mission that week and they had a training on us....hahaha.

I thought it was pretty funny. It got us way fired up for the work, so its sweet. I love being as obedient as I possibly can! It's so cool. You know, all the cool missionaries are doing it. haha. We are working on peer pressuring every missionary into doing it to... haha. Anyways sorry this is such a short email. I gots to go do some work. Oh and just remember while you guys are eating turkey, that Elder Pond and I will be working all that night, it's gonna be sweet. I guess Thanksgiving is our P-day, but then after 5 we are going to keep working. So yeah, pretty sweet. And no... no movies or football, only missionary work! Just like I like it!! haha Have a good week and I'm trying make the next one better, I promise!

I love you!!!!!
Elder Bragg

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Strongest Companionship

HEY EVERYONE!!! WHAT UPP!!???!?!?

I totally got this awesome thing I'm gonna send home and its sweet so ask my mom about it and she'll tell you once she gets it haha. Cool cool.

So today is a happy day. I'm way excited to be a missionary and happy to be able to serve the lord. I'm sorry if my email is a little short, but I'm just in a rush I guess.

So this week has been a very trying but awesome week. A lot has happened. We have been working harder then ever and it has been awesome. Its actually kinda funny though. On Saturday we were dropped by 6 of our investigators and one of them had a date at one point. . . Yeah it was a hard day, but as we kept working hard the lord has definitely blessed us in ways I can't even describe and we got 2 new people to teach!!! I know right!! haha. I'm excited. But yeah Elder Dunn has reason to be jealous. Elder Pond is a stud haha. Infact in interviews the other day president said we were among the strongest companionship's in the mission. He talked about how well we got along and how we need to keep that going toward the work, which we definitely are. So it has been great.

Yes I have a bennie, coat ( thanks to bro, and sis, Anderson who got me one for a present... I love them haha), sweaters, and I just need some good boots. . . I wish my snowboard ones were approved haha. But I should be fine for a while. I've got some good stuff and it hasn't even snowed yet. . . Oh and I got a new tie. . . cause its sweet. ( Thanks for the packages mom and Kristin! They were wicked cool. . . oh yeah and I can't really wear zipper ties either. . .they unzip all the time and I don't really look like a missionary when that happens. . . Those oreos were delish! And there all gone. haha) Anyone can feel free to send me a letter or some ties or something, but dang. . . I'm late.. . . I love you all. The gospel is true isn't it? THEN SHARE IT!! I mean . . . Wait no that is what I meant! Help it bless others lives and share it with them!! Haha

LOVE YOU ALL!!
Elder Bragg

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Be prepared

WHATS UP!!

I hope you have all just been sitting around your computers to get this haha. . . I'm just kindling. Its cool and yeah I don't really know who all this is going to but hey its cool.

That's cool to here you are doing missionary work. One thing that everyone can do to make missionary work a little better and easier is to pray for missionary experiences. Ask the lord to put those people in your path who have been prepared to hear the message of the gospel. It makes a huge difference. Also what comes along with that is being ready when the moment comes. Don't be ashamed of the gospel, make it a part of who you are. We always say that probably the only person that we as missionary's look cool to is god. . . and that's all that matters. You need to keep your self worthy and ready to share what you have come to love so much and hold so close to your heart. I always think of how much this church has helped me. . . and how much it can help every person I meet. Remember, the field is white all ready to harvest and lo he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not and bringeth salvation to his soul. . . salvation to the soul is never a bad thing haha.

This last week has been awesome. We are working with a Muslim lady named Sadiqa. She's way cool, and we totally committed her for baptism. So next week will be awesome. We are working with a lot of other people too, so it has been good. . . Yeah this is a very stubborn area but the work is progressing none the less. As we work hard and do what the lord asks of us, we receive blessings! It is just that easy. Like that talk that was given in conference. (it was one of my favorites) where he talked about how we need to follow Jesus Christ. . . it is the only intelligent thing to do. . . a different way, any other way, every other way is just madness. I love that. But yeah we are working hard and have a lot of good times too. Elder Pond is great to serve with. We have a lot of fun but still work really hard. It makes the day go by way to fast haha.

I love you all!
LOVE!
Elder Colton Bragg