Thursday, February 25, 2010

I had to make a list

Good to hear from you!

So on the Olympic side of things. Yeah her name is Tora bright, I think. . She was good friends with Elder Burton one of my companions. He is way good at snowboarding and I guess she just rips it up pretty hard ha-ha. Apparently she got a medal in the Olympics right? ha-ha. Also yeah I know about Canada too. Elder McMurry calls me every time they win and tells me all about it. He’s from Canada and loves hockey. So when a member told me about the US win, it was nice to be able to give him a call ha-ha. AMERICA!!

So for this week I had to make a list cause it was packed with sweet stuff!

So on Friday we had zone leader council, again. That’s right 2 in a transfer. The rule is that we aren’t supposed to gather over half the mission without 1st presidency approval. But Elder Perry was only coming to this half of the mission! So president had all the district leaders and zone leaders come over from the west and spend the night at the mission home. And it just so happened to be the day before Elder Perry came! ha-ha President is the best. It was fun though. I got to see a lot of old companions and we evaluated each zone. Our mission is one of the top missions in our area. It’s neat because 2 years ago Elder Perry gave a mission presidents seminar and he talked about how we have less missionaries coming out then we need. So over the next while he said they were going to start taking the missions that weren’t doing as well and reduce them and then give more missionaries to the missions that are doing well. .. Well, most missions are either being joined with another mission or their number of missionaries is down to 100. We in the Colorado Denver South Mission just got our last upgrade of missionaries to put us at just under 200. I think we are 198. . . So basically this is the best mission in the world . . .just saying. stats prove it hahahaha

So when Elder Perry came (with Elder Hallstrom) President Christison gave the first talk. This was basically a review of our mission. The reason Elder Perry is going around visiting missions is to implement the new ward mission process. Part of that is teaching 20 lessons a week. Well, the month before he came, our mission as an average were teaching just over 20 lessons a week ha-ha. So instead he just spent an hour on the priesthood!! It was so great. We all learned a lot. He is one of the funniest guys ever. He shook all of our hands and was cracking jokes left and right. It was great. He told lots of stories about Elder McConckie. ha-ha They were way funny. And if you didn’t know, Elder Perry is huge! He was probably one of the tallest ones in the whole room. I was a midget to him, both physically and spiritually! ha-ha

Then on Sunday we had the usual meeting with the stake presidency . They are the best. I love working with them. They are so focused on missionary work and because of it everything else falls in place as well.

Then yesterday we had a zone meeting which went very well. We kinda have a handpicked prime missionary zone. All our companionships are so solid! It’s wonderful, because we don’t have to worry about too much! We just help them with interviews for baptism or encourage them! I love it.

We also found a sweet new investigator yesterday. So we are excited about that.

So that’s pretty much a normal week for us in this mission, except the Elder Perry thing. So now you can just copy and paste that email and put it for the last 6 months that I have been bad at writing ha-ha.

Well I’ve got to split, but thanks for the letter mom. It was nice to learn a little more about what was going on with Baylee.

Put a plug in for priesthood blessing or something next time you all get on TV! Eh?!! ha-ha.

Thank you all for the support and prayers for us missionaries as we are out serving. We definitely need them. And so you know, most missionaries pray for the members, that they will be good missionaries as well ha-ha. Fulfill our prayers!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Elder Bragg

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Elder Bragg

Hi Kay!

Hey, I ALMOST got to do a discussion with your son today....we all showed up and evidently, Sandy (our long-term investigator) had called while I was in the shower and cancelled, so we "didn't get the memo." I stood in the beautiful sun with them for a while and talked (it was nice to have an excuse to "catch a few rays" after such a long stretch of snowy, overcast weather). You have a great boy there! I have really seen him grow in his abilities, confidence and maturity over the last almost 6 months he has been here. He is so focused and engaged in the work and it is a joy to watch these good boys become great men . He is like family to us since he's been here so long. He and his comp (he's been through quite a few in 6 months) stop by often to practice their newest object lessons on our family. When he had the last companion on crutches, they were pretty limited with what they could do, so they did a lot of visits and really tried to keep busy in very creative ways.

He speaks so fondly of you and your family. I told him that I believe we would be pretty good friends if we lived closer....you sound like a great lady! Thanks for lending Colorado your son for a while....he's making a difference here!

Sincerely,

Linda Hill

Monday, February 22, 2010

No title

Hey!


This week has been crazy too. We have been instructed to go on team ups with every companionship in the zone before Saturday . . . so we’ve been doing that, our last companionship is tonight to tomorrow night. Should be fun. But the reason is cause we are doing a mission audit . . . because Elder Perry is coming!!! I’m so excited. so on Friday all the zone leaders and district leader from out west will come over and well have another zone leader council and then Saturday morning everyone on the metro side will get to hear Elder Perry. He is probably going to teach us mostly about how to work with the ward and stake but the cool thing is. is that every place he’s visited in the last 2 years, 3 months after he’s left, the baptisms have gone up 30%. . . and ours have already gone up probably 20% the last couple months cause of some things we’ve been doing. So that would be awesome! We consistently get over 50 baptisms a month now and are one of the top baptizing missions in the area. We are the best basically, that’s what I’m saying hahaha.

President Christison has really worked wonders for this mission. It’s been amazing to be able to be a part of that and to be able to get to know the organization of the wards and stakes better. We get to work with the stake presidency on a weekly basis and it has been such a blessing for the work and us.

Katie is doing great. She’s a little nervous, but we are working with her. She’s so solid though that I’m not worried. She’ll be baptized soon. So pray for her. . .

Also we are working with a couple others. And we got a bunch of dinners set up at member’s homes with less actives and non members. The members in this ward are really working hard to do missionary work. It’s great to see and helps the work go so much smoother.

Anyways my time is up. I’ll let you know how Elder Perry is! Love you all!! Remember to share the blessings you have by doing missionary work!

Love

Elder Bragg

No worries

Hey mom. No worries. This will be short. We have loads of stuff to do. Apparently we have to go on team-ups with everyone in our zone by the time Elder Perry comes to visit our mission! So we are super busy and my time is up! Sorry my email will be super long next time. Anyways. Katie is doing great. We taught seminary, had zone leader council in Frisco, did some other stuff, tracted a bit. Good week! Love ya! Have a good week! Don’t get trunky! I’m not!

Love ya!

Elder Bragg

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Not a lot of time...

Hey, really sorry but this will be really short. They are making us do all this registering thing and I have to go get things done for zone leader council tomorrow. I have a new missionary in the zone that needs a hand and the phone has rung like a billion times.

My new companion is awesome his name in elder Arius, he’s from Canada. ha-ha. That’s right; I’ll never be with an American. He’s awesome though. We are working hard and doing what’s right. I’m training him as a zone leader and man our last couple of days has been crazy, with reports to the stake, fixing the sister’s car, running back and forth to the mission office. ha-ha It’s been fun though.

We working with another lady, she’s on date for baptism. Her name is Sandy. She’s been through some rough stuff. But we set a date to work toward and we are going to help her make it. Anyways, I’ve got to run.

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Elder Bragg