Wow crazy week.

SO first let me continue with what happened from Elder Richardson going home...

After the Yankee Game (awesome) last week, we all (our district) went out to dinner with President Smith. It was great - a little pow-wow of thanks to Elder Richardson for his 2 years of selfless service. Afterwards, President and Sister Smith and Elder Richardson and I went back to the church for Elder Richardson's release interview. It was so bittersweet to see him go, and I have loved my time with and learned so much from him. I know he made it home safe, because Bishop Zamora from our Ward said to me a few days ago "So, Justin added me on Facebook." I said "Huh? Justin?" Then it hit me. Hahaha Justin Richardson is once again human! Love you man.

President told me that he trusted me with my area and that it would be hard for him to get a new companion for me until transfer day (two weeks from then, April 28th), but if I felt uncomfortable being in charge (and companionless) of my area he would get me one (after all, this is only my second cycle here). I told him I was good and had a plan! Muahaha!

So after Elder RIchardson left on Thursday morning, I officially went from Junior Companion to Solo Missionary! Scary! Haha! Not REALLY solo... I live with Elders Fox and Bayard, and for all-intensive-purposes we're in a trio, but every day after studies I get members from our ward to come down with me to my area and teach with me! It's so fun/nerve wracking. I was used to Elder Richardson doing the larger part of the talking, the introducing, the breaking-the-ice, and now it's up to me! At first it was terrifying- and very humbling. BUT- (a week and a day later) it has forced my Spanish and teaching and people skills all to improve rapidly. Which is great! :D Since I don't really have a companion, I've gotten to be companions with the Spirit- relying nearly completely on Him to help me when I'm struggling during a lesson or don't know what to do in my area. It's crazy. These past few planning sessions have been a trial without a companion- I'll go sit alone in my room, staring at my area book and planner, and feel SO overwhelmed- I want to scream or cry or throw my study lamp out the window!! ARG! But I just get on my knees and pray- and things surely and steadily work out. I get appointments, and find people to teach- and already from this last week I have 3 NEW investigators and 2 committed to BAPTISM!!! With the Companionship of the Spirit, it not only makes the work do-able, it makes it fun! I love teaching! I stumble over my Spanish sometimes and often I want to say something but don't know how in Spanish- but it doesn't matter- the Spirit testifies of the Truth of what I teach.

Okay so ya know that part of X-Men 2, when that crazy Omega-Level Mutant- William Stryker's son- is using his mutant powers to make the environment seem different for the people around him? Like when Professor X is in Cerebro V.2 and he thinks that he's helping that little girl that doesn't exist, but he's actually killing all the mutants? Ya know? I'm convinced that this would be one of the most helpful tools in Missionary work. Hahaha it's not how it sounds hear me out. Last night, we went to an appointment with a WAY cool hermana investigator that we are teaching very frequently. We were sitting there in the entryway of her apartment and there was CHAOS in every room in the house. Her sons were in the room next to us, with their XBOX 360 hooked up to these MASSIVE speakers that were shaking the entire apartment complex, the room on the other side had 4 or 5 teenage girls screaming and laughing and listening to music and there was a little girl in the kitchen screaming and banging things together. I've never felt so distracted during a lesson in my life!! HOW HANDY it would have been to have that mutant power and block our all the distractions around our investigator and us. hahaha! But this investigator is SO solid. She's incredible! We gave her 3 Nephi 11 to read, and in the two days between our visits, she read it 3 TIMES, took notes and wrote down 2 pages of questions for us to answer. Then after we got there, she had US ask HER questions- like give her a quiz on her reading! She has such a thorough understanding of the doctrine we present! She studies diligently the pamphlets and the reading assignments- ahh! She's awesome! She is excited to be baptized and she's hoping for this weekend or the next! :D

I had the immensely great opportunity of baptizing a young man last Sunday. His name is Mariano! He's 30, from Mexico! Oh mom he's so awesome! And when I baptized him it was so sweet and the Spirit was SO strong!! Elder Richardson and I have been teaching him for some time- and I know that Elder Richardson will be happy to know that he is Baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost this coming Sunday!

We went to the Temple yesterday- Elders Bayard, Fox, and the Sisters in the Zone and myself! Yes! Manhattan Temple yesterday! Early in the Morning! - It was incredible! It was my first time going through the Manhattan Temple! It's so crazy- you step out of this loud, fast-paced world into what seems like a completely different dimension! I love the Temple and the powerful Spirit you feel there! I haven't been able to go through since the MTC- and it was such a blessing to be able to go through!! :D

Oh and can you also tell Carlie that Im terribly SORRY but I wasn't able to write her a letter yesterday- we were in Manhattan all day and I can't write (don't want to be disobedient) unless it's Pday!! My Apologies!

We went and toured Manhattan! We went on a bakery tour with our very own Sister Wadsworth as our tour guide!! OH MY GOODNESS BEST COOKIES AND CUPCAKES I HAVE EVER HAD. Maaa, when I bring you and the fam to New York to show you around we HAVE to go to these bakeries. The. Best. Ever.

Tell Daddy and Conman and Sammz that I love them SO uber much and can't wait to talk to them on Mother's Day!! Loves!!

I'm SO BEYOND EXCITED to talk to you on Mother's day! I get so much time too!! :D And I'll get to call earlier in the week to confirm a time that we can talk!! Yes!! I'm so excited! Its for like... almost 2 hours! hahah!! We have the rest of the night after about 6 to break the time on the cell phone between me and my companion to talk to our families!! Hehehehehe Will all the family be there? Daddy? Sammerz? Conman? Carlie can be there!! :D She's been so supportive of me out here- each week she sends a sweet letter with funnies and her testimony. :) Haha! Cute Carlie :) I love that girl. Aw man. Tell her to send me the new version of Amazing Grace!! :D Love her!

When does Conman get out of school? Beginning of June? Did he try out for Madrigals!?!?! OH OH I’m praying that he makes it into Mads! That was such an amazing experience for me!! I know he’d LOVE it! Let me know ASAP if he makes it ya? Haha!! I hope I hope I hope!! How is Sam? Awww Sammerz ;) That girl! Love her. I pray for her and Kevin to work out – they are SO good for each other!! ;)

Oh Mom, Could you send me some (a lot) of benadryl? I'm having the worst luck with allergies here. Probably Benadryl, and Sudafed - That would be so great. Hahaha I saw the picture of you on your new bike!! So cute!! I love when you send me pictures!! Love them!! Oh I broke my camera :( The 80 dollar one we bought the morning before I went into the MTC? remember that one? I dropped it and it broke :( But i saved all the pictures! :) I have that Sony Camera in my room somewhere... could you send it and the charger?

I'm getting to try all these new Spanish foods and candies!! I love them! DAD! I actually get cravings for SPICY FOOD! Haha you'd be so proud of me. We went out to eat the other day and when the server asked what kind of salsa I wanted I proudly said "The hottest thing ya got!!" Hahahahahah Oh man I'm so strange :)

It's definitely Summer here in the Bronx! Open Fire hydrants, music blasting, ice cream stands on every corner, naked people running through the streets (oh heavens), singing and dancing in the streets... New York is ALIVE!!

Transfers are in 6 days, and then I'll actually have a companion! Woot!

I love this Gospel- I know with all my heart that Jesus is the Christ! I love this privilege I have to be out here serving Him!!

Love you all so much!

Please know how much I love and appreciate you all!

B safe! B happy! B strong!!

Always,

Elder Brandon Hellberg

Elder Richardson is going home. :(

April 14, 2010 Hey guys! :) I have some sad news :( After surgeries and IV's and much time in the hospital, President Smith decided (and the Authorities in Salt Lake) that it would be best to send Elder Richardson home to heal up there with his family. He is improving rapidly, but he won't be able to do any missionary work for weeks. PLUS he is scheduled to be released from Missionary Service on the 29th of April anyway- so they aren't cutting his mission too short - only a couple weeks. It's still sad- we've been packing all night and morning. :( Tonight we'll be going out to Dinner with President and Sister Smith for some final 'thank yous' and 'goodbyes' and then tomorrow morning Elder Richardson will be flying back home to Amarillo Texas. :( It's so bittersweet- I'm excited for him to see his family and take a well needed rest - but at the same time it's hard to see him go! He definitely left his footprints here in New York City and he will be missed!! On the brighter side of things, all the Elders in my apartment (Elders Richardson, Fox, Bayard and myself) are going to... A YANKEE GAME!! WOOT!! HA! At least Elder Richardson will go out with a bang! We're so excited! We have great seats and it's sunny and warm and it's gonna be GREAT!! (Nobody tell Elder Armknecht that I'm going- especially that we're sitting on the Yankee's side! hehehe) (No but you can tell him it'll be funny hehe) I'll take pictures and pretend all of you are here with me screaming! Woooot!!! We have another Baptism coming up! It's this coming Sunday! His name is Mariano and he's so awesome!!! It's so sad that Elder Richardson won't be here for it - Him and I have spent really good times with him, teaching him and getting him ready for baptism- but we're gonna take pictures and send them to him! I'm not sure what's going to happen with ME or my area for the next 2 weeks until transfers when I get a new companion!! I'm nervous! There are several things that COULD happen. I could get into a tri-panionship with a companionship here in my district and we could work BOTH their area AND my area, or I could get a NEW companion earlier than transfers! I'm so curious to know!! ahhh!! Thank you for all your love and support from back home- sorry time is a little short today- but I love you all and miss you!! This Church is true! I love this Work and the incredible opportunity I have to be a part of it! B safe B strong B happy!! Always, Elder Hellberg

Harry Potter CAN Save Souls. :)

Hey all!

Wow story time.
Ready?

SO. Last Sunday, April the 4th, Elder Richardson notices some minor leg pain and a little redness on his left upper thigh. Not thinking anything of it, he takes some ibuprofen and thinks it's nothing. Tuesday rolls around, and the pain has gotten exponentially worse, and the redness is spreading and getting darker. We decide to call the Mission Doctor, and he says to take 800mg of Ibuprofen and "walk it off." The next day, wednesday, Elder Richardson is in so much pain he can't walk- and the redness now takes up most of his thigh and it's visibly VERY swollen, with 2 large red bumps in the center of his leg, about the size of half dollars. We call Sister Smith, and she sets us up an appointment for the next day Thursday with a doctor pretty close to us in the Bronx at 11:45 AM. That night, Elder Richardson has a 102.7 fever, he's shaking, sweating, screaming, and the red bumps have turned dark purple. I called the Mission Doctor, and he told me to stay up with him and give him 800mg Ibuprofen every 3 hours, and 800mg acetominophen every OTHER 3 hours, and surround him in ice packs and if the fever got hotter, to put him in a cold bath. Luckily, with meds, ice packs and prayer, we broke the fever and were able to avoid the ER- for now. Our appointment draws nearer, and we take off to the doctor. We arrive and have to wait almost 2 hours to actually see the doctor. The doctor takes one look and says "you should have gone to the ER 3 days ago." Fail. After further investigation and some blood work, he THEN says "no, you should have gone to the ER 5 DAYS AGO." EPIC Fail. He was transferred (we walked... welcome to the Bronx) to the nearby hospital and they checked him in to the ER- where we waited for 4 hours to get an X-ray, ultrasound, and start flooding his bloodstream with antibiotics and percocet. The Diagnosis; Advanced-stage Cellulitis. Meanwhile, I called President Smith to inform him of the situation, and he and Sister Smith were down at the hospital in about an hour- where we ALL waited until about 9 PM last night to finally get him checked into a room in the hospital to stay for 48 more hours with intravenous antibiotics. It was all so draining and frustrating! Late last night, President Smith drove me home and now I'm temporary companions with Elders Fox and Bayard, my apartmentmates. Poor Elder Richardson! :( He was in so much pain! :( I felt so awful. But luckily, with treatment, time and (also prayer), he'll be back on his feet in a few days. HENCE the reason I'm e-mailing TODAY instead of yesterday!!

ANYWAY!
Our Zone Blitz was such an awesome experience!! We stood on the corner of Brook Avenue and half of us sang our hearts out and the other half contacted! It was so awesome- a little spiritually-charged corner of light in the middle of the Bronx. I loved it :)

I LOVED conference! It was so epic! As a Missionary, everything kinda hit me differently- I took 7 pages of notes! It was all great!

Missionary Moment-
The other day Elder Richardson and I were waiting at a bus stop when I noticed a woman- black, peircings, crazy hair- standing there with us, reading... HARRY POTTER 7. I saw the book... then looked at her. She looked at me, then both of us at her book- then back at each other. We both simultaneiously made this face like... I can't even describe it! Like..."Harry Potter addict? you too?" We both lit up and suddenly we were having this speedy fiery conversation about the 7th book and the 2 more movies to come out and Tonks and Lupin and poor Fred and Mrs Weasly's epic confrontation with Bellatrix LeStrange.... AW MAN!! This went on for about 10 minutes! Elder Richardson rolled his eyes at us- I should have PROBABLY directed the conversation towards more Gospel-related things... but it was HARRY!! Fail. The bus finally came and we got on, where I went to sit near the back with my companion, her near the front with all of her laundry. Suddenly it hit me- I always work in Spanish- all my pass-along cards, extra BOM's, pamphlets videos- everything I carry around with me is in Spanish, but this lady spoke English. It hit me that- that very morning, I had grabbed an English Book of Mormon which I planned on reading while Elder Richardson wrote his farewell paper to President Smith... and it was still in my backpack! I very VERY distinctly felt the prompting to give it to her. I grabbed a peice of paper and wrote on it "Go Harry Potter fans!!" Below that I told her to read and pray about this book and left the English Elder's number on the bottom. I ran to the front of the bus and Handed her the copy and said "Hey- You're a reader! Read this too! This one is even more epic- and I know that THIS one is TRUE." She looked up at me and said "I will!" We exchanged smiles and I went to the back of the bus to get off- I looked back up at her and she already had it open and was reading it!! I got off the bus and felt so awesome! :)

Hey all I gotta run- much to do! I promise more next week, I'm very limited on time this week!
Love you all!
B safe, B happy, B strong!!

Always and Always.
Elder Hellberg