June 9th

DEAR Home!!

It's a misty gloomy (perfect) morning here in the Bronx New York! I hate the heat here - hahahahaha it's the ONLY problem I'm experiencing right now in my mission. It's sticky and nasty and we walk all day long in the heat and humidity with heavy shirts and black pants and heavy backpacks --- BAH!! Hahaha But I'm all good :)

Transfers came and went- and I have a new companion! I feel jipped I only got to spend 6 weeks with Elder Prue- and JUST when I started to like him... JK!! Hahaha I love him- we really grew to be great friends. My new companion is Elder TORRES! From COLOMBIA! YES! AH! I've heard SO many great things about him- PLUS he already speaks Spanish- my Spanish is going to get SO much better (I hope) with him helping me out. Turns out he's actually younger than me in the Mission- we came in to the Mission Home together on Feb 2, but he somehow bypassed the MTC altogether!! He's just that GREAT! Hahaha!! I love him already- he's super funny and humble and excited to work here in Olmstead with me. His previous area was Kingsbridge- right next to our zone, still in the Bronx! Haha we're both BronxBabies- Born into the Mission in the heart of the Bronx New York!! We're both stoked and ready to tear it up here! Love it! I've been assigned to serve as the District Leader for our little Spanish District of 8 here in Olmstead- I'm nervous! Haha mostly because I'll have to conduct the Baptismal interviews for all Spanish investigators in Olmstead- I really hope my Spanish is up to par!! :S I also have to give trainings in District Meetings and take numbers and stuff. I'm nervous, but excited- I'll do my best!!

Isabel got BAPTIZED!! It was such a special experience for her and for us- the Spirit was so strong. Something cool happened- well, it's... let me explain...

SO it was Sunday, about an hour before the baptism, and I asked Elder Thomas to go start filling up the font for us. He comes back about 45 minutes later and says the font is about 75% full- so I kinda think to myself "Okay, 15 more minutes should be good..." .... TURNS out there was some type of miscommunication (AKA Elder Hellberg forgot to turn off the font) and it flooded!! AHH!! Both the men's and women's bathrooms had about an inch of water in them, and water was coming a little bit into the carpeted areas of the foyer and relief society room (whoops!). Fast Forward to Monday morning, we went and visited Isabel again, and she asked if the bathrooms were supposed to flood every time there was a baptism- I kinda nervously laughed and said no. She began to cry and told us that right before the baptism she prayed and asked God to confirm to her that she was making the right decision- and that after the baptism was performed, she was standing in the flooded bathroom and looked down at the water she was standing in- saw her reflection and for a second didn't recognize herself. She said when she looked down, she felt as if she was someone different- and that she felt 'new,' and she walked away from her reflection leaving her sins and her old life in the water in the font. She said she was so grateful that God loves her so much and so individually, that he would flood a baptismal font for her. :) It was so sweet. :)

Also last Sunday, we invited a less active member we've been visiting very frequently to bring her newborn infant, Sara, to come get a baby blessing in sacrament. Her husband, is not a member so he couldn't perform the Blessing, so I figured the Bishop would do it! I was sitting near the back of sacrament meeting with some investigators, when Bishop called up the Mother and her baby and pointed at me and motioned for me to come up. I thought "Oh cool, I'll be in the circle!" ... When I got up there, the Bishop quietly said "Elder Hellberg, she has asked that YOU bless her baby." ... AHH! For a few seconds there my heart stopped- i was so nervous! Before I knew the young mother handed me her infant girl and we formed the circle and there was this microphone in my face! I said a quick quiet prayer that I would be calm and the baby too- she was a little fidgety at first- and started the blessing. Just after starting- I paused, and looked down at the squirmy baby girl in my arms, and she stopped moving and looked right at me with her big brown eyes. I suddenly felt an IMMENSE spirit of love for this baby- She was so young, and so pure- just barely having left the presence of our Heavenly Father- and He had trusted her enough to send her here to the Bronx- to be a light and example to her family. I could barely speak I was so touched- I thought as though I were feeling just a small fraction of the infinite love that God had for little Sara, and also for me, too. It was a very special experience both for the Mother and her husband- and he is now taking the lessons from us! :) The Lord works in wondrous ways.

SO, it's JUNE which means all the Puerto Rican's have officially gone crazy! Haha I don't see why America doesn't do this- we celebrate our Independence day for only one day, whereas Puerto Rico has like a full on Celebration MONTH!! There's like this big traveling party (centered in MY area, thankyouverymuch) and it's HILARIOUS. The party comes and everything goes WILD- then it packs up and leaves- and what's left behind literally looks like F5 Tornado Aftermath. It's so awesome! Minus the garbage and drunk (if not comatose) people laying all over the streets... :) SO Elder Hellberg proposes that we have, instead of the 4th of July, the 4-30th of July! Woot!!

I am really becoming Bronxed. My English is REALLY deteriorating - bronxed combined with Spanish grammar rules - it's awful! Oh dear it's raining again. Hahaha its all good. The rain is a nice break from the DEATHHEAT!

Mom, I love the TIES! Hahaha it's the only way a missionary can express himself clothily (spell check?) withour being disobedient hahaha!

The war I have declared on all mice and rats continues. I caught another demon in a glue trap under my bed... and (again) i didn't know what to do with him... so I put the trap-with-live-mouse in a plastic bag and filled it with water... classic Casino Royale style. It was morbid!! I had this awful "Jack! Don't let go Jack!" moment with him, as he slowly slipped away in the water... he steadily slowed down his fidgeting and eyes went wide.... minus the Big sinking ship and me floating on a door. It sounds inhumane I know! I'm sorry!! What else am I supposed to do!?!?

Do me a favor and say a prayer for me together would ya? Just ask for me to find more people to teach. It's HARD - but worth it. We have a family of 4 that we are hoping to get baptized by the end of June! ;-) Then they can get SEALED next June - while I'm still here!!!

Anyway, we have to get going and unpack Elder Torres's stuff and figure out what adventure we're doing today for P-day!!

Love you all, thank you so much for your letters and love and examples and all that Jazz! (Even though the Jazz lost to the Lakers... I'm not bitter!!! ....)

CHURCH IS TRUE!

Be safe! Be happy! Be humane to mice!

Always,

Elder Brandon Hellberg