Hello home!
How is everyone doing!?
Hahaha I felt so jipped last time! My laptop cut out and I lost my WHOLE e-mail! So sketchy! So by the time I got a little of it typed again, I ran out of time! Hahaha welcome to Bronx public library! Nah it's actually a pretty good system they've got going here :)
It's been a rainy last couple of days here in the Bronx, New York! It rained so bad yesterday! Painfully cold and wet :( I cannot believe it's already almost JUNE! Can you believe my 6 month mark is in 13 days!? NOT THAT I’M COUNTING! haha truly I’m not, I just figured it out quick this morning!
Mother's day was great- got to talk to my family and Carlie- it was so great to hear all your voices! For some Missionaries it stirs up homesickness and kinda kicks the Missionary out of commission for a few days- but I feel energized and great! It was so great to get to talk to you guys. :)
So, remember how I was starting to grow fond of the little Mice that have taken shelter in our apartment? NO MORE. We came home one night and there was one of the nasty little demons on my BED. MY BED. This. Means. WAR. I have every kind of trap waiting for the fiends- snap traps, glue traps, poison- and I'm buying one of those sonic rat-blasters next time we stop at Duane Read. I tried playing nice- I even hosted one and gave it a home to live in a bucket- and this is how they repay me? MOUSE DROPPINGS in my BED!?!?! Arg I'm gonna get some awful VIRUS or something. Open Warfare I tell you... WARFARE!!
Bahaha so there is this SUPER awesome Member in the Ward from Chile named Hermano Cerda and he LOVES going out teaching with the Missionaries. He's in his early 70's and works at the Manhattan Temple! We took him out teaching the other day and we were waiting at a bus stop when a small Mexican man ran up and patted him on the shoulder. Hermano Cerda looked surprised, then said "Augusto, my friend! It's been too long!" Turns out he knew him a long time ago back when there was just a branch instead of a Ward here in Olmstead. Hermano Cerda asked why he hadn't been to church in so long! The man shrugged and said I dunno I just didn't see the need." Hermano Cerda then looked at him firmly in the eyes then SMACKED him square on the face and told him to get back to church!! Hahaha It was so funny! I told my companion I was going to be that bold and just start smacking people and tell them to get to church!! Baha!
Something very touching happened a few days ago- My companion and I went to follow-up on a recent door tract we had done a few days previously. We knocked on the door and a shy Mexican woman opened the door very timidly. We exchanged hello's and we started talking about our message and asked if there was a time we could come back. She seemed flustered and uninterested and told us she didn't have any time due to her son's 'therapy' and that maybe in a few weeks we could return and see her. We gave her a pass-along card and were about to leave when I felt to ask what her son was in therapy for. It was kind of an odd feeling and at an odd time, right at the end of the conversation- she'd already said goodbye. Awkwardly, I asked why her son needed therapy, trying not to sound rude or prying. Her eyes widened, and she began to say "my son..." She started to cry and told us that her son was almost 2 years old and hadn't begun to walk or talk yet and that she had therapists coming to her house nearly 4 times a week to work with him. She opened up and talked to us right there at her door for nearly 20 minutes, just crying and telling us her life story. It was sad, but I could tell it was relieving for her just to be able to talk to somebody. She expressed sincere thanks for listening and invited us to come back a few days later. We did, and we taught the Plan of Salvation and taught her of the Resurrection. It was SO touching and powerful to see her realize and receive confirmation of the truth that her son would some day be able to say and do everything he had potential for doing. We're going back in a few days to give her a CD of church music she asked for- she said peaceful music calms her son!
Last week for Zone Conference, Elder Robbins from the 70 came- it was so cool! He talked to the Missionaries about so many interesting and important things. He taught us about reverence and agency and the changing world and some new things the Church is going to be doing in the years to come. It was very powerful and uplifting- plus he speaks Spanish!
I'm so excited for P-day today- our district is going to go to the church and Watch Joseph Smith- Prophet of the Restoration and then play soccer and Pokemon Monopoly!! Bahaha! P-day is such a blessing!!
I saw something pretty intense the other day as we were on the train down to Mott Haven. We were slowly passing by St Lawrence Avenue Station and off to the left of our train we saw a big apartment building with big flames climbing out of the second story windows and licking the walls of the building all the way up to the 5th floor! There were people starting to gather and they all had their cell phones out calling- and right after that we went underground so I couldn't call 911! Elder Prue says I'm making this up- but I'm so NOT! I SAW a lady on the 3rd floor in a window banging on the glass! Orange shirt, short black hair! I swear I saw it! We heard from a member that the fire was put out pretty quickly and nobody was hurt- which relieved me- but still! Scary, right?
I love this Gospel, and I'm so honored and privileged to be out here representing the Savior Jesus Christ! This Church is TRUE! Love you all- be safe, be happy be strong!!
Always and Forever,
Elder Brandon Hellberg
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