2/9

FEB 9 2011

BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!! The crazy blizzard weather has finally calmed down... but now it is just COLD!!! Yesterday we went knocking doors in 9 degree weather! (I bet Elder Bitner is probably colder in Moscow though...?)

Anyway! Hello!
I can't believe how fast this cycle went by. Transfers are already next week! Time is crazy weird.


We are reading the Book of Mormon as a Mission right now- we are on 2 Nephi 10. It's such a cool thing when you have 140 Missionaries all reading and talking about the same stories and experiences in the Book of Mormon at the same time. It's almost as if we are following a TV series together... we read in the Morning and throughout the week talk about what we read. You are all welcome to read WITH us!! :D This week's reading is 2 Nephi 10-17!!

I had such a sweet experience this last week. We are teaching a part-member family in our area, they are from the Dominican Republic. The son and one of the daughters are Members, and a few siblings and the parents are not. We visited the mom, and she tearfully told us her story of the past 6 months. Her husband and her recently decided to get married after living together for nearly 30 years. Shortly thereafter he had a terrible series of 4 strokes, and is currently living at a rest home. He cannot walk, speaks jumbled and very slowly, is nearly blind, and can't remember much. After visiting his wife, we decided to go to the rest home and see him. His name is Jose. We went inside and found him in the 'Day Room', alone in a corner in his wheel chair, hunched over, wearing a blue Yankees cap. We slowly walked over to him, and I knelt by him and asked if he was Jose. He said yes, and I told him we were Missionaries. I talked to him a little about the Dominican Republic, the Yankees, and what he used to do for work. He was fairly hard to understand, but we were able to talk openly. I asked him if he had a family here- he began to sob, and said yes. I put my hand on his shoulder and I asked him about them, and he told me how he loved them. I began to cry. I asked him if he believes in God. He began to shake a little, and after about 10 seconds his brow furled and he began to cry harder and said "Si." I said I did too. I told him about his family and how God had a plan for them- and that he could be with them again after this life. We just cried and talked together for about 20 minutes. It was such a special moment for me. I sang to him "Abide with me: 'tis eventide", we talked a bit more, and he asked us to come back and visit him often.

I love this Gospel. I have seen such an increase in Faith not only in those we teach but also in myself. I am beginning to understand more fully the Love that God has for me by the love and goodness he shows others through his servants. I love the Book of Mormon. Reading it is the sure way to grow faith and become secure in the foundation of the Lord. I love the Savior. I have felt His support- when I am discouraged and cold and grumpy, feeling alone on a frozen doorstep- my companion and I pray, and the Lord always picks us back up and helps us to get going again.

That being said,
I'm hoping the temperature will pick up soon!!! Ahh!
The Church is TRUE!- EVEN when it's Missionaries are frozen!!

All my love,
Elder Brandon Hellberg