feb 2

Good Evening HOME!!

ANOTHER important date has come and gone! I, as of today, (February 2nd, 2011), have been in New York for 1 YEAR. AHH! I still can remember my emotions 365 days ago as I walked off the plane into the brisk air around JFK Int'l Airport... Going to the Mission Home... Meeting my first companion and Trainer... hearing I was going to be serving in the Bronx!! Time has been so strange to me. All those things feel SO distant… but I can remember them as if they were last week- and it feels like only mere months have gone by, not a whole calendar year.

It is SO cold!! The cars have been grounded all day until now because of the America-wide arctic BLAST- we've had awful freezing rain! No joke, our parking lot looked like an ICE-SKATING-RINK. It's been very cold! I have no idea how the rest of the country is doing, but I heard it's a huge storm- and that basically everywhere is gettin' it pretty bad! How has the big terrible storm hit Utah? I hope everyone is warm and safe!!

I have gotten a few of your letters! Thank you so much. I know I'm a Lame-sauce writer-backer, but I am so grateful for your love and support! I never feel forgotten! :) Things are improving here. :) I can feel your prayers combined with MY prayers- and they are working! :D

We had Dinner at President’s house- just 8 of us Missionaries- it was SO great. We ate with him and Sister Smith- then went to the living room of the Mission Home and had a big long open discussion about the ups and downs of the Mission. We got to ask anything and he was so friendly and fun - he's pretty professional when he's up in front of the whole mission- but I love it in interviews or smaller meetings- he is such a great guy- (reminds me of DAD!)

In a few Sundays, it'll be Missionary Sunday- and we're going to give talks! :S Excited/Nervous!

We are teaching some incredible people right now. Most of them are from the Dominican Republic, a few from Ecuador! Most of them we have found through knocking doors! It's such a blessing to be able to be invited into someone's house and share our message with them- for the first time! One of the Dominican families we are teaching has 6 OTHER families related to them living in the nearby areas- and we are teaching MOST of them! Haha! And one of the ladies related is actually already an active member in the Branch!

Hey- just got the call! Gotta leave right now to go home, cars grounded again!

I love you, please be happy and warm! Love you!!!

I am so grateful to be a part of this work. I know that what I am doing as a Missionary is what the Lord wants me to do- and I LOVE doing it.

The Church is TRUE!

B safe! B Warm! B fighting the STORM!!

Always,

Elder Brandon Hellberg