FEB 16 2011

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! (hahaha I had to re-type this opening line after I realized I put 'HAPPY THANKSGIVING!' I'm glad I caught it! hahah! ...silly...)

ANYWHO! Things are going mah-velously! The weather here is picking right up! It's all FRESH and bright! I'm rockin' the aviator sunglasses (only while driving... promise.) and it's JUST about warm enough to lose the big heavy winter artillery coats and wear our normal suit jackets!! HooRAY!!

This past week has gone so well! Elder Fotu and I have found some great new people we are teaching. One is named Marosi- she is from the Dominican Republic, but has lived in SPAIN for the past 4 years and has adopted the "Theta"... all C's with an 'e' or 'i' after them and all Z's sound like the consonant sound "th". So "Gracias" sounds like "Grathias". It's cool! Our Branch President speaks that way too- as he lived in Spain for 11 years after serving his Mission in MEXICO! Marosi is 15 years old, and LOVES the Young Women program. She's already been reading the Personal Progress and has gone to a Stake Dance! So cool. We had a touching Family Home Evening with her and a family in our branch- she is very excited and receptive to the Gospel.
On Friday, the 25th, ELDER DAVID A BEDNAR of the 12 is coming to SPEAK WITH US! Just the Missionaries! In a question / answer setting! And I'm playing the ORGAN! AHH! hahaha! Numbers 5 and 6! High on a mountain top, and Reedemer of IsraeL! I'm nervous- but excited! :)

Haha today Elder Fotu and I went to the Beach in our area- right on the Hudson river. It basically looks like a picturesque alien landscape. A lot is frozen- but the parts that aren't are riddled with big (1-3 feet across) discs of ice that have been well rounded from bumping into each other. There are THOUSANDS of them, pulsating with the waves of the river- it looks SO cool. PLUS, Elder Fotu and I practiced good stress-relief techniques: throwing HEAVY ice chunks off the Pier, knocking down HUGE icicles, drawing in the sand and making sand/ice castles, jumping off of rocks, taking pictures of distant Manhattan from the dock, and trying to communicate with the shivering ducks. The only part that caused me to be disturbed a bit was when Elder Fotu had a 45 minute conversation with a bamboo reed. Hmmmm. :) It was a succesful P-Day activity.

A few days ago, Elder Knuth and I went on a Split in MY area, Sleepy Hollow. As you are on the freeway heading TOWARDS the area, you HAVE to take EXIT 9, or you will CROSS the Tappan Zee Bridge across the Hudson river and into Rockland County, and LEAVE MISSION BOUNDARIES!! AHHH!! So... I've been extra careful to MAKE SURE and take EXIT 9. It's been kind of a common joke... "Hey, you wanna get outta this place and meet up with the New Jersey Elders today..?"... Of course we would never really do that.... BUT- on this split with Elder Knuth- we were on our way to dinner, and the GPS led us this random route I'd never been on before, going towards the freeway. I figured my little Garmin buddy knew what he was doin, so I followed... SUDDENLY I realized we were merging with 4 lanes of traffic... and about a quarter mile STRAIGHT in front of us was the GIANT GLOWING FRAME of the Tappan Zee. FAIL. WIth no other turn around points, we were FORCED to cross the bridge (which, was actually pretty cool- AMAZING veiws of the Empire State Building..). I'm pretty sure the GPS the Mission Office gave us, ONLY WORKS in Mission Boundaries... and has a Tracking Device in it... becuase ONCE we got to the other side, the GPS lost service and a little flashing sign in the corner turned RED. Elder Knuth and I were SURE that we were going to shortly hear the whirling of the blades on President Smith's Helicopter. Anywho. It took us 25 mintues to get UNLOST and find our way BACK to the bridge, cross it again, and pay the 5$ toll. Luckily, we weren't late for Dinner. :)

All is going well with the people we are teaching. We continue to visit Jose and his family- and many other wonderful people. I feel so blessed to be here at this time. We are knocking doors and teaching and learning and laughing and awaiting the beauty of SPRING. We got transfer calls last night, and Elder Fotu and I are both up again for round 2 here in the Deathly Hallows! Wish us luck!

Love you all so MUCH! Be safe!
The Church is TRUE!

All is well!
Elder Hellberg

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

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

1/27/2011

GOOD AFTERNOON FROM SCARSDALE NEW YORK!

If you'll notice, it's actually Thursday! Yesterday, we were GROUNDED due to extreme blizzard weather! We were SNOWED in! So I had to just send you my love and hugs telepathically!! Did you get them!?

Elder Fotu and I deep cleaned the ENITRE apartment (trust me, it needed it... Missionaries have been there for quite some time..) and it looks Mah-velous! I also got some good reading done!

I have already come to love so much the little Branch up here in this area. Such wonderful people. Although our area has VERY few members, they are some of the strongest members I have seen. Completely solid! Many wonderful things are happening in this area- I can feel it!

And we got invited to go to dinner with President Smith at his house tonight! I'm very excited!

Kind of exciting thing happened the other day driving home during the beginning of one of the blizzards:... SO we received the call to return to the apartment, the weather had started to get bad so all the Mission cars were to return promptly home! We were heading off the exit (RT-10 Port Chester) when we saw this taxi in front of us lose control and barrel off into the strip of land in between the highway and the exit. He NARROWLY missed the exit sign and took out about 5 of those little reflective posts, missed a big oak tree by about a foot and a half and came to a stop about 150 feet into the strip of land,- about 6 feet away from the road. We hurried and pulled over (safely- breathe, momma!) and turned on the emergency lights and ran over to him to see if he was okay. He stumbled out all confused- and there was a bunch of smoke coming out of the car. He put mats under the back tires and us 2 (Elder Fotu and I) and the guy the taxi cab was driving somewhere all pushed and pushed... but we just burned holes in the mats and couldn't move the car. Ultimately, he had to call a tow service to come get him out! We were all muddy and cold afterward! But he thanked us for stopping! Nobody else stopped!

This week has been slow! Elder Fotu and I have spent over 20 hours of knocking doors and running around talking to people! Cold bruised knuckles, man!

All be safe, okay?

Love you!!

B wise! B warm! B smart drivers!

Always,

Elder Hellberg

1-19-2011

DEAR HOME!

Hello!!! What a LONG and DREARY week! (Weather speaking...!)

We have this thing in New York called FREEZING RAIN. It's obnoxious- but looks super cool on your car the next morning, when it's been perfectly frosted with a half-inch layer of clear ICE. Chipping it off the car and trying to open your doors however, is not as cool. Plus, recently we have been having a NONSTOP rainstorm- so all the roads are soaked. At about 6:30, the temp drops below freezing- so the freeways get coated with black ice, so all the Missionaries have to be home early!!

Elder Fotu and I are excited and ready to give a wake-up call to Sleepy Hollow (hehe so clever...)!! Things are slow right now- we're back to the basics! Knock* Knock* "Hi, we're the Missionaries..."..*SLAM*...... But we're already seeing things begin to pick up! Bright Spirits! :)

I have definitely seen the Lord's hand in preparing the people here in this little village. It's a very newly opened area, so most people don't know who the Missionaries are (big contrast to the City, everybody and their grandma knows who we are...). Sometimes I will get discouraged- but always the Lord reminds me that I'm working for Him, and He's on MY side. Several times in the last two weeks, we will have spent hours knocking doors with no results- when JUST as we are on the last house on the block or are about to call it quits for the night, a family warmly welcomes us into their house and we excitedly share our message with them. Usually when we knock houses or buildings, we start at the TOP, because tradition holds that in order to find those who will listen, we have to climb a LOT of stairs. I second that. :)

All is well here! Hoping all is well there, too.

All my Love,

Elder Hellberg

January 13, 2011

January 13, 2011

HELLO and GOOD MORNING!

This is the FIRST E-MAIL coming from me that is NOT from NYC! I'm OFFICIALLY in the county of Westchester!

My new area is a little DREAM VILLAGE. Seriously. I'm going to seriously break man-code here by saying this... but it's the cutest little town in all of New York!! Hahah! I'm not sure how else to describe it. My area name is "Sleepy Hollow" but that also geographically includes Tarrytown and Elmsford. I. Love. It. There are trees and hills and little shoppes and everything is peaceful and quaint and everybody is nice and friendly!!! NOT to mention that I'm the official "designated driver" for the companionship- it feels SO strange to be driving again. I got re-accustomed to it about 20 minutes into driving... but it was almost scary for those 20!! Although our area is Sleepy Hollow- A.K.A Holloweentown- we live in Port Chester, about 15 -20 minutes away by freeway. We drive a little Silver Chevy Malibu 2008! It's SUCH a different atmosphere upstate than in the crazy city. We go out of the house, get into our car, wait a few minutes for the heater to start working, and take a peaceful, scenic drive through the snow capped Westchester hills into our picturesque little village. A CRAZY change from the high speed run-around-catching-buses-and-trains velocity of the city! Our area is relatively new- it opened up about 5 months ago, so we only have about 3 member families in the whole thing! So mostly we knock doors and "Make Friends"!

Right now, we are serving in the Westchester 3rd Branch! It's so awesome- it’s only a small Spanish branch of about 70-80 Members, but they are some of the most solid people I have met. The Branch President is named President Jefferies- he's Caucasian, but lived in Spain for 11 years so he speaks perfect Spanish! With the Z too! "Grathias?" Anyway. He's a great man and we look forward to working closely with him.

We've had some CRAZY storms here lately- already in the 1 week I've been up here, 3 days have been SNOW DAYS- cars; GROUNDED! Good days to catch up on reading or cleaning the apt... ew.

Hey sorry time is so short- we'll try a different Library next time!

The Church is True, even in Halloweentown!

B happy! B strong! B WARNED OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN!!

All my Love,

Elder Hellberg

1/5/11

Breathe.

OKAY.

THE NEWS!

After 11 short months, mounds of spiritual growth, many haircuts, 5 companions, one blistering-hot summer, and a long series of hilarious and life-changing adventures I am OFFICIALLY leaving the BRONX.

My next Destination-

Zone: Westchester

Area: Sleepy Hollow (Yes, the Headless Horseman.)

My Emotions are SO out of control right now! It's a little ridiculous. I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude for the many incredible people that I have had the chance to meet and know here in the Bronx. I have left part of my heart behind here in this crazy city- and I truly feel like it's been a home-away-from-home for the past year. I have been so blessed here in the Bronx; I have been in 2 incredible areas, with several great companions- and we've seen SO many miracles. I was saddened and surprised to find out that my time here in Kingsbridge is up- tomorrow morning I'll climb in a van and have to fall in love all over again with a new area- which, no doubt, I will do. I trust the Lord's decisions- and I know that wherever he needs me to serve, I'll be serving there for His purpose and His reasons. It was hard to say goodbye to all my great friends I've made here in KB- but it's an honor and blessing to call them 'friends'. I will miss them. A wise friend of mine from back home told me of the prints I'd leave on other people's lives, and the powerful impressions they would leave on my own. How grateful I am for my time here.

PLUS, I'll have a car. WATCH OUT WORLD, HELLBERG IS BACK ON THE ROADS!!! MUAHAHAHAHAH!!

Ahem. Wish me luck.

Today, we went to the Temple again- for my last time in Manhattan for a while! Such a powerful Spirit prevails in the little Manhattan Temple- it always amazes me how no matter where you are inside the Temple, you can try with everything you've got to hear even the tiniest noise from the busy city around it, but it's just silent- and perfectly peaceful.

I wish you all the best! I hope a lot of excellent new year's resolutions were made and all are happy and safe!

The Church is True!

B happy, B healthy, B riding on Carriages with Headless Horsemen?

All my love,

Elder Hellberg