Braden, What's up? How are things going? How are your investigator's?
It is sounds crazy to not have defined area's to work in. Hope the mission Pres gets it all worked out. Did you have any baptism's? You mentioned earlier that the Branch President said you had to wait and that your mission President wasn't happy about it. What happened?
Yes, good meals are hard to come by for hard working tired missionaries. So, enjoy everyone you get.
We celebrated Paige's birthday this week. It is hard to believe that she is 18. How time flies. She got new clothes and jewelry and the new Disney movie "Frozen" It is a great movie. We've watched it at least 12 times in one week. Maybe more. All of the kids have most of the songs memorized and both Zach and Paige have the sound track, so the music is on constantly. Good thing it's good music. One of the song writer's is from Africa and so the songs have an African sound to them.
We found out today that the Stake is creating a new ward. Our ward is involved with the new split up of some other wards to make the new one. It should be interesting. We find pout next Sunday night.
So, the young men and women's song that dad has been working on went great and they get to sing it again next week at the special meeting of the creation of the new ward. Both Paige and Zach sang solo's and did an awesome job. Their were other solo's also and everyone did a great job. They are probably happy about no more practices though.
Keep on smiling and spreading the good news.
Love ya lots, Mom
things are going good, here we are about to find out transfer news again next monday!!! it feels like this transfer just started a few days ago time has gone by very fast!!! The next transfer will be very interesting because lots of us have stayed here longer than normal in this area most missionaries get transfered with in 2 or 3 transfers now almost all of us here are at that point. our investigators have been moving a little slow but they are keeping there commitments we might have 3 or more baptism's next month! tell Paige Happy Birthday for me! Its good to hear that they did well on there solo's. So the Branch Pres. cancelled the Baptism because of a meeting, the branch pres. wasnt even there so thats why Mission Pres. was mad.
Keep on smiling and spreading the good news.
Love ya lots, Mom
3/29/14
Dear Braden,
How are you, your area, companion and things? Any baptisms this week? Are you being transferred?
No, Paige hasn't started her mission papers yet? Maybe in a few months. She has been excepted to BYU Idaho for Winter and Spring semesters so she won't be abe to leave on her mission until July or August of next year. That means you'll get to see her before she leaves. She had a job interview with Lehi City to work at the out door pool this summer. She finds out if she got it or not on Tuesday. She has friends that have already been hired there so she is hoping to work with them. The have been redoing the building to the pool and adding on to it. It is supposed to be a lot nicer when it is finished.
Zach got to do the pre range this last week. He got to sit in the back seat for 2 hours and be bored. Now he gets to sign up for range-this should be interesting.
Ethan tested for his yellow belt in tae kwon do and got it. Dad held a real board and Ethan had to hit it and break it. He actually broke it into 3 pieces. Dad had a piece in each hand and a big piece fell to the floor. Ethan came home with his broken boards and a trophy. They presented him with his yellow belt in class so everyone could see.
Parker had to turn in a book report and forgot about it until the last day. He read for 4 hours the last night and then got up early and wrote the report. But at least he got it done.
Hope is just as silly as ever and asked a ton of questions.
Allen and Kristi blessed their baby today, so we attended their meeting. They named the baby Tyrell- poor boy he isn't black. And that name is a very popular black name.
We went to the special meeting for the split of our ward. Our ward now goes from the houses in in field behind us to the houses on 9th west. So the houses past the grassy dip are now part of the other ward. A few of those streets with the neighborhood by the New Stake center is another ward. And then Zach's friend Jacob's neighbor hood past the elementary school is another ward. Kind of strange boundaries but I'm sure we will get use to it. Our Bishop stayed the same.
The General Women's Broadcast went well. We( the Stake R.S. Presidency) were in charge of organizing everything and the dessert. We had a great turn out. We filled the chapel and the gym. Plus the stage. The R.S. room was set up for the spanish speaking people and had about 20 ladies or more in there. If you haven't heard, they changed the meeting to now include all of the young women and primary girls ages 8 an up. It is now a semi-annual meeting like the Priesthood meeting for the boys and men.
We are excited for conference and all of the great speakers and advice. I'll get a copy for you when it come out and send it to you.
Take care we love you, Mom
I am doing good i have had a lot of strange things happen these past few days. for transfers i will be staying in the same area that means i will hit my year mark only have been in 2 areas haha so maybe i will finish my mission in 4 areas haha. My companion changed and now i will be having my 2nd foreign companion. i dont know his name but from what i hear he is a great guy and really short.
Parker sounds like he is being himself haha.sounds like the families there are having a lot of changes.
Zach is doing Range oh no!!!!!!! that doesn't sound good at all!! hopefully i will be safe on this side of the world but who knows that kid can be crazy sometimes!!!
We didnt have any baptism this week but hopefully we will next week if not for sure in April we will.
Hi Elder,
Mom has probably already told you that they had announced that they were going to create a new ward that impacted our ward. We had a special meeting tonight where our ward and the Pheasant Point 1st ward were invited. They basically made three wards out of two. The impact on our ward was that we lost the streets to the west of our original ward boundary (the streets that were put with us the last time we got realigned). So, easy come, easy go, I guess. It seemed like we were just getting to know them. So our ward got a little smaller but we still have a lot of empty lots in the field to the east of our house. No changes to our bishopric (even though you didn't get to know Bishop Gooch I think). He's a nice guy and I hope he is our bishop for a while. We lost a high priest group leader and some counselors in other presidencies. but all the presidents and most of the counselors are still in place.
The weird thing was how they drew the boundary for the new 1st ward. It now contains a narrow strip of homes running north and south, basically the same homes that we lost, and all the homes in the field to the south of our neighborhood. Imagine the outline of a shovel and you get the idea. The new ward that was created is the Pheasant Point 7th ward, which contains all the homes to the west of the "handle" of the shovel and all the apartments and condos over by the elementary school. I don't know if this is making any sense, or if you remember anything about the geography back home, but there you go. After conference, it should be interesting to see how much shuffling is required to fill all the newly vacated callings. I figure I am pretty safe as ward music chairman.
So I think I told you that the youth were going to do the Come Unto Christ number that is their theme song in 2014 last Sunday. They did a great job and Zach and Paige did not sabotage the performance with any wild antics like they threatened to do. Well President Spencer found out about it and invited the youth to do it again in this special meeting about the ward split. I figured it would be nice to involve the youth from the 1st ward, so we scrambled to put together a couple of practices with them. They got up in front of a stake conference sized crowd and just banged it out. I was so proud. It sounded awesome from where I stood (right in front of them). Mom has a recording of it on her phone that I think she is going to try to send. Hopefully you will be able listen to it.
Ethan went to another BYU merit badge powwow last week and earned three more merit badges. He is really into scouting, but he had to choose between a camp out and finishing his merit badges at BYU. It was a tough choice. He is Star rank now and is pretty much ready Life rank after the waiting period is over. I wish our scouting program had been more on the ball when you were going through it. I regret my part in discouraging you from participating in that program more. Ethan also earned his yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do. He had to break a board during the test and he was really worried about it. I got to hold the board for him and he hit it so hard it split into three pieces. He was pretty surprised and had the biggest smile on his face! Here are some pictures. Not sure if you can do anything with them (print them or something). BTW, I got the pictures you sent and they're going to work out just fine. Thanks.
Other than all that, things are pretty normal around here. We are headed to a hotel after General Conference for a couple of days to get away for spring break. Hope has been dying to go to a hotel for months. When we actually start packing I think she's going to have a fit.
You said something about possible transfers for those who have been in your area for a while. You'll have to tell us how that goes. How is your companion doing? How is it being in the big city after being out in the boondocks for a while? I've also wondered if you have investigators who have trouble with the the fact that blacks didn't get the priesthood until later. Has that been much of a stumbling block? How are your investigators doing? Any baptisms recently? Do you find it harder to find/teach/convert/baptize in the city versus the country?
I hope you are doing well, loving the people and your companion, working hard, being obedient, and having fun. We love seeing pictures, so keep them coming. I want you to know that we have been richly blessed for your decision to serve the Lord. When you were first called, I was very worried about being able to make the monthly donations, but so far it hasn't been a problem. I got a statement of our contributions to your missionary fund since you started and I was astounded at how much it has added up to. Things are very tight for us right now, but we are trying to find new ways to save money. We will do everything necessary to support you and make sure you have the things you need. Just let us know.
I love you and pray for you daily.
Love,
Dad
So there is a new ward huh? That sounds like the ward is just going through some crazy stuff right now! so i think i understood what you where saying after a few minutes of thinking of how home was laid out haha it took maybe 5 minutes to figure it all out. Sounds like your having fun with the ward choir.
If i was Ethan i would have gone on the camp out haha. i had my experiences with the merit badges haha. Sounds like he is getting hit hard haha.
Things are going well here in Uganda i will be reaching my year mark this transfer! Crazy!!! i am getting old on mission haha. So transfer news came and i will be staying here in Ntinda and i am getting a new companion i dont really know his name but he will be my 2nd foreign companion. i hear he is a funny guy though and short haha. So this mean my son is going to be leaving me haha.
