Week 25...T Bo Baby!!

Hola Everybody! How the freak is it going??! Wow first week down already in my new area! Tacuarembo is sweet! It is extremely hot...sweating 24 hours a day, but it really is an awesome place. Things are going great here! We have an awesome ward here and some great members. We had a baptism last week too!!! I don't know him too well, but Daniel Oliveros is a stud. 

This area is just doing awesome right now. We have a lot of people we are teaching who are preparing to be baptized soon.  As a missionary, there isn't anything that makes you as happy as seeing someone who wants to be baptized and make covenants with our Heavenly Father.

 I don't have much to write about this week, but I just want to share a little spiritual thought that I had this week. I was reading in Preach My Gospel, and I read something very simple about the Holy Ghost, but for some reason it made me understand the Spirit in a whole different view. That is just the power the Spirit has within us to help us with things sometimes that aren't even spiritually related. As a missionary learning a language...it can be very difficult, and I just have learned that the way you learn a language as a missionary is straight from the Spirit. Often times I have been trying to rely on my own strength to learn spanish, but now with my first companion who doesn't speak english, its sink or swim with the language...:)...and Ive learned the only way Im going to become fluent is by calling on the Holy Ghost to help me. Then I took this thought to the next level, and I truly believe we can use the Holy Ghost for anything in this life, if it is for the benefit of someone and is just in the sight of God. Whatever it might be, the Spirit can help us with it. God gave us the Gift of The Holy Ghost for so much more than just "feeling happy" or "knowing right from wrong". This is the Spirit of God...of Heavenly Father that we have within in our souls. 

We can utilize the Gift of the Holy Ghost for so much more than we sometimes realize. We have the Holy Ghost to better ourselves in every single aspect of life. I can testify that we can always accomplish anything, if we just make room for the Spirit to help us. Ciao!! 

Braxton and his new companion Elder Seguel from Chile

Elder Segual in his new area of Tacuarembo.

Braxton and his companion with another companionship. NONE of them speak English...
so things just got REAL on the mission! ;) 

First Saturday in the new area was blessed with a baptism of Daniel Oliveros. 

Braxton by the 'Big Ol Railroad Tracks' next to his new place in Tacuarembo. 

Week 24: ¡ME VOY A TACUAREMBO!

Còmooooo andan todos! How is it going everyone??! I hope you all are loving life and living it to the fullest! I got some news this week...I am leaving my first area, Delta Del Tigre of the Cerro zone. I'm very sad to be leaving this place. It was very sad to tell everyone goodbye, especially the people we are teaching right now. I wont get to see their baptisms, but I'm just happy to be leaving the area in a good spot and with some awesome people that are going to be baptized! 

My new area will be a place called Tacuarembo. I will be serving in a neighborhood called "Ferrocarril"....that translates to "Railroad tracks" HaHa!  It is a department of Uruguay right in the heart of Uruguay! It is known as "the most Uruguayo place in Uruguay". Haha!! Im so excited to move onto a new chapter of my mission and see a new place of the country...and meet and teach new people! My companion will be Elder Segal (might've spelled that wrong...not sure??). He is from Chile! It's going to be an awesome time serving there. I leave early tomorrow morning to take a nice long bus ride to get there. It is a very weird feeling...as I am very excited to move onto a new area and part of my mission, but I also have to leave my first area and the people who welcomed me into my mission and have helped me so much...and have been so patient with me in the language. I really will miss these people with all my heart, but I know one day Im going to come back and visit them. That will be a glorious reunion. 

I don't have too much to share right now...although I'd like to just share a thought that really dawned on me this past week. I was thinking how I am just a 19 year old kid...who left my family and life for 2 years, to come to a random strange country...to walk around all day inviting people to learn more about their savior, Jesus Christ (in a different language). I eventually ask everyone I teach to be baptized into this Church and completely change their lives. Man is that a crazy thing what Im doing right now??!!!??  But what I realized is what's even crazier than that ...s that it actually WORKS! People have changed their lives in order to be baptized, because they have felt a special Spirit when my companion and I ask them to be baptized. It really is a crazy thing, and to be honest, sometimes I've thought to myself, "Why do these people trust me?"...and then I am reminded that it is because of the Spirit that I carry as a missionary to all the people that I talk to everyday. It is a very special thing to see someone change their life in order to follow God's Commandments.

 I love you all so much and miss you. I hope you all have a great week! Ill email you all in Tacuarembo next week! Ciao!!!

Enjoying one last breath taking sunset over this bridge they road their bikes across daily. 

Saying goodbye to his new investigator and friend, Alicia. 

FHE Activity with some members. 

Saying goodbye to a great family in Delta Del Tigre. 

Braxtons District~ his quote "I love these people"

Braxton has been looking for a sombrero for weeks now....the sun is so hot this time of year in Uruguay! All the missionaries were hats to shade their faces from the intense heat. 

More Goodbyes in Delta!!! 

FHE Night with some members and Alicia! Braxton said this was the BEST NIGHT EVER! 

Spontaneous haircut from one of the members...Brax was feeling pretty happy about it! :)

The Penarol Soccer Squad!! 

Epic timing on this picture!! ;) 

A stray cat the Branch President named after Braxton ~ GatoMaker!! 

Great selfie of Braxton and Elder Brunelli 

Week 23: ¡ESCOGIDOS!

Holaaaaa everybody! How is it going back in the states!? Very weird to think you guys are cold and having snow and all because here I'm just dieing from the heat of the sun here!:) This week was amazing!!! Maybe the most successful week of my mission thus far. 

We found 3 amazing people this week...who all now have a date to be baptized. Alicìa, Eduardo, and Pablo!!! All three are different people from different families and all...but the Lord has placed them each in the path of Elder Brunelli and I, and now we are teaching them. It has brought me a level of happiness I don't think Ive ever known before. 

Last night I was thinking about what each of them have in common...and what brought each of them to find the missionaries in this moment of their lives. Of course the first thing is that God has prepared them for this moment in their lives...to truly have the chance to accept or reject His gospel. But, I realized what each of them have in common is that they each just have the DESIRE!  That is at the start of everything we do in this life...and each of them just have a simple, innocent desire to learn more about their Savior Jesus Christ. 

I think sometimes we think we will find our faith from some miraculous thing that happens in our life, but it hardly, if ever, is like that. The only way we ever find faith in this life, and actually improve and live the life that God has prepared for us, is if we just find the desire to grow closer to him. As a missionary I am doing all I can to "give my will to the Lord". It is a little different for me right now as a full-time missionary...but I would invite everyone, everywhere to do the same. Just do more of what He would do...in every moment, every day. You are either growing closer to, or further from, Jesus Christ. Whether you realize it or not. I know that if we just pray for the desire to grow closer to our Savior, we will find ourselves on the path to a better, happier life. 

We aren't all born with the desire to do the will of God, but it is something that is possible for each and every one of us to have. I hope we can all just DESIRE more to be more Christ-like in our lives everyday. I love you all and hope you are all doing great! 

Braxton and Elder Hamm were on splits together this week.

Amazing picture of Braxton on the bridge they cross everyday from Delta Del Tigre. 

Its mosquito season in Uruguay!! 

A nice meal with his companion, Elder Burnelli.

A beautiful rainbow over the church this week. 

Braxton only sent this picture to Schy...but it was too good not to post! ;) 

Week 22

Hola hola everybody! How is it going? Hope everybody had a great start to their New Year.  It was a great start for us down here in Uruguay. New Years Eve is quite the party here in Uruguay. I have never seen so many fireworks at one time in my life before! We hung out with la Familia Machado the 31st, had some Asado with them and then watched the fireworks at midnight from their roof! (Dont worry we had permission to be out that late;) It was a good time for sure. 

This week Elder Brunelli's back began to feel a lot better...we had to rest for a few days, but now we're back to working full time!!! Man it's a lot more fun to go out and talk to people than it is to stay inside the house all day. We are finding some good people to teach and doing some work again with the people of Delta Del Tigre. 

Something I'd like to share this week is something I learned from a book by Elder Ballard called "When Thou Art Converted". In the beginning of the book Elder Ballard talks about the time Jesus Christ told his chief Apostle, Peter, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethen." (Luke 22:32). WOW!...can you imagine that? It must have been sort of a smack in the face for Peter. Peter was Jesus's chief Apostle. He had been next to the Savior during many of His miracles and teachings and sermons. He had been the Saviors right hand man...and Christ just told him that he still isn't converted. I think this must have been a very humbling moment for Peter. I think it might even be the same with us often times, as members of the church.  Maybe we think that we are completely converted, but we can learn from this story that no matter how sure we think we are in this gospel, we always need to be striving more and more to ensure our foundation in this gospel of Jesus Christ. If Christ told one of the most faithful person this world has even seen, that he needs to become converted to this gospel, then I think we all need to take a look at our selves and figure out what we can do to build our foundation more on Jesus Christ. 

This was a very important lesson for me to learn, as now I am truly trying to humble myself more everyday and become more converted to the Savior. I know when we make Jesus Christ the number one focus in our lives, we will see nothing but blessings. I love you all so much and hope you have a great week! ¡Vamos arriba!

Missionary Life in Delta Del Tigre is going good for Braxton! 

Some good 'action shots' of a typical day on the mission. 

A great family in the ward that invited the missionaries over for NYE dinner and fireworks!! 

Week 21: ¡La Navidad y El Año Nuevo!

Comò andan todos! How is it going everybody?!! I hope everyone's Christmas was a great and you're all getting excited for the New Year! It is going great here right now. Christmas was really such a fun one, especially for my first one on the mission. We played some soccer, played cards and uno, talked to our families, and then went to the beach! Never would've thought I'd be going to the beach on a Christmas...but it was a great one! And with tons of fireworks too! 

This week was good.. and a little rough. We started to find some great people in our area...and then Satan always has to get in the way and now Elder Brunelli is having some big time back problems. We weren't able to work the past couple of days because he can't walk, or even stand, without being in some serious pain. So I just ask you all to please keep my companion in your prayers for us...and for the people we are teaching! :) 

I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Im looking forward to this year! I know it's going to be great! As missionaries we have a big focus on setting goals...and now we get the time to set the Big-Time goals!!!  I think everyone can make a goal of just trying to come closer to Christ. It's not as hard as the world will tell you it is. Everyday just a little by little...and I promise you...you can find the peace, comfort, and happiness that I know we are all looking for in life. I have seen this gospel change peoples lives, and I know there isn't a person on this planet who can't benefit themselves, and their families, by following the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Thats all I got for you guys today!! I hope you all have a great start to the New Year! Vamos Arriba che!!

Pictures from all the festivities during the week of Christmas!! 

At the beach, the evening of Christmas.

A short video clip of Braxton speaking Spanish during our call on Christmas