First e-mail from Brady -This Dominates the MTC!!! Everything is going so great! My comp/trainer is amazing and I am honestly learning tons from him every day. He is from Mapleton and has been out three months. My first full day here I took on the responsibility of extending the baptism commitment to one of our progressing investigators. She smiled and said she would think about it. On our next visit I asked her again about what she was feeling towards baptism. She said she had thought about it and she would get baptized as long as she had a bit of time to prepare. MAN WAS THAT AN AMAZING FEELING!!! It's really hard stepping out of your comfort zone sometimes but in the MTC I remember my teacher telling a struggling missionary that all Christ wants us to do is try our best but if we get scared and but out then we aren't doing our job so I just remember Jesus wants me to try and it seriously gives me power. My experiences have been amazing. It really is hard work but I can't believe how much fun it is. I LOVE IT ALL!!!
DamrinFRAmily,So I'm writing this email with a mongolian branch missionary standing right behind me reading everything I'm writing. Fortunately he doesn't understand a word of English and I could be writing about petting a porcupine for all he knows.
This week was probably one of the best weeks ever!! We had so many people to meet with that we literally at one point had people lining up to meet with us. We taught more lessons than I've ever taught on my mission and had the most investigators in sacrament meeting I've ever had before!!! GOOD TIMES!!! We're so blessed right now, i love it!!!
We've got 5 people who will be baptized, it's just a matter of when. We have a rule in Mongolia that investigators who are 18 or younger and take the lessons without their parents have to attend Church, Seminary, and Mutual actively for 2 months, so on 4 of those investigators we're pretty much just waiting for their 2 month mark. We didn't put Munkhbat into interview this last week cuz we're still waiting on him to stop drinking tea. I'm seriously planning an assault on the tea factories here that will make the Boston Tea Party look like an Acheivement Days activity!!! But he's still good and will hopefully be baptized soon!
We also picked up a new investigator who was brought to church by her friend and is way sweet. We're planning on baptizing her next month. Member missionary work is so much more affective than us just trying to talk to people on the street. Do you're dang missionary work! .........please :) The members make teaching so much more affective, if the members always gave us referrals Mongolia would be translated and chillin with the people of Enoch right now.
So as for transfers I have no idea what will happen. We had interviews with President on Friday and he told everyone else in my district where they were going and who they're companion will be. The only thing he told me was that he wants me to stay in Darkhan but isn't 100% right now. I don't wanna leave!!!!! But it's the Lord's work and I'll do what He wants. So anywho i'll let you know what goes down next email.
Well you all pretty much rock and I'm proud to call myself a McMurtrey,even though Mongolians can't say it without getting a headache:) So as we're walking out the door to come here, Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back" popped into my head, but I felt bad singing that on my mission so i changed the words....."I Brought the Gospel Back!!! Man all those priests didn't know how to act!! The things they taught were so outta wack. Take it to the chorus..... D and C, it's where God came down and talked with me....." Yeah that'll be part of the Restoration musical i'm writing. I better stop before I get struck down......... love ya bye
Elder McMurtrey
Sunday's wear me out.
So we're sleeping on the couches at our house now because we finally realized that the reason we were so itchy all the time and the bites all over our bodies were from bed bites. Haha Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite...........
Anywho, work here in Darkhan is pretty dang sweet right now. We're meeting with 4 teenage boys: Munkhbat, Vorzya, Batmunkh, and Batbold. They're all future priesthood holders and missionaries. When we were meeting with Batmunkh and Batbold, missions came up and Batbold pointed to himself and said, "Future missionary, that's me!" Yeah, we're pretty much a formality with those two. Their aunt who lives with them is a member and she helps them do the homework we give them and sends them off to mutual and seminary and sits in on the lessons. She's awesome. They both understand everything way good!!!! They come to the lessons ready to learn, so the spirit is strong and just feels way good. I love them. Munkhbat was going to go into interview this last week but he burned us a couple of times so we have to push him back to at least the 23rd maybe the 30th, and Vorzya goes in the end of February.
We're also still meeting with Tsementsetseg and Erdenee, the couple that we've been meeting with for a couple of weeks now. They're way good!! The only problem is that they're both country people and didn't really learn how to read. But they want to read so bad!! They told us that they normally hate reading, but for some reason the Book of Mormon is different and they want to read it everyday. Also Tsementsetseg is pregnant and due sometime in February so it'll be hard for her to come to church in the near future.
The Lord has blessed us so much with solid people to meet with. We haven't been finding as many new investigators the last month or so, but all the ones we do find are usually very good. I really hope I don't get transferred (transfers are the 24th) cuz things are starting to come together now, that's probably why I will get transferred. It seems like whenever things start going really well, and I'm feeling comfortable with what I'm doing, a big change happens.
I got the missionary mom letters on saturday and they're always my favorite thing. It's so cool to see how the Lord's hand is in this work no matter where we are. It's also funny to see how different the work is in Asia compared to South America and America. Some missionaries write, "So we had a few more baptisms this week...." and I pee my pants when i get one. haha but i'm grateful for the examples of my friends in serving missions, i look up to all of them. I wish i could be as a good a missionary as them, i read their emails and they sound so mature, and i look at mine, and i'm really silly, and write emails like a high school girl text messages. oh well the church is true, the book is blue, and i am through.
This is the Lord's work, we are His servants and when we're on the Lord's errand we're entitled to His help.
Oodles of love,
Elder JMac
Hello there peeps,
So I'm here in Akita for just a little bit, I leave in an hour and everyone is emailing, so I thought sure maybe I'll send a short one out.... it's really cold here....especially inside our apartment. I was able to read like the last month or two of emails from jmac and aaron, so that was good. Its amazing to hear of their success and how the Lord is blessing them. I haven't been seeing success like that, BUT that doesn't mean I haven't been seeing blessings. I'm blessed each day and have little miracles. We have a gma who we have coming to church consistently, so that is amazing, but she still doesn't quite understand Christianity...she just likes the missionaries and the members. The lord has blessed us with the opportunity to share the gospel with our neighbor, who has a member friend, so hopefully we will be able to work with her. Right now I'm just hoping for someone who will open their heart to Christianity....they wont even try, they just hear the word Christ and just say they're Buddhist and wont listen. BUT the Lord IS preparing people, even here, so I'm trying to muster up the faith to find them...It takes a lot of faith and trust, cause I still cant understand most of what they're saying ...neither can my senior.... BUT it'll happen , it'll happen. The Lord knew we could do it, so he sent us here. THE WORK WILL GO FORTH. I'm excited to give everything to the Lord and see him work miracles through me. I'm sure glad the Lord makes weak things strong, cause I'm about as weak as they come. The work is impossibly without the Holy Ghost and divine help. well I think I'm going to go eat some donouts now, my comp bought tons of them. I love you all... even more than these donouts. Be kind to everyone. Everyone can be your friend if you let them be. Smile. Let the light of Christ shine. MERRY CHRISTMAS ELDER G SAGERS
This past week was good. We had 2 baptisms saturday (brothers) Their parents showed up who are not members or married but they all live together like a normal family. The dad has a lot of faith in God and Jesus Christ but he had an experience in his earlier years with different churches (not the lds) that has kept him from joining a church. The mom is wanting to get baptized too so she and her husband have set plans for may to get married so she can get baptized. My companion and i each baptized a son and after the service the dad came up to his sons and hugged each one and told them he was proud of them and talked with them for a bit then he came to me and put his arm around me and smiled and said thanks. I told him your welcome and that he has a wonderful family he turned his head and looked at his wife and 3 boys and turned back at me with a bigger smile on his face and he simply said i know i know they are wonderful. The spirit was so strong in this service that i know that this father felt the spirit it will just take time i think. This service was another testimony to me that this is the true church with all of the truths to the gospel of Jesus Christ and that this work is true.I love you all,
Elder Cook
Some bits from Elder Jake Packers short emails: He is doing great; one of his investigators is being baptized. He isn't there to do it, but is very excited anyway.
1/12/09
Last week was pretty crazy I was on tradeoffs Wednesday in Hart, the missionaries there are helping to coach a wrestling team for the high school there. While there I went to one of the tournaments at the high school. The kids on the team love the missionaries, it's awesome what kind of influence they have on them. It's really neat how the missionaries are using their talents and abilities to further the missionary work. My companion is going to be playing a little concert for some people I hope that it will bring us opportunities to talk to some people
12/22/08
It's been pretty cold here we are right on the lake shore so we get some pretty nasty wind and snow. Our church was canceled on us yesterday. There was snow all day; we got up early to go to our meetings but driving to church we couldn't see more then 10 feet in front of us, we got stuck pulling out of the driveway so it was quite the adventure.
There is a lot of snow I have never seen so much in my life. I guess we have already had over 130 inches and the first day of winter was yesterday, and its funny the snow doesn't melt like in Utah. It just comes and stays.
12/29/08
The weather has been very interesting the last couple of days it warmed up to 50 and almost all of the snow melted we had lots of rain it was pretty amazing then yesterday we had winds coming off of the lakes so it was really cold and all of the roads were iced over. But today is sunny and pretty warm so I hope the weather will hold off.
We were very excited one of the less active families we have been working with came to church yesterday that was very exciting, We have tradeoffs this week tonight and tomorrow, then Wednesday the missionaries are going to blitz our area. On Friday the zone leaders are going to come and blitz the area, I'm really excited for that. I love to have the opportunity to learn from other missionaries.
10/08
Things with our investigators has kind of cooled down a little bit we need to get them jump started on the gospel again, but we have had some success finding some more people to teach.
Next week I have my first district meeting I am kind of nervous for that I hope that all will go well, there are some really neat elders in the district and I am sure they will help me out. Elder and sister Mobely are going to be there they are a senior couple that serve in a different district but they are going to be up this way getting a car fixed so they will be at our meeting, they are very good examples to us missionaries and help us out a lot.
Metz, France 12.01.09
Elder Brady Nielsen
Happy Birthday! Herizo Sambuana, a member of the Metz Ward here in France has been told by me numberless times of my friend (you) who is serving in his home country (madagascar). He is here getting his phd and want me to tell you thank you for what you are doing. So here is a big Thank You to you from Herizo. And another one from your friend Elder Robinson. Thank you so much for your friendship and for all of the encouragement and above all your example to me. I have been so blessed in my life to have friends who have loved the Lord and a result of that made me a better person. Sorry I have not written lately, I have noted it in my planner to write you a letter so keep your eyes open. You are in my prayers and I have drawn strength from the knowledge of your service and also the experiences we have shared. I find my self constantly reflecting on the many tender mercies in my life. I have received so much. We have so much to offer. Love the people, love your companion, give them heaven! a bientot!
Love,
Elder Robinson
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