Six

IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! do do doo dooooooo

I can’t believe I am in my last transfer.  It’s so crazy. I feel like If I were going home right now, it wouldn’t be right. I know I’m doing what God wants me to do, and this past week I could really see why I’m still here.  I know that I need to be here, and I am excited to see what little gems will be hidden in these next 6 weeks.

Ok, well this week was a solid week and I am happy.

FAMILIA NAVARRO- THEY GOT MARRIED! It was awesome. We helped them a lot this week, and they were married Friday. We were able to see it, but it started really late, so we were only there for a moment, but we could see them sign the papers and all. It was awesome. We also had the lesson and we invited them to come to our branch, and they accepted! Yesterday we went to visit them and they were like new people, seriously, it was incredible to see the change in their lives.  Keeping the commandments opens doors! We couldn't teach too much this week, but we changed her baptismal date to the 16th of July. They are doing really well.

Zack and Elder Butron with Francis Navarro...wedding day!

ANDERSON- This guy is awesome. Seriously, he’s already making plans to go on a mission and is super super excited. His family, himself, and the members are super excited with him. His baptismal date is basically in concrete. It’s incredible to see his change and excitement. He has had some incredible experiences with prayer and he is super excited to keep on progressing. He didn’t go to church this week, because he was sick and didn’t have any clothes....ugh so frustrating! ...But this next week he’s going!

Zack and Elder Butron with Anderson (green shirt) and Victor...and RM from their ward.

SO know, I am seeing my purpose here in Paita for July and August....Family Navarro Ruiz and Anderson. We have received another reference or a mother with her two kids from a member who wants to be baptized, so we have a possibility of 5 baptisms soon! So excited.

Paita and Puyango have been my favorite areas. I love it here. The members, the branch, the dirt, everything! It’s a great area!

It’s weird thinking that in 6weeks I enter into a whole new stage of life and that is something that is really crazy for me to think about!

Things are going great with my companion. He’s a great guy and I have had a blast with him.  He has taught me so much! Our new mission President is Pres Rasmussen from California. Starting Wednesday, I am the oldest missionary in the whole mission, with the other two guys that extended!

I love my mission and am so happy for the opportunity which I have had to be here.

Love ya!

Elder Bradshaw

A Time to Train

Hey!

I can’t believe that you are almost all in Summer vacation now! It’s crazy to me because it just started getting a little bit cooler here...just a little bit...not too much.

It was a good week. I am tired, and have been running for like 7 days straight. But it was one of those real good, hard working kind of weeks...so I’m happy!

My companions name is Elder Butron. He is from Lima and is 24 years old. He is a wonderful person. He is so kind and loving and has lots of desires to keep on working and to help everyone. He is really really shy, but is slowly breaking out of that shell, especially with the investigators and people in the street. In this week, he has grown so much and I know he will really be a great missionary. I do love him, he is a great guy. I am excited to be able to be working with him.

Elder Bradshaw and his new companion Elder Butron, from Lima, Peru.

This week was a real successful week.....we found plenty of new people, and they are wonderful!!! I am so pumped. I try not to get over excited about a first visit, but we found another INCREDIBLE family.  Now we are teaching like 5 Families. and I am pretty sure we will baptize at least two of them in these two transfers. Super excited.

One of these families, la familia Roque Heche (pronounced Rocky)...is incredible! One day we were walking down the road, and started knocking random doors. We talked to a lady and ended up giving her a Book of Mormon. She seemed excited so we took out another appointment. We went back the next day, and her Husband was there.  Felix has never listened to missionaries from whatever church and we are the first ones he is listening too. He asked us a ton of questions about the different churches and how is the original church, and why there are so many, and said that he has never found an answer. We taught him and his wife the lesson and it went really well. His wife told us of a vision that she had a long time ago when she walked into a really old temple and a figure in white picked her up, and comforted her in her problems. After her vision, she talked to a pastor of another church and he told her that she needs to look for a church, and that it doesn't necessarily needs to be his own. She told us that she had been looking for a church for lots of years but has never found one that makes her feel good. The both received answers and light and the both felt the spirit. Elder Butron asked them to be baptized and they decided that they need to wait a little bit longer. I am so excited to teach them tomorrow. I hope it all goes well!  Pray for them!

The others are good, but not as prepared as the family Roque. We are still teaching the people I have told you about before, and one of those half-member families even went to Truijillo to the Open Doors in the Temple....so lets hope that that was a good experience for them....They just need to get married, they have the plans, but there goal is in September....and we really want them to get married in July......so we are working on that....jaja

The only problem with the 5 families that we are so excited about teaching...is that NONE of them are Married.....sigh....

K.  I don’t really know what more to write....

But I am super super super excited to keep working....I have never had a greater desire for a good baptism...And right now is the time to do it. The goal is two new families baptized before August.....Let’s see how it goes.

Now is the time to act with our branch. Whenever there is a change up in leadership, then people are ready to work hard.  So we are super super excited and the members and super super excited too.  And we are here, ready to work!

Of course...HOW’S THE TRAINING???
It’s going well.... I am learning a ton and reviewing these basic things helps me, as well as him, to be better companions and better missionaries We get a long well. He is a great dude.

What are some thoughts going through your head as you have this training experience again?
“His first 12 weeks are my last 12 weeks”...jk

Tender mercies this week?
I feel like my tender mercies were the families that we found.

How’s your personal Book of Mormon Challenge going?
I am doing well...A little bit behind where I thought I would be, but I’m in Jacob, and loving it!

Exercise?
Everyday with the jump rope that Sister Ihrke sent me. jaja

Pday fun?
We went to the beach.  We always go to the beach, and I'm glad.

Pday with Elder Butron at the beach.

LOVE YOU ALL And I hope that all goes well!

Have a great week!

Elder Bradshaw

Blue walls with pink edging...

Hey hey hey!

How’s it going? I’ve never understood questions like that in letters...because you won’t even answer it until a long time after I ask you it...then I won’t even read your answer for another week, so...jaja.

So....basically I told you everything in my life yesterday...but it was such a great time speaking with you all and seeing you through skype. I can’t believe that was my last call! It was so nice to see you all.  It didn’t destroy me like it did my first call. And I was fine after. I am still excited to keep going and I am doing well here! I love seeing how much you have all changed, especially Elli. What?  She’s grown like a foot since I have been home.

Today for pday, we went to a little beach/fishing town and kinda just walked around. We climbed a mountain with huge cliffs looking over the ocean which was super awesome. The beaches here are incredible beautiful, blue water, huge cliffs, beautiful sand....But no one takes care of the beach area, so they can be kinda ugly. But its been a nice time just being around the ocean. In the morning we played some Bball with the other gringos which was pretty fun.

Hanging over the cliffs at the beach hike today.

So a couple of awesome experiences I had....About a week ago, I was praying and while I was praying, I thought of a blue wall with pink edging. During that whole day, I kept looking for it, and we actually found it! We knocked on the door, but no one came out. So a week later, we were walking by the same place, and I decided to knock the door again. When we knocked on it, a guy opened it up, looked at us, smiled and let us in. Turns out he was an old investigator, and a brother of a good member. He let us in but didn’t have much time, so we just got to know him a bit. Also, it turns out that his dad was baptized just this weekend in another branch...And he’s one of two of the family that aren’t members....so I think it’s his time! We are going to keep looking for him.

We also found another family of less actives that has progressed a ton. so I am pretty excited about them....turns out that they are also family of the other guy we found....small world huh? They’ve recently read like 5 chapters in the BOM since the first time that we visited them, and they attended church AND the baptism of his dad! Pretty cool!  I hope they can progress. It was interesting, because right after we started visiting them, they didn’t have basically anything to eat....but after that, the lady won two huge raffle tickets and won two big baskets of food....Mosiah 2:41. jaja


 Mosiah 2:41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual

This past week, a couple of eight year old girls asked us to baptize them, so that explains the picture. It was a fun experience.

Branch baptism this past weekend.

I am super excited for the dedication of Trujillo TEMPLE. It’s going to be so AWESOME!!!! I can’t wait! One month more!  We don’t get to go, but we get to see the transmission of the dedication AND the cultural celebration that the youth do.  I’m so glad that I’m here for that.

I’m sorry, it’s a little shorter letter, but I’m kinda brain-dead right now. And...like I said...I said it all yesterday!

Love you all a ton!

Elder Bradshaw

I'm A Rock in A Stream

Hey fam!

Well I am doing great! A little bit burnt, and a little tired, but thats how it is here in Piura.

I am actually doing pretty well. The week was a little bit tougher, but it all went well. I learned a lot. As I said the last week, my greatest joy comes from teaching the gospel! I can’t believe how fast the weeks pass. I swear that I close my eyes and when I open them it’s Monday again! And...I promise that I am not just sleeping the whole week.  :)

I was actually really discouraged this week until yesterday. Again, my companion was sick. Hes getting tested right now and we should know the cause today, but he seems to be getting better. But, due to the sickness, the week was just a little bit slower. I hope that starting tomorrow, he can be perfectly fine. That would be nice. It’s not his fault, I think hes got a parasite or something, because it
keeps coming back. The sickness discouraged my companion, and got me down a little bit. We couldn’t work as much as we wanted. But it’s all good.  I’ve had plenty of time to study, but it’s just so annoying when its 90 plus degrees in the room even with the fan on. (see pic). jaja

Zack proving how hot it is in his room.  93 degrees!

 So this week, everything was kinda just regular.

A couple of days ago, we were just walking down the street and I saw a little girl (3 years or so) run into her house where her dad was watching tv, I felt the need to talk with them, so we went and contacted the dad. He turned out to be a good guy and we took out an appointment for Sunday. Yesterday we went and started teaching him and his wife. They are so humble and so sincere. It was such a great lesson. I felt the Spirit so strongly, and it was such a great feeling to be with them last night. The name is la Familia Pazos Cordova. We have another appointment Wednesday. I hope they turn out to be ready.

With the other families there wasn’t too much progression with them. They both are sincere and have shown good fruits, and I am excited to work with them and am growing to love them more and more, but we could only teach them a couple of times this week, and there wasn’t any real incredible progress, but I am sure things will pick up and that they will progress more.

I really feel like I have continually been molded as a person while I have been here in the mission. I wasn't ever a real bad guy, or never did really bad things, but like a rock in a stream, the Lord has be carving and forming me little by little. I am so happy doing the things I do, and I know that all of these things that I am teaching here are true. I started the Book of Mormon a week ago, with the goal to look for different names of Christ, the Christlike attributes that He shows, and those attributes that other profets and people show. My goal is to finish before I go home. I am now in 1 Nephi 17. I am hauling! I love reading it and I have learned so much in these last few days.

Family updates? Going well?
Everything is going well, but nothing amazing. Not too many bad things happened this week, just not too many good things either.

Health and happiness update?
I am really healthy and happy!

Mission activities going on?
We have interviews with President Rowley (I’m sad because this will be my last one.  He goes home in July.)

Mother’s Day is in one week! Yay for me!........
So I will try calling at 4 (my time) but I am still looking for a place to do it. So if the time changes I will tell you.

Anything about school you want to talk about?
not too much

Tender Mercies this week?
The lesson with the new Famliy Pazos yesterday. It was a good time.

Best part of the week?
The lesson yesterday with the Familia Pazos.

Pday fun?
We played frisbee on the beach with a couple of other Elders.

The Baptism of Santos Silva...Zack's companion, Elder Nuñez, is the one dressed in white.

Well I am happy and all is going well. I am trying to be the best missionary that I can and I try my best everyday.  I am far from perfect but I am trying so hard!

Love you all!

Elder Bradshaw

Three Families

Its crazy how fast time flies by! We are already in half-transfer.

Well, I am happy. It was a good week. A hard week. A learning week.  But a good week. I learned lots, and can really see how the Lord is forming me to be a better person. I delight in the Gospel and delight in sharing it, which is something wonderful. I keep growing and molding, and struggling and learning, and am happy with whatever comes my way...well I try to be. I am far from perfect, but I am trying.

This week we did see some effects from our last week of knocking doors and all. We have got three families which we are teaching. Don’t know if any of them are a ‘golden’ family, but they all seem pretty good.

The Familia Navarro: Its a part member family that we found thanks to a reference from a member. We finally contacted and taught them. They are already attending church, but in another branch. They need to be married, but have the desire to do it. I asked the wife what her goals are and she told me “get married, get baptized, and get sealed”.  We are hoping that they really are as good as we think. We would only have to marry them, have them switch branches, and boom, ready!

The family Cardoso: They are another Part Member family that lives right next door to the family Navarro. They are wonderful too, but need to get married too. We’ve taught them too and they are great, The only problem is that the papers of the wife are like 12 hours away in bus, and there are not any ways to get them. I continue in my frustration that marriage is the basically the hardest thing to do in Peru. Which stinks.

The family Rumiche: Another Part member family. I don’t know them too well, because we’ve only taught them once, but they are still candidates!

Well, we are looking and working really hard. Hope that we can find a chosen family.

We also had a baptism this week. Santos Silva is the 75 year old grandma that was being taught before I got here. It was a super crazy day.  Super crazy.  And the baptism was crazy too. Because she is so old, my comp was scared about the water being cold, so we found two HUGE pots and heated up something like 50 gallons of water. It was a crazy crazy day, but its all good. She was baptized so it’s all good. I don’t really know her that well, but I’m happy for her and hope for her to be happy as well.

I just want that special family though. Special family...where are you?

The things I learned this week:

I FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON! And tomorrow, I will start it again.

I liked this...

Moroni 8

25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by
faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the
commandments bringeth remission of sins;

26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of
heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the
visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and
perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the
end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.

When we repent, we are forgiven, and it is necessary that we keep the commandments for the rest of our lives. The remission of sins is a process, and so is perfecting ourselves. When we keep the commandments, and serve other people, we retain that remission and help others receive theirs too.

I didn’t explain it well, but I invite everyone to study that scripture. Service is more important than we think.

Sorry that there aren’t any pics this week, I don’t have my camera because we had an activity and didn’t have enough time to go pick it
up.

I love you all, and am super excited for the call!

4 o'clock my time.

I will look for a computer to use...or whatever!  I’ll make it work.

Love ya!

Elder Bradshaw

Going to bed better than when we wake up

Sometimes it blows my mind to think that I have been here for almost two full years.  Two full years!!

That is so much time! Think about it! Two years....wow.

This week was a long long week. One of those ‘faith testers’.

I was sick with a cold, and my comp with the stomach bug, so it was just a little bit slower, but we did our best and when we could...we  worked SUPER hard.

Well, our area is basically bone dry of investigators, but that just means there are still a lot, but they are just hiding. :)  We knocked a lot of doors, and always came back to our room dead tired. But that is how its supposed to be. Mission work was never easy, nor will it ever be.

Even though I am tired, and whipped everyday....I feel satisfied every time I lay down to sleep. And that is what makes me happy.

Everyday is just a new challenge to make our circumstance, our area, our friendship, our family, our home, our work, our world better. And if we go to bed living in the same circumstances with what we woke up with, we failed. We have to act, and not just let the circumstances define our success and character. ...And that’s the thought that I had this morning, when I was in the moto taxi...going to go beach.

Its hard though sometimes, when the agenda is empty, and the rejection is full. But it’s all good.

We did find three possible families to teach. The three are PF, or part member families, and I feel that all three have a good chance to progress, even though the members that are in the families...at this point are inactive. We have taught one of them, and we have appointments planned for this week with the two others. Let’s PRAY they go well!

We have the baptism of Hna Santos. She is 75 years old, but is pretty excited for her baptism. I have only taught her for two weeks, so I am happy that she will be baptized.

The branch here is full of great members.  It’s kinda like an old car that was fixed with old parts of different cars...meaning that they all quite haven’t quite found the balance and ability to work all together, but they are wonderful people and I love them a lot.  We are working TONS with them to find new people. There is a family of members that live in our area, and they have a restaurant in their home...and every time we visit them, they give us some incredible food. And that...is super awesome.

Funny story?
...So this week, we all gave talks in sacrament meeting, and when the sister missionary was talking, a little girl just sneaks up, and stands right in front of the sister missionary...in between her and the pulpit. The sister just kept on talking, and the girl just started repeating the things she said. No one did anything for like2 full minutes, then some guy runs up and pulls the little girl away screaming in the middle of sacrament meeting. jaja just some of the funny things that happen when you are in a little branch.

How’s the finding going?
Pretty poorly, still in ‘finding mode’, and looking to find someone who is really prepared.

How’s your health?
Good, we eat really really healthy here.

Do you have a pensionista in this area?  Do they all cook the same type of things or are some better than others?
I love my pensionista here. It’s a young family, and they are just awesome. We get along great.  The food she cooks isn’t too tasty, but it’s super clean and healthy, so it’s all good. In Piura, the food was a mine field. jaja In Peru, the food is all really good, and there are only a  few plates that I truly don’t like. It’s just hard because they are all very similar, and it’s always just chicken and rice, chicken and rice, chicken and rice, fish and rice, chicken and rice...always. But it’s all good.

How’s the branch?
The branch is strong, and has like 100 people who attend!  They are just learning how to really work hard and getting themselves organized.

P-day fun?
We went fishing today and to an AWESOME beach...Super fun! We always go to the beach here for p-day, which I love.

What do most people there do for work?
If your from Paita...you fish.  Or you take the fish off the boat.  Or you work in the fish factories. Thats basically everything. jaja

Mission stuff going on?
Nothing really. With my transfer, there aren’t too many interesting things that happen, just work.

How can we support you in your work?
You can support me by reading the BOM everyday and doing your FHE every week.  Those things matter.

Love you all a lot!

You are all great. I cant wait to be at Lake Powell with you all.

Love you!

Elder Bradshaw

I Love Paita!!!!

Welllllllll.
Hooooooollllllllla FAMILIA!

I absolutely LOVE Paita.  My area is about 10 minutes from the beach and although we can not see the beach at all, every night, starting at six, we feel an ocean breeze that brings over the salty smell, and sometimes it smells like fish, shrimp, and clams.  It’s super cool and it’s a nice fresh breeze, which is a nice break from the killer sun that never seems to stop burning.

My area is basically on the outskirts of town, and it’s made up of all dirt roads.  It's a big area, and there aren’t many people in the streets (which is really strange for Peru).  The  people who live here don’t have running water...or a sewage system...So it’s pretty crazy. 

I serve in a branch, but there is a big church for the meetings.   It’s pretty crazy sometimes being in a branch.  But I really like it, it’s super chill.

When we get in our room at night, my comp has a thermometer, and its usually 90 degrees in our room at night....and the sad thing is, it doesn’t really even bug me that much anymore.  In the morning, with the breeze it gets down to 83 or so.  Which is pretty comfortable. jaja

The area is a good area.  The missionaries that have been here before have down a good job, and have worked a lot, and I feel like the branch is a good fit for me.  I have lots of personal goals for the branch, and a lot with my comp and I really hope that I can help where I can.  We don’t have any investigators, other than the 75 year old lady (hna. Santos) who will be baptized in two weeks.  So I feel like now is the time to find new people, and especially a family that can be baptized.  I think that is what the branch is missing. 

The goal for now is...MAY 16: BAPTISMS WITH A FAMILY AT THE BEACH.  (That is Zack’s birthday)

So, that's my personal goal, and the goal of our companionship.  I hope we can do it. 

And dad, I did not ask to be in this area...I really really wanted to be here, but I would never ask....in our mission this happens...those ZL who have lots of time, after having two areas of being zone leaders, are usually given another assignment and and allowed rest a little.  I had 7 transfers as a ZL (9-10 months) and its my turn to serve in another way for now.  Sometimes my zone leaders will call me and ask for advice, or if they have questions.  They call me the “purple heart”, or the “retired”.  I feel good doing what I am doing. 

It’s like when I ran cross country. I had been a good swimmer done good things there, but when I ran cross country...I was the worst one.  But, I had tons of friends and just tried to lift where I stood.  And I loved it.  Thats my job now...lift where I am, learn to follow, and to work like Shiblon.

I really am more relaxed and enjoying it more.  It’s been going great.

I am happy and liking my new area.  The members are awesome.  Everyone gives us food.  they are so loving, and it's going to be a great to end my mission.

In regards to my extension, interestingly enough, I didn’t extend for the list of Pros and Cons that I made, but rather, I extended because I really felt that God had answered my prayers and that I am needed here.  So help me remember that when times get tough.

Funny story...So we were walking down the road, and it was hot, and hard, and all the appointments fell through, and we were walking to go knock more doors.  (Do all missionary stories begin like this?) My comp LOVES Inca Kola.  And he started saying, “I want an inca kola right now, but it’s Sunday, so I can’t buy one!”, then in that moment, we walk around the corner, and theres a brand new bottle of Inca Kola, just there lying in the street.  It hadn’t been opened or anything....jaja I laughed my head off.  Blessing of the day!

Well, in the BOM I am in Mormon 9, about ready to finish again!  Excited!  And, tell me family...where are you?

Love you all, all is going well.  I am happy, and ready to keep on going.

Elder Bradshaw