August 13, 2012

Britten gave his homecoming talk? Oh man that would have been incredible to have been there! He's such a stud! I love that kid. I know that what he said is true. Sometimes the things we have to do are so hard. And even if we don't cry on the outside, we cry inside. But I also know, that as we just keep believing, keep trusting in Heavenly Father, even if we don't know exactly what it is He expects from us, we just keep on going, and He's there to guide us. It's like walking around in the dark mist, but holding on to the Iron Rod. Sometimes we don't know where it is exactly that we're being led, because we can't see where we're going, or what exactly it is that's around us or tempting us. But as we trust that the Lord's path leads to a great big shining tree with delicious fruit, we can keep going! 2 Nephi 22:2 "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation." As we trust, 100% in the Lord, He leads us to salvation. I just want to say mom, that the Lord is my strength and my song. I know Jesus Christ leads us to salvation. And I'm so excited for Him to come again!

Man everyone's home! That’s so weird!! It does NOT feel like JJ, Britten, or Shawn should be home yet. It weirds me out a little bit. I bet that sacrament meeting was INCREDIBLE! I would have loved to be there! I'm gonna be 100% honest, even after almost 7 months in the mission, sometimes I have a hard time understanding everything in Portuguese in Sacrament meeting. Pathetic,  huh. BUT, the things I heard were really good. One sister talked about the basics of the Gospel, and how we can't move on until we have the basics. And she compared it to a key. The Key of the Gospel are the basics, faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End, and how without this basics, we'll never ever get into the house of the Lord. The door is locked and without the basics of the gospel (Key) we can never get inside to the other amazing stuff inside. Cool thought huh? This talk was given by the 1st member of the church on the Island of Madeira. 29 years of being a member. That’s cool huh?

We had a really cool experience just last night. There is an investigator that was almost baptized about 6 or 7, maybe 8 months ago, but she felt super pressured by the Elders right there towards the end so she decided not to, and then the elders didn't come back. So when Elder Faias and I got here, we looked her up, and also pressured her really bad. She was a little nervous to talk to us in the first place, and then as she did, we pressured her again because we felt really good about her and so we just tried and tried and tried and tried that whole week, especially when she told us not to come back.......but......we did. So then she didn't want to talk to us and was avoiding us. So we stopped. But lately I've been feeling like we should try again to help her. So Elder Bond and I went back. She wasn't there. We went back one more time a few days later. Not there. Then Elder Wolman got here, (my new comp) and last night we were knocking doors right towards the end of the night, and Elder Wolman was like, let's go through here. It was her street. So we went through there and then we got to her door, and we knocked. Turns out she was home. She opened the door and got really nervous and closed up immediately. But then as we just talked to her, showed interest in her life, she opened up. Little by little she left the door way and came closer to the gate. And by the end we were talking openly and it was really an awesome visit! We didn't get a chance to mark another appointment because she is super busy, but she said in September, when she finishes school, we can come back. And she said in the meantime, we can pass by every once in a while and to see how she's doing!! What HUGE progress! And why??  Cuz we were focusing on her and showing our love. Did we get to go into her house? no. Did we help her be baptized last night? no. Did we do missionary work? yes.

Moral of the story mom......as you continue to show your love for people, and as you sincerely just want to get to know them and their lives, they will little by little, take one step closer to you. and at the end of the day, you may not have another firm appointment, or they may not come to church with you that week, but have you done your job? absolutely.

HAHAHA sam almost got to see an execution!!! i'm not gonna lie, that sounds like sam would have LOVED it! haha that made me laugh really hard :) a little sketch, but ya know whateva :) when I was in Lisbon, I did a little work with some of the elders there, and it was sketch central! we're just running down these little tiny streets called becos. It was basically like a cement tunnel with houses everywhere and these tiny little cement ally ways and whatnot. we talked to a guy who turned out to be the biggest drug lord in that part of Lisbon. that was cool. it was super sketch but super rad! I really enjoyed it! super poor there, but the people were super humble. But yeah I like Madeira. not near as sketchy as Lisbon or Peru! haha :) Katie wants to go on a mission? that's super cool! I think she'd really do a great job.

Thanks for praying to Claudia and Armando and Orlanda. We can still use all the prayers we can get. This week has been a little rough. But we've still seen the hand of the Lord with Claudia and Armando. I don't know exactly what's going on, but we're just relying on the Lord to guide them and us. They are having financial problems, and it's been hard that way. They've been busy and haven't had a ton of time to talk to us and have been avoiding us a little because of the "decisions that have to be made" we're just praying and relying on the Lord to bless them and guide them through this time and that they will recognize the hand of the Lord.

Ok, questions now :) I go to Lisbon once a transfer for mission council, which was super cool with Elder Texeira! it's about an hour and a half flight to Lisbon from the Madeira airport. did I miss Madeira? yes. Was it cool to get away for a bit? yes. :) Elder Bond is not here anymore. He got moved to a different area on Madeira to finish his training and Elder Homer Wolman is my new companion. He's half Samoan. cool eh? He's from Colorado and this is his last transfer. He's super cool! We get along really well. We’ve decided we're like Shrek and Donkey. I'll let you figure out who's who :)

August 6, 2012

Hey mom! super sorry that i'm late. It's been an interesting day! So we left Funchal at 7:30 this morning to go to Lisbon for a meeting with Elder Texeira (Area President). It was super super cool! I learned a ton! I've been thinking a lot about my prayers and what I can do to improve them. That's something that has really been lacking in my life. I really felt like the Lord was trying to tell me something :) Kinda like how my little sisters get mad when I don't write them back, Heavenly Father wants me to talk to Him a little more sincerely, especially after all of the blessings we have seen this week. Yesterday we talked to Claudia. She and her children came to church yesterday and LOVED it! She is incredibly prepared by the Lord. She didn't baptize her children in the Catholic church until the age of 8, because she said babies can't sin. Yep, Claudia, you are 100% right! haha :) But yeah she and her 12 year old son are super prepared for the gospel and Claudia accepted the invitation to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized on the 18th! She already has a testimony of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon through prayer. It's amazing how Heavenly Father answers our humble and sincere prayers, because Armando, her son, also received and very strong witness about the Book of Mormon. He said he felt peace and comfort and he knows that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. It was SO cool! We have plans to mark him for baptism this week actually! We want to do it tomorrow.

So yeah....all of these plans for tomorrow are super sweet! but here's the bummer, I came to Lisbon for this training with Elder Texeira and it turns out that I've got to stay here in Lisbon until Wednesday to renew my visa or something like that. It's not a big deal, it's a normal routine thing actually, so it was a blessing really that I was already here so the mission didn't need to buy another ticket this week, but it’s just kinda weird sitting here with the office elders. We did some work in the areas of the office elders tonight and it was super fun! We found some really cool people and one family felt the spirit super strong about the plan of salvation. It was so fun to hear them say that they wanted to prepare to meet Heavenly Father again, and to see the spirit change their hearts. This lady was having a hard time wanting to come to church, but as we talked about how through the church of Jesus Christ, we can be prepared spiritually for that moment, she completely changed. It was amazing! And with one family tonight we talked about how this earth life is a time for us to prepare for the Heavens, and how all of the treasures here on earth stay, but our spiritual preparations are the things that stay with us. And then we talked about how our families are our main treasure, and it made me think about you, and dad, and the girls, and how this is so true. There's nothing in the world that will go with us, except for our families. And I'm so grateful for you.~

~Love you!!!

~Love,

Elder Jordan Brady

July 30, 2012

So I got the package...and you will never guess when. Exactly on the 6 month mark! saya WHAT??? hahaha :) I really liked that it was super fun! Thanks so much for everything! It was exactly what I was looking for! Thanks so much for the peanut butter!!!! and it turns out I'm staying here for one more transfer....so that was super cool! i don't have to pay to send the peanut butter to the mission office! I would have too! it's SOOOO smooth!! I about died I was so happy! haha thanks mom! :) and tell Sister McGregor thanks so much for the TIES!!! LOVED IT! and the towels were the bomb.com too! :)

So this week was AMAZING!!! I'm attaching the evidence of this right now.....we had a baptism!!!! Susana Maria de Sousa finally made the decision to make a covenant with Heavenly Father and become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!! Oh my goodness I was so excited!!! I'm SO happy for her! If you could all say a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for this incredible blessing that would be amazing! It has been such a fun ride with her, and to see the difference in her life and her attitude and her vision....it's sincerely been incredible. Susana has had such a hard life. Her husband cheated on her, and caused all sorts of legal problems with the finances and stuff like that. She bent over backwards for him, and then he treated her horrible. When we first met her, it was at church. She's friends with some of the members, and they knew she was passing through some hard ties, so they invited her to church. She started hearing the lessons, and the members had talked to her a lot about the church and stuff like that. She really loved church and learning so many things that she hadn't ever heard, seeing as she was raised Catholic. She started talking to us, and she was making great progress. and we invited her to be baptized. She prayed with us, and she said she felt like she should be baptized, but she felt like it should be in July. So we said ok. We wanted her to be baptized in June, but the Lord knows SO much more than the missionaries :) So we kept talking to her and she kept coming to church and everything was good.  Then July rolled around. She had started having a few doubts about Joseph Smith and if really he had seen Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. She said that people doubted that the Virgin Mary appeared here in Portugal, so she thought maybe she should doubt Joseph Smith's story. She didn't know what to do. She had been confused. She had already received a witness about the Book of Mormon, but was still doubting Joseph Smith. So we talked about what the Book of Mormon is, and that it really is proof. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith really was a prophet, because a small town farm boy with a 3rd grade education couldn't have written it! :) Then we told her the only way to know, is to read it, and ask Heavenly Father, if really Joseph Smith was a prophet. So she did...and there were no doubts! SO COOL! so we met with her again and we invited her to be baptized again. We prayed with her about the day July 14...the spirit was SOOO strong and she said em nome de Jesus Cristo, amém, and then said.....yep. I will. It was AWESOME! we were so pumped! then a member called us and said she changed her mind she didn’t feel ready. We called her back and talked to her and she said she just didn't know. She wasn't really sure. It was a super weird situation. So we kept going and kept going. Kept teaching her and talking to her and helping her see that she was prepared. We had some really incredible lessons. Then she started realizing that July was coming to a close and that we couldn't have a baptism on Saturday because a member of the Area Presidency was coming and having a meeting, so she was like....well....i guess it will be August 4th. And we told her, look Susana....we love you to death. We really love you so much. and as missionaries, we're here to fulfill the Word of God. The Lord told you that you should be baptized in the month of July, and as His servants, we're here to tell you that nothing is impossible for him! and......that there is nothing wrong with a baptism on Sunday! haha. it was funny :) then she said that she would pray about it and that we could call in the morning to find out what the answer was. So we called and she was like....yep. I'll do it. Why should I keep waiting!!! YEAH!!! PART-AY!!! it was so fun!! and everything ran smoothly and all the Elders in my district love her so they agreed to sing her favorite hymn with us at her baptism and it was SO cool!! man I love her to death!

So yeah I'm pretty sure I missed some parts of that story, so if some part of it doesn't make sense...just tell me and I fill you in next week! :) But it was just amazing to see how the Lord knows so much better than us. He knows exactly what we need, and when we need it. This was such a testimony builder for me that it's not our timing. It's His. Even if our intentions are good, it's His timing. We wanted her to be baptized in June, but the Lord knew what would happen. He knew everything that would lead up to the baptism and the experiences she would have. And know it's so amazing to see the difference in her. She's so happy now, and she jokes around and she's always smiling and she's been recognizing the MIRACLES in her life. The night before her baptism. Her nephew who has diabetes got really really sick. Super sick. He had a really high fever and wasn't eating and everything. But she prayed so fervently that he would be ok. She prayed so so hard,  because they didn't have the money to pay for the hospital. She called the members to pray for her as well. and then she just waited and she KNEW that Heavenly Father would bless him. And He did. Her nephew got better and better throughout the night, and be the morning his temperature had gone down, and he was eating again and everything was ok. What a miracle! The Lord answered her prayers on the eve of her baptism, and it just fortified her testimony even more that what she was doing was right. And it also helped her family (who is incredibly Catholic). It was such an amazing experience! I love her so much and I'm SO grateful for the Gospel in her life. and mine.

Elder Jordan Brady

July 23, 2012

So the fires were pretty intense, I'll be putting the pictures on here in a minute, probably in the next email, but yeah. We called our branch president to see if there was anything we could do to help, but he said that basically it was like you said, just forest land and stuff like that, and so it’s not really something we can help with I guess. I don't really know. I do know that there were quite a few people without homes, so please pray for them. But I actually found a really cool scripture that I've been able to use with a few members and investigators this week. The Lord showed this to me at the PERFECT time. 1 Nephi 22:17 "Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fullness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire." (Emphasis added :) ) And a member of the District Presidency talked yesterday about the signs of the second coming and how we need to make sure we're doing what's right because in D&C 64:23 it says "he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming." I really think that it go to some of the members. Tithing is something that's a little bit weak here in Portugal. So I think this will help. I hadn't heard about the fire on the continent, but it's just one more sign that we're in the latter days eh?

Oh man it's fair time at home!!! hahaha man I wanna fairburger SOOOO bad! haha :) I was thinking a little bit about that this week. My blood vessels won't know what to do without the delicious greasiness of a fair burger for 2 years! haha! There was an awesome talk about the Preisthood Responsibilites in the ensign you sent me....from conference. Man I'm super disappointed in myself that I can't remember who gave it... I think maybe President Uchtdorf...but I read that and had to think again about my attitude of Preisthood Service. Maybe someone could share that in Elder's Quorum or High Preist Group. Preisthood service isn't just giving blessings. One of the things in this talked by an unremembered General Authority that really stuck out to me was, when we receive the Preisthood, we make a covenant to act. So to break this covenant the only thing we need to do, is nothing. So if we don't volunteer to do a shift at the fairbooth...are we really living and fulfilling our Presithood Covenants and responsibilities? I really wish I could remember who said it, but it was in the last conference. It was really really good. I LOVED it!

I'm SO proud of my sisters!! man they are such amazing and special daughters of our Heavenly Father! Way to rock the talk Britt!! And I'm so grateful you are doing scripture study. That is such an important thing, and an important habit that we need to start now.  The scriptures bring such a spirit into our lives and in the lives of the people around us. They give us the light in our eyes so we can be a witness of God at all times, in all things, in all places. Which is the best way to share the gospel! :) (PS small children sisters of mine, sorry I haven't written, I'm a fubeca i know....but just remember that i love you!! :) ) As of right now, I haven't gotten the package. I'm still waiting. I really hope it gets here, cuz I'm DYING for American candy! :) WE HAD MEATLOAF!!! I just remembered! There is a sister from America who was born here on Madeira, but moved to California when she was really little but her mom and dad still own a house here so she comes once a year to take care of legal stuff and such. She fed us the other day and it was meatloaf!! oh man I LOVED IT!!! made my life!! haha and she made hidden pear jello stuff like you make mom!! only with Eye of the Dragon....some kind of really good fruit. tinha saudades da comida de minha mãe!! :) haha

So interesting story....we were walking down the road the other day with Books of Mormon in our hands, and we started talking to this lady in the street. She was pretty old, but was super nice. We were just talking about the weather and how she likes to read, and then she saw our books and asked us if we were book salesmen!! haha made me laugh really hard! she didn't want the book after we explained it, and that made me sad....but i just thought it was funny. made me chuckle a little bit.

So just to end, I want to tell a little story. So recently, we've been having a really rough time finding people and just the work has been really slow. Elder Bond and I get along great! and so we were really confused. We talked about a few things and we were like what is going on here??? We started talking and talking and then we started to realize that little by little, we had been holding pride in. There were a few things that we were doing, that were just enough to make us prideful. Just really little things, that had built up until there was a little stress and contention, and the spirit really couldn't be there. And the more I analyzed myself, more I realized, that I had been incredibly prideful this enitre transfer. I felt so bad, because I hadn't even noticed it really. That's how Satan works! He just moves things in on you very quietly and subtly, until you're in so deep its HORRIBLE! so we had a discussion, and things were a little touchy for a while. I felt terrible and it was a horrid and sick feeling inside of me. I didn't like it. I didn't like the feeling and it was like a HUGE weight was on my entire body. I felt sick to my stomach. I didn't know what to do. Then as we were getting up for church yesterday, I remembered a challenge President Fluckiger had given us. He reminded us that the sacrament is a very personal and precious and sacred thing. It’s a way that we can renew our covenants with Heavenly Father. He also said that honestly, the sacrament doesn't mean anything to our investigators. It's a way for them to feel the spirit, but it's not the renewing of the covenants for them like it is for us. So he knew that Sundays are stressful for us, so he told us to take time for the sacrament. Take time to make the sacrament the special occasion that it is. This is one time that we can focus on us. Because we need to live this covenants with our Heavenly Father. So that was something that I really really tried to do. And I did. It was so incredible. To feel the purifying, cleaning power of the Atonement. To know, that my Savior is going to help me clean this pride out of my heart and mind. And to feel the Spirit testifying to me that it's true. and that I’m ok. and that I'm clean.

I just want to bear my testimony, I know this is true. I know it.

July 17, 2012

So this 24th of July activity has turned into a little on down the road activity! haha it's been rough to plan a time to get with the other Elders to plan this out because there are 3 duplas....um....companionships. yeah....forgot that word...sorry about that. but yeah there are three of us and 3 schedules and it's been rough, so we're thinking we're still gonna do a pioneer day activity...just not on the 24th cuz we don't have time enough to make it super well done. We don't want to do an activity half way, so we're working on planning within the elders and then asking the wards to get on board. We’ve talked to a few of the members about the idea of an activity, and for the most part, they're super excited, então ainda bem! so we'll get this whole thing planned out. Pioneer stuff is a little hard to come by here in Portugal, but Elder Bond and I are brainstorming up some pretty cool stuff! We want to have a campfire and pioneer stories and stuff like that, and then maybe watch legacy or something. And then we want to see if it's at all possible to build a handcart...we'll see how that goes, but i wanted to make some of the kids haul a handcart around the church 3 times to see how the pioneers felt and the sacrifice that they made...we'll see how that works out. Some of the members used to be carpenters...so I want to see if they can build on. A lot of work, but I'm super pumped!

Elder Bond is awesome! I love this kid! We have a few run ins sometimes, but that's normal....he's a greeny and he gets SUPER frustrated with the language....which I understand. So I'm learning love, patience, and trying to remember my Portuguese! (Sometimes I find myself saying the little things wrong that he says! NOOOOOO!!! hahaha :) ) He struggles a little with the conjugations, but he's working super hard, and he's getting over the fear of making a mistake and talking more in the lessons, so that's super good! I hope I haven't promised anymore visions!! I'm not gonna lie though; I still don't understand everything, so some of these lessons I could be agreeing to something that could be wrong...but yeah. No one's been mad because they didn't get a vision, so that's good! :)

2 weeks ago we had a REALLY hard time finding new investigators. We do a LOT of tracting here, until now. We're trying to use the members more and get references from them, but i never knew how and the only thing I’ve learned is tracting, but we've learned a lot from our new president. Even our ZL's did a lot of tracting, so we're working on changing that. But yeah Elder Bond got really down, because a lot of the Catholics have been saying, "I know Catholism isn't true, but I’ve been catholic my whole life, so I won't change." It's been hard because Elder Bond has been getting down because they won't change. We just talk about how it takes time to move traditions. And how we're planting the seeds. A little later on down the road, the Lord will put something in their path, and they'll remember when the 2 Americans who couldn't speak Portuguese said something about prophets and gold plates and they'll let the next Elders in. We've also talked a lot about the importance of smiling! When’s he's getting down, I'll push him in to the wall or something so he will punch me, and then we laugh and joke and it's all good! It’s so fun! I love this kid! The other day he pushed me into the middle of the street. I wasn't paying attention so I FREAKED! cuz I was in the middle of the street! I about died cuz I was so scared! Then I realized that there wasn't a car for like 17 miles. I seriously about killed him! He laughed really hard. Don't worry Elder, I don't get mad, I just get even. (evil-yet-righteous-desired-chuckle) :)

And we’ve honestly seen the hand of the Lord SOO much this week. I talked to you about Orlanda a little last week, so I’ll tell you about her real quick. Orlanda is about 35 years old. She lives alone but she works a lot and her mom is with her a lot. She loves Jesus Christ so much and wants to follow Him and learn all she can about Him. Lately she's been studying a lot to know how to follow him and to learn more about His life. Then one day she saw the Elders of Funchal 2, the other area next to ours. And she thought, ya know I'd like to talk to them one day. Maybe they can help me. And then that night....we knocked on her door, and asked her if we could share a message about Jesus Christ. She was so excited and she let us talk to her. She says she never answers the door for anybody that she doesn't know, but she wanted to know about Jesus Christ. (we told her through the door that we were disciples of Christ and wanted to share the message. So then she opened the door!!) So then we talked about the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ and left her with 3 Nephi 11 to read, and then said a prayer with her. We came back the next appointment, and she had read the chapter, had questions, read the testimony of Joseph Smith and wanted more! so we responded to her questions, talked about Joseph Smith just a little bit before we had to leave. Then we were leaving and we said, "we're going to teach you tonight how to pray." When we said that her face was interesting.....and then afterwards we found out that after the first visit, when we invited her to pray, she wasn't sure how. She know that the Catholic way of praying wasn't really how to pray, and she wanted to know how to do it. And then she said the way that we worded it was exactly the way she wanted to hear it. And the cool thing is, neither of remember why we said "We're going to teach you how to pray" because we NEVER word it like that. The Spirit gave us in the exact moment what Orlanda needed to hear. And then we had a meeting with Pres. Fluckiger at the same time as our last appointment, so we just stopped by super quick to apologize and mark another time to come by and she told us that she had a dream that somebody with an "American name that started with a J" and the Lord appeared to her and told her to believe in Jesus Christ. She said some other things about the American name, It sounded like Jared to me. So a Jared appeared to her and told her to believe in Christ.....we decided we should leave Ether 3 with her. Where the brother of Jared sees the Lord. It was so cool! we have another appointment with her this week. We're SOOO excited! It's gonna be great! we still haven't been able to teach the whole restoration or anyting because we're answering her questions and stuff and it's GREAT! we're so so so excited to be teaching her! and the Lord has prepared her, and has guided us to her, and He's doing everything! It's SO incredible! I'm so grateful for the hand of the Lord in our lives. I know He prepares things from the beginning, and He's guiding us through them. I know it! I love being a missionary!!

July 9, 2012

So is Logan in Hungary yet??? Man I love that kid!! he's gonna be the best missionary in the world....without a shadow of a doubt. I feel really bad that i haven't written him yet....but last week i didn't write anyone.....sooooooo.....yeah. I'm a putz. But i love you all and him too and everyone so yeah. No stress! :) Man everyone’s taking off!! On Wednesday all the grace kids will be gone!! and William leaves here in a week or two.

Mom thanks so much for sharing Alma 7:11-13 with me. It's been a long time since I’ve read that in English, and I love it so much. Some of those words just mean more to me in English...and I really needed to hear those. Thanks so much. And you're so right. The Savior has such a personal and deep love for all of his brothers and sisters. It's been such a privilege and honor to have the chance to work with some of them very personally here in Portugal. I've started to see that so literally. As I’ve tried to change my point of view of people, and been doing what it says in Moroni 7:48....and praying with all the energy of heart for this love....and the Lord has blessed me enough to be able to feel just a tiny portion of what He feels for us. As we look at people not just as people, but as people that were with us in the Pre-mortal life, as people that we knew and loved and worked side by side together, we start to look at them differently, and we start to feel differently about them and the scary part of sharing the gospel starts to go away, because they already heard it once, and we loved them once, so let's love them enough here to get them back with us again. I challenge everyone to think of a person that they know, that isn't a member of the church....and think about them as a person that you knew and loved before this life, and then to pray and ask Heavenly Father how it is that you can help them get back. Pray for missionary experiences and the Lord will give them to you 100% and He'll fulfill all of the missionary promises. "Take no thought beforehand what ye shall say". "Treasure up continually the words of life". I also want to bear testimony of the power of member missionary work. We've been working a TON with our new branch president...and miracles are happening. The members have such a strong influence and example and testimony that as missionaries, we can't bring on our own because we're not "normal people". we work hard to gain the trust of the investigators and we succeed, but it's not the same as a friend they've had for a long time. I invite you all to offer to have the missionaries in your home, and ask them how you can help. Invite a friend to church or to an FHE or a dinner with the missionaries, and don't be afraid to share what you know. Sharing the gospel can be scary, but when we get over it and we feel the Spirit testify of what we're saying, our testimonies grow, and so do those of the investigators. It's an incredible experience, and lasting, eternity changing experience. I invite everyone to participate in this "great and marvelous work!"

So this week, we've still been working with Eliza. Slowly but surely she's progressing..And with the help of Irmão Ornelas, she's starting to be ok with praying about stuff....so that's great!! and Susana finally got her own testimony about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith!!!! The Book of Mormon is so incredible! There’s such a power there, it's ridiculous! So the next step with Susana is her family. They're all Catholic so she's a little bit nervous, but with the help of the Lord, she'll make it there!

And we found this awesome lady named Orlanda!! i'm not going to tell you the complete story until next week....keepin' you on the edge of your seat! hahahaha so don't let me forget to tell you about that miracle ok? k :)

So I just need to apologize. I didn't get a letter in the mail last week. It was a little bit rough on timing. Elder Bond has been super into cleaning up the Hobbit Hole, so we spent a little more time deep cleaning! haha! He's way in to fixing things up and stuff like that, so that's been kinda cool. We haven't embarked on anything deeper than just scrubbing the scum that's been there since before we were born, and getting the nasty butter that the other elders left behind the oven, that i didn't even know was there the entire last transfer....so....yeah. we decided to clean that up. It's super cool to have a clean house! haha. I had to remember this morning to quite whining about stuff like that and just do it. I just wanted to leave and do emails. Like, I washed the dishes and cleaned up the study area a little so the kitchen and the study room were as clean as they have ever been in my 9 weeks here in Funchal, so i was content. And then as Elder Bond was continuing scrubbing the baseboards and stuff, I was like ok, fine, your right, let's do it. And now, it's amazingly beautiful. And i just got thinking, how many times do we leave our lives like that. We wash the recent stuff, or the stuff that we need to do every day. Like we'll read our scriptures, and we'll repent of the really big things every week, but how many times do we forget to do the deep cleaning of our lives, so the spirit can be with us more and more. It made me think about my attitude too. Lately i've been a little bit selfish, and not real accepting of rough things, or accepting a ton of help that the Lord has been trying to give me, through your letters, my incredible zone leaders, Elder Gunter and Elder Jensen, or through my young new companion, that i need to do a deep cleaning of my life. And I've come to learn, that yeah sometimes life is rough, but that's the Lord leading us to the Atonement. As we have rough days or weeks, and stuff like that, that's just the Lord's invitation to use the Atonement. To "always remember Him". And that's what i've done this weekend. As I've been evaluating my life, with sincere and honest prayer, Heavenly Father has shown me some of the "baseboards" that need to be cleaned in my life. And so i've manned up and cleaned them. And it was kinda scary at first, to see how much scum had been underneath the cracks, but as i've finally decided to change them. Full on change them, and make the sincere effort to change things, i've felt the Spirit in my life more. I've felt more of the energy and excitement that i've been lacking a little bit, and i'm just completely filled with love and gratitude for my Savior, for giving me the opportunity to "Deep Clean" my life. It's awesome.

But yeah, i'm sorry i didn't write you last week!! I love you so much and every single one of your letters has helped me so much! and they were perfectly timed and honestly inspired. In the letter I got this morning you talked about maybe having a 24th of July party. And yesterday I talked with the zone leaders about maybe having a combined activity with our 2 branches and watching a movie about the pioneers or something, but i didn't make the connecton to pioneer day!! and so now the Student Body President button kicked in. I've already made a brainstorming list on the bus to the library with Elder Bond about what it is that we can do. I've called the other 4 elders of the other branch (ZL's and the other elders in my district) and told them to brainstorm for district meeting tomorrow. I've identified the members of the Branch that I'm gonna call today to get them fired up and on board, and we're gonna make this the most amazing, (and probably 1st) Pioneer Day here in Madeira!!! I'm SOOOOO excited!! thanks for the help dad!!
Haha ok....quick random thought, I have been thinking about MASH lately....i dont even know why, but i have...and you've been watching it lately.....i think there's something in my brain that just knows when somebody is watching that show! haha :)

Anyways, dad, i'm sorry i've got to go real quick. Gotta write mom and steph....but i love you so  much. Thanks for the help, support, friendship and prayers. I pray for you so much and I love you tons! I honestly can't believe 6 months have almost come and gone. It blows my mind. Its going so fast. it makes me a little nervous to think i onlyl have 3 more of these 6 months periods and i'm done. Just all the more incentive to work harder every day right? Right. Love you dad!! thanks for everything!!

Love,

Jordan (Elder Brady)