June 13, 2016 in Statesville, North Carolina

Hey there!

I'm 20! No longer a teen! You asked if I feel any different? Nah, not really.

Anyways, I realized this morning that I only have one month left. And honestly each day it gets closer I get less excited. Maybe that will switch during the last few weeks, but for now I guess I'm like "I can be normal for the rest of my life! I only have one month left to be a missionary! And that right there is a sad thought.

J. is doing great! He is still reading, and this week we were able to read some with him. That went really well! He had said that he was having some trouble understanding, but after reading first Nephi 16 with him all about Lehi's vision, he really enjoyed it! He said he understood it really well and it is interesting him a lot! On top of it, he actually asked his pastor about going to our church and the pastor said it was fine as long as we taught about Christ. So keep praying for him.

N. is also doing good, though she had a real hard week this week. She wasn't going to come to church, but the Bishop's wife texted her and encouraged her that hard weeks are when we need to come most. She agreed and came, though it was tough for her. She is moving in with 2 sisters in the ward, so we are going to be able to teach her a couple times, which is nice :)

D. took us to work out with him on my birthday. We got permission to go with him to the YMCA and we did a tabata class, which means that we bounce back and forth between circuit work-outs (which are tough but I like), and exercise bikes (which are absolutely awful, because the trainer is driving you hard). At the end of the workout I all of a sudden got light headed and almost fainted. I rested and drank gatorade and water, and ate a granola bar that the trainer lady
brought. I got feeling better, and later that day gave a baptismal interview. That was super fun! D. went out with us a couple times later on in the week and it went great! He's the best!

You asked about district activities. As far as the district goes, we are too spread out to do district activities every week, but we do at least 1 district activity and 1 zone activity a transfer. Today though, for p-day, we are at the church and playing games with D. :)

You asked about the new "My plan" online training. It's really interesting, essentially you take 1 class per week and it includes videos and quotes and places for you to answer questions. I actually really like it. This week I am suppose to be signing up for institute, and 3 of the teachers are Brother Crimin (10th and 11th grade seminary), Brother Hardy (9th grade seminary), and Brother Craven (President Craven's brother)! Wahoo! So btws, what does my school schedule look like again so I can register for institute? Thanks :)

Thanks again, sounds like a blast of a week! Sure love y'all! :) :)

Love,
Elder Branch

Aug. 31, 2015 in Greensboro, NC on Elder G.'s birthday

So today is Elder G's birthday!! He doesn't like parties so he wouldn't tell me the specific day, but I managed to buy birthday cake Oreos without him seeing last week so it was fun.  ;)

We went to the Guilford Court House Battlefield Visitors Center today, and it was super neat!! They had tons of revolutionary war artifacts, and it turns out it is technically a National Military Park.

Our week was fairly decent. Brother R. drove us around today for shopping, and we are going to go back this week and play some guitar with him. We got a referral for a man named D. but haven't been able to contact him since, so that's a bummer. At least he has a Book of Mormon now. I'd say my favorite part of the week was on exchange with Elder S. We were in his area, but we were just super busy and had lots of great lessons. Back in our area, Elder G. and Elder L. saw good things too! I love exchanges, because we always see wonderful "exchange miracles."

Dad (Oh man, that was bad! I just typed "Brother Branch" and "Elder Branch" before I finally got it right!) mentioned in his letter how we are staying optimistic, and we actually had a conversation about it last night. Sometimes in missionary work we don't have much control about what happens. In the end it sometimes comes down to timing. That doesn't mean we can't find people, and that doesn't mean we have an excuse to be disobedient, but at least it helps explain why we struggle so much sometimes. So we are just continuing to pray and work and hope that whoever we are meant to find, we will find, and until that happens we will just keep trying.

We have been having good dinner messages focused around inviting people to learn of Christ and His gospel, and this coming week we are both speaking in Sacrament meeting. We are fasting and praying for the members, that as they open their mouths, they will know what to share with their friends, and that their friends hearts will be receptive to the invitations they extend.

Sure love y'all!!! Thanks for the emails!

Elder TooBlessedToBeStressed Branch

May 26, 2015 in Greensboro, NC

Hello :)

P-day is today due to yesterday we had a "day of finding." It was a rather humbling experience, because the past week we have had quite good success talking with people and at least getting their address or phone number so we could come by. When that happens though, it is tough not to get prideful in how well it seems to be going. Even though I knew in my mind that pride was dangerous, it still must have slipped in, and we were really struggling yesterday because of it. It just seemed like no one wanted to talk and we weren't seeing much success. I said a silent prayer asking for forgiveness and help. The very next friend we dropped by, named A., talked with us and it all just went so smoothly as we felt the Spirit guiding us. We made an appointment for in 2 weeks, which was better than not at all! Then as we rode away from his house, Elder G. and I each felt impressed to stop and talk to this man by his truck full of yard care equipment. We talked with him about his business (yard work), and also his family and church, and once again we were lead to start talking about the Book of Mormon and what it is, and he accepted a copy! He said "usually I'm not always comfortable accepting things like this, but I feel ok with this one. After all, it seems to be all about Christ from what you explained." It was great!! So pray for N. that he will read and feel the spirit :) It was once again a testimony builder of prayer and of God's willingness to help us know how to share the gospel as we humble ourselves and let Him lead.  :)

Our teaching appointments were great this week, Elder G. and I are learning all kinds of new things as we go and things just keep looking better and better. Specifically we would like you to pray for J. He is a friend the Sisters met 9 months ago, but they were transferred and lost contact with him. We were at his apartment complex visiting other friends and decided to give J. a try and so we knocked. He came right out of the door and started talking about how he had met the Sisters and how he just had so many questions about religion because of all the different denominations, that the only thing he knew to be true is that there is a God. We set up an appointment for that Saturday, and asked C. to join us. We went to the appointment and J. was so excited. He said he didn't think we would come back, but when we did it really made him feel special. We had a wonderful Restoration lesson and he wants to be baptized!! He hasn't been baptized before and he really understood the importance of Priesthood Authority. It was great!! He wasn't able to come to church this last week, and we can't reach him by phone so we are going by tonight, so please pray that he will continue to learn and feel the Spirit!

To answer some of your questions:

We usually get the car 2 out of 3 weeks (tri-share), but the sisters in the S. ward are both leaving so we gave it to them for an extra week so they could visit members and such. We have been on bikes the past 2 weeks but we will get the car today from the G. Elders ;)

  

-Our ward is pretty small, but the people are all really nice and willing to help us.   :)

-Our area has tons and tons of apartment complex's which is tough because in the past, people kick us out and threaten to arrest us. Fortunately, most of the people here are still pretty nice even when we knock on their doors or when they aren't interested. They will still at least talk to us and sometimes give us water :)

Hey, we showed the Mormon Message "My Brother Hyrum" to a woman who teaches the special needs kids at her school, and she loved it! The pictures of Hyrum's baptism really added to the story! So if you hear from them, tell them thanks for the great video, it is a wonderful, wonderful, message to share!  :) I hope all is well always! Sure love y'all! :)

Elder Branch :)

PS: I've picked up sir and ma'am the past 2 weeks. They come totally natural now. Dad will be excited ;)

Apr. 6, 2015 in Rock Hill, SC

So on Saturday night right before the Priesthood session, we got a call from our apartment people telling us that the apartment next door had a fire! They got it put out before it burned to our place, but we got some major smoke damage up in the attic, which makes our whole place smell horrible!!! The fun side though is that we get to spend a couple nights in a hotel! So I am currently sitting on my queen bed with free wifi and a TV (which we can't watch) ;) haha, but it's been a fun adventure. So as a result we missed priesthood session of conference, but we were able to catch up the past 2 mornings, so we're good. So I have some pictures from our adventure so far that I will send to you.   :)

I loved President Eyring's talk from priesthood session!! I also really loved Elder Holland's and President Uchdorf's on Sunday Morning! They were the best!! Also, on Saturday afternoon, there was a run of 3 talks by seventies, and all 3 of those were so good!!

We each brought questions to conference that we wanted answers too, and all 3 questions I had were answered in those 3 talks!! It was fantastic!! The one that started it off was actually the one about hearing the music that you sent me the quote of. Conference is just the best, and I can't wait to study all the talks as they come out!! Probably my favorite quote from it all was by Michael T. Ringwood. He said "The service that counts most usually is recognized only by our Father in Heaven... All I really want in life is to please my Heavenly Father and my earthly father." Definitely true doctrine! :) I love the gospel which allows us to change and be better :)

Good news, K. came to conference (new member who's great!). Bad news was no one else came, even though we invited all them and their dogs multiple times, followed up pretty much daily, and even promised them if they brought questions, they would be answered. Ah well, what can you do. We did have some really good lessons this week with M. and also with a former friend we met again named B. He is super great! So please pray for M. and B. 

So when we first taught B. again, another man named T. came up and started talking to us. As it turns out he knows the bible super well, and asked lots of questions about prophets and things. Elder A. and I kind of split up and started teaching each guy individually. I was talking with B., and really listening to the Spirit as to how to answer his questions. We talked about the Book of Mormon, prophets, what modern prophets have taught and all kinds of stuff. He was stuck on the final verse in Revelations, and after talking about all his questions, I asked him "so when was revelations written?" He responded "around 30 years after Christ." "So when were the epistles of Paul?" "Around 200 years.. Oh! Oh wow, I'm gonna have to think about that! Oh man, you stumped me!" Haha, it was way fun!! It was the most spiritual peaceful mini bible bash I've ever seen, and actually really helped the environment of the lesson! Haha, I'm grateful for the Spirit that led that lesson!!

So we did a bit of service this week, including moving in a new family, and as we were moving them, I saw a familiar small blue suitcase and said "Oh! I'll bet you those are temple clothes! " to the other elders. The woman happened to be on the ramp and she heard and laughed and said yes, they were the temple clothes. It was super funny, she had the same case as Grandma Earl. :) Haha, so it was a great and very wild week!!!

Well, I'm sure glad y'all are doing good! Thanks for the emails!
Love ya!

Elder Branch 

Elder B. just before transfers.

In a hotel room because of smoke damage from a fire next door.
 

 Elder A. in the hotel

Elder S. and his new companion, Elder D.

Mar. 30, 2015 in Rock Hill, SC

Our week was pretty great this week, because we were able to teach tons of people!! Unfortunately, none of those people are actually progressing!! So please pray for the people we're teaching, that we will be able to teach them and they will actually understand and do. Thank you!

Time is once again short, so I will write quickly and send many pictures!!

So as far as my week goes, we have been showing "Because He Lives" 

 Because He Lives

(new Easter video) to everyone!! I love the message and how it defines us as a church!! We love Christ and we love His resurrection!!!! :D It has been specially good for this month, because there has been tons of death all around. I feel really sorry for all these people we have been meeting, just in the past month there has been the E's, the S's, a family named the N's, a woman we helped move named C., and more. It's been so sad. I am so grateful for the atonement though, and life after death.

One story. On Friday night Elder S. and I were on exchange and just as we got home for dinner a man stopped us in our apartment complex and asked us if we could help him move a washer and dryer to his new house. We said yes, let the other Elders know, and took off. The man's name was J. and he explained that he was buying this washer and dryer from a woman who had cancer named C. She had to move out of her apartment, so she had to sell it for cheap. We got to C's place and helped bring the washer and dryer to his truck, then took it to his place and unloaded it. He was super grateful, and we were able to share quite a bit about the gospel with him. He's not super interested, but he understands lots more about the church than he used to, and we were excited to plant that seed. We told C. we offer free service, and she asked if we were available the next day on Saturday! We said yes, so on Saturday we got to go help her move with a bunch of her friends! It was a great seed sowing opportunity as well! They were definitely sweet serendipities for us, and just good moments I'll always remember. :)

I sure love yall!

Elder Branch

Helping C. move. (This is Elder S.)

The 4 of us Elders share an apartment. Elder B. is transferring this week. He was also one of my totally awesome trainers back in Concord, NC.

 Helping Bro. B. provide service for an older couple.