July 11, 2016 Last transfer...last email home from North Carolina Charlotte Mission

Hey family! 

Thanks for the great email!

N.'s baptism was so good! I gave the talk on baptism, and for the Holy Ghost, they got a video from the first missionary who taught her in Japan. That was super super great, and she was crying a lot. There was a great spirit :)

On two different nights, we went to a luau based around missionary work. It was put on by family members of the Raleigh Mission President. I will send some videos, it was super amazing! I got to see lots of missionaries and members from past areas too, what fun! All in all, it was the craziest but best last week ever!

So it has come to the end...transfers have come. Biggest shocker I guess is that I'll be going home. That was a surprise! ;) haha, jk. Anyways, besides me, Elder H. also got transferred and he is going to Danville, Virginia! Elder B. is getting Elder R., and Elder T. is getting Elder N. They will be good :)

Thanks again for the emails, and I'm super excited to see y'all! Sorry if this email is short, but we were hanging out with D. and Ej. from rescue ranch, so it was kind of rushed, but if you have any questions, I'll tell you in person :) 

Sure love ya!
Elder Branch :)

This couple have hearts of gold and are so good to the missionaries. 

We love them!!
(Thanks for the pictures, Lisa)

Three of the Elders going home this week. 

They were all serving in the same zone. 

Farewell to the Rescue Ranch  <3

May 31, 2016 in Statesville, North Carolina

This week we had a super big blessing of referrals! I think all in all, we received 6 from church headquarters, and 3 have become new investigators! The one I feel the most confident with is a man named J. He lives out in the boonies and ordered a Bible but was also interested in the Book of Mormon. The man is pretty elect and prepared by God. He has quite smoking, drinking, and drugs. He absolutely loves going to church AND reading the actual word. :D What more could you ask for!? He committed to read the Book of Mormon and if he finds out it's true he said he would be baptized! Hooray! Pray that he will keep his commitments :)

We saw the M.'s on Monday night right before she had her eye surgery. Since then though we haven't seen them, so we will get back in contact. We gave her a blessing on Monday and that was good.

C. seems to be coming around to feeling the spirit, but their work is still keeping them from church.

Sister T. still hasn't been coming. She sleeps in or has a bad headache the morning of church but she'll get there.

D. is getting less stressed even though nothing has really changed. Thanks for praying for him and his family. We'll keep it up.

I am beginning the "My Plan" training courses this week, because I'm starting my final transfer. (What!!!??!?!?!?!?!) We had interviews this last week so that was awesome! That being said, lets get into some transfer business!!!!

So going into transfers on Tuesday, two of the four of us Elders in Statesville are staying and two are leaving - one has finished his mission and is headed home. The other, Elder P., is being transferred to Charlotte. My companion, Elder H. is taking their area with a brand new companion that he'll be training. He is super nervous, but excited. I'll have our area and will have a new companion, Elder B who's been out for 15 months. Exciting times! We all have some good people to start teaching and it sounds like we have a really good district this coming transfer.   :)

Thanks for all you do!

Love ya!
Elder Branch

The fattest tie there ever was!

April 18, 2016 in Statesville, NC

Hello All,

This week we had a mission tour with Elder Zwick. He and his wife are super super amazing speakers!!!! They had some wild crazy stories from the missions they have been on. There was lots of good council too.

A.'s baptism went really well! His family is having very hard times right now though so please pray for them heavily!

We took Elder E. to East Coast Wings for his birthday (which is delicious!) We got transfer calls and Elder E. will be going up to Burlington. I will be staying here with an Elder H.

We had some good teaching appointments this week too. We didn't get to see the P.'s, but we did see the other D. who has been attending church, and she came to stake conference this week! Also, the B.'s came!!!! :D We spent 2 days there this week helping clean her house because the government was threatening to take C. away if it wasn't cleaned. We found tons of mold in the fridge, which explained why they were sick all the time. But since it is clean, everything is good and they were able to come. We are always working on finding more people here, and we expect some mighty miracles this coming week!

Other fun parts of the week included going to a Rescue Ranch volunteer appreciation dinner. Rescue Ranch is the place we volunteer that has tons of 'exotic' animals they take care of (tortoises, lizards, snakes, etc.) The had a dinner this week and we got to go. At it they were doing a casino based thing, but instead of real money we played for tickets to put into a raffle. Elder E. and I had no clue what we were doing, and the other Elders (who knew how to play) hadn't showed up yet, but the lady that runs the place showed us some of how to play roulette, so we did that for a little bit. It was fun, but probably the weirdest dinner for missionaries ever... haha.

Probably the funnest random thing we did this last week was on Saturday, we got invited to go with D. to a city celebration for Arbor day. We went on a 2 mile run, and then we got the chance to play bubble soccer for a couple minutes! It was pretty great! Ill send you some videos.

Well, that about covers it for this week. Thanks for the fun emails! Thanks so much for all your help! You're great! I love you :)

Elder Branch

ps...Hunter!! You got your mission call!!! Wow, I was so excited! Actually, Elder E. had just barely added mom and dad on facebook when you opened your call and they made the post about it, so I saw it and was freaking out for like an hour and a half. Haha, I am super excited for you, you will love it. It's fun that we are both on the east coast, too bad you're a durn Yankee ;P Haha, congrats Brother. Hey, when you have questions about what to buy, keep me involved, I have 60 bazillion pointers or things I learned since serving that I think will help when shopping and preparing and stuff. I'm glad we have a month and a half, we can do a mini 12 week program, except in 6 if you want :) Congrats again, I sure love ya!

A.'s baptism day!

Bubble Soccer Video

Elder E. 

 This gentleman goes home this transfer! I'll miss him

EJ runs the Rescue Ranch 

Mar. 7, 2016 in Statesville, NC Transferred from Catawba

Hey Everyone!

So I am now in Statesville, NC. My first week was pretty good, except that on Monday night I got sick and stayed sick until around Friday morning. So our week was kinda dead as far as proselyting due to that, but we were able to get out the last 3 days and make some visits. From what my companion has been telling me, the work in our companionship has been really slow recently, especially compared to the other companionship in our ward. Our main goal/vision as a result is to fix that.

We put forth some good efforts this week, and may have a couple promising people. The best part though was that after a long hard day, we came home and found that we had received a referral for a family who apparently have been talking to their nephew, who is a recent convert, about the church. It just showed me again that sometimes success doesn't come from what we do, but that when we put forth effort success will come in some other way.

As far as our companionship, Elder E. is super funny and is excited about the work. He has been out for 6-7 months because he served in the Boise, Idaho mission before coming to ours. He is from Pocatello, and his family has 11 kids (or step kids and half kids). He trained tortoises back home, and he is really really really good at puns. (For instance, he nicknamed our companionship "the Termites" because we are Eaton Branch).

The other Elders are Elder P. (blonde) who is the District leader and hits his hump day this week, and Elder H. who came out the transfer before me, and is real funny. Sister B. fed us twice this week and sent the picture of the four of us. 

We got to do lots of service this week, and it sounds like it is pretty regular, so that will be fun.

Love,
Elder Branch

Feb. 29, 2016 Last week in Catawba, South Carolina with Elder P.

Hello!

We had a great last week, with some good finding. That was really our focus as we didn't want to leave the area with transfers with few investigators. We were lead by the spirit for sure, and found some prepared people. I feel really good about my time in this area, it has been a great learning experience.

We found a couple new solid people this week that we are excited for!! We also got a referral from a member in Waxhaw. He is a pilot and knew these members back in Oregon before they came here as well. He has a copy of the Book of Mormon already and has been reading it pretty consistently apparently. 

Along with our finding success, I wanted to share how we found a couple people. We went to a street that we had wanted to try for a while, and the first 2 people we talked to totally accepted us back! One of them was friends with members for years and years, and when we talked to her she said she already had a Book of Mormon. She said we could come back this weekend too. The very next house we went to, we shared the Restoration with the lady who answered and she was also super interested, especially how the Restoration described why there are so many denominations. It was great fun :)

So as far as transfers, I am getting transferred. Elder Oaks cancelled transfer meetings worldwide, and as a result we get our transfer information earlier. That means I already know that I will be going to Statesville, NC in the Hickory Zone! Even better is that Elder L. got transferred to Hickory as a zone leader!! So we will be partying on. My companion will be Elder E., he came out with Elder P. and sounds pretty funny. Elder P. will be getting Elder N., who came out with me! It will be super fun.

That is about all I have time for, its been crazy trying to say bye to everyone so we are heading out.

Thanks for all you do!
Love you!
Elder Branch

Elder H., one of my favorite Elders who goes home this transfer. 

Zone Conference

Dec. 7, 2015 in Catawba, South Carolina, Elder B___'s last week in Catawba

Hey family!

This week was pretty grand, and really really ridiculously busy (again)! We taught quite a few people, not quite as many as we had hoped, but it was still good. I don't have long to write today, because unfortunately Elder B___ is being transferred. :( Tis sad.

I also found out that I will be training this transfer!! I'm super excited and super humbled/nervous I guess. Anyways so we will be super busy today but I do want to tell a couple quick stories.

R___ is great, she is sad Elder B___ is being transferred but she is super excited for baptism. She is having her interview this coming Friday :) We are going to try to get permission for Elder B___ to come back from wherever he is transferred for the baptism. She loved the Christmas devotional last night. :)

We had a zone meeting this Friday and I sang a solo while Elder B___ played the piano. While on the topic of music, we were also putting together a bunch of hymns for the missionaries to sing at an upcoming Nativity Festival deal. But we are going to need to find a new piano player. Hopefully my new comp is musical! We are also singing in the ward choir, and Elder B___ was an awesome base, so he will be missed. The songs we are doing are way fun! I love music :)

My third story combines the music theme and the baptism theme. On Saturday night, the Charlotte South and Gastonia stakes had a combined presentation of Handel's Messiah, and we found out super last minute that we could go. We showed up and turns out some friends from our ward invited us to sit with them, so that was perfect. It was also fun, because the C___'s were there, as well as the Dad's friend from Lifetime, Brother B___, and a couple other members from past areas. A sister from Huntersville was the first string violinist for the whole thing, and I saw her husband there too. Well, about half way though, Elder B___ had to use a restroom. As we were walking out to the doors, I saw a man kind of turnaround in his seat and when he saw me, he waved. Turns out it was Johnny!!! :D (for those of you who don't know, Elder S___and I got to teach and baptize him in Huntersville, and I haven't seen him in a year) I immediately ditched Elder B___ and went and sat and talked with him for a while. We hooked up again with the Huntersville members and him (they had given him a ride) at the end and got to talk a bunch. It was too fun! As we were riding home, I remember thinking "that is what missions are about." :)

We had a couple other good things happen this week. Brother S___ didn't come to church but he will be there next week. Also Sister H___ told us that her son really liked Elder B___ and I when he had met us. She said that he said "I like those 2, they aren't pushy. I think I will talk to them about taking the lessons again." So that was super good news! We hope it goes well with him, we are supposed to see them Wednesday or Thursday. :)

I have loved getting to show A Savior is Born to everyone this last week, it is such a great video. I love the Christmas season, and the gift of Jesus Christ. What an exciting and special time to be a missionary!

So anyways, that was my week. We did have a district activity today that was fun :) We made a Christmas village thingy of sorts, had a pie eating contest, and did a gift exchange. I got bath salts and a Christmas rubber ducky! Twas the best gift I believe.

I will keep praying for y"all! Thanks for the prayers for all of us! I hope you all see lots of miracles and blessings!

Love,
Elder Branch

Elder B___ saying some goodbye's to awesome people in Catawba.

Elder R___ and I petting a dog on exchanges. 

I buy dog treats and give them to dogs we meet on the Reservation. 

I don't know what happened to our grill...

Our District Christmas party

Our Zone 

The largest cross I've ever seen

Oct. 19, 2016 in Greensboro, NC Transfer news....

Hello!!

Wow, this last week was crazy! We weren't able to meet with E___, but we made plans with the S___'s to have dinner with them and E___'s whole family in a couple weeks. We were also able to go and visit another family named the K___'s, and their son E___  who is pretty nice and we are hoping to teach him in the future.
 

On Tuesday we had a mission conference with Elder Kopishke of the 70 that was super legit and revelatory! He talked lots about receiving personal revelation and acting on promptings. He talked about how in Doctrine and Covenants 82: 3-4, it says that when we receive revelation, but then break or don't follow it, we are 'condemned'. To explain, he took a piece of paper and put it on the floor and asked how thick it was. Apparently, according to one Elder, it is 7 one thousandths of an inch thick (not very thick). He stood on that piece of paper and said  "if this is all the light we have, and we are condemned, we only fall 0.007 inches. But if we were standing on the podium, and were condemned, we would have a whole lot further to fall!" So then we talked about ways to use revelation and to avoid being condemned. It was good stuff!

My favorite quote came from Sister Alexander, who said "every little effort you make on your mission is counted, and is not wasted." Another plus of the meeting is that I got to hear about  J___ from some sisters who had served their recently! Man, I love that guy!

Our Relief Society President told us that there was a Sister they had been writing letters to, and just this last week she emailed back and said she would like to meet with the missionaries! It was a tender mercy because we had tried hard all week to see some good things, but lots of plans fell through. It strengthened my testimony of the things President and Sister Alexander talked about at mission tour. I know that when we do all we can, no small effort is wasted.

P___ loved church, and she came again this week! Later in the week, we got to go out with our Bishop on some visits to Brother R___ and to P___.  She said going to church had really helped her throughout the week.   :D   She is the best. I'll send a picture of her either today or next week. Brother R___ also is doing well. He just has it so rough. He says he is getting better slowly but surely, and he does eventually hope to get back to church, but he has never been to this building without his wife. I feel so deeply for him too, and I'm going to miss him.

Speaking of missing people, I am getting transferred this Tuesday. I will miss the people here.

Now, not to be nostalgic or sappy or anything, but I was thinking about missions last week, and I came up with this summation. Missions can be stupid-hard sometimes when nothing is going on, and they are way challenging, but it is so worth it whenever you are able to actually teach someone. You get all excited and happy and it's just the greatest feeling ever. Haha, and I can't wait to find more of that wherever I go next!

Thanks for all you do! You're the bestestest!

Elder TooBlessedToBeStressed Branch

SO I don't know if y'all heard about experiences of children seeing 2 angels holding up President Monson at conference, but there were 2 kids in our ward, both with autism, who saw them too! This is one of the pictures they drew the night of conference. Pretty neat!

 

Training

A few of the awesome people I'll miss in Greensboro

May 20, 2015 Transferred to Greensboro, NC with Elder G.

Transfers were quite exciting, and I'm glad to be with Elder G. here in Summerfield. The work here is progressing well and we have seen quite a few sweet serendipities this week. When I got in the area Tuesday, there wasn't much going on investigator-wise, but we were able to plan and work together well throughout the rest of the week and were blessed to see so many people open up to us. We found 2 new people to teach, and a number of other people that we are hoping to set appointments with. It's been great. As of right now, we have 10 lessons already scheduled for the next 3 days, and we have members to come with us to every single one! It is so exciting! The Lord has been so good to us.

When we have been contacting people, it's been really interesting to see their attitude throughout the conversation as we ask questions as lead by the spirit. We get the opportunity to watch their hearts soften right in front of us. It's a great privilege to witness those experiences.

One person we met this week was named M. We knocked on her door one night and she came out and started talking with us. She feels there is too much arguing between different denominations and she doesn't understand why there are so many. It led us into a discussion about the Great Apostasy and how so many churches were formed, but how through the Restoration, Christ's church was brought back. Then I felt impressed to add "and it's not so much about the denomination, but it is really about strengthening our relationship with and faith in Jesus Christ." Then she started asking more questions. At one point her boyfriend came out to tell her to come back in but she shushed him and told him that she was talking with us, so he headed back inside. At the end, she asked for a Book of Mormon and a pamphlet. It was great to feel the spirit lead our words,  And it wasn't just with her that that happened, we probably saw the same thing with at least 4 or 5 other people too. One lady wanted nothing to do with us at first, but as we talked about our common relationship in Christ and showed her "Because He Lives", she ended up accepting a pamphlet and giving us some root beer! :)   so tender mercies have been everywhere, and we are so grateful! Thanks for your prayers for us!

So last thing from this week. On Sunday it was Greensboro Stake Conference and we had Elder Kopichke. It was neat to see him again. The Stake Conference was on the same topic as the one in Gastonia-Councils and the Sabbath Day- and it was super neat to see some of the same things as last time, and also some different things. One of my favorite parts was when he talked about signs we have to help us bring spiritual experiences into our life. Some of the main signs or reminders we have are the sacrament, our garments, scriptures, and the one that really stuck out to me is how we use the Sabbath Day outside of church. He said that how we dress and appear on the Sabbath is a sign to the rest of the world. We should treat the Sabbath day as a specific, holy day, and when we as latter-day saints keep it holy (wearing church clothes all day, spending time with family), it provides a wonderful opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a great conference, and gave me lots to think about :) so yup, all is well!

Sure love yall!! You're the greatest!