May 11, 2015 in Rock Hill, SC - last week here - transfers on Tuesday

Hoorah!! Super fun call last night for Mothers Day, y'all are so great!! So do I sound like a Southerner yet?

Since we got to talk yesterday, this week will be mostly pictures.

This week has been exciting, and in general a huge improvement over the past couple weeks. Elder A. and I had a strong week, working in unity and praying and seeking miracles, while living worthy to see them. And sure enough, those miracles came. We were able to have lots of sweet serendipitous moments throughout the week, from finding people to teach - to surprise member present lessons. One of the best things this week was giving Mothers Day cards to a bunch of awesome people!

One story before I go. So on Friday Elder A. and I got a phone call from a member who asked us if we could give a blessing to another man's mother in law. The man is from Lancaster, and works in Rock Hill, and his wife asked us if he could get someone to give her mother a blessing. We were able to go, and a member met us there to help.

When we got there, there was a lady who volunteers with people in hospice named J. We were able to talk with her for a bit and she mentioned how she sees us riding bikes sometimes, and how she likes our look. She asked us if we believe in Christ and we were able to explain that yes, we believe Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, and that Joseph Smith is a prophet, not a Savior. She said "Ok, thanks! I've always thought you did, but other people said not. So now I can defend you!" It was great!

We got to give the blessing then and J. remained in the room. Afterwards, we talked more with her and the son in law who arrived. We got to teach most of the Restoration and J. had lots of the same questions about denominations as Joseph Smith did. It was wonderful!! So we got her info and hopefully the other Elders will be able to be good with her since Elder A. and I are getting transferred. 

Sure love ya!!

Elder Branch

 

Kangen Water - suppose to be really good for ya

 Love the people of South Carolina

Jan. 26, 2015 in Huntersville, NC

Dear Mom and Fam.

You mentioned General Conference talks. I love studying the General Conference addresses, and hearing about them in Sacrament Mtgs. Speaking of Sacrament Mtg, J. came to church yesterday!!!

So for more specifics on J.'s church experience, it all started last week with our weekly planning session. We were trying to figure out how to help J. come to church , and thought of doing a church tour with him. We presented this to him and he was down with it. On Saturday, J., Elder S., Brother H., and I all went to the church. It turns out the Cub Scout Pine-wood Derby was that night, so a bunch of members were there too! J. loves little kids, so he really enjoyed seeing them having fun there. We showed him the building and he was impressed with the pictures on the walls, the fact we don't do a collection plate, and the Spirit in the building. It was a fantastic tour, and we felt the Spirit strongly. J. kept talking about how excited he was, and how he had been praying for a church for a couple months when Elder S. showed up. Elder S. and I gave J. a hug at the end of the night, cause he's the best! He agreed to come the next day, so before church, Brother K., Elder S. and I picked him up. He was super excited, and looked way classy too! He had been afraid because he didn't have a suit or nice shoes, so we told him it would be fine in whatever he came in. Well, he found a classy looking red collared shirt and a gray cardigan and it was sweet! The Sacrament meeting was fantastic, the songs were great, and the speakers were so good!! J. loved it :) The rest of church was also really good, and lots of the members introduced themselves to him. At the end of church he said it hadn't even felt like 3 hours, and that he wants this to be his church!! Finding J. was a miracle. God is so good :)

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Eternal God. The Book of Mormon contains the fullness of Their word. This church holds Priesthood keys that allow us to access the blessings of eternity. We have a prophet today, and the glorious opportunity to share this knowledge with all our friends, kindred's, tongue's, and people. This I do know and testify of day by day :) I love ya!! You da best!

Love,

Elder Branch

ps. Elder S. has some awesome skateboarding skills. The kids in the neighborhood like to learn from him.