Merry Christmas!

This week is gonna be short! 

I did our missions weekly Warrior report this week so if you'd like to read my thoughts on Humility that is where you would go :)(Attached) 

We had an incredible Christmas and spent it with our most beloved families in the ward, we went and saw a house with a A LOT of Christmas lights and had a wonderful ward party. 

I hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas! Love you!!

Elder Brunsdale 

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Misael and Cooking and a Rolex

I just realized that last week's email didn't send so here ya go! 

I feel like I often neglect to write about how the work is going in our area, so I'm going to start with that this week. 

Firstly we're still teaching Paco who is incredible! I can't even explain how amazing our lessons are with him. They're always in the house of a member and he always studies what we ask him to and sends us a list of questions to answer the day before. This last week he said he was up until 2 am studying Preach My Gospel and The Book of Mormon because he just couldn't stop! He'll be baptized this coming month :) 

We recently found and are teaching Misael who is incredible as well. We heard him talking to some sisters at church and he said "I just feel so much joy and peace in my heart when the Elders visit me. I hope they never stop." He's trying to quit smoking and he's already gone from 20 a day to just 5! In only a week! He also has a date to be baptized next month :) 

We also started teaching a friend of our recent convert Liliana, her name is Corali. She came to church and said she thought it was boring but liked the classes, so we're gonna fix that. If you don't look forward to church then you're missing something. 

Lastly we have Eduardo who has a son who is autistic and he is showing a lot of interest. The work is going so great!

We recently started sending daily scriptural texts to members and investigators with a personalized message. We've already had 3 active but struggling members open up to us and tell us how much our texts have blessed them. I'm so blessed to have had this chance to spend 9 months in an area and grow so incredibly close to the members, I've really seen the ward change for the better before my eyes. It's going to be really hard to leave them...

     

In other news it snowed!! I cooked some spaghetti with Lupe, the most incredible ward missionary ever. She does almost as much work as we do and has been crucial in helping Paco towards his conversion.

I love my companion Elder Kemp, he's really one of my best friends. I also wore a 27,000 thousand dollar Rolex watch at a member dinner. 

     

I love you all so much, I know this is a true work :) Christ lives and loves us, every one. Don't forget to make him the focus of your Christmas. :) Also pray ;) Merry Christmas!!

Elder Brunsdale 

The Pentagon

This week has absolutely flown by! We had some great lessons and found some new investigators who show a lot of potential. 

One is named Misael and he's super funny. He insists on being taught by us even though he prefers to speak in English. So I won't speak a word to him in English but he'll answer everything I say in English. He says that he just can't feel peoples emotions in English. I think that has more to do with the culture than the language though! In Priesthood he stood up and said (Verbatim) "Me encanta when I'm visited by los Elderly's because I always feel so warm inside. I really like esta Iglesia." He said if there was a church in Spanglish that he'd go to that one. 

Paco also came to church for the 5th Sunday in a row. He's doing so well and it's been incredible to see the change in him. I feel like if there was one person that I was sent here for it would be Paco. I had an extremely spiritual experience with him this last Thursday and Sunday. He's helped me to learn a lot about myself and progress in the Gospel myself. He will be an incredible member. 

      

Today we had a super unique opportunity. A few months back I befriended a member of an English ward.  He's a retired black hawk pilot who reached the rank of col. and commanded the largest brigade in the army before retiring and starting a multi-million dollar company. What made it really special was that he was stationed at the Pentagon when it was attacked on 9-11. In fact he was injured in the attack. So we were given a private tour and heard plenty of stories. He was actually able to get us into the E-ring to see the office of the Secretary of Defense.  We also got a pic with Suddam Hussein's golden plated AK-57. It was a really unique experience and it was cool to walk by several 4 star generals and to see the hall of heroes and the 9-11 memorial. 

    

Well that's about all that's gone on from D.C.! Keep reading and praying and trying to make Christ the focus of your Christmas season! Love you all!

Elder Brunsdale 

Thanksgiving was a real TREAT

Wow! This week was just wonderful! I'm really pressed for time today so I'll make it short. 

So, ever since Elder Kemp arrived to this area with me we have been praying for more service opportunities, they've come and gone like they usually do but last week we really had an answer to our prayers. We started on Tuesday by doing some service for one of the greatest members in our ward. We raked her leaves and just cleaned out her entire backyard for her. We then had some fun jumping into our leaf piles. I'd send videos if I could! 

The next day we were blessed with a HUGE service project helping a business next to our chapel unload their new delivery of Christmas trees. It was a huge blessing and it felt so good to do some hard physical work. I think the greatest part of it all was that our most progressing investigator Paco came to both service projects and helped us. He's been at church every Sunday this month and hasn't used tobacco even once in the last 3 weeks!! We're so excited for him and it's amazing to see that change that's been wrought in his life through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We had 3 thanksgiving dinners and an awesome ward party as well. I had to say goodbye to one of my greatest friends Elder Cottle... Oh yeah one more thing! Elder Kemp and I will be going for a third transfer together her in Old Town!!! I'm so excited to spend Christmas and my birthday with such an amazing companion. I'll be pushing 9 months in this area but I honestly never want to leave. It feels like I'd be leaving my family all over again. But that's okay, I'm here for now :) 

Love you all! 

It would be just so cool if you did the light the world challenge this year. Have a great week! 

Elder Brunsdale

Liliana's Baptism 🌊🔥🏊‍♂️ and Elder Anderson😶

This entire week has been pretty incredible, however Saturday turned into a legendary day so I'm going to focus on that this week. 

We began with driving down to the Potomac river because we didn't have any baptismal clothing for our investigator in our building. We found the perfect dress for her and also got to see the most stunning chapel I've ever seen.

 Anyway after that we high tailed it to Centerville across the entire mission because Elder Anderson came to the mission to speak to us! We got to shake his hand and it was incredible to hear him talk. He's the 3rd apostle that has personally come to the mission and it is so special to hear them speak more directly and personally than they are able to in general conference. His testimony was so powerful, it was a privilege. 

        

After that meeting was over we drove back out across the mission for the baptism of Liliana, it was so great! A little bit stressful especially because we don't have a ward mission leader at the moment so it was all on us. We made a couple embarrassing errors in the baptismal program but most of the ward knows that I'm a goof so it ain't no thing. Nothing can stop the work of the Lord! 

       

 I had the wonderful opportunity to do the ordinance myself! I love Liliana and it was such a pleasure to be able to see her take such an important step in her life. She's converted to Jesus Christ and has found the promised joy and peace that comes from following him.

         

In other news this week our investigator that has been investigating for 6 months (Paco) had a huge breakthrough after our lesson on grace and hasn't chewed tobacco since! Before he couldn't even go a day! It was definitely an answer to prayers. He'll be getting baptized here very soon. 

Well, I love you all and hope that you've been saying your prayers and studying not just reading! Chow! 

Elder Brunsdale 

Fear not 😱

As the celebration of the pagan holiday we call Halloween came to a climax I began to ponder on the nature of fear. I resolved upon taking a scriptural excursion appertaining to this subject. For when I crack open the pages of the sacred records I truly do feel as if I'm embarking on a journey of learning and spiritual enlightenment, the likes of which would capture the jealousy of adventurers as great as Marco Polo or Lewis and Clark. The details of said excursion have far surpassed my expectations, and while expounding upon them would please me greatly I must forgo that delight for lack of time. 

    

So fear, as Homosapien-sapiens we are all very well acquainted with our friendly little monster under the bed. Fear is an unavoidable consequence of the human condition. But without delving too deep into the engender of it all and the "why" to the way things are, I would like to briefly touch on how we can trounce the little bugger. John so handsomely wrote the following

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

"Perfect love casteth out fear." So how can we beat out fear? Well with love of course! Cue the "awwwwe." Being in a state of fear is rooted in ourselves. We're scared of what may or may not happen to us. Whereas charity, the real and true love of Christ is entirely focused outward. When we're following the example of our savior Jesus Christ and turning out in perfect selfless love. We are disinterested in our own carnal desires and are therefore fearless, trusting in God and the plan that he has set forth for us. Let us overcome fear by turning out in Christ-like acts of service and compassion. 

Sorry that I changed my writing styles like three times in this email :D I thought I'd practice my English because I'm starting to lose it because of all this Spanish business. But that ended up taking too much time so this is what you're left with! 

    

 Anyway this week has been incredible, we have an investigator named Liliana who just passed her baptismal interview and is going to be baptized this Saturday! We're so excited for her! It's going to bless her life so much. Elder Smith my former companion came back and visited the mission, it was pretty crazy to see him especially because it feels like we were companions just last month! We had a super fun Halloween as well with the Ruiz family and taught them how Americans celebrate Halloween. The work is going along super great, thank you all so much for your love and prayers. We've seen so many miracles it's been incredible. Love you all! 

Elder Brunsdale

George Washington's House

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the estate of the beloved father of our nation. General George Washington. I was very moved by a few of his words. 

“Whereas it becomes us humbly to approach the throne of Almighty God, with gratitude and praise for the wonders which his goodness has wrought in conducting our fore-fathers to this western world…and above all, that he hath diffused the glorious light of the gospel, whereby, through the merits of our gracious Redeemer, we may become the heirs of his eternal glory.”

George Washington understood the value of the truth and light that God has revealed to us. Even before the restoration of the Gospel by Joseph Smith. When we pray do we humbly approach the throne of God with gratitude and praise? 

      

George not only had the Gospel to thank God for because his house is HUGE. Just the view from his back porch inspired me to say a short prayer of gratitude! But I believe there's a lot to learn from the inspired words of this founding father.

      

I'm sorry it's been a cool minute since I sent out an email but things here have been pretty crazy! We have an investigator on date who's getting baptized soon and we've been really focused on helping her prepare. Her name is Liliana and she's the greatest! 

        

We're also still teaching a man named Paco who has been investigating with us for over 6 months (since I got into this area.) He has a testimony but has been struggling to overcome his addiction to tobacco chewing. The other day I was praying for him and I suddenly felt as though he didn't understand grace. My companion and I prepared a lesson for him on grace and the spirit was so strong as we were teaching. Probably the most powerful lesson I've ever taught. Afterwards the member who's house we went to for the lesson texted us and told us that she had never felt the spirit so strongly in her entire life! So we're so thankful to know that God is conscious of Paco and that he's guiding him to where he needs to be. I don't imagine it'll will be too long before he's baptized. 

       

There's a million things to write but that's all I've got time for so I hope that it makes sense. I love you all and I hope that you're doing great! :)

Elder Brunsdale