Wed, Jun 22, 2011
WOO! Flights and times! :D actually, I hadn't gotten a specific itinerary yet... I think that might be coming soon... I had just gotten an envelope that mentioned that you should be getting my info soon about that... but now that I think just a little bit, I have a small feeling that I might not be getting any info... but I don't know for sure. However, that's why I just texted you just now. So I can find out. :) buuuut, I was thinking that very same thing. Saturday is an excellent time to have everyone there. People will be off and so they'll have more time to spend with me! :D yay, and then I get to go swimming! :D with my awesome arm and face tan. Outrageously, fantastic. I'll totally blind everyone with my crazy white legs! Yeah! So, awesome.
And SPEAKING of Sister Stout, I ran into Elder Stout Yesterday at interviews/training! He’s great, and in my zone! It was great running into him. He’s pretty funny, and we got to talk a bit about Puyallup and all the changes that have been going on back there. But he's doing great, and it will be excellent to be able to get some comida criolla ** (See notes below as translation is "creole food") when I get back. That way you guys can get some authentic Puerto Rican food instead of my measly substitute. :)
So like I mentioned, yesterday we had interviews with president as well as a training meeting. we learned a bit about "our legacy" or in other words, if we were to be going home soon, what kind of missionary, companion... and a few other things... ah, member of the ward council... stuff like that. Anyways, how would we want to be remembered? What’s our legacy? And we had district meeting after that. Nothing too exciting, but we didn't get done until 6:30 because we had some stuff to talk about with president. So... we weren't able to get too much done yesterday, either. :-/
Ja, ja, ja, yeah, president giving me a ridiculous amount of area just to keep me occupied is something that he would do. But it's been kinda difficult... we had a slight incident last week. Elder De Leon had taken the area book that the fourteen had prepared of all their super good investigators with him to be able to find their investigators...aaaand... unfortunately, he accidentally left it on the train... and we haven't been able to find it... downer. So we've just been out relying on the things that we had already written down in our planner, when, all of a sudden, the bishop in Santurce calls us up. Guess what? He has a copy of the area book! :D OH YEAH! Awesome. A total miracle, the church is true. But, I haven't been given any special assignments. Just to work like normal (or xtra hard, now) with all of our ridiculous area to cover. :) But, lucky Elder Snow, he's gonna be chillin by himself with president on Dominica his last week here. No details yet except for that. But still. Cool beans.
Man, Cristina totally looks like Hannah! That’s so weird... but, it sounds like they are going to be an EXCELLENT match for each other. :)
Yay eagle project! :D it's gonna be great. I'm excited to build wolf houses. When’s he gonna start, the whole thing?
So, yeah. You never texted me, you bum! :P how am I supposed to know what my flights are so I can talk about it everyone else? :P
Gosh. But, I love you more than I love nice surprises about me coming home! And chocolate cake.
~Elder Bryan (Brandon)
* comida criolla = creole food,
* cocina criolla = creole cuisine
** The principal cooking style in Puerto Rican cuisine is called “cocina criolla”, which literally means Creole cooking. Creole cooking is generally associated with Louisiana’s Cajun cuisine, but that’s not what we have here. In the Spanish speaking islands, “criollo” refers to Spanish Americans of European descent. Hence, “cocina criolla” is the cuisine created by the European (mostly Spanish) colonists using their traditional recipes coalesced with native Caribbean foods and cooking styles.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Oak Tree
The Oak Tree
by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr
A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark
But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke.
How can you still be standing Oak?
The oak tree said, I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway
But I have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You'll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me
Until today, I wasn't sure
Of just how much I could endure
But now I've found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew
by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr
A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark
But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke.
How can you still be standing Oak?
The oak tree said, I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway
But I have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You'll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me
Until today, I wasn't sure
Of just how much I could endure
But now I've found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew
FINAL - Travel Itinerary For BRYAN/BRANDON
FINAL - Travel Itinerary For BRYAN/BRANDON
21Jul - Electronic ticket issued on Delta Airlines
This is a non-refundable ticket. Baggage fees may apply.
BRYAN/BRANDON
DATE 21JUNE11
MISSIONARY TRAVEL
A AB PUERTO RICO SAN JUAN MISSION
DELTA AIR LINES
DATE: 21JUL
FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE
SAN JUAN ATLANTA GA 720A 1102A
3:42 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 757
FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE
ATLANTA GA SEATTLE WA 140P 355P
5:15 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 757
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Re: On to??????
Wed, Jun 15, 2011
Woo hoo! Alright, so I think I'm gonna start with news about my project! :D
Alrighty! So, to start out: I'm in Caparra! Pretty much, it's just right next to the mission office. I still don't know the address, but I'm so close to the mission office that you might as well just send stuff to there, I suppose. BUT, we started the project on Monday. :) We are essentially taking over the big group’s area here in Hato Rey, Trujillo Alto, and Rio Piedras. And I guess president has decided to trust me the most or something, because he's given us four areas to work in, instead of two. Or maybe he just wanted to stress out my comp. xD but yes. So we are going to be covering most of Hato Rey for the next three weeks, and then when Elder Varner and Elder Barr come in, they will take their rightful places and take half our area away. :) but yes, we're getting the freaking sweet apartment that they had been staying in, with A/C, and 7 bunk beds, and two fridges, and WAY too much silverware. The down side is that threes STILL only one bathroom. :'( but at the very least threes only four of us, and not 14 like there HAD been in there. jeeze, I don't even want to imagine trying to run through all of them in an hour y pico. horrible. so for the last two days we've been running around like a head with its chicken cut off trying to get things organized. we have a baptism planned for this Friday night, and she hasn't received all of the commandments, but president wants the baptism for this Friday because it would be the perfect way to end for the group... but yesterday we had a ridiculous day trying to get Elder Ramirez's stuff here from Santurce. ha,, ha, ha... goodness. did you know that Obama came and gave a speech here yesterday? did you also know that it causes lots of traffic and if you try to go to where you need to go, all the police don't let you, and so you have to take a detour... and drive for forty five minutes trying to figure out where you are, and that when you finally call someone and get directions, the only way back is through bumper to bumper traffic without moving even a single inch for yet another forty-five minutes? yeah. don't go anywhere near an Obama speech if you have an appointment at noon. ha , ha, ha, lol. yeah, that was good stuff. we didn't get everything done till about 1:30. :) AH! And then, to make the day an even bigger adventure, we needed to get a bike pass to take out bikes on the train/subway, right? so after we get THAT figured out, we just left our bikes at the office, grabbed some 2x2 fotos, and take the subway with our shiny new 1 month unlimited pass over to the next stop to take out our bike pass. Well, turns out Elder Ramirez on accident left his ID at home... yup. And you NEED one to get a bike train pass. Oh-yes. :3 so he couldn't get one. But, we got to the mission office, and we're like... alright. I don't want to deal with this, we're late, and we need to go. So we snuck him on. Oh yes. Well, that went well. And then, it's time to go home. Let’s go back to the train! WEE! Let’s sneak Elder Ramirez back on the train! :D *record scratch* security? WHAT?! What do you mean he can't get on? Doh! Great. Now what? Well, we decided to just go to the next station. :3 guess what? The Lord blessed us with NO security guards at this one. Yup, that’s right. Not a single one at the counter. Woo! So we just busted a move right on up there and made it home RIGHT at nine thirty. Oh yeah. Freaking sweet day there for ya.
Woo! Long paragraph that one. :) But it sounds like the missionary work is going GREAT there! I bet the missionaries LOVE you guys. How goes that referral that you gave to the missionaries of the lady that was in the military? Anything back about that?
YAY! I’m so glad that my letters made it home safe. :3 I didn't know that it would be cheaper for a bigger box like that... I guess it would be a good idea then to just get all my things that I want to send home together now and just do it all in a bigger box? I'll look into that.
Also, what are Narnia holes?
I'm going to try and get some pictures of Elder de Leon... I can't send any pictures today, because the library where we're at has somehow disabled the use of USB, so I should be able to get that to you next week if I don't send them in a package. :) I'll try and get all that figured out soon so I can cut down on some of the stuff that I've got... I need some space! I've got so much study stuff... but at least I have less than SOME of the Elders that are going home... they had to super downsize. (Yes, Elder De Leon LOVES to eat. and my NEW comp is even bigger. ;) )
ah... but We're out of time for today... send me some pics of Christina! I wanna see who's going to be invading our house!
I love you more than I love sitting in traffic! :D
~Elder Brandon Bryan
Woo hoo! Alright, so I think I'm gonna start with news about my project! :D
Alrighty! So, to start out: I'm in Caparra! Pretty much, it's just right next to the mission office. I still don't know the address, but I'm so close to the mission office that you might as well just send stuff to there, I suppose. BUT, we started the project on Monday. :) We are essentially taking over the big group’s area here in Hato Rey, Trujillo Alto, and Rio Piedras. And I guess president has decided to trust me the most or something, because he's given us four areas to work in, instead of two. Or maybe he just wanted to stress out my comp. xD but yes. So we are going to be covering most of Hato Rey for the next three weeks, and then when Elder Varner and Elder Barr come in, they will take their rightful places and take half our area away. :) but yes, we're getting the freaking sweet apartment that they had been staying in, with A/C, and 7 bunk beds, and two fridges, and WAY too much silverware. The down side is that threes STILL only one bathroom. :'( but at the very least threes only four of us, and not 14 like there HAD been in there. jeeze, I don't even want to imagine trying to run through all of them in an hour y pico. horrible. so for the last two days we've been running around like a head with its chicken cut off trying to get things organized. we have a baptism planned for this Friday night, and she hasn't received all of the commandments, but president wants the baptism for this Friday because it would be the perfect way to end for the group... but yesterday we had a ridiculous day trying to get Elder Ramirez's stuff here from Santurce. ha,, ha, ha... goodness. did you know that Obama came and gave a speech here yesterday? did you also know that it causes lots of traffic and if you try to go to where you need to go, all the police don't let you, and so you have to take a detour... and drive for forty five minutes trying to figure out where you are, and that when you finally call someone and get directions, the only way back is through bumper to bumper traffic without moving even a single inch for yet another forty-five minutes? yeah. don't go anywhere near an Obama speech if you have an appointment at noon. ha , ha, ha, lol. yeah, that was good stuff. we didn't get everything done till about 1:30. :) AH! And then, to make the day an even bigger adventure, we needed to get a bike pass to take out bikes on the train/subway, right? so after we get THAT figured out, we just left our bikes at the office, grabbed some 2x2 fotos, and take the subway with our shiny new 1 month unlimited pass over to the next stop to take out our bike pass. Well, turns out Elder Ramirez on accident left his ID at home... yup. And you NEED one to get a bike train pass. Oh-yes. :3 so he couldn't get one. But, we got to the mission office, and we're like... alright. I don't want to deal with this, we're late, and we need to go. So we snuck him on. Oh yes. Well, that went well. And then, it's time to go home. Let’s go back to the train! WEE! Let’s sneak Elder Ramirez back on the train! :D *record scratch* security? WHAT?! What do you mean he can't get on? Doh! Great. Now what? Well, we decided to just go to the next station. :3 guess what? The Lord blessed us with NO security guards at this one. Yup, that’s right. Not a single one at the counter. Woo! So we just busted a move right on up there and made it home RIGHT at nine thirty. Oh yeah. Freaking sweet day there for ya.
Woo! Long paragraph that one. :) But it sounds like the missionary work is going GREAT there! I bet the missionaries LOVE you guys. How goes that referral that you gave to the missionaries of the lady that was in the military? Anything back about that?
YAY! I’m so glad that my letters made it home safe. :3 I didn't know that it would be cheaper for a bigger box like that... I guess it would be a good idea then to just get all my things that I want to send home together now and just do it all in a bigger box? I'll look into that.
Also, what are Narnia holes?
I'm going to try and get some pictures of Elder de Leon... I can't send any pictures today, because the library where we're at has somehow disabled the use of USB, so I should be able to get that to you next week if I don't send them in a package. :) I'll try and get all that figured out soon so I can cut down on some of the stuff that I've got... I need some space! I've got so much study stuff... but at least I have less than SOME of the Elders that are going home... they had to super downsize. (Yes, Elder De Leon LOVES to eat. and my NEW comp is even bigger. ;) )
ah... but We're out of time for today... send me some pics of Christina! I wanna see who's going to be invading our house!
I love you more than I love sitting in traffic! :D
~Elder Brandon Bryan
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Re: Woohoo, a package!
Wed, Jun 08, 2011
Oh yeah. I told you I was gonna send it. :3 I just didn't want you to lose faith in me, either. But at least Donny and Hannah liked what they got. :3 Donny got his sticker, right? I was gonna stay with the sweet bracelets, but I guess president hadn’t been very happy with some other elders that had been using 'em, and he had instructed the assistants to start confiscating them if they saw them... so, I saved them by letting them know that I wasn't using them and that I was going to send them home. :) What? I like socks! "You can never have too many socks." ;) yeah, I stole those artifacts (the shells) from the Guancha. Those are for you guys. They’re still in there, right?
So, Elder de Leon has been out about a year and a half and he's still great. I just love his sense of humor. :) And he's been very valuable, especially recently with some uprisings in the district about the foundation *gulp* naw, it's not that bad. There were just some members in the district that don't understand about the doctrine behind the foundation... so after a talk with the zone leaders, threes gonna be a tradeoff so that they can minister unto them the doctrine. So we'll see how that goes... heh... yeah. Just some fun stuff about misunderstandings. That’s all. But he's also been helping me out teaching some of the new stuff that they are starting to implement in the MTC and in the missions. All the doctrine that we want to start implementing in our teaching to make us more powerful teach
And I'm trying to remember where president served his mission but neither I, nor elder De Leon can remember at the moment... darn it... :-/ but I know at the very least it was in the states. :)
So, changes and upcoming activities: I haven't heard anything NEW as of yet... but if I understand correctly; I should be busting a move out of Adjuntas next P-Day... AH! Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, just kidding. I've been told by Elder Varner that the idea is that we are going... well, Elder Snow, Elder Hicken, Elder Shmutz and I will be going, to Trujillo Alto, to be working with four Dominicans up there. We’re going to be splitting up? I guess. And Elder Barr and Elder Varner will be staying as Zone Leader and Assistant, respectively, until the transfer ends and then the last two weeks they will be joining us... but I don't know what will be happening after they join us... I THINK there will be a change of plans, but I don't know what. Soooooo.... I'm not sure HOW certain the islands plan is at the moment... I guess it was a cool thought, but unless we get to bust a move out there the last two weeks, I think it might not happen. *sigh* oh wells... I guess I'll just have to hit them up when I come back to Puerto Rico. ;)
Aw man... Brother keys only works in employee safety? Aw man... dang it. Ha. Ha, well... he might know SOMETHING about it, right? At the very least, if he plugs something into the magic wall, it comes ALIVE? ;)
Ha, ha, ha, when I read about Donny’s deck I laughed. But, at least it's a board, right? speaking of skating... heh, heh, a few weeks ago, Elder Black and I had been at an investigators house and after passing by numerous times, we were finally able to make a connection with the kids. So, in order to let Elder Black practice some more Spanish, I decided to fellowship the kids a little bit. After talking for a few minutes, turns out, the two sons really, really like to skate. Well, he ran up and grabbed some boards and brought them back down. And then made me choose one. So, I've learned how to skate. Kind of. :D I actually like it quite a bit though. Really fun.
Kind of a downer that Ella's mom doesn't want her to come up this year... but at the very least she finally replied. :P goodness. You know what we should just do? Let’s just kidnap her. Let’s just go on a trip to Brazil, and oh so conveniently stop by her house when her mom isn't there and just take her. That should be fine, right? We just have to tell her to pack her bags for some mysterious reason beforehand ya! It’s so easy a caveman could do it.
So... a Costco cake for my return, eh? You know... I had been writing to Tahnee about that... and she had actually asked me if I had wanted her to make me a cake for my return as well... but I don't know if she had wanted to make a big one for my glorious return party, or if she was just going to make me a personal cake... I'll have to ask about that... especially because I haven't been able to write anybody letters for the last little while... :-/ however, you know I like chocolate cake. :3 and that with chocolate frosting. But that’s just me.
***
Hey, sorry I haven't been able to get this sent sooner... as I was typing the power went out... :-/ total downer. But, at the very least I had all of it saved, so I just had to finish a sentence when I got back. Bonus. :)
But yes... I guess I can just leave it at that... ironically I didn't even really need that much more to write... I just needed to SEND the darn thing... but whatever, I guess. I got to send it, and I got an email from Elder Patrick! (CCM comp) woot! So I got to reply to that just now too! :D
But, I love you more than Elder De Leon loves food. ;) (Don’t tell him I said that)
~Elder Bryan (Brandon)
ah, and included foto:
1) left to right: Me, Elder Jensen, and Elder Hargadon. Elder Black took the picture because he didn't have any skinny jeans to join us... :-/ first time I saw it it looked like an add for skinny jeans! :) oh yeah. so there it is.
Oh yeah. I told you I was gonna send it. :3 I just didn't want you to lose faith in me, either. But at least Donny and Hannah liked what they got. :3 Donny got his sticker, right? I was gonna stay with the sweet bracelets, but I guess president hadn’t been very happy with some other elders that had been using 'em, and he had instructed the assistants to start confiscating them if they saw them... so, I saved them by letting them know that I wasn't using them and that I was going to send them home. :) What? I like socks! "You can never have too many socks." ;) yeah, I stole those artifacts (the shells) from the Guancha. Those are for you guys. They’re still in there, right?
So, Elder de Leon has been out about a year and a half and he's still great. I just love his sense of humor. :) And he's been very valuable, especially recently with some uprisings in the district about the foundation *gulp* naw, it's not that bad. There were just some members in the district that don't understand about the doctrine behind the foundation... so after a talk with the zone leaders, threes gonna be a tradeoff so that they can minister unto them the doctrine. So we'll see how that goes... heh... yeah. Just some fun stuff about misunderstandings. That’s all. But he's also been helping me out teaching some of the new stuff that they are starting to implement in the MTC and in the missions. All the doctrine that we want to start implementing in our teaching to make us more powerful teach
And I'm trying to remember where president served his mission but neither I, nor elder De Leon can remember at the moment... darn it... :-/ but I know at the very least it was in the states. :)
So, changes and upcoming activities: I haven't heard anything NEW as of yet... but if I understand correctly; I should be busting a move out of Adjuntas next P-Day... AH! Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, just kidding. I've been told by Elder Varner that the idea is that we are going... well, Elder Snow, Elder Hicken, Elder Shmutz and I will be going, to Trujillo Alto, to be working with four Dominicans up there. We’re going to be splitting up? I guess. And Elder Barr and Elder Varner will be staying as Zone Leader and Assistant, respectively, until the transfer ends and then the last two weeks they will be joining us... but I don't know what will be happening after they join us... I THINK there will be a change of plans, but I don't know what. Soooooo.... I'm not sure HOW certain the islands plan is at the moment... I guess it was a cool thought, but unless we get to bust a move out there the last two weeks, I think it might not happen. *sigh* oh wells... I guess I'll just have to hit them up when I come back to Puerto Rico. ;)
Aw man... Brother keys only works in employee safety? Aw man... dang it. Ha. Ha, well... he might know SOMETHING about it, right? At the very least, if he plugs something into the magic wall, it comes ALIVE? ;)
Ha, ha, ha, when I read about Donny’s deck I laughed. But, at least it's a board, right? speaking of skating... heh, heh, a few weeks ago, Elder Black and I had been at an investigators house and after passing by numerous times, we were finally able to make a connection with the kids. So, in order to let Elder Black practice some more Spanish, I decided to fellowship the kids a little bit. After talking for a few minutes, turns out, the two sons really, really like to skate. Well, he ran up and grabbed some boards and brought them back down. And then made me choose one. So, I've learned how to skate. Kind of. :D I actually like it quite a bit though. Really fun.
Kind of a downer that Ella's mom doesn't want her to come up this year... but at the very least she finally replied. :P goodness. You know what we should just do? Let’s just kidnap her. Let’s just go on a trip to Brazil, and oh so conveniently stop by her house when her mom isn't there and just take her. That should be fine, right? We just have to tell her to pack her bags for some mysterious reason beforehand ya! It’s so easy a caveman could do it.
So... a Costco cake for my return, eh? You know... I had been writing to Tahnee about that... and she had actually asked me if I had wanted her to make me a cake for my return as well... but I don't know if she had wanted to make a big one for my glorious return party, or if she was just going to make me a personal cake... I'll have to ask about that... especially because I haven't been able to write anybody letters for the last little while... :-/ however, you know I like chocolate cake. :3 and that with chocolate frosting. But that’s just me.
***
Hey, sorry I haven't been able to get this sent sooner... as I was typing the power went out... :-/ total downer. But, at the very least I had all of it saved, so I just had to finish a sentence when I got back. Bonus. :)
But yes... I guess I can just leave it at that... ironically I didn't even really need that much more to write... I just needed to SEND the darn thing... but whatever, I guess. I got to send it, and I got an email from Elder Patrick! (CCM comp) woot! So I got to reply to that just now too! :D
But, I love you more than Elder De Leon loves food. ;) (Don’t tell him I said that)
~Elder Bryan (Brandon)
ah, and included foto:
1) left to right: Me, Elder Jensen, and Elder Hargadon. Elder Black took the picture because he didn't have any skinny jeans to join us... :-/ first time I saw it it looked like an add for skinny jeans! :) oh yeah. so there it is.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Re: difficulties?
Wed, Jun 01, 2011
Ok. so, to start with your questions. :)
Oh ha ha ha. no. :P it was just some settings that I had been playing around with so I had some difficulties finding my email and everything. nothing serious, but it's all solved now. I just finished working it all out.
However, NO, I didn't have any difficulties finding the post office. so your package should be there between two to three days. :) Oh yeah. That’s right. It’s done! :D
For puffy: no, not that I have noticed. I haven’t felt bloated or puffy at all... heh, in fact, I feel a little LESS than puffy, if that means anything. XD
So, info about Adjuntas. We're actually covering Adjuntas, Utuado, AND Jayuya. Adjuntas has a Branch of about 45 attendees on average, and Utuado is a much smaller Branch of only 26-30... and we only go to there every Saturday except for the second, when instead we go Sunday. Jayuya members USED to have a branch, but it got so small that everyone there was just moved to go to Adjuntas. However, there are quite a few Return missionaries here. As a matter of fact, I might have to say that it's the place with the MOST that I'VE been to at least. the Branch president and his wife are both RMs, the stake president who lives in this area is an RM, the ward mission leaders son (EQ Pres) is also one... and then I believe there is one other one... I can't remember at the moment... but yeah. I'll try to get that back. but there is a TON of willing members to help us, from what I've seen. When sister Commeletti left she told us that the Branch was pretty ready for Elders because of all the opportunities that it presents. Which is quite true. There’s many, many less active men here that we can now work with without a hindrance. Perfect, cause that’s what builds the church. Priesthood and families. :3
Oh yeah. Elder De Leon the guatemateco is GREAT! He’s quite the jovial fellow, I would say. for some reason he makes me think a little bit of dad. :) however... his English isn't the greatest... lol, but we read out of the white handbook morning in English, and just that is enough to help him... however, I want to start maybe getting a plan together to help him get started working on it more. (President Alvarado learned all of his English on his mission btw. :) )
So, quick intermission: I just emailed Cameron to let him know that he could borrow my small practice amp (the squire one), so if he stops by asking for it, you know why. :) However, the connections on the inside have to be rearranged. :) I modded it so that it would be a speaker cab instead of an amp, so I don't know if dad or somebody would be able to help with that? I dunno. Brother Keys probably knows too. After all, he DOES work with electricity. ;) so yeah. That’s that.
Ok, so back to your questions. I DO still continue as district leader, however, from the things that I've been told from Elder Varner and Elder Black, it's only going to be for these two more weeks... I'm not exactly sure why president told Elder Black and not me... disorganization maybe? However, I'm also secretly training Elder De Leon to be the next district leader as well, so I'm giving him fun assignments to do in district meeting. :3 in regards to the length of the special project... I have no idea... I DO want to give Elder Varner a call to get things a more definite response as to what’s going on, so I might get more information about that next week.
Our new address is a actually a post office box... probably to cut out mail problems... it's
P.O. box 33
Adjuntas, PR 00_ _ _ algo...
I can't really remember the postal code... eh... poop. Nope, it's not coming. (We know what it is: 00601) Buuuut, I think it' might just be better to wait on that, seeing as I'm going to be moving in two weeks again anyways... so really, things could just get sent to the mission office for now, until I get the more permanent address alla en Bayamon where we’re going to be doing the project (but I talked with Elder Varner the first time, and there have been some Elders from the big group that have gone out to the islands for proselytizing... heh, so I might get to go out there! :D FREAKin' sweet. but we're staying in the bottom floor of a members house. we have a room, a study room, a storage room, a living room, a kitchen AND TWO BATHROOMS! Woo! It’s really is quite a nice place. Partly, because there used to be sisters here, and the other part because it's a members house instead of an apartment. :)
One more intermission: just got an email back from Cameron. Turns out he already knew about the prob and just went to buy one on eBay to make it easier. ;) All done.
YAY, Robin’s new kitty is so cute! :3
Other than that, no word on my travel plans... I'm gonna have to ask Elder Varner about that too... *on list*
But yes, I'm gonna have to bust a move so that I can finally write president. :)
I love you more than I love those absolutely wonderful coquís outside of our house. and that EVH surf board. (awesome!)
~Brandon (Elder Bryan)
(A coqui is a tiny tree frog that lives only in Puerto Rico & EVH = Eddie Van Halen)
Ok. so, to start with your questions. :)
Oh ha ha ha. no. :P it was just some settings that I had been playing around with so I had some difficulties finding my email and everything. nothing serious, but it's all solved now. I just finished working it all out.
However, NO, I didn't have any difficulties finding the post office. so your package should be there between two to three days. :) Oh yeah. That’s right. It’s done! :D
For puffy: no, not that I have noticed. I haven’t felt bloated or puffy at all... heh, in fact, I feel a little LESS than puffy, if that means anything. XD
So, info about Adjuntas. We're actually covering Adjuntas, Utuado, AND Jayuya. Adjuntas has a Branch of about 45 attendees on average, and Utuado is a much smaller Branch of only 26-30... and we only go to there every Saturday except for the second, when instead we go Sunday. Jayuya members USED to have a branch, but it got so small that everyone there was just moved to go to Adjuntas. However, there are quite a few Return missionaries here. As a matter of fact, I might have to say that it's the place with the MOST that I'VE been to at least. the Branch president and his wife are both RMs, the stake president who lives in this area is an RM, the ward mission leaders son (EQ Pres) is also one... and then I believe there is one other one... I can't remember at the moment... but yeah. I'll try to get that back. but there is a TON of willing members to help us, from what I've seen. When sister Commeletti left she told us that the Branch was pretty ready for Elders because of all the opportunities that it presents. Which is quite true. There’s many, many less active men here that we can now work with without a hindrance. Perfect, cause that’s what builds the church. Priesthood and families. :3
Oh yeah. Elder De Leon the guatemateco is GREAT! He’s quite the jovial fellow, I would say. for some reason he makes me think a little bit of dad. :) however... his English isn't the greatest... lol, but we read out of the white handbook morning in English, and just that is enough to help him... however, I want to start maybe getting a plan together to help him get started working on it more. (President Alvarado learned all of his English on his mission btw. :) )
So, quick intermission: I just emailed Cameron to let him know that he could borrow my small practice amp (the squire one), so if he stops by asking for it, you know why. :) However, the connections on the inside have to be rearranged. :) I modded it so that it would be a speaker cab instead of an amp, so I don't know if dad or somebody would be able to help with that? I dunno. Brother Keys probably knows too. After all, he DOES work with electricity. ;) so yeah. That’s that.
Ok, so back to your questions. I DO still continue as district leader, however, from the things that I've been told from Elder Varner and Elder Black, it's only going to be for these two more weeks... I'm not exactly sure why president told Elder Black and not me... disorganization maybe? However, I'm also secretly training Elder De Leon to be the next district leader as well, so I'm giving him fun assignments to do in district meeting. :3 in regards to the length of the special project... I have no idea... I DO want to give Elder Varner a call to get things a more definite response as to what’s going on, so I might get more information about that next week.
Our new address is a actually a post office box... probably to cut out mail problems... it's
P.O. box 33
Adjuntas, PR 00_ _ _ algo...
I can't really remember the postal code... eh... poop. Nope, it's not coming. (We know what it is: 00601) Buuuut, I think it' might just be better to wait on that, seeing as I'm going to be moving in two weeks again anyways... so really, things could just get sent to the mission office for now, until I get the more permanent address alla en Bayamon where we’re going to be doing the project (but I talked with Elder Varner the first time, and there have been some Elders from the big group that have gone out to the islands for proselytizing... heh, so I might get to go out there! :D FREAKin' sweet. but we're staying in the bottom floor of a members house. we have a room, a study room, a storage room, a living room, a kitchen AND TWO BATHROOMS! Woo! It’s really is quite a nice place. Partly, because there used to be sisters here, and the other part because it's a members house instead of an apartment. :)
One more intermission: just got an email back from Cameron. Turns out he already knew about the prob and just went to buy one on eBay to make it easier. ;) All done.
YAY, Robin’s new kitty is so cute! :3
Other than that, no word on my travel plans... I'm gonna have to ask Elder Varner about that too... *on list*
But yes, I'm gonna have to bust a move so that I can finally write president. :)
I love you more than I love those absolutely wonderful coquís outside of our house. and that EVH surf board. (awesome!)
~Brandon (Elder Bryan)
(A coqui is a tiny tree frog that lives only in Puerto Rico & EVH = Eddie Van Halen)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Re: Hmmmm, mail box is still empty
Wed, May 25, 2011
Hey oh! So... I'm sorry I'm getting email out so late today... transfers are RIDICULOUS NOW! Gosh! Now that I'm district leader I can see firsthand how really little people know in the line of communication. Goodness me. I receive a phone call on Monday night saying "alright. You, Elder De Leon and Elder Moody all are going to pack your bags." wait... that’s it? "Yup. That’s all we can tell you." wait... do you KNOW where I'm going? "... no." so I didn't find out until this MORNING what the dealio was with everything, and even then I was stuck at the chapel waiting for things to get worked out... and I got there at nine thirty. >:( lame-o!
So, for things. I am no longer in Ponce 2A! :'( Sad day. I've been moved! And I'm going to be white washing again! :-O goodness. I'm going to Adjuntas, where the weather is always rainy, and the temperature doesn’t get much hotter than 65 degrees. Bonus! But a downer, too... my TANS gonna go away! :'( But we'll see. I think I overheard something from Elder Black... from some secret call from President, that I'm gonna be leaving three weeks into the transfer because of my special project with my group... but we'll have to see. Things always change anyways. :-/ but Yes. Elder DE LEON is my comp. that’s right, the gordito Guatemalan. Sweet. It’s gonna be nice to just get to speak Spanish all the time. Cool beans. :3
sorry I don't think I'm going to be able to get too much written this week, I was having difficulties with my email, and I think I 'm going to have to change a few things. Just me being stupid with the settings and all. Not too much to worry about... however, that also means that I've really killed my time. Especially with us not having very much in the first place, darn it. But that’s ok. I'm a genius. That’s all.
So, the psychologist. Ha, ha, ha, very funny. I'm not crazy. :P no, no, he was just calling me to give me some sleep therapy to see if that would help. Well, it definitely helped me sleep more relaxed... but it hasn't taken the pain away. What do you mean by "have I felt puffy?" like in the kidney or the back? In that sense I don't THINK I have, but then again, I haven't REALLY checked.
So I've been told that Elder Stout has arrived! if I'm correct, I've heard that he's with Elder Vicil, maybe over in Cabo Rojo... but I don't know for certain, so don't quote me on that.
I have the box all packed up and in the car, but because of this fun little excursion with transfers I don't think I'm going to be able to send it TODAY, but maybe tomorrow. Adjuntas is pretty small, so I might be able to squeeze over to the post office while we're out contacting.
Dang it.... I'm sorry this wasn't very long.
However, I love you more than things are disorganized around here. :)
~Brandon (Elder Bryan)
Hey oh! So... I'm sorry I'm getting email out so late today... transfers are RIDICULOUS NOW! Gosh! Now that I'm district leader I can see firsthand how really little people know in the line of communication. Goodness me. I receive a phone call on Monday night saying "alright. You, Elder De Leon and Elder Moody all are going to pack your bags." wait... that’s it? "Yup. That’s all we can tell you." wait... do you KNOW where I'm going? "... no." so I didn't find out until this MORNING what the dealio was with everything, and even then I was stuck at the chapel waiting for things to get worked out... and I got there at nine thirty. >:( lame-o!
So, for things. I am no longer in Ponce 2A! :'( Sad day. I've been moved! And I'm going to be white washing again! :-O goodness. I'm going to Adjuntas, where the weather is always rainy, and the temperature doesn’t get much hotter than 65 degrees. Bonus! But a downer, too... my TANS gonna go away! :'( But we'll see. I think I overheard something from Elder Black... from some secret call from President, that I'm gonna be leaving three weeks into the transfer because of my special project with my group... but we'll have to see. Things always change anyways. :-/ but Yes. Elder DE LEON is my comp. that’s right, the gordito Guatemalan. Sweet. It’s gonna be nice to just get to speak Spanish all the time. Cool beans. :3
sorry I don't think I'm going to be able to get too much written this week, I was having difficulties with my email, and I think I 'm going to have to change a few things. Just me being stupid with the settings and all. Not too much to worry about... however, that also means that I've really killed my time. Especially with us not having very much in the first place, darn it. But that’s ok. I'm a genius. That’s all.
So, the psychologist. Ha, ha, ha, very funny. I'm not crazy. :P no, no, he was just calling me to give me some sleep therapy to see if that would help. Well, it definitely helped me sleep more relaxed... but it hasn't taken the pain away. What do you mean by "have I felt puffy?" like in the kidney or the back? In that sense I don't THINK I have, but then again, I haven't REALLY checked.
So I've been told that Elder Stout has arrived! if I'm correct, I've heard that he's with Elder Vicil, maybe over in Cabo Rojo... but I don't know for certain, so don't quote me on that.
I have the box all packed up and in the car, but because of this fun little excursion with transfers I don't think I'm going to be able to send it TODAY, but maybe tomorrow. Adjuntas is pretty small, so I might be able to squeeze over to the post office while we're out contacting.
Dang it.... I'm sorry this wasn't very long.
However, I love you more than things are disorganized around here. :)
~Brandon (Elder Bryan)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Re: any more news?????
Wed, May 18, 2011
Alright... so, first things first. I just got done with an email to d-man. AH! No, no, no... bigger things first, first, first. Alrighty. I've got my package all ready. I haven't been able to get those stickers yet, but I think I might be able to get it before the end of the day. I have to go clean up some more on the Yauco apartment today... so we're going on a trip. I'm gonna just be sending it off from Yauco so I don't have to deal with grumpy postal workers in Ponce :) you know what I mean. but, I've got some presents for Hannah and Donny that I've owed them since their birthday... and I'm gonna slide the card in the children’s hymns CD case. Protection and space saver. :)
After talking with the doctors there last week... Elder Mcdermid, the Caribbean area psychologist, and Elder Kilgore, the area caribe doctor, both of them are still stumped... but they are going to council together to figure out what’s gonna be goin down. I've been getting some phone calls/phone counsels from Elder Mcdermid to at the very least help me with some sleep exercises that might help me sleep better, but that’s not till Friday, so we'll see. However, I've also pulled or strained a muscle or SOMETHING in my back doing some exercise... *sigh* so now all that tension is back in my shoulders and neck. I talked to Elder Kilgore about that and he said just with some Ibuprofen and cold that should go away soon... but it hasn't yet... so I'm gonna have to call him again to figure out what to do. Blarg! I've got cancer all over now!
YES! That’s good news. Bryan hadn't told me ANYTHING about Pax when he emailed me back, lol, that bum. So. PAX! OH YEAH!
Well... I do have to say that I've gotten more comfortable in this last little while with being a district leader. So far so good: with the minions. They follow my every command. *evil smile* unLIMITED POWA! *Emperor Palpetine* no, but really. It is a bit harder when all the attention is on you and you're the one running things by yourself... but... I guess that’s something that I need to learn how to do... woot.
So yeah... things are getting tight again. Most of the investigators that we've had this last little while have dropped off the radar. We had received a referral from a member that lives right in front of the chapel, and we've been sharing with her these past few weeks. we found out that she had been reading the book of Mormon for a while and had given three copies to her family members (!) but, after teaching her the first three lessons... she hasn't been able to do any more lessons after that... and that was LAST week... we've been really trying to get her to pray about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, but she just hasn't done it... she thinks and FEELS that’s it's true, but no one can know of spiritual truths without prayer. So unless she prays, she CAN'T receive a testimony... so I think that’s might be why she's been kind of distant... we've extended the baptismal invitation, but since then that’s when it got rocky. :-/ so yeah. difícil. So yeah.... that’s essentially the extent of our investigators right now, but I've been really trying to keep my eye out for other missionary experiences other than just teaching investigators you know? I wanna round out what I find. Nice people, miracles, cool stuffs... you know. If, that makes sense?
So, question for my account: is there always a fee for normal people? Was I just getting a free account because I was younger than 21? And after 24 is there a way to keep that free account?
Have you heard anything new from Ella about her coming up?
Well, have to bust a move... going to clean the Yauco apartment!
I love you!
Brandon (Elder Bryan)
Alright... so, first things first. I just got done with an email to d-man. AH! No, no, no... bigger things first, first, first. Alrighty. I've got my package all ready. I haven't been able to get those stickers yet, but I think I might be able to get it before the end of the day. I have to go clean up some more on the Yauco apartment today... so we're going on a trip. I'm gonna just be sending it off from Yauco so I don't have to deal with grumpy postal workers in Ponce :) you know what I mean. but, I've got some presents for Hannah and Donny that I've owed them since their birthday... and I'm gonna slide the card in the children’s hymns CD case. Protection and space saver. :)
After talking with the doctors there last week... Elder Mcdermid, the Caribbean area psychologist, and Elder Kilgore, the area caribe doctor, both of them are still stumped... but they are going to council together to figure out what’s gonna be goin down. I've been getting some phone calls/phone counsels from Elder Mcdermid to at the very least help me with some sleep exercises that might help me sleep better, but that’s not till Friday, so we'll see. However, I've also pulled or strained a muscle or SOMETHING in my back doing some exercise... *sigh* so now all that tension is back in my shoulders and neck. I talked to Elder Kilgore about that and he said just with some Ibuprofen and cold that should go away soon... but it hasn't yet... so I'm gonna have to call him again to figure out what to do. Blarg! I've got cancer all over now!
YES! That’s good news. Bryan hadn't told me ANYTHING about Pax when he emailed me back, lol, that bum. So. PAX! OH YEAH!
Well... I do have to say that I've gotten more comfortable in this last little while with being a district leader. So far so good: with the minions. They follow my every command. *evil smile* unLIMITED POWA! *Emperor Palpetine* no, but really. It is a bit harder when all the attention is on you and you're the one running things by yourself... but... I guess that’s something that I need to learn how to do... woot.
So yeah... things are getting tight again. Most of the investigators that we've had this last little while have dropped off the radar. We had received a referral from a member that lives right in front of the chapel, and we've been sharing with her these past few weeks. we found out that she had been reading the book of Mormon for a while and had given three copies to her family members (!) but, after teaching her the first three lessons... she hasn't been able to do any more lessons after that... and that was LAST week... we've been really trying to get her to pray about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, but she just hasn't done it... she thinks and FEELS that’s it's true, but no one can know of spiritual truths without prayer. So unless she prays, she CAN'T receive a testimony... so I think that’s might be why she's been kind of distant... we've extended the baptismal invitation, but since then that’s when it got rocky. :-/ so yeah. difícil. So yeah.... that’s essentially the extent of our investigators right now, but I've been really trying to keep my eye out for other missionary experiences other than just teaching investigators you know? I wanna round out what I find. Nice people, miracles, cool stuffs... you know. If, that makes sense?
So, question for my account: is there always a fee for normal people? Was I just getting a free account because I was younger than 21? And after 24 is there a way to keep that free account?
Have you heard anything new from Ella about her coming up?
Well, have to bust a move... going to clean the Yauco apartment!
I love you!
Brandon (Elder Bryan)
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Why I won't be seeing the Book of Mormon musical
Head of Public Affairs,
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
5/14/11
Reviews of "The Book of Mormon" musical have been all over the entertainment media in the past few weeks. According to the reviews, the play sketches the journey of two Mormon missionaries from their sheltered life in Salt Lake City to Uganda, where their training and life experience proves wholly inadequate to the realities of a continent plagued by poverty, AIDS, genital mutilation and other horrors. While extolling the musical for its originality, most reviewers also make reference to the play's over-the-top blasphemous and offensive language.
Dealing with parody and satire is always a tricky thing for churches. We can easily appear thin-skinned or defensive, and churches sometimes are. A few members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have seen this musical and blogged about it seem to have gone out of their way to show how they can take it. That's their choice. There's always room for different perspectives, and we can all decide what to do with our free time.
But I'm not buying what I'm reading in the reviews. Specifically, I'm not willing to spend $200 for a ticket to be sold the idea that religion moves along oblivious to real-world problems in a kind of blissful naivete.
Somewhere I read that the show's creators spent seven years writing and producing "The Book of Mormon" musical. As I reflected on all that time spent parodying this particular target, I also wondered what was really going on with Mormons in Africa during those same seven years. So I checked.
•The World Health Organization estimates that 884 million people worldwide don’t have access to clean water. This is a huge problem in Africa, not only because of water-borne diseases but because kids who spend hours each day walking to and from the nearest well to fill old gasoline cans with water cannot attend school. According to church records, in the past seven years, more than four million Africans in 17 countries have gained access to clean drinking water through Mormon humanitarian efforts to sink or rehabilitate boreholes.
•More than 34,000 physically handicapped African kids now have wheelchairs through the same Mormon-sponsored humanitarian program. To see a legless child whose knuckles have become calloused through walking on his hands lifted into a wheelchair may be the best way to fully understand the liberation this brings.
•Millions of children, meanwhile, have now been vaccinated against killer diseases like measles as the church has sponsored or assisted with projects in 22 African countries.
•More than 126,000 Africans have had their sight restored or improved through Mormon partnership with African eye care professionals in providing training, equipment and supplies.
•Another 52,000 Africans have been trained to help newborns who otherwise would never take a first breath. Training in neonatal resuscitation has also been a big project for Mormons in Africa.
•Then, of course, there is the tragedy of AIDS. A couple of weeks ago I attended a dinner where the Utah AIDS Foundation honored James O. Mason, former United States Assistant Secretary of Health. When he was working for the Center for Disease Control in 1984, a project to research the epidemiology and treatment of AIDS was established at the Hospital Mama Yempo in Kinshasha, Zaire. After visiting the hospital and examining the children and adults with AIDS, Mason described the death rate and the associated infections from AIDS as "horrific." Mason, a Mormon, knows quite a bit about AIDS and a great deal about Africa.
•None of this includes responses to multiple disasters, like the flooding in Niger, where the Church provided clothing, quits and hygiene items to 20,000 people in six inundated regions of the country.
Of course, parody isn’t reality, and it's the very distortion that makes it appealing and often funny. The danger is not when people laugh but when they take it seriously – if they leave a theater believing that Mormons really do live in some kind of a surreal world of self-deception and illusion.
A couple of weeks ago a review about the musical appeared at the New York Times from a Jewish writer who simply listed himself as Levi. "As someone of Jewish faith," he began, “I take personal offense at this show….I cannot believe that New York, MY New York, where I was born and raised, would ever do such a thing. Shame on you, New York Times, shame on Broadway, and shame on all of us who stand idly by and do nothing while the faith of others is mocked. Religious and cultural Jews need not support such bigotry."
Levi's point was echoed by some reviewers, but by surprisingly few. So why hasn't there been a huge outcry from Mormons?
In my opinion, three reasons. The first is that in the great scheme of things, what Broadway does with "The Book of Mormon" musical is irrelevant to most of us. In the great sweep of history, parodies and TV dramas are blips on the radar screen that come and go. Popular culture will be whatever it will be.
The second reason is related. Jesus's apostle Paul put it rather well when he said that Christians seek out the positive and virtuous things in life. His New Testament phraseology was adapted in the early years of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this formal Article of Faith:
'We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men…If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
Finally, if we Mormons really do follow Jesus Christ in our lives and look to him as an example, then it’s hard for us to ignore the injunction to turn the other cheek. There were times, to be sure, when Jesus roundly criticized others, but it was almost always for hardened hypocrisy. He dismissed the criticism he received personally and told his followers: "Do good to them who despitefully use you and persecute you."
It takes strength of character to do this, but it's the Christian mandate. Sure, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pushes back when the record needs correcting or when legal rights need defending, but the world of popular entertainment is more likely to be met with a collective shrug than by placard-waving Mormon protesters.
Meanwhile, what of those thousands of remarkable and selfless Mormon missionaries who opted to pay their own expenses during the past seven years to serve in Africa while their peers were focused on careers or getting on with life? They have returned home, bringing with them a connection with the African people that will last a lifetime. Many will keep up their Swahili language or their Igbo dialect. They will keep in their bedrooms the flags of the nations where they served. They will look up every time they hear Africa mentioned on the evening news. Their associations with the people whose lives they touched will become lifetime friendships. And in a hundred ways they will become unofficial ambassadors for the nations they served.
Otterson, Michael. "Why I Won’t Be Seeing the Book of Mormon Musical - On Faith - The Washington Post." The Washington Post: National, World; D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company, 14 May 2011. Web. 30 May 2011.
Friday, May 13, 2011
New Puerto Rico Family History Center Opens
Salt Lake City | 2011-05-13 |
The newest family history center has opened in Puerto Rico, and local television station WAPA-TV provided viewers with a tour of the new facility in a recent news story. The center is located in the law school of the Interamericana University and opens to the public on Saturday, 14 May. Click here for more ...
The newest family history center has opened in Puerto Rico, and local television station WAPA-TV provided viewers with a tour of the new facility in a recent news story. The center is located in the law school of the Interamericana University and opens to the public on Saturday, 14 May. Click here for more ...
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