April 2nd-9th, 2012

Hey Fam,

Thanks for the e-mails and yes, mom I got the package of candy, thanks so much! Needless to say it didn't last 24 hrs. I was undergoing some heavy detox from the unlimited food at the MTC to no junk food at all. My companion was like, "wow I thought your easter candy would last until easter!" Obviously he's still trying to get to know me haha. I hope you get some good info from the MRI dad, hopefully we can find a lasting solution for the pain. I'm glad grandpa got at least a little bit of relief as well. Also yeah dad my mission president here played basketball at BYU and he is very tall. He played in Europe for a little bit as well.

In answer to your questions I am using an old beat up bike, so I didn't have to buy one. It gets me where I need to go though. And yes I am living out of my suitcase.Yes, it is kind of hot here, it's Texas, but it's good prep for Mex. It's been bearable though. But yeah, the tornadoes were a little bit riveting. It touched down about two streets over from us. I had never seen a tornado before so that was a cool experience. There were a few scary moments but the Lord took care of us. All the missionaries were ok. It was hailing like golf balls and we couldn't go outside. But when the tornado was at it's closest, all the rain and hail stopped and it went completely quiet except for the tornado. That was really an eerie feeling. We were with the ward mission leader hiding under the canopy of a gas station, cause he's really pudgy and we were waiting on a pizza for lunch hahaha! But yeah people act really crazy when they're in danger, it was interesting to see. All the people of Dallas were going crazy, just scared out of their minds. So yeah now I can say I have experienced a tornado! Check that off the mission to-do list haha.

But the more important news is that we got 3 investigators to come to church yesterday! It was awesome. It's been so cool to see, since my companion and I are struggling with the spanish part, the Lord puts people in our path to teach that speak both. There's tons of hispanics here that don't speak any english, but the Lord gives us the ones that can help us when we don't understand them. It's really been quite a miracle. We are teaching this really solid kid named christian, he has such an open heart and he's willing to allow the spirit to work on him. He has so many questions, it's awesome to see. He came to church yesterday and loved it. Another thing I've learned since being here is that hispanics are so much more nice than white people. White people hardly ever let us in, but hispanics almost always let us in just cause they're nice.

Well there is a ton more that has happened but we have to leave for a training in a few minutes. It sounds like everything is well with ya'll (texas term that I can now proudly say) and I hope everyone has a good week and stays safe and happy! I love you all and think about you oft!

Love, Elder Broadhead

March 25th - April 2nd, 2012

Hey guys!!

So yeah sorry I wasn't able to e-mail last week I was on the plane! Well this first week has been pretty hectic. I guess first off I should say what a conference right?? I think the Lord left me in the states so I could hear that in english. loved it. Also Mom, before I forget, I wanted to ask you on what date did we submit my visa papers? and also did we submit everything that they asked for? was the visa picture ok? Maybe you could call the conselate and see if they have my papers or ask what is going on? I'm just really kind of stressing out about this dang visa situation. I just am anxious to get to my mission in Mexico.

 

 

But on that note, texas is pretty great. I'm not gonna lie, it's a lot harder than I expected it would be haha. I thought we would be teaching a few more lessons and knocking doors a little less, but it is the other way around haha. So my companion/"trainer" is a fellow visa waiter and he has only been here for six weeks aaaah! Also his spanish isn't very good but he tries really hard. Actually my spanish is a little bit farther along than his so I am doing most of the teaching and contacting. It's been tough cause I can only understand about 50% of what people say haha. Also we are on bikes so I'm trying to make that adjustment as well. My bum is sooo sore. Since we're both so new we're struggling a little bit but we definitely try our best.

We live in an apt. with another companionship. Obviously the apt is only meant for two people so it's a little cramped. I sleep on a mattress on the floor. Oh yeah my area is called Casa Linda, it's in the city of Garland. It's pretty sweet here and all the hispanic people are mostly from Mexico and they're really nice. I haven't really met a lot of the ward yet cause we haven't had church but they seem great. We're teaching la familia Calixto and I really think that they will be baptized. They're so awesome. They have 2 little kids as well. The only problem is that he has to work a lot on sundays so getting to church is tough. Quick funny story, yesterday we got an invitation from this older hispanic lady in our ward for her "birthday party with water games" haha it was hillarious. She invited all of the missionaries that are in the spanish ward (8) but obviously we can't go. So last night we were tracting in her neighborhood and she drove by and was talking to us for a bit, and apparently, unbeknownst to me, we accidentally confirmed that we were going to go to her party haha. So now we have to make that akward phone call haha.

Other than that everything is going great I'm trying to learn the area and learn how to be an effective missionary. It's easier said than done, I'm glad I have the lord on my side. It sounds like things are going well at home. I hope our grandparents get feeling better. I love you guys and pray for you everyday, remember what's important in life then do what you have to do. Doing what the Lord asks should trump just about anything. Keep up the good work!

 

 

-Love Elder Broadhead

p.s. my address is 4640 Saturn Road Apt # 1605 Garland, Texas 75041

but since I could be leaving anyday I don't know if I would send anything. E-mail works fine.

Texas!

Elder Broadhead has been temporarily reassigned to Dallas, Texas until his visa comes through and he can continue to Veracruz. The people of Dallas will love him. Safe travels Brother. We love you.

March 12-19th, 2012

Hey guys!

Well first off I guess I should tell you that I'm still here at the MTC. Visas haven't come yet. But I'm thinking they will be here anyday! If they don't come today, the travel office is going to submit our names back to the missionary department and they will give us temporary reassignments which we should find out on Thursday. They will try and keep us somewhere around a Mexican consulate because we have to meet with them before they'll give us our visas. Consulates are in SLC, NV, CA, and then some in the east. I'm going to hold out for our visas until Thursday though. It's been kinda stressful.

Pops I think you should lay off the renovating and try and give your back some rest. It sounds like it is pretty bad. Of course I'm always praying for you guys. What are your other options to help it? maybe surgery? Maybe a new mattress like gpa? I hope that ends up helping him as well.

Ash I hope you got my letter, and Mom did you get the box that I sent home with Shelby Taylor? But that is really nice of you to go to the dance with that boy, ash. Regardless of how it went you did the right thing and Jesus Christ is glad that you did it. I'm so proud of you. All of our decisions come down to how much we love the Lord, the first great commandment, and you showed your love for Him by doing that.

Well one of our teachers left us this week. It was pretty sad. You can only work here as a teacher for three years and his time was up so he had to move on. We're going to have another teacher in his stead till we leave but it won't be the same. Which reminds me of a funny story. So we were late to dinner one night cause we were saying goodbye to him and when we got to the cafeteria our whole zone was like yelling at us to go to the front desk because they had called our names in our district over the loud speaker to go to the front desk. So we start jumpin for joy thinking that we got our visas, and we run up there with these huge smiles on our faces and the lady looks at a list and she's like oh yeah here are your names....oh it looks like you forgot to pick up your dry cleaning. Ahhhh it was such a heart breaker but pretty funny.

That's pretty cool about Ben's call. There are some mandarin speakers on my floor and wow it looks tough, lets just say I'm grateful to speak spanish. I'm sure Ben will do fine with it though. That's an awesome call to serve.

Well I don't have much to say, another week down in the MTC. I'm getting kinda antsy to leave this joint. I feel like there is only so much you can learn here then it all comes in the field. I'm going to have to work even harder every extra day here to try and keep up with how much I would be learning in the field. It's a little bit frustrating but I know that God has a plan and that there is a reason that things happen the way they do. Even if it is hard to see.

I love you guys so much and I hope that everything is going well. Have a great week! Stay on your toes cause you could get a call from me at the airport at anytime this week! love ya, stay classy!

-Love Elder Broadhead

MTC Memories

Safe travels to Mexio Elder Broadhead, We love you!

March 5th - March 12th, 2012

Hey fam,

Thanks for the package and updates, loved it all. Glad to hear that you got the SD card, now send it back! I wasn't able to take any pictures at the temple walk yesterday, then I realized that I did indeed have another SD card, but I don't wanna take it out of the package yet haha. Dad why don't you ever go to the doctor when you need to! That sounds like a close call with your finger. Well mom I don't think I will be needing anything else before I go. I can get everything I need here. Thank you though. I will be sending home a box with some stuff that I don't need so I think I will do that with either Alex or Shelby Taylor. I'll include my schedule in the package so you can know what I have been doing here for nine weeks. So be on the lookout for that this week.

It's crazy that another week has gone by. I'm going to only be speaking spanish this week so hopefully that will prepare me a bit more for Mexico. Two new zone leaders got called yesterday, so this week we are going to spend some time "training" them haha. They will do fine though I'm sure. Well today was our last trip to the Provo temple. I won't be going to the temple much more. Especially if I get called to the new mission that doesn't have a temple. It was kinda sad. But like you say dad, I'm more concerned with the work of the living than I am with the work of the dead. I'm also really going to miss all these Elders, branch presidency members, and our teachers that I have grown to love so much. Our teachers are so awesome, I can only hope to be as knowledgeable as them after all this. But there's nothing I wouldn't give up to go and give people a chance to experience pure happiness. I can't wait to actually be able to watch the Lord change peoples lives through the gospel and the through the waters of baptism. It's real stuff we'll be doing that has eternal consequences.

Well we haven't recieved our travel plans yet. We should be getting them later today or tomorrow. It's so dang stressful. So it is possible that I leave sometime this week or next monday or tuesday. If that happens be expecting a call at any time of the day or night haha. Some elders flights leave at like three in the morning so I could call then. Other than that I don't have much to say. There is a ton that happens every week that is so awesome but it all takes too long to type out. Also there is at least one time during the week that I laugh hard enough to cry. These Elders are hillarious, especially Elder Davis. He is in my room, he's the other redhead if you wanna refer to the pictures. We've become really good friends he's such a good missionary.

That's about all I have, my next e-mail should be ''international'' if you know what I mean! Also tara and ash could take it down a notch with the drama don't ya think? I got like a nine page dearelder from tar about how some ghost was opening doors and what not. It was pretty funny. Got a good laugh.

I love you all so much, have the best week ever! Keep being great examples for me. Also I know the gospel is true!!! just in case you forgot ;)

Love Elder Broadhead

February 27th - March 5th, 2012

Hey familia!

It sounds like the complete renovation of the house is going great. Thanks mom, pics of the whole thing would be awesome. Also dad that'd be nice if you would send me Mark's address. I think I need to send him a reminder note. Well before I forget I need of favor of you guys. We have heard that the Veracruz mission is going to be split!! It's crazy so I need you to do some research and then send me a dear elder ASAP por favor with everything you can find out about it! Dad, sorry if I wasn't clear but I will only get to call home if I get temporarily reassigned (heaven forbid) and leave before my next p-day. I'll probably just call from the airport though since I'm sure we won't have any trouble with our visas (I'm being more positive). Thanks for the tip with those pay phones, I definitely won't use my debit. Travel plans should be arriving this week!! Also thanks for your thoughts on gospel topics. Do you like studying with me or not?? Lemme know, but this week I will be focusing on plan of salvation and Christ-like attributes.

Well Elder Holland came to speak to us last Tuesday, and I'll tell ya what, it was amazing. Just the spirit of those bretheren is enough to knock a man flat on his butt. The talk was sooo powerful and motivating. He got right in our face and was yelling at us the whole time, but that's just his way, he's so bold. You could really tell he cared though and he was yelling with love as hard as that is to do. I love how candid the bretheren are when they are here with us. A lot different than general conference, which by the way is happening like my second week in Mexico, but they definitely joke around a lot more. You can really see what great men they are. I'm so honored to be able to share their title of "Elder" for two years. I have a lot to live up to. One quick story about Elder Holland when he came last Tuestday. We were doing some scripture study with him in the first chapter of nephi at the beginning of the BOM and he asked us "what was the people of jerusalems reaction when lehi started prophesying?" so a giant of an Elder stand up and proudly says, "they didn't like it" E. Holland proceeds to just bust up laughing and says, "well isn't that the scriptural understatement of the century! Mayble I'll use that in my next conference talk!" then he gets serious and looks at the dumb Elder straight in the eye and yells "as a matter of fact they wanted to kill him!" and then we all bust up laughing. Elder Holland is a pretty classic guy. So powerful.

Other than that it was a pretty routine week. I'm really feelin the pressure with my spanish now that we're getting so close. I feel like I know a lot, but I'm positive I'll be humbled in Mex. Yesterday I was watching an episode of the district in spanish and I realize I have trouble when they speak fast cause my mind can't work that fast yet. I'll be trying to translate the first part of the sentence in my mind then completely not hear the second part. Oh well I'm sure it'll get better. I'm soo excited though. Also a little nervous though to have the responsobility of real people's salvation in my inadequate sunburned hands. I need to work on my faith. Fear/nervousness is just a lack of faith. Also I'm skethed out about this our mission being split thing. Make sure to find out the boundaries if you can.

I'll be sending a box home with either Shelby or Alex Taylor before I leave since they both work at the mail room and I always see them. I have yet to encounter "biggie" so I can't send anything with her. I'll also be sending my SD card home this week probably.

Thanks so much for your love and support! I love you all so much! I really hope you have a great week! I Love you!!

-Love Elder Broadhead

P.S. if you see Ben Gruber could you tell him to send me a letter please. I haven't heard from him in like three weeks and I don't have his address. I'm kinda worried something happened.

also tell Ben Broadhead I'm pullin for him to get called to Veracruz. Two Broadheads, one country = a lot of skin cancer and a lot of baptisms!