One year down!

This week marks the completion of my first year as a missionary. I
feel like I just went on a roller coaster, got back in line and now
going back up the track for another round. This time I'm comfortable
and not about to lose my lunch.

Spanish
I had been feeling the need to focus almost exclusively on the Spanish
side of the work here. I wasn't sure about this feeling until Sunday
when 14 Spanish members showed up at church, a difference from our
usual 3. We're making plans to bring back the branch which was
disbanded last year when the numbers dwindled down to nil. Regular
weekly visits to all of the members who have left, continue teaching
the Landeros familia and referrals we received from the members who
can speak Spanish, as well as soccer out in Aguila. We're pumped!

Wenden branch
This week has been a lot of scheduling, planning, and setting up
things for this next week. One of the coolest things that happened was
getting a call from the new couple missionary's that assigned from the
stake for the branch. He told us how he wants to drive out and go
searching for people to teach. This guy is really energetic. I guess
he's a convert of a few decades and has had the real desire to share
what he got with everyone. We think it's the energy we need at the
branch, especially since he's not a missionary. This week is looking
very promising. The work moves forward!

Love,
Elder Bryan

Labor all your days

Robson's Mining World
A new member family invited us to breakfast and when we got there our
minds were blown. Robson's mining world was a mining town turned
museum of western everything. The place was out of one of grandpas
stories. Old wagon from the revolutionary war, an opera house, piles
on piles of blacksmith equipment, a wedding chapel overlooking the
Saguaro cactus forest, and sheds full of undiscovered treasures.
Goldmine for book writing or western films. And they want to help
teach investigators in Aguila, just 10 minutes to the south.

Lightning
When we were driving out to the branch Friday night, we ran into a
storm about 15 minutes from Aguila. Desert storms are the coolest to
watch from a distance. At one point we saw lightning strike 10 feet in
front and 5 feet behind our car, a sign to us that we are being
watched over. Thank you for your prayers on our behalf. They really
work.

Spanish
With the revamped help of the ward, we're visiting every Spanish
member who has gone less active. They've received us pretty well, all
of them try to feed us-now if they could just come to church! Several
families are getting close to coming back, we can feel it right around
the corner. This would mean several baptisms as well since children
have turned 9 after leaving. All good things.

Wenden
Tomorrow we are going on an all day split with the new senior couple
assigned to the branch, president Bohlen, and brother Erekson to find
everyone on our lists. We're looking forward to it because out there,
it's sometimes more helpful to have coordinates than an address, plus
they discourage the missionaries to drive up and down washes which is
necessary in Salome. We'll get to go to places we usually wouldn't be
able to. This new couple has such a fire in them that's needed here.

Don't forget to help someone cross the street today… or make your bed.
Personalize it :)
Love,
Elder Bryan