Week 49: Email Home - It's the 1/2 Way Mark of The Mission! Only 1 Year Left! Trunky Time :)

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well it's that time..... I have 1 year left from today..... That picture I sent you of me eating taco pizza is because me and Elder Sneddon were celebrating. Elder Rowberry described what will happen now back when I was in Martinsville. He said that your first 6 months feels like a year, your second 6 months feels like 6 months, and your last year feels like 6 months. I've hit the back end... I can't believe it's come this fast! Anyway off of the Trunky talk. Transfers aren't for another 5 weeks and me and Elder Sneddon are gonna both get taken out at that point and they'll put sisters in Crawfordsville. But as for now we are here. This week was alright a bit of a mediocre week nothing super amazing happened but nothing bad happened either so we are just in a meh mode. We will kill it this week though. Kevin asked for a blessing this week to help him cope with his situation. It's been rough for him the adversary does not play nice. His wife has been.... Less than helpful as well. But the ward has been giving their full support to him so he is gonna be alright. But anyway... GARRET IS DRIVING?? Ugh you have no idea how OLD that makes me feel.... Geez I go on a mission and suddenly everyone thinks it's ok to just grow up on me! Oh well. Yes the thing on Elder Sneddon's neck is gone now so that's good. Yea it's probably best Steve isn't around any more he might wreck it before I'd get back ;) Just kidding haha. Anyway I hope you guys have a great week! 

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 48: Email Home - Baptism Date Set!! Homecoming Date Set?!?! What??

Dear Mom and Dad,

So this week has been super sick. Kevin is thinking about getting DUNKED! He is considering the 30th of August (which will be about a week before me and Elder Sneddon leave). He is sooo solid he came to church for the 3rd time this week! He's gonna make it this transfer we know. So I'm SUPER trunky today. In one week I will have 1 year exactly until I get home. I come home on August 11th 2015. What the heck?? I have not been out this long.... Anyway I sent you my shoes this week hopefully they get there soon I just need you to warrantee them the insides of them are trashed. We have actually had a really nice summer (for Indiana). Only a few days above 90 with 100% humidity.... Ugh! Oh well it's almost fall again.

 It sounds like I'm missing some hilarious memories with the boys starting sports now.... Haha oh well when I get home we will write some new ones! I love you guys and hope you have a great week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 47: Email Home - Transfer Time : Exciting News!

Dear Mom and Dad,

We just got tansfer calls and #geeksquad is getting a 3rd transfer! Me and Elder Sneddon are pretty pumped about this as we had a killer week! The only bad part was that Kevin was sick and so he didn't make it to church. The weather has been blech though. Walking around in the summer here is like walking around in a sauna with a white shirt and tie on. Not gonna lie these clothes are getting pretty nasty no matter how much stainwash I use. So... there probably won't be many white shirts coming home with me haha. Anyway, it is super weird to be hitting my year mark. It does not feel like it's been that long at all. The first part of my mission really dragged but once I left Martinsville it all just sped up from there. 

It's good that Garret has a career idea. It took me a lot longer than that to decide what I'm gonna do. I do know if I go to USU I have one roommate: Elder Sneddon is going there so it'll probably be what I'll do. Anyway I'm glad you guys are doing well I can't wait to hear back from you!

Love, Elder Braken Park

P.S. I haven't sent my shoes yet I'll get that done today

Week 46 Email Home: Great Progress!

Dear Mom and Dad,

So president spilled the beans to Elder Bullock our district leader during our interviews. He plans to keep me and Elder Sneddon in Crawfordsville 1 more transfer. Our transfer calls aren't for another week though so he could change his mind between now and then. But other than that we absolutely killed it this week. We had SO much progress with our investigator Kevin this week! He is able to recognise the spirit super well and is making steps toward baptism. Me and Elder Sneddon can see it happening next transfer if he works at it. The only problem is that his wife is Less active and is holding him back a lot. But he is getting so much ward support I'm seriously impressed with this ward. The other wards have been ok but this one is absolutely awesome. He is finding his own ride to church setting up meetings with us and wanting his wife to progress with him. No one I've ever taught has done this other than Aro and we know what happened to him! Anyway on to your week, it sounds like you had a great time! Dad I invite you to consider your ways and repent. Always something going wrong it seems hahaha. Something I need you to so though! I need you to take a pair of my shoes to CTR and get them warranteed. They should still have the 2 year warrantee. The backs and insides of them are trashed. A lot of walking has happened over the last year. I have another pair that I can just wear around until I get these back. If you could do that I would really appreciate it! Thanks so much for all you guys do! Love you have a great week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Braken at his apartment

 I'm making homemade Ice cream at a members house when they had us over for dinner. It was super fun and it was absolutely delicious!

Home away from Home

Pictures from Braken

Elder Sneddon in Braken's and his apartment in Crawfordsville

The apartment

Too Cool!

More Pictures

Missionary Selfie!

Braken's District

Week 45 Email Home

Dear Mom and Dad,

So first off it's not quite a year it's 11 months as of today but who's counting? ;) Yes I did get the garments and they work great thanks so much! This week has been pretty good. We saw some amazing strides in some of the people we have been working with. First off there's Chris and Amanda. Amanda is a less active member who is going to be married to Chris come fall, and we had a really great lesson with them where he said he needs to work on changing his life for the better. They both made it to church this Sunday so that was super great! The second one was our Investigator Kevin. We had a lesson set up where we were basically going to drop him. He told us he was not going to change how he believed but he wanted to learn for an Educational value. Well our last lesson he started talking how he had this "Euphoric Natural High", and asked what it meant. We explained it was the spirit and it was saying that what we said was true. He came to church and then after sacrament he pulled Elder Sneddon aside and he said "I'm getting that feeling again only this time it's stronger. Explain it." He told him that it was the spirit telling him the same thing that it told him back at his house. So that was super sick. I'm glad Dad has finally got his problem child worked out haha. It seems like every dunes trip you have to work on it :) I'm doing good though. My district leader is a total bro I love him. We are really similar in a lot of ways so I really like him. I have realised these last 2 transfers I am not as nerdy as I thought. I am pretty nerdy don't get me wrong, but I inherited a lot of Redneck so I'm more of a half-blood. Like when we are out talking to people, for the most part I do the talking partly because here everyone has super nice classic cars and I can talk cars with people, and Elder Sneddon kind of... Can't. Nothing against him he just hasn't had a whole lot of social interaction in his life. So the other part is that he's kind of awkward with people. So while he is the older Companion I am pretty much the lead guy. Not something that I really enjoy too much but you gotta do whatcha gotta do I guess. Well I love you guys I look forward to hearing from you again!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Braken and his companion, Elder Sneddon, in Crawfordsville