Week 86: Wow! Wisdom Beyond His Young Missionary Years.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm holding up all right. No I haven't killed him yet haha just a lot of prayer and service going on to keep that from happening haha. I can definitely feel heaven's help in dealing with this... interesting trial I've been given. Thanks so much for the vitamins!! They literally came on the perfect day! That morning I woke up and took my last dose that was in the bottle and went "Oh crap I'm in trouble" Then they came that afternoon! So I really appreciate that! Those should last me about a transfer. No I didn't get your letter, but I'm sure it'll come today or tomorrow. So good news! I talked to president, and I will be going home August 4th. Plenty of time to get ready for the orientation and get prepped for college. So I have some advice straight from David A. Bednar. 2 Nephi 33:1 And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men. Please note where it says "Unto" not "Into".

We can only teach them so much, then they have to open their hearts and act in order to learn things for themselves. My answer to serve a mission came only after I acted and prayed about whether or not to serve. It didn't come in seminary or any of the classes I was in, as good as those things are. And even saying that, had I not had the intention to act on the prompting I got, I wouldn't have got an answer either. To quote Increase in Learning, we are meant to be learners who are agents who act, not objects to be acted upon. So my recommendation is to try a new tactic, and teach with that in mind. People need to go through the process of learning what's right for themselves, rather than just being told it. Teaching them what's right is definitely important, but it's never enough. If others never learn for themselves, then as soon as they leave the home, they fall away. So my invitation to you, is to re-evaluate how you are teaching, and try a new pattern. Try to leave them something to do. Something that they are going to need to do, that will have them act for theirselves to learn something, and then be sure to follow up.  The drive has got to come from them and there's only so much we can do to help. That works the same for anything else.  Um back onto the week not much is going on. Working here is really hard, because pretty much this whole area is HOA, who really don't like people knocking on doors, to the point missionaries have had the cops called on them.There's been a few times I've been like "Crikey, it's the Indianan Rozzers!" Techinically there's not anything we are doing wrong, but President Cleveland has asked that we not tract here.  So we pretty much can't tract in this area. So we are limited to our area and the help of the members. So we will definitely learn how to work with the members in this ward!! As far as the week goes that's about it. Thanks for all you guys do for me! Love you and we will talk next week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

In my letter this week, I had asked Braken for advice in how to reach those who need our help.  This was his response.

Week 85: Tough Transfer Already

Dear Mom and Dad,

Speaking of people being the death of others..... My new companion will probably be the death of me so at least we can go to the spirit world together! I have never been so frustrated my whole mission. 

But the ward is super awesome. They would give us the shirts off their backs if we needed it. As far as the week goes, it's been a lot of walking, biking, and actually not a lot of knocking on doors, as Fishers has a city ordinance that prohibits soliciting meaning we aren't allowed to tract. So we are limited to stopping by people in our area book and talking to people on the street. So that's another stress on top of it. But through all of it I've really learned how to deal with people you really don't like. How to keep a level head when you really would like to blow up on somebody. The LifeEz has made an amazing difference. I'm seriously impressed. So I would definitely recommend them to Dad :) I'm really sorry to hear about Jay... That just doesn't seem right we were all kids together and so to hear one of us like that... It's tough. Let me know if there's anything I can do. It seems like every week there's some kind of something going through the house haha. Oh don't worry I know all about that miralax powerade life haha. Sorry bud hopefully he gets better! Well that's pretty much all I've got this week. Sorry for ranting I feel so trapped right now. But I love you guys I'll talk to you more next week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Braken's childhood friend and neighbor, J. Michael, got into a bad accident over spring break.  He is on life support and not doing well.  That is what Braken is talking about.

Week 84: Down and Out :(

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well this week has been.... Interesting. If you remember Plainfield I'm in an Area very similar to that. I'm in Fishers. Very affluent, Very wealthy, and there is a city ordinance that prohibits tracting. The only difference is the ward is actually supportive this time. Sorry to sound pessimistic but I'm really burned out with getting sent to these wards where I show up and some stupid missionaries have screwed things up and I have to fix it so I have no investigators, and the members don't trust us. It's happened in every ward since I left Eagle Creek. I'm SOO over it. For once I'd like to go to an area and have at least 1 Freaking investigator. I had hoped for my last 3 transfers I'd get to go somewhere where I could actually do some work, but no. Oh well Sorry I'm not doing very well right now. My new companion is named Elder Bruckman. He is from Layton. He's alright we don't mesh super well but he's willing to work which is good. I'm going to need a lot of support this transfer. I've got another set of Zone Leaders who are gonna breathe down my neck about numbers, and I'm really close to president, so I'm sure I'll get it from him too. I did talk to him about the orientation so we will see what he says there. Um other than that I just need the vitamins. Thanks guys.... Sorry I just kinda needed to vent. I do love you guys and appreciate all you do for me.

Thanks! Talk to you next week

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 83: Leaving Niles, Michigan

Lame Mom and Dad forgot to write emails this week because we were out of town on Spring Break. So, I hurried and got on the email to see if I could "catch" him.  He was there and we talked back and forth for a while - so there is not a formal letter to post.

Braken is very sad to leave Niles, he has been here for a couple of transfers and has loved it here. He said he has worked his butt off in this area, that he was told wasn't a very good area, nonetheless he has seen good things happen while here and is sad to go.  The people are great!

Week 82: Same 'ol Same 'ol in the Mission Field.....

Dear Mom and Dad,

So this week's been a little bit slower, Lots of door knocking this week, so that was fun, put some hair on our chests haha. I'm doing really good actually, been working on adjusting my attitude, and I've been seeing some real progress, especially with the help of Bednar, but I'll talk about that later :) Me and Elder Steab are doing really well, just trying to keep our heads up! This week is looking promising so we have a lot to look forward to! It's been... Fun and stressful at the same time, as I love my district, but dealing with the Zone Leaders is a lot like taking a cheese grater across my forehead sometimes. But my district is super supportive so it's been really good! I am over me and my companion, and then the Elders and Sisters of the nearby Mishawaka Ward. The Elders are Elder Kent, who is from California and is a stout observer of the 2nd ammendment, and Elder Lords, who is currently being trained by Elder Kent. He is from Idaho. The Sisters are Sister Odermott, who is from Idaho, and Sister Carpenter, also from Idaho. As far as investigators we found out Abby is moving to Texas.... So that sucks. But it's ok we will find someone else! Denise wasn't able to meet this week as her daughter was visiting. So as far as they go no new progress to report. Haha I would sincerely question what you did with my real mom if you weren't on top of me for that stuff when I get home! I totally expect to have doctrinal discussions when I get home haha. Speaking of that Dad mentioned teaching the boys and solving the why. Elder Bednar talks about the differences between Doctrines and Applications, and how a lot of time in the church we very much overfocus on application. The what we are doing. He talks about if theres a home teaching problem, then we all want to come up with these inovative things to get people to home teach. But he said he would rather just teach them the doctrine of why we home teach, and then when they understand that and let the Holy Ghost teach them to do it, then they will do it no matter what. Because now they know why they need to do it. The same can be applied to any gospel teaching. "Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves" (Joseph Smith). So that is my 2 sense on the doctrine of the kingdom hahaha. Yes I know what Parkour is hahaha I so called him getting into that haha. He has way too much energy to not get into that haha. Yes I would definitely recommend Dad taking them. But it's not going to be a fast process. You have to take them regularly for about a month before you start noticing a difference. But like I said they clear your head with little to no side effects! The secret is they are all natural, so nothing nasty is getting put in your system. Yes I emailed Jaime this week sorry I get caught up in talking to a lot of people. Um that's pretty much everything I can think of so I guess I will talk to you next week! Love you all!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 81: Much Ado About Service! :)

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm doing well, yes Dad I see the question marks :) We actually ended up doing a lot of service this last week. I had mentioned to the Ward council if they ever needed anything done they should call us, and they definitely took it to heart haha. We helped with a pinewood derby, worked at our local library, and helped get an older lady packed for a senior mission! In addition to that we weren't able to meet with anyone this week, We found out Abby may be moving so we weren't able to meet with her, and Meri the minister wasn't able to meet either, so we've just been working with a few less actives. One of them, Mike Petras, was actually supposed to speak this sunday, but he has tuberculosis, and ended up in the hospital with that, so I ended up speaking for him. Our companionship is doing great! I love Elder Steab! He's a really goofy guy, he enjoys a lot of the same things as me (video games, star wars, geek stuff in general). He actually reminds me of Garret a little bit. In personality and mannerisms anyway. He LOVES Jurassic Park! Speaking of college we visited the Notre Dame campus last week on monday. I'll send you the pictures. Also saw Lake Michigan this week! (Part of it touches our ward boundary). Can I just laugh for a minute? I said Christmas I would like to do exactly that for college to stay out of debt. But you said I needed to go to USU because I was already signed up hahaha. So the answer is yes I would love to do that haha. So the website is called Personal Agenda for the pills. Our winter has been cold, snowy, and VERY long. Winter time makes missionary work hard so it seems to drag on forever. It was super nice this week, then started snowing today and I was very disappointed... I thought it was finally over!! DANGIT! oh well it's supposed to get nicer later in the week. Yes I did get your letter thanks for that! :) Well I think that's everything. Love you guys talk to you next week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

March 11, 2015: Braken Trying a Lime for the First Time! Ha Ha

I received this in an e-mail from Lisa about Braken trying a lime for the first time.  I thought it was cute.   Hahaha.   --Shelly

Elder Park tried a lime tonight for the first time!  We sure love him!

-Lisa Anderson

(Ward Member in Niles Michigan)