Week 35 Email Home - It's a Threesome Companionship!

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week has been an interesting one. Elder Weekes who was Elder Rhoton's companion, was waiting for a visa to go to Brazil on his mission. Well this week he got his visa so we have been making a lot of preparation for him leaving as Elder Rhoton is going to be with me and Elder Lawrence in a threesome until transfers on the 7th of May. So this week is set up to be an interesting one... Yes I did find all your Easter candy and letters so no worries. This week has really been trying my patience. In previous areas our Zone Leaders have lived fairly far away and have been really cool. But in this area they are in the same ward as us so we see them a ton and one of them is of the mindset that because he got to be a Zone leader his word is law. I've had to swallow a lot of comments that would have surely gotten me in trouble this week. I've been studying humility a lot this week.... ugh I think I might follow Dad's footsteps and be my own boss someday because I hate the way this is going. Oh well, on the subject of the work, It has been going really well. I didn't really teach a lot of our investigators as we were on exchanges a lot this week but ours are doing well especially Kalen. He is set to get baptized on the 24th of May so hopefully I stay in Eagle Creek one more Transfer so I get to see it. If not hopefully I'm close enough that I'd be able to come back and see it. Weather here has been Indiana-ish. Pouring rain one minute then sunny and 70 the next. We have had a lot of rain recently though. Not too much flooding though except for certain parts of the roads. Congrats on getting back into young womens! I'm sure you'll love it don't worry :). And same to dad on the new phone. Typically I would ask you about RAM, processor speed, how many cores, etc. But I'm not sure that would be very easy to figure out so I will just find out in 15 months hahaha. :) Well I love you guys and hope you have a great week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 34 Email Home. Things are looking good!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thanks so much for the Easter package! You'll never guess what happened though.... Elder Lawrence was on exchanges with Elder Weekes and Elder Rhoton was with me in Elder Rhoton's area so I was out of our house for a couple days. Well while I was on Exchanges your package came, and Elder Lawrence and Elder Weekes thought it would be funny to take all the stuff in it and hide it around the apartment. So I really did get to look for easter eggs.... Ugh some people's children. So with our WML he is just really not ever helping us. Like a couple times we schedule a meeting with him and we go to his house and he isn't there so we wait around for about an hour until either he shows up an hour late or he doesn't show up at all. President Cleveland heard about it from us so he got involved by letting our bishop know that some changes need to be made. So hopefully we can get that worked out. So on the note of the DMV I did have to take a written test there if you remember it was on the computers and I remember specifically doing it there. If he studies though it shouldn't be a big deal. It'll be worth it for him once he gets his permit he'll really enjoy it. So on the note of teaching, you'll never guess who we ran into. We were walking along and we ran into Kalen! His phone got stolen and that's why we lost contact with him! So we started teaching him again. Also Tommy has made leaps and bounds. He said that if he felt this is God's path for him he would do everything necessary to follow it. We just are desperately trying to get him to pray about it sincerely. Prayers are needed his way! He is so close he just needs an extra push! Please make an extra note this week to pray for him specifically for the desire to pray and to recieve an answer to that prayer! Thank you for your love and support they are so appreciated! I love you all and wish you a happy week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

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Week 33 Email Home: "Taught More Lessons This Week, Than Any Other Week On My Mission"

Dear Mom and Dad,

So finally I'm sending the pictures I have. There's one of the district before Elder Foster left, one of me and Elder Lawrence, a few of just Elder Foster, one of me and Elder Zeyer doing a "proposal picture", and then one of the spanish missionaries we sometimes hang out with. The dark haired one is Elder Cuevas, who is home now, and the other is Elder Golledge. This week has gone much better than last week. Our WML flaked on one of our appointments and President Cleveland wants to be involved now because he really hasn't been doing his job and President found out from the bishop. I'm just glad to get some help in getting him to actually be involved in our missionary work. And I'm fine talking about it, it always helps to get it off my chest and talk about it with someone. We were actually involved in a service project with cleaning the church this saturday but other than that we regularly do service at goodwill which is basically non-mormon DI. It's a lot of fun. As far as the work, goes we taught more lessons this week than any other week of my whole mission! It's just seemed to flow this week! I'm super excited because it's looking like this week is gonna be similar. It's great to hear you got a new car! I hope it works well and doesn't end up being a huge problem. It looks good I like it hopefully it'll still be around when I get home so I can drive it! hahaha just kidding. Thanks for your letters this week I'm always happy to hear from you guys. I will write you more today and I'll try to get all the boys in too! I love you all and look forward to hearing from you!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Braken's companion, Elder Foster from Duchesne.  He dated Emily in High School! Small World!

Indy Spanish Speaking Elders:  Elder Cuevas and Elder Golledge

Elder Foster, The Thinker

The District, Elder Foster - Bottom, Far Left.  Braken Top Middle

"The Proposal" - Ha Ha LOL - Braken and Elder Zeyer

Braken and his companion, Elder Lawrence

Week 32 E-mail Home: Not So Great of a Week :(

Dear Mom and Dad,

So first off I'm not going to sugar coat it: This week sucked. Now that that's out of the way I can let you in on some detail. Our investigators have really seemed to be struggling. The member we brought to Tommy's lesson this week really got him a little frustrated so we had to take another lesson and fix it. Also our Ward Mission Leader, who I have had problems with the whole time I've been here, made some comments about me that I have been very angry about all week and I really feel like it's affecting my work. Also I've been really missing Elder Foster as we really had a great friendship, and the district that I'm in now, I haven't really been enjoying. I really felt like I was overcoming my angry side but this week has really brought it close to coming back. I started keeping a "People who need an enemy named Teancum" list to help me vent my feelings. Surprisingly it's really helped. (for Teancum's contributions see Alma 62 or 63 can't remember which). But then all that aside at the end of the week conference made it all worthwhile, especially Jeffrey R. Holland's talk during the first session. I really felt like I needed that one. We watched the first session of conference at a member's house, but then watched all the rest of them at the church as they were broadcasting it there. I did get your letter and Peyton's drawing. Thanks so much for that I really needed that this week. He's so cute I'm glad he thinks about me. It's good to know I haven't been forgotten just because I'm not there. Dad you already had one midlife crisis! I don't think you need another! Hahaha I'm just kidding, I'm not getting involved in that argument. I don't have to be for 16 more months. I hope you have a great week! I will try and get a letter out to you this week but if not definitely next week! I love you guys!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 31: Email Home - New Companion, Elder Lawrence from Oakley, Utah.

I had told Braken about a mom in Indianapolis who was at his transfer meeting this last transfer and was taking pictures.  She got one of him.....

Dear Mom and Dad,

I didn't know that about transfers! That's really cool! I did get your letters and your package and I am very grateful for those! Thanks so much for having me on your mind I really appreciate that. Anyway, my new companion's name is Elder Lawrence. He is from Oakley, Utah (near Park City), and has been serving now for 16 months. A funny thing about him is that he has been living in the same apartment as Elder Clapier for the last 6 months. He apparently heard a lot of stories about me from Elder Clapier so it feels like we kind of already know each other. This week Tommy made a big leap in his progress as he has agreed to pray about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, and said in a couple weeks he will be at church, which was huge because it's been a big struggle to get him to church. Also this week we found a new Investigator, who's name is Antwjaun. He played basketball in college so he wants to come play with us sometime. He is super excited to learn about the gospel and read from the Book of Mormon. Hopefully he keeps that desire as we continue to teach him! Could I get a copy of that Family History book? I've been interested in learning some of our ancestor's stories because Family History opens a lot of doors that otherwise would never be open to us as far as people go. Let me know because I think that would be a great opportunity for finding people! And Dad, This is why we can't have nice things! Just kidding it sounds like you had a good time at the dunes! Just make sure mason doesn't get too attached I want Hal back when I get home! ;) Anyway I hope you guys have a great week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

P.S. Sorry I didn't have any pictures today I totally forgot my camera I'll have plenty of pictures to give you next week! 

3-26-14 Picture of Transfer Day!

A very sweet mission momma, Melisa Walker Petty, took this picture of Braken and Elder Foster at the church on transfer day.  Elder Foster got transferred and Braken stayed.  She brings cookies to the transfer days and takes lots and lots of pictures.  I'm grateful to get this one.

--Shelly

Week 30 E-mail Home - Transfers . . . Losing Elder Foster :(

Dear Mom and Dad,

So this week was transfers and Elder Foster is leaving and I am staying in Eagle Creek. This was a tough one to swallow as I have really enjoyed Elder Foster and I was sure they would keep us together. Ugh another new companion I really hope it's not according to the pattern I've noticed where I like one companion and then the next I don't like. Anyway I'll work through it. We've been teaching a Japanese guy this last little while his name is Tomahiro, but he likes to go by Tommy. Fine by me hahahaha. He's an interesting fellow as he is very new to christianity, and so is very open to new ideas and meeting with us, but he likes the church he goes to and was recently baptised in that church so he feels like he doesn't need to have it done again. We've been emphasizing priesthood authority, but it doesn't really sink in as of yet. But he's attended 2 baptisms and a fireside on the second coming that the ward had last night. He reads from the book of mormon all the time, he just doesn't really understand it. We are going to try and get a japanese one from the mission and a children's one as well to help him understand. Hopefully once he starts understanding the BOM he can gain a testimony and start to want to be baptised. Anyway thanks for the letters this week I really enjoyed them! I haven't gotten your package yet it might be here today or tomorrow. And I'm in the middle of Indy so there's every kind of store around so I'll just grab a colts hoodie or something from walmart. I actually grabbed a new pair of running shoes and a pair of shorts from burlington for like $40 together and they are super nice. The ones I came out with are pretty trashed the pockets in the shorts were torn out and the shoes are starting to tear. Oh well stuff always breaks huh?  And Dad your quad totally is the Prodigal Son. I am forever naming it that hahaha. I hope Hal is still in good condition. The first weekend I get home we are going to the dunes. Looking on it now that is the thing I miss the most about home. So take care of my baby! Hahaha just kidding but seriously I want to have a quad when I get home. Anyway I hope you guys have a good week. I will look for your package in the upcoming days! Next week I'll have a new companion so I'll let you know how that went!

Love, Elder Braken Park