Week 100: Last E-mail Home!!

Dear Mom and Dad,

I can't believe it's finally here! I don't really know what to say either. I'm kind of beside myself honestly, as there's part of me that's in denial and thinks nah I'm still gonna be a missionary in a week. Then there's the rational part that goes ok it's time to be done. So I have no idea what I feel right now I'm a complete mess. As far as things you need to be aware of... Honestly not really I'm the only one coming home from this mission so there won't be too many people there I don't think. At least for my mission. Just hoping their scales read the same as my cheap walmart one hahaha. I don't really care haha they can wear me out all they want they need their big brother! And yes mom I will be more than happy to just sit and talk with you :) Also do you want me to bring bedding home? It's kinda nasty and I was gonna just leave it for space sake, but IDK where you're gonna put me haha. Anyway let me know I'll be back on this afternoon I'm only doing a quick check in before I go to lunch with President Cleveland. Love you see ya tomorrow!

Love, Braken

Hey bud - so don't bring home any nasty bedding.  We've got you covered.  Sell your bike unless you feel you really need it.  Or just leave it for another missionary to use.   Anything else?

Let me know.  

See you, 

Love mom

Nope haha I just gave it to Elder Walker it isn't worth anything. Also I could use a card refill just to make sure in case one of my suitcases is overweight.  Braken


Yes, I will put $ in your account.  I just haven't had time, but I will get to it don't worry.  Anything else??  
--Mom

Week 99: My Last Week in the Field!

Dear Mom and Dad,

First off about the LifeEz I haven't got yours so don't worry about sending more. Will you put some money on my card so I can just order one bottle to last me until I get home? I did it about a week ago and got it in about 3 days. I have enough to last me until about saturday. So let me know when you've done that because I need to do it today thanks!! Well this is it... The finally week.... I was thinking for a long time I wouldn't be ready for it when it came, but after this week I am so done hahaha. Everything we had fell through this week. Wendy, half our dinners, and to top it all off she didn't even make it to church. I can't wait for next week! Anyway the temple open house is going on, our only real part in it is we drive the sisters over there so they can do tours and then we desperately try to get non members to go so we can go. No luck yet. Oh well what can we do? We have a bunch of service planned this week so it'll go fast. Did you get the email sister cleveland sent with my itinerary?

Anyway I'm trunky... life goes on... and see you all in a week!!! Love you!!!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Dear Dad,

Haha don't worry Dad we have lot's of service planned as well as a few lessons. I may be trunky but I'm still a missionary :) And of course they'll be some door knocking. I haven't come this far to quit the last week. I'm picturing the obscenities that flew out as you got cold and wet and I'd be trying not to laugh too hahaha. 
Love ya Dad see ya in a week!

Week 98: Another Awesome Week - Pray for a Baptism!

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week was super sweet!!! Had an awesome lesson with Wendy and her kids, found them a solid friend in the ward, and to top it off, they all came to church this week!!!! We are going to put her on a baptismal date this thursday so pray for us! That's pretty much everything that happened this week honestly. Hahaha sorry about the package all that's in it is some clothes and old planners and letters and misc. junk. I didn't want you to open it so it doesn't get lost before I get home is all. If you really want to look inside I don't care I just don't want anything lost hahaha I just sent it home to free up space. I haven't got any LifeEz but if I get it today I will come back to the library and let you know. normally it takes about 2-4 days I bought one saturday because I'm struggling this week. I have been struggling with Elder Walker a lot and the loss of the supplements have just made it worse. No fights yet but oh my gosh the kid irritates me. Anytime you say anything he has to spout off this 20 minute dissertation on how much more about it he knows than you. I don't completely blame him he suffers from autism pretty badly, but still it drives me up the wall sometimes. I really need to get back on the supplements before I blow up at the kid. He had the gall to tell me I was stupid for playing magic last night. Well he didn't single me out, but he just said anyone who played games like that was either dumb or had no life. I just stared at the districts numbers I was collecting and was ready to blow up. He just really needs to learn to think before he says things. But anyway I'm making it only two more weeks. Well really only one more because I'll be spending the last week going around the ward saying goodbye to people. I'm gonna see if I can make it back up to Crawfordsville and say goodbye to some people up there. There'll probably be one or 2 more packages coming in the next couple weeks.  I think that was all. I love you guys! See you in 2 weeks!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 97: Awesome Week - Indianapolis Temple VIP Tour

Dear Mom and Dad,

First off Mom I am officially out of LifeEz, so please send some ASAP! This week was super awesome!!! We had a VIP tour of the temple yesterday that was for missionaries and investigators, and we were able to get Wendy and her kids there with us! She felt the spirit sooo strong she is totally on fire!! We are set to meet with her this thursday and she has no more plans to go anywhere this summer! We got her cornered now! But in answer to your other questions, Yes I am trunky. If you define trunky as thinking about home a lot then yes. However I will still continue to do my job here. Fishers is just making it really hard to focus because it's so hard to get anything done here. But with the Temple Open House starting we are seeing a lot of interest come up even here! So the temple is proving to be a huge blessing in more ways than one. You should be in some of the conversations we have with members here they are soooo excited to have this opening here! On average people are bringing about 20 people a piece to the open house! I'm so happy I get to finish my mission during the open house here! So in answer to your questions about Familysearch. If there are suspected duplicates then they will not allow you to reserve ordinances. Most of those I have had to work through many duplicates in order to reserve the ordinances. Also the church has given a new policy that makes it so you can only have ordinances reserved for 2 years, and they released all the ordinances that were reserved longer than that, freeing up a lot of ordinances. So I will look into it, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them came back as still needing ordinances. As far as classes go, my thoughts are keep it pretty medium. Don't load me up so bad I'm gonna collapse under all the work, but still enough to keep me busy. Really??! You have a countdown?!? You are a terrible person!!! Gosh dang as if I wasn't already trunky enough. Haha but anyway I think that's about it, thanks for everything I love you guys!!

Love, Elder Braken Park

P.S, Please don't forget about the LifeEz

Week 96: Fill in the Gaps with Service!

Dear Mom and Dad,

First off I need more LifeEz this week! :) So this week we are officially getting into Temple mode. The Indianapolis Temple open house starts in 2 weeks so we were given these invitations that we are spreading far and wide in Fishers. We are super excited about the opportunities that will bring! We have been really trying to get Wendy to go but she is still in Michigan...... Also been trying to do a lot of service. It fills our big holes of empty time that are starting to look more and more daunting every day. I can see why I'm with Elder Walker right now. He is willing to go with the flow enough to not irritate me, but still wants to work hard enough to keep me motivated. I'll tell you what finishing your mission in the hardest area of the mission is not easy, but we are making it happen. Haha Dad your story reminds me of countless days spent at PG pool with you teaching me how to do things haha. Some things never change. And some things do! Garret with a drivers license.... There's a scary thought! It'll be crazy having 4 drivers in the family! I guess I'm gonna have to go try and find a car somewhere so we aren't stepping on each others toes all the time! Haha I keep thinking things are gonna be pretty similar when I get home but there's also gonna be a lot of change. As to the weather situation, we lucked out super hard this summer we only had one week that was really bad with like 90s and 100% humidity. But we still constantly have the rediculous humidity which means anything over 75 you are sweating bullets especially walking around in missionary clothes hahaha. Definitely something I will not miss. Anyway thanks for all you guys do I love you all! 

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 95: Last Transfer of the Mission!!

Dear Mom and Dad,

So this week has been a lot of service, which I am always happy for. Service is a great way to get to know the people in any given area. We helped one lady paint her house so she could move out, and also helped one of the High Councilman clean up this sports complex he owns. Wendy is still out of town until the 4th so I will have a further update on her next week after she gets back. So our transfer calls came and I will be dying (Going home) in Fishers with Elder Walker! I'm pretty excited about that because me and him have really been hitting a groove and doing solid. That's awesome Peyton got baptised! I emailed him about that. That's crazy Nick is home.... I remember when all of us were just getting our calls and we all left within 3 months of each other.... Now I am the last to come home... I got my flight Itinerary today. I get home 10:19 August 4th. I'm not sure quite what to think going into this last transfer. I'm very excited to be home don't get me wrong, but I will be sad to go at the same time. I do have a list for when I get home haha. The first week I am home I am going to spend one day and lock myself in some room and just be alone..... Having someone attached at the hip for 2 years gets old. Also video games with the boys. And date Girls haha. That's basically all my plans for when I get home oh and a job too haha. I'm sorry I haven't been the best at emailing all you guys. Monday is super stressful trying to make sure everyone gets written and I always end up talking to all my mission friends too. So I am sorry about that, I will try and do better this last transfer. I promise I will hold no details back when I get home! Now Dad don't worry about me checking out. I've had too many experiences cleaning up after some Elder who's trunky as all get out and he makes a mess of the area. So I will be doing my darndest to not check out. Don't worry I won't forget my purpose here. I'm sad to see Bishop Brockbank go he was by far my all time favorite bishop. I guess I'll just have to learn to love the new guy! Well I think that's it I love you all! Talk to you next week!

Love, Elder Braken Park

Week 94: Great Week!

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week went super well! So Wendy came back in town this week only for a couple days, but it was long enough for us to talk to her and her other 2 daughters. She is still reading and doing her best to get involved with it! She actually showed her kids Meet the Mormons! She is taking so much initiative in this it makes our lives soooo nice! We are still doing well though Elder Walker has been starting to grate on me a little. He has a lot of Greenie pride and is painfully awkward. I love the kid but he just hasn't had much in the way of human interaction in his life. So I find myself talking more and more, which I'm not super happy about because when I was with Elder Williams I could let him talk and learn how to do things because it wasn't going to trainwreck. With walker.... I feel like everytime he opens his face stupid just comes flying out of it and he just can't help it. I mean sneddon was awkward, but with him it was kind of endearing, here I spend most of my time around members resisting the urge to face palm... But he really is a great kid he just needs some more experience under his belt. Sounds like you guys are having a great summer! Hey I was wondering if you could see if they had a topic in mind for my homecoming talk. Just wanted to be ready for it because I don't think I'll have a lot of time to do it that week. Thanks! Haha speaking of immodesty you aught to see out here! its so hot and humid all the time you should see what the girls out here go jogging in. I don't think I've seen one pair of shorts that goes past mid thigh. It's so rediculous haha. Well I think that is honestly all for this week thanks for all you guys do! Love you!

Love, Elder Braken Park