Brandon's Ninety Third Email! May 20th, 2017

This week was crazy! We had lots going on for the Mission tour with Elder Packer, and it all went well! So I also got to have a personal interview with him, and then one with my companion together! It was a surprise haha, but it was a really unique experience. He was like, if I remember right from what I was told, both of your parents are members, and you have been in this area for a while already? It was funny...

Also I am approaching 6 months in this area! Today I got my new comp, Elder Hunt, of whom I sent photos earlier! He has 10 months in the mission and is super legit. He came from Paso de los toros, and is from Arizona. I'm really excited. Elder Mora finishes up on Wednesday and I'll take him to the airport on Thursday, which is really sad.

It was so awesome talking to you guys on Sunday, I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!!! Also, it was really cool getting to see the Hoffman family for a second and Sheridan! What a great surprise... couldn't believe it. I was like too happy after, I just won't be able to believe it when we're both back!!! 

This coming week we have changes which implies all of the crazy schedule stuff like the past 4 times.... If you want to see just go back 6 weeks and you´ll see the explanation there. 

It's getting cold again which is sad, it's been raining this week a fair amount, but it's alright. If there are cold days, the sunny days in California won't be too far away. Martín and Jenny don't hate us, they're totally getting married on the 1st of June, but they are working way too much! Like they literally are just never home. It's good but they also spend money on non-essentials, so it's a little sad. We want to meet with them more, but with our complicated schedule I still haven't been able to figure out how. Ward members have passed by the house too, but they haven't been home. We had one lesson this week with them and I was so happy I wanted to cry. I love them so much, and their cute 4 kids! Like I didn't realize that I'd be so happy to see them. I really want to be able to see them get baptized!!!!! 

I love being a missionary. I am so tired, more tired than like ever before, but I'm so happy and that keeps me going like no other...

I love you guys!

Elder Richmond 

PS: URTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Top ten

10. We had to do the demonstration for the conferences, so my companion and I had practiced it a couple of times in front of President, because it was his presentation, we just did the demo. And last night we had a lesson and talked about family history like exactly like the demonstration and it was so cool!!! haha 

9. This week we get lots of new missionaries

8. Found cool stuff in the Feria today

7. I got to see lots of friends at the conferences! I've met so many great people here

6. We have eaten very good this week :)

5. My new comp Elder Hunt is super cool!!! Going to be President of the USA or of the church one day... maybe both, no probably not

4. Getting to talk one on one with him. He was like: "Well, do you have any questions..." I don't know if a General Authority has ever asked you that personally before

3. Conference with Elder Packer

2. Skyping the family

1. AUSTIN GOT HIS MISSION CALL: EUGENE OREGON, JUNE 28th, (sadly we won´t see each other like the longest time possible ever!)

Brandon's Ninety Second Email! May 13th, 2017

So first of all, sorry Casey, I remembered your birthday, even had it in my things to write, but just forgot, Happy Birthday!!!!! And Happy late birthday to Chandler also! And Happy birthday to Chase!!!! So many birthdays!

So this week we had a normal Monday, Tuesday we had a conference and then intercambios after in our area. I was with Elder Perez and it was a good day! I love when we have time to be in our own area!! We took them home that night because the next morning we went to the mission home kind of early to go to the zone 33... We got to eat breakfast with the Eddy kids who were going to school, so good! Homemade cinnamon rolls and like egg/potato mix thing!!! 

President had lots of stuff to do so I drove to 33 which is like 3 hours away so that he could make calls and write messages while we drove so that was really fun! We had a good conference and it was really fun seeing Elder Montiel and Bravo, who I lived with and who was the financer, they are really funny!!! Then I got to drive to Melo... it's like one hour away but they are doing major repairs so in some parts it is just dirt and it takes like 1.5 hours.... We got there and did divisions with the ZL's in their area. I was with Elder Zacarias and again, a good night, but now it's getting cold!! Like you see your breath sooo much and my hands get so chilled!!! 

In the morning we had the conference in Melo with a really good lunch. The guy was making pizza on a charcoal stove and was bringing out a million fresh pizzas and we were all sitting around tables taking pieces of new pizzas. Then, I got to drive all the way home and got a new PR for longest consecutive driving time haha. The part from Melo to 33 where there is good asphalt, with President's sporty car, with the REALLLLYYYY pretty views of huge rolling plains, was one of the most enjoyable driving settings I've ever had! Like so pretty with really long sweeping turns. I was kind of feeling bad because I'm on a mission and it was too fun to be driving haha.

When we got back, we met up with the Eddy family at the amazing restaurant for his goodbye dinner, and I ate the most rare steak of my life, and it was soooo good! Like soooo good I can't type it. Then we had really good ice cream and it was really fun being with their family! They're so awesome, it's crazy seeing how much happier a family can be when they set good habits and follow the commandments! 

So yesterday on Friday we had the new missionary conference and it was good and relaxed because there were only 4, plus their trainers. When that ended we picked up a short term missionary and took him to our area and worked in a trio for the afternoon. In the nighttime, we went to another zone and got an elder that was going home, dropped off the short term missionary, then took the secretaries home. We got home pretty late, and had to wake up at like 5am to take him to the airport this morning. So my comp and I went and it all worked out so that's good! Now it's p-day, we are like playing ping pong, and deciding what to eat for lunch... pretty laid back...

This coming week, we have the visit of Elder Packer, so two conferences and a mission council, so that'll be really fun. I think on Tuesday we are going to have the meeting to talk about changes and so next week on p-day we'll be getting my new companion, because the following week is changes. My comp Elder Mora is going home! :(( 

It's been hard in our area because we just haven't been there much.... It's been hard to keep contact with our investigators and I really hope that we can solidify things this week. Sonia should be getting baptized in a week, like she is totally cool, but we need to teach her a lot! But, it's all possible!!! 

I love being here, I also love seeing pictures of Jack and Miles... Jack is like a little model boy!

Well, I hope everyone is well, we'll Skype tomorrow so that's fun! (Someone take a little video of Sheridan Skyping!!! She´s not emailing this week so that video would be really cool!!)

Love you all!! 

Elder Richmond

The van from last week.... lameee

But made pizza to cope

And an asado from last Sunday that a member made for lunch!!!! 

Soooo good and not healthy and kinda different stuff. 

Chichulín is that funny looking thing on the left middle (it's like stomach intestines I think), 

then there are chorizos, left front, pulpa de vaca in the back (huge chunk of cow), 

and corn, and bell peppers with bacon, egg, and cheese grilled.... 

And a veryyyyyyy interesting member from my ward... 

Says such like mean stuff but he is like joking so I guess it's okay haha he's old.

Made bbq pizza w/o the chicken because those things are expensive haha 

 Yummy dinner as a send-off for my companion! 

From yesterday... Elder Xavier and Elder Terrazas

Brandon's Ninety First Email! May 6th, 2017

So this week we had a lot of silly things happen, which was a little distracting from what I really want to be doing... teaching everyone about Christ! 

So each day Monday-Friday we had a conference... in Este, Maroñas, Durazno, Florida, and Norte! Each day they have food and it's really unhealthy! I feel so fat and bad!!! But the conferences have been going well! We have three more next week, then new misisonary conference! 

Over a year ago Elder Gehring launched this green sticky man (little toy) up at the ceiling in the sacrament room and we went and it was still there!!  I couldn't believe it!!! 

So we have been getting home at like or 7 o clock depending on where the conference is, so not a ton of time in our area! On Tuesday night I was with Elder Vanderlinden and we had a good couple hours planned and something crazy happened and we had to leave from there and kind of had to abandon all of our plans, but it was crazy, I'll tell you about it when I get home! Then the next night we parked the car behind the church behind the big gate and everything, and Thursday morning we went to go to President's house to go to Florida and the doors were opened and I was like oh no, and as we walked up we saw that they had broken the window to unlock the car, went through, stole my cellphone, my USB, and all the little random things like the office clicker and other things, rummaged through the whole car, and stole the battery too. So President picked us up and when we got home we had to go to the police station to file a report so that the insurance would come get it. We went and it was in such a rough area!! There was lots of crazy stuff going on and it took like two hours, but I have officially made a denuncia in Uruguay. So then we called the tow truck and he came and they were going to take it to the area offices parking lot, and he told us that someone had to go with him so obviously we both went and it was so late, we took a cab home and got home and in bed really late! So lame! We did like a million contacts between all of the taxistas we met and the crazy people in the police office! Got a really cool reference for the secretaries! 

So on the brighter side, Sonia is doing great, physically has been sick, but has been reading and is loving it. Martin and Yenney got their wedding date!!! Good and bad! So it's June 1st!! We're so excited because we can plan the little party in the church for their wedding, and the baptism, but it's after Elder Mora leaves!! They said it was the first available date!!! So lame!!!!!!!!! But we're excited for them... their little girl of 3 years finally opened up this week and is soooo cute!! I love all of the little crazy kids!!! 

I'm loving it here. I feel so blessed by the safety of home also. Jessica sent a video that Sheridan and I had made from home and it is just so relaxed and safe.... Like it looked so fun and I remember that I wasn't scared about getting robbed or people doing anything crazy! Plus being with Sheridan looked like a dream too haha. 

I know that if any person decides at any point in their life to repent of the wrong things they have done, and follow Christ like He has asked us, they will be SO happy! Like a happiness that doesn't compare to any of the false happiness that comes from worldly things! 

Sorry mom, I didn't make a Top Ten.

Love you!!!

Elder Richmond

Brandon's Ninetieth Email! April 29th, 2017

This week we had lots of conferences! Tuesday through Friday! We had a little bit of time each day in the afternoon night, like 3 hours or so, which is stressful because we have a handful of people progressing right now, and are trying to keep good contact with them! 

Congrats to Sheridan because she will be training a new missionary again!!! To end the mission, which is super rad!!! And she'll also be in Garanhuns when Elder Xavier goes home so he'll totally meet her!! 

Also, congrats to Sophie who is getting baptized back home today! I think we may have met once or so, but still, that's such a great decision that will only help you grow closer to Christ, and will be such an important one in your life!! 

So last Saturday, I forgot to mention but literally right before we emailed we had come from President's house where we cooked and ate tacos together that my comp made!! I just helped chop, then did tortillas while he was spicing everything, they were so dank!!!

We had an intercambio on Tuesday afternoon and it was good. I was with Elder Bean, who is also going home this transfer! 

So Sonia, that really cool lady we found last week totally went to Stake conference which was sooo rad!!!! She is really really cool!!! She has depression which is sad, but I know that this will be a message that is understandable, and will help her overcome the adversity!! We all have some type of adversity, and Christ is the common cure. He can help each one of us so individually because he has felt and suffered everything that we will!!

Martin and Yenny and their kids are doing so well and are so cute!!! So they will go back on Friday to receive a date in which they can get married!!! We are, and they're so excited!!! And they have the baptismal date for the 20th! With Sonia! So they are reading and praying and learning so much!!! They have changed so much since I first met them!!! I contacted her when I was on an intercambio with that elder from the U.S. that had been in Uruguay for like 4 days, and she was pretty rough, but now they are like trying to help out other people and do what's right!! The gospel works miracles!! 

Anyway, we did an oven asado for lunch today, came and played pingpong, and we'll go home soon! Kind of a boring p-day, but that's okay! The office elders had a service project, and we're the only ones that have p-day on Sat. My comp was like ahhh I don't care what we do on p-days... I only have three left after this one.. which is so crazy! And the last one we will go and get my new comp, so really like 2 left... I'll sure miss him! 

I made a Top Ten!!!

10. Pizza/calzone that I made the other night for the first time in SOOO LONG! 

9. The asado today! I love boniato! 

8. I love after cleaning, the few hours the house is clean before it gets messy again

7. President drove past this really cool place called Punta Ballena for like 10 minutes on our way back from Maldonado! SO PRETTY!!! 

6. Sister Eddy two of the mornings had breakfast for us! It was so nice! Really good omelette, and then french toast with cream and buttermilk syrup!! 

5. P-day last week with the Eddy family and President's parents was really fun, I love their fam! 

4. The conferences; This week they were in La costa, Minas, Maldonado, and Rocha!!

3. Sheridan is training again!! The best missionary!!

2. I love being a missionary!!!

1. Sonia and Martin and Yenny and their family just make me so happy!!!

Love you guys!!! Thanks for everything!!

Elder Richmond

 Punta ballena

Asado

Fun p-day last week with the Eddys...

 I totally forgot to mention it last week hahah, so forgetful when I email...

 We went over and made lots of soft tacos, it was so good, with sour cream... 

and President made salsa and we had three types of meat. My comp cooks so well!!!! 

Enjoy the frilly apron haha. Sister Eddy has like a whole line up and they're all pretty girly.