November 29, 2010

November 29, 2010
We´ve been working like crazy lately knocking a million doors and talking to everyone.(By the way, Mom, to answer your question, my companion is completely Mexican. He is from Baja California, which is part of Mexico not the U.S.)I got the package you sent me. Thank you so much. Sometimes I feel little spoiled because I always get packages and mail. Not that I´m saying you shouldn´t send me more stuff, hey. :-) I´ve been taking some money out of my account because we ran out of money like half way through the month this month and we still need money to travel. The buses are killing us money wise. I miss having bikes like in my last area. I´m playing the piano every sunday in sacrament meeting now, and they always want me to help with choir, but I don´t ever have time.

November 29, 2010

November 29, 2010
Haha, Marc, I didn´t remember onwhat day Thanksgiving is on. Nobody celebrates it in Mexico. Did you take pictures of your Gingerbread mansion? I would like to see it. So Austin is getting tired of his exotic pets. Does he still have his snake? How is Muffin? Sorry I haven´t been writing you back personally. I usually include my responses to you in the email I send Mom, but I´ll try to start writing a separate email to you. I appreciate you writing to me every week. You´re the only brother that does. It means a lot to me to know how much you care about me and miss me. I got your rock in the package Mom sent. Thanks. Did you play in the Turkey Bowl this year? How was it? I can´t wait to talk to you on Christmas.

Love,
Brett

October 25, 2010

My birthday went pretty well all except for the fact that I still havent
recieved my birthday package. Maybe Ill get it today or Wednesday when I see
the district leader. All the mail has to go through this chain of people to
get to me. Although it doesnt usually take too long now since Im only one
bus from the mission offices. One of our investigators got baptized on
Saturday, and she had a cake for me on Friday when we came to visit her.
Then on Saturday I ate some delicious tacos arabes with one of the hermanas
and pizza in the evening with another of our investigators. Besides that I
celebrated my birthday working as usual. Ya! I havent made the cake Grandma
sent me yet because I dont have a cake pan but Im going to see if the
Hermana that lives below has will let us borrow one.

We have hardly anybody to teach right now. So, weve been knocking a bunch of
doors and talking to a lot of people in the street, but most people reject
us right there and the few people that say theyre interested arent there
when they tell us to come back. Its funny because a lot of people seem to
feel bad just telling us no, but I would prefer that over them telling us to
come back at a certain time when theyre not there.

Its warmed back up again. Ive been sweating a lot riding bikes all cross our
huge area filled with hills. I dont know what happened. It was cold a couple
of weeks ago. The rain has completely stopped now. We are definitely in the
dry season now. Its weird how suddenly the rainy season stops. It was
raining like everyday just a few weeks ago.

Did I already tell you I went to the center of Puebla two weeks ago with the
zone? It reminded me a lot of Italy. We went inside the huge cathedral thats
there and took some pictures and that was about it because we realized it
actually wasnt part of our zone when we got there.

One of the wards last Sunday had their primary program and the other ward
had their ward conference. It was good, but sometimes its hard to stay awake
the whole time for two full three hour services.

The members we rent from that live below us are going on a mission to
Merida, Mexico to be in the temple presidency there on Nov. 1.

Thank you for all the thoughts, Mom, Br. Evans, and everyone that has sent
me letters these last couple of weeks. I just recently got a huge flood of
letters from people in the ward and others probably thanks to you Mom. I got
a really cool letter from Br. Bates. Tell him and everyone else thank you.

Love you very much,
Brett

October 6, 2010 - Communication with Brett/Elder Graham

I just wanted to let you all know that Brett does receive your letters at the address posted on the side of this blog. You can use that address or use dearelder.com. It is free and no postage necessary. Dearelder letters go into a pouch and take up to 2 weeks to arrive at the mission home. Then, he gets his mail once a week from there. So, it can be a lengthy process. Please know that Brett, as all missionaries, are very busy and don't have a lot of time alotted to write back. I have asked around those who have been out on a mission in the past and those who are now on missions. They do not have time to write much. We, as a family, receive one email a week which I try to post. Even those can be short. He is only allowed to email his family. We have not received any hard copy letters from him since he has been in Mexico. I will continue to update his blog. He is safe and has support there. His mission president and wife look after all the missionaries. His church congregation is also there for him. He's learning a lot.

Occtober 4, 2010

Ok. I really dont have that much time, but heres a little update. This week the weather has been way cold. Thats right. Mexico, cold. I never imagined I would be cold in Mexico. Its perfect during the day when the sun is out, but in the mornings and evenings, woo. I bought a jacket last week, but Im thinking I might like another one sent to me the next time you get the chance. I didnt even think to bring one.

Today we went ice skating in this huge mall with the zone. Ice skating in Mexico?! How many people can say they have done that?

Conference went well. The other english missionaries in the stake and I watched it in a little room in the stake center via internet in English apart from the Priesthood session which we watched in Spanish. The talks were great.

Dont worry too much about me. I have a good support system here. Yes, Mom, I do have a refrigerator and hot water. Haha. Its really not too bad.

Got to go, I love you guys,

Brett

October 4, 2010 - Marc

Thanks for the email Marc. I treasure each one of them. I really want to send you a piece of lava rock from the volcano that Im living right next to here in Puebla, but Im not sure how to send it yet. I cant believe youre only 10 and you think about such deep stuff like that in terms of God and religion. Wow. You are so smart and so spiritual. I love you, man. Dont ever feel bad for writing me long emails. I love them.

Love always,

Brett


On Sun, Oct 3, 2010 at 2:35 PM, wrote:

Brett I miss u so much I know I say that in every time but its true. I'm not wearing contacts any more! I got these things that I wear at night and they shape my eyes so during the day I can read a big sign from two feet away I'm so glad about that. Dad says I'm doing really good at tennis my serve is honorable but my forehand is good and my backhand is getting better me, Dad and sean played golf the other day an I was ok at the driving range but we couldn't play a game because I had to go to a birth day party for a GIRL named lauren. It was at the zoo we didn't go in the zoo we went on a bunch of zip lines across the zoo actually there was only two zip lines but the rest we hooked are harneses onto a line. And crossed a bunch of logs or a line it was kind of scary with the line because it was just one line with nothing to hang onto except for you're harness. mom wanted me to tell you about my testimony or something so here goes I've been wondering about things like about how god only told us about the things that we needed to know to get to the celestial kingdom and then he will teach us the rest when we get there I'm thinking about what he will teach us and stuff like what if we get two lives on earth or if he'll give us a big test in heaven or something like that. I've given you a long enough letter hope it doesn't take away from the time you get to wright us so I love you.
Love Marc

September 20, 2010

Well, things didnt get to crazy here September 15 and 16. We just kept working and doing the normal stuff and we didnt see too many crazy things. Although, on the night of the 15th we went over to a members house to see how they celebrated their independence day and to participate in the grito (means yell in Spanish) where they wave a flag around and yell ¡viva Miguel Hidalgo, viva (a whole bunch of other important figures in the independence movement and the revolution of 1910), viva Mexico! And I ate cow stomach, and cow feet! I didnt really like either of them. The cow stomach (mole de panza or menudo) was especially weird, but, hey, I had to try it at least once. I heard there was some big parties in the center of Cholula which is right nearby us and a ridiculous party and parade in Mexico City that was televised.

The change just ended today, but neither Elder Huss nor I are being transferred. I was glad. I like my companion and my area. Six months in the mission and I finally stayed in one place for an entire transfer (6 weeks).

As for requests for my birthday. There is this painting I saw in a Liahona that I love. Its called "Lehi´s Dream" by Greg Olsen. Its the coolest depiction of 1 Nephi chapter 8 Ive ever seen. I would really like to find a small print of it or something. Ive also been craving some american chocolate candy like snickers, twix, milkyway, 3 musketeers, etc. Oh, and pictures of the family and Dad´s GTM. Other than that I cant think of anything, maybe another cool tie or something. You can never have too many ties as a missionary.

Ive been try to stay in shape. Exercising regularyly and effectively is hard. Although riding bikes up hills everyday helps with that. Actually, we havent been riding bikes this week much because my companion fell and we still havent gotten his bike fixed yet. Having bikes makes everything so much faster. They have been really useful. Fortunately, Mexico has a way better public transport and bus system than the U.S. otherwise we would never get anywhere without the bikes. I do still try to eat healthy as well. Even though the majority of the food in Mexico is fried in a ton of oil and terribly unhealthy and I cant really control what the members give us to eat, I always buy a lot of fruits and vegetables. My companion thinks Im funny that way, but fruits and vegetables are cheaper than almost all the processed junk food here. So, it works out good.

Im glad Sean´s having a good time in college. I knew he would. College rocks. I cant wait to go back. What classes is he taking?

I did get Quin´s address. Thanks.

Good luck on your race, Mom. Let me know how you do.

Till next week,

Brett