December 20, 2010 - Only 5 days till Phone Time

Ya!! This week we finally get to talk. I´m planning on calling Saturday, 25 of December, at around 10 a.m. my time, which would be about 11 a.m. your time. To avoid calling from a payphone and not being able to hear you very well I would appreciate it if you called me at the number I give you. Just dial it as it is and you should reach the bishop´s house. If for some reason I don´t answer just say, Está Elder Graham? I will call you from a payphone right before I head over there just so that you know exactly when to call. Be ready with whatever questions you want to ask me so as to not waste a lot of time.

So, remember when I said I was going to buy a better blanket last week. Well, I asked the family of Ruben, who was just baptized, where I could buy a good blanket and they buy 3 amazing, snuggly, thick blankets for me and 3 for my companion and bring them to our apartment the next day. They are so nice to us.

It was interesting this Sunday because one of our new investigators is a lady who is missing a leg, (She has diabetes and had some kind of clot or infection in one of her legs that required it to be amputated.) and to get her to church I had to carry her down the stairs of her apartment, and then I had to carry her back up after church. I never thought I would have to do something like that on my mission.

To answer your question, Marc, I sometimes travel in a bus, but more commonly in these little transport vans called combis, or I just walk. Ocassionaly a member gives us a ride somewhere, but not near as many people here have cars. I´m looking forward to your present, Marc, and I´m even more excited because I get to talk to you this Saturday.

Love,

Brett

Dec. 13, 2010
The second counselor in the Stake Presidency took us to this amazing seafood restaurant last week. It was so good! The first time I´ve eaten shrimp in over 9 months. (see photo)

Well, it looks like I´m going to be here in Tlaxcala with Elder Hurtado for at least another six weeks. I´m glad. I think this is my favorite area so far, mainly for the people more than anything. Good news, Ruben, the person Sister Rex was telling you about, was baptized Saturday and confirmed Sunday. Everyone can hardly believe it. He also taught the Gospel Principles class on Sunday. He´s so amazing. I wish you could meet him, extremely intelligent and educated but just as or more humble. And like me, he takes a long time to make decisions, but when he decides to do something he is absolutely determined to fulfill his commitment. It´s been a struggle to find anyone else to teach though. Many people like what we teach, but they aren´t ready to leave behind the traditions and beliefs of their family or their spouse won´t permit them listen to us nor go to church. It seems a lot of people around this time of year are less receptive to our message due to the many Catholic holidays and traditions.

Mom, I recieved an AND1 sweater. Was that what you were talking about in terms of warm clothes? The most recent package I have recieved was the one with the calendars. It has been really cold at night, but still warm during the day. But, don´t worry, I going to buy a nice thick, warm blanket today.

I´m still not sure about the phone call. I think next week I´ll give you the number of the member´s house where you can call me and tell you the exact time when I will be expecting your call. I don´t you to have to pay a ton of money, but I also think it would be difficult to call and communicate well from a public payphone. I believe we can talk for about 45 minutes to an hour. Let me know in the next email if anything in you schedule would prevent you from being able to call at a certain time of the day.

I´m super jealous about your ski trip with Brent. He finally decides to come when I won´t be there. Just make sure Dad takes it easy in the terrain parks and the double black diamonds.

Love,

Brett

December 6, 2010

Dec. 7, 2010
Im writing late today. So, I hope you didn´t worry and send another email to President Rex to see if I was okay.

Today was really cool. We hiked up an inactive volcano that´s nearby us, La Malinche, with the whole zone. By far, the coolest activity I´ve done on P-day. I was surprised President gave us permission. He usually doesn´t for that kind of thing. I´ll have to send you pictures.

Ya, I forgot to tell you that after a zone conference President Rex came with us to an appointment with an investigator. He is the dad of a part member family. He was a member of the Jehovah´s witnesses along with the rest of his family. He is the director of the biology and various other departments of the most renown university in Tlaxcala and he is super smart. Not only that he is an amazing person. So kind, generous, and selfless, and he has this way of expressing himself that just floors me everytime he speaks. We have been visiting and working with him a ton since I got to this area and now, after 15 years of knowing about the Church, he is planning on being baptized this Sunday. It is true he respects me a lot. We need more members like him.

We´re going to have a conference with one of the area General Authorities this Friday. Should be enjoyable.

Scripture of the week: this one´s for Marc, Alma 38:2. Remember, Marc, look to the Lord in your youth, always keep the commandments, and never leave the only path that leads to true peace and happiness in this world and eternal life in the next.

Love,
Brett

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.