October 20, 2014

Dear Mom and Dad,

     I'm going to be honest, it's really hard to read about how grandpa is doing. I am so grateful he will get to be home with grandma for his last week. Tell grandma and grandpa I love them so much.

     Tell the hospice people I'm grateful for the work they do. That is a job only suitable for very strong people.

     Please make sure you call the mission office before you post anything on Facebook. I'm not sure who you are supposed to call. So it might be good to call the office today and find out.

     I'm grateful that you prayed for me to feel arms of comfort as I read your letters. As soon as I started crying, sister T***** reached over and gave me a hug... So I literally felt arms of comfort :)

     I am grateful for the atonement. This morning I decided I need to make the sacrament more meaningful (I was reading Cheryl Esplin's general conference talk) and a part of that is fully understanding the atonement and using it in our lives. I was thinking more of the part of the atonement that helps with the mistakes I make every day, but as I study the atonement, I will also work on learning to use the atonement in times of pain and sorrow. I am grateful for this opportunity to grow closer to my Savior.

     I love grandpa, and I will miss him. I am so grateful for the plan of salvation. Because of it, I know I will see grandpa again. And it will be a glorious reunion.

     I am so happy that you are joining me in the PMG [Preach My Gospel] challenge!! President Jenkins said in his last letter to read "5-6" pages a day. I wish I could give you an exact schedule so that we could all be on the same pages together, but that's okay :) I'm just so excited to read PMG with my parents and Katrina! Cause apparently none of my other siblings are joining ;) haha... And yes it starts this Wednesday.

     I have transfer news!!!!!!!!! I'm leaving sister T***** :( but I am going to be companions with sister T****!! She is so funny and she sings alto really well, and she is from New Zealand!! We will be in the mM******* family ward and the hH******* YSA ward!! Yup! I'm gonna be working with the YSA!! How cool is it that we are both working with the YSA!! Also, the stake we're in is a super rich stake, which is good and bad.... Good cause we'll eat good! But bad cause it's harder to have investigators in the ritzier places. Nevertheless I'm super excited!!!! Also, I am staying in the same zone, and the same apartment complex. My new home is about 400 yards away. Haha! Easiest move ever!!

     I am sad to be leaving the AV and VP wards, especially to leave the O*** family and B**** (we taught him the law of chastity. It went great but - haha - the members were not expecting that! Haha, we probably should have warned them :)) We are teaching a super fun couple in the AV ward (he is less active) and they are going to take us to the Phoenix temple open house tomorrow so that I get to go before I transfer! Yay!! 

     I'm glad you liked my Kevin dream :)) hahaha it was a really funny dream. What is that kid doing? How come he hasn't emailed me back???! I can't wait to see the wedding announcement!! I will put it on my fridge!!! Haha! This is so exciting!!

     Emily got in group musical?!?!?!,!?!, NO WAY!!!!! I am SOOOOOO excited for her!! Oh my goodness M****** loves her. She is the chosen one. She will be the one that M******picks out musicals for (like Michelle and Cinderella) except Emily is starting young. Emma you will get to go to state!!! How awesome!!!! Yeah let me know when they choose the song!! How are the play rehearsals going! Make sure you stay on M*******'s good side.

     Hey mom you can totally go to lessons with the missionaries if they are teaching a family. if they are teaching a single woman they would need a third male, but you and dad could go as a couple. Haha, but maybe you will all be so BUSY now with your new calling dad!!!!!!!! How many calling do you have now? Like five?

     I am feeling much better now. Just trying to coach my voice back to normal. It's very raspy and I still have the occasional coughing attack at night. Which, by the way, is the worst, cause it's not like I can just give my companion the courtesy of me sleeping in the other room so that she can sleep haha :p and then I just feel awful cause I'm keeping sister T***** up. The good news is I'm certain my coughing attacks could be MUCH worse at night, but I think angels are helping to quiet them so that sister T***** can sleep. Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles!!!!! 

     I never check my email before 10am here. (I think that's 9am there?) P-day starts at 10am.

     Sometimes when people here say things like "what not" and "time out" I really feel a very strong urge to help them finish their sentence. My tongue begins to form the words "to wear" and "for women" (respectively). I haven't actually said them out loud yet, but, as we all know, thoughts very quickly turn into actions!

     We went to the mall today!! Cause it's the only place in the mission that has chick-fil-a. Yum :) it was weird... But everyone was super nice! Haha probably cause most people here are Mormon, or know Mormons. They have a TWO STORY CAROUSEL there!! I almost bought shoes. But I don't have money. Yay me for making money conscious decisions!! I don't need new shoes cause you're sending my combat boots :) so it would have been a poor choice!

     I can't wait to read your talk! I wish I could have heard that other lady's talk too!

     I love you so much mom and dad. I am SO happy to be out here serving a mission. I am learning so much and I have really felt a substantial growth in this last transfer. It makes me happy and gives me hope to know that because of god's plan for us, and especially because of the atonement, anyone can change and become a better person!

I love you!!!

Love sister Brady!

Letter #2 from Erica (to Mom) 

     I love you so much!!! I love reading your letters!! I love getting to read about how your week went!! I love you mom!!

     The things I need/want are:

     Rain jacket (byuhawaii tour), candy cane nightgown, combat boots, and tacky Christmas sweater. I can't remember if I said anything else... Ugh... I should have written it down :/

     MOM YOU ARE THE BEST!!! Thank you for the service that you do in the church and for always magnifying your callings.

 

     Have you been reading the general conference talks for Family Home Evening? Send me the schedule so I can follow along!

     Also, what is Tessa's letter/home address? I have a postcard in my bag that I have been meaning to mail for weeks but I don't have her address haha!

Love,

Sister Brady.