Week Full of Changes

This week was full of changes and meetings. There were office meetings and Zone Conference, but everything was really good and Braxton learned a ton in the meetings. (as always)

On Tuesday, Braxton was in the office eating when Elder Roylance took a strawberry off of his cake and tried to steal a second one. Braxton wasn't going to let him get away with two and so Braxton grabbed his hand and bit hard until he let go of the strawberry. Braxton felt kind of bad afterwards since Elder Roylance couldn't move his hand or thumb for a few hours. (man....I swear I taught my kids not to bite!) Anyway they just laughed since Braxton has a messed up thumb and so did Elder Roylance for awhile. :) His thumb was fine after awhile.

Braxton has been in the mission long enough that he feels like he has acquired the official title of "babysitter". His comp has only been out for four months and seems really young to Braxton. Braxton doesn't mind though because he remembers being the young, inexperienced one too. (it happens to them all) It's a bit of a challenge but all is well anyway. (Braxton didn't really ever like babysitting)

Braxton learned a lot while fasting this week. He has fasted a lot in the mission but he never gave offerings. He realized that it was something that he needed to do even though he really doesn't spend money on dinner or breakfast. As soon as he started giving he received blessings. They came right away after he had given a fast offering. The blessings he mentioned were references, new investigators and things like that. He learned that God requires payment in full before he can give the blessings. You have to earn them and there is no such thing as monthly payments....it has to be upfront. (D&C 82:10)

Everything is going well and Braxton will return home on May 17th. He tried to make arrangements to go to Uruguay and see Jaydan before he came home but with the stipulations on Visa's it won't work out. He said: "I am perfectly happy here in Mexico."
(this part of the mission is hard....leaving people you might not ever see again that you have grown to love so much!) (but his family is very excited to get him home)
These pictures of the basketball hoop brought back memories to me (Dawn) of the day when Braxton jumped up and grabbed ours and the hoop twisted and split Braxton's thumb open. (I could see all the way through it....yuck) That is how he got his twisted thumb. He even went to a plastic surgeon to have it fixed. All the doctor said when he unwrapped it from the surgery after it had healed for a week or so was: "oh, it's a little cockeyed." I took him back years later after he had grown (like the doctor told me to) and nothing more was said about fixing it. So that is Braxton's identity mark.

I get to hug that kid in a few months! I can't wait!