Pasta

Another Camera Broke :(

This week a sister missionary dropped Braxtons camera and broke it. His last camera was missing after an activity and the ward he was in got him another one. (I think the sister should do the same). This week Braxton tripped and fell on his face! (runs in the family(:)

The work is really going great. In this area the missionaries are focusing on the members. The members help them so much and love to refer them to others. It is kind of hard though because everyone lives so far apart and it takes a lot of time to meet with them. Braxton is enjoying the work though. They had a few more baptisms this week. (I think the 10 year old girls) They were baptized in the river and it was really cold. When they got in the water they started screaming. (that kind of drove the spirit away) One of the girls foot came up the first time and so they had to baptize her again. She really didn't want to do it again and so Braxton talked to her and then she let him baptize her again. He said she was fine right after he lifted her out of the river and that is was neat.

The branch is doing so good and the members just love the missionaries. They refer to them as their "angels" and that makes Braxton's heart happy! Braxton said if you want an easy spiritual experience go get the cd "Fishers of Men" and listen to it. It is of the Prophets talking and music is playing in the back ground. Braxton said it is just amazing!

Braxton says "HI TO EVERYONE!"

A Few Pictures

Braxton e-mailed me a few pictures. So, of course I have to share them. :) I love how you can see what the country is like. (at least in the mountain area-beats the heck out of the city) Braxton has a bunch of trout in that net.This is a hammock in Braxtons bedroom. It looks high up there to me. :)Braxton with Norman. (have you seen City Slickers?) Braxton is so glad to be in this area. He loves the feel of the country. Brax really is a country boy! (and a dang cute one at that!)

Fun and Spiritual!

Braxton and his comp found a scorpion in their house. They are little ugly things and poisonous. They took the stinger out of it so they could hold it. The package with the shoes is in the office so Brax will get that at the next meeting. The people in Mexico really care about the missionaries and many have offered to buy Brax new shoes. (at least four) Braxton just never expected them to be like that and it makes Braxton happy to know that he is loved and watched out for. (ya, me too!)

Braxton guaranteed me he is really focused on the work and is working hard, but he is human and did notice the most beautiful girl he's ever seen in his life. He said it wasn't a distraction, but he did notice. :)

The stake came on Sunday and called a new Branch President and they made Braxton his first counselor. Braxton was really glad because trying to do it all was really stressful.

The missionaries found three new families of the church this week. Braxton was really excited about that and said the way they are found are just plain miracles.

Braxton got to pull a van out of the mud with a John Deere Tractor on Sunday. Of course he was excited to do that. The family with the van was taking the missionaries to their meeting, but because the van got stuck they didn't make it to the meeting on time. The family invited Braxton and his comp to eat with them. When they were pulling in to the parking lot the cars were really close. Tania, the lady driving, asked Braxton to stick his head out of the window to make sure they could make it without hitting any cars. Braxton thought the window was down and threw his head quickly into it. He hit the window pretty hard but did think it was funny. (me too :D)

Jennifer is getting baptised on Saturday and Braxton is excited for that.
(getting ready for English Classes)

Meetings, Meetings, and more Meetings

This week was full of meetings and hard on the missionaries. Braxton loves meeting with his mission President because he loves his president and thinks he is awesome but this week was hard. Braxton's area is so, so, so far away from everyone. Sometimes it takes 6 hours to get to a meeting. This week was full of them.

Sunday he went to Metepec for a meeting with the stake to teach them how to help the missionaries. They taught the members what the missionaries are doing and how they need help. After that meeting they met with the zone leaders. Braxton stayed there that night because on Monday they had a zone meeting. Then they went to the Federal District Center and did things from 9 in the morning until 9 at night. That night they went back to the Metepec, getting there around 11:30 pm and stayed the night there. Braxton woke up sick and didn't dare try to ride the bus 3 hours to get home. So they stayed longer. It was Thursday that Braxton and his comp finally made it back to their area. They were able to teach one lesson before they had to leave again to go to the Metepec for Zone Conference that was friday morning..

Braxton went on divisions with the zone leader and brought him to his area for interviews. They did the interview and go back to his house late. Saturday morning they had to go back to the Metepec for Braxton's comp. When they got home again they had to clean the house for Church and prepare their talks. They had Church on Sunday and then went back to Metepec again and that is where Braxton was when he sent his e-mail. He said he spent like 4 hours in his area this week is all. He said he did learn a ton but is really excited to get back to work this week.

Today for P-day Braxton went to the zoo. They went to a show at the zoo where people were dressed in animal costumes. Braxton was playing around and kicked one in the face. Braxton said it wasn't hard, he was just messing around. Everyone watching the show thought it was funny and worth the money they had to pay to get in. Braxton said it was fun! "The Church is so flipping True!" Elder Ropelato

Lots!

Braxton loves his area so much and thinks it's just way awesome. It is far away from everything though and takes a lot of time to get to all the leadership meetings. Braxton thinks that is why the Lord is blessing them with such awesome members. Braxton said that he thinks everyone paid their tithing this week. They haven't been paying it because of inactivity but they are all jumping right back into being the best members ever!

The members there are all helping with the missionary work. Everyone wants to share the Gospel with their neighbors and because of that they are having so much success. It makes Braxton wonder what the heck is wrong with us. Seriously we just don't get involved in the missionary effort like they do in Mexico. If we did the Lord would bless this area just as much. He is just waiting for us to put forth some effort. Braxton said "members are too worried about their own well being and don't understand that if they unselfishly serve others they will be blessed." Braxton also shared a quote he heard once. It is...The most selfish thing you can do for yourself is forgetting yourself and helping others. "THAT IS SO TRUE."

The missionaries were able to confirm Jose yesterday. (he was baptized on Thursday) They have 2 more baptisms lined up for this Sunday. ("they are just awesome, humble people.") Braxton just "freaking" loves the work there. He says he flat out can't explain it, but it is truly awesome. There are also two 10 year old girls that are waiting for a baptismal date. The work is just extraordinary there. There are so many miracles happening all the time. Another new family came to church yesterday, and they even gave the missionaries a referral, which is just so neat. Braxton said "the Lord has just prepared all these people and they have people for us to teach. They have just been waiting patiently for the missionaries to come."

Braxton hauled 544 bales of hay, in a wheel barrel, up a muddy hill, while wearing missionary clothes. First though he jumped into a John Deere tractor to get it out of the way. (he thought that was so awesome. He loves tractors) When he pulled out his planner today there was hay in it. (oh, happy days)

Braxton had some guy in the street shine his shoes. He said the guy did a really good job and he also admitted that it tickled his feet a little. :) It was cool though.

Today while the missionaries were riding in a bus they had the crap scared out of them. (not really, but almost) There were 20 missionaries on it and Braxton thinks that's why the bus didn't roll. They were on 2 wheels, twice! The driver just kept going like it was nothing. At first he tried slamming on his brakes but he still would have slammed into the car in front of him so he chose to swerve hard and in the process hit a speed bump. ( A*h*C*r*U*d*) Braxton never did think about his or the other missionaries well beings. He was focusing on two mothers with four children under the age of four that were sitting next to him. That scared Braxton the most. Everything turned out fine though and everyone was okay.

He loves us all and loves the Lord. He is working so hard and said that we will all know that when we see how smokin hot and awesome his life will be. (he really just wants a pretty wife.(:)

Thing are Great!

Thing are awesome in Valle de Bravo. This new branch will have it's first baptism on Thursday. They are planning on having a few more later. There were 20-25 people at Church this week. It was testimony meeting and it was just way, way, way awesome. (as Brax put it) Braxton's companion taught a class for the members on tithing. Braxton taught the investigators the plan of salvation. It was a great day and way cool. (again from the mouth of Brax)Valle de Bravo has a prayer house. (church) The missionaries live in the prayer house too. There are 3 bathrooms and four bedrooms and it's a cabin. It's awesome and one bathroom even has a jetted tub. (which the missionaries found out doesn't need very much soap to get bubbles)All is way sweet and Braxton loves it. Even though so much is happening, Braxton can't quite find the words, or doesn't know what to share for sure. Braxton received the first tithing slip yesterday! (sweet beans)The Church is True!