My mission president told me that I need to love the Savior more than anything else. I need to love the lives of others more than my own. All this hit me very hard...I felt so stupid and selfish for having such a hard time out here. The very next day, I went out and worked hard as usual. We had miracles happen. I know that meeting Eddie was an answer to my prayers. He is struggling. He has lost everything including his family. He told me that he feels like the "biggest loser man". He feels like he knows that Christ can forgive him but that he can't forgive himself. I really connected with him and read Alma Chapter 36 with him. When we are harrowed up by our past sins, Jesus Christ will save us and make us feel joy that compares to that amount of sorrow. I know that this mission is still going to be the hardest thing I have ever done, BUT I know that I can do this. I have brothers and sisters here in El Paso that need me, and me personally, like Eddie. He asked me if we can be friends forever. I told him that the lessons that I taught him were more for me than anything. I thanked him for the opportunity to help him with eyes full of tears he told me that he has never had anyone tell him that he is a great guy. He's never felt like he has helped anyone. I told him that he made my mission do a 180. I LOVE my Savior more than anything else...He will always provide. I have been showered all my life with blessings. I have an amazing family. I feel terrible to see the way people live here. There is so much wickedness, violence, drugs, and others things that I didn't even know existed in this world. I feel like I was really sheltered growing up in good ole Idaho. If you thought I loved where I lived before I left, well think again because I love it 100 times more than that. I love my Savior. I will continue to love him more and more everyday. The power of prayer is unreal! We can truly have a 2-way conversation with our Heavenly Father. Just like Mosiah 24:14-15 says, "We will be visited in our afflictions". We are all so blessed to have been raised in a family that has the gospel. I'm excited for Benson to be baptized because it is the very first stepping stone to becoming closer to our Heavenly Father. It is the gate to the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life in Heavenly Father's presence. While we are on this path, there are road blocks, rocks, bumps, jumps, and slippery slides that will get us off track. The Holy Ghost will guide us through this path if we are in tune. Read, Pray, Go to Church, it's simple. I can't wait for you (Garrett, Kimball, Benson) to be able to serve a mission. No question for you, Garrett and Benson. I GET to act in God's name 24-7. I experience all time lows...but I experience the most spiritual highs that are completely impossible to describe--that is why you have to find out for yourselves. Thank you, thank you for your love and support. The letters mean the world! Keep em coming. Thank you for the basketball shoes. They make me feel a little "Like Mike". I swear they make me jump higher, run faster, and my 3-ball is cash money in the bank. Coming after you GB! I am eating better--the food is great, but I drink water like a camel and don't eat much protein--which isn't good for my huge ripped muscles. I swear someone stuck a needle in my man boobies, arms, back and shoulders because they are deflating like a popped balloon...and I think they stuck the needle in my stomach and blew it up like a basketball. (Smile) JUST KIDDING, I have like a 12 pack. (Smile) I guess I will just lean on that quote "deepen their joys...strengthen their muscles". Ha. I want you to know that you are all missionaries! Spread the Word! Don't be afraid to Testify. With enough love to go from El Paso to Rigby and Back Again 17 times....
Your Favorite Full-time Missionary,
Elder Broulim (aka Rich)
5-20-2013
Had a great p-day today! We balled hard today! Surprisingly my jumper is money! It's back in black. I be posting G-Money (Garrett) up all day long. Look out, I'm coming after ya! Lessons went good tonight.
5-21-2013
Went on Exchanges with Elder Neilson
5-22-2013
Great day today! Worked with Elder Neilson all day. He is from Cali. Even though I was still the junior comp, I took the lead in everything. I was also in a different area where I didn't know anyone! I have some pretty cool experiences that happened. I taught a lesson to two guys named Abraham and Carlos. They are in their 20s. They had a lot of questions about the BofM. They started asking me questions that I had no idea how to answer. The spirit always helps you pull through.. I was able to answer every question with scripture and personal stories. The spirit was so strong that I had the whole room in tears.. except for me… I never cry……. HA. Another cool one was a girl named April. She has a baby girl. April told me that she knew nothing about the bible and nothing about any religion..but wants to raise her daughter in a church, she just doesn’t know what one. I jumped right on that! I gave the whole restoration lesson and committed her to baptism, once she finds out for her self of course. It was such a great lesson. I'm so bummed that I won't be able to teach her anymore because it isn’t in my area. I pretty much gave the 8th ward elders a baptism. Last but not least, Manny. Manny is 11, when we knocked on his door today his mom answered and told us that they were busy. We said ok we’ll come back another day and began to walk to the car. Shortly after we heard a voice behind us yelling wait wait. It was Manny. We sat down on a park bench with him and he told us that he wants to be baptized so bad, but that his mom wont allow it. We asked him all the baptism interview questions and he passed. He told us that he wants to be baptized to be forgiven for his sins. He said he stole a toy gun from a store because his friends do it all the time, but feels so bad about it. He asked what he should do.. I gave him $5 and told him to tell the store and pay them. He walked straight over there and did it, how sweet is that!
5-23-2013
Long day. Lessons fell through during the day, but we had a really successful night. We taught Maria the PofS (Plan of Salvation). And, we got a new investigator named Jack and his less active friend that he lives with. They are both in the Army. Excited to teach them.
5-24-2013
Today was a KILLER day! Started off teaching Ray the commandments (Baptism date for June 16, keep your fingers crossed). Had a district meeting. It went great. Elder Taylor and I are doubling and tripling the other Elders and Sisters numbers. We are the highest in our Zone--but there is always room for improvement. We are struggling with getting investigators to progress and get their butts to church. After district meeting, we went to Jose Montoyas house as usual on Fridays. (Bomb Food!) He is doing so good. Received the priesthood and is going strong. We taught Maria again, finished the PofS with her. Next, we visited Chris Martin. He is a new investigator that I really have a good feeling about. Last but not least, we picked up a new investigator named Anna. Anna was a cocaine-addict. She is very open about it. Her left hand and left foot are swollen black and blue about 3X the size of her right. They are all scabbed and bleeding too. This is from shooting the drugs up. I couldn't believe it. I felt so sick. I knew people did drugs but this was the real deal.
5-25-2013
Today was a slow Saturday. I believe it was slow for one reason though. It was slow so that when we received a call from a random number saying, "My name is Eddie and I really need to talk." We met him at the church. Eddie told us that he lost his wife, baby, job and his car and feels like a loser. He said he felt like doing something very bad to himself so he called us for help. We comforted him and counseled him, gave him a blessing and bought him a burrito for dinner. Missionary work is truly amazing and rewarding. I've had a great day.
5-26-2013
Another great day! I am finally figuring this missionary thing out! Church was great. I really felt the spirit so strong. We picked up two new investigators after church. We met an RM from Provo that is out selling security systems for the summer a few days ago. He came tracting with us. We had a great restoration lesson with Dora. I invited her to baptism and she said, YES!! We had another amazing lesson with Eddie. I love this man! He cried his eyes out on my shoulder after I threw down a lesson on the atonement. He feels like he will never be forgiven for all the drugs, sex, and violence that he has been a part of. It was an amazing experience. Tonight we visited Nora Silva (The lady that lives behind our apartment complex, we jump 2 fences every night to talk to her). We also visited with Tim Martin and his family. Did I mention that we had 3 investigators at church today?!!!!
5-27-2013
It was a bummer that I didn't get to e-mail today because of Memorial Day Holiday and the library was closed. But, I get to tomorrow! (P-day today) We went to El Centro, It is right at the border crossing so their are Mexicans pouring in from Juarez. There were a lot of shops and different things. People on the street try to sell things and you bargain with them. I bought some things and spent about $10. After El Centro, we played ball. Better look out, little bro, I'm coming after ya.
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