A "Wicked" Week...

It has been a crazy week!  You could compare my week to the WICKED roller coaster at Lagoon! Lots of ups and downs, but where there is a low, there is always a high!  Our new area has slowed things down a lot. Elder Taylor and I have been working hard searching for refurrals from ward members as well as tracting. We are trying to get our teaching poll back up! I have been trying really hard to apply the atonement to my life this week. I have faced many struggles and hard times. Ive been working hard to smash the ANTs (Anti-Negative Thoughts). I have seen Satan working really hard against Elder Taylor and I. He is working hard on our investigators and trying to discourage them from progressing. It just comes to show how real and true this work is. Satan doesn’t want others to join our team and come to the fold of Christ. He wants them to be miserable like unto himself. I know that as we help our investigators feel the spirit, the Holy Ghost will do the converting. They will become strengthened from Satan's temptations and influence as they accept and keep the commitments we give to them. Most of the baptism dates that we set, for the sisters.. have fallen through or been pushed back. It is pretty frustrating because the sisters haven’t been able to visit our investigators with baptism dates. We haven’t been able to get in touch with dora, ray, along with most of our new investigators in our new area. I was really excited to continue teaching the Moralis family, but they were no where to be found this last week! I'm really praying that they will be available this week. We made contact with Ramiro and his family this week! We weren’t able to teach them, but we have a return appointment for this coming week. Really excited for that!! Elder Taylor still hasn’t met Ramiro. It is kinda funny, most of the people we are teaching right now all live in our apartment complex. It is nice because we don’t have to waste too many miles driving and can hide from the sun a little! We did a lot of service this week. I really enjoy service because it gives us a chance to wear different clothes!

This week we have really had to humble our selves to our HF. Prayer has been more important this week then ever before. We have really been seeking guidance and help from HF. We went from teaching 5 or 6 lessons a day to now in our new area, only teaching 2 or 3. It has been a hard change. Elder Taylor and I have worked hard, but I always feel like we could work harder.  I know that I can't just be on my mission physically, but I have to be here mentally as well. Each day I am trying to limit the wordly distractions and surrender myself to the Lord. It is so hard, but I know that it will make my mission experience a lot better! Like I said, where there is all these lows and hard times, there is the most incredible highs! Even though they seem few in numbers this week. One lesson made it all worth it! When I first moved into our apartment, so did a guy named Ishmale and his little family. Every night since we have talked with Ishmale as we go to and from our apartment. He is usually always out smoking or drinking while grilling food that smells amazing. We have always tried to set up an appointment with them and it has never worked out until yesterday! I bought some steaks and Ishmale grilled them up, his wife made some awesome Mexican sides, and we ate lunch together! We had an awesome lesson afterwards and they really liked it. This lunch appointment made the whole week worth it!

Last night I got to see the world wide mission president broadcast from Provo. Wow, it was awesome! It made me feel so blessed to be a part of this amazing gospel. It was great to hear from the beloved prophet and a few of his apostles. The structure and foundation that our church is built upon is so strong. It was the fuel that I needed to add to my fire! The Lord is hastening the work and now is the best time to be a missionary. I learned the importance of being one in purpose with the ward members and ward mission leader.  President Monson talked about how useful ward members are in finding new investigators and how tracting isn’t as successful. I couldn’t agree more with him! We have tracted our butts off in our new area and haven’t had much success. I don’t mean to be a negative nancy, but the sisters have been a pain in the bum bum. They have really struggled this week with getting along, so it threw our schedule off a bit. So as you can see, this was a “WICKED” week!

I have a testimony that I know that this is the true church. I know without a doubt that God is my loving HF and he knows me personally. He sent his son to die for me and provided a way that we can return to live in his presence. I know that Jesus Christ is my brother. He is leading this army that I am part of. When times get hard, I know that I am standing shoulder to shoulder with him. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet that faced much tribulation and hard times. Because of his long suffering, we now have another testament of JC. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that Thomas S Monson is a true prophet today and that he is the mouth piece for our Savior in these latter days. I know that families are forever, and as we follow the commandments and live worthy lives we will be eternally happy.

I love my family with all my heart. Thank you for all that you do for me. Until next week!

Love,

Elder Broulim

6-17-13
2 months down, 22 to go! I remember the first night in the MTC..Scary! Today was an awesome day, it was so good to get a recharge for the week by hearing from you all. It sounds like everyone is doing great! We had an intense basketball game today. There are some new elders that think they can ball this transfer. Ha. Elder Mower got in my face a little.. so I had to show him that I can play hard ball. It was fun and good to be active! We got haircuts again today with the zone leaders! We all got fades. My hair has never been so short, but I love it!! We did some tracting before and after dinner with the Butterfields and taught some door lessons! We went to a going away party for a military family in our ward that is moving. We were fed again, then spiritually fed everyone in return. I sat down with Sister Kimball tonight and had a talk with her. She packed her bags last night and tried to go home. She is really struggling. She was happy to hear my feelings and advice on sticking it out. It made an impact on both of us and I'm glad I could help her. Helping others always brings me peace and comfort!

6-18-13

I once heard someone say, if your mission isn’t kicking your butt, you're not working hard enough. My butt is feeling pretty kicked tonight! Tuesdays always seem to be a busy day. This morning we did some book work updating progress records and the area book. We ate at El Taco Tote for lunch! I got my very favorite top sirloin tacos, so good! We did a lot of tracting after lunch. I swear every door we knocked on was Spanish speaking. It is frusturating not being able to communicate with them. Before dinner We did some contacting with the sisters. We are still trying to personally hand them off to all of our old investigators. It required a lot of patience. We had a good lesson with Mike Oliveras and his wife. We taught them about charity and the love of Christ. Dinner was so good! We ate with the stake president, President Perez and his family. They spoiled us with steak, corn tortillis, rice and beans! After dinner, all of our appointments fell through except one. We finally got to have another lesson with Keith, Jake Salgados friend. It was awesome, Keith was the very first investigator that I taught! My first day in El Paso. The lesson went well and we set another appointment for Thursday. He is getting married on the 24^th of July. I just wish it was going to be done right, but I'm really excited for him! I have a lot of faith that they will be sealed someday!  I heard that the heat and spurs game was incredible! It is hard not being able to watch it. I'm glad the heat pulled it out for a game 7! I will be anxiently waiting to hear about the game on Thursday!

6-19-13

There is one word that can sum up my day.. INTENSE! After lunch we had an awesome lesson with chris jones along side the sisters. We had to push his baptism date back a little because he had a death in the family. It was a perfect time to talk a little more about the plan of salvation! Right after that we all raced over to Matt Gonzales house to teach a friend named Jake. The sisters have already taught jake one lesson so we were on the plan of salvation. Sister Clemens caused a lot of contention during the lesson with us other missionaries. Matt has been aware of the problems everyone has been having, but never witnessed it first hand. Sis Kimball, her comp has really been struggling. Not much was said after the lesson, and the sisters left. This is where the day got intense! About 15 minutes later, we hear a loud knock on the door. Matt opens it and it is Sister Kimball in tears. She said, “my comp threw my things out of the car, told me to get out and left me.” We couldn’t believe it. Sister Kimball stayed with the Gonzales’,  Elder Taylor and I went looking for Sister Clemens in our car. We drove a few blocks, and the spirit guided us right to where she was on the side of the road. She was crying and yelling at us to leave her alone. Shortly after, I got a call from President Miller wanting to talk to Sis Clemens. We left her with our phone and drove back to Matts. An hour or so later, Sister Clemens returned to Matt's house. Matt gave the sisters and myself a blessing. It was very spiritual. The Zone leaders came and picked the sisters up, and that is the last I've heard from them. I'm not sure what will happen. It was a really eventful night. Today has been one of the hardest days for me personally. The blessing that matt gave me helped a lot.. but the mail that I received tonight helped me even more! Thank you for all the prayers, love and support from the most amazing family in the world.

I love you.

6-20-13

Today was a great day. I felt the spirit really strong this morning as I studied about the brother of jared in Ether. After lunch, We did weekly planning for a few hours. Then, straight to the grind and did a lot of tracting. We have had a really hard time finding that one person.. but each door I knock, I know that I am one door closer to that person! Tonight there was a mix up with the dinner schedule. We had planned to eat with Chris and Amanda Martin. Right before dinner with the Martins, we got a call from Tim Martin saying, “where are you guys?” They also thought they were feeding us. So we got two back2back great meals for dinner! I didn’t complain. After our two dinner appointments, We had another awesome lesson with Keith. He felt the spirit very strong, and understood it really good! Our only problem with keith is his girlfriend. Her and her family are strong in a different faith and keith doesn’t want to go against them. We're going to continue to meet him and I hope it works out. It's hard that he believes it to be true but won't accept it because of others.  The sisters were able to figure things out. I'm happy and hope to help them stick it out.

GO HEAT!!!

 6-22-13
As I reflect on my day, I yawn because it was exhausting! We had an early morning lesson with a less active named Dwight. The last time I saw him was the first week in the field! It was great to see him. He is really struggling with the word of wisdom. After lunch, We did some on-line missionary work. We got a couple refurrals and had to print some pages for our ward directory. The young women returned from girls camp, and we were asked to help unload the trailer and put all the suplize back in the church. So after the library we raced back to our apartment to change into service clothes! We love every excuse to change! We did a lot of service for the YW and spent most of the day cleaning the church. I was asked by brother Gonzales to give him a blessing, I felt very priviledged. We had an awesome lesson with Nora tonight. She has been going to the catholic church with her daughter. We're not supposed to bash... but that is how the lesson went! We kindly helped her to understand that there is a difference.

6-23-13

Wow, we are so blessed to be a part of this church. Every Sunday is a special day, especially in the mission field. We had about 20 people total in sacrament mtg today! The Bishop didn’t show up and everyone else was late. Let's just say that the church is true.. but certain wards are stronger then others! We have a lot of work to do. I had an awesome opportunity to give Eddie another blessing of comfort and counsel. The spirit was so strong and I was amazed at what the Lord spoke through my mouth! We had an AWESOME lunch and lesson with Ishmale and his family. Ishmale has 3 little boys and we love them. They live right next to us in our apartment. Ishmale is a master griller and it always smells so good! Every night for the past 2 months we have been trying to make plans with Ishmale to have a barbeque and lesson. So yesterday, I bought some steaks and Ishmale and his wife cooked us some bomb food! They are solid investigators! Who wants to baptize one when you could baptize a whole family?? Tonight was the best. We watched the mission president broadcast! It added gas to the fire for our missionary work. I saw Quinn Nelson in one of the broadcast videos! Super cool

I love you all!
Elder Broulim