February 3rd letter

Hey my best friends!

So this week was interesting. We found some more people to teach, but unfortunately no one went to church! That seems to be one of the most difficult things here, is finding people who will actually go to church! We also had two Family Home Evenings with church members, we taught a pastor, an english school principal, an atheist, and a woman who is returning to church after about 3 years away from it. Yeah it's crazy stuff.

We went to a hamburger place on my [21st] birthday...it was COOL!

You might be surprised to see that I am writing today...the mission zone meeting I mentioned last week was canceled, so today is our preparation day. A missionary in our zone is stopping by the mission office today, so I asked him to pick up my package [for his birthday]. I AM SO EXCITED!!!

Also, today we're gonna do an activity with the missionaries in my zone...it's going to be sweeeet! Unfortunately my time is already up...I know it's probably annoying that I don't write a lot every week. I try my hardest to write the most to you guys, but I usually get caught up in stuff for the mission zone and the area, since we are only allowed and hour and a half on the computers per week.

I love you guys so much...please, please, please pray for me, as well as for opportunities for your friends to hear about the gospel!

Elder Bradford

AJ's 21st birthday

Hello sports fans!

Well, thank you so much for all the emails wishing me a happy birthday! I felt so good today! I felt like I was 21 years old! But just for a moment. I don't even believe that I'm 21. It's so weird. But anyway, I am still a missionary and I still have to work so that's what I'm a gonna do!

Elder Papenfuss's Portuguese is getting better...he's still talking with everyone he meets, so that's good. This very second he turned to the guy by him in this internet café and showed him mormon.org. Man I've never done that! What a splendid idea!

On Saturday, we went to contact a woman we had talked to earlier in the week. Unfortunately, she didn't live at the house number she passed to me, but we ended up talking with the family that did live at the house. We asked them if we could share a gospel message and they accepted (a bit reluctantly). They called all eleven (11) people that were in the house to participate. So, they gave us two chairs and everyone gathered around on the front porch. This isn't anything new for me, but I imagined how scary it must have been for Elder Papenfuss! We aren't able to follow-up with the majority of them because they live outside our mission boundaries, but it was good practice for Elder Papenfuss.

The family that attended church last week wasn't able to go this week (bleh). But I hope...really, really hope...they will attend this Sunday. We will do a Family Home Evening with them and another family in the church ward this week, it's gonna be GREAT!

We had a multi-zone mission conference and talked a little about some stuff from a book called 'Every Missionary Can Baptize'. It's a pretty good read, I recommend it. This book and a few others that I've read talk extensively about focusing completely on the work and the power of the mind.

Okay, my time's up. Thank you so much for the warm birthday wishes! I'm excited to see my mystery package next week! (OH HO HO what could it BE!?!?). I love you ALL and INDIVIDUALLY with all my heart!

Elder Bradford

January 20th letter

Hello famzam!

So this week was cool demais [as well]. We had a stake activity on Saturday where we invited church members that were former missionaries to meet together at a church and then go out and do street contacts in the region. We fasted the day before to help it be a success. We had just six members show up, so that part wasn't that much of a success. But, as it seems to always happen, our fast didn't go to waste...a family of four came to church as well as two of their friends, so that was awesome. They will be our focus this coming week. I would like so much to be able to baptize another family before my mission ends.

We are going to have a multi-zone missionary conference this week.  They have the tradition of having the missionaries who are going home soon give their 'last testimony' during the meeting. After spending a year and eight months seeing other missionaries do this, I can't believe that I'm going to be doing it this week. It's so weird. I'm trying not to get trunky (tranque in Portuguese).

I'm trying to work my butt off. I can see that I still have a lot of things that I could improve if I had a lot more time on the mission, but I know that as a person I have changed a bit and learned some lessons that I hope I will be able to apply during my life. I want to bare my testimony to you that I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the key to our happiness. If we can understand the Atonement and what charity really means, we will have a happy life.

Thank you for all the prayers! And for your emails! Be strong!
Elder Bradford

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The other two missionaries that board with us

January 13th letter

Hi family,

Well, this week was fair. I'm still liking Elder Papenfuss a lot. His name is German by the way.

So, the situation here is that I am zone leader with Elder Miranda who is in Ouro Verde (another ward that shares the same chapel, and we share the same house). It's a little easier because we are in the same house. I am just now starting to understand the whole responsibility of being a mission zone leader. I think the hardest part of it all is knowing exactly what it is that the zone needs. Like, in what do they need to be trained? It's hard because we can't spend all day, every day in their areas. Which got me thinking...how is it that our Prophet determines what needs to be taught in general conference? I'm curious if any church leaders have made comments about this.

Thank you for looking up my previous questions and please keep me in your prayers! Unfortunately, my time has already ran out on the computer...I spent a bit of time making a ward list. We're gonna visit all the ward member's houses and see about getting some folks back to church! Thank you also for telling me how everyone is doing!

Elder Bradford

January 8th letter

Hello guys!!!!!

AJ and Elder Papenfuss

I am training a missionary again...my little son is Elder Papenfuss. He's from Bountiful, Utah. He has already served 6 months in the Boston mission. He speaks Portuguese real well and is pumped to work. He talks with literally everyone so he can to practice the language. I'm excited to work with him! I'm still here in the Bandeirantes Ward in Southwest Campinas.

So, our bishop here is going to take a trip to... guess where...Washington state!!! So I'm going to send a package with him to take to you! I'll send some English books that I don't want anymore as well as some Guaraná and Paçoca.

And, I was thinking about coming back here to Brasil to work during the World Cup...I'm thinking they'll be begging for people who speak English and Portuguese fluently to help with the tourists...maybe?

I love you guys soooo much! Keep praying for me! Keep reading the Book of Mormon!!
Elder Bradford

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A LOST MAN!

A DANGEROUS CROSSING!

A RANDOM HORSE!!

A LOVELY CLOUD!!

A POWERFUL MISSIONARY ZONE!!!