Week Twenty Eight!

Hola!

So this last week has been pretty crazy.

Monday: P-Day played flag football and ultimate with the zone. Did it barefoot (horrible idea) and got some mondo cuts and such on my feet. And it was like a billion degrees outside and I was sweating like a pig. Oh and my big toe nail fell off. Okay actually I pulled it off after the game. Grossness.

Tuesday: Zone conference with like almost all of the south of the mission together with Pres. Cusick down in Port Charlotte. That was way cool. Lots of talk of the changes in our mission, new upcoming things, rules, etc. We talked a lot about our calling and the responsibility that comes with it and if we are willing to accept that. If not then he invited us to talk with him. Pretty cool though. Learned a lot on how to better ourselves.
 

Wednesday: We did an exchange and I went with Elder Buck and his comp Elder Vanderpool came here with James. They had a crazy good day here, solid like 5 lessons and got 2 new investigators. Me and Buck went and visited a few people. A reverend of black church that told us about all of the murders in our area in the last few weeks. That was fun. We taught an ex-gang leader of a Satan worshiping group. That was...awkward. And had dinner with some Tongans, which was way tasty.

Thursday: Elder Buck volunteers to make me pancakes in the morning. As he's making them he gets a call from Elder Vanderpool. Hangs up all calm and tells me "uhh your companion's in the hospital." The first thing that ran through my head was what did they do within the hour of being awake that would make him go to the hospital? Found out that a mirror attacked him....We had a mirror in our shower that me and Evans put in there that was set up on a towel rack inside of the shower. It was basically immovable unless you tried to push it with some serious force. But James was just getting out of the shower and somehow it fell directly onto him and shattered into a billion pieces. One piece sliced his arm wide open on his upper arm and another piece fell and sliced open his left big toe. He opens the door and Vanderpool's like you okay? I'll call 911. So he called, gave him a blessing, and they came and picked him up and took him and Vanderpool was left in the apartment alone and that's when he called me and Buck. So Vanderpool had nobody with him and had the car but he had lost his license like the week before so he couldn't drive it. Me and Buck didn't have the car, and the other elders that did had hit a raccoon the night before and put it in the shop to get the bumper fixed. So we had absolutely no transportation. so we called english members for like 45 minutes and nobody answered. So Vanderpool has to call a spanish member that hardly speaks english to come get him and we had to call some youth spanish members to come get me and Buck. Finally get to the hospital and James is getting his arm and toe cleaned and numbed up. And from then on we watched the entire thing! Probably the most disgusting two and a half hours of my life. It was like watching a real life Saw movie. Opening flaps of skin on his arm and seeing his muscle. Watching it get sewed up like Frankenstein. And now we're probably gonna be on car again this week because he can't really do anything with his right arm and left foot. Later that night we got a call that cleaning checks on the apartment was gonna be the next day. Figures. So I had to clean the whole house, clean up all the blood that spilled everywhere (it looked like we had murdered somebody) and clean up all the glass in the bathroom. FUN STUFF. Oh and we got switched to twin beds and got another couch in our tiny apartment. I miss my queen size.

Friday: Didn't do much because James was basically dead. The docs never gave him medicine so all he's taking is the occasional tylenol. We had a branch missionary fireside/activity thing that the WML put together. Only 4 families showed up and they were the already solid families. So we watched a talk by Pres. Eyring from the last conference and sang a few songs and ate the food and left.
 

Saturday: We had a pretty good day. Taught a few lessons. Got two new investigators. We blessed our house finally. Never did that after we moved. There was some creepy stuff happening in our house, mirrors attacking, random claps in the middle of the night.

Sunday: Church was good. Had a good lesson with Neftaly last night.

So that's been the last week.

Enjoy the last week of summer! I know I will!
 

Transfer calls on Saturday!

Live Hard,

Love Hard,

Laugh Hard,

Elder Bryson Davies

Week Twenty Seven!

Hola!

What up in the U...T...A...H?? This be the Elder Davies guy out here in Bradenton, FL. 

This last week a major topic with our recent converts (because we didn't have a single lesson with an investigator). We talked a lot about the importance of the sincerity of our prayers, and the faith behind them that they will be fulfilled in the Lord's time according to His will. And when something happens that might seem is the opposite of what we've been praying for we can't just say "Well God didn't care about or hear my prayer so I'm mad at Him". No. That's the worst thing we could do. People are always so easy to say yes everything's according to His will and His time, but when that faith gets tested they just crumble and blame God. It's so important to always know that whatever happens is happening for a reason and what happens could be according to our prayers and our faith. We need to see the positive side of things. Instead of "Ugh this happened I'm so mad" we need to ask "Okay why did this happen and what does the Lord want me to do with it". And that leads into more prayer and study in the scriptures and words of the prophets! Having that understanding relationship with our Father in Heaven is insanely important. He truly is our Father and He loves us and we need to love Him and respect and learn from all He does for us. Prayer is a gift and a privilege and has real power. The sooner we learn that and make it a habit in everything we do, the better off we will be and the easier it will be to instantly accept everything that happens in our lives or to just better understand it as well.

So there's that little sermon! Antyways....we went to a MLB game!!!! That was insanely awesome! got some sweet pics don't worry. And like everybody was there! Probably like 90% of our mission was sitting in the same section with the members that brought them so we were easy for everyone to pick out. And missionaries sang the national anthem so the entire stadium totally knew we were there! It was so sweet. Huge indoor stadium. It's only like 30 minutes away from where we live right now so the drive wasn't bad at all. Jazmin and Nora Carlos gave us a ride (have I talked about them before? They're basically some of our best friends here. Awesome members.) And Neftaly came with us because we needed a guy in the car! We went over the Sky Bridge there and on the way back. Sweet bridge. We stayed at the game until the middle of the ninth inning then we had to leave because we had to be home by 11. Elder Casey was there, Evans was there, Booth was there so there was A LOT of catching up with everybody. That was such a fun night! Oh! And I finally got to see Hermana Russell! Remember Jessy Russell? She's the girl that got called to the exact same mission as me like a few months after I got mine? Pretty cool to see her and talk with her! I've known her since Jr. High! Fun to see friendly faces.

I am here for at least two more weeks. Transfer calls are in two Saturdays. The next transfer is the one that's only 4 weeks long. So yeah still chillin' in Bradenton for now. 

Live Hard,
Love Hard,
Laugh Hard,

Elder Bryson Davies

Week Twenty Six!

Hola!
 
Tuesday I went on an exchange with Elder Tueller (zone leader) down in Sarasota. SO FUN! Finally got to meet all new people and a new area I've never worked in. Oh it was nice. We taught a Hindu indian woman and she told me how to get rid of a stomach ache by pinching my hand in a certain spot. Then we taught a lady who was baptized in December and is crazy in love with the church. Her husband was in Newsies! He's the guy in the boxing scene that gets punched in the face! Cool stuff. And then the next morning we went and did a quick lesson 1 with some new investigators for them and set two baptism dates!

Then we started teaching some new people! One is a cousin of Alex and Neftaly. We taught him lessons 1 and 2 so far. he likes them and says they just make sense. Then there is Esmerelda and she has like 5 little siblings and just her mom. So we're going to try to get the whole family into it and that would be so nice to add another huge family with tons of little kids and youth to the branch! So we're working with them, and they love us, who wouldn't?, so they always want us to come back. (P.S. I learned with them that throwing a kitchen knife into a tree is actually really simple).

But then Saturday came. We went to a party at Myakka state park down in Sarasota. Sweet park! Totally forgot my camera! LAME. But they had a ton of food, two giant blow up water slide things for all the kids and a bounce house and blasting music, and we played soccer! First time on my mission playing soccer with Hispanics! It was fetching intense. First time I've like ever actually played a real game of soccer. I totally did awesome. And sweated beyond compare and got a sick awesome burn/tan! Way way fun to play with all older men that want to relive their glory days and the little kids who are as good as the pros.

But yeah that's about all that's happened this week! Keep up the awesomeness and spirituality of awesomeness! Good luck this week!

Live Hard,
Love Hard,
Laugh Hard,

Elder Bryson Davies

Week Twenty Five!

Hola!

Nothing huge going on, just the work of salvation. Oh! Before I forget! Watch the Rays game on August 3rd! It's Mormon Night and all the missionaries are allowed to go to the game! So we might be shown on the tv! So that'll be awesome right there. MLB game.

So like really don't know what to talk about. We biked all the way to Ellenton which is like two cities away because we figured nobody had actually gone finding there before since it's so far away. On the ride there and the way back we were constantly being pelted like NONE OTHER in the face and body with the tiniest little fly things that I are only in Florida. They all decide to fly 5 ft. off the ground exactly where our eyeballs and faces are. And you would brush off one shoulder full of flies, then the other, and then look back and the shoulder would be black again with bugs! Annoying! And then I carry a sweat rag with me, so after I wiped my face and head and the towel was just black because of all the bugs I just scraped off with sweat from my face. We were very annoyed and so done. So we went and got a Large Frosty at Wendy's and it made things better. Eating problems away! I think I still have some bugs living in my shirt pocket.

Oh...and in response to your question...I read my pat. blessing like 72 times a month. So I basically got it memorized! It's way good and helpful. And I could read one thing one day and get revelation, and then a different day read the same thing and get different revelation because of my situation and attitude. It's like the scriptures. Way awesome things. We actually gave like 3 lessons on those this past week to members and recent converts. Awesome stuff! Ya'll best be putting time to reading those! If not....wo unto thee! No but really we should be reading those and receiving revelation and guidance AT LEAST once a week. Some people with them complain they don't receive revelation after praying a ton, but they don't read that blessing or the scriptures. ANSWERS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. We just have to be smart enough to open that which we already have to receive the answers we need.

So we had interviews with Pres. Cusick the other day. And he talked with our zone a bit afterwards. He told us how important that Broadcast was. And is! So go and visit the "Hastening the Work" website the church has! Study it and love it and live it and share it! Do everything with it! He told us that during that time of the broadcast was the new mission president seminar and training. At that training they had every member of the quorum of the twelve and the first presidency talking to them. That doesn't happen! He compared it to the time of the coming of the Book of Mormon because in those times when those events happened nobody really understood the true magnitude of what just happened, but now looking back those things changed the world and the lives of everyone in it. So it's a HUGE focus for us with members to teach what that website has and spread it through the world.

But besides that nothing huge has happened...........

Live Hard,
Love Hard,
Laugh Hard,

Elder Bryson Davies

Week Twenty Four!

Hola!

Yep still here in B-Town. Staying here for 4 transfers.......is a long time! That'll be six months in the same area. I love the area, love the people.

Oh! Before I forget. All mail now is supposed to be sent directly to my apartment, not to the mission office! They want it like that because of the upcoming holiday season...even though there's no holidays coming up...? But yeah so any and all mail is supposed to come straight to my apartment. And to #3111 now, because for some reason we only get mail in that box, not the one we live in....?

210 3rd St. W. #3111

Bradenton, FL 34205

The baptisms were nice for Zamarit and JJ. We had 5 confirmations yesterday! We didn't do them during Sac. Meeting because it would've been Sac. Meeting. So we did them in Presidente's office afterwards. I confirmed Aide, Zamarit and JJ! They were all in English (whew). They were all completely different and personalized. It was interesting doing three right next to each other, but they were like the furthest away from the same! And I couldn't have thought of all those different things by myself. So that was way cool and good.

Elder James is awesome! He's from Arizona. Been out for about 7 and a half months. So we're both on the same board spanish-wise. Yay! Even more fun!

Have a stupendous week!

Live Hard,
Love Hard,
Laugh Hard,

Elder Bryson Davies

Week Twenty Three!

Hola!

So.......Elder Davies is definitely leaving from Bradenton!...............Probably next transfer because it's not this one! I'm staying! Weird right? And guess what else...Elder Evans is leaving! He was only here for 1 transfer! He's way bummed about that. He's going to be zone leader down in Ft. Meyers. I guess I just breed Zone Leaders. I'm staying another and I'm getting Elder James. He was Evans' companion before me! So Evans said he's way chill. So hopefully that all works out good with him! The switch is on Tuesday. Kinda a bummer for Evans to go because it's finally after a transfer that you actually start to build and strengthen the relationship with a companion and find common ground and get used to them. Now I have to do that all over again! Should be exciting. Back to making all the decisions for every little thing!

We met President Cusick on Friday! He had his wife and daughter with him. They're way cool. He'll be way good though once he gets more experience. Interviews and stuff with him will probably be this next transfer. He let us know a lot of the new stuff that's coming. Like IPADS!! That'll be awesome! And how we're going to be using Facebook in our areas and the building tours and such. There's gonna be a lot of changes coming up in the next few months. Change is good! OH! Did you guys know it's a new rule that missionaries are like absolutely not supposed to wear backpacks or even like have them or bring them on their mission??? They say it's because it makes us look unprofessional and people always wonder what we have in our hiking packs. So now it's the side book bag things that we're supposed to use. And we don't even have to carry around scriptures since we have ipads, but we'll probably still have to do it to prove to people that we have a bible and stuff. 

We had two more baptisms yesterday of Zamarit and JJ! I baptized JJ and Evans baptized Zamarit. There was SO many people there! Like 12 circle tables worth of people! There's usually like 3 tables worth. It's because their grandma is an awesome member whose daughter (jj and zamarit mom) is inactive but they've been associated with the church and this branch their whole lives so all of the adults in the branch knew who they were and the grandma made sure there was like ten thousand pounds of food made and it was insane! But it was so cool to see that many people at a baptism! Instant support right there. That's how EVERY one should be! They literally know they have the whole branch supporting them as new converts. It was way cool to be a part of. There'll be pics from that. 

4th of July! Yeah we didn't do anything.....except watch fireworks!! We watched them at the Riverwalk, since we live on it we just walked basically outside of the parking lot and were there. So they shot them from right behind the green bridge and we were on the Riverwalk watching them and they were all reflecting off the river and stuff! Got some sweet pics of that too. Oh man! But walking up and down that Riverwalk made me and Evans want to be in Utah! In Utah before fireworks there's people playing games, throwing a football, doing little fireworks, bbq'ing. Here....there's just a smoke cloud above everyone's heads the entire night because of all the smoking from...everyone.

And yeah. 6 months. WEIRD. Technically it's considered my "6 months" like...today because I've been out exactly 4 transfers including the MTC and each transfer is a month and a half...so I like the earlier one! So I'm at 6 months! Something weird is the transfer after this one is going to only be 4 weeks long. That'll be a short one for sure! But yeah 6 months on a mission! I met up with Elders Hall and Booth at the President meeting thing and we were talking about how insane that is. It seems like we were just barely in the MTC together, but then it seems like it's been a long time! Pretty weirdy.

Oh so this next transfer is going to be so much knocking doors. Unless we amazingly start getting referrals from people. Because as of right now, we have NOBODY that is progressing that isn't a recent convert. That's like all this transfer will be is recent convert stuff because there's like a billion. So that'll be exciting.

Alrighty well have fun with everything going on this week! Tell everyone I say hi!

Live Hard,
Love Hard,
Laugh Hard,

Elder Bryson Davies

Week Twenty Two!

Hola!

Welcome to the heat! Global warming......or end of the world........or both.......or it's just Summer. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!! Yep. That's about it.

We have those transfer call things this Saturday. Tal vez I'm staying? Tal vez no? I could see it either way! Don't really know right now. We had three baptisms yesterday! The three girls from "The Crew"! I'll send pics. Lizbeth, Aide, and Janet. Aide and Janet are sisters and their all cousins. It was pretty great to finally see them reach that point in their progression! Especially since it's been a decently long process and I've been here for the whole thing. It was AWESOME. I baptized Lizbeth and Elder Evans baptized Aide and Janet. They know they're making the right decisions and changes to their lives. And the two baptisms of JJ and Zamarit next week are on schedule and going perfect!

I don't even know what to talk about for this past week...........It rained a lot. A LOT. Oh and I'm sick. I've been sick with cold or whatever for like 5 days. The thunder wakes us up every 37 seconds during the night. And the lightning since it brightens the whole world. The thunder here is scary loud. Like I cry a lot. Sometimes. Not really. It rains a lot. It's actually raining right now. And it's still 90 degrees and 171% humidity. Nothing really crazy happened this week. But then when I look back in my journal there's been a lot of crazy stuff......just never remember it! that's why I write it down. And then forget it. Eh.

Live Hard,
Love Hard,
Laugh Hard,

Elder Bryson Davies