I felt the love that God has for every single one of his children, but that God will not take away our agency.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! Yesterday haha but HAPPY NEW YEARS this Sunday!!! Remember church is super fun and the best way to celebrate :) except for being a missionary that is pretty fun too (even though people call us #partypoopers) hahaha! but it's okay.

I am still stuffed from yesterday ughh I hate being full. But things are going well here! Tons of Marijuana and drunk people.... but they are so nice that is the good thing...like crazy nice... too nice haha. Ughh and Dumb Cavaliers... I know I shouldn't talk about that but I heard it was pretty intense haha. Ummm...but besides that things are going well! I love the mission!! Time is flying which is just weird, sometimes I like it sometimes I don't and it scares me. BUT MY FAMILY ESPECIALLY MY BROTHERS HAVE COMPLETELY CHANGED!!! I hope everyone hasn't changed that much.... I'm scared... aha what can happen in 7 more months...whoah.  But I hope you all are doing good and things are going great! Enjoying the nice weather up there!! (It is weird saying up there to GA)

But although this Christmas was super happy and good it was also sad seeing how addictions are destroying practically everybody. Addictions come in so many forms. I was talking to this drunk guy, and he just started crying, saying "I used to be a good kid like you. But he got me...he trapped me and he wont leave me. I just want to be a good kid again (He is like 27) please tell me what I can do. Please help me." And he was in tears and I had no idea what to do and I prayed for help and invited him to church but it was so sad. I have heard stories of missionaries crying because people won't accept the gospel but to be honest I have never really had that experience until that day. And I just felt so bad because I couldn't help him, and because the addictions are sunk so deep down especially here with alcohol. That was an amazing experience for me because I felt the love that God has for every single one of his children, but that God will not take away our agency. That moment definitely changed my life.

Also another cool tender mercy was this lady from the states sent our ward a ton of presents and said give all the presents to one family who needs it most. So we went on a mission and found this less active family who are SUPER humble and super nice and just seeing the kids face when they saw the presents was priceless. I always forget to take pictures...ughh haha. But I had a wonderful Christmas and next year will sure be different. But I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well and take care!!!

our investigator does scuba-diving tours haha and he found all of these

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Skype

Yea - happy day!

(a couple days early because Jeff worked Christmas Eve & Christmas). 

Brandon looks and sounds wonderful!

so this Christmas try and brighten somebody's day and I promise your Christmas will light up more than all the Christmas lights you could possibly put up!!!

So this week... Umm I have to remember I just changed agendas. My companion is doing so good at English. He could teach lessons by himself if he trusted more in himself. He is very good and he understands almost everything, it's just the Kriol here throws off the Latino missionaries because they don't know what is proper English or what is Kriol. But he is doing great!!

We are celebrating another birthday today, so that will be cool. Also we had a multizone with president Adams and that was so special and so amazing!! One of my favorites and the spirit was there so strong!! I am getting good at cooking I think...I'm not sure if I'm getting better but I'm getting practice haha.

All the missionaries gave talks again and it was super special, just attendance is dropping like crazy in these days...Belize is going crazy haha. Whoah I have never walked so much in my life either...hahaha I can't wait to have Heelies. BUT WE ARE GETTING FED LIKE CRAZY!!!! Oh my goodness it is not even Christmas yet...haha and I am dying of being full haha. But we literally walk it out so that's nice.

WE GOT HOT WATER!!! Hot water is one of the greatest inventions in the world!!! I love hot water...I love love love hot water!!! one would think that the water here would be hot without a heater but NOPE! haha.

But anyways....haha. I LOVE THE MISSION AND EVERYTHING!!!! I hope everybody is doing great and have a great week and A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! And the Belizians here sing a song all the time and it is really sad, it says, "Santa Clause, will you ever come to the ghetto?" so this Christmas try and brighten somebody's day and I promise your Christmas will light up more than all the Christmas lights you could possibly put up!!! Take care!!

Multizone Meeting (Brandon's at the piano in bottom 3 pictures)

comp got one year

comp made me really good soup and we had to make the cake for today...

We aren't the best cooks haha but we tried

I was so scared it was going to pop

feeling some peace

Hey so my new companion Elder Contreras is amazing and we are doing good work!! Things are going good...walking...sweating...haha ummmm...eating... playing basketball....trying to be leader of 4 sisters.... and waiting for hot water again...it's been like 4 weeks with cold water...after my year in El Salvador with cold water...haha anyways...things are going good here!

I tried gluing this angry bird I have on my back pack in a restaurant and it started smoking and got really hot and I think it was about to catch on fire...but it didn't luckily.
One of our baptismal dates got put in jail...so that is sad... ummmm I DUNKED A BASKETBALL!!!! hahaha but the rims were shorter. We sometimes on Monday nights go out with members and play on top of this 3 story building with a chain linked fence around it and show people that we can do more than walk around haha and that was so fun. "But He's from the states that's why" hahaha cool stuff. anyways... missionary stuff haha.

This week has been good just really hot, but I have finally been feeling some peace after a crazy change haha. We have been finding some really smart people to teach and that just makes our job so much easier when people try to understand because they themselves have a desire to learn.

Christmas is coming...what the...haha Time just flies by. But I had the primary program yesterday and I played the piano and that was super cool. Cool things that are happening this week, my companion completes one year in the mission, anddddd....we have tons of food appointments...haha. But anyways, haha I have no idea what to say anymore to be honest but if anyone has any questions or is curious to know anything feel free to ask haha :P Have a great day/week!!

Angel in his primary program, water break...haha,
and a random boat passed by...

SERVE SERVE SERVE!!! YOU WILL BE SO HAPPY IF YOU FREELY SERVE!!!

This week was a hard week...but it wasn't nessasarrily bad (sorry I'm giving up on spelling) haha Belize Kriol is destroying my English worse than Spanish.

But anyways...I had interchanges with ELDER HARRIS!!! which was so amazing! And we met this member who is the most humble guy I have ever met (and I have met quite a bit) and Elder Harris gave him cookies and he prayed and while he prayed he literally talked with God. Like a conversation. He would talk, then stop a little and say "Yes I will Father, thank you" And "Please glorify these two young men" and I just felt this power. And it's not like this guy is crazy or anything he is just so so humble....and I think he is blessed because of it. That was such a cool prayer and I felt the spirit so strong it was crazy. That was cool.

Our branch mission leader was assaulted with his newly wed wife (is that a phrase?) so keep him in your prayers. He is doing fine but he got beat and his eye is pretty messed up :( but he is doing good right now.

COROZAL HAD A BAPTISM!!!!!! Which it has been a LONG TIME since that area had a baptism but they did and I am so happy for them! I got to do the interview which was pretty cool and it is sweet!

Also my companion who knew nothing of English 6 weeks ago...bore his testimony in Spanish..and in English yesterday for testimony meeting. It was pretty cool to hear that miracle. And of course the Christmas devotional was amazing yesterday especially that last prayer haha it made me feel good. 
BUT SERVE SERVE SERVE!!! YOU WILL BE SO HAPPY IF YOU FREELY SERVE!!! I PROMISE!!! but take care.

We have changes and my companion is leaving...I am staying here!! Obviously I haven't found who God wanted me to find yet...haha so I will keep looking! MY fourth companion in this area haha. I am so happy tobe here though!! Anyways...have a great week and look for ways to do small service to anyone and everyone!!! Talk to you next week!!

I fell during basketball...haha but I bought
a super cool basektball for 30 belizian

super humble man I will talk about later (above)

do the daily service challenge...

Hey so this week was crazy! Well I guess since last Monday. I saw the ruins and that was cool, we are fighting the country trying to get my comp to be legal, he is only in Belize because he had a couple problems in El Salvador so they are going to keep him here or send him to another mission.  At the same time the country calls me like every other day asking me how much money I make and who is my boss...haha so that is interesting. We took a lot of time this week traveling and figuring everything out but it was fun.

Yesterday I met a guy, and he said "hey, I'm a member of the restored church of Jesus Christ as well. My Father is one of the 70, but I am inactive right now because I am not married but live with my future wife. But I will be back soon." And we had a crazy lesson with him and the spirit was so strong, so that was cool.

Also Monday we had such a spiritual meeting with Elder Duncan of the 70 https://www.lds.org/church/leader/kevin-r-duncan?lang=eng, and he was great. I was called up to play the piano and give a musical number for a choir without preparation but it went really well haha I was proud.

I WENT TO THE US!!!!! Just for a little bit.... haha funny story. I.......................................................... just........ walked into the U.S. embassy in Belize, haha so technically that is U.S. soil. But that was neat.

We are being stuffed by members like crazy...it is insane. And I have been learning a ton and fast. But anyways, I will write again on Monday. But I hope you all are doing well and will do the daily service challenge from the church:) God will bless you if you do I testify! Have a wonderful week!!!

these (below) were in Belmopan.  I worked there

with Elder Ostler for 2 hours and it was so amazing!!!

the man on the right is super cool. Brother Stamp and is always

talking about the States haha and gives us food all the time. 

Piano Story

Brandon didn't have much time today - this is all we got...

I am in corazal right now in a hoodie because it is cold!! haha we are going to the ruins again today

SISTER GARDNER YOU WERE RIGHT!!! So I went to this wedding...and everything was cool yay yay and then it was 5 minutes until the bride walked in. They had NOTHING ready..not even the person to lead the meeting. Some random guy who wasn't even dressed stepped up and did it..and it was 5 minutes before and then the branch president called me up like "hey can you play the wedding song while she walks in and then all the other songs" and I said "what is the wedding song" and he said "I don't know, what they always play at weddings" and I said "No I would need the music" and then he got mad and said "what are you serious?? We will need to postpone the wedding and he was getting upset and then I was about to say why don't you go play it but I was trying to be a good missionary and then the senior couple missionary found it online on their ipad and then everything went well after that and I played that... but that is my wedding story haha super random sorry. -Elder Austin

Wedding!! funny story...

by the example we set will change more than you imagine!!

So this week was normal too I guess haha. I'm not really sure what normal is. On Sunday all 6 of the missionaries spoke and that was really sweet. 3 in Spanish Sacrament and 3 in English Sacrament. It was...interesting haha it was wow...really amazing actually. Just we kind of spoke a little bold... Like I started off with the scripture Romans 5:19. haha but the missionaries did an amazing job. I spoke in English and wow Kriol is messing up my English...but anyways.

We have this guy close to baptism I hope. His name is Kent. All of his family, his wife and everyone, are inactive members. He would come to church though but stopped because of his job, but he just got fired so he has been coming every Sunday without his family for the past 6 Sundays and even pays tithing. President Nephi pulled him into the office yesterday and said "I would like to give you a calling but wasn't sure what priesthood you had" and Kent said "well don't you need to be baptized to have the priesthood?" and then President said "WHAT??? YOU AREN'T BAPTIZED!!!" haha he told it funny but anyways it was nice having that support and he helped push him on a date for the 26th of November. Please pray for him and that I will get to see that miracle baptism as well.

We are working pretty hard without success. But anyways... things are going good!! Drunk people are buying us coke, my companion is cooking for me, and the weather here has been really nice!! But anyways, have a fantastic week you all!! And keep doing what's right. As the scriptures say by the example we set will change more than you imagine!!

My comp and Sister May from Cancun completed one year in the mission
on Friday so we celebrated with free pizza and a cake haha

wearing the name-tag changes so much more...

Hey. This week was cool haha I guess pretty normal. I had many really sweet things happen to me. So lately in the Branch like no one feeds us...haha but things have begun to change. We are visiting the members more and we almost have a free meal set up for everyday and we have never mentioned anything about food to anyone! So that is a sweet blessings. For you missionaries out there...haha visit the members too!!

We were at this one house and she was like "so what do you all eat" and we told her we buy stuff. and she said "wow, I am sorry. I know you guys are representatives of Jesus Christ. Every Wednesday I want you here at my house and I am going to feed you all special as if Jesus Christ is coming" .... Whoah... So we will see how that goes on Wednesday haha I'm pretty excited.

But I have really been thinking about the mission a lot. How people prejudge the missionaries...haha sometimes in a bad way, sometimes in a good way, and how just wearing the nametag changes so much more than you can imagine.

But anyways..haha Abner (a young man I had the opportunity to help baptize) bore his testimony yesterday and the whole branch is talking about how he is on fire. He goes to EVERYTHING and helped leave to teach with us yesterday. But I would like you all to please keep him in your prayers. He has some sort of desease :( Yesterday he was feeling bad, and we gave him a blessing. And the blessing was really sweet and spiritual...until he started twitching and his heart was racing and he couldn't stop and was about to pass out. It happens to him all the time. Our branch president rushed to get him to the hospital but on the way he stopped and was okay, which was a really cool fulfilled promise. But please keep him in your prayers.

Also my companion is learning English FAST!! keep him in your prayers as well. Also I was thinking about how before I was a missionary, I have never before really thought so much about the sacrament and as a missionary I feel I need it more than ever! And I get a wonderful tender mercy. Our branch is slowly splitting. It goes from 8-12. At 8 is Sacrament in Spanish and then from 9-11 are classes and from 11-12 is Sacrament in English! I get to take it twice haha which really helps me think about Jesus more. But anyways... haha sorry to brag.

There are a ton of things I could brag about but I would just like to wish you all good luck tomorrow and America with the elections tomorrow...I just realized I am old enough to vote... wow... I always thought I would haha but I guess not. I hear though it's like picking the best of two evils but we will see. But thank you so much for all that you guys do!! And have a great week!!! -Elder Austin 

P.S. - Marilee (Brandon's piano teacher) asked him about playing the piano and this was his response: "Every week for Pday I play the piano because in my district it is just a bunch of girls...Pdays aren't the most fun..haha but I found a way to get along. They won't play sports so I play the piano and they bring tons of piano music and they just sing."
Ha - silly girls, not sure why he can't get them to play basketball:)

Another backpack and P-Day:)

Things are going great...

Hello this week everybody. First of all...I just wanted to say HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! I hope you all have a good day! Things are going good here in my area.

I have a new companion from Panama. His name is Elder Herrera and he is crazy! But it's a good crazy. So that is fun. He just came from El Salvador so I am trying to teach him English. Please pray that he can learn English soon he really wants to and is struggling. He is really cool though. He cooks for me even though he uses my food without asking haha and he put a pink dread in my hair..for Halloween pictures but I took it out before I left haha but we got costumes to dress up today in the church for pday so it should be fun!

We went to our branch presidents son's baptism and they randomly called me up to lead the baptism..again haha. That was amazing and there were a ton of people there. The branch is finally starting to pick up and grow! We are getting in the 80's 90's and 100's every week which is insane!!

It is starting to cool down here too!! I actually got a cold...haha I don't know how but I got a cold here in Belize...like what in the world...but I'm feeling great now. I am getting my temporary residency finally here in Belize which will last a while after the mission so I can just come back and visit and stay here easy now haha. But that's about all. Things are going great.

We are trying to visit the members more because house knocking doesn't seem to be working too well now...especially because we can't go very far without bikes or anything. But really that's about all...I hope things are going well for you all!! I hope everyone has a great week and a safe Halloween!!! Ah dah go eet sum cahndi now.

New sister from new york. Her first day in Belize

my companion cooked that for me...it was actually really good haha

If we are doing what is right, we will be blessed.

This week was a great week!!! Just there are changes tomorrow and I AM STAYING IN ORANGE WALK!!!! YESSSS!!!! haha but my companion is leaving, he is going to Belize City with one of my best friends Elder Burrell...but I love it here. I will have a companion that will come into Belize for the first time and I will try and teach him English haha.

We had a miracle baptism this Saturday. A cute 9 year old girl who is called Celeste. We didn't do anything for that, I didn't even know her name until Tuesday, but we had a miracle of having a baptism this change. Her dad baptized her which was really special. They have been inactive for quite some time. After the baptism the dad came up to me and said in broken English, "I never thought I would see the day when I would get to baptize my daughter. Thank you so much for all that you guys did. You have changed our lives forever." And I was super confused...all I did was talk to him last Sunday because he told me he wants his daughter baptized but I had no clue who he was. So I told him "Thank you sir but we didn't do anything." And he told me "No, you did so much for me. You know, there is something about seeing you guys just walk down past my house, walking back and forth, that makes one want to get out and do something, and be a better person. Even though you never knocked on my door, just seeing you guys walking by has changed my life." That was a huge testimony to me. If we are doing what is right, we will be blessed. And his 6 year old daughter was so happy yelling "My Sister is gonna baptize!!!" and she stood up on the chair in Sacrament to watch her sister get the Holy ghost and is so excited for her baptism. What a cool experience!

The rest of the week was pretty normal, except the sisters threw stuffed animals at me during a meeting with our branch mission leader who is getting married next month to an American girl who is coming down tomorrow. Also Abner is now the teacher's quorum president!!! Woohoo!!! And I am trying to learn creole now because studying English and Spanish is boring haha no offense and I broke a couple ankles in basketball while I was in Corazal and sent everybody home saying if you lost during sports night, you had to go because it was super late and they didn't want to leave. Cool stuff haha and my comp made me mac and cheese because we finally got gas for the stove. Good week! I hope you all had a great week!!! Take care and do what's right!!!


P.S.  Had to share this because it made me LOL...in Brandon's email to me he said the following:
"I'm still District Leader of 4 girls. Holy cow I am learning a lot haha :P"
I replied, "So what have all these girls taught you?!!!"
His response, "ummmmm...how to listen...how to listen..and listen..and listen...and listen.......and then listen...and then say everything is going to be okay... and listen... and listen.... and be more creative so they aren't bored at District meetings...and then listen....and then listen hahaha :P"

LOVE this boy and all that he is learning about the mission, life, and girls:)

i da go cuz i gon si da ruins!!!

Hey so as the amazing missionary I am I forgot my agenda so I forgot what happened last week...haha but I do remember it was a good week! I did exchanges with Elder Harris and that was super fun!  I practiced baking cakes, we are bringing TONS of kids to church every week and to every single activity, just the parents don't want anything to do with it...Adults here in Belize...haha but everything is going good.

We are going to ruins today again so I am pumped!! AND MY BROTHER IS TURNING 13!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY!!!!! He is my favorite littlest brother!!

And we have been working hard here in Belize without success and without any hope of success for this change, but we will have a miracle baptism on Saturday I hope!! So it was a less active family but we are going to have the dad baptize the 9 year old daughter. Such a wonderful miracle and experience. Just we have to go teach her everything or try to before Saturday so please pray for us, but I know things will go well.

Thank you so much for all that you all do and I hope you have an amazing week and it stays warm for the most part! but i da go cuz i gon si da ruins!!! (Belize Kriol) -Elder Austin

Kids are such troopers

This week was good. Things are going great here just super normal haha I'm not really even sure what to write. We had interviews and a multizone meeting with the president so that was cool, and I went on a 2 day interchange with Elder Harris and that was really amazing!!! I saw a police motorcycle chase so that was pretty intense..and the Belize school system is on strike and protest...poor kids.

I had some really cool blessings as well but I will share those later. The sister missionaries in my district sure had a good scare with drunk guys... but I hope you all are okay with the Hurricane. That sounded crazy! I hope everyone is doing alright. It has just been hot here although Saturday it rained but we still got 5 kids to church. Kids are such troopers haha. But besides that...ummmm...it's all normal. And keep doing what is right! I will talk to you all next week!!

more pictures from last weeks excursion

I need to eat more healthy...

So I don't have a lot to write this week because I left my book at my house and that's how I remember what happens because everything just flies by so fast and it's all a blur haha. But I am doing great except the fact that I need to eat more healthy, and CONFERENCE WAS SO AMAZING!!!! Holy cow!! Just sorry to all the ladies because Holland Talked in Priesthood conference, haha. But conference was truly amazing and I learned so much from that conference.

I hope everyone is doing okay and that things are going well. I just got back from Lamani which is a ruin and my branch president was the tour guide, president Nefi, and holy cow he explained a ton of it with the Book of Mormon on things that I have never thought about before. It was really sweet and SO PRETTY!!! Just so many mosquitoes haha. It is so cool learning about all these things and I hope that you all keep having an inspired and uplifting week!! Just pray that my companion and I can have success please because out of 100 houses we contacted...we got zero news..haha soooo...but thanks for all that you guys do! And have an amazing week!! I will explain more next week!!!

 This is the road I helped build.

 Pictures on a boat.

Br. Garcia meets with the missionaries weekly.
He sent the following facebook message:

HE A GOOD SON.HE WORK SO GOOD I AM IN CHARCH OF THEM.I AM HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOUR SON SISTER

keep choosing what's right!!!

This week was really nice and I have learned a ton this week. I hope all of you girls who watched Women's conference really learned a lot and felt the spirit! From what I heard it was really nice! I hope you all member or non member can watch a bit of the conference this Saturday and Sunday!! It will be really special and something that you will never regret watching!!! It's just a couple hours that will change your life forever if you pay attention!!

So I have really been learning to follow the spirit and I taught a cool lesson I would like to share because the spirit inspired me during the lesson. We were at the church with a recent convert and we were sitting at the piano. I told him that let's imagine like the white keys represent happiness and the black keys sadness...then I played "How Firm a Foundation" without any flats... and it sounded super minor. But then I told him, now let's add in the sad moments in our lives, and it sounded great if I do say so myself. It was a really cool lesson and although he didn't pay attention at all, it was something that I really enjoyed. Black keys make music too.

Well I really don't have too much to say this week. Wednesday we stayed inside all day because of Independence day...haha crazy. And my recent convert made out with an investigator of the sisters.... sooo.. lots of work to do but hey I think the sisters will baptize her now hahah :P but just fyi flirt to convert is not a good tactic to use haha. But I hope everyone has a good week and keep choosing what's right!!! Take Care!!!

my companion can draw and the sisters can bake...

one of the owners dogs

 a pizza place that won't charge missionaries...I feel so bad going there:(

I drew the temple...haha my companion the others

Do what is right and you will be happy!!!

This week has been good. I got a new companion. He says he is only 6 foot 6 but he looks taller. He is from Washington so things will be good this change. We wreck all these Belizians in basketball now haha it is so fun.

But Today Last year...exactly a year ago I had my first baptism. It is so crazy how my life has been this past year and I love it and I just feel so good! This week has been pretty normal and "normal" I mean drunk guys pulling out machetes on us and stuff, and walking and never sitting the whole day, but this Wednesday there is the Independence day celebration here in Belize and we are not allowed to leave the house or even look out the window...hahaha. but we bought lots of food so we will be okay.

The work here has been going a bit slow now because we have been so busy with other things but it should start to pick back up again. So I had a cool experience with the spirit yesterday. Our mission leader has a disease where sometimes he shakes and passes out on the ground, and we were doing splits. I had a prompting to tell my comp about his disease because he was going to go leave with him on splits, but I just didn't tell him because it doesn't happen a lot. Well it happened when they were together and my comp got freaked out. And the guy passed out and fell in a ditch with water in it. Luckily he is okay..but it was a great lesson for me to learn and helping me to help pick out the voice of spirit. That is probably the thing that I am most working on is trying to be able to talk to and listen to the spirit. Cool stuff.

But everything else is going good. It has been a lot cooler lately thankfully haha. I have been dying of heat..except now in the nights I am freezing with the air conditioning #washingtonpeople but luckily I bought a hoodie :) haha take care!! Have an amazing week!! DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY!!! Just small day to day battles make sure you win :)

 People I met in Armenia that got married and baptized!!!

(two pictures in left corner)

My drunk friend (grinch shirt)

A youth that went out with me (top, second from left)

Me singing in the bathroom

crazy how time flies on the mission

This was a good week. Ummm, my companion is leaving and going to Guatemala and I am getting a new companion tomorrow so we will see how that goes. They told me I have 6 changes left....that's not even funny. It is crazy how time flies on the mission but I still have plenty of time!!

So everything is going good! We have been teaching piano to this member who got a blessing to learn the piano...and he is learning FAST!! So that is cool. Belize is really sweet!

I got my first ingrown nail too :( But luckily it was on my finger somehow. I'm one of the only missionaries not to have an ingrown toenail problem on the mission...haha I am so lucky.

And my comp and I did a special musical number in church yesterday so that went really well. I love playing on a real piano again. And just a really interesting day yesterday...haha but anyways...don't have lots more time but thank you for all you guys do and I hope you all have an amazing week :)

The mission is amazing.

So this week was pretty amazing! I went to Belize City for a leader meeting and that was really sweet. Belize is so pretty but so much bigger than El Salvador, but it doesn't even have a stake (multiple wards/congregations are grouped together in stakes) yet.  *We just heard a stake will be organized in Belize in the next couple months.  Brandon will be so excited!

We are seeing amazing miracles here in our area in Orange Walk and it is really cool and I am learning a ton. Also I am showing them how to play basketball although they hold their own. Mosquitoes are worse here than in El Salvador but they aren't all diseased like they are in El Salvador but everything is going great! I'm loving everything and the people here and the language is so cool! 

We are seeing people change so fast here and the ward (congregation) is growing very fast. I was also called to play the piano again so now I play the piano in church and so many people want to learn haha. 

We had the most amazing baptism of Abner and Angel...who are crazy into the gospel now. They read preach my gospel everyday, come to church at 6:30 every Sunday morning to help set up, and come to every single activity that we have. It is so amazing! They are going to continue so strong in the gospel and are already teaching with us and inviting their friends, which is exactly what this area needs right now are active youth. Abner gets the priesthood next Sunday... I am just so happy.

Also my former comp. (mission companion) told me that this couple got married and baptized...a couple whom I helped set their date for September, and now my "son" baptized them. The mission is amazing. It is scaring me how fast it is going :(

But something else that did scare me, was the fact that Abner ate chocolate after the baptism, and apparently he is not supposed to eat chocolate, and his heart started racing and he started almost passing out, and none of his family was there. That was super scary but we gave him a blessing and he felt amazing after. And when they got confirmed yesterday, it almost made me start crying. But, there is a lot more to right but not enough time. I hope everyone is doing well and keep it up!!! Have a great week!!!

look at my eyes...

they look green on the inside like moms and blue on the outside like dads

 I bought really cool quad.  The new ones because I am scared

bringing the one grandma and grandpa gave me around

cheat sheet I want to save

 One of my all time favorite and most miracle baptisms...

they are growing so fast in the gospel despite their family not being members

 Mom these chocolate things are amazing haha I will ask the sisters
(girl missionaries) how to make them and send it to you guys to try

 These people are amazing.  Abner (14) and Angel (10)

 I GOT TO RIDE A BIKE ON THE MISSION!!!!!

But just to bring the bike for someone else to have...

but it was really cool.  I miss riding bikes.

*I asked Brandon why they don't ride bikes and his reply was,

"because too many missionaries got in accidents or their bikes stolen"

 Our convert going to missionary practice and tearing it up.

The pants are good.  They are both good waist wise just one is a little too tall...

but I am wearing one right now and it is great.

*These are the pants that took 5 months to arrive.  They were too tight for Brandon before he left, he is definitely not gaining weight.  I told him to duck tape the ones that are too long:)

God is doing an amazing work here...

HEY SO THIS WEEK WAS GOOD!!!! Ya so we had cookies last monday which were amazing! Having sisters in your district is so cool haha and I just played basketball the whole time. So that was cool. Basketball is really cool here because they are so good but they play so different so it is cool learning how they play.

Just wow I am getting roasted here haha it is so hot...I will be so tan when I get back...at least from the neck up and the arms down. So things are going great here. I really love Belize and I am learning and growing and working a ton here.

We had conference yesterday so at 4:00 we woke up to travel to Belize city and we have this really positive investigator...and they woke up to go with us along with 2 more. They are such troopers. Also Abner went to the meeting that we taught at 7:00 last night about how people can become missionaries and we didn't even invite him...haha but he came with a suit and everything. Him and his brother are basically in the water. Just please pray that their parents hearts will be softened so they can be baptized on the 3rd! We are so excited! That is really all we are thinking about and it is so cool. I have never had anyone as prepared as him to be baptized and he is only 14.

Also people have been having some crazy dreams about us and how we are the truth...how we are lifting people up...and how God tells them to listen to us...and tbh it is hard not to be prideful sometimes haha but God is doing an amazing work here and working through us.

I love this change so much and please pray that things can keep going well here. Thank you so much for all that you guys do and sorry it is so short I just have to go now! But take care you guys and have a great week!!!

YAY!  The lost package!! jajaja

It took 5 months to get to Brandon - ahhhh!

Thankfully the other packages have arrived within a month.

What a sweet experience...

This week was an amazing week!!! Things just seem to be going good here spiritually. Physically it is really hard and super hot...but we at least have a crazy nice house!

So I just wanted to take the time to explain the language here a little bit. I speak two languages here and I have to bring my scriptures in English and in Spanish everywhere because every house is different. But usually if people speak perfect Spanish they can speak a bit of English. And if they can speak pretty good English then they speak a perfect Creole...which is a really bad English haha but it is a sweet language! It's basically like how the Jamaicans talk just a little bit different words, but it is cool.

But church is in English with headsets and a translator for people who only understand Spanish. People sing in English and Spanish and the church itself has the name on the side of it in English and Spanish. Also our branch president gave the holy ghost (https://www.lds.org/topics/holy-ghost?lang=eng) to someone in English, then right after to the next person in Spanish. It is pretty unique. No one here speaks perfect "American" English but they all generally speak or understand it pretty well. So that is cool.

Ummmmm .. people here just randomly yell out my name and I have no idea how they know it...and always they are little kids...and then we go and teach them and their family so I have no idea how that happens but that is really cool. Since I am the DL (District Leader)  I had to give an interview to this sweet 16 year old girl who is a bit special, and her mom who is not a member wanted to be there for the interview too. The mom only knows Spanish and the girl only English, so it was really cool. I just started asking the mom the questions and the spirit was so strong in that moment and everybody started crying and the mom finally agreed to go to church and let her daughter be baptized. It was really sweet. Also the work here is so nice. I don't know how but the people here are either super ready, or not at all, unlike El Salvador where I felt it was all almost ready.

But anyways.... I PLAYED A REAL GAME OF BASKETBALL AND THE PEOPLE HERE ARE GOOD!!!! They are crazy good!! hahaha so it was so fun playing a real game of basketball again and I held my own haha somehow. but that was really fun.

Also Saturday we had a baptism and the sisters of whom I gave the interview had a baptism at the same time so that was a really cool experience. I had the wonderful opportunity of baptizing the sweet girl and the baptism in our area was baptized by his friend who was baptized 2 months ago. What a sweet experience that was really cool to see.

Also the Chinese food is amazing!! Just people here are always drunk and drunk people always join us at our table to talk about God so that is interesting but sometimes annoying but it is really cool haha.

Ummmm...so Saturday night the branch president called me and asked me to give a talk... That was my first talk I have given in my whole mission. I can't believe I made it 13 months without a talk haha but it went really well. And I'm back to playing the piano in Sacrament meeting haha. Also because no one gives us food here we cooked macaroni and cheese in the church at 8:30 last night after a meeting. Belize is so awesome hahaha. But I hope everything is going well with you guys!! Take care!!!

3 of the sisters (girl missionaries) celebrating their birthdays this month... girls...

our zone leaders looking like the FBI haha
(one of them is in my group Elder Harris...he is awesome)

 Companion practicing the baptism before the baptism with Del mar (guy who got baptized) and Edwuardo (recent convert who did the baptism)

The girl there is Ericka who is in the sisters area that I was able to baptize.
The guy with the hat is the one from our area who was baptized.

I know I'm an eagle scout but I wasn't prepared with plates or spoons haha