Un Poco Loco pero Muy Bien:)

July 29, 2019

¡Hola y'all!

     So week two as a real-life missionary was sweet and un poco loco. We had a ton of appointments and contacts planned, but only a few of them actually happened because apparently, people work and stuff so they aren't home all the time just waiting for us to teach them. Weird concept. Hahaha! I'm just kidding, but the lessons we did have this week were all so awesome:) We were teaching this one family, and the husband didn't seem super interested so we were asking him about his beliefs. It turns out he totally went on a mission like 22 years ago! He said pretty soon after that he had a bad experience with someone in the church so he left and never really looked back, but his wife is super interested in learning more and really wants him to rethink coming back to church! It was so crazy, but such a HUGE reminder that it is so so important to treat everyone you meet with genuine love and respect. Love one another, ya know? 

     Also this week we had kind of a miracle lesson. Hermana Hinton and I were in our apartment doing some good ole language study when another Elder in our zone called us and was like "Hey do you guys want to teach a lesson right now?" And long story short, we ran over to the address they gave us and met and taught this amazing, sweet Abuela and it was such a powerful lesson. I think the most miraculous thing though was that she could understand my poor sad Spanish when I was talking to her. Haha:)

     Last night though was such a perfect end to this crazy week. We met with the kindest, Jesus loving, Egyptian lady named Fifi and I love her with my whole heart. She was telling us all these cool stories in her cute little accent, and when she found out her granddaughter and I have the same name she loved that. So yeah we are thriving here in Cali, and I'm loving it so so much:) I love all of you though, and I can't thank y'all enough for all the love and support!!

Con todo mi amor,

Hermana Brayton:)

Rita's = blessings

Fifi = an angel

El Plan de Salvación that we drew in one of our cute parks

This is random, but there are SO many fruit trees here and I love it

One of those cute free library things (spot el Libro de Mormón) 

Cali Babyyy

July 22, 2019


¡Hola y'all!

So my first official week in California is down and holy cow it's so cool here! The weather is perfect, my mission president and his wife are so sweet, and my new companion is the coolest! All the other missionaries I've met here have been so nice too, but there are hardly any that speak Spanish. Also, just in the past month or so, my mission has doubled in size! The Long Beach California mission merged into mine, so now there are about 200 missionaries and a ton of new people. I found out this week though that there are 8 different languages that missionaries are speaking here: English, Spanish, ASL, Cambodian, Korean, Tongan, Samoan, and Vietnamese! Isn't that so cool?? I'm so glad I'm speaking Spanish though bc it's definitely a challenge. I feel like Cambodian or something would be impossible hahah but hey it's all good. Right now I'm in the most northern area of the mission called Bonita Park (so cute I know). My p-days (where I can email and stuff) are on Mondays now so that's sweet. 

This week I've already taught a few lessons, well really my companion (Hermana Hinton!) has taught a few lessons and I just try to see if I can understand any of the Spanish and add things in when I can. They have been so cool! I met two of the sweetest little abuelitas. Seriously, all of the Latino people here are so kind and warm! One of my favorite things to do so far is to go to some of the gorgeous parks around here and just talk to all the people we see. It's so fun meeting all these new people and hearing their stories and seeing how everyone recognizes God's hand in their lives differently (bc he's for sure in everyone's life).

I think for my spiritual thought this week, I just want to share that I know 100% that we are all children of our Heavenly Father, and that he is totally aware of all of us and is always, always, always helping us along even when it's hard to realize it! There's a scripture in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 22:2 that says, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and be not afraid; for the Lord, JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation." I love that! The same verse is actually in Isaiah 12, so I guess if anyone has any free time, both chapters are super short and so powerful, and only good things come from reading the scriptures;) 

But on a funnier note, apparently, Pokemon Go is back?? Hermana Hinton and I were walking around a park yesterday and there were a TON of people walking around with their eyes glued to their phones. Like no one would even look at us when we were talking to them, so finally we asked these people what was going on (bc you know we're kind of out of the ~pop culture~ loop) and he said it was Pokemon Go, so that's interesante, pero esta bien. So yeah I hope everyone has an amazing week! Sorry, this email was so long hahah I guess I'm just excited to not have the same schedule every day now, but I miss my MTC amigos anyways (love y'all). But I love you all so much! Thanks for everything y'all do!

Con todo mi amor,

Hermana Brayton:)

My amazing new companion Hermana Hinton!

 Downtown Brea, so Cali

 Mi amors from the CCM

Everyday is a Good Day...

July 11, 2019

... to have a good day, so have a good day!!" -Hermana Day

¡Hola Y'all!

It's week 6 here at the good old CCM and I leave in 5 days!! Only a little bit excited in case you didn't know;) This week was a busy one but so good! Hermana Day is still the light of my life and she's such an amazing example of strength to me. I was so dang lucky to have her with me for the past 6 weeks. It's going to be so to hard to say goodbye to all of these amazing people here with me. I know they're all going to do such amazing things and time is going to fly by before I see everyone again:) Also this week we had a super awesome devotional by Kelly Mills, who is the director of all the MTCs in the world. He was amazing! He spoke about how the Lord works from the inside out in people's lives, and the best way to find happiness is to focus on helping and serving others. He said "If your heart and soul are fixed on finding and helping others, God will change you," and I LOVE that because that's pretty much the whole missionary purpose ya know. Today though, we were able to go to the temple here in Mexico City ~outside~ of the walls (Of the CCM) and it was sooo cool! That temple is so beautiful and huge!! Two of my teachers were able to come with us so that was so fun:) but yeah so next time y'all hear from me I'll be in Cali!! I hope everyone has an awesome week!

Les amo mucho! 

Con Amor,

Hermana Brayton:)

Pics:

1.-3. Temple!

4. Cute little houses

5.-6. Hermana Day!!

7. Hermana Garcia, the first counselor's wife here at the CCM and the sweetest soul ever:)

1 Month Down!

July 4, 2019

¡Hola amigos!

Today is officially my one month anniversary of my mission! It's so crazy, but wow I am so dang ready to get to California. I only have about 12 days left here in Mexico which is so crazy. This week was actually pretty eventful which was way nice for a change. hahah!! We got to teach THREE people from the ~outside world~ and it was so cool. They were all volunteers and only spoke Spanish so that means they all spoke super fast. They were all so dang sweet and our lessons went super well I think. It was an awesome experience and it definitely makes me want to work harder on my Spanish so I don't have to rely on my papers and notes so much to talk to people. Also this week my favorite teacher ever Hermano Cruz brought us some churros and they were SO good. Speaking of good things, we had tacos again for dinner yesterday and they're still the best tacos I've literally ever had. Yesterday we also decided as a district to have an "English Fast," so we only spoke Spanish for 24 hours and it was entertaining but also rough. Spanish is hard bro! But I love it and I'm so excited to be able to speak it actually well. Oh and also it's not too serious or anything but I swear everyone in this CCM is falling apart. So many people are getting sick with all different kinds of things, but we're still chillin. So yeah another awesome week down, living the life here in Mexico City. I absolutely loved the emails I received and words of wisdom this week, so keep them coming please! I love y'all so much and I'm so thankful for each of you!! Happy 4th everyone!!

Con amor,

Hermana Brayton

Pictures:

1. Cutie pie Hermano Cruz and churros

2. It's still rainy season

3. My CUTE 4th of July package from Lolly and Juan (love y'all)

4. Elder Danner and Elder Hu'akau and my four taco plates bc those things are honestly from Heaven

5. Our cute 4th of July lunch

6. The district dressed out for the 4th

7. Hermana Clark and I in the enfermeria bc our district is falling apart