Monday, January 8, 2018

Jan. 8, 2017 in Manchester, New Hampshire

Hi Everybody!

Guess what, we didn't freeze to death!!
This week was just as cold, if not colder than last week so it really was an experience! Today though, it has jumped up to 20 degrees and it is incredible how warm it feels!! We usually brace whenever we walk outside, but it wasn't even bad this morning! :)

This week was good, very very busy! We had exchanges with the Acton elders which was fun! We talked to lots of people, almost froze to death, and really tried to do new things! We knocked on some car windows, got one persons number as their train was pulling in and they were jumping on, and even talked to the owners of a little craft shop because we needed to warm up, which lead to a great discussion, one of them giving their info to us since they would enjoy learning, and me buying some funky little pins! Acton's area is where "the shot hear round the world" was fired in Lexington, so that was pretty amazing to be somewhere with so much history took place!



We ended up getting a big storm and the mission had to stay inside because of the severity. We had a lesson that was really close and we were allowed to give other missionaries special permission to go to lessons that they could walk to, like within a quarter mile, so we gave ourselves special permission! ;) We helped push 2 cars out, found three new people to teach, and had a great time jumping in snow!!! Haha, it was a blast! :)


We had the New Missionary and Trainers meeting this week which was super fun. This is probably my last transfer as an assistant, so it was nice to get to go to Joseph Smith's birthplace one more time and feel the amazing spirit there.



We also drove way way way up into Maine for a district meeting and saw some great missionaries. It was nice to get to know some missionaries better and help out a district.

We found a lot of people to teach this week, 14 total, but we felt really bummed because we didn't have anyone at church for the first time in a loooong time! It was a perfect storm of problems, with our Saturday church pump time up taken because we were driving down from Maine, a super busy week, then Sunday was probably the coldest day so far, as well as our church time switched from 1pm to 9am. Oh well, we'll just work extra hard on that this week!

With the passing of the Prophet Thomas Monson this week, I have reflected on what a true disciple of Christ is. President Monson was a true disciple, as his whole life was spent in service. He was called as a bishop in our faith at 22 years old and truly spent his life doing things that mattered. He wasn't out partying and thinking of himself, he loved others, served neighbors, friends, and family, and used his free time to do things that change lives with his friends, family, and especially children. What a great example of Christ-like service. His last testimony shared as a Prophet was of the importance of reading the Book of Mormon daily. He invited us to gain a personal testimony of it, "as the testimony of others can carry [us] only so far."

Love you all,
Elder Hunter Branch :)

Frozen Eyebrows

Giant Shredded Wheat or Mini Bowl?