June 19, 2017 in Newport Maine

Hello friends!

So, this last week S. had to work at 8 on Sunday and D. at 12. Church is at 10 and we invited D. to attend with us, without S. He said he wasn't sure when we first talked about it, but as we kept talking and following up, he decided to come! It was a great experience and it was awesome to see him start to make some steps independent of S.!

I went on exchanges this week with an Elder who has only been out for a month and we had a great time! We were in a reallllllly rural part of our area and we did some cool things like: Find a turtle (sadly I don't 
have pictures :(    ), work on a farm with a family we started teaching and I got to carry milk in buckets for some calves, and use one of those old gas pumps like in old movies! We had a great exchange and even got some really good chocolate Oreo ice cream!

One funny thing I don't think I'd told you all is that at the beginning of this transfer I decided to go really healthy! I started just eating healthy cereal with almond milk, or making a smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, and spinach for breakfast. For lunch we also started having a sandwich or something with a big salad! It has been pretty fun to try to eat healthy on a missionary budget, but I think I've only had food out three times this last month, so that has been a win! :)


This week we rented out a movie theater to show The Other Side of Heaven for the community! I never knew I would learn so many random life skills on my mission, like how to publicize an event or rent out a theater! (If that counts as a life skill) We had a good amount of people come, and the coolest thing is that we are actually going to start teaching the owner of the theater! She had to screen the movie and really liked it, so we talked with her a bunch and are going to go visit her! :)

Life as a Zone Leader is really fun and kinda frustrating once in a while. It is so awesome to see when you teach someone something or make some change and then you get to see it impact a lot of people in good ways! On the other hand it is really hard when people won't just listen and apply what you say.

We had Elder Snow of the Seventy come this week and one of my most inspiration thoughts from the visit happened when we had a little leadership meeting before. We asked what his best leadership advice would be for us in life after the mission, and he said, "Well.. probably just show up. That is most important, as well as doing what you're asked to do. That is what makes you a great leader. Having a vision and plan is important after that, but really just showing up and doing what you're asked." How about that! Show up and do the simple things.

Sure love you all, hope you have a super week! :)

Elder Hunter Branch

Feb. 20, 2017 in Exeter, New Hampshire

Hellooooooo everyone!! :)

It has been a great week! We went on exchanges with the Assistants in Manchester, as well as exchanges with the Derry elders in our area this week! They were both really cool and we learned a lot from each other on them!! I am going to work on being more consecrated to the work. I am pretty good at teaching and talking with people, but there are little things that I want to work on like being in bed on time or writing in my journal that I really want to do better at! Also I need to improve at giving correction. I am pretty chill and don't like contention, but I need to work on just giving correction as needed since I'm a leader. It is simple stuff but I know it will help me grow and learn more. :)

President Blair came to our ward yesterday and spoke and it was super good, he is the man! :) It was awesome! ;)

So we have a bunch of new people we are working with and it is so exciting!! I'll try to give you more details about more of them next week since I'm short on time this week (like I am every week... ;) ) but one awesome one is E. She is S's daughter, who I mentioned last week. They lives across the hall from the man himself, MB. We have become good friends with S. and her kids, and E. is the real deal! She is only 9 but she loves to be with us and learn from us and yesterday she even came to church with us!!! What a kid! :)

Transfers calls are Saturday so if y'all could pray that I get to stay in Exeter and finish training with Elder M., that would be pretty neat! ;) I am worried I might leave since I've been here for 6 months, but I REALLY want to stay!! There is so much good going on, and we just got a ward mission leader and so I really want to be here and keep helping things go along! :)

Sure love ya all and hope your week was just as great as you are! :)
Your boy,
Elder Hunter Branch :)

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