Hi All!

Hello my family. It was good to read your emails, it will be GREAT to see you! :D

Good to hear Dad, that the ice fishing went well, and that BYU football isn't a totally lost cause. To reply to your question last week, I weigh about 87 or 85 kilos. Depends on the day, I guess. Either way, I gained a bit of weight back, and now I think I'm leveled off for a while.

This week has been a good one. We taught eleven investigator lessons this week, and fixed another baptism. Most missionaries talk about the work slowing down during Christmas, but it hasn't slowed down in our sector. Woohooo!

This week started off well, with the good P-day, and with some meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. We have been working on the January, and February transfers already, and that has been good. I really like being able to work with President, and during the long meetings with him, we get to learn from him, and learn about how to be a good leader. He says that the ability of a person to lead, is determined or tied to the number of decisions he or she has already made. If you can't think, and make your own decisions, you will only be relaying instead of leading. I've thought a lot about that.

This week, we went to the airport to pick up an elder who just got back from his mission in Australia, and at the same time, an elder who'll be awaiting his visa to serve in Brisbane. It's fun to meet the new missionaries, and to see them at the same time as those who finish. A lot of growth and change happens on the mission. 

One neat experience has happened in re-finding an old investigator I taught at Heiri. I remember telling you all about how deeply I wished that she could change and that she'd feel the love that Heavenly father has for her. She had a really rough go, and she has been in and out of addictions, and pregnancies. Then about a year later (a week ago) she came to church in our ward! She moved in with her sister in law (member of our ward) and she decided to take the lessons again. Wow. It has been a special chance (that not too many people get) to teach her again. I remember teaching her during my training, and now realizing some of the errors I might have made, and being happy that I am a better teacher now. I remember that in Faaa, she could barely understand me, but now she hasn't had a problem. It has really been a special experience, and I hope that this time, she will start living the gospel more.

Also this week, elder White and I had some hard news from one of our friends. A small boy died, who was the son of his co-worker and buddy. It was a really tragic event for him, and now we are trying to help them be ok during this really rough time in their life. I remember when dad's coworker's son passed away from a bacterial infection, and now seeing another young parent lose his young son, I see more of the real impact. Being a little-er guy at the time, I don't think I comprehended the gravity of that type of a loss. It is something nobody deserves to go through. All we can do, is help them get tied back to God, and find the love and security that is available through Him. RE-LIGION means getting re-attached or tied to God. Elder Neilsen told us about that in conference a year a go I think. True religion (or true uniting of others back to God) consists of visiting the needy, or the widows (James chapter 1 or 2), and crying or morning with those that mourn (according to Mosiah) . I felt that part of discipleship this week. I really am thankful for God, and I really am glad to be able to be one of his servants. An instrument, for re- ligature; so to speak.

Well, that is the summary of the week. Things are going so fast, and I feel like I am never gonna get to all the things on my to-do list. The small one in the planner (10 blanks) fills up so fast! :P Just know that I am doing well, and that I LOVE YOU!

Thank you for all your support, and love, and everything. By the way, my IDL made it! 

Have a good week, and say hi to Grandma and Grandpa for me!

-Brigham

Elder White and Pineaple from Rurutu :) Our Investigator taught us how to cut pineaple

Our Ami, and Lobster and Mahimahi Head

The fish was HUGE! But it was a female, and much much smaller that the big ones that others catch.

It is of of the best fish ever. The taste is really rich, and it is a fatty fish. 

We only saw it after it'd been cut into three, and we had some of it fried. Good stuff ;D

The Zone of Papeete at Sr. Naylor's Goodbye Testimony Meeting

Me and Our Investigator's Cousin