Elder Brandon Lee: September 2014

9/9/14

Querida Familia, this week was a pretty slow week. We really struggled with teaching people, but this week is looking up! We had a really good planning session yesterday and we have kicked off the week good! We had a member come out with us yesterday and we were able to teach one of our investigators with him, so that was really good! Other than that not much happened, We are going to go bowling today, so that should be fun! And We are actually running a little behind schedule today, because we went and gave an unexpected blessing to someone, so I won't be sending the zoo pictures this week, but next week for sure! Anyway, not a whole lot to report on this week. The Promise from our mission president is going well, I have been able to keep track of that, but still struggling to do everything, but I am improving so thats good. Anyway, I love you all! Elder Lee

9/2/14

Querida Familia, This week was pretty good! We had a great time at the zoo last week, unfortunately I forgot my camera this week so I will send the pictures next week! So we have been pretty busy here, we've done a lot of finding so hopefully we will start to see some fruits of that, but our investigator who had a baptismal date for this weekend was feeling really pressured and wanted to push it back, unfortunately he doesn't want to do it until December, but we are working with him and hopefully we can get him feeling the spirit and feeling comfortable with baptism. So a few months ago our mission president made us a promise that if we "Purify" ourselves we will be blessed throughout our lives and he gave us a sort of outline to follow. So if we follow this outline for 90 days we will see the fruits of this promise. So this is something that I tried to follow for a little while, but it seemed to have slipped into the back of my mind. So my companion and I have decided to start this promise again, to "Purify" ourselves and our lives. So that is what we are working on right now! Well, that's about it for me. I am glad you all are doing well! Mom, I haven't heard anything about the iPads yet, except for rumors that every mission in the U.S. will have them by the fall, but like I said, rumors! Aunt Robyn, It was good to hear back from you, I'm glad things with the pizza place are coming along! That's crazy to hear that Kevin is already getting ready to put in his papers! Dad, Things are still going great with my companion and I! We were actually running short on miles this last week so we decided to bike! So that was fun! Hopefully when I get back I will be able to keep up with you at fountainhead, but road biking is a lot different than mountain biking! Anyway, I love you all! Elder Lee The Promise: President Miller Hello Missionaries, Spent the day in Santa Fe with great missionaries of Rio Rancho and Santa Fe Zones. How very inspiring it is to be with you missionaries. Sister Miller and I drove back to Albuquerque talking all the way home about the consecrated missionaries we had been with all day, thank you. In our Zone Conference today, I felt prompted to make a promise to the missionaries of this mission. A promise if followed, would enable you to become the worthy instrument God intended for you to be as you serve in this mission. The promise would have everlasting effects in your life. It would empower you to become better students with a greater ability to comprehend, learn and retain knowledge. It will bless you in seeking and finding an eternal companion, and will bless and protect your marriage from storms of the adversary. Your children will feel the effects of this promise in that they will grow to have a greater protection from the same trials you deal with now. You will be blessed in your professional life, and in your abilty to make decisions, as well as being blessed with greater wisdom. The promise is not trial specific, but if kept will allow the keeper to overcome many trials. It will indeed allow your weaknessess to become your strengths. (Ether 12:27) The promise will enable you to have a deeper understanding of the love our Savior has for you. The promise: By following the outline below for 90 days, avoiding sin, inpure thoughts, being fully repentant and obedient, you will have ABSOLUTE POWER to overcome these trials and many more for the rest of your life, contigent upon your worthiness to The Lord. Blessings of great abundance throughout your life will be yours because of your steadfastness in the gospel as you maintain the principles as outlined in the following. Your very nature will change, you will become more Christ like and your love for your Savior will increase significantly. Unwanted behaviors will diminish and you will become the master of your thoughts. I encourage all to embrace and make this apart of who you are.\ How to receive the promise. 1.) Begin by developing a genuine relationship with Our Father in Heaven, through deep and meaningful prayer, where you can express the deepest desires of your heart and acknowledge with gratitude the blessings you have received in your life. Remember, it was the humble prayer of a 14 year old boy that opened the door to the restoration of the gospel. In Alma 34:27 we read "Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those around you." When we are not kneeling in prayer, we should always have a prayer, a desire, in our hearts.....all the time. D&C 19:28, D&C6:16, Remeber also that when we engage in secret prayer Satan cannot interrupt for the Lord has designed this to be "His channel." 2.) Every morning in your prayers, ask for strength to overcome your trials, be specific in describing your trials, be focused on what you are asking for, picturing in your mind your Father in Heaven as if he were there with you, intently listening to your pleas. Do not rush your prayers, stay focused, pausing to ponder and listen during your prayers. Ask to understand how the scriptures you will read this day will lead you to the answers of questions you have and will enlighten your mind with understanding. Express Gratitude for the gifts and blessings you have received. D&C 59:21, D&C 78:19 3.) Everyday as you study the scriptures, read to understand. Seek to find and apply both Spiritual and temporal lessons found in the scriptures into your life. Highlight and read often scriptures that seem to have siginificant meaning to that which you are trying to overcome. Ponder on what you have read and prayed for. Ponder on, and imagine in your mind what type of person you desire to become, example: a righteous mother or father, a succesful business man or woman, a worthy husband or wife, etc... keep those thoughts in the back of your mind. Remembering that if you can think it, you can become it,(Proverbs 23:7) and by following this promise you will achieve it with honor. 2 Nephi 4:15 4.) Consciously ponder every decision you make throughout your day, pondering the prayer you offered that morning and thinking of the prayer you have had in your heart. The knowledge of truth has little value unless we apply it in making correct decisions. Again, I would use the word, "PONDER" allowing the Spirit to influence your senses. Taking time in making decisions and pondering the consequences will in almost every situation be the wise and correct method. Spontaneous decisions, given no thought will in most situations lead to guilt and heartache. Think of President Uchtdorf's conference address "A Matter of a Few Degrees", his opening words were, "The difference between happiness and misery...often comes down to an error of only a few degrees." In our making decisons, the difference between happiness and misery comes down to pondering and thinking about the correct decision or spontaneously making an incorrect one. Approach this promise with the knowledge that our Father in Heaven will help you achieve your goal, if you have a true desire to accomplish it. The blessings you will receive from this promise are everlasting. Your conversion will become immovable and substantial, and you will have great influence on those around you. I pray for your strength in allowing this promise to become a part of you, for the rest of your life. Pres. Miller

8/26/14

Querida familia, Well this week was pretty good, we have been finding lots of new people, and we have a lot of people accepting the baptismal invitation! We were able to set 2 more baptismal dates with some awesome investigators! Their Dad is a less active member who wants to start coming back to church! So things are going good with them! Other than that not much has been going on! We are going to go to the Zoo today so I'll have lots of pictures next week! Thats crazy that everyone is getting married! I am glad that everyone is doing well and staying safe! I love you all! Elder Lee

8/19/14

Querida Familia, This week was pretty good! We have a super solid investigator who is coming super close to baptism! His date is for the 6th of September. He still has a few reservations, but we know that he can make his date! We also have a less active member whose daughter wants to get baptized and they came to church this week so we are super excited for that and will hopefully set a date with her this week! Other than that there is not a whole lot happening, we are mainly focusing on them. We have a lot of really solid potentials that we are gonna stop by this week, so we will see how things go with them! We don't have any cool plans for this P-day, but next we are going to try to go to the Albuquerque Zoo! So we will see if we can do that! Elder Esplin is awesome, he is a great missionaries and one of my favorite companions! That's crazy that everyone is getting married out there! You will have to send pictures of Andrew's wedding! So I also got news from my last companion that one of our investigators down there is super close to baptism! It is N, the lady whose house we painted! I am super stoked about that! That 50 mile bike ride sounds like it was super awesome! I probably would have done pretty well since I'm such a pro biker now! Haha! Anyway! I am glad you are all doing well! That was pretty crazy news this week! Anyway, I love you all!

8/12/14

Querida Familia, Well, big news this week! I am in the Los Lunas stake in New Mexico! I am in the Tome North area and my companion's name is Elder Spencer Esplin. He is from Firth Idaho. I like this area a lot! It is really green. And it is way colder than El Paso. I sleep with a beenie at night because it is so cold! The temperature is only in the 80's too, so thats sad that I get so cold. But anyway, This branch is super awesome, I am really grateful to be in a branch again! But the work here is really good, we were able to set 2 baptismal dates this last week, and we are hoping to set more this week! Well, I hope things are going well for you all there! I love you all! And I will be sending pictures this week too! Elder Lee