Finally making some contacts!

Here are some excerpts from Elder Brande's latest letters to us

It's been a little crazy for me here this past week. On Monday afternoon  Anderson, the other two Elders in Aachen and I traveled to Köln and stayed the night in the Köln Elders' apartment. I don't suggest ever visiting there. Tuesday we traveled to Frankfurt for Golden/Trainer Meeting. Then I returned to Köln that afternoon and went on a split with Elder King from Köln to Bonn. After he lost me in the Köln Hauptbahnhopf für eine stunde I went to Bonn and we taught a man. He's a great guy but he is Islamic. He just won't accept Jesus Christ as anything more than a prophet, and I know if he just prayed that he could gain a testimony, but he wont because he says the way we pray is like building a relationship with God and that is the one thing in his religion that is unforgivable :P then we had Zone conference that same afternoon and then I went on a split with one of the zone leaders, Elder Varney. We contacted like crazy, but no one was interested but I was able to bear my testimony to one man and change his whole outlook on prayer, but he still didn't want religion. We then taught a man from Greece. we taught him the stop smoking program, and he agreed to do it, and so far he has been doing great! We then taught a member, sister G I was able to use some of the Spanish I learned from landscaping to make her laugh (she's from Spain), then we gelehrt a guy from West Africa and he was baptised a few months ago and he wants to go serve a mission! Finally we thought A man from Guatemala and he accepted the Erlösungsplan  and the invitation to be baptized! Friday afternoon Elder Anderson and I returned to Aachen. We now have about five investigators and one of them showed up to church! her is D and she is from Cuba. She wanted to learn more and we will meet with her on Mittwoch, she also wanted us to teach her 10 year old son A. I'm excited to see where things go! 

Aachen is so hilly and you have to walk everywhere, your legs definitely get that burn :) We're going to hike out to the Tri Punkte land today, so I'll make sure to send you pictures of me in Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium :) As Die GML, Gemeinde Missionare Leiter, or Ward missionary leader, please help the Elders/Sisters build up that relationship with Die Gemeinde and prayerfully pair up the Untersucher mit members that would be the best für them. those are the Best GMLs :) There's quite alot of crazy stuff happening with the whole election thingy going on. Elder Anderson and I got caught up in a little etwas, a certain group of 10,000 people were marching through Aachen and were going to end infront of a Synagogue. Now a certain group of people like this attracts opposition and it needs police involvement. Elder Anderson and I were unaware of this and if it were for the fact that it was a little rough it would have been awesome. Nevertheless we didn't become Involved at all. really. Elections were yesterday and people here get pretty heated so that's why we're having P-day outside of the city :) 

Please Keep your commitments! as a missionary there is nothing quite as frustrating as someone not keeping there commitments! for being so practical and rule following, Germans aren't so good at keeping missionary commitments :P 

Ich liebe dich, und Ich weiß, dass wir Gottes kinder sind. Ich weiß, dass Jesus uns leibt. Ich glaube, dass beten und hören die geboten ganz wichtig sind, damit wir zu unser Vater im Himmel zurükkehren können.

Love Elder Brande

It's a one jacket week!

The weather has been pretty nice for the last few days and I'm finally able to wear just one jacket! We had a really neat experience the other day; we left our apartment early for an termin and we ended up heading the wrong way (we don't completly know the way around town yet) and out of a blue a lady called out to us. She had just gotten out of an internet cafe in which she was trying to Email a missionary she had lost contact with, so she found us and we set up a time to meet with her this week or the next! It was a huge testimony to me that the Lord puts his missionaries where he needs us. 

To be honest I kind of miss being able to work outside and I don't know why but I'm craving some yard work.

I'm sorry to hear about Aunt Karol. I hope that Grandpa is doing fine, I can't even imagine what one of my siblings passing away would do to me. The Branch here in Aachen is really amazing, and the building is in the Städtteil Brand so every member has brought that up to me. the Elder's Quorum Präsident, Mario is a really great guy, he's always taking us to appointments and helping us with   Weniger Aktives. He's a convert and he went on his mission to Frankfurt (he's German) and moved here to Aachen afterwards and became a baker ( he's always giving us bread and that's awesome!). We found out that he was once married, but his wife died in a car accident, which is totally sad! but it is amazing to see how groß his testimony on the Plan of Salvation and forgiveness are. 

Ugh! look up a picture of a German keyboard. You don't realize how often you use Y until it's switched. Also forgive my spelling, German is kind of killing it. The good thing about German is once you begin to understand it it's really easy to spell. We have cell phones and it is nice to be able to use those, helps save us 40 € train tickets :) 
-We don't have Ipads as a mission, but our district got chosen to be the test group with some new Ipads so we'll see where that goes! 

-No pain really, I did a net weight gain of -4 in a week and a half, but I gained about 18 pounds then dropped :P don't worry I've been doing Morgen Sport so I've been staying in shape :) 

-Elder Sprunt went to Bommburg, Apparently that is one of the nicest Wohnungs, I found out this week that we are liveing in one of the most rundown/Ghetto Wohnungs in the Mission, but that's how I want my first one to be, it will make the rest seem awesome :)

-Cmbrande Mch13f777

Love Elder Brande 

First week in Germany!

This building is where his grandma and grandpa lived while on their mission!

We ended up getting a letter Tuesday after all so here's the latest from Cameron:

Well after a crazy last week at the MTC and a really long flight I made it to Germany! I´m so excited to be here and I can really feel that the work is progressing in Germany. I'm in a area called Aachen and my trainer, Elder Anderson, and I are both new to the area and have gotten lost every day so far, but we're starting to learn the area bit by bit.
Elder Anderson and I are Uni Elders, meaning that we do all our finding and contacting on the big University here and Aachen. It's been tough, we've yet to teach a single person and almost all the referalls we've gotten have shut us down. I feel like we've been working like crazy, but no one is interested yet, but I have faith that this week will be better! We have hade quite a few fruitful conversations with a few students, so there is hope! 

Aachen is so beautiful and so freaking cold! It has rained every single day I've been here! It just started pouring outside as I type!!! We contacted a nice referall the other day, but she lived in a small little town to the west and while we were walking to her house we walked through a part of the Netherlands! 

The Branch here is so awesome! Every single member is so freindly and just loves to help us missionares! They are so excited about missionary work and on Sunday when two investigators showed up to church they just were so welcoming! 

I'm so excited and I look forward to serving the People of Aachen!

Elder Brande 

Here's President Schwartz, Elder Anderson and Elder Brande

No Letter this week so here is an update from the Mother's Day phone call:

Here's Cameron at the mission home with President and Sister Schwartz, the new missionaries and their trainers:

After waiting on pins and needles for a few days and having the possibility that Cameron might be sent home due to his illness, he was cleared by the doctors and sent to Germany! Cameron arrived on Wednesday May 7th. He went to the Mission home where he was interviewed by President Schwartz and assigned his trainer/companion. His companion is Elder Anderson. I am on a Germany missionary mom's facebook group and his mom is on there and she was able to give this information to me on Thursday so we didn't have to wait until Mother's day to hear. SO grateful for technology!

Cameron was assigned to Aachen, Germany. This is a new area that he and his companion get to open up. They are mainly assigned to the University. They live in an apartment right next to the University. The university is considered one of the best in Europe so there are people from all over the world there. They have Books of Mormon in several different languages to pass around. He says the translation in Arabic and Persian is super interesting. He thought it was pretty funny that his first contact was a family from Cameroon - considering his name is Cameron.  They didn't speak much German and neither did Elder Brande so he and his companion used a mixture of English, German and hand gestures to communicate.

The other neat thing about this area is that three countries intersect at one point and it is possible to be in three countries at once - Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.  Because this is a new area, neither Elder Brande or his companion know the area and have been walking everywhere and getting lost at the same time.  He said they went to deliver a Book of Mormon to a referral and they kept walking for hours, pretty soon they saw all these signs saying goodbye in German. Pretty soon, they realized they had left Germany and were walking in the Netherlands.  They quickly turned around and found their way home.

He says it's beautiful there. Here is a little video of the town if you want to check it out:

Luckily, we got to speak with Elder Brande on Mother's Day.  Best Mother's Day present ever. He is feeling much better. The work is hard but the Spirit is strong!

Here's a picture of the Persian Book of Mormon he was talking about:

Health challenges and spiritual experiences

This is Cameron's letter for today. Between talking to the MTC health office and information from Cameron he's had a fever but it finally broke and he is feeling much better. He is on antibiotics and it seems to be helping. He really hopes he doesn't get delayed but we all know that it's in the Lord's hands and he will leave  when it is the right time

Guten Tag!

So my P-day was switched from Monday to Wednesday so I've had to wait a week and a half for laundry and Emails! I was pulled aside last week by President Trost and he informed me about Grandpa Derrell's passing. Even though I had been expecting the news it still hit me as a surprise and it brought me down. It just so happened that that day we were teaching the plan of salvation to an untersucher and as I was teaching about it and giving my testimony the Spirit gave me a testimony of the truthfulness of what I was saying. I know that Grandpa Derrell is in a better place and I know that he is no longer in any pain.

Last Thursday around seven in the afternoon in the middle of class I noticed some pain, and very quickly it turned into a lot of pain and I had to make a trip to the ER. They did a lot tests and couldn't find anything wrong with me, so they sent me back to the MTC. Something really amazing happened at the ER though; As we were waiting in the lobby in front of us was a young couple. The Woman was crying and looked really pale, but at the time I didn't think much of it. I was lying in the the room and me and my companion Elder Sprunt had been waiting for an hour between tests and the man from the lobby came into our room and asked if we were able to give blessings. We knew they weren't members, he had earrings and she had tattoos on her arms, yet he had humbled himself and came to us in faith asking for a Priesthood blessing. My companion agreed to give the blessing and after a short prayer with me went of to give the blessing, after he left they wheeled me off to a dark room to get an ultrasound. After an hour I returned to the room and Elder Sprunt was waiting for me. The doctor came in and let us know that I was fine for the moment and wasn't in critical condition and so they were going to send me back to the MTC. I was confused and a little angry, but Elder Sprunt said something profound to me, he said "What if the Lord was just putting us in a position where we could give Kelsey a blessing?". then it hit me that before I even felt the pain I had grabbed my vial of oil without thinking of it and it turns out Elder Sprunt needed to use that oil. While I was experiencing this pain, Kelsey's Kidneys were failing and her body was shutting down. I know that the Lord will place us where we can bless other people, I just wish He could have done something else to get me there! On Saturday I returned to the ER for pains even worse than Thursday and long story short I'm almost all better today! The doctor at the MTC is wanting to keep me here another week so they can observe my progress though, so let's hope that doesn't happen! 

Yesterday D. Todd Christofferson Came and talked to us about Trust. There is no one else's trust we should search for or treasure more then the trust of the Lord.

I love you all and I know that my Redeemer lives.     

Elder Brande

Here he is with Elder Williams who was also confined to a wheelchair due to recent surgery. This in front of the Provo Temple

Rough Week!

It's been a hard week for our Family. Our dear Grandpa passed away. We called the MTC and let Elder Brande know. He sent us a wonderful letter posted below. A few days after receiving this letter, we got a call from the MTC. Elder Brande has been having some severe abdominal pain this week. They took him to the Emergency room and thought he might have appendicitis. After a few tests they decided that is probably not the issue. He is still in pain so they are going to be running some more tests. Any prayers on his behalf would be appreciated!  His dad and I have been joking that perhaps it's revenge of the MOAD!  Here's his latest letter:

Subject: Storben ist nicht die Ende

Dear Mother,

As I came out of a practice meeting with an investigator a member of an MTC presidency pulled me aside and told me about your phone call. I was deeply saddened to hear about Grandpa, but also at the same time I was able to take a breath of relief. The Spirit was able to bear testimony to me that he was in a better place and that he isn't in pain anymore. I hated to see him, a man who was so strong be held down by his disease. All day we have been learning and mostly teaching about Der Plan Der Erloser and I couldn't help but teach that life and our journey doesn't end at death. I have found great comfort in serving others and teaching about the plan of salvation. Thank you for thinking about me and sending me a call, but don't worry about me i'll be fine, I hope that you are to find comfort and peace in knowing that Jesus died so that we could all live again. I love you and I know that Grandpa is in a better place

Love Elder Brande

A Spiritual Feast

Guten Tag Ihre,

This week has been a spiritual feast, so much so that my spirit thinks that it has been Thanksgiving all week long! On Dienstag we got to listen to the Apostle Neil L. Andersen speak to us! He spoke on how the Das Buch Mormon is a companion to the Bible, it was real interesting to have an Apostle speak to us in such a personal way. On Saturday our Lehren came in and for the erste time spoke to us auf Englisch! We read out of Mosiah Kapitel 15 bis 16 and really had a strong connection to the spirit as we discussed our Saviour's Atonement and how it was personal. We then watched the video Because of Him and if you haven't seen that video I implore you to look it up right now, even if you have seen watch it again and think of someone with whom you can share it with. Go on I'll wait. Have you seen it yet? Good, now once you wipe away your tears share that video with that person you thought of, I promise that it will touch their hearts and I know that it was the Spirit who brought that person to mind. It is such a powerful message and the Spirit will testify of it's truth to whomever you share it with. Member or non-member they need that message and to know that He lives. I don't want to brag or anything, BUT I did get to listen to President Uchtdorf am Sonnstag as well! He Really brought in the spirit and spoke about how we are sometimes like Peter. Peter, who so strongly testified that Jesus was the Christ and the Son of God, denied knowing Jesus three times. Being stricken with guilt he prayed for forgiveness and on Easter he learned the great truth that we may all know for ourselves, He lives! With that great truth being made known unto him he preached the Gospel without fear, standing up for what he knew to be right even in the face of Death. I know that sharing the Gospel is hard, I have to try each day, In German! Yet I know that God placed people around us for a reason and that you can have an Impact on someone's Eternal Life.

I really absolutely love the German word for Atonement; Suhnopfer (with umlauts over the u). Es Bedeutet Son and Sacrifice which it really was. The Son of God Sacrificed His life so that we could Enjoy Eternal Life with our families. I know that my Redeemer lives! Froh Ostern, Happy Easter Everyone! I love you all!

Elder Brande 

PS. Here is the link to the video he is talking about: www.mormon.org/Easter

Learning German and definition of a MOAD

I'm doing well here in the MTC. I'm trying to enjoy my time here.  My German is coming along well.  My Companion, Elder Sprunt is awesome! Everyone in my district is amazing.  We all have so much fun together.

At lunch today, Elder Spencer (his dad served in the Alaska mission too) and I made each other a drink. It was 2% milk and cranberry juice.  It was surprisingly good.  So Elder Spencer and I decided to mix each other's drinks during dinner and not to stop until someone dropped. (Mother aside here: This sounds like a brilliant idea:))  After we each had five of the best and grossest drinks ever, Elder Spencer's miterbeiter,Elder Hall made us a MOAD (Mother Of All Drinks).  Needless to say, it was the one that put us over the edge.

From Day one they overload you with German, and the second day was as long as the first.  I was able to teach my first "investigator" all in German yesterday. I won't be surprised when the investigator turns out to be one of our teachers next week.  I am able to understand people when they speak German.  It's mostly trying to speak it that is giving me problems at the moment.

As you may have noticed - my address has changed slightly so I will be leaving earlier, around May 06

Elder Cameron Brande
May 06  Ger-Fra
2007 N 900 E., Unit 64
Provo, UT 84602

My companion, Elder Sprunt's mom sent him a care package and there was a bag of rice krispie treats she made for me.  How she knew my one true vice, i know not but I can't control myself around those buggers!  So us Germans live on the bottom floor.  We own one half of the hall and the Russians have the other half, so naturally we've formed a friendly rivalry.

Ich weiss das Buch Mormon warh ist. Ich weiss dass Joseph Smith eine Prophet war. Ich weiss dass Thomas S. Monson eine prophet ist.  Ich weiss dasgott unsere beten antwort. Ich weiss dass ich bin einen  representive Jesu Christi. Ich Liebe dich.

Elder Cameron Brande