Catching up

It's been a while since an update. We had a wonderful Christmas phone call with Elder Brande. He is focused on the work and loves the area he is in. He said the members in the area are so helpful and always working so hard to help the missionaries. He says he is very well fed. He is in an American area and focused only on serving the military base in the area. His only sadness is that he isn't able to use much German. He and his companion are only to teach the Americans and other Elders are assigned to Germans in the area. He most misses the sun and being warm. I asked him if he missed home and he said that he didn't want me to feel bad but he was focused on his mission and that was really all he could think about. He said it's almost as if life before his mission was a dream and the future seems unreal. All he can see and focus on is his mission. He says that he and his companion are working very hard and he's never been so tired but it was a good tired. He looked so good and happy it was the best Christmas gift a mom could ask for. Here are some excerpts from recent letters:

01/01

It was really cool to see you all and see how different everyone looks. Elder Cole is still sick, the problem is that in Germany medicine is pretty bad, The really potent pain medication they give out is baby Tylenol. I've managed to stay pretty healthy trotzdem but today I started to get a little cold. Yeah the Leach's are pretty awesome. (The Leach's we're their hosts for Christmas and we're kind enough to let him Skype is from their house - so grateful for their care of our son)

Haha Sugar does not look happy at all. (I sent him a picture of our cat in a Santa hat) That skateboard is huge! (Lucas got a ham board for Christmas and it's basically a big land surfboard) I didn't even realize what it was at first, I thought it was a wake board, That thing is almost as big as Luke! Dad looks almost younger with a beard, ya get what i mean?

So I was reading in 1 John 5 today and I thought it was really good, even though it was a little confusing and took me a couple read-throughs to get it all

I love you mom and I hope you have a great new year

Love 

Elder Brande 

12/22

It's strange to think that Christmas is just around the corner, it feels like not to long ago I was with you guys getting ready for Christmas. so on Thursday  I'll be skyping from the Leach's house (the recent convert) our appointment begins at 1800 (local time) but we'll be going one at a time so we're not sure when we will begin skyping or who's going first so maybe I'll call you guys. What skype name will I be calling?  

I'm glad that you were able to have such a wonderful experience with serving with the Temple lights. I miss being able to see all the christmas lights, They don't do that kind of stuff in germany. Christmas is so foreign here and it just doesn't feel like home. But I guess I'm not home :) 

Here's a picture a brother Calder sent us of Elder Brande & Cole. I am so grateful for all those over in Germany who are feeding and taking care of my son. I don't need to worry because I know that they are watching out for Him. 

It's beginning to look like winter

here's the latest from Cameron.  it's pretty cold in Germany. Being an Arizona boy,mthe weather takes a little getting used to.  Everyday i wake up and check the weather and it's in the 30's with rain or snow at least half the week. People from Germany have told me the moisture in the air makes it a particularly biting cold. He told us their apartment heater has been out for a while and they have not been able to get it fixed so he's truly getting to enjoy the full scope of the weather. 

"Funny story I actually just got boots today, a member gave us some extra military boots, hopefully that works with missionary attire :) Ipads are a rough subject over here. according to the church we should have had them by next month, but the word from up top is that earliest would be april :P 

I got quite a few thanksgiving meals yesterday so I'm good with food :) 

so we spent P-day playing around with really expensive stuff :) really cool stuff that boys love. I got to wear the Bomb suit and it was quite fun and Heavy! but Elder cole and our member took turns kicking me and I couldn't feel a thing, so I guess it works :) "

I don't think this week will be as chilly for me as last week. So we have a car, but last week we had to turn it in for a few days for repairs, guess what happened the MOMENT we started riding our bikes home from the dealership? IT FLIPPIN' SNOWED!!! just my luck :) we spent a lot of time traveling in our area (one day we spent about nine hours just walking and trying to catch the few trains there are around here). but now we have our car so we are very thankful :) 

also I don't think I'll ever get that package but who knows :) (I accidentally sent Cameron's birthday to the wrong address so somebody else is enjoying his presents :()

Elise better not start dating until I get home. (Fat chance.  His sister Elise just turned 16 and is now allowed to date and already has a few lined up - mom and dad aren't ready for it either)

I always find it interesting that we Judge Peter at all in that story. Of all the disciples he was the only one with the faith to go and meet Jesus on the water. so if you feel like you are Peter in that story I would say that you are well off. ( I was letting Cameron now how sometimes I feel like Peter in that I have faith and I have witnessed things in my life that confirm my testimony with out a doubt. But just like Peter who saw Jesus walk on water and walked on it himself he started to fear and doubt and sink and how important it is to call out for help to The Lord when we are troubled.  I had never thought of how it's true that Peter did have the faith to jump)

Dad should grow out his beard until I get home. Don't let him shave it until then. (Michael started to grow a beard for Noshavember. It looks pretty sweet and we sent Elder Brande a pic- Michael says its going pretty soon)

So Elder Brande and Elder Cole got to do some pretty neat stuff at the military base. He says they were able to maneuver the bomb robot. Below is a picture of him in a bomb suit. The suit weighs 80lbs and the helmet weighs about 20. He sent us some hilarious video of Elder Cole trying to kick him in the suit and him trying to do a pull up.  It seems like they had a lot of fun. It was super nice of one of the members to take them on base

Tell Everyone Hi.

Love you 

A great day

My week has been good! It's cool to find out that we are somewhat related. (This in response to finding he and his companion are second cousins twice removed by marriage :0))

Something really special that happened this week is that DL was baptized this last Saturday. also on that same day we went to go do baptisms for the dead with the recent convert Bro. M. While we were there in Fredrichsdorf afterwards grabbing some pizza for lunch a member did some awesome member work and shared the gospel with a man who came into the restaurant who is crippled. it was pretty cool and as far as we last heard he is going to take the discussions from the missionaries there. 

 

Here's pics from D's baptism 

A few pictures

Well, unfortunately, as has become the norm not much details to report. This is his response to my letter asking how things are going and please send some details. 

Good, still good. details are hard. especially detail to "things"

Yep. That's what constitutes a letter around here. At this point I just have to laugh. He had his 20th birthday on Sunday. I thought I sent his package to the mission home but it got sent to his old address. I am sure the Aachen elders are enjoying his birthday presents :0). He did send a few pictures. The first is of Porta Negra - it's a Roman gate, the second is of a piñata he and his companion made and the third is a picture of Cameron and his companion, Elder Cole.

Good things

Just to give a little context to the letter - his birthday is coming up so he is responding to my asking him if he needed anything. We also wrote him how much we missed his help with yard work. He was always a hard worker. Here's his latest letter:

So I'm staying In Bitburg with Elder Cole. thanks anyways, birthdays out here aren't really anything special :) I'd kill for some warm weather over here, it just gets colder and colder and our heaters in our apartment don't work so :P I actually miss yard work, but then again maybe the grass is always greener on the otherside :) 

Things are going really well here, the families we have been working with are awesome, one of them is stalking my blog because I told her about it so give a shout out to sis. Calder, she made me rice krispy treats and she makes fun of me for not writing to you enough! ( thank you Sister Calder for taking care of him and please don't let up on him about writing his mother - I need more information :))That's pretty sick about Michael, give him my best of luck ( he's referring to his friend Michael Pettingill, who just received his mission call South Dakota)

A quick update

Just a short but promising update:

Friday we were meeting with a part-member family and it was a lesson about Eternal families and we ended up giving him the invitation to be baptized and he said yes. He's  a super cool dude from Hawaii. His wife was/is less-active but she has been trying to come back to activity. I absolutely love this family, they are so cool, they bought us Spam and chocolate chips, I don't know why. But it is super awesome anyways

A little help for a friend

Last week they had a district Pday and did a lot of traveling so he didn't have time to write. The first part of his letter was just general items for me. He has a new companion Elder Cole. He said this picture pretty much sums him up - sounds like they are having fun:

He also said he is eating well and sent a comparison of German and American pickles. The American pickles are your standard Vlasic. The German pickle jar is only about as big as his hand