March 8, 2016 Huelen, Alberdi Chile

Hey mom! I am sorry I have had a crazy last week sorry for not writing. I had been sick with diarreah and headach with lots of vomiting. Tuesday early in the morning I was vomiting blood so my mission president and his wife came and got me at 2 in the morning and took me to the emergency room. We got out at about 5am and I was resting the rest of the day and a few days after. I am still recovering but everything is all good now! But last p-day I was super sick.

March 8, 2016 Huelen, Alberdi Chile

Zona: Huelen

Sector: Alberdì

Comp: Elder Cagle

Hola hola!! I wasnt able to send a letter the last week because i was super enfermo! It started 2 saturdays ago and I was stuck with diarreah and a headach. Then everything moved into vomiting and tuesday morning I was vomiting blood so I called my Presdident and then he and his wife came to our house at 2am to take us to the hospital and we got out at about 5am. So all p-day I was resting. Its a bummer! 

Another big bummer is that most of the people who had a date to be baptized the 20th have had their baptism date moved so my companion will continue with them which is awesome! They just need a little more time. But we are still planning to have a baptism the 20th of March.

Its been pretty hard trying to stay focused on the mission because I am REALLY excited to see my family again. My ex companion Elder Cooper sent me a message saying that going home is something really nice, but that its not worth being distracted over. I know that I have to keep giving my 100 percent. Elder Cagle and I are still trying to work hard. We have difficult days and some really good days. One of my goals in every sector is to leave it better than when I had come to it. We have been finding alot of people and I am excited to keep planting seeds for the next missionaries. Its the best thing in the world being instruments in the hands of our Father in bringing our brethren to have a knowledge of the truth.

See you guys soon!

Elder Brady

February 16, 2016 Huelen, Alberdi

Zona: Huelen

Sector: Alberdì

Comp: Elder Cagle

Wow this week was probably on of the hardest weeks in my mission! So I only have had 6 weeks in this sector before my last companion Elder Cooper returned home -6 weeks is not enough to learn this sector!! So my companion Elder Cagle and I have been walking around everywhere with a map trying to remember where everyone lives. Thursday and Sunday last week were some of the hardest days because we had absolutely no lessons and we have very few lessons from the days before. The people were just ocupied or on vacation an we only had a few investigatores but we had visited them all. It was really hard litteraly walking 5 straight hours in the heat trying to find someone to teach!! Geez! But just yesterday we began to see blessings because of our diligence.

Friday- we recieved the news that in the family Elder Cooper and I had helped get reactivated there was a girl with the age of 21 who had lost her baptism records. The mission, the stake and the family have tried to look everywhere or for some evidences but nothing has been found. She has a baptism date for the 20th of march.

Saturday- we went to one of the houses that we had recently found. In this house there is a convert who was baptized last year. He stopped going to church and got involved with a girl and they are now living together. He called us and told us to go and visit him. He told us that he wanted to do things right. His girlfriend wants to become involved in the church and do the same. We found out that the girl has to get divorced from her husband that she had separated from so that they could get married and go to church. So friend told us that he is planning to move out and be friends with his girlfriend so that they both can progress and so that his girlfriend can be baptized with her 3 kids. She has a baptizm date for the 20th of March.

Sunday- we had ward counsel and our bishop told us that there was a sister from columbia and that she had been recieving the lessons from the missionares there and she had just barely moved here and she wants to be baptized. She has a baptism date for the 20th of March.

Monday- we had lunch with an active family. They had told us that in our ward there was an hermana that was an investigator and had been an investigator for almost 7 years. She told us that missionaries had always passed by but she coudnt progress because she needed to get a divorce and get married with the guy she had been living with. The active family told us that she always pays her tithing and that she is super strong and that this last sunday she had told the relief society that she went to the registo civil and became legally married to the guy she is living with right now. And she also told the sisters that now she can become a member of the church. She has a baptism date for the 20th of march.

Monday- we also visited a house of a youth that was recently baptized. He is the only member of his family. They live in very poor conditions but they are a great family. The converts mom had always participated in the visits we had with her son. But she was firm in her decision not to be baptized and join the church. Well this last monday we visited them. Her son went to the kitchen to make juice and we sat with her in the living. I kindof jokingly asked the sister when she was planning to be baptized. She gave me a big SHHHHHHHHH -and then said quietly that she had talked with a returned sister missionary. That she bore her testimony to her and that she had felt the spirit to hear this returned missionary. She told me and my companion that she wants to keep the news a suprize to her 17 year old son. She accepted to be batptized the 20th of march.

Well we are working with a family and they are becoming reactivated. They have a son who is not a member. This family has a goal to be sealed in the temple. We have been working hard with this family and their son has a baptism date for the 20th of March.

My companion Elder Cagle and I have been seening lots of miracles. I know that our Heavenly Father has touched the hearts of these people. Even if these families dont make the baptism convant they will still have that seed and hopefully it will bloom in the future. We have started asking references. We have learned that the members are timid. Its hard to ask them to join us in a lesson with somene they dont know. So - we are working around that. We are asking the members for references in very specific ways and still the members are to shy to introduce us to them so we go and contact the house and if they accept us we tell the members that they had recieved us and they sooon become very excited to go to the lessons and share their testimonies. When these members see the success from their efforts they will want to participate more because thats what brings joy and happiness. Other members will see the examples and want to follow.

The field is white, and it is ready to harvest. I have learned from my mission president that it is like lookig for easter eggs. There are many many easter eggs but they are all hidden and we have to look diligently. Sometimes we give up to easy. As Elder Holland has said "Salvation is not a cheap experience." Even when we have been looking and searching and never find those eggs we still leave behind the hints and clues or seeds. We are all on the same team.

Well thats my week!! Love you guys!!

Elder Brady

February 9, 2016 Huelen, Alberdi

Zona: Huelen

Sector: Alberdì

Comp: Elder Cagle

Well my companion Elder Cooper just returned home yesterday and we we recieved our new companions. I have to train the next Zone Leader because its his first time as Zone Leader and I leave the mission this change. But this sector is HUGE! It has been pretty difficult trying to remember where everyone lives and continue where we left off with Elder Cooper. I have one change in this sector but it sure was not enough to learn it! haha But we are doing our best, that is what matters to the Lord -that we do our best. The name of my new companion is Elder Cagle. He is from California and he is 2 metros de altura!! locoooooo! But the good thing is that the flaites dont yell things at us anymore haha!

We hope to have 3 baptisms this change, I am really excited. We have a family that is progressing fast. It is amazing to see their conversion, it is one of the best experiences. I love this work. It is such a priviledge to participate in this great work.

We recently had our P-Day changed to Tuesday. It will be interesting, it feels really weird.

Thats all I have this week!"!

Love you guys!

Elder Brady

February 1, 2016 Huelen, Alberdi

Zona: Huelen

Sector: Alberdì

Comp: Elder Cooper.

Wowowowowow!!! This week has been a huge bummer!!!! Everyone is on vacation in the beach! It has been so hard trying to find our investigators or tying to make appointments. Nevertheless! We have found some great new investigatores and we are planning to have 3 baptisms this next change.

My companion Elder Cooper is very trunky because he goes home next monday. I have been somewhat trunky as well because I am killing him his last change and I am going to die my next change. But I shall endure to the end. 49 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been so hot here walking around everywhere. Ive been taking 2 showers every day. We have some serious sweatmarks on our shirts at the end of the day after taking off our backpacks. But we are doing good.

We had a guy in church this last Sunday. His name is Dimitri. We have never taught him. He is a very skinny old guy that has no teeth and is almost always drunk in the street. Whenever we see him we invite him to church -he always says that he will be there but he never comes so the next time we see him in the street we ask him why he couldnt go and he always says he couldnt. But this time he came and was there for all 3 hours and participated really well in the classes!!! It was pretty cool.

Well See you all soon!!

Elder Brady!!

Elder Brady's dad is pretty popular in the mission.  Because he travels to Chile every month he is able to bring lots of packages for the mission home, the MTC and the missionaries all over Chile and South America.  But Wes is the most spoiled!  This is what his dad brought him on the last trip.  Just in time too.  Elder Brady said they had a bunch of extra things they needed to spend money on last month and they didn't have any meal appointments so they had no food.  Then they were surprised with all these goodies.  We always make sure to send big bags of candy for the missionaries to pass out to the kids.

January 18, 2016 Huelen, Alberdi

Zona: Huelen

Sector: Alberdì

Comp: Elder Cooper

Wow its soooooooooooooooooooooooo hot here!!!!!!!! I feel like I am under a huge magnifying glass, I swear im gonna catch fire any day now! Arizona is soooo much hotter but I dont feel like Im being sniped out by the like like I do here. WEW!

This is a really good sector that I am in. Its been really hard trying to adjust back to walking so much again but its good exercise. We have a bunch of investigators but we still havent had any progresando. We have been trying to look at the tema to see what we can do to sharpen our teachings and focus more on their needs. Thats one of the more difficult parts of missionary work- trying to discern the needs and doubts of the investigators. But the good news is that we have a few inactive families that are coming back to church after years and years of inactivity. Some of these families are part member families so hopefully we can get on that soon.

We are passing out books of mormom and cards to all the members in our ward and they are trying to find a family member or neighbor, friend that they can introduce to and then give us a call. We have been receiving muchas referencias. We hope to see some good fruits soon! We gotta keep up on the work, my companion goes home the 8th of Febuary and I have just two months left!! Thats nothing!!! I feeli kinda stressed like I have a huge loead of things to do and just a really short time to do them in.

We had our leadership meeting and our mission president gave us a really cool example about the field being white and ready to harvest. He said that the Lord has many people prepared to receive us. Its like easter eggs we have to put in a huge amount of effort to find theos people prepared. The scriptures dont say gently put your sickle in but they say THRUST it in. Alot of times we are not thrusting or doing everything we can do, not being diligent and we give up easily because we dont find results. So our mission president siad we had to be more diligent because the eggs are there, and there are many of them.

Miss you guys!! See you all soon ;)

Elder Brady

January 11, 2016

Mission Leaders

January 4, 2015 Huelen, Alberdi

Zona: Huelen

Sector: Alberdi

Comp: Elder Cooper

This week was a good week but it´s been a bit challenging for us. I have been trying to get used to walking 15 kilometros everyday now. I have already just lost so much weight. This sector used to be 2 different sectors and they were BIG sectors and now its all one and we have all of it!! My feet are full of blisters but they are hardening up pretty fast. I hope after another week I will be accostomed. 

There are a lot of investigators but some just are not progressing so we might be dropping some soon. There are a lot of good members in the ward and the cool this is that we have lunch everyday!

My companion Elder Cooper is a really great guy. He is from Payson Utah and he goes home the 8th of Feburary- So we have two old and dead missionaries together....Trunky!! Haha no we are working really hard trying to make it the best last months of our missions. 

When I came to the mission I hadnt made the click that ´Im in the mission or that im going to the mission´ until I walked into the CCM. I wasnt that sad to leave my family and everything else but when I entered into CCM I realized wow I am going to be here for two years I started missing everything. Its like the same with going home- I havent made that click that ´wow my time is ending, Im not going to be a missionary anymore´ It will be after I step onto American soil again where i will start missing Chile and realizing that my time really is over.

I absolutely love the mission, being able to share the gospel and help my friends come unto Christ. I am learned so much more of this gospel and I have become so converted to it. I have a huge testimony of the Restoration and of this Gospel, this church. It is amazing participating in this work and letting it change and convert us, watching it change the lives of our brethren. Everyone, if its possible, should serve a mission.

I will send more photos next time!

Love you guys!

Happy New Year!!!!

Elder Brady

December 28, 2015 Huelen, Alberdi 1

While we were in AZ for Christmas we were able to skype with elder Brady.  That was a treat.  But he was very sick.  He and his companion spent the evening before hooked up to an I.V.  Frequently during our skype visit he crunched up in pain.  Our prayers were heard and he got to feeling better quickly.






Zona: Huelen

Sector: Alberdi 1

Comp: Elder Cooper

Well we had cambios! I had been in zona Colina for almost a year and 3 months and now I am back in la Zona Huelen. We don`t have bikes because we are in the city. So this is going to be my graveyard -where I end the mission. I plan to go all out here its a new sector, new start a good place to work. I have an awesome new companion -Elder Cooper from Payson Utah. He actually finnished his mission and the end of this change and I finnish the end of next change so we are going to be struggling to stay working hard and not being trunki. But he`s a great guy I am excited to work here with him.

I was sick allllllll last week with fever, vomiting, headaches and stomach pains. I spent Christmas Eve in an emergency clinic hooked up with an IV. My companion also suffered the same sickness. So it was a bummer week But now we feel a whole lot better. 

We were able to talk to our families on Christmas and that was pretty cool, I was able to see some of my cousins and aunt as well.

But Here I am ready to start a new change!! 

Love you guys! 

Elder Brady

December 21, 2015 Lampa, Chile

Zona: Colina

Sector: Lampa 1

Comp: Elder Rutan

Feliz Navidad a todos!!! 

It feels so weird to celebrate Christmas while it´s a 100° outside. Just doesn´t feel like Christmas!! The last two weeks there has been a huge feria ( its like a big farmers market) every night just loeaded with all kinds of food and fun stuff. Tomorrow we are going to set up a booth with a projector and screen and play the short Christmas videos from the church and pass out cards and do contacts and all- it should be interesting!

This last week has been really hard for my companion and I. The only day that we have had time to work has been this last friday. We had 8 lessons Friday and ended the whole week with a grand total of 8 lessons!! We have been traveling to reunions and violin concerts and baptism interviews that we have to do az zone leaders and then my companion was throwing up for a whole day because we havent even had time to eat lunch for 4 days. My companion weighs 130lbs and was fatiged because there just has been no time to eat or anything. So that was a bummer. And We were supposed to have 2 baptisms this week but we havent been able to teach all the lessons and some of our investigators have fallen back into their habits of smoking and drinking and didnt even go to church this last Sunday. I have been so frustrated!! But our Zone has had alot of success. This last Sunday our zone had 5 baptisms which was pretty neat.

We should always remember Jesus Christ and why he came, to remember what he has done for us. But this month we should especially be more focused on Him. It´s Christmas, not X-mas. We celebrate the birth of Christ.

Feliz Navidad to everyone!!

Elder BRady

December 14, 2015 Lampa, Chile

Zona: Colina

Sector: Lampa 1

Comp: Elder Rutan

Wow it´s been a crazy week!! First we found a new family, and we had an investigator that went to church this last Sunday, we hope to have a baptismal service held for him on the 25th of Dicember. 

We have been seeing alot of success here in Lampa. The ward has been working really well with us. We have been trying to exercise more faith and find more people. Our Heavenly Father has blessed us so much. 

So a few days ago my companion and I were riding next to the church and saw that the doors were open and so we took that as an oportunity to take a quick drink of water. We walk in and our mission president is there! Wow!! Hello President!! He was there to release a missionary that just returned from Mexico (because we are in a district). Then my companion and I leave again for our next apointment. I start riding on my bike and we try going through one of the more flaite sectors through a bunch of small streets and then I get this stinging in my eye so I stop, rub it out and was waiting for my companion to come up right behind me- but he wasnt anywhere in sight!! I was frustrated because i wasnt going that fast and so i sat there for a couple minutes and still nothing. Shoot!!! I dont want to call President because he is going to destroy me especially because he is right here in Lampa. I try retracing going through the small streets and nothing! So I call President and he tells me to go back to the church. Shoot. I thought I was fried! He came out and was happy like there was nothing to worry about and gave me a hug and we just sat there and talked for like 30 minutes until my companion called from a members phone. I felt lucky because I have seen our President destroy a few missionaries when they lose their companions. So I decided that because my dad and family do so much for the mission he chose not to be mad at me.

Another interesting story... We have a neighbor who has a bunch of kittens, but she doesnt want them and whe has been throwing them over the fence! We let them out of our house and they return to her house and she just keeps throwing them back over. So I have had it pretty hard with allergies.

We had an awesome oportunity to participate in a Christmas Concert. I was able to play the violin with another Sister missionary for a good number of songs and I was really neat. There was about 500 people there, it was so hard to leave after but its all good. It started at 4 and we got home at almost 10 at night! Geez!

My Grandma shared an awesome part of the Liahona in Dicember and I would like to share it again because it is awesome:

I don't know if you are allowed to read the Ensign/Liahona but there was an article in the December issue that was so very powerful.  Just before President Packer passed away he had asked that his final testimony of Jesus Christ be printed in this magazine so all the members could read it.  Below is a small portion of his testimony: 

My Witness 

“After all the years that I have lived and taught and served, after the millions of miles I have traveled around the world, with all that I have experienced, there is one great truth that I would share. That is my witness of the Savior Jesus Christ. “Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon recorded the following after a sacred experience: “‘And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! “‘For we saw him’ (D&C 76:22–23).

 “Their words are my words.” 6 “How privileged I have been throughout my life to be able to bear my special witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. I testify in all humility, but with absolute certainty, that He is the Only Begotten of the Father. This is His Church; He presides over it and directs this work. He is our Redeemer. I know He lives, and I know Him. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ."

Read that very carefully...what he is saying is that he has seen Jesus Christ!  He quotes Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saying that they had seen Christ, and then adds that "their words are my words."  That just kind of takes my breath away to think that Elder Packer saw Christ and he testifies with absolute certainty who He is.

We are so blessed to be here at this time and to have this restored gosple in our lives. To participate in the gathering of the house of Israel. 

Elder Brady

December 7, 2015 Lampa, Chile

Zona:Colina

Sector: Lampa 1

Comp: Elder Rutan

This week has been amazing! We  have found new part member families! The members in these families are so prepared to receive the gospel; we had two progresssing investigators and they will be baptized the 25th of December- Christmas day! We are so excited. The Lord has blessed us so much! I feel like our sector is like the ´Promised land´. 

Today we invited the district leaders over for lunch and we talked a little on how we could help improve the work in the zone and we talked about some of the weaknesses that we have. This morning my dad came to our office while I was there practicing violin for a concert, and it was the weirdest thing! My dad was on the floor right below me talking to all the Elders haha. But it was cool, so many missionaries think my parents are heroes.

But the work keeps rolling on here in this part of Chile! And I am super greatful to be part of it!

I love you all!,

Elder Brady

December 2, 2015 Lampa, Chile

Zona: Colina

Sector: Lampa 1

Comp: Elder Rutan

Hola Hola,

Our P-Day was changed this week to Wednesday because Elder Krasnoselky of the Seventy came to visit us. It was a really neat conference! After the conference we had a leadership counsel with him and we pinpointed one of the big problems that our mission has -lack of faith. We talked about how we can help the missionaries develope more faith.

Last night my companion and I talked alot about what Elder Krasnoselsky had said to us. My companion asked me why I came on the mission and I told him that I came becasue I love our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. My companion then asked me "and why have you stayed on the mission?" That question made me think alot. Of course im still here on the mission for the same reasons to why I had come -but there is a difference from how I was working when I first started the mission and how I am working now. I realized that I have somewhat fallen into a routine, that there are times when I just 'go through the motions'. I realized that sometimes when I invite people to learn about the gospel I am not doing it because I love God or that I love this person and I want them to find happiness but I do it because I am a missionary. It's something that I have to do, it's part of my calling, part the the daily routine. I am not doing it for good numbers which is good, but Im still not doing it for the right reasons. It could be a lack of faith.

 I need to get out of this 'oh Im a missionary so that means i have to do this this and this' and get into this 'Wow!! I'm a missionary and I get to help God "to bring to pass the imortality and eternal life of man" I get to help in this great work so i´m gonna talk to that person, share the gospel with him, share with him why i am a happy person and what Jesus Christ has done for him.' 

So this morning my companion and I set some goals and talked about things we need to work on to get out of the 'routine, going through the motions´ type thing and get working. 

I now that I am not the only missionary who has felt like this. I thought things were going pretty good and that I considered myself an alright missionary then God sent Elder Krasnoselsky and we all got destroyed! But he has helped us realized what we can do to improve and progress. Even my last 4 months in the mission I can still grow. I am thankful that we were able to be visited by Elder Krasnoselsky.

So Yesterday we had our conference and we weren´t able to work the whole day. Today is P-Day, we still do contacts and stuff during the day but its hard to have a lesson because we have to prepare! Tomorrow we have leadership counsel with Presidente Videla... So we are not going to be able to work that much this week. 

We hope to have 2 baptisms the 12th of December! We have been finding perople like crazy and our ward works really well with us missionaries and almost everytime we go to church there's a member with a reference.

But thats my week. Woot! 

Que tengan una buena semana!! 

Elder BRady

November 23, 2015

This is a letter Wes wrote to one of his grandparents.  It was pretty awesome so I wanted to share it here with everybody.  I sure hope Wes doesn't mind!

Wow nonny! Thank you thats awesome that you found that! That makes a lot of sense. Being out here on the mission makes me love to learn- sometimes I just think about how exciting its going to be to go to school and learn more math or whatever it is. And learning more of the Gospel just everything. Being here has made me realize that i lack so much and I jsut want to learn. Someone asked me a question one time about the United States Constitution and I didnt have an answer and it made me want to learn more about the Constitution.

Whats the name of Elder Bednar's book?? I realized that I wasnt so much into churchy churchy stuff before. Like I would do the stuff - go through the motions but it was boring. Id rather do other things. We have investigators that dont want to go to church because its boring or they dont want to give up drugs or playing soccer or some are offended by other people. People who dont enjoy church and dont want to be there arent going to want to be in heaven either. As Brad Wilcox puts it: You cant put someone in heaven if they dont want to be heavenly. They will say the same - its boring, that person offended me, I have better things to do. 

So i have been trying to learn how to be a heavenly person. During my mission I have come to love going to church, participating in the clases, reading the scriptues and praying. I have come to realize at least a big portion of the power that these things have in our lives. Before I left on my mission i didnt even know what the word 'seer' meant. I was such an ignoramus! (as poppy would say)  I would litteraly just go through the motions but never learned and went through it with the 'this is boring' attitude.

I am so excited to be able to continue climbing ub that ladder after this life. I know that will not be boring, I have come to love it!

Thank you nonnny for sharing that with me! I love you!!

Elder BRady

November 16, 2015 Lampa, Chile

Zona: Colina

Sector: Lampa 1

Comp: Elder Rutan

Hola Hola!

We had changes today! My ex-companion Elder Gómez is now on his way home and I have noew recieved a new companion -Elder Rutan de Washington. Elder Rutan extended his mission and will be returning home this Feburary. So we are so excited to start this new change, we have recieved 9 new missionaries in our zone and we all just want to work.

It is super hot here. Not like Arizona heat -when your in the shade here its not that hot but when you leave it feels like im under a magnifying glass! Im sure missing the States right now.

My companion and I have created a verification system with the missionaries which should, if everything goes well, increase baptisms, retention, and reactivation. The missionaries are going to choose 3 investigadores and 3 converts, 3 inactives whom they will be working with for the next 3 weeks. These are the 9 people that have the most potential of progression. My companion and I along with the 3 district leaders are going to know the names of all these people and will be verifying the progression and doubts that they have. This will allow us to understand more how we can help the missionaries help their people. It brings the district class more to life because we know the doubts and challenges and we can get together into groups and share ideas for hop to teach a certain principle of the doctrine or how to help them make commitments. Our informe will be sent to the district mission leader and he will be able to help the leaders in all the unidades in getting involved to help these 9 people in every sector. At the end of 3 weeks the missionaries take out those who are not progressing and add new potentials. The missionaries of course are going to be working with alot more people than just 9 but these 9 people in every sector are just the focus for the 3 weeks.

This last week my companion and I found 2 families from Ecuador. We invited them to go to church but they didnt come so we are going to head over their with my new companion and continue hopefully they come this next week!

But thats about all thats been going on.

I love you guys!!

Elder Brady

November 10, 2015 Lampa, Chile

Zone: Colina

Sector: Lampa 1

Comp: Elder Gòmez

This week we had a baptism!!! Our friend Joan was baptized this last Sunday. Our mission president came to the baptismal service which was really neat. 

So last week we crashed our bikes- the damage wasn`t too bad but they were in repair for 3 days. Our mission president is paying for the repairs. The car that we crashed into has a huge dent in it and a broken light but the owner knows that the accident was his fault, he actually took me to the consultorio to get me checked out because I couldnt walk well because my leg caused all the damage to the car. But everything is good now!! We are moving along. I wasn`t wearing a helmet which was against mission rules and got the punishment. I felt like the angels were saying "this is the only time we are going to proctect you without a helmet, next time if you dont have a helmet... your on your own". So I have started wearing a helmet on Sundays as well.

This last week we found 4 new investigators!! So we are excited to work our buns off with them. My companion has trunkitis. Its been difficult because he always talks about what he wants to do when he gets back and that affects me as well. But we`re trying to stay focused, Im gonna make sure that he ends strong.

This last week we also had a Zone conference and they talked a little about perfectionism. They said that we become perfect through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But I´ve heard that a million times now and still hadnt understood it! They talked a little about the Sacrament and that we renew our covenants and its like we are starting over with a clean slate if we have repented. But I got sooooo confused. So thats what I have been focusing my studies on. I have been reading the scriptures, praying and I`ve talked to a few people about it. I wrote all my thoughts and impressions, what others have shared with me and this is what I`ve got out of it:

Children under the age of 8 are considered clean and perfect. Even before Christ?

Children are considered worthy, clean, pure, cleansed by the power of the Atonement. But Christ hadn`t suffered yet. He wouldn`t suffer yet for the next 2 or 3,000 years. How could the children be considered clean when he hadn`t payed the price yet?  The Atonement works in Advance.

The commandment is that we become as, not like, but as a little child. How is it that we become as a little child? -There`s a whole list in Mosiah...submissive, humble, meek - and well that`s all and good but does that make you as a little child or like a little child? -LIKE. But the commandment is to become as a little child which means what? -Covered by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. A little child is a child under the age of 8. We are not talking about a 12 year old or a 14 year old child -we are talking about a child who is 8 years old or less, covered by the Atonement. How do we become as that little child that little child who is covered by the Atonement? The child doesn`t have to repent -but we do, right? So we have to do something a little different than a child -we actually have to demonstrate faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized -because we`re more than8 years old. If we haven`t been baptized yet and we`re than 8 years old then we need to be baptized right? We need to keep the commandments and as we go along we need to repent for the thing we do thats wrong. If its serious we have to talk to somebody about it but if its now we just repent and talk to the Lord about it, and we keep going.

So we have to do something a little more than a child. In order to become as a little child, clean holy, without spot, perfect -is a little child considered perfect? Yes. Are they perfect? No. Of course not. Do they sin? Yes. When we baptize children at the age of 8 for the remission of their sins -article of faith #4 says that we baptized for the remission of sins at the age of 8. So what does mormon mean when he says children can`t sin? -He explains in his letter to Moroni. He says what it means is they can`t be held acountable for their sins, and they can`t repent, and it`s solemn mockery before God to think that a child needs to repent. Why is it mockery? We`re trying to tell a child who`s already covered to repent in order to earn forgivness? Well he`s already been forgiven. Whenever we try to do something thats already been done for us by God Himself..thats mockery. There are other kinds of mockery as well -how people mock eachother, yeah that`s mockery, but when we teach that children need to be baptized- that`s mockery of a different kind. If the Atonement covers a child before the age of 8 and we still say the child has to repent in order to be forgiven - that makes a mockery of the fact that it was already agreed in the pre-existence that they are covered. Let`s not make a mockery of it. Let`s accept it.

The Atonement works in the future, as well as the past.  Little children have always been protected until they are 9 years of age. Certainly if the Atonement works in advance for 6,000 years for every child under the age of 9 and for all people who repented for 6,000 years... then, ok so right now isn`t it possible that the Atonement functions until we partake of the Sacrament again? Next Sunday?

The child is protected, protected, protected - 6 years old, 7 years old still protected. 8 years old- he hasn`t been baptized yet because he doesn`t get baptized until the first Saturday of next month right? But is he still protected? What if he doesn`t get baptized until he`s 8 and 3 months old -is he still protected until he`s baptized? Sure! But if he`s 8 years and 11 3/4 months is he still protected? Sure. What if he`s 9 years old? -oops now he`s what? A 9 year old by definition is something different than an 8 year old. What is a 9 year old? He is not a child of record. On his 9th birthday he is no longer a child of record. If he`s 9 years old and has not been baptized in our church, then he is a convert baptism. And there is a BIG difference. According to the Lord and the Profets, if you`re 8 point something your covered. The Bishop has authority as a child of record, as long as the baptism is performed before his 9th birthdate. But you cannot baptized that child on his 9th birthdate, you have to baptize him on any day before his 9th birthday, if your are going to baptized him as a child of record. If a child is 9.0 he has to show fruits meet for repentance -because he has the capacity now at the age of 9, to demonstrate -he needs to demonstrate because thats the definition -he needs to demonstrate now that he has repented. That is a little different than an 8 year old who doesn`t need to demonstrate that. If we require an 8 year old to repent... its making a mockery. It is mockery, solemn mockery before God to require an 8 year old child to do something for which he is already covered by the Atonement.

So lets say you want to do things perfectly. You don`t want to make any mistakes. So you try, try, try really hard to be perfect but you always find that you are falling shord in some way, every day that shows you that you are not perfect. But you are trying, and  you see a general authority who gave a talk a few years ago who says -We know it`s not possible for you to be perfect this life, but we should keep trying anyway. But if we`re trying to do something that is impossible and we keep trying, trying, trying and failing then what is going to be our emotional state? -We are going to be VERY discouraged. If we think we`re supposed to try to be perfect like the general authority said, but you can`t be perfect like the general authority said -you`ll be frustrated for the rest of your life.  By trying to be perfect in this perfectionistic way -we`re trying to do something that`s already been done for us. We are also guilty of mockery. If we are trying to be perfect by ourselves, without the Atonement -we are making a solemn mockery of the Atonment. We`re trying to be perfect using perfectionism. Perfectionism assumes that there is no Atonment, that there is no help, that you have to do it all by yourself. Perfectionism comes from the devil. The commandment to be perfect comes from Christ. Nefi 3 and 7 says the Lord never gives a commandment unless he provides a way. SO... is it a true commandment to be perfect? Yes. What`s the way that was provided? The Atonement. So- if we do whatever we can- we go to church, partake of the sacrament -are we perfect? Yes.

When do we become as little children? Having faith, repenting, keeping the commandments and partaking of the sacrament. When we take the sacrament we are covered until the next Sunday -because the Atonement works in advance. What if i don`t take the Sacrament this next Sunday? Am I still protected? No. A Saint is someone pure, without spot, clean. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SAINTS. D&C 59:9 "And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day." When we take the sacrament we truly become a Saint. We are as a child. We are covered by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

I was reading from the book " A continuous Atonement" by Brad Wilcox and I love what he said about our temple garments and how it reminds us that we are covered. He says "Adam and Eve partook of the fruit and discovered their nakedness. God sent Jesus to make coats of skin. -Coats of skin don`t grow on trees so that means that an animal had to be killed. Perhaps this was the first animal sacrifice, but skins covered them. Adam and Eve left the garden with only coats of skin to remind them of Eden. Our garments remind us of the temple. It reminds us of our covenants, it protects us but it is a powerful symbol of the Atonement -a continuous reminder both day and night that because of Jesus` sacrifice, we are covered."

English work 'Atonement' comes from the ancient Hebrew word "Kaphar" which means "To Cover".

I know that by the power of the Atonement we can become clean and perfect. I know that God loves us. I know that he has provided a way for us to keep ALL of his commandments.

I love you all, hope you have a great week! 

Elder Brady

November 2, 2015 Lampa, Chile

Zona: Colina

Sector: Lampa 1

Comp: Elder Gòmez

Its been a pretty hard week. But were trying to keep working as hard as we can. We are going to have a baptism  A few weeks ago we found a young man of 23 years in the street. He was pretty sad and we talked to him. He broke up with his girlfriend and lost his job. He said that he had talked to missionaries before and he would like us to pass by... so we went and started teaching him and he has been coming to church for the last 3 weeks. He has almost read all of the Gospel Principles book. We have a baptism service prepared  for him and he is really excited about it. He´s also been talking about serving a mission which is pretty cool. We are excited that the Lord was able to lead us to him. So its Summer here, not as hot as Arizona but pretty hot, and so the girls here have just gone to the extreme with immodesty like wearing see through shirts occasionally some with the see through shirts and no underwear. I leaned that its both a blessing and a curse to have bad eye vision-- so ive started going around without my glasses on and I cant see anything.. listo!! But  on the way to church my companion and i had an accident. My companion and I were riding on bikes reall fast trying to get to the church 15 minutes early so that I could have 5 minutes to practice violin. So I am riding with one hand on the handle bars and I have another hand holding my violin. My companion and I are not wearing helmets so that we can look nice for church and not have line marks in our hair. We started going down pretty fast, there were no cars on the street, and then out of nowhere a car zoomed our of a parking lot - he was backing out and i wasnt with my glasses so I didnt see the car before it started backing out and the driver couldnt see me. He zoomed out litterally right in front of me and I didnt even have a second to react! I just remember seeing the side of his car and the next moment I was on the floor with my companions bike on top of me. So I smashed into this car, and apparently my companion was right behind me and slammed into me! The driver and his girlfriend jumped out of their car, my companion was alright but I couldnt get up that well, I had hit my leg pretty hard. The guy offered to take me to the consultorio to get checked out and i told him I just had to walk it off and Id be alright but he told me that he just wanted to make sure so we went the doctor said my leg will be really bruised and it is , but that was all. But I DESTROYED the back of his car at least 2,000$ worth of damage. We were late for church but it was a miracle that we didnt have more damage than that. I swear there were angels there. We were going so fast and hit that car so hard and without helmets I am suprized that I walked away with only a bruised leg. My violin case was damaged pretty bad but there was no damage to the violin, just a few pieces are moved. My bike needs a new wheel. But I am so greatful that there was nothing more. I decided I am going to wear the helmet Sundays as well, or we will walk to church. But thats about what has happened this week. Ive been sick, I destroyed a car, we are going to have a baptism this next Sunday!