So I'm finally here, and I'm in Holly Springs, Mississippi and it's a crazy few days already. Holy crap. I hope I can cover most of the stuff I'll be talking about today, but also I'll be doing weekly video logs to kinda give an overview of what's been going on. I apologize for the first video being mega long but it's been a long week. But I'll have the link to the Google Drive so you can watch it at the end of this email.
Wednesday: We got up early and left the MTC at 6:45 in the morning. We took a bus all the way down to Front Runner, which then we took it most of the way there. Then took Trax all the way to the Terminal. It was my first time being completely in a Airport, so yes, I've never been in a plane. I'll have some of the pics and vids that I took in the email so you guys can see haha. We had to stop in Dallas, which has a mega huge airport, then we flew all the way to Little Rock, where we met our Mission Pres and his accompanying Elders and Sisters. We went to the Mission Home, introduced ourselves, and had Ribs. That was good.
Thursday: Woke up earlier than usual because I had to meet with the Mission President. So that was nice. There was a Sister Missionary who was deaf since birth, so I downloaded a ASL app and quickly learned some things I wanted to ask her so that was a super cool experience. Then we went to a church building and did a lot of training, and I got my new companion. His name is Elder Brinkerhoff, and he's from Texas. He's really cool, and it's been a amazing experience working with him so far. He's almost done with his mission which is crazy. After all of our orientation we carpooled all the way to Memphis, Tennessee and then we took all of our stuff, threw it in our Truck that we have, and I'm the designated driver, which is crazy but I'm alive. He doesn't have a License but that's ok. It was still a cool experience to have. We got to our house.. ok it's more we live on the bottom floor, all of it, which we rent, and someone rents the upstairs. It's an older house, but it works. Elder Brinkerhoff recently just moved into it as well so we were missing a few items. But it's all a work in progress.
Friday: It was a very interesting way to kick off my mission. We were doing service for the Humane Society with the Branch Mission Leader and I met a family there as well, and I'm getting along with them really well. Then after that we went back home to change and was about to visit a less active who was expected to die soon, then once we started walking to the car our Branch Mission Leader gets a call saying the person died. So we were shocked about that. Then we did shopping for the Humane Society and then dropped it off, had Panda, talked with a person with different faith, which I enjoyed. Then we came home, did studies, and then composed a few lessons for the people we were visiting that day, which ended up working really well. We visited a few family, got to know them, a lot of them go through a lot of stuff which is crazy to hear, but it's cool that they keep their faith going.
Saturday: We were home most of the day due to a lot of planning we got done. Had focuses on people and families, and my companion gave me a huge rundown on families, the people, the drama (Family Fueds, and not even everyone knows the whole story), so that was a lot to take in. Then we studied and went out to visit people. It is really cool to hear stories about people and their lives, and all the people are super loving, and a note: there is a long, long road where a lot of people live, but everyone is related to each other one way or the other, so yea. I'm still learning the back stories to a lot of people, so that's fun. I ask that you pray for the people down here, it would be really appreciated, a lot of people go through a lot so it would help a lot.
Sunday: We had church, we are in a pentecostal building because we don't have our own building yet, but we're in the process of building one. Our branch is small, ranges between 60-90 people but it's a nice branch. The Branch President is determined to fatten me up, even called it out during church😣😣, they're out to get my weight. I'm 163 right now, and I'm determined to keep a range around there. But after church we came home, started doing a mass Area Book Cleanup and we texted a lot of the uncontacted people. Then we had to stop and go to the viewing, met people their, saw a dead person for the first time. His name was Randall, never had the chance to meet him, but he seemed like a really cool person. The funeral is today, and me and my companion get to say the prayers, so that's something. Then we came back home, and finished sending texts to people and then we got in contact with a person asking about it.
In closing, I want to turn you to D&C 121:7-12, this is were Joseph Smith is in jail and is praying to God asking why, and this is the Lord's response and apply it to you:
7 My son(or daughter), peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.
9 Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.
10 Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job.
11 And they who do charge thee with transgression, their hope shall be blasted, and their prospects shall melt away as the hoar frost melteth before the burning rays of the rising sun;
12 And also that God hath set his hand and seal to change the times and seasons, and to blind their minds, that they may not understand his marvelous workings; that he may prove them also and take them in their own craftiness;
God loves you, and care about you, and wants nothing but the best for you. I know that he wants us to return to him again, and I'm very thankful for this chance to serve the people of Holly Springs. I know this church is true, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Love you all so very much, never forget that.
Elder Braxton Hotton
1: A view from the plane
2: A pic of me, Branch President, and my companion
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