May 31, 2017
WOW What a week!
Holy crap. Wowzzza. WOW.
>
> So Sandra went through the temple the other
week, and wow. I can’t even describe the joy that I had. It was SO incredible,
and literally the best feeling alive, just to see her, with such peace and just
pure joy! It was THE coolest mission experience that I have ever had! If you
want more details, Explained it to mom and little bit more. But literally So
blessed, to have been sent to that area, my first area, and to be able to grow
with her!
>
> SO office time. I have learned SO much in
the last week, no clue where to start. So, I am pretty much just winging
everything, and wow, it’s kind of crazy all that I have to do! And it’s been
weird, because I have to call these like 40 and 50-year-old people/carpenters
and send them around to places! I am a 21 year old gringo in charge of all
these people and projects haha it’s a lot of confidence!
>
> But it’s been good! I am negotiating with
people in a whole different language, that’s fun! reading housing contracts,
etc. BUT, I am learning a ton and I got this!
>
> We had a fun little incident with the cars
and all the system of that. Its freaking a ton of work! and cell phone plan for
all the missionaries in the mission, chapel keys, house keys, house problems,
missionaries in emergency room, the whole shebang! it’s been freaking crazy! I
feel like an adult, yet I hate it too. I can’t do this real-world thing!
>
> It is hard to work all day in the office,
then go out and work. BUT we are trying. It’s exhausting honestly. It never
ends. I decided I can NEVER work at an office job. Nope! I would go crazy with
stress!
>
> We are just killing this ward with
kindness! SO, we are in the ward called Chena. A lot of them hate the office
elders, the elder who work in the office because we are usually never there and
they used to never leave! Well, no, we are just going HAM! we are passing by
all these members and forcing ourselves to leave every day to visit! and
honestly, its soooo tiring! it’s a lot to do! to work in the office from 8:30
am till 7, then leave, work, and then sometimes we have to drive and work till
late night. It’s a ton! BUT we are doing it, and we are just loving the members
and killing them with our love! changing this bad reputation! So, it’s been
good!
>
> We had a nice little dinner the other
night. We were tuck in the Centro, because we had to drop off our car to fix
it, and so me and elder crane were starving, hadn't eaten lunch yet, and so we
screwed it, and treated ourselves! We wont to Mamut! And yes, holy crap, I got
a steak, and it was SOO RICO! so good! I miss food with flavor, good quality
food. Wow.
>
> Anyway, not that much has been happening
other than that! The days are going by soo fast! So fast its incredible! And it’s
crazy, man, I just can’t believe this is kind of it! I NEVER would have thought
I would get to this point, but I am happy about it! I have come so far, learned
so many things, and just grateful for this time that I have had. I have changed
and grown and I am just grateful. I am also excited to go home too, it just
feels good right now. All is good right now :)
>
> I am just here! Just trucking along, doing
my best! I love the gospel, love being a missionary, having Jesus Christ across
my chest, being a representative of him and his church. Something has to be
true, because if it weren’t, there wouldn't be so much opposition! SO, it’s
true, because there is a LOT of opposition. All is well, god is good!
June 7, 2017
Where are the days going????
HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS (if I still have any)
So, this week has been a good one. Stressful, but good! Just
getting work DONE! I got the hang of the whole office now, and it’s just been
super interesting! learning a ton of life lessons and things every day!
here are some highlights!
- Got to drive president’s car.
WOW, it was a nice car. Big difference from a freaking huge bus that we
have. Felt powerful, not going to lie. Beautiful car. I am in charge of
all the cars, so we had to go get it revised and checked, something which
I have never done before let alone in the states! So, I learned a lot
there! Kinda glad I never have to do it again either!
- Felipe and Jesus got baptized!
We were teaching them in our old ward, departamental in san Miguel! It was
so good going back and seeing them, so happy for them! they are from Columbia
and Venezuela and both of them have pretty crazy stories! It was just a
solid baptism! Just trusting in the ward to let them in and help them out
-
- My
suit is really dirty and I love it, because it makes me feel like an old
tired missionary, in which I am. Don’t worry, not bringing it home
Cool thing: The counselor of the relief society general presidency
was here, along with President Clayton, Pres. of the Quorum of the 70. We have
classes for Haitians, because they are trying to learn Spanish. Well, a Ton of
Haitians, and we have a whole program and everything called huddle. We split in
groups and I am a teacher for one of them, it’s like interactive learning. And
she came to my group and after they both complimented me a lot and said I was a
really great teacher. So that was really nice of them, made me feel good! Then
Sister Clayton, she just looked at me and told me that I have such a bright
light in me, and to tell me mom to be proud and for her to know that she is a
great mother. That was really nice of her to say, made me feel great! I hadn’t
received a compliment in a long time, I really needed that! So, there you
go mom, you are the best :)
Here are some quotes that I really love. They are great!!
He wants to change more than just our behaviors He wants to change
our very natures. He wants to change our hearts.
that the key to it all. his intention for us, is to come closer to
his son, Jesus Christ, and be changed. Not just for a week or two, but forever.
We cannot even fathom our divine potential, but he knows! and all he wants us
to do, is try! just let him in, and let his power change us. I am not talking
about some weird freak power, but a beautiful, quiet, peaceful power and surety
of things. That is what he brings, that is the change. A change of heart, of
character.
And I like that. That we can change. We can grow, we can do it
both ways, for the better or the worse. But it’s up to us to choose!
I love you all, have a wonderful week!!
Elder Brad Freaking Carney
June 14, 2017
COMO ESTAI CHURRISOS???
This
week has been a good one. Man, just super interesting. So here is the rundown,
and yes, I will be doing bullet points, it just is so much better!
- A guy in our English class
called me a communist because I am left handed. That was a new name I haven’t
been called while here, I usually get called cuss words in Spanish or English,
but haven’t gotten that one until now! So, I am a communist apparently! It
was funny, just laughed it off
- In our English class, man I
love teaching. I just have fun with it! And we did a Christmas English
class, and so of course I taught them some ELF quotes and of course we
sang Christmas songs!
- We had to go buy supplies for
the mission, and we have to go outside of our mission because our mission doesn’t
have all the things we need, and so of course we hit up Starbucks, and
yess I felt like a white girl, and yess I did enjoy it thoroughly
- We had a reunion for my group,
all the people who are leaving this change. SO, it was cool to see
everyone and just kind of crazy how we got this far, and how chill we all
are about it. How much we have grown and changed and it’s just really cool
to see. And the Hermana Gwilliam, the president wife, literally is just
the sweetest person alive and I teared up when she was kind of saying
goodbye, and just giving us advice. I love how much they love us.
- I am SO blessed. Truly. I have
loved being a missionary and just helping others. Just being happy. I am
reflecting a lot on my work here that I have done, and man, I have truly
given my heart. I have tried so hard, and I feel at some points I should
have done this better, or that, etc. but that is just the adversary. I
have tried with all my heart and I feel like God, is just so proud of
that. He is proud of the people who are just trying, who may struggle or
who aren’t perfect, he is just SO proud of them all. SO, HE IS PROUD OF
YOU, because you are trying to be your best!
- All everyone sees are pictures
that I look good in, but I will be sending the real deal pictures in this
email and attached, the TRUE life of Elder Carney. I’m pretty much just
awkward, so it’s the norm you know!
- I am SO tired, but we are doing
good :)
- We had to go to the CCM (the
MTC) and we ran into missionaries who are coming to our mission! It was
just so weird though because they were so new and just so excited and
nervous, and I was like just love it! I will never get to see you guys,
but just soak it all up!! SO weird! I am OLD!
- We did a like, mission activity
today, which was dope! had a bounce house, unlimited popcorn and cotton
candy, and just all hung out}! was fun, kinda saying goodbye to some
missionaries who we won’t get to see again because it depends on your side
of the mission and zone. But it was good!
- We had to go to president’s
house today, and we were waiting there, so I made pancakes with Hermana Gwilliams,
she is just the best! And yes, they were like, American pancakes, SOO
good!!
- It just amazes me how I have
done this mission. At some points, I didn’t know if I was going to make
it, at some points I was so drained physically, emotionally, spiritually
(yes can happen) and just plain hated it at some points! BUT, I look back
at it now, and I made it! And I can’t believe I am saying it, but I am
actually grateful for those trials, for those times when I had to rely
upon God, because nothing else was going right! I am grateful, to have
served this mission and to serve till the end!
- LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!
