On The Lord's Errand, A Journal of Elder Branden Astle's Two Years in Puebla, Mexico

Aye Mum,

I love you and miss you so much, I love and miss everyone so much. Ok now i feel like a jerk because I'm out of time already. I'm going to paste the letter I sent to President Reeves and then burn through my list I'm sorry. This week was better though, the missionary work is still slow. It's so hard sometimes to keep going but I will never lose hope, I will always work for these people because I love them and I want them to be happy so much.

Presidente Reeves,

Thank you for all your support it really helps me a lot every week. This week I got a letter from my mom that she actually had sent a long time ago but for whatever reason I didn't get it till now. In her letter she wrote me something that has helped a lot since I read it. She said "Remember when it's hard to lean on the Lord, He wants you to." It really hit me hard and it's true and I have been doing that and this week has been better. I can slowly feel myself becoming more positive. This week was good too. I loved being able to attend the exchange meeting and the messages that were shared there, they really motivated me to be strong and press on. The work this week felt good because we were trying to push ourselves this week even more. We had a special lesson with an investigator who we have been praying for, his name is Jose Luis. We got him a pair of glasses from my mom so that he can read and in the lesson where we gave them to him we found out he can actually read very well. He even read in between lessons and he is actually progressing really well now where he wasnt't before. We have high hopes for him. This week I'm going to try harder to do like you said President and remember that I'm not alone, that's actually perfect because in my head I think "If they can do it, I can do it too!" Thanks again for everything President.

Elder Branden Astle

List:

I finally got the second package with the glasses! plus i got Nicole's letters and I got the letter Kimmy sent me for my birthday... made me cry a bunch, thanks a lot hahaha.

All the cookies in the package were expired when they got here sorry mom, but it's ok because the members give us expired food too!

I also got the dear elders you sent the 29th of August too mom :P

I made up a new tie knot called the 4 fold windsor

The glasses helped us a lot as you have read thank you so much again

The other night I held a 20 day old baby of a less active sister... It was amazing it really is something special.

In church yesterday we sang a song that basically translates to "the end is near" hahaha

Mom one thing that you could send me that they dont have here is soap, dove men+care bare of soap, the soap here is wrecking my skin super bad.

Fedex apparently takes a week to get here... But it probably costs a ton :/

I cant wait to come home and see everyone and see how everyone has grown and everything although it kind of scares me a little bit, especially with TY haha, but i cant wait to see everyone's talents and everything, including how good Nicole is at snowboarding when I get back! haha I love you all so much and miss you all, keep striving to improve your testimonies please, that means the most to me. I love you

Elder Branden Carl Astle

Elder Ramirez and Elder Astle painting a less active members home.

This is when we went with a bunch of missionaries to the passport office, Elder Kitchen wasnt there but elders Dougherty and Allred were, it was pretty fun and odd speaking in english.