On The Lord's Errand, A Journal of Elder Branden Astle's Two Years in Puebla, Mexico: May 27, 2013

Aye mum,

Hey mom I love you. This week was really good and really hard for a couple reasons. First, this is another subject, the computer that I'm using is pretty old so there will probably be a lot of spelling errors and I porbably wont be able to send fotos today. First I'll respond to your letter k? This week did go fast, all the weeks are going fast, way too fast, I'll talk more about that in a bit. You guys never wanted to buy pest control when I tried selling it to you!! Haha thank you for not buying it from me. I'm glad to hear that Taylor is doing well. I'm sorry to hear about your tooth, I still love you though no matter what! You're now my mer (I took out the t h and o out of mother because you need those to spell tooth). I'm so proud of dad, he is super great, but I mean really really really super great, like the best dad ever, except not LIKE the best dad ever, just THE best dad ever. Mom I can't make a list of the favorite people in our ward, I love everyone from our ward so much it would be way too hard to pick one or a few. They are all my family forever and I can't pick brothers and sisters that I like more than the others. Everyone's unique and perfect the way God made them. Thank you for sending me a package!!! And yes the mission office will always be the best. Elder Bello is doing really well, he is almost done with his training! My little baby is growing up! Thank you for telling me about Bobby, he is such a hard worker and has always been a good example to me in that way. Sending me pics of the wedding tooooooooo! I love what Aaron said about the taco burrito (actually, maybe it's better not to tell him this but taquito means little taco, when you put the ending -ito on a word it means little (that thing) for example misionero, missionary... misionerito, little missionary) Aaron really is a genius though, I'll also talk a little bit more about that in a bit. I agree with Kimberly except for when talking about me, I'm just average and really I'm not very smart, sometimes maybe I'll sound smart but it's only because Heavenly Father blesses me so much. I want to be smart, maybe one I will be, but for now I only want to be someone that Heavenly Father can trust. I love my Heavenly Father. He's the smart one.

Ok I'll tell you about my week. First, today we went to the ancient mayan pyramid in Cholula, we went through the tunnels and everything! But the computers broken so I cant send pictures. It was pretty cool and pretty old, its the old pyramid that the catholics covered up with dirt and put a catholic church on top of.

In my district meeting this week one of the themes I chose to talk about was Charity. I started out by showing pictures of my family and after the second one I started crying a bunch (I'm crying thinking about it now). I went through and talked a little about my family and how much I love everyone, I decided to talk about Aaron. I talked about how he is incredibly intelligent and talented. He also has some challenges in his life that I can't imagine having. But even with all of his intelligence and challenges, he isn't prideful and he is one of the most humble and kind people I have ever met. I then talked about how I would do anything for him, especially if it meant his salvation. I would give anything and everything I have to make sure that he was happy and we were going to live as an eternal family. I turned from that to how we need to strive to love the people around us (our other brothers and sisters) like we do our families. I thought it went well, I hope it did, I don't know if they understood me much through my tears.

Ok now something funny, we had a ward activity in church the other day about family history. The teacher played the video about how to index and the theme music started in and it was the theme music to Halo, I started laughing and everyone looked at me funny haha ok not everyone.

Finally, we are working with 2 less actives, Angel and Guille. They are super great. Angel has gone to the United States a few times and has some stories. Anyway, we are teaching them the message of the Restoration and they really are participating a lot. They have their testimonies in them, we are just helping them look for them. It's amazing mom, to see people start to feel the Holy Ghost again in their life and to see them and experience with them the uncovering of their testimony.

Mom, I love you and I miss you and i love and miss everyone. Those feelings are keeping me from being sad lately. It's because I had a couple dreams lately where I was finishing my mission and when I woke up in the morning I felt so sad. I'm not even half way yet but I never want my mission to end. It's the best experience I ave had in my life and it makes me sad that one day it will have to end. One thing's for sure though, I will always be a missionary.

I love you so much mom, sorry this letter is SUPER long.

Talk to you soon,

Elder Branden Carl Astle