On The Lord's Errand, A Journal of Elder Branden Astle's Two Years in Puebla, Mexico: July 1, 2013

Aye mum,

I love you so much and everyone from home so much. Thank you for the letter you sent me about your "boring" week. I loved it, it made me feel real happy! There are so many changes happening there at home. I feel I will come home and it will be a totally different place and everything will have changed. Right now I'm just putting every ounce of trust I have in Heavenly Father. I'm trying my best to be a good missionary and help people and I know if I do my best He will help me and He will help me in the future too. Maybe one day He will even trust me to be a councilor in the high priest group like Dad. Maybe. I hope to be like Dad so much. That's one thing that wont change, I will always have the best parents in the world. I haven't gotten a package yet and now I haven't found a suit yet, I'll let you know, but thank you for helping me pay for it... and for helping pay for everything else too. I love you. Aaron is incredible. He has always been an amazing example to me and to be honest I have always wanted to be more like him too. I don't think Aaron realizes it either. He is one of the people I admire most in the world too. Except his beard, hahaha. Thank you for loving me so much mom, thank you for being my mom.

This week was really good. We had two amazing baptisms and we taught a bunch a bunch of lessons too!!! Also ward conference was GREAT! Every year after ward conference they have a big ward lunch all together! Isn't that awesome? Also, I already told dad about this, in the adults combined class the stake president was teaching the class and I found myself following dad's example. The Stake President would ask a question and people would answer then I would give an answer that was correct but also was funny and everyone started laughing, I'm learning more and more why dad likes doing it so much.

Just two more things I wanted to tell you. Friday, Hermana Luz was baptized. The morning of the baptism I was standing by the window looking up at the sky and I just started crying. I just felt and still feel so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary. That morning in particular I was so thankful for the opportunity to witness the miracle of Hermana Luz being baptized. They said over 100 missionaries have tried to teach her and said no to all of them. God let me be here when he softened her heart. I dont feel like I did anything, I taught the lessons with my companion and God did everything to help her come into the fold. This morning I learned it's ok to cry, and to cry when preaching too. Read Acts 20:31. Paul did it. And Paul was free from the sins of all men. That's another reason dad is so great. It's ok that I say so many good things about dad too because he's really really humble and it wont go to his head. But he'll probably make a joke about it hahaha.

I love you all so much,

Elder Branden Carl Astle