July 9, 2018 – Week 93!

This week has been just amazing. I can first off testify that God answers prayers and God helps us to achieve our goals when we act on our faith and the answers we receive!

We were teaching this week the sister and mother of a recent convert, and they both accepted baptismal dates! We also were able to give a priesthood blessing of health to the grandma who was recently back from the hospital because of a surgery she had on her femur bone (i think thats how it is in english). All in all, as we shared that day, and talked about baptism and the power of God on the earth that was restored, the spirit was present. Then a member and my companion shared their testimonies about baptism and how it helped them in their lives, and the spirit was so strong! It was spine tingling! We all may feel the spirit in different ways, but it's overall just a really good feeling. I know that the spirit was testifying to them as well as to us of the truth of these things! In the end, the sister Isabel offered the prayer, and asked if the church was true, and it was a sincere prayer! It's always awesome when people really offer sincere prayers to ask in faith. It's just like Moroni 10:3-5 says! Ask in faith, and by the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things!

We also had 5 investigators who came to church on Sunday! It took some persuasion and work on our part, but it was great to see them all in the sacrament meeting! Participating of the sacrament is so important. It's something we should never miss!

I also learned that as we do the small and simple things, great thigns really can come to pass. Sometimes as a missionary, we think that doing the area book or planning well won't help with finding more people who accept baptism, but it really does! If we show that we care for our investigators, God will help us find even more! I can testify of that! That's how we were able to find more investigators this week!

We also were able to have some intercambios with Elder Montes and Elder Bailey as well! It was a great opportunity to work with them and learn from them and also share what we've been able to learn! It's great seeing how other Elders work! Also, Elder Montes felt like we should return to a street as we were leaving, and by doing so, we found 2 new investigators! It was so cool. ALWAYS listen to your companion in the mission! 

Ahhh I'm trying to think about what else to write and also rush to type because I don't have a ton of time. (When you've only got 1 hour 15 mins to write, you've gotta plan beforehand I guess haha.)

It was also cool this week because as we were contacting, we knocked the door of 3 youth aged 19 years old and older, and they had an interest in playing Soccer. It jsut so happened to be the night that they were playing at church too, so we invited them to the court in the night, and when the night came, they came and played! Their cousin asked when the meetings were on sundays, and we let them know! This sunday they couldn't come, but we'll be visiting them to invite them for this next sunday! It's cool that even sharing an activity of Soccer or other sports can help people become introduced to the gospel!

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know that blessings can come into our lives as we accept and act on the teachings of the living prophets, and also the teachings of prophets from the Book of Mormon and the Bible! I know that Jesus Christ leads His church today. I know that President Nelson is a prophet of God. I love this church, and I love being a missionary!

Hope you all have a great week this week!

Elder Bruner

pizza raul with the companion!

happy birthday Elder Fuentes! and Happy 4th of July too!

working on organizing the area book (former investigators haha)

pizza raul with Elder Montes!

elders in our district

Happy Birthday to a young man in the ward who turned 18. Carlos. He's got such a strong spirit to serve a mission and always comes out with us on sundays, so we stopped by fast to wish him well and take a pic together!

Cachangas with cheese! (and in the bowl is Champú de Piña (pronounced shampoo de pee-nya) (its like a pineapple sauce thing. so good! its like mazamorra but of pineapple))