Brayden Strong
updated 6/3/2024
06/03/2024
你好，Pagbati, Hello Everyone!!!
It has been an amazing week in the mission field and I'm so glad to be doing the work here in the Edmonton area! I was able to actually move a little bit and got transferred about as far south as I can go to a city called Red Deer! It has been a good time so far and the scenery is stunning down here! I'm so blessed to be down here and my new companion Elder Shulsen is an absolute stud at the missionary work! I definitely have lots to learn but as for now I'm just enjoying the stay and I get to drive which is probably my favorite part! Don't worry I'm still speaking Tagalog and am the only one in the zone that knows it, which is fun and there is a lot of work to be done in the Tagalog department!
Monday I spent my last district sports with the Wild Rose District and we went to a trail and messed around at a playground which was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it! It was fun and then me and Elder Wilcken stocked the other Wild Rose Missionaries at the end of the day by accident which was a lot of fun! Would recommend it a lot! They didn't even know we were there so jokes on them!
Tuesday we did splits and I spent the day with Elder Montero which was a party and he showed me how to learn Tagalog a bit better which was nice cause I'm going to need all the help I can get and definitely got to keep working on it! We were able to teach some very elect people which was fun and helped them progress and find another person so it was a very solid day and I enjoyed it a lot! I love having just solid days on the mission!
Wednesday we played some morning basketball which was fun and then we got transfer calls and that is when I learned that I was heading down to Red Deer which is great! I love Wild Rose so much but I have spent a lot of time there and was ready for a little break and President Stott let me free into the wild Red Deer down south in between Calgary and Edmonton! Taught some lessons with Elder Wilcken that day and had the last District Council which was fun and I'm gonna miss that district a lot but there is so much work to do in Red Deer!
Thursday I spent packing and teaching lessons cause the work still has to continue so me and Elder Wilcken had a lesson with Maku and Elder Soto and Elder Montero and we also all visited Nanay Ruth who is leaving to the Philippines for 3 years so it was very sad to see her leave but she imparted some really good wisdom for all of us so it was really fun and the Oilers won which was great! Speaking of the Oilers they are going to the Stanley Cup so that is awesome! I'm excited for them and hopefully they bring home the cup for Canada!
Friday I finished packing up everything and oh boy I have a lot of stuff now as a missionary which is fun! I met with Marcus and Samuel one last time and helped them pick a date to go to the temple and then had lunch with the Alcoba family which was lit! Arrived a little late to transfers which is okay and then drove for almost 2 hours to Red Deer which was a party! Played some basketball as soon as I got down here which was great! Not giving up that which is nice! Also had some Taco Salad for dinner which I haven't had for probably almost 10 months so that was quite nice!
Saturday was filled with service! It was so much fun! Did a little bit of stop bys and then we helped with a Children's Festival and we took down a lot of stuff for them! I got a free shirt which was sweet! Got to help fold up a huge inflatable whale and haul a bunch of weights and cinder blocks which was a good workout! Had a celestial dinner late at night with the Red Deer 3rd Elders and got a whole family meal at Popeyes which was so much fun! I was stuffed and about to throw up but luckily didn't so I was prepared for Fast Sunday! Twas a good time indeed!
Sunday I went to church and then drove out to Sylvan Lake which is like the Bear Lake of Red Deer! It is literally exactly designed the same way and it is very fun to drive through but we went over there and met with the Allred family and they are super cool! It was a party and we ate a bunch of pancakes and bacon and sausage and it was such a great thing! Also got to speak some Tagalog and Elder Shulsen and I are singing Buhay Kubo and some other songs with the Filipino Squad here! It was fun indeed!
Spiritual Thought: Everything happens for a reason and God knows where he wants all of us!
As I have been moving down here to Red Deer I have been working and figuring out why I'm down here and why the Lord needs me here in Red Deer! Well I got here and with in the first Sunday I played some piano for the Filipinos and was able to speak to them! It has been very cool and the Lord does consecrate our skills and talents that we learn to further his work wherever we are! Go use your talents and make the most out of it! It is worth it!
Love you all!!
-Elder Strong