Brayden Has Arrived in Germany!!!

For those of you that read this I am sorry that I am so bad at keeping this updated! Well to catch you up on what has happened with Brayden... He was made District Leader in the MTC after only being there a month!! How cool is that?!? Brayden loved being in the MTC and loved the spirit that he felt there everyday! Brayden left the MTC for Germany on November 23rd. Well my Dad was insistent on going and meeting Brayden at the airport so we could say goodbye to him, even though it is against the rules. Well technically we didn't break any rules because they stated that we should not have any prearranged meetings with the Missionary..... So we just surprised him.. and he sure was surprised! Ha Ha! He was so excited and his companions in his group thought it was so cool that we would come. His nephew Tyler was so excited to see him! Saying goodbye was just as hard if not harder than the first time.
When Brayden arrived in Germany the missionary's were given a Book of Mormon that they had to place before they could go to the mission home. When they arrived to the mission home they fed them a nice dinner and gave them their first areas that they would be assigned. Brayden's first area was............ Munich Germany!!! He was so excited!! That was the first area he wanted to serve!! His companions name was Elder David Adams from Draper Utah I believe. Brayden said he loved having him as his trainer. Elder Adams Played BYU Football for a year before he left on his mission but is trading and will either play for Utah or Utah State because he didn't like Bronco. What a traitor huh!! Lol! But Brayden said he still loves him and that he is still a cool kid! Pretty good coming from Brayden! He said he will try and convert him back though! Lol! Brayden became very close with one of their investigators in Munich named Boro. Boro is 74 years old from Yugoslavia and Quoting from Brayden "and you wont believe this but he is shorter than Ashley, maybe 4 feet 6 inches tall. " Thanks Brayden!! Well at least someone is shorter than me! Brayden was transferred out of Munich before Boro was baptised and Brayden was very sad about it because Boro wanted Brayden to confirm him.
Brayden was only in Munich Germany for one transfer (6 weeks). Brayden was transferred to.......... Innsbruck Austria on January 6th. Innsbruck is the most beautiful place in the whole mission is what Brayden was told and when he got there he saw for himself it was! His new companions name is Elder Clark Kemsley from Albuquerque New Mexico. Brayden is getting along with him very well. He also was back with one of his companions from the MTC, Elder Craig Hebbert of Brigham City Utah! Elder Hebbert was transferred a couple weeks ago though. Innsbruck has a variety of different cultures. In his branch there are Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, Chinese, and the usual German. So lots of different languages there. He is loving it though. A former BYU Mens Volleyball player is in his branch there by the name of Russell Holmes! He plays Professionally there for the number 2 team in his region. He also invited Brayden and his companion to his match against the number 1 team Italy! The cool thing is that Brayden's Mission President actually let them go and it wasn't their P-day! Brayden had a blast! We have also been notified that they are expanding the Mission! The Bern Switzerland Mission is being added in with his Mission! The Big News.... is now there will be a Temple in his Mission, the Bern Switzerland Temple!! He is very excited about that! Pictures will be posted soon!! I promise!!

The Haka!!

Here is a video Brayden sent home of him doing the Haka!!

The MTC so far!!

K so I know I have been bad at this already!! Brayden has been out for almost a month and it's my first post since he left, I am sorry! I will get better as time goes on I promise!
We dropped Brayden off at the MTC on September 23rd and it was a very emotional day for us all! Brayden is such a big part of our lives that it was hard to say goodbye for 2 years. But like Braydens favorite quote right now... "A missionary is someone who leaves their family for two years so others can be with theirs for eternity!" We all have to keep that in mind. He was a difficult one to let go.
We have gotten a few letters from Brayden since he left and he is doing great!!! At first he kept saying how hard the language was and that it seemed to be going in one ear and out the other, but now he has said he is starting to get the hang of it. He is in a companionship of three. He said he is getting along great with his companions. He is having a lot of fun in the MTC and says his testimony continues to grow each day and loves feeling the spirit everyday. He hasn't sent any pictures yet but says they are coming soon! We can't wait to get them! Brayden keeps saying that he needs more letters and packages with yummy treats! He likes the food at the MTC but they aren't really giving them enough to eat. He said he has lost 2 pounds since he got there. So he wants to keep some food in his room! So He would love you to send him packages!!!



Well here are a few pics from when he got set apart as a missionary and from when we dropped him off.

Brayden Received His Mission Call!!!

On July 1, 2009 Brayden received his mission call! He was called to the Germany Munich/Austria Mission! We celebrated with him by inviting family and close friends to watch as he opened his call and have a big BBQ/Party for him!! We ended the night by playing volleyball in the rain and then watching his favorite movie "Forever Strong"!!