Elder Braxton Goode's Missionary Adventures: Diego's Baptism and Christmas

I am doing well. I don´t know about the NYLT camp. My thoughts were to be able to earn money off of it. I don´t know what I want to do when I get home. I am used to doing something though. But I am slightly exhausted from everything. If they are working 30 hour weeks. I could see if they would let me work shifts at some of the schools getting home to work 3 10 hour days and then have two days open for other things... I don´t know I also don´t know how much they allow in extra hours anymore. I don´t have a clue what I want when I get home. There are a bunch of details that are unknown still.

We are working with Claudio and Sebastian. They are really awesome. We found a house where 5 families live together and many of them are really receptive. We have been teaching English to a couple of them. Claudio came to church Sunday and he and Sebastian have baptismal dates for the 16th of January. Claudio stayed for Diego´s baptism. It went really well. We went by yesterday and met Aileen who is a cousin there, who also is really interested. We are looking into helping this family more. They are really great and there is a ton of potential here.

I have found many things. I could look into the custom made scripture cases. I think you might have seen some of them if you look on Noemi Torrejón´s Facebook page. It is possible that you find the scripture cases that she got for her daughter before she left for her mission. I am still looking into a lot of things. I need a new backpack because I washed this one and it keeps staining everything.... I sweat way too much.... I gave away 1 Rubik’s cube to Cristobal Torrejón and I am going to give the other spare to Sebastian my investigator. I gave one to my companion and I have mine.

The mission Christmas party had a musical program and President and Sister Doll came from the CCM and we have several classes as well. Yes they made a new Christmas Calendar, but I don´t have a picture with me here.

To be honest my companion doesn´t know how to take care of his money.... I pulled out extra because he ends up broke halfway through the month and I end up paying all of the extra costs and they add up quickly. I told him to do better about it, but he doesn´t have the desire to change on his own yet or to understand the need to fix that yet. I am making it so we can get by. I pulled out in total $208 if my math is right. I am going to try to have it around and take care of things, but I am just sick of running out and having problems.

Karla and the dad of her kids were together for a while, but they are separated. They never married. He doesn't live here and isn't receptive to us. We haven´t tried working with him because he isn´t from our sector and it is complicated.

Elder Allen from my group is in the office. Elder Ballard is an Assistant now. Elder Clegg from one group less than me is a Zone Leader and this Elder Clegg is a new missionary. Elder Allen training is a younger Elder Allen, but has around a year in the mission.

Sandra is a member who was baptized around a year and a half ago. Mario is an eternal investigator. He doesn´t want to change or pray and has lots of pains and he has problems that make life hard for him. We haven´t seen Lissette in around a month.

I like having the scriptures on the packages. It makes it more fun to open in the mission. I liked the stockings and the Santa hats this year. That is the majority of this gigantic email for now.

Hi! You are on later than usual. Sorry for so many questions.

It sounds like you had an amazing week. That is exciting that you have so many investigators who are interested and willing to listen and make commitments. I bet there are lots of eternal investigators like Mario. It seems like it is harder for the men to have faith and commit to live the gospel. I imagine giving up their alcohol is hard, because it is so much a part of their celebrations. Someday the right set of missionaries will touch his heart when the Lord has prepared him enough. I am sure you have planted some good seeds in his heart.

Don’t worry about the job and stuff when you get home. It will all work out. We can talk about it more when the time is closer to you coming home. I don’t think the NYLT thing will be the best way for you to earn money this summer, but there may be a future for you in scouting someday in a paid position.

Can you send any photos of the baptism and Christmas?

I am working on it they are loading right now.

Here is a picture of Diego.

Awesome! You look very handsome in your white clothes. Which sister missionaries taught him? I missed that in our Skype call.

Hermana Erthal and Hermana Pizarro the ones from our ward.

All three are recent converts from different sectors. Daniel is by me he is from Manzano 2, Karla is ours and Diego from Sauce 2.

Christmas was fun.

Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed the gifts. You look happy! I hope you enjoyed giving as much as receiving. I know it must be a pain to try to teach your companion to be more frugal with his money. Sometimes it takes going through a rough time without before you really realize that you have to save a little and be more careful. It was tough for Curtis to learn that lesson. I should have let him suffer more and go without, but he always seemed to have a reason why he needed more money. I am grateful that you have been willing to live on what you receive. You are very wise in your young years.

Elder Espinoza looks happy. I am glad we sent him the gifts. I know he will appreciate what a thoughtful, kind and sharing missionary you were. He might not realize it now, but later on his mission when he is with another companion who is not as kind, he will know that he had a good friend in you and that he was very blessed to have someone who cared about him. At that point, he will get it and understand what you have tried to teach him. Be patient with him. Love him and let him know you are his friend. He is still learning and it takes a while to become humble enough to be teachable.

I am avoiding spending right now. I pulled money out, but I am doing what is necessary. But this next month, I am not going to let him spend more. If he runs out of money I am going to make him call the Zone Leaders and explain why he is out of money instead of saving him. It will be three months of the same problem if he isn´t careful. He always has an excuse to what happened with his money, but I have spent more on large costs and I still had money until almost the last couple days and around 2 weeks of that I was paying for double on buses and everything else.... I just get frustrated with the same problems all the time.

I am out of time, but that is a good amount of pictures for now. We will get back to you later. Sorry that I wasn´t able to send more. Thank you for everything. Talk to you next week! Love you!

I love you, too! Be Goode!

Photos from the Mission Christmas Party on December 21, 2015 that I got from Facebook on President and Hermana Barreiros's Facebook Page.

Elder Goode - He just conveniently was standing for the photo.

It looks like they had to add another place setting for him at the table.

President and Hermana Barreiros on the far right. The second couple from the left is President and Sister Doll from the CCM in Chile.

Cupcakes and candy for dessert.

Elder Ballard, grandson of Elder M. Russell Ballard is on the left. He was in Braxton's CCM group and is a new Assistant to the President. Look carefully and you will see Elder Goode between their heads talking to one of the Senior Missionaries.