Hey everyone,
It's my first p-day (they're on Mondays), and I'm sitting in the Brownwood public library
(Editor's Note: P-Day is short for Preparation Day when they have time to do personal things like shopping for food and things, do the apartment cleaning chores, write letters, etc.)
Last week, we got up at 4:15 in the morning to get ready and we flew out at around 8 or 9 in the morning. We (the six in our district) travelled with six other missionaries going to the same place and mission - three in English, three in Spanish. There were two flights totalling about 4-5 hours in the air. it wasn't too bad, but I still felt awful the whole time
We were greeted at the airport by President and Sister Rose. We went to their home and were interviewed and took pictures, etc. He and the other office elders gave us orientation and other information and rules. We also went to get a bike. All the second-hand ones were taken, so I got a new one
I've been assigned to the Brownwood area. It's a tiny town (pop. 20 000) about three hours from Lubbock deep in the heart of Texas. The area also covers two other small towns.
The transfer bus goes up and down Texas bringing missionaries back and forth, and with all the stops it took around 6-8 hours to get here.
My first companion is Elder Jenkins. He's from St-George, Utah, and he's been out here for nearly 20 months.
We have an apartment in Brownwood (and it's across the street from another church) the address is:
Elder Wong
1300 - 13th Street, #221
Southmore Terrace
Brownwood TX 76801
My very first lesson was taught to a man named Daniel, who turned out to be the Preacher for the 4th street Church of Christ. He quoted the New Testament left and right off the top of his head, and didn't quite believe in receiving answers to prayers, but has agreed to read from the Book of Mormon.
We get a limited number of miles on our car, but we're nowhere near that, so far we haven't gone on the bikes. Next month, though, we have zone conference in another city, so we'll have to use miles for that.
Our studies are almost completely focused on the Book of Mormon and the New Testament (in order to suit the needs of the people here) - there's pretty much a church on every city block.
This past Sunday, we went to the Comanche branch for church. we live in the Brownwood branch, but we cover three units, and try to go to the others when we can. including us two, there were nine people in the building (a converted dentist's office). It was raining, so that might have kept some from coming (there's usually 10-15). We gave the talks in sacrament meeting - I actually managed to fill the last 35 minutes with very little preparation!
Even without having gone to the Brownwood branch yet, I was still able to see a lot of the 30+ members. Especially Alma, the "missionary mother", she's very friendly and even does our laundry for us!
The Church is true!
I love you all!
-Elder Brandon Wong
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Written April 16th from the MTC
hi everyone!
everything is great here
our classes are just our district, which is pretty small - just 6 people in fact, one district in our zone just left for the Philipines, so our whole zone is pretty small - just 8 missionaries! but we're going to get 8 more today (because it's new missionary day), only to lose 6 more next monday (that's us)
everyone's so excited to leave - they don't like the food too much, or the classes, or the meetings, or anything; I'm not sure what they're talking about - I love the food (I'm trying to eat as much vegetables and fruits as possible, and I eat eggs almost every morning - but this is cancelled out by the fact that I've never had so much soda in my life before! (there are soda machines everywhere)
the Temple Square tour was great - it was all international missionaries, and half of them were from Canada (there was only one sister out of 26 missionaries). we got a minibus, and drove over
we pretty much got to see everything Beehive house (Brigham Young's house and former Church headquarters), Assembly Hall, the Plaza, Joseph Smith Memorial Building - we went to the top (where the restaurants are) and looked out on the view - it's very nice, the Conference Center, current Church Headquarters - we went to the top there, too, and it was so cool (and it was mostly clear out, so we could see pretty far), and the Church History Museum.
everything's cool
we're all thinking about leaving now... there's less than a week now. I wouldn't mind staying here in the least, but even still, I can't wait to go.
we have the best district in the world
we fool around a lot, but we get stuff done, and our testimonies are strong
our expression is "have faith, Elder"
(well, that, and "brown chicken, brown cow" - long story)
the church is true
I love you all!
-Elder Brandon Wong
everything is great here
our classes are just our district, which is pretty small - just 6 people in fact, one district in our zone just left for the Philipines, so our whole zone is pretty small - just 8 missionaries! but we're going to get 8 more today (because it's new missionary day), only to lose 6 more next monday (that's us)
everyone's so excited to leave - they don't like the food too much, or the classes, or the meetings, or anything; I'm not sure what they're talking about - I love the food (I'm trying to eat as much vegetables and fruits as possible, and I eat eggs almost every morning - but this is cancelled out by the fact that I've never had so much soda in my life before! (there are soda machines everywhere)
the Temple Square tour was great - it was all international missionaries, and half of them were from Canada (there was only one sister out of 26 missionaries). we got a minibus, and drove over
we pretty much got to see everything Beehive house (Brigham Young's house and former Church headquarters), Assembly Hall, the Plaza, Joseph Smith Memorial Building - we went to the top (where the restaurants are) and looked out on the view - it's very nice, the Conference Center, current Church Headquarters - we went to the top there, too, and it was so cool (and it was mostly clear out, so we could see pretty far), and the Church History Museum.
everything's cool
we're all thinking about leaving now... there's less than a week now. I wouldn't mind staying here in the least, but even still, I can't wait to go.
we have the best district in the world
we fool around a lot, but we get stuff done, and our testimonies are strong
our expression is "have faith, Elder"
(well, that, and "brown chicken, brown cow" - long story)
the church is true
I love you all!
-Elder Brandon Wong
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Elder Wong's First Email Message April 9, 2008
hi all!
it's so busy here; I haven't had time to finish my written letter, so you're going to get this before my *first* letter arrives in the mail...
it's also great here. things are awesome, everything's going very well conference was probably the best one I've ever attended they converted the gym into an auditorium for all 2000 missionaries here (and I bumped into Elder Bilodeau once for a minute) our zone leaders, Elders Correa and Sanbei, are in another district, and have been here for almost 9 weeks, and just before leaving, they've been released. two missionaries from my district, Elder Maybee and Elder Warner, have been called in their place, and I've been asked to take Elder Maybee's place as district leader (which, here, pretty much means I pick up the mail every day)
the other day, I got a ticket in the mail for a tour of Temple Square, and I plan to go this friday! I guess I *am* international enough.
we also went to the RC (Referral Center), where we accept and send out calls. it wasn't as bad as I thought...
because you haven't yet received my first letter, I'll tell you now that my companion is Edler Luebke (loob-kee), and he's great. he's from Orem.
on tuesday, we saw Robert S. Wood of the second Seventy speak to us
if there's anything to take away from this so far, it's that the Church is true.
I love you all!
Elder Brandon Wong
it's so busy here; I haven't had time to finish my written letter, so you're going to get this before my *first* letter arrives in the mail...
it's also great here. things are awesome, everything's going very well conference was probably the best one I've ever attended they converted the gym into an auditorium for all 2000 missionaries here (and I bumped into Elder Bilodeau once for a minute) our zone leaders, Elders Correa and Sanbei, are in another district, and have been here for almost 9 weeks, and just before leaving, they've been released. two missionaries from my district, Elder Maybee and Elder Warner, have been called in their place, and I've been asked to take Elder Maybee's place as district leader (which, here, pretty much means I pick up the mail every day)
the other day, I got a ticket in the mail for a tour of Temple Square, and I plan to go this friday! I guess I *am* international enough.
we also went to the RC (Referral Center), where we accept and send out calls. it wasn't as bad as I thought...
because you haven't yet received my first letter, I'll tell you now that my companion is Edler Luebke (loob-kee), and he's great. he's from Orem.
on tuesday, we saw Robert S. Wood of the second Seventy speak to us
if there's anything to take away from this so far, it's that the Church is true.
I love you all!
Elder Brandon Wong
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