Tired Eyes

Dear Family,

I honestly can’t even describe to you how fast time goes by!  I really can’t even comprehend how quickly time is going.  Some weeks especially...I’ll sit down on Monday and realize I don’t even remember most of the past week.  I can hardly keep my eyes open, I have a mirror in front of me right now and I am pretty sure you guys wouldn’t even recognize me.  I am pretty healthy for the most part, but I think what has changed the most is my eyes.  I have realized that when I feel the spirit I get really tired, kinda like Lehi, that he cast himself on his bed, I know how he feels...  Physically I am pretty well off, spiritually and mentally...I am exhausted.  My mind is constantly going at a rate that it never has gone before, and its so sweet!  I love it!  I am so busy all the time, always preparing some lesson, studying some topic, teaching, interviewing, exchanges...sleeping and eating if I get time;), its actually quite fun.  I like the feeling of having such a purpose. I guess you could say, it makes you feel good, like you're doing something that is good, and in the process your making yourself into something good.....I can’t really think of anything better.  I love the work I am currently involved in, but I can understand what missionaries mean by they get tired.  But I am still excited to do the work that I have been called to do.  Things are going well.  I am learning so much, and growing so much that I almost don’t want to come home.

Questions from Mom:

Loved your story about the dad working with his sons.  How is Derrick and his family doing?
-yeah turns out that Derrick lives in Cape Coast.... So we will never see him again.  Its a downer...but even more so because I have a strange suspicion that he really DOES live HERE...but is just trying to ditch us...

Better luck on campus? 
-Yeah the process of working with the ward has begun, we got a list yesterday of the members that live on campus, and have started going to their family home evening on Monday nights so that is helping quite a bit.  The university is a tough one though, as of now not a lot of success, nevertheless it looks like a bright future.

Most spiritual time?
-I am struggling putting my finger on a specific spiritual experience, but this week I really re-realized how much God loves me. There were times when I was feeling unnecessarily sad, times when I didn’t know where to search for our next person, how to push through to the next day, how to keep going when times became increasingly bleak, etc...and in all of those times the Lord comforted me and gave me exactly what I needed to move forward. I am learning more and more perfectly the love that my Father in Heaven has for me and in return I am loving Him more than ever before.

Are you working with the ward mission leader? 
-yeah we work with him.  We work with him every once in a while.  Our ward right now is struggling a bit, right now.  No one from our bishopric is even in the country...so obviously, our coordinating efforts with them is a bit down right now.

Fun p-day stuff?
-we found a driving range this week...so this morning we went out and hit a bucket of balls,,,and that was a ton of fun!  I really enjoyed that one.

Did you get yourself some good food?
-I got a bit of good food this week, but mostly I got it from more local places, making it more expensive so I didn’t get all that much.  I need to go to this shopping center this week and I’ll be able to get some good stuff.  I’ll be taking out some money this week, part of it will be for food.

Health stuff?
-Doing good:).

Wow!  I was glad to hear that you have been taking care of yourselves there, sounds like the healthy house is still going strong!  I actually got an opportunity to weigh myself a week or so ago, and I have lost some weight as well..... 26 pounds......  I don’t think I want to have lost the weight where I did though...my arms are super skinny, and my stomach really isn’t all that flat...not fat...just not all that great.  So I’ll have some work to do when I get home in the gym.  Keep up the good work...that’s awesome!

Well just about out of time.  Love you all so much, can’t wait to talk to you all next week.


Love you all,

Elder Bradshaw