Last Week at the MTC!!!

Hello all!

How are all of you doing? I am doing great! im super excited because my last week at the good ol MTC has arrived!! FINALLY!! Im super stoked to go to Portugal next tuesday morning!!! I get to take a pit stop in New York for 4 hrs then Paris, France for 2 hrs! hopefully there are some cool buildings to see from the airport!

I am so ready but also nervous to teach real people in a foreign country. Its crazy how as missionaries we can learn a new language in weeks. The gift of Tongues is so real! its a great blessing.

Throughout my time at the MTC i have really felt the comfort of my Heavenly Fathers love. I have felt the spirit so much more than I ever have in my life!!! Yesterday we were teaching a "Progressing investigator" and we taught her about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I felt the spirit so strong as I taught her about Christ's suffering in Gethsemane, him dying on the cross, and his ressurrection. I know that through Christ we will all have the opportunity to be resurrected. And i am so grateful for this. Tragedies happen in this life. But we can find comfort knowing that through the plan of our Almighty God, we don't need to worry! We will see our families again someday through following Gods plan. 

I have been having a great time on my mission. These guys are some of my best friends and its so crazy that I just met them 6 weeks ago!! I'm sad to leave them as some of them are heading off to Mozambique, Africa this sunday. But we are all planning on meeting up at BYU after the mish! 

Hope you are all doing well and have had and will have a great week. 

Obrigado por seus oracones

-- 

Elder Brandon Michael Haroldsen

A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Ultimos Dias

4 WEEKS DOWN

Hello friends and family!!!

How is everything back home? Another week down for me! Counting down the days to get to Portugal!!! I cannot wait. 

These past couple weeks have been awesome. I have felt the spirit like never before. I can truly feel that this is the place the Lord wants me to be as his representative. 

The weekly devotionals are my favorite. We had the opportunity to hear from Russel M. Nelson (President of the Quorum of Apostles) last week and this week we heard from a Mormon band called Nashville tribute. They were so spiritual and they sung about Joseph Smith and the first vision and Jesus Christ and Missionary work. WOW I felt the spirit then like crazy. They sung a song called "The hardest thing I've ever loved to do." Its such an awesome song.

I'm going to keep this short to be able to hopefully send some pics.

Love and miss you all! I'm doing great. Portuguese is coming like a miracle. Mission work is awesome. God loves you.

Love,

Elder Brandon Haroldsen 

"consequences of wrestling in the residence hall....rug-burn"

3 Weeks Down!!!

Dear Friends and Family,

Oi! How is everyone doing? Good I hope. 3 weeks down! It's so crazy. I am considered a veteran here at the MTC now haha. The time has gone by in the blink of an eye. Yesterday I got the chance to leave the MTC for the first time in three weeks to take this elder to the doctors in provo. He has to go home to get surgery unfortunately. But it felt like freedom for me and my companion who went with him. We were so excited to ride in a car again! lol I took a nap during the 3 minute car ride because I'm always so tired. As a missionary you are tired 24/7. I can fall asleep just by not moving! its pretty bad haha. But ill be able to get plenty of sleep when i am dead as my dad would say. Its time to work hard no matter how tired I am.

I have realized that the best way to enjoy things is to laugh. Alot. My dad always told me... if youre not happy, you're not doing it right. I make it a goal of mine to laugh every day. And we do! we all have so much fun together. Every day during gym time we run out to the sand volleyball courts and ball it up as a zone in volleyball. its the best thing ever. Y'all better watch out for when I Get back. im going to be beast at volleyball. (That was for you heather and michaella) 

  My portuguese is getting better every day. I can understand everything anyone says and I speak it well. Every once in a while I just don't know a word but thats it. It all comes smooth.

So let me tell you about the food. IM SO SICK OF IT!!!!!!! Every tuesday, just like today, we go to the temple early and after hit up the breakfast in the basement cafeteria. bomb.com! Best food ever! and its super cheap!

3 more weeks left! 3 week stretch till we tear up the streets of Portugal! Yeahhhhhh! Im so excited. Its going to be so awesome. I feel confident in my portuguese already and im barely halfway through! Eu sou muito animado para ir.

Thank you guys for all the love and support you offer me. Im doing super well! Tudo bem! Having the best time of my life. Love you all and hope you have another great week! Eu amo voces.

com muito amor sempre,

elder haroldsen

MTC- Week 2!

Dear Friends and Family,

Whats up?! Wow. I've almost been here at the MTC for two weeks now and the time has literally flown by! Every day is a new day here and it all starts with the hardest part, waking up at 6:30 AM haha. It sucks having to wake up so early every day and get on my knees to pray while half asleep, but it is worth it because obedience brings blessings. Being a missionary isn't very easy because you study for over 12 hrs every day, but at the end of the day you are exhausted but grateful you are here as a missionary. I am so glad that I am a part of the Lord's army to accomplish his work here on earth. I know that if I work my hardest, I will be able to strengthen others. So far throughout my mission I have learned how much love our Heavenly Father has for us. He has SO many blessings in store for us as long as we follow Christ. We need to have faith in his plan and hope for his grace and mercy. I have realized that no matter how Christ was treated, he always turned out to serve and help others when the natural man would have turn in for himself. I am striving to love others as Jesus Christ loves me. Today I am a little bit sick with a sore throat and a cold, but I'll be okay. An elder in my room went to the doctor and found out he has strep throat so hopefully I don't get that lol. Every Sunday we have the opportunity to watch a movie from a couple selected videos the MTC has for us missionaries. This Sunday we watched "Meet the Mormons". This movie really hit me because there is a part where a young man is preparing to serve a mission and it shows him leaving his family. I felt homesick for the first time as I walked back to our room that night and couldn't help but think of my family and friends. I started to tear up as I thought about not being able to be home to help my family move, not being able to be there to comfort my siblings, not being able to go on hunts with my boys (Dad and Kyle), and not being able to do things with my best friends. But I remembered that this mission is only two years! I'll be home in no time to do everything. I miss everybody because I love them and that's how its supposed to be! I realized that I have been called to serve by a Prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ. This work is real! It is not just a waste of time. There are families out there just like mine that need our message. I am putting all my trust in the lord and I rely on him. He is my advocate with Heavenly Father and he is ultimately my Savior and Redeemer. I know that this work I am doing will bring blessings to others and my family. I know with all my heart that this church is true. Missionaries are representatives of Jesus Christ. We can receive comfort knowing that Christ lives, and because he lives, so will we. I love you all and hope you have had and will have a great week. Keep up the letters even if I don't write you back because I am really busy... sorry! But you are my motivation when you do.

Com Muito amor,

Elder Brandon Haroldsen 

Week 1 at the MTC!

Dear Friends and Family,

Well its finally P-Day! I have been at the MTC for pretty much a week now! I am loving it here. My companion is named Elder Fletcher and he is super nice. All the elders in my district are examples to me and the language is coming! The food is pretty decent it just depends on what it is. The spirit of God is so strong here. Once I got here, I could tell that I became a different person. I never knew that I could learn a language enough to teach an actual lesson after studying for just three days! The gift of tongues is real. I am so glad to be a missionary for the Lord. His gospel has blessed my life SO much. I am so grateful for all the letters I have received this week. It is really motivating to know that I have people at home who love me and support me. I love you all. And I want you all to know that God loves you too. We had a devotional this past sunday and an area seventy named Elder Alen spoke. He said that we need to realize that as disciples of Christ, we are at war with Satan. He is doing everything he can to destroy you. I love this church. I know with all my heart that it is true. I can promise you that if you read the Book of Mormon and pray to Heavenly Father with real intent to know that it is true, he WILL answer you, because he loves you. You will feel a great joy and peace in your heart and all of your troubles will be gone. I know that this will be the Holy Ghost speaking to you testifying of this truth. As a representative of Jesus Christ, I can testify that I know for MYSELF that this the Book of Mormon is true. And because I know it is true, I know that the prophet Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he did truly see God and Jesus Christ. All of this you can know to be true for yourself if you pray, truly wanting to know, after reading the Book of Mormon, if it is true. He will be there for you. Thank you for all your love for my family and myself while I am gone. Talk to you next week! I couldn't figure out how to upload photos so you will hopefully get some next week. 

Arriving at the MTC

Everything went smoothly and Elder Haroldsen will be in the MTC for the next six weeks. Make sure you send him emails and letters, he would really love that! You can also visit DearElder.com to send him free letters. (if you send the letter before 12 pm MST, he'll get it the same day.) 

Elder Haroldsen's Farewell Talk

Brothers and Sisters, I am very excited to be in front of you on this wonderful day! I am grateful for all of you that have traveled long distances and taken the time to come as I share my testimony before embarking on my mission this week. As many of you know, this Wednesday July 22nd I will report to the Provo missionary training center to begin my two year journey in Lisbon, Portugal. I am so happy that I have the opportunity to serve as a missionary. This has been one of my major life goals and I have been preparing to serve this mission ever since I was born in this gospel.

Through all this preparation to serve, I have learned many things that I didn't really realize until now. I have realized how much my family really loves me. And how much they support me and want the best for me. I remember when I first got my mission call in the mail everybody was so excited for me. We all gathered around as I opened the call and you could feel the spirit of God so strong! I knew that this was a confirmation to me that I had been called to serve through Divine revelation by a prophet of the lord Jesus Christ. He needs me in Portugal during this time of my life.

For my missionary scripture, I have picked Jeremiah 16:16, which states, “ ¶Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. This scripture strictly talks about missionary work. As many of you know, I love to both hunt and fish and I really like this scripture because i feel like it relates to me perfectly. I am able to relate my mission to my social life with this scripture and this is why I chose it.
During my preparation to serve I have also realized who my true friends are because of the way they honor my beliefs and standards and for the love they also have for me. 

This past week has been hard because I got to do a lot of the things I love with people I love and all of this will be put on hold for the next two years. But I know that God has a plan for me, my family, and each and every one of us. During this time I have pondered on a quote by the prophet Joseph smith saying "A man who is full of God is not content with blessing his family only, but thinks about all of the people in the world, anxious to bless the whole human race." 

When I was first turning in my missionary application, many people would ask me: two years.. Are you crazy?? Don't you know how long two years is and what you can do in that time? Two years is a long time. But I realize all the blessings I have that were given to me from God and I realize that two years of my life is the least I could give! I am so blessed to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I know that through Jesus Christ, lives can be changed for the better! I will be sharing the biggest joy and blessing in my life with others so that they may experience this same happiness I feel. I know that many times while I am gone I will feel homesick and miss everybody back home a lot and that the work will be hard, but I will serve with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. I am putting all of my trust in my Heavenly Father to take care of me and my family at home.

I found a poem that I would like to share that has inspired me to work my hardest in serving a mission: "In heaven we were the best of friends. 
We did everything together. 
One day, a grand council was called in heaven. 
We knew it was an important event. 
Everyone was there – Moses, Noah and Jesus Christ. 
Father presented a plan, 
And we voted for Christ to be our Savior. 
After the council, we ran to get in line to receive our life package. 
In the bustle, we were separated. 
I received my package and ran to find you. 
You were sitting under a tree. 
We opened our packages, 
Mine said I would be born at a time when the gospel was 
Restored to the earth. 
It said that I would have good parents, 
And the fullness of the gospel in my home. 
I jumped for joy and we hugged each other. 
You were so happy for me. 
Then you read yours. 
I saw the tears in your eyes and I asked what was wrong? 
You said that you would also be born when the gospel was restored, 
But you would be born in a different place, 
And the gospel would not be in your home. 
You looked me straight in the eye and said: 
FRIEND FIND ME! 
No matter what it takes or the trials you have to endure, 
FIND ME, and bring me the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Brothers and sisters, I know that there are people out there that are searching for the truth. People out there are waiting for an answer to many of life's problems and concerns. I am confident that just as I stated from that poem, I have promised some of my best friends before coming to earth that I would come find them, and bring them the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

During my preparation to serve I have also realized how real the atonement of Christ is. Jesus Christ, the one perfect man on the earth, suffered for every pain, sorrow, sickness, and infirmity of every single person that has lived, is living, and will live on the earth. His atonement is infinite, meaning that no matter who you are, or what you have done, you can be forgiven of your sins with proper repentance. 

I would like to share a famous talk the apostle Jeffrey R Holland shared with missionaries. He says,"Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font?

You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.

Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about anything anywhere near what Christ experienced. That would be presumptuous and sacrilegious. But I believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price.

For that reason I don’t believe missionary work has ever been easy, nor that conversion is, nor that retention is, nor that continued faithfulness is. I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul.

If He could come forward in the night, kneel down, fall on His face, bleed from every pore, and cry, “Abba, Father (Papa), if this cup can pass, let it pass,” then little wonder that salvation is not aneasy thing for us. If you wonder if there isn’t an easier way, you should remember you are not the first one to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked a long time ago if there wasn’t an easier way.

The Atonement will carry the missionaries perhaps even more importantly than it will carry the investigators. When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

I have pondered on the atonement and after reading in the book of Luke about Christ's suffering for our sins, I have realized that Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, had to ask for help from his father while he suffered. He begged Heavenly Father and asked if there was any other way. He didn't want to be whipped, or spit upon, or nailed to a cross, but he knew that there was no other way. He loved us so much that he endured so much pain and suffering even when he could have stopped it himself. This is a grand act of valor. For somebody to lay down his life for his brothers is pure love, the pure love of Christ. I am so grateful for this love Christ has for me. Through his grace and mercy we can be saved and lifted up. Through Christ, sin can be washed away; guilt can become peace; sorrow can become joy; and ultimately we can rejoice at the fact that we will live again one day. 

I am so grateful for this important time of my life. It is time for me to put on the armor of God and be my best. I am blessed to have such awesome people who support me with all their love. I am so lucky to have parents who are examples to me by living virtuous lives, especially my dad. I am going to miss all of you with all of my heart, but I will be well taken care of. I love my family so much. I know that this church is true. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and Joseph smith was a prophet and he restored this church back onto the earth. And I can testify that there is a living prophet today, Thomas S. Monson. He is a man of God and receives inspiration for this church. Christ lives and loves you. Never let his light go. Thank you all for the love you have shown me and my family. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.