Lift up thy Head and Rejoice

My family!

I love you so much. I can't believe this is my last email that I will send in the mission field. What a miracle and a blessing the last 2 years have been. Of course as you know, it is very bittersweet to be in this spot. Looking that next week at this time I'll be with you, but at the same time be leaving behind the people and places and experiences that have changed my life completely. Alma 8:15 "Lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God". That's what I have to remember. I have been so blessed to be here, and I have found so much purpose and fulfillment in life through the Gospel. What more could I ask for?

Briefly, I'll tell you how our week went. We taught Gabriela Talamantez a couple of times, and things are going really well with her. I have such high hopes for her. We had committed her to read the Book of Mormon the last week, and we asked her this week if she had read, and she said yes. We asked where she was, and she had read 135 pages of the Book of Mormon. What!!!??? That was awesome. We asked her to come to church, she said she would, but they had a camping trip this weekend. So, she didn't come yesterday, but she committed to come to church this Sunday. We're going over on Friday for a lesson so we can fellowship her with someone from the Relief Society, and she wants to make me choco flan for my birthday! Woot. We taught Pati Vallesteros a quick lesson on Thurs, her little boy gets really out of sorts and cries a ton all the time, so it was hard to teach her. We biked from Commerce City to the northern part of Denver that's in our area on Thursday as well (It was like 100 degrees out too. Crazy! Sympathy for LV missionaries). And we taught a former investigator named Lilia and her daughter Liliana. They are great, and they've only really been taught by one other set of missionaries. Lilia said she has no intention of changing religions but she loves listening. And so we taught her and her daughter. She said her daughter really liked what the other missionaries taught. Lilia actually opened up to us a lot. It's amazing how the Spirit can work in lessons, even when I can't speak the language that well, to help get the feeling of the questions I'm asking across to the investigator. And she opened up. She told us her sister died last month and she has questions about the afterlife, and she is sad she never got to say goodbye on good terms to her sister. We will teach the plan of salvation the next time we go. We taught Sergio that night as well. We're hoping to continue teaching him and help him realize the importance of the restoration. We found an awesome new less active family. Familia Valero. Gilbert and his wife se retiraron de la iglesia a long time ago, but he wants to get back into it. He has several teenage children. And one time we went over there this week, his daughter Jenny was there. She totally shot down all of her dad's concerns about going to church. She was so interested in the church, and the sad part was that I don't even think she remembers anything about the church. How much gets lost when parents choose not to set the example. Anyway it was so cool that that night we were there for Jenny. We got her contact info for the YSA elders, and she is super interested in  to church and improving her relationship with Heavenly Father. We are teaching the Platas still, we've lost a lot of contact with Jessica, I hope we can get it back. No news on Azucena and Marcos, we also need to get in contact with them. We're praying we'll be able to help  people this week to progress, and not just listen. It's a fight, but it's the Lord's will that he has people that will progress.

Riding with Brother Bermudez (Ward Mission Leader) in his 2 seater truck!

The sisters are in the English ward that covers our area!

The sisters--some of the best missionaries I know!

In closing, at the end of my mission I want to share some of the lessons I've learned:

1--Charity is the only way. Without it we are nothing. If I try, and try, and try, and I have not charity, there is no point. I can try to do the Lord's work my way, but in the end, I'll find no value in it. Charity is the only true way of a disciple of Christ. In charity, there are times when we walk alone, and times when we shoulder the burdens of others. Charity is a taste, a miniscule sampling, of what the Savior went through and how he expressed his love during the atonement. Charity is everything.

2--Work. Work makes everything easier and so much more fun. It makes life more interesting, it makes us more useful, it gives us happiness that nothing else can. We do not labor for that which is of no worth. Worthwhile work is the key to a successful life. 

3--Smile. A smile is such a powerful tool. If we smile, it can turn every situation into a comfortable one. 

4--Being happy, and a positive attitude is a choice. If we choose to be positive, everything is great!

5--Loving without judgement is the only way to win someone's heart and friendship. Judging shuts everything down, and pure love softens and opens the hardest hearts.

6--There is something remarkably powerful in unity. The zion principle. One heart, and one mind become the most powerful thing that a group of people can do.

7--Commitment is a step to conversion, and a gift of power to us. Commitment is a measure of success. Commitment is the only way of a disciple of Christ.

8--The scriptures can become our best friends. We have to get to know them, but then they will become the Lord's counsel to us in the moment we need them.

9--Desires are so powerful, and an essential part of our life. If we can learn to sacrifice, control, and shape our desires--if we can ultimately learn to give them up, we become instruments in God's hands. Desires are a part of the way we will be judged.

10--Love, pure love is not an easy task. It is work, and it takes work every day. Sometimes self-sacrifice is the only way, but when we can learn to love someone, we can learn to succeed. Love is the way. The only way. Pure love (charity) is painful, it's lonely, it's hard, but it is the ONLY way we will find success and be able to return to God and have him say to us, "Well done thou good and faithful servant".

Above all, my testimony has been magnified powerfully of the atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. He is the source of all blessings, comfort, and power we need in this life. He sacrificed all. He bled from every pore. He suffered body and spirit. He felt the pain I feel, and every single other person feels. He paid the price for sin and felt every ill feeling of guilt or shame or separation from God that we do. And He didn't deserve any of it. I will forever be grateful to my Savior Jesus Christ for His atonement. And for my God, for allowing His only begotten son to condescend and suffer infinitely for the rest of His children. The atonement is everything we teach. The atonement is the fount of every blessing. The atonement has saved me. Christ has changed me. I have become someone who may not know the most, or may not be able to do the most, but I have become willing to submit to the will of my Father. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the power of Faith, the gift of Repentance, the miracle of Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and the marvelous and inspiring principle of Enduring to the End. I love the perfection of the Plan of Happiness, it is such a perfect plan. God in his infinite wisdom gave us a perfect, fool-proof way to find happiness. All of it centers on the atonement of Jesus Christ. Without Him we are nothing. I am grateful for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a blessing. It is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, he had a literal mantle placed upon him to restore the keys of the priesthood and the church of Jesus Christ once again to the earth. 

I love God. I know beyond anything, and more than anything that He loves us. That is a fact. It is something I will never be able to deny. I have felt his love, and it has changed my life. I love the blessing He has given me to be a missionary. I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I have been set apart to represent Him and as such I testify in His Holy Name that He Lives! I know it. I will forever be changed by the knowledge He has given me, and the opportunity to represent Him. I love Him!  With all that I am and with all I can give, I will forever serve Him, my Maker, my Savior, my Friend. 

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan

Quickie

Well Familia, 

I have no time due to some complications with the library, and cleaning our apartment. Anyway. This week was great. It was hard, and it was exactly what we needed at the same time. 

Daniela, still doing awesome. Azucena and Marcos, bailed on our appointment, and we haven't seen them since. Yadira, we've tried contacting them so many times but nothing. We're struggling to find investigators that will progress, but I have faith we will find them. We found a lady named Sonia from tracting, and it was a miracle we were able to find her, and we found miracles as we taught her tambien. She had a concern about God the Father having a glorified perfected body of flesh and bone, but when we retaught it to her, she said, "Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense since Jesus was the express image of his Father". By the way, before I forget, I confirmed Daniela in Spanish.  So Sonia was awesome!  And the temple was good. We had an awesome breakthrough lesson with Hno Plata, Jessica's dad. That was amazing too. I love being a missionary. I wish I had more time to testify of the blessings and miracles it is. I love Christ! 

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan

Last Temple Day on the Mission (July 21, 2013--10:30am Session)

My second family, the Kaisers, joined me in the temple!

Other Missionaries attending the Temple

Baptism and Sealing!

Me, Rita and Allen Collins, Elder Anderson

What a week! It was amazing familia. On Monday or Tuesday night I got a letter from Allen and Rita Collins (Cheyenne, WY) inviting me to their sealing this past Saturday at 1pm. President Toombs gave us permission along with Elder Anderson and his companion, and we got to go to their endowment session, and their sealing. 

Elder Orejuela, Daniela, Me

Daniela was baptized! Elder Orejuela baptized her, and I confirmed her. It was a neat experience, and I know she totally feels a part of the ward family.  We taught Daniela several times this week, and it was so cool to work with her and help her prepare for the baptism. She wants to be a missionary very badly, and I know she'll prepare to serve a mission and stay active. 

This week was also full of teaching. We taught 20 lessons this week, 14 of which were investigators. It was an awesome week. It was cool to reach our goal again. It makes such a difference when we commit ourselves to the goal that we set.

One of the biggest tender mercies this week was Azucena and Marcos, her husband. We took a member with us to our lesson with them on Tuesday, and it was such a good lesson. We were a little bit apprehensive about Marcos because we hadn't met him, and he walked in as we were talking with Azucena. But, Marcos sat in on the lesson, and we ended up talking to them about the problems they were having in their lives. Marcos said he wants to improve his marriage, and his relationship with his kids. We talked to them about a marriage and family centered in Christ is the only way to true happiness in a family. It was a spirit-filled lesson, and Marcos told us afterwards that all that we had taught him made a lot of sense to him, and they really liked it. We have another appointment with them on Tuesday, and we hope they will progress.  We needed to teach 5 lessons yesterday to reach our goal of 20 for the week, and again, we saw miracles. We had 2 lessons before dinner, and needed 3 after dinner. So, we set up 3 for after dinner, and got to our second appointment and they weren't there. We were bummed, and decided to try some other potentials near the trailer, so we did, and we set up an appointment for the next week with one of them, and we needed to go soon, so we biked back past the appointments trailer, and they suddenly pulled up! It was a miracle, and we were able to teach Pati, and she is very willing to learn and grow her faith. We see miracles all the time when we commit ourselves to the Lord, and we were able to see that yesterday just like we do every week and every day if we look for them. 

I'm so grateful for my mission, and for the wonderful miracles that I have been able to see and help happen. The Lord grants us the blessing of doing His work, and blesses us so much in return. I love my Savior. He is so keenly aware of everything that we need and want in our lives. He will grant unto us our desires. I hope and pray my will can be His, and that I can help others feel of the arms of His love encircled around them. I love my mission!  

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan

Week 2 Andando en mi Bici

Que transita por tus venas?

Sorry for the terrible slang, but that's what I learn down here in C-City. Just kidding, I just laugh at some of the slang that I learn. I learned that one way to say "peace out" in a pretty slang way is "te bañas!" Crazy huh? Well this week has been a pretty dang good one. We set some really high goals this week, and we didn't achieve them, but that's why we set goals, to help us work towards doing better. We found 7 new investigators again this week. It's been really good. Elder Orejuela and I have been changing the way that we work here in Montevista. Many times, people will tell us they're busy, or to come back another time. Many times we can't enter the home because there isn't a man there. But, we can sure pray and teach outside. So we do now. We invite the people to talk outside with us for a few minutes, and we have opening and closing prayers with them, and teach them parts of the missionary lessons. It's been really good, and it's been an awesome opportunity to teach people we otherwise wouldn't have been able to teach.

Daniela is doing awesome! We taught her a ton this week, and there were some crazy miracles and things that took our hearts and our prayers for a roller coaster, but I'll tell you more about that when I get home. If you'd like to start making some questions for me about things I told you I'd tell you about when I got home, that might be a good idea, because I just don't remember all the things I've said I would talk about later. It has truly been a week of miracles. Familia Vasquez, who I talked about a while back that we were teaching them how to do member missionary work, had Hna Vasquez's friend over for a noche de hogar on Monday. It went awesome, and Hna Vasquez invited Yadira, her friend, to listen to the missionaries (us). She said she did want to do that. So, we had a lesson with her on Thursday morning with Hna Vasquez. So despite a few rough patches in the lesson, Yadira accepted the invitation to be baptized, and we set up a lesson for yesterday. Yesterday we taught her again. We taught the first lesson, and showed her part of the restoration video. It was really good, and it was awesome to be able to see her feel the power of the message. In the end, she accepted the invitation to be baptized on July 13th. Woohoo! Daniela is getting baptized this Saturday at 11:00 am. She chose Elder Orejuela to baptize her, and we're stoked. It's going to be such a good baptism, and she is way excited too. She's so ready. It's been such a good experience to be able to teach her.

One of the coolest new investigator stories we found this week was a lady named Asusena. She is from Mexico, and her family all live there still except her, her husband, and her kids. Recently she had some family members die, and she isn't able to go back and see them, and it's really hard for her. We testified of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the power it had to give us knowledge of God's plan for us so that we can find peace. She loved it, and we're going back tomorrow in the afternoon. One of the coolest experiences of the week was teaching Jessica Plata last night. We'd been trying to be able to meet with her for a long time, but never have been able to. Last night, we were supposed to visit her family. In fact, we had confirmed it, and reconfirmed it. But when we got there, her parents weren't home. We had Hno Bermudez with us (our Lider Misional), so we could go in and talk. So when we got in, we didn't even know she was home, and so we talked to her little brother. After a while, she came out into the room, right as we said the opening prayer to teach Angel, her little brother, a lesson. After the prayer, she was just standing there, and I asked her if she wanted to sit down, and she said that she did, and we ended up teaching pretty much just her. She shared with us why she wanted to change her life, and what she needed to do. Hno Bermudez shared his testimony and his conversion story, and it was EXACTLY what Jessica needed to hear. She said she has been confused for most of her life with religion, but she wants to grow close to God, and she is willing to get baptized when she knows for herself it's what she needs to do. It was just a miracle that everything worked out the way it did. We had never taken Hno Bermudez to the Platas, and this day, he happened to be with us and it was exactly what she needed. The Lord works miracles in his work!

I love being a missionary. It is without a doubt, the best thing I've ever done. I've had the blessing of testifying of Christ, and of helping people grow close to him. What a blessing. Christ is the center of all we do. He is the mark. When we find we are losing hope, or direction--in my humble witness, I know He is the source to which we need to turn. I love the scriptures. What a marvelous blessing they are to me. They have become my friends. My source of comfort. In reality, they are a means to help me realize and come to know more my divine friend, Jesus Christ. They testify of His love, and His power available to all of us who are here on this earth. I am so grateful to my Maker, my Savior, my Friend. He is the fount of my every blessing. He has indeed calmed my troubled heart. He has stilled the raging tempests. He has been my firm foundation. I love Him. 

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan

Monte-Beast-a

Buenas Tardes Familia!

Esta semana tuvimos milagros y desafios, y esta semana que entra, vamos a ver milagros cada dia.

Daniela is progressing really awesomely. We taught her several of the commandments this week, and she loves them. The first commandment we taught is obedience, and when we teach obedience with the Spirit and they understand and commit to it, the rest of the commandments make sense and are easy for them to follow. That's how it worked with Daniela, and when we taught the rest of the commandments this week, like the Word of Wisdom, she had no problem in accepting and committing to live them. It was awesome. We're set to have her baptism on June 15th, and Elder Orejuela will be baptizing her!

We had a miracle this week on Tuesday. We were walking to our appointment that we didn't feel like was going to be there after teaching Daniela. So we walked by the library, and there was this lady sitting down looking pretty down as well. We passed her and I felt like we should talk to her, so we stopped on the sidewalk across the street, and dared each other to go talk to her. While we were stalling and Elder O made a call to our next appt, this lady came up to us, and asked to borrow our phone to make a call. We said sure, and after she was done, we asked to talk to her. She said she used to be religious but not anymore. She told us her name was Cynthia, and that three weeks ago her boyfriend and basically husband, even though they're not married, was killed. We asked her if we could talk to her on a park bench nearby and she said sure. So for 20 minutes after praying with her, we testified of the love God has for us. We testified over and over again that God loves her and has a plan for her, and He has a way for her to find happiness again. She thanked us, and asked us what we think happens after this life. We told her and testified again, and asked her to please listen to the missionaries who cover her area (she doesn't live near Commerce City). She promised us she would give them a chance. We prayed for her, and for her daughter too, and then she left after giving us her real name, and her phone number. It was such a tender mercy to be able to testify and help one of God's lost daughters. I felt so much love and sympathy for her. I wish so much she could feel the Love God has for her. It was a tender mercy of the Lord. I love testifying of God's love.

I'm sorry I don't have more details, but this next week will be full of them. I love you so much. If there is one thing I have learned on my mission, it is that God truly loves us. He does. More than we could ever imagine. More than we can feel. When our hands hang helplessly down, He loves us. When we have lost all that we feel we can, He loves us. When we fail, and fall, and falter, He loves us. When we waver in our love for Him, He still loves us. I have felt it. And I feel it strengthen me. I know God loves me. And the essence and base of that love is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because God loves me, He sent His Son. Christ loves me too, enough to suffer both body and spirit and drink the most bitter cup known to man. I love Him so much. I know God Lives, and I know God Loves! 

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan

Montevista Este

Aqui estamos, en Commerce City. I'm still with Elder Orejuela and our area got split. There will now be a Montevista Central area, and we are now on bike! Crazy. We're the only Spanish area on bike in our entire mission. We're going to tear it up though. Crazy miracles happened this week. It was awesome. I'm so excited about Daniela. It was some of the most frustrating, and some of the most rewarding days of my mission. What a blessing.

So this week, we saw lots of miracles and blessings. Sunday was one of the most frustrating days of my life. Not to be down, but absolutely nothing worked. We tried like everyone! And nobody panned out. Tuesday we met with Rosa y Alondra and it was a good lesson. I love the question, if you could ask God a question, face to face, what would you ask him? It is a question that gets you to know people's questions of their souls right away. With Rosa, she wanted to know what church is right since there are so many. Alondra wanted to know what her purpose is in life. We taught the restoration and it was good. I don't know how much is going on in their lives, but it was great to teach them. Rosa is getting treated for cancer, and they go through rough times--Alondra is a madre soltera. I pray they'll progress, but they are no longer in our area, they're in the Central area which is Elder Diaz (my old comp) and Elder Sarmiento.

Daniela! So we taught Daniela first on Thursday, and then on Saturday. Thursday's lesson, we read 2 Nefi 31 with her, and she loved what it talked about. When we invited her to be baptized, she said she wants to, but it's something she wants to take so seriously, she doesn't want to rush into it. So we tried to resolve the concern, but ended up leaving the lesson frustrated because she is so golden and wants to do what God wants her to do, but she doesn't want to commit to be baptized for him. So I prayed, and tried to figure out what to do to help her, and we taught her again on Saturday. The first thing we asked her after starting the lesson was, "So we talked about baptism last time, and how have you felt about it?" She said, "It's funny because I've been praying about it, and I don't really know why, but I feel like I should be baptized before July!" What? It was a complete miracle. I'm so excited for it. She is prepared, and we're teaching her again tonight.

Well family, I have to go, but the time is nearing the end. Not that I'm trunky. I feel sometimes the furthest thing from it. I talked to Elder O yesterday about how missionaries are joking and poking fun at me because I DON'T want to go home, not because I do. It seems weird. But I will give it my all. Giving my all is the only thing I can do because any other way is doing my mission in my way, not the Lord's. I'm so grateful for the miracle, the blessing, the sacred grove my mission has become. And it will continue to become such for the next 6 weeks. I love the Lord. With all that I have, I want to and will continue to love him.

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan

Feliz Cumple Mamá!

I love you mother! I thought about you several times yesterday and prayed you would feel my love for you. I love you with all my heart.

This week was magnificent! We taught 20 lessons, and found 7 new investigators. I think things are really starting to pick up in our area. It was a good area, but I think things are going good and things are starting to heat up. One of the investigators we found last week is named Sergio. He is awesome. We had an appointment with him this past Monday, but he no-showed. But on Saturday, we were driving by his trailer and he was walking, and he stopped us and was super friendly. He shook our hands through the windows and it was awesome. He asked if we wanted to come and talk right then, and we said of course. So we went in and talked with him. He had read what we had left him--4 times. What?!!
He is awesome and we had a good talk about the Book of Mormon. After the lesson, his family that lives in Alamosa came up and surprised him by visiting him. He wanted to introduce us to his wife and kids, and he told them, "These are our new friends!  And they're friends of God too." What a cool experiencia. I love Sergio. 

Daniela is doing well, not too much to report on her. She graduated this week, so we'll be meeting with her way more frequently this week. We found some really good potentials while doing service this week. We met a guy named Jorge, and helped him do some landscaping at an apartment complex. While helping, 2 ladies were carrying a fusbol table, and we went and helped them. They're from Idaho, and just moved here. They said they knew a ton of Mormons in Idaho, and we have an appointment to meet with them tomorrow at 12 noon!  

Elder Orejuela and I are doing really well. I love the work! We had one of the best zone conferences I've ever had this week. President showed us a video of clips from talks by Elder Eyring and Elder Holland about missionary work and the atonement. Powerful. I was crying. Also, I gave my departing testimony, as well as Elder Mckay. It was awesome. I am sorry I don't have more time to email the long one as it is usually, but I spent most of my time talking with you guys. I love you!!!!! 

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan

Mothers Day!

Mom, I love you!

My thoughts and feelings about you are best expressed through the words of Abraham Lincoln.  I have shared the quote before, and I will say it again, but I owe who I am to you, my angel mother!

This week was good. Tuesday we taught Daniela. She's doing well, and it's been a joy to teach her. We taught her about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon, and invited her to be baptized and she accepted!  We also met with the Vasquez family again, and invited them to invite their friends to a FHE. It was great!

Wednesday we taught our investigator Audiel Villegas, and it was a good lesson that we needed to have where he basically told us that he doesn't feel ready to go to church. We'll still keep trying with him, and trying to get him there, but he has come up with a lot of excuses. He loves what we teach and agrees with everything, but he just won't come to church. That day we also met with Familia Barrera to tell them about the goal we have as a ward, and to invite them to work towards it and do their part. They said they would, and they took on as a family the goal of helping a former investigator/part-member family we have that the last missionaries were working with. We met also with a recent convert family, Familia Lavanderos. They were baptized in February, and are awesome!  We also taught them about the goal we have as a ward, and talked to them about doing missionary work!

Thursday we met with a less active family named familia Olivas.  Sister Olivas is the sister of Sis Vasquez, which we had no idea of before. It was a good lesson, and full of excuses.  I think we developed a good relationship, and Elder Orejuela totally spiritually slapped Bro Olivas in the face with Ether 12:37. It was great! We also met with Daniela again.  She told us she had been having some weird dreams. She had dreams of dead people, and also a shadow next to her bed. We read with her the complete Joseph Smith story and offered a blessing.  We met with Fam Rivera again, and they hadn't come to church, so we told them we would come bang on their door Sunday morning to wake them up for church, and we did! And they came!  Sweet!!!!  We also met with Fam Plata again. They're awesome!  I know the reason we were there that night was not for them, but for their daughter Jessica. She's a former investigator. She had left in the middle of the lesson, and at the end of the lesson, I asked how she was doing.  We had asked about a blessing of healing we had given her a couple of weeks ago, and they said she was better the next day--completely better.  She knew it was the blessing too.  So I asked them if when she got back that night they would ask her if she wants to talk to us again.  So...in the middle of us talking about her, she came back into the apartment.  And her parents asked her, Jessica the missionaries have something to ask you!  So we talked, and she told us how she had known the blessing was awesome, and she had talked with missionaries before, but now she said she's a big girl and it's time to get her life straight and she wants to get it on course.  She told us she wants to meet with us individually so we can teach her separately from her parents (who are less active).  It was awesome, and I know we were there and were prompted to ask about the blessing and about her.  And we were given the opportunity to talk to her and get her to start investigating again.  Miracle!

Friday, we went tracting and one door opened and the guy just said, "Pasenle". Sweet!  We taught Sergio the first lesson, and he liked it, and we're meeting with him again tonight. We're also going to help him remodel a trailer and I think that will help our teaching and relationship with him!

Saturday we taught a lady named Pati. We're going to meet with her and her family again on Wednesday. It is going to be great teaching the family. I hope they'll progress.

Sunday of course was the Mothers' Day call. That was amazing. I love you family!

Elder Orejuela and I are doing well!  We're loving it here in Commerce City, and we're loving the work.  It is the Lord's work, and every day there are tender mercies, miracles, the hand of the Lord in our lives.  It's an amazing blessing to be a missionary.  I love being a missionary and learning to love the Lord and learning to love others.  It is truly a miracle.  I love you!

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan

Tara's and Michael's Baptism in the Broadlands Ward--Saturday, May 11, 2013.  Brother Kaiser picked me up so that I could attend!  A most wonderful experience, and one I'll never forget!!!

Week 3 en Montevista

Me and Elder Guzman at the Camarena's Home

Hola familia!!

Well this week was pretty dang good! We saw a ton of miracles this week. We had a goal to teach 20 lessons. We hadn't done that so far in this area, but we were bound and determined to this week. So, here's how the week went. Monday, Elder Guzman and I went on a mini exchange to teach Sebastian. It was an amazing lesson. Elder Guzman went so that we could pass him over to the YSA missionaries. Sebastian is so prepared, and it was amazing. At the end of the lesson, he was asking, "What do I need to do to prepare to be baptized?" We read with him D&C 20:37, and testified to him, and now he has a baptismal date of May 25th. I'm so excited for him.

Tuesday we taught a few families, and it was good. Familia Vasquez is an awesome member family, that we stopped by a couple weeks ago to teach a lesson to and get to know. Sis Vasquez asked us that night,  "Elders, I want to share the gospel, but I don't know how." So we taught her this past week how to share the gospel from PME.  I shared the quote under Listening in Chapter 10, and she loved it and said, "Este es la clave".

Wednesday we taught a less active family named Fam Rivera Espinoza, and it was a good lesson. They committed to come to church, and then didn't :(  We also taught a potential and her mom, named Mariela and Juana Sanchez, and it was an ok lesson. I don't know if I ever told ya'll about a specific church I ran into in Cheyenne. Esta iglesia  es no buena. They're the ones that think that Jesus came in his second coming down in 1918 as a Korean man, and they believe heavenly mother is on earth right now in the flesh. Needless to say no bueno. So Mariela's brother belongs to this church, and I think she has some misconceptions because of it, but we'll work with them.

Thursday we taught Daniela. We got a referral on Tuesday from church HQ of a lady named Daniela. So Thursday we taught her. She's awesome!  She works at a little mercadito close to where we live. We taught her there. She works there with a member of the church, and she had been chatting with a sister missionary online for a while. It was awesome. She is excited to read the Book of Mormon and come to church. I think Daniela is going to be really promising. We also taught our ward mission leader, Hno Bermudez. He lives alone here in the states. His wife and kids are still in Mexico (Acapulco). We have gotten pretty close to him so far because he lives in Commerce City near us, and he is free to go to appointments with us a lot. I love Hno Bermudez. He has a simple, powerful, loving testimony that helps us so much when we're teaching people.

Saturday we had a lot of appointments set up and pretty much all of them but one cancelled. But we still taught one of the potentials we had, her name is Cruz. It was good to teach her with Hno Bermudez, and we have an appointment with her this next week as well. We also taught a less active family. Fam Plata. They struggle with going to church, but they're an awesome family and I love them.

Sunday. We needed to teach 7 lessons yesterday to teach 20 for the week, and we did it!  It was intense, amazing, crazy, but so spirit filled it was nuts. We had pretty much everything cancel, but for backups people came to our minds, and we visited them and we got to teach them. It was an amazing testimony builder that when we have a goal that God wants us to accomplish, He will help us do so. I love being a missionary so much.

My testimony is that of work. Work gets the job done. Work is the action part of faith. Work is the conversion of a testimony. Work is the purpose of our lives. If we work, everything falls into place. God's WORK and his glory is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life. It's our privilege to do his work. I love it!

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan

Us, the Sisters, and the Elders in Montevista at the despedida of  Oscar Rodriguez.  He's going to the
Singapore Mission!  WHAT??!!!

Me in front of I-70, the small bit of land you can see under the bridge is in the Denver South Mission!
We go to the borders!!!

Elder Orejuela, Me, and the Sisters at Obispo's house having spaghetti, wearing aprons.

Semana 2 en Montevista

Mexico Lindo y Querido!

Familia!

Siento que estoy viviendo en Mexico cuando manejamos en uno de los calles en nuestro area. We're doing good!  We don't have a ton of time, but I'll tell you about a few miracles we had this week! So,

#1 Sebastian. Our first week here, we were driving home one night, and passed a car with a flat tire on the side of the road. I felt strongly we should go back and try to help them, so we pulled a U-ie, and went and parked behind them. We talked to them...it was a super cold night, but we really couldn't help with anything with the flat tire, so we talked to the young man driving the car. He said they live in Commerce City, and we were speaking spanish, so we knew they were in our area. We told him what our purpose is as missionaries, and if they ever needed anything or wanted to know more, they could call us. We left him a card and that was that. This week on Tuesday we missed a call from a number, and we got the voicemail. It said that this was Sebastian, and we met him on the side of the road. He wanted to know more about what we do and teach as missionaries. So we met with him that night. He is 18, still in high school, and he says he's the only one in his family that is interested in God at all. He's been trying to study the Bible for years, but he can't understand it. He wants to do what God wants him to do, but he doesn't know how. We taught the first lesson the restoration, and he ate it up. He is so prepared to receive the Gospel!  What a miracle that he called us, after we had met him for 3 minutes on the side of the road. He has been prepared by God to do His work!  Sebastian is elect!

#2 My spanish is doing ok. I thought it'd be easy, and I'd pick it up since Dad speaks perfectly, Mom speaks perfectly, and Kenna does as well. Well, no. Not true. But I can tell the difference in my Spanish when we have the Spirit in our lessons. In particular, yesterday. We taught Clara again. We took our ward mission leader, Hno Bermudez with us to teach Clara, and it was an awesome lesson. The Spirit was soo strong in the lesson, and as we bore testimony, both Hno Bermudez and I started to cry. Clara knows the gospel is to bless her family, and I know she wants to progress. My Spanish had no problems. I could clearly express myself as well as I needed to because the Spirit was there. The gift of tongues is real. In contrast, the next lesson we had, the Spirit wasn't as strong, and my Spanish suffered, a lot!  But I know that the Spirit helps me, and it helps us to know and testify that we're here because we love them and God loves them. We testified to Clara that we weren't there just to share information. We are there because we love her and her family. It was awesome!

I love the gospel and this sacred and marvelous work! We haven't seen a ton of success lately, but we're working dang hard, and I know it will come. Like Isaiah 40:31 says, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."  As we wait upon, and work for, and love the Lord, these blessings WILL come to pass. I have seen it too many times to doubt. So, we're working, loving, and waiting. And I KNOW  we will see the arm of the Lord outstretched in so many blessings, it will be hard to have room to receive them. That is the power of the Gospel that I know to be true. I love you! 

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan

I'm a Greenie Again

Como Estan Familia? 

We had a good week this week. Monday was a cool day--we picked up a group of 25 at the airport. 4 visa waiters and 21 new missionaries assigned to our mission. They're a good group. It's weird not knowing how they're doing, or how things are going in the mission, but I get to focus totally on my area now. I don't know very many people here in Barrio Montevista because we had Stake Conference this past week. It was an awesome conference. By the way, do you remember my first dinner in the mission field how it was green? That was the Brown family, and Thad Brown used to be the Bishop of the Buffalo Ridge Ward like a year before I got there. Yesterday the Cheyenne Stake was split into 2 stakes: Cheyenne, and Cheyenne East. The new Stake President of the Cheyenne East stake is Thad Brown. Cool!

So this week we have tracted a ton. We've tracted a specific apartment complex a lot. And it has yielded some really good fruit. It's a huge complex with 24 apartments in each building and at least like 12 buildings, so it's taken us some time to tract a part of it. We found some really good investigators from it. One is named Matilda Hernandez. We tracted into her, and then a few days later, we brought an awesome RM named Rafael Espinosa with us. It was a rough lesson, but somehow she still accepted an invitation to be baptized if she knew it was true. We found a really nice lady named Clara. We went back the next night with a couple in the ward--the Salazars, and had a good lesson with Clara and her husband Eucelio. It was a good lesson. There were some hiccups, but good overall. We set them with a baptismal date to work toward, and they're working toward being baptized on 19 Mayo. Clara is elect. She is really awesome, and I guess it's part of the culture, but she didn't do much talking in the lesson. Most of the talking was from Eucelio. But, when we explained and testified of the Book of Mormon, and gave them a copy each, she started intently looking through the pages, and I could just tell she wanted to know and wanted to feel.  It was cool. The other day, we were tracting, and we knocked into a door of a lady named Norma. She started talking to us and telling us how she had spent so long looking for the truth--she studied with Jehovah Witness, Christians, etc.--but she didn't find it, and so she had pretty much given up and decided on worshipping in her own way in her own house. So we told her that we wanted to share with her what we believe and invite her to find out on her own, just as she had in all the other instances, if it is true. She invited us in and her 22 year-old son was there named Jesus. We explained who we were and that many know us as Mormons, and her face was surprised. She said they were from Monterrey, MX (Cool!) and lived right in front of a church building. Her kids used to go "con los Mormones" all the time to play and have fun. She said she's worried about Jesus and the decisions he's making, and said she would love it if he went again "con los Mormones", and asked him if he would accept that. He said he would. So we taught them the restoration, and told her her exact question was one the gospel could answer. They loved it, and we are going back this week. She told us nobody had been able to explain the reason there are so many churches before us, but now she understands it. It was cool!

So we're seeing a lot of miracles. And I love being here in this area. It's hard, but I wouldn't want it any other way. If I didn't grow these last two transfers, I wouldn't be doing the Lord's work in the Lord's way--progressing grace for grace, line upon line, precept upon precept. I'm grateful for the desafios, for the hard times and challenges. For when I am weak, THEN am I strong. Because I will turn to the Lord in the times of affliction and trial. I am always, and will always be led back to my favorite scripture: Alma 26:12--"Yea I know that I am nothing. As to my strength I am weak; therefore, I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God; for in His strength I can do ALL THINGS." With His strength, I can become better. With His strength I can learn Spanish. With His strength I know I will become more like my Savior. I love Him.

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan

Last Week in the Broadlands Ward and as an AP

Well My Family,

I won't have much time to write today, but I am doing well.  As you know transfers are next week.  This is an email I sent to Kenna a couple weeks ago:   Hey so, I don't really want you to tell Mom or Dad or Dallin or anyone, but I want to tell you about a miracle that I had this week. So I've been talking to Elder Young about our desires. He is a firm believer that if you let God know your righteous desires, and pray for them and live to receive those blessings, we will receive them. So I've wanted my whole mission to serve in Spanish and learn Spanish. I've felt like it would be such a blessing, and I would love and completely consecrate myself to it. So on Saturday morning, I was praying in the shower for it, and again on my knees during/after studies I prayed for the opportunity to serve in a Spanish area. Well, it snowed hard that day, and we had to go to the office and do a few things, and while we were there, President Toombs came in and started talking to us about miracles going on in the mission, etc.  We went back to work, and he was on one of the computers, and yelled over to me, "ELDER BRYAN!"  I said "Yeah?"  He said, "How's your Spanish?"  He told me to come over there, so I did. He pulled up the transfer scenario for next transfer on the computer, and said, "I'm thinking about putting you in the Montevista Ward, in Spanish."  He said, "The other day when you were giving your training, and showed the videos of you and your sister opening your mission calls, I thought how cool it would be for you to be in a Spanish area and know it when you go home. I've been thinking about it, and thought that would just be cool. What do you think?"  I was dumbfounded. I couldn't believe it. I said, "President, you know I would go anywhere you wanted me to, but that would be a dream come true. I would LOVE it."  It's not completely for sure, but what a testimony builder that God knows us and our desires, and is willing to grant them to us. I'm fairly certain I'll be in an awesome area, in a Spanish ward to end my mission!  What a blessing!  It has nearly brought me to tears a couple of times.

So now I know I will be in this ward, and I am so excited!  Yes, it looks like I'll be finishing up my mission speaking the celestial language of Spanish. What a dream, wish, and desire come true!  I'm so grateful.  What an answer to prayers!

We taught Tara 3 times this week, and she is completely awesome! She, Michael, Lauren, and Ashleigh went to church, and Michael's dad, Tara's 1st ex-husband came as well!  He grew up Jehovah Witness. It was great!  

Just thought you guys would like to know, we gave talks yesterday in Sacrament Meeting, and I thought it was one of the best talks I had given in a long time. I didn't have notes, just my scriptures, and it was great!  I talked about how to become converted, and used D&C 112:13 as the basis for my talk. I talked about how we must overcome the temptations of Satan to become converted--all of which temptations boil down to 2 things: doubt, and fear.  I talked about both a little bit. Apparently, we didn't know until after, there was a general authority in the audience. Elder Webb, from Idaho, is in the 5th Quorum of Seventy, and he was in our Sunday School gospel principles class. He pulled me aside after the class and said, "Do you have a minute?"  I told him yes.  He told me that he thought that was a great talk, and he especially was impressed as I testified and said, "As an authorized representative of the Lord Jesus Christ I testify that He lives."  He told me to say that as much as I could, and he praised me.  That was super cool. Then this morning, when we saw President Toombs as we were picking up the missionaries from the airport, he brought up, "Well I guess you had a general authority in your sacrament meeting yesterday?"  I said "Yeah, and if we would have known that, I would have been a lot more nervous for my talk, because both Elder Young and I talked."  He said, "That's how I knew, actually, he told me how impressed he was by the talks he heard by my missionaries. I got an email from him this morning. In particular, he mentioned a missionary named Elder Bryan. He said how nice it was to see a missionary that just gets it."  What a blessing to hear that!  And coming from a member of the Seventy!  Wow, pretty cool! 

Milagros

Wow! This week was awesome! General Conference was amazing, and I feel so spiritually uplifted afterwards. Just like Kenna, all of my questions were answered, and I feel like the Lord knows me more than ever. He knows what I need, and How I need to do it. What a blessing. Like always, Elder Holland's talk blew me out of the water! It was so short though; I was ready to listen to him for another hour. I thought Elder Bednar's talk was amazingly powerful. President Uchtdorf's talk on light was great, I must have zoned out in that one though because I feel like I need to really go back through it. What a weekend!

Lately, President Toombs has been really emphasizing the need to pray for and find 1) families to teach, and 2) Men to teach and become future leaders of the church (future Melchizedek Priesthood holders). So Elder Young and I have recently been praying for families to teach, and the ward has been doing a 40 day fast, so things were bound to happen. My very finite and forgetful mind always seems to not see the end from the beginning and sometimes I seem to lose hope. But once again, a loving Heavenly Father allows me to receive even more witnesses of the fruits of faith and the power of prayer and fasting! So on Tuesday morning I received a call from a man named Rich Johnson. He's a ward mission leader in a ward in Fort Collins. He called me and told me that he had a referral for us, the Broadlands ward. He told me that he works from home, but one of his co-workers (who also works from home) whom he's had lots of contact with since they've worked together has showed a lot of interest in the church. He said the lady's name was Tara. She has 3 kids: Michael (12), Lauren (5), and Ashley (15 mo.). Recently they had a death of a little boy who is close to their family, and the kids have been asking Tara questions. She told Rich she better start looking into religion, and if she was doing that, she better look into the Mormon faith. She asked him if he could send some guys to teach her about it! So she gave him her address, home phone, cell phone, and times in the next few days she was open to meet. I was so excited! So I called her later that day, and set up a time the next day to meet with her. So we did, and she is awesome! The young boy that died goes to the same day care as her daughter, and her daughter knew the boy. Lauren asked her mom, "Mom, when is God going to bring this little boy back?" At that point, when Tara couldn't answer that question, she knew she needed to learn more of God, and grow closer to him. So we taught her the restoration, and we testified, and she committed to be baptized once she knew it was true! Awesome! Then, 2 days later, we set up a time to give her and her family a tour of the church. So, we set up a time that the Rennakers (Mom, the lady who sent you that pic of me in green St. Patty's day stuff) and us could give Tara and the kids a church tour. It was awesome, and the Rennakers are perfect for Tara. They invited her to come to a picnic with them yesterday and to watch General Conference, and she went! While at the church, we talked about how much the Gospel would bless her family, and we testified of it. Then we invited her and Michael, her son, to prepare to be baptized on May 4th. Tara turned to Michael and he said yeah, and she said she would prepare to be baptized that day as well!  What a miracle. I love them so much, and I know God is blessing the ward for their righteous desires and sacrifice. What a blessing!

I don't have a ton more time, but I want to leave with my testimony. I know the Lord knows us. He loves us. He knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts, and he grants them to us. In our hours of despair or darkness or confusion, He is the light of the world. I will echo the words of the Psalmist who wrote, "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me...my cup runneth over." Truly, the Lord has been my shepherd, through good and bad. At times in my life, I have been the lost sheep for which He left the ninety and nine and found me. At times I still feel like that. But now, as I have tasted of the goodness of the gospel, and have eaten of the fruit most desirable above all other fruits, He--the Prince of Peace, the Good Shepherd--has trained me, taught me, prepared me to be a shepherd as well. I have been instructed, edified, trained, taught, chastened, and brought low to become a better shepherd than I was before. It is my turn. He has allowed me to leave the ninety and nine; He has given me the experiences, trials, and challenges to become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and now I can strengthen the feeble knees, and lift the hands that hang down. I LOVE the Gospel. It is the peace promised, it is the comfort prophesied of, it is the kingdom restored to the earth. What a marvelous and awesome blessing to be a representative of Christ. I love Him. 

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan

Broadlands

Easter Basket delivered by the Kaisers from my Family

Mi Familia!

I don't have much time AT ALL. But I'll give you a quick update. Elder Young was gone all week, in Laramie, Cheyenne, Loveland, Arvada, Aurora, and I was here. I had to do something for a guy named Sam Sturgeon, he's from the Research Information division at Church Headquarters. Our mission is taking a survey for them, and I had to arrange all the access codes and such, so it took a while. 

The best part of the week was teaching the Pollaccia family. I can't remember if I told you about them, but they're a less active family that lives in a gigantic Italian Villa Mansion house. Anyway, we got in with them on Friday night, the night before they left to vacation in Mexico. It was one of the most powerful lessons I've had in a while. Basically we told the Easter story from beginning to end, and testified powerfully of the atonement and its power and blessings in our life. I was able to testify purely of my Savior for 30 minutes or so, and it was so refreshing to be able to do so. What a blessing. They felt the spirit powerfully. (So I did basically all of the teaching because we were on exchanges and the elder I was with is quiet, and after we challenged them to pray individually to know for sure if Christ was their Savior,  Brother Pollaccia talked to us. He told me he might not, but that was one of the most powerful witnesses of the Easter story he had ever heard and it was straight from the heart. What a blessing to have somebody tell me that.) 

It was a great experience. I have to go, but I love you all so much. I love being a missionary! 

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan

Hurrah For Israel!!!! For the Cause of Christians!!!

Preparation Day with Kaisers and Elder McKay in Aurora!

Yummy Lunch that Kaisers prepared

Playing Shane's Uke

Basketball Game!

Another Week in the Broadlands

This week was kind of a crazy one, but it was an awesome one. We had two leadership training meetings--one on Tuesday, and one on Thursday. Those meetings are from 9 to 4, and we do a lot of training at them. Elder Young and I each had about an hour to train. Elder Young's training was stellar. He trained on Preach My Gospel chapter 2. Study and Lesson Preparation. It was great. I have felt the need to train the missionaries on Faith. It was a great day, and (unlike a lot of times) I felt pretty good about the training I gave. I know the Spirit was directing me. We studied for preparation, but really all I did as far as an outline goes or notes was write down one story I wanted to read, a few scriptures I could draw on, I had Kenna's and my call letter opening videos, and a list of questions that I thought would be good to ask. It was great discussion and great training, but I think the best part of it was the role play that happened in each meeting. As I talked to the group, I said, "I know we have the faith to go tracting, but do we have the faith to find?" I asked two Elders to get up and role play in front of the group knocking on a door and having the faith to find, and having the faith to make something happen with the person behind the door (Elder Young). I told the missionaries to talk together before they "knocked" and decide what they wanted to do and how they wanted the door to go. It was some of the most powerful testifying and witnessing I have ever seen, especially in a role play. What a blessing! The first time had Elder Young, President Toombs, and I all in tears. Amazing!

So we taught Mickey again this week on Thursday. It was an ok lesson, but not as good as we would have wished. Mickey started off our lesson by saying she would never read The Book of Mormon because of the language it was written in. The rest of our lesson was testifying of how important the Book of Mormon is, and inviting her to pray about the Book of Mormon. We invited her to read 3 Nephi 11, and it was good, it just wasn't a great lesson. We came out feeling almost like she's just having us over to be nice, and not to really investigate. But we will pray for her and do more.

We talked to Jeff Worlton this week, and it went pretty well. Jeff is such a great guy, but there's something holding him back, and I don't know exactly what it is. We talked to him about teaching his kids. They were there, but right when we got there his wife said it was time for them to go to bed. They were super excited to see us, but they had to go to bed! It stunk! So we told him our goal is to have his kids baptized, and to have HIM do the baptizing. He told us how great that would be, but then said we have to take it slow and easy with that  because his wife isn't LDS and he doesn't know how supportive she would be. I think that's some sort of excuse but I'm not sure. They are such an amazing family, but they just need a push. They're in Florida for spring break this week, so no updates on them for another week, but we'll be praying for them.

The last great thing that happened this week was last night. Doesn't it always seem to be Sunday night? It's that sense of urgency I think. So we went over to the Zuments' house. Sis. Zuments is a member, but George is a Catholic. It's both of their 2nd marriages, and they're an older couple, but we went in determined to invite George to investigate the church. We shared several Mormon Messages on the DVD we have and they brought in the Spirit strongly. Then we asked George, "What would it take for you to be baptized a Mormon?" He laughed and said he'd never even really thought about it, and we said, "Well think about it then." We then testified of the importance and crucial point of reading and praying about the Book of Mormon to know if it's true. If he knows it's true than he knows which church he needs to be a part of. It was clear none of the other missionaries who have ever visited George invited him to do that (or maybe they had, but not very effectively). He committed to do it, and we're super excited! It was a tender mercy for sure.

Well I don't have much time, but I have a testimony of this work. It is the work of Almighty God, and He allows us to be a part of it. What a blessing. The work of God will go forth! How grateful I am to be a small instrument in his hands to help it move forward. 

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan

Week 2 In the Broad Lands

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Mi Family!

I had a pretty dang good week. First off, Elder Young and I worked really hard to reach our goal of teaching 20 lessons this week. And we did it! We were super excited to do so, and we feel pretty accomplished. I don't think the Broadlands Ward has ever had 20 lessons in a week ever, so we feel like the Lord and the ward are beginning to trust us as we have put forth good effort.

The biggest miracle that we had this week was incredible. It's amazing how you can look at a week at the beginning and have no idea of what the Lord has in store for us or for his children. We had a goal to teach 20 lessons, and He let us accomplish that. On Tuesday night we took a guy that has his mission call in our ward out with us, his name is Wyatt Swicegood. We tried the Worltons (Jeff and Keaton and Kennedy), but they didn't answer. We tried an investigator who's been out of town for a while, but they didn't answer either. We weren't sure exactly what to do, and Wyatt said to us, "I know a lady we could try. Do you guys want to go see her?" We of course did, and Wyatt told us that this lady was the grandmother of the kids that his mom nannies. We knocked on her door, and she saw Wyatt and was really happy to see him. Wyatt said to her essentially, "I'm out with the missionaries, preparing for my mission, and our last two appointments bailed on us. We're looking for people to teach." The lady laughed a little and told us to come in. We were stoked! We got to know her, and her husband (?). Their names are Mickey and Lynn. Mickey is a super nice lady who is Catholic, and Lynn isn't super religious, but we started talking to them and teaching the first lesson. It went amazingly. The Spirit was so strong. We talked about the Apostasy, and the restoration through Joseph Smith, and then The Book of Mormon. When we testified and taught about the Book of Mormon, Lynn asked, "Is there nothing contradicting to the Bible in the Book of Mormon?" We testified that there isn't, and that the Book of Mormon is true because the Spirit has born witness to us that it is. The Spirit was very powerful, and it was an amazing lesson. Wyatt was blown away! We set up an appt with Mickey for Thurs night, and Lynn is out of town for a couple weeks, but it was an amazing miracle. What a blessing. Afterwards Wyatt was talking to us about the lesson, and he was amazed at the Spirit and how it guided us. He said to us, "I totally trust you guys. I would trust you with my friends..." That was one of the most rewarding things to hear. What a way to build the trust of members. 

I know, however hard the path is to success and progress and perfection, it is worth it. If we try our best, we will be given strength to try even harder. President Eyring said, "I can't be a perfect servant every hour, but I can try to give more effort than I thought I could."  I know that strait is the gate and narrow the way, but I am striving to stay on it, and to help others on to it as well.  It's amazing the insights and blessings we get as we serve the Lord.  He is our trainer. That is a marvelous truth. I need not rely on myself, but I know He is here for me. He knows me. For that I am grateful.  I love Him and his ever-outstretched hands.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan

Broadlands

Well My Family,

This week has been hectic, crazy, trying, and tiring. I'm a little sick right now, but hopefully I'm on the up-swing. Monday we picked up 24 missionaries from the airport. Crazy! Next transfer we're getting 28 missionaries, and only 2 are going home! We picked the new missionaries up on Monday and took them to the mission office. What a stellar group. We had 9 sisters come in on Monday, and next transfer we're getting 11 more! Monday night we drove 4 sisters and 2 elders to Loveland and Greeley in our 12 passenger van and trailer! Never thought I'd drive one of those! (Luckily I didn't have to drive it, Elder Young did).

A lot of the week was getting things done. We've had some stuff that we had to get done in the office lately, but luckily most of it is done.

We met a lot of the ward leaders this week, and have been trying to win them over and develop a good relationship with them so we can gain trust and succeed in this ward. Bishop Esplin is a wonderful man, very humble, and told us that we can yell at him or keep him on track! What a cool guy, and we would never do that! Our WML is brand new and is an awesome guy too. His name is Bro. Rennaker. He's a dentist. We probably have 7-10 dentists in our ward. Broadlands Ward is in my opinion (without a doubt) the wealthiest ward in our mission. It's going to be fun taking you back here and showing you these mansions! Crazy stuff. The highlight of the week was last night. We had been trying a guy in the ward who is less active all week, named Jeff Worlton. He is from the Springs, and is such a great guy. Last night, we finally caught him. He has two kids, Keaton (10) and Kennedy (7). They aren't baptized, and are the coolest, greatest, well-behaved kids ever. I already love them and barely know them. Jeff just told us he's been out of the habit of being active. His parents got divorced when he was a teenager, and that shook his world, and he hasn't been very active since. But he knows the church is true, and he wants his kids to have the values and morals and knowledge the church provides. We asked him if we could teach his kids, if that was something he would like. He then responded, "Yeah definitely, and I think that's something that THEY would like too." At the end of our lesson about doing the basics--scripture study, prayer, and church--Keaton asked quietly to his dad, "Can they come back?" How cool to see the humility and receptiveness to the Spirit of a wonderful young child of God. What a blessing. Elder Young and I are going to work hard, and we're going to baptize Keaton, and reactivate Jeff, and eventually baptize his wife who is not a member either. What a blessing and privilege. I love this Gospel.

The marvelous miracles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are all around us. We need not overcomplicate the Gospel or the church by making them out to be an important part of our lives. That is a serious error on our parts. The Gospel IS our lives. It is that simple. This wasn't intended to be a cool program  to implement on earth to be happy or make friends. This is life eternal. This is God's work and His glory. This is the "power of God unto the convincing of men", "the power of God unto salvation". What a blessing. The atonement of Jesus Christ is the most immense blessing and power that we can use in our lives. We cannot become better, become good, or become perfect without it. I love it. With all my heart, I would echo the words of one of my gospel heroes, "seek this Jesus". 

I love you,

Elder Logan Bryan

Not Much Time

Dinner at the Kaiser's before we got transferred to the Broadlands Ward

Hola mi Familia Linda! 

Sorry I'm sending this on Thursday!  I wrote part of it on Monday and part today.

This week was pretty awesome!  We taught Michelle on Wednesday and again on Saturday. Saturday's lesson was amazing!  We taught her at the Kaisers and it was one of the best lessons I've had in a long time.  We had Elder Gin with us, an Australian Elder that we were taking to the airport that day.  We taught Michelle the first lesson,  The restoration of the gospel.  It was amazing.  We taught her about prophets and authority and apostasy, and then she asked (after Elder Young had compared the ancient church/gospel to a glass table held up by 12 legs[apostles] and crashed and broke when the apostles were killed off, and there needed to be a restoration to the table), "Well how can I know that the church now IS really the whole table with everything in it?"  What an inspired question!  She is so prepared, and Sis Kaiser the whole time, looked astounded at the searching questions Michelle was asking.  It was a phenomenal lesson, and Michelle agreed to be baptized on March 31st. What a blessing!

Elder Young and I are doing well, it's been a crazy transition--and a very hard one--but we're doing well.  We're excited to gain the trust of the Broadlands ward and see miracles happen. We're going to have 4 baptisms together--we've already decided and set a goal, and the ward's goal for the year is 5.  I know the Lord wants many of the children that he's already preparing to be baptized here in this ward. 

I love the gospel and the privilege to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ every day. What a miracle!

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan                                   

Dessert First!!!

Bundt Cake my family sent the Kaisers

Yummy dinner--appetizer with crab meat and mango, green salad, fruit salad, green beans, potatoes, steak and bread.

Shane drew owls for each of us to wear in honor of my funny quote a few week's back, “If you want to be 'in' you gotta get an owl tattoo.”  I meant to say owl tie--but it came out tattoo!

Sporting our tattoos

My owl tattoo!