Hello All!

This week was a great one. Friday we were able to accompany a good young couple to their wedding ceremony. It was simple, but beautiful. In the evening we organized a reception for them. Their family was able to come and it was a nice evening passed together with many of the members from the ward. We were even able to have a magician/clown family that lives closeby come to entertain the children and adults. 

And though for now their marriage, as traditionally declared by those with authority from the law, is until death do they part, we look forward to seeing this young family take the steps to be able to stand before those with power and authority from God to pronounce them a family for time and for all eternity. What a blessing to be a part of this process. 

I hope the photos make it through, if so, the brick looking thing is actually a sort of permanent grill that we made. The grandmother of a young man we have been teaching for a long time had her birthday a few weeks ago. So we went by a few days before and built from cement blocks and cement. It was fun to put in practice the things we have learned helping out the different people in their houses. And it turned out usable, so that was good.

I am doing well. In this week I will reach the one year mark. I have learned and experienced so very much. Hard to remember and imagine how different things were one year ago. And I cannot imgaine how I will be one year from now.

My good friends and family keep me in your prayers. 

With love,

Elder Brighton

I had a student that went to Mexico over the Memorial day weekend and she took a couple packages down and mailed them for me.  Since Elder Brighton had mentioned that they hadn't been eating very much, I sent food along with some other things.  He's showing me he got it (-:  

Dearest family and friends,

Wanted to share a great experience my companion and I had this last week.

We have been working with a younger man who is struggling to overcome strong addictions. After a wonderful week of progress, at the beginning of last week he disappeared. His family did not know where he had gone and we were truly broken to think he may have left. We prayed and stopped by each day looking for him. No luck all of the week. Yesterday, being the first Sunday of the month, and the day set apart to offer a special fast for a specific cause, I fasted for this good young man, that we would find him and be able to help him. The fast beganSaturday afternoon.

That evening as we left one lesson and had plans to head straight to the next we had the impression to stop by and look for him again. There definitely was not enough time, but we decided to go anyways. We were in one neighborhood, a mile and half or so from his house. Leaving the first appointment we took the street heading in the general direction. As a pickup truck passed by my companion asked for a ride. He said he was only going up to the corner and then would be turning off, but we decided to take it anyways. When we got to the corner we hopped down and started walking down the street we needed. The truck also turned there and so offered to take us father that way. We got back in, and in an incredible and simply miraculous way were amazed as each time the truck reached an intersection, turned down the road we needed. We were headed to a small and removed street. The neighborhood next to several major roads that are much more used by cars. But nonetheless, each time we got to the corner, it turned. When we got to the final street, where the young man lives, a small and forgotten street, the truck made one final turn, passing right in front of the house. We hopped down amazed and the truck continued on to who knows where.

At this point we knew he was going to be there, even though all week we had stopped by without results. And sure enough, there he was, ready to talk to us. He was excited to see us, moved that all week we had stopped by looking for him and felt that we really cared about him and his personal progress. We talked for 10 minutes rapidly, invited him to church the following day, and had to go quickly to our next appointment. As if it was not enough already, as we left and walked one block, the exact bus we needed to get to the next place was already coming down the street. A smooth, coordinated series of events.

I do hope to be able to continue to relate the experiences with this good young man as he is able to overcome these challenges that have been plaguing his life and the life of his family for years.

What a blessing to witness the hand and power of God in small and great things. We truly are witnesses to this great work.

With great love,
Elder Brighton