Birthday Week!

Hey Everyone!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!! I hope you have a wonderful birthday! I love you
so much and I want you to know that because of your example, I am
doing the best I can here on a mission. You paved the way for me. You
have taught me how to do everything I do. Laundry, Ironing, Dishes,
Cooking, and especially, love others even when I don't want to haha.
You're such a boss, Mom. I love you to Kolob and back! You're the
greatest mom! Oh which reminds me. This week, a lady in our ward has
been helping us do family history work. It's so cool! I found out that
your dad's (Melvin Spooner) sisters name was Bertha and she only lived
for two years. Are you named after her?! That would be so cool! I had
no idea! Also, on dad's side of the family, I think Gramee's mom or
one her siblings name is Bertha. So that's cool. I am loving this
family history work. It's so neat!

So, I'm not sure if I told you but our ward here is fasting all month
for missionary work. The way it's split up is each week is assigned to
a specific branch of the ward. So the first week of the month is the
youth, second week of the month is the Relief Society, the third week
of the month is the High Priests, and the fourth week is Elders
Quorum. So, say you're in Relief Society. They would have brought you
a list and asked you to sign up for 1 day in that week to fast for
missionary work. That way it's decided up among the whole ward. What's
cool, is they decided that whoever is fasting should fast for their
age group. So youth would obviously be fasting for other youth for us
to teach, and high priests would be super old dudes! Haha. Okay, so
since I have explained it I hope it makes sense. So...The ward has
been fasting for missionary work this month of March. Man, we have
seen so much success from it! We have gotten in so many homes lately.
Like, there is this guy who has been inactive for 20 years and doesn't
want anything to do with the church. Last week we knocked on his door
and he didn't answer. So this week we tried again and he opened the
door and before we could explain ourselves he said: "ah...come in!"
That doesn't happen often lol. What's also cool, is the high priests
are fasting this week...and we got into an older mans house! So
awesome. Then, one day we had one of the 17 year old boys with us and
we were just doing look ups and that's when you look up less actives
or investigators in a specific area. So, we were about to head back
and my companion asks TJ, the 17 year old, where he thinks we should
go. He thought about it and gave him an answer. "Let's go to Doug's"
so we were in our way to Doug's house and I was like: "dude...let's go
see Deborah Quirk ( She was reffered to the missionaries by a member.
So she is a Potential investigator) So, they agreed and we decided to
go to Deborah's house. Keep in mind, we have knocked on her door 3
times before and never got a reply from her. So this was a hit or
miss. We knocked on her door and she finally answered! We weren't
expecting that! After we introduced ourselves she was like: "oh! Come
in come in! It's cold out there!" So we got to visit with her and her
grandchildren (who were playing Minecraft :D) and we just told her who
we were and that we would like to visit with her and share a message
with her. She is so nice and willing to accept the gospel. I feel like
if she is willing to accept, she will be baptized. She is awesome!
But, she is super busy so it's tough to visit with her. Another cool
thing, is when we found Deborah, the relief society was fasting that
week! Man fasting is cool! Haha. We also have been meeting with this
lady who is less active. She is only less active because she has
health problems. But she is ridiculously nice! We set up an
appointment with her the day prior to when we met with her and when we
got there, she was like: "did you guys eat lunch?" We told her that we
had a few cookies and some lemonade, so she laughed and said: "oh
that's not lunch. I'm glad I made you guys some Ziti!" She made us a
huge pan of ziti pasta! Oh, and when we met with her before, she asked
what our favorite food and drink is and I told her Mountain Dew and
cheesecake. Typicall Branndin right? Lol. So, after she dished us
pasta she come out of the kitchen saying: "well, I don't have to ask
one of you guys what your favorite drink is" and she walks out with a
2 liter of Mountain Dew! I was so happy! I probably thanked her like
758 times! She is so awesome and she LOVES the missionaries!

The work is going really well right now. Elder Cloward and myself know
the area really well now and we have mapped out all of the less
actives homes so that when we go to a certain town for the day, we
have all of the less actives mapped out. So, things are moving right
along! I'm pretty happy. He still agitates me a little, haha. But it's
something that I need to get over. I really need to get over myself
but I just get so angry so fast! I don't know why, but I do. The
littlest things make so upset. It's all good though. Thank you guys
for all of your support. You guys rock!

Your missionary,

Elder Branndin Brian Long

Elder Cloward and Elder Long at a Relief Society Dinner

The award his zone gave him :)