Zone Conference

Here are some great pictures of Zone conference of Darin with his trainer. I love that his mission president has a blog and posts pictures for the parents to see. He looks great!

Week 1 in Honduras

So I am in Honduras now and we are in a city that feels more like a village called Ciudad España. Its pretty nice! My companions name is Elder Lasley and he is from Iowa. We have started teaching a man named German, and we have only talked to him about prophets yet. We were supposed to talk to him yesterday but he wasn't there he was working. I am going to send you a letter today. I cant get letters except through the mission office. Sorry. Everything is good here tho! I haven't eaten anything strange yet! haha. Just beans and rice and tortillas and eggs. Everyone is surprised I haven't gotten sick yet. haha. Apparently everyone gets sick their first two days, but I haven't gotten sick yet. Now that I say that I probably will get sick soon. haha. But yeah. Everything is pretty calm here. I wont be able to get on next week because we have to stay inside our house Saturday, Sunday, and Monday because of the elections. Even tho chances are our little area wont get to exciting. No one is allowed outside those days. Except for an hour on Sunday for sacrament meeting and then go straight back home. So I will just be cleaning and stuff for three days. haha! yay! The Spanish is going alright. I can understand more and more everyday but I can really talk very well. Im still working on it. But everything is good. I like it here. Its not too hot and its not cold. But we will see what the rest of the year has for weather. Our town is about 30 minutes out of tegucigalpa and we have to take the bus in to town. We only go in like once a week for shopping on pdays. Which is ok. We can get most everything in our little town. Right now we are emailing in the church in Tegucigalpa. It is quite a bit like Mexico. I think maybe a little dirtier. I dont really remember. I like it here tho! Its pretty crazy in the city, but in our town its pretty laid back. We actually have a hot water shower (kind of) and our house is a good size. It rains a couple times a week. The weather is nice. The hardest part is just the language. But that will take some time. I hope you guys are doing well! I miss you guys and love you! Have fun Emma! be good! Learn lots! Write me lots!

He Made It!!!!!

With President and Sister Fortuna

Darin and his Trainer

All of the new Missionaries

November 8th 2013

Hey mom!!! Hey Emma!!! How are you guys?! :) Things have been going great here! I leave on Monday night!!!!! Yay!!! Thanks for sending me my Christmas presents already!!! :) WHats in it??? ;) haha! So Elder Sheppard is going to Ogden Utah. Spanish speaking. Elder Ceran and Elder Leatham are going to Mexico City Northwest. Sister Little is going to Idaho Falls and Idaho falls temple visitors center Spanish Speaking. Sister Condie is going to Mexico City Northwest and Sister Williamson is going to Vancouver Canada Spanish Speaking... The thing I am going to miss the most about the MTC is definitely the food. I was told yesterday that some places in Honduras eat dog. haha! BUT I heard from Elder Ceran that his uncle ate dog soup and it tastes even better than beef soup! haha! So Im not too worried about the weird foods. Just some chicken legs and dog soup. haha! Yummy!!! But Im ready. I just want to go. haha. I'm too cooped up in the MTC... I want to actually do something, not just go to classes. The best way to learn the language is to just be put into it. haha! I just hope ill be able to pick it up quick!... Ill be the only one traveling. I am also my own group leader. haha! Everybody else is either leaving before me or after me. I will be in the airport at night till one in the morning! haha! Sounds fun to me! I am going to try to put pictures on today! I have my camera so I am going to go do that real quick! Love you guys!!!! :) 

Last Few Days of the MTC

November 4th 2013

Dear Mom and Emma,
How was Halloween? They didnt really do much here for Halloween. They just gave us caramel apples. haha! But, they already have Christmas lights up over at the main campus. Sadly, we arent on main campus so we dont see them very oftern. I saw Tiffany yesterday at our Sunday devotional. We took our picture together with our companions but it was a bit dark.
I got my travel plans. I will leave the MTC the night of the 11th and fly out at 12:35 am on the 12th. So, I can call home from the airport but Im not sure what time. I land in Atlanta then fly to Honduras. I will get there around 3pm. There is no time change so that will stay the same.
So, everything is good here. I would rather just go to Honduras now but I have 8 more days. Im getting better at understanding the Mexican kids when they talk and I ca carry on a conversation now. It's not always the correct grammar but they understand me. Ive heard the rest just comes with time and being surrounded by it. Bit, it is fun. I enjoy it. I mostly understand when I read it except for the Bible or the Book of Mormon. hahha! There are a lot of words I dont know and they use the formal and weird forms of verbs. There is only one conjegation we dont use because they only use it in Spain but they use it in the scriptures so we have to learn it. And, we use the "usted" form of words because "tu" is too informal and in some situations can be considered flirtatious! haha So, as missionaries we say usted wich is dard because I am used to responding to "how are you" with Bien, Y tu? from Mexico.
What are you guys going to do for Thanksgiving without me? I wont be able to have Thanksgiving because I will be in Honduras! So, eat lots of turkey for me! And pumpkin pie. And then Christmas is a month away!!!! Yay!! Emma, are you excited for Santa? How exciting. Lights and Christmas trees  and snow and candy and parites and movies and games and puzzles and hot chocolate! You should send me some hot chocolate. And dont forget to put my ornaments on the Christmas tree. So mom tells me you have been a good missionary. Keep it up Emma. Heavenly Father gives us all of these things that make us happy like families. and flowers and butterflies and snow and animals and everything because he loves us. So, share with everyone that you can. We are supposed to help each other feel happy and how can they be truly happy if they dont know. So, keep it up Emma! I love you. Heavenly Father loves you. Mom loves you. Dad loves you, and share your smile and happiness with everyone. I love you guys and miss you so much.
Love Elder Bradshaw

Darins Letter to Emma

Darin had mentioned in a previous post that he had a feeling to write Emma a letter just for her. She has been sick and having some tests at the hospital. He was in tune to know that his sister needed him. I told Darin that Emma has been going around telling EVERYONE we come in contact with that her brother is on a mission. I will share a few things from Darins letter to Emma. He was impressed that she is talking to everyone about his mission and encouraged her to tell everyone that God loves them because this is the message that the missionaries are taking to all of the world. He wanted her to know how much God loves her and that she is his daughter and he knows her. He told her to keep doing missionary work while he is gone. Emma has been telling everyone now that her brother is on a mission and that he is teaching everyone how much God loves them and knows them. It is very cute how she is so bold and unafraid. If only we could be the same way. I think this is one reason why we are told to become as a child.  Darins letter to Emma was very tender and it made her cry. She misses him so much.

5 Weeks Down

Darin ran into his cousin Ashley at the MTC. She works in the cafeteria.

 

Dear Mom and Emma,

They sent all the Spanish people to the West campus. Idk why because its smaller and theres too many Spanish speakers. They were going to move the Russian speakers and stuff and then at the last minute they decided to just move Spanish. for no apparent reason. Until they get more numbers. Then theyre going to move the Spanish back and move the Russian speakers back over here.... Idk why... Some of the things they do make no sense. Its annoying because our apartments are college dorm rooms on college campus. So theres college students every where. And then our classes are over in Raintree which are old dorms. So our class is in an old apartment. So its really tiny and we have to cram 8 people with desks into one little tiny old bedroom... and it gets hot and just ugh... And no I am not really a fun sucker :P haha. My district just gets way off task way too easily so i try to remind them that theyre supposed to be studying and theyre being too loud because theres other classes and Im trying to study then they get mad at me. haha. Im just like ok. I usually just go into the other room until my companion gets mad at me for not being right next to him, even tho I have permission to do it cause its like 2 feet away. haha. But other than that its ok... Im nice to everyone and dont complain or anything and do what Im supposed to. I dont have much time left in the MTC.  We got 2 new districts Wednesday and one of them is the fluent Spanish speakers. So me and Elder Sheppard are zone leaders over 40 people. Its crazy. I dont know how to get my companion to things on time... haha! He just takes him time on everything. lol. He has his heart in the right place and wants to get there on time hes just like Shawn! The fact that he has a British accent makes it worse because everyone wants to talk to him. haha. So the past 2 weeks weve been getting in our apartment like 30 minutes past what we want to and so we dont have time for hardly anything. Ive talked to him about it and he tries just sometimes he forgets... And I try to remind him but everyone is always louder and less of a good influence on him. haha! I just get frustrated sometimes.  :P I suggest something and they decide no and then after they always say they should have listened to me... haha. But its ok. Im nice about it. Im humble about it. It just gets frustrating after a couple weeks... I try to speak up and suggest the thing that would be the most efficient and time manageable but for some reason they never like my ideas :P haha! Which is ok. It just means we dont have as much time to do the things we all want to do and still do the things we NEED to do... Ive definitely been a lot better already at time management. Having a schedule really helps as long as everyones on the same page. But everythings good! I still love it and still have fun and still learn lots. The Spanish is good and gets a little bit easier. I still probably wont learn hardly anything until I actually get out there. Well I GTG. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!

More MTC goodness

Hey guys! I sent another letter! I'm sorry to hear about Emma. The other day I had a feeling I should write just her a letter and send it and I did. And I'm glad I did. I hope it will make her happy and feel better. Just tell her I love her and not to worry because everything will be ok. I love you Emma!!!! Eat lots of Halloween candy for me!! :)

So in the package I would like an electric razor, maybe some sweater things to wear over my shirts, and maybe another pair of slacks. haha! And candy. and food. haha! But anything will make me happy :) My companions parents sent some a package over from England like candy and stuff and hes been sharing it with us and their candy is really delicious. They're chocolate is really creamy and really good. Hes having a hard time adjusting to the food here because its "too sweet" haha! He has some funny British sayings and stuff. I have pictures and stuff we took but Ill have to put them on later during laundry time. haha. We don't have enough time in the day to do everything... We went to the temple this morning and then ate breakfast there. We get all you can eat BYU creamery ice cream on Wednesdays and Sundays. That's always yummy. 

I leave for Honduras either the 11th or the 12th. Im not sure. Ive heard both. They told me I dont need a visa to get there so they haven't said anything  about it. I can call from the airport before I leave. So yeah I can call home. Idk how long I can talk for tho. haha. So yeah. The MTC is pretty good. The Spanish os going pretty good. The hardest part is knowing which conjunction to use for which word and for present tense and past and future. So there's like 30 tree charts to memorize and remember when we speak it. But over time we memorize them. We have English fasts once in a while. So we cant speak anything but Spanish all day. We teach lessons to "investigators" theyre really teachers acting as investigators, all in Spanish a couple times a week. And then we have church in Spanish and class in Spanish and then we have TRC's. They're pretty much like going into a members home and sharing a message with them. They're people who know Spanish or whatever language you're learning and they volunteer here. So like once a week we talk with those people. And we also got to teach the native speakers from Mexico. Which was fun and interesting. But yeah the Spanish is good. We have 3 teachers. One went to Alabama on his mission (English speaking) and a year into the mission he was transferred to Spanish speaking. And then idk where the other one went and then the girl teacher went to Houston Spanish speaking. And two of them are learning to teach Spanish at BYU. So they know what they're doing. Even tho they're only like 2  years older than me!!! haha! They're really cool people tho.Well I love you guys! I miss you!! Give Emma a big hug and kiss for me! I love you mom!!! I love you Emma!!! :-*      \(^.^)/

Teaching in Spanish

Darin and his friend Randie Hyer. She is serving in 

Washigton

 

Dear Mom and Emma,

Hey! So today was pretty crazy. Our Spanish teacher, Hermano Rock, told us to study the 1st lesson and stuff and then teach it to each other in Spanish. So, we did. The 1st lesson is about the restoration. We taught each other and felt good about it. and then Brother Rock told us to grab our Spanish scriptures because we were going to teach invetigaors which we were caught off guard about. So, he takes us to the room ad our investigators are the missionaries from Mexico! They live in the US but are fluent in English and Spanish. We also had to teach these 2 sisters. Well Elder Sheppard doesnt know hardly any Spanish so I had to talk for the whole 20 mins about the restoration. I have only been here a week and 3 days.  There were a few words I didnt know and they helped me with but other tha that it was good. The spirit was definately there and helped me with things to say. I thine we got some good practice because they are natives and speak fast and slur. I had to concentrate really hard. I understood about 3/4 of what they said. One of the sisters is going to Guadalajara which is cool. Today was a good spirit filled day. 

I love you Mom. I love you Emma

Love Elder Bradshaw

1st Week

Dear Mom and Emma,
Hey! Well its been a week and a day sice Ive been here at the MTC! So far its been good. Best part is definately the Spanish. Just kidding its the food! And yes, Emma, I live in an apartment with three other missionaries. It's Halloween here too but they didn't decorate here...sorry Emma! We've taught 3 lessons in Spanish so far and committed the investigator to baptism after the 3rd one. I feel like it is weird teaching someone who's already a member because we still treat them like a non-member. But  one of the goals of missionary work is to perfect the saints. So, even if we aren't really baptising her, she feels the spirit and we are still telling her things she may need to hear.
Elder Sheppard is my companion. The there is Elder Leatham from Ashton, Idaho and Elder Ceran from Eagle Mountain, Utah. 6 years ago Elder Ceran's family was driving home from a Christmas party on Christmas Eve and they got hit by a drunk driver and it killed his mom and older brother and younger sister. Last year they did a Mormon Message on him and his family. So, if you go to LDS.org and in the search bar type in "we are still a family" his video will come up. His name is Caleb Ceran.
Well we are going to lunch so I have to go. I love you guys and miss you.
Love, Elder Bradshaw

We are Still a Family

Dear Mom and Emma

October 5th 2013

Dear Mom and Emma,
Hi Mom! Everything is going good. The MTC is pretty fun so far. The first week has been goig by really slow but I hear the first week is always slow then it picks up. So, I found out that I come home from my mission on September 15th, 2015 and leave for Honduras on November 11th.

The Spanish is going good. Elder Sheppard (my companion) and I had to teach a lesson in Spanish the 3rd day to "investigators". It is funny to hear Elder Sheppard talk because he is from England. She was really spanish teacher here but to us she is an investigator. I guess a lot of it is coming back. Ive been told I have a good accent when I talk in Spanish.

The food is pretty good. We can eat however much we want. And, there are a lot of options to chose from. I saw Mitch Urrutia today.

So, my P-days are Fridays. We go to the temple and then mission portal stuff and then emails then nap time the laundry. I didnt have to bring all of my toiletries because the bookstore here has it all. Oh well! I miss you! I miss Emma! I love you both.
Love Elder Bradshaw

Saying Goodbye

Darins plane was scheduled to leave at 6:30 am so we woke bright (ok dark) and early at 3:30. We didn't get much sleep because we were up late getting him packed and making sure we had everything. We were doing a lot of last minute shopping! We headed off to the airport and got him all checked in. It just so happened that a friend of mine at the Delta check in didn't charge him for his overweight bags so blessing number 1! He may not be so lucky getting out of the country! There were several other missionaries leaving on his flight which led to lots of teary family members at the checkpoint. Giving my son his last hug and watching him go through security is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. I was so filled with emotions as he has been by my side his whole life and is my rock.

His father picked him up at the airport and took him to lunch then he reported to the Provo, UT MTC at 12:30 on October 2nd, 2013. It sure felt different as Emma and I spent the first night home alone. We both were in tears several times. This is a picture of Darin in front of the MTC.

Where in the World is Darin?

When we first heard Darin was going to Honduras we weren't exactly sure where it was. We pulled out a map and discovered that it is located South of Guatemala, North of Nicaragua, and shares a border with El Salvador and sea with Belize.

It was pretty difficult trying to figure out where exactly the mission boundaries were because the map in his packet was low resolution so we couldn't read the cities, but after awhile of comparing multiple maps we were able to outline his mission within Honduras and parts of El Salvador

When researching where and what Comayagüela is it was pretty confusing at first. It is the capitol's, Tegucigalpa, sister city west of the river that divides the city. Comayagüela is considered a sub-city of Tegucigalpa.

 And here is a picture of the only temple that is currently in Honduras which was finished in 2012.