The 58th Chronicle

Hello family and friends! 

Hey hey hey! Transfers was like yesterday! Actually they were on Wednesday. So much hype! We got some sweet new missionaries and said goodbye to some even sweeter missionaries (including my gramps, Elder Bocchino). I love going to transfer point!! There is an energy and excitement in the air that's hard to describe. It's powerful getting to sing "Called to Serve" as the new missionaries walk into the gym of the church as we make a line for them to pass through. Then getting to cheer as their new area and trainer is announced (and the trainers run up to hug their new comp). It is thrilling as get to sing "Armies of Helaman" while we put our arms around each other and sway to the song. Plus! Getting to rush to the center of the room as each missionary packs together to clap and stomp with the rallying cry of "Hurrah Hurrah Hurrah for Israel!!". It sure is something! I love this mission =)

Elder Bahlmann and I are staying here another transfer as Zone Leaders here in the Council Bluffs Stake. We welcomed some sweet new Elders and Sisters in place of those who transferred out. I have a good feeling about this transfer and know if we put in the effort we will see some miracles and success. We started off the transfer with a solid Mission Leadership Council. President Ence discussed with us the "YES list" and our goal to hit forty baptisms this month. We worked the numbers and still have a lot of work to do. It was kinda discouraging but also inspiring. We are striving to be an escalator mission not an elevator mission. That basically means that we continue to find people, teach people, bring people to church, set people on date, and then help people enter the waters of baptism. We need to keep the escalator running rather then focusing on helping one person from step 1 to step 10 if that makes sense.

If you haven't seen what we are doing with technology yet, I invite you to check it out. It's been a really cool journey learning how to use social media in an effective and powerful way to spread the gospel. When I use Facebook for good, the desire to use it inappropriately (or as a distraction) greatly diminishes. Weird right? I'm striving to control it rather then let it control me. It sure is a powerful tool that can be used for great good. Check out the "Come Unto Christ - Council Bluffs" page to learn more.

"Never let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved." -President Thomas S. Monson

Kia Kaha!

Elder Brady

Photo Below:  The 2 Elders on the right of Elder Brady and the 2 Elders on the left of Elder Brady have all been companions during Elder Brady’s mission.  He has had 2 transfers with each of them.  

From Right to Left:  Elder Bocchino, Elder Durocher, Elder Brady, Elder Foran, Elder Norman (and I don’t know the names of the other two Elders).