The One Where Elder Brendan Makes the News

I think when you begin to be converted to the gospel there comes a point where you don't care anymore about letting your religious freak flag fly.
It is this point where you dare to be bold and let go of pride, and it is this point where missionary work happens.
I am seeing this change in Elder Brendan.
You might have noticed with my social media posts- this boy is SINGING.
If you remotely knew him before the mission, you would know that this it NOT something he does. It is not something our family does. None of us can carry a tune in the most well-crafted of buckets. I get that some people are born with certain talents, and this is not one of ours.
Elder Wadley has the same voice he has always had, but something in him now makes him want to use it, despite the lack of um, shall we say, natural talent.
Good for him!
I asked him what in the crap has happened, because HE IS SINGING and he said "mom, I have always sung, you just never listened."
I know he was joking, but it hit me a little.
I am not sure I have always listened.
I don't know that I have always seen the potential in my kids that the Lord does.
Another reason I think LDS missions are the best.
It opens them up to growth that the Lord wants for them- things that even parents can't see.
Here are his words from last week, and this week.

12/12

​hey mom this week has been really awesome we had a mission tour with elder Dyches of the seventy he is a really awesome guy and his wife is awesome as well it was a really neat experience basically all it was, was a zone conference but instead of the AP's and President giving the training's it was him, it was really cool i learned a lot from it the only issue was Elder Taka and I had to wake up at 4:30 am to get there that was pretty suck also I'm going to send you and father a package so be prepped for that. Elder Taka was sick on Thursday so we didn't get to go out which sucked because it snowed that day:( (sad that i didn't get to be in it not because of the snow itself) also the members of the greencastle branch are super awesome they are really kind to us as well as this week Elder Taka got a call from one of the Brazil elders investigators his name is Eric and he'll be baptizing him this Saturday so back to Terre Haute for the day anyways love you

12/19

hey mom this week has been pretty dope we have had a good time on Monday we went fishing but the pond was frozen over so we couldn't really fish ha ha then Tuesday hit and let Me tell you it was awesome it started snowing like mad it was sick so me and Elder Taka built a snowman and guess what it got in the newspaper which i now realize you have already seen so what the point of telling you because it seems you have already figured out it kinda makes me hesitant to tell you anything cause you already know soooo ill move on Thursday we did some splits I'm sure you already knew that though ;) Friday we had district meeting it was fun we after wards went on exchanges i was with an elder Peterson he is a super cool kid and we went and helped at the park then had our branch party then on Saturday we went to Terra Haute for a baptism it was super fun! it was a kid named Eric hes super nice and not much else happened there  also i told you not to show any one else that singing video so thanks for that as well as sing all the time i dont know why its such a big surprise

Here are the photos that made the newspaper! He and Elder Taka built an 8 foot snowman with the first snow fall of the season. It was in the yard of their apartment complex.

Elder Wadley's flappy arms

Screenshot of the newspaper article

This week he sent me this photo of Elder Taka with a towel that was frozen solid.

Every day I look at Google weather.
Usually Brendan is colder than me by a few degrees (Lehi 17, Indianapolis 12), and Elder Jayden, in Colombia is always at a balmy 80. :/
I asked him what things he is doing for service there, since he is far away from Klisse's farm now.

we volunteer at the park and I talked to the people about "parks and rec" so they told me that the producer came to Indiana's park meeting for a year then made the show and one guy said one of the episodes is something he did

Elder Brendan was a huge Parks and Rec (the TV series) fan.
Further confirmation that the Lord sent Brendan to his people.

We ended our conversation abruptly, and I realized that he never committed to a time when he will be Skyping us next week for Christmas.
So, I guess that will be a surprise.
Typical of him. :)