The One With Indy 500 Practice

I was pretty freaking excited about this post today! When Brendan got called to Indiana, we had his farewell reception thingie, and we served concession stand stuff- mini hot dogs and sliders. I think because almost all we knew about Indiana was that it is where the Indy 500 takes place.
It is nearing that season.
Elder Brendan is serving in Indianapolis, near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where they host the race.

Indianapolis, Indiana

He said in his e-mail last week that they can hear the cars running now all day, every day. Especially when they drive closer to the speedway, they will roll the windows down to hear the rumble.

They had an opportunity to go to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this past week on p-day to watch them practice. The tickets were pretty cheap so we encouraged him to have that experience. I am glad he went!
He sent me a couple of video clips that I was pretty excited about.

This first one, is the sound that he hears every day. 
I didn't realize how loud it must be to carry that far.

This next one is a practice run for a pit crew. I was also surprised at how fast the car ripped out of there and got up to speed.
Not unlike my mini-van at a stop light.

I asked him how it was at the track:

it was loud and i dont know they turned left alot

I asked him how his Spanish was coming:

mi espanol es moi bien pero yo soy blanco 

Sam asked him if he has felt like he has strengthened his testimony in any way:

yeah about Joseph Smith that dude was pretty lit he was definitely a prophet

Our pet turtle we found on the road. We have had him about 3 days. He is going to be set free soon.

The One With Mother's Day

It sure was good to see my boy last week.
It's funny the little things that you miss- facial expressions, voice inflections, hair-flips (another hair cut is overdue) and oh my, to hear him laugh again...
I am never prepared for the part where I have to hang up, and the miles separate us again.

He looks good! He seems really happy. He talked to us about his successes and frustrations.

He was able to Skype us from the home of a member. We got a kick out of the girly purple daybed he was lounging on.

We always end our Skype calls to our missionaries with a family prayer. It is probably my favorite part- because for one little moment, it feels like we are all together.
Elder Brendan said it for us. And then he was gone.

I am so proud of him, but I sure do miss his stupid face.

The One With Ell-Oh-Ell

This week I didn't have much to say to Elder W. because I get to see his face on Sunday when he calls home for Mother's Day!
I am soooooo excited.
He has been gone for almost a year, and time has passed so painfully slowly, and also so quickly at the same time.
I miss his sense of humor the most- so it is like a drowning person getting thrown a flotation device when I get his weekly random pictures. Except for the flotation device would be a giant hot dog or something.

I feel like he inherited my distinctive eye for photography.
I guess laughing makes it easier somehow than just missing him all the time.

Here is his weekly update:

This week was good guess what im not getting transferred so that twas (<--not a typo) a pleasant surprise imma be honest this week was lame jk lol (<---now picture Brendan actually saying this- because he would be telling this story and pronouncing "jay-kay" and "ell-oh-ell")  it was like all other weeks we went to two baptisms this week as well as a funeral and zone conference the funeral was sad it was some lady i never met but they asked me to talk so luckily some one else talked at the last minute so i didn't have to then they had all the missionary's sing we sounded awful lol well im going to call on mothers day i dont know when though mothers day is Sunday right? just kiddin

Then I got a bunch of pictures.

Why is he wearing his missionary tag on his collar?

Investigators on date for baptism on the 27th!

At Zone Conference

Then here was our little back and forth:

what time is church

We have the 1-4:00 block now.

that sucks its going to be 9 o clock when i get home

Yep. When he gets home IN OVER A YEAR.
He is concerned about needing to be to church at 9:00 am.
I think I will let the bishop know he sings now. Maybe that could be incorporated into his homecoming program at 9:00 am church.
He could probably just use that funeral talk.

The One Where He Actually Writes

Internets.
When you woke up this morning did you feel the miracle?
Did the universe seem somehow more in harmony?
Elder Wadley wrote an actual e-mail!
Behold:

this week was pretty sick we had some cool things happen We have been teaching this family its a mom and two girls and they've been progressing really well except they hadn't come to church yet and right before sacrament meeting started I saw Elder Cepeda on the phone and he said they're coming! they had just gotten lost on the way so they showed up and were able to hear some of the testimony's of the branch and one of the girls gave me a note that said that she had a lot of questions before we started coming but they have all been answered it was really dope. Another thing that happened this week is we have a member in the branch who is struggling and we have been able to meet with him lately and last night he told me that he believes that I was sent here just for him

I want to take a minute and point out a couple of thoughts that came to me here.

First, how imperative it is that followers of Christ bear testimony of Christ.
Some questions that people carry in their hearts can be answered by our personal testimonies and examples. When the Holy Ghost bears His witness to the words we are moved to speak, we have the potential to change hearts, and bring peace and hope.

Second, the personalities that we have each been born with, and the unique connections we make with others gives us the opportunity to reach people in a way that NO ONE ELSE CAN.

God does not want us to be anyone other than ourselves when we serve Him.
It is interesting though, how when we do choose to serve, we become better versions of ourselves.
It's all part of the deal. Him adding His divine power to our efforts.
Pretty cool.
I love that Elder Brendan is learning this.
I know that this will help his confidence. 
I am grateful that the Lord knows exactly how to use him to do His work.

From left to right: Elder McClure, Elder Cox, Elder Wadley, Elder McBride