18 MONTHS of PURE BLISS AND JOY!

I can't believe that I have been a set apart missionary for 18 months!! SO CRAZY! This will be my last e-mail as a full time missionary and it is definitely bitter sweet. This last week was amazing, cold, and many other things! I am not going to tell you all about my past week, but share my testimony with you!

 

I can't really put into words everything that my mission has done for me, so I will bear testimony of a few things.

 

This has truly been the best year and a half of my life!! I know that it was the best decision I have ever made! I have never experienced so much pure joy in my life until these last 18 months! I have learned far beyond what I ever believed I would be able too. I know that God's timing is truly perfect! He is always aware of us and all that we do. I know that God's hand is in every aspect of our lives. He really does know each of us perfectly. I know that we are all divine Sons and Daughters of God. I am so grateful for a Father in Heaven who does love us and is always showing us His love! I know that I am so undeserving of the Love and blessings that Heavenly Father has given me. I am so grateful for the pure Christ like love of Charity! I know that it is through God's LOVE that lives are changed everyday. I love and know that prayer is powerful! I love prayer! I have seen countless prayers answered, and have received so much peace through prayer! I truly know that God listens even when we might not think he does. I know he listens even to the little things that we pray for. I love prayer and don't know if I could ever live without it! I know that the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ is real. I know that he didn't just sacrifice for our sins, weaknesses, and mistakes. He suffered and knows perfectly what we all go through. I know that the atonement can carry us and strengthen us. I have seen so many times on my mission where I didn't think I could go any farther, but the enabling power of the atonement carried me and strengthened me. His grace is truly sufficient for all! I am beyond Grateful to my Savior for his love and sacrifice, so that he could know perfectly how to help me. I am grateful to  a loving Heavenly Father who loved us enough to send His Only Begotten Son. I am so grateful for the Savior's Perfect example and teachings. I know that He lives and has been resurrected. I know that through him we can all receive peace and joy in this life. The Atonement has truly changed me and molded me into the person that Heavenly Father wanted me to be. I know that the Atonement can change all lives through the redeeming and enabling power!  I know that through him all things truly are possible! I am also so grateful for Family History! I am grateful for the spirit of Elijah that truly does touch hearts. I know that Family History is so important and is just as much apart of hastening the work of Salvation. I know MIRACLES are real! I have seen too many Miracles on my mission to ever deny this Gospel! They happen everyday, and I know that God provides Miracles as we are faithful and obedient. I know that Obedience truly is the first law of Heaven, and is what will bring us Happiness! I know that Fasting is something that truly helps us, strengthens us, and answers our questions. I know that fasting works, and works miracles! I know with all my heart that the Book of Mormon is  the word of God. It is truly the keystone of our religion, and helps us to truly know the Savior and His teachings. I know that it teaches us the things that we must do in this life to return and live with God! I know that the Book of Mormon  changes lives everyday. I know that the Book of Mormon hand in hand with the Bible is the fullness of the Gospel! I know that it contains everything we need to know about the Savior, and how we can find Happiness in this life! I know that Joseph Smith truly translated it and restored this Gospel to the earth! I love the Book of Mormon! I know that the Book of Mormon answers questions, brings peace, and brings the spirit into our lives! I know that the Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead! I know that he leads, guides, comforts, brings peace, love, and helps us to gain knowledge! I know that the Spirit  teaches and testifies of truth! I know that it is how we feel God's love! I know that we can fully access  the Atonement in our lives when we are baptized and have the Gift of the Holy Ghost! I know that the priesthood power has been restored! I know that the priesthood is what truly binds things here on earth as well as in Heaven! I know that it is God's power here on the Earth! I have seen the priesthood work miracles on my mission! I know that it is through the priesthood that we can be with our Families forever! I know that the temple is the truly the place we need to always be going and working towards in our life! I know that it is the place where we can Feel closest to God and receive the highest Gifts from God while here in this life! I know that Thomas S. Monson is truly a prophet of God and is a great example to us all! I know I needed to be in the Kentucky Louisville Mission for the last 18 months! I know that this is where God needed me. I know that I came out here to change lives, but I know that my life has been changed! I love this Gospel with all my heart! I know that simply we are here in this life to prepare to live with God again! I will always be homesick for my Heavenly Home until I reach it and Get to live with my Father in Heaven again! I know that God's plan of Happiness is REAL! We can all live with Him again as brothers and sisters! I know all these things and I hope and pray that each of you know them as well. Thank you so much for your love, support, and prayers for me and those that I have taught. Thank you! I love you all and am beyond Grateful to you and to my Father in Heaven for these last 18 months!  I didn't even scratch the surface of all the things I wish I could express from my Heart, but I hope that each of you can continue to come closer to your Father in Heaven and to your Savior Jesus Christ. Remember," that when all is said and done the greatest and most important duty is to Preach the Gospel!"

 

The picture is of my FAVORITE THINGS!

1. THE SAVIOR

2. BOOK OF MORMON

3. MISSIONARY

4. PREACH MY GOSPEL

 

I love you all!!

 

Love,

Sister Bradley

A weekend with an Apostle....BLISS

It was another fabulous week here in the GKLM!

 

Professional Jockey's

 

We went with a recent convert to Churchill Downs last P-day! Super fun, and I will come to the Kentucky Derby one day!

 

Spiritual things of the week:

 

We had this amazing lesson with Sister Elliott this last week and an active member came with us. They are life long friends, so she was able to be super bold with Sister Elliot! It was amazing! Sister Elliott will definitely make it to the temple soon enough! She is reading, praying, coming to church, doing family History, got her patriarchal blessing. She is doing all the right things! So cool! It is so amazing because even though She was less-active and knew the Gospel, it is cool to see her grasp it again after 40 plus years of being less-active and seeing how much happier she is!

 

It was cool because one morning I felt like I should study patience during personal study, so I did. I thought olay Heavenly Father must be telling me that I need to work on patience, which I always do need to.  Well, that night we went on an exchange and the sister I was with says, " I am really trying to work on patience, do you have any suggestions." Wow Heavenly Father is so amazing!!

 

So, Something that I have been asking at the end of the exchanges  to sisters is

What did the spirit teach you today? Now, what are you inspired to do or change?

It is so cool to hear their responses and see what the Holy Ghost taught them! As I thought about these questions I realized these are questions that we should ask ourselves all the time! So you all should do that! What did the spirit teach you today?

 

a qoute that I liked this week:

" The difference between God and the devil is God gives us all of our needs and the Devil tells us that our wants are more important."

 

We had the coolest weekend with Elder Christofferson! We had a mission conference with him Saturday morning with him and Elder Soares of the seventy. It was simply amazing to be able to just sit on the front row and have a spiritual feast from one of the 12! I went to the conference with a few questions in mind for investigators and myself and they all got answered! It was ana a,azing experience! It was sad because the closing song was " God be with you til we meet again." I was sitting between my MTC companion and Sister Briggs, my last companion. The spirit was so strong and it sort of hit me that I was going home soon. I just started to cry because I was overwhelmed by how much I love my mission and how great the last 18 months have been! Don't worry though never fear I still get 2 full weeks of being out here! SO EXCITED! I love the work of the LORD!

 our lunch table at zone conference

 

Marie was able to Shake Elder Christofferson's hand and it was so cool because he told her " God See's you." That is exactly what she needed to hear because she is looking for her answert right now! SO GREAT! MIRACLE!

 

FUNNIES:

Someone asking Elder Christofferson what his definition of Heaven is and his response was, " my marriage." haha!

 

When a creepy albanian man lets us into hi apartment while we are looking for a referral, and the woman leaves the room and he keeps telling us how " beautiful we are" so creepy! He told us he was going to take us to Albania and have us be his wives their and spread the Gospel! so weird... haha!

 

When our investigator and recent convert show us the dance moves they learned at the Valentines dinner dance they had at the church! haha!

 

Life is amazing and I love being a missionary and serving everyone around me! Have a great week!

 another awkward family photo!

 

 

Pray: That Marie can recognize her answer!

 

I love you all!

 

Love,

Sister Bradley


 

ONLY THE BEST LIFE

The title of my e-mail is ONLY THE BEST LIFE, because missionary life simply is  THE BEST LIFE!

 

ALSO, I am so excited that I am an AUNT Again!!! CONGRATULATIONS Tyson and Morgan!!!! I am glad that I have another redhead in the family!

 

Also, SHOUT OUT TO HAILEY, my niece, who turned 13 this past weekend!!!! LOVE YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 

1. Glasgow sisters

 

This week had been pretty hectic and awesome!

 

Monday and Tuesday we were at the Brough's fro MLC! Super fun, spiritual, and revelatory! It was great! We learned more about how we need to

 

1st. Seek to understand before we can be understood.

 

2nd. Teach correct principles

 

3rd Let them govern themselves by setting goals and seeing a vision of area, themselves, others.

 

4th. Let the Govern themselves

 

That is how we can truly build the desire in others and see them change. If we can really understand their desires and the root of their problem, then we can know how to help them change by teaching correct principles. IT IS AMAZING! We can't just expect people to act. A lot of times we teach to get people to act instead of teaching to build their desire and belief and letting them choose to act for themselves.  I have seen this work SO WELL as I have done it with sisters on exchanges and with investigators! SO COOL! I invite you to use it because it works miracles!

 

I met a guy named Bradley, so I was able to talk about Family history with him! It was pretty much awesome and hilarious!

 

Sister Vikari came to visit!!! She was one of my former companions and her and her mom took us out to lunch! SO NICE! It was so great!

 

2. braided our hair together with Hermana Graham!

 

We have this sweet investigator named Greg that we met at the tire place while getting a new tire! Even getting a  flat tire is inspired of God, because now he has a baptismal date and is doing great! MIRACLES! Another proof that God's hand is in every aspect of our life!

 

We had another meeting on Wednesday and then we exchanged with the wonderful Sister Ward and Sister France. I was with Sister Ward in their area. Let me tell you how much I love Sister Ward! SHE IS AMAZING! I seriously learned so much from her in a short amount of time! It was cool too because I got to meet the sister of Papa John, the pizza guy Papa John. She is a recent convert in their area. She is awesome! We helped her set up for a party she was throwing, and I had to open wine bottles. I never thought I would open wine bottles, let alone on my mission! It was hilarious! I got to meet some other amazing people while I was there!

 

We had a great lesson with my Brother Moore! We brought a family over and we had a powerful lesson with all of them and him!

 

Jessica got a blessing and then quit smoking the next day! MIRACLE!

 

1. KFC YUM CENTER

 

Saturday we had to do a unplanned BLITZ to Glasgow. We went down Friday night and then were there Saturday and I was there some of Sunday too. A sister down there is having feet problems and the doctors haven't been able to figure out what is wrong, so I was with her, and she has to stay off of it as much as possible. We didn't get to do much missionary work. Then I went to their church on Sunday while sister Briggs and her companion came up to Louisville Saturday night, so they could be in our area for church. It was crazy and complicated, so I am not going to explain haha! I had a ton of fun with the sister though and was able to build her up and hopefully help her due to this long week! She is super strong and not letting the medical issues bring her down!

 

It was simply a great week! I learned a lot this week, and I love my companion!

 

All I know it that I am so undeserving of the Love that Heavenly Father shows me constantly and for all that he does for me! I absolutely love this Gospel with all my heart and being able to serve others everyday! THIS IS THE LIFE!

 

prayer: pray for Jessica to continue to not smoke.

 

challenge: express your love and Gratitude to those you love this week! HAPPY VALENTINES!

 

 

Have a HAPPY VALENTINES!! We get to be with Elder Christofferson on Valentines day! SWEET!

 

the pictures

!3. Deer and moose, and elk heads! creepy....

2. squirrel! museum of animals at a members house...

 

Love,

Sister Bradley

 Sister Brough and I! Checking out the missionaries that engraved their name into the wood on the beds in the mission home. NOT cool! We had to go around and check the softness of the beds to see which ones should be replaced. haha!

 

 

 

Fairytale Fairdale!

The details of the week here in Fairytale Fairdale!!!!

 

It is fairytale land because I feel like everyone we talk to or teach is prepared and ready right now for the Gospel! UNREAL! It is awesome!!

 

Monday- Downtown Louisville where we were all Good in the Hood! We had dinner and Family Home Evening at the Wilkerson's because they want us to teach their 8 year old daughter the lessons!

 

Tuesday- W had some Jehovah Witnesses knock on our door during study! That was interesting. We tried trading with them pamphlet for pamphlet, but they wouldn't. They were sweet ladies though. We saw my Brother Phillip Moore! He is so awesome! He is a single father of 3 and changing his life one day at a time through the Gospel! We saw my girl Jamie too! We helped her clean and organize, have I mentioned how much I love cleaning and organizing! Had dinner with Dawn Renee and we helped her get started with her family History! Then we saw my sister Jessica! She is doing wonderful and I love her!

 

Wednesday- We had an exchange with Shepherdsville sisters! I was with Sister Jensen in Shepherdsville! That was super fun and we had a day full of miracles and some great people! I love when you pray and your prayers are answered like 5 minutes later! SAWEET! It was really cool because during the exchange I realized how much I have grown spiritually in the last year and a half. Sister Jensen is a lot like how I was at the beginning of my mission. I am really Grateful to Heavenly Father for knowing my weaknesses and helping me make some of them my strengths.

 

Thursday- WEEKLY PLANNING! We did family history with Sister Elliot and I found out that I am related to the missionary that Baptized her back in 1942! SO COOL!!! I love Family history! Had another amazing lesson with Brother Moore, Jamie, and the cutest family ever Ladicia and Abraham!

 

Friday- We got a flat tire and so we had to change it before district meeting! That was fun and definitely the first time I had changed a tire! We called the Elder Rodericks who takes care of our cars on what car place we should take it etc. He told us to call the elders and have them put the spare on for us. We called the elders and they go " well, do you know how?" We told them w could figure it out and, so they just didn't come! haha! We got it and it was super easy...sort of! Once we got the lugnuts off! We had a great dinner that night with Brother Weston, Katie and a nonmember friend of Brother Weston's! It was super cool! The friend's name is firas and he worked for the embassy in Baghdad! It was sweet talking to him!

 

family photo! hahaha Brother Weston, Katie, and Firas

 

Saturday- We had an amazing lesson with Aranya Bella! She is a new investigator and understands everything so well! IT is crazy! I got a migraine for like the 2nd time in my life, it was awful! I couldn't see and was super nautious and had a headache, so I unfortunately had to rest for a few hours! LAME SAUCE! We saw this member Brother Gary that shared his testimony with us! It was amazing!

 

Sunday- We had a ward fast fro missionary work and then broke it together with a taco bar after church! IT was awesome! I love Sundays! They really are the best day of the week! We did family History with Marie and Emanie that night! And during testimonies Dawn Renee said that she was going to quit smoking because she "caught the spirit of Elijah" while doing family History work! SO COOL! MIRACLE!

 

IT was an amazing week!!!

 

A quote: "Happiness must be earned today."

 

funny quote by Jamie our investigator. " My baptism was on HBO I did it like a cool kid."

 

Prayer: Pray that Jessica can quit smoking and that Marie can recognize her answer!

 

Scripture: Mosiah 15! Our bodies are SUBJECT to our Spirits!

 

I love you all!

 

Love,

Sister Bradley