Elder Josh Browning: I'm Gonna Be a Dad!

July 16, 2013

Hello family and friends!

I hope that the summer is not slipping away too fast back at home. I really don't know how it is already the middle of July. Where did June go? I guess when you are staying busy, you seem to forget what day it is. I loved hearing about Elise getting her call. It gave me the chills reading about it. Still does. :) She's going to destroy Mexico! Good luck, Elise, you'll do amazing! Too bad you didn't come to Canada, though. ;)

So, yes, I am going to be a "dad" sooner than I expected. I will be training a new missionary the next two transfers. I am really nervous, but excited. I am just getting out of the 12-week program myself and now I get to be the person who wears the pants. I feel like I will be learning a lot more then my boy will be. I get to find out who I will be training tonight, since they are flying in probably as we speak. I will be praying a lot harder these next couple of weeks. Could you do the same? I feel really inadequate. The Lord calls the weak. Ha, maybe that should be my email title.

Since I will be staying in my current area and training, Elder Bickmore will be transferred out. I don't think it has been twelve weeks already, no way. I have been out three months! I am sure to all of you it has felt like three years... Right? You don't have to answer that. :)

Yesterday we went to the Native Reserve, Siksika, to provide some service clean-up from the flood. This reserve is in the Calgary East Stake so all of our efforts with the flood clean-up will be directed towards Siksika. It's about a two hour drive from where we are, so we got there around 10 am, and worked until about 4 pm. It was pretty sad to see what little these natives had is now gone. They got hit hard, too. Almost every house needs all of the basement and a lot of upstairs ripped out and redone completely. It's going to take time so I'm sure I will be out there again soon.

All-in-all it has been a week that I won’t soon forget. I am working hard and now I know that I will be training, I don't think I have been working hard enough. I know there's going to be a lot of struggles, but with a work ethic like Dad's, prayer, and humility, Heavenly Father WILL bless us. He's bound when you do, right? So, I am going to try to bind Him to give us blessings. Pray for me- I know you already do, but now I could use the prayers more than ever. Have a great week, I love you all, and don't forget... Hurrah For Israel!

Love,

Elder Browning.2

Got to hold a baby python! I was a little squirmish...