Another Email :)

We got another email from Elder Bradshaw today!  Normally his PDays are on Mondays, but since it was Memorial Day, we got it today. :)

"Hey again everyone! Happy Memorial Day and such to you all! This past week has been filled with many funny memories. Biking everyday in the heat and humidity is awesome especially if you don't have sidewalks! My area has hardly, if any sidewalks. There have been many time's when semi's and buses are really close to me going way fast, kinda scary! We try to help out the people here anyway possible or ask if they need a hand here and there and they get all offensive and say no we don't need your help y'all have a good rest of your day and we are like uhh okay cya haha. When we do talk to them they get all offensive and say I'm Catholic or I am Baptist or I am whatever and that's all they will say. The other night a drunk guy came over to me and was really kinda close and said I don't need religion I have been to Vietnam and I don't believe there is a God. Another thing that is hard down here is that people think they can just say I am saved or I believe in Jesus so I am good!  And so they will get into a argument over what we are saying is false and how I can just believe in God and I am good.... I am in a hard area I guess, from what they say. Pearl is tough. But it doesn't stop us from doing the work! This past week our numbers have been looking awesome. We hand out many Book of Mormons and have taught a lot of people! I love having tough challenges, that's what a mission is!  This past week me and my companion sang in our ward choir (with some others) we got signed up for it, I dont even sing haha... but it was fun. Also this past week we visited a guy named Dennis, he was half asleep but he let us in. So we go in there and we ask him if we can have a quick prayer before we start the lesson and he say's yes, so I offer it and when I finished praying we looked over at him and he was dead ASLEEP.... we are like Dennis!! Dennis! No response, I thought he freaking died haha I was nervous..haha we were like Dennis!!!!! Nothing, so we were just like well we are going to go now... We even opened up the door and he still would not wake up hahahaha ohh it was so funny!! Yesterday afternoon we got fed by the Dunaways, it was so good!  We had bbq chicken, deer sausage, garlic bread, mac and cheese and the best baked beans I have ever had! It was mighty fine!  Me and Elder Milligan celebrated my 1 month out Saturday night (even though it was Friday when my 1 month occurred).  We ordered Domino's!  So that was fun. I am loving it out here!  Yeah I have hard moment's still but I feel reassured :) I love everyone and hope things are going well for you! Love you guy's so much and thanks for all the prayers and support! :) You're great!

Love Elder Nick Bradshaw

P.S. We have been told that this summer it is going to be the hottest summer in Mississippi..... ahhh crap  

:( Gatorade here we come!!!!"

Mississippi P Day & Pics ;)

Today was Elder Bradshaw's first P-Day in Mississippi!  His P-Day's are on Mondays.  Here's an email from today!

"Dear Everyone this past week has been a great one! The south is a new place haha.. I swear everyone drink's and smoke's, like everyone.. ha but the people are so nice and generous. It is really hot and humid. I have been losing weight i am at the 3rd belt loop haha there is NO way i am getting fat down here while riding a bike in dress pants and a heavy backpack! My companion is Elder Milligan! He is from Cali and has been out 9 months! He is very chill and is great!!! So this past week have been amazing everyone... here are a few experiences i have had this past week:

First off one night we were out tracting in an apartment complex and we were getting no luck at all. So my companion asked me "were do you want to go?" I stood there pondering and for some reason i felt impressed like we should go over to the apartments across the street. It was weird i was like we need to go over to those so, we did and knocked on some doors and didnt get any luck, so we pick the last house and a kid (about 20) years old answer's it and we teach him about the restoration. We asked him to be baptized that night and he said YES!!!!!! it was so awesome! :) i was so taken back. It was great! So another good experience i had was that we went over to a member's house and we talked with her and shared a lesson and such. But at the end she asked him one of us could give her a blessing of comfort...... My companion asked me if i could...  i was so nervous... so i did and while i was doing it the spirit was so strong. I could feel it burning inside me... and what i said was not me and i know it wasnt.... Also yesterday(Sunday) a lady in my ward asked if she could have a blessing because she was getting the test results back to see if she has cancer or not. So we anointed the oil on her and my companion asked if i would give her one ha i was so nervous but i did it anyways. i don't remember what i said but it was awesome and i felt the spirit guide me! I then closed and she thanked me and said that blessing that you just gave was an answer to my prayers, it was what i was praying for while i was in those tests.. And when she said that i just kinda broke down and she said i know that the lord told you what to say and guided you.. I was speechless... It just goes to show that this work is true and that what i am doing out here is the lord's work. I know that it is what i am supposed to be doing and as you read my letters you can feel the spirit as i did. This work is true i know it. I love everyone of you and pray for you every night. Read D&C 122. It has helped me out and i know it will do the same for you. Love you guys and stay strong!!

Love Elder Bradshaw"

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Today is our mom's Birthday :).  Nick and I are so lucky to have her in our lives and to have her as our mom.  Elder Bradshaw was able to send her an email yesterday!  

"hey mom happy birthday tomorrow!!!! i love you so much and hope you have a wonderful day! I miss you a lot... but i know it is going to be okay!! I hope your trip with dad was fun! i had to email you on here because the lds mail thing is down. But anyways so to add to your birthday fun is some experiences i have had while being here. First off one night we were out tracting in an apartment complex and we were getting no luck at all. So my companion asked me "were do you want to go?" I stood there pondering and for some reason i felt impressed like we should go over to the apartments across the street. It was weird i was like we need to go over to those so, we did and knocked on some doors and didnt get any luck, so we pick the last house and a kid (about 20) years old answer's it and we teach him about the restoration. We asked him to be baptized that night and he said YES!!!!!! it was so awesome! :) i was so taken back. It was great! So another good experience i had was that we went over to a member's house and we talked with her and shared a lesson and such. But at the end she asked if one of us could give her a blessing of comfort...... My companion asked me if i could...  i was so nervous... so i did and while i was doing it the spirit was so strong. I could feel it burning inside me... and what i said was not me and i know it wasnt.... i ended it and she was so amazed by it that she want's to write you guys a letter for some reason.. ha so yeah that has been some big few things the past few days.

Once again happy birthday mom and i love you!!! so much!! :)

-Your Son, Elder Bradshaw 

p.s. its hot and humid and i have been losing weight ha but lifting and biking alot:)"

Wonderful Surprise

Elder Bradshaw's blog has been amazing and been such a blessing!  On one of our posts, we got a comment from Lisa Maddox.  She was looking at President Tucker's blog and saw my comment I posted with Nick's blog site.  Her son, Elder Steven Maddox, entered the MTC the same day Nick did and they are both going to the same mission.  Elder Maddox sent her some pictures with Elder Bradshaw in them, so I definitely wanted to post them!!  Thank you so much Lisa, you are a SWEETHEART :).

Elder Maddox & Elder Bradshaw

Elder Bradshaw's in Mississippi!!!

Elder Bradshaw is in Mississippi and his wonderful mission President's wife, Sister Annette Tucker, posted some pictures of the new missionaries arriving ;).  It is tradition for President Tucker and his wife to always have the new missionaries pile into the elevator and get a picture.  So cute!!!  It's such a relief knowing Nick is getting taken care of and is looking so HAPPY!!! 

Here are some pictures of Elder Bradshaw, but go check out their blog....

http://presidenttucker.blogspot.com/

New Address

Here's Elder Bradshaw's new address. :)   He would love to hear from everyone!

2005 Old Brandon Rd #21

Pearl, MS 39208

We got PICTURES!!!!

Elder Bradshaw just emailed some pictures from the MTC!!!  I guess the ones with the white name tags were his teachers :).  He is officially in Mississippi and hopefully we will be getting Mississippi pics soon ;).

We sure do love this kid!!

"hey everyone! well guess what i am here in mississippi and wow is it foreign or what haha. i am definetly on a foreign mission! its hot, its humid here! (obviously) ha. but for the first 6 weeks i am in pearl mississippi and am serving in the brandon ward. the food, is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good haha wow it is so good ha so good. scary good ha. yesterday i got my first taste of teaching real people ha. it was scary! we were teaching this chick that has tatoos and piercings all over her face haha.. but anyways they asked me if i could testify of the atonement and when i did i felt like i wasnt even saying it! it was so crazy!! i just felt like i was looking behind myself and i felt the spirit so much! it was incredible!! its gonna be good. the bike is nice that i am getting! but i love you guys and i am doing well! love you guys so much and hope the best for you!

Love Elder Bradshaw!

p.s. look at the blog!" 

He emailed a couple more times... here's some more of another email :)

"so i guess that when i get to "call" home i get to use skype!!! so i can see you guys :). the mission home was awesome. so nice and my president and wife are amazing and so loving. i wish they would put up the pics from last night! guess they will soon.  my companion is elder milligan, he seems pretty chill and cool!"

Elder Murdock, Elder Green, Elder Bradshaw

some Mississippi facts...

Elder Bradshaw will be leaving the MTC for Mississippi Monday the 14th.  He is so excited to actually get out there!  I thought it would be a great idea to share some Mississippi facts.

Elder Bradshaw's mission president is President Tom R. Tucker. He will be there until July, 2012.  After that, Nick will receive President Mark J. McDonough.  President Tucker's wife actually has a blog with pictures and fun things the missionaries are up to.  She updates it with all the new missionaries, ect (So Nick will be on it!!).  If you look to the right of Elder Bradshaw's blog, under "My Blog List", it has her blog.  You can just click on it and it'll take you right to it.  It's awesome!

Created July 1, 1979, the Mississippi Jackson Mission was formed from the part of the Louisiana Baton Rouge Mission.  Below is a picture of the Mississippi Jackson Mission.  The grey areas, are where Elder Bradshaw will be serving.  As you can see, he can be serving not only in Mississippi, but Arkansas, Louisiana, and a little part of Texas.

Mississippi has no LDS Temples.  Actually there are no temples in any areas he will be serving.  Mississippi only has 4 stakes.  Some more facts:

-Jackson is the State Capitol.  82 Counties.

-Mississippi is the 32nd largest state in the USA

-Population: 2,967,297 (as of 2010)

-Mississippi was named after an Indian word for "Father of Waters"

-The Mississippi River is the largest in the United States and is the nation's chief waterway. Its nickname is Old Man River

-Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Jan 8, 1935

-Some more famous people from Mississippi:  Jimmy Buffet, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Rice

-The first football player on a Wheaties box was Walter Payton of Columbia

-Root beer was invented in Biloxi in 1898 by Edward Adolf Barq, Sr

-The official song for Mississippi is "GO, MISSISSIPPI"

-Mississippi colleges: Mississippi Rebels (Ole Miss), Mississippi State Bulldogs, Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

-Mississippi is the 4th largest rice producing state, some other favorite foods are: largemouth bass, oysters, alligators, honey, catfish, cornbread, ribs, beans, fried chicken, mud pie, pralines, pecan pie, cajun fried pecans, sweet potato pie, shrimp, and many many more.

                 So excited to see what Nick has to say about Mississippi and see pictures!!!

Last MTC P-Day

Today was Elder Bradshaw's last MTC P-Day!!  He was able to email us but was not able to send any pictures! :(   He will be leaving for Mississippi Monday, May 14th!  He will be able to call us that day.  So excited for him to get to Mississippi!  Again, I deleted some of the things that are a little too personal. (which was pretty much my entire email haha). But my parents was long and good.  Enjoy!

"Well hey family!! Its been 2 weeks and geez do I enjoy it now! It is awesome! Just so you guys know our flight is at 7:30 to atlanta georgia and then we have an hour layover in georgia then to the heart of the south! It says we get into mississippi at 3:30. I am the travel leader of our group haha which is interesting! But anyways thank you guys so much for the packages and stuff!!  Holy crap I have so much food I dont know what to do with it!!  I love you guys so much and my district is jealous there family doesnt love them as much as you love me :)  Suckers. haha.  But this week has been incredicle! We got our first commitment to baptism!!!!!! It was so exciting and I am so happy :). The athiest we have been teaching, she is enjoying the feelings she feels from the lord!  Tomorrow (the 10th) we are commiting her to baptism!!! So excited :). Well yesterday for our fireside D Todd Christofferson came and talk and geez was that rad or what ha! he talked about love and how we need to show our love to investigors and non members so they can feel the love that the savior would give them. He said something really awesome: as missionarys we are supported by apostles. they cant do it all so as missionarys they are backing us up all the way. We are a apostles with a lower case "a" and they are a capital "A"!  I thought that rocked! i gotta go do laundry. I am rocking at it! ha talk to you soon

Love Elder Bradshaw"

"I am the travel leader of our district( hope the plane doesnt go down!! haha) but i will call at about 5 in the morning and then at about 12 pm that day.  Cant wait to talk to you guys!!!.  I am so sorry I am low on time :( dang mtc wish I would have gotten out haha jk!! Thank you for the packages and stuff it has rocked!!!  Yeah well i guess i have to wait till i get into mississippi to put pics on ;(. I like writing letters :) ps haha

<3 <3 <3 love your bro nick"

First P-Day & First Emails

Today was Elder Bradshaw's first P-Day, and the first day he is able to email us. He has been in the MTC for one whole week and in all that time, he has received a letter EVERY DAY (sometimes more than one letter a day :)).  He is really missed!  He has also received many packages.  Our parents sent him a package of cookies and some of his favorite types of things. Today, Justin & I sent him a dozen Krispy Kream doughnuts to share with his companions.  We didn't get any pictures today, but hopefully they will start coming.  Our parents, & Justin & I, all got emails today!  Here is a mixture of his emails, one from my parents and one he wrote us. I didn't post everything he wrote, some things are personal, but he is doing great and we could not be more proud!!!


"Hey mom!!! And family!!! The mtc is so freaking awesome like i said!! it was tough at first but now i just love it! I'm a senior companion and love my elders! I'm glad everything is going well!! I run into Dillon alot actually and we just talk it up like old times! It was so crazy this past few days cause we have been teaching real investigators and so as we were teaching I asked her to read The Book of Mormon and she was just like um sure? Ohhhhhhhhh I felt like someone just shot me in the heart haha.  Another experience I've had is that we were teaching this communist/ atheist! But we asked her to pray to our Heavenly Father and ask for comfort and love and oh my GOSH.... I started crying cause she just was so sincere and polite. The spirit was so strong and she is an atheist (but i dont think anymore) :D Well forward this to friends and family (i mean everyone) I love you guys so much and thank you for all the love and support you have given me. Not going to lie it is tough receiving letters from everyone. But i know I will be comforted. I've been singing alot of hymns my new fav is Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing. Its not in the hymn book they took it out. :(

Well I'm about to do laundry I love you guyys! Tell everyone I love them and pray for them and think about them and also put there names in the temple!

Love Nick :) "


"Hey piddles and Justin!! Like I've wrote home it has been great! I miss you and love you guys and I thank you for all the support. Thanks for the dear elder non sense haha ;) jk ! how are things with you guys? i pray all the time for you 2 !  Thank you so much (tell mom and dad cause i forgot)(im dumb haha) thanks for the packages! I love drinking that dang Muscle Milk good shiz right there! Well first weeek done siiisss and bro in law. It's flying  by I"ll let you know if anything comes up! P Days Wednesday!

Love you guys!

Elder Nick Bradshaw"