Just the beginning...

If you love Brad and want to follow his mission through his e-mails, here's the place to do that.  He entered the MTC on September 2, 2009, had a harried but terrific three weeks, and has just arrived in Tulsa to have the serious mission stuff begin.

His MISSION ADDRESS is

5215 East 71st Street, Ste. 300,
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136 

He would love letters, packages, etc. from all who are interested in corresponding with him.  We'll also update his apartment addresses as we know about them.


We'll post his letters as they come, and here are the catch-up ones from the MTC:


September 9, 2009:
Well, the MTC has been an amazing experience. I've learned so much in just one week. I'm working really hard and evert day is day where the Spirit lingers and testifies to everyone.


My district is a great bunch of elders. There are just eight of us, but we are very hard working and obedient. Only five of us are going to the OK, Tulsa Mission. The other three are heading to the CAL, Sacramento Mission. They all have such strong terstimonies of the Gospel and of the Atonement. I learn so much from them, my teachers, my Branch Presidency, and of course the Holy Ghost. I thought I understood the Gospel when I first came here, and I did to an extent, but the atmosphere here is so much different. I love being here, and it's actually kind of bitter-sweet when I leave in a couple of weeks. My companion's name is Elder Manser and he's a great guy. He's very logical when it comes to the Gospel. I have come to care for him like a brother, as with the rest of my district.

Yesterday, we had Elder Richard G. Hinckley come and speak to us with his wife. He has such a great sense of humor, but he also is a very powerful speaker. He spoke to usa about the Articles of Faith and Four Things We Need to Know as Missionaries: Personal Worthiness, Hard Work, Obedience, and Faith with Testimony. It was so powerful to hear the words of a Seventy. Fast and testimony Sunday was also a "spiritually draining" day. At Mission Conference, the MTC Presidency spoke with their wives.

Well, I have to go get my laundry really fast so another email will be coming after I finish.

I love all of you and I'm praying daily for each of you.

With love,
Elder Fellows

September 16, 2009:
Hi everyone,


I wanna thank everyone for their amazing letters! Keep 'em coming. I love hearing what's going on in your lives and the spiritual experieneces all of you have. I love you all very much and I pray for you that all of you can be happy and healthy in your daily activities.

This week has been an awesome experience at the MTC. Last night, we got to hear from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland!!!! It was too good to be true. I had the oppportunity to sing in the chopir, and we sang the song that James E. Faust wrote, "He is the Christ". He spoke for an hour and a half about how important our missions are to not only the people that we serve, but to our family and ourselves. He now might very well be my favorite apostle...but everyone else is a close second. I took almost three pages of notes! I just couldn't get enough of his words. His wife is an amazing presence as well. She has such a strong testimony and a sweet sweet spirit. At one point, he said, "I could stay here all night and speak to you about your missions...", and at that moment, my first thought was, "I'M READY, keep talking, I"LL STAY ALL NIGHT!!!" If it had been possible, I would loved to hear him talk for hours on end.

I also had an humbling experience in one of our TA's(Teaching Appointments). Elder Manser and I taught a volunteer whose charcter was an inactive member of the church, and she felt like her life was not going well at all. So we spoke what words were prompted by the Spirit. Almost an hour later, she went out of character and said, "I can't believe I'm feeling this way" The Spirit was so strong in that room. We spoke to her about how God has given us a way to repent, and we spoke of the Atonement. My companion saidm, "The Spirit was so strong in there, I thought it would blow the door off the hinges!" I loved her sweet spirit and my companion's faith in Christ. I walked out of that room feeling as though all of us had been taught something great.

Well, I leave next week to Tulsa and I'm way excited! I'm so thankful for the Gospel and for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have a challenge to all my family. Read Alma 39-42. I believe those are the chapters that Alma is speaking to Coriantum. I fgelt that you all would benefit greatly from that and from Alma 11-15. Those are the chapters with Alma and Amulek.

I love all of you and I'm praying constantly for all of you.

Sincerely,
Elder Fellows