The End.

Well, the time has come...

my mission is coming to an end.

It's not something that's horrible really,

just a big change.

Don't get me wrong,

I am going to miss New York a LOT!

I mean I even bought this shirt

just because I am going to miss it so much!

I don't know what I'd do without these two years.

I don't know what I would do without meeting

all of the incredible people that I met!

They have taught me lessons that will bless me

for the rest of my life!

This isn't my quote but I love it, 

"Your call is less about geography and more about the relationships."

-Elder Hamula

It's SO TRUE.

Think about the millions of lessons you have learned 

from those around you.

And if you haven't learned millions of them

then you better start getting to know more people!

I know God will always give us what we need 

to be happy in this life when we follow Him.

I know because I chose to give him these last two years

He has made me happier than I have ever been.

Ever. 

If you are one of the many that made my mission what it is,

THANK YOU!

While I may not be able to keep in touch with all of you in this life,

we'll definitely talk in the afterlife. 

So until then, God Speed!

May you see His hand in your life every day

and make those choices so you can come to know Him,

and His son, your Savior, 

more and more each day.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

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A Warm Shower or Freezing Rain?

January and raining, never thought it would happen in New York!

It wasn't quite as wonderful as I thought it would be.

The temperature just above freezing it was raining

and cold. 

We spent the morning hauling logs outside 

and my companion quickly found out his jacket wasn't waterproof. 

The warm shower was more welcoming than ever before.

Sitting on the couch I was sad to say that neither of us

were very excited to get out in the rain again and knock on doors.

However knowing that we were on the Lord's time

we put our jackets on and headed out. 

Trying to look through the darkness and rain

we couldn't find the address we were looking for. 

A little discouraged and wanting to just talk to someone

I pulled the car over and parked in front of the nearest house.

We knocked on the door and lo and behold,

the man answering the door takes a Book of Mormon

and agrees to have us return to talk about it.

You know how grateful we were?

We got back in the car and started cheering and fist pumping!

Then of course we took the reverent moment

to give a prayer of thanks to Him who led us there.

Are you in that freezing rain?

It gets pretty cold.

Or are you singing and taking your time

in the warm steamy shower?

If we spend life in our comfort zone,

and not putting ourselves out there to help others

and to challenge ourselves,

we could very well turn into raisins under the warm water.

When you step out into that freezing rain

That miracle will come.

And as President Uchtdorf says,

"It will be glorious."

Think of a way you stay inside the warm shower

and make a change today to get out in that freezing rain!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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My Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

This is my second Christmas away from home!

It's easier than the first,

but I definitely still miss my family.

As I'm thinking about you and your travels later this month,

I can't help but not want to pack your bag with more gifts.

Make Rudolph's load a little lighter, you know?

This year my letter to you will be the top 10 gifts I've already received

and am very thankful for.

10. My Warm Socks- Winter is a lot more bearable when I can keep my feet warm. I'm sure you feel my pain flying through the skies on Christmas eve right?

9. Music! It invites the spirit like nothing else! Especially the spirit of CHRISTmas.

8. Scarf- The hand crocheted scarf is the perfect length to wrap around my head five times, once again makes winter that much easier! Plus It reminds me of the special elf that made it for me!

7. My iPad- Not only do I get to #sharethegift online but it also let's me save time on p-day and email at the laundromat. :D

6. Chance to serve a mission- Nothing that I've done has changed me for the better as much as this has. I wouldn't trade it for the world!

5. The Scriptures- they have carried me and redirected me when I needed it the most in my life. I don't know where I'd be without them.

4. Friends- Once again, don't know where I would be without those great influences around me.

3. Family- They mean the world to me. Each person has taught me lesson after lesson. I know that no matter what happens I have a group of people I can rely on and know they love me.

2. The Holy Ghost- I know what is true and where I need to go. It's like a compass that guides me and shows me the way. It testifies of God's love for me and for those around me, it allows me to be clean from my mistakes and be sanctified!

1. Jesus Christ- He is the Gift. My whole life revolves around His Atonement and I know that through Him I can return to live with my Heavenly Father again. Because of Him my life has a purpose! I know I can live with my family for eternity.

That is what I'm thankful for!

Oh and Santa?

Would you do us a favor?

Put one of these in everybody's stocking in Western New York,

I'm sure the elves will be able to help you make copies.

Thanks!!! :D

-Elder Bruner

ps. Here's the picture for this year! Thought I forgot about it didn't yah?

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Spiritual Giants

I often try to notice what I really look up to someone for and try to mirror it in myself.

As I've done this I realized that these characteristics fall under the characteristics of the Savior.

When we try our hardest to make our lives in line with the Savior's perfect example, we begin to become spiritual giants and are able to bless other's around us, here are some examples I have seen in my life:

Faith: Growing up Bishop Oldham was bishop of the ward (church congregation) and his unwavering faith was a great example to me. Even when things in  his life didn't seem to go as planned he still moved forward with a smile on his face, i'm sure he had times when he was down, but he never questioned the faith.

Hope: Click Here for the example.

Charity and Love: My Mother is a great example. Growing up I was not an angel child and I put her through a lot of hard times. However she always welcomed me back with open arms. A mother's love for her child is very similar to the love the Savior has for each and every one of us.

Virtue: My sisters have always been a great example of this. No matter what people say to them or what is going on around them they always stay strong because they both know who they are. They both know they're a daughter of God and that He loves them. They don't allow other thoughts not in line with their eternal nature to enter their minds.  They both have a testimony that blows me away every time.

Knowledge: I always love listening to my dad when he would give talks because he had studied out the scriptures in his mind and had a knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He knew of it's importance and made it apparent by his actions.

Patience: Nathan, a childhood friend, stuck with me through everything, no matter what I did! He had patience. He would spend time with the little kids and no matter how they acted he always loved them. No matter what, he was slow to frustrate and quick to love.

Humility: Our current mission president, President Francis, always relies on the spirit. He truly recognizes that without the spirit he wouldn't be able to do what the Lord has asked him to do. He truly is humble enough to align his will with the Lord's.

Diligence: My young men's president growing up, Brother Taylor, was always working hard at improving. He made it through a few years with us and kept with us the whole time. He was willing to work at loving, serving, and bettering us and himself in his calling at every moment. He diligently worked at being the best he could be.

Obedience: I recently taught someone who we would teach a principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ and he would accept it and immediately follow it to his best without questioning of it's truth. He knew that this was the restored gospel and that the Lord had commanded him to do it, so he did it!

Finding these traits in others made Christ come much more alive and real to me. He really did walk on this earth and led the perfect life for us.

Seek the traits and learn to apply them in your life.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

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Well it's Snowing...

It snowed! :D It was really exciting!

 Then it snowed again.

 and again.

  Then it got cold.

Can you feel the excitement diminishing?

However it made for a great conversation starter,

"So, what do you think of the snow?"

I've gotten a wide range of answers, there were two answers that reached the two ends of the spectrum however.

It's dandruff falling from the sky and it's angels feathers falling from heaven.

Pretty opposite huh?

However it's the same snow storm.

How do we see the snow? How do we see the events in our life?

True happiness doesn't come from changing events, but rather changing how you view them.

Be thankful for who you are and that YOU, YES YOU! Has a Heavenly Father that knows you and loves you.

He has a hand in our lives and always will lead us towards true happiness if we let him.

Most of us, who seek after good, do a pretty good job at this.

But do we thank him for it?

Do we thank him even for the snow storms?

Tonight, when you're on your knees, thank him and let him know how much you appreciate him.

He is our Father and loves to hear how much we appreciate him. We are his work and glory!

Let's take time this season and give Thanks.

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