Week 93- Elder Knowlden is going to be a trainer

District Council Elder Gardner and Reed

Baseball Stadium near our apartment

Elder Woods and Elder Madison and my companion Elder Maldonado

Week 93 7-27-20
     Well once again it's been a pretty slow week! But a couple things that happened is we did exchanges with both the Ashford Elders and the Westerly Elders! Thursday morning Elder Woods had a doctor's appointment done here in Norwich, he is currently up in Ashford. His companion Elder Madison has been out of state with in the past 2 weeks so he couldn't go in with him, so one of us needed to go in with him. We made some calls and they ended up coming over for exchanges for the night and stayed over so in the morn hoping we could take them to the appointment, It was pretty fun! Friday we had our final District Council of the transfer and had a great training on "The Restoration ". Friday night we had virtual exchanges with the Westerly Elders, I spent 90 mins with both Elders to check in on them. That was basically our week!
     Sunday night we had a pretty cool mission wide meeting! Starting Wednesday we are officially in phase 1 of re opening! We can do 10 hours of service (has to be through "Just Serve"). We can do lessons at the Chapel if people want to meet in person, we can have District Council and Zone Conference in person! We can also have 1 in person District P-day per transfer! To end the night we got transfer texts and I will officially be training starting Wednesday! I am so stoked for this new opportunity ahead of me!


     Today I simply wanted to bare my testimony on the Book of Mormon!  I have read the Book of Mormon 6 times so far on my mission, over 10 times in my life. I am also currently reading through the Holy Bible, these two wonderful scriptures fit like a puzzle piece and they truly testify of Christ. The Bible talks about Christ’s ministry in the eastern hemisphere while the Book of Mormon talks about Christ’s ministry in the western hemisphere! As I have read it many times I get added conformation that it truly is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and I always feel love from my Savior when ever I read from it! I know it's TRUE, I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

A slower week

Norwich District Council

Norwich Ct with Elder Madison and Elder Woods

Fun Waterfall Norwich

Norwich District Council

Elder Brayden Knowlden

Week 92 July 20th 2020
     It has been an interesting week for sure! Monday morning we took our car in to have a scratch fixed. We ended up needing to reschedule so we could be able to be with someone that has a car. Wednesday through Friday we the Westerly Elders came up to basically drive us to the Chapel and back. Our apt doesn’t have the best WIFI so it was very helpful! As of Thursday we no longer are over the Ashford Ward, because there are enough missionaries to cover the area!
     We haven't had to many lessons this past week, we still are having good daily lessons with John and he still has a lot of good questions. We have met with Brett and said our goodbyes because he is in Ashford. We had another Good lesson with Jesse about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We met with Sister Cimino to share a message, it was awesome because she is a less active member! We also met with the Allred family. We also had a good lesson with out friend Peg and we talked about the Book of Enos.
     Friday morning a car was finished so we picked up the car and hit the Chapel for studies and then had District Council! Elder Maldonado gave a good training on "Preparing those we teach for Baptism ". On Saturday we drove halfway and gave the Ashford Elders the extra set of keys we had for their area. We then hit up our Chapel to have WIFI for a training with the Zone Leaders for all the District Leaders in our zone.

     Honestly I have been pondering all week on what to share and nothing. At times this happens, but as I just started to type away I am reminded of the story of "The Brother of Jared". The Brother of Jared had so much faith he was able to see the Finger of the Lord! This helped him understand that The Lord had a body of flesh and bone! This is not what I want to share though. The Brother of Jared had three questions when he and his people were trying to cross the great waters. Number one "How will we get there?". Two "How will we get fresh air?" (their ships are describes basically as two plates put together, the one on top is upside down), and question three " How will we have light?". With this the Lord answered in three different ways! The Lord told the Brother of Jared to trust Him, the second He gave him the answer, and the third way was telling him to do what he thinks will work and come back to me. Basically the third way is Christ putting the trust in him! At times we have many questions and go to the Lord in Prayer and we feel as if we haven't been answered.  I invite you to look at what is around you, The Lord answers our prayers in many ways!

99 days left to serve my Mission

Norwich Ct. Exchanges with Elder Reid

Norwich Ct Elder Shearer & Atwood and my companion

Hit my 99
Week 91 7-13-20


     Slowly we are seeing the work progress! We had a couple exchanges this past week. I was with Elder Shearer in Wednesday and Elder Reid on Friday. Both of them are amazing missionaries and I am glad I am able to serve around them! Saturday morning we made our way down to the Groton Chapel to meet the Westerly/Groton Elders, so I could sign the baptismal interview sheet along with dropping off baptismal suits! It was pretty fun just to get a change of scenery!
     We continue to have our daily calls with John, helping him with his understanding of the Book of Mormon. We also started teaching two new people, one for each ward! While making a ton of calls and sending texts, earlier in the week we called a man named Danny, when we did so he mentioned that he had a feeling we were going to be calling today! It was pretty cool and we had a good conversation with him! We hope to talk with him again soon.
     The biggest change happened Saturday night, we found out about more reassigned missionaries coming into the mission. There will be two companionships added to the New London Stake (the zone I am in). Sadly the District will be split and I will still be the District Leader over Ashford and the Westerly/Groton Elders. Sadly this coming week I will no longer be over Ashford as an area of service. On the bright side we can now be allowed to attend Sunday services in person!! (Only if the ward you are in is having it). We were able to join the Ashford Ward for a short Sunday service, it was so awesome to be able to be back!

     This week I wanted to focus on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When I was In the MTC my companion at the time Elder Ethan Bond said something that I haven’t forgotten "You cannot use the atonement for good until you use it for bad". The Atonement, Christ’s Sacrifice for us to be able to be forgiven of our sins, flaws, mistakes, acts. We are all human and we will make mistakes. I've made plenty and I know that I will make many more throughout my life, but that's okay! I am so happy to have a Father in Heaven that gave up his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ so that we can be able to live with Him again.

4th of July Week

Norwich CT 4th of July 2020

Norwich CT District and Zone LEaders

Norwich CT Exchanges with Elder Gardner & Ried

My Mission President and Wife

Norwich Ct. Ashford Chapel

Norwich Ct Moving Elders 

Norwich CT Zone Leaders Elder Acker & Alexander

Happy 4th of July

Week 90 7- 6-20 4th of July

     This week was pretty good, still have done a ton of texting people that were taught in the past along with members, just trying to set up appointments to keep us busy! We had a few good lessons as well! Also Happy Independence Day Weekend! I hope y'all had fun! I ate half of a watermelon!
     As usual we call John every night to read the Book of Mormon, we also met with Sister Lori Egdbird (she bought us Olive Garden this week!) That's it for members. We also had lessons with Gabby and Peg, we are trying to set up more appointments, so hopefully the coming weeks will get busier.
     Monday we played some Golf and I totally missed my first hit! We had a Zone P-day and played the game Mafia, basically It’s Werewolf. Both Wednesday and Thursday we had virtual exchanges, on Wednesday I was with Elder Acker (my Zone Leader) here in Norwich, and on Thursday I was in Westerly with Elder Gardner. It was cool to get to know both of them better. Sunday we decided to head to the Ashford Chapel to check it out, it was pretty fun we ended up having Interviews today because President is just so busy! All I know is I am most likely becoming a "Micro Zone Leader". It just means I am going to have a large District! Six companionships including mine. In the coming weeks we are getting more reassigned missionaries and they need apartments to stay in. Our complex had two open apartments that are good for food & Spanish areas! Sooo stay tuned! Before we came home I did a squat to pick up my stuff off of the ground and my suite pants ripped to where it can’t be fixed!
     My message this week is "Being a Shepard". One thing I find amazing in the Church is the efforts on "ministering" to others. It reminds me of a lesson/story I learned from a previous companion of mine, Elder Johnson. (I can't remember the country) so let's say I'm Egypt there was a farmer and he noticed that a very high up person had hit one of his sheep. Now this farmer had two choices he could accept the rulers money that was worth 10 sheep, but if he accepted it, the farmer would have to sacrifice the hurt sheep.
     This farmer who could really use the money did not accept it.  He took this hurt sheep back to the farmhouse and nurtured it back to health! Just as this farmer is, this is who Christ is! Christ dies not to give us away for menial things, No, He knows us by name, he (the Savior) takes us back to the fold and nurtures us back to full health! We should do the same, when we see that someone is hurt, let us not just " shove it under the rug". We should reach out to them letting them know that they are loved and cared for.  Each and everyone of us are so important to God, He loves us more than we can ever comprehend! If you need someone to talk to, send me an Email, I will help you out! (See email below) I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
     My email is brayden.knowlden@missionary.org

The power of Personal Revelation

The little Church we visited

Elder Maldonado my new companion in Norwitch Ct

Norwitch Ct Elder Gardner & Elder Reed and Elder Maldonado

Brother Moseley dropped off food

Week 88 June 29th 2020

     It's been a week full of contacting people and trying to set up lessons. Every night we call and talk to John, a recent convert and we read the Book of Mormon with him. One thing Elder Maldonado and I have started is on Wednesday afternoons we will call and have short comp study with Elder Hodgkinson! We also had Zone Conference and it was pretty cool because it was just our Zone. The focus was on finding, member work and building companionship love and unity. We have met with a few more members and had some members order dinner for us.
     We were able to have a lesson with a few people we are teaching, Peg, Anthony, Gabby, and Todd. They all went really well! We also had a few good member visits where we shared a brief message and got to know them more, the Browns, Sister Boulanger, Sister Covey (a new member),the Owen's family (they seem so fun and amazing !),Sister LeChausse, we were also able to meet Brother Mosley (dropped off dinner for us.
     Over the weekend we had an awesome District Council training on "Our Purpose and how it is still the same". On Saturday we made a rode trip to drop off some supplies (pamphlets and Book of Mormon’s) to the Elders in my District.  We had Haitian Créole for Westerly and English for Quaker Hill. While in our travels we went to a Walmart and they had the Camera I want, a Cannon EOS Rebel T100, So I bought it! While at the Quaker Hill apt I tried to make my 13 min cake and the microwave broke... they will need to call in and get a new one from the mission office. Later that night we did a Bible drop off and turns out it was at a place where they were about to have Bible studies. They told us it had to be around 6. So we were able to meet Pastor Paul and here a little sermon, I guess you could say. It was interesting but really cool, we read John 3:16 and we also talked about how the Holy Ghost is the teacher! Definitely an experience I will never forget!
 

                          My message

     This week will be a little different because there isn’t as much to do in the area. The whole district had some slow areas, but I just wanted to share a message about Personal Revelation.  Earlier in the week I was praying in bed just having a conversation with Heavenly Father. At least for me I could feel as He truly was listening and he was responding! I had a few questions on how I can Improve as a District Leader and what to share with an Elder in my District to prepare for an exchange. I got a clear answer to go look at a talk. I was told to look at the 15th talk that Elder Holland gave at General Conference. As I listened to it the next morning it helped me personally along with having new insights to help the ones I am teaching! I will he having exchanges with Elder Gardber this upcoming week.
      Revelation and personal revelation is so important to our spiritual growth! When revelation is given to our leaders it is for them to best help us, and everyone they are over. On the other hand when we receive our own promptings from the spirit that is "Personal Revelation" and it is meant to help us in our own spiritual growth! How everyone receives it can be different. For me, I have had many times where I have heard a voice. I remember back in April 2018 I was in the car with my Mom and I felt prompted to tell her that I am the one that needs to pay for my Mission. By this time I had saved up enough money to do so! Because of this experience it has made my mission so much more meaningful to me and it had strengthened my desire to serve the Lord. More importantly, I am on My Mission to help others come to know for themselves the Truthfulness of this Church.
      I know that in my life I have had many promptings that I have followed that have helped me come closer to my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon truly is the Word of God! I know that Joseph Smith truly did see God the Father and his son Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove, and I know that he was called to be the prophet to help restore Christ’s New Testament Church here on the Earth today.  Finally I know that President Russell M. Nelson is the prophet today and he leads Christ’s Church through revelation from Christ ! I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.