May 27th, 2014

Well I should start off by saying I have been banished to  Kamiah, Idaho.  Kamiah is boonieville!  Like worse than Republic, and that is not even the worst part.  Actually the best part  is my area isn't even in Kamiah that's just where our church building is! We have three towns in our area; Clearwater, Stites, and Harpster. The biggest is Stites and there's 262 people in it!  We live in a town of like twenty people! Legitimately the boonie'est area of the mission.  All in all I am doing great though.  Good people and no straight roads, all mountain roads and all right along the river! My Companion is Elder Baczuk pronounced bay-zik is pretty cool normal kid from Utah.

I hit my year mark this week that's a weird feeling,eh?!  I hear the second half flies by so I'd better just hold on to my britches and keep going. 

Who the heck knows what the next year holds, I could get an actual banishment to the city (Spokane) again or I could get put with a weird-o!  For now I will count my blessings that I am in the boonies and with some one I don't have to drag to do missionary work.  I will say this getting transfered to a new area is weird.  When I left Republic I felt like I was leaving from home and going on my mission again, having to relearn everything and say my good-bye's and such.  But, its great.  I love the work and love the people. We have two on dates for the 14th so that will be a good day.  You all have a good week!  

Thanks for all the letters!!

Love Elder Braman

 Church clothes to service clothes in a flash!! 

 The local grocery store. 

Elder Baczuk 

May 19th, 2014

Hi kids!  I hope ya'll had a great week!  I had a sweet last week here in Republic. I am am getting transferred to Kamiah, Idaho.  I am going from the top of the mission to the very bottom!  My new companion's name is Elder Baysick, I think or Basic, either which way I've never met the kid. I guess I will be training him so that will be neat!  Poor Elder Padilla I am leaving him here, sad day I tell ya!  Sorry to all those who emailed me today I wont be able to email ya back, maybe I will get to it tomorrow, who knows. Today I got to many irons in the fire and not enough hands (or even feet) to use them all!  I have had a great run here in Republic though. Awesome people, a fantastic branch family and to many good memories to count!  Its hard to leave in a way because there's so many great people here but I know the next area will hold new adventures and new people to teach the gospel to!  I know I have to come back here to visit.  Republic holds a dear part in in my little heart. I venture to say I will never forget about it, my testimony and conversion have been strengthened here and I have learned a lot and seen a lot! 
The people here have been and a great example to me, I will miss them very much! 
Now on to the next adventure,eh?

Talk to you all soon,
Love ya tons! 
 Elder Joshua Braman

May 12th, 2014

Greetings all you people who love and adore me enough to read this !!
And that weird person reading this off Facebook who I don't even know or know of, to all of you I say, Hello!!  I would like to start off with an announcement, transfers are in a week, dun dun dun... so after being here for 7 1/2 months I am probably leaving so please don't send any mail to PO Box 784 Republic. Instead send your letters to the 802 S. Pines Address. I just figured I would give you that info because I know your all dying to send me mail!   For reals the rumors are true, out a year no celebratory mail to congratulate me, but oh well I have cried through that one long ago, its okay really I don't have all the time to write letters any way, but then again I do sooo....... 

I'm dropping hints.   

Well another week in Republic good times, crazy times, and fun times , and never a dull moment!  This week we scheduled a appointment with someone for morning coffee on the condition they provided some coco for us, hey whatever gets us in the door right!?  It turned out to be a great lesson and they hopefully will read what we gave them and feel the spirit :) . Pat, one of our investigators, came to church this week all fancied up black tie boots and vest. He said he figured it was mothers day so he oughta dress up .. But I really know it was to impress the lady's! 

This week is going to be crazy we have was to much on our plates and not enough time, I swear that's how it goes . We have everything from lessons to butchering sheep to splitting wood to less active lessons to member lessons!!   And count 'em,  THREE dinner appointments this week ya that's a record!! What do ya do though, its a branch so that's a huge deal. I guess everybody wants to feed ya when they know you could be leaving .  All in all looking forward to this coming week already booked and there is always the people who call the day of or day before so that mixed with some cancellations, this should be a another full week :)  

This week we got Amish hats.  Real Amish made straw hats and they were free so, double win!!  We got to see a hundred year old school house, too.  One can see Republic has a wide variation of things to do from hikes to rock climbing to historic sites to hunting fishing and boating to finding fossils to mines.  Well just a lot lets put it that way .

Well kids take care have great week do something wild and off the wall but don't do anything I wouldn't do! Remember to always drink your milk and wear your safety belt an say grace before all your meals...... 

For this weeks Quote.  
“Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to
self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power.” 
― Clint Eastwood

Which is actually a good one expect  I don't think little old Clint has ever heard of Teaching by the spirit .. That's actually real power!  

Love you all! 
Stay crazy!

Elder Joshua Braman

 I repaired this sign for our landlord who owns this restaurant and we live right about this restaurant. 

 Amish hat and I in front of the old school. 

April 14th, 2014

Ladies and Gents,  
I have slacked the last two weeks, so today I shall start off with what I thought to be my last week in Republic. With transfers coming up we made a last ditch effort to see all the people and say hi and bye, I have been in Republic for 6 months now and was sure I was leaving which I was slightly okay with but in all reality I really wanted to stay.  The week went way to fast with General Conference two of our days plus a Zone Conference taking up another day, we had a mad dash to see every one.  We used the ''I could be leaving'' trick to help us get in to doors. We had great lessons and most of all of our Investigators, as we observed, have been doing well and progressing and as they say "feeling good" (Spirit ) so really no complaints!  Well minor ones but I shall not be picky as the 11th commandments says!   End of the Week started with General Conference and holy cow talk about amazing!!  There was some great talks given some of my favorites....      

Saturday Sessions 

 The Cost and Blessings of Discipleship by Jeffery R Holland. 

Spiritual Whirlwinds  by Neil L Anderson. 

Let Your Faith Show by Russell M Nelson 

What are You Thinking?  by W. Craig Zwick  

Priesthood Session
The Keys and Authorities of The Priesthood by Dallin H Oaks
Are You Sleeping Through The Restoration By Dieter F Uchtdorf
The Priesthood Man  by Henry B Eyring
BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE  by Thomas S Monson---way good :) 

Sunday Sessions
Grateful in Any Circumstances  by Dieter F Uchtdorf
Fear Not  I Am With Thee by Jean A Stevens
Your Four Minutes by Gary E Stevenson
Bear up Burdens With Ease  by David A Bednar
Obedience Through Faithfulness  by L. Tom Perry 

I know that is a lot of talks to like, but I really did enjoy them and learned tons. Most of those talks we have used in lessons and street contacts, along with a lot of talks from 2013 October session.  I also have downloaded twenty or so other talks from other sessions,  I cant get enough of the talks!  Another one of my favorites is "Back to Gospel Basics"  By L. Tom Perry 1993 April session 

I encourage each of you to go back and listen to a few of your personal favorites,  its a great thing and I know what your saying "I don't have time for that...." but in all reality you can listen to them while you drive and eat lunch and during down times of the day. Lets take the advice of the Prophets and Apostle's councils and use our technology for good! For a few of our investigators this has made the difference . It has helped them to feel the spirit in there day more abundantly. I know as we lend an ear to the words spoken during this Conference our life's will seem to be better and we will actually be happier. 

Now on to this last week...... Service, service, and more service!  Which was great nothing wrong with that but on top of that we had some way sweet lessons,  the kind of lessons that we walk out of and high five and feel good for the rest of the day no matter what! One of our investigators, who has been slow in progression, exploded and I know that it is because he watched Conference. He talked of baptism,  just not quite ready yet which is perfectly okay. Another we put on date for Baptism for May 3rd along with his wife which we expected but not quiet like we expected. So lesson wise, we had another great week.

That is the spiritual side of my last two weeks . Physically doing good grateful to be here in Republic to do real service and enjoying the beauty of this place!  Its not quite Gods Country like I am used to, but still pretty sweet views and great people and over all just a great place to serve!!

I hope you all have a great week!
Love you all, take care and have a great week!!

Love Elder Braman  

 Cascade Falls 

 Bad picture of me but you can at least see I am alive and kickin'

Rainbow at Cascade Falls 

The top part of Cascade Falls  

April 28th, 2014

Men and Women everywhere,  please stay calm, please don't be awkward and remain seated!

Okay thanks,  just wanted to vent for a second.  This week was nuts, I have had crazy weeks, great weeks and bad weeks before, but this week was insane!  Up and down, dumb and great, and all that rain and heat.  It was like the week of polar opposites.  One investigator dropped us and said some bad stuff and what not, and then showed up at church normal and invited us over on Tuesday night!  The other investigators are doing great. Our investigators who have committed to baptism are doing good and working on quitting smoking. 

We went on exchanges this week, I stayed up here and Elder Horan came up here to Republic.  It was nice to have him as a companion again and do some work together and reminisce on the good old times.  And without sounding rude, it was great to have a companion who talks during the discussions and such. We got to talk to a lot of the people who he taught when he was here a year ago that he didn't keep record of so we got a few new investigators out of that. That day we had 15 lessons which is good for anywhere but the next day everybody canceled on us so now you see the polar opposites.   

I heard a few good quotes this week and so through out the next few emails I am going to share some of them.  For today my favorite is ''When the road looks rough ahead, remember the Man Upstairs and the word Hope. Hang onto both, and tough it out ''-- John Wayne

Good advice for all of us especially in these days .

The other day we were teaching a lesson (the Restoration to be exact) to a family and as we were teaching one of the little kids came in playing with dinosaurs. We kept teaching and then boom my brain clicked and I had the little kid help me teach the lesson with dinosaurs. We taught/acted out with dinosaurs the Great Apostasy Restoration and Book of Mormon it was so sweet and actually worked and the parents and kids understood it.  At the end the little kid goes to sit down and says ''see mom that's why I brought the dinosaurs''  Hahaha, it was so cute and way funny, best lesson ever !!!!!!!! 

I hope you all got some what of a chance to look over some Conference talks. I have learned some sweet stuff and have been able to teach it and use it in a talk and a bunch of street contacts.  

Mentally doing good, spiritually great, physically good, and missionary work is going great and I am truly loving every bit of it. I hope to stay another transfer in Republic for a few reasons but most of them just because Republic is sweet. I have learned a few things about myself this week and in the past, just thought maybe some of you would want to know this but most of you I will be preaching to the choir... so here they go.  Apparently I am slightly OCD and more stubborn then I thought I was.  I hate technology, slow drivers and people who hit there breaks to slow down going UP a mountain pass.  I could go on and on but I am trying to be less selfish!  haha
  

Anywho kids, have a great week, put life in the high gear and give her the onions!!

Have fun keep using those knees of yours and don't forget to be thankful. 

Take care and enjoy the spring time and God Bless!  

Love to all of you, 

Your favorite missionary! 

 Pictures are from a hike we went on last p-day on a old rail line up north of Grand Forks, Canada.  The cave is the tunnel that the train went through. 

 Elder Nash and I in another cave.

May 5th, 2014

Dear family, friends, freaks, fellow Americans and foreigners alike.
To my sisters, my parents, ward members, creepy stalker people, and associates, and lovers, and those people I just talk to but have no real connection with. To all of them, and you other people left over, I say hello!!

This week was Fast Sunday, we had some really neat and really great testimonies.  A brother in the ward stood up and told me I was next to bear mine after him, I was surprised but hey I didn't argue. All week I had been thinking about perspective and how many people are different.  I have also been thinking about agency (the power to choose) and how we use our agency and the effects it has on others. Obviously none of us try to negatively effect others but sometimes, due to our different perspectives, we might actually damage someone.  So how does one solve this conflict to know if, what, and how they are doing things the right way?  President Thomas S Monson said,  ''When God speaks and man obeys that man will never be wrong ''.  Pretty freaking cool!   So, we never have to worry if what we are doing is right as long as we follow Gods commandments.  Our perspectives? Well we wont have to worry about them because if we keep them at an eternal perspective then it will be easier to follow Fathers commandments. 

Had a great week loving the mission, still wild and crazy this week!  We had a drunk guy smell our ties!! Haha, it was so funny!!!!

Anywho, this was kinda short, I can't think of to much more right now. 
 Take care have a great week! 
God Bless!! 

Elder Braman 

   I made some home made from scratch, not a precooked bag  chicken wild rice "stuff".

 Super good and thick as mud! 

 View of the Colombian River from a high place, the water level is low   

 I think I was dancing at this point..

 Hahahah not what ya think..

Yes, snow on top of Sherman Pass, in May!