7-19-16

The end of an adventure - and new ones begin...

This is Jed's Dad - it's been a privilege to act as editor in chief for my amazing son while he's been gone this last 2 years.  And what an amazing reunion last night.  Without question one of the highlights of my life - an unforgettable night.  I'm going to miss this blog - but on life goes.

We've had plenty of time to pick Jed's brain on all that happened - he's had the experience of a lifetime in Denmark - and truly loves the Danish people - he has so many well loved friends there.

He gave a wonderful mission report address last Sunday in our ward.  An amazing experience capped with a wonderful, miraculous story during the last 6 months of his mission in Slagelse, that involved his brother Ethan in Armenia.

Finally we are truly grateful for Jed's companions, local members and mission presidents for helping Jed have the experience of a lifetime, he couldn't have done it without you!

6-21-16 Hello for the last time...

Hey guys!!!

Sorry you didn't hear from me yesterday. I spent the entire day driving from Bornholm, through Sweden and then back into Denmark again!! It was such a fun road trip and we had tons of things to do on the way home like dropping off all of the different music and audio gear we had rented for the show, so I just didn't have time to email. But I'm alive and well!! Buckle in because this week was a good one!

So, Folkemødet. It was INCREDIBLE!! Such a great time. It was strange to be away from my area for such a long time, but it was definitely no vacation. In fact, I think that was the hardest working week of my mission. I must have talked to thousands of people each day. It was crazy! The music was a hit! I got to give my ''speech'' thing. We got soooo many referrals for the mission. It was just an unforgettable week. I would  come home each day just absolutely exhausted to the point that my body just could not move anymore... but it felt amazing!  I will send pictures for sure, but I don't think I'll ever be able to accurately describe how amazing it was!

Here are one of the many miracles we experienced: We spent tons of time and money renting and getting all of the band equipment, so I was very relieved when we finally got it all into the van and onto the ferry to Bornholm. Unfortunately, when we unpacked everything in Rønne to test it all out, we found that the electric guitar cable was faulty. It didn't work!! So we hopped on google and found the ONLY music store on the island of Bornholm and drove over there.

When we arrived to the place it was supposed to be at, we couldn't see any music store! So we parked the car and started looking around. We decided that we should just ask a local. Then Esther, the lady that was with us, said that she felt impressed that we should talk to this one man that she saw across the way. So we did. We asked him about the nearest music store and he told us that the only one in town shut down two weeks ago. He asked us why we needed the store. We told him about the cable. He said ''wait here, I'll be back in 10 minutes'' then he hopped on his bike and left... well, waited, and after 10 minutes he came biking back holding a guitar cable with his name and phone number taped to it and said ''call me when you're done with it!''...........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haha it was exactly what we needed to make the shows work! Miracle!

There were countless others, but I can tell you all about those next week when I see you all ;)

F* is 100% on track to be baptized this Saturday. He's so excited. He's already sharing the Gospel with all of his friends and family! More so than all of the other members combined! He's amazing!

It's so strange that this final week has actually come...it doesn't feel real. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I was driving on the train home from Copenhagen yesterday, contemplating the last two years, and I was hit with this massive wave of sadness. I could taste what it will be like to be gone and miss all of this. I don't want it to happen. But as I've come to learn, what I want isn't always what Heavenly Father knows is best for me. I know that he's got bigger and better things waiting for me when I leave all of this for a time. I look forward to the future. I'm optimistic. I realize now that all of this was just preparation for the next big thing, just like it always is in the great Plan of Happiness. I feel really good about the time I've had here in Denmark.

Do I have regrets? Yes. But none of them matter because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have far more good memories than bad. As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever really had a truly bad moment on my mission. The Lord has truly blessed me. He has formed me into the man I'm meant to be. 

Weird.... I don't know what else to say.

I really love you all. Thanks for reading these ridiculous emails these two years! I'll see you all next week!!!

Ældste Jed Bradshaw

6-13-16

Good morning everyone :)

I am currently sitting on the beautiful island of Bornhom!! Two days ago I hopped on a plane all by myself (such a big boy, right) and flew over here. I will be here for the next two days preparing and setting up for Folkemødet (an annual festival held here on the island) and then when the festival begins I will be playing with a band that I have put together to represent and bring attention to the church! I absolutely love it here! It's a beautiful place... it almost feels like a vacation getaway, although we're working as hard as ever to make sure it all goes well. We're expecting over 60,000 people to be there, so this could be a great opportunity for us. The church will also be holding a debate event on Thursday at which I have been asked to speak in front of thousands of politicians and press. The pressure is on!!

Yesterday I attended the branch here on the island. I spoke in sacrament meeting and the attendance was huge!! Tons of vacationers from America and what not. Really cool.

This last week before I got here was amazing though. Thursday was one of the coolest days of my mission! F's* girlfriend wanted to start taking the lessons, but she only speaks Spanish, Russian and Armenian..... well what do you know, my little brother speaks Armenian!! So we skyped in Ethan on the laptop and we were able to teach the first lesson together! (although he did most of the talking) It was just so cool! Two Elder Bradshaw’s teaching together. She loved the lesson and came to church again this Sunday. The Spirit was so strong and it was just so awesome to watch Elder Bradshaw teaching in Armenian! He's so good!

Anyway, I have to get going. Tons to do. Next week is my last email... weird.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Ældste Jed Bradshaw

6-6-16

Another great week on the scoreboard for Ældste Bradshaw! Do bad weeks even exist on my mission? No, no I don't think so. Unfortunately there are only 3 left... :(

Okay, so this last Monday we had Family Night with the young adults. It was a huge success! I think there were over 5 investigators there and then a bunch of member friends that we had never met before! It was awesome!

F's* girlfriend A* is in town now!! She's just fantastic! She's from Armenia and only speaks Armenian and Spanish, so all of our lessons with her are in my very very broken Spanish. Luckily I still remember how to say "God" and "Holy Ghost". The rest of it is pretty easy ;) Frank is back on baptismal date and it should be happening the weekend before I go home... but even if it doesn't, no problem. It will happen when he is ready. It's between him and God and nobody else.

Church was amazing this week! 3 investigators came and 2 of them should be getting baptized this month. It was fast and testimony meeting and F* got up to bare his testimony... well let me just tell ya. His testimony blew all of the other member's testimonies out of the water!! A member of the Stake Presidency was sitting on the stand and oh boy, you should have seen the shocked look on his face. He came up to me afterwards and asked if F* wasn't a Bishop from the states just playing a joke on us! It was a great day. Definitely an answer to my prayers.

Things are great here. I really only have a few days left of actual proselyting time because I leave for the music tour this weekend... things are coming to a close all too quickly. It's so surreal. It's weird because in the few beginning months of your mission you fantasize about how amazing it will be to come home again (and probably over romanticize). Then when it actually comes, you don't want it to end and it is nothing like what you expected. I don't want to leave Denmark, but I'm ready to get going with changing the world back home. I'm torn.

As Andy from the office said "I wish there was a way to know I'm in the good old days before I've left them." Enjoy the days you have everyone. All of them are good. God intended for it to be that way because God is good.

Have a great week!! Love you all!

Ældste Jed Bradshaw

5-30-16

Kære Alle Sammen,

It's been another great week! Remember that man P*? Well, he's on baptismal date now. Hopefully he'll go under the water 4 weeks from now. He's such a sweet old man. A real good Fella. 

Elder Murphy and I have been on splits with some of the Elders in the Zone that needed help with finding. I would like to share one quick experience with what happened two days ago while on the island of Amager. We had been doing some contacting all day long to help them get some new investigators, and nothing was really working. So, we had a rendezvous back at the apartment and talked about what we could do differently. We decided to try something different and creative. We grabbed my guitar from the car, practiced a few songs, then hit the streets again. We found a nice non-nude beach and walked around contacting people asking them if we could sing them a song :) It was great!!

People were loving it, but still people weren't so open for giving out any of their info. Then we contacted the last man of the day. It was him and his girlfriend. We quickly realized that they didn't speak Danish, so we switched to English and found out they were from Italy! We asked if we could sing them a song and they were so happy! They listened, then the guy said ''I know a little about you guys... do you have some time to tell me about your church? I love religions.''.... Sweet!! So we walked away from the boardwalk and sat on the beach for a good 15 minutes talking. He was so open and we talked for ages about the plan of Salvation. Then near the end he said ''thank so much for the song, I love music''.

I asked him if he played the guitar (he looked like he did ;) you can just tell) he said yes, so I handed him the Guitar and told him to start playing some blues in G. Boom! He started jamming out, then I pulled out my harmonica and we had a little jam session together!! It was great. We got his info and are sending him over to the missionaries in Italy. It's just great to see how music can brighten up people's day, especially the Hymns of the Lord. 

Anyway, that was my neat experience for the week. F's* girlfriend gets here tomorrow, so we're gonna start teaching her and get a double baptism! 

I hope you all have a great week! Remember how incredible you are! 

-Ældste Bradshaw

5-23-16

Dearest friends and family,

Happy Monday!! Things here in Slagelse are just great. My new companion's name is Elder Murphy and we're just getting work done! He's from California and has been on his mission for about 1 year now. We've only been together for 6 days, but we're already seeing miracles! We set a standard for ourselves that we will always find a minimum of 2 new investigators a week (but honestly we'll probably far exceed that) and always have at least 3 progressing investigators. If you don't know what those words mean, I recommend you as an RM.

This last Wednesday while walking on the cobble stoned streets of Slagelse, we were in the middle of a contact with these two younger ladies when out of the corner of my eye I saw a very familiar sight... and old 90 year old man shuffling one inch at a time down the street!! I instantly recognized him as one of the investigators that the ZLs had in this area back when I was in Nykøbing Falster that I had taught on splits several times. Back then he was very positive, but moved apartments and was never found again by the Elders.

Well, I left Elder Murphy hanging to finish the contact and ran over to him! He instantly recognized the white shirts and tags and could hardly contain himself! Haha his name is Paul and we have now taught him twice this week and he is very excited to attend church with us this weekend. It's crazy how the Lord guides us on our paths to lead us to those that we need to talk to. It doesn't just happen for missionaries though, I'm certain that the Lord is guiding all of us each and every day to a celestial destination. We just need to listen to His Spirit and we can follow that guidance. 

Otherwise, we have been in Copenhagen to attend mission leadership council. We discussed some really good things that I really think can help the mission. Big things are just around the corner!! Wait, no, big things are already here!! Great and marvelous things happen EVERY SINGLE DAY. It's wonderful! 

Okay, I best be off. Remember, you are NEVER too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. Do something amazing today. Christ, a God, came to earth as a man, so that we, as men and women, might become as God. We have soooooo much potential! Live up to it! 

I love you all.

Ældste Bradshaw

5-16-16

Hey everyone!!

Sorry, it's going to be a short one this week. Elder Gudmundson is now gone and on a plane to Iceland. My new companion gets here first thing tomorrow morning. Until then I'm being baby-sat by two Elders in the District, Elder Light and Elder Dibble (They're so awesome!!)

I can't believe it, but I am now well into my final transfer in Denmark... weird. This last week has been incredible. We have been visiting Frank and doing service for him in his yard. He hasn't missed a Sunday yet and is still on track for his date next weekend :) he's so amazing. I wish you could all meet him.

But yeah... I have to get going, but remember that God is your Father and wants you to have the best week possible!!!! Make it a good one! Seize the day!! Throw away your TV! Climb a mountain! Start your own business!! Call that special someone... Pray to God for the first time in who knows how long! Do something epic, okay?

I love you all,

Ældste Bradshaw