Elder Brennan Baer: Singapore Mission: Schedules and so forth

Hi all,

Wow, Halloween sounds like it was a success! I loved seeing those pictures of your spooky dinner and pumpkins! It looks like it was a lot of fun (and very classy.) Nice work! Who went Trick-or-Treating this year?

Multi-Stake conference looks like it was a big deal. There are a lot of people! and Elder Perry. Wow. I hope that day wasn't as super-hectic as I'm guessing it was.

You asked me to send you a more specific idea of what I might do each day? Well...

7:00 - Wake up, exercise (thanks for the stretchy bands, they are great!)

7:30 Eat breakfast/race Elder Black to the shower, dress, get ready for the day, start laundry.

8:30 Begin Personal Study at my desk, usually Preach My Gospel and the Scriptures

9:30 Begin Companionship Study - Elder Black and I read from Preach My Gospel and the missionary training book. We do whatever needs to be done to prepare us for the day's teaching.

11:30 Begin Language Study - I read aloud from the MTC Chinese grammar and vocab books

12:30 Lunch - I'm trying to turn away from Nutella sandwiches and cook more rice or baby pasta or vegetables or some untried mix of those.

Elder Black and I, sitting to teach a lesson

1:00-1:30 leave home and begin proselyting. After that, the days get a little more interesting and diversified. We will schedule times to meet investigators and members at the church (about a 10 minute walk from the apartment.) When we're not teaching, we will try to schedule time to visit members or investigators at their homes or workplaces. We have district meetings at the church once a week, and English class on Thursday nights. We will attend family home evening with the YSA ward (actually about 2 people show up, and we're thinking there are better ways to spend prime evening time on Mondays. We'll see if it's worth resurrecting.)

Eating in Chinatown

Sometime about 5:30 eat dinner wherever the MRT has taken us. *side note: Usually I can get a big plate of rice and chicken and veggies for about $4. I get $600 a month for travel, food, and groceries, so it's not to bad at all. I'll spend under $30 per week on groceries, and a couple dollars on emails.*

7:00 there are often lessons with investigators in the evenings, but if not, we'll go contact people on the MRT or the bus and try to pass out copies of the Book of Mormon, or look for service opportunities.

9:30 return home, plan, write in journal, shower, get ready for bed, remember that all the laundry was left in the washer all day, wash it again, switch it to the dryer, etc.

11:00 crash onto my mattress.

In between all of these activities - PRAY. I realize just how much I need the Lord's help to do His work. I've been called to do it, but I could still do a botch-up job if I didn't seek His direction. I had another testimony building experience with prayer this week as the Lord helped us relocate two lost investigators - actually kind of a boring story, but it was important to me. Heavenly Father really does hear and answer prayers, which is something completely new to many people we teach. I'm glad I've grown up in a home where prayer is a priority, and where I could develop a testimony at an early age - it's really helping me now! I pray for you and for grandparents and cousins and everyone always!

Love,

Brennan

P.S. I don't have much time, but tell Chase thanks for the picture and congratulations! (wait, was he just baptized this week? )

[Mom's note: Molly was baptized this week. When he has a minute to look at the photo we sent, he'll not be confused any more.]