MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Friday, April 2, 2010

Elder Bradley Keith Sherwood was on a flight home to AMERICA after honorably serving a full-time 2-year mission. Our family was just a wee bit excited, if you couldn't tell, ha! We were so anxious to see our son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, grandson, cousin, and nephew.

The whole family plus Grandma Riggs, Grandma & Grandpa Sherwood, Aunt Alma, Golden, and Becky arrived at Sky Harbor airport on Phoenix, Arizona and anxiously watched for his flight information.

As soon as we knew his flight had arrived safely, Mom & Dad were perched at the very closest step they could be without security getting after them. Mom had announced days prior that she got the first hug and made sure we all knew that rule. :)

It seemed like we saw about 1,000 people pass by {whom we all greeted to America with the "Welcome Home" banner, haha}, but still no sign of Elder Sherwood. Every man in a suit and tie was spotted & then announced it wasn't him, and we later found out that Brad purposely was the very last person off the flight.

So after about 15 minutes of staring through the crowds of people, we got the first glimpse!!

It was finally Elder Sherwood!

Mom could hardly stand herself... :)

After Mom & Dad got their hugs, we all screamed and threw our arms around our SKINNY Elder Sherwood! That was the main thing everyone commented on- just how much weight he had lost in the recent months, and how tall he looked.

The 5 siblings reunited! No new nieces or nephews were born, but Alisse was pregnant with Lucy, and Shalae had a new husband (Russ) and 3 new step-daughters (Tayler, Kaitlyn, & Sophie)!

 Besides his 5 girls (4 sisters & Mom), these 5 little people were probably who Brad missed the most! Riggs was now 11, Jaxen 9, Ellie 6, Noah 5, and Roxy almost 4 years old. They sure missed their Uncle Brad and talked about him everyday of the 2 years he was gone!

And the whole crowd welcoming home our Elder Sherwood:

After the airport, we headed over to eat lunch at Bradley's request of his first "food American"... Texas Roadhouse!

He was so happy to have dressing on his salad, root beer, and food besides unseasoned rice and beans!

Alisse made this sign for him that we posted at the front of the neighborhood by Mom & Dad's house on Hampton and 32nd street. Funny thing is Google Translator led us astray and Brad said this didn't even mean Welcome Home in Portuguese, haha!! Oh well, it was the thought that counted, right? :)

After his first American meal in 2 years, we headed back to Mom & Dad's house where Bradley shared some souvenirs he brought back from Brazil for us. Brazilian currency, soccer jerseys, Brazilian flag towel, as well as drinks and sweets.

It was so fun to see and hear what is important and valued to the people of Brasil, and to hear Brad struggle just a little bit with some English words. :)

Just after that, Mom, Dad, and Brad headed over to the Stake Center for him to be released as a full-time missionary by President Clint Smith. A very bittersweet experience for all, I'm sure.

Brad took a nap after that, and I'm pretty sure watched some episodes of Smallville, haha. :)

Later that night, we had a get-together to celebrate Brad's homecoming at my parents' house. We didn't take many pictures, but there were many family members and friends who came (and all had to comment about how SKINNY he was!). We had a digital frame set up with all his pictures from the mission scrolling for people to see. It was so nice having him HOME!

 That weekend was General Conference, so Bradley got to relax and actually watch conference on TV at home. The next Sunday was both he & Elder Drew Romney's homecoming talks in Harmony Park Ward, Kimball Stake in Mesa, Arizona. We watched these boys grow up from babies to now returned missionaries. Needless to say, there were some VERY proud sisters and parents in the congregation eating up every word these two (now) men had to say about their amazing experiences in Mexico and Brazil. Especially proud were the Moms, of course. :)

What a relief it was to have Elder Brad Sherwood home safely. We know our family was so blessed and kept safe during the 2 years he was gone because of his sacrifice to serve The Lord. His selfless time in Brazil was such a great experience for all of us- our first immediate family member to serve a mission (because he was the only brother & the youngest). His testimony strengthens each of ours & we are SO PROUD to call him our Returned Missionary!

Email 3/31/10

Email Received March 31, 2010
7th Area: Mossoró- Belo Horizonte

13th Companion: Elder Küster

me & lohman- mission office

awesome

edu

luan

my last zone

MY TIME HAS FINALLY COME.....




yep, that's right, my mission has come to an end, and this is my last email ever.

---my song of the week: "Home" by Michael Buble

---my scripture of the week: "The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:6-7)

---my quote of the week: "I'm going home... But it feels more like I'm leaving home." (Other Side of Heaven)



first, to report on this last week, we did have our baptisms (see pictures) and everything turned out great. it is kind of annoying that i won't be here to see the progress and baptism of that guy Adeilson, but i know it will all work out and one day he´ll be a bishop. i did a lot of dinners and saying goodbye to members and investigators and all that stuff, and left Mossoró on sunday after church. so... what have i been doing the past few days? traveling and visting people i have known or baptized for the past 2 years.



the past 2 or 3 days have probably been the happiest of my entire mission, and maybe of my entire life. i arrived in Natal on sunday, and stayed there that night, all of monday, slept monday night, and almost all of tuesday. during my time there, i talked to so many people again, and what made me happiest of all was the families i baptized that are still firm in the church and happy. i visited Daniel and Andréia and their kids, Arnaldo and Jarluce and their boys, Washington and Estela and their family, and probably best of all, was Inaldo and Salete and their daughter. there were others too but seeing these families again was like nothing i have ever experienced, seeing the change in them and the progress they have made, their preparation for the temple, their joy, and them thanking me for it..... i have never felt anything like the way i have in these last couple days, and i am certain that there exists no greater happiness in this entire world.



i got on the bus and came here to João Pessoa last night, and this morning we had our final interviews with President Fernandes. it was really good and he gave me a lot of inspired council for my future, and my life upon returning home. today we have the day to do whatever we want, so me and Elder Lohman are running around the city having some fun. tonight will be our final dinner and goodbye in the president´s house with him and the sister, then tomorrow we will go through the temple in Recife and get on our plane home. i will get there friday morning and go to lunch with the family, and i would like to ask for a few hours at home on friday afternoon to rest and get things organized, but then everyone is invited to come over on friday night. i look forward to seeing you all and speaking english. by the way, throughout my mission i have been studying spanish and speaking a lot with the foreigners, so i am gonna come home speaking 3 languages. also, i have been studying italian for the past few months so i am gonna see where i can go with that. but anyway, i think english will be the one i will have to study the most for now-- its so weird to speak it!



i can't really explain my feelings on finishing my mission, but i am happy for the work i have done and the opportunities i have had, for how much i have learned and grown. i feel exactly like Nephi did in 2 Nephi 33, when he is saying goodbye to a people he had served and grown to love. i had already read that chapter several times before, but i read it again recently and it hit me really hard, especially verse 7, when he says that he has charity for his people - that is how i feel with the people i have served and taught here in Brazil, and hope that my work here has made it so i will be able to, as Nephi says, "see many of them spotless at the judgement seat at the last day."



see you and sky harbor

-Elder Sherwood

Celebrate Good Times, C'mon!

For Brad’s friends & family who have not yet heard…



Bradley will, indeed, be coming home THIS Friday, April 2nd!


You are invited to the Sherwood home that evening (4/2/10) at 6:00 pm for treats.
Questions, call 480-832-3125.


Feel free to pass along the word & help us welcome Elder Sherwood home!
(can't believe it's time to actually write that sentence!!)

Email address change!

Email received 3/24/10

**2 items of news......

#1- the church´s email system was updated, so they gave me a new email address, which is: bradley.sherwood@myldsmail.net so any emails sent to me until the end of my mission (next week) need to be sent to this address.

#2- my last email will not come on monday, but instead i will send it on WEDNESDAY. any schedule or flight information will come with it.



Anyone who wants to send me any last emails, you have exactly one week!



Thanks

-Elder Sherwood

Email 3/22/10

Email Received March 22, 2010

7th Area: Mossoró- Belo Horizonte

13th Companion: Elder Küster

 

  Kleyton's Baptism

"O Fim Se Aproxima..." as they say.
 
yep, this will be my last official week as a full-time missionary. i am overly excited and insanely sad at the same time. it is weird. so today will be my 2nd to last email, and next monday will be my final one. this week i will work like crazy, then next week begins the fun, with traveling to natal, joão pessoa, even recife! (and eventually arizona).
 
we have been teaching that 17 year old, Luan, for over a month now and we were all excited for his baptism and randomly his grandma that he lives with didn't let him at the last minute. but this week we're gonna continue teaching him and i'll keep the baptismal font full of water. he is really progressing well and he will definitely serve a mission in a couple years.
 
speaking of investigators that are PROGRESSING, believe it or not, that guy Max is still doing well and he is going to church, and even institute. (he is the one who is athiest). i have really seen a change in him since we have started working with him and teaching everything. there is nothing else like a change in someone in their belief-- not just from one belief to another, but from NOT believing at all, to starting to live what the belief teaches. it hasn't been a short or easy process with him, and it will continue like that, but it is worth the wait and the prayers. another guy i am really excited for is Adeilson, someone who was a fruit of that survey we handed out to all the members, and we contacted him early last week then taught him for the first time on saturday. he is someone who has been looking for the truth for a long time, and by his questions and comments during the 1st lesson (restoration), i could tell this was the type of person that recognizes truth when they see it. or better- FEEL it. we are gonna meet his wife and kids tomorrow night and teach--as grandma riggs used to say-- "the whole fam damily" haha. we baptized that boy Kleyton on saturday, and he was confirmed on sunday with all 8 from last week.
 
in other news, presidente fernandes is coming way out here to mossoró tomorrow, he wants to do a division with me and we will have zone interviews and he is gonna sleep in my house. he said he will probably take me to a barbecue as well. yeah, i definitely love the man. it will be a great experience and i am excited.
 
hope everyone has a great week. pray for my investigators. get the smallville dvd's ready. here is the song i will be singing this week: "The time is far spent, THERE IS LITTLE REMAINING, to publish glad tidings by sea and by land." (Hymns, # 266)
 
With Love
Elder Brad Sherwood

Itinerary Received!

We finally received Brad's travel itinerary... and it looks like he will be released on Thursday, April 1st!
(No, that is NOT an April Fools joke!)
He should be arriving in Phoenix on April 2nd!


We'll keep everyone updated. :)

Email 3/15/10

Email Received March 15, 2010
7th Area: Mossoró- Belo Horizonte
13th Companion: Elder Küster

Elder Charles

Elder Fernandes

Millet, Garcia, Sherwood

Mega Baptism

so, things couldn't be better... we had more baptisms than ever this week, and now mom just informed me that smallville be have a 10th season. i could very well be the happiest guy in the world (or at least this bottom half of it).

it was a week of miracles, literally. we only had like 2 full days of work in between the traveling and everything, and somehow we were blessed with the ability to manage our time to be able to teach everyone and prepare them for our mega baptismal service (see picture). with waking up and leaving early, sacrificing study and extra lunch time, and going from one appointment to the other faster than a speeding bullet, we did it. i still have no idea how. and since there is not enough time to talk about everyone baptized, i will list everyone´s name that was in this picture here:
-me
-elder küster
-cosme (damião´s twin bro)
-damião (cosme´s twin bro)
-natália
-yuri
-arleano
-*jadson (elect- will go on a mission in a year)
-jean
-hugo magno (member who baptized last week)

so yeah, it was quite a day, and the baptism took like 2 hours. but it was so awesome. these are all the fruits of those programs we have been doing that i talked about. like i said, creativity is the key. is there anything better than seeing everyone in white?

in other news, happy birthdays to auburn, russ, and ellie, and speaking of b-days, i finally received by birthday package this week (the awesome brazilian mail service brought it like a month late haha) and i loved everything in it. and now that i have these gift cards, i am gonna have to use one of them as soon as i get home and its looking like Fuddruckers will officially be the first place i will eat.

my last conference and council were both really good, but strange saying bye to everyone. a lot of mixed emotions are going through my head lately but everything is turning out well.

see you all in a couple weeks.

love Elder Sherwood
otherwise known as the fresh prince of joão pessoa