Getting transferred to Murray Bridge, Light the World

Email #45
Area: Grange area of the Firle Zone
Companion: Elder Touti

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Hey Mom!

Man so I have just had the most crazy busy week of my life!!! There is just so so much I have to tell you it is unreal. First off, I am getting transferred today to Murray Bridge! Have two new companions who are both Samoan too!! One has been out about 12 weeks now and the other is a brand new missionary so going to be an exciting transfer!! Really sad to go, it has been an amazing experience here in Grange! It is something I will never forget! Spent close to half my mission here, so it will always be a part of me! Excited to serve in Murray Bridge though! I will go where the Lord wants me to go with full confidence that it is where I am meant to be! Will update you next week about all of that as I know more.

This week we had many great Christmas activities and ways to light the world. Was pretty busy one starting off with a baptismal interview i went to that took some time to get to haha but it went really well!

We also had zone conference this week and man that was so cool! Probably one of the most memorable days on my mission! First we had trainings of coarse that were really great actually! Learned so so much from them! Very spiritual as well! Then we filmed our Christmas skits and those were pretty dang fun to do! Hope I will be able to send you those. Then with multiple zones, we played the mission version of "Speak Out". It really made it feel like we were a family having like a family game night. It was just so crack up and really good to have a good laugh with each other! Then we closed the night with watching "Ephraim's Rescue". I have never watched that all the way through before, but that was just a perfect close to the night. Probably one of my favorite movies now. Such a great time and I feel more close to the mission then I did before! Feel much more like a family to me. President and Sister Parker even got us all Christmas stockings full of cool stuff! They are the best!!!!!


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

Through the week we have been trying to do all that we can to light the world by doing service for others. Probably the coolest was going to an apple orchard way out in the hills. Was a few hours drive, but once we got out there it was beautiful. Took plenty of pics and videos. I just handed the camera to the missionaries with me as I drove us there. We had all the elders in the zone there. Basically we just picked apples, but the reason is different. So last October there was a massive hail storm that damaged all the crops up there, so we went in and picked all the bad ones for them. It was such a hit that they have been looking for volunteers to help them. Was a really good day though up there, enjoyed the fresh air and nature of it all. Saw some wildlife like Koala bears and stuff like that, so that was cool. Not quick enough to take a pic though. The drive was probably one of the best parts of the day. I really miss driving through canyons and nature, so this was a great thing for me. As a thank you they gave us heaps of cherries! I made Cherry/TimTam/chocolate milk shakes and wow!!! I think it beats Iceberg or at least pretty close!

The picking crew

Heaps of cherries as a thank you

Our district

Shoes from home finally wore out

Christmas stocking from President & Sister Parker

Zone conference pictures from Sister Parker's Blog

Service project car ride up to the orchard to pick apples

Christmas spirit is pretty high

Email #44
Area: Grange area of the Firle Zone
Companion: Elder Touti

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Hey Mom!

This week was really good! We got off to a really good start with our district P-day! It was probably one of best that we have had! We went to semaphore beach and played sport and had a BBQ and was such a fun time! I really like my district at the moment and my area as well. With transfers coming up soon I am getting nervous again. It is so weird with the mixed feelings I get when it comes to transfers. It seems every transfer there is something holding me here that I don't want to miss, like this time around is Christmas! I really want to be here for Christmas now, because if I go to some random area I won't know anyone where as here I know everyone and their dog haha. Not sure how it will go...

I have been able to play piano a little bit yeah. I will have to get one of the sisters to send you this video and pics they have its pretty crack up. We are preparing for the skits today and practicing with the zone and then on Friday for zone conference we are recording them. Not really sure what we are doing yet, but the sisters ideas are pretty funny. The Christmas party looked pretty dang good! Was it a good turn out?

The Christmas spirit is pretty high here especially with the members! We are getting fed all the time for it haha, so that is good (and bad since I'm gaining weight I'm sure). We went over to the Gabeharts house and even made gingerbread houses, so that was really cool, I haven't actually made one myself for a long time. I have noticed a lot this week the relationship that we have with the members at this point. A lot of them are genuinely nervous that I will be transferred which is really weird because I didn't know I had that good of a relationship with them. Guess I just have been here so long that I am almost part of the ward at this point lol. Sister Collins has been here for a whole year now in this ward and she is going home end of this week:(. You can really tell many of the members are super sad about that. She has made a huge difference here in the ward. She spent 2/3 of her mission here anyways haha.


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

Yeah was a good week for us as well. It was kind of a slow one when comes to the work and our investigators overall for sure. With Christmas coming up, everyone is really busy, including ourselves with volunteer work and members and everything but been slow with finding for sure. Our current investigators are doing really well though! Man got one story for you that comes to mind for sure.

Tracting experiences huh? Hmm that is a hard one, we have weird experiences every day haha. One that comes to mind this past week would have had to been with our friend P..... So p.... is a funny dude, he right away opened up to us when he knew we were from the church. We basically got his whole life story in 20 min lol. That was the initial contact and he is one of those people that don't really let you put a word in easily. So we set up a return appointment and man my companion was so nervous for that lesson because we knew how much this man talks. So we go in and somehow taught him the restoration and he seems to understand it. It is hard to keep him focused on the subject at hand. I seriously started laughing in the lesson at one point when I look over to my companion and his face is in his hands hahaha. I don't think P.... noticed one bit haha. So yeah that was a struggle, but still trying.

Love ya heaps!

Elder Bryner and his gingerbread house

Elder Bryner's gingerbread house

Elder Touti's gingerbread house

Aussie dessert

Elder Bryner playing piano at retirement home

District P-Day

P-Day activities, Elder Bryner is in the light grey shirt and blue shorts.

Feel the spirit of Christmas

Email #43
Area: Grange area of the Firle Zone
Companion: Elder Touti

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Hey Mom!

Yeah transfers are on the 17th, but even if I am transferred I still have time to email so we could still figure out skyping. Yeah it is hot, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Only had one 40 degree day so not to bad, but supposed to get hotter sometime. Haha yeah time has basically felt the same to me. Has gone fast, but also feels like I have been here my whole life!

Well this past week has been really really good! We have had a lot of exciting activities going on and things like that. First this week we went to an old folks home to sing and play games with them as a zone. That was really cool! It was part of the Light the World initiative that we are participating in. We are still looking for another service project to do on the 26th as well. The elderly there seemed to love it! We have some great singers in our zone, so luckily they could drown out my horrible singing haha. I asked Sister Collins to send you the pictures for that. It doesn't quite feel like Christmas without the snow and everything, but I can feel the spirit of Christmas for sure! We were able to talk to each of them and get to know them. I even beat this one guy at chess and I haven't played that since I was little, so he was pretty impressed with that but didn't like losing haha. There was this other lady who could play piano in a unique way. She plays all by ear and kind of just hits the notes close to the correct keys, but it actually sounded alright. It just was cool, because she had some form of dementia I think.

Saturday night we had our Ward Christmas Party! Now that was pretty cool! Definitely was the best ward activity that they have put on since I have been here and was a pretty good turn out. We had some investigators even show up, so that was pretty cool too! They put us on the spot and asked us to be a part of the young men's skit last minute and even asked us to sing... Luckily with the sisters, but still we only practiced 20 min before we went on haha. Think it went okay though. Santa made an appearance as well and we got to take photos with him, didn't know what to ask for Christmas though haha. Lastly last night we had our Christmas missionary fireside up by the mission office! Was a great turn out to that as well and the spirit was so powerful during it! With all of these Christmas activities, it has really brightened up our week! Looking forward to the rest of this month as well as the spirit of Christmas keeps rolling forth!

Love you Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

Yeah my week has been awesome! Work has slowed down just a little, but still going well. Found 3 New investigators during tracting. Fun fact, we call it Game Time here haha. Guess just makes us feel for pumped for it:). "What time is it Elder? That's right, it's Game Time!" haha. Pretty funny, but something the mission has done a few months back. Makes a difference believe it or not. Like I said before, we do minimum 3 hours tracting a day so that is a big focus as a mission.

The Christmas season is definitely here even though there is no snow. Everyone here has felt it! Man especially F... holy cow! So at the Christmas party he was the host, even cracked some pretty funny jokes! At the missionary fireside, he gave a talk about how the Gospel has changed his life! That was pretty great to be there for! He has been killing it! Everyone there had great comments about it afterward and even a lot of people told me that by the way he spoke made it seem like he has been a member for years. We went by his place yesterday to have some cake with them for their daughters birthday right before the fireside and he told me that he only had a few points written down so most of it came from the heart. I didn't even see him look down to read anything! We are going by again tonight for dinner with them so that will be good!

So the next few weeks will be pretty cool. Today we are having our district activity having a BBQ and playing sport over by the beach. Then next week we are having our zone activity putting together our Christmas skits that will all be on video haha. Don't know how it goes never been here for that, but they do it every year. Idk what else they do here, but sounds like Christmas here is even great for the missionaries!
Love you!

Visiting with Santa!

Lucky dog!!! He got a new obedience collar.

The work is hastening

Email #42
Area: Grange area of the Firle Zone
Companion: Elder Touti

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Hey Mom!

The rest of the week has been really good! We have been able to get a lot done the last couple of days! Swear we have just been running everywhere and urgency is at a high right now! It is also getting really pretty here, but pretty hot and only getting hotter.

This past week we were able to have a trade off with Prospect Zone Leaders again which was really good! They have two zone leaders and two new missionaries in their area at the moment. So I went over to their area with two of them and Elder Tauti stayed here with two of them and lead out! It was so funny how nervous he was for it lol! I have had him lead out the area with me a few times, but he has never had to fully do it. It is really preparing him for the future because soon enough he will be finishing his training. Anyway, so Prospect is always a really good experience and always learn something new! It is crazy how much we are able to get done if we are urgent with everything! The days go even faster to when we do that, but we can get so much done and see so many people. We even would run after or run to people on the streets and almost run door to door. It has been a great learning opportunity for me and has helped our area as well! This next week we are shooting for 10 new investigators, a really high number for our area, but we know we can do it with the Lords help! The missions sights are aiming higher now that it is getting close to the end of the year! Because of that, we are feeling it as well, but just this past week we were able to get 4 new Baptismal Dates which is again high for us. So the work is hastening a lot here and I am finding more joy in the work every day!

I was able to go and see F... and his wife yesterday and starting to see just how great of a convert F... really is. He has a talk this next week at the missionary fireside and like 3 other things he has planned to do these next few weeks! His son is all well and good now, was a bit of a scare for them, but he is totally fine now. Turns out nothing bit him, it was just an infection that he got. Kind of weird, but he had a small surgery to get all the fluid out of his face and he's all good now.


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

Yeah thanksgiving was really good this year! Had it twice! Once at the Smith's and once at the Tutors!

With experiences, ummm....
Well met a lot of cool people this week and many new investigators, but guess what... All of them are single women so we had to refer all of them to the sisters... but I am sure they love us for that lol.

Thanksgiving dinner

Area: Grange area of the Firle Zone
Companion: Elder Touti

We received a wonderful email from Brother Smith in Australia.  Email said "We had some great company for Thanksgiving dinner tonight."

We are so thankful for wonderful people that always take care of Elder Bryner and the other missionaries.

Elder Touti and Elder Bryner, Thanksgiving dinner

Invitation to be baptised

Email #41
Area: Grange area of the Firle Zone
Companion: Elder Touti

Excerpts from Mom's email:

So today was pretty great! The temple is always a great experience and I always receive an answer to a question, every time! Been so blessed to have that! As well this past week we were able to witness many miracles so I will share a few with you. Last Sunday, F... was confirmed a member of the Church and received the Holy Ghost! However did not go as smooth as the baptism. His son B.. got bit by something they think and he had an allergic reaction to whatever it was on his face. So he was late to sacrament meeting, but we knew in advance so we planned it to be in Priesthood instead. Then later he called again that they are taking B.. to the hospital because it was getting worse. So we had an emergency confirmation in the bishop's office. The good news is that the spirit was really strong during it and turned out really great. He has been keeping us up to date with B.. and all I know really is that he had a small surgery, but he will be fine. Hopefully we will be able to see them this weekend.

Week has been a good one with many ups and downs, but looking forward to the next! Will send lots of pics so no worries!
Love you!


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

My week was fantastic! Haha went fast for me as well! Yeah F... is the coolest guy ever and his family is really cool too! Not all his family were there in the photo, like his son B.. and his daughter M.....

New investigators are doing good, most of them! In fact have a cool story about two of them. So we found this family of four: M...... and M... and there kids, B..... (around 6) and J...... (1). Such a nice family and when we found them I did not expect just how nice they are. We just helped some members move and afterward we decided to knock some doors on the street they moved to and turns out that right next door is this family. So just yesterday we taught them the restoration in a new way that the sisters showed us. It is with stacking these specially made cups (by the sisters) that shows the foundation of Christ's church and the importance of the priesthood. Illustrates the apostasy really well and it got the kids a little involved. I had B..... remove the cup on the bottom and it all falls. I'll have to video us doing it in comp study so maybe you can get what I mean. Anyways so by the end of the lesson, I could tell M...... was really thinking! She then asks probably the best questions she possible could have: how can I know, how do you baptize, ect. We invited them to baptism and she committed to Dec 24 and says she has a lot of reading to do in the Book of Mormon. M... still is not sure, but is fully supportive of finding out.

The mission over all has been doing really well recently! The work is surely hastening with over 100 new investigators as a mission last week and 12 of those were in our district alone. It is exciting to see and with the year coming to a close soon, we are always praying for our goal of 264 Baptisms in the year 2017! Miracles are happening and so blessed to be a part of it!

Man the heat has been getting up there already! The other day was 41 in the sun. Been doing really good with that though, have not been burnt at all yet and am in the sun constantly it seems like. Partially because I always am applying sun screen, but I think a lot because the lord protects his servants!

Love you and have a good week!

Elder Touti

District meeting

We were blessed to witness our brother enter into the waters of Baptism!

Email #40
Area: Grange area of the Firle Zone
Companion: Elder Touti

Excerpts from Mom's email:

A few days ago, we had a fund raiser for the youth for YSA that we participated in. It was a simple car wash, but wow it was so successful! Heaps of non members showed up and were wondering what we were raising the money for and things like that! There was one man who pulled up in his BMW and after he paid a large donation, he told us how he has over 10,000 followers and he took pictures of the church and what we were doing to get the word out! Next thing you know about 5 min later, his friend pulls up in his BMW and does the same. Pretty cool guys! F... and his family made that as well! It was handy to have F..., because he could get the roof off the car well haha!

Speaking of F..., just yesterday, we were blessed to witness our brother enter into the waters of Baptism!!! It has been long awaited, especially by his wife! I was blessed to be the one to perform the ordinance for him! Unfortunately we were so excited that we forgot to take pictures in our whites... but that's okay we took pictures afterward!! Was a really powerful day! I haven't felt the spirit that strong in a long time. The peek experience was the baptism itself and I will never forget it! I was a little worried when he asked me to be the one to baptize him, because he is so tall haha.  So I didn't know how that would go, but it went well! Only took three tries to get it right lol! He told me how the first time he truly felt it! The other two were more for the records of heaven is how I like to put it haha. Much of his family were able to attend, even his son J..., who is not a member! I hope it was a good experience for him as well! Next week will be his confirmation! They are looking forward to the road ahead, especially to be sealed in the temple one day! Him and his family have been such a blessing to me! I have no doubt in my mind that I was sent here for a purpose and I am sure they are a huge part of the reason! I really really hope I will be able to stay in contact!

That's all I got for you for now!
Love you Mom!


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

So the baptism was a very special experience for me. F... really reminds me of you a lot, even the fact that he does that fancy stuff at work with computers haha, still don't quite no what it means... I really love his family too! I always look forward to seeing them! I feel his baptism was more special to me for the fact that I see him as family, almost like I have known them my whole life. Before the baptism I was pretty nervous for the fact that he is a really tall guy and I didn't know how it would go. Then his family walked in and I could just see the smiles on everyone's faces and then I totally forgot about my worries. After we were all changed, we went straight into the program! He asked bishop to give a talk and man it was a powerful one! Really brought the spirit and set the rest of the program! It is always funny singing with new converts though because they don't really know the songs, but its okay his wife was right there holding his hand helping him through it. When the time came to move to the font, he looked at his wife and gave her a kiss. It came to heart right there that this is the first step to an eternal family! Then came the Baptism! The spirit was so strong and it meant so much to me that at first I wasn't sure if I could get the words out, but then it came. The first time around was the actual baptism, because that is when we felt it! The next two however were more for the records of heaven to get it done correctly haha. As we changed, it really meant a lot to hear what he felt. I had a flashback to my own baptism where you and I were talking about the same thing when we were changing. Was a very spiritual time and I won't ever forget it! I think it meant more to me especially for the fact to know that in the not so distant future, they will be sealed in the temple for all eternity!

Love you Dad! Have a good week!