Last Letters from MTC

July 22, 2009

Dear Family,

I'll send one more letter before I leave the MTC. I got a "light saber" photo. We are epically battling. I'll call you if I have time from the airport.

We can shake hands now.

Sunday a brother Groberg talked to us. The same guy from "The Other Side of Heaven". He is a general authority. So that was cool.

I've seen Ryan Colvin and Nathaniel Klem multiple times. Even a James Lucky from Yuma that I know.

I've been to the temple twice on both my P-days.

I'm guna go teach a lesson. Tell Heather and her family thanks for the beef jerky. Ima eat some tonight. Met Elder Gammon. Going on same flight to Sydney.

Love - Elder Montgomery


July 23, 2009

Dear Family,

I am departing July 27th for Adelaide, Australia. My flight from Salt Lake leaves at 7:30 pm, flight 1183 to L.A. Delta Airlines. Should arrive at 8:30 pm. Then from L.A. I will be on Qantas Airways Flight 12. Leaving 10:30 pm to Sydney, Australia. Will arrive at 6:15 am July 29th. The 28th does not exist to me. Once in Sydney, I will take flight 739 from Sydney to Adelaide. I will be there at 10:00 am.

Have fun watching Wicked.

Looking forward to know the name of Dan's boy.

Alright, I'm going to take some pics tonight. Prolly send you the card today with this letter. So, nothing really new here. Just learning, teaching, and getting a lot more excited to get out of here. Ya, I want to get out of here and bring people unto Christ, with the rejections that will come with it. I welcome it. The few who accept it wil be worth the labor.

Well Ima go. TTYL.

Love ya,
Elder Montgomery

MTC Pictures

His District standing in front of Provo Temple

Pointing to Adelaide on map at MTC

Last Email from MTC

July 21, 2009

Hey family. Like you know, I have 30 mins to write emails. Spent 5 reading haha. Thats okay. Im just waiting for my laundry to be done. Its way crowded in there. Waited like 10 mins for this open washer. And this sister in my district swooped in front of me. Should of been quicker. Oh well. I’m nice.

Its always nice to hear from you all. Although I do not miss the 116 degree weather. I tell my fellow elders and sisters that, and they just cringe. Even I do, thinking that could easily be me in that heat.

I cant wait to fly out to Australia. I leave in less than a week! I leave the 27th, which if I am correct is a monday. I will be leaving monday afternoon. And fly close to 24 hours. I think I’ll lose a day in my life since I pass over the international dateline. But I’ll get one back when I fly over again coming home in two years, if that’s correct. I could be totally wrong. Things here are great. This past week in the MTC has flown by. Pretty much since last sunday. So I will be in Australia in no time. And probably have major jet lag. But I will be up and running and doing this work in no time.

I aint gonna lie, I love Madyson writing me letters haha. They are so cute.

So is the house any cleaner without me there?

Tell Keaton if he wants my Broncos stuff he has to be a real fan and actually watch the Broncos.

I have to take pictures. I took some on sunday. I’ll take more as the week goes by. And say goodbye to all the people in my districts. Cool group of people.

I am in need of nothing. Although I should note I am not totally sure where my backup glasses are. Do you see them at the ranch? Maybe I have them. I haven’t completely unpacked.

I cant wait to leave. I cant wait to leave. I cant wait to leave. This is my 2nd and last Pday in the MTC. So the next email will be from Australia. I love you all. Thanks to all that have emailed me and written me. It does cheer me up to know I have all this support. I love you all.

-Elder Montgomery

Two Letters in One

July 15, 2009

Dear Family,

So ya, I only have 30 minutes to read and respond back to emails on my account which is only on Tuesday. I only have one P-day left here. I leave the 27th which should be on a Monday. So the 20-something hour long flight is gonna be great. So you won't here from me for awhile. So just expect it. And don't worry. Each day here is getting quicker. I don't remember if I told you that or not. I'm so glad to get out of here in less than two weeks, and I'll be in Australia.

I love you-

Elder Montgomery


July 16, 2009

Dear Family,

I forgot to mail yesterday's mail so I'm just gonna save an envelope and a stamp. My companion is cool, Elder Spencer, he's from the prestigious town of Alamo, Nevada. I have practiced giving two first lessons to "investigators" and have gotten two baptismal commitments so far. So they are either really easy or I am just good. Probably just really easy and probably not realistic, but hey, I did get two baptismal commitments.

Whew 113 degrees in Yuma! Crazy.

Tell Dan congrats on passing his boards.

Tell Dad happy birthday.

I'll be excited to see how much Noah has grown when I finish my mission and to see the rest of my nieces and nephews.

Well Ima sleep -

Elder Montgomery

Another Letter!

July 11, 2009

Dear Family,

Hey! I just want to thank you for the packages! I do enjoy hearing from you and home. I have met an Elder who is going Sydney South. Not sure if its Elder Gammon. I have taken a total of three pictures. Sorry I can do better. I'm so busy! Learning lots. Tell Madyson I miss her. I don't care what she does to my room. Sorry to hear about Sister Flannery. Tell Jarom and Keaton to really read and ponder the Book of Mormon. Tell Brianna and the rest of my siblings I love them. Trying not to eat too much. Working on the first lesson. This place is great. I have three roommates going to Adelaide and one to Melbourne so we are all excited to leave!

-Elder Montgomery

First E-mail from Braden

(Here’s the highlights from his first e-mail)

July 14, 2009 1:23:05 P.M. MST

• Finally set up an email. So I don’t have to write handwritten letters anymore.
• This place is like a spiritual high. Or boot camp. The days are going so fast now. Way more comparatively than last week.
• Tuesday is my Pday, So I will get to email you this day. And be able to read what you respond back on emails.
• I have learned more in this short week than probably in any other time in my life. I can teach the first lesson. But with practice I can be as good as I want to be. How great a blessing we have to have the restored gospel to return to our Heavenly Father. So ya, as you can see, you can probably tell what goes threw my head at night. I cant stop thinking about this work. It takes me a while to sleep at night.
• So how is Yuma? Madyson’s letter was cute. I read it all the time haha. Mackenzie sounds like a handful. How is the rest of my nieces and nephews doing?
• How is Moroni. If you can find out the rest of my friends emails and tell me. I would surely appreciate, wanna stay in touch with them. So just email me that.
• This place is great. But I’d rather be in Australia. It would be easy to gain weight here. I swear all you can eat, Plus all the packages parents send their kids. They can’t eat it all, so today a bunch of elders gave me junk food cause they cant carry that weight on the airplane. So I’m sitting pretty on junk food. But I will watch myself. Don’t wanna gain weight.
• I need to take more pictures! I got two weeks so it will be okay.
• I went to the temple today. So that was a really good experience. Everytime I’m in there I am thankful I didn’t screw up when I was younger. I’m glad I made the right choices. I’m in the place I want to be. Except I would prefer Australia.
• I’ve seen Ryan (Colvin). Talked to him for awhile. he said he thinks he saw Nathaniel Klem so that will be exciting if i run into him.
• Well I only got so much time on this thing. I have everything I need to my knowledge.
• I love you all.

If you'd like to e-mail Braden, his address is: BradenSM@myldsmail.net

First Letters from Braden!

July 8, 2009

Dear Family,

I am here in one piece. I have all my luggage. I arrived late and couldn't find my companion for awhile. Sat in classes all day. They are gonna mold me into a servant of God, that's for sure. I just did a tour and now settling down. Gonna try and sleep at 10:30. There was a lot to swallow today, but once it becomes habit things will fly by. I'll set up my email sometime. I love you, pray for me. I depart July 27th for ADELAIDE AUSTRALIA!

Elder Montgomery


July 9, 2009

Dear Family,

Today was my first full day of my mission. It was really spiritual - five times better than the first day. I am in classes most of the day, learning and learning. Said a prayer in a large group meeting. It will be exciting to artificially teach a lesson. It will be a unique experience to gauge where I am on how effective I will be as a missionary so far. It will probably be tough. I am a greeny of the greeny's. The food is good. Staying away from the chocolate milk lest I become addicted and gain weight like so many elders have. Its fun to hear the different languages. Me and my companion Elder Spencer have made up a German sounding language to speak so we feel cool like the other elders. Today was long but that's what it will take to be prepared to be an effective missionary. Love you all!

July 8, 2009 - The Big Day!

Braden pointing to Adelaide, Australia where he will serve as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Braden flying out of the "Braden" Airport in Yuma, Arizona

Braden's cute little airplane out of Yuma

Saying Goodbye

All the kids together - Daniel, Tanner, Braden, Brianna, Keaton, Jarom and Kyle

Braden with his nieces and nephews

Braden with his friends before they left on their missions