Brother to Brother
(Part One)

By Greg Larson

Instructions

1. Remove all “Brother to Brother” pages (including story) from magazine.

2. Mount only page(s) with cutouts on lightweight cardboard.

3. Color cutouts. If you wish to use as regular paper dolls, before cutting out, add tabs to all objects (like clothing) that will be attached to something else; then cut out.

4. If you wish to use cutouts with flannel board, glue flannel to mounted page(s) before cutting out.

5. Popsicle sticks may be glued to mounted, cut-out figures to make stick puppets.

Part One

This is the first of a series about Brad (Buddy) May and his missionary brother, Reed. With each installment there will be cutouts of the principal characters and/or things, which you can use to retell the story with your friends or as a family home evening lesson. As space permits, minor characters and items will also be included. Once a cutout has appeared, it will not be repeated,so you will need to store the story pages and the cutouts in a large envelope and keep it in your Sunday Box (see Friend, November 1983, page 27).

Dear Reed or Elder May,

I miss you. I miss you very much! I miss you very, very much! Do I have to call you Elder May, or can I still call you Reed? I’m glad that you got out of the empty sea. I was worried about you drowning or something. When I asked her, Mom laughed and said that you were fine there, but I was still worried.

I have something that I want to tell you. But maybe I’d better not tell you.

Please write a letter just to me.

Love,
Brad

Dear Buddy,

I miss you, too—very much! When I think of how much you will grow and change in two years, sometimes it makes me a little sad that I can’t be there with you. But I know that I’m doing the right thing by going on a mission. Besides, the elders here who are almost ready to go home all say that two years zoom by so fast that you can hardly believe it.

To answer your question, yes, you can still call me Reed instead of Elder May. But do I have to start calling you Brad now, or can I still call you Buddy?

Buddy, I have to admit that I was puzzled for a long time about what you meant by the “empty sea.” Then yesterday I told Elder Watts, my companion, that you were worried about me in the empty sea, and all of a sudden it came to me! Where I was, was not the empty sea, but the MTC. That stands for Missionary Training Center. That’s where I learned about being a missionary and how to teach people the gospel.

The MTC was a good experience, but I’m glad to be in the mission field now. The members here are friendly, and some of them help us a lot. We are teaching some great families. Elder Watts is a hard worker, and we spend a lot of hours trying to find people who want to learn about the restoration of the gospel and the Church.

Write to me again soon. I want to keep in touch and know everything that happens to you, kind of like our talks in the dark across the bedroom as we were going to sleep. Only now we will have our talks by writing letters.

And remember, you can tell me anything, just like always.

Love,
Reed

Dear Reed,

It was awesome to get my very own letter from you. I’ll keep writing to you, if you’ll keep writing to me. But I still miss you very, very much! Nobody else calls me Buddy, but you can because I will always be your buddy.

Last night was our second grade Spring Sing. Everyone was there but you. Even Grandpa Richards was there, and your girlfriend Kelly. She says that she misses you very much, but I know that she doesn’t miss you as much as I do.

After the Sing we went to get ice-cream cones, and we talked about you. Mom and Dad said that you seem grown-up now. Natalie and Rachel said that they’re proud to be the sisters of a missionary. Scooter didn’t say anything because he’s too young.

I ate two scoops on my cone, one scoop of chocolate and one scoop of your favorite, pralines-and-cream. I did it for you.

I still have something I need to tell you, but I’m still afraid to tell you.

Love,
Buddy

Dear Reed,

I know that I just wrote to you yesterday, but I have to write to you again today. If you were home, we could talk about it, but you’re not here.

Last night Melissa came to our house. She brought chocolate chip cookies that she made. She gave me a big hug and said that I look just like a little Reed, like somebody took you and let some of the air out. She’s pretty! Anyway, she says that she misses you very much.

Tell me, Reed, does Melissa know about Kelly? Does Kelly know about Melissa? What am I supposed to do with all your girlfriends? What if they both come over at the same time?

I told Melissa that she should send some chocolate chip cookies to you. I can’t tell you what she said because she wants it to be a surprise. If I can figure out a way to do it, I’ll send you some pralines-and-cream ice cream too.

Maybe next time I’ll tell you my secret problem.

Love,
Buddy

(To be continued)

Illustrated by Jerry Harston