Week 38- Birthday

Hi family!! Thanks for the birthday gifts.   I love this watch,  I have it on right now! I got the ping pong package also and love it.   but how am I going to make cupcakes? I never have time for that  hahaha!  Thank everyone for the gifts, packages and cards.  I feel loved by you all.  

 

What a week.   We found 11 new investigators this week and a lot of potential prospects we are working with! Elder Bailey and I  are having a jolly ole time! We were supposed to have 5 investigators at church this week and we made sure they were committed and visited each of them on Saturday to confirm.   They were all in and even asked what they should wear and what door they should come through. Sunday rolls around and 5 of our less actives members came to church and NO investigators.   UGHH! So disappointing! Its like what can we do more for them??   

 

So Brother R, a successful guy in our ward congregation took us to Cracker Barrel for dinner one night we get talking and he was saying for some reason he is super unorganized.   I felt a spiritual prompting to ask him if he is ADD! He asked me how I knew!  We talked for the whole dinner about all the symptoms I have ever had and he told me about his struggles in life with being ADD! All of his symptoms were exactly everything I went through as a teen! I just about broke down crying.    You'd be surprised that everything that I went through he still struggles with!  He made an excel spreadsheet of his life goal in super tiny font so he can remember all the things he needs to do! People make fun of him at work but he says he has a planner and timers on his phone so he can look at his planner and see what he has to do everyday! There is hope for me mom! It made me feel so good I could finally relate to someone! ! I love Brother R and so many members of the ward! I have a really good connection here and I wouldn't be surprised if I stay but again I wouldn't be surprised if I go haha!  We will find out soon.  

 

Today is zone pday! I'm sure I'm going to get sung too because everyone in the zone knows! I'm Thankful for everyone that supports me.  I love you so much! I can't wait to FaceTime soon! Less then 3 weeks.  Thanks so much mom, I love you so much! Thanks for all the birthday fun! I can't believe I have been blessed with such a wonderful family! I'm so grateful for you!❤

 I love you!

Elder Brown

 

 

                                     

WeEk 37- Miracles

Elder Bailey and I  have had some pretty cool miracles recently happen so I want to take the time and tell you some of them.

-Last week Elder Bailey and I  were planning to take the bus out to area 13 which is the farthest area in the Red Leaf ward boundaries. It was a rainy day and we accidentally walked through mud to get somewhere quicker and it ruined elder Baileys only pair of shoes. So we made a run to our apartment so he could wash the mud off and put them in the dryer so they wouldn't be ruined. Time went by and we looked at the clock and the bus would be coming in 4 minutes so I gave him a pair of my shoes and we ran out of the apartment and was running a long way to try to make it to the bus. If we missed the bus it would mean we would have to wait another  hour and a half for it to come back around. We started running and we saw the bus zoom by us to the stop which was way far away and we new we wouldn't make it. We really felt we needed to be out there but we started walking because we knew we wouldn't make it to the stop. I said a prayer in my head earlier while running that we would make the bus. While we were walking we saw the bus at the stop and new it would leave in like 5 seconds. But 10 seconds went by  then 30 then 45 and we were like its not moving, so we both looked at each other and started running again and we actually ran for a 1/4 mile and the bus continued to wait there for the oddest reason.  I don't know why but we were able to make it to the bus. We got to the bus and the bus driver opened the doors but never said why he stopped and waited.  I know he didn't see us so he wouldn't have known to stop. But we made it to the bus and said the Lord wants us to be out there today for some reason. So we got dropped off. We had planned to stop by a former investigator that day and planned to go by her first. From the stop it took us a little bit to walk to her apartment and to find her apartment number because it is a huge complex. On our way we saw these 2 ladies just leaving the same complex.  We knew this lady lived near there. So we walk over and start talking to them, one of them mentioned that she knew who we were and said her name was Barb Palmer. We told her that she was the person who we planned to visit. She looked at us with a concern on her face and started  to break down crying. She expressed for over an hour how much turmoil she is going through in her life. She invited us into her apartment. Somehow Elder Bailey started teaching her friend and I started teaching Barb. I shared with her some personal experiences. I showed her the Prince of Peace Easter video and taught her the restoration and plan of salvation in one lesson. I also got her the information for the addiction recovery program that could really help her. It was so amazing because if the bus didn't stop we wouldn't have made it and she would of left because they were walking out of their apartment to leave to go somewhere. If we wouldn't have talked to them and went up to Barbs apartment we would have missed Barb walking away with her friend. It just comes to show how the Lord is preparing people and making sure that his missionaries are in the right place at the right time! 

-Another really quick story.  The Bishop called us one day and told us that there was a man living in our area whose father became a member of our church 5 years ago. His father called the bishop from New Mexico and told him that his son is now living in our ward boundaries and might be ready to take the lessons and learn about Jesus Christ.  Elder Bailey and I  and the Bishop went over to his house hoping that he might be home. We get there and all the lights are out and we thought that they weren't home. Elder Bailey said lets ring the door bell anyway. A minute later the lights turn on and out rolls Cam. We share with him the Prince of Peace video and Elder Bailey shares his conversion story and relates really well with Cam. We were able to set a return appointment for a lesson at the church with him and Brother Roundy a young counselor in the bishopric to fellowship him. So we are super excited for the lesson.  

So that has been the week full of little miracles in between there were so many I can't explain them all!  We had a lesson with a less active member and the spirit was so strong and motivating in it that he went into his back room pulled out his 20 packs of cigarette stash and throws them all out. Then goes to his fridge and pours out all the vodka and apple stuff  and whatever alcoholic drinks and says he is starting today! It was awesome and I  almost cried! 

 Easter Sunday rolls around and the choir puts on a beautiful number and the spirit was so strong I totally felt at peace. The talks given were so good and we had a bunch of inactive members at sacrament meeting and they loved it. Cam will be at sacrament meeting next week so that should be good! 

District leader responsibilities aren't getting easier and I'm up pretty late making calls to my giant district so I have been really tired lately. But serving others and making sure my district members are doing okay is definitely  rewarding! 

I hope you had a good Easter!  Dad told me all about the zoo.   Avery and Izzy look older every time I see them which is weird! I hope they are both doing okay! I thanked everybody for their packages. o I'm grateful for the love and packages! I love you mom and dad! 3 more weeks basically and I get to talk to you on face-time! The mission is flying by!

Zone conference! I played 3 pieces on the piano and this one elder who just came into the mission played this beautiful  piece Abide with Me tis Even Tide arrangement by heart! It was really good! I love music and hearing every ones talents!  I love you all and hope you had a good Easter! Elder Bailey was so happy that I bought him  2 pairs of pants and shoes! He is so thankful for you guys, he wants to send you an email! It felt so good to give him that money to buy the things that he needed.   I felt so much love behind all of it! Charity is so important.  It needs to be infused into everything you do! Continue to think outward and give small acts of kindness! It goes a long ways! 

Much Love,

Elder Brown 

Week 36- We aren't Giving up!

gotta go ball sorry.....🏀💯

No I'm just kidding!  It's been a pretty good week this week.  Elder Bailey and I went ham in the area book and stopped by tons of names that were in the book.  We had some good success from that and was able to get 2 investigators this week.  We had a grand whopping total of 8 which is pretty good for our area while the zone leaders are racking up 23 a week which is crazy.  We are going with the  Bishop to visit this family who wants to hear the gospel and get baptized. I'm excited to teach.   Elder Bailey and I  have been seeing some cool miracles this transfer. The story will take forever maybe I can make a video of me explaining it and then send it to you.  

We have zone conference this upcoming week and I'm playing the piano for the choir and for a trio. I honestly wish I could sing more but maybe in the future we will see.  We get fed every night.  

The ward members love me and Elder Bailey! Elder Bailey is a funny dude! I love him so much! He is such a good guy at heart. His poor mom and grandma are dying from cancer and they aren't members of our church.  None of his family are members and he is super poor. None of his family supports him on his mission so the poor kid is alone out here.  The people from his ward are helping him out financially.  Remember he  has only been a convert for little under 2 years now!  So I gave him a pair of my black shoes that I don't wear very often.  He only has a single pair of shoes that he is wearing through so I gave him mine. He also has only one pair of pants.  My belt snapped again.  Those banana republic ones are cheap.   Both of them are broke so I don't have a belt. I'm borrowing Elder Bailey's belt.  Send Elder Bailey something I think he'd really like that!

Elder Bailey and I work really hard all day long.   If there is ever anyone we are excited about I will tell you but we are just searching for that one that wants to listen. The mission is hard.   Going out everyday and trying to find people to teach is a struggle. But we aren't giving up! I have seen way to many good things come from being out here!  Anyway that's my piece, if I had a lot to say I would but I really don't. Izzy's dance at the end is really funny! I showed all the elders that are sitting by me. They thought her dance was awesome!  Avery shined.  It was a funny road show!  Glad you recorded it!  Dad's pic is hilarious though haha!  He is wearing my basketball shoes from 8th grade. My feet were huge! Anyway I love you all.  The weather has been really good out here so I can't complain! 

Elder Brown

Week 35- "Throw Down" General Conference

Holy cow, "throw down" on the plan of salvation, families, the godhead and the spirit! Such a good General Conference.   I was so excited for it, being able to watch all sessions of Conference and sit in a focused environment is so cool! When there is no phone and I'm not focused on anything other than the gospel the message is so much more powerful. I love the recalculate GPS message and the "all in" talk by Elder Sabin! "repentance is a privilege not a punishment." and the Australian guy who talked about Christ's love to the rich man! I also loved the talk about perfect love casteth out fear! And the spirit is a teacher and the gifts of the spirit are not fear they are motivation to act! When trying to get someone to do something whether its a missionary teaching an investigator or a mom trying to get someone to do their hair right it shouldn't be because of fear but perfect love, which is charity, which is the pure love of Christ! They really "threw down" on charity! It is so important! When you love people when they are in the wrong,  they will have a more desire to change!  Like the mission president to his disobedient  missionaries! Such a good message!

Yeah general conference was so good,  I really enjoyed it! I have so many notes I can't tell you everything I learned! So my new companion! I love Elder Bailey.  I can already feel it is going to be a good transfer! We are different but I love that because God gave us strengths in different areas which has made us a powerful companionship! Elder Bailey is from Lexington South Carolina! He is a convert from the age of 16 and his conversion story is absolutely awesome! I was fighting to hold back my tears the other night as he told his conversion story! He is a spiritual giant! Although we are different I can't help but look inside of him and see his powerful testimony and motives for being out here and serving a mission! It makes me love him so much more! I learned when you can see the good in everyone and have that pure love it casteth out everything that potentially could be problems! That's why I have never had a problem with a companion so far.   I luckily have been blessed with that love for everyone despite their decisions! Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each of us despite our imperfections so it should make us love the imperfect people we are around even more! That is so important in our lives and it has been a mission motto of mine! 

This area is a struggling area.  It seems like we can hardly find anyone despite how hard we work and it kind of drains you, but I see the lord work with me by small and simple means! Because through small and simple things great things come to pass! Being responsible for the entire mega district of elders is tough.   I'm up late every night making calls and making sure I fulfill my duties,  but its fun because I can talk to the entire district.  So aside from all the accounting I can have fun with it and joke around! It makes me super organized though and stretches my abilities to multi-task which you and dad both know how bad at that I am. I'm just ready for P-day and ready to hoop it up! When P-day comes around it is so exciting! It makes it so missionaries don't go crazy!

 I received the package.   I love all those pictures! I love seeing all of my friends and family and what they are doing! Regan is such an unbelievable artist! She has so much talent! And I forget where Hannah is at? I love those pictures of Alex and is long hair! I love his long hair it looks so good, he can pull it off! His costume is awesome!  I peed! Man I miss everyone.  It is so cool to see what they are all doing with their lives! Interesting that the things that happen after high school and you start growing up! I'm growing up a ton,  but sometimes I look back and think what I could have done more of or better!  But I know what my purpose is! It is so clear and being out of the world  is such a crazy difference!  When I get back home I'm sometimes afraid of how I'm going to tune out all the worldly things because it engulfs you right as you step off that plane. That's why I'm going to stay on that plane and fly it myself for the rest of my life and listen to general conference talks forever haha! If I continue to stick to the simplicity of the gospel which is reading the scriptures, praying, keeping commandments, attending the temple, repentance and taking the sacrament and enduring to the end I'll be set! The gospel is so simple! 

I can see mom freaking out about Avery's knees,  that was a good one! My companion got  me too! He convinced me super early that president was going to emergency transfer him because another Elder went home! He told me he had to start packing and president would be there to pick both of us up!  He got me good and then surprised me with an April fools! Mom and I are both gullible.   I did miss not going to Friendly's with you after the priesthood session!   That was a real bummer! You know what I did instead of going out to eat! I went and found 2 new investigators with my companion which were the only ones we found all week! How awesome is that!  They were miracles!

Anyway, I don't know what else to tell you other than, press forward! Small steps!  I love you and miss you and can't wait until I get to see you all on mothers day! So I can see my beautiful mother who I love so much and am so grateful for!  Only If I could just give you a hug and tell you how thankful I am for you...and you too dad haha!  I love you both so much! 

Elder Brown