Week 50- I got to Work

Man I have a lot of things to say but I want to first say I'm proud of Isabelle! It brought me a lot of joy to hear that she bore her testimony at youth conference, and brought me a overall sense of peace that my family is rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ! Tell Isabelle to be strong and that I love her so much! I love Avery as well so tell her that I love her just the same! I'm excited to hear about your trip to the reservation and I hope you have been feeling the promptings of the spirit about grandpa! I have been thinking about him and what Christ would do or say if he visited him. I know and feel that grandpa is excited for you to come out and that he has a strong place in his heart for our family including you. Tell him I think about him and love him and when I get home I want to spend some time on the reservation with him. My heart just pours out about my family that I just don't know much about. I'm glad you had a successful youth conference and I know you're  just dying to have this week off of work. I kinda feel what its like now to work hard everyday and then come home and just want to crash. But when I come home its taking care of the zone and following up with all the companionship's  which is draining but I find tender mercies in doing so. It's like coming home and then having to take care of your family, balancing both of those things can be exhausting. But one thing I have realized that it never gets stressful. That's because my boy Jesus Christ is at the center of everything I do! He is my rock

This Sunday I had one of the most impacting sacrament meetings ever! On my mission it has been pretty easy to be unorganized because we are running around everywhere and I feel like my whole life has been this super unorganized mess! It has been my life's biggest struggle remembering things and being accountable to people and ultimately the Lord. It's been on my mind my whole mission the question......what can I do to be more organized and how do I fight my ADD? Let me tell you my life changing solution after I explain the pattern....

My patriarchal blessing told me I will come to understand the organization, structure and function of his church. I  read that this week btw,  and recently having two successful business men as mission  presidents  Mendenhall and  Savage I have really understand how the church communicates information throughout the various leaderships in the church. One thing that the brethren do is create what's called a goal barrier and action plan. They identify what the church is struggling with and what goals they need to set. They identify the barriers that get in the way by hearing accounting from all the wards in the church, from the bishops to the stake presidency (which coordinate with mission presidents) to the area authorities to the 70 and ultimately to the general offices and councils including the 12 in the church. This is how communication works in the church and really in any effective business. this last transfer President Savage has been stressing its importance in increasing the effectiveness of missionary work. As this week came to a close I had a powerful personal revelation. If we use this method in the church and it helps organize how we can improve. Why can't I use this method in my own personal life!!!! So I got to work.

I created my own personal GBA and showed the lord what I'm going to do specifically to ultimately become more organized. The Lord is all about order in his house and my life can't be a mess in his kingdom. As I prepared for sacrament Sunday I told the Lord in prayer what I'm going to do this week to improve my organization or my specific "Action Plans" to improve my organization skills. I had a spiritual experience as I did this. I learned something about repentance. One point I feel that I have always missed is the principle of restitution. What I'm going to do so I don't do it again. When you take to the Lord what you are going to do specifically in your life to improve you are fulfilling the process of repentance. You are accessing his atonement. When your action plan is broad and you say something like.....well...I want to stop forgetting things this week....how is that showing the lord what you want to work on. When you bring something specific to the table you are showing the Lord you have the real intent. I can't believe I was so blind to have never realized that growing up. I wished I could become more organized but I never made specific plans to overcome those obstacles. As I took the sacrament I felt so much peace and I felt a lot  of hope for my future. I'm grateful for the access to the atonement we have each day! I love my savior so much and am grateful for these experiences he has provided me within my life. 

As for the work Marcus is off date he dropped his phone apparently and he hasn't been in contact with us for a week now. It's frustrating and he is moving but once we get in contact with him it will be fine. He will be baptized and we will be there it just won't be in our ward. Elder Bird and I  had two new investigators at church but nobody close to a baptismal invitation. We  have been getting creative with activities and teaching. Our next idea involves pairing up with 20 return missionaries. It should be fun!  During The basketball activity this last week we had 5 non members come and I have been balling up pretty hardcore and I have been in a white shirt and tie. I just wear my ball shoes. But my game has gotten pretty good. When i have confidence I can really play. when I come home I have thought about trying out for Utah Valley. It would just be a lot of conditioning to get back in shape. 

mom's question 

1.) President Savage is a savage

2.) I will probably stay one more transfer with Elder Bird

3.) I played the piano in zone conference.

4.) My patriarchal blessing says how important the temple will be in my life and how I will have a lot of revelation inside of it.

I love you all so much! Elder Brown out

 ​Out in the middle of Elbert Colorado. It is so far away and it's a town of 50 people. How awesome is that!