Week 56 -Still Going Strong

Hey guys! Still going strong! We are still working with Ryan Tupper and he is progressing really well! At the beginning of the month we set a goal for him to get his answer that god is real by the end of the month! Recently, Ryan was talking to one of our members he is good friends with and he said he has just realized that his whole life God has been there but recently he has been putting the puzzle pieces together. We are excited! His life has changed so much since we have been meeting with him. Our member said when they were talking Ryan was shedding a couple tears about how he has hope for his future! And this guy is the last guy you'd think would cry! It's been awesome! We also have been talking with someone who knows the Book of Mormon is true and we just need him to stop smoking and drinking now. As far as the work that is who we are working with now. We passed off the guy we found at basketball to the Elizabeth Elders. That's my week! Zone conference was lit as well! I'll tell you about it next week cause I'm out of time!Bye!!!

 

Good Question!

My Zone that I am in charge of!

Week 55 Good Week

A Couple of things happened this week that have been really exciting!

1.) We have been meeting consistently with one person, one of our investigators, Ryan Tupper! 

I can't remember if I have emailed you about in him in the past.  Elder Bird and I  street contacted him in this apartment complex one night and invited him to meet with us at the local Kneaders. He seemed kinda flaky especially when asked if we could schedule in 2 weeks into the future. Usually people don't come through, but two weeks in we get a text from Ryan saying are we still meeting? he ask how long do these usually last? (Remember this is the week Elder Bird's appendix burst!) I told him we would meet and we taught him the first 2 discussions in an hours time. He said he was interested to learn more and expressed how he is looking for peace in his life. He used to be a very sad kid and had a lot of depression issues. I told him that I used to feel the same way at times and told him that the higher power that you believe in is a literal father who is in heaven. Also take into account this kid has no religious background at all.  He doesn't even know anything about Jesus Christ. Ever since that lesson he has been praying every night. Fast forward three weeks he has done some amazing things. He has come to church 3 weeks straight. I can tell he isn't wrapping his head around some things just because he is very new to all the church concepts and words we use so casually and regularly. He is coming to regular activities the young singles have been having and making a lot of new friends. Sadly they are all leaving to go back to school which is a huge bummer. The YSA ward is going to be wiped out. Jared and my friend Nathan are both leaving to go to BYU! Also this week was a convert fireside in the stake that we have been planning for a month now. A couple days before we had a great lesson with Ryan. He doesn't quite understand Jesus Christ or God but he is processing a lot of things and asking him questions on what he can do to reach out and get his answer. Before the fireside all three of us fasted, including Ryan so that he could get his answer. I played a musical number called His Hands by Kenneth Cope and the spirit was very strong!  President and Sister Savage were both there and they both gave beautiful words. A lot of which resonated with Ryan a ton. He said after he didn't know what he felt. He says he doesn't feel anything different but similar feelings that he has had growing up which tell his gut whats right and whats wrong. We tell him that that is God's hand which is manifested through the holy spirit, telling you these things (the gut feeling) are leading you down the right path. He has been unsure why we put labels to things but I think he likes the concept that there is an actual person who knows him perfectly and who has felt his pains and struggles. We haven't been focusing enough I feel about Jesus Christ and I know that this next lesson will be a turning point. We are going to teach about knowing Christ. I have the faith that he will get his answer and that he will come into the waters of baptism I can feel it. Keep praying and fasting for Ryan. 

2.) Today was a mission P-day which was so fun! We all drove up to this park in Arvada 3rd ward which is in my old greenie area and we all watched the solar eclipse through our fresh glasses haha! We played a bunch of games which we all related to missionary work. Being the zone leaders we were in charge along with the others making sure missionaries didn't do anything against the white handbook lol! It was fun but the thing I enjoyed the most was president Savages ending remarks before we left. He says he has been praying and fasting that and has felt from the Lord that our missionaries can baptize a month even despite the areas whether they be easy or difficult. He told us to go home with our companions tonight and pray about a goal that we can reach for the month of September. He said to push oueselves but don't be extreme and don't think that you can't baptize more than 1 a month. He got really emotional and talked about Caleb from the old testament and how he said "give me this mountain" when he saw the children of Anak(the giants) that made them look like grasshoppers. All the spies doubted but Caleb had an unwavering faith that if the lord delivered them out of the hands of Pharaoh, then why can't he deliver us from these giants and inherit the land! His faith was so strong and he knew what the lord is capable of doing according to our faith. The lord through the mission president and the revelation he received knows what we can accomplish and I believe that we can baptize people in this upcoming month. I know it! I will work harder with more determination and more faith then I have ever have before. I can't wait to see what the the Lord can do this month! 

I love you so much.  My testimony has been strengthened. I know that I am weak in the flesh but with the Lord I am made stronger! Way stronger than any giant out there that keeps me from accomplishing the Lord's will. I say give me that mountain because nothing is stopping me from scaling it! I love this church! The happiness it brings is real and it is because of Jesus the Chirst! He is the Savior of this world. Only through him can we receive true joy. I love you have a great week!

-Elder Brown 

Week 54 Last Week was Awesome

Last week was Awesome!

1.) We had an awesome spiritual MLC (mission leader conference) on Friday! Pres dog savage says that this mission in our region leads in the number of baptisms happening and he is very proud of the hard work we have been putting in. The brethren have come out and said at the president seminar that the Lord is pleased but he isn't satisfied. And so the challenge for our mission specifically is to basically triple the amount of people we teach.   President says he wants us to have a teaching pool of 7-11 "progressing" investigators we are meeting with every week. T
hat's a challenge for Parker.  Elder Bird and I have 2 right now lol that's buns! Its hard. we meet and talk to so many people and actually find more investigators in the area than this ward has seen in a while. but we pass them all off or they move away or they never text us back! the struggle is real but our zone set a specific goal to baptize 15 people in the month of September and we are determined! I have the faith I just don't know how. I feel like the brother of Jared! I have the faith but the Lord is looking at me and saying you're smart why don't you figure it out. So my resolution, grab a bunch of rocks ask the Lord to turn them into people and let me teach and baptize them........lol only if I lived in the year 2200 BC it would be possible.  Elder Bird and I are trying super hard. 

2.) Last week we saw a miracle happen. Someone heard about our bball activity and showed up at the court. I taught him the restoration, sacrament meeting attendance, baptism and the P.O.S and at the end he showed me his arm and goosebumps were running up his arm. He said he felt peace. I reaffirmed to him that it is the spirit telling you this is the path. He agreed and said before I even said a word about baptism that he wants to be baptized he knows he needs to. he is a thug from Texas but such a genuine super nice guy! its funny because that day we met, we didn't want to do the activity but I said we should probably go and see. and what do you know he is there shootin' hoops! If I never learned bball then I wouldn't have talked to that guy hahaha! but we are passing him off to Running Creek because he is in that Ward and he is 32, just one year over the YSA age limit! 

3.) Elder Bird had a tumor in his appendix but they caught it so early that he is okay! It's a miracle that it burst because his cancer could have gone unnoticed for a long time to the point where it could have become life threatening. So in a couple weeks he will have to do a colonoscopy and he will be in the hospital for 3 days! poor guy, I feel so bad for him! but he is doing okay! 

4.) I got nothing else, I don't think! today was the temple trip and sister Simmons came to our session as well as my good friend Nathan Crowley in our ward who decided to get up early in the morning because he wanted to go with us lol! It was a good trip. I went in with a question and got an answer. The temple is so awesome! 

Week 53 Hey remember BeBe Hospital! Remember what happened there!??

Yes so you're probably looking at the caption to my email and wondering wait a sec, Connor already got his appendix out so why did he end up in the hospital again......well let me tell ya it wasn't me in the hospital.....BUT ELDER BIRD!!!! TUESDAY NIGGGGHHTTT, we were eating dinner and elder bird started having some abdominal pain. He said he was fine and he would be okay to go to our lesson. 20 minutes later in the car ride he said his stomach was really hurting but he rated it a four. I asked  him "what if it is your appendix?" He said there is no way it is! We teach a stellar lesson to Bryce our progressing investigator and in the middle of it Lexie told him to call the mission nurse while I continued to teach the lesson. The nurse told him to go to the ER immediately! We finished the lesson and we set sail to downtown Denver when there was a super nice hospital 5 minutes away!

We arrive in Denver in record breaking time.... thanks to Elder Brown and his stellar bobbing and weaving skills! We get out of the car in the parking lot and look around and soon come to realize there is no hospital in sight. While Elder Bird was dying,  me and myself ventured downtown looking for someone who had directions to Saint Joseph's hospital. Prior to looking we called our mission nurse like 10 times and she wouldn't answer the phone,  so we were literally on our own. I asked so many people and none of them knew! It was pretty stressful and frustrating because Elder  Bird was in a good amount of pain. Finally we gave up and Elder Bird died end of story .........jk thats not what happened! We got back in the car and Elder Bird decided he would go to Keiser Permanante his doctors office which was apparently only a mile away. After many prayers high hopes and a smile on our faces we arrived at Keiser and as we peered over to our right there it was Saint Jospehs hospital. We get to the front desk Elder Bird says "I think I'm dying" because He knows how long waits can be at a ER.  I felt like Brian Regan telling Elder Bird say 8 say 8 ! Despite our acting we waited in the waiting room for 4 STINKIN HOURS! At that point Elder Bird was getting ready to give birth to a large cow! We finally got him in the room. I tried to make the situation light because it was 3 in the morning and I was trying to get Elder Birds mind off the pain. So we kept quoting Brian Regan and I kept telling him that if it is his appendix you have to drink a pint of this nasty fluid. Finally the nurse came in and got a cat scan of his abdominal region. They came back 30 min later and said that you have appendicitis and we are going to operate on you as soon as possible.

Just like that Elder Bird went into surgery and he was laughing his head off all the way down the hall into the surgery room! I wished him good luck and I drove by myself in the minivan all the way to Westminster where I spent the night with the AP's (by the way, the mission nurse came when he finally got the room, so Elder Bird wasn't alone. All of this is going on and the next day are transfers and I was responsible to make sure  everyone gets to their destination. So I had to assign people in the morning to take over my responsibilities.) I got to the Ap's house @ 5 in the morning and woke up 20 minutes later because they had to take all the missionaries were leaving to the airport. They were all at the mission home waiting on the curb and it was so sad because all my friends left. We got pics and I will send you them when I get the chance. Sister Savage told me to go to bed so she sent me inside where I slept until 12:00. Then I drove back to the hospital by myself of course, jammed out to my fav EFY hits and got to the hospital. Elder Bird's surgery went great!!! He was up on his feet, his wings were flapping, and he was a happy bird! he got cleared to go home and we got home around 4. Since that day Elder Bird has been ordered to stay at home while I would go out to lessons with a priesthood holder. We taught some awesome lessons this week and found someone really solid. He came to church this week as well as another investigator we have been teaching! Other than that nothing too much happened this week! I thought I'd tell you Elder Birds story!

Week 52- I OFFICIALLY HIT A YEAR!!!!

(sent on Monday)
 Hey everybody 3 more days and then I officially hit a year! The time has gone by so fast and I'm just soaking in every bit of my mission. I have loved serving here in the Colorado Denver North Mission. It has been preparing me for the rest of my life as well as built my testimony, but most importantly it has shown me the Love of Christ for his children. Watching the joy that comes into others life's when receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ is truly amazing!  Life has been so good here and I have never felt so much fulfillment serving others and making a positive difference in the world! I love it here so much.

Me and Elder Bird are going to be together for another transfer as the Zone Leaders and we are going to be now combining the Parker zone with the Parker south zone. More missionaries to watch and administrate too but we can do it!We get 28 new missionaries coming in!! It's awesome! 54 by October.



  We have organized an effective communication system so we can know how to intelligently help the companionships. We have been in frequent communication with President Savage constantly giving advice and helping him get a feel for the mission. He is a powerful man.   We Love him a lot and I know he was called to this mission for a reason.  

President visited me and Elder Bird's  ward on Sunday for 3rd hour.  They gave an awesome training on missionary work! The YSA loved them! But they pulled us aside for 15 minutes. They literally told me and Elder Bird that we are the best ZL's in the mission and our role is crucial for these new missionaries. All of our requests to combine the zones came true. He told us he really trusts us and is dependent on us to really help the mission. He said some really nice things about us, and its not the only time he said that. It just reconfirms that I'm doing a good job.   It feels awesome!

Not too much going on.  We are still building and maintaining our teaching pool. We got another member referral, and she has said if she gets an answer to the Book of Mormon being true she will be baptized but she has 6 conflicting theologies so its been fun trying to teach the lessons and answer her questions. Really it comes down to knowing if the Book of Mormon is true. If it is,  all of her concerns will be eliminated! So we will see! We are still finding a lot of people.   It is hard because we have a good first lesson and then they drop of the face of the earth and never hear from them. or we show up and they aren't there. It's been tough but we are planting more seeds then the farm behind our house its been pretty awesome! 

Anyway I love and miss you all, Continue to pray for missionary opportunities to happen and be yourself! That's when opportunities will come.

Jake as my planner cover;)

Week 51- Heavenly Father Loves Me

My emotions have been all over the place sheesh this mission I swear is making me Bipolar lol! First things first I got a new hair cut and I like the new way I push my hair over to the side. You'll like it mom:)

I don't know where to start I have so many things to share and my mind is jumping all over the place. so I'm going to blurt it all out. 

1.) We had interviews with President this last Thursday. He did interviews a little bit different then President Mendi. He came to our house all the way from Broomfield and inspected our basement. Sister Savage said it was probably one of the most cleanest houses/apartments that she has ever seen. She said we blew all of the missionaries out of the water. Elder Bird has been helping me to be clean and organized but it kinda feels like you are in the house again lol its a good thing;) president really took the time to get to know me and my story and why I came out here on a mission. We really had a heart to heart and I told him why I have a deepened understanding of the atonement. I told him about some of the struggle I have had out here on my mission and he told me that I'm clean and it felt good to hear that. He then offered to give me a blessing and I willingly accepted. Let  me just tell you it was one of the most powerful blessings I have ever heard! He promised so many blessings and told me that the whispering's in my ear that tell me I'm not worthy or I'm not good enough would go away.  Then he told me that my heavenly father loved me and how proud he was of what I'm doing. I could feel the power of God exercised through his priesthood and it has reconfirmed my testimony that the priesthood has been restored to this earth. I cried and he cried and we just hugged for probably a whole minute. He told me that there was a lot of things he said in there but to remember them and write them down so I will never forget. I have power to avoid all evil thoughts and more strength then I have ever had before. He promised me If I take President Monson's challenge and read from the Book of Mormon everyday I will fulfill the words of 1st Nephi 15:27 "And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water." As I have treasured up the word of life and have been in the BOM I have had power to overcome temptations from Satan. I have had power to crush his head and my thoughts have been clean and virtuous. 

2.) Marcus is moving.  We got in contact with him he is kinda oblivious to things going on. It didnt even phase him that he was getting baptized last sat. He kinda seems out of it. but we have his email. His phone has been broken and he has gone a week without it. He even missed payday from a guy in the ward that he now works for. He doesn't have a car, he has never given us his address so its been impossible to contact him. Anyway we are in contact with him now. It's hard to see so much progress in someone and then see him leave. Elder Bird and I work really hard each day.   I have been drained from it. We get people to come to church and see it bless them so much and then disappear or tell us they are not interested anymore its stressful. I just need a hype speech or a little pick me up. But this week I have been doing great I'm on a spiritual high and I ain't coming down. 

3.) I got your package and its AWESOME!!!! Thanks for the shorts and socks and all those goodies I love it. I love you so much thanks for sending it. I'm wearing the shades right now. You can see them in the pics I sent you. next week we are going golfing. Jarrod beckstead and Matty mac  is taking us there!  It's a really nice golf course we are playing the front 9

4,) I love the pics from the trip. Especially the one of mom standing in front of the Colorado sign. Tell them I miss them all and I wish I could be there. 

5.) I love you all and I will email next week my time is up.   So I have to go. Elder Bird  and I set timers now so we can be obedient.  I  love you!