Week 72- Christmas

Hey mom,dad!

I had a great week this week! Full of teaching and caroling and fun and freezing cold bike rides- dashing through the cold, on our crappy Walmart bikes, oe'r the hills we go...... oh what fun it is to ride in a freezing winter storm whew! I want to kill my self some days lol! Actually it has been pretty warm lately so I'm not complaining haha!

I didn't like the song I sang at zone conference..   I'm singing in church on the 31st! A song called Make me Whole. I will have to have somebody record it. We had an awesome ward Christmas party! There were like 7 non member families- all thanks to invite to ignite yeah buddy! We sat next to a non member family and a dope family the Anderson's and we had awesome conversations about the church and The Lord.  They came to church the next day too!

So for Christmas the plan is to go to the Forbes around 1 to face time! so 3 your time! We are not sure yet but we can shoot you a text through their phone when we are ready! Other than that plans consist of brunch or dinner at like 2 and movies at night and zone gathering and playing cash flow at an investigators house!

I got all the Christmas presents and I opened them all! I love them all thank you so much! I love the tie and sure I'll take another white shirt haha! Thanks so much. I enjoyed your testimonies the most thank you for sharing they were touching to me! I got mail from grandma you Avery,  dad,  Izzy and that's about it I think! I have been doing the nativity and studying in depth the scriptures in the new testament. I will send you a picture when it is complete. I don't know what I will do with the tree after Christmas though because I kept the one from last year and I want to save them. I might have to ship it back home. I'm shipping your Christmas presents tomorrow so hopefully you will get it in time.

 

okay I do have a Christmas message I want to share. and I will had my witness...

I love Christmas! It is my favorite season of the year! Especially when serving the Lord full time like Peter and the apostles did when they dropped their nets and left everything behind to follow the Savior Jesus Christ. Christmas is an interesting time of year. For those that don't know Christmas is actually a a paganistic holiday that we have adopted to recognize the Lord.   Christmas was not initially celebrated in the united states. Actually it was banned to celebrate it in the late 1800's. those that would celebrate would face serious punishment. the story or folktale of Santa Claus was the reason why Christmas was not celebrated. Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas and the German folktales are actually totally different then how we now perceive the jolly old bearded man with a white beard who loves children and gives good gifts.  But we have adopted and have made changes to Santa so that it could fit our culture.  

 

But you're probably wondering why I'm talking about Santa Claus and a little back ground about how he came to be. That's because I want to make a relation to Santa Claus and Jesus Christ! Now I'm not saying that we can put Santa and Christ in the same category and I'm not trying to diminish Christ's divine role by any means. But I want to give you a perspective you have probably never have thought of before. Every child Longs for gifts under a tree with a signature of Santa Claus on each gift. Every Child anxiously awaits and imagines Santa a white bearded man coming down from the sky in his sleigh and leaving gifts for them eating a couple of cookies and some milk before he departs. Why is that?????!!!! Why do children get so excited when they picture Santa Claus coming down the chimney in his fat red suit. I think its because every child's soul longs for the coming of our savior Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon says children are alive in Christ. Do you know most American homes the celebration of Christ is forgotten or not celebrated! and children grow up not understanding the true meaning of Christmas! but no matter if they are taught or not they all have the light of Christ burning inside of them. I think of a lot of times we shoot down the idea of Santa Claus because we try to focus on the Savior. but I feel that Santa should remain apart of the season because he helps point us to Jesus Christ. He comes in a red cloak, He comes in his chariot (sleigh) of fire accompanied  by many angels (his reindeer). He has a white beard, He gives good gifts to his children he knows them by name and he knows whether or not they are naughty or nice! I love the comparison because it is true. I Will continue to keep Santa apart of my Christmas because he helps me remember the reason for the season Jesus Christ! 

 

I have a testimony of his birth life and resurrection. It is because of him that we have the greatest gift of all! His everlasting sacrifice that grants us the ability to be forgiven to try a little harder and become a little better each and every day! I love him! I would be nothing without him! I have caught a glimpse of the savior's life as I have tried to be fully submissive to the commandments of God and serve him with all my heart. I'm thankful that we celebrate his birth but I'm thankful we can celebrate his birth and life and resurrection not just Christmas day but every day of our lives! I know he lives and I too can live again! In the name of him the one we celebrate this season even Jesus Christ, Amen

Love you guys I will see you truly in a week ;)

Elder Brown

Week 71- Prayer is Powerful

 

 Thank you for the tree!

 My Christmas present that I opened early!

 

My Zone!

P-day was super dope last week.  We  had all the elders and there are some dope missionaries in the other stake. Somebody got his spike ball net sent out to him so we played that outside in the freezing cold. I forgot a shirt for pday so I had to take off my shirt and  played basketball with no shirt on. It felt super weird.  It's been a while since my chest has seen the sun. 

1.)  Rachel Martinez took our picture. We teach her weekly. She is so sweet.

2.) Not sure about Christmas call yet,  probably calling from the Forbes house or something who knows

3.) Not sure if Elder Bird my old companion got made a zone leader let me ask him. He might be training again

4.) April went to the Lakewood Ward to see her daughter but next week she will be coming to our church again. She is still on date for the 30th and we found out she is not on parole thank the heavens. She is working to quit smoking and coffee but is doing an amazing job. Keep her in your prayers.

6.) I received granola bars, the Christmas tree with all the cousins, and MY UKULELE which I'm so happy.  I'm on it all the time and I can already play some songs. I loved them. I love the pictures of the family you all look so classy.  Everyone looks good. Ethan and that beard it makes him look so much older. I loved the tree and I will be starting the nativity on the 14th. 

7.) I'm staying warm don't worry I have plenty of warm gear

8.) I saw all the pics of Avery.  She is so cute! How did she do?

9.) I love your goal mom, I hope you keep reading everyday and taking the prophets council. I have been reading the book of Mormon everyday since general conference. I have been hopping around reading a chapter a day. I have picked topics and turned to the chapter I like. I have been focusing a lot on prayer recently. My favorite example of prayer in the Book of Mormon is Alma 31 vs 26-38 Can you read that before next week and tell me what you liked. I feel that's how powerful prayer can be and sometimes my prayers falter but I have been trying to keep my prayers consistent.

I Love You with all my heart!
Elder Brown

 My District!

Week 70

 

Hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving break! I hope you get all your Christmas shopping done! Hey did you see that picture of Danielle up on the billboard crazy!!!!! I can't believe she is on a billboard haha that's pretty cool! This week we find out transfers but I'm pretty sure I will be followup training Elder Beck if not I'll be mad haha!

April is still on date it might change though and we may have to wait 3 months because she might be on parole. She is such a great lady though she got her parole changed from 3 years to 3 months because of all the service and nice things she is doing to change her life! But 3 months is a long time off and I probably won't be able to see her baptism oh well I love teaching her! WE are having some powerful lessons. I love teaching April. I had the opportunity to give her a priesthood blessing last week and it was awesome.   I could fell the powers of heaven come down. She is trying to quit her smoking addiction and coffee addiction but she has so much faith I know she will!

We are teaching this other guy named Tom! We meet with him Saturday mornings with brother Tame a member from our ward and we have good lessons. Tom is a hardcore bible fanatic. He used to be atheist but now believes! He used to have a hard time with the book of Mormons but recently he has opened up to it. Hopefully we can help him understand why it is important! Pray for him

We are also meeting with another Tom, we were supposed to have a lesson Saturday at 3 but he had to cancel because of work! I know he will be a future member of the church.   I just have that feeling. His 3 kids would fit right in with the youth in our ward so I hope we can sit down and teach him about the restoration because from the background info we gathered he still has trouble with there being so many churches. Pray for him as well!

Caleb we took off date but he still comes to church events such as church scouts/young mens! He just needs some time before he gets baptized and he is not as interested in taking the discussions as we thought he was. But eventually I see him being baptized!

That's all we have teaching right now we are really trying to get in contact with this PMF of 8. 7 of them are not members and I think we have some potential there! pray for them-The Deed family

Had Arvada stake conference yesterday and it was amazing. Mission pres was there and we briefly said hi to them. Brother Forbes our ward mission leader fed us dinner and we had a brief meeting discussing how we can get our missionary program going!

Today we have a fun pday planned going to hoop it up with the boyz! I miss basketball and playing competitively! wish I could go back and play another year at L-S! That stupid injury made me miss most of my sophomore year and  my junior year wasn't any better! I'm excited to go to school and play intramurals! I just love the sport and have such a drive to play better! I do feel a drive to try to play college hoops and walk on! I'd really like to! I think that it would be a good learning experience for me!

Anyway I don't have much else to say! I love and miss you another Christmas away from you guys. LOve you,

Elder Brown

Week 69- Thansgiving feeling crummy!

I woke up Thursday morning and felt really sick and I'm still sick today. I've been coughing up mucus and nasty stuff so it hasn't been a fun couple of days. I stayed inside Thursday,  Friday and Saturday. While I was inside I wrote a really good song, I'll play and sing it to you when I get home. Pray I get better. My mind is like so fried right now probably because I haven't had a lot of sleep! It wasn't the best Thanksgiving ever but one to remember. Still popped enough advil down to get out of bed Thursday and eat some turkey. The food was flavorless because my nose couldnt smell anything hahah! oh man what are ya going to do!

 

Seemed like the Brown/hanson/knarr clan had a fun thanksgiving break! Nice to have family all back?! How was Katie's party who came? I saw those Christmas card pics I love those! You all look so 🔥! Dad looks good I love the scruff tell him its a good look for him! Avery is so tall holy cow! She is almost as tall as dad! Send me thanksgiving pics of the family did anybody take some? Where was Alex for thanksgiving? I didn't see Chase in any of the pictures either.

As far as the week goes we put April on date for baptism and she already knows who she wants to baptize her. She is on date for the 31st of December. Her and Calen both came to church Sunday. also we got a return appointment for sat. with Tom  who has 3 kids who are 8, 12, and 15. He is super interested in our beliefs and we gave him a book of Mormon. He is solid as well. This is the most work I have seen all my mission and its funny because its in the area where I had the least amount of work in the beginning of my mission. Remember Kelly?  I wonder what happened to her when she moved to California. Ryan decided not to get bapt I think I may  have told you already. He is taking a break from the missionaries but is still reading the book of mormon surprisingly. I hope he continues to investigate in the future. I know I planted a really good seed. The name of the guy Elder Bird and I baptized is Clarence Freeman and he is in the grand view ward. The work keeps picking up and we have even more to go see! super exciting! The lord is blessing this ward it is honestly all him. As long as we strive for obedience the Lord blesses. He doesn't expect perfection but he expects acts of faith to be shown.

 

Funny story for you I may  have told it.  I'm not sure but last week me and Elder Beck were riding up a hill when I saw a squirrel jump from the tree onto the sidewalk in our way.   I was feeling quite devilish and I rode my bike on the right of the sidewalk hopefully having to make the squirrel choose death by bike or possible road kill? Funny enough it ran out in the middle of the street hoping it could make it but sadly the prius didn't swerve in time and totally wrecked that squirrel.   hahahahahahhaahahaha!!!! That thing got squashed you could hear it crack as all the bones were shattered. After flipping once over the tire it layed in the street quiet and still. Meanwhile me and Elder Beck practically fell off our bikes because of excessive laughter and nearly peed our pants. funny day.

Well that's all for me anything else.

 

Love,

Elder Brown