Week 34- The craziest week ever! -the latter-day dudes dad is a monk!

OK,  so this email probably will take me all day because so much has happened today.  It ills me that I have to type this all out.  Let me summarize first and then go into detail!

First I tried to hop a fence and absolutely ate it and face planted on the other side! Elder Reynolds laughed for 10 minutes straight and almost threw up haha! We tried to take a short cut and that didn't turn out so well! After I fell  two days later we ran into the coolest monk ever! The monks son is a guy we ran into 2 weeks prior who is a minister from the Church of the Latter Day Dude!!!! Can you believe that's even a church.  They are both funny dudes! His dad who is the monk walks around with this black robe,  he looks like he is from the KKK hahaha  crazy!

Then Sunday rolls around and I have to give a talk in church about how I gained a testimony!  Never did I teach so simply and with total comfort and peace!   I didn't write anything down but I spoke from my heart and prepared a bunch of scriptures to read! Then this morning I get a call to be the district leader in this ward that I'm currently serving in and Elder Reynolds got called to be a zone leader!   I'm a district leader uh oh! It gets even better.  So in a zone there are two district leaders but since they took out a set of sisters they made it one whole zone and district making it a mega district.   I have to do goal barrier and action plans and follow up with 5 different companionship's!  The zone leaders and the AP's are in my district so I have a crowd haha! I'm going to have my plate full!  I'm in charge of district meetings which means I have to train, assign training's and a couple of other assignments! A lot to look forward too.  Nothing is a happening with Paige and kelan yet.   ugh

My new companion is going to be Elder Bailey.   I came out with him.  He was in the mtc with me just not in my same district! He was a convert at 17 so he is a good guy with a strong testimony!

That's my crazy week, and the story behind my fall is way longer and super funny but I wrote it in my journal so it will be a fun story to tell when I get home! I also talked to a pilot less active member who went to UVU and got his degree and took business classes as a back up but got hired as a pilot and works for southwest! He gave me a lot of good insight! That's pretty much the crazy week summed up for you! Hope you all are doing good! 

To answer your questions mom, my allergies are fine.  Its super dry out here but its good nothing bothering me yet! For my birthday probably fast food gift cards taco bell especially! We eat at costa-vida sometimes so that's pretty good! Probably extra pocket cash! A simple watch maybe! nothing expensive just a casual watch. Some Nike socks.   I have a lot of ties so I'm good there. Maybe a Denver Colorado sweatshirt or something like that! That's all I can think of! I liked the picture of McKay,  I laughed my head off! I don't know what else to tell you.   I just am excited for pday today get to play basketball and blow off some steam! Always a good day! Izzy's bio in the high-school musical brochure is hilarious! She would like to thank her Grandparents for the use of their basement stage where she gained all of her experience! I laughed at that!

When  the president called he said I'm glad I have two elders in the mission who just get it! He said he is proud of the people we are so that was a good compliment!  I don't know what else to tell you have a good week! It stinks I can't go to priesthood session with dad! Imiss that! but I will be there watching! I miss march madness too! but this is way better! I love you all and miss you all!

Elder Brown

Week 33- March Madness is Making Me Mad

March Madness is making me mad because I'm missing it! I hear everybody in church talking about the games and I can't help but then daydream about basketball! I miss it so much! My comp is good!  Elder Krulish my ZL is good. Elder Gray is good and Elder Wood is a college bball player so pday basketball is so fun! I'm jumping really high now I'm going to send you a video of me throwing it off the backboard to myself and cramming it! I'm trying to tomahawk so I'm going to keep lifting so I can!
 Yesterday at church the beautiful music director for the hymns asked me to conduct the music for her next Sunday.  Willingly I said yes!! I wish I would of  said, "I'd do anything you asked" hahaha! She's so pretty. :)  We did exchanges with the AP's and I went with Elder Gray who was my ZL in Brighton Colorado! We had a good time.  He helped me a lot,  especially talking with everyone we see!  I am  working on becoming a heat seeking missile! When a person we come in contact with  boom..I'm there. talking.   That way we  give everyone the opportunity to hear our message and you have more of a chance finding the people that will listen. We have been talking to a lot of people recently but still trying to find the ones who will actually receive us! It is tough but again I won't ever give up!

   I passed the sacrament in church! I'm so tall compared to all the little deacons! I hardly remember being that small!

This week has been absolutely beautiful! one day it reached 80.  I was sweating haha! To be honest Denver is not a bad place to live.   It is warm most of the time! I kept thinking of you dad when you were shoveling the snow because I know how tough that is and your an old man haha! I bet Mr. Lapp was a big relief!  I also kept thinking of Saturday's  while the games were being played that  you had the tv on doing chores around the house while Izzy was at dance and I would be doing homework and then at night you relaxing on the recliner chair and watching some sports! I could picture that scene in my head all day! I miss it but this is even better!

I'm starting to really get into the scriptures and slowly I'm actually starting to fulfill my patriarchal blessing by memorizing scriptures! They have been popping in my head during lessons and remembering where they are just not remembering all the words!  I'm getting there! When I wake up in the morning I think about my studies right away and figuring out where I'm going to be in that day! I feel like its just waiting for the thanksgiving feast at grandma's house! "feasting upon the words of Christ" I want more and more of it. In fact sometimes despite how tired I usually am at night I just put my nose in the scriptures and start feasting! It's awesome I love the scriptures! I can't wait for general conference! Then soon after I will be turning 19! crazy! Then four months after that I will be at a year! too fast too fast!

When I think of home sometimes I just get worried what I want to do with my life.  I hope I can figure it out in the next year and four months.   
Other then that transfers are in a week.  The  ap's say I will take over as district leader most likely and Elder Reynolds will leave because he has been her for 2 transfers already and he will become a zone leader! Anyway a lot to look forward to!




Don't worry about sending me stuff.   I'm okay out here!  The members feed us every night! oh and I met a family whose son is Levi Savage in 17 miracles!!!! His sister is in our ward and her parents were in town so it was pretty cool.

I love you!  Have a good week!
Elder Brown

 The other night after we were done working we saw this rabbit.  We threw a rock at it and killed it! Yikes! We didn't have a big dinner so we carried it across the intersection by our apartment and took pics with it skinned it and cooked it and ate it:)

 My shoes are trash too, they give me blisters and the bottom of my shoe is completely torn.  They did me good for 4 years!

Week 32- We are nothing except through the Savior

I do not  have hardly anytime so I'm going to leave you with my testimony! The Gospel of Jesus Christ isn't something that is separate from our lives that we do on weekends! Well some people do and that's not the gospel of Jesus Christ! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is very much intertwined with every thought every action every decision we make in our lives! Without these principles like faith and repentance well our lives slowly start heading in an off direction! We need those things, they are here for us! When we finally come to understand that our spirituality just blossoms into something greater than our mortal state! We start to become more like our father in heaven which is indeed his plan! But that is not possible unless there was a Savior! Somebody who would save us from our fallen state and loose the bands of death! We are nothing except through the savior! If there was no Savior there would be no gospel.  If there was no "character of Christ" there would be no atonement, because the Character of Christ is the gospel! Faith love hope charity with an eye single to the glory of God! When our eyes are focused on nothing but the savior and we tune out all that worldly crap well then we can bet our bottom dollar that we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ and fulfilling the Lord's plan that he has made for us! So my challenge to you! Lay up treasures in heaven, think about the things that matter most,  things that are eternal, that are everlasting rather than things like instant gratification that are carnally-minded and unimportant. When we do that we can then say in testimony , "I know the church is true." -
Blessings

Elder Brown    

I have to go mom! oh one more thing! I can't buy a ukulele it is now a rule because missionaries were using it as entertainment on the streets.  But if I ask The president in person, he likes me enough maybe he would let me have it. :) 

 

I performed in church A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief! The best I have ever played it and on a super nice piano it sounded awesome!! I sat down after I was done and the guy that got up to speak after me had tears in his eyes and he took like 1 minute before he could utter out a word and finally said,  "I don't know what to say!" The spirit was so strong when I played I had chills! When I sat down I of course cried! The spirit was really strong that sacrament meeting! I received a lot of compliments!  I said to them in response,  "I give full credit to my mom!:)"

Also I gave a training in district meeting on listening rather than speaking and asking inspired questions! It was awesome!  I felt great about lesson. 

 

Oh I would like power bars and pictures,  lots and lots of pictures.  From all of my  friends and things that you guys have done recently.  I love those! Candy and  goodies also.  Jake...if you could ship Jake in a package that would be awesome!

 

Maybe for my birthday you could send that $14  stretch ping pong net you can attach to tables and send two good paddles! That would be fun!

 

Okay love you.  Have a good week! I miss you so much but I'm just trucking on through! Tell Avery and Izzy I love them so much! Love you dad thanks for your letters they are always so good! Ok mom over and out...

 

Week 31- Simple

Lauren got accepted to BYU! She is going to do awesome there! That was the highlight of my week looking forward to whether or not she got in! I can't believe I didn't get to see the performance.   I hope somebody recorded it so I can see it.   I'm actually pretty bummed that I didn't get to see it.  Was it funny?! Was Al hilarious or what hahha! His humor is kinda hidden because he is a little shy but he is one of the most funniest kids I have ever met! ughh still bummed someone better of recorded it! Too bad I didn't get to see my sister in it.   I'm even more bummed about that! Izzy should do vocal lessons all four years of school she would get way better! I bet she just lit up that stage! Wow what a crazy week I missed a lot! But the work here is better!

Elder Reynolds and I are working hard together! We are having a fun time but to answer your question dad we realized the first week how goofy we are and took seriously when we could be goofy and when we should be serious so all that is sorted out! I'm having a lot of good teaching moments where I have been realizing when the spirit constrains when I go off on little rants and when I teach simply how much stronger the spirit is! Because it is so easy for somebody to ask a question and try to answer by using every tiny tiny detail but I have realized that when you keep the answers simple and relate it back to knowing if the Book of Mormon is true the spirit can work with them! We found two promising investigators but unfortunately none of them are going to be baptized this transfer! Everyone in our district is finding so many investigators and we are working super hard and have found so few! It makes it easier when you have a good teaching pool and then being able to take them out and put the good ones in the pond but we have such a small pool that we have like only one or two in the pond! But we will keep tracting and finding as many people as we can! Its making me more patient and understanding sometimes that's how the work goes!

I'm learning and growing so much this transfer.  I'm fine tuning a lot of things teaching wise and spiritual wise! I have a lot of room though in my brain for more knowledge especially being able to teach from the scriptures! Elder Reynolds does that so well and I struggle a little with it! It just comes with time and studying the scriptures everyday and making the most of my personal study time! But teaching simply is key! The savior taught so every one can understand!

O, all ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression." Mosiah 2:40

says it right in the scriptures! 

Lost my train of thought but just know I'm growing everyday and I just want to be the best missionary I can be! I have yet still a lot to learn but we can never stop learning! I still wish I was better on the spot when it comes to explaining the Gospel of Jesus Christ! but it is a skill that comes with time! 

I hope Alex is doing okay I love that kid so much!  I don't have a ton to say but I love all of you so much! Thanks for keeping me in your prayers and I hope you continue to see the blessings of the gospel! I didn't realize how real and important the gospel of Jesus Christ is and my testimony of it has grown tremendously because of it! Love you!

Elder Brown

Week 30-Organ Playing and Ukulele buying

I have a lot to share with you this week! So Paige's baptism didn't happen,  bummer but she just got a little scared! Making a commitment for the rest of your life can be really big but I know that she will be ready sooner or later! Just keep praying for her! We ventured over to this apartment complex to visit a lady  and started knocking on doors. Long story short we didn't even get to the apartment this lady was living in because we found another super awesome lady who was ready to hear our message.  The moral of the story is Heavenly Father knows how Elder Reynolds and my mind's work and he led us to a soul ready to hear the message!

I got a hair cut today so that's exciting! It looks (well kept) so mom you can stop worrying now lol! Elder Reynold's grandpa passed away so pray for him! He is doing really well and not super worried about it but it is still a sad time for him so keep him in your prayers! 

Elder Reynolds has been my favorite companion thus far! He helps me so much and teaches me a lot,  so I learn and grow because of him! He has taught me a lot of teaching skills and I feel the spirit working through me even more!  He was a crazy kid growing up and has such fun stories which make me laugh! But him and I are really close!   Anyway We are teaching really well together and finding new people to teach everyday! I have been seeing the blessings of the Lord as I have been serving alongside him! 

Hey I played the organ this week in church.  There was no organist and she asked me to play! I received a lot of compliments on my playing and I'm doing a musical number in church in two weeks! I'm excited! I'll have somebody maybe record it for me and send a little bit to you! Me and Elder Reynolds have been writing a lot of music lately! and oh, I'm buying a ukulele today so I can record songs at this guys house! I'm naming my album "Native American Trunky" its all church music that I have been writing! Gotta use my gift for something! I'm excited!

Well that's all I have this week! Thanks for all the encouragement from you and dad! I love you both! Hopefully you have been seeing the blessings of me being out here! I don't mean that to be selfish I just hope the Lord's blessing you in the aspects of your life because you both are awesome and I love you more then you can comprehend!

-Love,

Elder Brown

Week 29- Lets Talk Music

 I'm  assuming this is Paige and Kallen

Hey its me again! 

Today I'm super sick but still emailing.  When I go home I probably am going to puke lol! I have been sick 8 times on my mission! Anyway, this week was awesome! Me and Elder Reynolds got to face time his family because his best friend just got baptized! It was pretty awesome to see that! His friend was actually from a  reformed lds group but he didn't like it and wanted to learn more about the church. He got interviewed by President Uchdorf which is pretty cool! 

We have been doing tons of service! We have done bingo at a retirement village and that has been fun! We have been working at a food bank! I have worked at food banks for my entire mission! In my last area we went into a retirement village and scooped ice cream for the old folks!   I also have used my piano skills to play for the elderly.  I have enjoyed this part of my mission so much.

 I don't know anything about Paige really but Elder Cluff emailed me and said that she felt like she isn't quite ready because she doesn't know enough about the church! They were going to Hopefully,  have a lesson tonight so we will see how it goes! ! But the good news is that Kellan will be baptized with her because he wants to be baptized now! Continue to pray for Paige she has been doing such a good job,  hopefully she can ignore Satan and enter the waters of baptism on the 25th!

This week has been a great week! People have been coming up to us and asking for guidance and help! So we have found 7 new investigators in the past week which has been unbelievable! That has been unheard of in the red leaf ward according to my companion who has been here a while! We have seen a lot of blessings from working hard and being exactly obedient! I haven't been using that term my whole mission because it didn't strike me till last transfer that I needed to change! My whole mission thus far,  I have been selectively obedient! Probably one of the biggest struggles for missionaries in the mission! But I really had a change of heart! I buckled down and wrote down everything that I was not doing previously and now have been doing it to the T! I have seen miracles and have felt better about my missionary work! I have been getting up on time, I have been wearing obedient socks, I have been doing everything in the white hand book! It has been so much better! That is a huge lesson I learned!!! I remember at home how I would be selectively obedient to you guys and often it ended up in fighting! We read about that constantly in the Book of Mormon! When they were obedient they prospered! When they weren't they no longer had the hand of the Lord in their life and they slowly fell away! I'm sorry I wasn't super obedient at home I know that was the cause for a lot of fighting! Sad though that I learned this lesson 6 months in but at least its better than 23 months in! Be EXACTLY OBEDIENT!:)

Anyway lets talk music! Last week was zone conference and I had the privilege of playing three musical numbers! Sister Mendenhall called me to ask me to come down to the first zone conference for the first half of the mission and play the piano for Elder Olsen! It was a 1 hour drive and we played the musical number then left. Then the next day we played the same musical number for our zone and it was awesome! Its a song that a lady sang at Pres Mendi' mom's funeral! It made him cry! Then that morning two sisters came up to me and asked me if I could play the piano for them.  Of course I said yes.   I practiced it twice before I had to perform which was scary! It was a hard piece to play but my chorus sight reading helped me learn it quick! I also played alongside a violin so that was a first! We accompanied a sister who sang beautifully! It was so good that I forget the hymn it was but it was a difficult arrangement!  I have played a musical number every zone conference! I'm sister Mendi's go to musician! I'm playing another one next zone conference though!  Next week for church I'm playing the organ because the lady is out of town and somehow they knew I played so now I am playing the organ for sac meeting! That should be fun! 

Me and Elder Reynolds are having a blast though! We are working hard but having a lot of fun! We really relate to each other a lot especially things we did before our missions! He is a super good guy and I haven't been closer to an elder! He has 5 months left! Hopefully I can kill him off and stay with him till he dies!( mission lingo, when he is done with his mission) He gives me such great advice and has made me a better missionary! We are going to try to meet up after the mission!

 Alright,  I love you!  I will talk to you next week bye!

Week 26-28 Leaving Again!

2/1/17

This transfer has taught us a lot of things. Patience, Long suffering, and humbling yourself before the Lord....you can't do it on your own...its impossible that way. It has made me get on my knees and pray more and harder than I ever have before. We have started our mornings praying and seeking for unplanned opportunities to find people.

Am I giving up hope...no, but is it hard to keep an upbeat attitude...yes. So this week I have been trying to be happier about teaching the gospel and having more love for the people of Parker even though everyone is mean hahaha! We had a gun threat right to our face last week that was fun! I have learned that the deeper your understanding is of the atonement the more you will appreciate going out and working and it is sooo true. If Jesus loves me so much that he was willing to take upon him MY sins, than how much more important and how much more does he love those you haven't heard the cry of repentance. So I am going to repent daily, and pray to love the people. Serve with Love, Christ did and I love Christ so I am going to serve with it. Hopefully the journey then will be more Joyful (in that aspect of it all)

 I love it! I love this gospel, I love how it has made my life better, I love you and Dad and Izzy and Avery so much and I miss you everyday. I keep you in my prayers and I pray that a missionary opportunity comes your way. Be a missionary, start today.

2/6/17

Hey I'm leaving and  being transferred again and going to another bike ward! Red Leaf area in Westminster, Co. 

Hey, guess what! I just heard news that the guy I started teaching back in Aravada, Laren Thompson, got baptized! Oh that is so exciting! It feels so good! whew!!

2/13/17
 This is going to be the best transfer ever! I love Elder Reynolds! Its only like day 5 and he is already my favorite companion ever!  He is from Spanish Fork Utah! He is such a good missionary and he is super funny! I have never laughed so hard in my life! The Westminster zone is such a good zone too! Everybody plays basketball so P-day today is going to be really fun! Weather has been super warm lately! Our area is struggling so hopefully we can get some work done! I keep forgetting my camera so I can't send pictures but I have a ton! But yeah it kinda stinks that I am leaving and on bike again but we go bunny hopping over prairie dog holes. Up until now I have never seen them in my life. I think they are so cool but Elder Reynolds throws rocks at them haha thats fun! We talk to a lot of people though in our area! Elder Reynolds is not afraid to talk to anyone its awesome!

Paige as far as I know is still on date for the 25th! Elder Reynold's friend at home is getting baptized this Saturday so that is a cool experience for him! Not a whole lot to talk about this week! Glad Mom had fun in Florida! Man I wish I was home with Alex right now!  I just wish I could be there for him and just help him.

I finished the book of Mormon like a week and a half ago.   I love it! I have read it three times on my mission so far! My testimony of it has grown a lot!  

I'm happy, excited and  loving the work and ready to go! So don't be worried about me. I'm getting invited back for the baptism so I am not worried! I love you mom and dad have a good week!  

 Mother's note:  We received this picture and text from a couple who fed Elder Brown this week.

"Our ward mission leader (who is also a senior missionary) said we have two of the best missionaries in the whole mission, and now is the time to invite our friends to meet with the missionaries.  Thanks for lending us your son.  We had a great time listening to his music tonight."  -The Reichmans

 Me and my companion took this squirrel we found in our apartment and at night we went by this church and put it on the sign! People went to the church this Sunday and they were looking at the squirrel and why it was there but nobody moved it so they must think it is supposed to be there!HAHA

 The new Squad!