December 17, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos,

 

Wow pops, I am glad to hear that all is well and that you weren't injured in the accident. That is so crazy. For some reason when I got on to do email today and saw that no one had written I had a feeling that something happened, then, as I was writing president I got an email from you and of course something had happened. I am very glad to hear that all is well though. I haven't got anything from Mom this morning yet, so she will probably mad when she gets this before she is able to write. This week has been a crazy and a tuff one but as well very good. Just pretty much a lot of emotions packed into one week. I will tell you more about it later.

 

Well, from what Dad told me it sounds like the week was a really busy one, and to finish off with that crash I am sure you have seen better weeks ha, but hey, if we never had bad weeks we would never know what good weeks are. As well, we would not be able to develop Christ-like attributes like diligence, patience, faith or hope. This is something that I have been slowly learning here in the mission is to look at all trials, afflictions, infirmites and even accidents with an attitude of "If ........... (something negative) never happened, we would never learn ...........(something positive)" This has really helped me to keep a better attitude and as well to really search for ways to learn and grow from the hard things that often confront us in our lives. So my example for you today is "If there was never black ice on the street we would never appreciate a good nice dry road." I have also found that a little bit of humor never hurts in a difficult situation.

 

My following example is to kinda explain to you all how this last week was. "If we were never tired, worn out, and exhausted, we would never learn how to be diligent." That is the phrase of this last week. Wow I was tired at the end of this last week. I will start from the beginning. Tuesday we had intercambios with the zone leaders, so me and Elder Renshaw in the morning went on a 2 and a half hour bus ride to Lanco, the zone leaders sector, and then Elder Walker and I took another 2 and a half hour bus ride right back to Pangi to start working. Elder Walker is one awesome Elder. I learned a ton from him and we are very similar in a lot of ways, one of the biggest being the fact that we both love fishing. Although he is much more experienced than me on the subject of catching big fish haha. It was a great intercambio though. Thursday the four of us Elders from Pangi woke up at 5 in the morning to be able to take a bus down to Valdivia and be there before ten for a Zone Conference. It was an awesome conference and also I was able to see many of my great friends there, namely my kid Elder Jensen, Rytting, Carmen, and last but for sure not least my mtc comp Elder Cowley. I love that guy. The conference was great and we talked about a lot, but one of my favorite parts was talking about how we can use our agency to become the 4th missionary. Lacee can explain what that is. It was awesome. Then to finish the week off we found out the new transfers and Elder Renshaw is headen south to Punta Arenas and to my suprise I will be training again!!!!! I am so excited to get another new one. We are going to tear things up out here in Pangi. I don't know who he is yet, but I am going to get him Thursday. I am excited. Pres called me Sat. night to tell me. It was funny he didn't tell me before because I saw him so much this week because he was here in Pangi looking at the house for the couple missionaries.

 

Well, I better end so I can put on some pics. I love you all and I thank you for your prayers and support I need them. I love the mission with all my heart and I am so thankful for my Savior and for what he has done for me so I can become better. Love you all.

 

Elder Brown

 

Ps I love the 12 days of Christmas I am opening them everyday and the stories are awesome. 

1. Pangui!!!!

2. Elder Cowley and I at zone conference - they gave us Christmas hats and we sang some carols

3. The pigs at the house of Luis and Vitalia. Haha I love chile!

 

 

December 10, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos,

Wow, does time fly or what?! Lacee made me really think about that when she said that she will have been home for a whole year this next month. That is crazy! I feel kinda old as a missionary now, but then again, it seems like just yesterday that I got here to Chile. This week I will also be completing 1 year in Chile, crazy!!!!! Sounds like the Christmas season is in full swing there in O town. It sure is here in Pangi now, considering how fast that three of us got packages this week ha. Yep mom, you don't have to worry, it got here, as well as the present from Britt from ArtsCow. Dad, that is so cool that you get to go work in Kanab. I sure do love that place. I remember one of the last days that I spent there in Kanab before coming out in the mission. We were with the whole fam out behind Matt's house and I just sat there looking around knowing that I wouldn't be back there for 2 years, or see a lot of my fam for 2 years, and I got emotional. I think I hid it pretty well and I don't think anyone saw me ha. I sure do love my FAM and Kanab.

 

That is so cool that Kenz is going to Honduras! Tell her congrats from me, and good luck with Spanish, but that it's not too hard when you've got the Lord on your side helping you. That's the only way I learned Spanish. Even with the amazing help from sister Burdett, I still needed the help of the Lord to get it through my thick head. I can't find my vitamins mom. I don't know where they went, sorry. I can't remember any other questions, sorry. I will get to work on my tooth then this week.

 

Alright, now a little for my week. It was a very interesting one and a little hard, but that's alright we are going to get it done this week. Monday at 6 we got a call from the office saying that Elder Moreno had to go to Santiago to do stuff for his visa and that he had to leave in like an hour, ha, so we rushed to get him off. We were here in the whole city as a trio, trying to work in two sectors and it had it's toll on the work, but we kept working hard and we had a good time, us three together. Elder Moreno got back on Friday and we were able to get some more done. On Sunday we ate with a family of members and the mom has been a member for almost 50 years. She has 2 kids that live in Orem and Provo haha how cool is that?! Her daughter and her family live there behind Target ha. We had a good time talking a little bit about my good old home. She has visited Orem like three times. Right now I can't think about much more that happened this week, but I know that more happened.

 

Now for the work. We are doing good and still just working with the same investigators trying to help the family get married and we are teaching a lot of youth of 19 to 21 years old that are all really interested. They seem to all be related here in Pangi - it's kinda funny. We have a lot of great people that are listening to us and we are just really excited about the people here in Pangi. They are so nice and I love them. Something that I was studying a little bit this week was the difference between sacrificing our will and consecrating it, and the difference between the two. Sacrifice is when our will bites the bullet when we do the Lord's will but we hold on to our will. Consecrating our will is to drop and forget our will entirely and to grab ahold of the Lord's and make it ours. When we do that the Lord blesses us a hundred fold as it says in Matt 19:26, I believe but am not sure ha. "He who forsakes father, mother, brother, sister, truck, good food, and friends for my sake will receive a hundred fold" That was the Elder Brown translation, just so you all know. I hope to be able to become that kind of missionary who drops all else to do the Lord's will, to make my will His will, so that I can do what he wants me to do so that he can bless others through me. I love the work of the Lord. I have no doubt of its truthfulness. I know that Jesus Christ knows how to help us to overcome weaknesses that seem to swallow us up. I have experienced that help. I am trying to sing that redeeming song every day out here in Chile. 

I love you all so much.

 

Love,

Elder Brown

 

Dear Jenna,

If you can tell me your birthday that would be great because I forgot..... I am a terrible person I am so sorrry ha.

Love,

Elder Brown

 

Brother Turner I love you my brother from another mother haha thanks for the email.

Love,

Elder Brownsito

December 3, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos.

It is so great to hear from all of you. I can not express how much love I feel for you all. Thanks for always remembering me and praying for me out here. The prayers are always needed. I can't remember much of the questions that you asked me because it has been a crazy day and you will see why from the pic that I just attached. I will tell you more about that later.

Here are my answers to the questions that I remember: No, we are not close to the office. We are like 5 or 6 hours from there. Sadly, I never see my bud Elder Anderson. My tooth is not bugging me yet but the office can't do much to help me because they are far away. I have to pay it will my own money and from what I have found so far it will be like 50 dollars for a silver filling and like 80 or 90 for a white one. I don't know what to do. What do you think. I haven't heard from anyone really at all, ha, but no biggy, we are just out working hard and getting things done out here. Oh ya, where is your friend Tanya from?

Well now, for a bit on down here in Chile. Everything is going really well. We are just working hard, walking up and down hills and teaching lots. We have been finding a lot of good people and we are working with a lot of people that I am pretty sure will be able to get baptized here in December. We are looking foward to a really good month. Elder Renshaw and me are getting along great. I think it has something to do with the fact that he is just like my good old friend Rick Doxey. I am always laughing with him. We are just enjoying working hard together while laughing all along the way. We have been working a lot with Luis and Vitalia and their son Bastian. They are talking and praying about whether they should get married or not. I sure am hoping that they can get that answer and folow it. They are awesome and I love them so much. Vitalia invited us to come with them to dedicate the grave of her mom, who died 3 years ago in a fire that burned down their whole house and left them with nothing. Vitalia asked me to dedicate it and I felt so blessed to do so. Another great experience here in the mission. They are so great and have gone through so many hard things and I know this is what they need and search for. Other than that there is not much to tell you about except for what we did today.

Today we went to a place called Huilo Huilo, and wow was it worth it, going in the pouring rain!!!! Wow, was it pretty. I am not sure if I have been to a place prettier than that. I was amazed and all I could do was stand there and stare ha. It was amazing. I am not going to lie, the pics don't do it justice. I was able to organize for a member to take us so it would be cheaper. We went as most of the zone, there was 10 of us, and it was awesome. SO WORTH IT.

Well, I always love to hear from all of you. I can't believe about all the people getting home from missions, going out on missions, and getting married. There is a new person in every single one of those groups every week. It is crazy. I sure do love all of you and I am so glad to hear from all of you. Dad, that is so cool that you get to go work in Kanab. Caiden, way to go on your game. Britt, I sure do love your fam and I can't wait to hug those two little boys of yours. Mom, I sure do love you and want to tell you that everyone that sees your pic when I show them my fam asks me... IS THAT YOUR MOM???? She is so young, they say, ha! They say you look like my older sister. I love you Mom!!! As well as everyone else. Sorry if this letter is a little short. I know that this is the Lord's work. I have never been happier doing anything else. I can not express the amount of gratitude I have towards my mission, the things I have learned and all the things I can and need to still learn. I love you all.

Love,
Elder Brown

1. Huilo Huilo waterfall
2. Only in the Grand mission Chile Osorno
3. One of my favorite treats here in Chile "La Bachata", but don't worry we all shared those haha

November 26, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos,

Another incredibly beautiful week here in Pangi. The days just slip away, all sneeky like, so that you don't even realize how fast they go by. I am glad to hear that you passed the Thanksgiving weekend by super good. I sure do love this holiday. Sadly to say, we didn't do anything, but I did carry around with me a little post-it that I wrote all the things I was thankful for on when I thought of them. That was my activity for Thanksgiving and I sure did enjoy it. It's interesting to realize how much the mission helps you realize how good the simple things we have are. I am so eternally grateful for all the things I have learned here in the mission and I hope to continue to learn more and more. Dad, that is so cool that you are going to go work over there in "Grandpa's world"! There aint no better place to work. That is so cool. I can't wait to see what the church is going to be like after you are down, that will be cool.

 

Ok, now for some of mother's questions. Love you mother! All the packages that I have gotten have been in great shape and have looked just fine. I will be sure to tell you when I get the next one. E. Renshaw is from Iowa and he is one of the funniest guys ever. I am always laughing my head off at something that he says. My legs seem to continue to get smaller, but leaner everyday. These hills are nothing for me now haha. We have a Mamita here so everything is good. Yes, I am the district leader still. What we do here in Pangi is we have divided it in half. So the others have one half and we have the other. We got news this week that we will be having a married couple of missionaries here in Pangi as well to help the district of Los Lagos to grow. So we have been looking for a house for them. We had an awesome week this week. Oh, and still I have not been able to find a dentist, but I am working on it.

 

Alright, so now a little bit about this last week. It was an awesome one, with 4 investigators in church that are all preparing to be baptized in December. I am so excited about this next month in Pangi. We are going to see a lot of miracles done by the Lord. I want to share at least one story about this week so I will do it fast so I have time to put some pics on. So we have been teaching this golden family that lives in the country and we have to walk like 30 minutes into the country to get to their house where they raise sheep and have horses and have a huge garden where they grow everything, but mostly potatoes. Well, this family - the parents are not married - have been having a lot of problems with their relationship. One day we decided to go out there at the beggining of our work day that starts at 3. So we get there about 3:30 and there is Luis working out in the field on the potatoes. I called out to him and he came in and as soon as I saw his face I knew that something was wrong. We go inside and I began to ask how he was and he just said he was fine and all, but I didn't believe him so I continued to ask until finally he told us that he had gotten into a big fight with Vitalia, his partner. We shared with him that if he could live the Gospel with his family that they could solve their problems and achieve an eternal family where they can live in harmony forever. After that he expressed his testimony of prayer and that about an hour before we got there, about 2:30 he had said a prayer that he could have the energy to work and that if it was God's will that he would send us there to help him. Turns out that at about the same time that he said that prayer me and Elder Renshaw were doing a little bit of planning in our house and we felt that we needed to go to the house of Luis. I was so humbled to realize what had really happened and that the Lord could trust and use us weak, incapable 20 year olds to answer a simple but fervant prayer. Wow, what a testimony builder. I feel so strongly about this Gospel and I know that the Lord hears and answers our prayers, sometimes through his servants even when they might not even realize that they're an answer to a prayer.

 

I sure do love all of you. I am glad to hear that all is well. Mom, if you ever see Elder Nelson tell him I miss him too ha. Caiden, you wish that you will be able to beat me! We will just have to see in a few months more. Lacee, I hope all is well. I love you sis, and I am glad to hear from you. Oh, and find a boyfriend please, but don't get married till I get home. Britt and fam, I love you all you, are the cutest fam ever.

 

Love,

Elder Brown

1. Lake Pangipulli -  this is on the way to the country where Luis lives. We live right in front of this lake.

2. This is what happens when you go up and down hills all day.

3. We are Pangi!!!! Me and Elder Renshaw

November 12, 2012

Hola Familia y amigos,

 

Wow, I sure do love you all. I am glad to hear all the good news from this last week except for the new president, pero bueno que podemos hacer, (Oh well, we can deal with it) ha. Congrats Caiden on making the basketball team, that is awesome. Now you just got to go out and do work and slam it in some kid's faces like I always did to you haha. It's awesome to hear that so many people are heading out on missions. That makes me so happy - there aint nothin' better ha. It was also good to hear that my good old friend Ryan is home! That is crazy, I can't believe it.  You will have to give that skinny lurp a big hug  for me as well. That's crazy that it snowed like that out there. It is super warm and nice here now. Well, I am glad to hear from you all.

 

OK, now for a little bit on the week. BAPTISM!! Oh how I love baptism weeks. That part of the week was super awesome. The problem was we got so focused on that that we struggled in everything else, pero beuno (Oh well), we learn from our mistakes, right? The baptism was awesome though. It was on Friday and the Thursday before we got together with some of the Elders quorum in our ward and we made my oatmeal banana cookies and cakes for after the baptism. I was able to baptize Yanara and everything went super smooth. I love baptizing, it's so much fun!!!! We had a special musical number by the comp of Elder Contreras, he played the violin and it was so good it really invited the spirit. He played "The Spirit of God" and it was awesome, I loved it. Then afterwards we ate the cookies and cakes and everyone loved it. Yanara is really mixing well with the members, so that is really good. Also, we had like 4 investigators in the baptism. Over all I am very pleased especially because yesterday I got the "call" and I will be heading out this Wednesday. I will be going to..... PANGUIPULLI! haha, have fun with that name! It's even more north than I am right now ha. I just keep moving more and more north. I will be there with Elder Renshaw. The funny thing about this cambio is that Elder Renshaw just finished his training, so he got here with Elder Jensen and guess who trained him... Elder Rytting, my high school friend, haha, and guess who is coming here... Elder Rytting! We are just switching places, it's pretty awesome. I am pretty excited to get to work in another sector. I have made a goal that I am just going to go there with all I got and we are going to make miracles happen. It's never about the sector, it's always about the missionary. We are going to get things done out there and we are going to have some fun. We struggled this week in finding new investigators, but the work is moving forward. A lady named Berzabe was pretty upset to hear that I would be leaving, but she will be fine and I think she will be getting baptized here soon, as well as a young boy named Matias that is the grandson of a menos activo (less active), hopefully he will get baptized along with Julio and Jorge and even a few others. Yesterday as I thought about the time that I have had here and how this sector was when I got here, I can say that I put all my effort in to build God's kingdom here in Calle Calle. I went through some super tuff times here in Calle Calle, but I feel that much stronger from it and I feel like I will not leave any regrets as I head out to my new sector. I hope to continue to put all I've got into the work and never slow down, but just keep speeding up so that the time doesn't just pass me by like the mission seems to do.

 

What a life, the life of the mission, I sure do love it and I feel like I have become a different person and that I have grown a ton and that there is so much more to be learned and so much more to grow. Something that I found that I loved this past week that I want to share with you is in D & C 15:6 that talks of the thing that will be of most importance to me will be to declare repentance to these people so that in the last day I can rest with them in the presence of the Lord. I love this scripture and it has been one that has been running through my mind this last week. Our purpose as missionaries is to declare repentance and the first fruits of repentance is baptism for the remission of sins and the gift of the holy ghost. This is our purpose, and every day I hope to become better at calling all to repentance. I sure have much to improve but i sure love this job.

 

Well, that's all I've got for this week. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that one of my fillings in my tooth fell out. I think it's because I have been grinding my teeth at night. I will be trying to find time in my new sector to go to the dentist and see what I can do to get that filled as well as something to put in my mouth at night to protect my teeth. The problem is I will have to pay for it. So I might be taking some money out soon. Other than that everything is good. I love you all and I hope all is well. I love you.

Love,

Elder Brown

 

1. Yanara at her baptism

2. The activity after the baptism with all friends and family of Yanara

3. Cleaning the font to get it ready for the baptism

4. Bowling with the zone these are my zone leaders

 

November 5, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos,.

It has been another amazing week as a missionary. There is not a better time to be a missionary in Calle Calle than right now. Things are happening here in Calle Calle now. We are looking forward to many things. I will update you on everything a little bit later in this email. I am glad that you had a fun weekend with Halloween and everything going on down there. Thanks for the sport update pops, I love to hear a little bit of that.

Questions.... We had a good halloween ha. I didn't realize that it was Halloween till like the day of, haha, it was pretty funny. We had some kids trick or treat at our house and I had bought a bag of candy just for that earlier in the day. The boys were members and I told them to come by ha. I gave them pretty much the whole bag for just 3 of them because no one else came to ask ha. Yes, we were able to treat a few new people to the Gospel this week. We found Matias who is the grandson of a less active that we are reactivating. He has a handicap and it is a little hard for him to learn. I love teaching little boys like that. It is the second one like him that I have taught and I really enjoy it. I enjoy being district leader because I am learning a lot and I am trying my best to just serve everyone that I come in contact with. It is teaching me a lot and has really helped me progress. I am pretty sure that we will know the transfers before I email you all again. Cambios are next Wednesday. I have a feeling that I am going, but who knows, we will just have to find out. We are having a great time, Elder Jensen and I. We are just going out and doing everything we can to be instruments in God's hands and we have seen some miracles. We are very different, the two of us, but we get along great so there are no problems there. Dad, yes we have day light savings but not at the same times as you all. I forgot when they were ha.

OK, now for a little update on the week. Tuesday I did intercambios with Elder Campbell from Ogden and it was great. He is a great Elder and we had a good time here in my sector. I sure do love that part of the mission, to be able to be associated with lots of different Elders and learn things from many of them and create great relationships that I hope last after the mish. We have stayed in contact with Julio and he is just so awesome. I just love teaching him because he has such great intentions and a desire to know the truth. We put him with a goal of the 1st of December for baptism so hopefully he can get there. He didn't make it to church this Sunday, but the next it will be. Yanara is doing awesome. She turned 13 this week and for her birthday I gave her one of the HLJ rings that you sent me, she loved it and I dont think she has taken it off since. She had her interview for baptism this Saturday in the morning with our zone leader Elder Pugh and she passed. She will be baptized this next Friday at 7. She has asked me to baptize her and Elder Jensen to confirm her. It is going to be awesome and we are so excited. We feel like this is just going to be the start of a huge line of miracles. Yesterday for the 5 minutes that I had to think and ponder because the rest of the day we were going non stop I just thought to myself how much this sector has changed and it just felt so good to be able to see the hand of the Lord in the work. He has really done so much here. I hope to be able to be a tool in his hands, that he can use me to do all that he has planned for this sector, and that with my clumsy unwise actions I will not mess up the plans that he has for this sector. I have seen my prayers answered in the last few months. I know that the Lord listens and if we will just humble ourselves and ask him for his help he will answer in his own time, but he will answer. The work is growing so much here it's crazy. If you could please remember our investigators in your prayers, that would be great. There are a few who are going through some real hard times. One couple we are teaching just lost their daughter. She had depression and ended up commiting suicide. We got there to their house just in time to give a blessing of comfort to the father before he left out of town to go to her funeral. We realized that we were guided by the spirit to set that appointment with him because the day before we had called him at 9:45 to set it and at 10 he received the call that his daughter had passed away and 5 minutes later he was making preparations to go see her. If we would have called later we would not have got ahold of him and we would not have set the cita to go by the next day to be able to give him a blessing. The Lord is mindful of his children I know that is true.

Well family I sure am glad to hear from all of you and I hope that all is well. Dad be safe in Washington. Mother dont work t0o hard. I love you all.

Elder Brown

Caiden,

Go get things done at tryouts. I know that if you go out there and put everything out on the court that you will do fine. Go give it all you got. DO WORK!!!

Love,

Elder Brown

Lacee,

It's good to hear from my long lost sis. I sure do love you. I want to hear about how you are going on lots of dates and finding your eternal comp. so you can marry him right when I get home haha. I love you sis thanks for your great example. 

Love,

Elder Brown

Britt and fam,

Wow do I love to hear those little stories about my cute nephews! I sure do love those little guys, but they are getting so big and I don't like that. I hope that all is going well and I sure love you all.

Love,

Elder Brown

Jenna,

I am working on your letter little by little, it will get there soon ha.

Love,

Elder Brown

October 29, 2012

Hola mi Familia Y Amigos.

Wow, what a week it has been. I could not be happier to be here in the mission. I love this work with all my heart and I cannot express even a small part of what I feel. We will talk more about my week and the work a little later, but first, I am glad that all is going well. I sure do love to hear those great "Blake" stories, ha, those two boys could not be cuter. I can't wait to give them both a big huge hug. I am glad to hear that all is well and mother, don't worry I got my package Tuesday and it was awesome. Thanks so much for everything. You are the greatest Mom in the whole wide world, but serious, I sure do love you mom.

Now for some of the many questions to answer: Our bishop is this little tiny guy. He has been a member for 10 years, and for 8 of those has been the bishop, haha, he is tired. I know him very well and he is a great guy. How many people at church is a little bit of a sad question. We have on average 35 people at church. We are hurtin' and we have much work to still do. Yes, Chileans celebrate Halloween, but not as much as up there. Yes, I have been hearing from returned missionaries here and there. I don't feel old at all, but Elder Jensen always likes to remind me that I am getting old in the mission ha! Today he told me I was older than half the missionaries in the mission haha. I love our new mamita, she is so awesome. She is all about helping out the missionaries. She is one awesome servant of the Lord. I also love my old mamita to pieces, she is so awesome. I don't have a clue whether I am still gaining or losing weight ha. Thank you so much for getting new insoles my mother, and yes, I still remember to let them air out.

Alright, a little bit about the work. WE HAVE A BAPTISM COMING UP!!!! por fin (finally). I have been working for this forever here. A girl named Yanara is ready to be baptized the 10th of November. We showed her the baptismal font yesterday and she got all excited. Her whole family are members, inactive, and we are working with all of them to help them get back. We taught a lot this week and we are seeing a lot of miracles here in Calle Calle. One of my favorite stories of the week though is the following: We decided to go visit an inactive man that has one leg and has had a lot of struggles as of late, so we go over there to visit him. We get to his house and there was this man, like 25 years old, standing outside his house. I asked the man if Freddy was there and he said yeah. We went in and started talking with the member, Freddy, while his friend, who turns out to be like his apprentice in work, was working on fixing a welder. The member, Freddy, is super smart and he fixes all electric things. As we talked with Freddy about his family and how life was going, his friend who was working began to ask questions. Really awesome questions. By the end we ended up teaching his friend whose name is Julio. He recently moved from Argentina and talks super cool ha. Way different than Chileans. He was really confused about why there were so many different churches and why they all used the Bible. I pulled out my little white board that I carry around everywhere and drew him an example that explains the need for the Book of Mormon and how it helps us not be confused. Julio became very intrigued and asked how he could get this Book. I said, "well, I have one right here, take it" ha. He was super happy and ready to just go at reading it. We set a cita (appointment) with him for this next week. I am super excited to see what goes down. He is super awesome. It was a small miracle that happened this week just from the impression to visit a menos activo (less active).

Man, I love the mission and I love you guys so much. I am so grateful for the chance that I have to be here and to see the Lord work his great work through me sometimes, even when I don't know it. I hope to become an instrument in the hands of the Lord that he can always use to bring about his great work. Many times our impatience and stubbornness tangle up all the Lord's plans and he can't use us to do his work and as we cry out in pain for his help. He says, "quiet man, while I untie this knot". Many times I feel like I can do things, but I forget that the Lord needs me to seek what He wants so that through me He can do much greater things than I could. I hope to always be keen and aware of the guidance of the spirit so that I can be the Lord's hands as He moves this work forward. I sure do love you family, and I hope that all is well. Thanks again for the package mother. You are great. I am so thankful for my wonderful parents and all that you have taught me and continue to teach from clear across the world.

Con mucho amor ,or, in Chilean ,con cualqiuer cantidad de cariño,

Elder Brown

photos
1. doing my puzzle you sent me. It's awesome 

2. We got christmas presents from the elderly couple in our mission awesome huh

October 22, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos,

 

First thing's first, I would love it Dad if you could add these few emails to your forward list. They are some buds from the mission and I have meant to add them forever but I always forget. key.alexander.ak@gmail.com  rhett.nelson24@gmail.com holylimflammers@yahoo.com nathan.turner@myldsmail.net. Ok, we are all good now ha. I am glad to hear that all is going well. I sure do love to hear about what's been happening there at home. The craziest thing is that my bud Trenticans is home now. Mom, I sure hope you told him to wait for me to get home before he gets married. I can't believe that every single one of my super good buds is on the downward slope of the mission, month by month, more and more are going to be getting home. It's also good to hear that the Stewart's have a bigger kitchen now. More space for us all to do quesadillas now hahaha. It's also good to hear a little bit about the sports pops, so thanks for the update. It seems like such a short time ago that it was senior night for me, but that was 3 years ago!!!!! WOW!!

 

Ok, now for some question answering. First off mother, I don't know if I need any gifts to give to people. I have a lot still. I give them out sparingly. Unless you think of something really clever and cute, you don't need to worry about that. Ok, now for Christmas haha, the hardest question of all. Maybe some insoles for shoes. Uhhhhh what else, haha One of those picture calendars for next year maybe ha. Treats...... This is so hard ha. Stuff to help me memorize scrips haha no se.

 

Ok, a little bit about the week now. At the beginning of the week it was looking like this week was going to be our best week for teaching lessons ever. We had a ton of appointments set and with the help of members and everything. I called to make sure everything was good with everyone a day before and then the morning of and guess what happens? THEY ALL FELL THROUGH!!! I could not believe it. At the end of a few days I just sat in awe at how many appointments had fallen through after all the work we put in to get them super set. I learned a great lesson from this. We can do all that we can and try to make something work, but if we don't remember that it all depends on the Lord we will start and end the day in vain. We will not get nearly a tenth of what the Lord can get done through us. What we made into a smudge, the Lord, through us if we seek the guidance of the spirit, will make a masterpiece of us and through us. We must rely on the Lord as we strive to do all we can. Now for a funny story: It's a custom for many people here to get into watching conspiracy theories on youtube and I have always heard comments of these videos and how dumb they are, but I really didn't realize how many people really believe the things they see there on the internet. Just for one quick example, even though I have many, a slightly drunk man stopped us last night to tell us that we had pretty faces and that we were good people and then after 45 minutes of him talking to us, he told me how Joseph Smith and his restoration was a plan made with the government and the CIA to gain power over other countries, and that how I was a member of the CIA with no feelings, that through the antenna in the church we send secret info to the states haha. There is just a little taste of the many things that one hears on the mission haha. The best part about this week though was yesterday. We were able to see 5 investigators in church, more than I have ever had here in Calle Calle. We were all content, as well as the members and the Bishop. The Bishop expressed his gratitude to us after a lunch and told us that he knew we were working our hardest and encouraged us to keep doing so. I was glad to see the members of the church and the Bishop so happy and excited about the many miracles that are beginning to happen here in the little ward of Calle Calle.

 

Well, that is about all I have for this week. I know that the Lord is mindful of each one of us and as we strive to follow Him and do what He commands He blesses His children. He loves us. We can become like Him thanks to His atonement and much diligence in developing His attributes. I love you all. Oh, and mother, I have not got the package due to a holiday last week, but I believe I will get it tomorrow.

 

Love,

Elder Brown 

 

Saludos a todos los x elderes de la mision chile osorno. I hope all is well. Wait for me before you get married haha.

 

1. We take the scriptures literally when it says to thrust in your sickle with all your might.

2. My tie that I burned at one year haha creative huh?

 

October 15, 2012

Family, I am so sorry to say but I had just written almost my whole letter and then it all got deleted, and I am not going to lie - I feel terrible and frustrated, but now I don't have a lot of time. So, once again, I will real quickly give you a summary of my week. Thursday we had interviews with President, and I always look foward to those. It was great and Pres. told me that this next year will go by even faster, so that was kinda scary! I don't really like to hear that. Friday was the year mark, I can't believe it. It has gone by so fast, but I can honesty tell you, even though many have said it I will say it again, that it has been the best year of my life! I have enjoyed every single last bit of it and I am so happy to have another one to live up to the fullest in the work of the Lord.

 

In my first letter I had written a lot more about the year mark and a lot more about how I feel. Now I don't have a lot of time to do so, but I do want everyone to know that I sure am grateful for this time out here serving the Lord. I feel that I have grown so much and that I have learned a ton. There is still much to be done though, so I am very grateful for the coming year and I expect to put in everything that I've got.

 

We had a meeting as a zone Friday and learned what we could do better and we did a lot of role playing and practices. Mother, I am sorry to say that package has not gotten here yet. I am thinking that I will get it tomorrow. Friday night we were able to go to Natali and Guillermo's wedding. She is the daughter of our old Mamita and we are teaching Guillermo and we hope to be able to help him get baptized. I felt out of place as a missionary at a wedding reception. It was in the church though, so I felt a little better. I made sopapillas in the house the other day at night and they were pretty good. Friday morning Elder Jensen brought me out one with a candle on it and he sang me happy misson birthday! I just turned 1, how crazy is that! Ha, I also made a tie out of paper and wrote some stuff on it and we burned that for my year mark ha. It was pretty good. I will have to send pics next week.

 

Sorry about how bad this email is. My first one was super awesome! My favorite part about this week though was the chance that we had to visit the Patriarch and his sick wife twice this week. The first time I was able to give her a blessing and the second we were able to give them the sacrament, and in that house I felt one of the greatest Spirit of peace that I have ever felt. I could not really hold in my emotions. As I gave her the blessing it was very hard for me to control my emotions. The Spirit was very strong there. It made me want so badly to have that same Spirit in my home when I have my own home. What an amazing feeling it is. Also, I felt the Spirit strongly testify of the truthfullness of the sealing power that is found within the temple. I know for sure that that couple was sealed for all time and eternity, and even though that little old lady might pass away, that her husband and her will be an eternal unit forever. I know that is true. I felt it stronger than ever within that house. Wow, am I grateful for that. It was an amazing Spirit and experience. Well, sorry family, next week's will be better. I love you all. Thanks for all your prayers. 

Love,

Elder Brown

October 8, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos,

WOW is all I have to say WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That conference was amazing; I can barely believe how fast it went by. I was trying to soak up every last drop of revelation that I possibly could and it just blew by. I left the church thinking to myself two things: 1. conference is the best and goes by way fast, 2. receiving revelation makes you tired, haha because I was super tired right after leaving. Trust me though I was wide awake for every single session.

Before I say anything else I want to direct my words to my broski Caiden. What an amazing chance that you have to prepare right now as hard as you possibly can to leave out on your mission as soon as you turn 18. Wow, do I wish I could have done that. It is an amazing announcement that will change the growth of the church. Caiden, get it done right now - start preparing. Read the scrips, but really study them, pray every day all throughout the day. Go to church with the desire to learn something. Caiden please prepare, there is no better choice than this. The mission is the best thing in the world. Shall we not go on in so great a cause? That was repeated several times this weekend. It is true there is no better cause than this. I promise. Love you bud go get it done.

Yeah ok, that's it for that. I sure do hope to hear of a lot of girls heading out too. How cool is that. We watched that first part in Spanish and I think the members thought I was weird because I was flippen out when I heard that, haha how cool is that!!! We watched the first two talks in Spanish because of technical difficulties and then everything was fixed and we were able to go to our gringo room and watch it in good ole English. All the gringo elders in the zone together, what a great sight, I thought. Ten 19 to 21 year olds sitting in a little room, eyes fixed firmly on a TV with a bunch of old men speaking. That's what it looks like from the outside. It's much bigger from the inside. Young men earnestly listening to inspired men called of God to direct us and correct us, so we can become like Christ, have joy in this life , and live with God again after this life. WOW. I love it.

Question time...

I have not got the package yet, but hope to get it this week. I do hear from Jenna still, it has been awhile though. Jenna you better get on that haha. The weather is getting better here, but there still are bad days. It changes a lot here. I don't really notice rain now haha. I just need insoles for one pair, my Johnson and Murphy pair. That's all the questions I can remember but before I forget I have a request. Dad, if you could please add to your list of forwards this email camilo.valderas@myldsmail.net thank you.

I cannot tell you a favorite talk because I had too many. I will real fast tell you a couple things that I loved from off the top of my head. Elder Nelson's "ask the missionaries" talk haha for obvious reasons that did put a lot of pressure on us though, I loved that. Elder Uchtdorf's talk, one quote that I remember was we can become who we want to be in the future by following Christ today. I sure hope to do that in my life because I have a lot of becoming to do ha. Elder Perry when he said something like this about his mother, I will say it in my own words, It is a great privilege and huge responsibility to be called the son of Tye Brown, because there is a greatness to live up to and represent. Love you mother. President Monson in priesthood said quoting someone else "Don't you know leopards can't change their spots? Well, it's a good thing I don't work with leopards, I work with men and they change every day". That is a great missionary lesson. He said we must look at men not as they are but as what they can become. Perfect for me to learn and apply. Of course, one of my favs was Elder Holland because he is just bomb ha. One of the greatest things I got out of conference and I feel like many said something of the sort, that it is all about knowing, doing, and becoming. I love that we must achieve true real growth, and never go back to our old ways. There is a lot of work to do. I look forward to becoming all that I can. I need those talks as fast as possible haha.

This week of work was awesome. We are seeing progress in our investigators. We hope to see baptisms in the end of this month. I know that as we keep working the way we are and look forward with faith that we will have success no matter where you are. One family that we are teaching is doing good. We just really need to help them gain a testimony.

Well, I sure do love you all. I just want you all to know that I know that this is the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ. I have asked in prayer and have been told by the feelings of the Holy Ghost. I love this missionary work with all my heart. I cannot express the gratitude that I feel for the affect it has had on me so far. As well that same gratitude I feel for the many people who have shaped my life. My parents and brother and sisters, my friends, bishops, leaders, the apostles and prophet, and many many more. I hope to continue to grow as I seek to do the Lord's will. Please pray for me to be able to do so. I know that that is the only way to true growth is following the Lord and his will through all trials for he will guide us to the places, and experiences we need to become who he wants us to become. Trust in him he is perfect, he will guide us to who we can be. I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO MUCH.

Love,

Elder Brown

October 1, 2012

Hola Familia y amigos,

Another week has come and gone. Yesterday, at the end of the day, I turned my calender over to October to see a bunch of pics from the day I left home almost a year ago and I couldn't believe it. I began to think back on all the experiences I have had and the things I have learned and it feels like it's a dream. I got a few emails from returned buddies such as Elder Nelson,who said that he looks back on his mission and wonders if all that really happened or if it was just a dream bacause it went by so fast. That' how I feel and I haven't even got to a year yet. As I looked back though, I was very happy to feel as if I had given my all in the last year, so I felt very happy but as well a little shaken that it's almost a year.

Well, it was good to hear from the padres and Brittany, as well as to receive a birthday package from my grandparents in Kanab, a letter from Sister Norris and one from Madeline Ashcraft. Grandma and Grandpa, thanks so much for the package you all sent me. It was awesome. I am enjoying the pen and ties as well as everything else. I sure do love you two. Some of the greatest examples that I have had in my life are those two amazing people. I felt super bad to hear that Caiden will not be playing any more football. I am going to get home and whip him back into shape so that doesn't happen again. I am serious, I already have some plans of how I am going to do it. Of course, after a year more full of hard work and baptizing ha. I am glad to hear that everything is going well at home and it is so wierd to hear that Trent will be getting home, and that soon enough many of my friends will be heading home!! WHat???

Ok, Mother's questions time. The missionary that left was from Argentina. He is still here in Chile, but they took the calling of missionary away, so now he is just here because he doesn't want President to send him home. I think he wants to go home on his own work. So he is working here in Chile when he could just get sent home for free. I am not sure, although that's what I think from what I have heard from Elder Contreras and the APs. Mom, I don't need new shoes, just the thing that goes inside the shoe to make it more comfortable. My shoes are great, it's just the inside thing that you can take out. I forgot what its called in English, plantillas, ha. I cut my own hair mother, with a machine I inherited ha. My shaver is working great. Oh, and no I don't usually play goaly/ I am better at getting them in the goal than stopping them haha. That's what I am going to do to you Caiden when I get there to beat you ha.

Ok, now a little bit for the week. We made the cookies and everyone loved them. We made the banana oatmeal ones and wow, they were good. I for sure still got the touch Dad. Thanks for teaching me. They tasted pretty much exactly the same. It was great. The family night went super awesome and the spirit was for sure felt, followed by a lot of cookies and pie de limon. I went on an intercambio this week out to Futrono to see how their sector was out there. It was a 2 hour bus ride out and it's just a small little place. The church is a house and I got some good pics. I was with E. Jolley and we had a good intercambio talking about how we can help sectors really grow by doing the little things. We are starting a new cambio, our second one together.E. Jensen and I, and we are super ready to get some work done here in Calle Calle. We have some high goals for these upcoming weeks and we are really excited. I learned something pretty awesome this week that I would like to share to end. I have found that there is three ways of teaching: comforting, strengthening, and chastising. All these are methods that the Lord uses to build us up and help us develop. The one that I have really learned a lot about is the chastising. It's a powerful word and a very powerful way of teaching. The Lord loves us so he chastiseth us. Hebrews 13:6. It is by correction that we can become what the Lords wants us to become. I studied a lot from a talk given by Elder Todd Christofferson in the May 2011 Ensign of general conference, called "To those I love I rebuke and chastise. It is awesome, you will have to read it. I learned that not only must we learn to be humble and meek and accept correction, willing to mold and be coachable to the will of the Lord. I also learned that those who are in a place to correct others and does not do so, is only thinking of himself. That hit me pretty hard. I am in a place to help people repent and change and many times that means I must call people to repentance through chastisment. Sometimes I must ask people to do things that they don't want to do. I have always struggled in being bold in this sense. But if we do it because we love them and they understand that love, boldness will not come accross as overbearence but these people will realize why they must change, because of what they can receive. I really loved this talk. I was humbled with a few chastisements from the Lord through his chosen prophets and now I am ready to take it, apply it and change for the better. I love you all. Thanks for everything you do.

Love,
Elder Brown

1. High School buds Elder Rytting and I
2. The baptismal font in futrono
3. The church in Futrono
4. The cookie dough mmmmmm

 

September 24, 2012

Familia y Amigos,

Wow how great it is to hear from you. I love you all. It felt like it had been a long time since the last time I heard from you guys and I am so glad to hear that all is well. I sure am so amazingly greatful for the family and friends that I have. Almost everyday, at some point, I reflect on the blessings I have in my life and the one that always comes back to me is how I was raised surrounded by greatness. Like Dad said, starting out with grandparents who have set one of the best examples possible of a family centered in Jesus Christ and his gospel, and then all the way through the generations, of course, my amazing parents, brothers and sisters, leaders, neighbors, and my army of missionary friends. Wow, am I lucky or what!? God knew I was going to need a lot of help so he sent his very best to surround me and kick me in the bum back to where I needed to be whenever I took a bad step. Boy am I thankful for that.

Well, fam, it sounds like everything is going good there in the wonderful world of Utah Valley! I say that because it's a whole different world than here ha. I sure do love to see pics of those cute little boys that we call sabrinos. It's good to hear all about what's going on over there. I sure do miss that game of football. It's to bad BYU couldn't pull it out against Utah. Go Timp! It sounds like they are just rockin' it this year. I am glad to hear it. Darn TIMPVIEW, they need to stop being good. I am sick of them ha. I forgive you pops for sleeping in, you are for sure not the first one to do it. I think I have slept in many more times when I was supposed to be doing something for my fam haha I forgive you all, so don't even worry about it. That's so cool to hear about the new Temple. It looks like an awesome Temple on the outside, kinda like the Salt Lake without so many spires, it's cool. Tell my Grandpa happy b-day. I sure do love that man so very much. I was also glad to hear that you saw some pics on facebook of us during this last week of holidays.

Now for questions, we were able to do a bit of missionary work during the holidays. It was a lot harder because we could only work with set appoinments and no one wanted to set them for the holidays. Mom, I don't develop pics, I just have them all on my card here. I am still trying to decide how I will send them home, but for now I will just keep sending some through email and the rest you can see maybe in a year haha. Mother, all my clothes have held up really well. The insoles of my shoes have had it the worst and they are begginning to die ha. I haven't heard from many lately. I would like to hear from Shayla Gibb, Whitney Halford, Chris Thurman!!!!!, and many more that wrote me at the beggining and then died off haha.

Well, now for a little bit on the very interesting but awesome week. First the holidays: Mon., Tues., Wed. we only worked with set appointments and we ate so so so much. Wow, I was dying I was so full all the time ha. The holidays were awesome. We were still able to teach some, so that was good. There were some elders that were stuck in their houses all day long doing nothing haha. We ate lots of meat and empanandas, my two favortie things haha. Oh, I have a request for you all that is urgent. Well, more for Dad. I need you to send me the recipes for friendship cookies, banana oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip, our specially good recipes, because I have now made a deal with members that if they will invite friends to have family home evening in their house and invite us I promised I would make homemade cookies, American style, and the thing, is the first family of members made the deal and we have a home evening with them this Sunday and I don't remember from memory how to make those cookies. So, tonight could you send me those recipes Dad that would be awesome, but I need them like right now, haha, thanks pops. Ok, we are seeing all sorts of blessings here in Calle Calle. The work is moving right a long. We are teaching a family of 6 and they are all awesome. I am so excited and happy. We are finding like crazy here and we are just going to keep doing it. It suprises me how connected the success of your sector is with the faith that you have that you will find those who are prepared to listen. As soon as we can gain that faith and go out and show it in our work, the sector changes and we do find those people who are ready for the gospel right now. WOW, is that cool or what. Then for the real interesting news: Thursday night we got a call at 11:00 while getting into bed from Sister Rappleye saying that we needed to get out of bed because Elder Contreras was walking to our house because his comp. had run away!! Wow, that was a suprise. We got up and got some stuff ready and when he got there we then walked back to his house to sleep there just in case the comp. came back. Well, he never did and so we were a trio all weekend, back with my old comp once again. We even had a baptism in his sector, cool huh. Well, now Contreras is staying with the zone leaders and I haven't heard anything about his comp. I am not sure they have found him yet. Not too good. But the work is going great. I love you all so much and I know that this is the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ!! It's His, how blessed we are to be a part of it and to help others to come to know of what we know. I love you!

Elder Brown

Sorry other family members I am not going to be able to write you. But I love you all and am so glad to hear from you.  

1. Asado con la familia Mancilla
2. Activity with the ward

September 15, 2012

I don't know if you guys forgot or just didn't understand in my last email, that I had to write today, Saturday, because this next week is a national holiday for the Independence of Chile and everything is going to be closed Monday. I hope that everything is well there at home and that all are just doing great. I don't have any questions to answer or comments to make about something that was said, so, this letter might be a bit shorter ha.

We had an awesome week this week and it is still not over!! We have begun to teach 2 new familias and they are both pretty darn sweet. In our zone conference we talked a lot about focusing on familias and hombres because they are the strength of the church and the power that allows the church to grow. We talked a lot about some pretty scary statistics about the inactive members in Chile and how if we can only start focusing more on baptizing familias the inactivity rate will go down a ton! So, this last week we have been praying and working super hard to try and find those familias and hombres that the Lord has prepared to hear the message of the Restoration. Look what we found, 2 familias!!!!! BAKAN!!!! We are working with them both and hopefully, as soon as possible, we can help both of them accept baptismal dates and begin to really progress. Wow, the Lord sure does answer our prayers. So, we will continue to pray super hard and work even harder to work some mighty miracles and help both these familias progress. I am super excited to see what goes down. We decided that it is our choice to make this sector the sector celestial. It is our fault if it doesn't become that because God has trusted us with this area and has given us everything we need to bless people's lives, now it's all on us to go out there and make it happen. Obviously we go with the strong companionship of the Holy Ghost, for if it wasn't for him and the divine help that the Lord gives us missionaries, especially with me, I would be just a bum knocking doors just like I did before the mission selling the football cards that were worth nothing. Thank goodness this message is worth everything and on top of that we have the strong divine power of the Holy Ghost to guide and direct us and bare testimony of us. I am super grateful for that because I wouldn't do much with out it. The work is going super good here and it is just going to keep getting better and better with more and more hard work.

Other than that I am not sure if I can think of much else to tell everyone. This next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we can't go out to work unless we have appointments that are set in stone, and the problem is no one wants to set appointments because they want to party all week for the Independence Day, which they don't just celebrate for one day but a whole entire week!!!!! Those Chileans are sure good at partying haha. So we might be studying a bunch there in the house ha. A few members have invited us over to celebrate with them, so we might go out to do that. Also, Monday the ward is going to have a little party so we will be over there for awhile.

Our new Mamita is so so so cool. Her food is the best, I love it. She made us pizza today. I think I might start to gain some weight back now haha. I sure hope so. I still miss our old mamita as well though because I loved her so much. We do still go to visit her quite a bit and turns out that her family has now turned into our best source for future baptisms because we have recently started to teach or are going to begin teaching 2 of the boyfriends of the two daughters and the girlfriends of the son haha. Hey flirt to convert I guess, hahaha, not us missionaries but the members! 2 of the kids of mamita are inactive as of right now but as we keep teaching them and their partners we are going to be able to help them straighten things out as well as help their partners make a covenant with their Father in heaven. I sure do love this missionary work. I would not trade these experiences for anything in the world, especially would not trade it to be able to get "kicked out of a college football game"! I love the mission. The things I have learned and continue to learn have affected me and changed me so much and I know that it will continue to do so the rest of my life. I can't believe how time flys. I feel like it was just a few weeks ago that I said bye to my parents there on the curb in Provo, Utah. Now I have been to Peru, Rahue, and Valdivia and I have been completely changed and taught so much and my head is beginning to spin and I am sitting here wondering "wow what happened" haha. I am going to keep on living up every moment though. I love you all.

Love,

Elder Brown

1. There is the drunk guy that we found and he made us come in and take pics haha

2. Same

3 from awhile back when the old mamita gave  us cake for my b day

4 Casita

5 some kinda historical site ha i don´t know what for sure but cool huh

Jenna,

Sorry I am taking so long to send your letter. I am trying my very best! Send me an email though when ever you want and tell me where you live haha.

Love,

Elder Brown

Hno Turner,

I hope you read this man but I am so glad you wrote me. It's good to hear from you. Don't get married too fast ha.

Love,

Elder Brown

Hno Purser.

Oh my papa, thanks for writing me man. Make sure to keep updating me on everything. Go to BYU. Ha thanks for everything man.

Love,

Elder Brown OSO

September 10, 2012

Hola Familia y amigos,  

Another week come and gone just like that. I was able to look at some of the pictures of my mission the other day that I have on my pen drive, and wow, The time has flown. As I looked at all the pictures a great feeling of gratitude hit me in the face, haha. I am unexpressably (if that is a word) grateful for the many people I have had the chance to teach, the many Elders I have been able to meet, and the many expiriences that I have had and will continue to have. WOW, I love the mission and am so very grateful for this time that I have. I can't spell or talk anymore. I know exactly how Mike feels haha.

 

Well, it sounds like everything is going great there in O town. Elder Anderson and I have already made some good plans of what we are going to do when we hit the O town, de nuevo, it's not for another year and that is fine with me, but we do have some plans. We had a good week here in Valdivia. I will tell you more about it a little later. I am glad to hear that Caiden is getting a little bit better, lurp nation, haha. Timp football is rockin' the house! That's what I am talking about! Too bad we could never do much of that. Hey, it was still fun. I am glad to hear that my buddy Joe is doing a great job out there on the field, hahaha. That's pretty funny they lost to Utah State. BYU started with Weber State, haha, way to challenge themselves. Well, at least they could start out with a good win. I love football. I am getting pretty good at the other futbol though. I got some mad skills. I like the idea of a fam team, Wade and caiden, let's do it. Solo bebe futbol si no me gusta la grande.

 

Alrighty, now for a bit of question answering and asking, ha. I am doing alright with District leader and trainer, learning a lot and I hope I continue to progress. There is a lot of work to do. I have a lot of growing to still do before I head home and do all that fun stuff that comes after. Oh, by the way, I found out that Elder Coria is engaged! A new world record for speed haha. Elder Jensen and I are doing great and working hard. I am still working on the friend letters and I love them. When does Elder Howard get home? We don't usually have time for naps on p-days. We do shopping and today we played soccer and ate completos as a zone. That's what we usually do on p-days and we clean the house, and eat haha. I am keeping warm. It is warming up during the days now that we will be entering into summer. I don't ever talk about the cold because I am used to it now, ha, it doesn't even bother me. Yes Brit, I got all your gifts from Arts Cow, they are sweet. I love the cube. SO SWEET. Thank you, I love you all.

 

Well, this week was a very good one. Before I start though I do want to tell you all that I will be emailing this Saturday, like this week, because next Monday is the biggest holiday here in Chile. They celebrate for like a week and we have to stay in our house unless we have citas. It is the independence day Monday, so nothing will be open, nothing haha. It's a big deal here, Chilean flags everywhere and I hear lots about a lot of meat and drinking so for that very reason we can't be walking in the street much ha. Speaking of drunks, I got a good story for you. SO, we were knocking some doors and an angry man with an awesome mustache answers a door. I ask happily, COMO ESTA?  He looks at me without response. I ask again, haha, no response. Then after some silence he says, "SOY ANTI NORTE AMERICANO" or in other words, racist haha. Well, I say "awesome because I'm not gringo anymore" ha and I pull out my carnet or Chilean ID, ha. He looks at it all confused, just if you don't know by now, he is pretty drunk. He says, "OH, BUENO PASEN" (Oh, then come in) ha, and wants us to come in! I say we can't, but he insists so we go in. Then starts a party with us three, or that's what he thinks, full of dancing and singing about California and Utah, and how his new friends were going to take him to the states, ha oh boy! Well, I got him settled down and I asked him if I could leave his house with a blessing. He kindly let me and we left, haha. We haven't made it back there yet. I will send some of the pics he wanted us to take ha. Other than that great story, we had Zone conference and it was sweet!!! Guess who I saw for the first time after the MTC - Elder Cowley my MTC comp. I was so excited and we sat together the whole day haha. I loved it. We have been working hard trying to apply all we learned. We talked a lot about working with members -something we are very weak at, but they are key for finding the families and men that we need to strengthen the church. We have found some good investigators and we are working with the boyfriend of the daughter of our old mamita, so hopefully he can get baptized after they get married. Oh, we did find a new mamita and we are eating with Elder Contreras and his comp. everyweek ,ha funny huh. Well, that's about it for this week. Oh, by the way Lacee, send me all the missionary music you can get I loved it. If you can find the rest of the hymns by Kalai I would love it. There was one on one of the cds. Love you all and I just want you all to know that I know that this is the work of the Lord. I know that this is His church because I have felt the truthfulness of it many times by the power of the Holy Ghost. I have seen it work in others and I know of the power that it has. I love this gospel and I love the mission. I love you all so much.

 

Love,

Elder Brown

Caiden, I am going to destroy you in soccer, just you wait, and then we will play for the same team. 

Wade get the boot off, gee wiz haha, it's been way too long. I love you all. Tell those little boys that. 

Write me before Saturday all of you haha. Sorry I didn't have time for pics.

September 3, 2012

Hola mi maravillosa familia y amigos,

 

Les querio muchisimo, vosotros soís los mejores familiares y amigos en todo el mundo. No prodria haber recibido mejores (You are the best family and friends in the world, I could not have had any better). What a great Birthday here in the mission. I have been tripping out a little bit every time I have been reminded of how much time has passed by and how fast time keeps flying by. It is so crazy. First off, family, you are the best. I got the package on Tuesday, the day before, and waited till Wednesday morning to open it like a good boy. WOW, so much stuff! I love everyting! The ties could not have been better picked, I love them. My family and friends really know me because everything was perfect. The music, oh man, you can not get better than a little country church music. The ring is sweet. The huge bag of Swedish Fish and Bottle Caps, WOW, how could you know me any better?! Also , the cool bag for toiletries, it's all exactly what I needed and wanted. You are amazing all of you. Mom I love you so much. I know you were the head of putting all that together. What a Mother and woman, who raised me. It's a good thing I got the best, because anything less and I might not have turned out. The best was needed to raise me, and that's exactly what I got.

 

Just a little comment: I have been amazed to hear all the stories and testimonies of my friends. It's crazy to see the amount of growth among us all. I could barely hold in my emotions of excitement and love for my friends as I heard their stories, testimonies, and growths. I want to give a shout out to all of them: Elder J stew, E Dox the Fox, E Richard Dowd, E Trentikans Howard (almost dead can't believe it, AP!!!!!! I can believe it), E Terry, E Burdett (pretty much Mexican now), E Porter, E Skousen, E White and so many more. We are really an Army. I love you all. Keep working hard and building the kingdom all over the world. Thanks for all your great examples to me.

 

Ok, now for some quick thanks. First off, again, with my wonderful family, thanks for the package. Also, I got both things from ArtsCow, thanks Brit, they are awesome. Jenna, thanks a ton for the tie. It is super awesome - I love it. Thanks for thinking of me on my birthday. Aunt Vicky, one of the most amazing aunts ever, for your letter and money. Tres, for your awesomeness, I am sad to hear he left the Young Mens. Just goes to show that I really was surrounded by the greatest ( All the new guys are awesome too). Natalie, for the way sweet cookies. You sure know me well, too. Everyone else who sent me their wishes for my b-day. I love you all!!!! (Mother, yes I can change money here very easily)

 

Ok, now for a little on what happened this week. Wow, everyone wanted to celebrate my birthday. I had my fair share of little celebrations. First, Estafani and her fam ( stef is a member the rest aren't) they love us and did an awesome little party for me with tons of food, balloons, cake and fake candles that wouldn't go out - that tricked me haha. Also, mamita gave us cake. The familia Mancilla as well had a party ready for me with completos and cake with real candles haha. I was well taken care of and felt the love from all over Chile, the states and maybe even other places ha. Besides birthday stuff it's been a crazy week. First, I lead my first district meeting this week. I felt like it went really good and at least I enjoyed the meeting haha. I hope others did as well. We talked a lot about attitude and how we can do better in our contacts because the standard is to do 140 every week, not how we should be doing them to get the numbers, but to get to know them and try to help them realize by applying the gospel it can help them with any need or challenge they have. Other news, we have been working on all the stuff and pains of changing Mamitas...... I am very sad. I sure loved Mamita Mabel, but she has done it for 20 years and I think she was ready for a rest from all her selfless service she gave to us and focus a little more on giving it to others now ha. So we struggled to find someone to take us in. Then one day suddenly, at about 7:20 in the morning I hear a yell outside our gate. I look out to see a very sweaty, breathing hard E Contreras and his comp. They had run to our house for exercise to tell us that their Mamita was really close and that we could come eat with them. So that's what we did and we met her today. So everything worked out and we won't be going hungry like we were thinking we might have to for a little bit. A little bit on the work. We are working hard and searching a lot for new people. We have been knocking a lot and contacting as many as we possibly can. It has been a struggle, but we are slowly beginning to see the fruits of hard work and obedience. We will continue to work harder and harder and obey with even more exactness and I know that the miracles will come. I love missionary work. Nothing better than a good hard day of mission work.

 

I cannot believe that Caiden separated his shoulder. Why would you let some kid do that to you? I am not a fighter, but when I was on the football field I didn't let kids treat me like that. You just need to show those kinda guys that you don't grab my face mask or your hand is going to get torn off of there, haha. Sorry bud about your shoulder. I hope you can punch through the pain and get back out there on the field to go knock some kids on their bums with that skinny body of yours haha.

 

Now for a little bit of my testimony: I am so used to always leaving everyone with at least a little spiritual thought that I can't not do it with everything I do ha. One thing that I keep realizing more and more is the wonderful and amazingly perfect plan that God has given us. He gave us agency, the ultimate tool, to help us to grow, but understood the huge responsibility that would put on us. Knowing that we could not blame outside factors for the bad choices we would make, he sent His Son, our Savior, to pay for those mistakes and pains so we could be cleansed and pure to be worthy of the presence, guidance, and empowering help of the Holy Ghost, who can help us to rise to the huge responsibility of free agency and become like our Savior Jesus Christ. Like E. Porter said, "with his face engraven in ours". And as my great friend E J Stew so perfectly expressed of his gratitude for the atonement and the opportunity it gives us to locate our weaknesses and become better. I share the same gratitude with my good amigo ha. I love you all. Thanks for your many prayers, thoughts, and all your love.

Con mucho amor,

Elder Brown

 

1. Birthday celebrations in the house of Estafani