January 30, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos,

The work is going awesome here and we are in our new cambio (transfer). I didn't really say a lot about the cambios because I knew me and Elder Purser were staying the same. That's crazy that Josh is leaving the MTC already. The time is just flying and it scares me every time I think about how fast the time flies. IT'S CRAZY that Jordan is 20! I am sure he still acts like he is 12 sometimes though, just like our whole group of friends. Mamita washes our clothes in a washing machine and air drys them. My Spanish improves every day. I still struggle with anything that isn't Gospel. Now, with the new cambio we have a Latino in our house, Elder Coria, so we speak more Spanish, which is good. Yeah, we are eating well; I am losing some weight though, which isn't good, but yes, I get enough to eat. Thank you so much for buying that Book of Mormon mom, you are the very best. Yes, I did get my package this week! Thank you so much for everything, but Dad was talking about a thumb drive and I didn't find one of those in there, so I don't know what happened there. I got it on Friday so that means it took about 3 weeks exactly to get to me. Thanks so much for every thing inside of it.

The work here is rocking; we have 3 people preparing for Baptism with a date. We are super excited! The husband of the lady that we found that tuff day awhile back has a date and then 2 youth that we have are preparing as well. We are very excited and are still working to find new people to teach and help. 

I do have enough money so that's going alright. I have been cutting my own hair, with people helping me with the back, and I promise it looks good! The weather has been awesome here; pretty darn hot until today. It's been raining all day today. For p-day today we went and played dodge ball in the church with our new zone to get to know everyone so that was fun. Elder Anderson is still in my zone, so that's cool. I actually sent my picture card home with Elder Hamblin. He should come by the house soon to give it to you guys; then, if you could just send it back in a box or something that would be awesome. 

That's very awesome that Sister Bishop is getting married. I sure love that family. Sounds like everything is going well at home. It seems like just yesterday I was there. It is so weird how the time flies when you are doing the Lord's work. That sounds like a pretty crazy game BYU had. Hamblin told me he was going to be at that game with his Dad, ha that's pretty crazy. The fam party sounds like it was fun; make sure you always tell all the fam that I love them.

 

Now for something that I learned this week: One of the greatest blessings of the mission is the opportunity to feel the Spirit so much. It is so important to follow the Spirit and do what it tells you. What a gift we have to have his companionship all the time if we are worthy. We were teaching a lady that we have been teaching for quite a while. She is the one that is really poor with one boy. She is progressing really slow but she is progressing. I just love her and I want her to just get baptized and do everything she needs to do to be happy and to live with God after this life. So we went into the lesson having one planned, but as soon as I got in there I just knew we had to talk about the Book of Mormon and prayer. So, right away I changed the subject to the BOM and I think Elder Purser was kinda wondering what I was doing at first, but he caught right on and we went forward with that. Turns out she was having a lot of doubts about the Book of Mormon. We taught to her needs and tried to help her understand why we have the Book of Mormon. Once she understood that, everything still didn't seem all right. Then I felt like I needed to ask her if she had prayed about the BOM and she said no. We helped her see the need to ask God and she got it and she said "OK, that is what I will do then; I need to ask God then. It was a sweet lesson. I am so thankful for the Spirit and his guidance; without it we would pretty much be worthless out here. That's what I learned this week - always listen to the Spirit and do what it says. He knows best, ha. 

Well, I love you all so much! Thank you for all that you do for me and all your support. Oh, by the way Mom, thanks to you for teaching me how to be a cry baby, and then also everything else my two parents have taught me. I can't teach about parenthood without crying. We taught some people about the responsibility of the family and, of course, I cried a little. Darn you parents! Thank you so much for everything you have taught me. I love you guys so much.

Con mucho Amor,

Elder Brown

Brittany, 

It's so good to always hear from you. Thanks for always writing me. Sounds like you are staying busy and working hard in your church callings. Thanks so much for the great example you have always been to me, sis. A great example as a mother and parent and big sister and pretty much every other good thing! Thank you so much. I love you and your family so much. Those new pictures of Bridger are so cute, I love them.

Love,

Elder Brown

Lacee,

I am so glad you found another job. Pizza Factory sounds so good right now, wow. I am glad to hear you are kinda gettting out of the awkward stage of "missionary". I can't really picture you like that any way. Well, I love you so much and I hope you are doing well. Thanks for the 4th missionary talk. Thanks for your amazing example to me as a missionary.

Love,

Elder Brown

Sister Norris,

Thank you so much for your letter, Sister Norris. You are so sweet to remember the missionaries in the ward, and to take the time to write me and send it all the way down here to Chile. I hope you are doing well and are feeling alright. I decided to write you this little note because I knew it would take a while for you to get a letter from clear out here in Chile. Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.

Love,

Elder Brown

Grandma and Grandpa Brown,

Thank you so much for the Christmas Card and money. I love you guys so very much. Thank you for all you have taught me through out my life. I am so so so greatful. Love you all so much.

Love,

Elder Brown

Parents, would you make sure they get these little notes.

January 22, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos,
 

Hola de Chile. It's been an awesome week that has just totally flown by! Oh my goodness, I can't even believe it, and what a week it was, but I will fill you all in on that later. First, I hope everything is going well back at home. I am sure that everyone is staying busy and it sounds like some of the girls had a fun weekend together. Dad, I am glad that you are doing alright. I hope you keep feeling better. I will continue to pray for you and all you guys. Dear Elder is an awesome way to write; that seems to work fine as of right now. I have not got my package yet mom, but the zone leaders are giving us any mail that we have tonight. They are actually at the office right now to get it, so I am not sure if I got it or not. Oh, and mother, soccer will never become my favorite sport, but yes, we play it a lot and I like it fine. Football will always be there in my heart though, haha. That's so crazy to hear about Timp basketball and how Jantzen made that last three to win. That would totally be him doing that to Timp, of all schools, ha! You will have to tell him nice job for me. I feel so bad for Ryan Hamilton. I hope that everything works out and that he will be able to go back out. I love that guy. If you ever see him again make sure to tell him I love him. That is so awesome about Brant and Jana! I am so excited for them. That is really really cool. Now I will have some one new to meet when I come home ha. I am sure he will end up just like a little Brant and oh how fun that will be. Or maybe he will turn out like Jana and like to feel people's ears, haha! I am just messing, if you read this Jana. I think it's great when you rub ears, haha. It's good to hear that home is back to normal with snow on the ground during this time of year.  It's so weird not to have snow in January. I hope everyone in the fam is doing good.

 

Now for a little update on what's going on down here in Rahue. We worked our bums off this week and I think that is why the week went by so fast. We were calling people all the time, inviting everyone to church, contacting as many people as we could and teaching to the best of our ability. It was an awesome week and I can't wait to improve even more. That is what is so great about missionary work and even in life in general. The ability to change for the better and improve and progress is an amazing blessing and brings so much fulfillment and happiness. It is amazing. I am so grateful for the plan of salvation and for the ability it gives us to progress, not only in this life, but for eternity. We have the ability to change and become better and reach our potential and become better than we ever thought we could. What an amazing gift. What satisfaction it brings to look back and know that you changed something for the better; that you conquered a weakness. Oh boy, I can't even tell you how much I want to improve in such little time out here on the mission. Plus, not only do I get the chance to really mold myself but I get to help others do that as well and really see the potential that God has intended for them. Wooooo, so cool.

 

Ok, now really fast I will tell you about what we did today on our trip. We went to a place called Puyehue and it was pretty darn awesome! It was like this vacation resort with hikes and stuff and hot springs. We took a hike up to the top of this little mountain and at the top you could look out and see for miles of green. It was so pretty and so awesome. The problem was it was hard to get really good pictures because there was a lot of fog. I will send them to you as soon as I can. I never have the opportunity to even think about what I am going to do about pictures. I am sure I will find out some way to send them, ha. For now I will just keep doing what I am doing. I am a little scared to send them home from where I am right now though. I don't want to pick up a virus, so I will have to send them another time.

 

Well, I love you guys tons. Don't worry about me and Elder Purser. We are just workin' our bums off, ha! Oh yeah, I forgot, Elders Hamblin and Cross leave this Wednesday; kinda sad but that's ok, ha. Well I love you all so much.

 

Love,

Elder Brown

Brittany,

I hope everything with the fam is going well. The boys sound as cute as ever. I love them so much. Sounds like you all had a fun trip down with the girls. I love you so much and your boys also.

Love,

Elder Brown

Lacee,

I am so glad to hear that you are getting more used to school and stuff. Also I am glad to hear that you found a job so you could stay busy like out on the mission. Holy smokes, it's crazy how you just go non-stop out here. I love it though. Tell all those new friends of yours at school and also tell all the new boys to stay away or they will have your BIG bro to deal with haha. Notice how I said big haha. Love you so much. 

Love,

Elder Brown

Caiden,

Whats up mi hermanito flaquito? Como esta little man.? Even if you grow taller than me I will always call you little, ha. Sounds like everything is going good back at home. Remember that you need to take care of Mom and Dad now that you are the only kid at home. I love you tons Brother. You are so awesome. Keep workin' hard and studying those scriptures. 

Love,

Elder Brown

Elder Diaz,

¿Como esta compañero? La misíon es genial. El obra es bacan(chito). Espoñol es mas o menos. Usted puede ver eso. Coundo yo hablo acerca el Evangelio es mejor pero con otras cosas como este es difícil pero, estoy aprendiendo cada dia. Como esta Peru en su misíon. Espero que es bueno. 

Con amor,

Elder Brown

January 16, 2012

Hola Familia y amigos,

¿Como estan? I love hearing about everything thats going down in good old O town. I can't believe all that has happened since I have left and it hasn't even been that long. Is Jeffery Izatt going to the same mission as Zach? Yes, I got a letter from Sister Norris; she is very sweet. Make sure to thank her for me and give her a big hug. I also got letters from Rick Doxey, Whitney, and some other friends from school. It was great to hear from all of them.

So this week was an awesome week. We decided at the beginning of the week that we would focus on getting people to come to church this week. So all week long we worked and worked and worked. We reminded everyone and invited everyone we saw to come to church. We knew that if we showed the Lord that we were willing to do all we could to get people to come he would bless us. So Saturday night comes around and we were calling everyone to remind them one last time. Everyone starts to fall through, telling us that they couldn't come anymore. We just had faith that there were going to be people there. At church the next day we are just sitting there and no one was there. Church started and still no one. Then, right before the sacrament, People just flooded in. Members, inactives, and investigators! We had over 120 members at church when we usually have like 80. It was amazing. I could not help but just be so excited and happy. God knows us, he loves us, he is our Father; just like it says I think in the sermon on the mount or in 3rd Nephi, if our fathers here on earth know how to give good gifts how much more does our perfect Heavenly Father know how to give us what we need. Oh man, I love missionary work! Seeing that overflow open this Sunday was such a blessing. I know that if we do all we can and leave the rest to the Lord we can do what ever is asked of us.

Ok enough of that. Now to answer questions. The weather is awesome here; super warm, sometimes too hot though, but I am loving it. My allergies have not been bad at all this past week so thats good. For p-day usually we go play soccer and then go out to lunch with the fab six - Elder Purser and me, Elder Cross and Elder Key the zone leaders and Elder Hamblin and Elder Anderson. Then we go buy groceries and stuff. I don't know if we told you but last week we had permission to watch BYU football highlights that Elder Hamblin had because he red-shirted there. So that was sweet. I was loving it. That's about all we do on P-days except next week we are going to do a zone trip some where cool to see something so that will be fun. Hm, Dad about the Jobs here, I'm not sure what to tell you. People are pretty poor here, but for Chile not everyone in our sector is to bad. Some better than others. There are a lot of painters, a lot of guys work construction and they go out to the campo a lot to pick fruits. Mostly cherries which are so so good here. Compared to the states though most people are pretty poor. It's very humbling and I just love these people. The little kids are my favorite though. I have two really good buddies - little Thomas, a 4 year old boy whose family are members - he is one of my favorites. We play all the time. Then little Catolina who is 3. She is so cute and she always comes over and wants to play with me at church. The young men here are awesome. They come out and work with us all day and I really love all of them. Some of them have added me on facebook so you can accept them Dad. What I am thinking I might do is just have Nacho, the boy of the momita, send all my pictures in an email until I come up with a system. I think I need a usb memory thing though to put all my pictures on. I need one huge favor though. You know how I gave my nice spanish triple away. It would be awesome if you could find me a nice Spanish triple with tabs that you could send me because you can't get one with tabs here. That would be so amazing if you could. I just want to have nice missionary scriptures you know.

Well thanks or everything family and friends I love you all.

Love,
Elder Brown

Lacee,
Wow it blows my mind that you are already at school in school and have roommates my age. That is so crazy that you are rooming with one of Jenna's friends ha! I laughed pretty hard when I saw that. I love getting letters though so you can tell anyone to write me. It just might take me forever to write back ha. I hope things start to get better over there. I know you are going to be fine though. Thanks for your awesome example though. I love you so very much. Keep working hard though.
Love,
Your bro Elder Brown

Brittany,
I love hearing all about the boys and how they are doing. They really are like the cutest boys ever. I love them so much and I can't believe that they already seem bigger. Don't let them forget me. Keep doing an awesome job at raising your fam. You are such an awesome mom and sister and example to me. I love you so much.
Love,
Elder Brown

Caiden,
Keep working hard in school, in Basketball, and in reading the scriptures. I know you're doing awesome. I love you so much bro and iImiss you tons.
Love,
Elder Brown

On a cool old bridge in Rahue

Our house

 

Elder Cross my zone leader. Looks like Ryan Draper huh?

January 9, 2012

Hola de Chile!

   Como estamos? I hope everything is going good back in O town and now in Cedar as well. I cannot believe that Lacee is already at school. I am so scared at how fast the time flies by here on the mission. I have so much to learn and I have so much to improve on and the time is just flying by. 

   Everything is going good down here. We have had kind of a rough week this week. Susan and her family fell through. They left to go on vacation some where for a really long time, so that was rough for us. So it was a tough week. One day, every single one of our "citas" fell through, so we just walked and knocked doors all day. Cool story though - we walked all day and at about 7:30 we were both just so dead and tired and didn't want to walk anymore and knock anymore doors. But we walked in front of this one house and we both look at it and just kinda sit there for a second. Then I just said, "I'm doing it" and we walk up and knock the door. This lady answers and as soon as she sees us she rolls her eyes. I start in on introducing ourselves and she says "I know you guys" in Spanish of course ha. She goes into this big story about how she was baptized and all her family has been members their whole life and how she knew that it wasn't true. She didn't stop there though, she was just tearing into us. We begin to bear testimony and the conversation starts to change. She revealed to us that her son died in her arms about 1 year ago when he was five. He had been hit by a bus and she had taken it so hard. She told us she felt like not living any longer. We both bore our testimonies about how God loves us all, that he knows us, that he cares about us and that he wants us to be happy. We all cried out there on that porch. It was very touching to see the change that happened to her right there within that hour of talking on her porch. I know the Spirit can change peoples hearts. All we have to do is bare our simple testimony of the truth we know to be true. We have been visiting her and we are hoping to get her husband with a baptism date when we go back to teach. 

   We kept having a hard week though. I got to direct my area for the first time because we had exchanges and Elder Hamblin, the comp of Elder Anderson, came with me and the two noobies. Elder Anderson and I lead our sectors. That was a good day and I learned a lot from Elder Hamblin. I love him. So, we have been struggling to get our investigators to come to church. So, we came to the conclusion that we were going to go search for people before church started. So we leave our house and as soon as we get in the "colectivo" (small bus) to take us up to our sector, it started to rain hard. We didn't have our coats, just in our suits, ha. So we sprint to one of our investigators houses and we knock three times and no one answers. Soaked by now, we ran out of time and had to go back down to the church. Though we were soaked and we got no one to come to church, for some reason I felt so happy as I welcomed people into church soaking wet. All I know is that we showed the Lord our faith and I know he has and will bless us as long as we are willing to be faithful.

   OK, now to answer some questions. I love Chile. There are things that I thought it would be like and there are things that are different. I don't get nervous talking to people, I usually just go up to them and belt out all the Spanish I can, ha. I just say it and don't think about the Spanish ha. So sometimes it comes out rough and sometimes good. The Spanish is coming a long. I am learning a lot and I love it. I love the food; it is great and I haven't had anything too bad yet, it's good. Clothes and everything are good. Thanks mom for being so great and doing some great shopping for me. The allergies are better. Some of it is because of the ash in the air from the volcanoes. If its a clear day from a good spot you can see 4 of them, ha. For New Years we went and ate at a members house until 11 and they took us home in their car to be safe ha. Then we waited till 12 in our pj's and gave each other hugs ha and went to bed ha. The problem was as soon as we turned out the lights our neighbors broke out the music, singing and drinking ha. So we didn't sleep too well. 

Well, I love you family so much! Thanks for your support and love. Mom, I love you. Don't worry and thanks for being the most amazing mom in the whole world! You are the best. Dad, I love you so much and thank you for being someone that I could always look up to and be my example.

Love,

Elder Brown 

Caiden,

Hey bud keep plugging away with school and b ball and try to grow those muscles of yours ha. Good luck with every thing. Keep reading the BOM.

Lacee,

I can't believe you are off at school, that is crazy, and that your going on dates! That is weird. Your car looks sweet. I am totally driving it a few times when I get back. Good luck with the real world and school. I know you will do awesome. I love you.

Brittany,

Your the best little mom and your boys are the cutest. Thank you so much for the calendar. I love it!!! Tell the boys I love them.