February 25, 2013

Hola Familia y Amigos,

Today, I just have a special, more than usual, feeling of gratitude and love for the mission. I always do, but today I just kinda feel that feeling boosted . I am not sure why I feel it, but I love it. I am so grateful for the mission. There is nothing better for any young man than to go on a mission and learn to forget himself. Oh, I sure do love it. I can't really explain how I feel today. I am not very good with words, or at writing, but I know with all my heart that this is the Lord's work. He provides a way to complete all His purposes, even if it is through very weak and unknowledgeable 18 to 21 year olds. He does it anyways. Through small and simple things are great things brought to pass. What a wonderful privilege it is to serve a mission and even more so in the best mission ever in LA GRAN MISIÖN CHILE OSORNO!!!! Alright I think that is enough of that for now haha.

I am glad to hear that all the family is doing good. That was so funny - the story of Blake saying "WHAT!" to the explanation of Bro. Peterson of the Spirit haha! I can just imagine that and it sure does crack me up. I love those little boys. I'm glad to hear that Blake is participating in helping by slowly "killing" me as a missionary in helping put up those stickers. Wow has the time flown by.

Ok, now for some question answering. The shoes work great mother!!! Thank you so much. Like I said, you do way too much for your son. I gave the shirt to Elder Cortez yesterday because it was his birthday and I saved it especially for his b-day. He loves it and at this very moment has it on. It fits him just fine. He is just a little guy. When I saw the shirt I just thought it was so little, but then I realized how tiny he really is. It helped the other day to realize that when the four of us were getting ready to get in bed and Elder Cortez jumped on my back and I pulled him off like a little fly and threw him 5 feet on to his bed as easy as throwing a basketball haha! He is a little tiny guy. No dad, we do not walk to Melefquen, we take a bus that charges us a dollar each to go. It's not bad and we receive money from the mission to travel, so we are good. Mom, I heard of Elder Trammel, but I never got to meet him. Don't worry mom, I sleep so good that the night seems like it passes by in 5 minutes. I pass out at night when my head hits the pillow.

This week was a great week. Let's see what I can remember. I interviewed a guy named Patricio for baptism for this weekend and we decided in the interview that we were going to help him be ready for this next weekend. He also needs to have an interview with someone a little bit higher than me. So, Elder Erickson is going to give him one to help him work out a few things. In the end I think he will be baptized the 9th of March. Friday we were able to go to Valdivia almost all day for Zone Conference. It was an amazing conference and like always I learned a ton and I am so excited to begin practicing it all. We were able to come home with the Ericksons, so that was really great. I sure do love them. Saturday as missionaries we had organized a branch activity and we had a movie night in the church with treats and we watched The Testaments. It was really awesome and there were 5 investigators there so that was really cool. It turned out pretty good and we had a good time. The most important thing is that we were able to feel the spirit really strong from the end of the movie, because it's so awesome at the end. Yesterday was one of the coolest days of the week. Before church we always have committee meeting and yesterday we talked a lot about how the branch is in desperate need of men to hold the priesthood. We decided that this was going to be our focus for the next bit, to find men and help all to become priesthood holders who act and work in the service of the Lord. So immediately we began to pray and focus on that. As Elder Cortez and I began to leave our house we were walking close to the church and a young 20 year old man stopped us, and in tears, asked us how we had faith. We asked him what was wrong and he told us what was happening in his life. We took him to the church and taught him the Gospel of Christ and we were able to comfort him a bit. It was a miracle from God and a possible priesthood holder. That was amazing. Then, at night the other elders received a call from a member who's son is not a member and he has just been real stubborn about getting baptized. Well, his mom said that he had had a dream and that he wanted me to interview him today to see if he is ready for baptism. It was so awesome. So tonight I am going to interview him and we will see how it goes. Miracles are beginning to come forth. We are very excited and we hope to see much more.

Well family, I have to go. I love you all and hope that all are well.

Love.
Elder Brown

Dear Jenna,
Thanks so much for writing me. I am sending a letter today. Keep writing me though, even if it doesn't get there fast haha. I hope that all is good and that you enjoy your time with your grandparents and that they are ok.
Love,
Elder Brown

1. We had a zone activity up at the Ericksons today
2. We grilled hamburgers, they were so good
3. Me and the Ericksons I love them!!!

February 18, 2013

Hola Familia y Amigos,

I love to hear from all of you and to hear that are all doing good. It makes me sad to hear that those little boys are sick. I would love to give them both a big huge hug, but that can wait a little bit longer. I sure do love those boys. That's so cool that you wrote that paper for Grandma pops. She surely does deserve that. She is one amazing woman. I love her so much. She, more than maybe anyone else alive, has knitted lives together. The Brown family is pretty tight knit even with the great numbers that we have. What an amazing blessing it is to be a Brown, and to have a grandma like Grandma Brown. There is no better!!!!

Well Mother, I am happy to let you know that I got the box, and really, you are the best mom. You always do too much for me. I never need so much but you just keep giving. I couldn't love you more Mama. Mother, I really couldn't tell you which sector has been my favorite. I love them all in different ways and every place represents a lot more to me than just a sector where I was. I remember things that I learned, felt, saw, did, and more than anything else, the growth felt in each sector - each in different ways. We have 3 weeks more before this transfer ends. I am thinking that I will be heading out. We will have to see. There is still much time before that happens though. Yeah, we did nothing for valentines day, but it was President Rappleyes b-day. I don't remember any other questions ha sorry. Oh yeah, Dad, that other little town where we go is called Melefquen. When we leave our house we have to walk to the other side of Pangui to get to our sector. Our sector is where the church is and up the hill from there. I hope that works for you ha.

Well, now for a little bit about the week. It was a litle bit tuff because, like Bridger and Blake, once again I was sick all week. I am not sure what's wrong with me but I get sick so much more here in the mission than I did before. I was pretty wiped out this last week. I think my body was working so hard against what ever bad thing was inside of me that my body just hurt like crazy and I had no energy, but no unhallowed hand can stop this work from going forth. This week was a great week of work and we are seeing a lot of progress in our sector. We are very excited about our sector and we have been inviting everyone to come unto Christ by inviting them to be baptized. It was a fun week in the work. Thursday Elder Cortez and I had intercambios with the Zone leaders and I went out to Lanco with my good friend newly called zone leader E. Sprenkle. We had an awesome day at work even though I was about all out of energy from being sick. We taught 5 new people and it was an awesome day. We came back to Pangui Friday in the morning to eat cake with the Zone leaders and us four from Pangui for the b-day of E. Trejo, one of the zone leaders. The cake was from Hna Erickson and it was amazing. I was supposed to interview a man for baptism from the other sector Saturday, but he didn't show up because he was in the campo (country) so we are trying to get ahold of him so we can do it and that he can get baptized this Saturday. Sunday we were able to go and get one of our investigators for church. He is 16 and he has a goal to get baptized on the 23rd of march. We are having a few problems with his mom because she doesn't want him to get baptized, the same thing is happening with a 17 year old girl that we are teaching, but we are trying to get into the hearts of these mothers and begin sharing with them too. All in all, besides being sick this week was so so so good. My body and mind are just really tired from the aftermath of the sickness. I am still trying to feel a hundred percent good again but I will get there. For now we will just keep working our hardest in the Lord's work and I know he will do the rest.

I feel amazingly blessed for my life as a missionary. There is no better life. The things I have learned and will continue to learn have changed my life forever. I hope I have been able to do the same for other people. I am so thankful that the Lord calls us to do hard things. I have felt that He has taken a lot of risks on me in calling me to do somethings and some how He is able to work through a rusty almost worthless instrument like me to do things that I could not have imagined seeing in my mission. What a great chance to see these types of things. I love you all.

Love,

Elder Brown

February 11, 2013

Hola Familia y Amigos,

WOW, no puedo creer lo que estoy viendo. Todos mis amigos alla en la casa. Parecen como todos hombres grandes y rectos haha. (Something about not being able to believe how many of his friends are already home) Look at those pics. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by and how many of my best buds in the world are there in O town de vuelta de la mision (returned from their missions). It makes me so darn happy to see those guys all together. They all look so great and I can just tell by looking at their faces that behind them they have loads of new experiences that have changed them and have made them all men. I feel as if a huge group of little boys all ventured out on a huge journey and all went their separate ways, and now, 1 by 1, we are coming back together, men with testimonies much bigger and friendships even stronger. It makes me feel so blessed to realize what amazing friends surrounded me growing up.

Ok, now for some question answering. MY TOOTH IS ALL FINISHED!!! I think it turned out good.... I sure hope so. It feels just fine. Mother, I have been in constant contact with Hermana Rappleye and I know for sure that the mission does not cover dental care. Unless for some kind of accident that left me toothless. Elder Crosby offered to punch me in the face and knock out some teeth so that then the mission could pay to fix all my teeth haha. I told him not to worry about it ha. I still haven't gotten your package yet mother, but I am sure it will get here soon. I don't remember any other questions, sorry if I missed something important.

So many people are going on missions!!! That would be so crazy to get home and that Zane and Brianne are gone on missions. They seemed so little when I left. I can remember playing basketball with little Zane boy when he was just a little guy haha. That's so crazy. It makes me so happy to hear that there are so many people heading out on missions. There is no better place that a young person could be than serving the Lord on a mission. It changes lives and it brings real joy. I have seen both of those things in the mission in my life and in the lives of those that I have taught. Wow, I can't even explain to people in words how important a mission is. All I can say is everyone needs to serve a mission. They will find out why when they can feel it for themselves, out doing the work of the Lord.

This week was a good week. We are beginning to see some great things in this sector, thanks to much fasting and prayers of many. We have begun to find new people to teach and some really great people at that. There is this little town about 10 minutes out of Pangui that we have visited like once a week that has provided some great fruit. The best being a family. The dad's name is Marcelo and he actually was a member and a very great one at that. Then satan got involved and he got in a big mess and was excommunicated. I am not sure what happened, and it doesn't really matter now, but I see a lot of desire in him to repent and be able to come back. He also has a ton of desire to share the gospel which has prepared two other investigators. His son and partner (they are not married of course, like all of Chile, but we are working on it). They are so awesome and they know so much about the church. The son, Felipe (16), reads the Liahona all the time and he loves it. We challenged him to be baptized when he knows it's true and he said yes. Along with a few other new investigators, our sector is looking to a great future. Luis, Vitalia and Bastian are good. Something happened between them and they are struggling a little right now. Luis in Church bore a strong testimony in Preisthood about how the gospel really is helping him change. It was so good to see an investigator raise his hand and say those kinds of things. Those kinds of moments drown all hard ones that are found in the mission. That is something I will never forget. It was powerful. We are really excited as a zone. We met together as leaders and brain stormed of how we can get everyone more animated about the work and we came up with some great ideas. I am excited to see the zone move forward and see great things happen. Oh yeah, my buddy Elder Sprenkle is now my zone leader I love that little guy.

Well family, it is great to hear from all of you. I sure do love you all and I want you all to know that I know that Christ is our savior and that through his atonement and gospel we can become much more than what we are now. Men change!!!! I have seen it. I gave a talk on that this Sunday haha. I love you all.

Love,
Elder Brown

Photos:
1. Chauquen, one of the prettiest parts of Lake Panguipulli
2. They raise fish in this place and then send them ready to eat to the states

Elder Key,
I love you man. I have no time to write you. Thanks for updating me. I hope all is well. Oh and your friend is moving to Orem????? Write me again!!
Love,
Elder Osito

February 4, 2013

Hola familia y Amigos,

I am glad to hear that all are doing well and that the week was another good one. I would have to agree that it sure has been a fast one. Wow, I can't believe the super bowl came and went so fast and I didn't even hear a single thing about it ha. That's what happens when you live in Latin Americo, where the only football that exists is that one where you really play with your feet. I sure do miss me some good "futbal americano" but there are more important things to be doing at the moment. I can definitely wait.

First, I hope to be able to answer all of my lovely mothers questions (I love you mama). Luis, Vitalia and Bastian are doing good. We are just really hitting it hard with the marriage thing so that they can get baptized. We have a pretty direct and straight forward lesson planned with them tonight with the goal of them committing to get married. So we will see how that goes. It will be a lesson with 5 missionaries. I will explain why in a little bit. Elder Cortez is still struggling with the rules, but I don't think he is missing the family as much. I am trying to love him a little more so that I can show him that it's only for the better that he changes. I am praying for the ability to love him more and for the guidance of the spirit to know how to help him. The Ericksons started their mission here, so we are their helpers in learning to live the mission life. No, they do not do the same things as us. They study and all that, but they don't actually follow the same schedule as us. They do teach, although they don't proselyte. We are so blessed to have them and I love them so much. They have come with us a lot to go teach and the Spirit is always so strong, even when we translate for Hermana Erickson, she doesn't speak Spanish but Elder does. They are here to strenghten the families of the church as well as help us with our investigators. The tacos were awesome, just like yours mother. I loved them. Ok, now for the tooth. So they have done the root canal. They did it in 2 sessions and the best part of all is they didn't numb me!!!! It felt so great. Haha, it was a little less than enjoyable, but hey, it could have been worse. They still aren't finished with everything though, they still need to put in the filling thing. I go in tomorrow hopefully for the last time. I sure hope it comes out good. We are paying a lot. Oh, just so you know, I took out 70 mil pesos more from the bank account but it's not all for dentist. I also want to be able to use money to buy something for memories from Pangui. Hopefully what I took out will last for a long time. A lot is for the dentist though and don't worry I am keeping track of everything I spend and writing it down. The infection is gone. I feel fine again. Yes, the elders in the house gave me the blessing.

Ok, I think I covered everything. First off, I cannot believe that my buddies Caleb and Richie are home. That blows my mind and freaks me out. Haha it really does. They can't be home yet, we all just started our missions. I feel like I just started and there is so much to still be done. You have to give them a big hug and tell them that I love them. One day we will all get together again and it's going to be just like when Alma and the sons of Mosiah met up again. Reading that always makes me emotional thinking about when that happens. I love my buds so much.

OK, a little about the week now. So I have never worked so little in a week for meetings and other things, but I am happy to say that we still had a good week. Tuesday I was in the dentist for like 2 hours. Thursday we went to Valdivia because we had a leaders training which was given by Pres. Rappleye and wow was it good. Friday once again I was in the dentist for 2 hours. Saturday we went and had lunch with the branch at a beach and camping place that is close to Pangui, then after we had a zone meeting for 3 hours in the afternoon. Wow, was that good too. I have learned a lot this week and I could not be more excited to apply all that I have learned.

Well, family sorry this was a bad email. Elder Gardner, my bud from the mtc, just called me to tell me that he is in my first sector, Rahue! I was so happy. I was pretty much yelling here in the cyber haha. I love you all and I hope that all is well. I love the mission. Everyone should serve missions, there is nothing better.Love,
Elder Brown

I have great pics to send but I will have to wait till next week.