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.

January 28, 2013

Hola Familia y Amigos,

Papa su español es genial no puedo creer que aprendió tan rápido. So, I got some news for you guys; as we got in here on the computers to write, I began to write Pres. Rappleye and a little tiny temblor came through, or a very very tiny earthquake. It was crazy but only lasted about 6 seconds and it was tiny. I thought it was just a big fat guy sitting down or something haha. I am so glad to hear from all of you. I sure love you all and I hope that all is well and that those that are feeling sick can start feeling better.

OK mother, I didn't want to worry you with my request to fast and pray. We just need a lot of help here in Panguipulli. I just need all the help I can get from the Lord to help all the people that need help here. It was nothing real personal, I am just great. I just need that extra help from the Lord right now so I can really love my comp. and help him to really feel good with everything in the mission and as well with the other two elders in our house, that I can help them and myself to continue to grow and progress, and last but not least, that we can find people to teach here in Pangui and that those that we are teaching (Luis and Vitalia and Bastian) can progress to baptism. I asked just so that I could have extra help from you all and the Lord. I am great though and you don't need to worry about me. I am as good as ever. I love the mission with all my heart and I am so grateful for all the chances that I have here to learn to stretch and grow even when it is hard and situations force me to do so. I am so thankful for it. I could not progress with out it. I cannot explain how grateful I am for the experiences that I am having in my mission. They have changed my life, at least I feel that way. I hope that when I finish that not only I can feel that way, but that people that I taught and tried to help can feel the same way about themselves: that they have been able to progress in their lives and reach a new level of happiness that they did not know before. That's how I feel and I hope that others can see that change in me as well when I get home. There is nothing better than the mission.

This week was a little tuff though, but like always, if we didn't have tough weeks we would never learn how to work with diligence till the good ones come. I will try to start from the beginning of the week. Last Monday we went up and enjoyed cake and ice cream at the house of the Erickson's. Tuesday we had district meeting with them as well and that was awesome. We were able to get to know them a little better and we talked a little bit about why they came out on the mission and how we can help them fulfill their calling and how we can work hand in hand. Wednesday we were able to teach for the first time with the Ericksons. We taught an inactive family about the importance of the Gospel and how it can bring us great blessings, specifically Eternal families. It was awesome. Thursday we spent a big chunk of the day at the dentist. They opened up my tooth and found that it had been infected and so they cleaned it up and gave me a prescription for antibiotics, so I am taking those now and tomorrow I go in for the big stuff of taking out all the roots; oh boy will that be fun. Friday we were able to go with the Ericksons to Luis and Vitalia's, and Hermana Erickson, in English while we translated, was able to give a powerful testimony to Vitalia about how they can make their marriage work with time and effort, constantly applying the gospel; it was awesome. I love the Ericksons, they always worry about us. When Hermana Erickson heard that my tooth had been hurting me pretty bad she was so worried. She gave me medicine and made sure that I got in to check it out; and good thing I did because the infection would have spread. Saturday there was a BAPTISM!!!! It was for Josefa, an 8 year old girl of a family that was inactive, but we have been able to help them reactivate and her Dad was able to baptize her. I was so happy to see that. We have been working with them for a long time and to see her Dad be able to baptize shows all the progress that they had. 2 months ago they weren't even coming to church and they had forgotten everything about the church. SO AWESOME! The Ericksons, by the way, are from a little town in the state of Washington, but I forgot the name. It has an Indian name. So that was the week. The tuff part was just that my tooth in the beginning of the week was really bothering me and then I went and got it worked on and then in the next few days I have gotten sick ha. So it was the tooth and now it is a cold. I have been fighting it off real good though. In the last two days I have drank more than 2 gallons of water and lots of vitamins and medicine, and most important of all a blessing. I am feeling a little better today. But like Joseph Smith said... "No unhallowed hand can stop this work from moving forward". I know that this work cannot be stopped by anything. Whether it be sickness, bad teeth, lots of heat, or any other hard circumstance - this work will continue to move forth.

Well fam, I think I informed you on about all I can. We are going to head up to the house of the Erickson's to celebrate Elder Erickson's birthday which is today. We bought him a tie, and then Hermana Erickson is making tacos! Ohhhhhhhh I can't wait. It's been more than a year since I have had one of those. I love you so very much. Tell all my buds that are getting home to wait for me before they get married. I know that this work is the work of the Lord. Every day, in a different way, I see and feel of it's truth as I see it change the lives of others and as I see that very change within myself. Something that brings such amazing fruits could not come from a bad tree. I love you all.

Love,
Elder Brown

Sorry, this computer won't let me attach pics, next week it will be.

January 21, 2013

Hola Familia y Amigos,

Wow, it is hot here! It reached a record high this week here in Pangui. Everyone says that it has never ever been so hot here. I would have to agree it is so hot. I sweat all day long. I am always so soaked. Everyone has also told me that the United States is freezing up haha. I think it is just the year of extremes all over the world. I am so glad to hear from all my wonderful family. I sure do love you all more than I can explain. Seriously though, I feel more and more love for my family every day. I have told many people to go on missions so they can appreciate their mom and learn to love their family. The mission has done that for me and continues to do so.

I can not believe that my good friend Jason is home already. Oh how I love that guy. I am so grateful for such amazing friends. I have got to say that God must have known that I was going to need a lot of help to grow up, and so, more than just the most amazing parents he also surrounded me with the very best friends and people that he possibly could. I was and am very blessed for that. If you see Jason tell him how much I love him and that I look forward to pumping some iron together. As well I was so blessed to be surrounded by members of an amazing ward. I can not believe the amazing gifts and acts of kindness that I have received from faithful members and friends. I can not give enough thanks for what they have done for me.

So many people are going on missions I can´t believe it. Hannah is old enough already to go on a mission???? What??? That is so crazy and cool that she will speak Spanish as well. She will be able to talk with her bro. She might not understand him too well because Jake will speak like a Chilean. No one is going to understand me, it's going to be funny. I use so many Chilean words and I don´t even realize it.

This week was a little hard and really crazy but a lot of good things happened as well. District meeting was Tuesday and I talked to our district about how much more we can achieve here in Pangui and I expressed my testimony of the blessings, and more so, the miracles that can be seen with exact obedience. I began to get emotional expressing my testimony because I know how true it is. I have seen it so much in my mission and with out those blessings we amount up to a lot less than we would with the blessings of the Lord. Thursday Elder Cortez had a very tuff day and I gave him a blessing of comfort. I sure hope he can pull through. Friday we had interviews with Pres. and that was great. Sat. we organized a surprise welcome/birthday party for the Ericksons. (it was sister Ericksons birthday) She was so surprised and happy. I just called them and asked if they could meet us in the church to talk about a few things. They had no idea that we had treats and everything waiting for them. They were very grateful. I even made chocolate chip cookies for the shindig. It was a lot of fun. I am so excited to be able to work with them. It looks like they are going to be able to do a lot to help us and I am excited for that.

Well, I love you all but I have to end. I am so thankful to the Lord for his trust in giving me hard things to do. A lot of things are pretty hard for me and I am so thankful for the chance to be able to overcome hard things. If we never had hard things to do we would never develop the attributes that we must develop to become like Jesus Christ. I am thankful for all the challenges that are in front me and hope to always search for the help of the Lord to over come them. Love you all.

Love,
Elder Brown

PS, I can't ask you all to do a special fast with me in the mission, but I would like that you guys could do a fast for me that I can have the strength and guidance to be able to accomplish a few hard things that are part of the work at this moment.

Dear Sister Norris,
I want to express my deep love for my amazing friend Sister Norris. I sure do love you Sister Norris and I thank you for your thoughts, prayers and letters that so often I receive from you. I am always so happy to see an update from you in the mail and I am always so proud to announce to all the Elders who ask me if it is a girl to say it is my great and faithful friend Sister Norris. I cannot thank you enough for your support and help. When my Mom told me what you did for me to help me with my tooth I was so grateful. I will always remember your many acts of great kindness for me. I love you and hope that all is well.
Love,
Elder Brown

1. Pretty Pangui
2. The Ericksons are here!!!
3. Teaching the gospel with chalk

January 14, 2013

Hola Familia y Amigos,  

I am so glad to hear that everyone is doing good there in the cold ha! It's the complete opposite here, we are dying from the heat, but I am enjoying it. I love to hear from you all even if it is just a short email. I just love my family so much, you are just the best family there is. It's always good to hear a little update from good ole O town.

 

Well I am just going to go straight to answering some questions. First, mother my shoes are size 13 and some news about my shoes is yesterday the mouth got bigger haha. It's all good though, we just keep on walking. No hand can stop this work from going forth (dead shoes included.) I want it to be a surprise for Elder Cortez. I think he has a size small or medium, he is really small haha. The bed bugs don't bother me. It's either because they are scared of me or I just don't taste good because I have not had problems. I think they are attracted to Elder Cortez because he is such a city boy. Oh yeah, another funny story about that. Saturday we went to cut grass at the house of the married missionaries that are coming and I enjoyed watching Elder Cortez run around trying to get away from the bees and flys, haha that was funny.  He was running all around in circles and stuff. I will get that dentist stuff done then, even though I don't want to. Our mamita is great; she is a little older and lives with her husband, who does not like gringos, and her daughter and grandson. I enjoy playing with Benja, the 8 year old grandson, at lunch. He is my bud. We have gone running a few times in the morning but mostly so that I can get Elder Cortez out of bed. When it's too big of a struggle to get him up I turn on the lights and music and do exercise inside haha. We have been together 5 weeks now and we will be together for at least 7 more because training is two cambios (transfers) of 6 weeks each. He is still struggling, but the enthusiasm will never go down. We are just going to keep working hard as we can. I enjoyed the news letter. I feel bad I didn't say happy birthday to Wade so FELIZ CUMPLIAÑOS cuñado!!!!! I would also like to thank Aunt Vicky and Lis Rich for the letters. I have like no time to write by hand so I have to just do it here in email. I think that's about all the questions.

 

Today we are in VALDIVIA! I love this place. We had to come to do some visa stuff for the other Elders and I am acting as guide because I am the only one of the four that knows Valdivia and where everything is. So I have enjoyed being here today. This week was a good week. We have been working hard and we have been sweating a whole lot. It has been so hot the last few days. This week was a pretty normal week from what I can remember. For some reason I can't remember much from the week. We did a lot of service in the heat. We went and worked on the farm at Luis and Vitalia's. We were cleaning weeds from their cucumbers. I got burned to death out there, and I even used sun block. My legs haven't seen the sun for quite some time haha. Good news is at the end of this month there will be 3 baptisms in the branch! 1 from the other sector, his name is Nefi or Nephi in Spanish. He is 9 and the son of a less active that is coming back to church. Then the other 2 from our sector; Josefa is 8 and is the daughter of an inactive family that we found and are now very active! It has been amazing to see this family progress and come back to activity. Then, Bastian, the son of Luis and Vitalia, will be the first of his family to enter the waters of baptism and show his parents the example in what they should do. I know that they will get there. The future looks great here in Pangui and I am really trying to work hard to help all 4 of us missionaries get to the potential that the Lord has for us here in Pangui. There is much more that can be done. The people here are awesome. We have been focusing a lot on contacting these last few days because as a whole mission we had developed a paradigm that we all did our contacts in the same way and we always got the same results ha. We are trying more to talk WITH the people and not AT them. It is really a big difference and we have seen the blessings.

 

Well, I think that is all that I can remember to tell you all. For some reason I can't remember much from this last week. I love you all and hope all is going well.

Love,

Elder Brown

PS Tell all my buds that are getting home that I sure love them for their great examples and friendships. 

Sorry I forgot the cable for pictures again haha.

Lacee,

Hey sis, you need to start finding a guy and when you do you have to tell me haha. I love you sis, keep working hard.

Love,

Elder Brown

Caiden,

It's not worth getting kicked out of a game or getting a T for a bad call. I know from experience. Neither is Reffing easy. I also know from experience. Keep playing hard and destroying, but it's always better to do so with the mouth shut and a dunk in their face haha. 

Love,

Elder Brown

Britt,

Tell those little boys I love them. As well, the house looks awesome. I want to have sleep overs over there with those two little guys.

Love,

Elder Brown

Jenna,

Hey, if you move back to Bountiful you have to get me your address so I can write you. As well, you don't have to wait for my letter to write me, hahaha they take forever to get there sometimes. I hope everything is going well. 

Love,

Elder Brown 

January 7, 2013

Hola Familia y Amigos,

I sure do love to hear from all you and hear that everything is going well. I just want to start this right of with the bad news so we can get to the good stuff and also before I forget to tell you. My tooth is a lot worse then I thought. I went to get it seen and guess what happened they told me that a cavity had been growing for some time there. I even believe that it was there before my filling even came out because she said it was pretty bad and had to work on  it right there. The worst of all is how much they are going to charge me to get it finished because it still isn´t finished. They have to do more but all in all its going to be 220 mil pesos or in dollars like 440 bucks I am going to die! I feel that they charge me that because I am Gringo which is awful, but I kinda have to get it done. What do you all think? Please respond about that as soon as possible.

Ok the bad news is over now we can move on. The new year was pretty much normal here except that we couldn´t really work Monday and Tuesday because everyone was drunk or at the beach at the lake. So listen to what we did to still try to be effective because there was no one in there house. We went close to the front of where our house is where everyone passes to go to the beach and we found a big wood bench there in the path and with the chalk that my wonderful mother sent me we drew the plan of salvation on the bench and then tried our best to teach the people walking past about where we came from, why we are here and where we are going after. I have to say it was pretty funny. Probably one of my best ideas so far even though we didn´t have to much success. Just imagine us as the people walking past saying "HEY!!! I drew a picture for you and I want to show it to you, it talks about where you came from and all that good stuff. Will you come take a look at my pic?" Haha it was funny. 

 

This week was pretty good though. Wednesday Elder Cortez and I were able to go and help the marriage missionaries get the house ready for the other marriage that is coming here to Pangui so that was pretty fun. This Sunday we also had about 70 people there at church which was awesome and we found a new investigator that came with his uncle our ward mission leader so we will begin to teach him this week. I taught Gospel Principles and I shared my story of how I learned to pray and I told that I learned from my great parents who I remember would come into my room at night when I was little and we would say prayers together. I also remember when I was in highschool, my sweet mother who I would always find in her room in the mornings saying her personal prayers on her knees. That has always marked me and even more so when I would be heading out the door and my mamita would ask, "Did you say your morning prayers?" When I would say no, she would kindly invite me to enter the front room and kneel and say a prayer with her. I am so grateful for such an amazing example. Now the habit to pray is so much a part of me I can´t do anything before doing my prayers. After sharing that with the class one of the ladies said when you get home you better never fight with your mom ever again because she is amazing. I thoroughly agree. I love you mom and Dad you both have taught me amazing things. 

Now to answer a few questions. I bought allergy medicine mom so don´t worry. Mom when are you going to send the next package? One thing I would ask for is that you could send a BYU T-shirt for Elder Cortez. He told me how he has always been looking for one. That would be awesome. I have vitamin c´s mother so I am pretty good. Don´t worry I am writing in my journal everyday. I have not missed a day of my mission. How could I miss one day of the best two years haha. I finished that big green journal actually and I started another one in another cool journal that I bought in the MTC of Provo for exactly that reason. I am doing great mother enjoying the treats you sent me for Christmas as well as many of the little kids in my sector are enjoying them. 

Well I can´t believe that everyone is getting married. So many, every week a new one, haha! Well if any of my guy friends gets married without me they will get a beating haha. I wonder how long it will take for all us weird guys of my group of friends to get married. We are pretty weird. I don´t know if there are any girls that will want us out there hahaha. Speaking of marriage, Lacee you have to start finding so that you can get married right after I get home. Oh yeah my comp is still struggling to adjust. I love feeling like such a country boy with him as well as watch him try to clean his nice little bed of all the little bugs that eat him at night haha. It's fun to watch him do city boy stuff ha. He is still struggling with obeying. I am trying to learn how to always forget myself and show him that we are not here to do what we want but to do what the Lord wants. Well I better get going, sorry, I had some great pics to send this week but I don´t have my cable. I sure do love you all. 

 

Love,

Elder Brown

"The real joy of a man is found in forgeting himself for the good of others" 

I can´t remember who that is from but I love it.