I was so spoiled! Thank you everyone!
Best Christmas Ever!
This week has been crazy! Obviously a lot of giving and surprises and Holy Jolly spirits. it was great absolutely wonderful! Last p-day I needed to get a haircut. Haircuts are very expensive here in Irvine. We went into a haircut place and the price was $30 for a stinking haircut. So I said ha ha riggggggght. So I found out there was an elder named Elder Alshengetti who is from Saudi Arabia who knew how to cut hair. So we went to his place and he whacked at it. I got as close to a buzz haircut you could get. My mom saw my picture and now calls me "helmet head". So it fits because I always where my helmet when I ride my bike ha ha. (the little yellow beat up one) So that was fun, getting my hair cut off by someone who doesn't really know how to cut hair. Another fun experience I had was driving down the streets of Irvine California and then I see a "PHO" sign and I was like PPPPPHHHHHHHOOO!! and I remembered Brother Shepherd,my Sunday School teacher, talking about his mission in Washington and eating PHO so I had to go and try it and it looked so good. Its a Vietnamese soup and they put all different kinds of meats into it and oh my gosh is was so good I was able to use my chopsticks skills!!!!!! Thanks brother Shepherd for the insight.
I have been teaching this guy named Josiah. He is African American and he loves Jesus very much and is a great guy. He is a rap artist and he is making a gospel rap CD and stuff ha ha. I was like cool man and i never knew that the gospel and rap could go together but i guess it can. He said that there are a lot of boring gospel songs and that he is just making music that this generation will enjoy. I was like ya rap is spoiling the minds of many teens out there if you could get the gospel rap out there and change peoples lives. So It is pretty chill. I know a rap artist who is into the gospel ha ha. Josiah is my boy. ha ha
This Christmas weekend has been amazing. This weekend has been the best weekend I have had thus far on my mission. I was able to celebrate Christmas Eve by going to the Bishop's house and spending time with his family. They have a daughter who is out on a mission in Peru. Dinner was amazing just like at home and we got spoiled having a Christmas stocking. Christmas morning I received the best gifts in the world. I got some brand new Mountain Dew pajamas, I got Grizzy's twin, and I got a wonderful calender of my cousins and aunts and Uncles. Then a ton of great stockings from family and friends. (my mom will post a picture of my stash). Thank you so much for the letters and packages. This Christmas really meant a lot. I was able to have German pancakes Christmas morning with the Dougal family. Brother Dougal was our ward mission leader. We then went tracting on Christmas and it was so weird. I was able to talk to my family! I have only been gone for a couple months and every one sounds different and it was weird that they were eating Christmas dinner with out me. It was all good because the next day i was able to be a part of the best Christmas present ever. To see Zack and Zane get Baptized. I prayed really hard that my first baptism would be a spiritual and memorable experience and it was. Zack was in the hospital with bronchitis the day before on Christmas but wanted to get baptized so bad and he did. It was amazing to see the faith that they had and knew how important this step was in their life. It has blessed many peoples lives around them including myself. They are absolutely wonderful and it made for a very white December here in California. The spirit was so strong and I loved and enjoy every moment of it. The Christmas Spirit was up and Elder Bannister and I felt so blessed! It was the Best!!!!!!!!! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you will keep on celebrating our Savior Jesus Christ through out the year. Everyone have a wonderful New Year! Talk to all of you later Peace.
Love,
Elder Brown
I have been teaching this guy named Josiah. He is African American and he loves Jesus very much and is a great guy. He is a rap artist and he is making a gospel rap CD and stuff ha ha. I was like cool man and i never knew that the gospel and rap could go together but i guess it can. He said that there are a lot of boring gospel songs and that he is just making music that this generation will enjoy. I was like ya rap is spoiling the minds of many teens out there if you could get the gospel rap out there and change peoples lives. So It is pretty chill. I know a rap artist who is into the gospel ha ha. Josiah is my boy. ha ha
This Christmas weekend has been amazing. This weekend has been the best weekend I have had thus far on my mission. I was able to celebrate Christmas Eve by going to the Bishop's house and spending time with his family. They have a daughter who is out on a mission in Peru. Dinner was amazing just like at home and we got spoiled having a Christmas stocking. Christmas morning I received the best gifts in the world. I got some brand new Mountain Dew pajamas, I got Grizzy's twin, and I got a wonderful calender of my cousins and aunts and Uncles. Then a ton of great stockings from family and friends. (my mom will post a picture of my stash). Thank you so much for the letters and packages. This Christmas really meant a lot. I was able to have German pancakes Christmas morning with the Dougal family. Brother Dougal was our ward mission leader. We then went tracting on Christmas and it was so weird. I was able to talk to my family! I have only been gone for a couple months and every one sounds different and it was weird that they were eating Christmas dinner with out me. It was all good because the next day i was able to be a part of the best Christmas present ever. To see Zack and Zane get Baptized. I prayed really hard that my first baptism would be a spiritual and memorable experience and it was. Zack was in the hospital with bronchitis the day before on Christmas but wanted to get baptized so bad and he did. It was amazing to see the faith that they had and knew how important this step was in their life. It has blessed many peoples lives around them including myself. They are absolutely wonderful and it made for a very white December here in California. The spirit was so strong and I loved and enjoy every moment of it. The Christmas Spirit was up and Elder Bannister and I felt so blessed! It was the Best!!!!!!!!! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you will keep on celebrating our Savior Jesus Christ through out the year. Everyone have a wonderful New Year! Talk to all of you later Peace.
Love,
Elder Brown
Happy Holidays!
Monday, December 20, 2010
December 20,1010
Friends and Family,
I have had a good week! I attended a zone conference and we did a Christmas Program. I was one of the Narrators and it was just fun having the spirit of Christmas with all the other Elders and sisters. President and Sister Watrous are awesome and they are just wonderful. I don't know if you have noticed but it has been pouring here in California. California drivers are pretty aggressive drivers but don't know how to drive in the rain. We were riding our bikes up to a light and a Honda civic going about 45 miles and hour totally hits head on with a Toyota Tacoma turning left head on. It was crazy to witness that. We biked hard to get there and called 911. It was crazy. Asian dude obviously had a concussion and ya it was crazy. We were there for an half an hour and the detective came by and questioned us what we saw. Then we came up to another accident that just happened too. But nobody got to hurt and Elder Bannister and I were just trying not to get hit by any cars. It started to rain a lot harder that night on Friday and we were just biking and these cops started yelling at us because we were riding our bikes in the rain. We were just doing out jobs but we booked it home and I was turning into our apartment and I knew I was going too fast to turn sharp and I pressed on the brakes and my back wheel just slid right around banging into the curb and I flew Nicely on a bed of roses ha ha. Ya, I have been eating it a lot! ha ha. I had an exchange with my Zone Leader Elder Soffe and we were driving and I saw OCC. I thought that was cool that it was so close to my area. I have some friends that play football there. And I told him about Jorey Hansen who I grew up with and played football with. He was like, "I know him we talk to him all the time". So we went to his apartment and knocked and figured he was back home for the break but it was cool to think someone I knew was here in my mission. Small world. haha. I was tracting last night and it was raining the hardest it has since I have been here. We were soaked it was like I jumped into a pool and started tracting. We have a lot of potential investigators that said we can come back because they had some sympathy for us and saw how diligent we were ha ha. I have a funny story about a contact. We knocked on this guys door and he answers and said his girlfriend use to be Mormon or something like that. I asked him when it would be a good time to come back and sit with him and talk about our message. He said with attitude, "next year" ha ha. I said GREAT we will come by in a few weeks. I was just so happy ha ha. I knew exactly what he meant. But it was funny. He then said, "no, next year around this time" with attitude and i totally ruined his mojo. It was funny I just thanked him and told him to have a wonderful day ha ha. So, I am enjoying this Christmas season in the rain. We were able to get Kevin, a 15 year old kid who plays basketball to come to church with us yesterday and he loved it. So the work is going. I have my first two baptisms this upcoming Sunday!!! I am confirming the Holy ghost to each of them in Sacrament meeting and I am nervous preparing myself spiritually so it will be memorable. I love you all. Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! talk to all of you later!
Friends and Family,
I have had a good week! I attended a zone conference and we did a Christmas Program. I was one of the Narrators and it was just fun having the spirit of Christmas with all the other Elders and sisters. President and Sister Watrous are awesome and they are just wonderful. I don't know if you have noticed but it has been pouring here in California. California drivers are pretty aggressive drivers but don't know how to drive in the rain. We were riding our bikes up to a light and a Honda civic going about 45 miles and hour totally hits head on with a Toyota Tacoma turning left head on. It was crazy to witness that. We biked hard to get there and called 911. It was crazy. Asian dude obviously had a concussion and ya it was crazy. We were there for an half an hour and the detective came by and questioned us what we saw. Then we came up to another accident that just happened too. But nobody got to hurt and Elder Bannister and I were just trying not to get hit by any cars. It started to rain a lot harder that night on Friday and we were just biking and these cops started yelling at us because we were riding our bikes in the rain. We were just doing out jobs but we booked it home and I was turning into our apartment and I knew I was going too fast to turn sharp and I pressed on the brakes and my back wheel just slid right around banging into the curb and I flew Nicely on a bed of roses ha ha. Ya, I have been eating it a lot! ha ha. I had an exchange with my Zone Leader Elder Soffe and we were driving and I saw OCC. I thought that was cool that it was so close to my area. I have some friends that play football there. And I told him about Jorey Hansen who I grew up with and played football with. He was like, "I know him we talk to him all the time". So we went to his apartment and knocked and figured he was back home for the break but it was cool to think someone I knew was here in my mission. Small world. haha. I was tracting last night and it was raining the hardest it has since I have been here. We were soaked it was like I jumped into a pool and started tracting. We have a lot of potential investigators that said we can come back because they had some sympathy for us and saw how diligent we were ha ha. I have a funny story about a contact. We knocked on this guys door and he answers and said his girlfriend use to be Mormon or something like that. I asked him when it would be a good time to come back and sit with him and talk about our message. He said with attitude, "next year" ha ha. I said GREAT we will come by in a few weeks. I was just so happy ha ha. I knew exactly what he meant. But it was funny. He then said, "no, next year around this time" with attitude and i totally ruined his mojo. It was funny I just thanked him and told him to have a wonderful day ha ha. So, I am enjoying this Christmas season in the rain. We were able to get Kevin, a 15 year old kid who plays basketball to come to church with us yesterday and he loved it. So the work is going. I have my first two baptisms this upcoming Sunday!!! I am confirming the Holy ghost to each of them in Sacrament meeting and I am nervous preparing myself spiritually so it will be memorable. I love you all. Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! talk to all of you later!
Santa Claus Came Early
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Brother Sparks surprised me with a visit. It took me a minute to realize he was from home. He brought lots of goodies from my family.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Family and Friends,
Well this week has not been my best week. We tracted all day and tried to get in to teach some people but it just didn't happen. I was depressed you know and then we were able to get an appointment with our most progressing investigators. We taught Zack and Zane twice this last week and we changed their baptismal date to December 26th. The day after Christmas. These boys are awesome and doing all they can to follow the Savior. I am very proud of them and the spirit is always there when we teach them. The Lord has really prepared them for the "Good News". Even though we didn't teach anyone else this week, I am so grateful for being able to teach them and being part of something special. This week has been slow and I was able to go to the West Park Ward Christmas party. That was fun! ha ha. I went from an amazing week to a not so or the worst week on my mission. Things happen and I know there is opposition in all things. I just need to keep my chin up. I know it is because something really good is about to happen. The advesary is trying to stop us. I will keep on trucking with the spirit to guide me and be my support. I love you all I hope that you took my challenge to read the Book of Mormon from last week. You all have a jolly Christmas and don't be afraid to write. Its cool I got p-days to write people if you don't all know. haha. I will keep you posted on good experiences for next week. Oh yea, It was 80 degrees today. Gotta love that California sun!
Elder Brown
Family and Friends,
Well this week has not been my best week. We tracted all day and tried to get in to teach some people but it just didn't happen. I was depressed you know and then we were able to get an appointment with our most progressing investigators. We taught Zack and Zane twice this last week and we changed their baptismal date to December 26th. The day after Christmas. These boys are awesome and doing all they can to follow the Savior. I am very proud of them and the spirit is always there when we teach them. The Lord has really prepared them for the "Good News". Even though we didn't teach anyone else this week, I am so grateful for being able to teach them and being part of something special. This week has been slow and I was able to go to the West Park Ward Christmas party. That was fun! ha ha. I went from an amazing week to a not so or the worst week on my mission. Things happen and I know there is opposition in all things. I just need to keep my chin up. I know it is because something really good is about to happen. The advesary is trying to stop us. I will keep on trucking with the spirit to guide me and be my support. I love you all I hope that you took my challenge to read the Book of Mormon from last week. You all have a jolly Christmas and don't be afraid to write. Its cool I got p-days to write people if you don't all know. haha. I will keep you posted on good experiences for next week. Oh yea, It was 80 degrees today. Gotta love that California sun!
Elder Brown
December 6, 2010
Family and Friends,
I had the opportunity to have dinner with a spectacular member and celebrate her birthday. She is like a second mother who takes care of me and does tremendous missionary efforts. Why she is so special is because she has Charity, the pure love of Christ. She is always thinking about others before herself and wanting everyone to know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Bobi, if you are reading this blog I just want to say Thank YOU!!! again. ha.
This week has been crazy for the good. Elder Bannister and I have had a lot of appointments and teaching opportunities. We were able to teach 4 families that have been less active and they attended church this Sunday. One of them hasn't been to church for thirty years. It's amazing to see people relying on the Savior to change their life. I was able to tract into a member that hasn't been to church in a year. I found out that he went To American Fork High School and played football for Coach Knight. He has a brother on his mission right now who is just a year older and went to the same high school. He had us come over to celebrate his birthday with him and with his wife and daughter. We didn't know if they were members also. We found out his wife is a born again Christian but she is very nice. I enjoyed talking to him about sports and about school back home. When we started to talk about the Gospel and the Book of Mormon I could tell how uncomfortable he was. I know that he knows that he should be going to church. He has all these examples in his family that are strong members. We gave him and his wife invitations to read the Book of Mormon and pray if its true. I love that family and I want them to enjoy the fruit that can be produced if they read the Book of Mormon and gain that witness. We also tracted into another family that was Catholic. We taught them the first lesson and invited them to be baptized. The Spirit was so strong and in the lesson we explained what baptism was and how we make a covenant with God. Carlos the Father says (after I have invited him) "I have already been baptized when I was a little baby" then he waits a second. Then he says "I don't even remember being baptized and didn't know that I made a covenant". Right then and there I know the Holy Ghost was working on them. They accepted Baptism and to read and pray and ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. It was Awesome! I notice when I teach with the spirit and when I don't. When I don't I am going million miles per hour saying things that just don't make sense. ha ha. I don't have great communication skills ha ha. But when I am teaching by the spirit I am calm talking ever so clearly like the words just flow. I am so grateful that I can recognize the spirit and I know when to change my attitude so that i can teach by the spirit.
I had the opportunity to go see a member who is very depressed and down. Her only child that she has taken care of herself left to go on a mission a month ago. She did not want him to leave her and was having a tough time coping with that depression. She called Bishop Yost and he called us to give her a blessing because she was very sick. Bishop Yost asked me to give a scripture thought that would help her cope and feel peace about her son being on his mission. Right away I thought about King Mosiah and his sons. They wanted to go teach the Lamanites in the land of Nephi. He was worried that if they should go that they would perish. So King Mosiah went and prayed to the Lord. The Lord promised him that his sons will bring many souls unto Christ and that they will be preserved and have eternal Life. After I read that little story she started to cry. The spirit was very strong. I bore my testimony that it is hard to leave your family. To miss a love one (her son) that will be gone for a long period of time. But he is doing the Lords work. He is doing the best thing he could do in the eternal aspect. I told her how much I missed my family and how much I love them but I know that I am being blessed and my family and along with those that God had put in contact to me. I told her the same for her son. I had a very spiritual experience and realized how much the Lord guides us to help others. We gave her a blessing and she felt peace and comfort. That is what the Holy Ghost does. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon. That my Heavenly Father through the holy ghost has answered my prayers to know that it is true. That Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. By his Fruit I know. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For his love for me and His Atonement. I am striving to be the best representative of him as I can. This Fast Sunday I bore my testimony and challenged the whole Westpark ward to read the Book of Mormon and to do as Moroni has Said PRAY AND ASK GOD. For those who are reading this blog I am also giving you an invitation to do the same. This book that has changed my life! Love you all have good week!!!!! HOORAY for ISRAEL!!!
I had the opportunity to have dinner with a spectacular member and celebrate her birthday. She is like a second mother who takes care of me and does tremendous missionary efforts. Why she is so special is because she has Charity, the pure love of Christ. She is always thinking about others before herself and wanting everyone to know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Bobi, if you are reading this blog I just want to say Thank YOU!!! again. ha.
This week has been crazy for the good. Elder Bannister and I have had a lot of appointments and teaching opportunities. We were able to teach 4 families that have been less active and they attended church this Sunday. One of them hasn't been to church for thirty years. It's amazing to see people relying on the Savior to change their life. I was able to tract into a member that hasn't been to church in a year. I found out that he went To American Fork High School and played football for Coach Knight. He has a brother on his mission right now who is just a year older and went to the same high school. He had us come over to celebrate his birthday with him and with his wife and daughter. We didn't know if they were members also. We found out his wife is a born again Christian but she is very nice. I enjoyed talking to him about sports and about school back home. When we started to talk about the Gospel and the Book of Mormon I could tell how uncomfortable he was. I know that he knows that he should be going to church. He has all these examples in his family that are strong members. We gave him and his wife invitations to read the Book of Mormon and pray if its true. I love that family and I want them to enjoy the fruit that can be produced if they read the Book of Mormon and gain that witness. We also tracted into another family that was Catholic. We taught them the first lesson and invited them to be baptized. The Spirit was so strong and in the lesson we explained what baptism was and how we make a covenant with God. Carlos the Father says (after I have invited him) "I have already been baptized when I was a little baby" then he waits a second. Then he says "I don't even remember being baptized and didn't know that I made a covenant". Right then and there I know the Holy Ghost was working on them. They accepted Baptism and to read and pray and ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. It was Awesome! I notice when I teach with the spirit and when I don't. When I don't I am going million miles per hour saying things that just don't make sense. ha ha. I don't have great communication skills ha ha. But when I am teaching by the spirit I am calm talking ever so clearly like the words just flow. I am so grateful that I can recognize the spirit and I know when to change my attitude so that i can teach by the spirit.
I had the opportunity to go see a member who is very depressed and down. Her only child that she has taken care of herself left to go on a mission a month ago. She did not want him to leave her and was having a tough time coping with that depression. She called Bishop Yost and he called us to give her a blessing because she was very sick. Bishop Yost asked me to give a scripture thought that would help her cope and feel peace about her son being on his mission. Right away I thought about King Mosiah and his sons. They wanted to go teach the Lamanites in the land of Nephi. He was worried that if they should go that they would perish. So King Mosiah went and prayed to the Lord. The Lord promised him that his sons will bring many souls unto Christ and that they will be preserved and have eternal Life. After I read that little story she started to cry. The spirit was very strong. I bore my testimony that it is hard to leave your family. To miss a love one (her son) that will be gone for a long period of time. But he is doing the Lords work. He is doing the best thing he could do in the eternal aspect. I told her how much I missed my family and how much I love them but I know that I am being blessed and my family and along with those that God had put in contact to me. I told her the same for her son. I had a very spiritual experience and realized how much the Lord guides us to help others. We gave her a blessing and she felt peace and comfort. That is what the Holy Ghost does. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon. That my Heavenly Father through the holy ghost has answered my prayers to know that it is true. That Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. By his Fruit I know. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For his love for me and His Atonement. I am striving to be the best representative of him as I can. This Fast Sunday I bore my testimony and challenged the whole Westpark ward to read the Book of Mormon and to do as Moroni has Said PRAY AND ASK GOD. For those who are reading this blog I am also giving you an invitation to do the same. This book that has changed my life! Love you all have good week!!!!! HOORAY for ISRAEL!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)