Talking with the Gangsters!

Family and Friends,

This week has been Crazy!!!! I am in a new area, with a new companion, meeting new people. I am driving for the first time in 3 months and talking with some gangsters. Lets just say Fullerton is a lot different than Irvine. ha ha. Our area is twice the size of my last and we had to walk the first five days because the Elder before me crashed the Malibu into a wall so I was able to have the opportunity to walk everywhere. I am so out of shape! ha ha I couldn't move the next day after walking for 6 hours on Tuesday. We had a ton of appointments and couldn't get to them. But we were able to meet a lot of new interesting people in the streets so it is good. Saturday I was able to meet a lot of the investigators. This area has 4 times as many investigators but for some reason everyone here is not following through with their commitments. We invited 3 of them to church and none of them came. It was very depressing. Our goal as a companionship is to have 3 Baptisms this transfer. We definitely have the investigators but its just how to help them follow through. We have two people that could be baptized if they could give up smoking for 3 weeks. We are trying to find a way to help them get over their addiction and to rely upon the Lord. I haven't taught a lesson on the Word of Wisdom to somebody who is struggling with it so I am really prayerfully finding out the best way. The ward here is a lot different then the last area. People here are a lot older who have been in Fullerton for 20 years plus so its a lot different interacting with the members. Every one in the other ward had children under the age of 5 just starting their careers. I am missing my last area so much. A car is nice but being on bike I felt like I got so much more accomplished. But the Lord has sent me here for a reason and Elder Knight is my companion and we are going rock this area up so you all prepare for that in the next couple emails. I am learning how to talk to people and how to apply lessons that will help them and not just teach a lesson. I have a lot more pressure in teaching because Elder Knight and I have the same experience. We were in the MTC together. Training wheels are off and we have our own area. I have never taught in such unison with another missionary then with Elder Knight. He is hard working and obedient (which is surprising ha ha) It's going to be good. I have a lot more weird stories to tell you. I will just show you how ghetto this area is. Elder Knight and I are walking down this alley way slash street and we were going to go talk to this guy walking towards us. We were going to say something and then he asked is there a lot of drug activity on this street. He asks if we are selling. I said do we look like we sell drugs. Then he says I am trying to find some drugs so if you find any let me know and walks off. I was so dumbfounded I didn't even have time to give him a pass along card. A lot of people here have a Word of Wisdom problem that they are struggling with. The area I am in has two colleges and 2 high schools. We talk to so many people our age and it is crazy what people are doing with their lives at this time. We give out a lot of referrals to the Zone leaders or the singles ward. Our apartment is in the middle of all these frat and sorority houses. I feel like I am in the middle of Sodom and Gomorrah and I got my sword (Book of Mormon) to fight the adversary. I am so grateful I was born into the true church of Jesus Christ and that I have seen the blessings of living the Gospel. I am so happy to serve him and to help people see what true happiness is. There are struggles but I put my trust in the Lord and not into my own flesh and I can do anything. I am striving to work hard through adversity because when there is great opposition that means something really good is about to happen. I am working hard, the church is true and the field is white already to harvest. Love you all!

Elder Brown