Family and Friends,
Well, summer is definetly here in Yorba Linda. We did not teach that many lessons this week because all of our investigators are out of town on vacation. Yep, so we have had the oppurtunity to tract a lot and to bask in the sun drenched in sweat this last week. One thing that is cool about tracting is that is where you get all your crazy stories.
We were able to teach one of the families and we had another amazing lesson. These people are sincere and are reading the Book of Mormon. Daphne (mom) went down to San Diego and went to the Mormon Batallion visitor center. She loved it and ended up finding out that she has ancestors that were a part of it. It was so cool and she had a really big interest in it. We invited them to church and they accepted but they are going to be out of town the next three weeks so we are planning on them coming on the 17th of July!!!! Really excited about that! We have a goal as a companionship to baptize 5 of Heavenly Father's children by the end of the transfer. We definitely have the Investigators and now we just need to excercise some faith and let the Lord do the rest!!!
Funny story we went to a dinner appointment with a member family this week. We get there and they made a huge turkey dinner like on Thanksgiving and it was so good. A huge turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry the whole enchilada. Ya, it was awesome. So I obvioulsy stuffed myself there and out came dessert. It is a pumkin pie with out the Crust. I was like Yummy. So Elder Hansen and I take a bite at the same time and I look over across the table and I see ELder Hansen eyes widen like he saw a ghost and then I realized with my taste buds the most salty thing I have ever eaten. I started gagging and I run to the garbage. She had mistaken the sugar for salt and put a cup and a half of salt in that thing. NEVER in my life have I eaten something so concentrated of salt it was nasty. I felt bad because we hurt the members feelings but man that was nasty and we told her it was an honest mistake but dang. She was trying to salt poison us.
Well other then that it was a pretty slow week. Elder Hansen and I just need the to thrust in our sickle. You know what I am saying and just work, let the spirit guide us and just do what we do. I love all of you for your Love and support. If you have not made a Mormon.org profile yet, yes mom and dad you too. Do IT! Like Nike, Just DO IT!! ha ha. Love you
Elder Brown
Enduring to the End
This week has been good. We found another family and taught them about the Restoration. They are Catholic but just started going. We invited them to be baptized once they come to know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. They accepted and we are really excited!!! The Ward is so surprised at our tracting success! They said that they have never had so many new investigators found by the missionaries. So we are getting the trust of the ward! We are really pushing ward missionaries to get more involved and the missionary ward plan is Sick!!! We are really going a hundred percent and we are planning on baptizing 8 people, including two families this transfer. Grant and Steve who have baptismal dates are so busy and we have only been able to teach them each once. They are Golden but they are just so busy. Work is crazy for them. Everyone in California is running around with their heads cut off.-like CHICKENS!!! We received transfer calls and Elder Hansen and I are staying together! We work hard and that is how I like IT! We have been just slaying it here tripling the amount of lessons we were teaching last transfer! So life is good, work is good, Baptisms are coming. I feel we just need to excercise more faith. I am changing out here for the better and know I will Endure to the End!!!!!
Elder Brown
Elder Brown
Good and Steady
Monday, June 13, 2011
Family and Friends,
The past couple of weeks have been good and steady! We were able to teach 9 lessons this week and we were able to meet with the family we found. Ray, the dad has really opened up to us and said that he will read the Book of Mormon and still wants to participate in the discussions. We invited them to be baptized when they come to know that it is true and they accepted. The spirit was so strong!
We also were able to feel the spirit tremendously when we read the Book of Mormon with Shirley. She is starting to ask deep thinking questions and the Holy Ghost is teaching her. We invited Shirley to the Temple Tour on July 18 at 2:30 p.m. She accepted and we are excited to meet her there to see our beautiful temple in Newport. I love the Newport Beach Temple. The grounds are really pretty and I enjoy going their quarterly. Well, Elder Hansen and I are doing what is called a car fast. We are trying to cut our miles in half. So we have been walking a ton these past couple weeks up and down hills. haha. Yorba Linda has some massive hills. But we are being blessed! I am really starting to utilize the Holy Ghost on my mission. I am the most happy when I see the fruits of the Spirit lead and guide this work. Elder Hansen and I were walking out of an appointment with a less-active member. We were on the other side of the road and saw this guy taking out his garbages. It was time to go to our dinner appointment, so we were a little rushed. Well, I decide to keep walking when I hears a still small voice in my head that said to turn around and talk to that person. And I did. We ended up teaching a lesson about the Book of Mormon to Paul and he invited us back to come teach him and his family the Restoration. We are going to follow up with him this week. So I am most happy when I feel the Holy Ghost lead me to those that will recieve me. I have also learned that when people don't want to receive our message how to nicely and boldly bear my testimony and keep going. I think that is my favorite part about missionary work, bearing your testimony to those that you have maybe for a couple seconds who are yelling at you and claiming we are Little Devils. Because when we bear our testimonies about the Savior and the Restoration, it shocks them! Just like Nephi shocked Laman and Lemuel by the Power of God. The Holy Ghost stings them and they get to choose to soften their hearts or harden it. Those that soften it, blessings follow. So the work is going. The days take forever but at the same time they fly by. I can't believe it is June and it has been a year since I have Graduated from High school. I know that the Church is still true!
Elder Brown
The past couple of weeks have been good and steady! We were able to teach 9 lessons this week and we were able to meet with the family we found. Ray, the dad has really opened up to us and said that he will read the Book of Mormon and still wants to participate in the discussions. We invited them to be baptized when they come to know that it is true and they accepted. The spirit was so strong!
We also were able to feel the spirit tremendously when we read the Book of Mormon with Shirley. She is starting to ask deep thinking questions and the Holy Ghost is teaching her. We invited Shirley to the Temple Tour on July 18 at 2:30 p.m. She accepted and we are excited to meet her there to see our beautiful temple in Newport. I love the Newport Beach Temple. The grounds are really pretty and I enjoy going their quarterly. Well, Elder Hansen and I are doing what is called a car fast. We are trying to cut our miles in half. So we have been walking a ton these past couple weeks up and down hills. haha. Yorba Linda has some massive hills. But we are being blessed! I am really starting to utilize the Holy Ghost on my mission. I am the most happy when I see the fruits of the Spirit lead and guide this work. Elder Hansen and I were walking out of an appointment with a less-active member. We were on the other side of the road and saw this guy taking out his garbages. It was time to go to our dinner appointment, so we were a little rushed. Well, I decide to keep walking when I hears a still small voice in my head that said to turn around and talk to that person. And I did. We ended up teaching a lesson about the Book of Mormon to Paul and he invited us back to come teach him and his family the Restoration. We are going to follow up with him this week. So I am most happy when I feel the Holy Ghost lead me to those that will recieve me. I have also learned that when people don't want to receive our message how to nicely and boldly bear my testimony and keep going. I think that is my favorite part about missionary work, bearing your testimony to those that you have maybe for a couple seconds who are yelling at you and claiming we are Little Devils. Because when we bear our testimonies about the Savior and the Restoration, it shocks them! Just like Nephi shocked Laman and Lemuel by the Power of God. The Holy Ghost stings them and they get to choose to soften their hearts or harden it. Those that soften it, blessings follow. So the work is going. The days take forever but at the same time they fly by. I can't believe it is June and it has been a year since I have Graduated from High school. I know that the Church is still true!
Elder Brown
A Week of Miracles
Monday, June 6, 2011
Family and Friends,
This week I saw many miracles!!!! It was a hard working week of tracting and finding. As a Zone we are striving to find one new investigator per week. Well, we followed up with this family that we found tracting two weeks ago and we taught them the Plan Of Salvation. It was a perfect lesson for them because the husband was mad at God for letting his father pass away. He believed if there was a God he would not allow that to happen. He was angry at God. I knew he did believe but didn't want to admit it. At first he didn't want to join us in our discussion and we invited him over and he came and listened. Then we opened up The Book of Mormon and went to hand him one so that he could read the verse but he said he is here just to listen. I then said, "I strongly encourage you to read and follow along with us". I know that the Holy Ghost was working with him and he joined us in reading. We were able to talk about The Plan of Happiness and how understanding it helps us have joy in this life and gives a greater determination to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When he brought up his father and how it was not fair, I thought about my cousin and my best bud Brady (who was my same age). I told him what happened to my cousin when I was 14 years old and how he passed away so unexpectedly. I felt the spirit so strong at that moment and felt so much Love. I knew he felt it too. I told him and bore my testimony that the Plan of Salvation is real. That we are here to learn and grow from our mistakes and to progress. I know that I will see my cousin Brady and my Grandpa O again. He asked me how do you know. I told him I prayed to my loving Heavenly Father when I was 14 and I felt peace that everything was going to be okay. I told him I know Brady is doing the same missionary work up in the Spirit World. I told him probably teaching your father the same thing we are teaching you about right now. He kind of was quiet then said, "you don't know that you just believe it". I said, "I know". I told him he could know by the Power of the Holy Ghost. Then I invited him to pray on behalf of him and his family and ask if what we have said is true. He declined at first and I strongly encouraged him to ask God. He said okay. He did. It was great and we have a return appointment with them this Thursday and we are going to invite them all to be baptized. Very excited for that. We were able to find 6 new investigators in three weeks. We are starting to teach more as we have been focusing on these people and praying to find those that are ready to recieve the restored Gospel. I know the Plan of Happiness is real and it gives our life a purpose. We need to do all we can to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that we can go back to our Heavenly Father that loves us so much. I am having amazing spiritual experiences and yearn for more. I can't believe I have been out for 8 months. It is going by too fast. I love you all. Have a great week.
Elder Brown
This week I saw many miracles!!!! It was a hard working week of tracting and finding. As a Zone we are striving to find one new investigator per week. Well, we followed up with this family that we found tracting two weeks ago and we taught them the Plan Of Salvation. It was a perfect lesson for them because the husband was mad at God for letting his father pass away. He believed if there was a God he would not allow that to happen. He was angry at God. I knew he did believe but didn't want to admit it. At first he didn't want to join us in our discussion and we invited him over and he came and listened. Then we opened up The Book of Mormon and went to hand him one so that he could read the verse but he said he is here just to listen. I then said, "I strongly encourage you to read and follow along with us". I know that the Holy Ghost was working with him and he joined us in reading. We were able to talk about The Plan of Happiness and how understanding it helps us have joy in this life and gives a greater determination to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When he brought up his father and how it was not fair, I thought about my cousin and my best bud Brady (who was my same age). I told him what happened to my cousin when I was 14 years old and how he passed away so unexpectedly. I felt the spirit so strong at that moment and felt so much Love. I knew he felt it too. I told him and bore my testimony that the Plan of Salvation is real. That we are here to learn and grow from our mistakes and to progress. I know that I will see my cousin Brady and my Grandpa O again. He asked me how do you know. I told him I prayed to my loving Heavenly Father when I was 14 and I felt peace that everything was going to be okay. I told him I know Brady is doing the same missionary work up in the Spirit World. I told him probably teaching your father the same thing we are teaching you about right now. He kind of was quiet then said, "you don't know that you just believe it". I said, "I know". I told him he could know by the Power of the Holy Ghost. Then I invited him to pray on behalf of him and his family and ask if what we have said is true. He declined at first and I strongly encouraged him to ask God. He said okay. He did. It was great and we have a return appointment with them this Thursday and we are going to invite them all to be baptized. Very excited for that. We were able to find 6 new investigators in three weeks. We are starting to teach more as we have been focusing on these people and praying to find those that are ready to recieve the restored Gospel. I know the Plan of Happiness is real and it gives our life a purpose. We need to do all we can to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that we can go back to our Heavenly Father that loves us so much. I am having amazing spiritual experiences and yearn for more. I can't believe I have been out for 8 months. It is going by too fast. I love you all. Have a great week.
Elder Brown
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