The Lord's Work is Going Forward!

Family and Friends,

This week was Awesome!! We had so many opportunities to teach and testify about the Gospel. We were able to reach our goal of 10 lessons this week and had seven of them with investigators! We were able to teach Daphne but all of a sudden Ray, her husband doesn't want to join us anymore. He was making so much progress praying for the first time in a very long time and having a desire to learn more about the Gospel. But with us not being able to meet with them for a month I think he forgot the way he felt when he sat in with the lessons. So we were only able to teach Daphne and Michael. We invited them to be baptized on a date but they rejected. She said she wants to get baptized but she doesn't know if it should be in her church she is going to or our church. After the lesson, Elder Hansen and I were thinking in our heads, "what is going on?". We thought about it and we were going way too fast with her. We taught her all three lessons but she has not been keeping her commitments. We need to slow down and go back to the principle that will convert everyone. That is the Book of Mormon. She has only read a chapter on her own in the last month. So we need to re-teach, re-testify, and re-commit her to read the Book of Mormon. I got so caught up teaching all the lessons to her so that she could get baptized. I was being selfish and not thinking of what could help her come closer to Jesus Christ. So I have repented and really putting a focus on how she can come to know for herself the power of The Restoration. I also think she is upset that her husband Ray did not join us. So that was really tough.
We also were able to teach our other family who we have only taught once. We found out that they are reading and they still have a hard time believing the experience Joseph Smith had. Mario (dad) is very humble and has been seeking truth his whole life. He was a Seventh Day Adventist and just wants to find the Truth. He explained that he wants to know but it is hard to read the Book of Mormon and not have a bias attitude while reading it. So we are trying to find a scripture or a way that he can open his heart and just experience on the word and not cast out the seed with his unbeleif just like in the parable of Alma 32. We invited them to church and Mario is a fireman so he was not able to accept the commitment but Susan (mom) and her five kids all accepted. We were so excited for Sunday when we heard from Bro. Carter who came with us that he got an E-mail from Susan saying that they don't have the proper clothing to come. I was lIke NOOOOOOO. Bro. Carter said it was okay and they are going shopping this week so they can come this upcoming Sunday. So good and bad. They have a desire to come to church.
We taught Joseph and Caroline from Iran and we found out that they don't understand us at all. They know five different languages but are not able to communicate stuff in the Gospel in English. So it was really interesting showing them words in English and getting their English Farcey Dictionary to understand what we are talking about. Cool thing happened is that they showed us one of their old Bibles they bought in Austria as they were coming across to America. In it was a book mark and I looked and it was "Finding faith in Christ "Pass a long card From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. It was in a different language which we found out was German. LDS Missionaries have talked and taught them before and they want to hear more about the Restored Gospel. Joseph has already read 15 pages since last week. So we are really excited to help these wonderful people and hopefully we will have the gift of tongues and interpretations to help them come closer to the their Savior Jesus Christ.
Well, we have a lot more scheduled appointments this week. I am sad because transfers are coming up August 8th and our investigators who I have learned to love are really progressing. I have been in this area the longest compared to everyone else in my District and have a feeling I am going to move. I really love Yorba Linda. Coming in I knew it was going to be hard but I have grown to love it. I can say this is my favorite area so far! I love you all so much keep up the good work. The Lords work is going forward!!!!

Elder Brown