ALMOST DONE!

So, this is my second-to-last Monday. Crazy! 

This week has been crazy! I had to sign up for classes at college, did interviews with President Mella who wanted to talk about dating, and move all my pictures and videos to a USB before my iPad eats them!  Oh yah!

I'm running out of time and don't have a lot of exciting things to say. But this week, we went on exchanges. I was with Sister Carter on Saturday. We went to Target the day before so I could get a new USB. The next day during exchanges, I couldn't download my videos on it! I only had a few too! So later that day, Sister Carter and I went back to Target. There, we ran into a young man from Utah, who is potentially less active, and Sister Carter was able to leave a pass-along card with him, and he willingly gave his contact info. Then, when I got a better USB, a lady was asking about where we were from, and why we came to California. She asked me why I would leave... (Cries!)  Sister Carter also left a pass-along card with her.  Either the Holy Ghost used our misadventure to his advantage, or the Lord has a sense of humor and caused my USB crisis to find some people to teach... Hmmmm...

We had leadership training this week for the new leaders.  I'm going to miss all of these missionaries so much.  It's been a great time in my life and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

We have a family that is SO ready to be baptized! I can tell they've been paying attention in Sunday School! They tried on some jumpsuits and we're working out the plans for the baptism! I'm so happy for this family! 

Scripture Power!

Matthew 25: 34-40

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

- Always, Sister Brown

Miracles! Boo-yah!

This week was fun, and a little slow.  But we had exchanges with the El Camino Hermanas.  I was with Hermana Doyle, and Sister De La Torre was with Sister Lindsay.  It was really fun with them.  I went contacting with Hermana Doyle and she is so motivated!  She wanted to talk with everyone and we made some good contacts. Then they got to come with us to a relief society activity at our Ward, and someone who lived in my first area brought a non-member friend!  It was amazing!  I didn't recognize her at first. She's Bishop Judd's daughter (my first bishop on the mission). We got to know her friend and she seems interested in coming to church. We gave her our number and offered service. THAT - was a great day!  

AND...I've been learning to decorate cupcakes.  Well, not full time of course - just for one activity.  It was fun.  

The area is doing fine. We've been finding more people and been doing more less active work. Getting new phones has been a blessing because we went through the contacts and took care of numbers that weren't needed and saved some numbers we didn't know. Hopefully we'll be getting some potential investigators from that. 

I think the only things I'm stressed out about lately is school, and backing up my iPad.  But Sister Lindsay has been such a great help.  She doesn't really stress, and she doesn't judge me for stressing and is always asking how she can help me. She's the best! The past few weeks have been awesome with her. We laugh a lot, tell each other stories, and teach well together. She's so cool! 

Miracle!!!! We invited the Ward council to fast and pray for a Brother and his children. We've been wanting the mom's permission for them to be baptized. And I've been praying and fasting for them. After sacrament meeting, we ran into him and his children and he said: "Good news, we've got permission. We want to have them baptized the day before Easter."  I am so happy for them! I had a feeling a baptism was going to happen before I left, if anything, setting a baptismal date. 

Let's see... Scripture of the Week... 

"Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.

For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

Mormon 9: 21-22 

- Always, Sister Brown 

Let's Do This!!

LAST COMPANION - LAST TRANSFER...LET'S DO THIS!!

Hi everyone!  So... crazy week!  Last Monday, we were running around trying to get stuff done.  On Tuesday, I got a new companion!  Her name is Sister Lindsay, and she's the best!  She's from Tooele, Utah.  She and I have a lot in common. We both like animals!  …and…She's helping get over my fear of bugs and spiders!   We have a lot of comp. unity as well.  We've been on the same page as we're trying to help our members and investigators. Both of us love doing service, so lots of service will get done!  It's been super fun introducing her to the Ward and to some of our investigators. 

I've been so forgetful and scatter-brained lately.  But Sister Lindsay is so patient and kind.  She's super chill, and that's made me feel so calm and not stressed.  Being an STL has been busy, but fun.  We've helped plan two ZTMs (Zone Training Meeting), and we have conference calls tomorrow morning.  We also are planning for exchanges. Crazy busy, but fun!  On Friday, we had one ZTM, and it was really funny.  Sometimes role play doesn't go as planned. But we had breakfast and talked about obedience and diligence.

SCRIPTURE POWER - 

"And the Great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations."

Alma 24:14

- Always, Sister Brown

Flu Season...and all

Hello peoples!

Not much to report on this week. I've been feeling a little under the weather - flu season and all. It's hard being sick as a missionary. I admit I'm kind of a weakling when I'm sick, or when I have allergies. But as a missionary it's very conflicting because you want to rest and recover, but you're afraid to waste time and you just want to do the Lord's work! So I've been still working, but I've also been taking it easy. 

Sister Huang introduced me to this Chinese snack called Want Want. It's a little rice cracker with a little bit of frosting. It's got this salty-sweet taste to it. I love salty and sweet together! Yum!  We had some people come to church this week! One of them was a man I had never met before. He is from Vietnam. Somehow, he also got a Vietnamese Book of Mormon. I would really like to know his story! 

I pippy-long-stockinged my hair last night - CRAZY!!

Sorry it's a short post this week. But it was a good week.  And for my scripture of the week, I decided to use a Preach my Gospel reference as well as a scripture: PMG pg. 117: Hope it helps you conquer discouragement.

Alma 34:32 - For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

- Always, Sister Brown

Threeeeee....months left!!

I've seen a few miracles this week.  We've been looking through the former investigators list to see who we needed to check up on and who we felt might need a visit.  We tried a former investigator who was actually a member, but less active.  Also - the address was wrong!  We went to the house to visit and a young girl told us, "she actually lives over in that other house."  Sooo, we went over to the other house and a lady answered the door.  She wasn't the person we were looking for either, but she invited us in anyway and said she wanted to learn more about the church.  Her husband sat in on the lessons with us too.  They're thinking of attending the church!  Sister Huang told this story to the Hermanas in our apartment and said we "accidentally tracked."  Haha!  We found a new investigator!!! Yay!

Someone also gave us the idea to draw the Plan of Salvation on a sidewalk at the park.  We got some chalk and started drawing.  That was fun!  Neither of us knew how effective this was going to be. But I drew a map of the Plan of Salvation while Sister Huang wrote the lyrics for "I Am a Child of God".  As we were finishing, a family came up to us and asked what we were doing.  We taught them about the Plan of Salvation and then sang "I Am a Child of God" to them.  The dad tried to get his shy kids to sing with us.  It was so cute!  It was amazing!  We walked out of the park learning a valuable lesson about faith.  And then, we also got a referral.  We had to drive back and forth from San Jose to Sunnyvale to help her with something.  It was a little stressful but hey, we got a referral.

Not much more to report this week, but there were some miracles.  I gave a talk yesterday about how my mission has helped me to love God and serve others.  I am so thankful for everything God has done for me.  Our lives and our friends and our dreams change, but God doesn't change.  He will always be there for us.  And Jesus Christ will be your friend no matter what.

I read this scripture last night and it almost made me cry.  I love this!

Alma 56: 45, 47-48

45 And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites...

47...yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

Thanks Mom!

- Love Always, Sister Brown

Merry Christmas 2016

"Tis the season to be busy, fa la la la la, la la la la...."

The past few weeks have been crazy busy!  We've been helping with projects, decorating and doing service.  The missionary talent show is coming up this Friday and I asked an Elder to play the piano for me so I can sing.  His companion is also singing.

We were able to go shopping last week and I finally found a California shirt!  We also went to the town of Bethlehem show.  The Latter Day Saints and the Baptist church work together to put on a show.  There's a whole set in the parking lot of a town, and they have booths and things to show what it was like to live back then.  And there were Roman soldiers, and they act out the nativity and sing a few songs.  It was so cool!

After that, during the week, we helped take it all down.  It was kind of sad.  But we visited some members and shared our Christmas video.  It's been so fun.

On Saturday, we got to go to the temple.  There was a nativity scene.  It was so nice and refreshing and relaxing to go to the temple.  How wonderful!  I got to give a talk on Sunday for the Chinese Ward, and a member translated for me.  It was so cool to hear my talk in Mandarin!   I've been carrying my farewell talk around with me in case I'm asked to give a talk  to a new Ward.  The papers are starting to get old and worn, and are falling apart.

Let's see - scripture of the week!

Alma 26:12
"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

Love you all and have a very Merry Christmas!!!

- Always, Sister Brown

'Tis the Season!

Wow!  It's almost Christmas!

'Tis the season to do service, run around, and try to be in two places at the same time. But it's also a good time to be a missionary.  You get to help people decorate for Christmas, not worry about making dinners or getting presents, and to always remember what the season is really all about - Our Savior Jesus Christ!

Every Christmas, this Baptist Church creates a set of Bethlehem, and acts out the birth of Jesus Christ. We're going to see it tonight with the Hermanas. I'm excited.  We've been helping out at the Creche for the past two weeks.  It was so much fun...sooo many nativities!  We helped out in the Children's Room. They had crafts and clothes to play dress up. We ran into some other sisters and we took a picture for the nativity.  I got to be a Wise Man (Wise Woman???) and we had three Mary's.  Two little girls wanted to join in on our picture, so they both dressed up as Mary.  For a while, we helped kids play dress up, and we helped to keep things tidy.  It made me miss dressing up...and theatre. Afterwards, there was a marionette show for the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.  It was so cute!  Now I really miss theatre!  And of course, after all our hard work, there is always plenty of food for the missionaries.

This week, a lady we were teaching died of cancer.  We went to visit her a few times. We could tell she was suffering and in a lot of pain.  She could barely speak and wasn't very responsive.  We sang to her a few times and she seemed to enjoy that.  We received a text one morning telling us she had passed away. It was really sad.  I'm so grateful for this gospel.  I know that she was welcomed home by our loving Heavenly Father, and she will receive all the blessings that are promised to her and all of us.  She can now concentrate on learning the gospel without worrying about cancer; and she is no longer in pain.  I know this because we are all God's children, and He wants all of us to return home to Him.

Also this week, we were blessed to hear from Elder Bednar!  It was so cool!  He was really funny and fun to listen to.  He gave us good advice for missionary work and tips for the future.  It was so weird and cool at the same time to see an apostle up close and live!

This has been a busy, eventful week.  But it has also been a good week.  We've been teaching and trying to work with new investigators, and learning more about how we can help others.

Scripture of the week: 

Alma 24:19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.

Love, love, love the book of Alma!!! 

-Always, Sister Brown