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 

Happy Thanksgiving 2016!!!

This week was an amazing week for me. I got to go with Sister Hosea and Sister Riggs to my first area. One of our converts has gotten married! They are both so happy!  This is how it happened - Sister Hosea and I wanted to go on a hike with our investigator. But since he was male, it was decided we should probably get a female to come too. We decided to pick a member who is single, around his age, and it just worked out. After the hike, they started dating. He finally got baptized. And...now they're married!!! They got married on Thanksgiving Day! President Mella was there too! The bishop performing the marriage started his speech, and then said: "Mawidge.... Mawidge is what bwings us togethoo tooodaaaay.... I've always wanted to say that." It was hilarious. 

Wow, I did not realize I was coming to California to witness this beautiful wedding, and the fact that Sister Hosea and I introduced them to each other. They are really happy together. They plan to get sealed in the temple about a year from now. Looks like I'm taking a road trip back to California next year.  

After the wedding, Sister Huang and I went to thanksgiving dinner. It was so good. The turkey made me so sleepy as always. This week was a slow week for the work though. (It's like there was a holiday or something, bajing!) So I began to pray for miracles. A few happened. We met a friendly lady one evening while looking for a potential investigator. She invited us in and we helped her wash dishes and feed her birds. We shared a message with her. She said she's not sure about her relationship with God, but the principles that religion teaches make perfect sense to her. We left a Book of Mormon at her house. She said she's not sure if she'll have time to read it. But she has it in her home. 

Then, last night, we got a call about a referral. We were supposed to get it a few weeks ago, and it somehow never went through and we never received it. So someone called us to ask about it. We worked it out though, and then called the couple (husband is a member, wife is not) and they said we could come teach them! A miracle! 

It's odd though that our area book on our iPads never received it... Stupid Satan! Always messing with the work.  Anyways, some of the awesome things that happened this week. It was good! 

Love yous! 

-Always, Sister Brown 

Grateful for My Mission

This week went by so fast! The weeks are getting faster! Ahhh!  Last Monday, we went shopping with the Hermanas. I found this Mexican candy I really like called Pelon. It's so tasty! And at a Korean Market I found shredded squid. It's like a beef jerky kind of treat, but it's squid. I have really weird taste... I also like trying new things.

Tuesday was the Relief Society dinner. It was so good, and it was so much fun. They handed out journals and had us write 100 things we're thankful for. One of the things I'm thankful for is serving my mission. 

It's scary to think that if I hadn't come to California, I would not have grown spiritually, I wouldn't have met the people who are now my friends, and I wouldn't have helped others come to Christ. I will always be grateful to have had this opportunity. I'm also thankful for Thanksgiving because it brings the family together, and we get to eat food! Two of my favorite things: Family and Food!

On Thursday, we had Zone Conference. It was really good as always. The new Christmas video is coming out, and we have new Christmas pass-along cards! I'm so excited for Christmas! Lately, I've been reading a lot in Alma. A lot of people aren't really into the war chapters, but I like action stuff. But where I'm at, Alma has been teaching people around the Nephite cities. And I really loved Alma Chapter 7. It talks about the importance of baptism, repentance, the Atonement, and Christ. Verses 11 and 12 really stood out to me.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

I am thankful for the Savior and the sacrifice He has made for all of us. It's good to know that He understands me and He loves me no matter what.

-Always, Sister Brown

My New Area...and maybe, My Last!

This week was pretty busy but it went by so fast!  I love my new area.  These statutes are on the lawn of the public library.  They are awesome!  I just had to jump in and become a part of it.  The girl's hand that I'm holding is wearing a CTR ring, engraved on her finger!  How cool is that!

We do a lot of service in this area. One form of service is an English class for missionaries from other countries and a lot of them gather around me for my help.  It's really challenging but awesome to help other people learn how to speak English. Some appointments we've been to for the Chinese Ward, and Sister Huang always tells me they like me. I think it's so sweet, even though all I can do is smile, and say hello, and thank you.

I love Sister Huang! She is so sweet and funny and caring. Her teaching is good too. When we went to teach a member from the Cupertino Ward, it was in Chinese. And even though I couldn't understand what Sister Huang was saying, I could still feel  the love that was being shared through the Spirit.

We had another service with some of the Elders in our zone at a farm. It's really fun. At another service (at a church giving food out to the homeless), we met a young man who was volunteering. He was only 16 and he is in college! He is studying linguistics.  Friday night, we had a potluck for the McMillans. They are moving away, so the Ward put together a dinner.

Saturday was hilariously rough. We had appointments set that got cancelled or changed. We were trying to meet with someone, but we were running late and then went to meet her later. Then her dog was driving us all crazy, and so we tried to get him to go into the other room, and then he attacked me. That was really scary, but it was funny at the same time because his owner got mad at him.  So the dog knew he did something wrong and he knew he was in trouble, so he was trying really hard to be my friend again. But I wasn't so sure about that - kind of lost the trust there.  

Also, while I was driving this week, I got honked at a few times.  Sometimes impatience rears its ugly head.  As I was writing about Saturday in my journal I realized that I was writing it because I want to let my readers know that there are bad days on the mission and in life. Bad days just happen. Then we appreciate the good days more. We are with companions that we may not get along with or understand, but then we learn to love our future companions. God is always teaching us to have patience.

Sunday was a great day! We got to go to the Cupertino Ward, and then the Lawrence Station Ward was having their primary program. They did such a great job!

It was a crazy week! But it was good.

-Always, Sister Brown