Still having fun...and transfer week. The real one

Hello again,

I am doing awesome :) Sister M and I have SO much fun, and I am so grateful to be working hard. I mean, there is a lot of room to improve... we set a lot of goals each week to do better. But we laugh a lot, and we get a long super well. And our DL (district leader) has told us several times that the lessons that we are teaching is the most the area has seen in a LONG time. I see a lot more potential though too, so we're hoping to get work done. Me and Sister M. are both staying. But Elders S. and P. are both leaving. That is a really sad day :/ but it'll still be good. We're having a good last pday for them :)

We have found a few people this last week. One of them is black man. His name is Chris. We assigned him to read 3 Nephi 11, and he said that he was really excited to read and to some research. We came back less than 24 hours later, and he had read through chapter 27. Such a cool guy. And, he's black. Which makes me really happy :) haha

Also we met a neighbor named Mary. She's 93, and SO cute. We borrowed her little hand mixer so Sister M. could make cupcakes. It's a little hand mixer like gma has, so it reminds me of her. And it gives my arm a serious workout :)

I can't think of any more adventures right now. so i hope that suffices for now :)

Love ya'll!

Sister Brown

Rules and Adventures

Hi,

So, we have a new dinner rule, where we can only eat with active members 2x a week, and LA (less active), investigators, and PM (part member) families the other 5 days. We only have ONE scheduled meal this week..... maybe this will be good for me to lose weight ;) haha So anyways, we're gong to be making some calls to LA's so that we actually have dinners.   The dinner appointments.... well it's a way to help find. President told us that if we will follow this rule, that our baptisms will double. if we are teaching LA's and using our dinner effectively, ideally our teaching pool will really increase, and we will have lots more people to baptize! So, we're pretty hungry right now. But the ward will catch on soon :)

El Paso is growing on me. I don't think that I would ever really like to live here, but I do like serving here. I've made some good friends, and had a good time. Sister M. and I get along really well, and we have a lot of fun so it's good. I still feel stressed with training and things like that... it's a lot of work to make sure that you get everything done. And it falls on your shoulders if it doesn't get done... yadda yadda. It's a lot. But she's catching on, and we're getting alot done. It's mostly just staying organized so that it all continues to stay done. We also have to hand over several of our investigators this week to other missionaries to teach.. Because we were accidentally teaching people not in our area, or they are being awkward so it's better if we have the elders teach them.... we have a lot of finding to do haha. 

My week was really good :) Sister M. and I get along really well. So we're having all sorts of adventures! :)

1. We watched a baby snake eat a baby mouse. That was fascinating. And a little gross.

2. We helped a guy take in his groceries, and now we're meeting with him, and his roommate, and his roommate's GF. And we're having a movie night with them tonight (because it's our 'day off' haha). Little do they know, that we will be watching Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration :)

3. We made cupcakes yesterday while we were planning. But we didn't have a hand mixer. So we went knocking on our neighbors doors to meet them and ask them for a mixer. We met this SUPER cute old lady that is turning 93 on Sunday. And she didn't have an electric mixer, but she had one of those old fashioned hand ones. I got really buff when I was mixing the frosting :) haha

4. I got another wedding invitation this week..... yikes. 

5. We played lava tag last pday. I have a lot of bruises on my shins. But it was a lot of fun. 

6. Also, our district has matching bags and crazy straw glasses. We're taking a picture today. it's a lot of fun :)

Have a great week!

Love,

Sis. Brown

Time is flying

Hi ya'll,

 I am doing so good :) considering. I'm a little overwhelmed, but really I feel so much better. I'm realizing that the stress I was feeling before, was slipping into distress. Like, I really was trying to work hard to be happy, but it just wasn't the same. I feel bad about it still sometimes. But I'm so grateful that that weight is finally gone :) President and his wife came down to El Paso yesterday and did interviews with each of us. They met Sister M., and it was really good :) I'm always grateful when I get the chance to meet with them. Sister Miller (Mission Presidents wife) gives the greatest hugs :)  The training really is going well!! Sister M. is so willing to work and be obedient. When she meets new people she observes a lot more, but once she's comfortable she is super cute and fun. So she and I laugh a lot and have a blast :)

Time is going by SO fast! Yesterday was St Patty's Day, and I remember spending that day in the MTC a year ago. Yikes. Yesterday was also exactly 6 months from my homecoming date. I don't really like to think about that much to be honest... I feel such an urgency to get so much done!

We're probably gonig to be passing Rocco off to the elders... we have a feeling that he is kinda crushin on me. And Sister M. it was just me, and then got worse for both of us when she came. I love teaching him a lot, but it's getting awkward...... #sistermissionaryprobs. haha

Love you!

Sis. Brown

Mid-transfer Transfer

*Note from Sis. Brown's mom--Sis. Brown's comp at the time had to leave 3 weeks early due to personal issues…)

Sister P. got off okay. We took her to the airport yesterday morning. (I miss her alot) Anyways, at the same time we picked up my new companion! Sister M.   :) She is so cute! She is from alaska, and spent a few extra weeks in the MTC because of some health things... so now I get to train! you know... God keeps giving me everything that I tell him I don't want. Just a few weeks ago I let him know that I would like to train again one day, but that I didn't want to do it in this area. Aye Caramba. But, she is super willing to work and be obedient, and still have fun. She actually reminds me a lot of Sister S., that I trained. And in someways she reminds me a lot of myself... things are good :) It's a lot of work to train, but I'm super excited :) She was so funny too... she knew Lyndy Bond in the MTC. Cool right? And then she was like.. I hope this isn't too creepy, but I read your blog before I came out! So she said that she found my blog, and would wait for it to get updated every Tuesday! crazy right? so fun :)  i loved it. i was like "What? You were reading my blog? So funny! And not creepy!" It's kind of awesome :)

Love,
Sister Brown

One Year!

This last week we were referred to a man. (He is fellowshipped by a member in our area, and that is where we teach him. The member asked us specifically to teach this man. He is so prepared. He has had a Book of Mormon for a long time, but hasn't ever really read it. We didn't know how to begin teaching, and taught the first 2 points of lesson one. When we were done we sang a hymn, and the spirit was so strong the whole time. As we were getting ready to leave, he said, "I even feel like reading!" Because of everything going on and scheduling conflicts, we haven't been able to meet with him again. But he has read the chapter we left 5 times already, and is starting from the beginning to read. He has had several strong, spiritual experiences with this member as well. We have set a goal to have a baptism by the end of the transfer, and I truly believe that the Lord is placing people in our path because He does see an effort and desire on our part. I am excited to start yet another chapter of my life and mission. 

We had 3 investigators come to stake conference this last weekend! We had texted T to invite her to come, and let her know that we were going to one on Saturday night that she was welcome to come to as well. Well, she had just gotten off work, and was hungry, (and we were using church lingo that we didn't explain), and she thought we were having a STEAK dinner. haha I wish ;)

Time is flying by so incredibly fast!! I will be at exactly one year in 2 days. March 6th. I feel like now that I’m at this point, I keep getting flashbacks of everything a year ago. I miss being in the MTC, and I miss ABQ and being a new greenie missionary. It's funny because you get to where you feel weird about the time left. Not because you're scared about going home, but because you feel an urgency about doing everything you can to share the gospel in your time left. There is an Elder I serve with that goes home when I do.... we both might be freaking out a little bit. But, I think we're going to have a little 'birthday party' for me haha. 

A chapter I have really loved reading in the Book of Mormon is Alma 38. For those on missions, it's a very good missionary chapter, but I think that it can really apply to anyone, where ever you are. Just plug in your name and your circumstance :)

Also, Moroni 7 is a good one :)

Love you all! Thanks so much for all your hard work and support :)

Love,

Sister Brown