Christmas time is coming

Well, no epic crashes this week, but we had a pretty awesome week!

Last  pday consisted of washing and waxing our car to prepare for inspections this weekend.  And when we washed and waxed our car, really I mean that we went to a car wash, and then we mostly let the Elders wax our car, and I just "waxed off"  ;)  But then we played a cool game of chair soccer.  It was super fun!

We taught more lessons this week, which feels really good.  We're finally really figuring out how to work with the ward and everything...it's awesome.  Getting everything organized with new ways to get members out is splendid.  We went to the mission office a couple times ths week to run some errands and that was a blast.  The office ladies are a few more of my favorite people on this planet.  : )  We had exchanges again too...they always throw me off a little.  But this time I was in my own area, doing my own thing, and it was a blast.  :)  We are so blessed with the sisters we have.

We went to a "choirside" this week.  So, there was a choir from somewhere in the area.  I miss performing sometimes.  But there was also a bell choir there, and they were AWESOME!  Seriously so cool.  : )  I think I want to join one one day.  haha

ALL day Saturday was a zone conference.  It was a blast.  Elder Foster of the Seventy came and spoke to us.  I got to see all sorts of missionary friends, which is the best ever.  And get super spiritually fed, which is the super best ever too.  : )

Oh also, Sister C's. aunt lives in ABQ.  She leaves us little notes and things when we aren't home.  I haven't met her yet, but shes' super sweet.  : )

Then last night a family we are working with, we went over and helped them decorate theri tree and things.  We made a popcorn and cranberry garland, set up and decorated the tree, and then had hot chocolate and had a ton of un!  I love Christmas.  : )

Hope that y'all are getting ready for the season and having a super good time!  I love y'all a ton.  Remember the reason for the season.  Merry CHRISTmas!!!!  Love you!

Love,
Sister Brown

Sometimes everything in your life gets flipped upside down

Business as usual here in the ABQ. We tried to plan on Monday... but due to visiting sisters and running errands and more meetings... it didn't happen. So that of course threw off our week a little. Tuesday was p-day... so basically, a more stressful day than I would like, but not unbearable. 

Wednesday is when the party really started. Haha. So Tuesday night some sister came over and we started an exchange. I went to their area, and it was a lot of fun. I actually really love being able to go and teach and train, as well as learn a lot from the different sisters in their areas. So I was with this sister in the area, and..... I was in a bike area. We spent the better part of the day inside doing training and planning. But it was when we finally went outside that things got crazy. IT was SUPER cold and SUPER windy this week. (Lots of snow starting Thursday.... and this morning was only 10*). So you can maybe imagine what it's like to bike several miles to houses that you're not sure if they're even going to want you there. It’s freezing, we're in skirts, and we're dying. At one point I realized that I wore the wrong shoes... the gear slipped a little, and my shoe went flying! So I parked the bike and went to save my shoe from traffic. I of course parked my bike in front of the one car that wanted to pull into the driveway. THEN, we were riding, and as the other sister tried to go from gravel to sidewalk.... she crashed. In an attempt to not run into her, I slammed on my break. And then, not being an experienced biker, I only hit the brake for my front tire...... you can see what happened next. I had a small wire fence to one side of me, and like 4 lanes of traffic on the other side. As I unhooked myself from the fence, a car stopped and asked if we were okay. I cut my thumb pretty bad, but that was all I could see. We got right back on and kept riding! haha I later found bruises all over my legs and arms.... but I figure, you can't be a true missionary until you've gotten into at least one bike accident right? Haha

So Wednesday while I was gone, Sister J got a phone call from president. There was a sister down south that went home early, and so she was needed as a companion in El Paso the next day. I got home, and we were up LATE packing. then all day Thursday was MLC (our big leadership meeting), and then running back to pick up Sister J and taking her back to the mission home to catch her ride south. It was SO hard to say goodbye, but she's doing great things down there already :) AND, Sister C and I are tearing it up here in Albuquerque!

Friday and Saturday were more of the same. Meetings, we attended a baptism, had a lot of fun, did a lot of planning. Friday night we went to another stake's Christmas party. It was a nativity display, local artwork, and a performance of Handel’s Messiah. It was fabulous! And then Saturday night we had our ward Christmas party... nativities, and then some readings, and congregational singing. It was great :)

Sunday we contacted a referral for a lady named Jackie. As it seems with many others, her life is crazy tough. sometimes I’m super shocked when people tell me about their lives... it's amazing to me the way that Satan works to destroy families and ruin lives spiritually and physically, emotionally... everything. Anyways, Jackie is really great, and we are seeing her again this weekend. 

The baptism that we had originally planned for this weekend on the 14th got pushed to the 4th. 

Everyone else is moving along just wonderfully. I am SO excited for Christmas and really getting a cool chance to focus on the reason for the season this year. 

Love y'all so darn much!!

Love,

Sister Brown

Thanksgiving week

Hey friends!!
So this last week was super good!  Tuesday, Sister J and I spent the better part of the day finishing transfers, and then cleaning our apartment.  It got a little out of hand ;)  We went to go pick up our new companion, Sister C.  So, Sis. C is 6'1", and fabulous!  She's an absolute doll, and I love having her here.  This is her 4th transfer (so been out about 5 months), and I actually took her contacting on her first day in the field!  Quite honestly, when I found out I was going to be in a trio again, I cried.  I was so upset with Heavenly Father.  I loved both of my last companions, but I didn't love being in a trio.  Well, this week I repented for not trusting Him more.  The 3 of us are best friends.   : )  We teach super well together, and we have a blast!

Sis. J is still having a lot of super bad migraines.  Usually she's a super hero and just works through them.  sometimes we stay inside and let her rest up a little.  Those headaches are pretty brutal.  but when we're in, it's another chance to clean a little, get to know each other better, and study more.  Being a missionary is boss.   :)

So it was kind of a slow week as far as lessons go.  We taught a few lessons, but it's tough with the holidays.  Lots of people out of town and such.  We taught Ashley and Tony, and Saturday Ashley also came to a baptism.  It was awesome.  :)  I think one of may favorite parts ever about being a missionary, is to see people change.  I met Ashley for the first time a few months ago, and since then I can really see a change in her household.  I can feel the spirit there, and see how excited she is to learn and grow.  She has hung a really beautiful picture of Christ in her home, and when i mentioned to her that I noticed and appreciated the change, she got a little teary.  It was the sweetest thing of my life.  : )

Thanksgiving was super fun!  We did some planning and such that morning, and then we spent some time with Amber and Phil.  I made the mashed potatoes, and everything was SO good.  : )  They even were awesome, and accommodated when we asked if we could bring another investigator with us to dinner who didn't have a place.  Phil even went and picked him up, and then we all had dinner.  Oh, it was one of THE funnest times of my life :)  We played games for a little bit after and just had a ton of fun.  Then we dropped by a couple members houses that evening and had pie and chatted.  Good times.  : )

President said no Black Friday shopping (bummer!), so I guess we had to change our Friday plans.  Because of transfers, 50% of our district is new.  I am SO stoked for the new zone.  Oh my heavens, we had so much fun.  They are all easy to talk to and get along with, and basically just awesome.  Friday night we had a tender mercy.  We have learned that Sister J. has a one-on-one connection with God when it comes to food.  Seriously, she'll pray for food, and she always gets it!  Well, we got to this house and Sis. J thought she was going to get sick.  She said a little prayer to have something else for dinner.  The sister went to check the dinner, and after even 2 hours, she said that it still wasn't ready, so we should probably order Church's Chicken.  No way, right?!  I swear my comp has a gift.

We went to a baby shower for a neighbor on Sunday too.  Lots of fun things.  :)

Love y'all!!  Keep working hard, and have a fabulous week!

Love,
Sister Brown

Last week of the transfer.

Holy moly this transfer has been one of THE longest of my LIFE! It has been such a good one. Full of a lot of laughs and good times. But I guess you can't always have the good without the bad right? One of those that I really loved, and I’m really glad is finally over. 

Transfer News: I'm staying another one! Sister Johnson is staying with me and we will be getting another third companion, and Sister Chatwin is headed out. That is kind of sad... but now I will still be able to say that I have had as many companions as I have had transfers. 7 for 7!

This week was long and good. We found two new people to teach! German- his family has been investigating for a while. Well, rather they investigated some while he was a kid. His dad is lds, and his brother got baptized last weekend. His boss referred us to him, and he is SO prepared. We shared the first vision with him, and when Sister J finished reciting it, he smiled super big through the whole thing, and kind of laughed. Then at the end, he just smiled and said, "how can you sit so still while you say that?!" you could watch him fill with the spirit, and be so excited about the gospel. He's 22, and has the best Mexican accent. Seriously can't wait to keep teaching him!

Then Dennis was our other find. He was another referral. He's an older Gentleman, super cool guy. It's been way cold and windy and snowy here, so when we knocked on his door, he let us right in! He knew who we were, and we taught a first lesson right there! Left him with a BOM, and he said he would get baptized when he knew that things were true :)

The Begay boys are going to get baptized on December 14th! :) PLUS, the whole family showed up to church yesterday. That is a huge step, and we are so super excited :) That family is going through a lot right now, but they are troopers! We dropped in a couple days ago, to say hi. (Like I said, people take pity on sisters in the cold snow and wind). So we talked for a little bit, and then she made us the best hot chocolate, and we helped her kids make cake. Sister J broke a plate into one of the cakes when we were helping with dishes. Good thing sister Begay likes us right? ;)

We had a PPI on Thursday too! It’s supposed to stand for Personal Priesthood Interview. But, while some people did have interview for RS, we had Pizza Pie and Ice cream, and our neighbors came that we invited! It was a blast :)

Amber and Phil, doing awesome! Phil got a job! So we're working around his hours as well now. Hopefully he or amber won't have to work Sundays very often, but we are SO happy that they have work. They really are seeing more blessings from tithing and coming to church. It’s so cool :) We had a really fun dinner with them a few days ago. 

Then also dinner last night? Oh my heavens it was THE best thing of my life. There are these brothers in our ward, Jimmy and Terry. They are probably in their 50's, but slightly handicapped. They go to members in the ward and invite themselves over for dinner, and then they LOVE to sing. BUT, they don't know all the words. So last night we had dinner with the Dodds (one of my favorite families!), and the brothers came over for dinner too. Oh man, we sang hymn after hymn. They love the 'spirit of god'. The lyrics end up going, "the spirit of God, the church is true! The church is true, do what the prophet says....... the spirit of God!" or something along those lines. Oh my heavens I love them. We have it all set up for April 9th to sing the whole book with them in the park. We’re going to take pictures for them to scrapbook. (And, they informed me that April 9th is a Wednesday... they're genius too!) I have not laughed so much at a dinner in my whole existence. Seriously, it was SO much fun. We just teased each other all night :) 

So, not too many lessons this week. We are really enjoying the snow... well, I am at least. Having a lot of fun otherwise. Nervous for transfers tomorrow, but all will be well :) hope y'all are doing great! Keep going strong, and stay warm! Love y'all!

Love,

Sister Brown :)

Sick and sick

Well, quite honestly, not much to report this week.  My comps have not been feeling quite 100%, so we've spent a lot of time indoors.  But in a way, it's almost a blessing.  That gives me a lot of time to get some phone calls and texts completed, clean, and to catch up on my Book of Mormon reading.  :)  This week I read Alma 43 through 3 Nephi 10.  All the war chapters.  And you know?   Through all the fighting, there is a lot to learn!  The main thing that I got from those chapters, is to remember to turn to you Heavenly Father.  Seriously.  Those who turn to God, win the war.  They may lose a few battles, but He will always give us the answers we need to ultimately succeed.  Always.  I also learned about the matchless power of God.  He cares so much about us, but there is nothing we can do that will amount to Him.  He wants to bless us, and he can do all, but he expects us to do our part.  To turn to Him, to follow His commandments, and to serve.

We had to push a lot of our dates.  Dante and his brother are now moved to December 14th because they are gong to be out of town and such.  Cameron still doesn't have permission from parents to take lessons.  Amber and Phil are working so hard to be ready.  no new date yet, but they are progressing and doing really well.  :)  Then there are a handful of other people that we are teaching, but it's kind of hit and miss whether or not we teach them weekly.

I need to brag on our ward for just half a sec.  We have THE coolest ward on the planet!!  Every Wednesday we have 2-4 women that volunteer to go out with us.  So while one sister babysits all the kids, the other 3 go out with us on splits.  So we divide and conquer.  three times the work done in the same 2 hours.  it is seriously the bomb.  (These same ladies are the ones that leave church early to help a sister that is sick, even when Satan is attacking other pieces of their lives.  I hope to be as selfless and courageous as these women one day.)  Well, last week we did this split, and Sis. C and I were able to go and visit teach a woman that is really struggling.  We stayed for three hours to keep her company and help her clean her apartment and get shelves and things set up.  Her complex was actually supposed to be gated as well and we made it in without a code.  It was a super big blessing, because then while I stayed there, my companions were able to go and visit a lot of other people, and then teach Dante and his family.  Member missionary work really is where it's at!

Well, that's about it for this week.  Keep working hard!  I love ya'll so much!  Remember who ya are, and remember to be grateful.  We were challenged this week in church to write a list of 100 things that we are grateful for.  I'm going to work on min this week.  :)

Love,
Sister Brown : )

Stolen bike racks, mystery dinners, exchanges, and missing tags

Basically it's been a crazy week :)

Tuesday- exchanges. I stayed in the area, and we had an awesome day :) We taught a lesson to Jennifer. It went really well and I came up with a super awesome analogy for the restoration. But she was kind of falling asleep through it. Good times :)

Wednesday was planning day. We went on splits... so just me and a sister from the ward went out. That was kind of an adventure. Feels almost a tiny bit rebellious to go out without your companions haha.

Thursday was MLC all day, and Friday morning was meetings. Friday afternoon I left my comps to tend the area while I went on an exchange. That was a serious adventure. I was in a biking area for the day, and so not prepared for such. I borrowed a bike from another sister, and just about DIED. The area was flat, and on our bike ride to the first house, I didn't think I was going to make it. And I was super confused, because I had been in a bike area a couple weeks previous with a lot of hills, and didn't have this much of a problem. Well, in coming back from the first house, I asked if we could walk our bikes and just talk for a little bit. Well, a man came out and said hi. We started talking, and turns out he own his own bike shop in his house! Thank heavens for tender mercies from the lord! We stopped and chatted, and he noticed that my front wheel was practically falling off of my bike! So he tightened that up, and then also realigned my tires and filled them with air. Then adjust all of our seats. It was SUCH a blessing. The bike ride home was easy peasy :) BUT, on said bike ride home, we were running late for dinner, and it was getting dark. My purse was across my shoulder, and knocked off my name tag. It was a little embarrassing to show up to dinner with no identity. But then dinner was with this super cute grandparent couple. We got there, and she said we were having mystery dinner. (Made my tummy squirm a little. I was nervous). But, there were 5 of us missionaries. 2 Elders and 3 Sisters. We were assigned numbers, and then the couple dressed up as western ranchers. We had to order what we wanted for each of our 4 courses for dinner, but we didn't know what it was we were ordering. We could order things like 'fence posts' or a 'tumbling tumble weed', or an 'okie-dokie dress'. But we didn't know what anything was! It was a total gamble if you were even going to get silverware! we laughed so much, and had a TON of fun :) I got silverware the first course, and was lucky enough to get my dressing and salad in the same course, but I got dessert half way through, and didn't get a drink till the last course. It was a blast :)

Then Saturday I was gone all day again on an exchange. Lots of little miracles in that area. It's pretty neat when the spirit brings to your mind a personal study you had 4 months previous, and the man you're teaching prays for the first time with the missionaries. Good things happening :)

Sunday.... lots of meetings. Sister Chatwin and I sang a musical number in church. A different rendition of the 13th article of faith. It was really pretty. But half way through, sister S sneezed! We just kept going like nothing happened, but it took all my will power to not laugh!!

Then that night we took the sisters to their DL to get a blessing, and then we were going to go to the ZL's to drop off the bike rack we had been borrowing. When we got out from the blessing, the bike rack that had been attached to the trunk of our car was hanging off, only half way attached! We were not in the safest place of town, so we were kind of freaking. Sister S told me to quickly get in the car and start it while she put the bike rack away and we could leave. As I’m starting the car, she yells... "You! Behind the car! Go away!" and screams! Terrified, thinking my comps are getting kidnapped, I jump out of the car and run to the rescue, only to see our ZL's laughing and coming out from behind a different car!! I was almost mad, but I was laughing to hard. It was so funny, and we needed a good release :) *missionaries behind the scenes*

They switched our schedule too. So instead of pdays on Monday, and planning on Thursday. We planned on Monday, and have pdays on Tuesday. It’s really weird right now, but I think it will help throughout the end of the week. 

We are teaching a few more families now :) it's fantastic! If all goes well... we have a couple people that should be getting baptized the Saturday before thanksgiving. And then transfers are that Tuesday, the 25th! Crazy how time flies!

Keep working hard y'all! Love you so much, and pray for you always. Keep looking for tender mercies and the hand of the Lord in your lives daily. 

Love,

Sister Brown

Hump Month

Well, I hit 8 months in a few days.  The mission has gone by SUPER fast until about this last month, and now it's dragging.  but, we concluded that it's because I'm almost half way.  So I just gotta make it to month 9, and then it's all downhill from there right?

Besides things being slow, the work is going well, lots of blessings this week.

Last Sunday, we had a couple of YW bring a friend to us, Cameron, and say he wanted to take the missionary discussions!  We taught him for the first time on Saturday, and it went super well!  With him, we have 2 people on date for November 23.  Right before the next transfer.  It's going to be the bomb!

This work really is so cool, and so much fun.  :)  I am SO grateful to be out here, working on baptizing the world :)  The work really is hastening.

Funny story, we were sitting in a park at a table having a meeting with a couple of zone leaders.  Anyways, we were just talking.  Pretty soon, from behind us, this guy yells, "Y'all look really weird sitting there just so ya know..."  It was SO funny.  Then Sister J goes, "Weirder than some tough guy walking two chihuahua's."  It was SO funny!!  I loved it!  Reminded me how much we really do stand out.  And for some reason, people don't mind telling missionaries how it is  I might actually miss that when I come home.  haha

Halloween was good.  We were told that we didn't need to come in early or anything.  BUT, we had planning to do, and we live in a sketch part of town.  So we went to dinner and had a mini party, and then came back to plan.  It was fun. : )

Something that I'm working on, is likening the scriptures unto me.  This weeks supplication, was Alma 38.  When you read, just plug in your name, the places you are or will go.  It's so cool to watch the scriptures come more to life when you really apply them.

Hope all is well back home!  Keep workin hard.  Love y'all SO much!!

Love,
Sister Brown