Opposition Brings Miracles

Dear Family,

I don't even know where to start.  This week has been probably one of the most faith testing weeks on my mission.  I have never been faced with some of the things I have been faced with in this area before. This week Satan has been working hard.  But we have been working harder.  

At the beginning of the week we went out with bright faith filled eyes every morning and came back exhausted.  It just seemed like the harder we worked, the harder satan worked too. Mid week my companion looked at me and said, "Sister Brown, I cannot do this anymore.  Get me out of here." Needless to say..we were pretty discouraged.  But I just felt like something was about to happen.  I told her that something good had to come out of all of this opposition we were facing.  Satan always works his hardest right before something good is about to  happen.  He will try his best to prevent it. We have to work harder and remember that we have a lot more power than him. Papa God will always win Satan every time.  Because we are literal children of him, a portion of His power is within us giving us the
ability to win Satan.  He is the power. 

This week we worked hard with one of our investigators Thomas.  Thomas is great, he has a sincere desire to understand and apply the gospel. He has been addicted to kava and smoke for many, many, years.  Last week we sat down with him and made goals about how he could kick this habit. And guess what? He achieved every single one of them this week! We have been praying and fasting for him, and he has progressed in leaps and bounds! He has been reading the Book of Mormon and he told us yesterday, "This book is just true." We about died! He also accepted the invitation to be baptized! Sometimes in life Papa God tests us to see how bad we want it. Prayer works. 

Saturday we went and helped our branch cut bamboo for a new church
house.  We spent a few hours in the bush and then went to a few appointments.  Every appointment fell through.  No one was at the house because it was a Saturday (garden day) We were walking up and down the villages trying to find at least someone to talk to when we had a distinct prompting that we should go to try contact a referral we had received.  The only problem was that the referral was another 45 minute walk away and the chances of him being home were very slim.  We were determined that something made us both think to go and see him and that we probably shouldnt ignore it.  And man were we blessed. We went and contacted brata brian.  We approached his village and he was just sitting there
waiting for something.  We shook hands and asked him what he was waiting for. He looked at us and he said, "My family and I have been waiting for you to come. We knew you would come today." We sat down and got to know him and shared a little bit about the restoration.  He shared his thoughts with us about how he saw that there was something different about the Church. He shared with us about how he wanted the gospel to help his family.  He now wants his entire family to learn more about the gospel.  

When he said family my heart just started pounding.  Mom, I have been fasting and praying that Papa God would lead us to a family to teach, and look what He provided for us.  It is only after the toughest opposition that we will receive the most tender miracles.  This one experience made every hard time that we faced this week seem so small and insignificant.

Papa God hears our prayers.  He has people prepared to hear His gospel.  Missionaries are just the tools in His hands.  He does the work through the spirit.  Experiences like this make every hard work worth it.  I love my mission!!!! I love all of you!!!!! I hope you have a great week!!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!!!!!

I know I just barely talked to you all this morning (best wake up call ever), but I decided that I would give you the best Mother's Day present ever..another email. Haha. You can never say that I don't love you! It was great to hear from all of you! You all sound great! I am grateful too much that you are my mom.  You are seriously the world's greatest mom.  I have never met anyone that has sacrificed so much for their family and remained so positive.  I love you so
much!! I hope that I can be half the mom that you are some day!! I hope that all the kids have spoiled you rotten all day and that you have not lifted a finger!! Please don't forget some flowers for Sister P's grave! I cannot stop thinking about that for some reason! Tell Meg Happy Mother's Day from me too!!

Well things this week were a little different! A whole lot of training and meetings...so missionary work, but in a different way. I am not complaining, I really love receiving training..there is always something to be improved and changed.  When you go into meetings and training with an open heart and humility there really is never a boring meeting.  Every single meeting I go into I learn something that I can apply to my area, branch, and my life.  It is amazing how the Lord works through all of His leaders.  I know that every single
leader in this church is called by Papa God.  Not only are they called by Him, but they are also qualified by Him. He uses these great leaders to help us become better.  To correct us when we need correcting, and to uplift us when we feel we can't go on.  Remember the
cousel of Job: "Happy is the man whom God correcteth, therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty"  I am beyond grateful for all of the correction, counsel, and help I have received by leaders here on my mission.  They have truly helped me to grow so much as a missionary and as a person.

On the side of our area: This week we will be able to begin to really focus on our area and the investigators that we are teaching.  There are only a few, but every single soul is important to Papa.  Our area has been an area that has struggled for a long time.  I am extremely excited to be able to work in this challenging area.  I know that this transfer I am going to have to rely a lot less on my strength and a lot more on Papa's strength.  We have been fasting and praying about what goals we can set to help our branch improve.  It is amazing how much guidance and direction Papa God will give us when we humble
ourselves. I know that He is going to work a miracle here. It is going to take work, but I know He has something "up His sleeve" ready for us to work for. One lesson that I have learned on my mission is that He is the power.  Not me, but He.  The Lord is the power behind this
great work, that is why it will never be frustrated.  It will continue, no matter the area, the people, the place.  Nothing can stop this work because it is His.  I am so glad to be a part of this great work. It will be hard, and Papa will ask each of us to work, but nothing is impossible to Him.  There is so much joy in missionary work it is amazing.  I love each of you! Stand up strong in all the small things.  Study the scriptures, they will give you strength when you think that you have none.  Thank you too much for all of your
support! Have a great week!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!