Hey~
Can I just tell to you thank you too much for your help this week with my schooling! Thank you BIG WAN!!! Sorry too much that I am half way around the world and can't do anything to help you. But honesty, thank you too much! No worry! When we need to do this same thing for Mike, the Boss will be home to do it so you can relax! In case you have forgotten, the Boss=me! :)
It looks like you all had fullup fun up at the cabin! Oh man do I remember Bear River Lodge...you little convict..escaping out of the windows and such..bahaha Did I read that right mother? Riding motorcycles? I think my eyes are getting old or something because I have never once seen my mother get on a motorcycle! Awesome! Hell's angles baby! I hope you all pick me up from the airport with your motorcycles and leather jackets with bandanas..anything less and I will be super disappointed. I can not belief how grown up everyone is...man I am so old. But it looks like everyone is doing well!! haha.
This week was...taff tumas! Awesome! I am living the dream out here..honesty!! :) So this week we have completely shifted our focus from finding investigators to strengthening the members and establishing a center of strength. Here in Malekula every single member is a recent convert basically. The church is still in its infancy here in the islands so we are just working hard to build a secure foundation. So this week we visited every member of our branch! And it was awesome! This week I also had a great experience with one inactive member of our branch. This mama is our mama relief president in our branch. She was active for a few years and then a few months ago she got into a fight with a few others and it caused her to stop coming to church. The past 3 months she has been attending a different church and recently went with a prayer group from that church to Santo. Well we planned to go visit her and I had no idea what we were going to share with her..or what to say. I
prayed and prayed for days before we went to see her and no distinct answer came. So we took a leap of faith and just went. When we first got there she was really cold...like ice cold! After the opening prayer I honestly did not know what to say so I just began asking her "small talk" questions about how she felt about her life now etc. She was like, "oh everything is fine etc" But I knew she was lying. I had no idea what to say so I just sat there quiet for a minute. I then just opened my mouth and told her "We love you. The Savior loves you. He needs you. It does not matter what mistakes you have made or how many times you have failed. His arms are open all time inviting you to come back. Mama, come back. You are important, He has called you to lead and He needs you to be strong. He knows you can be strong."
As I continued to talk words that were not my own she began to cry. After a few minutes she broke down and told us what was on her mind and in her heart. I testify in the power of the spirit. The promise in D&C 84:85 that he will provide what we need to say is true. He knows the hearts of His children. I had no idea what to tell her, but He knew what He wanted to tell her. I know that the words I said that day were not my own, but His. I feel so blessed to have the privilege to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord of the Vineyard. I love my mission. It's moments like these that make all the sweat, boils, and tears worth it.
Work in the mission field is not easy! It can be super tiring! But sometimes Papa God tries really hard to test our faith! Spiritually and Physically! We had a really funny experience this past week. So it has been REALLY hot this past week and so walking to and from our area is really really draining. We had spent hours and hours working at the church house in the hot sun (shoveling ground again) and we were exhausted. We went and taught until dark and started our trek home. My cute companion gets tired super easy so she was close up dead by the time we started walking home. I held her backpack and we started walking. She kept saying..."Sister Brown...I am not going to make it home!" I laughed and laughed and told her we had to keep walking or sleep on the dirt road. Well we had walked about...3 miles when we saw the lights of a truck coming behind us. My companion
suddenly just came to life..(she had been walking like a zombie). She was said, "Sister Brown, I have faith this truck is going to pick us up!" I knew it wasn't going to, and so I started teasing her and said, "Sister Wamura, maybe that truck will pick you up if you act like you are injured!" haha I continued walking but a few seconds later I looked behind me and Sister Wamura was dragging her leg along the dirt road acting like her leg was broken. bahaha I could not believe it! The truck lights got closer and she continued "limping" so bad and faking a painful face. I could not stop laughing! She kept telling me, "Sister Brown, stop laughing or hide your face! They won't believe me if they see you laughing!" I turned my face to the side and continued strolling along.. Well the truck came closer and she said, "You'll see Sister Brown!" Two seconds later the truck slowly passed us. And after that another 2 sped by. No one stopped. Hahaha My companion limped a whole mile or so for nothing! haha. We walked the whole way home! And I laughed the entire way! :) Love the work! :)
I love every single one of you! :) Pray hard! And Work harder! :)
Love,
Sister Brown
aka "Da Boss" ;) haha
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Follow The Spirit
Hello Family!!
It looks like summer has been a success! Mike and Brooke's baby is just adorable! Sorry too much to hear about Ruth's funeral, she always was a favorite of mine! I am glad that every something is going well at home!
Things here are great! We had a pretty successful week this week. The Lord's work is really the best work to be engaged in. This week we were really able to see how Papa God really does prepare each of his children to receive the gospel, and how key the spirit is in conversion. One of our investigators Bonny finally came back from Santo and we were able to see her. Last week we were able to teach her about the Book of Momon and we asked her to read a few chapters and pray to know if it is true. The next time we came we asked her how she felt as she read. She was quiet for a minute and looked down at her book of momon. She looked back up and smiled and said, "I just know it is true. Every time you two come over I just feel so glad. I can just feel real joy." We didn't even know how to respond to her. These are the moments you live for as a missionary. The moments when you can see the spirit working inside your investigators is priceless. The spirit just did it's work. And that is the promise of missionary work. All we have to do is open our mouths, the spirit will do the
work in the hearts of the people. She said that as she reads she feels a difference in the words of the Book of Mormon. We couldn't be more happy. Papa God is good too much to us. He has just made Bonny ready to accept the gospel. Before meeting us she went through a really hard time in her life, but that hard time really made her spiritually ready to hear the gospel. It made her ready to tune her life into the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I love missionary work.
This week we went into a village that before we had been "asked not to return". Since that time we had talked with the Papa who "asked us not to return", and he again gave us permission to go back in. It was in this tiny village we met Marie. Marie had met missionaries before, but had not seen missionaries for a long time. We got to know her a
little bit and then told her a little bit about our message as missionaries. She lit up as we explained about through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can always "begin again" She shared with us how over the past couple years she has just felt "heavy" with guilt of
past experiences. How more prepared could she be to hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Another example of just how aware Papa God is of us. He knows what timing is right for each of his children. This experience also taught me that before a miracle like that we always have to meet opposition. And when we meet opposition, we must not cower down. We must straighten our shoulders, dust them off and move forward with faith. There is not a thing in this world that can stop this work from moving forward.
I am grateful too much for the opportunity I have to be out here. I love my mission. I am so happy. I know I tell you that all the time, but I really am. I love each one of you! I pray for all of you often! Keep your heads up and faith strong oltaem! Read the skripjas and prea every single day and you will see miracles in your life!
Have a good week!! :)
It looks like summer has been a success! Mike and Brooke's baby is just adorable! Sorry too much to hear about Ruth's funeral, she always was a favorite of mine! I am glad that every something is going well at home!
Things here are great! We had a pretty successful week this week. The Lord's work is really the best work to be engaged in. This week we were really able to see how Papa God really does prepare each of his children to receive the gospel, and how key the spirit is in conversion. One of our investigators Bonny finally came back from Santo and we were able to see her. Last week we were able to teach her about the Book of Momon and we asked her to read a few chapters and pray to know if it is true. The next time we came we asked her how she felt as she read. She was quiet for a minute and looked down at her book of momon. She looked back up and smiled and said, "I just know it is true. Every time you two come over I just feel so glad. I can just feel real joy." We didn't even know how to respond to her. These are the moments you live for as a missionary. The moments when you can see the spirit working inside your investigators is priceless. The spirit just did it's work. And that is the promise of missionary work. All we have to do is open our mouths, the spirit will do the
work in the hearts of the people. She said that as she reads she feels a difference in the words of the Book of Mormon. We couldn't be more happy. Papa God is good too much to us. He has just made Bonny ready to accept the gospel. Before meeting us she went through a really hard time in her life, but that hard time really made her spiritually ready to hear the gospel. It made her ready to tune her life into the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I love missionary work.
This week we went into a village that before we had been "asked not to return". Since that time we had talked with the Papa who "asked us not to return", and he again gave us permission to go back in. It was in this tiny village we met Marie. Marie had met missionaries before, but had not seen missionaries for a long time. We got to know her a
little bit and then told her a little bit about our message as missionaries. She lit up as we explained about through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can always "begin again" She shared with us how over the past couple years she has just felt "heavy" with guilt of
past experiences. How more prepared could she be to hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Another example of just how aware Papa God is of us. He knows what timing is right for each of his children. This experience also taught me that before a miracle like that we always have to meet opposition. And when we meet opposition, we must not cower down. We must straighten our shoulders, dust them off and move forward with faith. There is not a thing in this world that can stop this work from moving forward.
I am grateful too much for the opportunity I have to be out here. I love my mission. I am so happy. I know I tell you that all the time, but I really am. I love each one of you! I pray for all of you often! Keep your heads up and faith strong oltaem! Read the skripjas and prea every single day and you will see miracles in your life!
Have a good week!! :)
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Independence Day
Dear Mommy,
Wow you all are just the traveling bunch now a days eh?? haha. It sounds like summer has been another huge success!! I cannot say that I am surprised because you always had full up ideas of how to entertain all of us over the summer!! :) Remember "I'm not here for your
entertainment??" haha. I cannot belief that Mason is 2!!! When I left he was 0! Man, where does all the time go?? You will have to spoil him rotten for his birthday for me!! :) Thank you too much for that awesome quote that you sent!! I wish I had time to share all of my
experiences that I have had out here. Needless to say, I know that the veil is thin. I know that many different times on my mission dad has been here by my side. Sometimes as protection and sometimes as support to tell me "Keep goin Kater" I know that death is not the end. How lucky are we to have that knowledge? I miss him every day, but I know that he is watching over each one of us and he is very aware of us. He never really left us, we just cant see him here now. He had a bigger, better work to do on the other side. They needed him more than we did. Papa God knew that you were strong enough to raise all
of us by yourself. He taught us plenty, and left behind a legacy to
help each one of us.
Well I don't have much to update this week, this week was independence day in Vanuatu and so everyone was pretty busy. We have been doing a lot of service work for our new church house this week! It is hard hard work, but this girl is gettin muscles! haha. I will try to send a better email next week!! I love you all!!!
Wow you all are just the traveling bunch now a days eh?? haha. It sounds like summer has been another huge success!! I cannot say that I am surprised because you always had full up ideas of how to entertain all of us over the summer!! :) Remember "I'm not here for your
entertainment??" haha. I cannot belief that Mason is 2!!! When I left he was 0! Man, where does all the time go?? You will have to spoil him rotten for his birthday for me!! :) Thank you too much for that awesome quote that you sent!! I wish I had time to share all of my
experiences that I have had out here. Needless to say, I know that the veil is thin. I know that many different times on my mission dad has been here by my side. Sometimes as protection and sometimes as support to tell me "Keep goin Kater" I know that death is not the end. How lucky are we to have that knowledge? I miss him every day, but I know that he is watching over each one of us and he is very aware of us. He never really left us, we just cant see him here now. He had a bigger, better work to do on the other side. They needed him more than we did. Papa God knew that you were strong enough to raise all
of us by yourself. He taught us plenty, and left behind a legacy to
help each one of us.
Well I don't have much to update this week, this week was independence day in Vanuatu and so everyone was pretty busy. We have been doing a lot of service work for our new church house this week! It is hard hard work, but this girl is gettin muscles! haha. I will try to send a better email next week!! I love you all!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)