In His Time

Mama!

Wow you are just too talented: sporty tennis mom, ravioli making mom, hiking mom, crafty mom...I am impressed! It sounds like you all have been pretty busy as usual! Bahah tell all the boys to stay away from Liz..she is a baby yet!  After years and years of telling you you aren't the fun mom, I can finally see that you really are the fun mom, I think I was just blind when I was at home! I can not belief that Hayden and Jake are leaving soon.  What adventures they will each have.

Time is just flying.  This week I have been reminded bekegen of how aware Papa God is of all of His missionaries, and how involved He is in His work.  So this week we decided that we needed to work on finding new investigators.  I have been in the same area for almost 10
months and so I know just about everyone in the area.  The past couple of transfers I have been working to gain the trust of the people. It is impossible to teach the gospel if people do not trust you.  Well this week was a "be uncomfortable week" haha.  We started on Wednesday.  Wednesday we decided to go see one of our neighbors Helen.  She is a single mom that we have been friends with since day one.  We have done just about everything together: family house night, fighting fires, washing, cooking etc.. We have a great friendship with her, but we were always a little scared to talk about the gospel with her.  Well when we went to go visit her we talked and talked and finally we asked if we could come back.  She was really hesitant at first, but she agreed.  Well Wednesday-Friday we prayed
and prayed that Papa God would soften her heart.  Friday we went to go teach her. We taught her about how the gospel of Jisas Kraese can bless lives.  The whole lesson she didn't talk much, so at the end we just paused.  The room was silent for a little bit and then she smiled, looked up and said, "I know that this church is true.  I feel it every time I come. (She had followed our other neighbor a few times to church).  I know that what the two of you have shared with me is true." Unbelieveable.  I know Papa God prepares people to hear the
gospel.  I know that many people that you and I know right now are prepared already, it just takes two seconds of courage to invite them to learn more.  Be brave! Fear is of Satan.

Another experience we had this week was a little interesting.  So I don't know if you remember but we met Brain and his family about 4 months ago.  At first it seemed like he was just ready for the gospel in his life, but time and time again we been pass by and he would hide or pretend he was busy.  We decided that we would just leggo and give him some time.  Well Monday we were walking to our area and we met Brian on the road.  Usually he hides, but this time he came straight up to us.  I was a little shocked and my companion looked at me like.." What is going on??" He came up to us, shook our hands and
said, "I want the two of you to come and see my family.  When will you come?" I guess my open mouth and stunned look on my face gave me away...because he was like.."What? When will you come?" I said, "Well, Wednesday!" Honesti...we were dying.  God's time is not always our time.  But His time is always better.  Sometimes we have these plans of "our timing" and when they don't work out we just give up.  But hope is never lost to Papa God and it is never "too late."  There is no such thing as a "lost cause" in missionary work.  These are all His children.  He will lead them to the missionaries or the missionaries to them.  Everytime.  I am grateful too much to be able to be an instrument in this great work.  When it seems like all hope is lost, He comes. Sometimes He makes us be patient, but He will always come.I know this is true.

Okay, so I have wan narather story: So Sunday we walked to church with Mama Alex.  She lives in Lambaubu which is a village on the other side of the mountain of our area.  She had been staying with her daughter right by our house and so we walked together.  As we walked she shared her testimony of trusting Papa God with us.  Mama Alex was baptized in 2008. She is the only one in her family that was baptized.  Well last Friday Mama Alex heard that there was going to be district conference on Saturday and Sunday.  The only problem is that to jump a truck from Lambaubu to lakatoro (where the conference would be) is extremely
expensive. (about a 2 or 3 hour drive I think) Anyway, she told her husband that she would be going and he told her, "We have no money. And even sapos you jump one truck with family of us,  you will have no money for food for the next three days." She looked at him and said, " I know Papa God will find a way for me." She continued to stori that she packed one island dress, a few other things and stood up at the road. She waited and waited and then one family of her who drives a truck passed.  He told her to jump and so it looked as if her first problem was solved.  They drove and drove and she finally made it to Lakatoro (it was Friday) Well it was late afternoon and she hadn't eaten anything.  She was really hungry but just went to find some place she could sleep for the night.  The morning she woke up and she was really really hungry.  She knew she didn't have any money, but she decided to go look around at the market.  As she looked around at the market she began to pray in her heart, "Papa, I need you.  I know you see I need you, and I have faith you will help me." She walked around for a little longer and then looked through her small basket.  She opened her small coin pouch that was empty when she came and saw 200vt that had not been there before.  After seeing the 200 vt she began to cry because she knew her prayer had been answered.  She then ran over to a small bush on the side of the market and knelt down and prayed to thank Papa for hearing her prayer.  Papa hears every prayer of every child of His. When we are obedient He will provide for us.  We need not worry, from se He is here, He has promised that will never change. What an amazing example of faith.  I am amazed by the amount of faith that I am surrounded by each day.  Papa God is good too much to each
of us.  I know He loves us.  Fear not, He will provide.

I love each of you.  I am grateful too much for all the sacrifices you make for me mom.  I love you.  I pray for each of you every single day.  Continue to do the small things such as family house night, prayer, skripja studi.  It will make all the difference.  I love you. I know Papa God will look after all of you until the Big Bad Boss comes back!

Love,
Sister Brown

Mi wetem sam family

Malekula Miracle

Sorry sorry sorry ol famle!!!! Last week the internet connection was no good and so we did not get to email! But for a small time nomo!

Well this week was a spiritually uplifting week...but a BUSY one! And I mean busy! We did not sit down much this week! haha.  We had zone conference this week, a general authority, President Brewer and His wife come and a district conference! But I want to share the Malekula Miracle that happened this week.

This week we had Elder Tukuafu, an area seventy from Tonga, come to our little island of Malekula. He spoke in our small zone conference in our bush chapel and then addressed all the Saints here in Malekula at a district conference for the entire island.  Okay so let me back up a little bit. So right now here in Vanuatu we are in the dry season...and oh has this one been a dry one.  Many companionships of missionaries have been taken out of different areas because of the lack of water.  The water tanks are close up dry, the gardens are really dry....everything is just dry.  Sister Brewer said that when they flew into Malekula instead of the lush green they looked brown and yellow.  

Now this lack of water is a huge deal for us in the islands because the people here survive off of their gardens.  Too much sun + no rain=wan bigfala problem and lots of empty stomachs! Anyways, we  have just been praying and praying for rain.  Well on Saturday Elder Tukuafu came and gave a great talk in the adult session of district conference.  Everyone was sooo excited that "a man of the prophet" came to Malekula.  Plenty of people came to hear him speak. Well at the conclusion of his talk he paused, looked up and said, " I hear you all want more water.  So I will leave a blessing of water with you." He addressed us the next day backegen and then he jumped in the truck to catch his flight. Well as I was sleeping Sunday night/ Monday morning, I woke up to a HUGE rainstorm.  It rained and rained heavy rain until mid afternoon today.  When I got out of bed and looked outside I woke up my companion and said, "The church is true." I know without a shadow of doubt that all of the leaders in this church are called of God.  Priesthood power is the power of God.  It is the same power by which God created the heavens and earth, and with this power anything is possible.  I know that Papa God is very aware of each of us.  He knows each of His children.  Even us out here in the outer islands.  He has not forgotten us.  And he has promised that He will never forget us.  He hears our cries, and sometimes He cries with us.  I know He lives.  I know He loves us.  Indeed "I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me." Every. single. Day.

I love each one of you! Continue to press forward, continue to do hard things.  Because the longer you do something hard, the better you get at it.  I know this is true.  If life was easy we would never learn, we would never become better.  But life is hard, but you are stronger
than you think.
love,
Sister Brown