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

The Boss

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

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!! :)

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!!! 

Book of Mormon Classes

Hello Ol Family!

Mother, sorry sorry sorry soo much that I have not emailed in awhile! P-days go by way too quick! I hope that you will forgive me!! It sounds like you all have been having a great time and are doing well!I love seeing all the pictures of what you all are up to! I cannot
belief that all of these young men in our ward are heading out..man I am old!! I am excited for each of them as they will have experiences that will change all of their lives! Ben is getting way too big! Tell him to stay young!! Sheesh!! Thank you too much for all of your encouraging words week in and week out, they make for a good pick me up after some rough weeks out here.

Well...where do I start? This week was transfer week and guess what? Sista Brown will be staying in Litz Litz again! I am actually really glad.  The area is really rough, but I LOVE the people here! We have been working really hard, super busy trying to find people that are ready and willing to change their lives.  So these last few weeks we have just been hitting a brick wall with each of our investigators. We have been fasting and praying just asking Papa God what we need to do for our area.  I have often found myself asking Papa "what more can
I do?" One day in particular we came home from a really really rough day.  That night during some extra study I was just wondering "Papa, what can I do here? Just tell me what I can do" I was reading in a church magazine when I found a quote that answered my question completely! It said, "Don't just ask God what to do-put in some thought, analyze resources, come up with a plan, and then go to the Father and ask Him if the plan is okay-after pray for miracles."  Papa God is too good to His missionaries.  He will never let one of His
children that is earnestly seeking for truth remain confused. Sometimes He will remain a little quiet so that we can learn to make decisions for ourselves, but he will never leave us.  After reading this quote I decided that I was just asking, but I was not trying to come up with a plan myself.  That night during daily planning my companion and I mapped out new plans of how to help our area come on top.  We decided that we would go into a new area to make some finding.  We made the plan, and then prayed to ask Papa God to see if
the plan was okay.  After our prayer we felt pretty good about it. The next day we went ontop to Provinces.  We saw miracles.  We were able to find Papa Roger and Papa Noel and his family.  They are so ready for the gospel.  Papa Noel has even receieved lessons from the
missionaries some years ago.  When we met him I had no idea what we were going to teach him.  Sista wamura was giving the first prayer and I was just praying saying, "Papa I have no idea what to teach" When the prayer was finished the restoration pamphlet opened up to profits. We taught about profets before and how we have a living profet today. Papa Noel was stunned.  He couldnt even speak.  He just kept looking at the picture of President Monson and saying, " I am really interested in this man, he is alive still? Just like moses?"  We are now teaching his whole family.  Miracles happen.  But they will not happen without fervent work on our part.  Papa God gives us resources so that we can help ourselves. Just when you think that He has left you He will manifest himself through some way or another. Blessings come, but you must work work work first.

Last week my companion and I started teaching a Buk Blong Momon class every Tuesday and Thursday evening at our church house.  I noticed that many of the members in our branch either have never read the buy blo momon or they do not understand or remember any of the stories. Since the buk blong momon is the keystone to our religion we thought
that going through it as a branch would help build up the faith of our members and unify the members.  We were a little worried that no one would come but we organized it and started with how the buk blo momon bin kam.  Each class we give a reading assignment of the japtas that we will discuss the next class.  It has been such a success.  Last week every adult member in our branch came! That is a record! As each of them was able to bear testimony of the Buk blo momon the spirit was so strong.  At the end of the class the members kept asking us if we could have the class every day.  We are seeing a lot of progression in our branch.  Baby steps people.  Faith and baby steps.  I am grateful to see even the smallest of miracles in this area.  There are no such thing as a small miracle in the mission field.

So let me explain some of the pictures i sent.  The one of me scrubbing pots on the beach is actually how we clean sauce pans here. When you cook over the fire the pots get really really dirty and so we use sandbeach to clean them.  it is hard work a little bit, but it is
kinda fun!  The one of the church house is of our current church house...or half church house.  we are currently building a new church house and so we took out half of the current one..but no one thought about.."Well now where will we worship??" On sunday we
worshiped in a half church house..the sun was strong and some people wore their shades..hahaha.  And on Thursday during our buk blo momon class it started to rain..manwan! When the rain started coming we all just quietly shifted onto the other side of the church house..haha. Island life!! The other one is my companion and I making a mat with
two mamas! haha.  the other one is a bunch of pikininis on Children's day on Thursday! The other one is of me and all the members building our new church house.. it is harddd work!! I spent 3 hours leveling ground and filling up holes with a shovel...don't worry
that is not a skirt..but we are not allowed to wear trousers in the village and so we fasten calico over shorts every time we do service! :) haha.  nice fashion! I am sure Sarah will love it!! ;) Mama I will even let you put these up on the blog! :) haha.

I hope that you all have a great week.  I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be out here serving the Lord.  I am so happy.There is no place in the world I would rather be.  I know that as we continually apply the gospel in our lives we will always have peace.
In a world full of confusion and contention, but gospel is where we can find peace and hope.  We can never go too far away from the Lord.It doesnt matter how far we go away from Him, He will always be waiting with outstetched arms for us to come back.  No man is exempt from the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I love each of you!!! :) :)

Love,
Sista Brown

Pictures from Maleuka

Some pikinini lo eria blo mi! haha. manwan! 

I made that bow and arrow! And yes that is a leg of a bullok with it's tail.

I went around the garden with one of the pikininis and picked up the cocoa plants. We put them in a wheel barrow, empty them out, cut each one open and carry out all the cocoa beans inside.  After I let them dry 2 days in the sun and then clean them and set them out in the sun for a few days back again! Now I have chocolate!