Super Bowl

Hello all Family! 

It is Super Bowl Monday here in Vanuatu, and all the Elders from the states are dying here!! haha.  Everyone has been emailing family back home to know all of the scores.  Oh boy, I remember all the cooking stations from last year, I hope that Liz took over and made all of them back again this year! Don't worry when I come back I will boss again! ;) Wow, does Lizzy ever take a break?? She is looking so grown up it is freaky! Her costume was so cute, and I am sure that she did great.  She definitely got most of the talent in the family! Those pictures of Meg Sar and Liz are soo cute!! I didn't know that Meg cut her hair! It is so cute!! I will say that I miss all of the girls outings, but I don't missing the shopping yet-haha.  I remember chaperoning last year...oh man what a treat! You are brave to do that back again! I did not know that Liz was doing harp still! Good! Tell her and Ben to keep playing the piano too!! It is good to know! But you forgot to include an update about what you have been doing! How is having meg and quinn living with you all?? Do Sarah and Jordan have any human children yet, or Milo no more? I cannot believe that it is already Feb! Time flies by fast! 

This week has been amazing!!!  Last week I was trying to map out a mission plan for our branch.  I used about a half notebook trying to draft different plans of how to make missionary work come on top in our branch and area.  On Monday last week I finally got the final product and this week put it into effect! This week I learned that Papa God helps those who are willing to help themselves.  In life we will face full up trials and hard times, but if we want the help of Him we must first seek to help ourselves.  That means that we have to be willing to sacrifice our prayers, fasts, time, energy, talents, everything for our goal.  If we are willing to sacrifice everything we have for our goal he will help us.  It reminds me of a scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants that tells us that we must first study things out in our minds.  After we study it out in our minds He will guide us as to what we need to do.  When we are faced with a challenge or trial we can either sit back and cry and about it and feel sorry for ourselves or we can stand up, tighten our sandals and push through.  

Like I said our area is a place of water and soft mud.  This week when we went to area there was a house that was filled with water.  Every something was soaked and there was about a foot of water inside.  We had come to the area for a few appointments, but after I saw the damage that had been done to all the house, I told Papa to hand each of us a bucket and we began filling up buckets, carrying them over to the "swimming pool" and dumping them.  Let me tell you something..this was no easy task.  The ground at the place was sooo slickery! I knew it was slickery and so I made sure to walk slow and plant my feet well.  Every time my companion would walk I would remind her to walk good.  It was the second to last batch of buckets and my companion about fell.  I was carrying a bucket on my shoulder and I turned to yell at her to be careful.  Next minute I was on the ground covered in soft mud and soaked with the water I had been bailing.  hahahaha I think that was Papa God telling me to stop bossing my companion....oops.  After we finished we were able to stori with a less active family.  We talked to them about the plan of salvation and how even though loved ones of ours pass, we will see them again.  We went back to the house because it got dark, when we came back the next day they gave us 6 referrals of people to teach, and a family.  The blessings of serving others are full up! Teaching in our area is great! We have 12 people including one family on date for baptism and I could not be more excited!! This week we have been able to see a lot of our investigators start to make big changes in the conversion of them.  It has been a great week!!! :) 

I hope that all of you have a great week!! I love and miss you all!!! :) :) 

Yolkokakaeek,

Sista Braon

P.S.  I am now a believer of those oils...my poor companion did not sleep the first two weeks she was here and she kept waking me up because of nightmares.  Now every night at 9 I come and brush her neck with 2 drops of lavender oil and she is out within 26 minutes (yes I do time it... :)) I am a believer!! :) haha