Monday, February 4, 2013

February 4, 2013


February 4, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

I had heard about the earthquake up north, Chileans love talking about their earthquakes. We felt nothing. It’s not that bad here, and most of the bad buildings have already been knocked down. So we are pretty safe I would say. And we are missionaries of the one true God of Israel, so we kinda have extra blessings and protection and stuff like that. Or so I hear.

So we have had another fun week. Not teaching a lot of lessons. Searching for creative ways to find people to teach. Inviting people to do family home evenings, working with members, menos activos, basically anyone who will give us a reference. We know that someone out there, there is a family that is just waiting for us. So, onward, ever onward.

We had zone class on Tuesday. The entire mission is kinda suffering. We are making a lot of changes, though, and things are gonna pick up, especially as we take the initiative to make things happen in our sector. This week is gonna be great. Then we ate Mexican food at Alejandro’s house. There was this old Chilean lady there who had definitely never had it before. They were... tacos. Very exotic. It was fun, though! He also taught me how to make aji de gallina, a peruvian dish, which is my favorite. Really, really good.

On Thursday, we had a great day. Taught five lessons, which is like a normal day from before but these days it was fabulous. We totally showed up at Sandra, our convert’s house, and she told us she had just been hoping we would come by. She had been feeling sad because her sons have just ditched her, but we told her to read and pray and she is great. She is so great. So at least I have done something awesome here. Hopefully more to come in February. Lost Cristofer, but Claudia is still pretty active. She called us this morning crying and would only talk to me. I had no idea what she was saying. So we are gonna visit her tomorrow and hopefully she can hold on ‘til then.

That was pretty much our week. Good times. If you want to know how a mission in Chile really is, just go sit in the oven all afternoon. That’ll give you some idea of the afternoons here. But you have to do it in a tie and white shirt and carrying a backpack. Real good stuff. I changed my mind-- I am definitely losing weight.

I am learning a lot about sacrifice and gratitude. We aren’t taking anything for granted here anymore. Ever. And charity-- learning to love everyone is hard but as we work at it, pray for it, and keep it in mind, it kind of just helps the whole day. We are pretty blessed. We are called of God, with the same power and authority Peter and Ammon had, to literally bring thousands to the truth. Working on the thousands, but I have at least one on the road to conversion-- myself. It’s something we all have to do for ourselves, because when it’s hot and you’re hungry and thirsty and tired and your legs and feet hurt and no one wants to listen to you, if you are not converted and have charity, it’s gonna be hard to be a good missionary. "Conversion. Consecration. Sacrifice. It’s what we do." That should be the missionary motto. I submit that to whoever you submit those things to.

Love you all!
Elder Brown




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