Monday, July 7, 2014

July 7, 2014

July 7, 2014

Hello everyone!

Welp, there is no denying it now. Last p-day. I am officially old in the mission. But not finished yet--there are still families out there for me to find this week! I really want to leave my comp, Elder M, ready for a great month in August, as well as the zone. So, working hard to keep up a good diligent and obedient example. In every moment we are disciples of Christ and people are watching that, whether we realize it or not. I hope my efforts these last two cambios have had some real effect on some people. 

Today we had a big cookout with the zone--it was super fun; we made custom shirts that say the zone stuff on them, and used the extra money to buy meat and bread and all this good stuff—tasty! Everyone had a good time, and at the end we did a tie trade, so win-win! I left with some real winners. It’s amazing how many more ties I have now than when I started! But they are good ‘uns.

Things are going well, Elder M and I are having fun. The members here are great and we have really built our confidence with them, so that they are willing to do visits with us whenever; one of the members here, Hna C, brought a less active with her to church without any pushing from us, even!

Excited to keep working hard this week! Please keep praying for us so that we can be blessed in the work of the Lord! 


Elder Brown
The mission logo: Obedience, Sacrifice, Consecration, Vision. Amen.

Zone leader duties...Talking to President in his problem-solving position.

Teaching his final zone class.

Monday, June 30, 2014

June 30, 2014

Hey, Everyone!
It’s been a great week, we are working hard and talking with lots of people. It’s been slow with the mundial [World Cup soccer tournament] but unfortunately/fortunately Chile is now out so things should start getting back to normal a little bit, or at least that is the idea. It’s been fun, though; it’s great to learn about all the different culture that there is out there--soccer really is pretty interesting in the way it can bring people together (and drive them apart) and unify their countries.

We have been blessed with great members in this ward, members that have really taught me a lot. We are working to try and be able to find better with them, as well--that seems to be the hardest thing for most members, to be willing to try to share the gospel with people that still do not know it. It shouldn’t be awkward or that hard, though, if we just explain that it really is something that has brought us so much happiness and that’s why we want to share it. 
It’s been a fun week, and we are excited for this next week--we designed t-shirts for the zone and they are coming this week, so we are all excited to see how they turned out--pics for sure next week. Also, an Area Seventy, Elder Waddell, came to our zone leadership council this morning. He had some amazing things to say and basically just gave a great sum-up as to what the mission work is all about, with some great insights into some great doctrine and scriptures. He summed up everything that I have been feeling lately pretty well. [See Zach’s summation paragraph, written for the ward newsletter, below.]
Excited for this next week! I hope everyone sees progress, as well!
Elder Brown

Zach's Summation of What He Has Learned on His Mission 

The Spirit makes or breaks any work we want to do; when we are able to recognize its promptings and follow them boldly, we will never fail. Success is guaranteed. What we need to do is live worthy of our covenants--not only obeying the commandments but also sacrificing ourselves and consecrating our desires to what the Lord needs from us and for us. Obedience, Sacrifice, and Consecration is what the Lord expects from us. It’s easy to talk about but hugely difficult to accomplish consistently. For me, the most important aspects of consecration that I think make the difference are obeying and sacrificing with a good attitude and with a smile siempre [always], and having our desires completely focused, or consecrated, on serving the Lord. Doing that, the Spirit is guaranteed to accompany us always; to give us the energy and courage we need to keep improving every day; to give it a little bit more the next day than we did the day before; to help him in his eternal work of sealing families, and eternal life to not only us and our families, but to every person out there. Obviously, none of this is possible without the example of Jesus Christ, who demonstrated perfect obedience, sacrifice, and consecration in everything He did, giving us the Atonement, the possibility to improve. The Atonement is absolutely essential to all this. Every day we need to apply it personally. 

Monday, June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014

June 26, 2014

Hello everyone!

It has been a great week, even if it has been a little more difficult with this whole soccer world cup thing that we hear is happening. Just kidding, this whole soccer thing is Chilean life right now; I’ve never seen so much disobedience, craze, etc over a sport. I mean, March madness can get crazy and stuff, and I tented and everything, but Chile España has gotten to a whole new level of crazy. President has been telling us to just stay in the house during games, and then be careful after, but after the games, people are just going crazy. But the work goes on.

We haven’t been able to get hold of J all week, seems she has been dodging us. So we are still looking for more prepared people to find. I am determined to leave this sector a lot better than I found it, and leave Elder M with everything he needs so that the zone can just explode with success. 

We have been working hard and stressing obedience with the zone. We are proud of our missionaries, for the most part, for their dedication to the commandments we have as missionaries. It reminds me of a great video about a horse, from seminary days, I think--the horse is trained to come when the bell rings, and learns to be obedient, but then he goes without water, and gets let loose, and right when getting to the water, they ring the bell. That’s the question for all of us; to what level do we take our obedience? Do we have little things that are just too much, or that we choose not to obey, justifying that we are mostly obedient, or that it’s not that bad what we are doing? It happens a lot, and obviously we all have things to improve, but it’s sad to see when people blatantly rebel against what they know is right.

We have been talking with lots of people, and are giving a good example to our missionaries of diligence and obedience. The blessings of investigators aren’t coming yet, but they I’m sure they will. So we are just going to keep on keeping on! 

I hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Brown

Monday, June 16, 2014

June 16, 2014

Hey, Everyone!

It’s been a good week this week! We saw a miracle! J, our investigator, that has been coming along little by little, finally took the next big step and came to church! It was great. After, we talked with her pareja as well (which is a bummer she is not married), but he is great, and Peruano, which is a win for us as well, since my comp is, too, and he was nice. They could totally be my mission wedding and baptism! It’s gonna happen!

We have been working hard to find new people, as well, but it’s been going slowly. We talk with a ton of people and have been trying to help the members here participate more in that, as well, but it’s a process. This is the last week for me to bring new people to church that could get baptized before I leave, however, so I’m going to be giving it all I’ve got for sure.

Father’s Day yesterday was great; we had lunch with the fam Parra; they are favorites, so great. And yesterday was the first time that anyone has ever asked us to do division-- two young men, good kids, asked us to invite them, so that was neat, as well. 

Pray for things to go well this week for the zone, and the work in general! The power of prayer really is incredible.


Love you all!
Elder Brown


Zach's companion, from Peru, celebrating World Cup soccer with Lay's potato chips' Peru flavor, even though Peru isn't in the World Cup...

Housemates being goofy

Salvation Isn't Cheap! And these two are SERIOUS about that.

Monday, June 9, 2014

June 9, 2014

Hey, All!

It’s been a good week, having fun with Elder M. This guy is a stud! He is just starting out as zone leader and is definitely just a good solid person. Really humble, really nice, loves everyone, and just pumped to learn and work hard. It has been a slow week for us with the finding, but we are being very diligent and obedient and the blessings are going to come. Hopefully sooner rather than later so I can see some more white before July! 

He is from Peru and knows how to cook, which every house we go into asks him and wants to make use of, we have been invited to so many lunches in the past few days! Not that I blame them, Peruvian food is amazing. So that adds some spice (literally) to the same ol’ same ol’ Chilean cuisine.

The zone is really progressing, besides for one or two problem sectors, everyone has really been working hard and the blessings are coming. We always work with goals as a zone as well, and this month we are not only going to meet them, I think, but we should be able to do way better! And I know that as we remain faithful to our plans, and really do what the Lord wants in each sector, it’s going to happen. The blessings always come. 

It’s been a great week as far as the Spirit goes; we have had some great short lessons with people, and we are going to keep working on getting a good commitment out of people. We had some good talks about the difference between the gift of the Holy Ghost and just feeling it, and what it means to be "strong in the spirit,” as it says in D&C 84:106, if I’m not mistaken. To me, that strength in the spirit comes from 1) recognizing it, and 2) following it always. If that were a pattern we would all follow more strictly, I imagine the results would really show.

So much rain! Pray for this week to be not as rainy. We have been working hard to run and stuff, too, but I’m kind of sick. But just details; the work goes on. Like the talk from Elder Holland says, it’s hoped for there to be a stinkin’ ambulance waiting to receive returning missionaries for giving it their all to the end. Challenge accepted.

Love you all and have a great week!

Eldercito Brown

June 2, 2014

So, it’s been a great week. A great way to finish the cambio with Elder H. Gonna miss this guy, a real good leader. He is going to go be with my kid, Elder D, in Linares now! 

This week, we put a big focus on exact obedience, talking with everyone, and always inviting to baptism in the first lesson. That was what our zone class was on, and we just kept it simple, presented it firmly, and the missionaries are starting to get it. And even starting to apply it--which is sometimes, unfortunately, an entirely different thing!

This week, EVERY STINKIN’ SECTOR in the zone did more than 140 contacts. So proud of these kids! Great to see. Unfortunately, it hasn’t really paid off yet... but it will. 

Some of our miracles this week--we did not even get wet. It was supposed to rain and stuff but it didn’t. Great miracle. Also, we contacted a less active guy in the street, and on Sunday he came to church with his wife. They are great, the only problem is that he works in the north in the mines, so we aren’t going to be able to go by until next week. But they even stayed for the classes, this guy bore his testimony, and the class was on BAPTISM, and the wife had lots of good questions. So we are going to try and get something going there. The others are all are kind of progressing a little but it’s been tough. We are basically starting over though with this cambio... But maybe going by now will be what they need... maybe they will just have been waiting for a Peruanito and a Gringuito to knock on their door again! So hopefully we will see some more families found this week. It’s time!

Working hard and staying on our toes, what with all the changes and problems and challenges and miracles of daily mission life. 

Hope everyone has a great week!
Elder Brown



Tuesday, May 27, 2014

May 26, 2014

Last week, Zach didn't have time to write us a full letter; luckily, we had had a great Skype visit with him the day before (Mother's Day), so we survived. Here's what he sent this week:

May 26, 2014

Well family, and friends, and all, heelloooooo!!!!

We have been practicing being firm but loving, and we have started to see some good changes. Being responsible for these missionaries has really taught me a lot of patience, and love, and the need to be firm sometimes. I am thankful for that; I’m sure it will serve me very well later in life. 

We went to Concepcion for council today, had some great talks. This week, we had a slow week as far as the finding goes but I love my companion. We have just kept up a great attitude, and we are working hard. We had found no one the entire week, which is an embarrassment, after really working at it, and were feeling kind of down, but just kept doing the work and Sunday night we found a great lady that accepted baptism and learning more! She has a lot of problems but I have the faith, and we are going to start on the works to help the Lord get her there. Her name is J.; Pray for her!

I have to run. It’s been a crazy day! But I will see you next week! Love to all!

Elder Brown
This and the following five photos are from a great P-day activity on May 18 that involved a big hike to some steam vents. He said they smelled really terrible (sulfur) but it was beautiful, and he found snow, which he was excited about.






ONE HUGE HOT DOG!


Sunday, May 18, 2014

May 12, 2014

Zach did not write a full letter to everyone this week, since we Skyped with him yesterday for Mother's Day, but he did include the following in a brief letter to Candace telling about a little miracle they experienced this week:

"Our plan this week to find people is to keep talking with everyone, and to mix things up. We want to try some new stuff to find people that we have never tried before; maybe it will bring results. If you want to see results you've never had before, you have to try things you've never tried before! So we are hopefully going to find lots of families. 

"Cool story: Right before walking into the chapel to Skype y'all, I got a weird random call, he said it was some guy in prison, and asked for our help for his wife and son that are struggling. So that was cool--Elder H had taught this family months ago. Then, after Skyping, we were returning the laptop to a member and saw the exact lady in the street! We talked to her and are going by today--maybe it's her time now!"

Monday, May 5, 2014

May 5, 2014

Hello everyone!

I hope the week has been good--this week has tested our faith for us, but Satan ain’t a-gonna get us down! We have been talking with everyone despite all the rain, and the zone has done the same! They are getting converted! Huzzah!

We are finding lots of people to teach but no one is really making progress right now. That is different than other sectors I have been in; it has been harder to get into houses but when you get in they are usually pretty interested. Here they let you in and just want to talk about the United States or how Catholic or Evangelical they are. But whatever. I can work with that. 

We went to Conce this week, and I resolved the problems I was having with the Chilean police over not changing my address; they were nice about it. Probably not the first time they’ve dealt with clueless Mormon missionaires. We had a long ride in a double decker bus home which was cool, and then it rained all week. That has pretty much been our week. We have taught some good lessons, seen some miracles with a few families. One that sticks out is the inactive gentleman we taught a lesson to and, on Sunday, he came to church and bore his testimony. So that was pretty neat. And we also taught a girl that said she was atheist when she opened the door but then let us in and we taught here. That was cool, too. She is pretty interested, so we hope there are some possibilities there. 

There is lots to do here! I love this sector and my companion, and the zone is making good progress! Keep praying for us to find prepared families please!

Elder Brown


Wednesday, April 30, 2014

April 28, 2014

April 28, 2014

Hello everyone!

It has been a great cambio. There are just sometimes in the mission where you feel forgotten, where you feel even though you are working hard and doing your best, nothing happens, nothing results, no one sees your efforts, no one cares. I felt a little like that. After just working real hard for so long in Chiguayante with nothing, finally seeing MIRACLES and getting changed two days after, it was like, what the heck, this is a bummer. But then I get to Chillan. 

Let me tell you about Chillan. This sector is huge. It has about 180 members that assist weekly. Sometimes like 220. The bishop has been stake president, he loves missionary work, and just lets us do our thin. We have a ward mission leader that was in the stake presidency before, he is unreal, gets stuff done. The members love us. They give us delicious food without forcing it down our throats. We are in centro, it’s fall, there are beautiful trees everywhere changing colors, our zone is full of great missionaries that are working hard, two sister missionaries that are working hard as well, and things are just in place to go crazy and find families! 

That’s just talking about Chillan. Now let’s talk about my companion. Elder H, who is from Washington, is a stud. His family is Mexican, he is a convert, teaches really well, chill but super fun, kind of reminds me of Jason L. He has no problem talking with lots of people in the street, he is willing to run with me, and we have even been going to the gym. It’s been like 2 years since I’ve done that!!! So I’m really happy to be with him; his last two companions have both left this sector as assistants, and they are just super buena Honda, these guys. So we are looking to have some fun this cambio.

Also, Chillan is famous for this market it has---every single Chilean souvenir that I have ever wanted to buy (but never done it because I didn’t want to carry it around and stuff) is here. In abundance. Cool hats, jerseys, spurs, yugos, ponchos, posters of Felipe Camiroaga, etc. If you don’t know who Felipe Camiroaga is, you’re going to have to look it up. But he is the most interesting Chilean man in the world. 

We also had a baptism this week, of F; she is a good joven that her grandma brought into the church, and she has two sisters that are going to be baptized next week. I love the members here; we are getting to know them better, and want to help them do their missionary work that they want to do, too! Missionary work is just the key to success. Brings such a strong testimony. I love it so much. 

Well, keep praying for us, we are excited for another week in Dieciocho A, Chillan Ñuble--that’s our sector and our zone. Go us. 

Tomorrow we have to head down to Conce for a consejo, and next week, on Sunday, I hear its Mother’s day or something, so get that Skype account ready. Ay oh.


Have a great week!
Elder Brown

After 21 months, who knew how absolutely thrilled McDonald's could be?!

AWESOME Chillan Ward!

With his "son" and "nephew"--great to get the fam back together again, even if it's for flu shots.

Terrific Chillan Ward members

With his terrific new companion, Elder H

Monday, April 14, 2014

April 14, 2014

Hello, Everyone!

Well, it’s been another eventful week on the mission front. As Dad says, Chile is on fire, and not just the spiritual kind. Valparaiso has been burning since Saturday; hopefully it’s out by now but we still haven’t heard. Last time we heard, over 3000 people had lost their homes, and there were at least 11 dead with a lot more missing. Very sad. Yesterday at church, they were talking a lot about it, how in the temple this weekend they had been there with another ward from that area. It reminded me of the talk a few conferences ago about the people of Mexico losing all their crops in a freeze and still being there to work in the temple. It’s always a testimony builder to see those good examples of consecration, and know that even with all the terrible stuff that goes down in the world there is still a lot of good out there... and it’s worth fighting for! --Samwise Gamgee.

We also had interviews this week. We then had lunch with President in the mission home, which I’ve never done before, we ate tacos (which never happens), and an apple cake that was amazingly flavorful and American. So that was fun. 

And, in other news, we had a good run in with the Chilean police detective force. Apparently, if you don’t change your address in their records within thirty days after changing addresses it’s a legal infraction. Welp, now we know. It wasn’t just me, it was a bunch of missionaries, but I guess that’s what I get for not following the details with exactness of what the office elders say to do. Ah, well. Unfortunately, it sounds like all the lawyers and all this stuff had to get involved and we are going to see what that means--it didn’t seem like a big deal when we went in--the detective I talked to had already talked with tons of missionaries, has a Book of Mormon on his desk and a photo of the temple on his screen.

We have been working hard in our sector to just find some new people to teach; we have been talking with tons of people, knocking doors, getting our members involved, and little by little we are starting to see some possibilities. We have transfers this week, and it’s more than likely that I leave Chiguayante. But I want to make sure that I leave everything here hopefully MUCH better than I found it, and make sure Elder G is good to go here.

This morning we had to get up super early to go look for H’s dad in the bus terminal and bring him to the house. He has Alzheimer’s and was getting in from Puerto Montt and no one else could go look for him. Good thing we are called to serve.

It’s been a fun week. It’s starting to get cold and rain more here, but that’s just the way it goes! Can’t always be blue skies or we would never really appreciate it!


Have a great week!
Elder Brown

Sunday, April 13, 2014

April 7, 2014

April 7, 2014

Hello, Everyone!

Wasn’t General Conference the BEST! I think one of the huge wins of the mission is how much you gain an appreciation for General Conference. It is like a mix of a huge movie coming out, or Duke in the finals of March Madness (a dream that will be completed next year, right?). So awesome. We were able to watch it in English as well, so that was great. We were able to really learn a lot of great things to apply in the whole zone, but I think personally I learned a lot of good stuff as well. We all have perfecting to do but, as we were reminded in the conference, it’s all about love and being, not just talking it up and being hollow.

Something I was thinking about was the difference between the Spirit I have felt during General Conference while on my mission as opposed to before my mission. And I think it comes down to two basic reasons that are super important.

1. In the mission, we are more spiritually prepared to receive revelation. We give more importance to the talks, we honestly treasure them, we seek to apply them, and, because the Lord sees all that, he blesses us with more of his Spirit and a higher capability to apply. We also are studying daily, deeply, have lots of prayer during the day, and see tiny miracles in all we do. And, after more than a year and a half of being a missionary, I feel like my spiritual appreciation, power, potential, and capacity have grown a ton. After a weekend like that, ya just gotta feel like you need to share it with all the world, and now I feel like I have at least a part of the know how to start!

2. In the mission, we have our priorities straight. There aren’t other activities, practices, games, shows, etc, that call for our attention and make watching conference a ´sacrifice` and pull our attention away from the talks, make us only listen with half our hearts, or not even listen at all. It’s nice reading the talks after, but the Spirit is special seeing the conference given tal cual. It’s easy in the mission--in fact, the conference is almost like a little break where we are protected by all the hard things of our sectors and just spiritually fed. But how much harder is it to really appreciate conference when we have fifty other responsibilities calling for our attention?

I was thinking about these two things a lot, and thinking about how I am going to keep applying them after my mission. Now is the time to obey with exactness and build my testimony of these things, because after there are new temptations, distractions, and it’s so easy to lose the clear perspective we are blessed with as set apart servants of the Lord. So I am going to apply these things now, and after, and may we all do the same! 

I also liked something that Brother Dallstrom said, that even though we may think we are ´just this way` we should never think that we cannot change. We can’t give up on ourselves, we need to improve. We need to leave our pride, our lack of love, kindness, patience, and forgiveness, and each day BE better, because in the end, it’s our character that will be measured. "The soul that rises with us, our life´s star," as Wordsworth says.

Just some thoughts. We had a fun zone activity today, ate empanadas and hiked a hill. We are working to find some great investigators, and feeling frustrated for the lack of progression in others! Pray for us!
I love you all! Thanks for all your examples and prayers!


Elder Brown

Eating empanadas at a zone activity, then playing pelotes

After hiking the Chiguayante hill--holding the national flower of Chile, which he did NOT pick, because that would be illegal. It happened to have fallen off its plant, so he brought it home.

Monday, March 31, 2014

March 31, 2014

Hello, Everyone!

It’s been a fun week! H. passed his baptismal interview at the last second and got baptized (in a freezing font in the middle of a huge rainstorm) then confirmed in the sacrament meeting the next day. So that was the highlight of the week. Super great guy, really happy for him.

Other than that, we are seeing some problems in the zone for stupid stuff—it’s good, though, because it’s all stuff that Elder G. and I are getting over lately so now we can totally testify from heart how to do it. It’s great. Just nitpicky stuff about people wanting more cleanliness in the house and others doing nothing (I know how this one goes all too well), as well as just some general unkindness, pride, and just some missionaries feeling bad about not having the success they are wanting. The good thing is tomorrow, being the first Tuesday of the month, we are going to have the chance to teach a classic zone class; we have a lot of great ideas-- this is going to be a classic. 

We taught a great lesson the other night to R. and E. We were teaching about marriage and charity to get these chambones married at some point but still nothing going on, and they are still bickering constantly to us. They talked at us for like ten minutes straight, just pure complaints about ‘she does this,’ ‘he does that,’ and then an idea came to me. Revelation. We cut it, and I was like, look, now we are going to go in a circle and say one thing we LOVE about our comp. I started, went in a circle, they got all quiet, awkward, and then we went around the second time, and then told them that’s what they need to do and peaced out. But hopefully we finally see some progress with that marriage. I really just want them to be members--they are so great, and so ready. I feel like if for no other reason, I needed to be in Chiguayante for them, and their two small future missionary boys.

Today we had our leadership council again, and then played paintball after! It was fun, even the mission presidente and his wife played! Neat stuff. I imagine it’s even more fun when all the equipment is good and stuff and no one cheats but whatever.

We are having fun and growing in the zone! SOOOOOO pumped for General Conference this weekend! And Priesthood session! We are going to bring all of Chiguayante to hear the prophets voice.

Love you all!
Elder Brown


Exciting baptism day!

Paintballing with President and Sister A

Camo wearing with Elder G

Monday, March 24, 2014

March 24, 2014

Hello, Everyone!

It’s been a great week for us, for the work, for the zone, for the people of Chiguayante, and for the ward! We are very excited for all the changes that are happening in our sector and in the work here--let me tell you…No, there is too much, let me sum up. 

H. is a great guy. I was going to take a picture of him for y’all but I forgot. He is getting ready to be baptized on Saturday! It has been a miracle that came from talking with everyone, faith, and patience. 

And this week we also found M., who is a miracle, too. She worked with missionaires in Santiago for a long time, never got baptized, moved to Tome, never got baptized, and now lives right by our church here in Chiguayante. Golazo. She is super ready, smokes a bit and is not married, but has lots of desires and she came to church and loved it. So we are really happy about that, as well. We found her in the street--by talking with everyone. 

Kinda making me wonder why I didn’t start this whole “talk with everyone” thing a lot sooner in my mission; it seems to work a little bit! Just some advice for any of you missionaries or future missionaries out there-- the cure to anything you have going on is to just open your mouth and don’t let a person pass you by without them hearing your testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I feel like I am progressing a lot in this sector, and that we are starting to see all the blessings from a very long time of hard work and stress and disappointment, but now things are all coming together. SO excited for General Conference this next week, and for all the zone. 

We have had some powerful lessons this week, especially with some less actives. We have been sharing the story that Elder Holland shared in October of 2012, of Peter and Christ at the Sea of Tiberias--Do you love me, and what it means to really love Christ. And that, at its base, I think is really the foundation of a testimony-- a solid motivation to obey, sacrifice, and consecrate yourself. 

Loving the work, and working hard. A great quote from President Uchtdorf for the week: "It is not your responsibility to convert anyone. That is the work of the Holy Ghost. Your task is to share your beliefs and to not be afraid."

Have a great week and remember why we do what we do!

Elder Brown

The cutest gaucho EVER!

Dancing the Cueca at a ward party in Chiguayante--a dance about a rooster and a hen which everyone knows. "If you don't know it, you don't fit in. I'm learning!"

A favorite family, the Familia Riquelme. Hermano Francisco, Hermana Pamela, Francisca (9), Montse (4), and Pedro (14, not shown). They were reactivated and now have tons of neighbors who want to come to church and learn more!

Simply adorable, says Mom.