July 1, 2013

July 1, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

It has been a great week. As far as teaching investigators goes, it was a very slow week. We are really trying to make things happen here but it has been tough. We had a GREAT activity on Saturday, like a little mini Plan of Salvation. I feel like we did it in our ward once, as well. There were a bunch of games and everything and then the lights cut, death, and we all went to be judged. Some good messages about eternal families, and a really great attendance. Way more than actually come to church! The next day, we had ward conference and the attendance was way low. I played the piano for two special numbers, it went well, but none of our investigators came. So it was sad, we had a lot of hope for them to finally come. They were really committed well but at the last second they had to leave town. 

So we are just trying to do what the apostles and prophet said: Use our members. The culture of the mission is still hard, though; it’s hard changing the focus from just knocking doors to being with members more. For my whole mission to this point, spending time with members has been like the disobedient, time-wasting, back-up plan to go chill with a member when plans fall, but now it’s like the thing we should be doing. So we are trying to find a way to really do it effectively, instead of just knocking doors. We have some good plans of what we are going to teach but we can only do so much. 

More than anything, the thing that saddens me most is that only one of our recent converts is really coming to church. We visit all of them, they all tell us they are good to come, but then they don’t. It is hugely frustrating and sad that only a month or two after their baptism they are already inactives to add to an already very long list of names. And it’s not really something we can do, it depends on the members to get involved and fellowship, bring people back. So we need a serious change in perspective in the membership here in Chile, and maybe more than anything a change in priority. 

I am very tired these days. Kind of feeling a little worn out but I am sure that as we really keep working hard with a willing heart and mind, doubting not and fearing not, the Lord will give us miracles. That last part of D and C 6 might be my favorite of the week, with all the pressure and just the lack of success we are having teaching, being the example for the district and my hijo, and not a whole lot of prospects for July, I am sure that the Lord really just has it all figured out. Just some more dross getting burned off, I hope.

Missing the lovely Provo weather a lot, and all the running and tennis and everything that I am sure is going down! But there is still nothing better than being one of the chosen servants of the Lord to save the people here in Valle Hermoso! 

I hope all is well with everyone and that you are all really able to put the focus on the spiritual things that are happening in your lives. I think, personally, the coolest spiritual experience I have had this week is just seeing the ward really all coming together to pull off a great activity. That was really awesome; and, I am just so happy for Lirquen A, Hermana Oldroyd (the Glaziers cousin) who was able to finally get HENRY baptized! He is so great, and that’s so exciting for them. The work is going forward; it’s time for everyone to get involved. We have been sharing D&C 38:27 a ton. If we are not one, we are not his. 

Love you all a lot! Play some great tennis for me! Ooo, and take some good hikes! 

Zach

 Clowning around with Elder Durrant.

 On the first exercise bike he'd seen in quite awhile.

 This little pepper was supposed to be really hot, but it really wasn't at all.

 Pablito's magical elvish bread--one bite and you're full for three days!

June 24, 2013

June 24, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

So, it has been an absolutely crazy week. We have been working really hard in our sector this week to start making things happen, but it’s still not just all coming together. Really excited for this week, though, to really start making things happen. Good stuffa.

We had a great chance this week to hear that satellite transmission, live from the Marriot Center. Unreal--especially all those missionaries! Allie in there somewhere, too. That’s pretty neat. But that was great to watch, and we are going to change our work with the ward; it has been just a huge blessing for us already as we have worked better with them, but there is so much to change with them. They still are just not hugely animated to get out and work with us, to make things happen. 

Elder Carter and I had to go to Conce last night to watch it there, so that then we could practice a special musical number there for today with some other missionaries from Chillan. So we watched it there, were spiritually fed, then practiced until like 9:30pm, then ran back to Penco late. It was really great. That’s definitely Elder Carter’s natural habitat--made a cool arrangement, it went real well.

All this afternoon we have had preparation day because President’s farewell conference was this morning. We got up at 5:30am to get to the place in time, then it didn’t even start for like another hour. Frustrating. We ate doughnuts, which never happens. Never. Then we got flu shots, took pictures, Sister Humphrey and President Humphrey both spoke, and we played our musical number. It was “A Childs Prayer,” Elder Carter-fied. Pretty neat. Very bittersweet-- the Humphreys are so great. But I am very excited to get to know President Arrington, as well. 

Also this week, Lirquen A (better known as Aubrey Glazier´s cousin), is going to pull through with a baptism! H., who we have been working so much with, has finally been able to handle his smoking. He is such a good guy, and he is so excited. In that interview, I just felt so sure that he was ready. It was great. Earlier that day, I also did another interview but, in that case, the lady was woefully unprepared. It did not go well, she had tons of doubts, so I just left her with the commitment to pray and stop smoking, and then, later that night, she called Elder Carter and said she was done with the gospel. So that was disappointing but maybe mas adelante she will be more prepared. 

Other things that went on this week—I’ve just been working hard with Elder Durrant to really train him well. I really want to help him talk more, give him more chances and set him up for success, and hopefully by doing that we will see some more success. I am feeling pretty badly that I am not being a better example for him as far as how much we are teaching and how well our sector is doing, but I am determined that I will at least be the example of hard work, energy, and dedication to the work of the Lord. So I am going to make those changes in myself so that can really happen. 

I am very excited for this week. I am seeing changes in myself, and I want to keep going, being more and more diligent and really just finding those daily miracles, like we have been focusing on in the district. And the love. In the end, all you need is love.

Loving the work, loving being in this sector, loving the food (way too much, need to really start dropping the pounds but winter is hard), and loving the people. I really suggest Alma 8 to study-- we read it as a district and I think it helped us all learn how to improve. Sometimes we just have to go in by a different way!

Have a great week, enjoy all the blessings!

Elder Brown

June 17, 2013

June 17, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

Elder Brown and Elder Durrant here in Valle Hermoso, Penco, Chile. Having real good times. Elder Durrant is a stud! Still working a lot on that language, so keep us in your prayers there.

We have had a fun week, highlights including a baptism in our ward yesterday, of Manuel whom the zone leaders have been teaching. He is a really great guy, and a really great young family, the wife was a less active. Probably the greatest experience of this week and up there on my list of coolest mission experiences was doing the baptismal interview for him--he had been having a lot of doubts and didn’t feel like he was ready to get baptized, just for the doubt that he wasn’t completely sure yet, felt nervous, and didn’t want to do something that he wasn’t sure he would stick to after. So I came into it knowing all that…so I went through all the questions with him, made sure he was good, but then went back. It was amazing to just feel so led, I just felt like I had taken some Felix Felicis and just knew exactly what to do. We read the whole Elder Holland talk from this conference together, said a kneeling prayer together, and talked it all out. He finally decided he was ready. He got baptized Saturday and confirmed Sunday! Everyone in the ward was super happy about it, and he is really going to be a very faithful member. So that was very neat there.

In our own sector, we have been having a tougher time, especially getting people to come to church! We were able to find some more people this week that seem interested and willing to make changes in their lives, but were unable to bring anyone to church, which is always depressing. So we will be working on that for next week.

Let’s see... We made another oven for Pablito this week, it rained one day, had a great minicambio with Elder Blomfield, saw Elder Saenz in the office this morning, got an email from Elder Ulibarri, and have spent all week loving the packages we got. All in all, we are having a great time. Elder Durrant and I have been runnning a bit more, which is needed.

Say hi to everyone for me! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Elder Brown

 These are "fish cubes" that were dropped off by a woman in the ward for their lunch. Zach said he was extra grateful that they weren't eating it in their home because he didn't have to eat it all in order to be polite. They were not the greatest.

 Manuel, just before his baptism.

June 10, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

It has been a great week, although a very humbling week, possibly the slowest of the mission. We have seen a lot of trials, a lot of rejection, but we have been working super hard and obediently and still have that good attitude; I think that this new week is going to be excellent.

This last week we had some great opportunities to go to a leadership meeting with the assistants and president. We really learned a lot and got to see Elder Saenz there as well, great times. We left Elder Durrant in the sector with another new missionary, Elder Clawson´s new comp, and they just contacted all morning! They found a lady that we are going to go visit tonight, could work out well! Hopefully will--we would really love to find some more people here to start teaching.

In other news--Wednesday was Elder Durrant’s birthday--it was great! Pablito wanted to do a surprise party so we just talked in Spanish and planned it all and no one was the wiser. Ha ha! It was fun and really gave Elder Durrant a boost, I think. We spent all day avoiding the subject, not saying anything, but then at the end of the day it was super cool.

Anyways, not really any other news. Pablito is a champ. He loves us so much, and we love him. Great little old man with a huge heart--he asked the bishop if he could give a talk in the ward and the bishop let him, so we helped him prepare it all and it went super well! He was really nervous, but very excited. He wanted to come with us all day Saturday to invite people to it. Pablito read his little paper (he doesn’t read very well), and lost his spot and the bishop helped. But then, at the end, he just bore a super strong testimony. It really taught me that it’s a lot better and more powerful to really open up and share what the Spirit prompts you to, than to try to read a rehearsed thing. It’s like the difference between Preach my Gospel and the old discussions. It’s all about the heart.

Stressful week but we are really trying to be a great example of attitude, humility, and really following the Spirit. We know that as we are really obedient, the Lord is going to bless us and we are going to see miracles on miracles on miracles, which is exciting.

I got a great package two weeks ago, and another one today! I feel very blessed. I’ve been sharing well, gave some licorice to this family in our ward that had asked me to have you send licorice, they were very grateful. Winning points with Chileans: priceless. Also, that trail mix from Trader Joe´s-- like a chocolate, peanut butter, cherry, cashew, peanut mix? Fabulous. Maybe my favorite thing ever. Temptation mix or something like that, I think it’s called? Anyways, good stuff. Thanks for all the love and prayers! Pray for Elder Durrant’s Spanish, as well!

Love,

Elder Brown