Monday, April 29, 2013

Pictures Week #48

Birthday Cake-Happy 20th Elder Brown!
Birthday Party
LDS represent
Elder Brown, Jessica, and Jucelma
Elder Brown and Amareldo
Elder Walker
Church sign
Church building
Elder Tingey broke the chair

Elder Chandler passed out


A Good Week

Oi! Family and Friends,

This week has been the best week of the transfer for sure. We got some legit work done, found new people and some crazy stuff as well. To start off, on Tuesday, we found the coolest guy ever, his name is name is Amareldo and he was a reference we got. He speaks English, is so chill, already have been taught by the missionaries twice down in Namibe. The only reason he wasn't baptized was because he moved. But seriously, I love him so much. He is so cool, he pretty much passed the baptismal interview that we gave to see where he was at knowledge wise. Pretty much if he comes to church these next two Sundays, he will be baptized mid May. He is so legit, loves Kid Cudi, tells his sister that Kid Cudi will be her future husband haha. We're pretty much going to be homies for the rest of my life no doubt. Also he looks a lot like Usher, kind of a little scary actually. But he was for sure the upside to the week. 


Another investigator, Adi, 15 years old, not sure if I've talked about him yet or not. But he will baptized this coming month as well, so cool. Also found this other person, we were sitting teaching this investiagtor, and a Chinese woman comes up and starts asking about us to the investiagator. He has some Chinese workers living there. Anyways, I thought that she was just like any other Chinese, who knew a couple of words in Portuguese and that's it. She goes and gets her bible, that's a side by side with Madarin and English, turns out she speaks English as well. Not the best, but enough to communicate. So we are going to start and try to teach her. And LR2's Senior Primary Book of Mormon is going to go to her, because she says she can read English. So you should be getting pictures of that next week haha, so we shall see. 

Me and Elder Tingey saw some weird stuff this week, I just can't remember them, they are written in my journal though. There was this fight in this neighborhood against some Moças that went pretty crazy with kids running everywhere to see it. It was like right in our way of where we needed to go so we had to wait a little bit to let it calm down, it got intense. Other things, can't remember. Watched General Conference this weekend, GC in Portuguese is hard, so hard. Only two more to go. Went on a division with Elder Walker to Futungo on Saturday. Walked Bue this week. Walked with Engracia for a day. Yeah just a super solid week. Yeah we are in walking distance of the Thompson's. Elder Tingey and Elder Chandler sat with the dad of that family on Saturday while we were on divisions so we shall how they turn out. 

We get fed like at least one meal a week on Sundays, and an occasional 2nd. Pretty much just cooking for ourselves, sometimes we team up, other times no. Pretty much just ate rice and beans and such for the week. Laura's videos worked but only on Elder Tingeys camera because his is a canon. Mothers Day, I don't know anything about it yet, probably do it at president's, I will have the details next week. 

Ridgely looks like she is finishing strong, Keller finishing up Freshman year, and Kaden prepping for the big 8th grade. Crazy. Well 11 months down, 13 to go. Crazy. Africa is crazy, I can't believe I've been here for this long already. Everything is just normal now. It's weird because everything is just normal to me but it's Africa it's hard to explain. Well everyone have a good week. Love you all!

Tchau,

Monday, April 22, 2013

Another Week of Sickness


Oi! Family and Friends,

Once again sickness messed up our week this week. Elder Tingey was out pretty much the whole week with a fever that was bad, we couldn't leave the house. So once again this week´s letter will be a little on short side but I will try to stretch it as much as I can. 

So Wednesday, we actually did leave the house and went to Zone Conference at President's. We usually try to cross this river to shorten the walk to his house, or else it takes forever walking around. Well the river was a little to high because it recently rained so, at first at one part of the river, Elder Harper tried to jump it and totally fell in. So his companion Elder Wilhelm took his shoes and socks off and walked across the river. He then gave me and Elder Tingey piggyback rides across the river which I got on video, which I can't wait to show you guys haha. All in front of these Angolans who were just laughing at us, especially Elder Harper haha. 

Saturday we sat with Jeni who has like an inflamed foot or something, I didn't really understand what caused it, but we gave her a blessing so hopefully she will get better, one of our two lessons of the week. Sunday was a blessing, we had this random huge family who we contacted once, haven't sat with them at all yet, and we got them to show up to church and they stayed for the first hour. Something I will probably never see again, a contact family showing up without us even talking to them yet. So we are sitting with them tonight and hopefully all goes well, and we can see some legit success in our area. 

For lunch we had this Feijuada, which is a common Angolan food here. It's pretty much beans, brown oily sauce, soggy vegetables, and different types of mystery meats. Yesterday for lunch was not a good one. I've had some good ones here, but yesterday wrecked me, it was quite bad. 

It's sad that a bomb went off for the marathon, that's too bad. Your videos you sent me couldn't be played on anyone's camera, I checked, and I forgot to bring them with me today to watch them on the computer so next week I will for sure remember them to watch them. Haha thats a funny story about the penny. Well there isn't much else to say. Thanks so much for everything in that package! It was super great! I love you all and have a good week!

Tchau,

Monday, April 15, 2013

Pictures Week #46


Elder Brown opening up one of his birthday boxes
Elder Brown and one of his presents

Opening more presents
Birthday Party in a box!
Reading a birthday card from his siblings

Some of what we sent plus more journals 
and church books to read
(Elder Brown is a huge BYU fan!)

Thug with his birthday stuff
Non Thug Pic for mom ;)
(I asked him to send me some non thug poses-haha!)
Birthday lunch of sushi
Birthday Lunch 
Zinga's Family
More of Zinga's Family
What up Entao?
Elder Brown and Elder Tingey
Elder Chandler attacked by evil stickers!




Week of Sickness


Oi Family and Friends!

This week was hard. Not going to lie, it was hard. Got sick on Tuesday and it progressively got worse up to Friday, then a slow recover since. It was so hard. It was weird too, throat hurt, headaches, and then it felt I just had a severe case of allergies, eyes watering, runny nose and stuffed nose, with this annoying cough. It stunk. So I don't have to much to write about other than my birthday and a couple of random things so sorry if this letter is kind of short. 

So Birthday, woke up, and opened my two packages. Thanks so much for everything Mom and Dad and family, those things were pretty cool, I liked them alot. Afterwards, me, Elder Tingey and Elder Walker and Elder Chandler went to Belas Shopping and we got Sushi haha. It cost a pretty penny and it wasn't the best, but hey it was my birthday right ;) So that was kind of full circle that I had sushi on my 19th birthday and then on my 20th, pretty soon it's just gonna be a tradition haha. 

Then me and Elder Tingey taught some lessons. Engracia, a member, gave me a gift which was so nice of her. It was this Angola scarf that you will see in this picture. Then we went out to Kifica to go teach Zinga and have dinner with her family. While we were there I used Grandma and Grandpa's 20 dollars and bought a 49ers hat (in honor of Ken and Shane) for 12 bucks haha. Had dinner at their house which was pretty good. Came home, had no eggs so we couldn't make the cake, and we haven't had energy at all these last couple of days, to add to the misery, so we haven't made the cake yet. But hopefully we will be able to today. 

Investigator wise, alot of people are stalling which is sad. But hopefully we can get them on the right track and we have found some new people as well so hopefully now that I can put a full week of work in that we will start seeing the fruit of our labor. But one thing that I've needed to learn and have started to learn is patience. I think I've been expecting to just see amazing results, and people would progress faster, and the work would be booming day by day. But I just have to realize to be patient, and I will probably never see the full extent of my impact here on people. 

I did get my Bday letter from Laura so that was good too:) I got that package today at soccer so I cant wait to go all through it when I get home. Thanks family for being the best and looking out for me. I guess a random thing we saw this week was a crazy lady who kept trying to get hit by cars, and just people yelling at her to go home. Other than that, because of my sickness and no energy, this week has gone by slow. But I'm keeping positive and I know we will have a much better week this week. I love you all and miss you guys, but its going faster than we know it! Sorry for the unexciting letter:(

Tchau,

Monday, April 8, 2013

Pictures Week #45

 

Elder Tingey, Engracia and Elder Brown

Elder Davis and Elder Brown

Elder Brown and Adi

Elder Borden and Elder Davis going home!

Sad baby

Elder Brown and some cute kids

Elder Brown's purchases

Elder Tingey and some kids

Mais Uma

De Novo

River overflowing

Start of Transfer 7


Oi Family and Friends!

This week has been interesting to say the least. Well first off Tuesday morning me and Elder Davis went down to the Benfica Praca where they sell all the tourist things like wood statues and jewerly and such. I bought three things, a rhino statue, a family of giraffes and the Thinker statue, their national symbol. So now they just sit on my desk as I study and such, they are super cool, and the people down there jump on you like ravening wolves. Me and Elder Davis worked them down though, especially Elder Davis, he was a champ. 

Tuesday, I just stuck with Elder Walker and Elder Tingey in Futungo, so that was pretty cool seeing their area. Wednesday night, Elder Davis and Elder Borden left from our house, which was kind of weird watching them pull out and knowing I won't see them for at least a year. Missionaries going home is not too fun haha, but it's needed. 

This week was a little weird for me and Elder Tingey, we just didn't get the work that we usually do on weeks, but we made the best of it. Pacheco, I gave it to him hard this last week and apparently it worked because he came to church this Sunday, so we will just keep going with it and see what happens in the future. We just keep up with Jeni and Adi, and trying with Sergio, as well as we have some planned new investigators this week so we will see. Not a lot happened this week. 

The new elders in our house is Elder Chandler and Elder Wilhelm. Me and Elder Tingey are doing great. It rained and poured buckets on us during the morning, it was pretty crazy. The river here was overflowing because of the rain, it covered one of these bridges so we had to walk the long way around to a member's house. 

It's weird that its my birthday in two days, 20 years old, weird. But hey it's life right. I got Aunt Valri and Uncle Davids card as well as Grandma's card yesterday which was very nice of them. We watched the Priesthood session yesterday so that was really good, really loved Uchtdorf's talk during that. 

Fun you guys are in New York. Looks like a lot of fun. Also question Mom, whats the best way to wash hats out here, haha that would be helpful to know. Ummmmmm, Africa is doing good haha. Weird this is Elder Walker´s last transfer. Thanks for all the birthday wishes I got from everyone. A lot of people wrote me so I got to respond back so thanks for all the support and prayers and such. I'm still going strong haha. Love you all.

Tchau,

Monday, April 1, 2013

Pictures Week #44


Elder Brown and Danilo

Sunday School Class
American food they found at the grocery store
Two funny kids
Easter Box 

Easter Baskets
Easter Baskets from home for the Elders

Benfica District Easter
Elder Brown and Elder Davis (old companion)

Elder Brown and Elder Tingey (new companion)

Elder Brown and Elder Harper

Elder Brown and Elder Walker

Elevator Shot