Thursday, May 30, 2013

Happy Hump Day! Elder Brown's One Year Mark! Yay!








Elder Brown's "Hump" package
Words of encouragement from family and friends

Monday, May 27, 2013

Pictures (& Video) Week #51


 
Elder Kearney and Elder Brown

The bunk bed broke....
Elder Arrington and Elder Brown





And We Walked, and Walked, and Walked.....


AND WALKED.

Oi Family and Friends!

This week we walked bwe. Che(???-not sure if that was a typo or a language thing), it was tiring, just trying to find people to teach, whether it be just talking to people on the street or knocking doors. We had some success, not like mind blowing or anything. But I've realized, not in like a couple of days or a week we will get an amazing area, but only after little bit after little bit, until at the end of this transfer we will have a solid area. So patience and work, all that's going to get this area going. But yeah. 

Not that many pics from this week just because we have been finding. And no really crazy stories happened this week. We got this new guy Mendes, who could be pretty solid, we will see, as well as this other guy named Alvaro, who we met and taught Saturday and he came the next day to church so we shall see. We really don't have any super solid investigators unfortunately, but hopefully we will. We met and sat with this millionaire here, who is just rolling in it. Has a huge house, trampoline and pool, drives a Ford Raptor, he is just rolling in it, so maybe we can get his family. 

But really, I guess here a couple of things that happened to us walking around. Saw a monkey chained to a tree, didn't have my camera though. Saw the fattest pig I will ever see in my life. A crazy guy kind of followed us for a little bit and he really didn't speak any language. Ummmm, yeahhhh. On Friday I went on a division with Elder Mariquele, he is a funny guy. Natives man, they are something else, but he is super cool. I was on a division with him because I had to give a baptismal interview since I'm the District Leader, interesting experience. 

Anyways our house rocks. Love our house, super fun and chill guys. Oh yeah saying goodbye to the Thompson's, yeah that was really hard, it was super sad to see them go, I love them so much. But the mission just keeps evolving. Before you know it the Merrill's will be here, and we can really get this show on the road. 

Weird, everyone has been talking about this last month or two, your halfway done, but now it really is true. Whatever, just keep on going. Sad that Granddaddy Charlie died. Even though I really didn't know him, he is in a better place. I hope the Arrested Development are good, I'm dying for those. The summer is here, just got to get through the summer, and boom I'm back next summer, what up! Well that's about it for this week. I've really grown a lot closer to my Savior this week, this has been a life changing experience for me. Love you all!

Tchau,

Monday, May 20, 2013

Picture Week #50



This picture has officially become my favorite! Elder Brown's caption said "I love these kids so much!"

Lonie is a thug (I'm assuming little boy in yellow tank)


ElderBrown and the Palanca Negra
Back of the truck
Elder Walker leaving
Super Dirtyyyy
Elder Harper: Don't Trust Girls

High Flying



What Up


Oi Family and Friends!

What up everyone? I'm doing great out here. Our week was a little crazy with Elder Walker leaving and divisions and all bunch of stuff that when down. So beginning of the week, we went on divisions with Elder Chandler and that's when I sent all those pictures. We only taught one investigator in our area and a couple with Elder Chandler. The one investigator we taught was Arnaldo, super super solid guy, love him. Downside, he moved away because the Dona of the casa raised the rent. So he moved out to Camama and will be taught by other Elders, it was sad but he will get baptized. 

The next day, go on divisions with Elder Harper in his area. It was a pretty good day. Amandio, I hope you remember him, randomly called me to see what's up and we just talked for like 10 to 15 minutes. It was so awesome, made me miss Viana a lot but its alright I will see them again. 

That night we said goodbye to Elder Walker and Rainbolt. It was weird, felt like we just did that with Elder Davis, time just keeps flying by. Thursday we had some lessons, but it turned into a disappointing day. Our area has kind of fallen apart. People dropping like flies because they just don't put any effort into anything we say, its frustrating. So we once again like last transfer got to find more people. And it went good with one person, found this guy named Gostino on Friday. We sat with him on Saturday, came to church on Sunday, so we shall see what happens with him. So yeah this next week hopefully will be a week of new people. 

Random story of the day. We were planning on eating at this one place in our area for lunch. We go there and its closed. So then we go hunting for a place to eat because we were starving. We went everywhere, and there's a much longer story to this but, all in all we end up at this high flying nice restuarant looking out over the ocean. Haha we did it for the experience. 

Only one elder went to Huambo. Elder Hobbs is pretty funny, I love him and Elder Mariquele is from Mozambique and he is pretty cool, knows English very well, so I think our house is going to be pretty legit. And yeah I'm District Leader, a little weird but whatever. 

That's really cool that Ridge got her Patriarchal blessing. Glad she told me in her email to me this week;) And its funny you guys went to Weenie Roast. I can't believe I was there a year ago with Thomas, and yeah it was good Kade didn't go. Its pretty sad that the boys are making hard times for you there, they really should know better, especially if they want to prepare to be a great missionary. Time starts now and they got to be better. Also Mom thanks for the pop culture update, they are really nice :) Well I love you all, keep praying for me, especially for us to find more people this week. Love you all!!!:)

Tchau,

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Picture Week #49


Angolan Boy Band

Mustache Bash
Funny kids

Elder Walker and Elder Tingey

Elder Brown and Elder Tingey

Cool African sky

Ladera Ranch 2nd Primary gave Elder Brown a Book of Mormon they had signed to give to someone in Angola when they reached their goal they had made in Primary for bringing their scriptures
LR2's Primary's signatures
Elder Brown gave it to Arnaldo who can read both Portuguese and English

Armareldo and Elder Brown

Walking to President Thompson's house

The river

Camera doesn't do justice to the amazing African sun

Elder Harper got attacked by thorny weeds

A normal occurrence


Elder Brown and Dove

Elder Brown and Elder Harper

At the museum, Palanca Negras





Monday, May 13, 2013

The End of Another Transfer


Oi Family and Friends!

Another transfer down in the books, for the 7th time, wow! Well for me, nothing changes too much. I'm still in Benfica B with Elder Tingey but the people I live with switched up a little bit. We got AP's and they are Elder Wilhelm, who already lived in the house with us as a zone leader, and Elder Mariquele and they will be in our house in Benfica C. Then we got a new zone leader Elder Hobbs to be with Elder Harper. So Elder Hobbs and Elder Mariquele will move in and Elder Chandler will leave. And I also might be the district leader, but I'm not too sure yet. But yeah, Im pumped for this transfer. 

We could possibly have 5 baptisms this transfer, with two for sure baptisms with Arnaldo and Amareldo. They are progressing super well and I'm like a 100% positive that they will get baptized on the 15th of June, so we shall see.... And then the other three have a little more work to do , but they can get there I believe it. 

This week, started off crazy. We had an 8 lesson day on Tuesday. The most I've ever had in one single day, it was a crazy day. So crazy and a hard day but a rewarding day. Then the rest of the week kind of pittered and pattered but it was alright. We set some more baptismal dates with those other three so it was really good. We just got to find some more people this week to fill our pool up. Hopefully through references and members we can really get this going. We also met some crazy people this week, which were interesting but it's what you get for walking all the time everywhere. 

Then Mother's Day was awesome because of skyping with the family:) It was so good! Time is going by fast, and this next year will fly by for sure. The Pebble Beach trip sounded really cool, especially to play. I miss golfing and just getting out on the course with Dad. San Juan Hills next year, mark a tee time down haha. There's not too much to say after skyping. 

We went to a museum so I got a lot of pics of that. I have tons of pics to send, but I can't this week so next week expect a lot haha. Also today when we went to Belas Shopping we passed a movie cut out for the Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp, it looks so sick, put that on my list for sure haha. Really cool to see everyone and hear how summer is already coming again. I'm really excited for this transfer and can't wait to see what happens in the coming 6 weeks. It will be sad to say goodbye to the Thompson's next week, and weird that the Merrill's come in 6 weeks but it will be cool. Change is good. Oh also gave the BoM to Arnaldo because he speaks English too, so he has an English one and a Portuguese one now. Well that's all for this week, can't think of any cool stories that went down this week. Love you all and thanks for the support!

Tchau,

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Mother's Day Skype


Waiting for Elder Brown to call
Best Mother's Day gift ever!
Elder Brown and his little brother Kade
So good to see his beautiful smile!

Mother's Day shout out