Monday, July 29, 2013

Pictures Week #60


With Elder Tingey's rhino 
Stuff from the Praca 
African Bro 
Haircut with the iron (???)
American with some African Spice
Group Pic
Companions



Week Went By


Oi Family and Friends!


This week was not the greatest, not the worst. Three of our good investigators were out of town this week so we didn't have many lessons, and we didn't find anyone too awesome, but I'm still keeping the faith. I guess the highlight lesson of the week was a lesson with Danilson and his family with Presidente Quiame. We were teaching about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and with Presidente, he kind of just goes off on this rant of spirtual things, which isn't bad, haha it just takes awhile. Well we got it down that Danilson really does want to follow these things that we're teaching and come to our church and leave his church, but he was afraid of what other people would say and judge and such. We talked to him and promised him blessings and asked them to pray with his family of which church they should attend. I love that family so much, they are my family. I'm never going to give up on them. 

Well we were supposed to sit with them again on Saturday but the pump broke. We have had a broken pump for almost 2 months now. Well we were waiting for this pump guy all day, and we decided to finally leave, and literally the minute we were about to leave, who knocks on the door, the pump guy. So we had to stay home all day on Saturday. I went a little crazy. 

Well yesterday, Danilson´s family came, I think we have them:) Just have to get them married and that family will be baptized:) I'm so excited:) Well that was the real highlight of the week. 

The youth had a camp this weekend, so church was a little weird, all the youth in the district went. And while they were gone they ranked us missionaries for cuteness or whatever. Elder Tingey got first, of course. I pulled out 5th out of 6th, whatttt uppppp. Haha its funny. 

Oh also we had dinner last night with President and Sister Merrill which was really awesome. Oh btw this is what President wrote me about picking me up: yes, your parents can pick you up if they wish. They need to let me know FOR SURE at least 3 months before you are released. We cannot shorten or extend your release date and they have to make all their own travel arrangements. The church does not encourage it but it is not forbidden:). So there you have it. 

London seems like it's a blast, as well as Paris with Laura, that girl getting on the news, of course;) Haha love her. Hopefully the boys aren't destroying the house back at home. Yeah we find out about transfers this next Monday. Officially we don't know if anyone is coming because officially no one has gotten their visas yet. It's just all this someone knows a guy who knows a guy kind of thing, so we shall see. 

Loving it here, Africa is awesome, just got to keep on trucking. I've gotten so much stronger out here in Angola, and I can't wait to bring that back home with me and put it into practice:) Well I love you guys and hope everything is going well back at home. Crazy here in a month, you guys go back to school and BYU Football starts back up, a year goes by fast. Love you guys miss you all!!!!!

Tchau,

Monday, July 22, 2013

Pictures #59


African Family Night
With Rita's Family
Armando, Elisa, and Elder Brown
Funny Kids
Elder Tingey teaching Primary

Good Week



Oi Family and Friends!

So this letter is going to be a little short because I forgot my planner at the house so I won't be able to remember everything we did this week, just know we did work! Well I guess I will just go on an investigator by investigator basis. Ana Mira came to church! Finally in over a month. Her son dropped her off and the branch loved her. We were going to have Elder Wilhelm carry her up the stairs because stairs are so hard for her. But she got to the stairs and said to the effect that she doesn't need to be carried but with the help of Jesus she would climb every step. She is so funny, but this is a good step for her, she loved it. 

Danilson and his family, he is a little sketched out about the Book of Mormon, but at least he is reading it. He really needs to pray about it and I have faith that God will show him the way. When we invited him to church again, he was iffy like he didn't really like it the first time or didn't want to come back. Well in Sacrament Meeting, he comes in with his entire family! I was so caught off guard, I literally shed a couple of tears and offered a big prayer of gratitude. So we will just keep working with them. 

Another cool person, Lucas. We sat with him once and taught a little bit of the second lesson, and he also came with his wife and baby, so awesome! We had 11 investigators in church this week! Literally a record in this area. It was so awesome, and then we had some awesome food at Zinga's house. This juice company Nutry, which isn't my favorite, came out with this Apple Juice, best apple juice on the planet, awesome. 

Yesterday me and Elder Tingey got thrown into the Primary to teach the CTR's, haha, Elder Tingey tried his best. Today we went to the Praça and I spent some more money and bought some cool wood stuff. The Chinese kind of inflated the market today but I got this cool like Elephant table thing. Elder Tingey splurged big time on this fatty Rhino for 60 bucks. It's so huge and it's going to take alot of room in his suitcase. It was an impulse buy, next week I will send pics and such of our Praça accomplishments. 

The vacation sounded pretty fun, I'm fine really, you can tell me it doesn't really bother me. I got the rest of my life to do those things, so I'm good. Good thing Ridgely didn't get too sick or anything while she was in Fiji. Overall everything is good. Next summer will be fun:) Everyone have a good week and have a fun time in London, say Hi to Laura for me:)

Tchau,


Picture Week #58 7/15/13


Inside a taxi
Home Theater-Watching 17 Miracles
:)
At our new Baptismal Font
Love her!
Elder Brown, Josemar, and Cecilia

Awesome Week 7/15/13


Oi Family and Friends!

This week has been awesome, like so awesome! We had some many good lessons this week, with the Spirit, it was sweet. Right now we are teaching this one complete family, Danilson Family. Sat with them twice, and it was really good. Danilson doesn't seem too into it, but hopefully that will change. They have the smartest 11 yr old girl though. First lesson we were teaching the Restoration, and at the end she asked about when God appeared to Joseph Smith, which church did God say was the right one. Also in our second lesson, she asked about the Scripture in Amos 8:11 and if that already happened. So smart, and her and Danilson showed up for church yesterday so hopefully this will keep rolling good. 


Mario, are other awesome family is traveling for two weeks so we have to put a hold on him, so hopefully he is good when he gets back. Me and Elder Tingey are just working hard and doing are best. We have gotten so close, and were brothers for life, it's going to be sad when we split up, it will be a hard day. Oh we also have this new guy named Dasildo, awesome guy. Called us out of the blue, we met him like a month ago, and he called us. He has a baptismal date now, and he is willing to do pretty much anything, he is awesome. So were going to get Miradouro to help us out with him and he should be golden, I hope. 

Thanks mom for the package that your going to send. I do have two requests that I want really bad here. 1st. from most recent and as far as you can go back, download Mormon Messages and burn them on DVDs so we can play them on our DVD Players here, that would be awesome. Especially the Earthly Father, Heavenly Father one. Also The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the book thats in that series that we use for Priesthood and Relief Society, I miss that book. 

I'm loving life right now. It's going so sweet and awesome, and just more work will only make it better. Heavenly Father is just blessing me beyond measure and I'm not even deserving of it. But I am so thankful. And Haha I think it's just funny that once I go on a mission that you guys start going to places that I've always wanted to go.... London, Caribbean, NYC, etc. But its alright haha. 

I've been healthy which is always good, I've just felt awesome lately and I'm loving it. Oh also last week I sent a letter to the house for Mason because I forgot his address so just get that to him when you can. Sounds like summer is awesome, every one having a grand ole time haha. 

Oh last story, we met this new guy yesterday, him and his brother. Both speak really good English, and we had a really good first lesson. Victor is just funny though, saying in 2 to 3 years he is going to America and he is going to see us there yada yada yada. He is a crack up but hopefully he can start progressing. Well that's all I can remember specifically that happened this week. Hope Ridge is safe out in Fiji and my family is safe on the ship. Everyone have a great week and until next week!

Tchau,



Monday, July 8, 2013

Pictures Week #57


America! Happy 4th of July!

Elder Tilly helping the guard take the pic

Lunch (his captions are always so creative-ha!)

Awesome Week


Oi Family and Friends!

This week was pretty sweet with everything going on. Well the beginning of the week we had some solid lessons. We have this one investigator named Armando. He recently was shot in the leg so he is stuck in his bed for the next couple of months. So we can go over and teach him whenever. We left a Book of Mormon and he is reading it like a beast (what else can he do), he is doing really well. Just have to heal so he can go to church and then we have to get over the next roadblock which is marriage, but I know one day this family will be baptized. Found another new guy named Danilson who hopefully will progress really good as well. 


Well, the highlights obviously were the Mission Conference. Thursday it was an all day affair and it was really good to finally get to know the Merrill's, it was super sweet to also learn from them. We had that all day on the 4th of July and after we went over to Cajuerio and played soccer, which was really fun and intense. Then that night we drank Coke and I broke out the American Flags, and America the Beautiful on my Ipod, and Elder Hobbs read the Declaration of Independence, good 4th. Next one back in the States, weird. 

Friday was a Testimony meeting, and that was also super good with the Merrill's and all the missionaries. Had lunch, super good and it was a good day. Elder Fontaine stayed at our house that night for divisions and he is so funny. We determined that the best state in America was....... California, What Up! That was fun. And we played the movie game and other things, he is super funny. Saturday we had our interviews, and mine was so good. Well, first Elder Tingey had his so I talked with Sister Merrill for awhile, I love her, she is so sweet. Then I had mine and it was so so so good. Really took some stress off me, and really helped me out with this lesson that I will talk about. But we also had lunch there and it was just so awesome and fun. 

Had some more lessons that day and then we had this one lesson that the spirit was so strong with this married family, this guy named Mario. It was so awesome, the best lesson me and Elder Tingey have given together about the Restoration. And he came to church yesterday and I thought it went really well. 

President Merrill is so awesome, took so much stress off us the missionaries to get contacts, find families, numbers numbers, numbers. Yes we still have to do that but what really is important day in and day out is listening and following the spirit each and every day, that's how were successful no matter what the numbers say. He is so awesome!

I didn't know you guys are going on a cruise to the Caribbean, especially without me, Che! You guys have just been to all the places that I've always wanted to go, but it's alright. Hope Kaden is good, and Keller, and Ridgely in Fiji. Say Hi to Laura for me while your in London this month. Speaking of Laura, its her birthday today, So HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA! Hope it's a good one in London:) 

This week should be really good for us, and hopefully we can just do the will of the Lord each and every day. We're getting American stuff at Nosso Super so I can't really think of anything I;m lacking except for Dr Pepper for packages, I've been so long away from America. Maybe Chex Mix, idk. Well I Love you all and hope the Summer just keeps going well, enjoy it while it lasts! Love you all!:)

Tchau,

Monday, July 1, 2013

Pictures Week #56


Elder Richter and Elder Brown
Twinners 
Baptisms


It's July Already!


Oi Family and Friends!


It's pretty awesome that it's July already. We had a pretty good week, just keep trying to find as many people as we can. We finally got to sit with some families and give them the start up lesson. Hopefully this week we can see them start progressing. We also have this list of people who have potential but for some reason we can just never sit with them, so hopefully we can sit with them soon. 


Ana Mira is still such a champ, she studies everything we give her, it's just she just can't get to church, which is pretty frustrating because that's all that is holding her back. We will keep trying with her. But me and Elder Tingey are doing pretty good. 

This past Wednesday we went to the airport to see the others off, it was weird, like super weird. And a little sad but it's got to happen sometime. It's just weird without Richter, Arrington and Harper around, especially Harper because I was living with him these past three transfers. 

On Saturday the Merrill's finally got here, although they lost their luggage, but it was so cool to meet with them. Kind of an embarassing moment though for me....I shook President Merrill´s hand for the first time and he goes "Hi Elder Brown, I'm that random guy." Apparently he read my blog and he saw that four months ago that when we found out that President Thompson wasn't going to be called but I said they just called this random guy. Well he remembered that for 4 months and introduced himself as that random guy. Upside, he knows who I am now, downside it was a little embarassing. But they are so awesome, just the little time I have been around them, it's going to be so awesome finally to be a mission. 

This week were having a mission conference on Thursday and Friday, and I will have a 20 minute interview with him on Saturday. So this week is going to be really awesome, just boost us up big time. It's weird that alreadly half the year is gone and that time just keeps going. 

Oh yeah and I baptized Scurina on Saturday which was pretty awesome as well, but now we don't have anyone with baptismal dates so we gotta step it up big time now. Oh yeah I forgot another story. On Friday, 5 of our 6 lessons fell through, pois. So we decided to do some exploring of our area, because Mundial is part of our area, and I've never been there and I wanted to see if it was walking distance from Nosso Super, well it's not. We walked way out to the middle of nowhere, wow it was an adventure. We eventually ended up at the Matadouro, which is the place where they slaughter cows. This taxi guy gave us a little tour of the place and they had these cool cows with these cool looking horns. It was cool to finally see cows here since we only see pigs and chickens. 

Packages are great, thanks Mom! I think the Dr. Pepper, since its so expensive can be a Christmas gift. Since I won't need a lot of things for Christmas. But that's still a good 6 months away. But overall I'm doing fine. Summer seems to be going swell, Sorry Kade that you jumped in the pool with your new iPhone. Hopefully it should be ok. 

Mission is hard but great. Weird still that I'm already done with a majority of it. But just gotta keep going and keep working, having faith, and doing everything I possibly can. Have a good week everyone and a good 4th!

Tchau,