Pictures Week #29

 

Elder Brown at an orphanage

Elder Brown and some sweet little kids

A little boy from the orphanage

Elder McAllister and a little boy who was crying

African Sky

Angola

Mango

P-Day (photo courtesy of Sister Thompson's blog)

Working up an appetite on Thanksgiving(photo courtesy of Sister Thompson's blog)

Hard Week

Oi! Family and Friends,

This week has been hard and tough. But its over, done and gone. On Tuesday I woke up with a very painful and stiff neck, I guess from just sleeping on it weird or something. It was hard to handle walking around and everything this week. But it's pretty much better for the most part. 

On Wednesday we went to this Orphanage in Estalagem, where some of my pics came from. It was really fun to play with the kids and just have a good time with them. We stayed there for like two hours. Then the rest of the day I was just in bed not feeling very well, it stunk. 

Last Monday at our family night, Paulino killed this huge centipede at church, and picked it up and started to chase us laughing like a madman. That kid is a maniac, haha but I love him. Also this week while we were in Vila, Elder McAllister got pickpocketed out of his backpack and lost his his wallet. Luckily he noticed and we chased the kid down and got it back. Haha he said it was on the ground and we should give him duzentos. Haha we were like nada and left him. 

This week has also been tough on us because no one really could sit with us. It was quite annoying. But life goes on right. On Saturday the young women had this activity which was fun to be at, Johnny was teaching us how to dance some Kudouro haha which I will get before I get back to the states. 

That's really sad what happened with the elementary school, something I learned when people always ask out here why does bad things happen to good people? I use 2 Nephi 2:27 And I forget the other right now, but the one talking about there needs to be an opposition in all things. Sometimes life is hard and has tragedy and suffering, but it also has joy, happiness and love. 

As far as our house it's two per room, and I don't have bed bugs like the other Elders. Elder Richter´s comp I don't think is going to get here this transfer. But I also don't think we will be going to the Ryan´s. I think we will be going to Amandios house, and I think we will do Skype there and hopefully his internet holds up. Nothing is for sure right now, but next Monday I will give the final details, what time and everything on Christmas. So next week you will get the details. If its skype, can you just make me a skype account there and send me the log in info next week? And if it's facetime, I forget my Apple ID and password. 

Packages haven't gotten here yet but I'm hoping they will in the next couple of weeks. Sounds like everyone partied hard this week. Hope everyone has a merry holidays. Well I'm just glad I can put this week behind me and I'm hoping so much to have a better week. 

For Christmas Eve we will spend a couple hours at President's house, and then Christmas not to sure yet but I will let you know for sure next P Day. Love you guys and I miss all of you so much! Haha also I found something to put on my B-Day list, the game Bang!, the western card game, haha I would love to have that out here:) Well Love you guys and have a good week:)

Tchau,

Here We Go Again

Oi! Family and Friends,


This week was pretty busy with just everything. Well for starters we had to help the new guys move in, set up beds, set up their bedroom, etc. That was a pretty hectic day but we got through it. So the new elder from the MTC is Elder Chatwin from Mesa Arizona. He's pretty cool, haha just he is in that adjustment period of being here in Angola with a foreign language and all. But he will get into it before you know it. Since me and McAllister and Richter are in a tripla, Elder Richter helped out the other two get to know Viana, and their area, and some investigators that they inherited. And me and Elder McAllister walked in both of our areas that we have to cover, Viana A and B. And that's what's going to be difficult with this transfer, is that our real area really needs to be built up and we need to do a lot of finding, but we won't have the time that much to do it because we will also have to be teaching the investigators in my old area and helping make sure that they are progressing as well. So it's going to be a topsy turvy kind of transfer but we will get through it, like always. Anyways we had some really good lessons and I really like walking with Elder McAllister as well haha. 

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Benham for the 50 dollars, I think I'm going to buy this sick Angola flag watch with that money, haha I really want it. We had a good P Day today, haha I love all the Elders here, friendships will carry over after this is all said and done. Yeah Gildo is super sick, but that Sara girl I have no clue who that is. 

Yeah so for the Christmas thing, don't know exact details yet because if Elder Richter's real companion gets here, it will be them two going and not me and McAllister. But it will most likely be us. So when it gets closer to the day, we will set up the time and all that. Yeah everything is decorated for Christmas here, or as much as they can do. Yeah they don't have Christmas trees really, some people do but not all. 

Sounds like your concert week went so freaking good. Haha I'm jealous. This past week my testimony of Joseph Smith grew so much from reading his teachings of the president book. He was such an inspired man and a man of god, and I gained an even greater perspective and greater appreciation of his calling that he had all the way from the pre mortal world. Wow, I can't wait to meet him someday, and I will defend him and testify of him till the day that I die. 

Sounds like sports are winding down a bit. It's crazy that Christmas is in two weeks. Time is flying by. Before you know it I will be stepping off a plane home to a regular life. Life is crazy. I've seen some crazy stuff out here I would never have seen in my life. And I'm having experiences like no other out here. Sometimes it doesn't really hit me that I'm in Africa teaching the gospel and all that, I've just grown so accustomed to it that it seems like normal life. It's weird. Especially since my Portuguese is a lot better and I'm still learning and growing with it. Well I love you all and am so grateful for all of you and all the support you give me! Love you all!

Tchau,

Pictures Week #27

 

Elder Brown and Elder Richter in Kilamba

Elder Brown in Kilamba

Elder Kearney and Elder Brown

Did Somebody Say Dream Team???

Oi Family and Friends!

Well today we found out about transfers, and I'm staying in Viana, but moving areas. And me new companion is............. Elder McAllister, hence the title of the email;) It should be really cool and we should get a lot of work done. We are also having 6 missionaries in the house now, me and Elder McAllister, Elder Richter is going to train this Brazilian Elder if he ever gets here because he has visa problems, so Elder Richter will be in a triple with us till then. And then Elder Tilly is coming and he is going to train one of the new elders, so its gonna be a party in Viana now, but it will be good. 

This last week went by pretty fast. It rained a couple of days but especially on Friday. Me and Elder Sande were on division, and as we were leaving this recent convert´s house, its started to sprinkle a little bit, and then massive pour down. We were soaked, and we were so far from the main road that we waited under this roadside shack for like an hour and a half till it slowed down. Rain here is crazy, and makes things complicated here, haha but what's the mission without a lil challenge;) 

We were able to get a lot of new investigators this week so hopefully they turn into solid investigators. I am really glad that I'm not leaving Viana yet, I love this area and branch so much, the members and the primary kids, everything. It's gonna be a sick transfer. 

And for Christmas were going to go to Elder Richter's friends house to do Skype and such, so when I get more details we will coordinate the times and such for all that, I'm excited for that. I did get the Christmas packages, and I was so happy about what was inside. Presents, snacks, pictures, music, etc. I especially loved the pics and music:) They weren't wrapped when I got them, but they didn't seem opened I will take pics of me with them and send them next week for you mom. I also got a package from Aunt and Uncle Scott, and from Grandpa and Grandma Brown today, so I don't know what's in that yet. But I wanna say thank you so much for those things! 

We were at the Reedy's today for food and she put together like a gift game, and I won this cool toy airplane, I'll show it next week. Oh yeah weight update, I've lost 15-20 pounds here since the MTC. Crazy huh, but I think it deals mostly with how much we walk everyday, and we don't get to eat as much as we do in the MTC. 

UM, well that's all I can think of this week. Paulino gave his testimony this past Sunday, which was a little funny because halfway through his testimony he launched into a talk on the Law of Chastity, haha. It was funny but good, he is kind of like a child but he is such a solid member. Well I think that's it. I love you all and thanks for all the support!!

Tchau,

6 months down!

Oi Family and Friends,

This Week has been pretty good for us. We got a good amount of lessons , and our investigators are progressing really nicely. So our Thanksgiving was pretty sweet not gonna lie. Well first we went out to Kilamba, which is this new city that has already been built and there still adding to it. There is everything there, with just 100s of buildings, but no one lives there, no one. There is maybe like 5-6 buildings occupied because right now it's just too expensive for anyone to buy, which I think they are keeping the prices too high until they completely finish. It was just so cool, so quiet, kind of like a video game. It was also cool because we will always be the first ever missionaries to walk in that city, and it will be cool to come back when its a huge bustling city and see the difference. But we taught Edvanho there who is a recent convert, and just helping him get strengthened. 

After for Thanksgiving dinner we went to President's house, which was super good. We ate turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes etc. It was super good, best food we have had here in a long time. It was also a beautiful day. After we watched a mormon message on Mormon Helping Hands with the New York City Hurricane and a slideshow of some pictures of us in Angola. It was a good Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving Dinner at President Thompson's

Matthew, the Ethiopian, has been having some struggles in his life. Its been difficult but we are helping him through with it, and luckily a member in our branch was able to hook him up with a place to stay for a little while. Just keep him in your prayers, he deserves it. Yesterday we also met with Josilde who was about to be baptized in Naimbe but he had to leave before his baptism, but he found the missionaries here in Angola miraculously, and we set a baptismal date with him for the end of the year. 

Crazy that the end of the year is already here. Tell you the truth I'm just ready to get 2013 up and starting. Well for me this is the last week in the transfer so we will find out about transfers next week I'm pretty sure in my next email. 

Sounds like the family had a lot of fun out in Vegas for Thanksgiving and also at Universal Studios. The Christmas decorations look amazing as well, so great job. The shirt from Chicago to Provo looks so sick and I wish I had one haha. Well that's about it for this week. Devon is going into the MTC this Wednesday so I wish him the best of luck as he starts out his adventure for 2 years! And this week I hit my 6 month mark which is crazy, but reminds me I still got alot of time and work ahead of me. Love you all and thanks for all your support!:)


Tchau,

First Video from Keegs

                                            Thanks Elder and Sister Hartman for the video!