6 Weeks Dead and Gone

Oi! Family and Friends,

This week went by fine. Elder Castleton despediu tons of people, lots of member dinners and such. Which kind of took a chunk out of our days this week but that's ok. Well for transfer news I'm getting transfered to Luanda 1 also called Terra Nova with Elder Marqueza. He is a Mozambicano who just got here so I'll be finishing up his training this transfer. And I'll be living with Elder Yeanoplos again as well as Elder Money. So offcially I will have served in all the branches here in Luanda. I'm happy and sad for the change. Sad because we were going to have a lot of baptisms this transfer and I have to leave a lot of people that I already love, but I'm happy because Luanda 2 isn't my most favorite branch to work in, and I'll explain why when I get home haha. 

So yep finishing off my mission in a new area, in the most ghetto place of Luanda, and where everything bad usually happens haha. Pray for me! Haha nah I'll be fine. 

This past weekend we had the baptims for Silvio and Monica, way cool. I baptized Silvio and gave the gift of the Holy Ghost to Monica. Way cool experience. And also yes my birthday, it was good, nothing too special. Went to Belas for lunch and I got some sushi, to keep the tradition alive haha. But overall it was good. Made the tye dye cake, turned out good. I would send all these pics I have but for some reason this computer won't read my card, hopefully at the new place where I'll be doing internet will be better. 

I'm kind of ancy as well to read all the talks from conference, just want to know ja. Haha glad that Spring Break went well for everyone. My mind is going to be blown when I see all my siblings again and how old they have gotten haha. Weird weird weird that it's close. But I'm just going to work hard and do my best and these last 6 weeks will fly by haha. Well I love you all, have a good week, and stay as close to the spirit as you can, that's the only way to live!

Tchau,

Good Week

Oi! Family and Friends,

Sorry this is a day late, yesterday we didn't get back until late, and all the internet cafés were closed. But I'll give a brief recap of our weekend. So on Sunday we went over to the mission home, and we prepared our part of the potluck dinner. Had some dinner and then watched conference live, way good. Pres. Uchtdorf and Elder Ballard´s talk was really good. As well as I really enjoyed Bishop Stevenson's talk about the Olympics. Well Elder Bednar had just started his talk, and the power went off. And we weren't exactly live with the conference because we paused it so we could eat and all that. So when the power went off, we couldn't go back to his talk or Pres. Monson´s talk. That was too bad. 

So while we were waiting for the afternoon session to start we watched part of the Saturday morning session. And Elder Holland's talk. Wow. haha hit home for me hard. I can't even explain it, just those kinds of talks that just hit you personally. Way good talk. Then we watched the afternoon session live, and then slept at the mission home. 

Woke up the next morning went all the way out to the safari place. We were late so they sent one of the their drivers home so they only had one truck. So the people who never went, went on the truck, and the rest of us went on a boat ride in the river. It was cool, didn't see much, but a cool experience. Then the long trek home. Very fun weekend though. 

Already this morning we taught Maria, a sister to a member who is progressing really well to her baptism on the 26th of April as well as we taught José, a son of a member, where we had a really good lesson with him on the Word of Wisdom because he has some troubles with smoking and drinking. 

This is Elder Castleton's last week, crazy, last week of the transfer. Next P Day I'll find out my last companion. Nervous to see who it is. But overall life is good with me. This Saturday we also have two baptisms in Silvio and Monica, we are excited. It's starting to hit me lil by lil that I'm going home. It's weird. 

But thank you to everyone who sent me Bday wishes. Can't believe I'm turning 21 in two days. Love you all! Study the words of this past conference and I promise you, you will find peace and answers to your problems. Hope you all have an awesome week!

Love,

Pictures Week #94

Manuel's birthday lunch

Elder Bernardo, Elder Brown, and Elder Rodrigues 

Elder Brown, Maria, her friends, and Manuel

Vladamir's Family

Good Good Week

Oi! Family and Friends!

This week has been a good one for me. Not as much work as we had last week but it was still pretty good. So someone cool that we're working with is called Decolino. He is a guy who randomly showed up to church who lives in our area, he is pretty much blind. He can see big things and get himself around, but if he lived in the States, he would be considered legally blind. And at first I didn't really get him, like what he wanted from us or in life. I was confused, so we invited him to baptism and he accepted a date for the 26th of April. So he is doing really well and we're having a member pass by him to read to him throughout the week, so we shall see how he continues to progress. 

Also Arsenio, someone who was supposed to get baptized on the 12th dropped because his parents doesn't want him too..... He is 25 years old and living with them. So we had to delay his date for who knows when. But my goal is to see him get baptized before I leave. Hmm who else. Oh yeah there is Vladmir who is way cool, but I'm just going to wait until I get home to talk about his situation. It's pretty personal and I don't want that on the internet, but I'll for sure talk to about him when I get home. Also this past week was Manuel, one of our less actives, birthday so he came and walked with us in the morning and then we took him out for lunch, I think he had a good time. 

Also this week we got a new dupla to our district. An Angolan named Elder Bernardo, he is waiting for his visa to the Dominican Republic so he started his mission here, and he is with Elder Garcia in our district now, so that's pretty cool. 

I know Mom will like to hear this, my birthday packages from both Grandma and Mom, as well as my Easter package got here:) So thank you for that:) On Thursday me and Elder Castleton helped out President and Sister Merrill with the new Family History Center that there trying to get together here. Moved a lot of broken office furniture that's been sitting back in this one room, way dusty and nasty. Way gross. But it was fun, And it will be way awesome for Angola once that gets up and going here. 

Happy Birthday to Kell and Ridge! They just keep on growing, hope its a good one for ya guys! Weird that we're going into April here soon, and I'm going to be 21, I'm getting old. Also, cool thing next Sunday we are going to President's house for Conference to watch it live and stay there for the night. And then we are going on a Safari the next day! So way sick and coolness coming up. Well I love you all, another week come and gone, and not many more to go. Hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Pictures Week #93

Levi's family and the Elders

Elder Brown, Elder Wilhelm and Elder Cafferty

Elder Tilley and Elder Brown

Hard Working Week

Oi! Family and Friends,


This week me and Elder Castleton worked way hard to build our area up, and the work paid off. It looks like I should be able to see 5 to 10 baptisms in this area before I leave in 2 months which is way exciting. There are some really cool people that we're working with like Arsenio, Juquim, and Carla, Silvio, etc. Transfer is going well and crazy that by this Wednesday that it will already be halfway over. And I'll be in single digits of weeks left..... crazy. But that's not what I'm focusing on. haha. 

I'm also way excited for General Conference here in a little under 2 weeks. I have grown such a love for the words of the Living Prophets, they are seriously the words of God for us in these days. And now I'm always looking forward to the conferences now, and studying the talks in the months after it. This past week we also had a zone conference which was way good. We talked about finding, and studying and teaching, and Sister Merrill did this way cool training on being positive about ourselves and keeping Satan out of our lives, it was way cool. 

I also had to say goodbye to Elder Wilhelm and Elder Tilley. Crazy that they are gone. It was sad too. Elder Wilhelm was one of my best friends out here, and he is going to BYU Idaho, booooooo, so I won't see him for awhile. But I love him, and Elder Tilley. 

It's been raining a bit here which stinks because after it rains, it is incredibly hotter because of humidity. So hot here in Africa haha. But I'm surviving it haha. 

Also a Happy Birthday! To Mom! Thanks Mom for being the best mom ever and supporting me throughout my life especially out here on my mission:) I love you! Overall trust in the fact that I'm working hard day in and day out until the end. Also weird that my 21st birthday is coming up. I'M getting old.... Overall I'm good, and I hope everyone else is doing good. I love you all! Have a good week!

Love,

Pictures Week #92

Elder Brown and Elder Hanson

Elder Brown and Elder Cafferty sporting glasses

Elder Brown and Elder Cafferty

Family Night

Elder Brown and Elder Yeanoplos

Cassequel Krew

Elder Brown and Elder Domingos

Arsenio, Elder Brown, and Juquim

Marinete and her family