Mitchell Got Birthday Package - New Birthday Tie from Member

Elder Jackson and Elder Brown got South Africa Ties

Happy Birthday - 20 years old

Baptism Sunday April 26, 15

Elder Jackson baptized Welhemina, and Elder Brown baptized Esther. 

April 27, 2015

Dear Mom, 

Time is really hard to comprehend.  I feel so confused and almost feel I am living in a dream as I look back over events in my life and have a feeling that it was just yesterday.  It is crazy to look back on school and feel like it was just a few months ago! It doesn’t feel like I have been out for 191/2 months, with only 3 to go! I can't believe it has gone so fast. At the same time it has gone pretty slow. A mission is not easy, and I don’t blame you for counting down.  I guess the important thing is just not to always be focusing on that- counting down.  I know if I did, it would make me super home sick! I can't believe that I am now down to 100 days!!! I know I need to keep working hard, and appreciate this time I have as a missionary. I will never be able to do this again, or be in this situation again. President didn't really tell me much in my interview about area's or anything. I guess from what I have seen on mission I will probably be going to another area, before coming home.  The question is will I stay here in Randburg for another transfer, and then to my last area for my last transfer. I guess only time can tell.

 I am loving my area! I especially love the members here! We don't have a lot of people to teach, but we have been working pretty hard the last few weeks planting seeds, and we can see a lot of potential coming, so the area should be picking up soon. I would like to stay to see it happen, but I don't know. Elder Jackson is a fun companion, and he likes to work hard which is good! 

I will still be here in Randburg on Mother's Day. The transfer ends on the 12th of May. We have kind of started to make plans for skyping! We have a few members that have internet and computers that have offered for us to come to there homes. We will try to start finalizing plans for that probably this next week. I think that time will work great - 8 to 11 am for you! 

I can not believe it is  Finals week at SUU and that school will be ending! I have now missed two school years! Again comprehending time is hard, it has zoomed by.   I am glad that Randall and Katrina were able to find a place, and to get all there things packed into a truck. I am sure that will be fun to have them sleep over for a few days, and to have them around. You will have to tell Katrina congrats for me on the Graduation. I hope that Blake can make it through finals ok. I know he has had some hard classes!! 

Baptism went great on Sunday!!! Elder Jackson baptized Welhemina, and I baptized Esther. The program and everything went great!  We had some good members participate in the program! It is nice to have a good ward that we can rely on. All the baptism's I have had previously in township, we as the missionaries were responsible for doing everything!!  They will make some great members!! I hope they can continue to make good relationships with the members. I think it is a bit difficult with a lot of the members being white in this ward! On a more spiritual note it was very fantastic. It is always very special to be able to baptize someone, and exercise the Priesthood. I always get a bit nervous when baptizing someone, but it ran very smooth. I could feel the spirit very strong, and it was a wonderful experience. I guess it was a bit funny on Elder Jacksons side! He was nervous to baptize Welhemina because she is a bit bigger. When he baptized her she just basically fell over in the water, and started squirming haha!! She thought she was going to drown! But she didn't, and it went fine. 

Thanks for asking about my clothes.  I am doing alright with clothes. My shirts are all good, and I was happy to get the cuff link shirt in your birthday package -  so thank you! I might have to buy a sweater or two for the winter! I have bought a few pairs of pants that I wore in the hot months when we did not wear suit coats.  But really all my clothes are just fine. 

Im sorry I do not have much to report on our teaching, because we really haven't been teaching too much. It has been a good and productive week, but not a lot of lessons. We have been working really hard to find people and plant seeds. It is good because we have seen a lot of potential coming, so I think the next few weeks will be really good with work. Jackie is doing ok. She didn't smoke for 5 days, which is amazing considering she hasn't gone a day in 34 years without it. She did relapse a bit, but she is still doing great. I think she is a bit hard on herself. She is an amazing lady. We always have good spiritual lessons with her. I just feel such a strong spirit within her. I know that Satan is battling against her, and doesn't want her to overcome her challenges. I know that she will be a strong member! She finally came to church this week, which was amazing. She has missed 3 weeks. She was grateful for your emails, and I am too! Thank you for supporting her, and bearing your testimony to her. She always tells me what a strong mother I have, and I just tell here ya I know! 

We found a good place to do some contacting with our banner! We are going to try and do it this week on Wednesday, and I will get pictures! 

When we were scoping out where to do our contacting, we met a Korean guy! He was really cool, and he knew a lot about the church. He was a bit skeptical, but we gave him a Book of Mormon, and invited him to read it. We have really been praying for him to call us, and we really hope he will. We talked to him in the mall for like 25 minutes!

Last Monday Elder Jackson and I went to the Croc Farm on P-Day! It was a crocodile farm, with a bunch of different sized crocs. We got to hold a bunch of stuff! Like a baby croc, a python, and a trianchala!! I got a bunch of pictures, but for some reason they won't upload, so I will try again next week. 

I guess we have really just been trying to work with members still, because that is all we can do in this area. We are praying that we will start to get some good referrals in the coming weeks. I am constantly having spiritual experiences. Like being guided to certain situations. I know that nothing is a coincidence, or an accident.  I know we are guided and it is not just by chance that things happen.   The Lord really is in every aspect of our work! It is great to be serving him, and to know that I am doing his work, and that he will constantly be guiding us if we rely on him. I hope you have a good week, and know I love you!

Love

Your son

Elder Brown

Mitchell with his Zone at the Mission home for President Interviews and a little service

Mitchell with President Dunn

Elder Jackson - Mitchell companion.  At Mission home for interviews and making muffins

Mitchell Zone at the Mission home for president interviews

Mitchell at Rugby Game

Elder Raymond cheering with Mitchell sitting to his side.  Elder Raymond family posted this and tagged Elder Brown.  The missionaries were cheering for the Reds from Queensland Australia and the Bulls are from South Africa-theywere cheering for the away team - good thing they didn't get beat up.  

April 20 , 2015

Dear Mom,

It has been a good week on this side! I feel it has been productive, even if we haven't been teaching a lot of investigators. I feel like Elder Jackson and I are working hard, and using our time wisely.

I guess the big event was my birthday!! It was pretty good. I had a few members at church remember my birthday, and wish me a happy birthday at church!! I am grateful to be a great ward that has good members. We went to a black families for dinner last night, and they brought out a cake and sang happy birthday to me, and that was great! I took a video of it, and I will send that too you.  

I am grateful to have spent my birthday here. It is hard to know I am away from my family, but it is for a reason. I know that it is worth it to spend my birthday away from home to share the gospel! Birthday's on mission are weird because it is just like every other day.   We might go to the Apartheid museum today, so that will be something fun for my birthday. 

Hooray I got the birthday/ Easter package this week!! I was excited to receive your package right before my birthday! Thank you so much for all you sent me. It was all great. I am going to get fat quick though with all the candy. I guess I will have to just give it away. Elder Jackson and I have been eating candy constantly the last few days haha!! There were some really cool things in your package. Thanks for the book, it is really nice. I think it will be nice to show to people what home is like! Also thank you for the recordings! It is really good to hear you voices, and weird to think I will hear you again in a few weeks(mothers day)

I also got two more letters, so I think the mail is getting through just fine now! 

Well I guess with school I really don't know. I guess I will be fine to just jump into hard classes. i just feel stupid now after being away from school, and I hope I won't struggle getting back into things. I would like to try and work at the same time, but I am sure I could find a job somewhere that would be at night. Thank you so much for getting me all signed up. I know it is a lot of stress. Also tell Blake thanks! 

The week has been good. We are really only teaching Wilhemina, Esther and Jackie. Those are the only good investigators we have right now. Wilhemina and Esther will be getting baptized this upcoming Sunday on the 26th! They were interviewed this last Friday, and I think they are both ready for baptism. I am so happy for the two of them. I guess it really has been a journey for them. It is so uplifting to see someone change. I have seen them change from having no testimony, to now having a decent testimony, and wanting to follow the Savior. I guess my testimony has grown so much watching them grow. I have really just relearned simple truths a long side them. I hope that they will continue to grown and develop in the gospel. I will let you know next week how the baptism went and send pictures.

We had a miracle with Jackie this week. On Monday we fasted with her, and we challenged her to fast from smoking as well. She went the whole fast without smoking, but that wasn't the miracle. We met her on Tuesday night, and had a great lesson on Faith. We taught her that if she had enough faith she could overcome her smoking tonight! She was a bit nervous, but she believed. We gave her a Priesthood blessing, and then threw her cigarettes away! Since Tuesday she still has not smoked!!! It is amazing how the Lord works, and that he can just take this addiction of 34 years away from Jackie!! I am so grateful that I was able to be part of this. I wrote a letter, and talked a bit more about it. I guess the only disappointing thing is Jackie hasn't really been coming to church. It seems like something different happens every week. This week Nathan, her son, was gone, so she didn't dare come to church by herself. it is upsetting because she told us on Saturday night that she would be there. I guess we will keep working with here. 

The rest of the week we have been seeing members and less actives. We did see I guess a few other investigators, but no one note worthy. we have really been working with our members, and asking them for referrals, and even ways we can find people. WE are hoping in the next 2 weeks that this work with the members will start to pay off. It is so hard to find new people in this area, so we will just keep trying, and stay motivated. We have been doing service as well, and we are going to try and start some other service at schools and things. I will let you know if any of it works out. 

This week I have been missing home being my birthday. I guess it has really made me reflect though on this last year. I am so happy that I have been able to spend my last two birthday on a mission. There is nowhere else that I would rather be. I guess sometimes I wish I was home with friends and things, but I really would be nowhere else. I know this is the best place for me to be. I have learned so much. My testimony of the Savior and Atonement have grown so much!! I am so grateful that we have Christ as our Savior, and that we are able to repent. It is also amazing to share more with people about the Savior, and what is possible because of him. 

Elder Jackson is great. We are pretty much best pals!! We have a lot of fun together, and we are also able to motivate each other!I am so grateful to have a good companion!  I went to the Rugby game last Saturday with Elder Raymond! He got permission to go because it is his last transfer, and he invited us. If you remember I served around him when I was in Hospital View, and we became really good friends. It was a fun game, and we were pretty much the only ones there supporting the Reds! All the big Afrikaners were just staring at us and they looked upset that we were supporting the other team! haha

 I have president interviews tomorrow! We will be at the mission home from 11-1. It is nice to go and see the Dunn's. The weather has been cooling off a bit! Today and yesterday were a lot colder. I think that winter is coming. I guess we have been in fall the last few months, but they don't really have any leaves or anything that change. They go from green to brown!! We have gotten a bit of rain, and I guess if it rains this time of year it will be a cold winter. I will try to keep you updated on weather. 

I am grateful for this Easter time, and I am glad that I am your Easter baby. I hope that I wasn't too much trouble for you. I am nowhere near perfect, but I am glad that you still love me. I hope the week is a good one. I love and miss you. 

Love

Your son

Elder Brown

Johannesburg Temple - Elder Jackson (new companion)

April 13, 15

Dear Mom,

Well it has been a great week here. I guess it has been a bit slow teaching but we have been busy with other things.

I am glad to hear that you are doing good, and that the family is all safe and happy. That is really cool that Jessica got her mission call. I remember you said something about her maybe being interested! I am excited for her! That is also cool to hear about all the other missionaries from our ward that will be going out.  I got your letters this last week!! I guess that means that the package should be here shortly I hope!!  Don’t worry if not here for my birthday.  I am sure that it will be here this week or next. We had a fun Easter Egg hunt at members house with their son Micheal. it was really nice to have it actually feel like Easter. Glad Sister Pieneer sent pictures. 

My new companion Elder Jackson is great! We get along great, and work really good together. I guess just being with someone you like gives you a lot of motivation. I really have been motivated to work hard since I have been with him. I guess we have become really good friends! He says that he will definitely sing happy birthday to me! 

We have been doing really good with the "Because He Lives" campaign . We have still been passing out the cards and we have a big car magnet that we drive around with. We have not yet done a big thing in our area. The day we had scheduled this last week it started raining pretty hard, so we had to cancel it. We are trying to set it up sometime this week. It will be really good for our area. Even if we just find one good investigator from all the card we pass out, it will be worth it! I will take some pictures when we do it here in our area so you can see how we are using our banner and the cards!

It sounds like the trip up to Salt Lake was pretty fun. I am glad you got to spend some time with Ashley and Dave. We got to watch Conference this weekend. We were pretty busy with that all day Saturday and Sunday! Conference was pretty great though! I really loved the talks. I especially loved the Saturday sessions! I would encourage you to keep reading the Saturday ones. it was crazy to hear the people yelling no during the sustaining! I guess it really just strengthened my testimony of the prophet and the twelve. 

Thanks for keeping in touch with Marshall. 

That is fun to hear about Randall and Katrina and new job.  Wish Blake good luck as he is approaching finals.  Hope all goes well. 

It was a bit of a slow week lesson wise. We have been staying pretty busy though. I guess a big thing we have been doing is less active hunting. The Elders quorum gave us a list of people to check on. The disappointing thing though is most of them have moved, so I don't know if they are less active, or just lost!! I guess we will keep doing that for the ward. We have really been trying to work with the ward to get referrals mostly. I guess that really is the best way to work. We haven't really gotten any yet, but I am sure it will start to pay off. We are going to find some creative ways to find this week because we really need new investigators. 

I am excited because Wilahmina and Ester just got back yesterday, and we are seeing them again. They are still on date to be baptized on the 26th of April. We will be just preparing them and stuff. 

We got to go to the temple on Friday, and that was amazing! It is always nice to just get out of the world and be in the temple! It is such a holy and peaceful place! 

We have really still been working with Jackie. She is so great, but she has really been struggling with her smoking. She even relapsed to drinking, and she hasn't drunk in forever! I guess we will just keep supporting her and trying to help her towards baptism. She is a great lady, and she really has come a long way! 

One of our other cool investigators is Precilla. I guess she didn't come to conference, and she promised she would. I guess that is how we see how serious people are though! i hope that she will keep progressing though! We were pretty strait with her this last week. She asked what it means if this church is true, like if her church is still true. We had to tell her strait, I guess through bearing our testimonies that if the Book of Mormon is true, this is the only true church. She accepted it, but she still hasn't come to church to see if it is true. 

We also have like two other investigators that just got back from Easter vacation, so that will be good for this week. 

I guess the two spiritual highlights of the week were The temple and conference. I am so glad that we have the temple, and I hope that they will get the one in Cedar going soon. I am grateful for a living prophet, and the guidance we receive during conference. 

WE are going to the Zoo in Jo-burg today with Sister Masters! I will get some good pictures of that. I will also get some good pictures of my birthday and stuff! I am not sure what we will do still. Sister Masters wanted to through me a little party, so we will see what happens there! I love you and I hope that you have a great week!! Tell everyone else I love them, and Hello.

Love

Your son

New Companion - Elder Jackson / Easter with members

P- Day at Park with Jackie and Nathan (investigator)

April 6, 2015

Dear Mom,

As always it is great to hear from you, and to make it to another Monday!! 

New Companion so said farewells to Peterson– glad to hear Elder Peterson had good things to say about me.  I read through the email that Elder Peterson sent you and dad. He is a great kid.  We had some differences but we really worked through it, and we did form a great companionship. There were definitely a lot of challenges, but I grew a lot from it. He was transferred to Klerksdorp. He was very sad to leave, especially Jackie(investigator) . But I have heard form him this week, and he is doing well. He is in a half biking area, so he doesn't really like that. 

Last Monday Elder Peterson and I went to Gold Reef City. It is an amusement park I guess. It is like a small Lagoon. We went with Jackie and Nathan, and it was a ton of fun!! I put a lot of pictures on dropbox of that.  

My new companion is Elder Jackson. He is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is 20, and he graduated in 2013. He went to BYU for 2 semesters, then came out. He is in Elder Peterson's group, so he has been out 14 months. We get a long super well, and he is a lot of fun. He loves sports and things too, and our personalities are pretty much the same. We have really had a great week. 

Had a good week with our Easter campaign- “Because He lives”.  We did great with our pass along cards!! It has been a fun week just using Easter to bring people to the gospel. We also have a huge magnet on the side of our car, and we just talk to people as we are driving by them in traffic. It is pretty fun I guess. We will still be doing our "Week of Witnessing" until Wednesday. In our zone we have been going around to the different area's and helping them Blitz their area's, and we will be doing our area on Wednesday. I think it will be great to just get us some new investigators. 

It has been a great Easter for me. I think I really have had my thoughts focused on the Savior this whole week coming up to Easter. I am so grateful for the Savior, and all that is possible because of him. The video Because He Lives is great. I really have just been reflecting on feeling in the rest of that sentence, what is possible because He lives. 

Also I guess last night we went over to the Adam family for an Easter dinner. It was really fun to just have a Braai and have fun. The Crankshaws were there as well with the Molema family from our ward. It was just fun to actually have a bit of a celebration of party of some sort for Easter. 

It sounds like it has been a really fun week!! I am glad you could get our and have fun. I told dad that I miss just having holiday. I remember a couple years ago the dunes were freezing around this time! The trailer is probably really nice to have. That is great that you had Ashley down for the weekend, and Blake over to spend some time. I looked through the pictures, and it looks like you had fun up hiking with the dogs! 

You asked about my back pack and book bag.  I have been using my man purse a little.  I never really used a back pack unless I was walking. In this area I have had a car full time, so I haven't used any bag. They are trying to totally do away with us using backpacks for the area. President has found some place for really cheep, and is making it possible for all the missionaries to get a bag and they put the mission name and elders name on it.  I don't think I will get one because I already have two. 

 I haven't seen any mail yet. There might have been some that came last week that I didn't get from the Zone leaders.  I will check with them today, but I am sure it will get here soon. I will let you know when I get any. 

I am proud of you for excising It is not easy. I even loose motivation to work out and stay in shape. I think it is a lot harder to not be able to swim.  I hope that you have a great week, and know that I love you. 

Love 

Your Son