Homeward Bound

Last Day In South Africa - Night at the Mission Home

August 2,15 - Final Email

Dear Mom,

It has been a very surreal week indeed. To be honest it still doesn't seem like I am coming home. It just seems like I am approaching another transfer. It seems like my mission will never end. Non the less I am so grateful to be returning home in a few days. I am eternally grateful for the experiences I have had over the last two years! I have learned so much, and have grown a lot. I don't see a lot of that growth now, but I think as I return home I will see much more of it. I am sad to be leaving so much behind here. I have met so many wonderful people that I am going to miss dearly. I know I will keep in contact with them, and we will stay together in the gospel. My testimony has grown so much, and I am just so grateful for this wonderful restored gospel. I just pray that I can stay strong in the gospel. 

It is so weird that this is my last email.  I am also having mixed emotions about coming home. I think for the most part I am very happy and just excited to see you especially, and the rest of the family. I am just relieved though to be done with my mission. It has been a hard two years, and I have learned so much. I am just so grateful for the gospel and all I have learned. I have really seen how living the gospel can bless me, and also others. It has been a blessing to see the gospel effect others.  I am sure I will be emotional returning home, so don't judge me if I cry like a baby ;)

 I will spend the night at the mission home. We will go there tonight and have dinner and stuff with the President and Sister Dunn. 

 So today I will just finishing packing, because I am already mostly done. We are then going to the restaurant Carnivore to eat some exotic meat. We have to be to the mission office at 4 pm today with our bags. We are then being transported to the mission home. Tomorrow morning we will go meet with the new missionaries from MTC , then begin our transfer meeting which starts at 10:30. I really don't know the plan for Tuesday afternoon.   I know we might go to the apartheid museum with the Dunn's. I think you probably know more about that from looking at Sister Dunn’s  blog. We will be doing the same thing the other departing missionaries have been doing. We will then be dropped off at the airport on Tuesday night probably a few hours before the flight. We leave Jo-burg at 7:20p.m. and as you said that will be 11:20 am for you . 

It has been a good week. I guess there has been a lot of tying up loose ends. I have really just been trying to focus on missionary work as it was my last week as a full time missionary. We are still teaching a lot of investigators. I had my final interview with President Dunn on Friday, so I missed my last District meeting. It was a great interview, and he just gave me great council and advice about returning home. I am so grateful for him and Sister Dunn. They have been such a great support to me, and really just a great example I want to follow. 

I don't really know what else to tell you. WE are only staying for a short time at the internet cafe today.  I will tell you more about the week when I see you on Wednesday. It has just been a bit sad to say goodbye to people, but I know I will try not to loose contact with them. I am so excited to see you in a few days time. I pray that you will be kept safe and well until I return home. I love you and I am so grateful for all you do for me. 

Love

Your son

MITCHELL HOMECOMING - SUNDAY AUGUST 9

Jackie Baptism and reuniting with old friends

July 27, 15

Dear Mom,

It has been a good week, and I am so excited to be coming home in 9 days!! It is so weird, and it really doesn't seem real to me. I guess it will start to feel more real as this week goes on. 

Jackie's baptism was wonderful, and it was an amazing experience. It was just great to see her finally make it to baptism. She has wanted it for so long, and it is great she has finally made it! The ward was great to be there to support, and it was really fun to see a lot of the ward members again! Jackie asked me to give a talk on baptism, and it was good. The program went well. The spirit was so strong at the baptism, and I am just happy. Jackie and Nathan were very excited to see me. 

Elder Bua was supportive, but it seems like he didn't really want to be there, grateful he was willing to come with me to the baptism.

 The week went well. Our best investigator still is Paballo, and he is a sweet young man. He will probably be baptized the week after I leave, but it is ok. Probably one of the coolest experiences was returning to Secunda this past Thursday. It was just sweet to be back out there, and to visit people. The coolest people to see were Fortune Mnisi, and Steve and Leoba. I baptized Leoba, and I was teaching Steve and he was baptized right after I left. They now have a pretty big group in Emba. Remember when I was trying to start that. Steve is also the group leader!! It was just so great to see how strong Steve and Leoba are now in the gospel!!

We have few other ladies that we are teaching that are coming to church. They might also be baptized next month. Most of the investigators we have are part member families. This one lady named Joyce is a mother to a member, and she loves the gospel. It is just annoying that people are so slow to understand! I get frustrated sometimes, but I am trying to be patient. It is so great to teach and I still love sharing the gospel. I don't think I will ever get tired of sharing the gospel. I would love to go out with the missionaries when I get back to just have those teaching experiences. 

I have not started to pack andI have not given away too much yet.  I will be more focused on packing this week and giving things away! I think I will give away a lot of my dress clothes. 

I am thinking about buying another suit??  I looked at my suit and it is made out of cotton, and it is starting to fade, and the suits here are really cheap. I can get a nice polyester suit for about 1750 Rand, which is $145. I know I will get another suit soon after I get home anyways, so it would be cheaper to get a new one here.

 Next Tuesday there are 22 of us leaving at the same time. There are a lot from my MTC group that will be going with me. Loveless will be on the plane with me, and Pederson. I know sister Dunn will post all our pictures on her blog that last Monday, so you will see everyone. I am not sure how many will be coming to Salt Lake, but I think a lot. 

I don't think there is anything I need. You can make a dental appointment with dad for me to get a check up, and to get my teeth cleaned sometime soon after returning! Thank you for asking about Elder Bau.  We are pretty much the same I would say! Like I have tried to talk to him, but he just ignores me. I will not give up and try to get him to open up this week.   I wish I knew what is wrong. I just have to endure the last week though, and it really isn't too bad! I have a lot of other people to talk to. Thankful for the other missionaries in the building. 

Excited to have Randall and Ashley come to the Salt Lake Airport.  Tell them thank you and send me their phone numbers so I can contact them if I need to.  I am super excited to be returning home soon. I am just trying to work hard, and prepare to return home. I am sad to think this time of service will be ending, but I know it is time to move on. I have learned so much, and my testimony has grown so much. I wouldn't have been able to learn what I have learned anywhere else! I am excited to share all my different experiences with you and the family upon my return. I hope you have a good week, and don't stress to much about preparing for me to get home. I will be happy to just be home with you. 

Love

Your Son

Elder Mitchell Brown

Email from Bishops wife in Mitchell Ward - July 26, 15

Sister Brown
It was wonderful to have Elder Brown attend Jackie's baptism today. She has a great love for the missionaries and for Elder Brown in particular. He played a big part in preparing her for baptism. We wish him well for his last week on mission. I'm sure you are excited to have him come home. 
Love 
The Pienaar Family

Last Trip to Johannesburg Temple - Selcourt District at Temple

July 20, 15

Dear Mom,

Thank You for all the updates, and telling me about your week. It is always fun to read, and don't worry about it being too long. I will try to answer all you questions, but I might not comment on other stuff because of time. 

First off Elder Bua and I are about the same. I guess I now have a better understanding for him. I have heard from a lot of his past companions he is just quiet and he doesn't ever talk to his companions. In the area we are doing better, like we kind of laugh at the things each other say. I guess there is a bit of tension in our teaching, and I have felt the spirit hindered a few times. I think for the most part though our teaching goes well. Just the hardest part is we don't plan at all. I try almost every night to ask him what we are teaching people, and it is so hard for him to respond.  We are doing better though, and Elder Loveless and Segil that live next door are good to help me survive. 

My district leader responsibilities are going well. I enjoy teaching district meetings. I taught a good lesson on attitude this week, and it was great. I am just trying to teach by example. I went on an exchange with elder Loveless this week to his area of Selcourt. It was a good exchange, and it was a good break from Elder Bua. I am planned to go on an exchange to Secunda this week, so that will be fun to see a few people that I knew. 

I’m in a pretty nice apartment. The first week we had a problem with our water heater, so there was no hot water, so I would go next door to shower. I keep forgetting to take a picture of my rigged up shower curtain. I have been carrying my bedding around with me my whole mission.  We are supposed to find someone that would benefit from our bedding in the area, and give it to them. Just like all the other flats I have stayed in there is a washer, but no dryer. I look forward to having a dryer again! 

 The week went well. We are teaching a lot of investigators, and mostly members and recent converts. Paballo is doing great, and he is scheduled to be baptized the 2nd of August. So everyday I normally make chicken and sweet potato’s before we go to the area. I then just bring snacks to eat in the area like oranges, bananas, and nuts. We get fed every night in this area as well, but the food isn't as nice as Randburg. It is township food, so pap and chicken pretty much every night. We are sharing a car with the Selcourt Elders(Segil and Loveless). We walk on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. On those days we get dropped off in the area, and we walk all day back and forth to our appointments. We then wait for a ride at our last appointment. Everyday was exactly the same. We walked around and taught lessons to the same people. Like I said most of the lessons we teach are to members and Recent converts. Anyone that has been baptized in the last year is considered a recent convert.

The best part of the week was my final temple trip. I sent a few pictures of that. It was super nice, but a bit sad to think that was my last time at the Johannesburg Temple. They do show the same new videos here, but the endowment rooms are tiny. You start in the endowment room, and then go through the veil into the celestial room, so you only go through two rooms during the session. It will be fun to come back to this temple with you someday.

Jackie is getting baptized next week, and I am excited to go back. I will have to get some pictures with her, and it will be fun to go around and visit some members while I am there.

I had interviews a few weeks ago with President Dunn.  I did share my concerns, and he told me that I was doing a great job with Elder Bua, and I just needed to hang in there and make it through. We basically just talked about home haha!! My final interview is on the 31st of this month. 

The only African dish I can think of is pap. I don't know if you can buy maize meal to make it with?? Everything else I eat here is just normal, except nasty stuff that I will never eat again like chicken intestines, livers, feet, and that stuff. 

It sounds like you have some fun things planned for when I get home. I look forward to having fun with the family and just resting. It will be nice to just have that second week to do some stuff on my own. Well I hope you have a great week, and I hope all is going well. Know I love you and I am praying for you. I look forward to seeing you in two weeks.

Love

Your Son

Elder Brown 

New Companion Elder Bua - New Area

July 13, 2015

Dear Mom

It's always great to hear from you. My week has been great! I am loving the work here, and we are teaching some good people. I am still struggling a bit with Elder Bua, but I guess we are making it through. I am just trying to be patient, and love him. I know as I just love him and try to help him the time will go fast. I am grateful to have Elder Segil and Loveless staying next door, because I am with them a lot. I know that I am here to learn something. I know the Lord put me with Elder Bua for some reason, and I am just trying to learn what He intended me to learn. I know as I trust in the Lord everything will work out. I have had some pretty good prayers about Elder Bua, and just having the strength and humility to move forward. I have really been blessed with the strength I have needed. I still try to talk to him, but he just ignores me basically. I know he knows English, so it isn't that. It is frustrating because he talks to people in the area a lot, but when it is just us two he is silent. I am just going to keep trying, and just try to fulfill my purpose for being with him. 

It is great to hear from you. Mondays are great day

 We are teaching a lot of lessons. I guess that is how township is though. We are mostly teaching recent converts that have been baptized. The walking is good I guess. Again Elder Bua is just so stubborn. We had appointments super far apart on Saturday, and so I wanted to take the bikes but he refused. He said you can bike and I'll walk.  I tried to reason with him, but he just sat in silence. I did fine though walking. We have a few other members we have been taking with us, and it is nice because I enjoy talking to them. It is weird because Elder Bua will talk to me in the area if we are with someone else, but not when we are alone. 

I think Jackie is doing great. I have been keeping in contact with her and Elder Asay. I think I will for sure go back for her baptism, but I just have to get permission from president Dunn. She is on Date for the 26th of July. I think she will make her date. I will let you know as I find out more about that. 

 Paballo is doing good. He was on date for the baptism on the 26th as well, but I think we might have to move him to the 4^th of August -so I can make it to Jackie's baptism. He didn't make it to church this last week either, so that make it hard for him to make his date. He is great though. He is 17 years old, and has some good friends in the church. Fellowshipping is so important in the church for new members and old members. If we have friends in the church we will remain active. Home teaching is a huge problem in this country, and especially this ward. No one has home teachers, but we have a big elders quorum. I hope they will get it sorted out soon.

I haven't had any problems as a district leader. I have only had to teach one district meeting. We had a temple trip the second Friday, and then zone meeting this last Friday.

It sounds like a great week. That is crazy that Blake is trying to sell the Mustang. I hope it isn't gone before I come home so I can take another ride in it, but if it is it's ok. That is fun Ashley came down for the car show, and that you all got to spend time together. 

It is weird to think of the other missionaries returning home that were in my graduating class. I guess it has been two year since a lot of them left. I guess that will be very soon. I am really excited to come home, but nervous in some ways.  I will  be happy to be back home!! I am fine if you put me to work up the mountain. I will love it!! I will just keep pressing forward and trying my hardest to work hard. I will make each day count, and try to learn as much as I can.

I am excited for this upcoming Saturday. It is my final temple trip. So all the missionaries that are going home with me will be attending the temple together with the Dunn's. I also had Interviews this past Thursday, and it was great. President and Sister Dunn are amazing people, and I will miss not being around them. 

I will try to get you some pictures this week. I just need to fix my card, because it possibly has a virus. Thank you for the classical music!! I am sure what you sent will be great! I love you, and I look forward to seeing you in three weeks. I will keep watching for your letters. I have not yet received your final letter. 

Love

Your Son

Elder Mitchell Brown

Mitchell Serving in Township of Kwa-Thema

July 6, 2015

Dear Mom,

It has been a good week, and the work is going well here. I am still enjoying the work, and trying to be positive and work hard. I know that is the only way that the time will fly by. If I am just being negative and being lazy the time will go really slow!! I am still doing some cleaning on the flat, and I even rigged up a shower curtain in our bathroom. I will have to get you a picture. My camera card is having a problem as I plug it in to the computer.  I might just get a new card and take pictures with that in the mean time.

So the new things I learned about Elder Bua is he is a convert. He has been a member for 3 years. His father has passed away. He lived in a village place. He has learned a lot on his mission, like used a computer for the first time. I really haven't learned much more. He doesn't really talk much. I try to start conversations. It is  little hard because we don't plan much because he doesn't talk to me. I always try to ask questions about people and the area, but he just doesn't answer. When he does he just seems annoyed,  I am still working on him. I don't think he is too fond of Americans, maybe he has had bad experiences on his mission. He talks to members and people a lot in the area. My plan of attack is to kill him with kindness. I just want to try to help him all I can the short time I am with him. 

Being a district leader is fine I guess. It is not fun to have to be responsible, and take the blame if anything happens. I have to teach district meetings on Fridays, and then do call in reports on Sunday nights to get the missionaries stats, and talk about their week. There are 10 of us in the district. I guess it is cool. 

I am glad that Jackie email was an answer to your prayers. I am grateful for Jackie and Nathan. I miss serving with them, and I hope I can get back for her baptism. 

The area is going well. Elder Bua doesn't know the area too well. Luckily we have a member Thulani comes with us almost everyday and he know where people live. Because Elder Bua doesn't know the area too well we are doing a lot of unnecessary walking on our walking days!! WE are walking back and forth a lot, and I think that is what our day looks like tomorrow. We have one young man that is getting baptized this month, and he is really cool. His name is Paballo, and he is 17. He has friends in the church, and they are a good support to him. WE are walking on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I am super tired on those days. WE are still working the same area with the car as when walking. We try to schedule far away appointments on the days we are driving. I guess something I have noticed as I have been in this area is the people we are teaching have not been taught very well. I guess I might be a picky teacher, and I make sure people know things right, and have a testimony. I have been trying my best to make things clear to people. i try to teach very simply so people can understand. It is important in township as well because people are a bit slower and maybe don’t understand English language as well!! 

We had the two baptisms last week on the 28th. I didn't have much to do with the baptism. I didn't really know the people, and they didn't know me. I conducted the meeting. I did confirm Siyabonga this Sunday which was great. Again the two baptized hadn't been taught everything, so that kind of bugs me, and I have been trying to help teach them more. 

It sounds like you had a very eventful and fun fourth weekend. I was wondering why my calendar said fourth. I guess I know why now. I look forward to having fun with the family like this when I get home. I think the Fourth is one of my favorite holidays, especially after being out of the states! I am super grateful for our great country! 

I guess I did forget that it was the 4^th of July when I woke up, and I then I noticed after study when I looked at my planner for the day. We didn't do anything though. We were planning on maybe doing a braii or BQ today for the fourth. I did hang up my American Flag! 

The ward is ok I guess. It seems like a lot of older people. Everyone in township shows up late for church. When church starts we have like 40 people there, and at the end of sacrament probably like 100 people. There are a lot of youth though, and a good sized YSA. They seem to work with us quite well. 

I guess it is a typical township like Tembisa, but there aren't really shacks. It is mostly cinder block homes. It seems like a pretty dirty township. There is just garbage piles everywhere. People just don't have respect for the land here. They just live in there own filth. Township really grosses me out. Like we cut through fields full of garbage as we are walking. I will get a few good pictures of it. 

 There have been a few times that I haven't felt safe, but most of the time I feel fine. Everyone just stares at me, and calls me mahua, meaning white person. I am used to it now though I guess. It does get pretty annoying though. People do think that white people have a lot of money, so I have to be careful. I don't carry anything of value with me when walking. I know that I am being watched over though. There have been a lot of times I see I could easily get robbed, but i am comforted by the spirit, and nothing happens. 

 I guess the best experience of the week was going to the temple. I haven't been for about 3 months. It is always great to go to the temple. I will get to go again in about 3 weeks time for my final temple trip with my group. The Dunn's attended our temple session on Friday, and they were the witness couple. It was a cool experience to have them there. I always feel the spirit so strongly as a go to the temple, and I am so grateful we have temples on the earth. I am so appreciative of you and dad for being sealed in the temple, and the knowledge that we can be together forever. 

I am really just pushing through these last few weeks. I saw a good quote that says, "don't count the days, but make the days count." I am really trying to make the days count. I know as I am positive the lord will bless me with the strength I need, and he will help me to learn and enjoy this last month of my mission. I am very excited to return home to you and the family in one month, but it still doesn't seem real to me. 

I got 3 of your letter this week! They were dated May 30th, June 5th, and the June 12th. thank you for your letters, they are fun to read, and they always give me great encouragement. I hope you are doing well, and know that I have a testimony of this gospel. I know if we follow the simple principles and ordinances of the gospel we will have peace, and we can live with our Heavenly Father again. I know sometimes we get caught up in all the trivial things, and the deep doctrine of the gospel, but it really doesn't matter.

I love you and I hope you have a great week. Tell everyone hello, and I love them.

Love

Elder Brown

June 29, 2015

Dear Mom,

I hope you haven't been to overwhelmed or anxious to know where I am. I am doing great, and the work is going well. 

 I am now serving in Kwa-Thema. It is a township outside of Springs. It was two area's, and we are now covering both of them. We have a lot of work to do. We had two baptism's on Sunday, and so that was nice. We are sharing a car with the Selcourt missionaries. We are walking every other day. We have the car for 4 days, and walk for 3 days. It is nice, but hate getting back into the walking mode.  Springs in located to the west of Johannesburg.   I am living in Brakpan. The complex we stay in has about 10 missionaries staying there, so that is cool! 

Something exciting is Secunda is in my district, so I will go out there on Exchanges. I will get to visit some people before I come home. I will try to visit my other old area's as well. 

The split of our mission didn't effect me at all. I was pretty surprised to hear about the split! We only heard yesterday through a text we received, and then got a detailed email today. You knew more details on it than I did. That is exciting to think our mission is growing that fast that the church thought it needed to be split. 

My companion is Elder Bua. He is from Uganda. He is 23 year old, and has been on his mission for 15 months. He is my first black companion, and it has been challenging. He really isn't too bad, but just a lot of differences. . I think this first week I have just been getting used to it. He is a good guy, and we get a long. We just don't talk much because we don't have much in common to talk about. It is weird because I am the only white guy in township!! I have been cleaning our flat all week, because most black missionaries don't care about cleaning! I will try to find out more about him this week. 

Our transfer day was good. I got to see a bunch of missionaries, which is always fun. It was weird to see a lot of my past companions and missionaries I have served around going home! It is weird to think the next transfer meeting it will be me! The transition was smooth, and I got my things from the one car to the next pretty well. I have a lot of stuff I need to try and sell this transfer. 

 I think I told you most of the stuff about this new area. it is a good area. We area teaching a lot of people, but it is a typical township. The people just accept what you say instead of studying it out. We walk like I said, and that isn't fun. I have been driving everyday for 9 months. I guess I will get used to it. It is nice to get out and walk though. The ward is ok, but it seemed small yesterday. I am not too worried about learning the area, or getting to know the people. We have one 19 year old that comes with us everyday!! he is pretty much the third missionary. His name is Thulani, and he is preparing to serve a mission. 

You asked about the flat.  Like I said it was dirty. It is a nice place though. We have had a problem with our water heater the last few days, so no hot water. I have been showering at the other missionaries that live right next to us.  It is a bath tub with a hand held shower head, and no shower curtain! I am going to try and rig up a rope with a shower curtain! 

 I am handling the change pretty well. I guess if anything is hard I just tell myself I only have to endure for 5 more weeks ha! I am really trying to just be positive and enjoy everything! It has been a hard transition from town to township, and from Elder Asay to Bua. I have been a bit down someday, but I guess I have been able to overcome. I am pretty used to constant change now. 

 If Jackie stays on date and is baptized before I come home I will be able to attend. I will make sure I am there. I think she is doing well, and hopefully make it to her date! 

 I guess there isn't too many people to tell you about. The only one I can think of is the two that were baptized. The girl Dimpho was pretty powerful. She was pretty prepared. I still don't know the other people well enough. I miss the more stable investigators we had that really challenge what you teach. Here in the township they just believe. I like it when people actually question and search it out and pray and gain a testimony of their own.

Thanks for telling me about your week. It is always great to get the weekly update. I have not gotten a written letter in a few weeks, so hopefully I will get one this week. 

I am only a District Leader, but have not done much with that responsibility. 

Well I love you and hope you have an amazing week. 

Love 

Your son