June 14, 2015

Dear Mom, 

Well the week has been great. I told dad that it just seems the weeks are becoming a blur. The time is really going by fast now! I think it is because we are staying busy, and I am comfortable in this area. I am really loving the work, and we have been meeting some great new people this last week. It is great to see the gospel touch someone new, and just see them light up, even if they don't see it. The gospel really just makes sense, and people can see that even before they pray and receive a testimony. One of my favorite things about being a missionary is sharing the restored gospel with those that are searching and lost. It is amazing to see them finally find their way, and I know it is not because of us as missionaries, but because our Heavenly Father is reaching out to them. 

I Understand what you are saying about how things do not always turn out the way we want.  I hope you know how grateful I am for all your sacrifices for me. You would always drop anything you were doing to help me and cater to my needs. I know not everything goes according to plan, but I have really seen on my mission that it is OK. Really everything will work out. Like when we have appointments cancel we find someone else that needed us more. Heavenly Father really has our best interest in mind, and he knows what he is doing. 

I know reading the scriptures daily helps us spiritually - It really does make a huge difference in our life. That is what we challenge our investigators and members to do, is to read everyday, even if it is just 15 minutes! Just that short amount of time will help us make it through the day, and bring the spirit into our lives.

You asked about my health.  I am not really running as much, but I am working out and doing some cardio work outs. We are really just trying to lift weights and stuff. We have been doing some sprints outside our flat to work on cardio, but not any long runs. I am just trying to eat healthy as well. I do notice a difference in attitude if I don't work out. I really just feel much better. 

That is sad to hear about tragic accidents! There was a sad accident here a few weeks back.  A member in our stake died with her child in an apartment fire. The husband survived, but is not a member. The brother and sister to the lady that died are in our ward, but we have not been able to visit them. We are still going to try and visit them and give them some comfort. 

I hope Calvin and Carson don't die at swim camp this week! I remember the years I wasn't in shape were not fun! But I guess the workouts aren't much more difficult than Blairs, so they will probably be able to survive. That is fun you will be able to go and see Randall and Ashley! I am sure they will appreciate you visit. I hope you aren't too upset about getting left behind on the Lake Powell trip! I know how much you love Lake Powell, but you will go soon I am sure!

I have 7 weeks left as of now. Our transfer is a week from Tuesday. Concerning transfers I really hope I stay here in Randburg. I have already been here for 4 transfers, and that is normally the maximum time in an area. I have requested from President Dunn to stay here to finish. I would love to see Jackie get baptized, and not have to move to another area. If I went to an area for only one transfer I would really care about getting to know the people or even working hard. I really hope I will stay here. I will find out on Friday the transfer news. 

 The week has been great. Our area has been picking up a lot. We still don't teach a lot of investigator lessons, but the ones we do have are great! Jackie has been doing great! She is still smoking, but like I said last week we are trying to focus on the bottom of the iceberg. We know she has other problems, like faith, and self doubt. We are really trying to help her sort this out! Lulamile and Odwa that we met last week we had a great lesson with. They told us they might have to stop meeting with us because they have to do a marriage class with there minister. We were super disappointing, but we had a really spiritual lesson about the restoration with them, and we hope they will change there minds. To keep busy this week we handed out about 300 pass a long cards at the robots(stop lights). That is actually pretty fulfilling! We finally got a guy to call us from one of the cards. His name is Sam, and we went and met him and his wife and friends. They are just over the border of our area, so we might have to refer them to the other missionaries, but we are going to teach them once first to see if they are going to progress. Our normal days we see about 3 people, and the rest of the time we are stuck in traffic, or handing out pass a long cards, or visiting members. We have a few investigators we didn't see this week, and so we hope to see them this next week. Like Abibi, Prescilla, and a few others. We have been getting some good referrals from our cards, and getting a lot of new people to teach. One of the coolest people we met this week was Phume. We have been trying to meet her for like 3 weeks, but our schedules just haven't been working out. Her mom is a member in Durban, and she has been pretty interested to learn. We are excited to start teaching her. she is really busy with work though. She leaves and is gone for a week at a time with work. We will just have to work around her schedule. 

We are still going singing twice a week, and it is great. 

We still did our soup kitchen with Sister Malpage on Friday Morning, and it is fun. She has been trying to give out clothes as well, but it has just been a mad frenzie. The people haven't been grateful either, so she is concerned  about giving other things out. We might just try to feed them. She is also trying to find out their skills and see how we can help them become self reliant. 

We have gone to some sweet members this week. I really love this ward, and I would love to come back and visit a lot of the people here! 

Well I hope you have a great week. I love you and miss you.

Love

Your son

Elder Brown