June 8, 2015

Dear Mom,

Another great week has come and gone. The weeks really flew by, and it seems like this week went really fast. I think every week just keeps gong faster, and at times I find myself hoping it slows down. I am glad that the time is going fast, but at the same time I will be sad to end my mission.

I am actually appreciating the cool weather that we have gotten this week. I started to cool off on about Wednesday, and it has been cool ever since. I am actually enjoying this winter weather. I am glad - I am not enduring the hot weather, and it is nice to be able to wear a sweater. I guess it isn't to cold, but worried that  I will die at home my first winter, because now I am a baby to the cold! 

That is pretty cool you got my flight itinerary! That is super exciting, and it doesn't seem real! I think that is cool I will be in Salt Lake for a few hours. I can go get lunch with Ashley and Randall and Katrina, then hop on the plane to fly home! I think that plan works out perfectly! I guess if there are any changes you will have to let me know. Excited to think home August 5.

I heard about that lady that got attacked at the Lion Park here ! That is a pretty crazy freak accident. The lion park it happened at is in my zone, only about 20 minutes from my area! Everytime I have gone to the lion park I always keep my windows up and doors locked. I will make sure I don't get eaten my a lion before I come home!! 

It sounds like you have been up to a lot this week. That is fun you had your siblings down for the funeral, and you got to visit with them. I am so grateful for the plan of salvation and the knowledge we have of being together forever. 

Hopefully the boys will do well at summer games. I am sure they will. Don't worry to much about getting them up, just tell them it will help them. I know the summers that I swam, my swim season went much better. They are going to die at swim camp not being in shape! 

I hope Blake had fun up at the cabin, and found all well up there. I hope he is doing well, and hope he is feeling the spirit in his life. 

Zone conference went great! I am glad that you saw some of the pictures. It was an early morning to be there. The night before Elder Robins(past companion) and Elder Pederson(MTC companion) came and stayed the night at our flat so they didn't have to drive so far. That was fun to just chat with them and mess around! 

At zone conference we received some great instruction. Sister Dunn used me and Elder Jackson in her lesson of a great example of responding well to questions, and using a 30 second approach. She talked about our radio show. She apparently has been promoting it on her blog a lot. One of the other great lessons was our AP's. They taught about testifying, and the importance of it. I am grateful I get to testify multiply times a day about the restored gospel! 

 Monday we met a new guy named Sanele. Tuesday we did some robot(stop light) contacting, and it is always fun. We handed out like 200 cards in like 40 minutes! it is cool to see people accept our cards. We also saw Welhemina and Esther, and they are doing great! Tuesday night we saw Sister Masters, and her Granddaughter was there. I have met her a lot, but we actually taught her, and it was cool. Sad thing is she called Sister masters and told her she does't want us to teach her anymore. Wednesday we went singing as usual. It was fun, and the old people loved it! We also saw Prescilla, and Jackie. Thursday was mostly taken up by zone conference, but we saw one new girl named Justine. Sadly she doesn't live in our area, so we have to refer her to our AP's. We were right by Jo-burg, so we went and took some cool pictures by the temple at night.  We also went and visited sister masters that night. 
Friday mornings we are now going to Alexandra the township and doing a soup kitchen with Sister malpage who is the bishops wife! It is super fun, and cool to help the homeless. WE were giving them more clothes and blankets, because it was super freezing that morning.  We had district meeting, and went out to eat at Subway. We then saw Luke who is a member, and then saw Precsilla again. Saturday was a great day. We went singing at a different old folks home, that is owned by the same member. We then saw Abibi and her sister Farida. We put them on date, and it was a great lesson. WE then finished the evening with Jackie. She was just really down on herself. Sunday we went to church, and then had a great lunch with the bishops family, the Malpages. They are a super fun family. 
We then got to see the family that lives in our complex. They are really cool, and just really prepared for the gospel. I know it was no coincidence that we ran into them. They are just boyfriend and girlfriend, and they have a little girl. So we will probably work to get them married. Sunday night we had an amazing lesson with Jackie. She finally came to church, so she has just had the spirit all day. She has just been renewed in faith. We set a new baptismal date of July 19th, and I am really praying she will make it. I think this is finally it. She has it in her mind she can do it. 

We only got jackie to attend church which is disappointing. Abibi and Farida said they would come to church, but they didn't. That is really how we can tell if our investigators are serious. We are excited about Sanele. He was a referral from the Randall family. We area seeing him this week, and it will be sweet. Our teaching pool just seems to be growing, and it is an awesome feeling. We also got to do some cool contacting in Sandton city on the street corner, but then we got kicked out! I guess we weren't aloud to hand out stuff without permission! We get kicked out of a lot places it seems like haha!! I am excited about Jackie. We just told her she has to choose to do it, and then she can. She just hasn't been doing the simple things like reading and praying, and coming to church! We are really just working with this, because if she does this her smoking will disappear easily! 

I love elder Asay! We just laugh together a lot, and make the work fun. He has been a great motivation to me to work hard and have fun. We have really been working on being effective missionaries, and not just working hard and not accomplishing anything! 

I am feeling pretty good about my attitude. I really feel motivated. I think I don't want to feel any regrets as I am getting to the end. I just want to work hard and finish strong. I know the end is coming, and it is coming fast, so I am just trying to give it all I got! You being excited for me to come home isn't making me trunkey or anything. I am excited to come home as well, and I know it will happen, I just know I need to work hard now. 

Thank you so much for your support and love. I really do rely on your love and support a lot. I really do love teaching the gospel, and especially about the Plan of Salvation. it is amazing to testify to people and know they are feeling the spirit. I know that we are each loved by a loving Heavenly Father, and especially I know that the Atonement has such great power. I have really had to rely on it so much, and I have received so much comfort and strength! I love you and hope you have a great week. 

Love 

Your son

Elder Mitchell Brown