Inundated

Family!

I think that the post office had to shut down production because of you guys this past week! You are all so wonderful! Let me tell you, even though I couldn't be there for the wedding and reunion, I have never felt so included or had so many different people talk to me! I loved all of the letters that you sent my way to help me feel present with the wedding. I can't believe how big everyone has gotten. I definitely thought the picture of Bexley and Jonas was a picture of Maddie and Noah. Maddie and Noah must be giants by now if Bex is that big, and Jonas is a baby no longer!

I had a veritable flood of letters thanks to you, and I needed a couple minutes to read them all, and so I had my companion drive today. It was so cool to be able to read them! I felt such a strong spirit as I thought about how we will all be together forever. I'm really excited for that:)

So! Some great news! Betty came to church this week! She is a 78 year old lady that we met when we knocked on her door. She is a marvelous seeker of truth. She told us so much about how good she feels as she reads the Book of Mormon and ponders about it. She has already read all of 1 Nephi in the first week she has had the book! I feel like I'm teaching my own Grandma because I feel so much love for her. I got to sit next to her in church and sing with her. Turns out she can sight read music, so she didn't even need me. But, somehow, opening up our hymn books turned into a race! She beat me two times and got to the hymn faster than I did, but no worries, I soundly defeated her the other two hymns. She didn't stand a chance. We settled for a tie, and were 2 for 2 by the end of Sacrament meeting.

No worries. We paid attention to the talks as well! We introduced her to our Bishop shortly after the meeting, and without prompting, she said, "I feel good here!" to which he replied, "Well, you are welcome anytime!"

She now has a baptism date for October 11th.

Something I learned this week though, quite unexpectedly... Satan is so powerful these days. He will do ANYTHING to destroy a family or a soul. We've had so many disappointing let downs this week with a wonderful family that dropped us and a recent convert relapsing into alcoholism to one of my favorite recent converts in Davenport distancing himself from the church slowly.

Know this, if we don't actively fight his influence and "become a new creature", Satan's power is too much for us. I am only so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ which makes us strong enough to fight back. So, moral of the story, don't you EVER think you know enough to keep you safe. Rely on the Lord. He'll support you and guide you!

I love you!

Elder Brown

Picture: A mouse in our house! 

Transferred

Family,

Here we are! The home stretch! Dad gets married this Friday! I hope that someone can give him and Holly a hug for me since I won't be there to do it myself. Congratulations!

In news from the mission, I got transferred this week! I could not be more pleased with where I got called to serve. I have only served on the East side of the mission the entire time, and the whole time I've been in the East, I've been in one of three zones: Nauvoo(Fort Madison), Quincy(Kirksville), and Davenport. I wanted so badly to be able to serve in either Nauvoo zone or Quincy zone, and Nauvoo wasn't opening up, so I was crossing my fingers all throughout transfer meeting. They kept rattling off all of the areas that were opening up and missionaries would run to each other and hoot and holler and then go to their new seat. 

The minutes ticked by. Fort Dodge zone filled up, then Ames, then Ankeny, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Des Moines and on and on. I was starting to get anxious. It could actually happen! Quincy zone would be the last one called. Davenport rolled around, and that was the last opening. I got replaced. Suddenly, there was only one more zone leader area. Elder Kay, the remaining zone leader in Quincy turned around and made binoculars with his hands, making eye contact with me. It just had to be announced and I was in Quincy!

President Jensen announced, "In the Quincy zone--" I stood up and started to scoot down the aisle in the chapel toward Elder Kay, and I saw him stand up and start moving my way as well, pretending to be sneaky, "--Elder Kay will remain and be a zone leader, and he will get a new companion--" by this point we were already standing side by side in the middle of the aisle, just waiting for it to be announced, "Elder Brett Brown!"

I whooped and gave my new companion a big old hug. I'm back in Quincy zone! I got to revisit Kirksville on Saturday and go to their district meeting. I was so incredibly excited. The Lord placed me back here so I could be grateful for everything He did for us there. While I was there, I got incredibly discouraged at times, and through the work, I sometimes wondered if we were just spinning our wheels, but since that time, there has been an explosion of baptisms into that ward, and the work has become so much that the Lord has sent two more sets of missionaries back into the district. He did it! I felt such joy as we drove through the town. I was reminded very clearly of the pain that was associated with Kirksville, but I was also filled with joy as I thought of all of the blessings that were poured out there.

Just writing this almost makes me want to cry because I'm so happy. My companion has to be the most powerful and wonderful missionary in the entire world. He is so funny and great! He is 6'4 and he's from Mona, UT. I love this guy!

I love you so much and hope you have a great week!

Elder Brown