White Thanksgiving

Family!

It snowed here for the first time last week! I don't even know what to think. Last winter was MISERABLY cold, and I have not been looking forward to this one rolling in. Last winter had been the coldest and most snowy in the past 20 years, and they said this winter is supposed to be just as bad. I didn't think I realized this phenomenon last year, but the colder it gets, the more we smell like cigarett smoke. Think that's strange? Think again! You see, a large majority of people that we teach smoke cigarettes, and during the spring, summer and fall they find the initiative to smoke outside... but not so during the winter! -10 degrees sends them back indoors, cigarettes and all. It is a blessing in disguise, however, because a lot of people will have a desire to quit during the winter months that they never possessed before that. Pretty neat if you ask me.

This last week was a good one! We got to teach a whole lot of people who were all great. This guy named Cory that we are teaching is really starting to change. He has been reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it, and when we taught him on Saturday, he physically LOOKED different than before. His countenance is beginning to change. I loved that. 

We also had the opportunity to work with a man named Dan and invite him to church. He has also been praying and reading the Book of Mormon, and he came to church yesterday! He loved it, and on the way home, he said, "Man, I am just completely sold on your church!" He has already identified that he knows the Book of Mormon is true... we'll see where it goes! He is a good man.

Things are great out here! I'm going to restrain myself during Thanksgiving so I don't get too huge:) Should be a great day! 

Transfer week is next week. Elder Kay will probably be leaving since we have been together for 3 transfers already. Wouldn't it be nuts if we stayed together for four? We could definitely pull it off. I love this guy. He is reliable and easy to get along with. He has a deep doctrinal understanding and cares deeply about the work. He is great. Who knows! I wonder what the Lord has in store.

I love you all!

Elder Brown

Picture: (From left) Sister Browne, Sister Brown, Sister White, Elder Brown[me] and Elder Brown. Pretty impressive, huh? :)

Halloween Photos

Gospel Restored to Earth!

Family!

First, I just have to let you know, the gospel HAS been restored! I know it with every fiber of my being. The message has power in the lives of those who will seek to understand it, but it starts with a spark of desire, and a willingness to act.

This last week, our investigator from Canton who is in a wheelchair(Jacob), came to church! He was announcing to everyone that he was being baptized on the 29th of November! He wants it badly, and we had a very powerful experience with him in our last meeting.

Let me start from last Sunday. Last Sunday, Elder Kay and I fasted that someone that we were working with, or would work with in the future, would actually begin to read and ponder on the Book of Mormon. It is the center of our message, and we have been pushing with all of our might to help people to actually read it and seek to know if it's message is true. We had reached a point of frustration as we had tried, time and time again to help our investigators progress. In a phone call with a mission leader, he related that "people suddenly become more solid as they read the Book of Mormon on their own." It was a small start to the answer we were looking for.

This week, 3 of the Lord's investigators in our area began to search the Book of Mormon. We went over to Jacob's house on Saturday night to teach him the Word of Wisdom. He has a long way to go, and only 3 weeks to cover that much ground. We focused a lot on the redemptive power that baptism has on us. We testified that because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ, he could be clean from his sins and live with God forever. That's why we were teaching him about baptism and inviting him to read the Book of Mormon.

He accepted the invitation to read the Book of Mormon and live the Word of Wisdom and come to church (all of which he is doing or has done). In his closing prayer to the lesson he said, "Lord, I bless you that you have had Elder Kay and Elder Brown come and talk with me. I ask you to help me live the Word of Wisdom by November 15th so I can be baptized on the 29th. I want to be baptized so I can be clean and walk with you in heaven and with the Holy Ghost. Amen."

It was one of the most beautiful moments on my mission, and it was filled with the Spirit. I love being a missionary:)

Love,

Elder Brown