Dearest Family of Mine,
I love you! I am so grateful to have received emails from
Aunt Becky, Brooke, Michael, and Dad! I really live off of the strength those
emails give to me. Thank you so much for always updating me on what is going on
back home. I'm sorry if I can't answer all the questions which I have received,
but I love each one of you and I read every email that comes into my inbox.
Each one is noted and loved.
This week has been soooooooo cold! It still hasn't dipped
below zero, but the coldest temperature that I've seen on the thermometer has
been 7 degrees. It snowed on Sunday morning, and while Elder Ontiveros and I
were walking to wake up someone for church, he looked up at the snow and said,
"This snow is a lot different from the snow in Idaho. It's a ton more
fluffy out here. It just floats down to the ground." I responded,
"It's a lot different than the snow we got in California too."
"It snowed in California?" He asked. "Nope, just rain," I
said, "That's what makes it so different." He didn't think it was a
very funny joke.
Probably the highlight of the entire week is that we got to
return to Nauvoo on Thursday to witness the baptism of Karen! She had
completely finished the Book of Mormon and was so prepared for her baptism. She
had never heard if I was coming or not, but President authorized us to go and
we made it a surprise! When we showed up, it was so wonderful to see the
expression on her face. Seeing Karen get baptized was probably the best
experience of my mission thus far. You see, every single person that I had met
up until this point on the mission that has eventually been baptized knew Elder
Adamson and had been taught at least 3 or four lessons with him, so I could
never tell if I was really helping the area or if I was simply riding out his
success in the area. Karen was my "independence baptism"! I had never
had a chance to be the senior companion and help someone come unto Christ.
She wanted to so badly that I didn't have to help much, but it was still
amazing!
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| This is Karen and her grandson Shakir. Brother Billings is the one who baptized her. |
When we were walking out of the room after the baptismal
service, she told me, "I've been praying morning, noon, and night that you
would show up to my baptism, and just the other day, the weather got all cold.
The weather always gets all cold when you guys come over, so I knew you were
coming today!"
Not only that, but I saw Elder Lindhardt stand up at the
front of the room and share with everyone the most humble testimony. Seeing
that Elder stand up there and bear witness, the Lord showed me just how much he
had changed. I was nervous that when I left, I had failed as a trainer because
I couldn't see much change in him, but the Spirit testified that I hadn't
failed. He was being changed by the Lord the whole time. I wasn't a perfect
trainer, and he wasn't a perfect trainee, but we had fulfilled the measure of
our companionship, and had accomplished all God had designed for us. It was a
beautiful moment. Now I just have to do the same for Elder Ontiveros!:)
I love you people so much. I am excited to call on
Christmas! I still don't have any more info on when or what or how, but I'm
excited nonetheless!
Love,
Elder Brown
PS: I'm all the way through Journal #1. I just bought a new
journal today. It's a big milestone!
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| Right before I left my last area. It's Mike, and Buddy and Rhonda. |
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