Ok, this weeks story has something to do with the dark arts. So this week as we come out of one of the store just getting done buying some food to eat, we have 2 ladies call us. Me, thinking that they just wanted to ask us something about America said ok... what. Well they asked us a ridiculous question that you could obviously tell was just to get us over to them or stop walking. They then said, thank you for your help my name is this and that and you are very fortunate to have run into me because I can read palms... (really?! ) So she says to me, while the other one is talking to my comp who barely could understand his lady because they were speaking Spanish, but had a Portuguese accent, give me your palm. I give it to her. She looks at it and starts to mumble in herself... not a good sign. Then she looks at me and says it is very good that you ran into me. She said, you are a very good person but you have some people who dont like you. You have created some enemies here and they now want to harm you.(Excuse me?!) She goes on to say it is ok I am not going to charge you anything, but I can promise you the protection you seek. All you need to do is put a bill, what ever amount you think would help protect you, in your palm and I can help it be a guardian or guard for you. I, at this point am just looking in awe at this person. I say, I am a missionary from the church of Jesus Christ can we come by some day and share a message that will help and protect you!? She looks at me a little confused and says look, I dont think you realize how serious this is, just put a bill here, do you want protection or not. She was saying all of this while her kid was screaming and yelling and just going crazy. Also when she started to talk to me I immediately felt the spirit leave so I was like umm.......... uh oh. Now, me a little sick of trying to get ripped off, and hearing the futile calls from my comp look at this Young lady with two screaming kids and say to her, look, I am a missionary from the church of god. I have been called by a prophet of god and set apart to act in the name of Jesus Christ I appreciate your concern, but I think that I am protected. I dont need you to help me but thank you and if you want we can take down your address and pass by some time. Well she didnt really like that and as I finished I turned to my comp and whispered dont give them anything, because he didnt understand and they were really forceful. Well before she lets me say anything else she starts asking tons of questions to distract me so her little friend can get stuff out of my comp. I start to briefly answer while trying to tell elder white not to do anything. My attempt kinda failed and finally elder white turns and says elder brown, HELP. He had had enough he didnt understand exactly and the lady was trying to get more out of him. I look at them and say thanks but we are ok. Have a good day. Oh and before I said that, my lady starts asking for money for her kid. NOPE. sorry. I start to grab e` white and we walk away as they start yelling other stuff at us. I think they tried to curse us. haha WEIRD!!!! So that was my run in with a few gypsies.
Well this week was interesting. We had TONS of crazy experiences happen. I will tell you one that is not so gross or bad. So there is this guy here called the ¨negro-quatico¨ HE IS CRAZY!!! he is this guy who pretty much runs around all day drunk or high. He, when he is high, tends to yell nonsense at us. haha The last time he told me that he didnt have any completos(hotdog here) for me. haha it was funny. Well this week we are walking home and are a little late. We are talking about the lesson we had just had and then out of freaking no where we hear this negro start to scream! He is right in front of us. He starts to come at us, fists balled. I was like well I am not in the mood to get in a fight with a drunk crazy guy so we cross the street right away and he just stands of the corner looking at us with his crazy eyes. I got the crap freaked out of me! I was like I almost died. The other people all around just broke up laughing, because they too know that he is crazy, but harmless. haha It was just a really intense moment that you just had to live to understand.
Stop reading now if you don't want to be grossed out......
No I mean it.... stop reading......ok, you were warned!!!
(This part was sent to his dad, but thought we would share so you could get the whole picture of what Julian is going through) So wanna know something kinda gross and weird. I was walking down the street the other day and all of a sudden I see this guy walking towards me with his head downand then he goes over to the wall and pulls his pants down andstarts to poop. I was like what the heck!!! There are kids around and families. The people didnt even say anything. They all just walked past like it was nothing. haha I couldnt believe it.
I am glad that all of you guys had a good time and ate tons of good food. I too had a good thanksgiving we did a family home evening with Ivan and his family and we ate some good food and cake and YUMMY!!!! I loved it. Actually that is the same night the a negro-quatic attack happened. haha
So this year I am not sure if we are going to be able to use skype.I will let you know. I think that the new converts we have here have a computer with a camera though so it will work out either way I am sure.I will probably get that package in like a week or 2 I dont think it will get here right away. But we will see. haha Well mom I love you!
I would actually like to ask a favor. If you could send the christmas pageant play that we do as a family. You can just photocopy it and send it throug email. We wanna do something like that here. :) I hope that you have a great week and that all your dreams come true.
Love Elder Brown
The Final Strect
My Official Mission Home Picture
Friday, December 2, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
The Miracle of Claudia
Well hello everyone,
so I have a very special experience to tell you all this week. So it was Wednesday and elder white and I were walking down the street and just talking and all of the sudden we hear the familiar voice of an investigator and we turn to see her running towards us but on the other side of the street. Just running up the street. She says HEY! we say, Hey! How are you!? She, smiling says I am great. Oh and wanna know something.... I can get baptized. -- background story-- so this lady started sharing with missionaries over 3 years ago and her daugther was baptized within a month. They just loved the gospel so much! I have been here near 3 months now and I have seen her 5 times at least in a dress at church NOT A MEMBER. She couldnt get baptized because she was co-living with some guy and she just felt to bad to kick him out because he would come home drunk and didnt have much money. She is just one of those people who just cant be nice by nature. So she has been trying for 3 years to find a way to get him out. When I first got here she said in her prayer that she hoped that we could achieve the thing that all of the missionaries have been trying to achieve. Well 2 and 1/2 months later of sharing and supporting and kinda insisting to get this guy out she finally told us this day that he was going out of town for like 6 months or less something like that and that he would be getting a good sum of money. So when she saw this opportunity she said take your stuff with you and don't come back. She has stopped everything with this guy for over a month or something like that. -- back to the main story-- so when she said that to us I knew exactly what she was talking and I couldn't help but jump super high in the air screaming, ¨are you serious!?¨ and then start running with her to wherever she was going. I run her down with elder white and we start talking to her and asking what was all happening and she gave us the run down and all of that jazz and as she was telling me that stuff I just couldn't help but think of when she was going to get baptized. I told her that we would be coming over Friday to talk to her and she what we could do to get her baptized as soon as possible. I called my district leader and then the next day talked to my pres and they told me to get her baptized that same Saturday and confirmed that Sunday. So we got to work. We put together a bomb baptismal service and went to all of the members who knew and loved her and called everyone else and their sister to invite them. The baptism was amazing! That is one of the pictures I put up. It is the miracle of Claudia. The dry Mormon who finally went swimming. haha She was so happy the whole time that she started to cry during her service and after her baptism. I love this lady so freaking much. We just completed her family. Now she is a member with her daughter and they are just going to be so much happy from here on out. :)
This sector is really the hardest sector I have been in. Not as in the sense of the work, but dealing with the members. I feel that they just do not support us at all. It is really sad because we are doing everything we can to help and love and serve them and then they just smack us in the face when we try to follow the rules. For example, we had branch counsel this last Saturday and as the counselor I need to be there. So we got there and started the meeting after the baptism. We started off fine and started talking about the people who needed help and what we could do then, like always, they started ranting about random things that had nothing to do with the less active members or converts, but had to do with the organizations and the responsibilities of them. I was like look brothers and sisters, these are really good concerns and we would love to address them, but this meeting is not meant for that. Maybe we can hold another meeting with just us and find out what we can do to resolve this problem. Well one of the sisters was ok with that. The president of the relief society. But what happened was that the pres of the young women and the finances guy and secretary started just bashing on me haha. Saying this is exactly what this meeting is for. I was really shocked about what they were saying because it was not like I was trying to tell them that those things didn't matter, but that maybe we could do it another time. They just got really mad. I was just like hey I am just following what it says in the manual. The pres. after said elder brown is right and we should do that, but the members are just so used to doing things wrong that they insisted on resolving that problem right there. Boom, there goes the spirit. It was really sad. I am trying to be a good missionary and help the people, but I feel that every time I don't do the things how they want, but how god has set it, they get mad! Even some of the new converts who are in the presidency have recognized the things they are saying and how they are treating me. They actually said something about it to me last night. haha I love the people here so much but I just cant find a way to get to them. I will be holding some interviews here soon with them to see what is going on and what I can do to better the relationship that we have.
I totally forgot that it was thanksgiving week. haha It is not a holiday here so I just didn't even think about it. But here are somethings that I am thankful for. 1. The Gospel. I am so thankful for the chance that I have gotten to be on a mission. It has changed who I am 100%. I now have such a love for the gospel and for my savior Jesus Christ that it is beyond words. I have started to begin to understand the meaning of the atonement in my life. I am so grateful for what he did for me. I really do LOVE the gospel and LOVE learning about it. I actually want to go and study it in some of my classes when I get back. It is just so interesting for me. 2. My Family. I realize now how important the family is! I never really understood that before. I know that it is the focal point for god. It is what he wants, Eternal Families. Heaven would not be heaven without you guys. I really love you so much and all of the family we have. 3. My Father in Heaven. I know that this one kinda falls under the gospel but it means something different to me. Before the mission I didn't know who my father in heaven was. Now, he is as real to me as any other person. I have felt him hold me when I was sad, lift me up when I was weak, Laugh with me when I am happy, and smile at me when I follow what he asks. I know my father in heaven. He loves me. He is with me. He has called me to represent him and his son for 2 years. I am so grateful for my father in heaven and all of the many blessings that he has given me. I know that I am nothing(like ammon) as to my own strength, BUT in god I am powerful. In God, I am everything, to God, I am everything. I am his son.... and I love him dearly.
Those are the things that I am grateful for.
Love Elder Brown
so I have a very special experience to tell you all this week. So it was Wednesday and elder white and I were walking down the street and just talking and all of the sudden we hear the familiar voice of an investigator and we turn to see her running towards us but on the other side of the street. Just running up the street. She says HEY! we say, Hey! How are you!? She, smiling says I am great. Oh and wanna know something.... I can get baptized. -- background story-- so this lady started sharing with missionaries over 3 years ago and her daugther was baptized within a month. They just loved the gospel so much! I have been here near 3 months now and I have seen her 5 times at least in a dress at church NOT A MEMBER. She couldnt get baptized because she was co-living with some guy and she just felt to bad to kick him out because he would come home drunk and didnt have much money. She is just one of those people who just cant be nice by nature. So she has been trying for 3 years to find a way to get him out. When I first got here she said in her prayer that she hoped that we could achieve the thing that all of the missionaries have been trying to achieve. Well 2 and 1/2 months later of sharing and supporting and kinda insisting to get this guy out she finally told us this day that he was going out of town for like 6 months or less something like that and that he would be getting a good sum of money. So when she saw this opportunity she said take your stuff with you and don't come back. She has stopped everything with this guy for over a month or something like that. -- back to the main story-- so when she said that to us I knew exactly what she was talking and I couldn't help but jump super high in the air screaming, ¨are you serious!?¨ and then start running with her to wherever she was going. I run her down with elder white and we start talking to her and asking what was all happening and she gave us the run down and all of that jazz and as she was telling me that stuff I just couldn't help but think of when she was going to get baptized. I told her that we would be coming over Friday to talk to her and she what we could do to get her baptized as soon as possible. I called my district leader and then the next day talked to my pres and they told me to get her baptized that same Saturday and confirmed that Sunday. So we got to work. We put together a bomb baptismal service and went to all of the members who knew and loved her and called everyone else and their sister to invite them. The baptism was amazing! That is one of the pictures I put up. It is the miracle of Claudia. The dry Mormon who finally went swimming. haha She was so happy the whole time that she started to cry during her service and after her baptism. I love this lady so freaking much. We just completed her family. Now she is a member with her daughter and they are just going to be so much happy from here on out. :)
This sector is really the hardest sector I have been in. Not as in the sense of the work, but dealing with the members. I feel that they just do not support us at all. It is really sad because we are doing everything we can to help and love and serve them and then they just smack us in the face when we try to follow the rules. For example, we had branch counsel this last Saturday and as the counselor I need to be there. So we got there and started the meeting after the baptism. We started off fine and started talking about the people who needed help and what we could do then, like always, they started ranting about random things that had nothing to do with the less active members or converts, but had to do with the organizations and the responsibilities of them. I was like look brothers and sisters, these are really good concerns and we would love to address them, but this meeting is not meant for that. Maybe we can hold another meeting with just us and find out what we can do to resolve this problem. Well one of the sisters was ok with that. The president of the relief society. But what happened was that the pres of the young women and the finances guy and secretary started just bashing on me haha. Saying this is exactly what this meeting is for. I was really shocked about what they were saying because it was not like I was trying to tell them that those things didn't matter, but that maybe we could do it another time. They just got really mad. I was just like hey I am just following what it says in the manual. The pres. after said elder brown is right and we should do that, but the members are just so used to doing things wrong that they insisted on resolving that problem right there. Boom, there goes the spirit. It was really sad. I am trying to be a good missionary and help the people, but I feel that every time I don't do the things how they want, but how god has set it, they get mad! Even some of the new converts who are in the presidency have recognized the things they are saying and how they are treating me. They actually said something about it to me last night. haha I love the people here so much but I just cant find a way to get to them. I will be holding some interviews here soon with them to see what is going on and what I can do to better the relationship that we have.
I totally forgot that it was thanksgiving week. haha It is not a holiday here so I just didn't even think about it. But here are somethings that I am thankful for. 1. The Gospel. I am so thankful for the chance that I have gotten to be on a mission. It has changed who I am 100%. I now have such a love for the gospel and for my savior Jesus Christ that it is beyond words. I have started to begin to understand the meaning of the atonement in my life. I am so grateful for what he did for me. I really do LOVE the gospel and LOVE learning about it. I actually want to go and study it in some of my classes when I get back. It is just so interesting for me. 2. My Family. I realize now how important the family is! I never really understood that before. I know that it is the focal point for god. It is what he wants, Eternal Families. Heaven would not be heaven without you guys. I really love you so much and all of the family we have. 3. My Father in Heaven. I know that this one kinda falls under the gospel but it means something different to me. Before the mission I didn't know who my father in heaven was. Now, he is as real to me as any other person. I have felt him hold me when I was sad, lift me up when I was weak, Laugh with me when I am happy, and smile at me when I follow what he asks. I know my father in heaven. He loves me. He is with me. He has called me to represent him and his son for 2 years. I am so grateful for my father in heaven and all of the many blessings that he has given me. I know that I am nothing(like ammon) as to my own strength, BUT in god I am powerful. In God, I am everything, to God, I am everything. I am his son.... and I love him dearly.
Those are the things that I am grateful for.
Love Elder Brown
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