New Years!!

So this week was really fun having the new years and all of that I really enjoyed it we could be out until 10:50 and then we had to be in our house at 11:00 si o si!!!! We got home a little before 11:00 so dont worry! :) What is it that we did you may ask!? Well we went to our mission leaders house and we had a big asado!(bbq) It was good we had fresh lamb and pig! :) They killed it that same morning. We got there and carlos was like well hello thanks for coming now lets go and cook the food. I was like what!? I thought it was going to be ready... NOPE! haha so we spent the whole night cooking some good lamb and pig on a homemade grill!! It was really cool! We made the fire and stuff right there and we cooked until about 10:30 and then we had to eat super fast and then we RAN home. Passing all of the drunks on the side of the roads already partied out for the night. Crossing the train tracks to get over to our apartment complex to run up the stairs and see that we got home with 2 minutes to spare. :) Obedience! Woot woot. So yeah this week was interesting. Yesterday there was a HUGE fire about 45 minutes from bulnes. The sucker was so big that we could feel the heat when the wind was blowing. It was SO freaking hot. I just wanted to die haha It was interesting because when we looked south towards Quillon and Concepcion all we could see was this big black cloud of smoke and ash. I was so happy that the wind was blowing south or it could have been really bad for the missionaries out in quillon but luckily nothing happened to any of us and the finally after fighting all day and a little through the night got it under control. The firemen from 4 or 5 cities had to go out and take care of it. It was nuts. I almost died of heat! haha I will send pictures of it next week.
 I am a little bummed out that there was no snow at all. I miss the snow. I miss the cold but only when I am not a missionary and I can play with it.haha So can you believe that from this month on I have 7 months left in my mission because like you said I am going to have to come home a little early. I am really scared. I think that at the end of Jan we are going to probably start talking about my classes I dont really know when I have to or can sign up to take classes. I cant believe that I already have to think about that. I am not ready to come home but at the same time I am because I miss all of you guys so much. I hope you are doing well.

So we are going to be having this lady named Maria Orellana get baptized this week. She is like 70 years old and in love with me and she is just a ball of life she is so funny. She cant really walk though. She is in a wheelchair because her legs are really bad and so we(4) priesthood holders are going to have to get in the waters of baptism with her together. Haha It is going to be really interesting we are going to have to put in hardly any water because she is a kinda big lady and her son is too and the 3 other people. wow. I am excited to see how that is going to go.

My new years resolution is to accomplish my missionary goals and have a good successful end of my mission and then before the year ends be dating someone. ;) hahaha That is going to be so freaking weird!!!!! I can even imagine what its like to just talk to one of those things they call women casually. haha It just kinda weirds me out thinking about it.  When jake gets home tell hime I love him and I will see him soon when I finish baptizing down here. ;) NO! just kidding haha tell him I am proud of him and I will see him soon.

I really liked that analogy that you gave me. It really is so true that as members we are the surgeons for the other people. I think it all depends on what we do though that depends on how good of doctors we are. For example, a guy that is reading his scriptures every day and is doing his prayers and his visits and serving and this and that and all the goods, is going to be alot more prepared to be a surgeon for someone that a guy who is just living the commandments to complete them. It all depends on our actions. I know that I want to be ready to be able to help someone. That is what we have to do out here. If we are not prepared we are not going to get the chance to help a child of god. We always need to be preparing ourselves. All comes through desires and personal and family studies. :)

New years here was pretty fun. We just worked haha yesterday NO ONE WAS HOME!!! haha I couldnt believe it. I was going crazy because we did contacts all day and talked to 3 people. None of our investigators were home and luckily we found 3 Less active members that we went by and visited. I like visiting them. I feel like we really help them too. I love seeing the change that we make in the lives of others. I am really nervous to get home and not be able to see that as easy and I know that I will feel useless. I dont like that thought.
I like serving out here in bulnes I have learned alot about the church and how we need to do the things of the lord. I love how it all works by revelation. It is the real main difference from our church and the rest. We work 100 % on revelation. I love it!!!

Oh guess what I went out to the campo this week and cut down some needle trees. Like the spiky ones that they put on christ´s head. Yeah I cut down like 30 of those trees this Thursday. It was really tiring. I liked it though. I realized I really like working with my hands and doing labor like that. It is really fun. I feel accomplished when I do something like that. Like yard work. I think I am going to like doing it when I get back. :)

Love Elder Brown

A Message from Julian Brown's Mom

2012 is finally here and I just wanted to take a moment and tell everyone who has been following this blog - thank you for your many prayers and your support over the last year and a half.  I am sure that Julian has been protected many times because of your supplications to our Heavenly Father.  The next 7 and 1/2 months are going to be fun.  We are in the home stretch now and soon Elder Brown will once again be home with us and personally I can't wait!!

As Julian's mom, it has been a special experience for me to post his letters and some of the personal experiences he shares with just his dad and I with you.  We have received more blessings than I could possibly list and my testimony has grown deep and firm.  I know that God lives and loves us, he is mindful of your lives just as he is of mine.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God and if read with a sincere heart and firm desire to know of it's truthfulness, the Lord does reveal the truthfulness of it to each of us personally.  I have received this witness and it has changed my life. 

Thank you again for being part of this special experience with our family.  May the Lord bless you and your family in 2012.  And now let the countdown begin!!!!!

Cyndi Brown (Elder Brown's mom and #1 Fan!)