Fasting

Hey Guys!

I finally got both of the packages! Thanks so much! But when you send a package again make sure you don't wrap it first... then I can't get it sent out here. The weather here has been completely crazy this year... One week its -40 and then the next it's 40 above. They usually get quite a bit of snow each year but we've only gotten maybe 4-6 inches the whole year. It just gets reaaaaaly icy! My new comp and I get along really well which is always a plus. We should have a pretty good time.

 

Work-wise things have been going pretty well! Stella went AWOL on us so we decided to have a big fast for her yesterday. On my mission I've been able to grow such a huge testimony of fasting! Before I came out I can't say that I ever really fasted for a real purpose (or even hardly at all).  It is so amazing to see how much the Lord truly blesses us for even the simple sacrifice of a few meals. Instead of coming in contact with Stella (which we were fasting for) we were able to find two brand new people who I'm so excited for! Heavenly Father knows each of his children perfectly. He know's when they're ready, and knows when it's just not quite time yet. I'm so grateful for this gospel!

Have an amazing day!

Love you guys!

-Elder Brown

New Companion

Hey Family!! 

So to answer some of your questions....

The throwing the water in the air and watching it turn to ice trick really does work! I thought it was so cool so I took like 10 videos of it so i'll have to send you one! The car does work... sometimes... We have to plug it in every night to keep it heated up but even when it's plugged in it takes a bit to get it started in the mornings! Luckily in the church we're not just confined to our room. We get to roam around at night and during our breaks so we have a pretty sweet soccer field all set up in the gym haha. Bethel's actually a pretty dark place... There's a lot of bad things going on and I think thats one of the reasons why I love it so much is because you really get to see the difference you make in peoples lives! Alcohol has completely taken over most of the people's lives who live here.  Most of them can't even afford to feed their kids, because all of their money goes to alcohol. Like I said, it's really 3rd worldish. I think in the winter it gets even worse because of all of the depression hits a lot of people really hard.. Its a pretty sad place. 

So we called Alaska Airlines earlier in the week to see if we're getting transferred (the cheater way to find out if you're leaving before transfer calls) and didn't see any reservations! Then we got a call on Thursday from president and he told us that Elder Nelson was getting sent back out to Anchorage after only being here a month and that I was going to stay another transfer... I was pretty shocked! I pretty much was packing all of my bags because I was so sure I was leaving. But I'm pretty excited to stay. My new comps name is Elder Clark & he's from Kansas. That's about all I know haha. This morning we flew into Anchorage for transfers and so that I can load up on food again! It's so weird being around so many normal people and back in civilization.... Being out in the bush for so long really makes you weird! I can't even imagine what Kate's going to be like when she gets back.... haha! 

Well I hope everyone has an awesome week! 

Love ya!

-Elder Brown

Titanic Pose

Happy V Day

Holy cow I think everyone needs to slow up on all of the babies! From the sounds of it just about everyone I know is either pregnant or just had a baby! By the time I get back I'm not going to know anyone anymore. Ben's playing deacon ball? Is he already 12? I swear he's not... I mean I know i'm a terrible sibling and don't know anyones birthday but I thought he was younger than that! I can't believe that it's time for the olympics already! I swear it was just this last summer that we were watching them! Crazy how fast time flies

A few weeks ago I was complaining to my companion about how bummed out I was about my first Alaskan winter since it had only gotten down into the negatives for about a week. Well right now its about -30 or -40 with the windchill. All last night I was doing the cool trick where the throw the pot of water up in the air and it just turns into ice for an hours because I thought it was so cool! Elder Nelson's only about 5'3 so i'm getting pretty worried about him getting blown away by the wind. Maybe I'll have to get a rope and tie us together to make sure that doesn't happen haha! 

As far as the work goes things in Bethel have been going amazing! Stella's still doing great and eating the gospel up just about as fast as we can feed it to her. Last week we met a man outside the store who was drunk and waiting for his bootlegger to bring him his shipment of alcohol. We went up and started talking to him and he told him how alcohol has completely taken over his life and is ruining his family and how he really needs help changing. He gave us his address and we set a time a few days later to come and see him. Going into our apt I didn't really have any expectations since things like this usually don't pan out well. We were able to get in and meet with him and I was completely shocked. He is such an amazing man and has such a desire to change. He's really searching for the truth and has read so many different translations of the Bible and the Book of Mormon! This is by far the best shape the area has been in in a long time so we're real excited about that! The only bad thing is that transfers are this week and I'm pretty sure my time here's done so I might have to miss out on seeing both of them progress towards baptism.... But I'm really excited to see where the Lord sends me next.

I love you guys so much! Have a great week!

Super Bowl Sunday

Hey Everyone!

Sounds like besides the possible food poisoning from the un-cooked chicken wings you had an awesome Superbowl! Hopefully Jordan's not at home throwing up right now... Haha Liz I really thought that after all of the little incidents/hiccups in your cooking that by now you'd be a profession chef! But hey I guess even the best choke sometimes right? I mean look at Payton Manning. Haha I'm sure you all were really missing Kate! I can't believe that Lizzy won most of the money lottery.. that's hilarious! Mom -- I'm glad you were able to keep track of all of your little birds trying to fly down south! Lizzy looked great in her costume and I'm sure that she did amazing in her dance and harp recital.

This last week has been full of ups and downs but it really has been so great! After 4 months of searching we finally found someone who is completely ready for the gospel. Her name is Stella. Haha when I first met her in my mind I was just screaming STEELLLLAAAA!!! Just like Elaine in that episode of Seinfeld haha!!  But she really is so golden. Her finance is a L.A. member in the big lake ward in Wasilla and she really has no religious background so she knows nothing! It's so cool to be able to teach someone literally from step one. She absolutely loves everything that we teach her and wants to meet as much as possible. Maybe I might even get my wish and see that font get filled with the beautiful yellow Bethel water before I leave! When I was reading Kate's email and saw that she had 12 people on date for baptism I just about threw up... But hey we almost have one so only 11 more and we'll be right up there with her too!

Super bowl Sunday was pretty rough. We tried to go around and see a bunch of people but apparently they'd rather watch the Beer commercials than let us help them receive Eternal Life. But hey I guess everyone has their agency right? For lunch we went over to a members house and sat in their kitchen and ate and threw paper airplanes around while everyone was over in the living room watching the game. So much fun! This week has really firmed up my testimony of going to church. I was shocked at how many people didn't show up for church because they were watching the pre-game show for the Superbowl. I think the scripture that admonishes us to "put no other Gods before me" can really apply to this situation. One of the adversaries greatest tools used to pull us away from our Savior are the worldly pleasures that offer only temporal happiness.

Well I hope you all have a great week!

-Elder Brown