Not Much Happened This Week :(

Christms Day 2015 (I'm really, really cold!)

December 28, 2015

Wow, time really has flown by! I'm almost done with my training. That means that in three weeks I could be training. It also means that in three more weeks I will probably be called to serve another six weeks in this area. The time goes by fast, but 4.5 months in one area seems really long.

What happened this past week? I really don't know. well C**** was going to get baptized the 26th and that changed. She now wants to get baptized the ninth (she almost got baptized the 5th, and that would have been really weird, seeing as its my bday). We had companion exchanges with the zone leaders this week, and that was pretty fun.

Then was Christmas Eve. Here the Christmas Eve Dinner is a big thing. The families here dress up and make a big deal of it. However, nobody ate together, and nobody talked together, it was one of the strangest things I've ever seen. The food was ridiculously tasty, but nobody ate it together.  However, someone else told me that most Mexicans use it for beer, go figure.

A Member's Dog

We played volleyball Christmas day and then went out to eat. My companion missed home and I was rather bored. We went to dairy queen and ate blizzards and cookie ice cream sandwiches. They were really good. The pecan blizzard is really good. I think it was pecan.

The days kind of blend together. Maybe I'm really misunderstanding this misionary thing, but it seems like it's almost a dull blend of walk and talk. It kind of all mixes together to form a dull brown blend of something. Not much progress seems to occur in the people, and neither does it seem to happen in me.

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings!

Dec 21, 2015

We were tracting one day and ran into someone who sold pan (it's like a really dry, slightly stale, doughnut). The previous encounter he gave us each one free and he talked about how all the religions are harlots. He said he learned it from revelation. He's certainly confused. However, he's a good man, as is demonstrated in his generosity to us. He said that he was willing to hear our message, but he wasn't goin into nuttin, cus they were all harlots. We met him again last Friday and he talked to us and then asked if he could sing us an alabanza. He closed his eyes, started swaying, and then commenced his alabanza. "God is here, God is here, surely as the wind and the air that we breathe, surely as the day of tomorrow will be, Dios is here." At least it sounded nice, and had a nice feeling to it. But he belted it. It almost echoed. Wow. Elder Ruiz and I looked at each other and looked around. It was a real blessing that we were alone. :)

District (L to R)
Elder Ruiz, Elder Salvatierra, Elder Brown, Elder Priego
(Not Pictured: Elder Scoubes and Elder Bernal)

The last week was relatively frustrating. We spent half the week in some stinking meeting or another. Monday ws Pday, Tuesday was a full day. wednesday was a zone meeting. Thursday was when we had my stitches removed. Friday was the entire day in the christmas party and meeting with the president. Saturday was a baptism for the ward Riveras Bosque, one in our district that we attended to help. It was the first baptism of both companions. Sunday was, well, sunday, and after sacrament meeting, we had a branch counsel. Altogether, it was rather ineffective and my favorite part was when we spent 15 minutes talking about how we need to shorten our meetings. :)

not much happened, unfortunately, as we didn't have much time for anything to happen. However, I'm doing much better as a missionary, and I'm able to take charge of the lessons and conversations rather than just listen and nod my head. I've learned that the key really is colossians 3:23, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the lord, and not unto men." o en espanol, "y todo lo que hagais, hacedlo de corazon, como para el Senor, y no para los hombres." We are agents unto ourselves and the power really is in us to do that which we should. We are gods in training, and God has given us a world to change and lift. We should do it, and do it with gusto.

Remember to Look Up!

Dec 14, 2015

Stitches!

Well this week was an adventure for sure!! Thursday we went to the temple to buy a Bible for L*** the mom of K****. She only has one of the New World Translations. Some of the writings are subtly changed to suggest other meanings of the scriptures more along the lines of another religion. We called Presidente G**** (President has an E on the end), stressing the brevity of the excursion, and he granted permission. We left in a calafia (small bus, but nor derogatory) at 10:00 and arrived at the temple at 11:30. Almost short. We set back for our area at 12:00 having bought her a beautiful bible and other Mormon propaganda (she isn't our investigator yet, but her whole family's getting baptized, even her sister), and then, to save ten pesos, or sixty cents, we changed routes. Around 12:30, I was ferociously attacked by a stand-still sign. (I was walking with my head down when I hit the top of my head on the bottom edge of a sign. The momentum forced me downward and my pants ripped.) I fell to a crouch, heard a rip that meant trouble in the pants, and said something creative, like "OW!", or "Nombre!" or both. Then Elder Ruiz looked at me like, Seriously? and saw that I was bleeding. We went to the doctor (there's one on almost every corner here) and she sent us to a hospital to get stitches. So much for a short trip to the temple for a Bible. However, we were walking around the city and looked like refugees of a bible bash. Elder Ruiz had a torn shoe, and I had torn pants, a bloody sweater on top of my head (which Elder Ruiz let me borrow from him so I wouldn’t get blood on my white shirt), and blood in my hair. Yes, the pants are fixed. There's a member here that sews who fixed them. Our "short" excursion turned into an adventure, almost, of a lifetime. I have learned a great deal from this incident. Most importantly, however, is "to look up". In fact, there's a general conference talk about it. I believe it's by Arnulfo F. Valuenza. (There are actually two recent General Conference talks about looking up. One is called Look Up by Elder Adrián Ochoa and the other called It is Better to Look up by Carl B. Cook.)

At least he's happy!

I translated a couple of conversations for a couple from Builders without Borders over the weekend. They came down for the dedication and happened to be in our same chapel. In fact, they had worked in my area during Thanksgiving. They were nice. Translating is really weird. I start talking in English but then go back to Spanish mid-sentence. I would ask the english speakers a question and then realize it was Spanish when they looked at me all puzzled.

C*** is changing a lot!! She's keeping commitments. She's asking to learn, not just to pry. She actually asked us to teach her about the law of chastity, which was about the most unexpected question out there. She told us about her crazzzzyyy life about 2 or 3 years before. She wants to change and improve.

All y’all in the united states. Be grateful that your stakes tell you things before they happen, and not when they do. Here, if we know anything more than a day beforehand, we're sitting pretty. We receive an announcement and run our whole area delivering the information to everyone.

D****, a new investigator, is progressing really well. When I extended the baptismal invitation, I basically retaught lesson 1. However, she is progressing. Our third lesson, she had an answer concerning the Book of Mormon. She wants to get married to her boyfriend so they can get baptized. She has very good questions too.

Eye Spy President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The cultural celebration was really cool. There were a bunch of fun songs and a bunch of cool things. Actually there's a Chinese colony in our mission (they speak Spanish) and they performed the fight between the dragon and the loin tiger thingies. It was really something.

Tijuana Temple Cultual Celebration

The next day we went to all three sessions of the temple dedication. The gentleman who is not baptized did not show up, and so we never had to deny him access. PHEW!! In the first session, the first counselor in our branch sang along with the choir (the dedication was broadcast to our stake center and we watched it on a screen). He was the only one in the entire congregation signing. I thought he would have noticed by the end of the first of four verses. Here they sing even longer than in the US.

In the second session, one of the speakers quoted someone of saying, "What is the price of infidelity? of divorce? of broken families and broken dreams? What is the price of pornography, alcholoism, and their broken hearts? There is no price for these, but the Temple fortifies the world against these plagues."

This is a great response to the question "why do you spend an incredulous amount of money on your temples?"

Another speaker said, "The most important things in this world are: one the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. and two that which occurs in the temples as its result." So please, go to the temple, take advantage of the blessings. Work vicariously, just as the Savior, and help those whom you cannot yet see.

Love,

Elder Brown

This Week Was Not the Prettiest...

Mexicans (at least in my Branch) can't carry a tune. Every time we sing, the melody sounds terrible. With everyone else so completely off, I can't stay on pitch either. What more, We sing every day for companionship study!! I'm looking forward to an american companion so we can hold a tune... However, as far as blessings go,I have been surprised to notice that I can play the piano better now than before, and I play the piano less. I can read music. I can play like normal as well. It's an unexpected, but by all means welcome, blessing.

I have given two blessings to people who are sick. If it wasn't intimidating before, well, the Spanish takes care of that. However, I gave a blessing to an investigator yesterday morning for her back, and her back is healing. That's always encouraging to see. :)

Honestly, this weekend has been a disaster. We had exchanges with the zone leaders on Friday. We taught one of our most interested investigators and she was mad about the temple. She said it was ludicrous that we spend so much money on a temple when there are so many people in poverty. It was horrible.

Next we were going to teach a new investigator, but I received a prompting to go to C****, the recent convert. While we walked, we were notified by the relief society president that his baby sister of less than a week had died. We went to try to help, but my companion didn't know anyone and I, who knew people, was assaulted with children. We were no help.

After that, we went to interview our baptism for the next day. She had separated from her cohabitee for a month, but had returned with him two days before. Not only that, but Elder R***and I had verified every day last week that they hadn't gotten back together. The baptism fell through.

When I returned with my companion, I heard as well that Elder R*** had lost his camera, with more than a years' worth of fotos. Honestly, I was overwhelmed with all that had happened, discouraged with my Spanish, and, well, overwhelmed. I haven't had much confidence in myself nor in what I have taught because I'm always worried that I'm forgetting something. Ironically, when I worry, I do forget.

Saturday was not much better. We walked all day and taught almost nothing. Sunday was a fail as well. The branch president was giving the temple dedication recommendation cards out like free samples. Signing them like blank checks. We have to go and recover at least one from the father of the deceased baby. That's not going to be fun.

After that we were called by the branch president and told that he was not available for lunch (the main course of the day, like your dinner). We didn't have any food or water in the house, not having been able to replenish it the day before, and so we had to go to the zone leaders and ask to join their lunch. During the meal, I only understood 80% of the conversation, and it seemed that most of the jokes were on me, particularly my Spanish. That didn't help me much either. We went to the christmas broadcast, and that wsa fun. The talks were translated into Spanish, but they didn't translate Silent Night, so we sang it in English, and boy was it fun hearing the Mexicans be confused for once. :) Elder Hurst, the zone leader, told me that my Spanish is better at one month than his was at four, and that when he had four months, he felt very proficient.

Then we taught C***, the younger sister of K***. She was crazy before. She was legend among the missionaries, because she could not be reverenced, but she was also interested. We taught her and she had received an answer about the church, and was very interested. Her two other brothers are interested as well. That was a real booster to my confidence. Also, I taught with greater confidence during the lesson and it was a spiritual lesson.

We're teaching the "husband" (nobody's married here) of a less active and he is really ready to baptize. His only obstacle is the LESS-ACTIVE “wife”.. :)

I'm really enjoying the christmas season this year. I was the one to suggest Christmas hymns. Also, Ive really developed a taste for what is called "nuez" here. I'm not sure what it's called where yáll are, but I'm sure I didn't like it. :)

Q & A from Mom to Elder Brown

Q: Tell me a little about your companion. What is he like? Do you get along well?

A: My companion is awesome. He played soccer before he came on the mission. Nobody plays soccer here (of the missionaries). He was really reckless before his mission. He stole his moms car one day and drove to St. George with his friends. Now, however, he's a great missionary. After he received his personal testimony, he became the ward mission leader and changed the dynamics of his ward. In the mission he is very good and serving well.

Steps Up The Mountain

Q: Please tell me more about your area. Why is it known as the runt of Tijuana?

A: Well the branch lacks a lot of leadership. It is made up of new converts, so no one really has much experience in the Church. There's no hot water, unlike most other areas. It's a mountain. I have pictures of a few trails. It's dirty. It ruins clothes. There isn't much progress because there isn't anyone to work with and the people with whom we can work don't know how to, but we can't really train them because that's not our responsibility. The stake doesn't help much either. We don't have a garbage service. We burn all our trash. It’s fun, but smelly for sure. Rotten milk is one thing, flaming rotten milk?! Also, when meals with members fall through we are on our own where in other areas the missionaries receive 200 pesos. :) But it's fun.

A Little Note from Brock's Mom

After reading this week's letter please say a prayer for Elder Brown and his companion, Elder Ruiz, that they may continue to be in tune with the Spirit as they help investigators and new members. Last week had it's challenges and it would be wonderful if we could all band together in prayer for Carlos and his family as they deal with the passing of Carlos's baby sister. Please also ask our Heavenly Falther to help Elder Brown and Elder Ruiz will know how best they can help.

Blessings of the Gospel

Wow! This is week 12 of my 104 weeks as a missionary. That's crazy! The time really just flies. There's so much that happens every day and yet so little to explain! Every day is the same but presents itself so differently. When we baptize people, we tell them that it's the beginning, not the end, of their life of righteousness, but I never really understood how much of a beginning it really was.

Diego (age 13) was always serious and fairly doubtful. He wanted to act, but was not anxious. He wanted to change, but had concerns with his mom, who is not a member. We baptized him about two weeks ago, and the changes have been exciting. He's more confident. He told us he's felt more happy since his baptism. OH!!! It's just so fun to see!!

Elder Brown, Carlos (age 16), Elder Ruiz

Carlos (16) is serious too. However his seriousness is a bit less timid and a bit more dominitave, which is relatively hilarious, as he doesn't measure more than 4 feet 2 inches, and although his build fits his frame, in no means does his width or strength make up for his lack of height. He wears a size 16 shirt, if that helps you understand his stature. Anyway, he had problems with anger, and since his baptism, his anger has dissipated. What more, he had a girlfriend. This girlfriend wanted the commitment of a married couple, without the papers or the age. After his baptism, he had the courage to give a definitive no, AND to end the relationship. He's obviously heartbroken, but baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost has helped him a lot.

The family of Karla is still investigating the church. She is still waiting, albeit a little impatiently, for her family to join her. However, the temple has worked wonders in their lives. The Mom, when I arrived, was passively against the church. Today she gave us a reference and Scarfs. Her children initially were hesitant. Now they all want to be baptized. The husband, well, yeah. He wouldn't go to the temple. The temple, even before it is dedicated, has the power to soften hearts. If we attend the temple when it is dedicated, it has the power to work wonders.

Elder Brown and Elder Ruiz at Tijuana Temple

I had the special privilege of attending a tour of the temple led by President Garcia. He is something else. The temple is something else. We stopped in every room and tried to soak up the Spirit there. He taught us things in each of the rooms. His very voice feels like a hug. He is very concerned for our welfare and our success, possibly more so than you. ;)

Speaking of which, President Garcia gave me a blessing for problems I had been having with my fee last week. He blessed me that they'd be fine and that my Spanish would be adequate. There were other things but my memory proves I'm very human. You asked me about my impressions of president Garcia, and now I have enough experience with him to describe him and my experiences with him a little (I'll try to summarize it under a different article).

One time we (my companion and I) got involved in a bible bash with someone who didn't know the Bible. It's kind of hard to do, but somehow we managed it. Nobody knows the Bible here. Hardly anyone knows much of religion, and the people who know something think they know it all and are not willing to learn. It's like 2 Nephi 9:28. The smartest people often utterly fall short of wisdom. How many times have we done that? How many times have I? Anyway, It occurred to me that every other church is founded on the Bible. We are the foundation of the Bible. Every other church finds its power in the Bible. We acknowledge that the Bible has the power of God, but the prophets of our church give it that. Yes, the scriptures in the Bible allude to our teachings, and our teachings do find reference therein, but because we have a prophet today, the source of the Bible anciently, we give credibility to the Bible, instead of the other way around.

How Beautiful upon the Mountains
Mosiah 14 reads

 14 And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!
15 And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
16 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!  17 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever! (Mosiah 15:14-17)

Elder Brown's Shoes
Week 3--Hope They Last 2 years

I was stuck in the house one day this week when I read the last verse of Mosiah 27. I remembered all the other times in Mosiah that the theme had been repeated. Once in Mosiah 18, once in 12, before I believe, and chapter 15 as well. There are probably more as well. The humor is that I was stuck in the house due to my feet, which weren't exactly looking pretty. :) I got to thinking though, about how much a privilege it is to be here. To try to teach as I know Christ would have me. To try to teach as I know Christ would. To try to walk as he did. These verses fill me with a deep enthusiasm to work and to walk in this great eternal cause.

PRESIDENTE GARCIA

I remember the first day I met him. We all unboarded the plane with a Mexican travel leader. We were all very lost and confused. The American missionaries all talked about looking our best for the mission president, about impressing him. I don't know what the Mexican missionaries talked about. As the American missionaries continued talking about impressing the mission president, I realized nothing of the sort had even occurred to me. I was just moving on. Then we met the mission president and the APs (assistant to the president). One AP was really tall and had scarily prominent cheekbones, and the other wasn't. We got in our cars and nervously bounced our way to somewhere else to eat, and boy was I hungry. President Garcia talked with us in Spanish, mostly promising us that in three months, we'd be fluent if we talked in only Spanish. The rest I don't remember. I was more interested in filling the black hole of my stomach.

Elder Brown with President and Sister Garcia
October 26, 2015

Then we went to our next appointment. All the new elders sat in the front and nervously awaited their assignments. I said something that was not funny to about ten of the Mexicans, and they thought it was. Normally I say something that is funny and people think it isn’t. Presidente Garcia said a bunch of things that weren't funny to me, but were to the experienced missionaries.

The next time President Gartcia and I talked, I needed to verify in the bathroom mirror that I still had my eyebrows. He scolded us and told us off for all our imperfections. Then did it again. this was the zone conference.

The next time he talked to us I checked again. I can assure you I still have my eyebrows, but it was a close call. He is intense. This was the training control meeting. I learned afterwards that he is concerned that the baptisms are dropping. He worries that too many trainers are lazy.

Then I got to know him personally. He is sooo warm! He is sooo concerned for us. Yes he is intense. I knew it was because he loves us. but I couldn't comprehend how very much. and how very deeply.