Hyperkeratosis

This quote from our recent Stake Conference with Elder Alin Spannaus is perfect for everyone experienceing trials. Love and prayers to Elder Brown. May he continue to grow closer to our Heavenly Father, increase his testimony, exercise faith, learn patience, and maintain a positive attitude.

Ouch!!!

This does't look fun...

Blisters, Blisters, Blasted Blisters!!!

Blisters, Blisters, Blasted Blisters. :) that was basically my week, unfortunately. The most tiring work is doing nothing, because I never, ever, get a break... :-)

"I'm running out of skin for blisters."

Well, at least I've had more time to study. I've studied about prayer and how to pray more effectively, when to pray. I studied about pondering as well and reflecting back on my life. I realized that when I study that way I can spend an hour of study based on one scripture. I realized that the Holy Ghost and the Savior help us when we're already doing our best with what we can do. I learned that when we are proactive and look for what we can learn, we find it. I also learned that when we find things to improve upon, we need to take them one step at a time, one goal at a time. We can find all the flaws in the world, but we can still only fix them one at a time, maybe two.

We went and taught M**** and her daughter, A****. They're really awesome. We hadn't taught them anything about the role of members in the missionary work, but of her own account, A**** gave her Book of Mormon to a friend and bore her testimony. Then she asked us for another copy. That was really cool. Anyone can participate in the missionary work, and like A****, anyone can have success. :)

But really, my feet are kind of laughable. :)

--Elder Brock Brown

Beautiful Day

A little note from Elder Brown's Mom I think this boy could use a some prayers. The last couple of weeks have been pretty tough with many blisters on his feet. He has spent a great deal of time inside, not doing missionary work, trying to let his feet heal. He has been working with doctors. They keep telling him different ways to treat/fix the blisters and so far nothing is helping. He has also had a priethood blessing. Elder Brown probably would not ask for prayers on his behalf, but I would like to encourage you to keep him in your prayers this week. Please pray that he will be able to keep his spirits up, continue to work hard as a missionary, and if it is the Lord's will, that the problems with his feet will be resolved.

Spring/Summer are just around the corner (and transfers are this weekend). Look how beautiful his area is right now. Makes me a little jealous of the lush green hillsides and the beautiful blue sky.

--Sarah Brown

Blessings Come When we Follow the Will of the Lord

Monday, we saw many blessings from following the will of the Lord, and we saw that God accomplishes His purposes. First we went to K***. We had received the prompting to go the previous day, but we couldn't go because we had paperwork to fill out. When we first saw her, she looked really, really discouraged. She had been working really hard and hadn't seen much fruit. She told us that was beginning to think that all this wasn't worth it. She didn't go to the stake conference the day before, and she was really discouraged with herself and her family. We talked to her about her concerns and helped her resolve them.

Elder D*** and Elder B****

After that, we went to an investigator's house, because it was our plan. They were there, but had locked themselves IN the house and their husband had left with the keys. How likely is that?! We went to another investigator's home and she wasn't home. MY feet were hurting, and so we decided to finish off the night close to the house. We went to someone named Hermano N****. He is very kind and very diligent, but he's rather old. I'm not sure he can smell, and it was actually something really dangerous for him, as he had left his gas running. When we entered his home, it smelled really strongly of gas, but was diluted a bit because his door was opened. However, when he went to bed, he would have closed the door, and the gas would have killed him. It was a real blessing to be able to help him in that. The Lord needed us. Maybe we weren't the most diligent in seeking His inspiracion, which isn't the best, but he helped us, and he helped Hno N****, despite our weakness.

The lesson we taught him was so-so, as was the majority of what he said, but he was talking about sharing the gospel and said, "I used to be afraid of sharing the restored gospel with other people, but not anymore. I prayed and asked the Lord to take away my fears. Now I don't have fears of knocking doors and sharing the gospel." When I heard that, I was really impressed. I realized that I have fears as well, and I've asked the Lord to strengthen my confidence, but I haven't really asked him to take away my fears. Maybe it's the same with you. Maybe we're just too prideful to give up our weakness because we want to defeat it ourselves. It can't really be done. It can only be atoned, and fortunately we don't have to do that part.

I could probably give a synopsis like that for every one of the days this week, but I don't really have time, so I'll move on to another topic.

M**** (the recent baptism, and the mom) keeps surprising us with profound little quotes. The night after her confirmation, she said, "The gospel isn't learned as it is studied. Rather, it is learned as it is done." The other one was, "I always told my kids that 'If ice cream or money brought us happiness, I would work day and night to provide it for them. Now, however, I see in my children and myself that all we need to do are the simple things, like read the scriptures and pray.'" I'm sure that the first thought is that of almost any parent, and almost any spouse or friend. However, I asked myself if I worked day and night so that my siblings would read their scriptures and pray. Too many times I tried to solve their problems by my own power, but I realize now that if I want someone to be happy, I need to be their best friend and help them keep the commandments.

Another Battle with Blisters :(

Now for the feet. I spent two days couped up in the house, waiting for my feet to heal. It was actually a little bit relieving, not because we weren't working, nor because I was tired, but rather because I had the opportunity to read the Book of Mormon like I hadn't in a while. Before I usually just searched a scripture that I wanted for a lesson or a principle. I just read the book of mormon the last three days, and it provided me with a much-needed renewal of energy. The Book of Mormon seriously has the power to change the world, if only every person and every family would read it.

 --Elder Brown

The Gospel Shall Make You Full

We had two baptisms the previous week! I had exchanges with Elder S****, and that's the majority of the eventful things that happened.

What I was going to tell you all about last week is this guy named P****. He's been a member of the church about 13 years now, and he studies the scriptures a ton. I think he's studied them for an hour a day since he was baptized. However, he still doesn't know very much. Even though he may not be the brightest scriptural scholar, he's definitely the best-working one. He shared his not-so-large home with a not-so -nice man so that the choldren of the other man would have 1) a roof, and 2) a father, Him (P****). He's not married and he's about 70 years old. After the one family moved out, because the dad was given another house, the kids still spend a lot of time with P****. In fact, the last Sunday, the kids (12 at the oldest) walked a quarter-mile in the really wet rain and mud to meet P**** and walk another half mile in wetter rain and mud to go to church. That is the influence that P**** has on these kids. He actually makes frequent visits to the less-active members with these little kids, and the little kids share a message with them.

After the one family moved out, P**** was going to help another family. He was going to buy her house and then give it to her for free, just so that her ten kids could have a roof over their heads and the true gospel in their hearts, however, the Sunday that P**** was going to give her the offer at church was the sunday she stayed home, and sold her home, for less than half the price. God's blessings are waiting, and the miracles are often anxious at the end of our hope.

Baptisms

Now for the two baptisms. Their names are M*** and A****. They are real converts. Probably the first real converts that I've seen baptized, honestly. Their son (E***) got baptized in December in another ward and he asked us to talk to his family, who attended the baptism. We went and shared our message with them and they accepted the baptismal date (6th of February) without any questions. After that, they read almost everything we left with them. They had real problems in their family before we came, about which I learned only with the baptismal interviews, but with the Gospel, everything got better. I can't believe the changes that happened. However, their father is waiting to get baptized. Hopefully it comes quickly. After they got baptized, the stake president gave the welcoming talk, and Elder C*** (an area seventy) taught everyone about the baptismal covenant. After we left, I felt full. Their baptism was something particularly special, and I hope that I can have more experiences like that more frequently.

Now for what I wish I had known before my mission:

If I could tell you all the things I have learned, or all the things I am still learning, or even the things that may soften the intellectual impact of the transition, I would, but I'm rather at a loss. At the beginning, I thought I could remember all the changes, or at least the most challenging ones, and prepare my family and friends for it. Unfortunately, the mission has a knack for finding your weak links. The one thing that will change everything is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or Lesson three of chapter three in preach my Gospel. If you can become converted to this process and NEVER FORGET IT in pride, fear, or laziness, things will always be hard, but at least they'll be full. There are always adjustments to be made, but if you can learn to care about the work, about the people, and about yourself, and then live the Gospel of Jesus Christ every day, things will work out. I realized the other day that if I repented yesterday, I need to repent of not doing it since, too.

Elder Brown

Responses to Why Elder Brown Didn't Write

We all know that there are lots of reasons why a missinary doesn't have the opportunity to write home. Last week was one of those weeks for Elder Brown...well, sort of. He actually wrote a letter but it was deleted by his "double-clicking mouse."

As the person in charge of sending out weekly emails to Elder Brown's friends and family, I decided to go ahead and send out an email explaining why there wasn't an email coming from Elder Brown. I also asked people to write back to me, his mom, with a funny reason why he didn't manage to send a letter home! It was truly a joy to read your responses!!! Some of the emails would come through while I was lying getting ready to retire for the night. Every response brought a smile to my face as I pictured Elder Brown actually doing the things that had been described in the email. THANKS for helping me and my family have an enjoyable week without our usual missionary email!!! The only thing that would make these stories better, would be a small illustrated sketch of each...too bad I can only color and not draw an initial picture.

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I have compiled the responses we have received so far and am posting them below. If you want in on the fun, keep on reading. Better yet, right your own version and comment below or email me at smbrown1415@gmail.com.

I think that it rained lots again but even more this time...it was so much that it washed away the place where they do their emails. They couldn't find any computers so he is in the process of writing a really really long hand written letter and will finish it as soon as he can find some more paper to write on.  —T.B.

I hope you enjoy this! The reason Elder Brown didn't write is because he was sitting at the computer to type a long letter and accidentally fell asleep. His head hit the keyboard which resulted in a very long stream of characters all comprised of one letter of the alphabet. So technically he did write a "long letter" but not one that he would send. When he woke up he didn't have any time to write a letter so he used his "double clicking mouse" to delete the whole thing ;-) —K.T.

First of all, thanks for all the email updates!  They’ve been a lot of fun to read, particularly as we all watch Brock grow spiritually through his emails.  That’s been pretty cool. Okay, my reason for him?  He and his companion were attacked by a pack of dogs.  Elder Brown saved his companion’s life by sticking his arm in the mouth of one dog and flexing.  His bulging muscles pried open the dog’s jaws as Elder Brown flexed, breaking the dog’s jaw bone and causing it to whimper away.  However, Elder Brown caught up to that dog and started swinging it by the tail at the other dogs.  The teeth in the wobbling, broken jaw of the swinging dog cut deep into the arms of the other vicious dogs, dismembering them. That ended the problem with the dogs.  To prevent infection from the dog bites, Elder Brown and his companion went to the doctor to get treated for minor dog bites.  The doctor and nurse were so impressed from hearing how Elder Brown handled the dog that they were converted to the gospel.  The other elders in the mission now have a new name for Elder Brown… Elder Ammon! —Have a great day! B.M.

He was doing the Mexican Hat Dance, tripped over his feet, fell breaking  both hands and ended up with a concussion, but God has healed him & he' be writing next week!! Or---he got translated Or---a Tsunomi (spelling ?) & hurricane winds swept through the area taking all computers to never land! —M.N.

He and his companion were trying to rebuild the kitchen table using marshmallows and toothpicks in hopes it would harden overnight for them to use for breakfast. —C.J.

Top Five reasons why Elder Brown failed to write home: 1. He found a calculous book and was so captivated while reading it, he ran out of time to write. 2. He was teaching his new companion Brock’s theorem. 3. His mission pres asked him to teach Brock’s theorem of relativity at Zone Conference.  He had so many questions after that he had to answer them all on P-Day. 4. On a recent trip to the temple, Brock discovered engineering flaws.  The Temple president asked him to take a P-day to work with architects to fix them so as to save hundreds of lives. 5. Bus Flat tire!  While riding the bus on P-day, the bus hit a typical TJ pot hole and the tire burst!  No spare was to be found, so Brock went to work.  He used a tie, a page out of the Book of Mormon from the writings of Isaiah, and the sole of his companions shoe.  After an hour of working he stuck Isaiah in the tire, a piece of his tie and rubber from the shoe into the hole.  He proclaimed, “nothing gets through the Isaiah chapters” then had his companion blow the tire up proclaiming “Elder your full of hot air.”    The Elders saved the day.  The font was filled.  Dozens were baptized.  But no letter was written to tell his dear mom all about it.  —B.K.

Elder Brock Brown did not write home last week because he has turned into a Rock. —P.B.

"We held 9 baptisms every day this week and I was too busy to write you Mom." "And they wouldn't let me go the apartment until I had the paperwork done." "WaHoo!" —C.C.

The Joys of Double-Clicking Mouses!

Hello everyone! This is Elder Brown's mom and I just wanted to give all of you a head's up that there might not be much of a post this week. Just about the only email I received from Elder Brown said that he had been busy typing an email and went to hit the "send" button and his double-clicking mouse deleted it. His time was almost up by that time, so I'm not sure if he will be able to re-type any information.

I will update the blog if we receive any more information. Until then, keep praying for him and his companion.

Thanks for your love and support!

--Sarah