Week 16: April 25

I don't know if I emailed this to you or not but a member did this for me haha it os so epic!! He is on the stake presidency haha.

Hey!! I am doing good.

1. I didn’t realize Elder Warnick was the District Leader—did that just happen? No elder Warnick had been district leader since I have been here haha, so I am district junior ;) 
2. How are Alice & Michael? They are doing Really good, we taught them the plan of salvation they are doing good umm Michael actually is doing awesome he says that when we come over he has this feeling when we leave and all he thinks about is us coming over :) so good news haha. They are doing so good. Sadly though Marilyn pender dropped us this week too. But not fully she said she I'll read the Book of Mormon but she doesn't want to meet with us right now.
3. How’s biking? Did you get your car fixed? Biking is really good it's a work out it's amazing though haha. I love biking it keeps me awake. The car is a curse, but we did get it fixed haha.
4. Best experience this week? Best experience this week was that elder Bednar came!!!! Yeah!!! Whoooo!!! Was the most amazing experience, I got to shake his hand and look into his eyes and actually say something o him haha. It was so amazing, we learned so many things from him. But I can't say what.. Exactly haha but a lot. It just won't make sense through email or letter. It was just amazing.
5. Craziest? That was the craziest haha and I saw elder Bartlett too and he tackled me Haha. 
6. How’s the weather? The weather is super cold hah. It was 60 degrees today haha and windy. It's super weird 
7. Are transfers coming? When do you find out? Transfers are on  the 14 th of May. So coming up soon haha I will most likely be moving on. 
8. How often will you get to visit the temple? Always Oakland? Do you ever head over to Sacramento? I think we get to visit the temple every 6 months haha. Not sure though and we only be able to go to the Oakland temple. 

This week was super good kind of long haha but it was good lots of biking I went on exchanges down in clover dale with elder Perry it was good and awesome. We taught Alice and Michael 3 times this week we taught the restoration and the plan of salvation and then we shared schriptures with them. It went so well they want to learn more we can see the Holy Ghost making a difference on there life and tugging at them. We saw a lot of people, oh yeah at the conference there was 3 of the seventy there and one of the presided bishops. Got to meet all of them so amazing :)  it yeah haha. Today we are going to play freesbee golf with our investigator Charlie I am excited we are also going to play soccer and basketball so awesome haha, we are going to our recent converts house too to chop wood for them Michael and Rose and then they are going to feed us. I love them so much. We got a new investigator this week too!! Guess what the name is? Shauna haha. She is really cool and is really interested we are going to start teaching her on Wednesday with her friend which is a member who referred us to her haha. So that is super cool. We biked all day yesterday and had no success haha but we worked hard so it was a good day. We actually visited Steve the satanist last night and he had a shrine with the devil symbol over it I forgot what it's called. But he had a ogie board. I don't know I to spell that haha. He had a the satanic bible. Which was super freaky. I think that was probably the most craziest experience haha. He said he practices necromancy. Yeah pretty freaky. I kinda have a side job haha I take pictures of every different kind of flower that I find. You probably can see that haha. But how is the family doing ?  When is your big trip? Tell the kids I love them :) 

Elder Devin Brown 

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

Elder Devin Brown

875 South Oak Street #8

Ukiah, CA 95482

Week 15: April 18

Hi! 

I am good! How are you guys?? My week was really good really good experiences. 

1. How was the temple yesterday? The temple was really cool haha we woke up at 4:40 and we went to a members home brother Henry and he drove us there. We went to 2 sessions one in Spanish haha. Which was really cool then one in English right after that, we got some sweet photos I will send those too.
2. How’s the weather? The weather is perfect I think today it's supposed to get to 90. So pretty hot. 
3. How’s Courtise? Any other new investigators? Curtise is doing really good. He is super ripped haha. But he is really interested. We actually have 6 new investigators! Michael, markie, Curtis, jade, Marilyn, Alice. 
4. Do you have any contact with the Senior missionaries in your mission? What do they do? Are they in the office or doing something else? We don't have any senior missionaries that I know of haha. I know some went home when I came in but I don't know exactly if there is more. 
5. How often do you have contact with the mission president? We can call the mission president anytime we want. But we see him once a transfer with the mission conference which is on Wednesday. This week and guess what! On Saturday elder Bednar is coming to the mission!! I get to meet him and shake his hand! Pretty excited. 

This week was really good on Tuesday we had district meeting and that was really good. Elder Warnick is the district leader so he taught us and it was about comp unity which is super important! And then we went on exchanges after that I went with Eder chase. He is in the Ukiah second ward and is super cool, super weird but still lovable. 😃 On Wednesday A bible church called us and asked to do service for them. We went and pulled a ton of weeds! Which was fun I am a weed puller pro! After that he gave us Costco hot dogs and bagels he was a really nice guy, after that that night we visited a less active his name is brother Frenna, his wife is in the hospital and his daughter got taken away from him, he is my fav, but he is going through a very hard time. I shared a schripture with him I will share it with you. 

D&C 122:7

"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

 This scripture is one of my favorites, it is pretty dark but when I read it I feel the spirit so strong, we shared this with him and that's what he needed, idk I feel like this schripture applies to me a lot. No matter what we are going through no matter what happens all the trials and the heartache that we face like it says, will make us stronger, Heavenly Father isn't just going to give us hard things and trials just so that we can fall and stay down, he gives us them so he can climb the wall or mountain so we can rose up and better ourselves and break the wall down that idk we have built up or someone else has or past experiences, that is what I have realized this week. I just have thought about it a little deeper haha.

Like Joseph smith in Liberty jail. When he is in deep helplessness and he asks god where are you? Why is this happening.. Where is the release and Heavenly Father says  D&C 121:7 "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment" just thinking about that helps me realize that this life is just a small moment in what is waiting for us. We just need to endure it well. Yeah that's what I thought was cool haha.

Anyways on Thursday we found Marylyn pender a new " gator" she is 80 years old and very interested we taught her the restoration and she loved it, she agreed to pray about the Book of Mormon.

We have been biking all week haha. Cause are car is dead the battery failed. And we want to save miles so we can go to the beach😄 

So on Friday was weekly planning it was really good we actually had 4 lessons that day I actually don't remember who we taught though, whoops haha. But we were street contacting and it was my turn and this old lady was walking and I rode up to her and asked petty quiet, " how is it going" and she jumped like out of her skin I scared her so bad it was so funny. She said she was in deep thought, but it looked like I gave her a heart attack. So that was really awkward and I felt bad after, but it was really funny haha.

Saturday was our temple day it was super amazing. I got some sweet pictures, the Oakland temple is really pretty inside, but the Payson temple is a lot prettier inside I think haha. After that we got to meet the temple president! Really really nice man. We then drove to in and out and had amazing food! We didn't get home until 7:30 haha It was super cool.

Yesterday was church it was super awesome!! We taught elders quorum. About bringing the gospel the all the world. Oh on Friday we also taught jade our new investigator has well. She has 2 kids and is really cool! We gave her a Book of Mormon and asked if she would pray about it. To continue with yesterday we the. Taught Alice and Michael out new investigators and they are together but not married. We taught them the restoration, it was really a good lesson. We are going back on Tuesday to teach the plan of salvation. We also taught a less active Kylee it was really good.

We bike everywhere haha. But yeah that's my week super good week. We are going bowling today and we got Hawaiian shirts to bowl in!! 😄 which makes it amazingly better :) 

Okay so aspen wrote me a letter which I got in the letters you sent me. And I cannot even recognize her haha. In a good way.. I feel like I am talking with an adult, and her hand writing is super good haha. She is so smart it blew me away. I loved her letter. Tell the kids love them :) 

Love,

Elder Brown

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

Elder Devin Brown

875 South Oak Street #8

Ukiah, CA 95482

Week 14: April 11

Hello family!

How art thou? this week has flown by and it was a pretty good week haha. It went by really fast I will start with your questions:

1. When is John’s baptism date? John’s baptism is on may 7th at least that is the goal that we set for him so it should be really good. he is progressing a lot.

2. Any additional thoughts from conference? Any additional thoughts umm I loved Elder Holland's talk at the end of conference about never giving up and to rise when you fall and to know that heavenly father loves us so much but also how much they love us it was a really good talk. I loved the talk about the priesthood/ and also the talk about forgiveness, I thought it was super powerful especially if you read the scriptures that go along with it. I loved all of conference haha. It was an amazing conference.

3. Best experience this week? The best experience this week would probably be on Tuesday because we went to the Chinese buffet of course us missionaries go there cause its a buffet and its so freaking good! and cheap but anyways a person came up tome and said how grateful she was for us and said she is really sorry for the missionaries that were in the bombing at the airport and that she loves us and this girls wasn't even a member it was really cool to see that. But also right after that someone guy came up to the table and paid for our lunch for us which was so nice of him and I am grateful for that person. I didn't even get to say thank you cause he ran out. But after 2 of our investigators dropped us which was really sad and it made me mad haha. Cause they didn't even give us another chance. But obviously they weren't ready to hear the gospel yet. But after that all of our lessons canceled which was really sad. So then we just went contacting in 90 degree heat and a ton of random people were stopping in there car and saying that we were awesome. And they were grateful for what we were doing. So that was really weird cause that never happens haha.

4. Any new investigators? So since our to investigators shanea and Jeffery dropped us. We have been praying to find new investigators and we found one on Saturday! His name is courtise and when he opened the door we thought we were going to die cause he looked like he was going to kill us but it turned out that he was really nice haha and he wants to learn more! And we also found this other girl but I don't remember her name but she has 2 kids and there are really cool.

5. Craziest food you ate this week? Best food? The craziest food.. umm nothing crazy this week but we last night we ate Mexican food. Its called something haha you would probably know mom haha. But is was really good and I love spicy food now haha. I am becoming immune to it. There was this amazing salsa to it was homemade it was de best!

So elder Kimber left our apartment the Spanish elder and we got a new one his name is elder Angulo he is from Ecuador he was living in Columbia. He is the funniest guy ever haha. I got a handmade tie from his mom. I will send pictures of it haha. Its pretty awesome haha. But yeah we did service at the food bank and at plowshares this week was served people food and we went to this native woman’s house and she was a hoarder which was so gross! There was rat poop everywhere all over the carpets it was nasty hopefully I don't have any diseases now, But after she gave me a hug which was really awkward cause people aren't  supposed hug us missionaries. But yeah. Sorry I am hurrying through this cause we don't have a p-day today cause we are going to the Oakland temple on Saturday and I guess that counts as our p-day. But yeah this week was super cool a lot of good experiences.

We walked dogs on Saturday which was really fun and got tackled by a ton of puppies. We got this workout app and its the best. I am making some gains! ;) We taught a lot of less active members this week it was sweet we taught one his name is Gerardo and he took us up to where he does his workouts and we shot a bow with him super cool. Just let me know if you have any more questions! I get to Skype home May 8th!! So I am pretty excited. I love you guys!

Love,

Elder Brown

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

Elder Devin Brown

875 South Oak Street #8

Ukiah, CA 95482

Week 13: April 4

Hola family! 

This week has been pretty good it went by pretty fast haha. On Monday we had pday that was pretty fun we played some hardcore basketball and then we played soccer. After pday we went to the Spanish elders investigators for dinner and we had pozole a Mexican dish you would probably know what that is mom, it was so good. I also tried pata (pigs foot) which has a very weird taste that you can't really describe haha. Then for desert we had this amazing cake thing called chocoflan. It was amazing. Before the mission I didn't like Mexican food, but going to have to Change cause 80%' of what we eat is Mexican meals. It's driving me insane.!!

So Tuesday we had zone meeting which was really good. Zone leaders taught us. Then we had to leave early because w had an appointment with our investigator John. The lesson went well we talked to him about how he is progressing really well and we asked him to be ready for a baptismal date. He agreed!! So we have another baptism date! Yeah!

On Wednesday we went to the food bank in the morning and then Isaac our mission ward leader took us out for sushi which was so good!! There are some sweet sushi places out here. Then we went and did some contacting out on the streets and then Isaac needed help so we went and helped him with his truck. After we went and had dinner with the oedings it was good. We had enchilada casserole. Yeah 😑 oh and I am just putting what I remember what we did this week I can hardly remember what we do in the day when night comes.

On Thursday we did service at plowshares doing dishes and feeding homeless people. There everywhere. There is so many homeless people it's not okay. After that we went and taught out investigator Jeffery and Shanea. We read from the Book of Mormon with them and asked if they would pray about it they both agreed. We them went and saw a lot of less actives and we went finding through out the day.

Friday we weekly planned all day haha. Took a break in the middle then after weekly planning we went to the rorobaughs house ( members house) and we did some service we had to build this huge green house without instructions cause the instructions couldn't be read cause of water damage haha. So that was fun, had to use my brain finally 😉 we then ate dinner and cause it was April fools it was a meatloaf cake!! It looked like a actual cake they did a good job haha. And we had jello for our drinks which was interesting trying to suck up in a straw haha.

Saturday was really good conference was amazing!! I forgot my notes but from all the talks. My favorite was by Elder  Nelson in the priesthood session it was so amazing, he explained how much power the priesthood really has and that we need to make sure that we are Worthy to hold it. We are doing so much stuff in the world that prevents us from having the full power of the priesthood, and that we need to do our best to want to hold as much as possible. I loved the talk yesterday on refugees that was interesting. I feel like this conference was focused on families and the priesthood, but also having humility and to never ever give up. When we fall we rise back up because that's what the atonement is for we of course will fall we are all human we will be smashed down because we are not perfect but because of Jesus Christ we can be though the atonement. I loved the last talk yesterday afternoon Jeffery Hollands. That was so powerful! It was the best way to end it I think. I loved all the other talks. I wish I brand. My notes :( cause I have like a page on all of them haha.

How was conference for you guys?? Transfers are tomorrow!! I am staying in Ukiah still! And my companion is still elder Warnick. So that's cool. I love you guys! 

Love,

Elder Brown

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

Elder Devin Brown

875 South Oak Street #8

Ukiah, CA 95482

Week 12: March 28

Hey guys!!

How is everyone?? I hope you are all good!! 

1. Did you have Easter with members? What did you do to celebrate? 

So, I had a pretty good Easter yesterday it would have been better with you guys but it was still fun we actually went to church and we had 1 investigators come and 2 less active. The investigator is named John. We is progressing little by little. But we asked a lot of questions in gospel principles which was awesome. We then went to a awesome less active families house for lunch it was huge and very good. Homemade fried chicken. Her name is Jennifer and her son is Bryan and her daughter is Macey, they are disabled and the funniest people ever. It was really good. Then after we went another dinner at the Henries which was huge haha. My stomach almost exploded haha. It was really good though. 

2. How are you feeling? Recovered from the tacos (what was in those?!?)? 

I am 100% back to normal. But I am pretty sure I broke my pinky haha. Playing basketball. Smart me :) 

3. How are your investigators? Jeffrey and Shanea? Eileen and Crystal (+ Autumn and August)? Still on for baptism June 27? Charlie? Back on the radar? Markie? Cassandra and Adrian? Wow! Lots of investigators last week.

Investigators are good we thought Jeffery and Shanea on Tuesday we taught the first lesson the plan of salvation and it went really well it was really cool. They loved it and understood it all for the most part. They are a little confused on the priesthood authority. But I think over time it they will understand it. We met with crystals brother this week she couldn't meet with us, but her brother agreed that we would read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, he is really cool. Charlie is doing okay, he is in Florida for a week we haven't seen him that much and we are worried about him. 

4. How is contacting inactives going? Still keeping you pretty busy?

Working all day finding less actives and contacting weird people. Haha. Busy all day. The end of transfers is this week so I will find out if I am leaving Saturday night I hope I stay another transfer. Is area is growing so much, finding a lot of people to teach.

5. Are you the driver or Elder Warnick? Or do you switch off? 

Right now I am the driver but elder Warnick and I switch off sometimes. 

6. Has it stopped raining? 

It has stopped raining it's been really nice got a little tan. :) except I am not excited for summer it gets 110 degrees with 70% humidity death! 

This week was really good. Elder Warnick had a hard time though with each other but we worked through it cause we are awesome! Are are also teaching a satanist he is really cool guy he is a members son so we are going to go bowling with him and see him a lot haha. But yeah!! I love you guys. :) 

Love,
Elder Brown

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

Elder Devin Brown

875 South Oak Street #8
Ukiah, CA 95482