Week 29: July 25

Hey family!! 

How are things back home? I hope they are goin good! I miss you guys. This week was good I will just do the normal thing and start with my week and what I did (Mom note: my email has been struggling and the email to him was stuck in my outbox, so he didn’t receive it before sending this).

On Monday was pday! The whole zone came up to Lakeport and we had a birthday party for elder koneztiny and sister pet don't try saying his name haha. But it was was really fun we BBQ hamburgers and had watermelon and played volleyball and Frisbee at the park and talked, it was fun after that we went to the church and balled super hard. And then went and played more volleyball super fun after that we just stayed in our pday clothes and went to dinner to Denis and vessas house and had dinner then we went and played basketball with them at the church and then had a family home evening with them after we shared spiritual crocodiles with them and shared then video and asked them some questions after so it was reallocate good I love that family a lot. I would look up spiritual crocodiles and watch it and read the ensign on it if I haven't already said that one I can't remember haha.

But on Tuesday we had district meeting and I taught on ether 12 a really good chapter I will share what scriptures I liked from it. " 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." I just liked the part where it says whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, where if we believe in God we want a better world we want to be like God. But also that faith is our anchor, but a lot of people have a problem in having that faith, because it's hard to believe in something that you can't see but after the trials and the tribulations we go through, in my opinion we can see if we put forth our effort and give our all to God he will bring the truth to our eyes. We have that knowledge that God is there and was there through it all do we have a perfect understanding of it? Maybe but is our faith much more than it was before and it only continues to grow. Another scripture I like is 11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.

"12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.

13 Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth.

14 Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.

15 Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.

16 Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.

17 And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith.

18 And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God." 

Faith because of faith we have the knowledge we have today, I just liked those scriptures and I would share. Alright so where was I Tuesday? Yes so after that we went on exchanges with the district leaders and I went with elder laymunyon he is a very interesting guy but I love him no matter his weirdness. I am a weirdo too so there's that 😂 but we had a good time we taught some street lessons and tried seeing some people all I can  is wow he has no fear in contacting random people even if they don't have any interest we just goes right in to teaching and that is something that I have learned from him is to have no fear no matter what the people think or do, they have agency they will except is of they want to but it's so much more worth it to at least try to bring it to there hearts cause we can't force it on them we can only bring it to there hearts to there souls and hopefully they will recognize it and reach out to it and open there hearts and bring it closer to them. But after that we went to the park that night and through the football with some members and it was pretty fun!

The next morning was funny I come down after having a shower and lymunyon blew up the blender so the smoothie was everywhere and I just laughed at him haha. But at 12 we exchanged back In Clearlake but right before we did we went and saw this lady and we thought that she was and investigator but really she wasn't and was a member !! Which was cool she said she misses the church and the people and wishes to come back and I was like well... Come back! And her kids are less active and one hadn't been baptized yet so it was pretty cool. We exchanged back and then went back to Lakeport and we had dinner that night with the Rodriquez family and that was good they love us, after that we went and tried to seeing the labrashes but it failed ☹️ but we tried ! 😂 do

Then Thursday we drove down to Santa Rosa for my appointment so that was good it was a good meeting. We then went to Dutch bros and got smoothies pretty good! Then after we got back we tried to see some people at blue lakes and all I gotta say is I wanted to jump in that lake so bad! But didn't sadly :) but that night we went to round table pizza and it was pretty good pizza ! But we have had pizza seriously most of the week. I am pizza killed right now.

But Friday we tried to see our main investigator Tami but she canceled on the door which was super sad:( so then we went to the church and weekly planned all day! Yay!! 🎉😂 then guess what?! Went to round table again for dinner with members! She was kinda crazy haha. But it was good.

Saturday was a big exhausting day Pioneer Day! We had a huge celebration at a huge park with all of lake county and all three wards came so we were in charge of setting up and putting it down and it was hot! We played baseball and horseshoes and the sac throwing game whatever that is called haha. It was fun but really tiring. Cause we cleaned everything up over 200 chairs and 15 tables yeah workout !! It was good though :)

Then Sunday we went to church and I sat by my favorite person Jared ! And church was good it was about temples. And then we gave a recent convert a blessing and then after we went and tried to go see some less actives didn't really work haha. But we had dinner with bishop and we taught the resto to them cause there daughter is going on a mission in a couple weeks so we are trying to help her too, 

So there are 24 new missionaries coming in and guess what?? The Jeknavorians are coming to the mission !! I don't think I spelled here names right haha but there coming in September !! So cool! There are replacing one of the main old couples and the mission center. And I know one of the missionaries that is coming in too! Super cool the week was good I hope everything is going good!! I love you guys! 

Elder Devin Brown 

P.S. I got the package!! Thank you so much!! It has amazing stuff in it haha I am already digging through the protein. Did you get my big email? 

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

603 19th Street

Lakeport, CA 95453

Week 28: July 18

Hey guys!!

You got a dog????!!!!! Of course I am gone!!! Dang, that sucks! 😂 

How is everyone I hope everyone is doing well, I am doing pretty good normal haha. But yeah this week was pretty good, a little slower than he last week but those weeks happen sometimes so that is okay.

On Monday we had pday it was awesome we played basketball and had a huge water fight which was awesome! We soaked the sisters, which was da best😂 after pday we went to the Alexander's for dinner they are awesome, they talked about Pokemon go the whole time haha. So that's crazy but it was good. We then went and taught the less active family the labrashes from the ensign it's called "Hooray!" It's pretty good about the sacrament and a different view on it, it's pretty good though. 

Tuesday we had district meeting it was good it was about teaching better on the commandments and the word of wisdom. And then after we went and tried to visit Jennifer and cortney and they weren't home which was lame! We haven't been able to get in the home and actually see them but we won't give up! We had dinner at a park with the gitchels it was good we had smoked salmon and veggie sandwiches. Then after we went and tried to visit Ryan a less active he is super cool but we seem to catch him whenever he is leaving so that is sad 😭 but we set up and appt. for he upcoming Saturday. 

Wednesday we had district meeting it was really good president and sister wright came up and it was good. The first part of it was about safety with the cars cause there have been a lot of accidents 2 really bad ones ours and another one. So we watched a video on that and it was good haha. Elder Larson really likes me haha. If you don't know who he is he is in charge of the vehicles and everything with that, but he likes to talk to me a lot. Expecially  since the car wreck cause I took control of making sure everything got taken care of cause my companion at the time couldn't even keep track of his clothes haha, but the rest of the meeting was really good it was focused on 3 nephi 11-18 when Christ comes and forms his church and his earthly ministries. It was really good we had 2 missionaries give there departing testimonies they were pretty good haha. I will miss one of them I can't pronounce his last name so I won't even try to spell it out. But after that we went and tried to see brother Taylor but wasn't home he just got full custody of his daughter so we are very happy for him and he is moving to Utah! So that's awesome. We tried to go and visit Von a tala but they weren't home they are never home so that's sad. We will try to go and see them at a different time again next week. 

But Thursday was really slow we tried to see a lot of people but no luck so that was sad :( our AC broke in out apartment so we are dying but you know we gain some experience for when the second coming comes 😉 there is really no reason to complain at least we have a place to live and food to eat that's what I am grateful for. 

Friday was a good day we went and helped to Morisons paint there shed for a couple ours on the sun it was good nice tan haha. But that night we drove to Lucerne and we had dinner with our ward missionary leader he is awesome his brother Jared is my favorite he is special he has some problems and he is the best! He really likes and me, he said to me that I am awesome and we sure awesome cause I a, the only missionary that actually talks to him and got to know him so that's awesome! But after we went and took pics at out favorite spot to take photos haha. 

Then Saturday we went and visited a ton of people, we talked to this guy he was super nice we thought that we were talking to a less active that we were looking for but half way through the conversation I was like your not James? And he said no? And I was like oh haha. He was so friendly we thought he was a member but we talked to him for a while of why we are out there and what we do and he said we can come and talk to him anytime super cool guy. His name was Jim. But that night we went and had dinner with the Alexander's again and we did some service for them and cut these huge hedges. And talked with there family that they had over. Dakota was there a girl from Ukiah it was good to see her again she is awesome. 

But then yesterday the wonderful day of Sunday church was good and Denis our recent convert asked me to ordain him to the office of priest and give him the Aronic priesthood. So that was special haha. But after that we took a quick nap and went and saw some people again. No success only building out faith. We had dinner with the olsons and it was good I love that family haha, but yeah that was my week it was good nothin life changing yet haha 😉 we have too people that could be Baptized within 3 months. Murice and Tami and possibly her daughter. So yeah!!! 

I love you guys!!! 

Elder Devin Brown

P.S. No fair about having the dog ;) well when I get home I will be its favorite person! ;) we don't know when our AC will be fixed we are trying to see if a member can come and help us with it, the new car is a Corolla LE it's a girls car nana but it's good it has a small turbo in it haha. We are both the drivers we switch off haha. So it's good. I haven't  got the package yet but I will look for it. It might come today. Thank you. I did get the book dad sent me haha. 

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

603 19th Street

Lakeport, CA 95453

Elder Brown & Jared

Week 27: July 11

Hey family!

How are you guys? How is settling in going after that long trip? I hope it's going good,

This week was pretty good on Monday was the Fourth of July of course we had pday we played some hard basketball it was super fun, I am getting pretty good at it. ;) but we had some members show up from the other ward and they played with us with 2 of their little kids, it was fun my legs hurt a lot after though but it was so worth it. We got the sisters to play with us here pretty good haha. But after that we went home and showered and went to dinner at the olsons the lady that called you, they had a ton of people over at there house it was crazy, but a lot of less actives and non members there so it was a good experience to see them and talk to them it was cool we went over on there dock which they have right outside there backyard so, and took some sweet pics of the sun setting over the lake it was super cool, we then watched it go dark and talked to sister Olson. And I promised her that I would come visit cause not very much missionaries come back and visit them so that's sad :( they are awesome she loves her missionaries, we got to see some fireworks across the lake but only a couple cause had to leave so that was that, we drove back to the apartment and listened to the fireworks, was a crazy night someone got stabbed and was killed near us so that was kinda interesting haha. But that was Monday. 

Tuesday we had zone meeting in Ukiah my home, I call it my home cause I was born there, but we drove there about 45 minute drive not to bad. The meeting was good I loved seeing the other missionaries we don't get to see them that often so it's sad! 😭 but it was good we learned how to get along along more with our companions I get along with mine 100% so that's super good. And then we learned about agency and out personal goals and as a missionary. Then after we went to lunch and the amazing amazing Burger King! Yeah! Dollar menu to the max!! 😂😂 then we went to have lunch with elder hardy and elder Ferral. There funky missionaries but there super cool, and then we drove back to the amazing city of Lakeport.!! And tried to see Jennifer and Courtney and they weren't home the last time we went they ingnored us so that was super sad. :( oh well I am over it. So then we went and tried to see AL. Someone yelled at us behind the door to come back another day she sounded super cool though ! Positivity! 😊 then we went and had dinner with someone I can't remember there names right now but they are amazing people I know! 

Then on Wednesday we had a wonderful work out session, then that day we went and saw brother Taylor he is a less active that served in the navy and lost his leg trying to escape from being captured but then he escape with no leg he is super cool. He was in the Vietnam war. We taught him about prayer from the bible dictionary you should look it up its awesome the way it explains prayer. Then we went and tried to see some people in upper lake and nice and nobody was home and the people that were home weren't the right people we were trying to see so that was sad 😱 then after that great journey across the fields of Rohan, ( when I say Rohan I mean that the fields we drove across seriously looked like Rohan in the lord of the rings, so I know that was one blessing of coming out here 😉😉😉😂) then went back to Lakeport and went and saw the labrashes and they were in the middle of dinner so we decided to come back tonight. 

So Thursday we drove all the way to Santa Rosa to meet with charity my councilor, she is pretty cool she has been a therapist for 15 years and I told her that I have experience with therapy sessions haha. I am a pro 😉 but it felt really good to talk about my mindset and depression, turns out I have really bad anxiety, with depression so that's  so Bueno, but I learned how they worked together and bounce off each other and learned some ways to combat it and to work on it. So yeah. Doing my best in that sense. And she thanked me for exactly talking with her and not just saying one word answers, it was good it really helped me. I am meeting with her in 2 weeks. After that I walked out of the hallway and my favorite sister was there haha sister bender she is super cool she was in my last zone, but she moved down to rosa. Elder southwicks companion that went home was touring the mission so him and his family met us and brought us in and out. It was so good!!! We met with them for a while it was good, then we drove the Dutch bros a famous coffee place, but don't worry we didn't coffee we got there Caramel apple smoothly it was super good. We got back in Lakeport and had some coupons dropped off at our house by the bishop, he gave us 55$ in gift cards so that was awesome!! 😀 pizza for days!! 

Then on Friday we met with Tami our investigator we taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ and it was a good lesson, we asked her to set a goal to be baptized but she thinks she ain't  ready yet so hopefully soon fingers crossed 😉 then after that we went and planned for this coming week and that was fun, I try to see the good in weekly planning but it's hard sometimes. But yeah! 

Saturday we went on a great journey across middle earth to find some less actives and Investigators and we found some yay! But they told us to come back another day we did this all day we did teach a less active about prayer as well, he looked like death I felt bad for him, but we did that all day. And then that night we taught the Scott's about the sacrament and the meaning behind it. Was good 

Yesterday we had church and it was good tons of visitors it almost kinda looked like a Utah ward on a regular Sunday. But that was good. We then went over to a less actives house and the husband didn't like us at all and yelled at us and told us he was going to let his dogs loose on us and I said "do it" and he looked at us weird so that was awesome!! We then went over to the tiptons and had lunch with them it was super good they are awesome family, there garden is the size of our house haha. And yesterday night I taught at a youth fireside and it was good wasn't even nervous! We then went and tried to see some other people but no luck. But that was my week!! I pray for you guys! Tell the kids I love them and I say "don't get to big before I get home " 😃

With love,

Elder Devin Brown 

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

603 19th street 

Lakeport, California 95453

Week 26: July 4

Hey family!! 

How art thou? Did you guys make it home already?? I miss you! How was it good to be home?? Well I got a new companion his name is elder southwick and he is from Springville haha just like my other one was they actually new each other which is pretty cool. But I love my new companion. He is super cool, he is actually related to some southwicks so up here so that's super cool they are a members In our ward with a huge house they are super awesome people. I love them.  It he has 1 older brother and that's it. 

This week was actually pretty good. My new companion like to keep me uplifted. But I got him on Tuesday and he unpacked and got all his things set in the apartment, then we deep cleaned the whole apartment cause my last companion just destroyed everything. But yeah that night we had dinner with the jones family and they are actually moving down right by the Dolans. Right next to Enoch the town right next to it, so maybe they will know them sometime. 

But on Wednesday we got up and worked out and then we went out and I showed home the area and tried to go see some potentials so that was pretty okay. Nobody really answers out here. But yeah haha. 

On Thursday we had district meeting it was good, I got upgraded to senior companion so that awesome!! But yeah them after we had an appointment with people in Clearlake about 30 minutes away from Lakeport that's where we hold district meeting, his name is Oscar and he was baptized about 8 months ago and we are teaching him the new member lessons so that's sweet. And then after that we headed back to Clearlake and I went to a dinner with the relief society haha it was a Hula dance themed thing, so that was exciting. And then we went to see some people after that, most weren't home and the others were busy and didn't want to see us. 

But on Friday we meant with out investigator tami and we taught her the plan of salvation so that was super cool. It was a good lesson she seems pretty interested with it. We will meet with her again next week on Friday, we haven't been able to meet with murice ford for awhile he works 6 days a week and there all night shifts so that's really hard on him. But we won't stop trying of course 😜 then we went and weekly planned for a while and got all the people we are going to meet this week together and put them in the calendar. Then after that we had dinner with ourself a member brought by a pizza for us so that was nice of them. 

And then, Saturday we went up to blue lakes which i have been told it's over 300 hundred feet deep and the natives in the area won't go to that lake cause of some lore. So that's cool the lakes look really beautiful there not that big though but a ton of people were there with vacation homes. We went and tried seeing a to. Of less actives and investigators in there and Upperlake. Most never answered, a couple did but hey weren't the people we were looking for which was kinda awkward. But oh well we need to find out where these people are. But we did that all day Saturday than went and had dinner with the larsons and the southwicks. Played some pool, I am getting pretty good so when I get back (dad) we are going to play a game! 

Yesterday was good we went to church and ward council and planned a bbq for a ward potluck to find some people to teach. And church was good I blessed the sacrament it was good tons of visitors. But yeah we had dinner at the larsons again and there son Invited us to go play golf with them, so we might do that today. And them might have a water balloon fight with the district and play some crazy games basketball. But yeah that was my week love you guys!! 

Elder Devin Brown 

brown.devin@myldsmail.net

603 19th street 

Lakeport, California 95453