Hello all! Hope you week is as happy as mine! I'm really loving it here! Lets see Oh I forgot to tell you all that my first Friday at the MTC I ran into Elder Kyle Rutter. I didn't realize he would still be there. He was staying on West campus but was on main for in field training. So that was pretty neat! That was the only time I saw him because he left on the 20th.
Friday. We went to meet with Chris after our studies and training. She is such a sweet lady and seems to be interested we taught her a little about the plan of salvation and she was very interested in the 3 degrees of Glory. She said she would come to Church on Sunday if she was feeling well as she just had rotator cuff surgery but she didn't make it. Later we were tracting and I got my first door slammed in my face :) that was an experience! A man opened the door I said hello and introduced myself and he said ok y'all can leave now and slammed the door. So we looked across the street and a man named Richard was working in his garage. We introduced ourselves and he said if you talk to me right now it will be like talking to a deaf man. But my Trainer is so great! She Asked him why and he opened up and told us he knew Jesus was our savior and redeemer but couldn't grasp the concept of God. So we talked to him and shared the pamphlet of the Plan of Salvation. He was very kind and we are going to follow up with him! next we went to his neighbors house.
Taylor answered the door and we introduced ourselves to him. We asked if we could share a message with him and he welcomed us in to talk to him and his wife. Can I just stop for a moment and testify that the Lord truly prepares people to hear our message! Jessica began by telling us that normally she wouldn't invite us in and would have asked us to leave but she has been following a vlog and it is about a family who is Mormon. She loved how family oriented they were. and says they are always so happy. She watches this family every day and one day The man said if missionaries come to their house don't be scared of them just let them in. So she did! I'm so thankful to that vlogger! Jessica and Taylor have twin babies Madison and Jacob. we asked what church they belonged to and she said none because they didn't want to raise their children in a church that was so condemning and filled with guilt. She asked so many great questions and they were very open. We gave them a Book of Mormon and she said she would like to read it but she didn't want to be pressured but we could come back and visit them again! I cant wait! She says she would like to come to church but that they don't normally have weekends off together. I'm really hoping they can come!
Saturday we went tracting and came across Roslyn! What a sweet Lady!!! She invited us in and we shared a short massage with her and gave her a pamphlet on the restoration. She says she is looking for a new church where she can feel at peace and feel the spirit. She is trying out lots of new churches but none seem to be fitting her needs. So she wants to come to ours sometime! She committed to reading the pamphlet and having us over again.
We also visited Suzette. She is Philippine and was so excited to make the connection between Mormon and Latter Day Saints. She said her old roommate is Mormon. She asked if she could buy the Book of Mormon from us so of course we just gave her one. She too says she would like to come to our church sometime:) on our way back to the car we ran into a lady who said she knew all about us and we should stop wasting our lives. I think the biggest problem is that people have a skewed vision of who we are as Latter day saints. We don't praise Joseph smith. in one day we got asked about polygamy 3 times! We are Christians and we love our Savior! We aren't scary people. I'm so glad I have this opportunity to share truth with others.
On Saturday I also had my first dinner with a member! Its fun because sometimes all 6 missionaries get to come over. The Bradburn's moved here from California! We had BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with corn on the cob. For dessert we had brownies and Ice cream. The ice cream is bluebell ice cream and it is the best ice cream known to man! Unfortunately its not in California yet:( we shared a lesson with them and invited them to have a family over for FHE. They agreed to it and started planning right away:)
Then we went to sister Berthelson's home and practiced the Message of the restoration on her. She is very sweet and very smart! It was fun:)
Sunday! Yay my first Sunday here. It was great. We got there early and Greeted everyone at the door. Everyone is so kind and welcoming here! I was asked to give opening prayer and then I was introduced as the greenie so come say hello if they hadn't. after a Great Fast and Testimony meeting a man came up to introduce himself and welcome me to the ward. he said he too grew up in California but didn't know where Gridley was. I asked him where he was from so I could better explain it to him. He grew up in Salinas! and he knew Dad! He went on to explain he knew Dad even before his name was brown! They went to primary together. That was so exciting for me:)
After Church we went to meet with some people but everyone was having pre-super bowl parties and my companion wasn't feeling well and it was raining a lot so we went home and she slept while I watched some church videos. I love the video The Testaments. If you haven't watched it with your families recently go watch it! do it for FHE or something:)
Well that's about it! I love this gospel and the happiness it brings into my life and the life of my family. I know that our Heavenly Father wants to hear from us. Tell him about your day, ask questions. If you talk to him with a sincere heart he will guide and direct you. He can see the bigger picture. Because of that door slam, We crossed the street to where Richard was if the man hadn't slammed the door we would have kept on the same side of the road and not met Richard, Taylor and Jessica that day. The Lord Guides and Directs us if we listen.
I love my companion too just so y'all know!
Lots of love and hope for rain coming your way from Mississippi!
Love Sister Brown
Friday. We went to meet with Chris after our studies and training. She is such a sweet lady and seems to be interested we taught her a little about the plan of salvation and she was very interested in the 3 degrees of Glory. She said she would come to Church on Sunday if she was feeling well as she just had rotator cuff surgery but she didn't make it. Later we were tracting and I got my first door slammed in my face :) that was an experience! A man opened the door I said hello and introduced myself and he said ok y'all can leave now and slammed the door. So we looked across the street and a man named Richard was working in his garage. We introduced ourselves and he said if you talk to me right now it will be like talking to a deaf man. But my Trainer is so great! She Asked him why and he opened up and told us he knew Jesus was our savior and redeemer but couldn't grasp the concept of God. So we talked to him and shared the pamphlet of the Plan of Salvation. He was very kind and we are going to follow up with him! next we went to his neighbors house.
Taylor answered the door and we introduced ourselves to him. We asked if we could share a message with him and he welcomed us in to talk to him and his wife. Can I just stop for a moment and testify that the Lord truly prepares people to hear our message! Jessica began by telling us that normally she wouldn't invite us in and would have asked us to leave but she has been following a vlog and it is about a family who is Mormon. She loved how family oriented they were. and says they are always so happy. She watches this family every day and one day The man said if missionaries come to their house don't be scared of them just let them in. So she did! I'm so thankful to that vlogger! Jessica and Taylor have twin babies Madison and Jacob. we asked what church they belonged to and she said none because they didn't want to raise their children in a church that was so condemning and filled with guilt. She asked so many great questions and they were very open. We gave them a Book of Mormon and she said she would like to read it but she didn't want to be pressured but we could come back and visit them again! I cant wait! She says she would like to come to church but that they don't normally have weekends off together. I'm really hoping they can come!
Saturday we went tracting and came across Roslyn! What a sweet Lady!!! She invited us in and we shared a short massage with her and gave her a pamphlet on the restoration. She says she is looking for a new church where she can feel at peace and feel the spirit. She is trying out lots of new churches but none seem to be fitting her needs. So she wants to come to ours sometime! She committed to reading the pamphlet and having us over again.
We also visited Suzette. She is Philippine and was so excited to make the connection between Mormon and Latter Day Saints. She said her old roommate is Mormon. She asked if she could buy the Book of Mormon from us so of course we just gave her one. She too says she would like to come to our church sometime:) on our way back to the car we ran into a lady who said she knew all about us and we should stop wasting our lives. I think the biggest problem is that people have a skewed vision of who we are as Latter day saints. We don't praise Joseph smith. in one day we got asked about polygamy 3 times! We are Christians and we love our Savior! We aren't scary people. I'm so glad I have this opportunity to share truth with others.
On Saturday I also had my first dinner with a member! Its fun because sometimes all 6 missionaries get to come over. The Bradburn's moved here from California! We had BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with corn on the cob. For dessert we had brownies and Ice cream. The ice cream is bluebell ice cream and it is the best ice cream known to man! Unfortunately its not in California yet:( we shared a lesson with them and invited them to have a family over for FHE. They agreed to it and started planning right away:)
Then we went to sister Berthelson's home and practiced the Message of the restoration on her. She is very sweet and very smart! It was fun:)
Sunday! Yay my first Sunday here. It was great. We got there early and Greeted everyone at the door. Everyone is so kind and welcoming here! I was asked to give opening prayer and then I was introduced as the greenie so come say hello if they hadn't. after a Great Fast and Testimony meeting a man came up to introduce himself and welcome me to the ward. he said he too grew up in California but didn't know where Gridley was. I asked him where he was from so I could better explain it to him. He grew up in Salinas! and he knew Dad! He went on to explain he knew Dad even before his name was brown! They went to primary together. That was so exciting for me:)
After Church we went to meet with some people but everyone was having pre-super bowl parties and my companion wasn't feeling well and it was raining a lot so we went home and she slept while I watched some church videos. I love the video The Testaments. If you haven't watched it with your families recently go watch it! do it for FHE or something:)
Well that's about it! I love this gospel and the happiness it brings into my life and the life of my family. I know that our Heavenly Father wants to hear from us. Tell him about your day, ask questions. If you talk to him with a sincere heart he will guide and direct you. He can see the bigger picture. Because of that door slam, We crossed the street to where Richard was if the man hadn't slammed the door we would have kept on the same side of the road and not met Richard, Taylor and Jessica that day. The Lord Guides and Directs us if we listen.
I love my companion too just so y'all know!
Lots of love and hope for rain coming your way from Mississippi!
Love Sister Brown