MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Alright guys MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

A lot has happened this last week so lets give you the update. First off, this last week we hardly had any lessons because everyone was gone or didnt have time, so we walked a lot. However thats alright because the lessons we did have were amazing. Our area is progressing a lot now. We have 5 investigators with baptismal date for January and we will rescue one less active member this week. Also we had transfers this last week. I got a new companion, Elder Paravincini, but they also took out the other two elders in our ward so we will work their area as well (this means we get to steal all their investigators, hehehe). I am still in the same area as zone leader but my new companion and I will now open Jardines 2.

On Saturday we had our Christmas zone party. We got to watch a movie as a zone, Finding Dory, and it was awesome. We also had a dinner and a gift exchange. It was good to get together one last time before transfers because half our zone has transfers (9 missionaries).

I also saw my first llama here in Peru this last week, thats pretty neat.

Also, I never thought I would say this but Americas firework display on the fourth of July is pathetic after you spend christmas in Lima. I cant even describe it you just got to look up a video because for about 2 straight hours the entire sky was lit up and their were just deafening explosions all around. I am pretty sure it could give you PTSD its that awesome.

I LOVE YOU,

Elder Brown

(and yes this week I have photos) 

ALMOST CHRISTMAS

Alright guys its the week before christmas. This week has been insane because we have had a lot to plan and organize to get ready for christmas but at least we finally see the light at the end of the tunnell. This last week Elder Arrieta and I revisited one of the eternal investigators. Her name is Sharol. Sharol has been coming to church every week for about 4 months but couldnt be baptized because she was living with her boyfriend. She has also wanted to get married because she has a kid with him and doesnt want to raise the kid alone but he doesnt want to commit. This last week he left her and sharol turned to us. She told us that she isnt concerned for herself because she doesnt really have feelings for him but she is worried for her daughter. We assured her that the family is the plan of God and that if she pushes forward in faith she can trust he will take care of everything. I believe that this is the opportunity she needed to be able to progress. Hopefully there will be more about her to follow.

Merry Christmas and with so much love

Elder Brown

12 Days of Christmas

Alright guys Its Christmas time. This week my loving family sent me a wonderful christmas package for myself and my companion, wrapped up to save until the 25th..... It made it one afternoon.

This week we got to go to the temple (for our mission when you are in a zone in lima you can go for one P day every other transfer as a zone) We went on thursday and it was such an amazing experience, of course it always is. I always learn something new when I visit the temple, as I am sure we all can. Living in Utah there are temples all over the place, the sacrifice we have to make is nothing compared to what some people have to do here. My invitation to you all is to not take this wonderful opportunity for granted, use the temple, frequently.

As I believe I have expressed in past letters this new area didnt have much going on when I first got here. However, I bring thee tidings of great joy, behold this day in the city of Lima, Elder Brown and Elder Arrieta have found two new families and now have an investigator with a baptismal date. The area is improving which is so great to see as missionaries, It is hard to not see any rewards for the work you put in, as I am sure you all know. We also have a couple of less actives who are making real strides to be active members in the church again. One of them is Limber, he is 18 years old and when we taught him the first time he really showed he wanted to come to church again. Over the last week we have visited him and his family a lot and we are now trying to involve him in the missionary work because we think that he can prepare for a mission. He is really interested in teaching the gospel, he has given us refereals and asked to go contacting with us.

Alright I know it was short, again, but know I love you and will write again next week.

Love your missionary,

Elder Brown

Gringos!

Alright Its got to be another short one this week guys.... Sorry.

This week as usual has been full of a lot of fun, crazy, stressfull, awesome zone related stuff. We are kept busy here, I honestly do not feel like there is one free second here in Villa Maria but I love it.

Enough about that, lets talk about Christmas.

Now this is gonna be the most gringo spanglish you all will ever here but give me some liberty here. In spanish "Mas" means more, so lets make this ChristMAS a time to have more Christ in our lives. How can we do that?

Remember that the real reason we celebrate Christmas is because Jesus the Christ entered into this world and was born of a woman Mary in order to fulfill his lives purpose to atone for us and save us from everlasting misery. It is only through him that we are able to be saved and return to the presence of our ever loving heavenly father. This time of the year we remember that he willingly entered this world, knowing his lives purpose would be to leave it in the most painful manner, and that he did all this for us.

We celebrate christmas with an abundance of gifts for friends and familybut the greatest gift is Gods gift of his beloved son. I urge you all to remember this in your lives as we prepare for Christmas day. As you lose yourself in the Christmas spirit remember that your loving brother was born to suffer for you and that this time of year is the time when you can truly remember why his gift of his life is so important.

Love Elder Brown

Happy Thanksgiving

Hey guys hope yall had a great thanksgiving! It is different celebrating thanksgiving here because, well... it doesnt exist :(

However, it was good. I bought a pizza for Elder Arrieta and on Thursday explained to him the purpose of this holliday (and I jokingly tried to convince him that it is a mormon tradition to make up for all the 12 fast sundays of the year in one day- he didnt buy it). It was a good opportunity for me to take a little more time in my prayers and really thank the Lord for everything he has given me. I would try to make a list but I am so blessed it would take all day and I only have one hour to type. One of the things I am most grateful for though is you guys. Thank you for all the support you have given me. Though we are half a world away I feel your love and your prayers while I am out here. 

This has been a very crazy week, it flew by. On tuesday we had leadership training, a great opportunity to look around and once again realize I the youngest zone leader here, at least in terms of time in the mission. However, it isnt important, the Lord cares not for age or experience. To name just three examples we have the boy prophet Samuel, the nephite commander Mormon, and of course Joseph Smith. All of whom were young and inexperienced. However, they were all able to be shaped by Christ into who they were made to be. As a missionary they are my examples, I know my weaknesses, I know I fall short in so many areas, I know I am inexperienced, and I know I make more mistakes in a day than I can count. But, I know the Lord will shape me into who I am meant to be.

Until Next Week, Love Elder Brown

P.S. Elder Brown told us while chatting that his new pensionista makes him mountains of food and he is gaining some weight back! Just in case any of you were concerned!

Hola

Alright I dont have much time but I will include pictures. Just know the life of a zone leader is the coolest and most stressful thing for me right now. I love it but man we only get 7 hours of sleep at night if we are lucky. I love my new area and the members here are awesome. We didnt have many lessons this last week because the area is struggling but hey we can change that. Love You!!!

Elder Brown

Ok nevermind with the photos, I just got a virus and it erased all my photos from the last four months.... Crap

Eating with the district

NEW AREA AND SURPRISE

(here is the cafe elder brown emailed us from!)

Yep thats right, I am no longer in the beautiful town of Ayacucho. But I do have an amazing new área and an amazing new companion. Elder Arrieta and I will be working in the zone Villa Maria and our área is Las Jardines (the gardens). The craziest thing though is I have been assigned by President McGinn to be a zone leader here in Villa Maria. I am pretty nervous because I dont have any experience as a district leader much less a zone leader but I am eager and ready to learn.

I dont have much time here in Lima but I already love it, our pension is awesome and the food here is a Little cheaper so maybe I will stop losing weight. Also fun fact, wanna lose 40 pounds, serve a misión. I am excited to work here and next week I will know a lot more about this new área.

Alright a Little more about Ayacucho. In the end of this last transfer Elder Gimenez and I had two baptisms. I dont have my camera so I will dend more potos next week but the baptisms were Epifanio and Lucero (no relation whatsoever between them). Epifanio was a investigator that three weeks ago asked us to baptize him, so on saturday I did. Seeing the growth of this man, who is so dear to my heart, has changed me.

Secon, Lucero. I havent written about her because this is a crazy story. Lucero is a 15 year old girl who I though was a member because she has been coming to church every week the whole time I was in Ayacucho. Turns out she isnt a member but she has been coming to church everyweek for 6 months. She approached us on sunday the 6th and asked us to baptize her. When my companion and I met with her we tried to figure out what she has learned from her experience with the church. Turns out she has a testimony in every thing we teach as missionaries. So after briefly going over the lessons with her we baptized her the next saturday. Its a rule in our misión that investigators need to go to church three times and have all the lessons to be baptized but because she was going to church so long before Elder Gimenez and I now have one of the fastest conversions in the misión, one week.

Alright guys, crazy stuff, no time, people to teach, yall know the drift.

Gotta Go, love Elder Brown

Don't have much time but I love ya.

Hey guys I dont have much time today to do a proper group email but I can explain why I am emailing at 8 in the night instead of normal time in the morning. This sunday my companion and I were fasting, here in Peru because lunch it the biggest meal of the day we start fasting saturday after lunch and end in sunday after church which starts at 9 am. During the sacrament my companion and I were standing in the doorway looking to see which of our investigators made it to church when he passed out, fell over, and slammed his head against the wall. This gave him a minor but irratating concusion. Turns out he is hypoglychimic or whatever so when he was fasting (and this was his first attempt at a 24 hour fast) he lost all energy. Because of his concussion we have been confined to our apartment, for the last two days!! It is terrible because we just have to sit in the dark in absolute silence and while he needs to be sleeping, I had to sit up all day and most of the night waking him up every so often and making sure he wasnt having memory loss. Its terrible, hes being a bit of a poop because he wont sleep, can't blame him he has slept 16 of the last 24 hours. I meanwhile and beat, I only have 6.

This last week has been very interesting, we have been working but it is hard as plans fall apart. We have 4 investigators with dates in this moment all of which could have been prepared to be baptized this upcoming week but 3 of them will be waiting a bit longer. I discovered I needed to put aside my pride because at least in part I know I was pushing them for an earlier date because I wanted to be here for their baptism and with transfers this upcoming week I know there is a possibility that I will be leaving ayacucho. I have been pondering and praying a lot about this and although I would love to have more time here in ayacucho with the people I love and to see the investigators enter the waters of baptism, I know missionary work isnt about numbers. They will be baptized, that is what is important, and whether I am here to see it or not isnt important. What is important is to serve, with all out hearts might mind and strength and no matter where I will be this next transfer I am ready to continue in the work.

Love, Elder Brown

Happy Halloween

Alright guys I dont have too much time for my group email this week but I will make up for it with photos.

First off I want to talk to you guys about Satan. Here in our mission, President McGinn is constantly telling us "off to the battle." Here in the mission it is awesome to be serving the Lord but as such you need to be prepared that the devil will send his forces to counter your work. Every investigator will experience this battle between good and evil, God and the Devil, if they are to be converted. Conversion is not an easy process, the more we strive to follow Christ the harder the devil is going to try to tear down our faith.

Why am I sharing this? Because this week in the war against the Devil Elder Giménez and I have lost a battle. Franko called us on tuesday and said that he doesnt want us visiting him anymore. My heart broke as he said this. When we passed by to visit him he said that he has been praying and praying to know if our message is true and he just hasnt recieved and answer, he said because of this he thinks its best if he just continues as before with reading the bible. Elder Giménez and I bore him our testimonies and told him that he can always count on us to be there as his friends if he doesnt want us to teach him. I have been pooring out my heart in prayer for him all week that he might regain the faith in our message that I saw he had but it is a painful reminder that Even though Christ will triumph over Satan, not every war will be won. If there is anything new with this situation in the future I will of course write about it.

Ok now a little happier news. This week Elder Giménez and I rescued two less active members and they are now once again fully active, latter day saints. One of these rescues, Ruben, baptized his eight year old daughter this last Friday and we had to opportunity to go to the baptism. It was awesome not only to see the joy on this young girls face but also the joy in her father as he had the opportunity to bring her into this church in which he has now regained his faith.

We also have three investigators who are going to be baptized in the following weeks, two on the 12th of November and one on the 25th. Nellie, Epifalto, and Betsabe are all amazing and I am so glad for the opportunity to teach them.

Also I want to share with you guys one of our new investigators we found this week. His name is Fritz and he is about 24 years old. Fritz has astounding faith in God but he doesnt believe in the churches because of an experience he had. He shared with us that once as he was pondering and thinking about god he had a dream and from what he described it was an out of body experience where his soul left his body and he was looking down from above. He said in this experience he learned that there is a god and also that this life is not the end. When he shared this experience with a catholic priest the priest said he was posessed and that is was of the Devil. Fritz told us this is why he doesnt go to a church but as we testified to him that unlike other churches we believe God still gives us personal revelation in these days I saw our message touch his heart. Crazy!

Ok more next week but this is all I have time for now.

Much love, Elder Brown

The Chosen Ones

Should I even bother to tell you all that this has been another amazing week. As impossible as it seems every week just gets better and better. Yeah there are hard times but the miracles I have seen have changed my life forever.

To start, remember last week how I told y´all that there was an investigator in church who asked us to baptize him after just one day in church, well I have a lot to share about him. His name is Epifaldo and at this point he is engaged to a member who lives in a different ward. He has strong desires to obtain the blessings of an eternal marriage and to be united with the church. We had set up a plan to meet him on Monday and because he couldn't´t remember his address we only had his cell phone number. When we were preparing to call him monday to comfirm the appointment we realized that as we wrote down his cell phone number we forgot to write one diget. In this point I realized that in order to figure out not only what is the missing number but also where it is, we would either have to try nearly 100 different combinations, or rely on God. I prayed for the spirit to guide me and at the end of my prayer I had the impression that maybe I didnt include one of the numbers because it was two of the same number in a row and maybe, just maybe, I thought he was just repeating himself. I decided to try a few numbers and I can't tell you that my prayer was answered on my first attempt. No my prayer was answered, this is true, but it was answered in the manner that Moroni declared in Ether 12:6 - after the trial of my faith. I tried all 8 of the 9 possible combiniations that could work according to the prompting I felt after my prayer. After 8 failed attempts I started to have thoughts such as - this is impossible, I am wasting my time, maybe that wasnt the spirit. However, truly after my faith was starting to fail, on the last possible number, Epifaldo picked up the phone.

I know that this story might be hard to understand, but if that made even the slightest bit of sense I want you to know that this experience, and many others over the last few months, have created a deep, firm testimony in my heart for the power of prayer. So often we feel are prayers go unanwered, we expect to hear a voice shouting out an answer in our heads the second we conclude in the sacred name of our saviour. It is true that God is a God of Miracles. And he works miracles, in times of old, today, and forever. However, more often then not our anwers are recieved in ways that may take time, patience, and most inportantly faith. Cry unto God in your prayers having the faith that you will recieve anwers in Gods own time and I promise, as well as many prophets today and in olden times, that God is bound to give you an answer.

Ok continuing with Epifaldo, he is amazing, he is chosen to recieve this gospel. We have met with him three times this week and the only reason it wasnt more is because he had to go to Lima. The plan for him is to be baptized on 5 of November and I know he will continue to prepare for this day.

Another of the CHOSEN ONES that we found this week is Betsabe, she is a reference from the central office and I am astounded by her faith, there is more I want to say about her but it will have to wait for next week. Just know she is awesome and she will be baptized on 12 of November.

Alright Guys, YOSSER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yosser Piñeda Quispe, a man I have grown to love over these last few weeks was baptized and confirmed a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints this last week. Seeing the joy as he was baptized and hearing his testimony brought more joy into my heart that words can describe. I love this man and am so grateful that God has given me the opportunity to be a part in his conversion. Pictures to follow!

Guys I dont have more time which is a bit frustrating because there is so much I want to say but for now all I have time for is to tell you I love you all and cant wait to write you and hear from you this next week.

With love, Elder Brown

Trials and Miracles

Alright Guys this has been a pretty interesting week so try to keep up.

First off, this has been one of the hardest weeks in my time here in Peru. Monday through Wednesday we had a total of 3 lessons, TOTAL! It felt like no matter how hard we tried and no matter how many back up plans we made nobody would recieve us. On wednesday I was determined to change the luck of our last two days and I had three appointments every hour, and I called almost everyone to confirm when we would pass by. Even then, I guess the Lord had other plans because we still only had one lesson the whole day.

It was truly difficult and to make matters worse we recieved a call from the Dad of Margoth (Margoth is a investigator and she had a date to be baptized on the 15th). Her Dad called us and said he doesnt want us to teach his daughter anymore or to baptize her. Margoth is older than 18 so the decision is ultimately hers but she will have to decide between this religion and her family. I have been praying for her and guys this is where I NEED YOU. Please, please, please, pray for Margoth and that her fathers heart will be softened.

Now for the better news, the Miracles.

We have found two new families this week and they are doing great. One of them is Ectar and his wife. Like I mentioned above we had a total of three lessons in the first couple days. However, what we lacked in quantity was made up for in quality. We found Ectar and he is so accepting and desires to learn more, he accepted a baptismal date for the 12th of November and I am so excited to return to teach him.

Starting on thursday things started to turn around and we were able to have more lessons. On Friday we found our second new family, the family of Nellie Pelis. She came with some members to church the sunday before and we set up a time to meet with her. When we did have a lesson with her and her two daughters we discovered just how prepared she is to recieve the gospel. Her husband has passed on which has changed her outlook on religion, she is eager to be baptized and prepare to enter the temple in order to preform the ordinances for her husband and for her family to experience the blessings of being sealed for eternity. I truly believed preach my gospel when it says the Lord has prepared people to recieve you but it is very hard to realize just how true this is until you have an experience where the investigator is not only asking to be baptized but when he or she is asking when is the earliest they can enjoy the blessings of being a member of the church. Nellie has been prepared by the Lord and there is no doubt in my mind that she will be baptized and after, faithfully continue to seek for the blessings of the Lord found in this church and specifically in the temple. She has accepted a date to be baptized on the 5th of November.

Saturday my testimony for the power of prayer grew to a whole new level. We had a lesson set up with a family, Anna the mom and her two daughters Diana and Alysandra. They are less active members and usually the boyfriend of Alysandra is over at their house but Earnie (boyfriend) said he couldnt be their for this lesson so we needed a member. We called just about everyone we new but nobody could help us so we were about to go and change the lesson to another day but I felt the impression to have a prayer. Elder Giménez and I offered a prayer, asking that the Lord would provide a way for us to teach this family. Literally no sooner had I finished the prayer when I heard the beautiful sound of a motorcycle (a sound which nearly brought tears to my eyes). The motorcycle pulled over next to us and it turned out to be earnie. He told us that plans changed and so now he would be their for our lesson, TRULY THIS WAS A MIRACLE.

Sunday our meetings in church were crazy. Elder Gimenez and I both had to give talks in sacrament meeting. My Spanish is definitely a lot better and I  think they understood my talk but they didnt really catch on with my jokes.... crap. After we figured out last minute that we needed to teach the principles of the gospel class. However the real craziness happened after. A man and his wife decided to attend church this sunday, they aren't members, they didnt come with members, and as far as I know this is their only experience with the church. This Man and his wife approached me at the end of the meeting and asked me to baptize him. I know he felt the spirit and we have plans to teach him today and invite him to be baptized.

Thats about it I gotta Go now,

With Love, Elder Brown

les amo

Guys it has been another awesome week!

After sending out my email last tuesday Elder Giménez and I got ready to get on a bus for Lima. At the end of the first and second transfers the new missionaries have a special interview with the president and since ayacucho is 11 hours away we have to take a bus through the night.

Wednesday we had our meetings which were awesome. Sometimes I dont realize it but during the meetings I realized just how much I have grown and learned in these last six weeks. I know I still have a lot to learn and I am excited to keep progressing. We couldnt go to the temple on Wednesday because it is closed for cleaning but we did get the opportunity to go out and teach, and honestly I like that more. We got back on the bus Wednesday night to return to ayacucho.

Thursday, first thing in the morning after the bus, we had zone meetings. I was tired and wanted to shower but it  was a good opportunity to meet the new missionaries in the zone.

The rest of this week has been pretty good, I am honestly having a hard time remembering what happened when but I will share the highlights.

Because I only have one transfer here and Elder Giménez and I are working two areas I have a lot of stress leading the area and finding people. Also the way they create their addresses here makes no sense so finding people is next to impossible without a landmark or someone to show you. However I have really been realying on the Lord to guide us and with his help this week we found 6 new investigators and one new family. We also have plans to visit two more new families in this upcoming week.

On the 22 of october we will be having 2 baptisms, Yosser and Margoth. They have both been progressing so well and I am so excited for them to obtain the blessings of this Gospel.

A relatively new investigator I want to talk about is Franko. We found him a little over a week ago and have only had 3 lessons with him but he has really been prepared by the Lord. He always comes with questions and always wants to learn more, he has commited to be baptized on the 5th of November and there is almost no doubt in my mind that he will be ready by that day.

Thats about it for this week. I love you all and miss you.

With Love, Elder Brown

Conference

Hey Gringos,

This has been a good week. There was a lot going on with Elder Hurtado finishing his mission and the transfers and conference so for a couple days there was confusion on who would be with who and how we could get places and a bunch of things like that. However, as it always does when we trust in the Lord, everthing worked out. Also I got to be zone leader for like 2 days and although I didnt really do much it does give me bragging rights so beat that.

I want to share some thoughts from this conference that I had. It was a truly amazing opportunity to be able to listen to the Lords chosen representatives of his true and  growing church. I know without any doubt that those men are called and chosen by God to bless us and guide us in these days which seem to become increasingly difficult as time goes on. However, I know that no matter how many trials, problems, or burdens that we have, the Lord has paid the price so that we can pull through and feel the joy of his gospel. I went into this conference with a couple of questions that I wanted answers for and it just felt like every speaker was speaking to me specifically. We truly have a blessing of learning so much with these latter day prophets and I know that as we ponder, reread, and pray about their words we will recieve blessings that are impossible to even comprehend.

Like I said there was a lot of confusion and running around getting ready for transfers but we still had some great lessons this week. We have an investigator, Franko, who we have taught the lesson of the restoration. He is doing very well and I am so excited. There is no greater feeling than when you return for a second lesson with someone and ask them if they had questions from reading the book of mormon and then having them open up there book to see so many markings and writing in the margins that you can barely recognize that it was once just a normal white page with black typing on it. This is why I love Franko, he is so interested to learn and although he knows next to nothing of our church this does not keep him from asking questions and seeking to learn more. I realize when we teach these investigators just how lucky we are as members to have always had the opportunity to read the book of mormon. It also makes me realize just how much we disregard this sacred blessing because I know that at least in my life I have never taken the opportunity to "feast on the words of christ" as much as some of these people.

 Remember how blessed you are and never forget that everday we have the opportunity to feast on the words of christ, whether through reading the book of mormon and bible or listening to actual living prophets like we have had the opportunity to this last week.

That will be about it for this week. Just a bit about my new companion Elder Giménez. I am the first missionary he will train so he is about nervous. Elder Giménez if from Uruguay and is a great missionary. He only has 2 more transfers than me here in the mission so he is pretty new. I know we are going to do great here and I cant wait to get to work with him. I am also pretty excited because I will be leading the area.

Until next week

Love, Elder Brown

Picture Update!

Last week of the first transfer!

Alright guys it was another awesome week.

After I emailed you guys last week Elder Perez (from Mexico) and I prepared tacos for our zone and then went and played volleyball for the afternoon. It was a fun day and that night my companion had to go to Huanta to conduct baptism interviews so Elder Domingez stayed with me in Las Americas. That meant I got to lead in our area and it was really exciting. I finally know where I am now, it took a while.

Tuesday we met with Yosser, the investigator who has a baptism appointment for Saturday, and he asked if we could move his date back a little so he could feel more prepared. It is fine because I know he understands just how important baptism is and how important it is to understand and be prepared beforehand. The responsibility of baptism is huge in this church but the blessings are unparalelled.

Wednesday we extended a baptismal date to Margoth and she happily accepted. Also another spanish tip, Huevos and Huesos sound very similar but if you are explaining to a investigator that God has a body of flesh and bones like us they might be confused if you say that God has a body of flesh and eggs....... yeah she was a little confused ;)

Thursday we met with Yosser again and he is really excited to be baptized. He was also super interested in missionary work and told us that he wants to serve. I couldnt believe it! This amazing son of God has yet to be baptized and experience the associated blessings of being a member of the church but even without that the blessings this gospel has brought him are so great that he already wants to share the gospel with others.

Friday Elder Hurtado baptized one of the investigators of some of the sisters in our district. It was very cool to watch that and see the smile on her face as she came up out of the water. Also on friday we were walking and ran into this guy that called to me and yelled hey Gringo! He continued to harass us for about five minutes as we waited for the bus using some very foul words that he had learned in English. 

Guys I gotta go, there was more I wanted to say but I dont have any more time.

Just know I love you and will write more next week.

Ps next week I will have a new companion

Until later Elder Brown

Hola Gringos

Ok guys I dont have too much time for a group email this week but I will include the important stuff.

Monday we visited quinua as a district (I will include pics) which is a giant spike about another 40 minutes into the mountains.

Tuesday I had another interchange with Mariscol and was with Elder Davis (from Saratoga Springs). He is a awesome kid and almost done here in the mission. He had some crazy stories and we stayed up a little too late talking but it is good to learn.

Wednesday we met a new investigator, Margot. She is amazing and in this last week we have met with her twice and today she called us and almost demanded us that we baptize her, it was kinda funny. She really wants to learn more and is a very good investigator.

Thursday we met with Yosser, I dont know if I have meantioned him before but he is a investigator and has a baptismal date for this upcoming saturday. He is one of my favorites because he really has a testimony and really wants to join the church.

Friday our mission President, President McGinn flew out with his wife to have a zone conference with ayacucho. Normally it would be a multizone meeting but because ayacucho is so isolated we get to have him all to ourselves. Also later that day elder Davis was sick and asked me to give him a blessing. It was my first opportunity to give a priesthood blessing and I was a little nervous at first but the spirit spoke through me. The next day elder Davis called and his fever and other problems were gone.

Saturday President McGinn came to our house during weekly planning. If you think it isnt hard enought to lead a planning session as a four week old missionary try to do it with your mission president in the room listening. It was actually very good and he gave Elder Hurtado and I some very good advice. I have had some pretty unique opportunitues that most missionaries dont get and I am so grateful because I have learned so much. Also on Saturday I had another opportunity to give a priesthood blessing but this one was in spanish. We met with a recent convert, Nancy, who is dying of cancer. I truly realized I have nothing to complain about in my life as I looked at her situation. She is dying which will leave her husband and four year old daughter alone. She has every reason to complain yet she is happy because she has found the joy of this gospel. The pain and sorrow I felt for this lady I had just met is indescribable but I know she has found true happiness, the happiness that we can have not only in this life but also in the life to come.

Sunday we had Stake Conference which is awesome. It was very awesome and almost all our progressing investigators were there.

Guys another cool thing from this week is the villagaray family. They are members and are so faithful. They want to be involved with the missionary work and there oldest son max is preparing to go on a mission. Max usually comes with us to lessons and the mom of the villagaray family is amazing. She invites us over and brings family friends with her to lessons. This week alone theyhelped us find 3 new investigators. You might be wondering why I am sharing this. Most of you on this email list are members. HOW GREAT ARE THE BLESSINGS IN YOUR LIFE BECAUSE OF THIS. Therefore my challenge to you is to share and be missionaries however you can. I know now how hard it is for the missionaries to find people and how crucial members are. We all have friends that we can help, we all have loved ones that we would love to share the blessings of the gospel with so why dont we. Even just giving the missionaries one referall or going with them to one lesson can make all the difference in their lives but more importantly the lives of those they teach.

I love you guys, every one of you, and miss you and pray for you. I know that I have a special calling of being a full time missionary in this time but we all have the responsibility to share however we can.

Until next week

Love Elder Brown

Mi amigos y familia comó estan

Okay guys spanish tip for y´all- Mamasita and mamita are two totally different things. DONT MIX THEM UP. Pretty much I embaressed myself in front of our pension when I was telling a story because I meant to describe someone as a old lady and pretty much said they were a sexy woman..... oops

Okay guys it has been another awesome and crazy week. Monday we helped move the hermanas into a new house because they kept getting robbed. Later, elder Hurtado and I hiked to the top of a mountain where you can see all of ayacucho. I laughed when he showed me our area because it is over twice the size of all the others. Next transfer we should get a lot more missionaries so who knows maybe our area will be made into two areas again.

Tuesday was super weird because all the zone and district leaders went to lima for a meeting but not the companions. This left me with elder weeks, the companion of the other district leader. It was a super interesting experience because elder weeks and I went to the MTC together. We are both newbies and both still learning spanish but we were left without our trainers to teach on our own. We actually had amazing lessons and made a lot of new contacts. We found people that asked us to come teach them later in the week and it was a really good day. We were both very nervous because of how new we are but the Lord really helped us in ways I cant even explain.

Wednesday we had a interchange with Huanta. I really like elder domingez and had a really fun time in Huanta. It is about another hour from ayacucho and is really pretty there.

Thursday I finally got back to my area which was a relief because we had 3 interchanges within seven days. I spent more time away from our area than in it so it was nice to stop living out of my backpack.

Friday we had a lesson with Aldair. He is an investigator that has a baptism date in 12 days. The lesson was super cool because Aldair bore a strong testimony about how he knew this gospel is true and about how he wants to be baptized to follow christ. I felt the spirit as he bore his testimony and am so happy for the joy he has found in his life through this gospel.

Saturday was a tough day, we had a ton of lessons and back up plans but literally everyone canceled or wasnt home except one family. However, that one lesson was amazing. This is my favorite family we have found. It is Brother John, his wife marlene, and their 3 year old son. John is less active but hasnt been to church in over 25 years and Marlene knew next to nothing about the church. However, they are so willing to live the gospel and follow christ. Every lesson we have had with them (this was our 3rd) they have been so willing to live the principles we teach. Marlene wants to be baptized she just doesnt know when because she wants to know more first. We invited her to be baptized October 8 and she said she would pray to know if God wanted that, and if so then she would be baptized in that day.

Sunday was very good because a lot of our investigators and other people we teach made it to church. I have really built strong relationships with many of the people here and I was sad as I realized I will eventually have to leave them. Another miracle from this week is that we were contacting people in the street sunday night. We have a goal to contact 15 people every day but it was really hard sunday because there was a big party going on and everyone was drunk. It was hard for someone to even give us thirty seconds of their time. At 13 people it was starting to get late so we thought of maybe just going home because based off the day nothing was gonna happen anyway. However, we decided to keep going and the 15th person listened to us and now we have an appointment to teach him.

I know that this church is true. This is by far the hardest thing I have every done but also the most rewarding. I have never been happier in my life than I am now. I love this opportunity I have to share the gospel and I love the people here. Until next week

Elder Brown