Sunday, April 16, 2017

WEEK 75: Music Lessons & Miracles 💥

Hello family and friends! I hope you all had an amazing week .We have had so many miracles and great experiences this week I don't even know where to begin. It could be a long email. But it all started last transfer when I was with sister Gonzalez. We were weekly Planning and trying to plan creative ways to find. As it has been a little hard to find new people to teach. As we thought of our circumstances and the talents we've been given and we decided to offer free classes of music as service for people because there are so many people that we tell them that we played instruments and they want to learn. So we created little papers that tell people about the classes and we dispersed them in an apartment complex in our area that has a lot of Hispanic people. As we did that there were many people that told us they would be interested but we would never get a call. So after putting papers on all the doors, we just waited with faith, hoping someone would call.

So then this week as I was working on "My Plan" (ew), we get a call from an unknown number. This guy started speaking to us in Spanish and we were a little shocked and asked him again what he said, he explained that he found our little paper on the door and he was really interested in learning guitar. So we explained our missionary purpose and he was really cool with it, and we set up a time to do the lesson. Sister Nickles and I were in such shock! So when we had planned to do these lessons, Sister Gonzalez was in the area and she is a native Spanish speaker and so anyone in Spanish would probably be better taught by her. And I can play the guitar, but I do not know any of the Spanish terminology, so luckily our branch President is very talented at guitar and also a native Spanish speaker. So we called him to help us and he was really excited and totally on board to help. 
So we had the lesson on Sunday, and our branch presidents daughter, Rocio came as well! THe class went really well and it wasn't too long because there was a Spanish Fireside that night at 7 that our members wanted to go to. So Rocio explained the situation and invited him to the Fireside and he really wanted to go! So he rode to the Visitors center wit our member family and we all attended to Fireside together! After the Fireside he said he had never been to or seen the Visitors center before so we gave him a mini tour showing the different videos and exhibits that the VC has. Our members were really awesome being friends with him and explaining different things and bearing testimony of how The gospel has blessed them. We got to the last exhibit in the VC which is the "I'm a Mormon." He asked us why we call ourselves "mormons" which allowed us to teach him The Message of The Restoration. It was so powerful, and he completely understood it. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he gladly excepted and said he would read it! So we now have a day set to go to the Easter pageant  this week! From what we see he is so prepared and we are excited to see what's next, and it has been so cool to see the lord work in this area. I am so blessed to be at the front seat of seeing these miracles!

So another highlight of the week, we had entire mission meeting this week instead of Zone conference, with Elder Brent H Neilson, who is the head director of the Missionary Department. So it was a HUGE privilege to hear from him. His wife talked to us about being a good companion and he talked to us about The Enabling power of the saviors atonement. It was a super good meeting. He also gave us time to ask him questions and someone asked him for an update on President Monson, and he said he is back in the office working. He also showed us the ages of the apostles and it was interesting because people at this age are usually in nursing homes, but these men are up working everyday. He told us President Nelson goes skiing every Monday! 
89 Monson
92 Nelson
84 Oaks
87 Ballard
87 Hales
74 Holland
74 Uchtdorf
65 Bednar

So the church is true! But after the lunch, the Neilson's left and we had the rest of what was planned for "zone conference." And every transfer the departing missionaries get to bear there testimonies at zone conference, which usually only 2-3 zones attend. And so since I'm a departing missionary this transfer I got to bear my testimony in front of, not just a portion of the mission, but the ENTIRE mission. So it was a really cool experience! I'm really glad I got to do that because President Townsend said a meeting with the whole mission would NEVER happen again. When I first came in they used to have here things called "transfer meetings" with the whole mission and I got to introduce myself to the whole mission, and that was the last transfer meeting there ever was. And then I got to umm don't know the word for this in English but despedir my self at the end of my mission to. I'm just so grateful for my mission experience thus far. 

This week we also had the Easter pageant which is always so good! I will attach photos. It definitely is the best pageant I think. Especially since it teaches the doctrine of christ in the play! So it's great to bring investigators to. I have just really found a love for the gospel this week. There really is nothing else like it. I don't think I would have ever found this love if it weren't for my mission. As we share it with others our love for the savior grows. So even if you don't know how or what to share with others, just start and the lord will give you the things you need to say or do. As it says in Doctrine & Covenants 24:12 "And at all times, and in all places, he shall open his mouth and ​​​declare​ my gospel as with the voice of a ​​​trump​, both day and night. And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men." That strength is what the apostles use, that strength is what missionaries use everyday as we open our mouths to talk with everyone. That is the strength you all can receive as you declare the gospel to those you know. That strength comes from our savior Jesus Christ. You all have access to it, so use it! Best of luck as you do and know that Sister brown is always rooting you on! As well as Heavenly Father (that's more promising). But I hope you all have a great week! Love you so much!

Hermana Brown

Kind of bad quality, but this is a picture with me and the ten virgins! They are my favorite dance in the pageant so of course I had to get a picture with them.

Cool picture form the Easter pageant.

Entire mission picture!

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