A spiritual FEAST

Talk about a week full of spiritual uplifting direction! 

Wednesday I was quite ill. Something has been going around and sister Lewis and I caught it once before..but then the same type of symptoms hit me hard Tuesday night and Wednesday. Wanting to be obedient, I still woke up on time and followed the schedule just as usual..but I was performing at far less than my usual ability. The entire day it seemed we had appointments falling through and people not wanting to talk to us. To be completely honest, all I wanted to do was sleep for days. I knew, however, that I didn't come out on a mission to sleep. This was our only FULL day of missionary work because we had additional meetings this week and then general conference this weekend. I had to push through. Although we didn't see any particular miracles or blessings, my testimony of enduring to the end was strengthened. I knew that I tried my hardest regardless of physical limitations. Luckily we didn't have a dinner appointment that day, so I was able to come home and take a quick nap. That was greatly needed and appreciated :) I am so grateful for the strength that the Lord will give us to be able to endure our trials. We can be strengthened just as Nephi was when his bands were loosed. 

Lindsay helps Sister Mim do her hair while they watched
some of the priesthood session. 

A story on the power of the Book of Mormon- We've been working with a less active lady recently. We have tried to encourage her to read the Book of Mormon. we downloaded it onto her phone and her son showed her how to use the listening function of the app. We went back this week and asked her about her study. It had only been a couple of days, and she had already listened to the first 7 chapters. She was in love with the story! We could see the spirit coming into her study more and more. She used to only study the bible because that's what she grew up with and was comfortable with. We went back two days later and she had read 7 more chapters! She was overjoyed with the results. She explained that it was so much easier to understand that expected. She told us about how she felt a great connection with this book. We called on Sunday to make sure she was able to watch General Conference. She said yes she did and she loved it. Then she told us about how she wanted so badly to keep listening to the Book of Mormon, so she also listened to that after the Conference session. She said she couldn't describe the feeling she had while listening. She was just filled with the spirit. Her voice over the phone exuded joy, love, and gratitude for this book! I know that what she felt is how I feel when I read this account of Jesus Christ. It IS another witness of our Lord and Savior. The only way you can know it is true is by reading it. God loves us, so He gave us the Book of Mormon. 

Lindsay says where else do you see a truck flying three
full-sized flags? Georgia, that's where.

On Friday, Sister Lewis and I drove to Macon for the Missionary Leadership Conference. That's where all the Zone leaders and Sister Training leaders meet to receive direction from the mission presidency which we will pass on next week at Zone training meeting with all the other missionaries. During the drive up, we got a text from the Zone leaders in Hinesville asking if we had already left. They told us there was a Tornado warning until 9 pm that night and that we should be careful. They also told us the meeting had been moved up an hour. Seeing how it was April 1st, we figured all of it was a joke and laughed it off. The moving of the meeting time was a joke...but as we continued making the 3 hour trip we ran into a NASTY storm. We realized the tornado warning was actually very real. Thankfully, we were safe..just a little bit wet :) What a blessing to arrive safely to the meeting house three hours away while we drive by multiple areas ruined by the tornadoes. We didn't see the wreckage until the drive back..it's always a bit of a shock. 

We received much needed council at MLC. One thing I would like to touch on is how powerful the spirit can bear witness of our message when we live worthy of his additional witness. This was not a training given, but it was something I felt while President Cottle was speaking. His words hit so powerfully that everyone in the room knew they were true.  The spirit was so thick, you KNEW what was being said was true. I am grateful for the power of the Holy Ghost and the conversion we can receive by listening to those promptings. 

Notice the gator!?!

My time is short, but I want to encourage everyone to listen to General Conference over and over again! The messages shared there are critical for our understanding and salvation. Let's Please humble ourselves to accept what the Lord would have us hear. Put aside our personal views to listen to Him for a time. I love you all and I love this work. I see miracles every day. Just being here is a miracle. 

Love you! 

Be safe!!

#Hallelujah

Hallelujah for the Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ! It was so incredible to see how open people were to accept a card with a video of the Resurrection this last Sunday. As we knocked door after door, we were received with many more smiles than usual. True understanding of the  resurrection of Jesus Christ makes the message of the restored gospel so much more meaningful. Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father DID appear to a young boy 200 years ago as perfect, resurrected beings. "Come, Follow me" is the invitation Jesus Christ leaves with us today. 

This week we have had absolutely FULL days as well as quite the opposite. After seeing so many of our appointments fall through these last couple weeks, it was a wonderful feeling to be busy running from appointment to appointment on Wednesday. In fact, we were so busy that we ended up almost skipping our lunch and dinner hours. That's not healthy... so when one of our later appointments fell through that evening we did take a half hour 'breather'. I am so grateful when we have people to teach! It has been hard to not see progression in almost any of our investigators, but I strongly feel one of my jobs is a seed planter. As we continue bringing people unto Christ, our purpose is fulfilled. One day they will be ready. As for now, we keep planting seeds and inviting them to progress! 

Lindsay with Brother and Sister Cottle.
They are a missionary couple that is on
base in Hinesville. They take great care
for the missionaries and service men
and women stationed there. Thanks!

One of the rather funny miracles I saw this week took place Thursday evening. Things kept falling through and we had completely exhausted all of our backup plans. Since we were stuck on post (non-proselyting) we figured we would at least drive off post so we could do some finding. Well, as we were driving, I remembered that the city has a farmers market every Thursday in March and April. We had wanted to check it out and do some finding at the same time...but hadn't been able to make it out yet because we always felt like there were better things for us to do. Well, we literally had nothing. So we followed that thought and made a quick stop to the farmers market. 

We did a quick walk through. It wasn't well attended. The finding situations were a little bit awkward and not the most ideal, so we walked back to the car to do something more productive. All of a sudden I got that quiet communication from the Spirit. A pressing feeling that wouldn't go away. I knew we had to go back. What? I was so confused..but called out to Sister Lewis who turned around, and we both walked back. I told her I felt like there was someone there we needed to meet..but that I had no idea who or how we were going to share something with them. 

As we walked up to the booths..I remembered a particular tent selling baked goods. I had a feeling that I needed to buy a snicker-doodle. Ok...I know God works in mysterious ways, but this just seemed a little bit strange. However, It was a very specific prompting, so I followed just what I felt. The whole process was funny. I would receive a prompting to do one thing, act, and then receive the next thing I needed to do. It was so neat. I shared the followhim video with the lady selling the cookies and in no time at all I felt the direction we needed to move. So we did. And we saw a lady we have done volunteer work for in the past.

The next thought- "Go say hi." So we went and said Hi. Then as we were talking with Hollie, a young couple walked slowly past. All of a sudden they paused... and I could tell they were looking at me. I made eye contact with the young woman, ended the conversation with Hollie, and the young woman came back, introducing herself and her husband. They were clearly military and newly weds. Not only that, but they were members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Awesome! 

The experience taught me that we must always be ready to act on a personal revelation regardless of what it is. The Farmers market was such a small event that had we done anything differently than we had, we may not have met this couple at all. So many military families become less active because they get lost in the moves. This could result in entire generations knowing nothing about the restored gospel! I don't know what the impact our meeting them could have been that day... but I am glad we listened. They came to church this week and made a great transition into the ward. 

I don't remember if I wrote about this in weeks past, but one of my investigators from my past area is being baptized this week! It is such a blessing for me to have been able to see that my work is making a difference. I am so, so happy for her! She truly has an incredible love for the Lord. She is a convert who will stay. This work can and is changing lives. 

Love you all! Keep making a difference! 

A thought from the Women's General Broadcast: SERVICE and LOVE

Let's live Christ-like lives. :)

Love,

Sister Brown 

Finding a New Fire

Sister Lewis and I are staying for a third transfer together in Hinesville! That's the new 'fire' we've found. Something just sparked within us. We both felt a powerful urge to go knock on every single door in Hinesville. XD It's going to be a good transfer.

This will be a new experience for me seeing how it will be my first time not training. We have both, however, been called to be Sister Training Leaders. So we will continue to find new service opportunities. I look forward to the chance the Lord has blessed me with to lift the hands of discouraged missionaries that may hang low, and also be uplifted by their incredible examples. The sisters in our mission are wonderful and so full of love. I'm grateful for their examples to me. 

Because I don't want to interrupt the email later to write this--> Something incredibly random but funny from this week...we've taught lessons to a few women who could literally have had their babies at any moment. One lady we taught on Thursday..her due date was Saturday. Another we taught on Sunday and her babies usually come very early...her due date was in a couple weeks. All these young families...there are so many pregnant women!

This week has been a good one full of hard work! We are spreading the Easter video far and wide! It is such a powerful message. I hope you all looked it up this week. 

We met some of the sweetest women this week. (Being sisters..I feel the Lord puts those in our path who just need to feel loved sometimes.) It's not very common to run across older people in some of these highly military areas...but we found a few :) One of the women we met has had the hardest things happen to her. It was crazy! I couldn't even imagine the stories she told us. It seemed like what you would hear in a movie. Some of the details are in my journal..but I probably shouldn't share them openly. Regardless of the sad experiences she has gone through, it was so good to still see hope in her eyes. Hope for a better life. Hope for a family who loves her. Hope that someone, anyone, would come sit with her one afternoon. Missionary work is about love. I know that to be true. I get teary eyed just writing this. The job of a missionary is to care for those the Lord puts in our path. She may not accept everything we teach, but she is in need of Love. 

This week, I have seen how destructive the negative thoughts that slip into our mind can be. One lady who we teach has an incredibly strong desire to make changes in her life. She knows she will be happier without some of these destructive habits taking rule over her. Yet doubt of her divine potential slips in and tells her she isn't good enough. She can't just decide to stop. We ARE strong enough to change. I bear witness of that! I know it to be true. I know it is a hard process. Repentance is not supposed to be easy. If it were, it would not have the lasting affect. We continue to love, and support her through this difficult time. I am grateful to be bringing people unto Christ no matter what step they are at in their conversion. That is the huge change I have seen in my missionary work lately. Every effort is a good one. Every change is one step closer. I love this work! 

At church this Sunday I pulled out a rusty talent that hasn't been touched in quite some time. I played the violin in church as a musical number. Wow. That was a little bit of a scary experience. Granted, I was using a lower quality violin than I was used to back home..but an amount of my skill was gone. It was a good reminder, however, that this work is the MOST important thing we could ever do. Sure we may be asked to make some small "sacrifices," but these are not truly a sacrifice at all. The Lord will use our skills to further His work. I am grateful to put His will first and foremost in my life. I'm working on knowing how to do that better every day. This week, put your talents towards the work of our Lord! 

Easter! What a blessing we hold in our hearts to know that Jesus Christ IS the RISEN Lord. Wow. Nothing could bring more power and peace to my soul. This is the message I hope to testify of often and with all the feeling of my heart. Study it. Study Him. Let's Prepare this Easter for the most meaningful experience we can have with our Savior.

Love you all! 

Sister Brown

PS There were three birthdays during district mtg this week..so one of the sisters bought a pinata for those with birthdays. cute thought :) 

He sent His Son

Easter is on its way here! Yesterday the new Easter video came out! Check it out at FollowHim.mormon.org It is absolutely wonderful! Because of Jesus Christ WE CAN find new life. I know that to be true. So many of the people we have been teaching recently have been so intrigued to learn about the plan of Salvation. The plan that God has for His children. I testify that YES we can live with God and our loved ones after this life. I know that we will be blessed with all the opportunities needed to truly decide to FOLLOWHIM. It starts one step at a time :) 

Tuesday was a day of miracles. In all honesty, it felt like the perfect day. Due to certain circumstances, we ended up with an extra Sister. It was so wonderful to have her sweet spirit and devoted personality helping us with the work we had that day. Her goal during that time was to bear frequent and powerful testimony of Jesus Christ. I bear witness that as we talk of Christ, a special spirit will be added to the doctrine being taught. Nothing is more powerful. 

Among our lessons, we stopped by an older woman's home who is currently working on coming back to church and learning more about the scriptures. We typically go read with her in the evenings once a week. We stopped by that afternoon to help her clean out some boxes. When we let her know we were there to help her clean, her face brightened up so much! It was wonderful to see her smile brighten up everything within her. She was so happy and grateful for the service. I know that as we serve others, they will feel their Heavenly Father's love through us. What greater work could we do? So here's the challenge of the week-find someone to serve every day:)

In my email last week I mentioned a lady who was prepared for the gospel. Well, we did meet with her Tuesday evening. She was facing so much sadness and confusion. She was looking for so many answers but didn't know where to look...we were able to bear testimony to her that her Savior, Jesus Christ does know her personally. He is interested in even the smallest difficulties that pile around her each day. She expressed to us her desire to try what we had to offer. I know that when she follows through and exercises her faith by doing what she has promised God she will do, she will find relief. Anything God asks of us is not to make us miserable, but to allow us to find happiness. It may be uncomfortable at first, it may be hard, it may mean we need to re-prioritize our life...but it will ALWAYS be for our good. 

I love you all so much! I know God is guiding us and wants us to accept His help. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He is Jehovah. He is our ultimate source of light. He feels your joy and pain. He has done what none of us could. He is the Only Begotten Son of God. 

And He LIVES.

-Sister Brown

Busy, Busy, Busy

The work here has started picking up this week! We have met a few new people. One of them, Joey, asked us if we were girl scouts XD. Too funny. I asked him if he liked girl scout cookies, he said yes, and as I was trying to think of what to say next, sister Lewis pipes up..."Well, we don't have any..so sorry." Ha it was hilarious. But he stayed to listen for while. We also went back and met his parents on Sunday.

After our lesson (plan of Salvation..they each drew their own interpretation of what the different stages seem like to them as we taught each part) with a part member family (the 10 and 7 year old is preparing for baptism) on Thursday, we had promised to play a little base ball and do gymnastics with them. They kept their commitment of reading, so we had to keep ours. It was so fun! For about 10 minutes we were able to bond with the family and kids. Their family is making so many wonderful changes. At one point, the daughter asked if Dad was coming out. The son said, "he said maybe in a minute...he's looking at something in the scriptures." We were shocked and so so happy!! This family is ready to come back. They're making their way towards being together forever! About an hour after we left, the mom texted us asking what the link was to the Book of Mormon videos online. Well, we were in a lesson and didn't see it...so we couldn't respond. About 15 or so min after the first text saying "never mind, we found it." HOW AWESOME! They are truly studying for themselves, wanting to understand more.

I promise we do work and don't just play...
but here's a pic with a cute young woman
who's preparing to serve a mission and
a wonderful young lady we teach.
Last Monday was a girl's day to the beach :)

Sometimes we have to go through a trial of no success in order to strengthen our ability to endure with patience. On Wednesday we had one of those days. We spent the entire day in a new city we have been assigned and had an entire day of looking for less active members planned. We literally saw Zero less active members. We taught one lesson to someone who we asked directions for. Although...it seemed he was trying to convert us :) I think those people are the cutest. Such a sweet old man. Even though it was a long day, I felt energized the whole time. We truly do choose our attitude, and God helps us make it a good one.

We had our first Book of Mormon class this week! The program is ready to build up! :) Also, at church we had so many mom members. They weren't the people we had been teaching, so it was a surprise to see so many people there. I was so grateful and pleased that the ward reached out to them to make them feel welcome and help them know where to go.

Now for a miracle...

A member in Georgia sent this to us
of Lindsay teaching Book of Mormon
 class. She loves to teach!

On Saturday we volunteered at a community event. We met many people. The name of the church was able to get some good exposure. Besides that, we met a wonderful woman whom God has been working with and preparing to hear the message of the restored gospel. When we first walked up to her booth to help her demonstrate the craft she was in charge of, she commented on how we were absolutely beautiful and that there was just 'something' about us. We continued to serve side by side with her for the next couple hours. We chatted, joked, learned of her family and home in Germany. Near the end of our shift, we told her about what we do. We said that we teach people who want to learn more about Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel. We told her that we help people find the answer to questions such as where we were before we lived on earth, what our purpose is while we're here, and where we will go after this life. She stopped us and said, "That is exactly what I was thinking about this morning." As we continued to talk with her, she said how she believes we were meant to meet her that afternoon. It was so cute, later she said.."This is really freaking me out." Ha she's the funniest lady. Long story short, we switched contact info and went on our way. Well, she called us Sunday (early in the morning while we were in ward council) and we weren't able to get back to her until later that afternoon. In her message she told us she kept looking at the card we gave her and couldn't get it off her mind. She said she had lots of questions for us. We called her back and she said she had been watched lots of videos of our church on Youtube (that made me nervous at first...who knows what's on the internet) but she said she really wants to meet with us to talk. She has an incredible desire to change. She said when we walked up to her yesterday that there was a light about us. I said, "Oh, thank you" and went to mention how glad we were to meet her, but she stopped me and said, "No, you don't understand..there was a spirit about you." She has been desiring a change in her life, and God prepared her for the message we will share with her. The experience of meeting her has been incredible. We are going over to talk with her tomorrow evening. She told us to "Please don't forget about me." She's amazing! Talk about the miracle we have been praying for.

Love you all, Be safe and PRAY for missionary opportunities (then ACT when you notice them) :)

Love

-Sister Brown 

Showing love through persistence

Cleaning, moving, baby showers, and more! Yet again, another incredible week in Georgia.

Cleaning-We have been helping a less active family move their house. It was on the DL...so we couldn't ask too many extra people for help. Not to mention that all the kids had already moved out months ago and the house had been untouched in many areas where they usually were at. So...we had a lot or work to do. It was the missionaries and the mom packing up and scrubbing this house. I'll tell ya, the mission is preparing me to be very clean and well organized in my family life. Everything ended well and she was extremely grateful for the extra hands.

Baby showers- A few ladies in the ward threw a baby shower for this young mother who hasn't been active recently. It was wonderful to see how many people came and supported her. She's such a cutie! We somehow hadn't met her until that night, so we're now going to meet with her and her husband regularly to help them pick up those priceless habits they've been missing that lead us closer to our Father in Heaven. Also, it was amazing how many of her friends we were able to meet who were not members of the church that we probably would never had seen otherwise. A few of them asked us questions about our missionary service and what we do. So wonderful! We're hoping to see more of them later.

We finally got to meet with Emily again. She is the friend of a member in the ward. She has a cute...and extremely picky/particular 3 year old who loves to run around like crazy during our lessons :D But it was so neat to meet with her this week because she had read the intro to the Book of Mormon and I was so surprised by how willing she is to learn more. You never know who is ready. Something she said that made me smile (she's very honest). It went something like this:  "When I was reading it, I couldn't help but think how far-fetched the stories sounded. Then the thought came to me..well, so is the Bible. I might as well give it a try." So true. Sometimes we judge new things far too harshly just because we are not familiar with them.

Oh, something crazy...because of a family and medical condition, one of the women's husbands in the ward was able to come home from Korea for 2 weeks. That's pretty much unheard of in the Army. It was a miracle that it happened...because she was in a bad state and their marriage was getting pretty rocky. It just testified to me how important the family is to God. Only because of Him was this miracle possible, and I firmly believe it happened so that their family will not fall apart but rather be sealed in the temple one day as an eternal unit.

The part member family we have been working with came to church this week! It was the happiest moment to see all of them walk up to the front doors in their Sunday best. They are still making many changes in their life to live the gospel again...but that's just it, they're making changes! :D God doesn't ask for immediate perfection...but He does ask for immediate progress. (Tad R Callister)

A few funny moments of the week:

*while at a part member's house whom we have had an extremely hard time getting a hold of...we were waiting at the door as a van slowed down but then sped back up and continued driving by. Yep, it was their van. Sad day! Ha :'D We laughed it off.

We may have not been able to talk to them that day..but we felt like we needed to go back Sunday. We caught the mom right as she was going outside to check on something. We were able to have a wonderful, enjoyable visit with the family. If nothing else, it at least showed them that we are here to be their friends and not someone who they need to feel like they have to avoid.

*The 12 year old son of yet another part member family answered the door after us knocking last night. He's one of those people to just kind of say whatever he thinks and it doesn't always sound how he probably meant it. He yells over his shoulder at his parents "It's them again!" You may say we're persistent, but we do so with love :) :) We also had a great lesson/chat with the mother and 2 of her sons kept coming out to talk with us. It's all about loving the people!

*One afternoon we were in an apartment complex and we ended up with ALL the neighborhood kids following us around. So funny. Kids are honestly the best! They can also feel the spirit so strongly. They usually ask us over and over again if we can visit their families. Sometimes their parents let us in..sometimes they don't. Imagine if we all followed the Savior's admonition to 'become as little children.' Either way, we ended up with a big band of followers. :D

All I've got time for this week. Be safe! Share the gospel! And take advantage of the time we have now to study!!!! Knowledge is so priceless!

Much love,

Sister Brown

Back to School :)

This week has been full of meeting new people and seeing little miracles. We have been in the stages of finding a LOT recently. One of the lessons I learned while in Cochran was that when you're prompted to go visit someone, you should ALWAYS knock on their neighbor's door as well. My testimony of this concept has been strengthened this week it seems that every person we have felt we should stop and talk to isn't there...but their neighbor's ALL answered their door. We were able to plant some good seeds. This coming week we're planning on going back to visit with them. Hopefully the spirit will have worked with all of them and they will be prepared for the gospel! 

We had a lesson with one of our investigators in the park this week. It was so fun! Her kids got to get out and play while we read from the Book of Mormon and talked about our Heavenly Father's plan for us. The neat thing was, at the end of the lesson she said, "Ya, next time I need to bring a friend, and we can all study together." Ha yes! How wonderful! As she had felt this bring more light into her life, she desired to share it with others. Hopefully we'll have a regular book club each Wednesday afternoon at the park ;)

On Friday we were able to go to zone conference. I LOVE LOVE LOVE zone conference. The spirit there was so strong. As President Cottle gave his first two trainings on the spirit world and resurrection the feeling was indescribable. It was as if you could reach out and just grab the feeling that was burning in the air. I know this gospel is true. I know that the Holy Ghost is the teacher of real truth. I know that if we listen, our Father WILL testify to us of things we need to know. 

This weekend we had stake conference. There were some wonderful talks shared. Something that stuck out to me was the huge emphasis this stake put on missionary work and how we treat others. It seemed like almost every speaker related their message to member missionary work in some way. Seeing as member missionary work is SO important here, it made me so happy and grateful for these messages. Is it becoming a more regularly referred topic in other wards as well now? What we each do individually does matter and makes the biggest impact on the world. Treasure up the chance to gain new knowledge and experience, then share the light you receive with others! 

Sister Lewis got accepted to BYU this week! That was such a fun surprise. We went to lunch at the Cottles on Sunday and they had sent them a copy of the acceptance letter for her to read. So they got her reaction as she saw the letter for the first time. So awesome! We're pretty excited to go home and end up being visiting teaching companions! How neat would that be? Re-living the glory days! :D 

Enjoy the week and move the work forward!

Love y'all!

Sister Brown