Moving to Cortez, Colorado!

Ya' ta' hey!

My week was incredible!!!!! We had such a strong spirit in every lesson we taught this week (which I attribute to both the branch's 40 day fast and our own individual ones). I am sooo sad to leave the Young Single Adult branch, but Heavenly Father needs me in Cortez, Colorado right now. I have grown to love these people sooo much that I truly feel as if I'm leaving a part of me here! I pray each and every day that Heavenly Father will watch over them and help them to continue to grow as I leave. I just hope that the sisters who are joining Sister Thompson grow to love these people as much as I have.

Monday, we had a really good lesson with Cassie and a great lesson with Maria (a less-active). The spirit was very strong in both lessons! We also did some Frisbee golf with Kammie and a new investigator named Rose who decided that she wants to come to Young Single Adults now. She was working with the sisters in Kirtland.

 

Tuesday, we had a great lesson with Mike! He's been doing a lot better with his smoking addiction and I will continue to pray for him to be able to overcome it as I leave to Cortez.

Wednesday we saw Jeff and Thomeson for lessons. Jeff is slowly making his way back up again. His heart still needs some softening, but he came to church for 2 hours yesterday! Thomeson's lesson wasn't planned, but it was pretty cool because we were just about to leave as he pulled up so we got out of the car and got to have a lesson with him. He's 21 and we asked him if he's thought about serving a mission and he said that he thinks he could do it. We told him to pray and think about it. I'm hoping that he goes, but if not I still love him anyway, and hope that he continues to grow in the gospel.

Thursday we finally saw Joe! We haven't been able to see him for a month. He is so prepared though! We had the privileged of teaching him about the Plan of Salvation and the spirit prompted me to invite him to be baptized and he said yes! We don't have a set date on it, because he's leaving for the marines at the beginning of May and we don't want him to get baptized and then fall away or not be able to be strengthened because he's leaving. We do feel that we should keep teaching him, to give him at least a little bit of a foundation. I have confidence that he'll get baptized someday! We have another lesson with him today actually after I'm done emailing with y'all!

We also had an incredible lesson with Craig (a less-active). He'd been struggling throughout the week and hadn't read his scriptures at all. We decided that before we jumped into the lesson we would read with him. He didn't know where he was at so I picked a random chapter for us to read. I had literally no idea what chapter to read with him, but I remembered that I had really liked Alma 38. I couldn't remember what it was about though, or why I liked it. We decided on that chapter and after we were done reading he was in tears. He said that the entire chapter is exactly what he needed to hear. We continued to talk about the Atonement and how it can bless his life as he turns to Christ for help. The spirit was sooo strong and I felt so blessed to be able to take part in the Lords work in Craig's life.

Friday we had another lesson with Cassie, which went pretty well. We got to do some service with a less active and have a lesson with him after.

Saturday we did some service out in Shiprock and also later on with the stake Relief Society. The Women's broadcast was sooo good later that night. One thing that stood out to me, was that every single talk given by the sisters mentioned that our lives need to be centered on Christ. We got the news that night as well that I would be heading off to Cortez with my new companion, Sister Garner on Tuesday evening.

 

Sunday, was a very emotional day as I bore my testimony and said good-byes to those that I've grown to love sooo much! We had a very, very spirit filled lesson with Mike that night and we (sister Thompson and I) were both in tears! Sister Thompson isn't a crier, even when she's feeling the spirit so if that doesn't tell you about the magnitude of the spirit within that lesson than I don't know what would! 

I have never felt such a strong love for people who aren't my immediate family, but I feel it for these people. I truly feel as if I am leaving my home! 

I love you all soooooo much and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Brown

Folf

Craig, Sister Thompson, me

Ralph, the Lizard. We found him while doing service.

Biggest Tumble weed ever!!!!

                      Me and Betsey!

                         The Young Single Adult branch!

                      All the people that I love sooo much!

                           Me & Thomeson

Thomeson

                                         Jeff and Me

Me & Mike

Never forget the love that the Lord has for you! Trust him and he will make more out of you than you can out of yourself!

Ya' ta' hey!

Tuesday was a doughnut day! We were able to see Nichole (a less-active) and afterwards Betsey (a member who came to the lesson with us) gave us a box of doughnut holes. We did some service later on that day and the people gave us a doughnut after. Then later on that evening we get a text from the elders asking us if we want a dozen donuts! We told them that it was a lot and they proceeded to give us 2 dozen donuts!!! We only each ate one and then gave a bunch of them to the Young Single Adults.

Wednesday we were able to finally see Craig and set up an appointment with him. He proceeded to tell childhood stories though and we got to know him a little bit better! He cracks me up! We were able to have dinner with Emmery and Antonio that night. Antonio is doing pretty well! he got the priesthood a few weeks back!  I think he's struggling a little though, so I've been keeping him in my prayers!

Thursday I gave a training on moving from sacrifice to consecration and I like to think that it went pretty well! We saw Chelsie that night for a lesson.  We just ended up reading the scriptures with her because she hadn't done it all week! :/

Friday we saw Precious finally! Poor thing, she was feeling soooooo sick! We also taught seminary on Friday!

Saturday was full of service, none of which was planned, but that's the best kind! We helped Kammie and her family get their dead pine-tree into their truck so that they could get ride of it. They fed us lunch of green chilli and pepperoni pizza! yum! I am going to miss green chilli when I leave this place! :( They also gave me some Huckleberry Jam! It's from Kalispell Montana!!! I love little tender mercies like that! What a small world!

Later on that day, we also did some yard work for and with a less active named Jeff and his gran'dad. We were also able to have a lesson with them after! It was really good because we haven't seen Jeff in over a month!

Sunday Sister Thompson and I gave a talk on Charity (and how it applies in missionary work) Our talks went really well!

Robert our investigator told us that he needed a new Book of Mormon because he gave his away to someone with our and his number! Wow! He should already be baptized. We also saw Mike briefly yesterday and he is trying really hard to quit smoking. We encouraged him and helped him understand that he can do it with the Lords help!

I love the branch here soooo much! I never thought I could have such a deep love for a people I barely know! I really hope to stay another transfer, but if not, I know that its because the Lord needs me elsewhere.

Never forget the love that the Lord has for you! Trust him and he will make more out of you than you can out of yourself!

Hagoonee!

Love,

Sister Brown

We got dough nut holes from Betsey! A member of the branch!

Me and Sister Thompson

              Javier (a member) gave us some pretty cool hats!

Service for and with Kammie! Getting rid of dead Pine Trees

Service with, an for Jeff and his grand-dad

Beautiful Sun set!

Gospel of Jesus Christ Treasure map
 (the elders asked us to make one for them)

Kammie and her family gave me Huckleberry Jam from
Kalispell, Montana

Zone Conference!

Ya' ta' hey!

It is spring over here...in fact I already got a little bit of a watch tan and a little bit of a sunburn too! 

This week went by soooooo fast and I feel like they just keep getting faster!

 

Monday we saw both Thomeson and Antonio for  a lesson. Antonio got the Aaronic priesthood a couple Sundays back. 

Tuesday we saw Maria De Los Santos (a Hispanic less active) She said she'd like to get back into coming to church! 

Wednesday we had Zone conference! It was really good! Then we were able to have a really good lesson with a less active named Van. He really opened up to us too! He said that he hasn't opened up to anyone (including other missionaries) that much for a very long time. He said he just felt like he could really trust us. He felt like we really cared about him and weren't trying to hide anything.

Thursday we had interviews with President Adams which went really well! We also had dinner with Craig a less active and he's been juggling between deciding to serve a mission or go to the military. He said he just feels good about both after he's been praying about it. Well we had a really spirit-filled lesson where he realized that he knows he needs to serve a mission, but he just isn't sure if he's ready to and so he feels very conflicted. His life-long friend Aaron (who is a member of the branch and just got home from his own mission about a week ago) was really good for him in that lesson! 

Thursday night we sticky-note attacked the Gardner's (Bro.Gardner is one of the counselors in the branch presidency) with little notes of appreciation and scriptures and what-not! 

Friday night we had a little missionary fireside about the Plan of Salvation. It was a musical performance and our zone sang the song"Come unto Christ." Well before the performance we decided to invite everyone we could to it by going through every single contact in our phone (even ones that we didn't know....probably people that other missionaries knew or had met) One of the people that we didn't know, texted back and the way he talked to us made us think that he was a member except it turns out that he isn't! He didn't realize that we were missionaries either apparently! Haha, but he asked "what was Joseph Smith's deal anyway?" and so we asked him if we could meet up sometime and help him understand it.  He said sure! #contacteveryone!

Saturday we tried a lot of people, to no avail, until we were finally able to see Anna (a less active) and do some service and a lesson with her! That night we also sticky-note attacked the other branch presidency members! 

Cassie made it to the temple this weekend, with a family name, and she really liked it! She also said that she felt closer to her deceased ancestor when she was baptized for her, even more than the other names that she was baptized for! I am so proud of her! She is doing sooooo well! Oh and Also she found another job! She's been looking for one for a while! :)

Sunday was soooooo good! We had some really good talks given in sacrament meeting. After church we had a lesson with Robert and he told us that he knows the church is true and he wants to be baptized on April 26th! Wooooohoooo! We also had a really good lesson with Thomeson on the Atonement!

I love you all and hope you have a fabulous week!

Hagoonee!

Love,

Sister Brown

Me with Mission presidents wife and Sister Thompson

Zone Conference

Zone Conference singing "Come Unto Christ"

Sister Thompson and I

Zone Conference

Zone Conference

The Gospel Truly brings Joy!

Ya' ta' hey!

I love moments where a scripture or experience that you've had and forgot about or an analogy or whatever it may be comes to your head and it helps the person your teaching understand! #teachingbythespirit!

My week was wonderful! The Gospel truly brings joy! To be honest I don't remember half of what happened this week because it went by so fast, but I'll do my best to remember!

Monday night we had a lesson with Mike (a less-active). We talked about enduring to the end and really having a reason to keep going and to fight against Satan. We talked a little bit about the title of liberty. Javier (an incredible member that is helping fellow ship Mike) gave a lot of really great insights in the lesson. The spirit was definitely present and I cannot express just how much I love Mike and seeing the progression in him! I know that he's going to make it to the temple someday and he will find that lasting happiness that I know he's looking for. We actually had a second lesson with him later on in the week and we talked about the Word of Wisdom. It went really well and we built off of a great analogy that he started. Mike learns so much better when there is an analogy involved! 

Tuesday we finally saw Joe again! He became a new investigator about a month ago. He is soooo prepared by Heavenly Father. The only struggle is being able to meet with him on a regular basis. We read the first chapter in the Book of Mormon with him and the spirit felt so good during the lesson. He really opened up a lot more by the end of the lesson and asked all sorts of questions. We were able to clear up some confusion that he had from what a preacher from another church had said. I hardly know this kid, but I seriously love him so much! I wish he could see his potential!

Wednesday we saw Malachi (a less-active) who has been struggling lately. He feels like Satan is just working so hard on him. We also had a brief lesson with him on Sunday and he said he got a priesthood blessing for help and he also got his temple recommend!

We finally saw Arlo (a less-active) on Wednesday for a lesson and read the Book of Mormon with him, and just really dived in! Arlo is a deep thinker and very spiritual. We also saw him Thursday for another lesson and Sunday we had an unplanned lesson with him too! He was able to tell us his conversion story (which makes me just want to work even harder! I love conversion stories!!!) We were able to help him remember why he decided to get baptized in the first place. He said he would come to Family Home Evening tonight and church on Sunday! 

Wednesday night we were finally able to have Cassie's first recent-convert lesson and it went soooooooo well! She doesn't even quite realize her own conversion but through asking a lot of inspired questions we were able to recognize the point of her conversion process.

Thursday we had zone training all on Christ-like attributes and we did Family History with Cassie! We are trying to help her find a name to take to the temple for the temple trip that the Young Single Adults have this up-coming Saturday! She was getting really into it!

Saturday we had our volley-ball tournament that we've been planning for a while. We had a great turnout! There ended up being a whole team of non-members and the other teams had a few less-actives and/or some non-members. There ended up being about 7 or 8 non-members. None of them accepted an invitation to learn about the church but the team of non-members won and the prize is a BBQ dinner put on by our branch mission leader and of course we are going to go and share a little message!

Then to top off the incredible week, yesterday was Fast-Sunday! Seriously my favorite! Call me crazy, but I love fasting and fast-Sundays!

I love you all so very much! Never forget who you truly are! Have a wonderful week!

love,

Shidasha Debelchee (Sister Brown)

We sticky-note attacked Antonio's door!...Surprise him with inspiration and love!

   Grumbling Gretchen has been quite annoying from friday 

and on this week!....our fridge's moter (we think anyway) has
been making really loud  annoying noises and we think
that its about to die.

Kammie and some other members made us t-shirts for the
Volley-ball tournament! Haha...inside jokes are the best!

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