I have never been happier than I am now!

Hi all,

It's been yet another great week here in the Virginia Richmond Mission!  We did some great organizational things this week, including hanging a whiteboard in our room with our teaching pool, goals, and action items, creating a map of the less active in our area who have not yet been visited, and continuing to update our reports on the work in the area with notes on everyone we have met.  This will really help us to focus in on those in our area who need the gospel the most.

We have also been doing a lot of finding and teaching this week.  Our teaching pool is continually growing, and we almost never have a day without at least one teaching appointment.  I have really been able to be much more responsible for and aware of the needs of our area.  I have planned out and led the work the past few days, and I am continually growing more excited about the work in this area.  

My studies have also been much better.  I am continually growing closer to my savior and understanding his vision and plan for me in life.  I have never been happier than I am now, serving and teaching his children here in Appomattox Virginia.  I love feeling the spirit as I teach eternal truths and seeing their eyes light up with understanding and see as they feel Gods immense love for them and the eternal joy that comes from following God.  

I also had interviews with President this week, in which I received some excellent advice on how to become more consecrated, obedient, and confident in my ability and role in this work.  Sacrament was also super meaningful for me this week.  We also had apartment inspections and transfer calls this week.  My companion and I are both staying.  I hope you have all come to feel closer to your savior as well.  Continue to build the kingdom, for there is no greater joy that can be found in this life than that of serving others and sharing the gospel.

Push on!

Elder Brown

The District

We went on a hike!

I'm striving to be the best disciple I can be!

Wow, what a week!  Everything is starting to blur together as I continue to adjust to missionary life.  So much teaching and finding.  We are starting to really focus in on the investigators we have so far, and continue as to find more along the way. 

I had two exhanges this week, one of which was Spanish!  Exchanges always go really well, and these were no exception!  I love my district leader (the first exchange), he is such a great missionary, and we got along pretty well, and saw a lot of success on exchange. The Spanish exchange was very interesting, I didn't understand much and I didn't teach much, but I still felt the spirit!  That one was with the zone leaders. 

Sacrament was great as usual, and we had a few investigators there, though not as many as we would have liked.  Today was zone preparation day, and we went bowling!  It was great. 

I have also had a lot of learning opportunities this week as well.  I continue to strive to be the best disciple I can be, and throw myself into the work here.

We had a heat advisory this week, and there were a few days were the heat index got over 110 degrees!  I hope everything is going well for you, and wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.

Until next week,

Elder Brown

Zone Preparation Day and Bowling. I'm in the Green Shirt!

 I am blessed to be in an apartment with 4 elders.  It's great, and unusual.

Wal-Mart Blimp

My new hair cut

Return and Report workshops from earlier in July

Return and report workshop earlier in July

Mission life is the Best!

Hi all, 
This week was excellent, as most are.  We are probably dropping my first investigator.  He really hasn't done much to progress, and doesn't really see the importance of following God to help with his problems.  Hopefully he starts to progress, but if he doesn't, we might not teach him much any more.  I really hate doing this, but I can't spend my time polishing pits when I could be finding cherries. Speaking of cherries, Gloria picked a baptismal date.  Yay!  She is getting baptized on August 26th and we can't convince her to push it up, but its definitely happening.  

We are also teaching a young man by the name of Malik. He is awesome. We are always finding new people, and we are continuing to work with the ward.  They treat us so well, they feed us pretty often, and they have been going out with us more and more.  Friday was awesome.  We went into Richmond for Return and Report, which is a set of workshops and meetings for new missionaries and their trainers in which we discuss how we have improved thus far and how we can continue to improve.  I loved it.  

We also went out and street contacted in downtown Richmond, which was SICK!  I went with Elder LaMarr, one of the AP's, and we placed like 6 book of Mormons.  I loved it.  

Mission life is the best and it is tons of fun and super spiritual.  Stay awesome, and press on!

Elder Brown 

Return and Report meeting

Growing and learning more!

Hi all,

This week was great.  It had it's ups and downs as most weeks do, but with the lowest lows come the highest highs.  I am always growing and learning more, which is awesome!  

We met with a lot of people this week, and our teaching pool is really growing.  Also, we have been doing yoga with Brother Brockman, its great.  

We had a super spiritual lesson with Gloria, the spirit was unbelievably strong as we read the book of Mormon with her.  Within the first two verses she recognized a spiritual prompting that told her basically every thing she has to do to get baptized (which isn't much, shes super ready), it was so awesome!  

Devonte hasn't progressed much, but we'll keep working with him.  We found two girls who live near him who committed to come to church and read the book of Mormon just about as soon as we opened the door, it was really awesome. #miracle 

Vince and Hilary seemed pretty ready to progress, and then tensions got pretty high between them, which set them back a lot, so we will just have to play that one by ear.  

This area is great, and the ward is awesome!  We have really been picking up the pace a lot.  The ward is starting to become more and more involved with missionary work, and our Senior Couple, the Baers, are contacting so many people, they can get in so many doors that we can't, so they are always sending us referrals.  This area is so ready for the gospel, it's gonna be great!

I love missionary work!

Elder Brown

Me and my trainer Elder Larson

The River where we do Yoga!

Elder Larsen on the 4th of July

A good breakfast, unlike the usual missionary breakfast (pop tarts, cereal, and yogurt)  this one was eggs and leftovers from Chipotle, cinnamon rolls, and bacon.

Zucchini Bread reminded me of home

Don't just keep the faith, Share it!

This week was pretty good. We have three investigators that show a lot of promise. 

Devonte is super awesome! He really wants to change and come closer to God.  He came to church on Sunday, and wants to come every week, he wants to stop smoking cigarettes and weed, and wants to be a better father for his daughter.  We have taught him almost every day this week, and he is doing well, he is really good at noticing the positive and negative consequences of his decisions, and can really tell the difference between when he follows God and when he doesn't. 

Next is Vince.  He didn't look very promising at first, but he has real potential.  He just progresses kinda slowly.  He has come a long way since he started though.  He really opened up to us the other day, it was awesome to see that he has all the right desires, and he straight up told Devonte in church, "yeah, one day I'm gonna convert, but I still got stuff to work through"  Our jaws straight up dropped.  SO COOL! 

The last is Gloria, she is a real sweet lady.  She knows it's true, and she knows she needs to be baptized, but her family is giving her a hard time.  She had an awesome experience with prayer this week.  She said something like this, "I was at my desk, and I remembered that I had forgotten to pray, so I prayed, and I was really feeling it, and I looked up and for a split second I saw someone dressed in bright white, and then they were gone, who was that?"  SWEET!  Totally visited by an angel, she definitely got a spiritual witness that it's true, so it's only a matter of time before she gets baptized, she could get baptized this week if she wanted to.  

Church was awesome too, this area has so many good people, not to mention we get called by Elder Baer all the time with referrals and appointments.  So cool.

Don't just keep the faith, share it!

Elder Brown

Zone Conference on Tuesday June 27th

July 3rd Preparation Day