Three Little Oxen (May 22-27)

On Tuesday, we Blitzed with Alexandria, and I stayed in Brainerd with Elder Birrell. We ended up helping out at the Salvation Army because they were crazy crazy busy. I'm glad we were available because we barely handled it and we were some of the youngest people there! We then taught Matthew who was the self referral I talked about a few weeks ago. He is so prepared for the gospel and is really seeking change right now!

Wednesday we taught our last Mission Preparation, and it went really really well. We were able to help them know just how needed the members are in missionary work. We helped them know how easy it can be to share the gospel too! We shared with them, a few ideas that they could do. Like invite someone to a primary program, or a youth Activity that they plan, so they know it will be fun, and much more! They were excited and said they would let us know when they have done one of those things. I also shared with them just how powerful sacrament meeting can be. Just think of those who don't have the spirit with them, the chapel will really feel like a refuge from the storms of every day life.

On Thursday we helped a lady move in and she had a lot of stuff. She lived up in Breezy Point, which is 30 minutes out of town. We decided while we were up there, we would contact all the members that live there. Needless to say they are all either super inactive (25+ years) or moved (5+ years). It is important for someone to update the records from time to time. We were able to help our Elders Quorum president with his yard. We helped him move a whole bunch of logs and sticks that had been lying around for years.

On Friday we taught Matthew again and I committed him to baptism! He wants to be baptized so he can have the gift of the holy ghost with him always... what a fantastic reason to be baptized! He already seeks guidance from Heavenly Father and will be able to have more council from the lord after baptism! We set a date with him, and will be working hard to help him achieve his goal.

  

Saturday we ended up tracting all day because we had nothing in our plans except a dinner at 6. So we went to a couple places out of town and knocked all those houses. We also visited a member on our records who was in the area, and turns out she owns this really cool caboose that was lifted in and restored by her and her husband. Now there is a fully historically correct Caboose, museum by her house! She takes anyone who is interested, and has them go through her train. 

Sunday we got to visit with lots of people! We visited Steve and he is hilarious!! We heard he wanted to come to church today but he didn't ask us to find him a ride... so we will make sure we find him one next week. Then we met with Junior and we taught him the plan of salvation. He said it makes perfect sense, and he has a hard time thinking that God would send people to hell. He really liked the concept that everyone goes to a degree of heaven. We were also able to see Dan again. He is an inactive member who is very hard to get in contact with. He is a really good guy who loves to serve everyone.

Love you all and talk to you next week!

 Miracle Alert 

A couple weeks ago we visited a member, who hadn't come to church in about a year and she said that it started because of some health problems, but then she just got used to not coming to church. She kept telling herself she would come one of these days, but then she would always find some reason to be "too busy." She had been trying to sell her house for 3 months and no one was ever even a little interested in buying it. From what I could see, it was a really nice home, with a beautiful yard, and only a few minutes out of town. She wants to move to Georgia to a nice retirement place, but can't go until her house sells. When we visited her Elder Coombs had a very strong impression to tell her that, if she came to church and diligently read the Come, Follow Me, she would be able to sell her house, and move. Last week when she was at church, she had to leave right after sacrament meeting because someone wanted to look at the house that day! On Monday she found out that they are not only going to buy the house, but also give her a better offer than she was asking for!!! Remember, a worthy missionaries promise will be kept. The lord directs his chosen servants, so it is best to follow the prompting of a missionary.

Three more oxen found

Zone Preparation day

Caboose house

The Not so Long Haul (May 16-20)

On Thursday we both stayed in St. Cloud for the day to exchange with our zone leaders. I went and we mowed a ladies grass and on our way back we got stuck! There is only one exit and entrance to the neighborhood and there is a train track that runs over it. Well the train stopped in just the perfect place to keep us from leaving. We sat there for an hour waiting for it to move, but we were in service clothes, so we just did other missionary activities to stay busy. Right as we finished those things we were getting out of the car and the train started moving again... typical.

On Friday I was able to do a lot of service. We cleaned up an Elderly ladies yard, and then we helped out at the salvation Army and sorted food for 3 hours. Also on Thursday we cleaned up a members yard too. I have probably done 8 hours of service in a 24 hour span. But that was fine with me, it's always fun to clean up yards because you get to see the before and after. It truly makes the yard look splendid. It's just like our lifestyles. Sometimes we don't even see spots of sin that are destroying patches of our soul. The sacrament is a great time to "inspect our spiritual yard, and find those areas that can't receive the light of the atonement of Christ. Then we clean it up and dispense of it and never think of it again.

Saturday we had a blitz in our area with the Princeton Elders, and me and Elder Samuels went to Wadena. There was a whole bunch of self referrals there, as far back as 2016, that had requested bibles, and copies of the Book of Mormon. When we went there all of them had moved out and could no longer be contacted. It's just so surprising to me that they were ignored all this time. Since no one lived there, we headed back to Brainerd and we checked to see if any one else was interested. Let's just say that we learned how to accept rejection... but it's good because then Elders in the future don't have to waste their time going to people who are not interested in the gospel.

Sunday we tracted out in the rain for 3 or 4 hours... and no one was interested at all. 

Monday we had our Zone P-Day in St. Cloud and we played yard games and Tydyed shirts! It was good to be able to get to know the missionaries even better! I didn't get the photo of the shirts but I will send it next week! Love you all!

-Elder Brown

The Long Haul (May 6-15)

Song of the week "Footsteps" 2019 Youth Album

Words and music by Nik Day

Artist: Ari Miller and Seli Miller

You hear a voice inside your soul.

It beckons to you.

It echoes through you.

Monday was great! We were able to teach Micah the Restoration after FHE at a members house. He really liked it and wants us to keep teaching him. He has found that the church is uniting his family and that is the most important thing to him. I think it is so cool to see just how much a family can benefit from the gospel. From working with various non-members and less actives, I can see just how much the gospel brings to them and their families. Without the gospel and the knowledge of forgiveness and eternal life and exaltation, it would be extremely hard to stay positive in this life!

You’re scared to pass through the unknown.

Your strength is fading.

Your thoughts are racing.

Tuesday, we had a cool little miracle happen! I had been thinking about this one person we had met a long time ago, and just thought to reach out to him and see if we could come over to visit with him. He said that he would really love us to come over and that he needed some comfort. I know Heavenly Father lead him to us. The first time we met was in an Aldi's and we left the store after talking with him for a little bit, and we hadn't asked him if he would like to learn more or anything. We both felt like we should go back inside and ask him if he would like us to come over and teach him more. He said yes, but then that appointment he had to cancel on us. We honestly kind of forgot about him for a bit, but then on Tuesday a month and a half later, I kept getting reminded of him. So I contacted him via Facebook, and we talked to him just 15 minutes later!

But something,

Something pulls you forward.

There’s a light inside you

Yearning for more.

He has had a lot of hardships in his life recently, and has found much comfort from the message we shared with him. He posted on Facebook about us after our visit which was really cool. Also on Wednesday we were able to teach another nonmember and he asked us a lot of questions about how our religion is different from others. We taught about the plan of happiness and why Jesus Christ was so essential to that plan. Knowing that we have someone there to help us through anything is so comforting to me, as I am sure it is to you.

Step into the dark

And don’t be afraid.

On Wednesday it snowed! To top it off all but one of our appointments cancelled on us. The one that didn't was missionary preparation. Thursday was a very spiritually uplifting day for us. We were able to see a lot of inactive members that day and we had some really good lessons with them. At One of the lessons the woman we taught cried when we left. I never really realized the impact of having priesthood in the home can have! She knew that when we left, the priesthood power would too.  That is why it is so important as a priesthood holder you need to live worthy of it. Not for yourself, but for others!

Every star in the heavens

Is lighting your way.

Friday we were able to do some service for a couple non-members. We first raked and cleaned out the gutters of a wheelchair bound lady. We weren't able to finish it but we will be back to finish it. She said she would like us to teach a lesson the next time. We were also able to help a nonmember move into their new home up in Backus. They live 5 minutes south of our mission boundaries,  so they live really far (an hour and 15 minutes). We will help next week too when he gets another load of boxes. After he's allowed in, he wants to go to church, and possibly take lessons too. He will be spiritually moving as well I guess.

If you feel like you’re lost

You’re not alone.

Just follow His footsteps,

And He’ll lead you home.

On Saturday we stayed in Pine River (just south of Backus) and we visited 6 member or part member families. One of the members we visited has a brother in law living with them and he has never stayed around for missionaries. She said he wants to be there the next time we visit them! You should always be a friend before you are a teacher. That is just how the savior taught. Just this week in Come, Follow Me, we learned of the Ten Lepers. Christ didn't ask if they wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon, and then healed them. No, he gave freely and then one of them got to gain the spiritual blessings as well as the physical blessings he bestowed.

Your hope is stronger than your fear.

It’s growing brighter.

You’re getting stronger.

On Sunday (Mothers Day) we didn't want to knock on people's doors, because we knew people wouldn't answer or want anything to do with us on the day they were celebrating with there parents, so we made some M&M Brownies and went and visited a couple of the widowed and single sisters in our ward. I also thought to visit Steve, who we see at the food shelf every Thursday, and he really appreciated our visit. He has a very limited knowledge of the gospel, so we were able to share the knowledge of eternal families with him and gave him a treat, as he spent his mothers day alone. I hope that we can always remember those with less fortunate circumstances on days that we celebrate. Not everyone has a loving mother to call, and not every woman feels like a successful mother. Let all know they are loved, and why they are. Let them know something specific they have done, that has helped you become a better person.

You know now that you can’t stay here.

Your heart is burning

On Monday, we didn't have our P-day because we will be watching a Baseball game later on Wednesday!! Instead we visited a referral we got on Saturday. He is honestly, one of the most prepared people I have met for the gospel. He said he has always felt like there was more to be found every time he walked out of any other churches. He wants to read the Book of Mormon, and in the spirit of Joesph Smith, pray to know if it's true! Also one of the kids in the family we have been teaching wants to be baptized! He said he wants to be baptized that night!!! So excited right now, to see the efforts and miracles of the #35inMay happen. When the whole mission plus more are praying and working towards this goal, anything is possible, even if it seems out of reach.

A prayerful yearning

For something,

Something in the distance.

Tuesday we had Zone Conference, which lasted from 10AM to 4PM, and then we ran a 5k as a mission group! Right after our 5k we went to train with a person Elder Coombs found and taught in the Minnetonka area. He is a personal trainer and he took us to a gym and worked out with us for and hour and a half! My triceps are destroyed!! But he said he was honestly expecting one of us to throw up or give up, but we didn't. He has a really solid testimony too, and a great love for the members and missionaries. Honestly, he is one of the coolest people I have met. His name is Melvin Whern, if your wondering... he posted on facebook about how if you put God first, he will give you strength to keep going.

He will lift you up to

Where you belong.

And with ev’ry step 

He will ease your pain.

Wednesday we watched the ball game at Target Field! The Twins played against the Angel's and it was a really good, close game. Probably one of the few times I will go to a baseball game. So I made sure to have a really good time. After the ball game we went to Wild Boar, and we got so many wings! A member took us out to eat there, and made sure we ate good. It's been really great being here with a lot of the missionaries, just to enjoy the company of each other. One last thing... it was so cool to see us from afar at the Baseball game. From the field you see a lot of faces and colors, but then in the section we sat in, it looked like the Tabernacle Choir was there to perform! A solid group of Elders in white.

With ev’ry heartbeat you’ll feel a change.

He’s beckoning to you, calling your name.

I love you all, and appreciate the letters you have sent me. Have a blessed week!

-Elder Brown

Working out with Melvin our Personal Trainer

Elder Redneck in the snow (in MAY!!!) 

At the baseball game

 Group running the mission 5k

Casting Out our Old Apples (April 29- May 6)

Hymn of the Week "Dare to Do Right"

Dare to do right! Dare to be true!

You have a work that no other can do;

This week we were able to set up a lot of solid appointments for next week. We have started several weekly visits with inactive members to kickstart there testimonies again. We have 3 separate families we will teach that way! Then we set up to visit both Wadena and Pine River next week! We also found a couple more solid people with return appointments too. So basically this next week we will have a very busy but exciting week. Sorry if this weeks letter is a bit boring, but next week is going to be great, I promise! 

Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well,

We made our way up to Sauk Rapids (St. Cloud area) and we had interviews with our mission president! We only get to talk to him in person once every transfer, so it's always a good time. After our district Council and interviews we all went up to Elk River and had 3 sets of missionaries there doing work. There was probably like 60 people contacted in 2 hours while we were up there! Not gonna lie, I wish that we could have that in our area. It's been a whole month and we still have a lot of preparation work to do. We have been able to update a lot of the contacts though, which is good. 

Angels will hasten the story to tell.

On Wednesday I spent the day in Buffalo once again. My companion is district leader so he attended the Missionary Leadership Conference. So I got left in Buffalo to do work all day there. We had a really interesting day. We were tracting and knocked on a door and the guy let us in and talked with us for a long while about his childhood as a catholic alter boy. But then he said he was a big time drug dealer in his 8th grade year! We were really weirded out by the whole thing. So we eventually just stood up and told him we were going to leave. He just kept talking and talking, but we saw it was getting nowhere and we felt very weird at that point. He just kept blabbering as we left the house. Sometimes as missionaries, you have to just leave situations like that. It is not worth anyone's time in that time. 

Dare to do right! Dare to be true!

Other men’s failures can never save you.

On Thursday it was nice to be back in our own area again. We met with some more of the members in Brainerd and spoke to them about our new mission goal. We are striving as a mission to have 35 convert baptisms in may as a mission. Our mission has hardly ever made it past 20 in a month. 6 months ago the area general authority came and spoke to the mission promising us that as we strive to be a little better and a little more diligent, the lord would place those people in our lives and we would have 35 baptisms in May. So we did a mission wide fast and have been trying really really hard. Not going to lie, Satan has been trying to discourage not only me, but a lot of missionaries out here right now. But I know that light always overcomes darkness!

Stand by your conscience, your honor, your faith;

Thursday we also got to talk to Scotty again. We met Scotty on Monday and found he has been taught off and on by the missionaries in the past. We talked a lot about the atonement with him, and he asked us a lot of good questions. He has had a really hard life, so he has a different perspective on life then I do. He has struggled through much with others and he has been a great teacher and friend to those he struggles with. He lost an arm in a car accident, but has forgiven the kid who ran into him because he understands the atonement very well. He looked through the eyes of the teen that hit him, and realized that he is already struggling with what he had done. He saw that he was truely sorry and knew that it would only harm himself to be bitter and mad at his offender. At the end of his discussion he asked us about forgiveness and what it really is. I will share that with the world soon.

Stand like a hero and battle till death.

I started a blog, (yes different then this one.) It will be about different spiritual thoughts that I have had and I have already posted on it now. I will be posting later this week about what I have found about Forgiveness. If you do like it, I encourage you to share it with friends or family you think would like it. Also feel free to give me feedback! You can find it at eldertbrown.blogspot.com

Please keep our mission goal in your prayers! Love you all, and have a great week!

-Elder Brown

Paul Buyan statue

 Grass flip flops (because Minnesota people forget what it feels like)

Service at the Food shelf

You betcha mural

pokemon