Elder Tanner Brown: The Sticks (June 24-July 1)

Monday we were able to see Richard and Beate A again. We helped them for a couple hours and then they feed us and we played a game with them, since it was our Pday. We played a really fun dive game, and I won the first time, and then came in dead last the second time. I truly will miss them so so much, and I hope that they keep inviting the missionaries in!

Tuesday, we went out to Crosby! We went over to a ladies house to see if she was still interested, and she just invited us in and we played UNO! She has been taught in the past so it wasn't that weird for her, but it was a little shocking for us! I thought it was a very effective thing as missionary, because it got them to trust us. When I bear powerful testimony on a life changing gospel, they will see it coming from the mouth of a friend, rather than a stranger. That's the reason member-missionary work is more effective! You gotta bro up with peeps!

Wednesday, we visited a referral, that we got and she has a really solid! She is so earnestly seeking truth, and she lives in town too! It is so good because now I feel I can get some of the female members involved in joint teaching with us! I feel one of our most important jobs as a missionary is to get the members out teaching! That way , we can help them achieve their goals as a member, but take care of the small details... members are much more qualified to teach anyways, because they have more life experience, and they are known as normal people! We stand out because of our calling, but you stand out because your true testimony!

Thursday, we had interviews with the mission President! I will be reopening Aitkin starting July 11th!!! I'm so excited! After we had that exciting news and our interviews, we went back to Brainerd, and had a lesson with Eric again. It went well. He told us he wants to be a member some day, and that he could see that being the case in a few months. After our lesson, we helped some members of the ward move out. They almost weren't able to leave when they wanted because their moving truck wasn't at the dealership. They had to go rent one from some other place, but the lord provided a way for them.

On Friday we went over to the Fuller's place because the 10 year old daughter wants to be baptized. We have been teaching the lessons to them. She is kinda confused, because she has been coming to church for the majority of her life, but it's still required that we teach the lessons before her baptism. Saturday we ended up going out to Aitkin to help a member out on his dad's property. It hasn't been touched in a long long time so we just went in to cut down the trees, and clean up the yard. He was so grateful for all the help! We were then able to have dinner with a part member family, and there were a few friends that were invited too!

Sunday, we were able to go to Aitkin for church (yes it was the third time in one week lol.) We were going up there because President Hicken (1st counselor in the Mission Presidency) spoke on that Sunday. He was there to hype up the branch about missionary work. How they, as a branch, can become a ward if they the members put in the work to bring others to Christ. They also taught the youth and gave them ideas on how to invite in normal and natural ways. They had each of them make a commitment to invite a friend in some way to come closer to Christ. Then they had us missionaries keep track of it so that they actually do it. The branch has suggested many great ideas, I just need to make sure they do it!

On Monday we went all the way up to Pine River again, because someone we are teaching lives all the way up there. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes to get there so, we spent the whole day there. We visited a lot of the people that live in the middle of nowhere. We went to this one less actives house and he's got all sorts of animals there. He showed us his pigs, bunnies, and Alpaca's. Later on that day we also found a sign that says Ask Jesus, so we made sure to get a photo next to it... overall it was a blast to go to the sticks and find some wack people!