October 3rd - Last email

Hello Family!

Well this past week was my last and right now I'm back here at the mission office. 

This week was a great one because it ended with 4 baptisms and confirmations. 4 people that we are sure will be strong contributing members in the church. 

Again I'm grateful for the time I've had to serve here. I had my last interview with President Kotter and it went really well. He gave me a lot of great counsel and I asked him for a priesthood blessing. I have strengthened my testimony in the power and authority of the priesthood while I've been here on my mission and as I've exercised it. It truly is a blessing to be a member in Christ's true church where His authority can only be found.

Even though it's cliche it's very true. Serving a full-time mission as an Elder truly is the best two years. I will miss this work more than I miss you guys and it's sad to think that it is coming to an end. Or in another sense as Elder Holland put it, coming down from a mountain and not wanting tomorrow. I will forever be in debt to my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ and all they have done for me as I served in their vineyard. I feel that the Lord has accepted my service and offering and it was confirmed in the priesthood blessing I received earlier this afternoon.

I really hope to be able to return one day to be a member present here. Missionary work is the best work of all works there ever were. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's only true church on the face of this earth and that only here families can be together forever in the presence of our God.

See yall soon!

September 25th - My last testimony

Don't worry mom the last part has been done. 

Well the time is finally here my final week in the mission. I can't believe it. 

This week will be a great ending as we will have 4 people baptized this week. It would've been 5 but one of our investigators drank a shot before church :( I'm sad that I will be missing his baptism because I've been teaching him since June and I thought for sure this coming Saturdayit was gonna happen. Although I won't be there I'm happy that he will still be baptized. 

We put in a lot of great work this week and had amazing things happen. One of our investigators who was struggling really hard with the lessons in understanding and remembering them had a huge turn around and knows our message to be true and understands really well. Lets just say she went from saying that prophets "receive other worlds" and that "Joseph Smith is our heavenly father" to explaining why the fall of Adam and Eve is so important and explaining other basic parts of our message. She's 15 but she has come to know by the power of prayer and the Holy Ghost that the restored gospel is true. The other 3 that will be baptized are ready. One I have been teaching since June, the other I have annoyed and bugged/invited to listen but never spoke back to us is getting baptized, and one that thought she would only be baptized after 5 years is getting baptized. All this because they have come to know by the power of the Holy Ghost that this is God's true church restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Well these past 100+ weeks have been awesome. I will miss the palm trees and the ocean views. I will miss the wonderful people here and the volcanoes. I will miss everything about it here. I've learned and changed a lot over the course of my mission and it's bittersweet to see that it's coming to an end. There are a lot of people that I've met and helped, many that have helped me, some that have cursed at me, many that have told me that what we do is a waste of time, many I have seen changed by the gospel, many I have seen come to know the truth but not accept it. I have some shed tears because of the joy and blessings they have received because of the Gospel. I truly believe that I have met and taught people I conversed with in the pre-existence. I feel I have found my friends, my brothers and sisters. Overall I have strengthened my testimony of the Savior and His Gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet called of God and that He restored God's church on the earth. I know that this is the only true and living church because of the Priesthood keys which are in it. I know that God does and will always speak to man on earth through his servants the prophets. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is absolutely impossible to prove that it is not. I am grateful for these awesome two years which have come to be the best two years. Time flies when you're having fun on the Lord's errand. God lives and He knows each and everyone of us and loves us more than we can comprehend. 

Nagpapasalamat ako sa aking mapagmahal na Ama sa langit na binigyan niya ako ng dalawang taon na maglingkod sa kanya. Maraming himala na nangyari sa mission ko. Ito talaga yung "best two years" na sinasabi. Mahal ko kayo at malapit na ko umuwi!

Love,

Elder Brown

September 18th - Grateful for my father

Magandang Umaga sa inyong lahat,

This week went by too fast. We had a lot of success with member present work and taught great lessons. We have been teaching a lot about prayer, receiving answers to them, and recognizing God's answers. That has been a challenge for 2 of our baptismal candidates so we have been focusing on them a lot. 

Conversion is crucial here because of the high percentage less-actives here. I have thought a lot about family life and how much a family will be blessed through living the gospel. I have thought about all the little primary things that I was raised up doing and how they just became a part of normal life. I read in my personal study a GC talk and it shared a verse about how Jesus said "the son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do." He was perfect because He only did what He saw and learned from His Father in  Heaven. 

In relation to this I'm grateful for my father and what I have learned from him. I continue to apply the things I have seen over the course of my life. I know that life would be so much better here for families if they lived and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ. It would be awesome to see parents spending more time with their kids and doing FHE then seeing them gamble and play bingo, or spend a night drinking with others after a long day of work. 

I know that the Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ has been restored and is true. It is centered in Jesus Christ and in the family. I love you all and I'll be home soon! haha

Love,

Elder Brown

September 12th - Last departing testimony

My birthday was going good until I found out that BYU lost :( that just stabs ya real good :( sayang talaga. Next time! 

Being 20 doesn't feel any different to answer your question. What we did was go to church and made spaghetti that was it. Members and investigators wished me a happy birthday and then today we celebrated it more by going to bayugin falls and then eating at a beach resort. We had a lot of good fun today :)

This past week we had MLC. It was my last one. And this past Friday we had zone training where I got to give my departing testimony after watching many missionaries give theirs. It was a cool feeling.

Week 3 was another good one. We have made a lot of progress and our looking forward to having 4 baptisms on my last saturday on October 1. 2 of them could be this September but the testimony is not yet there. Last last week when we fasted we fasted for a man that I have been teaching since June. He has a word of wisdom problem. This past week he lived the WOW 100% and is enjoying life. He loves it when we come over because he loves being filled with God's light. We also gave him a priesthood blessing to help him and he said after the blessing, a pain that was bothering his leg went away. I still feel a little nervous for him but we have faith that he truly means what he says and that he will keep his promise to be baptized on the 1st. 

The woman that has committed to be baptized on oct 1 came to church again on Sunday and brought her granddaughter with her. I consider this another miracle because I never would've expected that. She was always really shy around us and never spoke with us at all and has listened to us one time so to see her there was awesome! 

I'm so grateful for the Lord's hand in this area and in the lives of those that we teach. I know He lives and that He loves all of us.

Love,

Elder Brown

September 5th - The woman of born again

Yeah time is still going by super fast. Can't believe i'll be home in less than a month! Just a lot of mixed feelings going on right now.

Thanks for the BYU football update its always good to hear about them! I'm excited to start watching them again :)

This week my companion finally got the approval to get out of the office and work. So this past wednesday we were together but we haven't had a full complete day together without any obstructions. This week we had exchanges, district meeting, and we had to handle emergency companion problems on the spot. It was difficult but nevertheless the Lord would attend us if we would do our part and listen with love. Miracles happened this week.

Perhaps the greatest miracle of all this week started on Friday and ended on Sunday. I don't know if you remember her, but there is a wife of a recent convert who won't get baptized because of the born again sponsorship of her grandson. She's his guardian so she has to be a part of it. From even before I was assigned here in Irosin she has always rejected baptism and insisted that she would be baptized after 5 years when the boy turns 21 and the sponsorship for schooling is over. I can't tell you how many times we have taught and testified to her. Almost everyday since I've been here (and I've been here for just over 3 months) we have taught this woman and her husband. And still she kept denying baptism. So after a companionship problem occurred in one area, us and our Sister Training Leaders decided on a fast for them. But we also decided to include our investigators. Specifically this woman. At the close of our fast we prepared to go teach this woman and her family and what occurred during the lesson has strengthened my testimony of the power of fasting and in God. We taught Proverbs 3:5-6 and testified with everything we had. I had always told this woman since about 4 weeks ago that I would see her and her husband in the water on October 1, my last saturday in the mission, as her husband baptizes her, and she would just laugh about it. Even though that was her heart's true desire. As we testified we paused and just let her feel the power of our words. And then the sweetest words came out of her mouth as she said "October 1.....I will get baptized. I promise I will and I will fulfill it." Words can't describe the miracle that had occurred. And it didn't end there that Saturday night. She attended church the next morning and we taught her later that night. We weren't sure what we should share but we just scanned our scriptures in D&C and found Section 82:7-10. We read it and the spirit confirmed to our hearts that that was the message she needed. So we get the lesson started and invite her to read verses 7 and 8. She then explained what she learned and said "So from here what God wants for me is not to turn back. I've started this journey, I've started coming to your church and I cannot turn back. I need to endure to the end." That basically summed up the message that we were aiming for before the lesson and she said it herself before we did. This woman has changed and is so happy right now. Especially her husband. She was touched by the fact that she could be eternal with her family and really wants to enter the temple. 

With this being said I will share with you what my mission president emailed me on August 16: "Work your hardest and endure to the end and you will see unexpected miracles." That was it. Short and simple, but powerful and true. 

I know that God lives and he is a God of Miracles. He performs them on behalf of our faith that we already have in him. God is Good!!

Love,

Elder Brown

August 29th - It's starting to get real

Well I'm glad I don't have to worry about marriage for another 37 days (thanks for the update mom) but don't be surprised if I bring someone home with me ;) hehehe joke lang mom no worries.

When should nana's chemo be over?? Will it be over by the time I'm home? Thanks for all the awesome pics you sent.

This past Saturday and Sunday was district conference. It was awesome to see a lot of my family from my past area. It was also awesome to see 2 of our recent converts, brother Marvin and Antonio, sustained to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. Brother Antonio said to us last night that he's never felt like this before and never been so happy in his life. God is Good brothers and sisters.

This week I was only with my companion for a day because he's still training the new finance elder, Elder Bradshaw. Apparently he lives only a 5 minute walk away from the Bountiful Temple. So I've been in a tri-panionship with my district leader and his companion. Nevertheless, thanks to the help of members I was able to work in my area. Man is it a lot more difficult to teach without a missionary companion. The flow of PMG doesn't connect much with my member presents. So I've done what I could to help them. Overall I'm just grateful that the spirit is the true teacher in all things and that if we can testify by the power of the Holy Ghost then we will have done our responsibility. 

It's starting to get a lot more real as September approaches. This work is too much fun and is the best decision of my life.

Love,

Elder Brown

August 22nd - Last transfer/new companion - Elder Montemayor

That sounds awesome all of the stuff that Alton has been doing. It's just a different form of missionary work and it's the best work ever. I love meeting new people and talking with them or in other words OYM-ing (Open Your Mouth). For that reason I've been thinking about doing that but I don't know too much about that kinda stuff. But it would be cool to learn.

Man I can't believe that it's finally here. My last transfer in the mission. I will be having a new companion for my last transfer, Elder Montemayor. He will be coming out of the office finally after serving for a while as finance. We have a new couple that will fill in. Elder Egbert will be transferring to Guinobatan. One of my former areas.

Something bittersweet that happened this week was when on exchanges we tracted a golden family. They were set on coming to church and baptism. But then 2 days later they text us and tell us that they don't wanna listen anymore because there's too many religions at their house (only 2; born again and catholic) and they get confused when we come over. It's weird cause she knows a lot about the Mormon church and said that she likes our church out of all the churches out there. Our reason for this rejection is that her daughter (born again) told her mom not to listen to us. Her daughter wasn't very friendly the first and second time we went by. All she could tell us was that she's born again and her family is too and that they have no time for us. But lets go to the brighter side.

Another awesome miracle occured this week. We have been trying to teach the siblings of one of our recent converts but they always deny or don't talk to us, or just leave the house. So we kept bugging them anyways. Then finally his youngest sister, 15 years old, finally gave in (when we thought she wouldn't) and listened to us. She was pretty quiet and shy in that lesson. She accepted a baptismal date for the 17th of September and agreed to come to church and pray about our message. So the next day was Sunday and our other recent convert, who is also one of her good friends picks her up as we invited her to do so. She hesitated cause she's shy and it was gonna be her first time. Finally she gets the courage to do so and she comes to church. And also the farewell branch activity for the elders that were transferred. I wish you guys could have seen the change in this young woman cause it was unbelievable! To be short in words, she was not who she was when we invited her all the time and tried to talk to her. She was super happy and acting like she was my best friend or something haha. No exaggeration added. We have decided to call it the "Aguilando Effect" because just like her older brother, she changed after attending church.

This work is awesome and I can't wait to see you guys. But at the same time I'm not. This last transfer will be the best one! 

Love,

Elder Brown