Saturday, November 29, 2014

November 26th - All good things take time!

Magandang Hapon Po Pamiliya Ko!

     Well the past few days have been great!  We teach our last lessons to our progressing investigators tonight.  The hard thing about learning a new language is that it feels like you'll hit a wall and get stuck.  It's very important to distinguish the difference between actually being stuck and enduring with faith and patience.  ALL GOOD THINGS TAKE TIME!  Rome was not built in a day as they say.

     In our last lesson with Julie Bastian, her husband was in a lesson for the first time.  Cardinal has been battling a stroke.  We taught the restoration to him.  We got to the Gospel Blesses Families and he asked a very serious and personal question.  Although he's a pretend investigator, but this felt very real and it's very easy to do that when you're at the MTC for long and you've taught so many times.  He asked if God is our Loving Father in Heaven, why does He allow bad things to happen?  Why do I have a stroke?  The Spirit immediately reminded me of a scripture found in Mosiah 23:21-22:  "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.  Nevertheless--whosoever putteth his trust in Him the same shall be lifted up at the last day.  Yea, and thus it was with this people."

     It's definitely true that He does.  "and thus we see" that it is true that He will because  if we read in the next chapter v. 10-16 the Lord eased the burdens placed upon them due to their patience and faith in their trials, and for putting their trust in God.

I learned 2 things:

1.  The Spirit will bring things to your remembrance in the exact moment you need it if you continually treasure up the words of life.  That scripture was weighing heavily on my mind in the days and moments leading up to that lesson.

2.  Whatever burden we have or trial we are faced with, we can overcome them through our faith and patience in them and also by putting our trust in God.  It's very important to remember that it will be granted to you on the Lord's time and how He wants it.  Understand also that if you feel the problem hasn't left, have you ever thought or realized that God gave you strength to endure and overcome your challenge(s)?  I remember what Elder Brown1 shared the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:  "That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do -- not that the nature of the thing is changed, but that our power to do is increased."

     Well family I hope that you all have had a great week and continue to do so.  I know I have.  Next time you hear from me I will be where I am needed -- and that's the beautiful land of the Phillippines!  These 6 weeks have just absolutely flown by.

Alam ko po na nagbibigay po ang Diyos ng mga pagsubok sa atin upang nagpapalakas tayo.  Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo Amen.

Mahal kita pamilya!

Mahal,
Elder Brown2

P.s....Glad you like my letter Nana, that's what google translation is for and ask Nia and Will to translate when you don't understand my letters.

Answers to your questions Mom:

1.  Thanksgiving box?  Yes love it Mom.  The belt is a wee bit bigger than me but it works.  I'm so excited to read Grandpa Muti and Wolfgramm's books.  It's going to be hard to balance all of this but I'm excited.

2.  Sharing?  Yes, I gave Manoa 3 ties, shampoo/body wash and a pair of socks.  He loves it!

3.  Suitcases?  I have 10 lbs on each to spare.

I"m happy for Nia and Natalia, thank you for sharing their talks with me.  I didn't really recognize Nia on that picture.  She must have worked so hard to be able to almost forget the English language.  That brings me great comfort knowing that she struggled with English.  I strongly desire to reach that level of Tagalog.

Glad to hear Nana is helping Lyla with her BYU application.  That's good!  That's a great thing for all people to understand and realize that we should never set ourselves at a bar that we've already passed.  I struggled with that in my education but not when it came to applying for BYU.  It was the only school I wanted so I didn't bother to apply anywhere else.  I really hope Lyla can get accepted, but it's all according to God's will and what He wants for her .

I"m excited to call you guys on Wednesday morning.  I'll sharpen my Tagalog tonight to make sure it's perfecto!  Thank you so much for your words Mom.  It's too kind of you!


Saturday, November 22, 2014

November 22nd - "You're related to everyone here?"

    Magandang Umaga!  I heard about the game from my Branch President.  I'm still proud of the boys at home.  Yes I got your dear elder letters and I laughed when Alton mentioned the "nike belt" haha.  I feel like he shared that with me before but I can't remember.  The video Elder Brown1 mentioned about meeting our Maker is the same thing I thought of when grandma, Papa and Nana were on their shaky flight.  Answers to your questions Mom:

1.  Haircut?  Yes, getting one today.  I asked the MTC President as we walked by his office and he said he'll let me get a haircut as low as a three.
2.  Small suitcase?  I only unpacked it just to get out some more shirts.
3.  Liquid stuff?  I'll make sure to pack them in the check in suitcases....yeah I'll do that.
4.  Flight?  Delta airline to Seattle and from there to Tokyo and from there to Manilla and then to Legazpi.  I'll email you on Wednesday before I leave.

Mom, remember I will be calling you guys from the airport in the morning.  We leave from the MTC around 4:45 am and I think I'll flight around 8 am, but just expect a call on Thursday morning from the airport.

     Something I find funny, the most popular question around here, "are you related to everyone here?" lol.  My companions always have to wait and be patient with me cause I'm always talking to people that I know, look familiar or poly.  I've made a lot of new friends because of that.  They always say, "so everyone here is your cousin," haha!

     This week was a good one.  My companions and I have definitely been working harder because we leave so soon.  Last Sunday I gave a talk.  They call you on the spot so then everyone prepares a talk.  The topic was on the Atonement.  I spoke about the will of God and how my foot injury helped me come closer to Christ and His Atonement.  I want to serve a mission because I want to fulfill my purpose as a missionary.

     Imbitahin ang iba na lumapit kay Cristo sa pagtulong sa kanyang sa matanggap na ibinalik ang ebanghelyo sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya kay Jesucristo at sa Kanyang Pagbabayad-sala, pagsisisi, binyag, pagtanggap ng kaloob ng Espiritu Santo na Pagtitiis hanggang waka. (I hope that was right!).

     So many of God's children do not have a knowledge of the restored Gospel.  They have looked but cannot find.  Imagine living your life without a knowledge of the blessings and the infinite goodness and power of the Atonement.  It makes me think of a couple of scriptures:  2 Nephi 25:26, Helaman 5:12 and DC 18:10, 15-16.  It's my duty to be a representative of Jesus Christ and invite all to come unto Him.

     I urge all of you to read and ponder in your hearts the message behind the following scriptures:  Alma 37:6, 40-41.  Ponder and treasure up the feelings of your heart and mind and let the spirit work within you.  It's truly by small means that the Lord shows forth His great power.  Just like Nephi when he was building the ship to get to the promised land in chapter 17 & 18.  This is how he received revelation and I know that this has been true in my life:  18:1,  Nephi worshipped, worked, and from time to time, the Lord showed him what manner he should work the timbers of the ship.  As we continue reading in the chapter he said he didn't make it after the manner of men and how it was learned by men but by the Lord's manner and knowledge.  Nephi went to the mount oft and prayed oft and was therefore revealed many great things.

     So the question I ask to all of you is this:  What ship are you building and how are you building it?  The way you or your friend(s) want it or the way the Lord wants it?  Are we communicating with our omnipotent and omniscient God, our Creator, Lord and Master?  It's through Him that all great things are underestimate the things that we can do when we are in the service of our God.  When we submit ourselves to God's will and have the willingness and patience to follow Him.

     Well family and friends, Mahal kits.( I love you) Alam ko po na max makapangyarihan any pagababayad-sala n Jesucristo.

Love,

Elder Brown

Oh and a cool first time experience happened for me this week.  I gave my first blessing.  Sister Petersen in the district behind us asked me for a blessing of comfort and counsel.  It's amazing how the Spirit works.  I had no idea what I would say but as soon as I started the words from D&C 100:5 and 84:85 came to my mind and I was comforted as I let the peace and Spirit work within me.  I was guided to share about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.   I thought of Papa and how amazing the Spirit works within him to speak so powerfully with a huge vocabulary.  I hope I can one day become half the man that my grandpas and great grandpas were!

Mum:  Son, I ran into Tom Stewart at the temple, he said to say hello to you.
Elder Brown2:  Hahaha, I still remember when he asked for an autographed pic of me, nice guy!
Mum:  Jasmine had a baby boy, Alexander.
Elder Brown:  I'll call him Paul Alexander.
Mum:  I read your letter to grandma and Papa, the part you mentioned the big vocal.
Elder Brown:  Good I miss them and their bright smiles a lot.  They're so funny and I love their example.  Oh, a lot of people from Kiribati and Marshall Islands have been in our Zone and they get endowed here.





Sunday, November 16, 2014

November 15th - Prepare now, don't wait....

     That's what President Howard told me.  It's now 4 years in a row unfortunately (Elder Brown is referring to WX loss on Friday semi-champ game with Timpview). I'm sorry about Braxton's injury, I hope he understands and learns that God has a purpose for everything.  I know that to be true from my foot injury.  It was the greatest blessings God has given me.  For my friends out there, now that football is over, if you're planning to go on a mission, this is the time to prepare not when you are at the MTC.

     By the way, last Sunday I was made a Zone Leader!

     Answers to your questions Mom:

1.  Workout?  Hardly any time to do that but I try to keep up.  First week and a half here, didn't have any time.

2.  Diet?  I eat till' I'm about to throw up everyday:)

3.  My health?  Kasulugan ko is abutting mabuti (my health is great)

4.  Hair cut?  Haven't had one cause I'm letting it grow to have an African American kind of hair to get the right haircut I want.  With my hair I can only go as low as a 5 on top and a 2 on the side.  This is the Lord's MTC and I'll be obedient to what he wants even if it frustrated me a little bit.

5.  Mason's painting?  I will send the Tidwell family a letter.

     I will be hosting again next Wednesday and about 700 missionaries will be coming in because it's the week before Thanksgiving.  We got our flight plans and I'm the flight plan-leader or something like that.  I'll buy a $5 pre-paid phone card here so I can call you guys from the airport.  I leave on the 27th.  We have to get up at 3 am and get things ready and leave from here at 8 am.

     Yes time definitely does fly by and so do the memories of home.  A lot of the time I'll forget that I even had a life before the MTC.  It'll just feel like I've lived here my whole life.  Pasensiya for forgetting about you guys lol.  The work is very mind-expanding and your investigators become your biggest concerns.

     We taught a skype lesson to some in the Phillippines on Thursday about how the BOM can help you receive revelation.  It was cool!  I was comforted by the fact he could understand our bad Tagalog.  I'm excited to leave for the Phillippines.  We had a 2 new districts entered our Zone this week, good group of missionaries!

     Oh sad news though, this past week we had 2 elders went home:(, one didn't have a testimony and the other one had one but no desire to serve God.  The rest of their districts left and definitely wasn't the same, but great group of missionaries!

     I was so glad I got to see my Laie best friend, Manoa, he was always talking about something we did growing up and I wouldn't remember.  I love that Elder!  He's still the same.  I also ran into another childhood friend, Moli Kaingataa (I think Lawrence meant to say Kanongata'a).  He's huge like an NFL lineman.  He looked very familiar when I first saw him, Manoa said we went to his birthday party at one time.

     A scripture that has constantly been on my mind is found in the Aklat ni Mormon.  Aklat ni Alma kabanata dalawang put animo (26) bersikulo dalawang pu pito (27) (Alma 26:27):  "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us and said, "Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."  Learning a new language as a missionary is very difficult and often easy to feel this way.  Mahal ko ditto bersikulo dahil sa alia and kaligayahan that it gives me.  ( I love this verse because of the comfort and happiness...) This can apply to all of our daily life challenges.  Just as Joseph Smith had his Liberty jail trial, he endured it with patience.  I know that if we apply this to our lives, our faith and love for the Lord will increase through our humility unto Him.  We accept that His will is most important and best for us.  The Lord is omnipotent and omniscient.  His son is our Savior and Redeemer who loves us.  Alam ko po na mabubuay po any Diyos at si Jesucristo.  (I know God and Jesus Christ live).

     Family I miss and love all of you.  I pray for you all every single day, especially my grandparents because I want to do more genealogy when I get home.  Mahal kits pamilya ingot po!!

Love,
Elder Brown














November 15th - Dad's 1st letter to Elder Brown

Hi Elder Brown,

Son it's so nice getting to read 2 missionary letters every week.  You already know that's the highlight of our week.
I'm so happy to see that you're loving it in the MTC.  The one thing that always makes me so emotional is the weekly
devotionals.  My favorite part is when everyone stands up and sings "Called to Serve"!  Do they still do that?  I sure
hope so.

You are and will be blessed on your special journey son.  Heavenly Father has reserved you and your brother and sister
for these last days.  I spent 8 weeks there learning the language and gospel.  Take advantage of all your time there.  It's
definitely a once in a lifetime blessing and opportunity.

That's the one thing that will help you with the language is learning how to conjugate properly.  I think tagalog is similar to
spanish in that way.  Make sure you always help your companions and others with whatever they need.  Always find a way
to your comp daily.  I'm glad to hear that Coach Spencer's class helped out a little bit.  Btw, I'm sure mom already told you all about the
game, but there was one thing that really stood out to me.  Coach Spencer really truly cares about you guys sincerely.  You know how they always
have a little bio or they talk about a player after he makes a play?  Well, he basically knows all his players down to their parents and their personal
lives and challenges they face, etc.  The other team's coach didn't even have one bio or insight to a personal situation or challenge for any of his players.
That really stood out to me and made me grateful that you had that type of influence in your life.  He's a good man and I know he's made or is making
an impact on kids' lives.

Well, I've been trying to catch the missionary spirit as well.  I've been helping the sisters friendship a young couple.  They're not married.  They're in the late
20's and she is Samoan and he is Indian-Navajo.  Both from Arizona.  We hit it all really well.  Been there 2x now and I plan to just visit and talk story
with them every now and then.  We were supposed to teach them the first discussion, but the sisters had to leave early for a meeting.  Hopefully next week.
I'm treating the sisters to breakfast at McD's this morning and so I'm sitting here waiting for them to come.

Ok son, that's about it.  It's been really cold here--like anywhere from 5 degrees to 25% below zero.  Good thing I've been assigned to work in the dispatch
office for the last 2 weeks.  :)  A little blessing.  Know that we are so proud of you and are amazed of all the experiences your having. Esp about Grampa Iohani.   That's
pretty neat.  Keep up your awesome goals and you'll be blessed beyond measure.  I know we've been blessed greatly because of the service that you and Alton
are doing out there.  I love you son and please continue doing what you're doing.

Love Dad.

Elder Brown:  "Yup they still do, except it's not every meeting, but have done it a lot (referring to the mtc devotional).  I love the MTC devotionals here.  It's difficult but line upon line I'm getting it.  That's what I love most about Coach Spencer is that he's more about the player and their life than football.  He's very caring and lives the gospel.  I'm glad to hear that you're that Dad (Tom has been going with the missionaries teach their investigators in ND)....it's like we're all serving missions!  Woooah that's cold I'm glad I'm going to the Phillippines.  Do you have any more stories about grandpa Iohani that you still remember?  You can dear elder.com them to me if you have any (room #145).  Thanks Dad for your letter.  It definitely has pushed me to be better.  Love and miss you!

Mahal kita!

Monday, November 10, 2014

November 8th - The Lord doesn't send out any missionary to fail!

     This week was great and I know you guys did too.  It looks like you had a lot of fun and I'm waaaay jealous of Nana going to Hawaii!!  I'm hoping I can send pictures today because the last time my camera was acting weird.

     The language is getting mas mahirap (very difficult) especially with conjugations.  Our 2 investigators also understand less English so we really have to speak SYL (speak your language) the best we can.  I have set many goals for language and I've been very good with them.  My goal is to have 100 new words down, 5 verses of scripture, 7 phrases and write 5 sentences for each conjugation verb a week.

     With the many difficulties I am faced with I have been doing a lot more praying and studying.  I don't stress or worry much because I have learned much about the Lord.  Eric Thomas talks about how everyone wants to be on top but no one wants to endure, enjoy, and love the process of getting there!  I have learned to love the struggle because it will make it much more meaningful when the Lord helps me become the missionary I am to be.  In 1 Nephi 3:7....The Lord will prepare a way.  He didn't send me and my companions out here to fail.  He doesn't do that with any missionary or anyone in life.  God has reasons and purposes for everything.  If we are diligent, faithful, and hold fast to the iron rod continually, he will deliver us through our daily struggles through his tender mercies.

     I'm grateful for my companions.  I know that the Lord put us together for a reason.  I will be forever grateful for Elder Nibarger for being Elijah.  He has turned my heart to my fathers.  His grandpa, Lamont Nibarger was good friends with grandpa 'Iohani.  This week, Elder Nibarger's dad told him more stories about grandpa 'Iohani again.  The stories about grandpa are amazing, listening to all of them makes me feel so grateful for the rich faith of my ancestors on both sides of my family.

     I love this work and I love all of you.  I miss you all but not as much as I love what's going on in the MTC.  I'm going to memorize D&C 4 in Tagalog next!  I've got the first verse down and I'll get the second down today!

Love,
Elder Brown












Saturday, November 1, 2014

November 1st - Grandpa 'Iohani Wolfgramm

Sounds like a lot of fun at home!  I hope WX can take State this year!  Well this week has been really well.  I've run into many friends and family.  Two districts in our Zone left on Thursday morning and a new one came in on Wednesday.  I am progressing well in Tagalog and have learned how important it is to always keep your head up when learning is hard and having to have the patience for what you want to become.  I set a goal to memorize Joseph Smith's testimony of the First Vision in Tagalog before my 2 week mark and I DID IT:

     "Ako ay nakakita ng isang haligi ng liwanag na tamang-tama sa tapat ng aking ulo, higit pa sa liwanag ng araw.  Na dahan-dahang bumaba hanggang sa ito ay pumalibot sa akin....Nang tumuon sa akin ang liwanag, nakakita ako ng dalawang Katauhan, na ang liwanag at kaluwaihatian ay hindi kayang maisalarawan, nakatayo sa hangin sa itaas ko.  Ang isa sa kanila ay nagsalita sa akin, tinatawag ako sa aking pangalan, at nagsabi, itinuturo ang isa--ito ang aking
Pinakamamahal na Anak.  Pakinggan Siya!"

     Ang kaloob ng mga wika is real!!  We teach a lot more in Tagalog and the investigators understand less English.  Our investigators have committed to baptism.  An essential piece to trabajo misyonero is to remember how important it is to teach people and not lessons.  We watched a Jeffrey R. Holland MTC devotional yesterday and he said, "teaching with the spirit means teaching with understanding,"  and how we need to watch their eyes and make necessary teaching adjustments to suit their needs.  They're human beings, not baptismal statistics.

     We are learning a lot about conjugating verbs in Tagalog.  I'm grateful to Coach Spencer for being my Spanish teacher one year and making us use this chart that determines what you use to say either "you, your, his/her, they/them, me, my" that kinda thing and if you use it in Ang form, Ng form or Sa form.  If you're confused, I'm not surprised but that's the best I could explain it.

     I'm eating a lot of food and I'll be very surprised if I'm not 180 lbs by the time I get out of here.  We go to the temple to do session every Saturday and I feel strengthened.

     I forgot to tell you last week about my senior companion in my tripanionship, has grown up hearing stories about this great faithful man who loved God and others.  He heard stories about how he raised his daughter from the dead, having enough faith to walk through fire in the last days.  This man also healed Elder Nibarger's grandpa's back after many years of back pain and being bed ridden at times.  Before he told these stories he said, "growing up my dad always told stories about this man who was the most spiritual and faithful man he ever knew.  His name was Brother Wolfgramm--"being surprised I asked if it was 'Iohani Wolfgramm, and he said yes.  I told him that that man is my great grandpa!  I couldn't believe that I would have a companion who had heard great stories about my great grandfather.  I hope that one day become at least half the man that grandpa was.  I think about him a lot now, also grandpa Brown and Muti and Papa's dad, Mosese.  I feel bad for not learning enough about my ancestors and the faith they had.  I decided to look up the name Wolfgramm on lds.org and I found that Dallin H. Oaks told the story about how 'Iohani used the priesthood to raise Tisina from the dead.  I also found one about how Nephi is our 88th great grandfather.  So he'd be like my 89th?  I thought that was interesting.

     If you have grandpa 'Iohani's book, please send it to me please.  My companion and I want to read more about him.

     I still continue with my workouts but mostly when we are back in the residence and I'll do them in the hallways...#TNDO#GrindNeverStops haha!

     Send my love to aunty Leima.  She's always so happy and positive and always loving and thinking about others, a very selfless aunty.  I will pray and fast for her this Sunday.  I have seen God's hand many times here at the MTC.

     Alam ko po na perpecto po si Jesucristo at ebanghelyo niya.  Alam ko po na perpecto po ang plano ng Diyos para sa atin.  Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo amen.

Love,
Elder Brown

P.s....
>Congrats to Pila and Leka.  Ask Pila if he knew an Elder Calder on his mission?  He's my language teacher and he served in Quezon City, I believe around the same time as Pila.
>Oh has little Mason finished his painting??? Can't wait to see it!
>I have ran into Elder Metai Tu'imoala and Elder Charles Hosea.
>Sorry my usb is having problems, couldn't send pictures, next time sorry:(
>Guess who I ran into?  The Fijian family from Laie...Manoa Vuebetau.  I met him here the first time but I never really talked to him but he looked so familiar.  His older brother, Isi is in the Phillippines, Cebu-east mission and Manoa is going to the Phillippines too, I think the Tacloban mission??  So cool to see him again, he said I looked just like Alton lol