May 25th - FHE/establish a gospel centered home

Hello Family! That's funny that you bring up uncle Dallin because I was thinking about their family this past week. Wondering how they're doing and how fast time has flown since the days we lived in Laie. Congrats to nana for her hardwork and getting that 4.0! That's great especially since you attend a very smart school. It's good to hear you're reading the Joseph Smith book cause I just finished Joseph Fielding Smith's book this morning on our way to Legazpi. I started it last Tuesday. I can't believe how much I'm reading out here. Those 330 pages went by too fast! I always wondered how Nana was always so into reading and now I understand. There's no knowledge like spiritual knowledge! I'm excited to come home and devote a lot of time to gospel study and missionary work.

There's so many things I want to share from what I've learned from my studies. But lets start with this past week of work. We had a fun family home evening with 3 families. It reminded me of home and after reading about the importance of bringing up children in light and truth made me realize how important it is to establish a gospel centered home. A lot of what Joseph Fielding Smith had to say about that are things that I realized I had learned from FHEs and being at home where the Gospel is the center of everything we do. I can't share just how great the impact it has had on my life. So if there is one thing that parents can do to raise their children up in the right way and in the way of the Lord, make family home evening a priority and establish today that your home will be one where the Gospel and it's principles and lessons can reside. A home where the spirit can be felt in order to teach those in the home. How grateful I am for my great-grandparents establishing this in their family and setting the example for the children to follow!

I read a powerful talk given by Jeffrey R. Holland at the Brazil MTC in 2001 called "The Miracle of a Mission". I 110% highly encourage everyone to read this. Especially those preparing to serve, thinking about serving, or have no interest at all. One thing I want to share from it is when he says missionary work "is higher and holier and more sacred and eternal than anything you've ever done. It is by definition the most important thing you can do in the world, in time or eternity. For this reason you are engaged in the saving of the human soul. And that is the highest and holiest work in the universe." It's the purpose the Savior came here to atone for us. I've been called to serve a 24 month mission and apostles devote their life. I really love when he said to "Start fast. Run hard, and to the tape! You can rest later!" Oh what a shame it would be if you were to fall short of this. In the words of Joseph Smith "after all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel." What a grand opportunity it is to be called to join the ranks of those great ones before us.

I use a lot of the new knowledge I gain and advice given from bishop in my work and in talks. Like yesterday. They only had one speaker for the day and I volunteered to speak. I love our little branch in Batan. Even though we only have an attendance less than 60, the spirit is always felt.

Never let go of the gospel truths. A lot of our new investigators have problems that the gospel can fix, all we have to do is be patient and continue to do what Christ would do. Here's a little quote that I've grown to love and has enlightened my mind and touched my heart:

"If we have a failing, if we have a weakness, there is where we should concentrate, with a desire to overcome, until we master and conquer. If a man feels that it is hard for him to pay his tithing, then that is the thing that he should do, until he learns to pay his tithing. If it is the Word of Wisdom, that is what he should do, until he learns to love that commandment."

-Joseph Fielding Smith

May we all apply these words into every fiber of our body. I know that as we do so, we will be one step closer to fulfilling the commandment from our Lord and Savior of being perfect. Even as our Father in heaven.

Love,

Elder Brown

May 17th - Forever grateful to Joseph Smith

Hello! I thought it was gonna be weird skyping with all of you last week but it felt like I just saw you guys a week before  haha. But no worries I still miss you all and I enjoyed it a lot! And yeah i miss my trainer, he was a really funny guy. Everyone on the mission knows Lee-Lo.

This week was not very fruitful due to fiesta this past week. It's part of the Catholic culture/tradition here. People were busy from sun up to sun down. But we still were able to squeeze out a few lessons. This week should be a lot better. This week is also the end and beginning of a new transfer and my companion and I are still staying together on Batan.

I also gave a talk on Sunday. I felt I needed to speak about the importance of strengthening and gaining a strong testimony in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I mentioned that there was a fight on the first sunday of the month between Mayweather and Pacquiao and that even though the people's champ lost, it didn't matter. It wouldn't have mattered even if Mayweather won because there is a much more real and important fight at hand. The fight between the saints of God and the devil and his angels. There was a lot of other things I mentioned also but this just gives you an idea. 

Also, from my personal study I have just finished The Teachings of The Presidents of The Church: Joseph Smith book. I encourage you all to read this too! It's long but it's worth it. I know I've said it since I was in primary but I know that Joseph Smith is and was and forever will be a true prophet called of God. My gratitude and love for the prophet and all men have increased since my completion of this book. The words of the prophets of old and more importantly, the one today, are so powerful and important. They will always lead us to Christ.

Love,

Elder Brown

May 11th - Happy mother's day Mom

Elder Brown finally able to Skype with us about 1 am Utah time which was their P-day (Monday) about their noon time.  He sort of struggled to remember a few English words.  His Tagalog is improving and could hear the accent a little heavy.  He appeared to be happy, healthy and still got that great sense of humor.  He's currently serving in Batan island and him and his companion are the only missionaries in that little island.  There's no buses or cars in the island because all the roads are so narrow.  They walked everywhere, food is great, people are nice to them and he loves them so much.  There are about 45-55 members in their little branch.  He shared with us some of the fun time he had with his trainer, Elder Lee-Lo.  At the end of our Skype, he bore his testimony in the Tagalog language.

 Some weird abandoned mansion looking home. It's used to store carbon bags now

 Us and little Trish!  She's always so happy and cheerful.  She's awesome!

 Me and Elder Raven

 Me and my man Lawrence!  He's 9 years old, recent convert

 District activity day

 Cagsawa and the Mayon Volcano.  The Volcano erupted and covered this area we are on.  We are on top of corpses and where the main floor of the church was.  This building is like the bell tower.  That's why there's a lot of rocks.

May 4th - Philippines...perfect for her! I sang loud!

Philippines!! Congratulations Tana!  It's perfect for her because videoke here is life and they love to sing like no one is watching or listening haha. That's so exciting, I'm willing to do all I can to help her as much as I can, language and culture. The important thing is is that the Legazpi mission is the best in the Philippines and Pacquiao is still the People's champ hehe. 

The committee has come up with a great plan and sounds like a lot of fun!  I like that idea, "Bountiful 6th family reunion."

This past week we had interviews with President Guanzon. Elder Pangilinan and I both expressed our concerns to president our area and how we work hard but aren't having the results we've thought would surely come. President told my companion that it's like a road trip. Don't be so focused on the end goal that you miss all the little things that are a sight to see as you pass by. They're little things like commitments that help reach that end goal. The result of our newness of mind and new action plan has increased our baptismal dates and progressing and new investigators. I've been doing a lot of things that I am so uncomfortable with (in a great way) but I know that there is no comfort in a growth zone and no growth in a comfort zone.

Just a little story from this past sacrament meeting I performed a musical number believe it or not haha. No not really but for the closing hymn we sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go" and only about 3 people knew it...kinda. I sang loud and proud to help lead my fellow branch members in this song. At first it was weird but I'll do what the Lord wants me to do. The singing in sacrament meeting is different cause it's slow and there are nice pauses haha. 

The island life is still great and I've only lost 7 lbs. 165-158. Oh and one thing that's cool here is there's a lot of men here that are ripped and shredded in their muscle definition. It's that natural labor and fish and rice that gets you ripped here. There's also this one guy on a little transport boat that's about Alton's size and he looks like he should be in a bodybuilding competition. He manually hand steers and turns his little boat so that's why he's so strong and big. I wanna come out here and work with them, maybe then I'll be big.

Answers to your questions Mom:

>There's this apartment in Legazpi where we come to use the computer in this one apartment.

>Those songs I told you to listen to, well they were Elder Lee Lo's favorite songs and he always sang it.  I developed loud singing from him and not caring what people think...sometimes...from him haha.

>Like I said, people here videoke all the timing the radio is always on non stop.

>For the music, add some Christmas songs cause Christmas starts in September haha.

Batan is awesome. Legazpi mission is the best!

Love

Elder Brown

My new little friends

 Eating with our hands and on a banana leaf is the way to do it here!  We have corn beef, rice, canned pork sisig and panic caton noodles

 Ginataang sitaw is my favorite here.  It has stringed beans (sitaw), chili peppers, gintaan is coconut milk, and some fish in there too.  Sobrang sarap!!!

 I've ascended to Heaven

 Halo halo.  It has ube, lot of sugar, jello stuff at the bottom, peanuts, beans, crunchy ice and I think some other stuff