April 18th - No wicked man could write such a book

Hello!

Thank you very much for the package. We won't be needing to buy anymore food for the rest of this transfer so that's good. My companion was happy that he got those two hymnbooks and that they came from America haha. 

But to answer your question I would say study the Book of Mormon and pray to know if its true. If one learns that the Book of Mormon is true they will come to know that it really is the keystone of our religion, that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, that Joseph Smith was his prophet, and that he did restore His church onto the earth in preparation for the second coming of the Messiah. Preach My Gospel teaches that as we increase our testimony and knowledge of the atonement, so will our desire to share the gospel. Parents just need to set good examples and do what they can to raise their children unto the Lord. That's what I'm most grateful for and remember the most from my childhood--that the gospel was always a priority in family life.

This new transfer we have coming up should have at least 2 guaranteed baptisms on the 14th. The 2 came to church and they loved how they learned a lot and made a lot of new friends. There's also family that has a good chance to baptized on the 21st. The problem is that the dad is in Manila and doesn't yet know that we've been sharing at their home. Hopefully he's understanding and okay with it.

Yesterday we went back to the seventh-day adventist compound. We also attended their church last saturday. Lets just say that a friendly defense of belief took place. They were very nice and open and fed us again, but they are strong in their belief of saturday as the Lord's day. President Ezra Taft Benson taught that concerns like that basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets receiving divine continuing revelation. We asked the Elder if he believed there was and he said yes because Elijah never died. Ellen G. White was their last prophet. They were hesitant about the Book of Mormon but accepted to read and pray about it. They also said they will be comparing it to the bible. Elder Holland's October 2009 GC talk comes into my mind: 

"For 179 years this book has been examined and attacked, denied and deconstructed, targeted and torn apart like perhaps no other book in modern religious history--perhaps like no other book in any religious history. And still it stands. Failed theories about its origins have been born and parroted and have died--from Ethan Smith to Solomon Spaulding to deranged paranoid to cunning genius. None of these frankly pathetic answers for this book has every withstood examination because there is no other answer than the one Joseph gave as a its young unlearned translator. In this I stand with my own great-grandfather, who said simply enough, 'No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and were commanded of God to do so."

I too have come to know by the power of the Holy Ghost and prayer that it's true and that Joseph Smith saw what he saw, he heard what he heard, and he did what he was commanded and chosen to do.

Love,

Elder Brown.

April 11th - 7th Day Adventist church girl

Aloha din sa inyong lahat!

Wow that's cool that they'll come back in December. I'll tag along to be the guide :) hehe.

This conference weekend was awesome! I always love conference. I only have a couple more months and I'll be home for conference. I'm looking forward to it but I love being a missionary. Life is better when your thoughts are on people that you teach. 

We had 2 investigators attend GC. One of them have a great chance of being baptized on May 7. Grandpa's birthday I think. She felt bad cause she had to wear street clothes cause if she doesn't, her brother will know that she's gonna be attending church at the Mormons. Her family is just straight up catholic. But our investigator is open minded and reads and prays daily. 

Last night we had a great lesson. It was a lot like a lesson on the Preach My Gospel The District 2 videos with Elder Christensen and Moreno and their investigator Jynx. We've been teaching a girl that's 17 and strong in her beliefs as a 7th Day Adventist. She basically told us that she's satisfied in her church because of her calling and that she feels guided and she's happy. We asked her about her praying and reading and she said that she's been doing okay. She's been taught for 3 years now and she rarely attends our church services. In missionary work there are at 3 things that will bring us revelation: reading the Book of Mormon, praying, and attending church. We followed the spirit and helped her improve in her reading and praying. She said she tells God to give her the answer. We suggested that she ASKS for an answer in question form. Her BOM reading has consisted of opening and scanning. We suggested that she study and really read the words and ASK. And we invited her to attend church. I was really grateful in this lesson that we had members present who were converts and who also took a while to become members. But despite 3 convert testimonies, 3 powerful testimonies, she was still content. In my head I was thinking "how can I tell her to soften her heart and not be rude about it?" I'll admit she is pretty hard. She admitted that she only listens to us to be respectful to her mom. In the end we left Alma 32:27-43 for her to read. We all knew the spirit was there and it was definitely a powerful lesson.

There was also a 7th day compound that we tracted and they were super nice, they fed us and were very warm and welcoming but they are die hard 7th day. We answered their questions and I was surprised at one reason why they are still saturday worshippers. They asked about why we're sunday so we shared Acts 20:7 and Mark 16:2. The man explained "okay. But Jesus respected the saturday by resting on saturday and then rising on Sunday. Because it was a commandment, he rested on saturday. I was surprised and we took it back to the Book of Mormon. He doesn't believe that Jesus appeared in America and so we said we would bring him a Book of Mormon and he is very willing to read it and find out for himself.

Overall this week was great and I've been getting a little trunky cause they have like high school olympics here in Legazpi, Albay and in my area. Just a bunch of schools from all over the Philippines competing in different sports. I miss the sporting environment. But I still love my calling as a missionary.

Love,

Elder Brown

96 more days before the sister missionary returns home

Dinner with our 7th Day Adventist Church friends

Stake service project at Bicol University

April 3rd - BOM is free

Wow Im really excited now for conference. This will be my last one here and then I'll be home a week after GC is over in Utah. So just wait till I get back and then lets watch it together for family bonding time haha. Being here on the mission has made me really hungry for General Conference. I love reading the Liahona's. That's good to hear that nana has a high ACT score. Its definitely better than my 21 without studying and my 17 with intense studying. As for those professors I say it is impossible to disprove the Book of Mormon and the witness of the Spirit to all who have received him through prayer and reading.

Well I'm excited for next transfer because we have a few great investigators that are diligent in their reading. We also received quite a few referrals from a strong active member. Most of them are seventh-day adventist but I prefer that over catholic because these people have a good knowledge about God and the bible instead of the "just do good and ask for forgiveness and your saved" belief.

One of our new investigators was someone we OYM'd (open your mouth) at a little store. We noticed Jesus Christ was his screensaver so we talked with him and gave him a pass along card and a restoration pamphlet. The next day at work he read almost all of it and was very curious about the Book of Mormon. He was wondering where to buy one and so he was very surprised and happy that it was free and for him. He's a good, humble father, catholic, and desires to grow closer to Christ. He accepted May 14 as a baptismal date and will talk with his family about this. He really enjoyed our message and said we are welcome anytime. 

I'm excited for his progression and also for our diligent readers. My companion and I have been great with the mission rules and we desire a miracle. Even just one baptism. I love the work regardless of 1, none, or 100 baptisms. As long as I get to work in His vineyard and give it my all and He knows it, then I'm satisfied.

Love,

Elder Brown 

My companion's glasses

March 27th - Build barges like unto a dish

Well looks like we're in the same boat. We've been trying to increase our teaching pool also. This past week we had a great district meeting workshop about asking for referrals. We decided to apply it and hey it works! Haha. According to church statistics that 1 out of 8 referrals leads to a baptism. And 1 out of 200 contacts from tracting will lead to 1 baptism. So I ask you, which one sounds better? Of course referrals. We received 7 referrals this past week from an active member. She is always talking to us about potential investigators for us so that helps a lot.

We also wanted to meet more members this week. There's a ton of in and less-actives here. A lot of the reasons why they are like that is because something changed and they are waiting for the right time. But thats about it. They are just waiting with ho works involved. They do believe they'll return someday. It's sad to see but the reason can always be tied back to how well they held on the iron rod. All of them answer that they aren't reading because they are busy. Realistically, there really is no person too busy to read at least 1 or 10 verses of scripture. 

Something I loved from my personal study is found in Ether. The Jaredites were commanded to build barges and they built them according to the instructions of the Lord. The Lord wanted them to be tight like unto a dish. Who knows how the Jaredites wanted it. The important thing is is that they followed the Lord. Later we find out exactly why they had to be tight like a dish. We learn that as the Jaredites were on their journey they were swallowed up and beat upon by the ocean and its waters. But they were safe because of 2 things: The barges were tight like unto dishes, and they cried unto the Lord for their safety. And the result was that the Lord raised them up above the waters. Great lessons to be learned here:

1- If we keep the commandments of the Lord our faith will be strengthened. We will grow strong against the many waves and storms of life such as temptations and trials. Basic commandments such as scripture study and prayer, and all the primary child answers. It also goes to show that Helaman 5:12 is very true and fulfilled here in a literal sense.

2- Prayer is effective and prayer works. If we pray to God and we are doing what's right, He will hear us and will be there to rescue us. 

I am reminded of Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail. God told him that if he were faithful in his trials God would exalt him on high and that he would triumph over his foes. Just like the Jaredites and the monsters in the sea and the monstrous waves of the sea. 

I know that what I shared is true and that the Lord needs people who are willing and ready to keep His commandments.

Love,

Elder Brown