Goodbye Barstow

Hey family, it's going to be a short email today because I have to PACK, but I don't know where I'll be next.  President Godwin is always pretty behind trying to figure out who's going where. I'm probably just going out to Newberry full time. They were talking about opening it back up but they didn't say anything to us about making notes for new missionaries that would be going out there. So, since Zacharias is staying and I'm the one packing, I have a strong hunch that I'm going out there. Plus, Elder Patch is leaving BUT he got a zone leader call so he's definitely not going to newberry. Which means most likely either I'll go out there or they'll leave it closed a little longer.

I'm not super attached to Barstow but everyone in the ward is super friendly and there are a few individuals I've gotten pretty close with. And I just don't like moving around. haha. Packing and unpacking and getting used to new people and a new area is annoying and awkward. But. whatever. At least I didn't get a call from president last night asking if I would train a new missionary so I'm safe from that at least until next transfer. Almost positive I will be training next transfer though.

Anyways. We had an alright week. No one made it to church but we're (or the missionaries staying) are going to have a "make or break" lesson soon with a lot of the investigators here because they haven't been keeping the commitments we have been extending them. Like reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it. They enjoy our lessons and visits but don't understand really what it means to be saved.

We went to mutual on Wednesday because oftentimes there are less actives or recent converts or even non members there. The youth were working on some stake thing coming up and a song that they were supposed to sing. But. Neither the youth nor the leaders knew the song or how to play or sing it. So, somehow they found out I had musical talent. I learned the parts for them and then tried to teach them to the youth that were there. Whoever arranged the song is retarded because the parts are too high for both the girls and the guys. It sits around an F above middle C a lot and goes up to an A at one point. I could sing it but only barely. It goes low enough that most of the youth cant sing it an octave lower either. So I dunno what they're going to do but hopefully they figure it out. haha.

We went to a funeral at the 7th day advendist church of a woman who always enjoyed having the missionaries over. Her son and daughters are members. That was odd. Their doctrine wasn't bad but some of the ritualistic or irreverent things just are weird and drive away the spirit that I did feel during parts of the service.

Well I'd better split. Thanks for the package! I got it on the 14th actually. Haven't had the chance to make pancakes yet. I can't believe to bought ties at the DI. Haha. One feels like nightgown material and another one is so long that when I tie it the tail sticks out. haha. Thanks guys :) I really do appreciate it.

The paper you sent me was some assignment for my mission prep class. The one I'm hoping is still on the drive is my essay about judgment based off of Moroni 7 approx. verses 13-19.

I love you guys!

Elder N Browning

Nervous For Transfers

Hey family.

 

We had a fairly decent week this week despite it starting off slightly lousy for me. I had some form of food poisoning Monday night. We went to dinner and I just felt off and after eating like 4 bites of food I was like "yep. Time to leave." haha. So once again, I missed out on teaching Amber and her friends. I guess it went pretty well though. One of the people from last time wasn't there but another guy, Steven, was. Everyone is pretty positive about the lessons and we have another appointment with them tonight. The only setback is that ALL of them and pretty much everyone else we're teaching right now works on Sundays. We're teaching like 9 people and I think all but 1 or 2 work every Sunday. We're hoping that as they gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon that they'll want to come to church and that we can emphasize the importance and blessings that will come from doing so.

 

So this is the last week of the transfer, and I've been in Barstow for 4 transfers. Which means my head is on the chopping block. So to speak. haha. I don't really want to leave yet but we'll see what happens next week. I've been in the same stake, the victorville stake, my whole mission and wouldn't mind staying for stake conference in March.

 

We visited the Rojas on Wednesday and had a good lesson with them. We didn't stay super long; they're pretty stressed preparing for their move in March. But we talked about the Book of Mormon and promised them that reading it would bring peace and calm into their lives. It really helps to have brother ramirez their who is pretty good friends with them. Members really are the key to success. We probably won't get them to baptism before they leave but hopefully they'll be well on their way.

 

Barbara is doing well. At least as much as she can in her situation. She's less worried and stressed about all her family mess and madness. It's been really cool to see such a different air about her since she got baptized. She might still complain, but she ends on a more positive note now. She has more of the "it'll all work out" attitude that we were never able to instill in her on our own.

 

We met with Bonnie, the woman from Jordan, on Friday. She wants to come to church but works two jobs and basically always works on Sunday. She's taking the book of Mormon with her on the bus because it's the only time she really has to read. If she's not at work, she's sleeping or taking care of her 3 kids. There's a 2nd family that lives there, and the man is a less active member actually. We talked to him for a good 20 minutes and he's actually thinking about coming back to church and talking to his girl friend about going too. He's also sister Bond's cousin. What a small world.

 

I exchanged with Elder Hyer on Saturday, Patch's companion. He's from Ogden. Turns out he knows the Houghtons! They're in the same stake. Benjamin Hyer. You'll have to let the Houghtons know :) he's a pretty cool dude. He taught the plan of salvation for the first time while we were on exchanges. We helped the Rubio family out with some yardwork; they were trying to remove a bunch of half dead bushes. It was actually pretty fun. We were good motivation for the kids too. Especially little Juan Steven. He's 5. He followed me around the whole time. Haha. "Elder Browning! Elder Browning!" Unfortunately I started to tune out my name after a while. haha. He's a super cute kid though. Our dinner yesterday cancelled and they were kind enough to feed us fairly last minute.

 

That was our week for the most part. The email I sent about being "knowledgeable" should have my guesstimate as to how to find that paper I wrote. I wrote that at the beginning of january. Actually I'll just copy it over again. Hopefully it's at least halfway right:

J&N or Jeren and nelson (don't remember the drive folder name) -> there might be a "Nelson" Folder -> Documents -> Schoolwork -> Freshman (college) -> a folder named "religion," "Book of Mormon," or something similar.

 

love you guys.

"Hasta la proxima. Chau."

Elder Nelson Browning

No Subject

I'm running our of email subject ideas. haha. oh well.

 

So this past week started high and then went low and then went back up and then ended in the middle. haha. We had a lot of good appointments lined up on Tuesday and all of them fell through. So our whole afternoon went from busy to empty. We still tried to find stuff to do and even went tracting that afternoon even though it sucked. Lots of angry folks that don't want to talk to us. I think if Zacharias was the designated driver we would have quit a lot sooner. haha. But! On Wednesday, we got 2 referrals. One was a family where the wife of the family had been to church a couple times in the past. We talked to them about church and what they learned and how they liked it and they want to go back but they haven't had a car! The husband wants to change his work schedule so that he doesn't work on Sundays or at least at the time of church on Sundays. They're supposed to be getting a car this week and we have an appointment with them on Wednesday. The other referral we got was from the other missionaries; they ran into a young woman that was interested in meeting with us but lived on our side of Barstow. So we split up to teach her so that she would still know one of the missionaries (I went to an appointment with a recent convert and Zacharias went to teach Amber). She and 3 other friends were all there and all listened and all invited us back! Wow! We have an appointment with them tonight. Super cool huh? Hopefully it goes well. They were talking about how they'd been "saved" about a year ago. hmm... could be tricky. haha.

 

Guess what I got on Thursday! A SHOT! I didn't even feel it. but! My wallet sure did. Seesh. I know why I've been keeping a reserve fund now. ha. Lucky I had 40 extra dollars so that I could afford that dumb shot. At least thats checked off my list now. We had a lesson with the same guy that referred us to that family Thursday evening. He's been a member for about 2 years and wants to make it to the temple with his wife this year. We talked about the grace of Christ and the enabling power of the atonement. It was a pretty cool lesson.

 

All day Friday we were down in Victorville at Zone Conference and were there even longer for Pres interviews. They talked a lot about faith + obedience and testimony + conversion. All 4 of those things are intertwined and necessary as both a member of the church and especially so as a missionary.

 

Ever since Saturday afternoon I've had a pretty bad headache off and on. It's been worse than usual. If it stays around much longer I should probably get checked out or something. I'm not sick or stressed out worse than normal so I don't know what's causing it. So I've been trying to physically take it easy for a couple days.

 

Anyways. That's my update. I love you family! We'll keep trucking forward!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Nelson Browning