Tums for Tummy Trouble?

Hey fam

So not a whole lot to talk about this week. Stomach troubles continued through Friday so I talked to Sister Ball, the mission nurse. Turns out I'm probably becoming lactose intolerant. Not completely but we've deduced that that's pretty much the problem. Yogurt seems to be okay and cheese in small amounts but straight milk or ice cream upsets my stomach. I have... what are they called... lactaid pills I think. I had cereal on Saturday and took one and it was the first day with no stomach aches. No milk today or yesterday and no stomach aches again. I might do more "trial and upset error" to get a stronger vibe that it really is the milk but we're pretty certain that there's already enough proof. It sucks but mostly I'll just cut back on cereal and maybe drink protein with water instead of milk. eggs and toast or oatmeal for breakfast. With an apple or orange. Or cream of wheat. Lumpy globs of cream of wheeeeat... haha. I was worried it was going to be expensive but as long as I just don't consume milk as often I'll be fine. Crossing my fingers that it's not milk and it's just an out of wack tummy because I LOVE milk.

Anyways. We weren't able to get much done because of that. It got worse with walking or biking around so we tried to just take it easy. We were able to see Letty but her son was freaking out - he'd gotten into a fight at school and wasn't behaving at all. He has both ODD (obsessive defiant disorder) as well as ADD. We excused ourselves partway through the visit so that she could handle things and not be so embarrassed. Chris was there and we were talking to him about it afterwards and apparently ernie started breaking stuff and trying to hit his mom so Chris had to like tackle him and hold him down until he stopped freaking out so bad. He got sent to his uncle's for a time since his uncle can do a better job at physically managing him.

We should be able to start working harder again this week if I truly trumped the tummy troubles. :) haha.

Just one other thing. I'm sending a package home (finally) and just a quick explanation of everything:
There's a long sleeve shirt, cds cases and some cds, the inner lining to my overcoat, and a set of sheets. The cds that are with the package I've made copies of. If the case is empty I've kept the original cd. If you'd like to listen to any of them that's fine but just be careful with them please :) I don't ever use the inner lining to my overcoat. If I end up in the mountains again this winter and it gets cold I can layer with a sweater which will be plenty (dress shirt, sweater, suit coat, overcoat shell). I've never used the sheets I'm sending home and the ones I have (which I wash at least every transfer ;)) will last the rest of my mission. Thanks!

Love ya guys!
Elder Nelson Browning

One Grain At a Time

Hello family!
I thought my title was appropriate. It seems our efforts here are a "one grain at a time" type thing. One seed... one small sprout... a touch of fertilizer or water here and there... and a few pieces of grain from our efforts. We were able to teach that family, the Nedicia family, with their cousin from the YSA ward. The lesson was choppy on our part (first time I've taught the restoration in.... too long) but it was received pretty well and we set a loose baptismal commitment with the mother and the daughter. The type where when they don't commit right off, you ask if when they find these things out for themselves, if then they'll be baptized. The mother's name is Letty, the son Ernie and the daughter Samantha. Ernie didn't say one way or the other; he just wanted to go play. It might be hard to get through to the male youth but we'll keep trying. Perhaps as his mom and sister read and pray and gain a testimony, he will too. They wanted to be at church but she got called in to work and wasn't able to make it. We're seeing them again tomorrow.

I've been somewhat under the weather this past week. It's an odd term when not used during the winter but I wasn't entirely sick, just not feeling super well. I'm wondering if I'm becoming or am mildly allergic to something that frequents my diet because I seem to have at least a mild stomach ache at some point almost every day. Nothing seems to have changed on either end of the digestive process so it's slightly disconcerting. I better not be allergic to gluten or something; I'd lay down and die right now. ha. Not sure how I could find that out or even do much about it as a missionary. Wednesday was the only day it was enough of an issue as to render me unable to perform normally so unless it gets worse I'll probably just ignore it. I might try monitoring and changing things in my diet to see if it influences my stomach at all.

I thought of a couple similar titles to your email mom. Something having to do with dousing the flame or changing the guards or something. It seems in life, trials are like... a machine gun. They barrage us for a while and then we get a reprieve during the "reload" time. haha. Not to be morbid or negative or anything. We should definitely be grateful for the times, however short or long, when the broilers in our life are turned off. haha :)

Sometimes I feel like Dory. Just keep tracting, knocking, finding... haha. I burst into song in my head but don't know how to transcribe it into words very well. Hmmm.... "dory! stop singing!" "When you waAAAAANT to tract you find some doors to knoooocckk!" Something along those lines. With a warble in the middle of the word "want." HA.

Anyways. I've got 40 weeks left until I'll be coming home. I found a sticker poster/book of the original 150 pokemon that I'm going to use as a countdown for the last 150 days of my mission, which will start in August sometime. haha. 

I love you guys! Mother's day isn't far around the corner... :)
Love,
Elder Nelson Browning

In the World, But Not Of the World

April 8, 2013

Hello! Wasn't general conference just awesome? I feel like I enjoy conference more and more each year. It used to be something I more endured than enjoyed. I used to always watch the clock waiting for it to be over. When the last session started yesterday I was like wait, what? Already? There were several common themes and several repeated scriptures and topics throughout conference. I feel like everything ties back to obedience. Being better member missionaries, being more virtuous and chaste, staying close to Christ and His foundation while the world wanders and drifts away from Him, the importance of the family, etc. The last verses in Matthew were read 3 times and not following traditions and trends of the world was also talked about at least 3 times. I hope some members not only heard that but really listened to what was said about becoming better member missionaries. President Eyring basically said that we could have a full teaching pool simply from the efforts of the ward members. We haven't been doing as much member work so we're going to pick that back up.

So if I said we still aren't teaching anyone... haha. um. We aren't. Yet. But! We do have an appointment tomorrow! Chris, a member in the YSA ward, has a cousin that's divorced with kids and she wants to meet with missionaries. So we're super excited about that! Her kids I guess are pretty wild teenagers but maybe they'll listen as well. So we have the potential of 3 new investigators with that family! Hopefully all goes well tomorrow.

We did talk to 2 people that actually sorta listened this past week and we were able to visit with some less actives. We had a member with us Wednesday night and had a list of people to try with him. He felt like we should visit one or two other people that were also close by one of the people we tried to see that wasn't home. So we tried Tyler Johnson and he was home and visited with us for a while. He doesnt come to church because if he did, his ex wife would take the kids back Saturday instead of Sunday. She claims that if he goes to church then he shouldn't get to keep the kids on Sunday. On rare occasions when he can get his kids to go he comes but other than that he doesn't. His wife doesn't like the church so he has a hard time getting them to church and she said no to having them taught by missionaries. Dumb. But, brother Johnson wants to go on splits with us and stuff so that's pretty cool.
We visited another woman that hasn't been coming, sister rios. She works nights so usually she just doesn't get up for church. She's moving but her daughter is staying with a friend and her daughter comes to church sometimes so we might have a potential friend that could become interested there.

So on like Thursday we were trying some more people, knocking some more doors and we passed 2 girls but didn't talk to them... but, a short while later we heard them call after us so we walked back to talk to them and they asked us who we were. We told them and they were just like "oh so that's what you do." But instead of continuing on we just stood there... stupidly... saying nothing. Totally blanked. And missed a super great opportunity! I'm still kicking myself in the foot about it. Soon after we both felt terrible and started combing the area trying to find them again. No luck. But, we ran into a guy that was waiting in the same spot the girls had been and we talked to him and gave him a card. Maybe he knows those girls and will talk to them. I think it was the same day that a dude on a bike rode up to us and asked us about the "3 heavens." We briefly explained the kingdoms of glory and asked if he wanted to learn more. He said yeah and asked if we had any reading material since he had to take off and didn't live in the area. I offered him a book of Mormon and he was super stoked about it! His choice of words were about as vulgar as you can get but he was quite emphatic in his excitement and then apologized for cussing. haha. We gave him a card as well so that he could get missionaries where he lives (in Redlands I think).

When we were with that member Wednesday night Whiting had to use the restroom so we stopped by his home (brother Parker) and visited with them for a little bit before going home. Their little boy climbed right up on my lap and started showing me all his toys. haha. Sister Parker said I must be good with kids because he doesn't usually do that. I wasn't expecting it but it was pretty cute. Another family we had dinner with has a young boy and girl. After dinner we were in their living room and the little boy came over with an ipad, showing us all these primary songs. The little girl asked if we could stay and watch a movie with her and at first we said we needed to go but she got slightly teary eyed, and my "heart was filled with compassion." Haha. So we stayed a bit longer and watched a short Easter video about Jesus Christ.

This church is true. Perhaps we work so that missionaries in central and south America can have so much success. haha. Success as a missionary is not measured by numbers or obvious visual success, but by one's commitment to his purpose to teach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love,
Elder Nelson Browning

Oh Nelson what a great letter!  You have SUCH a compassionate heart that truly is drawn to children.  I love, love, love hearing about those experiences with children, because that shows the true soul that is Nelson Browning.  And the never giving up.  You have amazing tenacity.

XO Mom :)

Tenacity huh? Like a rubber band! A band of rubbers! Robber bands... :)

Oh, you know how to speak Ryan's language--Scripture Scouts!  He now wants to email you--it might be a while, so check next week.

:)

Did I tell you they're recruiting me to sing in a mens quintet? I might have said that last week. I can't remember.  Bass, baritone, 1st and 2nd tenor, and melody. It's a rendition of I need thee every hour. Should be pretty sweet! We're singing it in Sacrament meeting on mothers day. I'll try and get a recording for ya at a practice/rehearsal or something :)

No!  You didn't tell me that.  I would LOVE to have a recording...And with your musical talent and fearlessness you should always be singing and playing piano at EVERY opportunity!!!  So what part are you singing?

Bass. The others in the group can't hit the low notes for the bass part. It doesn't go that low - just down to an F. I haven't played piano like at ALL in this ward. They have an automatic piano at district and zone meetings so I don't ever get called upon to play. And, the church is too far away to go to unless we're with a member so we basically only go for meetings. I still have my keyboard. I'm going to borrow a hymn book from the church so I can at least keep some skill up.

Good!  I've had 5 piano lessons with Sally Geisler so far, and it is so fun to try to work on this dormant and undeveloped talent of mine!  My objective is to be able to play hymns, choir stuff, etc. when Dad and I go off to serve a mission 10 years or so from now.  Yes, I do think it will take me that long to be able to play well!

:)

I still only have a small handful I can play. No new ones yet. It'd be cool to get to the point where I can play more hymns; that's my goal. Well the rest of the group we're with is finally ready to leave the biblioteca. So! I'll talk to you next week mother dear :)
I love you!
Elder Nelson Browning

Transfer Week

April 1, 2013

Hey family,

Not a whole lot to talk about this week. Transfers are tomorrow but Elder Whiting and I are staying together. We've made plans to continue to increase our efforts this week and throughout this next transfer. There is one part member couple that lives in our area that's been going to church. But, they've been going to a different ward where the member girlfriend knows people. We met with them along with the missionaries from that ward on Friday. Since our ward will be changing back from 8:30 start time to 9 they might be more comfortable with the switch and we'll start teaching them soon (one of the ward buildings has been closed for remodeling). They're actually fairly solid and I can see him getting baptized once the two of them are married (another case of unmarried couples living together... goodness).

What other news is there... I probably won't be district leader again because two other missionaries that are staying in the zone got district leader calls. So only one of the 3 from last transfer will stay a district leader for this transfer.

It's fun to hear of all the people going on missions. It's practically impossible for me to keep track of everything and everyone. Super cool though!
As far as those pictures... I really can't help ya there. It's in a certain type of file that I think only works in the apple program "iphoto." I'm sure I have large copies in other locations but I have no idea where they'd have been on my computer. So... it'd be on the black box somewhere. You might just have to be nelson-less for a while. haha. You have the one brother wood took though, right?

Other than that it's been pretty quiet. We seem to have less success the harder we try. One wednesday we went out to tract again and got shut down hard door after door. After counting at least 10 hard rejections and no one even accepting a card from us we finally called it quits. haha. But we did more one Thursday and it wasn't as bad. It's odd how one day people seem really mad that you're talking to them and other days they're at least civil about things. Or some days people listen and others we don't get to say a word besides a polite "have a good day" after someone yells "not interested!" and slams the door. One guy came up to us when we were out and talked to us kind of like he was a member, asking us where we were from and how long we'd been out. Turns out he just wanted to bash. It's funny how people that try and prove us wrong ALWAYS contradict themselves at least once. People like that make me sad. Do they really feel fulfilled and like they have purpose to life? Why are so many spirit children of our heavenly father so lost when each of them chose the savior's plan to come to this earth? They just need to connect the Holy Spirit with the light of Christ lying dormant within them. So many people don't want to be happy! haha. It's funny when you word it that way. Maybe I'll start asking people that. "Do you want to be happy?" Maybe I'll get more takers. haha we'll have to see.

Until next week!
Love,
Elder Nelson Browning