15 Weeks

Hey all,

Sorry our pdays are kinda nuts. Usually we email in the afternoon but we had to flip flop today because Pres wants to meet with the zone this afternoon.

Well wasn't conference great? I heard a lot of stuff to apply to my future marriage and family life. Tons of emphasis of member missionary work. Super great. I hope lots of people were listening closely! There was lots of emphasis on being firm amidst the changes in the world. A lot of emphasis on the important roles individual genders have. They also talked a ton about trials. Emotional, spiritual, mental, physical, whatever it may be, you can get through it and become stronger because of it. Bridle your natural man, your base passions, your worldly desires.

 

We had an alright week. Lots of sickness going around. I actually got injured last pday. Long story. Suffice it to say I injured my head and on Tuesday I almost died from the headache. It was only really bad that day though. I've been fighting sickness and so has Langi's companion. And now Judd is sick too haha. So on our worser days we arranged for the other two missionaries to still get out and work. Tuesday Elder Judd stayed with me, Wednesday I was with Langi, and on Friday Deardeuff (Langi's comp) was pretty sick so I stayed with him since Langi gets cabin fever and Judd was healthier than me.

We wrote letters to all the less active families we know of reminding them about general conference and delivered them all by Friday night. That was pretty fun. We actually got to talk to someone at most of the places we visited. I don't know if anyone chose to then watch conference, but we felt good delivering the letters. It just felt like the right thing to do.

 

Thursday we met with Moli and Sabrinna. We read 1 Nephi 16 with them where Nephi breaks his bow. They got a TON out of it. Lots of personal application. Sabrinna is a nurse/receptionist in the cariac clinic at Loma Linda Hospital and she told a story of a guy who was really sick and alive only because of a fake heart (some new device that pumps your heart for you but needs battery replacement like every 8 hours). He worked hard to become healthy enough to be eligible for a heart transplant, and then persevered until he finally found a suitable heart for transplant. He finally got the transplant and was doing well when his girlfriend finally left him. At that point, he gave up and stopped taking his anti-rejection medication so that his body would accept his heart and let himself die. Sabrinna talked about how we shouldn't give up because one more trial is thrown our way. Nephi's family went through so much and then when the bows broke they all started murmuring. We should remember the goodness of God and all the blessings He has given us instead of dwelling on the things that are wrong or hard in our life.

Moli also talked about how every time they started complaining, they later repented and were blessed again. And it's the same in our lives - when we mess up or murmur we can always repent and the blessings will flow again.

 

Did I ever tell you that I got nicknamed the "tie doctor"? It's stuck with me, at least occasionally, all the way since Barstow. Got a tie that you think is too wrinkled to ever wear again? I can fix that. Stains or spills? No problem. Stitching is unraveling? I can fix that too! haha.

 

Anyways. We have a few potentials to try and teach with part member families. Hopefully something good comes of it!

 

Love you guys!

Elder Nelson Browning

p.s. if I find a little time later this afternoon I'll hop back on since I still don't have an email from mom :/ Love you!