Rigoo!!!!

Hola como están ustedes! Yo espero que ustedes tuviéran una buena semana! (Hello, how are you! I hope you had a good week!)

What a rewarding week here in the mission. Hard work has really been paying off and it's great to see people come unto Christ. Whether it be from being baptized, down to saying their first prayer. Some awesome stuff to see!

The rain has really been coming down! Every night when we get home we are soaking wet! So we have a dedicated room in our apartment for all of our wet clothes to hang up and dry! It's definitely been fun! :)

The baptism for Rigoberto went sooo well! The Spirit was seriously incredible and you could just feel his excitement to be a member of the church finally. It was so cute... He was so nervous. Before we went down into the water I was telling him kind of how the whole thing happens and what he should do, he was shaking so bad! It was so funny, he kept on saying he didn't want to mess up. He got calmed down a little bit and we went for it! Man, I can't describe the feeling I had, and I'm sure he had, as he came out of the water and we hugged each other. It was probably a minute long hug hahaha, he just wouldn't let go! Man, I love that guy! He will forever be my friend! It's going to be really sad to leave these people. I know I say that every single week, but man it's true. How close I've gotten with some people is unreal!

Caiden, Rigoberto and Elder Frei

Caiden says, "I had puffy eyes at the baptism... I'm really not that fat, haha!"

Not much toooo exciting happened this week besides the baptism. It was actually cool to see Justino, a recent convert of not long at all, give a powerful talk at Rigo's baptism about how the church has changed his life. Justino also gave his first talk in church this past weekend as well. I always shed a tear when I hear him bear his testimony. These people have really changed my life.

This week I've just been thinking about how lucky we are as members of Christ’s Church. We get unlimited chances, the priesthood, just the joy of knowing that we will see our families again after they pass away, and if we do what's right we have the chance to live with our Heavenly Father and Savior again... Wow, we are lucky. Every day we need to realize that... We have something sooo valuable. First, we need to use it up to its fullest and then we need to share it with everybody! This is better than any other gift in the world.

Sorry, I really do feel like I am a broken record every single week, saying the same thing over and over. If new things happen I am sure to tell you. Lots of tracting and a lot of miracles! New York is so much fun! The work is hard, but so much fun as well! Sorry my letters are lame... I'll try better! Haha, love you all!

And please, when you put my letter on the blog, please give a shout out thanks to everyone who has sent me stuff! I'm going to try and find time to write hand written letters. Just make sure they know I am so grateful!

Love, Elder brown

Questions:

#1  With all the rain that gets on your clothes and such have you found a place to get your suits dry cleaned around there?  Yeah, there is one right next to our place

#2  Is that the inside of the coat we sent to you that we see you wearing in your pictures?  Do you wear the whole coat much?  Yeah... When it is really cold I wear it

#3  Fun to hear you got other Valentines!!  Did you like all of the little notes we sent you from your fans?

That was seriously awesome. That's the best gift one could get! Thanks to everyone for that!

More silly pics

Apparently this is culture night or something

Another picture form the President's wife's blog

Bronx says "Waz Up?!"

Mis queridos amigos y familia! Les quiero muchísimo! (My dear friends and family, I love you so much!)

Everything is going great up here in New York. I'm going to be honest... Never have I been more tired in my life. It's true what everyone says that you always seem tired on your mission, and wow, can I attest to that. But again, never have I been so happy or so blessed. Tender mercies are daily.

Soooo, just to give y'all an update... Guess what's happening this Saturday? RIGOBERTO is getting baptized!!! Haha, I am so excited for him! After a long time he has finally made the decision and will be baptized in the Lord’s church. He is so sweet and so ready! I am beyond grateful that I will have the opportunity to be able to see him enter those waters and change his life before I leave. Gosh, I wish I could explain how happy I am about that and just the way I feel! He has become like a second grandpa to me. Man, I love that guy. We have been praying for him in every single prayer and it's awesome to see those prayers get answered!

There were so many just kind of weird funny things that happened this week! Haha, so we do service for this place called the Freedom Home. It's like a huge house where a bunch of activities go on. But anyways, they asked the zone if we could help do service one night and serve food for like a banquet they were having and so we got it approved and it ended up being this huge "gospel fest" type of thing where a bunch of pastor type of people got up and sang and preached. Haha, man was that an experience! I'm super grateful for the restored gospel on the earth today! Haha!

There was a ton of rain here the past week! The other day me and Elder Frei were out on the street and it started raining so hard that was as if we were just swimming in a pool. I have never seen that much rain before in my life! I will attach a picture after we got inside, but it does not do even close to justice to how wet we were. Fun times!!

After the night in the rain!

Wet, but not dampened in Spirit!

I think my time in the Concourse is running low. It's kind of sad to think I might only have 2 more weeks here in this ward. We never know though... I might do five transfers here. How cool would that be? I've grown immensely as a person as I have been here. My Spanish has increased times 1 million, who I am has changed a bunch, the way I look at people and my outlook on missionary work has also been changed. I'm so grateful that I started my mission here in this area! I love it soooo much! We have a lot of people that are doing really well and progressing. It's been tough finding people recently, but we have a huge teaching pool with some awesome people. We've gotten SUPER close with all the investigators. I will probs cry when I leave.

It's been an awesome week for us here in the Bronx! I love you all with all my heart! Oh, and thanks to everyone who sent me a package or a letter for Valentine's Day! You guys are amazing! I wish I could write thank you cards to everyone, but time just does not permit! I am so grateful for wonderful people in my life. Have the best week ever!

Con mucho amour,
Elder brown

Elder Brown and Elder Frei at Zone Conference (These first 4 photos are from Pres. Smith's wife's blog. They were all taken at zone conference last week)

The zone.

Elders being silly with one of the locals

The Mission

Dear family!!

How goes it everybody?? Hope this past week has been really good for all of you! Love you guys so much! That is so devastating to hear about sister wells. My heart literally hurt so bad when I heard that. I can't even imagine what the Wells family is going through. Make sure they know that my prayers are with them. Although I only met her a few times, she was always really kind to me and I appreciate that a lot. Gosh, that is so sad.... How great is the knowledge of God’s plan?!

It has been pretty crazy and up-beat over here! Lots and lots of walking and talking! Nothing gets better than that!! It's actually been a pretty crazy week! So, I will just get down to the nitty gritty. So the Christmas initiative that the Church made was pretty huge here in the mission, and in our zone alone, which consist of three wards, we had over 200 referrals. Well, it was actually only the English ward, so they gave all the companionships a hand full of referrals. We spent all Saturday just contacting all of them! It was a super cool and fun experience! All of the ones me and Elder Frei received were waayyy out of our area and so there was a long travel time! A lot of walking and a lot of train rides, but it was such a good opportunity to meet new people and do some good street and subway contacting! We actually met a super cool lady and set a baptismal date with her. I love it when you just return back to the apartment so tired you can't even move! Knowing that you gave it 100 percent! Missions for life! :)

I was reading a talk given to missionaries and something really stuck out to me and I thought I should share it with all of you. The man said “Eventually we must do more than tell the stories of the Book of
Mormon; we must live them." Wow this just struck my heart! I love the Book of Mormon with my whole heart and I don't think I gained a full appreciation for it until I got out on my mission, but man it's changed who I am. But at times, at least for me, and I'm sure for some of you guys too, we get caught up in reading our chapter for the night and then we are done. We can talk, talk and talk about the Book of Mormon and its principles, but until we actually apply what it teaches then we will never see the full effect it can ultimately have on us. And it's hard... That is for sure! But sacrifices open the blessings of heaven!!

So, a member of our ward passed away this last week. Really nice guy! It was pretty sad. The funeral is today and we have been setting up, so, I really don't have too much time to write... I feel like I say that
every week! Hahaha, sorry about that! Just know I love you all soooo much! You guys are always in my prayers!

Love, Elder Brown

The only explanation he gave on today's pictures was "little Elder Brown is getting baptized soon!"

And this one he called the "Glasses of life"

Siempre hay milagros‏!! (There are always miracles!!)

Hey family!

Wow, what a great week this was! So many miracles and awesome things that happened! It's so awesome to see the tender mercies of the Lord everyday here in the Bronx. In an area full of grossness, he still works his magic! Loving it baby!

So wow, there are so many things I want to tell that I just can't think what to say first!! Hahaha, so guess what?? I am actually teaching a piano class here in our ward... A PIANO CLASS!! You have to understand - I don't play the piano!! Haha, but Elder Hinckley taught me a little and the Spirit is helping me incredibly! It is actually turning out pretty well! Who would have ever guessed that little Elder Brown, most musically untalented person ever, teaching a piano class…! It’s true ladies and gentlemen... Pray for me! Haha!

A MIRACLE happened this week! Coolest thing ever! So, one day we were looking through super old people in our area book, people who had been dropped in the past. I saw this lady named Carmen. The last time she was taught was 1374 days ago. Quite a long time ago I would say! Well, we felt like we should call her. We did and set up an appointment with her. We were pretty excited about that, but nothing too big, because a lot of people like to bail on the lessons, so we thought maybe that would happen. Still, we had faith it would work out. I'm sure you guys can guess how the miracle ends, but we had an amazing lesson. She actually had lost a couple of children and was going through a rough time. She needed, and continually needs, the message of a living Savior like every single one of us needs every day. And now this lady will be baptized in March! Man the gospel changes lives!

A lot of our people are going through hard times. A couple lost some loved ones, we have a less active in the hospital due to depression, the loss of jobs and so on... And it's been hard for them to do stuff such as come to church, find time to read or even to pray, but what a blessing it is for me and for all the priesthood holders there are to place our hands on the heads of the wounded or struggling and through the power of God and what the Spirit directs to promise them blessings. The priesthood is real. It's been restored through a prophet. I know it! Man, do I know it!

Zone conference was yesterday, and as always, it was awesome to get instruction and words from President and from other missionaries. We continually learn how to become more effective with the members of the ward. Please be member missionaries. I know it's probably hard in good ole Utah and loads different than it is out here in the Bronx, but the best thing you can ever do is be an example of a servant of Christ. Share brief testimony of things you know. Stick out. I love my mission and I love you all! Thank you for all you do for me! I am eternally grateful! Have a joy-filled week! And remember to laugh!

Much love Elder Brown