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