Learning Patience

Alright, so this week was a little better! Just having that mindset of focusing on the positives help! It is hard in Bynum Run because everyone is super busy a lot, and everyone is in a rush. I want to shout out to Brev, going to Gilbert AZ. and Corey for leaving in 2 days to Mexico!!! Soooo sick!! 

Monday- We went to the church after we emailed and balled with Elder Stone, Cooms and Kershaw. That night my parents sent me a pizza to the apartment! That was the coolest thing ever!! And helped me a ton!!

Tuesday- Woke up, played basketball in the morning at the park across from our apartment. We had district meeting and the zone leaders taught it about "the fourth missionary" talk. Which is super good, by Lawrence E Corbridge. You can apply it to life and it is way good but pretty long. That was a sick district meeting.

Wednesday- A hard day, nothing was going on. We are trying to knock doors and stuff, visit potentials and former investigators. The hard thing is no one is home. This week and especially this week I have been learning patience. Patience in everything I do and think. In Westminster everything was go, go, go and teach, teach, teach every day. Here it is so much harder. I want to do the same thing but we can't, everyone is gone during the day. We are trying to find service opportunities and stuff but man it is hard for me to adjust, sometimes I feel bad because I need to be constantly walking somewhere or doing something but the reality here is that we need to set up appointments with members and inactives to find people through them. And for me that is a hard adjustment because in Westminster it was not like that. But I will adjust. Also being more patience with Elder Kershaw is hard too. But for sure working on that and getting better.

Thursday- We did some service for Lasos who helps Latinos learn english and stuff. We just work around their place doing stuff. We had weekly planning and went out again. Picked up some people that we were going to go teach on Friday.

Friday- hard day, those two people both fell through. Just a crappy day honestly.

Saturday- Worked at Lasos, kind of the same as Friday, but trying to stay positive hahaha hard times sometimes but I know it is all for my benefit. 

Sunday- had ward council, church then we had dinner. After we walked around and visited some people. Then went to bed.

Honestly, I am trying to work my hardest. And it is hard to learn patience. Just kind of a hard time these days but there are some fun times too!! So just staying on the positive side is essential. Hope you all will have a sick week this week!!! Love, Elder Brown

Bynum Run study area

Pizza Delivery

Studying with Elder Kershaw 

Starting over again!

Hey Fam!! Dang crazy week, pretty hard. Second time getting doubled in. Bynum run is a hard area, there’s nothing going on right now. Super different than Westminster where we were teaching people all the time. We got to Bynum Run and the apartment was complete trash! Some other elders were going home and so it was bad. The area book is tiny and nothing has happened for a long time. Our whole district was doubled in. It is a pretty rich area, so it seems like lots of busy, busy people working all the time. The ward is alright, everyone loves computers and not very social at all. The Youngs are a way sick family. I love them but the ward is pretty big and most of them love computers and are really smart and not social. Elder Kershaw is my comp, he is alright. We are pretty different I'd say. He talks quite a bit. Umm we do play phase 10 at night and I love that game so that is good. I get to drive a brand new 2017 Corolla because Elder Kershaw gets seizures a lot so he can't drive or ride bikes. We have to share a car every other week with the Winters Run elders. Elder Kershaw is actually from Kaysville too! He is 2 grades older than me but has been out for only 6 months. We are trying to get along and I think I really, really need to work on patience this transfer. The next transfer is 5 weeks and the next one is 7 weeks. Man we shall see. This last week was like starting over again so it was kind of like week 1 all over again. I am trying to stay super busy and work super hard so I don't think of home. It is kind of a hard time right now but I know it will get better and we will start having success as long as we are being as diligent and hard working as we can. Friday was a way cool day. We went to intercity Baltimore to build a park with Kaboom. It was way sick and it was fun working with other elders from the mission. Lots of black people in Baltimore and it is HUGE. Wayyyy sick for sure!! Trying to take advantage of my time here and working hard!! Love you guys and hope you all are doing good!!!

Last district meeting in Westminster!!

Out visiting with James (new member).

Last night in Westminster!!

With new companion Elder Kershaw

Transfer and Salsa

I am getting transferred!! Definitely did not see that coming, so pretty crazy! But bigger news, BYU sucks! haha No I am messin but holy cow there must be some need for more missionaries in Provo....like we need to repent or something! haha This week was solid, we got our car back and so we didn't have to walk so much which was nice. I always forget what happened the last week, and that one email where I wrote what I did every day, I wrote it from my journal so I’ll bring that next week.  I will have a better email next week sorry. We taught a lot of people and met a lot of new people. Funniest story this week was when we were eating outside at the Millers home (they are a way sick family) and Elder Smith had a bunch of salsa on his plate hahahahhahah like a ton. And we are all sitting around the table. So a hornet lands in his salsa....hahhaha man I am laughing right now typing it... so he tries to smash it with his fist and that salsa goes everywhere!! hahah The funniest part was when I looked up at the faces of the Millers, all of them were just starring at Elder Smith with this look of "did you really just do that?" and salsa was all over them hahahhahahahah!!!! Oh man that was the funniest thing ever. I could not stop laughing hahah!!! So that was a good time for sure. Definitely pumped to see how Bynum Run (Bel Air) is. It is in a Baltimore Stake so I am getting closer to the inner city!!!! hahahah Elder Kershaw is my new comp, I heard he has been out for like 4 months only so this is going to be fun!! I love all of you guys and I am doing good!! I will really, really, really miss Westminster though. So many good times and I love so many people here!! Have a solid week!!

Peace, Elder Brown

Fun P-Day

A solid week. We couldn’t email yesterday because of Labor Day. I finally had some real fun last pday! We played basketball, went to Wendy’s, and chilled with some other fun missionaries. I felt like I was home. We are still just teaching a lot of people, meeting everyone we can, and teaching everyone we can. I’m trying to do my best to learn everything, it is hard because I just want to know everything now. We had a baptism on Saturday, James. He is a way sick kid and it was way cool to see him get baptized. I went on exchanges with the district leader, Elder Wilson. He is way sick and we had a good time. Elder Smith and I are getting along for the most part. Nothing really to say honestly. Labor Day was good but we couldn't really have a regular pday because we had a ward party at noon in Taneytown. We still don't have our car yet which sucks! Mike is one of our investigators, kind of. He is moving tomorrow. I am way bummed that he is moving but he is way sick. Transfers are next week but I am getting trained so I will probably be with Elder Smith and in Westminster for another transfer. Hope everyone is doing good and loving life. Good to be a missionary. Sorry this one is short, we don't have a lot of time today. Love you all. 

Elder Brown

Having fun on pday

After the baptism - James is in the red shirt

The Good and the Bad

Hey Fam!!! This week was solid! I had a lot of ups and downs for sure! I learned a ton this week for sure so I loved this week. We still don't have our car so we are riding bikes and walking around downtown a ton. 

Tuesday was super hot and SUCKED!!! haha Everyone was yelling at us and swearing at us and just being rude. Things just weren't going right the whole day. One after another just over and over, so that day was really rough. But at like 8:30 we talked to this lady and she was way cool and we set up an appointment. But that was like the only good thing the whole day. hahah 

Wednesday was pretty much the same, we visited some people. There was a ton of mean people that day also so that sucked, but not as bad. So those two days were so long and really hard. 

Thursday was sick, we had our interviews with President Christiansen. He is a way cool guy, an attorney from Provo. He will be released next year though so that does stink. Thursday was fun and we were pretty busy.

Friday was trainer and trainee meeting and I learned a lot and it was solid.  I’m starting to understand the faster I just fully get in the work, the faster I will learn, the faster I will understand and the faster it will go. So I am really trying to learn as much as I can and just think about the mission. So that was a good day for sure. 

Saturday, oh man this was the sickest day I have had so far in the mission. I learned soooo much it is crazy! The travel assistants came for the whole day. I was with Elder Wilson, he is from West Jordan and he extended his mission so he is almost done. But man I had so much fun with him and I learned more that day then I have this whole time haha! It was so great.

Sunday we had ward council and church, it was good. Then had our studies. Then we went to the Cooks to eat dinner. They are the coolest family. Their son plays lax at SVU and is going on a mission to Ogden next week. Then at night we went to visit my favorite person on the mission. His name is Michael. He believes in the most crazy stuff ever!!  It is soooo funny!!! And plus there was football on in the back ground so that was sick to hear Al Michaels voice. 

Today, we woke up, I read some talks, did laundry, jogged to the bank to get quarters, cleaned and now we are here. Elder Merkley and Kulkarni are coming to hang with us in a little bit. First pday with someone else so it should be sick! Maybe go bowling or play ball. 

Overall my companion and I are getting along alright, he is very different from me. Not a people person at all. He likes his space, he actually told me to stop rapping hahah that's when I know I'm still representing baby. We have a baptism this Saturday at 6 pm! So that is pretty cool. James is getting baptized, he is a way sick kid, we have been teaching him and stuff so that will be really cool! BYU beat Portland St huh??? haha That is what I am talking about! I miss college football soo much but I am out here doing the work so it is better! Well good luck in school everyone, I love you all and I am doing good!!

Peace, Elder Brown

 

With Elder Wilson on splits

There are a lot of cemeteries in Westminster

A Lord of the Rings sword at an investigators house

Getting a package from home

With Michael

First Bible Bash

August 21, 2017

HELLO. A very solid week for sure. I just keep getting use to everything and it is good. We still don't have a car so that sucks and we won't have it till next Monday. We have been doing a lot of service: moving, Food Sunday (a food place that gives food to the homeless, and barn work. So that is chill. But we have also been really busy with teaching and finding. I had my first "bible bash" on Wednesday or something. AHH I wrecked him. hahah Just kidding but it was way sick for sure. My comp was telling me to leave at the start but then I yelled at him and said NO!! And so he let me just talk to this guy for like 15 minutes. He was saying that we were adding to the bible and that that was of the devil   It was so sick though. We were on bikes and he stopped us in his car yelling, "you guys are of the devil" and all this crap, so I put him in his place. Honestly it was one of the sickest moments so far. It ended by him pretty much converting. hahaha No I’m messin but I think he respects us now. So that was pretty much my week. We have a lot of people to teach, like James, Blanch, and some others. I love talking with them. James is a 17 year old and he is sick. Blanch is like 77 and she is very poor, but the nicest lady ever. So yeah, you know I am just chillin here in Westminster, doing the Lords work! I miss all of you and love you, hope you are doing good and having fun in Utah or wherever!!!

Much love, 

Elder Big Mac Brown

All wet from biking in the rain

Hanging out at the apartment

A Funny Investigator

WELL!!  I don't really know what to say. I am doing a lot better, staying very busy and having some fun!! So it is great. This past week went by way fast and it seems like I just emailed you yesterday. We have been doing a lot of service and talking to everyone. So that is good. We are teaching a couple of people and have a couple of investigators so that is good. We helped a member move, we painted someone’s barn, we moved some hay, and taught a lot of people this past week. Umm things are going good here. Not much to say I just hope everyone there is doing good and having fun in Utah. I have a quick story to tell, yesterday at church we had an investigator come to church and his name is Johnny Rocket, he had a stroke so there is a little thing wrong with him but he is a good guy and way cool and fun to talk with. But anyway, we were sitting towards the back and Brother Mercer who was conducting said, "morning" and Johnny yelled "morning" back. hahahahahaha That was hilarious and it took everything not to bust up laughing. haha Then during one of the talks he yelled, "AMEN". hahahahah Wow that was soooo funny. Maybe that is how our church should be. Good times here in Maryland, thanks for all the emails and prayers!!! Love you all!!

-Elder B

At his apartment