Week 28

Hello Everyone!

Welp things here in Birdlington are BUSY which is so great! :) Sister Hall is here and she is so wonderful!! She is 21 from CANADA and has the prettiest smile! She's quiet ha and reserved (ha so I guess there is a reason she's with me because i have NEVER been either of those things) but the spirit is SO strong with her! She is going to be an EPIC missionary!!

From what I've been told the best thing trainers can do for new missionaries is just get them to do everything as soon as possible ha which makes sense in a way. I mean how are we going to learn unless we actually ACT. (James 2:17-26) You said it perfectly right though, yes i may be training her but in a way she's training ME!! I'm learning so much about myself and about how I need to be better for her! I can already tell we're going to get along great!! She is SUCH a sweetheart, hardworking, so caring, and willing to learn. Like I said, she's going to be amazing!!

This week has been....drama filled. Someday (March 2013 probably ;) ) remind me to tell you all about what went down this week. Keyword: Nanci's Fiance....enough said.

This week I learned so much about how God gives us whatever we need he'll never lead us into the dark without a flashlight. Sometimes we do have to take a walk in the dark (Faith) but his light will always guide us where we need to go...the tricky part is choosing to follow the light or let our pride get the best of us and say, "I don't need help, I can find my way on my own." Time and time again I come to realize that Jesus Christ really is my Saviour. None of us can "save" ourselves. We need help haha and for me I need a lot of it ;) But that is when our testimony is strengthened if we let him help us. Those are the moments where the miracles happen.

I know that God lives, that Jesus Christ is my Saviour, my friend, my Redeemer. Through him I can be with my WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, AND SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHTTTEEEOOUUUUSSSS (with voice from the turtles from Finding Nemo) family. I love you all so so so much! I'm so grateful for each of you! Thank you for all you do! I love you all to the moon and back! Til next week Cheers!

Love, Sister Brown

Week 27

I am staying in Brid....

Sister Stout is leaving me for Don Valley in the Sheffield Zone! She'll be with my first comp/trainer Sister Freeman! And Sister Stout will be speaking Slovakian! So excited for her she's going to be amazing!!!

 

And I...am....TRAINING!!!!!!! AAAAAHHHH!!! :O!!!

I am training a little GREENY!!! Her name is Sister Hall...and that is all i know about her!!

She'll be coming to Bridlington tomorrow!!! So I'm pretty much guaranteed to be here until the end of June. (2 transfers)

 

I'm still kinda in shock ha. I still feel like a greeny myself. They usually dont have people that have been out 6 months train, but i guess when the Lord wants ya to do something you do it!

I don't really know how to feel ha I'm nervous, scared, excited, nervous, so nervous!!

Joe and Ray: Ok you guys trained right?! Any advice? What can i do to help her learn and grow in the mission!?

 

I just remember my first day here in the field. Oh man I was nervous! I had no idea what to do or say or ANYTHING! That's how Sister Hall is gonna be! Any advice family? Friends? Anyone!?

 

Thank you Mal for putting my name in the temple! That was inspired, I'm gonna need all the prayers I can! I know I'm gonna grow SO much from this experience training her though. I prayed a LOT last night about what I need to do, What God wants me to do for her and I just felt this, "Be an example".

 

I just felt like, "Yep they call trainers "Mum's and Dads" for a reason. She is literally going to do what you do, say what you say, be the type of missionary you are...be an example...she's watcing."

This trainer thing is going to be a lof of responsibility but it gives me an oppertunity to be an example. Isn't that what is about in the wondeful gospel we live it though? Being an example :) We are truly a "peculiar people" but we get a chance to be happy, be an example, be believing, and letting our light so shine!

 

I think sometimes we get so consumed with, "What the world expects me to be/ What the world wants me to be" but we forget that God says, "I just want you to be WHO YOU ARE...be my child, a child of God." We have a divine light within us, we all do!! All he asks is that we let it shine in the darkening world we live in. A lot of the time it's easier said than done, but we gotta do it!! Cause who else will?

 

These next 12 weeks are going to be a huge learning and growing experience for me and hopefully Sister Hall as well ;)

 

I love you all so so so much!!! Keep keepin on ok?! We gotta be a forever family, so do what you gotta do so we can all be there!!

Love you to the moon and back! Cheers til next week!

Love, Sister Brown

 

Week 26

Howdy y'all!

First of all...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD

SOMEONE HERE IS PRETTY OLD

SOUND OFF

HAPPY!

SOUND OFF

BIRTHDAY!

SOUND OFF HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DADDY!!!!

Yay I'm glad you got the card!! Did you wear the pin?!? You better wear it to work!!! ;) I hope you have such a great day Daddy and know I love you so much!! I've been thinkin about ya allll day!

 

This weekend was absolutely magical! Nanci's baptism was wonderful! She was SO nervous about the water!!! She just about didn't get in, but seconds before she went into the font I just looked at her and said "Lets say a prayer" So me, her, and Sister Stout got in a circle and just put our arms around each other and said a prayer. The spirit was just so strong!!! She got in the water and it went perfect!

But this is not the miracle. So our precious Nanci before we met her used to self harm by cutting her arms up pretty bad. So when she was wearing the baptism jumpsuit you could see her arms and her scars (she was pretty embarresed about the fact that her arms were showing). The next day we went and saw her and she said, "You wanna know something weird?" Ha we said, "Sure, what's up?" She then explained and SHOWED us....that her scars were gone...yes you heard me...gone! And of course my mouth just DROPPED. I couldn't beleive it so she showed us and sure enough her scars were (for the majority) were GONE! I tell you everyone the gospel is TRUE! This girl has been through so much in her short 17 years and she said it perfectly when she said, "It's like God and Christ are truly giving me a second chance at life...he's taken away my pain and the evicence of my pain. I get a new start."

It's so true. This gospel, the things were know are true give us a second chance. Each week we renew our baptismal covenants and we're given a second chance at a brand new week. What an amazing gift that is. That we're given a clean slate. We can repent and try to better ourselves EACH WEEK!

I am SOOO grateful i get to be a missionary! (Mac-o you'll get to have experiences like this! It's da best!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I'm so grateful for Nanci and the example that she has shown me :)

 

Shout outs!

Gma Taylor: Oh my goodness THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGE!!! That was SO sweet and clever!! I sure love you lots!!

Gma Brown: I got your letter!!! I didn't have a whole lot of time today to write since it was Zone PDay today but I'll get one in the mail for ya ASAP

 

PS's....so...if your going to send me letters or packages send them to the Mission Home. Don't send them to the address of my flat here in Brid....we're pretty sure our neighbors are stealing our mail....

PSS Next week is transfer week so I'll be emailing on Tuesday. Ha who knows what will happen? Not this girl ;)

 

I love you all so so so much! To the moon and back! Thank you for your love and support always! Cheers til Tuesday!

Love, Sister Brown

Week 25

Hello Family!

Yes I am back home...in DURHAM!!  OH how i love this place and the people here! I'm with Jade Nixon and the Robson now :) :D!!! I just love them so much. 

Malory...Jetettes is over....the play is over....YOUR GRADUATING!!! MAC IS GRADUATING!!!!! Time is just flying! Can you believe I've been out for 6 months??

Well things in Brid are so much better....you wanna know why??

NANCI PASSED HER INTERVIEW!!! SHE'S GETTING BAPTIZED ON FRIDAY!!! And she is doing SOOO much better!! We really encouraged her to pray and to ask our Heavenly Father all the questions she has, all the anger, fear, sorrow, and pain..to just give it to him and that made ALL the difference. She is SOOO much better and she's so excited for her baptism! We're so excited!!! :D!

I'm sorry this email is gonna be short but just know that I love you all so much!! We're workin so hard here and doing are very best to be the best missionaries we can be!

Happy Birthday this week Daddy! I love you so so much! Did you get my card??? :S I hope so!! I hope i put enough stamps on there!

I love you all so much!!

Til next week! Cheers!

Love, Sister Brown

Week 24

Hello my wonderful family!!

So...I think this week was the longest week of my mission life ha. This whole Nanci thing has been pretty hard, but we're doing our very best to help her through it. The funeral was today (which we can't go to....so sad about that) and so we're hoping that things will go ok after that.

I just wish there was more i could do sometimes.

Attention! Attention! I would like to pull a classic missionary thing and challenge my family to do something...

Everyone....you need to read "Believing Christ".

This book has changed my life and outlook on the Atonement and how it works. I'm not going to lie...this Nanci thing really shook me up, I've been having a hard time BUT this book helped me SOOOO much! Sister Stout used her power of inspiration/revelation and told me to read it. This book is AWESOME! Read it...love it...do it :)

This week was a hard week, but you know what...I'm grateful for it. Doing things like going on a mission, trials, adversity, stress, these thing refine us-it truly shows what our true character is...and I'm given this opportunity to see what I'm really made of, and if i don't like what I see I'm given an opportunity to change. That is what this whole life is about is learning. Learning who we are and how we can be the person God intends us to be. I truly am so grateful for it. The refiners fire is a very hot and uncomfortable place, but i know that on the other side I'm going to be who God needs me to be :) Oh man..I can't wait to be that person!

I'm coming to know who Taylor Jean Brown really is and what I'm really made of. Some of it is good :) Qualities and gifts that i have that i want to keep and make stronger. But with the good comes the things that are not so good haha! When i started my mission I was so worried about coming home a different person, so worried that i would lose who i was. But now I see things SO differently! I want to be better, I want to be a better me :) I want to be a better daughter, sister, missionary, daughter of God. And through my Savior I know its possible, through my Savior I know that he can make more out of me than i ever could. And what a gift that is!

I'm so grateful for my mission. I'm so grateful for each and everyone of you! I love you all so much! Thank you for your love and support! Thank you for your prayers, i feel them everyday!

I know this church is true. I know it with everything i have! I know it's true because I'm happy :) That is what this gospel does, it makes us happy when we're living it to the fullest. That no matter what comes, we can get through our trials with a smile.

Thank you to all the examples in my life. All the people who faced adversity with grace and chins held high! These people include and are not limited to: My sweet mother, Janece Gardner and family, Christine Gardner and family, The Allen's, Drake, Burrows, Saxton families and all other people that i just can't think of. Thank you for your examples, your strength and your faith. It is effecting me here and England and your example are helping the people I'm teaching here. Thank you with all my heart!!!!!!!

 

Cheers til next week and love from the moon and back :)

 

Love, Sister Brown