Sunday, October 3, 2010

we're not in kansas anymore 15 September 2010

Hello my loverly family!
Well, as always i was very excited to hear from you all and hear that everything is going normal and well. Spencer it was great to hear from you, and i hope that everything is going well with your wedding plans. Crazy how time flies. Tell Jill i say hello and I want you to send me a pic of you engagements over email sometime if you can.
I have to apologize. I am like the worst sister and daughter ever. I totally thought about your birthdays and knew they were coming up, and was very excited for you and everything, but i just totally forget to say happy birthday in my email. So sorry...but late Happy birthday dad, rhen, and grandpa!!! I love you all!

And, i totally want to cry right now, i saw that picture of the family and those GORGEOUS pictures of angela, and everyone is growing up so fast!!! Wait wait, wait for me! But seriously, ange, DANG GIRL!!! those pictures are beautiful. Good job kate! and angela you are just growin up like a bean stalk. Try not to steal all the boys ok, leave some for me! But seriously, it is amazing what 7 months can do and how weird it is to see everyone changing. I'm still the same, so yall don't have to worry.
So this week we have just been up to the usual! We had zone conference again on monday with president and his wife, and also with President Lawrence and his wife, a new member of the 70 over this area. They gave some really great talks and some really great advice. It was fun to hear from them. He was a mission president in Novosobirsk Russia a few years back. Sister Lawrence talked all about the tribes of israel, and it was awesome! because I had been thinking about that about a week ago and realized that I really didn't understand much, and I talked to Elder Lowry a little about it, but then Monday Sis. Lawrence talked a ton about it and answered all my questions! so it was pretty sweet and very interesting. I realized that even before I was born I covenanted to share the gospel...So that is pretty cool that that is what I am doing now. Everyone morning me and Sis. Gorkanveko head out the door and when we contact we think..."ok, lets find the house of Israel!!" Another couple in the branch here had a wedding on sat., and then went to the temple to be sealed. So that was pretty awesome. It is always wonderful to hear about the ward members going to the temple and making covenants there. Me and sis. Gorkavenko also had some training with the ap's and zone leaders this week, so I learned a lot of things that I can improve. So im trying to set some good goals and striving to have the will to accomplish them.

This week I have received about 5 comments that I look like a pure russian girl...and about 10 more that I speak horrible russian!! It's funny, people just don't hold back on anything they say. Whatever they think, it always comes out. It is definitely different, and an adjustment i will have to make so that i don't get offended every time someone says something somewhat blunt to me. This week i did get kinda down on myself about the language. It is tough, because if i were to compare myself to others and how they speak the language, (which i would never do by the way! hehe) I would find myself somewhat falling behind on the scales. And at times i feel like people treat me like a child and don't listen or pay attention to what I say or my testimony, because im just a 21 year old girl whose from america and has had it all good and doesn't know how to speak. BUT...i know that's not always true (or at least i hope, ha). So, when i get down on myself and frustrated, I just try to think my best about how the Lord thinks of me. I try to do all that I can, and then just pray that that is enough. It doesn't matter if i get praises from the world or not (even though often times we want to world to recognize and praise us for the hard things we have done and our doing...well i don't know about you but at least i feel like that sometimes. Like when i see someone getting praised like "oh look what see did!", "look at how amazing they are!" "aren't they just the best!"...I think wait wait, what about me?!) But i know that doesn't matter one bit. I was reading the other day in 2 Nephi chapter 4. And i always love the verse where Nephi talks about how he will not put his trust in the arm of flesh. And for some reason I just thought about how the arm of flesh and the thoughts of man and the world don't matter. Whether or not we trust in God is what matters. We don't do things to please the world. When we have done all that we can, we know that Heavenly Father is proud of us. And that should be enough. So, when i ever get down on myself, I just do my best to work harder, and remember that the Lord is always on my side.
Family and friends, I love you. Keep up the good work. You are in my prayers. Have a wonderful week and keep doing what's right!! All my love and hugs and kisses! Until next week!
Sister Brown

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