Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hello!!

It was great to hear from you all and hear how the week is going and everything. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!! isn't it crazy that this season is already here again? time does fly. But today we have been given an assignment to have a thanksgiving dinner with our investigators and all the missionaries. So we (me and my companion) will head on over to the store after we are done writing and then head back to the apartment and do some cooking. We will probably spend the whole day cooking. We are making mashed potatoes and bread. I also wanted to make some apples pies, so that should be fun i think. yea i heard that it is very cold there. It is not super cold here yet, i heard it doesn't get super cold like russia. But, today we went and I bought my set of winter boots. I swear they only make the cute boots for all the women with tiny skinny legs....oh well.

But anyways, this week has been a good one. We are still teaching our investigators. We are working really hard right now at keeping our goals in sight, and working towards those. My companion goes home in a transfer.....it is very weird. They already have Christmas lights up everywhere here. And I saw Santa Claus this morning! Pretty fun. I have to be honest, it is quite strange spending this time of year so far away from home. My first Christmas ever without the family.....weird. But thats ok, because the missionaries and investigators and church members here have been like family to us all. I have been a little sad lately thinking about the fact that all the missionaries will be in moscow for Christmas....and my friends and companions without me :( But Im sure Ill get over it. I just looked forward to seeing everyone in moscow for christmas, and then i got transferred to kazakhstan just right before the holidays. But I like kazakhstan. It is a great place.

Oh I forgot to tell you that the other day we had a great lesson with one of our new converts. And the awesome thing was, that during the lesson her sister that has not been very supportive of her came over with her son. We were so excited that she was with us on the last part of the lesson. And I feel that she really felt the spirit. We invited her to come to church with her sister, and she said that she really wants to, and has wanted to for a little while now. So, I was very excited, and I pray that she does come on Sunday.

This week I have been thinking a lot about all that I am grateful for. And there is just so much stuff I cannot even write it all down. But I really thought about how grateful I am this season for our differences. We are all different, and this is GOOD!! I cannot tell you how many things I have learned on my mission, all from people that are very different for me. Other people all have different good qualities than us, and we have different ones than them. And then we all help each other grow better and better together. And I just thought a lot about how we need not judge. We were all created differently, but we are all children of God. And God loves us all the same. I read a talk by elder wirthlin from conference the other day that I just loved. I want to type here some of the quotes that I wrote down. It is called Concern for the One, and he talks about how we need to bring lost ones into the fold.

He says....

"Today I would like to talk about those who are lost—some because they are different, some because they are weary, and some because they have strayed.Some are lost because they are different. They feel as though they don’t belong. Perhaps because they are different, they find themselves slipping away from the flock. They may look, act, think, and speak differently than those around them and that sometimes causes them to assume they don’t fit in. They conclude that they are not needed.Tied to this misconception is the erroneous belief that all members of the Church should look, talk, and be alike. The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father’s children are different in some degree, yet each has his own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole.Some are lost because they have strayed. Except for the Lord, we have all made mistakes. The question is not whether we will trip and fall but, rather, how will we respond? Some, after making mistakes, stray from the fold. This is unfortunate. Do you not know that the Church is a place for imperfect people to gather together—even with all their mortal frailties—and become better? Every Sunday in every meetinghouse throughout the world, we find mortal, imperfect men, women, and children who meet together in brotherhood and charity, striving to become better people, to learn of the Spirit, and to lend encouragement and support to others. I am not aware of any sign on the door of our meetinghouses that reads “Restricted Entrance—Perfect People Only.”Because of our imperfections, we need the Lord’s Church. It is there that His redemptive doctrines are taught and His saving ordinances are administered. The Church encourages and motivates us to be a better and happier people. It is also a place where we can lose ourselves in the service of others.The Lord knows we will make mistakes. That is why He suffered for our sins. He wants us to get back on our feet and strive to do better. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.To you who have strayed because you have been offended, can you not set your hurt and anger aside? Can you not fill your hearts with love? There is a place for you here. Come, join the fold, consecrate your abilities, talents, and skills. You will be better for it, and others will be blessed by your example."

I really enjoyed this article, and it really got me thinking. I know that as we look at everyone as children of God, and accept their differences, that we will all be a happier people. I know that our families will be stronger. Even in our families, we are all different. And you know, that's ok. That's just the way it is supposed to be. We would not learn and grow in love in our families if we were all exactly the same. And that would just be plain boring. So, there is my thought for the week.

I love you all!!! Have a wonderful thanksgiving day. You will probably get this thanksgiving morning. So yea! my little thanksgiving email present to you! I love you all and am very thankful this holiday season for your love, support, examples, optimism, good attitudes, cheerfulness, and kindness. Keep up the great work, and remember to count all your many many blessings!! All my love and until next week! it will be december!! WEIRD

с любовью,

Сестра Браун

привет!! 18 November 2010

Моя Семья!!!

Я так долго не писала вам по-русский так что я это сделю сечас.

Well, I have not written in russian in a very long time, so i thought i would write you a little sentence. Im not sure if i spelled everything right, but whatev, enjoy!

Well you will be surprised to know that I was not in moscow for a week, and that this past week I had some tugs on my heart, and one of my wildest dreams of my mission came true. Seriously!!!

So, i left thursday on the plane and headed to moscow. I am already getting sick of plane rides. you know how i just love them :) But anyways, i got into moscow thursday night and the office elders told me that while I waited for the embassy to process my visa application, I would be going to VORONEZH!!! I thought wait, what?! I was like is this a crude joke? and they were like no, President and his wife are going down there for the weekend to do a little conference and you will be going with them! My heart seriously jumped for joy. And then president told me the same thing, and so I knew it was true! I just couldn't believe it! It was awesome! And so friday I was in the office while they took my passport to the embassy and processed some things. And then one of the craziest things happened. It has always taken (at the least) a week for the embassy to process our visa's.....but then i was sitting in the office and just a few hours later the office elders walked in, with my visa for kazakhstan. We were all so surprised! And then i was happy, but then my heart was also a little broken because I would be flying back to almaty that night and would not be able to go to voronezh and see sister gorkavenko and the investigators. So i was very sad. But then.....they actually looked at the visa and the date did not start until monday. So.....I ended up going to Voronezh!! it was so awesome and amazing to see everyone there! It was quite short though, just a day, and went by so fast that now I feel like maybe it was all just a dream. But it was a wonderful experience to be there and to see everyone! I could not be more grateful. and then we went back to moscow, and I got on the plane monday morning, and got to almaty late Monday evening. So now I am here in my area, trying to get back into the groove of things. As much as I love voronezh and the people there, I know that this is where the Lord has called me to be. And that as I stay close to the spirit and search, I will know the work that He has here from me to do.

So you asked about thanksgiving, yes, we as missionaries have been given an assignment to do a whole thanksgiving dinner and we need to have investigators at the meeting. We are excited, i'll let you know how it all turns out. Tues. was a holiday break for the people here. I am not exactly sure what the holiday is called, but it is some kind of Islam religion holiday. And they did animal sacrifices. Interesting right? I didn't know that people still do that. I asked one of the people and she said that a 1/3 of the animal is given to the poor, and 1/3 to like close family or something i think, and then the last 1/3 is for you. It is very interesting to learn about the new culture and things here. Also, I learned this week how to make some korean food. They do a lot of korean food here. Who knew that I would one day be in kazakhstan, speaking russian, and making korean food!!! i didn't. But it's cool, real cool.

Ok, so missionary work here is still going. We have set some new goals, and we are all trying to reach those goals before the end of the year. It requires a lot of faith and hard work, but I think that we can do it. It is always exciting to set some new goals and put some more enthusiasm into the work. i want to tell you a great experience that we just had. Last week we fasted with one of our new converts. Her family was going through a rough time, and we wanted to fast with her. I didn't find this out until i got back from moscow, but the day that we fasted things worked out with her family, AND...her mother came to church with her on sunday. it was her first time to the sunday meetings there at the church. Isn't that awesome!!!! It was a huge smack right in the face to me saying, "you see, miracles still really do happen"! Sometimes I think that it is hard to see miracles in missionary work, but they are there, and if you have the eyes to see them, you can find them.

Well family, it was great to hear from you all as always. I love you all so very much and am praying for you. Keep up the great work! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and count you many blessings!!! All my love, and until next week!!

Sister Brown

good ol' football 11 November 2010

My dear Loves!!

oh man, those awesome pictures of the football game really make me miss home this time of year...but that's ok. And i love that picture of everyone together after the game. Awesome!!

i am glad everyone had a great week. That is sad to hear that terence got hurt. I pray for him and hope he heals fast. I always get very nervous for those boys playing football. They really tear their bodies up.

ok, so there were a lot of questions this week. I will try to answer those all first. yes, halloween was good, but no, halloween is not a holiday here. It is only brought over from american missionaries. And yes, i do have some opportunities to play the piano a lot. Actually the primary president here just asked me if I could play for primary, and she wants me to teach them a new song. Last sunday was my first time, and let me tell you it was very difficult to teach people to sing in a different language when they are all young and no one listens to you. I will need to study up on some music terms in russian and see what i can do :) The apartment here is a little smaller and older, but nice and cozy. I like it. And dad, yes, most of the baptisms in this mission do come from almaty. I am not exactly sure why. Maybe teaching english helps us just talk and teach to more people and so we have a bigger teaching pool here, or, i just think too that the people here are a little more open and maybe just a little more prepared for the gospel. And mom, no there is no daylight savings here. So i think you all are now 13 hours behind us, and the rest of the mission is now 3 hours behind us. And about the smoke stuff, im not sure what that means. Yea some times it is kinda foggy and maybe a little smoky, but i have not heard about fires. so i don't know. maybe it is fires, or yea maybe it is factories. And angela, yea, in voronezh they did not have mutual activities. Here I think they try to have them with the young women, but i don't know how often. They do have seminary though, but only once a week and in the evening, and only like 3 people come. it is definitely a whole new world. I also wanted to tell you all about the awesome "gypsie" cabs here. Taxis here are very very cheap, and all you need to do is put your arm out and a random car drives up. It is not even a job or anything. anyone can be a taxi, and it they want too and have time they can just pick you up and drop you off where you need. So its kinda funny. We ride with a lot of random people, and I just pray that they know how to drive somewhat safely!

So this week has been another good one. There was a baptism last saturday, and it went very well. I was very happy because the ward members were very welcoming and so nice and kind to her. We continue to teach a lot of english lessons, with a spiritual lesson also. We have one investigator that everything seems so very interesting to her. She asks so many many questions, and sometimes I have no idea what she is asking. So it is difficult to help answer her questions, and sometimes gets a little frustrating. But that is where my russian companion who understands everything comes in and helps out. I just really wish at times i knew how to speak more. During one of our lessons the other day about the plan of salvation she asked some pretty deep questions and i just stared at her and my companion talk because I barely understood what they were saying, let alone just thought and thought of how i could answer her, and what words i knew that i could say. I was a little disappointed after that i didn't talk more, but i know with time, little by little, it will get better. It will never be perfect, but day by day it will get better and better.

So i really love the members here and the investigators. they are great! And our district is very fun and the senior couple are amazing. she makes some really really awesome food for our district meetings. And just because they love us, sister moore got up early yesterday morning and made sis. chetina and I blueberry pancakes, eggs and ham, maple syrup, and maple butter, and then brought them over to our apartment. I thought WOW! We have the best couple missionaries in this mission. I cannot even tell you the blessings that senior couples bring to this mission. I want to do that when i am older!

So yea, things are going well here. I leave today on a plane for moscow, and there I will get my new visa for kazakhstan for 6 months. they said it takes about a week, so i will be in moscow and the city of tula with the sisters there for about the next week. Man, there is a ton of traveling in this mission. I never even imagined how much. But you gotta do what you gotta do, and if that is what we gotta do to preach the gospel here, that is what we will do! So if i don't have an opportunity to write or something while i am there or flying back next thursday don't worry. I'll try to see if i can get something sent through the senior couple or something if i don't have access to a computer.

Well i think that is again all for this week. As always, thank you for your support, love, and prayers. Know that I love you very much and am always praying for you. Keep up the good work! Have a great week! and until next week!

All my love,

Sister Brown

november!? 4 November 2010

Hello my beloved family!!

It was great to hear from you all and see those awesome pictures! everyones costumes were great! I love them, and the pumpkins were awesome too. You all have some real skill. Saturday we also had a little halloween party in the ward, me and sis. Chetina were gypsies. it was fun!

ok, so anyways this week has been a good and busy one. The weeks seem to fly by way fast it is so crazy, and it feels like we never get enough done. So i received my registration on friday and now by government I am allowed to wear my name tag. Sweet huh? So when out contacting i can talk about the gospel too. We haven't done a ton of that lately, we need to do more. But anyways, our investigators are good. We have a few that are having a very hard time keeping commitments, so we pray that we can know how to best help them and best use our time. I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting last sunday, they have all the new missionaries do that. It was nice to do that again. And, at a baptism last friday I played a musical number on the piano. Sadly, i don't know why, but my hands still shake when i play the piano. I thought I had gotten over that but i guess not. I was all good until i got to the piano and then i got nervous and my hands shook. It reminds me of when I was in middle school...yuck...But anyways i hoped that no one noticed. But my companion told me after that she saw my hands shaking really bad. So nope, everyone who was in eye sight of the piano saw my hands shaking. Great....oh well. I just feel like such a timid little 10 year old when that happens. Maybe sometime in my life it will get better. Anyways, thats not important. I just wanted to go off on a little tangent.

So the other day we were teaching a lesson, and all of the sudden our investigator just seemed to get it. It just seemed like it made sense to her and somewhere in her head it clicked. For some reason I just felt the spirit super strong and just felt really really happy. I thought about it a lot later and thought about how so many times on the mission things don't go the way we planned, and things may not always be super exciting and new. But it is good to have joy in the little moments and simple things. So, i am trying to find joy in the small, and simple things of life.

Dallin, i was very glad to hear from you and you sound great! I am so happy to hear that things are going well and that you are feeling well yourself. Continue to count your blessings and rely on the Lord. He loves you. and you know that.

Ange, you said you were scared in that missionary training. honestly, before i came on my mission, i was completely scared out of my mind too. And at times i wondered, wow acacia, what are you thinking?! Everything about being a missionary is everything you aren't. But i just know that the Lord is with me every step of the way. With the Lord on you side, it doesn't seem as scary. If you say something wrong or do something wrong, you might feel embarrassed at first, but then i just pray really hard and try to focus, and then i just laugh about it later with my companion. its pretty fun. Just do the best you can ange with your scripture study and prayer. Try very very hard and pray and if you have the desire you will find the time and a way to get it done. This I know.

Well family, not much time again today as usual. I always feel so rushed and hectic when I email here. We always have a ton of stuff to do on pday. But i guess ill just have to get used to it all. Sometimes i wish i could just sit on email and read your emails over and over again all day. But, that's not what I have been called to do. So, I continue to pray that I can focus and that my thoughts can be concentrated most on what the Lord would have my thoughts concentrate on. I love you all. I pray for you everyday! Thank you for your love, support, and prayers. Keep up the good work! Until next week!

Loves,

Sister Brown