Week 26: MORE RAIN!?

Man, the weather here has been nothing but clouds and rain for the last couple weeks, with the occasional snow.  I hope you guys are having better luck with the weather there!  Sounds like it is pretty sunny and happy!

 

So, this week was way busy and so productive at the same time.  I don't think we had any free time at all, just barely enough time to eat.  It was wonderful :)  On Saturday we went to the 'tafel' to serve for 4 hours, and while doing that a worker came over and asked me (in German), "Do you speak English?" and I said, "Perfectly!"  Then he asked, "... and German?" and I replied, "Naturlich (naturally/of course)."  And so he said, "Come with me,"and he took me to help translate for this family that was from Albania and needed to sign up to come to the 'tafel'.  They had all this crazy paperwork I had to try to understand; it was CRAZY!  (haha)  But, mission accomplished!  I was able to relay what the lady was telling them that they needed to do, so I think that deserves a pat on the back!  Who knew 6 months into my Mission, I'd be translating (haha), or attempting to at least.  Blessings of being a missionary  :)

 

MTC Group ... flash backs!

 

We had a street display this last week with the Elders and it was pretty great.  We handed out a few of Books of Mormon and a bunch of cards, but the funny part of the day was when a drunk man came up and started to talk to me.  I was nice and tried to understand his drunken slurred German, but then he laughed and was like, "I like you; come with me to my church."  Then he wrapped his arm around my arm and tried to have me go with him (haha).  Luckily the Elders came over, as well as a street worker, and got him to stop.  He laughed and said sorry, and then trotted off on his way ...  Man, sometimes people just make you laugh.  Elder Noorda said, "Man, I'm glad I'm not a sister."  For moments like these I wish I weren't either (lol).

 

Waiting for buses ... fun stuff!

 

Sister E. is vegetarian and I don't know why, but I've never been so much of a carnivore.  Because of it, all I want is meat now ... all the time!  A member in the ward is going to try to make us meat-LESS meatballs ... mmmm.  Sister E. had a good laugh when she saw my face when I heard that, but hopefully it will be good.  Cross your fingers :)

 

Donuts!

 

This week has been such a wonderful week for my studies.  We have some new members that we are helping go through Personal Progress with, and I have decided I'm going to try and go through all the projects with them, as well, because I haven't done it since I was 16.  I think it should be really great!  I have been going through the 'faith' section and wow, it has been just amazing.  It really helps you go back to the basics.  We also have gone through the Family Proclamation for a lesson with a family in our ward and I really enjoyed actually studying it, and realizing how important it is to have the Spirit in the home; to have secured the walls of your home so that it is a sort of fortress for your family.  My mom always told me that the home is where we should feel safe.  I have been so thankful and blessed to have a home where I do feel safe and loved.  I hope all of you feel the same and if maybe not, find little ways where you can invite the Spirit more to make your home a welcoming place.

 

Well,  I'll keep this entry shorter, but work continues to move forward.  I hope all is well back home.  You are all in my prayers.  Have a great week!

Sister Brown

Bad Schwalbach ... pretty view!  Giant hill to climb up there ... no bueno (haha).

 

Week 25: You Are a Very Capable Missionary (What's that supposed to mean?)

President has told people since I got here that I am "... a very capable missionary." (haha)  It is a great compliment, actually, but it is funny because now my whole district knows me as, "Sister Brown ... a very capable missionary."

Anyways, hey y'all!  How's America?  Germany is cold, but wonderful!  We get to see the sun like once a week if we are lucky (haha).  But, it is great.

Funny story for the week ... We heard this song in passing and I said to Sister Eschemann ...

Me:  I performed this Clarinet Concerto by Mozart before!

Sister E:  Oh!  Did you play with the person who wrote it? 

Me:  Mozart ...?  No, he's dead.  (haha)

I'm not the only one who gets 'blonde moments,' I guess.  

We had quite the adventure this week trying to go by less-active members that the ward tells us to.  Only problem is they live in the middle of nowhere, and we have no car!  Yup, so fun.  We took a bus that was like a 45 minute ride to a small town with HUGE hills, and we were walking around trying to find this address and our navigation device totally just freaked out and wouldn't work.  Thankfully I was able to reset it and we found our way, but I'm not a fan of our navigation :)

We had transfers this week and dropped Sister Taylor off in Frankfurt with her new companion, Sister Gardner.  I will miss her, but she will be so great in Hanau!

Sister Taylor and Me

Sunday was such a wonderful experience for us because we had one investigator come to church and also, two less active members who haven't been to church in about 3 months.  It was WONDERFUL!  Transfers are really good because they put a sort of fire under your shoes, and get you back to work and focusing on how to be better and setting new goals for the new transfer and such.  I really think this transfer is going to be great.  The Elders have two baptisms set for February already, and I'm so happy for them.

I finally was able to get a General Conference issue in English, so that has been a great read.  A great talk by Elder Robbins is about, "Which Way Do You Face?"  In the end it talked about Christ and how He was the perfect example.  I've always heard that God and Jesus are as one, but the reason that is, it says in this article ... "Christ was His Father's perfect disciple.  He was so perfect in representing His Father, that to know the Savior was also to know the Father."  I really liked that.  Also, the talk spoke about going about doing good anonymously.  We shouldn't seek praise and a pat on the back for a job well done; for people we help.  We should serve others because we want to be good and kind people.  I am excited to read all of the other talks again from last conference.  Our Prophets and Apostles are TRULY called from God and what they say is so important for us to know, and to study their words.  I hope all of you can pick up a General Conference magazine this week and read one or two talks, if you have time.  If you don't, then MAKE time. (haha)  You'll be blessed for doing so.

I hope you all have a fantastic week! 

Ich Liebe Dich

Sister Brown

Our District, plus 2, at the Temple in Friedrichsdorf

Week 24: Happy Transfer Week!

Transfers have happened and my trainer, Sister Taylor, is leaving me and going to Hanau, which means I am staying here in Wiesbaden and taking over the area.  I am also, now, the Senior Companion and the person that has now been here the longest.  So, I am supposed to know all the 200+ buses there are here to take around the city (haha).  Ya, that's a good joke.  But really, it should be fun.  Sister Eshenmann, from France, will still be my companion and she wants to only speak in German for this next transfer, so that should be a good challenge.

 

Yesterday we were on a bus and Sister Taylor tried to speak to someone who replied, "Hablo Espaniol?"  She was like, "Uhh ... no... but, SISTER BROWN DOES!" (haha)  I was like, "Uh ... shoot ..."  So, I stuttered through it.  I understood her just fine; that wasn't a problem.  But, then when I tried to speak all I could think was German words!  No bueno ... (haha) but, it was cool.  After that experience, I got myself a SPANISH Book of Mormon so that I can now practice some more (haha).

 

We have thought a lot about New Year's Resolutions this week and there is a great scripture for that in Alma 37: 6-7.  It says, 'By small and simple things are great things brought to pass'.  It is so true that we can do little things each day to achieve greatness. You have to start goals one day at a time.  I hope you are all having fun with your New Year's resolutions and finding success with them!  I know I am :)

 

Last week was really slow with having appointments and seeing people because of the holidays, but all of the sudden we took a bus and got 2 potential investigators who gave us their addresses and phone numbers and asked us to meet with them.  Then after that a few of our investigators finally replied to our texts to meet with them, so this next week is going to be crazy to meet with all of them.  I am very excited.  Hopefully soon we can find someone who would like to be baptized  :) 

 

Well, I hope you all have a great week, and like my favorite Primary Song says, "If you chance to meet a frown, do not let it stay ... quickly turn it upside down and smile that frown away."

Tschuss!

Sister Brown

Keep Moving Forward - Walt Disney

 

 Kurhaus Park

Week 23: Happy New Year! Frohes Neues Jahr! Feliz Año Nuevo!

Happy New Year!  Frohes Neues Jahr! Feliz Año Nuevo!

Nothing better than waking up to your alarm that supposedly went off at 6:30am, starting to get ready and then realizing your alarm was messed up and it's only 3 am ...  Yup, that was my morning today.  Anyways ...  Happy New Year!  I hope all of you have had a great couple first days of the year like I have.  It has been great.  I love starting New Year's Resolutions and getting excited for what is to come in the next year.  I don't know about you guys, but I have a feeling that this year is gonna be a great year!

I didn't believe people when they said New Year's Eve would look like World War III here, but it totally did!  It was CRAZY!  The sky was lit up in huge fireworks going off in every direction.  Our neighbors had fireworks going right outside our apartment, and they weren't those small "backyard" fireworks, either!  They shot up high in the sky.  I am really surprised no houses set on fire through this! (haha)  It was so fun!  We had a fifth floor view of the city, which was incredible :)

I am proud to say I survived eating the skin from the calf of a cow ...  NASTY! (haha)  It is a delicacy in some places, I guess, and in Sister Taylor's words, "It was an honor."  But for me, it was rough.  I was successful on swallowing it down, though.  I didn't think I'd eat too weird of things on my Mission, but I was wrong (haha).

Transfers are coming this week, so we will see what happens.  Apparently it is a big transfer, so a lot is going to happen, I guess.  Who knows, though ...

We have a new investigator in the American ward and she is great!  It is funny because she will say she is not interested in things and then she will keep all the commitments we have for her.

The other day, for once in my Mission, the lady we were speaking with only understood my German!  (haha) It was so incredible!  Sister Taylor has amazing German, but she was speaking too quiet to hear, and so was sister Eschenmann, with her cute accent.  But, that was no problem for loud Sister Brown! (haha)  That was a great confidence booster.

Something cool from my studies today was a talk by President Uchdorf.  He talked about why we are members, but he said something cool ...  He said, "The Gospel is Perfect, God is Perfect.  But, the church is run by imperfect people, so we make mistakes.  It is important not to judge the true Gospel and God by others and our flaws.  Even the introduction to the Book of Mormon says, 'And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.'"  I really like that; to not focus on the faults of man, but to focus on the message and the good that comes from our Gospel.

Well I hope you all have a great week!

Sister Brown

​First picture of the new year ... Happy New Year!

Penguins made from ... penguins!