Week 74: God's Plan is in Place!

Wow, I can't believe that Christmas has come and gone so fast.  I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas.  We had a great Christmas here with a lot of really great appointments.

On Christmas day we came to the church for Sister Bray to Skype her family, and nobody was in the church, so when she went into a quiet room to Skype, I was left alone in the church by myself ... PARTY (haha ... jk).  I just played piano the whole time.  But, it was really weird being alone for so long I decided (haha) I guess that's what a year an a half of being always by someone will do to ya.  After Sister Bray was done Skyping, we went to a member's house and had an awesome dinner and then I finally got to Skype my family.  That was really fun.  It was hilarious because their Wifi in the house was not so good, so I found a corner that sometimes would get two full bars.  I tucked myself in there and hoped our Skype wouldn't cut out.  But, don't worry ... we survived :)  After we were done, they drove us home in a ... wait for it ... PORSCHE!  That was awesome!

I am so lucky to have Sister Bray as a companion.  She is so beyond fantastic!  She totally surprised me with a Nutcracker and a flash T-Shirt and a few other things that she didn't need to buy, but did. She is such a sweetheart.  We did our own present exchange Christmas morning, as well, so that was really fun :)  I didn't even peak at the gifts until Christmas ... sorta! (haha)  But, holding them and shaking them is totally justified, I think!

At the beginning of the week we had a really cool appointment that a member had set up and they wanted us to go and sing carols with them to their friends again.  It was so cool because not only were we able to sing songs about Christ, but we were even able to show them the Christmas video and have a really great conversation of the real meaning of Christmas.  The Spirit was so strong in there testifying of what we were saying.  That was such a great experience. :)

I really like Christmas time with members because they are celebrating with their nonmember family and friends.  When the missionaries come they always ask a bunch of questions of what we do as missionaries, and it is really cool to be in a relaxed environment and testify of Christ to them.

Lastly I will close with a quote I read from last General Conference given by Elder M. Russel Ballard.  He said, "God's plan is in place.  He is at the helm, and His great and powerful ship flows toward salvation and exaltation.  Remember that we cannot get there by jumping out of the boat and trying to swim there by ourselves.  Exaltation is the goal of this mortal journey, and no one gets there without the means of the gospel of Jesus Christ; His Atonement, the ordinances, and the guiding doctrine and principles that are found in the Church."

I hope you all have a Happy New Year!  Enjoy setting some new goals for this next year and let's make it awesome!  Take care and have a great week!

Love,

Sister Jordan Brown

Week 73: Don't Forget Why We Really Have Christmas ...

Hey Everyone!

Man, this week was insane!  On Monday was Zone Conference and Tuesday was our preparation day, so our week was shortened, so that makes sense.  We had a really fun appointment set up with a member to "go by" a friend of hers to sing carols and to give her a Book of Mormon.  It was such a cool appointment.  The member was able to bear her testimony of the book and how much it meant to her.  It was just really cool to have her backing us up on what we said.  I really hope she reads the book and then calls us back to come teach her.

Over the weekend Sister Bray and I were able to go down to Siegen to perform for their Christmas party on Saturday evening.  It was a two hour drive and we went down with a member; that was way fun.  The performance went great.  Sister Bray is such an amazing singer and she did such a fabulous job!  It was fun to see all the old people admire her, and one even asked for her autograph (haha).  It was adorable.

That evening we stayed in a hotel there with a missionary couple because it was too late to travel all the way home, and we were also going to perform the next morning for sacrament meeting.  It was funny because we didn't really practice, and Elder Jones didn't tell us what or when we were playing until 5 seconds before we were doing it (haha).  So, that was stress that I didn't really want (haha).  After that we headed back to Dortmund for their Christmas concert that evening.  We did A LOT of performing this weekend!  That concert was better organized, but Sister Bray and I were going to be singing Oh Holy Night and we had not practiced it yet (haha).  I don't think I have been that nervous in a really long time ... knees shaking, deep breathing we got through it, but I don't want to do that again! (hahah)

Well anyways, it was a fantastic week.  But, I am super super excited for this next week!  We have so many awesome member appointments that we will go to and it will be a party.

Lastly I will close with a quick scripture in Psalms 18:1-3  "1. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. 2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."  I read that this week and just thought it was way powerful.  Call upon God; He is stronger than anyone.  With the disasters in the world, that is all the proof we need in the world that God truly is in control.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.  Have fun with your families and don't forget why we really have Christmas :)  I love you all!

Frohe Weihnachten

Sister Jordan Brown

Week 72: He Knows EXACTLY How to Help Us

Well, the time has come for yet another email ;)  I hope you all had a great week!  I can't believe that Christmas is NEXT WEEK!!

Man, Sister Brey and I had such an amazing week!  It was one of the busiest weeks we've had in a while!  It was awesome just running from appointment to appointment.  The members are getting so excited for Christmas, too, and are doing lots of missionary work, so it's super great!

We had a really cool experience with a guy from Ukraine this week.  On Wednesday or Thursday we were headed home from an appointment on a train.  I was sitting across from this guy; he was staring at my companion and I so I told him that we were missionaries from the Church.  He just smiled and said, "Okay," but I wasn't finished (haha).  I asked him if he was religious and he said he was Greek Orthodox.  It was then that I noticed his none-German accent.  I found out that he was from Ukraine.  He started asking about why were were here and what we were doing here.  It was a very loud train and hard to hear because it was underground, and we both had to get off at the same stop to catch other trains.  I told him we would love to talk to him about what we believe.  I gave him our card, invited him to the Christmas devotional that Sunday and we went on our way(s).  Never thought I'd see him again because normally that's how it happens ...  But, then two days later I get a call from a man who I didn't recognize the name or number, but he wanted to come to the Christmas devotional!  So, Sister Brey and I headed back to the church that Sunday night.  I honestly was lacking faith thinking he wouldn't show, but we called him to see where he was ... and low and behold he was in the Church!  We hustled a little faster and got into the chapel, and it was this man I talked to only two days earlier!!  I'm still kinda shocked.  But, he had such a great experience in the devotional and really enjoyed it.  After, we all were walking back to our bus and he asked all sorts of questions and then listened to what we said, but also shared his thoughts.  It was super nice that he didn't try to shoot us down and say we were wrong.  Then he had to catch his train, but told us to call him because he wanted to learn more.  Man, it is so cool when you just run into amazing mission experiences that make you realize exactly why you were here that day.

This week we also had Zone Conference and it was fantastic.  They focused a lot on Christlike attributes.  They talked about a few other things, and we were having s sort of discussion and repentance was brought up.  One missionary explained something about repentance that I really liked. It's super simple but he said, "Repentance SHOULDN'T be easy!"  How true is that phrase.  If it was easy then we would sin on purpose, knowing we could always fix it later.  But, when you have to fix something that was super difficult to fix, you probably won't want to make that mistake again, if you truly fixed it.

This email is kinda random and all over the place (kinda like my brain today), but I also wanted to share a quote that I found when I was studying 1 Peter, because a great friend of mine recommended it.  The quote was about difficulties and it says:

“Peter later encouraged others:  ‘Think it not strange,’ he said, ‘concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you’ [1 Peter 4:12; italics added].  “These fiery trials are designed to make you stronger, but they have the potential to diminish or even destroy your trust in the Son of God and to weaken your resolve to keep your promises to Him ...  “How do you remain ‘steadfast and immovable’ [Alma 1:25] during a trial of faith?  You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith:  you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others.  “When faced with a trial of faith--whatever you do, you don’t step away from the Church!  Distancing yourself from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view.”  -- Found in the Liahona

I will let that be the close to this entry, but I just want to say how much I know that God is there for each of us.  He knows EXACTLY how to help us.  I know that with all my heart.  I know that He loves us.  I hope you all have an amazing week!  Stay safe!

Liebe

Sister Jordan Brown

Week 71: Last Transfer Here I Come!

Man, it is crazy how fast the time fly's on the mission!  When you first get into the MTC you feel like the mission will never end; it is this giant gap until when you are finished.  I am so grateful that I am not done yet, and still have some time to find people prepared to hear the gospel and introduce them to the greatest blessing of their lives! :)

So, Sister Bray and I will be staying in Dortmund together for the next six weeks and I am so happy about that.  We will get to spend Christmas and New Years together.  She is such a fantastic missionary and you can just feel the genuine loves she has for everyone.  I am a lucky companion!

This week was a little bit of an adventure ... I got a little bit of food poisoning, but survived! (haha)  I think Sister Bray thought I was gonna die though ...  Don't worry, all is well!

We ran into a really cool man and his wife on the bus last Monday.  We were headed out to go Christmas shopping and we had an appointment that night, so I was flipping through the German Book of Mormon I was carrying around that day.  I was looking for a scripture and I felt eyes on me from the lady sitting next to me and the man sitting across from me.  Sister Bray later told me the woman was reading along.  As a looked up I was expecting them to look away quickly so I wouldn't talk to them, but they were still staring.  So, I asked them if they had seen the Book of Mormon before, and then we were able to strike up a conversation for a while!  It was so cool.  They even stayed on the bus and missed their stop so they could listen to what Sister Bray and I had to say about it.  We were able to give them the Book and our number, and he said he would call.   I am not so sure he will call, but I know he felt something from what we said.  It is so cool how you can just see in the people's eyes, the gears clicking in their heads and the spirit beginning to break it.  This Gospel is SO TRUE!

I found a really cool quote from the Liahona this week.  "We cannot break the Ten Commandments.  We can only break ourselves against them."  How true is that saying.  God has given us commandments, and as much as we try to excuse ourselves of them, they are always there and will never change.  When we don't follow the commandments, we are hurting ourselves and the ones around us.

There is a scripture in the Bible in John 14:21 and it says:  "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."  To show God we love Him and will follow Him, we have promised to keep the commandments and love one another.  When we do this, we show God that we are on His side and He will support us.

I hope you all are having an amazing Christmas season.  Don't forget the real reason for Christmas :)  You are in my prayers.  Have a Great week!

Liebe Größe

Sister Jordan Brown

 Awesome sunset view from our apartment!

 We are staying together for my last 6 weeks!!