I am turning 21‏

Mom and Dad
 
Another week in Nagaoka. I love it here soooooo much. I could spend
the rest of my mission here. But the sad thing is... Time if flying by
way to fast and I don't like it one bit..
This last week I had to speak in church. I was way nervous... That was
the first time besides the occasional fast Sunday. So scary yo. I had
been preparing all week. And yes, father I want you to know that I can
keep up with the missionaries in salt lake :)
I will share my talk with you when I get home from my mission haha
 

This past conference there was an awesome talk given by Jean A.
Stevens. She said something, remarkably profound in it, well at least
I think so anyways. "not every prayer is answered so quickly. But
truly our Father knows us and hears the pleadings of our hearts. He
accomplishes His miracles one prayer at a time, one person at a
time.We can trust that He will help us, not necessarily in the way we
want but in the way that will best help us to grow. Submitting our
will to His may be difficult, but it is essential to becoming like Him
and finding the peace He offers us." The other day in sacrament
meeting I found myself questioning the power of prayer. There have
been so many times when I have prayed so hard to see a little miracle
or that Heavenly Father would help an investigator come to church. And
he has done it, he has answered my prayers. But why not this time, why
not last week? I prayed just as hard and with as real intent but
nothing. Then it came to me. Yeah Heavenly Father answered my prayers
then and this time he will answer them. Maybe he knew that I needed
that to happen or maybe this time he is saying come on brown Shimai I
have that person out there waiting for you and I am trying my hardest
to lead you to them, I just need you to work as hard. I know that
Heavenly Father hears every single one of our prayers and I know that
he will always answer every single one of them.
 

I got your package!! Thank you so much, I couldn't resist and I had to
open it... But I haven't opened the wrapped presents yet, I will wait
for Thursday :) I loved the candy and everything in it! Thank you so
much. Emily pace also sent me a birthday package! I opened it too...
She gave me some candy and a really cute shirt, I wore it in Sunday
for my talk! And then sister Ivory had her family send me a
package for my Birthday. It was so great!! I was a box of airheads!!
Haha what a great present!! I love air heads. Anyways can you believe
I am 21 well almost. I can't. I still feel like a baby.. Haha.
 

I can't believe everyone is getting their mission calls. Like wow all
the grandparents rock. Such great examples. I am so blessed to have
the grandparents that I have!! 
 

It sounds like things are going pretty good in the family!! Mom start
feeling better soon! Sounds like vacations are going to be fun! I
can't wait until next year I get to see the grass and the yards, no one
here has yards. Like a front yard and a back yard is just crazy talk!
Anyways I love Japan. Thanks for being the best! Love you all and miss
you all!!
XOXO
Sister Brown

That's my jam‏

Mother and Father
 
Hi hello
How are you today. Things in nagaoka are hot, humid, and rainy. haha
Sounds like everyone is trying to get life back in full gear now that
all the wedding things are over with. Gotta get lizzy ready for her
mission. That crazy girl.  so all the
wedding things sounded great. I am happy. A little sad I missed them,
but oh well. Oh yeah I forget they were moving for the summer. It will
be good for Brandon and Haley. I am excited to see what the future
holds for the two of them! Maybe one day they will be able to be as
cool as josh and brit. Haha good luck!

This week we had a good week. We didn't have any investigators at
church on Sunday :( kind of lame. But the elders had 3 so that was
awesome. This week we just did a ton of visit people and trying to
find new investigators. This week was way hot!! So like by the end of
everyday I am so tired. But it was good. It was good working so hard
everyday. Time flew by.  The rainy season is here so that's not
exciting. It is suppose to rain every single day this week. So I
probably will stop showering and just let the rain wash me.

So next Sunday I have to speak in church... So wish me luck. But let's
just say I have been pretty luck. I am on my 6th transfer and this is
my first time talking in church. Hopefully it doesn't go too bad. And
I hope that it will be at least 5 minutes long hahaha.
I promise my Japanese is getting better, at least I think it is.
 

Mom I am proud of you for breaking down and finally going back to
work. Look at dad for an example he goes everyday (I think) Be
careful with your surgery mother... Friday the 13th is unlucky.
I am sorry... I feel like my email is a little dumb today.
 

Oh I do have on story.. We biked way far way one day like 45 minutes
on bike to visit some people and then when we got back to our bikes
that evening.... I didn't have my bike key. Whoops..that wasn't good.
And I didn't have a spare... So we had to walk the 1 hour and 14
minute treck to the train station so we could catch a bus to make it
to our apartment and hopefully get back on time before 9... Kind of
stressful. I felt so dumb. I was so mad. So then the next morning we
rode the bus to the station and began the wonderful journey back to
our bikes haha. Jeez I was so mad at myself. And I am sure ivory
Shimai probably wanted to punch me in the face. It was sooo hot and
such a long walk. Needless to stay when I get home I think I am going
to start walking to the grandparents houses instead of driving there.
Haha. I still don't know if I could have been a pioneer but i am
getting closer to becoming one.
Anyways!! Have a great week! Love ya
 
XOXO
 
Sister Brown

Raining Miracles

Mom and Dad
 
It is transfer call Monday here in nagaoka.
This past trasnfer was 7 weeks, and the next transfer is only 5. So
today we got the call and sister ivory and I are staying together in
nagaoka!!! Thank heavens!! I am not ready to leave this place I love
it way tooooo much.

 
It is raining miracles here.
This past week I learned a few vital things.
1- the power of prayer is real. Heavenly Father does hear and answer
every single prayer I pray.
2- he might not answer it the way I want it to be answered but he will
always answer it.
3- he is preparing people and the prepared people will come.
This past week, it seemed as though ivory Shimai and I were working as
hard as we could but it just seemed as if nothing was really
happening with all of our hard work. Today I learned that no good dead
goes unnoticed. Not to say that I am only full of good deeds but that
the hard dendo we are doing is being noticed. This week we had been
working so hard on getting people to church but by the end of the
week, it looked as though we were only going to have one person at
church. but this week Sunday we saw many miracles.
 

This week I had been praying so hard for certain people to come to
church. I prayed for them all the time. On Saturday we visited a lady
and she said she most likely wouldn't be coming. Our one person who
said she was coming said she was still coming. So Sunday morning
comes, we get to the church early because whenever irita comes, it is
always way early. But she wasn't there. Around 9:20 we go outside to
see if we can see her, but there is nothing but we see this lady mami.
We met her the other day and talked with her for a while. We had met
once before but didn't really have time to talk. Seeing her come to
the church was amazing! Around 9:50 akane still wasn't here..
Yesterday she said she was going to come. Well I turn around and see
this boy walk in with his sister and his mother. They are the cute
family from eikaiwa. We invite them like every week but they never
come. The elders saw them this morning and invited them to come to
church so they did!! So awesome! Then coming in behind them was
irita!! That women is full of miracles. This past week I prayed so
hard that the elders investigator would come to church so akane would
have a friend at church.. He didn't come but two other investigators
of theirs came. One guy from eikaiwa that has come before and then a
guy they just meet streeting the other day and he said if I have time
I will come.
 

Heavenly Father didn't answer my prayer the way I wanted to it be
answerd but he answered it in a much better way. Instead of just
bringing a few people I asked for he brought many. Akane had several
friends at church. People from Wednesday eikaiwa and Saturday eikaiwa
and then the new girl mami, but then he also brought the elders
investigators. He didn't bring the specific person I asked for but
instead he brought two others!!
 

It just shows whose work this really is. I am so deeply humbled and
blessed to be here.
 
Have fun at the open house this weekend. Sorry I will be missing it,
at least I will kind of be there so that will be good :)) I love you
guys so much!!
 
XOXO
Sister Brown