Urawa

Mom and Dad!
 
Hellooooo
Wow let's just say this week has been one to always remember....
I don't know, I just loved nagaoka so much, it broke my heart to have
to leave it.
 

Urawa is amazing though, the ward here is huge! There are so many
members and so many little kids. It's great hearing noise again during
sacrament meeting. Lizzy you would die...
 

But it's hard here.
We live with two other sisters. They are way cute! But it's hard
because it's like we basically know nothing at all. We have no lessons
planned, we have no investigators, we have no potential investigators.
Everything is just big fat zeros. And to top it off I have no idea
where anything is. And just asking the other sisters questions is just
painful because its like I am trying to take one of their
investigators when I ask how do you get to the grocery store. So cool
beans. The Lord has blessed me though. He has really helped my eps
become so much stronger. I can remember roads and directions so much
better and so fast now. Thank you Heavenly Father. But it's a
struggle, I feel terrible because we have nothing and my poor new
companion all we do is ride our bikes and find people and go housing.
We haven't even taught a single lesson yet... Great.... But I am so
thankful for my companion. She already speaks better Japanese then me
haha which is kind if embarrassing but whatever. She went to high
school here on an exchange and has been studying it basically for her
entire life. So yeah she is way good. She is nice. She is from
Washington D.C. Her name is sister Johnson. She is 19. I am such
an oldy in the mission right now. Haha I am even older than all of the
elders and I am I only 21.... Haha I pray that this week can and will be
better. I am trying to be the best companion but I am not doing so
good. I feel terrible because I just feel like an idiot because we
have basically nothing. But all is well. Gotta keep the faith up! The
Lord will consecrate my efforts and will provide us with miracles! I
am really excited for this transfer.
 

It's hard though. At times I wish I could just cry and scream and tell
those sister what's on my mind and tell them they need to help us and
blah blah blah. But I am seniors companion so I need to be strong for
my trainee.. It's hard. But I am grateful for this experience. She is
a great missionary so all I have to do is set a great example and show
her the ropes!
 

Can you believe it. I have been on my mission for 1 year. I am like
going to throw up I can't believe it. So much has happened and time
has gone by so fast!! And now Lizzy is going on a mission. It will be
great. Mom and dad you can be sad. I will be home is like 6 months so
you better start planning some fun things we can all do together
haha!! (Like go on vacation or something fun)
 
I am so happy to be a missionary. It's hard going from place to place,
but missionary work is missionary work and it is the same everywhere and
there will always be people waiting to hear the gospel from me! Please
pray for me.... Haha I need the prayers right now....
 
And Jazmin was baptized. Even though I was in Urawa and she was in
Nagaoka, I am beyond thrilled for her! She means the world to me. I am
so thankful for the opportunity I have been given to teach her and get
to know her!
 
Looks likes everyone had fun at the beach! I can't wait until next year
when we get to go! I am so excited for Lizzy! Bahhh!! I just miss you
fools so much
It's been so hard these past days! So I am so happy that I was able to
email with you today! I miss ya!
 
Loves!!
XOXO
Sister Brown

Baptism and Transfer 8/17/2014

*this blog is a bit late due to the editor's vacation 

Mom and Dad
 
Okay I don't even know where to begin
This week was so amazing
We spent so much time with Jazmin
She is amazing. I can't wait tell she gets baptized. It will probably
be the best day of my life.
This week was her birthday. We went to lunch on Thursday (it was her
birthday) we went to this place called yakiniku. It is a buffet. The
best part about it is, it's basically a meat buffet. There is all this
raw meat. And you can choose which kind you want and then you take it
back to your table and there is like a grill in the middle of the
table and you just cook it right I front of you. Oh my gosh it is so
good.
 

Anyways
During lunch Jazmin says, "so I have been praying a lot lately and I
have been asking god when should I get baptized and asking him if this
is the right thing for me." And guess what she got her answer. She
then told us.. "I got my answer and I want to get baptized as soon as I
possibly can. I know that this is the right thing for me to do" oh my
gosh I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I wish I had it recorded
so I could just listen to her say that over and over and over again. I
was So happy!!! Like no one has ever said that to me. That's like the
best you want to hear as a missionary but it just happens so few
times. After she did that there was just like a silent pause. I look
at Clark Shimai and then a Jazmin and them all I could say was
"baptism rocks" haha I had like word vomit it was terrible. I just
blurted out the first thing in my mind. It wasn't like I know this is
what god wants you to do or anything testifying like that. It was just
baptism rocks haha.
 

This week we have been working so hard and so close with Jazmin we
have seen her every single day of the week haha. She came to church
on Sunday in the pouring rain. I know how much this means to her. She
is amazing. Next week well the 24th after church she is getting
baptized. I am beyond thrilled for her. She has been the biggest
example to me. Even though I am the missionary she is teaching me so
much and setting such a great example for me! I can't wait tell next
week! I can't wait for her to taste a bit of heaven!
The miracles are happening all around me. I am so thankful for that.
 
Well the news you are waiting for....
So this week I am transferring. I am moving to Urawa it is in Saitama
ken. Haha eve though you don't know where that is... I am so stressed
and heart broken. I have to train a brand new missionary. What a huge
responsibility... I am so nervous it really scares me. I am so
nervous. I hope that my new companion is nihongin. So on Wednesday I
have to move back to Tokyo and them Thursday I will be finding out who
my new companion is. This is all so crazy. I am so devastated that I
am going to miss jazmins baptism. But I know god has the biggest
picture and this is his will!!!
 
Have fun at Cali! Can't wait for next year!! Love you all so much!!
 
XOXO
Sister Brown

Time is Flying By

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Mom and Dad
 
This week flew by!! Like crazy!! It went by so fast. And I can't
believe Lizzy had her farewell. How are you feeling?? I am so excited
for her!! Sounds like the farewell and everything was a hit!! That
makes me happy to know that :)
 
This week was a good week. We did so much biking! But no complaint
from me. I love biking! The beach was cool but like it's hard to enjoy
it when you are a missionary. But we went to this huge fish market so
that was way cool. So much fish everywhere!! Japan is great!!
 
This week we have been working a ton with the new investigator we
found this past week. She is great! I love her so much. Yesterday we
had a lessons with her and her husband and little boy participated
too!! It was so amazing and such a blessing. Things here are great. I
love the people and I love the area.
 
We were going to have a baptism next week, but our investigator didn't
come to church yesterday... :( so that this a little sad. But no
worries I know that she will be getting baptized with out a doubt. She
has so much faith and so much desire. She has really been a great
example to me.
 
Lately it has been soooo hot. Haha but it feels great. Like I feel
like I just played a soccer game all the time! But I rather be
extremely hot than extremely cold!
 
I am so stressed though.... I can't transfer... I don't want to
transfer. I love this place so much!! I think the hardest thing for me
is thinking I have to tell the people I am serving good bye because I
might never see the again in my life. That's why I don't like
transferring.
 
I am so sorry to hear about aunt Ruth and the family :( oh that is so
fast and so sad and so crazy!! So scary.. Septic. That's the worst.
And poor cdiff.. That's one thing I haven't missed since being on my
mission. I always feel bad for people who have that. I am so sorry for
grandma! Aunt Ruth wrote me a Christmas card and everything this year,
:( oh my heart breaks! Poor Bert and their children. But it's
comforting to know how much Heavenly Father truly loves each one of us
and that he has a flawless plan and because of that plan no matter
what happens it will,be alright. And we will be able to be happy and
see loved ones and everything again!!
 
I am so grateful for this gospel and for the blessing it is in my
life. At times we may feel like we have nothing but in reality we have
everything, because our faith and our testimony in the savior and
redeemer Jesus Christ, nothing can knock us down! I know that this
gospel is 100% true!!
 
Thanks so much for all of your love and support!!
Love
 
XOXO
Sister Brown

Fireworks

Mom and Dad
 
Hellloooo
 
Wow
This week has been so crazy!! I have seen so many miracles.
So yesterday Irita received the gift of the Holy Ghost! Yay! It was
such an amazing experience. I wish I could truly express to you over
this email how much this lady truly means to me.
Today we saw so many miracles. We were actually able to teach more
than 10 lessons this week!! Yes! That's like 3 weeks in a row! I guess
when you are working as hard as you can The Lord truly provides
miracles. Also this week we found 2 new investigators! We have been
praying hard and we have been working hard to find new investigators
and we did!
 

This weekend was way hard to dendo. Nagaoka had a huge festival! And
when I say huge I am talking like double the population of nagaoka was
here. A little over half a million people. So it was crazy seeing and
being around so many people but the problem is, no one wants to talk
to you and it's just so crowed it's way to hard to dendo. But it's all
good. We still worked hard and tried to see miracles. On Saturday and
Sunday night there was a huge firework show! The biggest in japan and
one of the top 3 largest in the world!! And we were lucky enough to
watch it! On Saturday we went with a member and sat way close and
watched them and then on Sunday we went up in the mountains to watch
with a member. It was extremely amazing. Like it was hard to tell how
big they truly were up close but up in the mountains it was crazy!! I
was so lucky to be able to experience that as a missionary.
 

I am so excited for lizzy!! I can't believe that August is already
here and next week is here farewell. That seems unreal to me. I am so
excited for her. She is about to begin the best journey of her entire
life!! :))
 

My heart is broken. Oh my gosh. The Ross's I am completely devastated
for them. I can't believe that they are going through this. Let alone
Carson. :( the poor kid. Goodness I can't stand it. I know that they
are so strong. Please give me their address and information so that I
can write them a letter. Dylan. The poor kid. It's so hard because as a 

missionary you are promised those extra blessings upon your family. And

I am sure for him and for everyone even for me, how could you think this 

is a blessing. But with that we can't lose hope! We have to find that faith
and the trust we have rooted down deep in Heavenly Father and our savior
Jesus Christ. And know and believe and trust him like we never have
before. I will be sure to keep the Ross's in my prayers. I know that
they are so strong and I know Carson will be a fighter! Please send
them my love.
 
It's crazy how blessed we are in our lives. The things that I have
learned the most from my mission are
1- god truly is our Heavenly Father
2- he loves us more than anything
3- he has created this perfect plan for us
4- and I know that the atonement of Jesus Christ is real and because it is
real we should have no reason to fear only reasons to rejoice
5- this life is such a short life, such a small portion of our test.
What may seem like an eternity is truly only blink of the eyes
 
I love you and I feel so humbled and blessed to be here serving The Lord!
 
XOXO
Sister Brown