Better Week

Mom and Dad
 
Hi hello.
We missed each other again.
Booo
ごめんね
 

Things are just busy here. My companion likes to have crazy pdays.
Haha so we always go do things. But it's fun so it's all good.
I can't believe that this transfer is already over. So crazy!!
I am happy.
 

This transfer was hard at the beginning but it changed, or I should
say, I changed.

I came here to Urawa with nothing. And now there are several less
active members we are meeting with regularly that have started coming
back to church. As well as 3 progressing investigators and several
potential and new investigators.
It was hard to see all the success going on around me and my companion
because I was busy focused in what we didn't have and comparing it to
the 8 missionaries here is Urawa. But then I realized that. And after
I realized that I made a change and look, I am happy, I feel
successful, and I truly do know that The Lord is here helping me and
that he does have people here for me to teach. Urawa  was a completely
upside down flip for me. I have never been in a ward this big. I have
never been in a city this big. I have never been around so many
people. I had no idea what I was doing. But when you focus on The Lord
and his will, when you focus on the people around you, and the ward
members, and your companion, when you focus on serving others and
being that example of Christ, that's when things change. It doesn't
matter how many people you know, or how well you know the area, or how
well your Japanese is. When you put the most important things first,
then that's when you start seeing the success and the miracles. Thank
you so much for all if your prayers and your kindness and your love. I
can truly feel it over here!
 

On Sunday we were able to watch the live broadcast of the general
woman's meeting and it was so good!! I loved all the talks! But I
missed watching it with you mom. Remember when I sang in the choir?
Yeah that was way neat. Next conference. I laugh at how last general
conference I was in nagaoka and I remember how it was just a blizzard
the days we watched  conference ha. Gotta love it. Sister Marriott is so 

dang cute and funny! I loved her talk! I just loved how it was so focused

on the temple. And once again President Uchtdorf did an amazing job.

And yesterday my investigator got baptized!! (From nagaoka)
Me and sister Clark found her.
Watanabe San
One day we decided that we needed to bike like 90 minutes to this town
so we did. We  had no idea where to go but then we knocked on a door
and next thing we know we are teaching this amazing woman. She is the
most amazing. I love her so much! I am so thankful and blessed to have
found her and been able to teach her. And last week my other Investigator got
baptized. Hosokura San. Me and sister asada found him and taught him a
little before we passed him over.
 
The volcano didn't get us... Luckily. Nah it was pretty far away.
Things are good here in Urawa. But I do have to say I miss ya fools!!!
 
I love this gospel so much and I am so grateful to have a testimony of
our lord and savior.
 
Have a great week!! I love you!
XOXO
Sister Brown

Frustrating week

Mom and Dad
 
Sounds like you guys had a great week. Dad happy birthday! I hope that
you had a good day! Go Mom that sounds like the best birthday present
ever! You two will have lots of fun! Sounds like you guys are going to
start doing really cool things now that it is just you two chilling at
home :) 
 
So the temple was great. Right now they only have one of the new
movies playing. I guess I should say the oldest new one haha. It's
fun! I love going to the temple so much! But I really want to see the
other new one way bad! I am so blessed to have the temple so close to
me at home. I will have to make sure that I am diligent at going when
I get home!
 
So this transfer is like over. Next week is transfer calls I can't
believe it!! Time has literally flown right away. This transfer went
by so fast. I think my and sister Johnson will be companions again. I
will probably finish her training next transfer and then who knows
what will happen to me. Next transfer is only 5 weeks long so I think
it is going to fly by!! I am kind of nervous.  Sister Johnson I have
really grown to love her. At first I wasn't sure if I did or not. But
I do love her. She is having a hard time but I hope that I am helping
her and not making things harder for her. She is awesome. She just
needs her confidence I think she still feels really awkward about
missionary work. Ha and it probably doesn't help that I am the most
awkward person alive sooooooo that's cool haha we make a great team
though so that makes me happy. I am blessed for her to be my companion
I love her so much!!
 
Has the iPhone 6 come out for you guys yet? It is our here. Let's see.
Things are good here... I think I am not sure though! Ha i think on
Thursday and this weekend a storm is going to be coming in like a
typhoon of something I am not sure. I can't watch the news... Haha
 
 
This past week was a hard one for me... I am just frustrated.
Missionary work is crazy. Last week I found this amazing investigators
and I was so pumped for our lesson I was studying so hard and getting
so much revelation it was amazing and we got to the lesson. This girl
I had so much faith in her. She had met the missionaries before and
then we were able to meet again. I truly believed that god placed her
in my pathway for a reason. I don't know I can't explain how I felt.
Saturday came and we had our lesson. We met at the eki and it was her
and her mom and I was so excited!! The more the merrier. Haha But then
it quickly turned into a whole other ball park. Here is Japan there is
a religion called kenshokai. It is a crazy religion... And
she ended up trying to dendo me the entire time. I was devastated in
my last area I had to deal with them all the time I didn't think I
would have to deal with it her. She was sooooo nice and soo ready and
like she was such a huge miracle to me, she was my first actually
person I was able to exchange numbers with and set up an next
appointment with in the past 5 weeks. Take about a low blow. Like I
don't know it was so painful. It hurts me more than anything when I am
testifying to some one about the savior and how much it means to me
and they won't listen to me or the make fun or something that I said
or just all that. It hurts so bad. Something that you just truly
believe in with all your heart and having some on tell you no that's
not real. Ouchhhhh I couldn't say anything. I just sat there blank I
didn't want to be that person to her because I hate when that person
does it to me. I just wanted to cry. Like I loved her so much and I
had been praying so hard for her and just everything. Oh man it was
like going against the family or something like that.  I just couldn't
believe it was happening. I mean I have met people from her church
before and they were some of the meanest most pushiest people in the
world. She was so kind and just so prepared. Such a downer. It was
hard to recover from that.
 

But I did. We still don't have any investigators and we are only
teaching about 5 lessons week... Buts it's all good! I have the faith.
And I know that miracles won't happen unless I put work and effort
into them. I know that the lord is in my side and I know that he will
be there every step of the way with me! I am so grateful for this work
and it means so much to me!!
 
Thanks for sending me a package I can't wait tell i get it. I love you
so much and I am so grateful for you love and support and example and
faith!!!
 
Have a great week! Tell everyone hello
 
XOXO
ブラウン姉妹

Temple week

Mom and Dad
 
Dad, I am so happy that you got your letter. I wasn't sure how much it
was going to cost and I was feeling extra lazy, so I just stuck a
several postage stamps on it because I didn't want to ride my bike to
the post office. Forgive me! Haha
Anyways!
Oh yeah happy anniversary! You old love birds.
 

Another great week here In Urawa. I mean every week here is great.
Not too many things have changed though... We still don't have any
investigators let alone progressing investigators but it's all good!
But I can see the progress coming and I have the faith that sooner or
later things will start happening.

Last night I talked with sister Clark on the phone and she told me
that this man that I found in nagaoka and taught him for a little a
while before we referred him to the elders is getting baptized on
Sunday! Ah such a great feeling. Also she told me that two other
people we found (sister Clark and I) and started teaching, now both have
baptismal dates for the 28th, I am beyond excited. Such a testimony
builder that the work I am doing here really is seeing results. They
might not be exactly when I want them to be, but is know that they
will comes so that is very comforting to me and makes me really happy
being able to know that. I am happy.
 

So the temple was amazing. I am so lucky to go there. While waiting
for the session to being I was just sitting there and I truly could
feel so much love from god while sitting in there. I love the temple.
Every time I go inside I feel all these burdens lifted off my back and
I feel like I am finally free and truly be at peace. I love it.
 
Anyways, we worked way hard last week and this week is also looking
promising. We saw lots of progress with less active members last week
and I think we are going to see more progress haha. So I was thinking
and I had an experience last week that made me think haha. Here I
teach people basically straight from the Book of Mormon I don't really
use the bible. Which is kind of a good thing because I don't have a
knowledge or the bible to save my life. Most people dread when people
bring up the bible because it can cause problems and things haha. My
most dread question is when people say, I don't really understand
Jacob 5 at all. Please explain it to me. Haha that happened this week.
Oh my I wanted to die. I had no idea what to say. I just looked at my
companion and cried a little on the inside. Haha i mean come on I
barely just started truly understanding that chapter a couple months
ago. It took me 21 years and becoming a missionary to understand it in
English. Not Japanese Haha so that was a terribly awkward situation.
But I handled it and needless to say this week we are going to try
explain it... Hahaha good luck...
 
Lizzy is cute. She sounds good! I love her. Send me her weekly emails please!!
Also I can't believe Hayden is all grown up. What happened. All of a
sudden he is a man and on a mission haha. Oh yeah, my apartment has
crock roaches big black ones. It's so gross. I hate it. I want to die.
I am so afraid they are going to like get all over me when I am
sleeping haha. Ewwwww
 
Everyone sounds so good! I love you so much and I miss you so much.
Thank you for all of your love and support.
 
I hope the utes win this week. Same with Murray. And go angels. They
better be this good next year!! Ahh have a great week. I think I am
good... Haha maybe. Pray for me please ha. I need it....
 

Anyways!!
 

Loves
XOXO, 

Sister Brown

Shibuya

a lovely fountain show in a park that we dendo by!!

me and my companion

Friends

Mom and Dad
 
Wow
 

This week went by so fast..
I don't know, this week was good.... But it was so hard at the same time..
But it was good, on Tuesday we had 4 zone conference and I got to see
all my friends.
Sister Ivory, so that was great and then sister snow and sister
seasons and sister taketomi. All the people that I love and so many
other people.
Sister Taketomi goes home not this transfer but then next and then
after her is Sister Snow. I can't believe it. I don't want all my
friends to leave... Haha
But I needed to see them so that was great, it really helped out a ton.
I learned that the first and most important thing is to love. No
matter what love must always come first.
 
This week we had several lessons, they were all with less active
members... But hey, they were lessons at least, so no complaining.
Next week is temple pday! So I will be emailing you on Tuesday!!
 
Things will be good. I have faith that we will see some miracles start
to happen around here. Just gotta keep my chin up and keep smiling and
working hard. But it's been frustrating. I can't seems to charm
everyone here like I have everywhere else I have served. I need to
figure something out quick or else we won't have any support from the
ward, so if you have any ideas please tell me haha.
 
 
This week we are going to be working very hard. We made some plans we
are going to make the ward like us whether they want to or not.. I
know that someone out there is waiting for me and I am going to find
them. I think I need them more than they need me haha!!
 
 
This week we were able to talk to a lot of people but they didn't have
too much interest. I think I am just going to be straight up with
people and just ask them if they believe in god or if they want to
learn about Jesus Christ or the purpose of life or how to have an
eternal family and if they say no, say okay here is my number for when
you do and move on to the next person. Haha I don't know. That is a
little extreme!
 
I love the Book of Mormon, I have such a testimony of it. Lately I
have been studying family history and it is so awesome! So please if
you have any cool stories or anything please let me know!!
 
I love you guys so much and I am so thankful for you!!
XOXO
Sister Brown

Time flys‏

Mom and Dad
 
Okay so I never thought that I would ever say this in a million years
but here it goes.
I miss eating gluten free food so much.  I miss eating grilled cheese
on that weird bread. I miss eating the cookies that have a weird
texture. I miss he crackers and the pretzels and the everything.  I
miss it all. I never would have thought I would have ever said that
but here I am saying it. I miss it all so much. My heart will rejoice
in the day of being able to eat gluten free food again. Anyways...
 
This week was hard.
First off can you believe that it is already September. Today I wrote
the date and I can't believe that it is already the 9th month. What
the heck. My head hurts thinking about it. Time is going by so fast. I
hope they when I get home from my mission time slows down because next
thing I know I will be sitting in a rocking chair at a rest home
drinking a glass of warm milk because my fingers hurt from doing so
much sewing... Ha
 
So we didn't really find any new investigators this week at all. But
we did do a lot of work. I just am struggling. I don't know what I am
doing here and I feel terrible because I can't help sister Johnson
learn to teach or anything. It has almost been two weeks and we
haven't even taught a single lesson..... Bahhhh it's killing me.
But gotta keep the faith up. This week we have a couple planned with
some less active members so I am praying that we have them and that
they go over great. Sister Johnson is great. She is already such a
great missionary. I feel bad, I think I am probably holding her back
from being a great missionary, so that scares me a little bit... But
oh well. We are both working together really hard to see the miracles
happen here. I know that we will be able to find an investigator one
of these days..
We are trying a lot of different things to find new investigators.
 
For example. We have been going to these classes where they teach free
Japanese for people who don't speak Japanese. And those have been
pretty good even though by the end of the day I think my brain is
about to ooze out of my ears, we have talked with and met several people
that have a ton of potential. So that makes me happy :)
 
The ward here is really awesome. It is so big so that is crazy. We are
assigned to different blocks in the ward for a missionary area work
spots. So that's cool which helps things out a little bit. It's not
such a huge question where you want you can go area which really gets rid of
the stress...
 
Right now we are the closest area that is to Tokyo that isn't in
Tokyo, if that makes sense. It's about a 40 minutes train ride to
ikebukuro eki. (Which is a really big main station in Tokyo)
 
I am rally excited that you two get to experience having two
missionaries out on a mission at one time. Lizzy will do an amazing
job. I am sorry that it is kind of lonely at the home but in 6 months
I will be home :) so keep your chin up. Can you believe it. So like it
was fun being the 3rd wheel on all of your dates... But I don't miss
it at all... Sorry haha
I much rather be on a mission. The things I have done here and the
lessons I have learned and just everything completely beats all of
that.
 
I am pumped for the angels and for the Utes!! I miss sports... Haha
 
Thanks so much for all of your love and support it truly means the world to me!
 

XOXO
Sister Brown