buenas tardes todos mis amigos y familiares!

So this week was really good. We're seeing a lot of progress in our area and in our investigators. 

I'd like to share my testimony with you guys bout a few things. The Light of the Gospel, The Holy Spirit, and The Book of Mormon.

First, the light the Restored Gospel brings to someones life is very much real. I have seen incredible changes in people, when the understand even the smallest part of this wonderful message we have to share with the world. Their life truly starts to change for the happier and I actually can physically see the more light a person has when they receive these things into their life. 

Darkness is only an absence of light. Its not actually a literal thing but the world often wants to make us think that darkness is there now. This is a lie. Do not ignore the light. Do not ignore its existence just because you choose to keep the curtains closed. Open the curtains, let the light flood in. Darkness will vanish away and you will be filled with light that only gets brighter and brighter until that perfect day.  Seek darkness and you will get lost in it. Seek light and it will come in abundance. 

The Holy Spirit

also called the Comforter. The power the spirit has to protect and guide you is so incredibly real. If we live our lives worthy to have the constant companionship of The Spirit, we will indeed have that. Not at every moment though will we realize that he is there but in those moments that we don't expect to come, when tragedy strikes, we can have in that exact moment the comfort of The Spirit, protecting our soul and our heart and we can know of a surety that while the waves of tragedy crash down on us, we are anchored securely and wont be washed away in the tide. This way, living a life with The Spirit and centered in Christ, we can live happiness and faith, instead of fear.

The Book of Mormon

"if you do not yet have a testimony of these thing, do that which is necessary to obtain one... if you are not reading the Book of Mormon every day, please do so."

-President Thomas S. Monson.

I know the book is true. Please read it and ask God if it is true. Ask with faith true intention and a sincere heart, and the spirit will tell you that it is.

I know these things are true.

Love you guys! from Tarija Bolivia.

please take care of yourselves this week. I forward some fotos.

lots of love

hermana brown

Thank You

Thank you for you love

Thank you for you sweet spirit

Thank you for your peaceful words and positive and joyful countenance

Thank you for bringing us together, as a family.

We have so much to thank you for,

You established a place of peace, and support and love whenever we were together.

You have been a ministering angel to so many children of God that have been in need.

You follow and believe in Christ and you loved everyone.

I don't  know how you could have been so patient, so caring, so gracious, so inspirational, so full of charity and Christ like love.

You are whom I hope to learn how to be. 

The Plan of Salvation explains that there are three kingdoms of glory-- each being represented to have varying degrees of light. 

 The celestial kingdom, compared to the light of the sun. which is incomprehensible, bright and marvelous.

The terrestial kingdom, with that comparison to the light of the moon. 

and the telestial, who's light is that of the stars.

How much light we possess defines who we are. I think everyone, LDS or not, can understand and see how different people in this world have different types of light in them. Good, moral and godly things bring us more light. Ungodly or dark things, dims that light which we have. In this life, we must follow Christ, and keep commandments of God, and have charity, so that in that last day, we can shine with our light that has grown to  a celestial degree.

Anyone who knows Grandma Nora, I think would agree, that she is a celestial soul. 

Thank you Grandma Nora, for shining to the world like a city on a hill top. and always sharing you light that we might shine along with you.

Thank you Grandma Nora, for always being a blessing.

I know that families are eternal and I know I will see you again.

Until then, I promise strive to become as celestial as you have shown me how to be.

Thank you for everything.

I love you Nora.

And to all of the family, trust in God. The Spirit is the Comforter and We will be together again with Nora.

 Keep seeking the Light.

with lots of love and prayer,

Hermana Brown

Buenos Tardes!

Hey guys! Buenos tardes!!

So this week we had a zone activity the last Monday, it was awesome! We all went to a big river "San Pedro Del Sol" or something like that. We hiked over all the cool rocks and skipped rocks and had empanadas /salteñas and juice for a little picnic. It was cool, but I slipped like three times and got my shoes SOAKED. It was really cool though. We had a rock throwing competition and took some cool pics. apparently close by in those mountains,  there's an Inca road that the Incas built that you can go check out. Our guide also told us a pretty amazing conversion story, and his missionary was like the son of Bruce R. McConkie and he also tried to tell us that little mariachi dwarves  live in the woods around the river. He was a cool guy. There were dome dogs that hiked with us. They were chill. The guide pushed one into the water and said "ya esta bautizada". It was funny but also kinda mean ha ha. 

There's pics attached. 

I also found an AWESOME missionary skirt when we were helping out a member organize the clothes she sells. I bought it from her for 25 bs (bolivianos ). She's a cool lady. We were also able to help her out cuz shes got two kids in the mission and not a lot of money at all. She was worried but we were able to help her faith. She's a strong lady, her name's Berta.

We also taught a great lesson to one of our investigators with a date for the 28th. We were on FIRE in that lesson! #TESTIFY. She told us she had no desire to listen to any religious person before, but now she wants to listen to us. so cool!

My companion also almost actually died this week. I was in the kitchen when she came out of the shower and I just hear her slip and fall pretty hard. I ran over to her and she was okay, but her watch was broke and she was pretty sore but there's a step down from the bathroom to the floor. She seriously could have broken her neck. It was scary but shes okay. She bought a new watch today. 

Also, I had a spiritual prompting to cross the street one night just as a drunk guy tried to kinda grab us. My companion luckily followed my lead and we avoided the situation. I feel like we've been pretty protected this week. The Lord protects his missionaries. 

We also learned a bit of Quechua this week!!! ñoka llamakumi Hermana Brown! 

We had a multi zone conference too this week with Pte Rodriguez! It was cool, cuz we were asked to prepare a special musical # and we called another companionship of hnas like last minute and put a cool half a capella version of come thou fount in Spanish together. Everyone liked it alot. 

Also on Saturday we got to attend two baptisms (not ours but still cool) one for our own ward and then also we went to Pan Americana ward to see the baptism of a girl who I actually helped to teach! Her testimony was so strong! and it was a beautiful service! I felt really blessed to have been able to participate a bit in her conversion! Her name is Roxanna Martinez. We sang a number for her baptism too and another investigator there asked us if we could sing at her baptism too in a few weeks. ha ha.

 Also in the last few weeks we have figured out a lot of creative ways to cook baked goods without an oven. For example: we make scrambled brownies in a frying pan (not pretty but it tastes delicious!) and chocolate chip cookies in our George Foreman sandwich toaster. We like to bake hahaha. Its pretty funny. I'm improving my peanut butter recipe too. 

We have a music class going on that's pretty popular with the ward. Its fun for me and my companion to work together and applying our talents to help people! 

I know that every person is given special talents that they can use to do a lot of good in the world. I know that the worth of EVERY soul is great in the sight of God and that as children of a Loving God, we have divine potential to accomplish great things.

"I can do hard things!!"

I love you guys! I challenge y'all this week to share a video that you like from Mormon.org! they've got some cool vids.

Also in remembrance of Elder Robert D Hales this week, remember that in whatever journey your own right now, whatever goal you have, make your motto "Return with Honor". 

love you guys! 

Tarija Bolivia

Hermana Brown

 

 

 

-pics from the river

-a very inspirational quote looking tree on the mountainside

-pics from conference

-a lunch this week called "dog soup" they make a soup for their dog food here its weird. our version had a whole shelled boiled egg in it. 

Alrighty so I hope y'all had an awesome conference week!

So I'm attaching pics to when me and hna Gardner went to "La Copa" a couple weeks ago. It was really cool  you can see all of Tarija. It was really windy. Also a pic of me reading my scriptures during language study (trying) to understand the Quechua Book of Mormon my comp has by using my Spanish and my English scriptures ha ha it was chill. I'm pretty sure "wampus" is Quechua for "fool".

Apart from that I really loved how they revisited the importance of the Book of Mormon in this conference. So I'd like to share with y'all this link to a cool video that explains the BOM in 60 seconds with some awesome art too.

https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon

Check it out!

And I'd also like to share my testimony of the BOM with you guys!

I KNOW that it is true. I know that it was revealed though the power of God alone. And that it is His Word. It supports the bible and clarifies the teachings of Christ. It contains the entirety of the His Gospel. By reading and studying it we can come much much much closer to our Heavenly Father and our savior Jesus Christ. We can understand so much more about Christ when we read it. Because every page testifies of him. This Book does not and was never intended to replace the Bible but to be a second witness to the Truth of our Saviour. That He IS our Saviour! He IS the great Jehovah, and he is the long awaited Saviour of the world. He came unto his own and they rejected Him. He suffered for every one of us in the garden of Gethsemane and he died on the cross and defeated death for all of us by resurrecting on the third day. HE LIVES! He is the Son of God and Prince of Peace. His arms are outstretched continually towards us and He is calling us to come home. He will receive you, if you only turn to Him. He is the Good Shepard. He will lead you home. His Love is eternal.

I know these things are true and it has changed my life and He has changed me. I know this knowledge brings true happiness and peace that every person wants in their life and so, every person wants truly this the restored gospel in their life. and every person can know, with a surety that these things are true, by reading The Book of Mormon. which is sure evidence of our Saviour and of the Plan of Salvation. Please read it, and pray, and know and live. I promise you wont ever regret it. I know these things are true because I have done it myself and I testify of them in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers. I hope you will all know this week that you are children of a loving Heavenly Father, who wants the best for you. I hope you may all listen to His instruction.

Till next week

Love from Tarija Bolivia

10 MONTHS?!?!?!?!?

Hey guys, I'd like to start this email with an inspirational quote of the week:

"If God had a bedroom, you would be in a photo on his nightstand."

Alright so I guess I'll start with the story that goes with that quote.

So we were knocking doors and one door we knocked an old man answered but when he opened the door and saw us he jumped back and yelled in shock!

We literally gave him a good scare? Then he asked us if we spoke English or Spanish and we said both and then he started talking to us in perfect English??? It was really weird. He lives in both Santa Monica, California and Tarija, Bolivia and he is half Jew half Mexican but was converted to a Protestant church when he had a vision of Jesus and used to be a prophet apparently. He had an earring. And he had read an anti Mormon biography on Joseph Smith. But apart from that he was quite nice and pretty funny. He had some interesting views but he listened to our testimonies of the Book of Mormon and reasonably accepted our invitation to read it and ask God if its true. It was cool, but weird cuz we spoke in English and it was kinda hard for me and my comp to remember how to teach in English ha ha.

On other news: 10 MONNNNNNNTTTHHHSS!! WHAAAATATTT?!?!?!?! It was cool to have my comp and I complete 10 months on the same day. We had french toast to celebrate. It was weird.

We also taught the relief society how to make peanut butter this week. It was really great.

We had a lot of awesome work this week and me and hna Gardner are having a great time together! At one point Pimienta followed us again but with 4 OTHER FRIENDS we were being followed by a gang of 5 dogs at one point, what is happening.

Last p day

We went to the paleantioligical museum (I'm not gonna try to spell it right I'm sorry)

This last p day! It was super cool! Apparently Tarija is actually a hot spot with a LOT of the worlds dinosaur bones! The one of the big skeleton (pic attached) was found in the park right next to our bishops house!! and we also saw some cool minerals and some stuff from ancient Americans (Lamanites!!) one pic I've attached is a pretty sick picture of a really well preserved baby mummy. also some human skulls (one looks like he died from getting his head bashed in). It was some pretty legit stuff. Hna Gardner did ceramics a lot so she was excited about all the ceramic jars. We also passed by "la casa dorada" which is on the back of the twenty boliviano bill. It's very dorado. We're going to tour the inside another day. we also bought our own mate pors! It was a really fun day! I'm glad my comp likes to go out and sight see on p days! We're going to "la copa" today.

Well I love you all so much! Thank you for all your prayers they give me strength and hope! Please pray for those caught in the natural disasters too! I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of god and I know that I am doing his great and marvelous work in Tarija Bolivia! I know that God loves us and wants our eternal happiness and that the plan of salvation is true! I know that families can be together forever and it is all possible because Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. I am so eternally grateful for these things. I am happy.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and I hope you ll all do your personal scripture study and prayer and also go to church this week! You can do it! (that's an invitation to everyone with whatever beliefs or religion)

love you guys!

besos

Tariiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijaaaaaaaaaaaa, Bolivia

Hermana Brown

You Learn All Sorts of New Skills in The Mission

SHOOT! sorry this email is from LAST week! i guess i forgot to press send :C soryyyyyy.

OK guys! so I got some new news and some old news that I forgot to write hahaha.

First of the old news: a number of weeks ago I completed HALF MY MISSION!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT?!?!?! How'd that happen? todo es locura.

9 months and almost at 10 WHATTTTTTIi need to get WORKINGGGG hahaha.

On other newer news, WE HAD CAMBIOS! Hermana Herrera went to ward Paraiso which is close by, and guess who is my new companion who came from Santa Cruz only NOW just leaving her first area?!?!? HERMANA GARDNER!!! woo! She was in my CCM group! and actually we were comps for a bout half a day in  our first day in the CCM. this cambio's gonna be awesome because were gonna work SUPER HARD! woo!

English class

We had our first English class this last Friday and even though the relief society president and the bishop and his three little sons showed up, it went SUPER well! They were all actually pretty awesome and great at learning. and my comp told me that I was a good teacher afterward (better than her teacher from high school  jaja) which is nice to hear because I don't actually have any idea what I'm doing. We learned the alphabet and a basic get to know you conversation. It was cool! 

I think were going to have a lot more people in our next class!

Familia Correa

Were teaching a wonderful family who now have a bautismal date and we had a super spiritual and awesome experience this last week with the single mom Janeth where we taught her "a proclamation to the world" and temples. After reading through it, I asked her if those things are something she wants to have and she said yes. I promised here she could find them in The Church of Christ. It was very special. I hope you all will read the proclamation this week its beautiful. #goals

Janeth also now has goals to go to the temple. She is a very special person. :)

We found some really friendly and wonderful new investigators this week that I'm really excited to teach!

You Learn All Sorts Of New Skills In The Mission

So Tarija doesn't have a big super market Hipermaxi like Santa Cruz where a simple gringa can go to find her favorite American sabores, for example: Peanut Butter.

They've got lots of peanuts here but mantaquilla de mani is just not a thing. 

So whats a choca like me to do??

Learn how to make her own obviously!!!

I'm actually pretty proud of myself for figuring out how to MAKE PEANUT BUTTER. 

That certainly was never something I thought I would be able to do. It's cool, we all have so much potential to do things that we never thought we could do, if we just get up and try to do it. 

My comp enjoyed the peanut butter. I'll attach a picture of my creation.

Things I've Learned

Well I have this prompting to talk about something I learned a lot about over these last 6 weeks. 

It's about those of us who feel, inadequate, unprepared, like we don't do much or anything, or that we don't make a deference, or that we aren't doing all that we could be doing.

These disappointing thoughts are not uncommon. As a missionary, I get them a lot. 

But somethings I've learned and am changing in myself are two Christlike attributes:

Diligence and Patience.

Here is what I've learned and has helped me and  the Spirit testifies to me that they are true-

Be diligent, keep working. if you know what you want, be diligent in doing the little and consistent things that will get you to that goal. It probably won't come as fast as you'd like, but if you keep working and stay diligent, it WILL undoubtedly come. don't give up. that is the only way it will NOT come. 

Be patient primarily, with YOURSELF. I feel like what is true for me could be common for others as well- whenever I lose patience with someone else, it's usually because I have first already lost patience with myself.

I have lost my self confidence or iIcompare my weaknesses to others strength. I'm not fair to myself.

To all of you who may have had these similar feelings, I'll quote elder Dieter F. Uchtedorf, 

"STOP IT."

YOU are a child of God! YOU have DIVINE POTENTIAL and you CAN DO IT. The only thing stopping you is you. Keep working. Things come in their own time, in gods time. have hope for that future that is as bright as your faith.

YOU are loved by He that is almighty, and he gives you challenges because he knows that you can handle them.

This is a phrase I'm going to work on remembering and that can help you guys to remember too:

Tell yourself, "I CAN DO HARD THINGS"

That's the truth. There's nothing stopping you. Keep working at it. You can do hard things. 

I love you guys and I believe in each and every one of you! 

Thank you for all you prayers. They give me the strength i need every day.

God always answers prayers. iIsee that every day.

When you feel like you cant do it, Ask for His help. and he will answer "immediately"

Ironic tile in our apartment haha

when life gives you mani, make montiquilla de mani!

Have a wonderful week everyone,

Love from Tarija, Bolivia <3

Hermana Brown

I NEVER HAVE ANY TIME AND I'M ALSO SNOW WHITE

HEY GUYS SORRY I HAVE LIKE TEN MIN LEFT SO THIS IS A SHORT ONE.

PIMIENTA

On Tuesday we were walking we didn't do ANYTHING but this little salt and pepper colored dog started tailing us!! He wouldn't leave us alone! he come to lunch with us and also a couple of lessons. People were like "is this your dog" and we were like "NO!" Finally we noticed he'd lost us hahahaha But then Friday we walked up to our investigators house and HE WAS THERE!!! AHHHHG He found us and followed us again but this time with a friiieennndd. We were like Snow White being followed by like all the neighborhood dogs. We named him Pimienta. It's against my nature to kick dogs, but I forcefully nudged this one a number of times.

Other than that my comp hna Gardner is the best and we've got some great plans for this cambio! Including music classes, a choir, English classes and were gonna teach the relief society how to make peanut butter this week! We've got some pretty great investigators too!

I know this is the work of the Lord! he Lives! and we are children of God!

I love you all and I hope you will all remember your divine potential and identity this week!

thank you for the prayers they help a lot!

love you guys!

love and luck from Tarija Bolivia,

Hermana Brown