24 October 2016

malo e lelei!

          I have only an hour, and I was at another church building and I wrote a good bit, but          it looks like It didn't save, so that's three weeks in a row with a lame email!

The internet was being very uncooperative last week so I didn't get a chance to send much; I got one off to mom and dad, but no one else. I did my best, so please bear with me!

Many prospective missionaries in Tonga have to wait for their visas, so they start their work in Tonga. Like 6 missionaries all gt their visas at the same time, and we got to be transfer patrol for the day. We'll probably be transfer patrol tomorrow too.

I composed quite a letter as we waited for one of these missionaries to pack his stuff. I wrote it at the church building next to his house, but it didn't save, so if I seem a little frustrated, I'm sorry; I had a lot of time set apart to write you guys this week but it got jacked up

Bidness!! We had a baptism the week before last, and 4 more coming up. We know the investigators well and they are sharing their concerns, which makes our job seem a whole lot easier. Although we don't let the relationship get casual or inappropriate, I feel like i'm good friends with all my investigators and this helps a lot. My companion has shown me how effective this can be

I've made more progress with the language over the past couple weeks than I have in a while; my companion speaks fluently and most of the people we deal with are men in their 20's, so I'm starting to learn more about how people actually speak Tongan

The work here is great and I'm so happy here, but we had a lame busy day and I'm so I'm struggling to express the butterflies and sparkles

I love you all! I have a little time left, so I'll email my siblings and mom and dad!

'Ofa lahi atu!

Elder Brown

10 October 2016 (#spacebarhilarity)

Scroll down for original email :) I cleaned it up:

Malo e lelei!

I'm very sorry; the spacebar just quit working and i'm low on time so i'll have to write like this.

I lost my wallet, which had my american license, temple recommend, and debit card in it, so as of this week I am not driving a car. 

The work is going great! we have 5 baptisms coming up!!          

Conference was great!

I got to watch the last session in english, so the last session was the best!

I am very very sorry, but i'm being kicked off the computer now. I'm sorry! I'll email next week; things are going very well.

I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Brown

​Maloelelei!

I'mverysorry;thespacebarjustquitworkingandi'mlowontimesoi'llhavetowritelikethis.

Ilostmywallet,whichhadmyamericanlicense,templerecommend,anddebitcardinit,soasofthisweekIamnotdrivingacar.

theworkisgoinggreat!wehave5baptismscomingup!!!

conferencewasgreat!Igottowatchthelastsessioninenglish,sothelastsessionwasthebest!

Iamveryverysorry,buti'mbeingkickedoffthecomputernow.I'msorry!I'llemailnextweek;thingsaregoingverywell.

Iloveyouallsomuch!

Love,

ElderBrown

Brown 3 October 2016 Transferred to Foloha with Elder Tuha

Malo e lelei!

Transfers again! Transfers are always fun and my new companion, Elder Tuha, is the man! I'll be working in Folaha. I'm still in Te'ekiu for the time being, but I'll be headed over either later today or tomorrow. We'll have a car, so I get to get my license this week!

We haven't baptized anyone in this area, which is a bummer, but the next elders to work here are gonna have like 50. This was a very fun area, a very busy area, and I learned a lot.

This last week was relatively slow; still lots to be done, but we found ourselves with a bit of free time and we have no creative juices left so we went and visited random houses and tried to get friendly with people, with some success!

I somehow have gotten really friendly with the office elders, the ap's, and a couple of the elders in high places in the outer islands, so I knew about most of the transfers about a week out. I found mine out on Saturday. people have been offering to pay me to find out where there going, so I'm involved in deep secret combination type stuff over here. 

The new AP has been out for less than 12 weeks, which is the mission record

We're going to go fishing after this, and I still need to write president. I'll write a lot next week!

'Ofa lahi atu!

Elder Brown

.

Elder Brown caught on video in Tonga!

Imagine how I gasped when I saw PETER!

          https://youtu.be/y-EyLnLDtgA?t=1h56m3s

This clip is the final 8 minutes of the 2 hour video celebration- 100 years of the Tonga, Nuku'alofa Mission. Peter seems to know where the camera is, and stations himself quite nicely at appropriate times!

          OH HAPPY DAY to see this good young man after more than 10 months
          <3
          Thank you ALL for the love, support, and prayers offered in his behalf.
          Jennie

From Elder Brown:

You found me on youtube! The members showed me that video when I worked in 'Eua and made fun of me for awkwardly standing right where the camera ishahahahaha! Shumway was standing just off camera, I was standing awkwardly to try to get a picture with him.

They haven't translated conference into Tongan yet, so we will see it next week. Don't tell me yet!!!

We eat twice a day, and the members feed us. We eat a lot of 'ufi (tongan yam), sweet potatoes, and manioke (i don't know if there is such a thing in america). we eat a lot of canned meat (fish, beef, chicken). We eat a lot of sheep, beef, chicken, and fish. Occasionally, we eat a pig or a dog or a horse.Last week, we had the best pig I've every eaten in my life.

The members (in this area, the brown family, interestingly enough) do our shirts and tupenus, we do our own garments.

I'm getting transferred tomorrow. I like this area, but it's always fun to get transferred. I know my new companion and he's the man!

I love you very much! Thanks for the email! and thanks for being a missionary!!!

'Ofa lahi atu!

'Ofa atu ka moutolu
Elder Brown