Kingdom Come

25 Apr 2016 Tofoa 2nd Ward, New Comp- Elder Enos from Hawaii!

Malo e lelei!

I thought I would be working in the ward I was trained in, but I've moved across the street to the Tofoa second ward. I covered this ward last transfer, but I wasn't especially friendly with the members and we never had an investigator over there. We've been spending the last few days getting to know the members. We have a very cooperative bishop the members have helped a lot. We've gone out with the bishop, we've gone out a couple of times with prospective missionaries, and we spent the rest of the time wandering around all willy-nilly looking for members and contacting. We haven't been able to meet with the ward mission leader, although we've tried every day.

My new companion is from Hawaii too. His name is Elder Vaea Enos. He hails from Hilo. We're working hard. I love him to death.

We got a new investigator on sunday totally out of the blue. She's a nine year old girl from a part-member family. Before third hour started, the first councilor to the bishop came and told us to come with him, that there was a girl he hadn't seen before. We talked to her, found out she hasn't been baptized, her mother's already Mormon, and that she's never come to church before. We taught her the first lesson and she accepted an invitation to be baptized. We set her date for the 15th of next month. We'll go meet with her mother and teach her again on wednesday. blessing!

He loves cooking and baking, so we're going to use that to our advantage during the coming weeks. Mother's day is coming up, so we're going to make all kinds of goodies for the ladies in our ward. The missionaries have never done anything like that before; we hope it'll blow their socks off etc. Wish us luck.

I got a hundred pa'anga out of the atm and it was all gone by the end of zone conference. I left my wallet on the table to go to the bathroom. lesson learned.

I'm out of time again. I love you all!

'Ofa atu,

Elder Brown

Comp study selfie

Me on candid camera with my old ward mission leader

Serious weekly planning selfie

The fakest looking picture I've every take

My new companion is from Hawaii, so he got Hawaiian goodies in the MTC. A little taste of home (tee tee)

Elder Enos and I

Elder Enos and the goblet of fire

We're really good at darts

We spent a lot of time cleaning the house. The kitchen was nasty and we spent three hours cleaning it

18 Apr 2016

Malo e lelei!

Transfers are today. I will be staying in Tofoa. Elder Ofa, who was with me in the MTC, was just transferred here and will be working in the Tofoa second ward. We're very happy to see each other still strong in the faith an in the work. I love him to death and we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming weeks. He's one of the most genuine and honest people I know, and He's been doing very well with the work and the language. Our companions are getting here on Wednesday. Elder Pulotu is getting transferred. He was fun and I'll miss him.

The last couple transfers have seemed very hectic. This one seems a lot more low-key.

I'll be in Tofoa for another couple of transfers at least.

My bishop's son, elder Matakaiongo, is opening the island of Niuafo'ou, probably the most remote of the islands in the kingdom.

That's it for logistical happenings.

I (along with everyone else in the zone) got pink eye last week. President and the mission PA told us to stay inside a few days, which was dull and sent antsiness off the charts. My right eye was swollen shut a day or two. I forgot my camera, so I'll send pictures next week. We were able to go to the temple, as long as we used hand sanitizer.

We had zone conference, which was great. No one was allowed to shake hands.

We only taught four lessons all week, which is no fun at all. We'll be working hard next week.

I've been reading 'Tongan Saints - a Legacy of Faith' by Eric Shumway; we've had quite a bit of free time. It's a very good book. buy it and read it. I love it very much.

Also read the Book of Mormon

I love y'all very much!
'Ofa atu!
Elder Brown

11 Apr 2016

Malo e lelei!

We waited a week for general conference (because of the date difference and so there was time for translation), so we watched it over the last two days at church. We watched it in English. The spirit was very strong, the talks very informative and inspired. I love conference.

We officially have no interested investigators in our area. We continue to talk to people, receive and contact referrals, work with the members, etc. but the work is really really slow nowadays. We're working hard but the fruit isn't there yet. We'll keep it up.

We have zone conference this week and we get to go to the temple on Thursday.

I am thankful for a living prophet and the leaders of the church. I try to find people every day to share that with. I know Jesus lives and loves us and my testimony of the atonement grows every day. Things are slow and hard right now, but this stuff is true and I know it

This has been a slow week. hopefully next week something crazy happens

'Ofa lahi atu!

Elder Brown

My companion

The Kiu family

My foot after it stopped being swole

Plaque photo option 1

Option 2

Elder Pulotu and I

Go big or go home

Our zone leaders' car following some.... irresponsible driving (in which I was not involved)

Sunrise

The Family of Vahe'i. I love this family. The mother is leaving her husband because he won't let her go to church, among other things. She's really brave and full of love.

3 April 2016

We were thrilled to get double emails today from Elder Brown!

I've been working with my companion and learning a lot. We've been obedient and we're trying hard. We make appointment after appointment, visit after visit, but nobody seems to be home. Our numbers have been pretty low. On Saturday, we were out all day and literally nobody was home but our bishops and our ward mission leader. we visited like a million houses. but we're working hard.

We're having fun too. Productive fun. We're good friends already.

I had a good week. I don't have any real questions or concerns. The members love us now. We've gotten a lot of referrals from both wards. We'll keep trying to contact them.

I'm doing well. My companion will work if I work, so I'll keep workin.

I gotta go

I love yall very much!!!!!

'Ofa atu!

Elder Brown

Our district interviewed with president last Tuesday. It was very instructional, very fun, and I love his guts. He is the man.

He told me I would probably stay in Tofoa a while then he'd send me somewhere cool.

There are a lot of missionaries from Tonga who wait a long time for visas. If their scheduled mission departure date comes and they don't have a visa yet, they work and are trained in Tonga. President told me it's kind of an optional thing and they often don't show up. President said that elder Pulotu and I are waiting for visa-waiters; they were supposed to show up last week. He said if they don't end up showing up, I will probably wait for the next intake from the MTC. So i may be in my area like 7 months.

I'm really having fun with my companion, the members, and the investigators (which makes things way easier). I'm learning a lot about the culture, I'm getting close with people, and I feel like I'm finally starting to get the hang of things.

We got Ice cream like 4 times last week. A new record.

We got a bunch of referrals we haven't been able to teach yet.

I'm doing real good.

'Ofa atu!

Elder Brown

28 Mar 2016

Malo e lelei!

Unsolicited logistical update: My companion is not going to Nakolo, he'll go elsewhere. We don't know where, or if he'll still be training. The sisters are leaving our district as well, and we don't know whether we'll get elders or sisters next.

I've been studying Nephi in some depth. I've always looked at him as someone who never felt sad, never needed his heart softened, never made a mistake, etc. The more I read about him, the more I realize that everything he went through was just as hard for him as it was for Laman and Lemuel. The difference is how he responds. I found 2 Nephi 4:17-35 especially meaningful; this is written shortly after his father dies. He goes on for a couple of verses being sad, but the rest of the passage is him remembering the goodness of God, praising him, and reaffirming his will to follow him.

My foot got infected, so the doctor told me to stay home a day.

Easter was great. I've been studying the atonement

I'm out of time. I had a good week and I love you all!

Elder Brown

21 Mar 2016

Malo e lelei!

Transfers happened last week wednesday in our district. The district leader's companion is now the zone leader, and I'm with the district leader (for at least the next transfer). Our areas have been combined and we're now taking care of both wards in Tofoa, which is a very welcome change of pace. I got to meet a lot of the new members yesterday at church and I really like them a lot.

My companion has been in Tonga for a while now, understands the culture and his language is good. I should be with him for at least this transfer. His name is Elder Pulotu, from Mesa, Arizona. He spent the majority of his mission in Ha'apai.

We're in a threesome right now as my trainer awaits the next intake from the MTC. He'll be going to Nakolo, southeast Tongatapu. We're excited for him.

Nothing really dramatic has happened besides that.

I'm still praying, studying, and working as hard as I can. I'm putting forth as much effort as i possibly can.

I'm a little overwhelmed and I don't know what to write.

I'm thankful for the ability to pray and receive answers. I'm thankful for the Book of Mormon. These, above anything else, have helped me through the week. For one reason or another, this week has been really hard and I've struggled to be happy. The fact that God listens to me, loves me, and cries with me when I'm sad is very special to me. He loves us and I know it's true.

'Ofa atu ka moutolu!

Elder Brown

14 Mar 2016

Malo e lelei!

Transfers are on the 20th; sorry for the false update last week. My companion will have been here for over 8 months. We both love the area and the members very much. He's just getting a little antsy.

We worked really hard this week and got rejected like crazy; very seldom was the door 'slammed in our face,' but there were a thousand "come back tomorrow"s and "she's in the shower"s. It was frustrating, but nothing we can do about it.

I'm very close with my companion by now. He's great and I love his guts. He's a good egg.

The Koreans are at it again. Mele Tamoepeau (a recent convert) and her brother, Salesi, (who wants to be baptized) have been hearing all kinds of stuff about the church, Joseph Smith, etc. whenever they go to church. We struggle with them.

I finally got a good knife, and we've been slaying coconuts like crazy. very very nice.

My camera fell out of my pocket and got ran over. The outermost lens cover shattered. and there are marks all over the front. Other than that the thing works perfectly; every button works, the flash is ok, the screen on the back is alright, etc. Mom and dad bought it for me; I'm sorry it's jacked up. I'll be more careful.

I'm just about out of time. I have 5 minutes left. I'll send some pictures. Sorry about my lousy time budgeting skills.

I had a very good week.

'Ofa atu!
Elder Brown