Christmas was yesterday, which was a very happy thing. We got to go to church, take the sacrament, and call home!
I got to see the effects of Christmas on a bunch of missionaries. For most of us, it seems, it was a fun, spiritual, uplifting and motivating time. On the other end of the spectrum, some were really missing the presents, the snow, the songs, the lights and the family. Some were simply having a hard time with the work, others were crying, and one elder ended up going home this week because he missed his family so much.I love my parents and all they do, and I'm very glad how encouraging they are. I see a lot of parents who write "I miss you so much" every time they write a letter or an email or send a package, and that seems to take a toll on the missionaries. My parents are the best; I know they want me out here.Transfers was today, I'm staying with my comp. I would have liked to move but he's my favorite comp (or at least tied for first) and many changes have happened in the zone, some of which seem interesting and challenging. This should be a busy transfer, and we'll get the work back up and running and avoid getting sucked into the busy-ness.We drove everyone everywhere and ended up going like 150km today, so our miles are all but out. I'm low on time, but I should have time next week to email the parents and the siblings. I love you all!'Ofa atu!Elder Brown
26 December 2016
Malo e lelei!
19 December 2016
Malo e lelei!
I can't find my camera, so I won't be able to send pictures for now, I'm sorry. I don't think it's been stolen, but I can't seem to find it. We'll be cleaning our house today, so I'll look for it then.We cover two villages, Longoteme and Folaha. Most of the work seems gets done in Folaha, but the highlight of this week happened in Longoteme. My companion, Elder Lasalosi, worked in Longoteme a year ago so it's interesting seeing him go back; he already knows the houses to go to and where to get food and who will give us rides, etc. He worked there for several months and had one baptism. We get to go with her to the temple on Tuesday! We got to teacher her with her husband (a non member) and it was a great lesson. Elder Lasalosi, who taught him before, says he seems much more receptive this time around, so we have good hopes for him! The fact that the temple in part of the equation makes it cooler and I think they really want to go together. We should have a baptism coming up!!!I am very excited to call the family next week! I seem to be running low on steam so I look forward to the phone call as a way to re steamify myself!!I love it here very much! It definitely feels like Christmas; we talk about Christ everywhere we go and that's a happy thing. We don't have any presents, they don't play christmas music here, and it's coming up on the warmest part of the year, so it doesn't feel like any other christmas I've every had. People here aren't much about the American Christmas festivities; I think if they were it'd be a lot easier to be homesick. They are, however, very enthusiastic about Jesus, and I'll never forget it! This will be my only Christmas in Tonga, which is a special thing.I love you all!'Ofa lahi atu!Elder Brown
12 December 2016
Malo e lelei!
I had to leave early last week so I'm sorry to the family members I didn't get to email.We stayed very busy this week, and ended up spending very little time in our area. There was lots of bidness to be done and in ended up taking almost all of our time.There are people to teach here, but many of them are experiencing roadblocks of one kind or another that are keeping them from progressing, being baptized, returning to church, etc. Although we haven't stopped visiting any of them, our focus has shifted to finding more people who want to be baptized. The work was very fast a couple of weeks ago, but it's gradually died down. This has been a struggle, because I don't want to go back to knocking on doors! I felt really good while teaching and baptizing, and have become comfortable with all that goes into it, I guess this means I need to learn how to find people again! I did a lot of that in my last area and remember it being very rewarding and very hard work! I'm relying on my father mother and siblings to get me in the door knocking mood!!! let the motivational statements fly!!!!I love it very much and here and love the people here very much!!I love this time of year! I think many of the missionaries end up thinking a lot about home this time of year, and their girlfriends, and their parents. The others think about Jesus. I've been thinking abot what He's done for me a lot and I love him very much. Out of everything we teach as missionaries, from prophets to the word of wisdom, my favorite is just talking to people about the Savior. I find we can take it anywhere from there, depending on what they need. I know that he lives!!I love you family and friends! Everyone always talks in church about the 25 methods in 25 days thing that the church has put out. Unfortunately, no one has bothered to print out the thing so we don't have any idea what we're supposed to do. But yous have the internet so I hope you all are taking advantage! I just looked it up and think it's way cool.I love you all!! 'Ofa atu!Elder Brown
5 December 2016
Malo e lelei!
Another good week full of meetings!The pacific area president, president Haleck, came to Tonga and did zone conferences all throughout the mission. We talked a lot about our purpose, a lot about the doctrine of Christ and how to fix specific problems exclusive to our mission.I learned about how important it is to emphasize the first principles of the gospel as we teach and prepare for baptism. Many missionaries find people who want to be baptized and them submit them for baptism without teaching them. Or others may teach the lessons quickly and move on to baptism. What I learned is that the most important thing that our investigators should do as a result of our teaching is not necessarily to be baptized, it is first to have faith, then repent. Then Baptism comes next. This is a thing that I've know for a while but never quite been able to put my finger on or put into words. This will help things out a lot.Elder Haleck told us that it is easy to overemphasize baptism in missionary work, and he shared with us the possible results; people getting baptized without a testimony, children getting baptized without their parents, and people quickly becoming less active in the church. He said that emphasizing faith and repentance should be our focus. Those who have demonstrated faith by repentance should then be baptized!This makes missionary work make more sense, and the tools the Lord's prepared for that process seem much more helpful now that I've started to look at it this way.We have the master key for the zone, so we have to go to ha'ateiho and unlock the missionaries' apartment there. I will email you later if I can!I love you all and thanks for all the support!!'Ofa lahi atu!Elder Brown
28 November 2016
Malo e lelei!
We had a baptism this week! Malia, the woman we started teaching last sunday, was baptized and is now one of the strongest members in the Folaha 2nd ward. She read every pamphlet and asked very good questions. She is a great example of what I wish every investigator would do and be; she had concerns and serious questions, mostly centering around Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, what salvation is and who qualifies. Many people have similar questions and either don't know how to address them or don't take the necessary steps to have them answered. Malia was different; she would listen, pray, ask questions, and read what we gave her to read. When she hadn't feel like her prayers had gotten answered, she'd pray again. and now she knows it's true! It's a thrill to see it work so well.We had 6 baptisms in the district this week! the work has really picked up.Next week, I think either one of the seventies or the area president will come to the mission and we'll do a mission conference. I hoped that would mean that everyone in the mission would all come and we'd have a massive meeting with everyone, but they've divided it up into like 4 groups so we'll be having smaller meetings. It will be fun! We have MLC next week too, so this will be a ton of meetings. We have one today, district meeting tomorrow, so we'll see how much time this leaves for work.We found another promising investigator named Lina. She has already received all the lessons, reads the Book of Mormon, and wants to be baptized, but she's afraid to tell her parents. It just so happens that her parents are very good friends with an active family in the second ward, so we're confident about her.I found a book called 'the discourses of Brigham Young' and have been loving it. (this is different from the JD, it's a compilation of various statements by topic) I love the prophet Brigham Young and am coming to understand why they call him the lion of the Lord. He's one of my favorites.Things keep on trucking out here in Tonga, I've been in my area a couple of months so I'm used to things and friendly with the people. I'm in a good area!'Ofa lahi atu!Elder Brown
Elder Brown and the Vahe eating kulii
(Elder Brown and the zone eating dog)
21 November 2016 Elder Lasalosi (from 'Eua)
Malo e lelei!
I hit my year mark last week! It still feels like I'll be here forever; I still consider Tonga my home and I still tell people 'next year' when they ask when I'll be finished. It doesn't feel like this will ever end, which is a happy feeling. I love this work and this people.
We're continuing to see miracles here in Folaha! We've had a baptism come up out of nowhere! Her name is Malia and she's awesome. She's come to church a lot, has read from the Book of Mormon, and she really wants to go to the temple. Both her parents have passed away. Her father was a nonmember, and her mother was a member (strong as she could be under the circumstances). Her father had received the missionary lessons and was to be baptized on a Thursday. He died the Saturday before the service. She received the lessons over a year ago, but she still remembers a lot. We'll reteach everything and baptize her on Saturday!
With the old mission president, we focused a lot on chapter 8 and planning, and beginning with the end in mind. I've found this to be especially true in cases like these. The fact that we're working to make her family eternal is an awesome thing, in the true sense of the meaning. It's a great source of energy and motivation, not only as we work with her but with our other investigators as well. This is a blessing that is simply not available to them unless they fully accept the gospel. It makes me want to talk to everyone.
I am companions with Elder Lasalosi from Ha'atu'a 'Eua. He's the man! This is the coolest opportunity I've had to learn the language; I don't ever speak English anymore; I write in my study journal in Tongan, and I read the scriptures in Tongan. It's only been a week and I already feel more confident. He finishes in February, he's a remarkable teacher and one of the funniest people I know. I love him to death and he might be my favorite comp. or at least tied for first.
Although you all email me every week, send me pictures, tell me you miss me, and tell me you love me, and although there have been very hard times every since I've been out here, I have never wanted to return home. The Tongan people have a way of making me feel at home and I love them to death. I'm not almost done, and I don't feel almost done, but I already know that this will be a hard place to leave. I'll be happy as long as I'm here.
Although I'd love to go to school, find a wife and go fly airplanes, I'm in no hurry. Or maybe I am in a hurry; I'm already half done and it only feels like I've been here a month. People always tell me (especially now) that it'll be over before I know it. I hope it's not.
I love this work and this gospel and it makes me so happy to be a part of this work.
Kou fiefia he faingamalie kuo tuku mai kiate au keu lea atu kiate kimoutolu. 'Ofa pe na'e hanga 'e he'eku ki'i tohi ni 'o fakamaama'i mo fakafiefia'i 'a kimoutolu, he ko eku taumu'a ia. Kou feinga ma'u pe keu mo'ui taau ki he ngaue ni, 'aki ha'aku tauhi faivelenga ki he ngaahi fuakava mo e ngaahi tukupaa kuo u fakahoko pea mo 'etau 'Eiki. Hange ko Nifai, 'oku ou fiefia 'i hoku Sisu. 'Oku ou laukau'aki e siasi ni, mo 'etau 'Otua, pea u 'ilo fakapapau ko e ngaue 'eni 'a'ana. Kou fakamo'oni atu kiate kitautolu 'e lava ke fakama'a kitautolu 'o tupunga 'i He'ene 'alo'ofa, pea 'i he'etau mo'ui'aki e ongoongolelei ni, te Ne hanga 'o fakama'a kitautolu 'o fakapale'i 'aki 'a kitautolu e mo'ui ta'engata. Kou falala malohi kiate ia, ko e fakamo'oni eni kou loto ke vahevahe atu pea kou fai eni 'i he huafa 'o Sisu Kalaisi, 'emeni.
'Ofa lahi atu! Tau toki sio he ta'u fo'ou!!!
Elder Brown
14 Nov 2016
THANK YOU to all who shared birthday wishes with Elder Brown!
Malo e lelei!
I'm a bit pressed for time, but should still be able to get a message off. My comp's last day before transfers is today, so we're eating dog with the boys!I'll send pictures and give detailed commentary, and I think that will prove sufficient! prepare yourselves!
The signature elder brown ping pong bat (a.k.a. the superboard 5000).
Using this exquisite piece of machinery I have beaten all the serious competitors in Folaha at least once (at least the ones who dare challenge me).A couple weeks ago, Elder Tuha played one of our investigators who's having family problems.He said said if he won, then our investigator would have to come to church.The oposition was fierce and the match went into overtime, but my comp won!The boy came to church, liked it, and has come back since!As a result, my skills have picked up, just in case I need to 'overthrow the money changers' table' as it were.
Photographic evidence that I have the best members of all time. It was a surprise; they called us at like 8 and asked us to give them a blessing.
We showed up and they had a giant cake, 3 pizzas, a bunch of ice cream, and assorted sodas.
It was the best.The goods
Junior, the boy we're going to baptize next week.
He has the shortest attention span I've ever seen, but when he listens he remembers everything.He asks good questions and remembers everything we drew on the board.With a little coaxing, he remembers the whole plan of salvation!He was set for baptism on saturday, but his grandma (a wesleyan) found out and wouldn't let him leave her house.
We'll baptize him next week.We came over to this house and the election was on. I was practically getting live updates from the ap's and office elders
We've baptized a couple kids over the past few weeks, so we've been working toward their friends.
They all hang out together, so we've talked about Jesus, America, and why we're here as missionaries.Eventually we shared the restoration and plan of salvation (once they were convinced that we weren't crazy people).Then afterwards they climb a tree and get us something to drink.
Drinks!
Elder Vailea returned home last week (he served in Tonga).
President decided to send everyone home a couple of days early, so his mother asked us if we could help get the house ready.We helped by making the banner.
The finished product!!
The ping pong table
That's all the time I have for today, I hope this suffices! This is a fun area, and people kept telling me I was moving again. I'm not going anywhere.I hit my year mark next week, so I'll send you a crazy email'Ofa lahi atu!Elder Brown
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