I Know that My Savior Loves Me

Hey y'all!!!

This week was really great! On Tuesday we had a Mission Tour and Elder Costa of the 70 came and spoke to us. Sister Costa was there also and I fell in love with her and her sweet spirit. They both are wonderful people and they made me want to become a better missionary and all together a better person. I know that this is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice that he made in my behalf. Elder Costa gave a talk this past Conference about his conversion and he basically addressed it to investigators. If you haven't had a
chance to hear it, go to lds.org and look it up! It is fantastic and really shows his personality and the way he was with us the whole day :) it was such a great experience!

We had a lesson with Katrina this week about the Plan of Salvation and it was so good! Katrina is so fun and just has this constant desire to learn more and take in any knowledge that we give her. She loves this gospel and her faith is amazing! We talked to her about what she wants out of life and out of us teaching her, and she expressed her love that she has for the people of this church and her desire to want to be apart of this gospel that she sees makes others so happy. We set her with a goal to be baptized July 29th! We are super excited for her and I am happy I get this opportunity to teach her :)

This week we got a TON of referrals, well at least a lot more than we usually get. One of them was for a girl named Lisa. She was referred to us by her fiancé's brother in law in Montana, and he had us call him before we stopped by. It was cool to see the other side of referrals and hear how he feels about Lisa and how he just loved her and wanted this gospel to be a part of her life, knowing that it would bless her. He just gave us some encouraging words and told us to go try and stop by, so we did! She was super nice and let us in and right
away Sister Stroud and I were excited to talk to her more because we heard he wonderful sound of a Southern accent :) She was thrilled to see that not only were we sisters, but that we were both from the south! She is originally from Arkansas and has a true, thick, super cute southern accent that I so desperately want :) but anyway, we just had a nice conversation with her about how the gospel blesses families and how she has a desire to learn more and feel more of the peace she feels when she searches for knowledge of her Savior and his love for her. She asked us for a Book of Mormon and when we could meet her next, so of course that made us super happy too :) one of He best parts was having a couple phone calls that night, back to back, thanking us for our visit we had with her. One from the man who referred us, and another from her fiancé, who is a less active member. It was really neat to see the love that people have for one another, and that the way they express that love is by sharing the gospel with them. And hen they care enough to spend the extra time to thank us! It really meant a lot :)

But by far, the highlight of my week was being able to attend Amelia's baptism!! It was so great to see her again, especially in such a wonderful day!! She was just so happy the whole time and it was wonderful to see the joy that she had because of this decision she has made. I cried the whole time, of course, because I felt so so privileged to have been able to teach her. Amelia may never know the effect that she has had on my life, but I thank God everyday for placing her into my life and loving me enough to give me the chance to teach such a sweet soul, an opportunity that I truly didn't deserve. I love her with all of my heart and it was such a wonderful experience to see her be an example to her mom and to her friend as she bore her testimony and expressed the love that she has for this gospel. Here was such a sweet spirit there at the baptism, one that I will never
forget. It was the same spirit that was there in the room when we taught her the Restoration that brought everyone in the room to tears.

Experiences like these are ones I will hang onto are are He memories that I will cherish from my mission forever. I will be forever grateful for Amelia, and for my Heavenly Father who sent her to me because he knows me personally. He knows exactly what I'm going through and knows exactly what I need to get through it. I have such a strong testimony on prayer and I know that God hears those who kneel down in faith and pray. He may not answer it in the way you want, and most likely it's not. But I know he answers them in the way he knows you need. Which is sometimes very hard, but you will look back at your experiences and realize that you wouldn't have had it the way that you wanted in the first place, even though you thought that's what had to
happen. I love my Heavenly Father, I love the love he has for me even if I don't completely understand it, and I love this work that he has called me to, even in the blistering heat of Vegas :) I love you all, and I hope you are doing well. Thank you for all the prayers and love you send my way. I appreciate it so much! Have a great week, and don't forget to tell me about it :)

Sister Brown :)

Still alive, just busy!

Hey everyone!

No, I did not die, I just keep running out of time and I didn't send an email out last week and I almost didn't send one this week because I am just about out of time, but I figured I still would. But how has everyone been! It has been hot here, and I am bracing myself for the summer. I forgot how hot it was lat year!! I definitely am not excited to go through one again.

Well I love Sister Stroud and my new area!!! It was been a fantastic two weeks so far and we have been seeing miracles after miracles. The Redrock YSA ward has been participating in a 40 day fast, which means a member of the ward signs up for one day out of the 40 day period and fasts for the missionary work and missionary opportunities, so someone from the ward is fasting everyday for 40 days. And man have we been seeing miracles from it!!

One of our Ward missionaries said that he had a friend that recently reached out to him and said that he wanted to learn about Mormons. Well We taught him the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and
it was so good!! That spirit was so strong and we invited him to be baptized on July 8th. He then asked what we thought about July 11th, because thats his birthday :) so he is set to be baptized on his birthday!! we are super excited for him :)

A less-active in the YSA ward has a girlfriend and he told us she was interested, but didn't say much else. So we decided to stop by and we met Katrina! We got to know her and we set up a return appointment. We taught her the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as well, and again, the spirit was so strong!!! It was amazing, and she expressed her desire to be baptized as well. This area is just growing and the teaching pool is getting bigger and bigger and we are so excited to be seeing all these miracles from the 40 day fast!!

Yesterday we also had a lesson with a girl named Casey and that was a cool experience! So she was a referral from another set of Sister Missionaries, and they told us that we had an appointment on Sunday at 7, and that was on Friday. We had not even met her or talked to her. So Sunday came, and we realized she lived a little far out into the upper part of our large are, and we debated about going. We had no idea if this girl even was going to be home, because she wasn't confirming or anything and we had never talked to her. So why waste
the miles to go up there if she doesn't even answer? But of course, we went anyways, fully expecting this lesson to not happen. Well my friends, I have learned to stay optimistic!! Because someone answered the door, and it was actually a member of the church. She said that Casey was on her way, and she was just a friend of hers. So we talked to her friend for a bit and then Casey arrived and we had a wonderful lesson on answering her many questions and talking about the restoration of the Gospel!! Sister Stroud and I marveled at the fact
that it happened, and what would have happened if we just didn't show up!! So, we laughed about that on the way home :)

Well, I hope you had a fantastic Father's Day! Have a great week :)

Sister Brown :)

"Why isn't everyone Mormon?"

Hey everyone!

So, first I must apologize for my letter last week. I wrote a subject with very clear intentions that I would write something about it later, but then I got so distracted and just ended my email with no actual explanation about the subject... so that was a little odd haha. But before I explain last weeks subject and this weeks, I have
transfer news!!

I have been transferred from the Mountain's Edge and Cactus Wards (:( so sad) but I am now serving in the Red Rock YSA Ward and the Palo Verda Ward! I am super excited for this change, even though I'm really
sad I had to leave Sister Nelson and the Mountain's Edge and Cactus wards. I have always wanted to serve in a YSA Ward and now I get to serve in one of the best ones!! Super pumped, because I have heard so
much about it :) Also, my new companion in Sister Stroud from Louisiana and she has been out for 8 months and I am super excited to begin this new journey in this new area with her!!!

Ok, so this week was great overall. We were able to do some service and other things, but also say good bye and spend some last precious moments with the ones I have grown to love so much in this area. We started out with doing a new member referral technique! Sister Nelson and I made cookies and brought two plate two a member's house. we showed a video and talked about how it is normal to share with others what you love, and said how we loved these cookies so much and wanted to share them with their family! After they enjoyed them, we asked them if they could think of a neighbor or friend who would also like some cookies, and encouraged them to share the cookies with them and also share their testimony. We were able to do it with a quite of few members this week and they all went so well! So, next time you bake cookies, back some extra for a neighbor :)

On Tuesday we went over for an FHE with Rocio and Isabel!! It was so wonderful and Isabel taught it and everything and the spirit was so strong! She talked about repentance and we played a game with the
family. I felt so privileged to be a part of that spirit filled, fun night :) We also went by again last night for another FHE and to say good bye. I love Isabel and Rosio and was so sad to say goodbye tothem! Isabel cried when we had to leave, but I am so grateful the opportunity I had to tech her and her mom and to be there for her. I sure will miss them!!

Earlier on Tuesday we met with Amelia! She is absolutely amazing, as I have said before :) And she started out by telling us how she has been having such a great week and how she has felt the spirit all the time.
Then she said, "I got thinking, and now everywhere I look, all I can think of is 'why isn't everyone a Mormon?' It just makes sense, right?" And I was like, "yes!! Now you know how us missionaries feel!!!" She has such a strong testimony and she is seeing how much the gospel has blessed her life and how it makes sense. And now all
she can wonder, is why doesn't everyone realize that?! She has tasted the "cookie" and is wondering why not everyone is flocking to the church if all it beings is good. That's why missionaries exist! Because not everyone knows of the blessings that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings, and I have the opportunity now to help others come closer to Christ and see that the Gospel is what will fill the hole inside them that they don't realize they have!! That sounds a little weird, but does that make sense? :P kinda haha But on Friday Amelia brought a friend to our discussion to help her see why she loves this gospel so much and it was so great! Then Saturday she had her baptism interview and of course passed with flying colors! Even though I am leaving, I am so excited to go back for her baptism this Saturday. I love her so much and I am so excited for her!!

So, now to explain my subject last week... I have been thinking a lot about the Sacrament and its importance in my life. the sacrament is what we get to partake of every week at church that renews our covenants we made with God at our baptism. Those promises were that we would keep God's commandments, take upon the name of Jesus Christ, and always remember Him. When I got to thinking and evaluating about myself and if I have been living up to my covenants the way I should be, I thought about what it meant to take upon the name of Christ. It means that every action I do, I would do it knowing that I am a representative of Jesus Christ and he would be doing the same thing if he was here. I am guilty, that I have not always done things that
Christ would do. I tried to think of a way that I would always remember Him and try to act like Him the best I could, and I thought of the Song "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." If we lived every second as if Jesus Christ was with us at every moment, would we do the things we normally would do? Are we living a way that Jesus Himself would live? Are we doing our best to live up to our baptismal covenants in the best way we can?

Well, I love you all, and hope you have a fantastic week!! Enjoy these
pictures of Sister Nelson's and I's last week together :)

Sister Brown :)