Bye bye to Lebanon :( October 21, 2013

So. Transfers are tomorrow. And I am leaving :( I don't know where I'm going yet. I'll find out at Transfer Meeting tomorrow. I'm so sad to leave Lebanon. I have absolutely loved it here! The nature, the members, the investigators, the missionaries, EVERYONE! Yesterday I said bye to some of the members at church and then said bye to some less-active families and to some investigators. Everyone here has treated me with kindness and I will definitely miss them. But I am excited to go to a new area! It'll be different and hard, but I know I can do it and that I'm needed somewhere else now. The Lord definitely knows best :)

As for what we did this week, it was great! Sister Brown and I helped one of our investigators, Dianne, on her farm. We helped her build a shed! It was a lot of fun. We got to use drills and chop saws :) haha it was too good. We went to the local fire department where there was a Turkey Dinner going on. We ate food and talked to people. It's fun being in a small town :) Everyone knows everyone! Yesterday in church, Sister Brown and I did sharing time in Primary. I love those kids! They remind me of Joe and Noelle :) We had them put on our name tags and talked to them about how they can be missionaries now. It was a lot of fun!
Well, I think that's it for this week. I hope all goes well! Know that I love each of you so much and that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you! Until next week :)
WITH ALL MY LOVE,
Sister Brown 

Me and a dead mink :) some of the Elders found it at a thrift store

A view from Dianne's farm!!

We carved pumpkins as a district!!! So fun :)

Carolina girl, best in the world!

Life is going good here on the eastern side of the USA!! All the leaves are starting to fall so the beautiful colors are going with them :( It was too short! Fall is always too short. Sister Brown and I did a lot of service this week. It was such a good time! We serve at this cute little library every Wednesday and helped make these crafty broomsticks out of Tootsie Pops. Halloween is coming up fast. And then Thanksgiving and then CHRISTMAS! Y'all know how I love Christmas :) Anyway. We also helped out at this huge yard for a charity program called COA, it was a dream! I forgot how much I love yard sales. The other volunteers there were so nice and COA said they would love to have our help for more functions. That's what I'm talking about! Friday night we went and visited the Wright's neighbors with Sister Wright and had a wonderful lesson with Susan and Nancy. They're sisters I think. We'll be seeing them again :) Yesterday Sister Brown and I taught the lesson in Relief Society about missionary work. We were really nervous about it because neither of us like to get up in front of people, but it ended up being really good. There was a lot of participation and discussion, so that was great!

This past week I've really loved reading old General Conference talks. They are like precious pieces of gold on your mission! Well of course they always are, but I never appreciated them enough before. I rediscovered President Uchtdorf's talk "Forget Me Not" and I love it! I really recommend it.

I love all of you so much. No matter how many times I say that, it'll never be enough. I'm praying for all of you constantly and know that my prayers and your prayers are being heard. I'm so glad to hear that South Carolina was so much fun! Carolina girl, best in the world :) That was random, but I'm gonna keep it anyway. Hope everyone has another great week!

WITH ALL MY LOVE,

Sister Brown

October is HERE!

First off, General Conference?! It was the best! Dad, you'd be so proud, I took notes and didn't even fall asleep :) I paid attention a lot more than I usually do haha. We got to watch it at the church with the rest of our district. Of course I loved all of the talks about members and missionaries working together! It's such an exciting time to be a missionary. Aside from those, Elder Uchtdorf's and Elder Holland's really touched my heart. They have so much emotion and I love it. I can't wait to be able to study the talks more throughout the next six months.

On to other things, we were finally able to meet with Georgie and Artie this last week! They are doing pretty well although so many of their loved ones have died recently. Artie has told us that she wants to share the gospel with one of her friends, Sister Brown and I are very excited for her and her desire to share what she has learned. Anne Marie has been sick all week so we were not able to visit with her :( Along with Daisy as well. She came to church a couple weeks ago and said she hasn't been feeling well ever since. Sister Brown and I have tried going over to her house, but no one ever answers. We pray that we will be able to come in contact again with her soon! Interviews with President Stoker were on Thursday. He and his wife are so great. It was good to get to know them a little bit better. Sister Brown and I got a new investigator that has a farm! And we're totally helping her with her farm every Saturday now! I don't know why I have this weird obsession with farms now haha. They're just so cute and fun. She doesn't have any horses though.

Well, I think that's all for this week! Thank you all for the wonderful emails, I love them and you so much! I'm praying for each of you forever and always :) and I hope SC treats you well!!!

WITH ALL MY LOVE AND MORE,

Sister Brown

The NHMM

Hello family!!!!

This week was a good one. I was on exchange in Hanover with Sister Morgan and Sister Sowards (cause they are now a trio) on Tuesday. So Sister Fuller was here in Lebanon with Sister Brown. While in Hanover we got to help out at the Bulch Farm. They are a less-active family. It was so fun! We got to smash pumpkins and feed them to the cows. And there was the most beautiful sunset I've EVER seen! We were sad we didn't have our cameras with us :( We also got to try FRESH mozzarella cheese! It was a dream. While I was in Hanover Sister Fuller and Sister Brown taught Chelsi! She was the lady I told you about awhile ago who we helped move out of her house. They taught her in a member's home and said the Spirit was so strong there in the lesson. I'm sad I wasn't there, but so happy that it was such a good lesson. Sally, who we took to the Joseph Smith Memorial, is moving to Pennsylvania so we said goodbye to her this last week. We are also going to start helping out at a farm in our area! I'm really excited about that!

And the Relief Society Broadcast was SO GOOD! Loved it. I loved when President Monson said, "God's love is simply always there." He said some really profound things before that, but I only wrote fast enough to write that down :) It's just such a comforting feeling to me. To know that no matter what, through good or bad, God's love is there. I know that to be true. I love you all so much and hope you have the best of times in SC!! Give everyone there my heartfelt love! And send pics :)

I LOVE YOU FOREVER AND ALWAYS,

Sister Brown

FALL TIME!!

It's FALL!

Hello my sweet, lovely family!!!!

This week was pretty good. We're teaching a woman named Daisy Starkweather. What about that last name?! She lives down the street from us, which is AWESOME. She wants to be baptized, but she's living with her boyfriend of 18 years, who doesn't want to get married. We're hoping that his heart will change. Daisy came to church yesterday for the first time and said that it's different, but is definitely still wanting to learn :) We're happy that she had a good time there. We're still teaching Georgie and Artie, but haven't been able to see them lately because Georgie's grandma died :( and she's not wanting to see anyone. We hope that they will be strengthened through this hard time. Anne Marie is doing just as great as ever! Still her great, bubbly self :)

We went tracting yesterday and crashed a birthday party. This family was outside on their enclosed porch, which we didn't realize until we were at the door. No one said anything to us and it was super awkward. There was a banner that said "Happy Birthday" so Sister Brown just said, "We'll come back another time. And Happy Birthday!" No one even acknowledged us! It was too good. My description doesn't give it justice though. 

I hope all of you are doing GREAT. From what I hear it sounds like everything is good. Y'all are going to South Carolina soon!!! That's going to be so much fun! Y'all have to tell me everything you do. And you have to go down that street we would always go down during the fall where they have Halloween decorations and scarecrows and stuff. It's gonna be such a good time!

I love you all so much and I pray for you EVERYDAY!! The Lord is watching over each of you :)

WITH ALL MY LOVE,

Sister Brown

I heart NH!

My dearest, sweetest, loveliest FAMILY!!!!

How I wish you could've been here on Saturday! It was a GREAT day. So Anne Marie got there and we took some pictures, she said she didn't sleep at all the night before because she was so excited! She is a crazy lady :) Anyway, after the pictures the program started. Her friend from work who introduced her to the gospel, Sister Crory, gave a talk. That was really sweet. And then we all went into the gym to see Anne Marie get baptized! It was so amazing. I feel like I keep saying that, but it really was! Sister Brown and I were talking to her in the bathroom while she was changing and she kept saying how she wished it could've lasted longer :) I agree, it goes by so fast! Then Sister Arnold gave a nice talk and there were the Welcomes and we ate food. It really did seem to fly by. Sister Brown and I are so glad that we were able to see her be baptized and then confirmed on Sunday. EVERYTHING WAS SO GOOD. Anne Marie said she thought everything was beautiful and wonderful :) She is such an amazing person and has so much faith! I truly look up to her.

Sister Brown and I ate lunch with Bro. and Sis. Wright this last week. They are so sweet! I feel like Sister Wright is our mom out here since she met you Mom :) She keeps telling us how nice and sweet you and Sister Brown's mom are. We all have fun together! Also I have to tell you that the movie marathon we did with Anne Marie was only mission approved videos of course! I didn't break the rules Dad! :) And you all will be surprised to hear that I ate venison steak last week. The couple killed it themselves.

Our district has been focusing a lot on the Atonement lately. I've loved studying it more and gaining better understanding. I read a talk on how the Atonement is not just for our sins, it's also for our inadequacies and shortcomings and EVERYTHING. A lot of the time I forget that.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! I can't express my love for all of you in words. Keep having so much fun and know that I love you!! As does our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ. I hope it is another good week for everyone!

LOVE ALWAYS,

Sister Brown

Anne Marie's BIG DAY

GOOD NEWS!

Hello my dear, sweet family!!!

Good news coming to y'all! Sister Brown and I are staying in Lebanon! WE ARE SO HAPPY!!! Also, I've realized that I write super lame emails, so I'm gonna try and be better at them :) Mom, I met Sister Wright! It's so funny that you met her before I did. She and her husband are really nice. She said I look just like you :) Which, of course, is a compliment!

Some more good news! Anne Marie is doing GREAT! And she is getting baptized this Saturday. I really don't know how Sister Brown and I could be so blessed to have Anne Marie in our lives. She decided last week that she's going to be coming to each of our weddings, whenever they may be, and of course, she's invited!! She is so sweet. We also met her mom. She is the cutest too. She is this tiny little French lady with the best accent. I love it! After Anne Marie's interview, Elder Wilson was asking her questions to fill out her record, she was talking and said, "These are my angels (pointing to us). And this is my big angel (patting Elder Wilson's back)." It was just too funny. She makes me laugh all the time. So Sister Brown and I are getting everything ready for her baptism on Saturday.

Thank you for all of your love and support. I REALLY could not do this without you. I care for you and I pray for you :) Until next week!

WITH ALL MY LOVE,Sister Brown

The district went for a SWEET hike : )

I made Sister Brown Stack Dinner!

This is a pic of the Lebanon Ward missionaries. It's Elder Young, Sister Costa (she's a Ward Missionary), Elder Dickinson (he is leaving), Bro Hatch (the Ward Mission Leader), me and Sister Brown :)