Happy All-Saints Day!

Happy Halloween! But we don't celebrate Halloween here. We celebrate All-Saints Day. If you remember, that's when everyone and their dog goes to the cemetery with flowers and candles to have a little party. And our chapel just happens to be on the very road leading to the cemetery. So our genius ward mission leader came up with the idea to stand outside and offer people fee juice and The Plan of Salvation! So that's exactly what we did. A few of our YSA are preparing to serve missions and as we stood there trying awkwardly to share about the plan of salvation to the hoards of people rushing down the street one of them said, "This is so awkward!" And then I realized, missions are awkward. And then I remembered a speaker from the MTC. "If it's awkward, you probably need to do it. It's probably inspiration." So we did. And now we have a bunch of potential investigators and I just upped my awkwardness points :)

This week we also had a special meeting with Elder lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy. He spoke in General Conference. So it's kind of a big deal. He's kind of famous. He spoke to us about agency and how because of that agency, we have 100% responsibility for our lives and 100% control over how we choose to act in any situation. How many times do we try to rationalize, blame others, lie our way out of a tough situation, make excuses, etc when we make a wrong choice? I know I do. But here's the thing, excuses don't get the plates. If Nephi had reverted to complaining, blaming, and rationalizing the way Lemuel and Laman did, the plates would have been forever in Laban's hands. So once we cross this anti-responsibility list out of our lives, we are 100% in control. We are on our way to becoming Nephis, becoming champions. And we are on our way to becoming a whole lot happier, no matter the circumstances in which we may stand.

Finally, we went to a broadcast last night in Lipa City. We were really late because there was traffic (and we left late...100% responsibility) so I didn't get a whole lot from the actual broadcast. But on the way there, Sister Waldrom and I had a lovely conversation with 2 drunk men who were also Mormon and proclaimed to have known that we were also Mormon because they had a "Sixth Sense." We asked if they liked basketball and the younger one pointed enthusiastically at his brother and said, "He is the BEST!! He's going to the finals! But me, I'm on the cheer squad." The way he said it was as if it was obviously the coolest thing any one could ever be. Even a 26 year old drunk man who is begging you not to tell his mom he got drunk "because she will KILL us!" So the lesson you can take away from that is, be who you are. And be happy about it. You have 100% control over who you are and what you are going to do with your life. Heavenly Father has given you that amazing gift. So remember who you are and what you stand for. 

Love you all, thanks for being awesome!

XOXO, Sister Brown

Goodbye part for the Smith Couple

Rence

Sis Josephine

Back in San Jose

The District

PB & egg sandwiches, we have such a kind district leader!

My trainees

Lake behind the church

Reunited with the best comp ever

Sis Mahoni

Writing the Last Chapter

Pedro, my RC from last year

Goodaye mate! It's been a very cultural week. I thought that when I got an Australian as a companion, we would speak the same language. Turns out Australians have a vocabulary all their own. I'm picking up on it a little bit. I've learned all kinds of words this week. Like capsicum and heaps and rock up. Also, there is no such thing as swear words in Australia... so that's been interesting. Don't worry mom, I haven't picked those ones up. I also got real Filipina at the RS activity and made some nilumpak, which is where you use a giant wooden stick to smash up a bunch of sweet potatoes and coconut in a carved out tree. I love being a missionary. That's all. 

This past week we had zone interviews with President Mangum. And the thought crossed my mind that it was my LAST zone interview with President Mangum. And it must've crossed his mind as well because this is what he said to me: "Well Sister Brown, you're writing the last chapter of your book. And once the book is closed, you can't go back. There are no edits, you can't cross anything out. The only time you can open the book again is when you're telling your kids about all the experiences you had and the people you met and the things that you learned. Everybody reads the first 200 pages for the last chapter. Make sure it's a good one." And then all of the amazing people that I've met and loved and learned from and all of the crazy, funny, and downright awesome experiences I've had in the last 16 months flashed through my mind. And I started to cry. Right there in front of President Mangum. Because I realized in that very moment just how very blessed I have been. And I realized just how much time I have left to keep loving these people and having these experiences. I am determined to write the best last chapter anyone has ever read.

So after all that, I was feeling a little discouraged this week with the numbers we got. I know numbers aren't all that matter, but we were lucky  if we taught more than one lesson a day this week. The difference between here and Sta. Cruz is like night and day. And in the midst of all this discouragement, I remembered how in Sta. Cruz I had a desk full of miracles. And I started to look for my miracles here in San Jose. It's really amazing just how much a changed perspective can literally change everything. Life got a whole lot more sunshiney. We might not have a whole lot of investigators and the ones we have might have a lot of obstacles in their way, but they are so faithful! DonDon and Viana, they pay tithing every week. They aren't members yet. Sister Marie, she wakes up early so she can read a chapter of the Book of Mormon every day before work because she knows it will help her through the day. We have 10 YSA in our tiny little ward who are preparing to serve missions within the next few months. San Jose is full of miracles. You just gotta believe.

So look for miracles in your life this week. I promise there will be a whole lot more sunshine in your life too. Love you all, thanks for being the best friends and family ever! 

XOXO, Sister Brown

San Jose ward

Maria Jean Baluran

Washing clothes in the river