Sister Brown in the Philippines: From the 3 month old missionary

Randoni and Mawin's baptism

Kamusta po kayo lahat? Oh my goodness this week was great! Okay so first things first, I apologize for never replying to basically anyone. Especially to Aunt Kim, Mikayla, and the Brown family. You all are just too awesome and I have too many emails and I'm awful at summarizing so sorry. That doesn't mean you should stop emailing me though... I promise I'll write back to you someday. Maybe in 15 months. Which reminds me, I've been a full-time missionary for 3 whole months now! Yay! And I got told I looked like Emma Watson. So add that to the list. I wish someone would tell me I look like Cinderella since I wash all my clothes by hand, clean the floor on my hands and knees, and sing songs, all while only wearing one flip-flop. I'm living the Princess dream! Be jealous. Actually don't. That's against the commandments. So we got to go to the Relief Society session of conference on Saturday and when they announced President Monson was next I had a little silent Buddy the Elf moment where I was all like, "President Monson! I know him! I KNOW HIM!" I can't wait to watch conference this week!!! And I may be a little jealous you have all already seen it. What was your favorite part?

And guess what! We had our first baptism! Randoni and Mawin Babor got baptized on Saturday and it was awesome. They were so excited! And it's great because now their family is completed and their dad has started to come back to church! Up next, temple sealing :) The ward did a great job of organizing the baptism and supporting the family. Watching it reminded me of my own baptism, with Grandpa Brown standing on my prosthetic foot so it wouldn't float up during the baptism and then having to do it twice anyway! haha :)

Inspiration for your week, I started reading "Our Search for Happiness," (which is a great book for any religion) and found this quote. "As we commit ourselves to Jesus Christ, spiritually, physically, and emotionally, He blesses our lives with loving direction. Every decision we make from that time on is affected...Simply put, after the spirit of Christ enters our hearts and our souls, we can never be the same again." I know that this is true. Once we have come to know our Savior, even in the smallest way, we can never be the same again. He changes our hearts, to make us want to be better. I know that if for whatever reason I was to come home right now, even though it's been only 3 months, I would be forever changed. Because on this mission, I have already come to better understand my Savior and the power of His atonement. The way I think and act is different. It's not a change we really consciously choose to make, it just happens. As we come to know Him, we come to be like Him. I am so excited to see this change in the people here and in myself!

I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve and I realized I hadn't shared my Tagalog skills with you all for a while. So here goes. Alam ko na dahil mahal na mahal po tayo ng Diyos, ibinigay niya ang plano para sa atin na makabalik sa kanyang piling. At alam ko na ipinadala ng Diyos ang kanyang Pinakamamahal na Anak, si Jesucristo, sa mundo na magbayad-sala para sa and ating mga kasalanan. Alam ko na sa pamamagitan ng buhay na propeta, ni Joseph Smith, ipinanumbalik ng Diyos ang kabuuan ng kanyang ebanghelyo sa mundo. Ang ating tagapagligtas si Jesucristo at sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pagbabayad-sala, maramdaman tayo kapayapaan sa ating buhay. Alam ko na totoo ang ebanghelyo ito at ang salita ng Diyos ang Aklat ni Mormon. Alam ko na totoo ito. Si Pangalan ni Jesucristo, amen.

Yeah, I speak that. Have a good week lovelies!

XOXO, Sister Brown