Mon May 5th 2010

Hi,

Well this week has been a crazy week. This week was the end of my sixth moves-cycle as a missionary. Six down, only ten left to go. That means my time in Thailand is more than 1/3 over.


On Monday, Elder Webb received a call from the President to go Zone Leader. He is now serving in Chang Mai, probably the most coveted area in the mission. On Tuesday I received a call from the President. He started the phone conversation by saying, “Elder Brown, I have a couple of things for you.” I was very shocked that he said the word couple. Turns out God has called me to go Senior Companion, District Leader, and Trainer all at the same time!!!!##%%:}


This has been a fairly large jump in responsibility.
I'm starting to deal with the stress a little bit better though. On Thursday my left eye wouldn't stop twitching. That was interesting; I think I am coping better now though.


The best part of the story is that our district has also increased in size. The elders in Samup Pragaan joined into our district. President Smith has combined some districts together to reduce the number of district leaders and to increase the number of members in a district. This is great news because one of my favorite missionaries just moved into Samup Pragaan. Elder Fowles from my MTC group is now in my district! I will get to work with him and learn from him. He is a really hard working, brilliant Elder.

(so all the next part is in missionary speak-baby, grandchild, kids are how they refer to eachother)
So I am training! I got a beautiful wonder-bread-white baby. It would have been fun to train a Thai person, but I think training an American will be even more fun. My "kids" name is Elder Tibbetts, he is from Mesa, Arizona. Training really has been pretty entertaining, it brings back a lot of memories from when I was new; except this time, I get to be on the other end of the string. My trainer, Elder Nance, finished his mission this moves. It was pretty sweet that he actually got to meet his "grandchild". Elder Nance is now at home trying to find a girlfriend. Maybe I'll be kind and send him some dating tips.


Having a "kid" has really showed me how far I've come in the language. He asks me all sorts of questions about Thai and usually I can answer them but I can't tell him a reason. All I know is that “it sounds right, so I say it.” He usually doesn't like that answer, but as fluency increases, I just don't need to know all the “rules” I just speak and it works.


Yesterday was a pretty stressful day. Yesterday was Sunday and we called all the people we had appointments with and they canceled. Also we had a two hour ward council meeting that was very frustrating. After the meeting I went home and grabbed some fruit and said a prayer. It really helped. We left the house and went finding for about three hours. In that three hours we found about six people, got into two houses, and gave one of them a baptismal date. That was a pretty sweet experience. We will see what happens to him.


Hey that's all I have. Thanks everyone for the continued support. Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday wishes. God will bless you! Keep praying for me, this moves is going to be hard.


Love,

เอ็ลเดอร์ บราวน์
Elder Brown

Apr-19-10

Hi.


The water festival was insane. I am sending a couple photos of the street and a photo of our "get wet" clothes.



So, yesterday at church the 1st counselor in the Stake Presidency came to visit. His message was good, but unfortunately he couldn't speak Thai. Even though the other 3 missionaries at the ward have all been here for a year and half, I was voted to translate for him. Up to this point in Thailand I have done translation in meetings for individuals from Thai to English, from English to Thai, and I've even given sacrament talks in Thai. But I've never had to translate over the pulpit on the spot. That was hard! Gives me motivation to study the language more. I did pretty well though, everyone seemed to be able to understand. Unfortunately I didn't know the word for "to spit" or "to turn the other cheek." Yay for circumlocution.




The other day I had an interesting thought about the "Restoration" and the term "Apostasy."

Typically we explain Apostasy as the period of time that the Earth is without the Power of the Priesthood, thus a period of time where the saving ordinances of the gospel are unavailable. The longest and most important Apostasy was the Great Apostasy, the 1600+ years after the death of the apostles of Jesus and before the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Typically we explain Restoration as the period of time that God restores the Power of the Priesthood once again to the Earth, thus a period of time where the saving ordinances of the gospel become available once again. The most recent Restoration was the Restoration in 1820 through the Prophet Joseph Smith.


The other day I had a thought, the thought is: I don't think the Restoration is finished. I think the doctrines and the ordinances have all been restored, but the world does not know that. A big part of the Restoration is to restore all the inhabitants of the earth to the knowledge of their fathers, to the knowledge of the gospel and its saving power. The restoration is not complete until every single person gets the opportunity to hear the gospel, or a.k.a. Jesus' plan of happiness.

There are billions of people in this world that are in a state of personal-apostasy. They have not been able to hear the wonderful news that the ordinances have been restored. These people must be brought to a point where they can accept restoration or stay in a state of apostasy. That is our work! Joseph Smith started the Restoration, but the work will not be done until the end of the Millennial Period. The Restoration is not a closed book; it is a story that is being written, and we all have major roles in the play.


Every-time I teach someone about the Restoration of the Gospel now, I always have the thought that the Restoration is not just about Joseph Smith. This story is about Elder Brown, this story is about Pii Dxan, this story is about his kids, and it's about his neighbors too. As they learn of Joseph, they too get their questions answered. They too become restored unto truth; out of the darkness and into the light.

Think about how each of us has a part to play in bringing others "into the light".


Elder Brown

April 12-1020

These are pictures from last year's festival. For more information go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj0RiebBNdA&feature=player_embedded


Hi All,
Songkraan is the name of the holiday. What, you have never heard of it? Well do a google image search for "สงกรานต์"

Thailand's most celebrated festival is the Songkran Festival. It starts April 13 and lasts between 3 and 10 days, depending on where you are in Thailand. The word Songkran is from the Sanskrit meaning the beginning of a new Solar Year, but nowadays Thailand celebrates the New Year on 31 December.


Well, this is the holiday that everyone waits for all year long.(even missionaries, of course) This is the holiday where literally everyone is off work for a week.(except for missionaries, of course) Everyone packs up their bags and heads back to their home city.(except for missionaries, of course)

The holiday lasts three days. In the morning they all go to the temple to give thanks to their ancestors. They also ask for blessings from their living parents as well. Then once the sun starts to get up into the sky, things get crazy. Everyone is out in the streets throwing water at each other. Thousands of people with squirt-guns, garbage cans, or pales of water. They also enjoy putting ice in the water too. As you may have guessed, two white people biking down the street in shirts and ties are more than prime targets.

It is not just water though, they also use flour. Just walking down the street for less than 1 minute you will be soaked from head-to-toe with ice-water and then covered with flour. It is quite fun.

Things also get more interesting because groups of people will hop in the back of a pick-up truck and go around soaking people from the back of their car.

Although it is fun, you can only imagine how much it slows the work down! First of all, all of our investigators have returned to their home city. Second of all, everyone is drunk all week long. Third of all, we can't go anywhere without getting covered in flour. Fourth of all, anyone we meet/talk to here is probably from another city and will return after the week is over.

All in all, it should be a fun week. Be awaiting some more pictures next week!

Tjock dee pii mai! (Thai for Happy New Year).


Elder Brown

Mar-29-2010-Bangnaa

Bangnaa Ward building


Hello!

Good week here in Bangnaa. Things are starting to get back to normal. After a week working in this area we are seeing a lot of success; everything is turning around. So many people just waiting to see us. This last week we taught and found five new families, we also had five new investigators who had never been to church go to church as well. We are just talking to everyone, teaching everyone who will listen to us, and having some of them invite us back.

I've adopted a new motto for this moves:

Use faith, see miracles.

It really has been working. Our goals for this area are very high; I don't care what anyone says about the area, I think it's fantastic. The entire week we have only invited in one neighborhood, because we just haven't had time to even go anywhere else.


Just some notes about the area to try to paint a visual picture for you all.

Bangnaa is a factory city. The majority of the people who live here work in factories. They work a lot too. Almost everyone we talk to/teach works over time every single day. It is not uncommon to meet someone who has an 8 AM - Midnight schedule, seven days a week. Especially right now because the Thai New Year is coming up in two weeks so they work a ton so that they can take the three days of Sonkraan off. (I'll talk about this more in another two weeks. It is crazy.)

Bangnaa is in Bangkok. But it is by no means central Bangkok, it is no where near as populated as some areas of the city. There are still a lot of white people here though. Out in the Isan I would go 4-5 days without seeing a white person, now I see one every 10 minutes. There are a lot of foreign companies close by too. I have been eating American food a lot more. Within biking distance there is Sizzler, KFC, McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Auntie Annes, Pizza Hut, and many more. Elder Webb is a great fan of American food. He has taught me a new eating strategy. We eat oats for breakfast, ramen for lunch, then go to an all-you-can-eat American food buffet for dinner. He is a genius!

We live in a town house. I think that is what it would be called... It is in a gated neighborhood where all the houses are all touching. (they are connected but they all have front doors and they don't have doors to go into the other houses inside the house.) Our house is 6 stories. Or maybe 7... I'm not really sure... I've never gone all the way up the stairs. Each floor except for the main floor only has one room and a bathroom. It is kinda weird, but it is nice. Also another random fact, our neighbors speak some weird language that we haven't been able to figure out what it is. I think they are from some mountain tribe in Burma.

Tons of taxis here too. Taxis are weird here... I don't think I ever told you but in Thailand taxis are all bright colors. They have pink ones, blues ones, yellow ones. I remember at first I thought it was really weird, but nowadays I kinda forgot that that is weird.

Yeah, I'm pretty much out of time. Nothing too interesting today. It is my birthday in two weeks, 20 wow! I can't believe how fast the time goes! I guess that is cool.

Love
Elder Brown
เอ็ลเดอร์ บราวน์


Bye!

Mar-29-2010-Bangnaa

Hello!

Good week here in Bangnaa. Things are starting to get back to normal. After a week working in this area we are seeing a lot of success; everything is turning around. So many people just waiting to see us. This last week we taught and found five new families, we also had five new investigators who had never been to church go to church as well. We are just talking to everyone, teaching everyone who will listen to us, and having some of them invite us back.

I've adopted a new motto for this moves:

Use faith, see miracles.

It really has been working. Our goals for this area are very high; I don't care what anyone says about the area, I think it's fantastic. The entire week we have only invited in one neighborhood, because we just haven't had time to even go anywhere else.


Just some notes about the area to try to paint a visual picture for you all.

Bangnaa is a factory city. The majority of the people who live here work in factories. They work a lot too. Almost everyone we talk to/teach works over time every single day. It is not uncommon to meet someone who has an 8 AM - Midnight schedule, seven days a week. Especially right now because the Thai New Year is coming up in two weeks so they work a ton so that they can take the three days of Sonkraan off. (I'll talk about this more in another two weeks. It is crazy.)

Bangnaa is in Bangkok. But it is by no means centeral Bangkok, it is no where near as populated as some areas of the city. There are still a lot of white people here though. Out in the Isan I would go 4-5 days without seeing a white person, now I see one every 10 minutes. There are a lot of foreign companies close by too. I have been eating American food a lot more. Within biking distance there is Sizzler, KFC, McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Auntie Annes, Pizza Hut, and many more. Elder Webb is a great fan of American food. He has taught me a new eating strategy. We eat oats for breakfast, ramen for lunch, then go to an all-you-can-eat American food buffet for dinner. He is a genius!

We live in a town house. I think that is what it would be called... It is in a gated neighborhood where all the houses are all touching. (they are connected but they all have front doors and they don't have doors to go into the other houses inside the house.) Our house is 6 stories. Or maybe 7... I'm not really sure... I've never gone all the way up the stairs. Each floor except for the main floor only has one room and a bathroom. It is kinda weird, but it is nice. Also another random fact, our neighbors speak some weird language that we haven't been able to figure out what it is. I think they are from some mountain tribe in Burma.

Tons of taxis here too. Taxis are weird here... I don't think I ever told you but in Thailand taxis are all bright colors. They have pink ones, blues ones, yellow ones. I remember at first I thought it was really weird, but nowadays I kinda forgot that that is weird.

Yeah, I'm pretty much out of time. Nothing too interesting today. It is my birthday in two weeks, I guess that is cool.

Love
Elder Brown


Bye!

March 21 2010- Bangnaa

Hello.

Greetings from Bangnaa (or Samutpragaan, I'm not really sure exactly where I am...)

I moved! Very unexpected move. I was just barely settling into Ubon. I was the only who left the area. I am now in Bangkok with a new companion. He is a great missionary. He is from Arizona, some small town. He has been in the mission for almost two years, he will be finishing his mission with his next companion.

I really like it here in Bangnaa. Good thing too, because I will probably be here a very long time. (pretty sure I will be here for 6 months) It is so different from the Esan. Everyone here is a lot more educated, they speak Thai very clearly. The first day I was here I was simply shocked at how good everyone on the street is at Thai. There are also so many more people. People everywhere! We can just walk down neighborhoods all day long and talk to new people. Very fun.

People here are a lot more Westernized though. They really aren't afraid to tell you the truth. (sometimes) My whole time out in the Esan I got rejected maybe a hand-full of times. Mostly people just lie and say "oh I'm busy" or "I work all day". But here in Bangkok it is not uncommon for people to just tell us that we are dumb and are wasting our time; it is a fresh change! I like it.

Yeah, so this letter wasn't very good. I'll do better next week.


Love,

Elder Brown

Mar 07-2010 - Ubon

Hello!

It feels like a long time since I have written anything.

First off I'll say that my email address has changed. Please send all emails to my new address: debrown@myldsmail.net.

Next I'll say that Thailand is very very very hot. The hot season has barely started and it is already deadly. The moment I step out of the house, I am covered in sweat. I am sweating like a constant waterfall all day long. The peak of the hot season here is in mid-April. I hope my skin doesn't melt off.

Next on the agenda. Mango season. Mango's are delicious. They simply are just not the same as the crap we have in the States. There is a popular dessert here called Khaaw Niaw Ma Muang (Mango Sticky Rice.) It is probably the best thing in the world. It is a cut up mango served with sugarized sticky rice, coconut milk, and nuts. Yeah, you might ask... why do they eat rice as a dessert? Just try it. It is good. Corn is also a popular dessert topping. They have what we have dubbed "ice cream sandwiches" which is just a piece of bread with coconut ice cream topped with corn and rice. Again, it's good. Just try it.

Moves is in one more week. I will be getting a new companion. Still not sure if I will be moving or staying in Ubon. I would say I have a 30% chance to move. Regardless, I will have a new companion.

Last week was Zone Conference. The topic was inviting. Inviting is probably my favorite part about being a missionary. I just love talking to crazy people. It is incredibly entertaining just to see how people think... why people are the way they are. I particularly have a passion for inviting drunk people. The trick is to just make it fun. If you are inviting and you are depressed, no one will want to talk to you, and you won't want to talk to them either. I find that "sound effects" also are appealing. :)

Along with this big push towards inviting, President Smith also changed the schedule to accommodate the Summer weather.

We are now waking up at 6:00 A.M., we exercise, shower, and eat.
Out of the house at 7:30 A.M., invite from 7:30 A.M. until 12:30 A.M.
Then we eat lunch, go back to the apartment, study personally, study as a companionship, and study the language until 4:00 P.M.
4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. we teach after which we eat and then go home, plan, get ready for bed.
Asleep at 10:00 P.M.

The new schedule is pretty rough. Very demanding. But honestly we have seen a LOT of success from it. I think there are just fresh faces in the morning, people that have never seen missionaries before.

Inviting is great. Whenever I invite I think of D&C 128:22-23

22 Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
23 Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid brocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!

I know that if I simply open my mouth, people will recognize me if they have been prepared. It doesn't really even matter what I say. They will know my face, my eyes, and my voice.

I also gain a lot of strength from Elder Holland's last general conference. In the last few paragraphs he bares his testimony about the Book of Mormon, he says something along the lines of "I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I testified that the Book of Mormon is true." That is my goal too. I want it absolutely clear to everyone that I talk to that I believe the Book of Mormon to be true.

Oh man it is hot here. Someone send me some snow.


Love,

Elder Brown