Hi mom and dad :) . I did get the package, and thank you very much for that. We are enjoying the new variety of music added to our meager collection, and are all quite grateful. The contacts are all good, but I don't know how safe they are in my hands... ha
Thanks for the quote from Bruce R. McKonkie, it's a great thought about missionary work. You're right about us being far apart right now, but it's only for a short time. In God's eyes it's the tiniest of moments anyway. But at the same time, it's doing so much to change me. I am a different person than when I left, and I will be even more changed by the time I arrive back. It's one of the miracles of being a missionary :) .
This week has been full of some crazy miracles in finding people who are interested in the gospel. As you know, we work with Slovaks of the Roma cluture, because that's all that we really find. Once in a blue moon we've met true Slovaks, but they've never been at all interested. This week, however, we've found two different homes of such Slovaks in two different places that turned out to be absolute miracles. Elder Misselwitz and have been doing some different finding than has been ever done among the Slovak-speaking missionaries--knocking doors in largely English (or ideally mixed-culture) neighborhoods and asking them and people on the street if they know of any Slovakian people in the area. Well, this has resulted in us digging up a few Roma families (including a really great Hungarian Roma family this week--they've got to be some of the friendliest people I've ever met; these ones didn't try to offer me their daughter, either), but this week we found a home through this method with a bunch of non-Roma Slovaks. When we first knocked on the door after being directed to it by someone who thought they might've been Polish, nobody answered. As we were about to turn and leave, a young couple came around the corner to the house we were standing at. After asking them where they were from, I was a bit shocked to find out they were Slovak! The girl went inside, but I talked to the guy for a good amount of time, in the end setting up a return appointment in spite of a very busy work schedule. But that's not the only miracle to do with such Slovaks. One day, as we were on our way to contact a potential in Attercliffe, we passed a couple of guys listening to some decent music blasting really loud from a fantastic car sound system. After we'd passed them, I had the thought that on the way back I should compliment them on the system and music, asking what band it was. I did so, and as I spoke to the guys (who I'd intitially thought were English), I detected a distinctly Eastern European accent. Asking them where they're from, they answered Slovakia, resulting in a conversation that led to them inviting us over anytime. (P.S. Dad--the band name is Pioneer, and it had a good sound that I think you'd like ;) ). Following a little prompting to compliment some people on their music led to finding Slovakian people in the unlikeliest of places who are willing to hear what we have to say. I can't stress enough how unique these situations are. These kind of miracles haven't happened before in this branch. Follow the Spirit at all times in all the littlest things--great things will come.
Here are some pictures from the baptism on Saturday. It was a great day :)
That's what I wanted to share today :) . Thanks for your love and support, you have mine always with you as well. Have fun in California, I'll stay here in the same place where I'll be for another year. Ha. Love you lots!
Elder Brown
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