Sometimes crazy things happen, again and again... July 28, 2014

7-28-2014

SO, hi guys. I actually don't feel like writing a lot today. Because guess what? I got sick.

It's the dumbest thing, actually. Adults don't usually get it. I just got this rash all over my body, so we went into a walk in clinic, and apparently I have the super contagious Hand Foot and Mouth Disease. It sounds gross, but mostly I'm fine, just super itchy. Who know how I got it, but I've been out of work for the last few days. But we were able to do splits so Sister Tucker could still go to our appointments! and I guess they went super well!

Earlier this week we were able to go to the Visitor's Center with Brandon and his mom, and they both seemed to really enjoy it! I think the family is super important to them, which is good because it's super important to us too! The Visitor's Center is the best.

We're all doing pretty okay from the car accident. Sister Tucker is working on getting into a chiropractor, and Sister Lopez is dealing with a concussion. Besides that we are getting by! Still so very lucky to be alive.

Justin and Julia came to church yesterday! Which we were going to leave early, but then ended up having to stay for them. But I think they enjoyed it! the ward did a good job of reaching out to them and getting to know them. Sister Tucker taught them the Plan of Salvation while I was home sick, and they took it all very well! They are struggling a lot financially so that is hard for them, but they are continuing to seek out the gospel truth!

That's about all for this week.... I love this church and I love the gospel we have been blessed with! NEVER LET IT GO. We don't see all the blessings that are coming, but I testify to you, they are coming.

I love you all!

Love, Sister Hailey Brown

Here's some cool pictures of a mild-moderate dust storm from our backyard.

Some miracles stick out more than others....​... July 21, 2014

7-21-2014

So hey everyone! I'm alive! Most of you probably didn't realize how important that statement is right now....

We got in a really bad car accident this week. My companion and I in the back seat, two other sisters in the front. We got hit from the back left, and none of us saw it coming. Somehow or another, our car ended up upside-down in the street. Yes, it was terrifying and traumatic. But we all got checked out at the ER, and besides some bumps and bruises and cuts from the glass shatter, we're all pretty fine. Our car was not salvageable in any way shape or form, but four sister missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were all able to walk away (or crawl away or were helped or carried to the curb or whatever) virtually unharmed. The man who helped me with Sister Tucker agreed with me as I consoled her and reminded her that we are daughters of God and that He loves us and protected us. He said he was of a different faith when I asked if he had ever met with the missionaries, but we both know that God loves all His children. (Yes, I've been a missionary so long that opportunities to share the gospel are grabbed even 90 seconds after running from a car we all think is going to blow up.) We may not know why the accident happened, or why it had to happen to us, but even running through the mess on the road collecting our belongings I thought to myself, "Everything happens for a reason." I can truly say that this experience has strengthened my faith. Plus, it was really exciting, and we got to chill at the mission home for the next day or two and watch movies and rest. But really, if you want to increase your faith, don't do it this way, okay? :)

Besides the crazy accident which basically put us out of commission, we had a great week! We have three new investigators, two of which are a couple who called the church last Sunday wanting to learn more. We are excited to teach them!

Our investigator Brandon is doing really well. He came to the Youth activity Wednesday night, a huge water party, and to the ward party Saturday night, and to church. Yay!

So that was our week. I am so thankful that we are all alive and functioning just fine, and that we are able to go back to work. Can anyone say this wasn't a miracle?

I love you!! Wear your seatbelts!!!!

Love, Sister Hailey Brown

Humidity. It Happens Here Too........ July 14, 2014

7-14-2014

So...

I remember stepping off the plane in Phoenix on July 22, 2013, and I felt the humidity and wondered if we had landed in Mexico instead. And now, I feel the humidity again. Only this time, it's here with a vengeance. Luckily, the worst of the humidity is INSIDE our apartment, not outside while we're walking or riding bikes. Not that those activities are super exciting right now either.

But we get by! Basically, it's only through the grace of God. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I could or would do this if I didn't know at the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth and that people everywhere need to know! All we ask is for everyone to listen for 5 minutes, because they don't realize what they are saying no to! But we are just here to invite- it is the Holy Ghost that touches hearts and converts people to Christ and to the fullness of His Gospel on the earth today!

Whoo. Okay. So a pretty good week, saw some people, rode some bikes, didn't jump in the pool.

We met a new investigator this week! Her name is Nikki, and the Spanish Elders talked to her and told us to go see her. She knows a bit about our religion from a friend growing up. We taught her the Restoration last night, and she accepted the doctrine that we taught her. Because it all makes since!

We're going to go to the Visitor's Center at the Mesa Temple this week with Nikki to watch Jospeh Smith: Prophet of the Restoration. Yay! So excited!

Hmm. not much else to say.... Do you all have any questions? Basically we're trying to contact some people you have shown interest previously in learning about our religion. And we're working on helping the members do to their missionary work!

I love you all! If this email isn't long enough, go read "Our Search For Happiness" by M. Russell Ballard. It's so good!

Be happy!

Love, Sister Hailey Brown

pictures- 

Sister Tucker and I on my year mark, July 10th! 

And yes, I got a camelback . it is quite helpful!

A Week of Everything New- like my Bike. ...........July 7, 2014

7-7-2014

Well hello again! How's it going?

Some of the most exciting news is, it's almost my year mark! That should be good! Sometimes I can't believe I've made it this far, but on days like today, I think, Really? is that all?

It has been a long, rough week. On Wednesday I got Emergency Transferred ( or ETed) down to the Mesa 5th ward, because a Sister had to go home to get some medical things figured out. But she plans on coming back in six months! What's neat is now I am companions with Sister Tucker, who I lived with in Scottsdale for the six months I covered Chaparral Ward and she covered Palo Verde Ward. So the good news is, we know each other really well. The bad news is, she really misses her old companion. But I am really excited to be here in this ward! The people here are super nice and the ward seems like they want to learn how to be member missionaries, and we are all for that!! :)

The bike hasn't been as hard as thought it would be, because our area is so small. But truthfully, I haven't been out for a full day on bike yet. And yes, it is regularly 100 degrees outside. And yes, the humidity is beginning to pick up. I love sweat. And yes, I will try to get a picture of me on my bike!

We had something really cool happen! We were meeting with a 17-year-old investigator named Brandon, reading the Book of Mormon with him, and we got stuck at his apartment because a severe dust storm- it was awesome!! We couldn't ride our bikes home, and his mom made us stay there until it was safe it go out. Our Sister Training Leaders came and picked us up when it was clear enough to drive again. But we got to keep teaching Brandon! He is such a great kid who has had almost all of the lessons, and we got to teach him some more! We were so blessed not to be out riding when the storm hit! Of course, we did get the warning on our phone, so we would have been fine :)

We are meeting with- or trying to meet with- many less active individuals and families in our ward, and many of them have a desire to repent and become better. And the members here are working to be missionaries, and I am so excited to help them!

I feel like I don't have a lot of anything exciting the say, but I know how much I love being here on a mission. Looking back over the past here, I can see how much I have grown, in my testimony, my knowledge of the gospel, and my ability to handle difficult situations! Everything I do here on the mission will help me in my life afterwards. And the experiences I am having now are priceless, and couldn't come from any other way. I am so thankful for the knowledge we have been given of our Savior Jesus Christ, and His role in our Heavenly Father's plan for us. 

I love you all! thank you for your support and your love!

Love, Sister Hailey Brown

Here are my last pictures of Cave Creek:

The best animal crossing sign ever!

Us with Jan, who is preparing to go to the temple. Love her!!!

The Life of the Tripanions​hip.......​......June 30, 2014

6-30-2014

Hey Friends! Still holding up in the heat down here!

This week has been strange being with two companions, especially when one is training the other. It's basically been a week of being a huge third wheel. Only not.

Well, I got the news last night that I am now 100% going to be transferred on Wednesday. President says he has several options right now, so by this evening he will know where I am going. Too bad you all will have to wait until next Monday! sorry!

This week we went out to breakfast with a potential investigator, a woman named Kyle who is friends with some people in the ward. We went to this DELICIOUS place called The General Store on Pinnacle Peak Road, and basically shared the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth. She agreed with the things we said, asked questions for clarification, and brand new Sister Knapp asked her to be baptized when she knew these things were true! And Kyle said yes! It all just makes so much sense to her ( and to all of us!) and she is so prepared! She is so great and we love her a ton!

Sad news, we finally got in touch in our investigator Tyler again, and he said he just didn't feel the need for church or religion in his life. But we know that we have taught him true principles that he can now look back on and remember at another time in his life, when he will be ready. It was really hard, because all the things he wants are found in The Church of Jesus Christ! But he is young, and is looking for them in other places. We all must make our own choices in life. We just want everyone to come unto Christ!

We had an exchange on Saturday, so I had two brand-new sisters, Sister Knapp and Sister Thomas, with me in Cave Creek. It was so great! We contacted a bunch of people, and were lead by the Spirit. I love the faith of these brand new missionaries! they really do work miracles.

One miracle was our meeting with Bob Bryan, the less active we've been meeting with regularly. We read and discussed 2 Nephi 31 with him, and he committed to come to church! (well, he said he won't commit, but that there is a more than 50% chance he would be there.) He knows he needs to come, but he just keeps putting it off for another time. But, lo and behold, HE CAME!!!!!! We were so happy to see him there! and the best part? he stayed all three hours!! and he said there is a 99.9% chance he will come next week! We know he will find so much happiness in the gospel, and all of those blessings can only come from church attendance and from feeling the Holy Ghost there, and from taking the sacrament! So important!

So yay!! Unfortunately, everyone else is out of town..... But I am so blessed to have to opportunity to have been here and meet these people and help them. I can't know if I have touched their hearts, but I know that they have touched mine. I have felt God's love for these people here, and His desire for them to come to Him and partake of His blessings. His love is overwhelming and all-encompassing and a little bit incomprehensible. But I know without a doubt that God is there, and that He loves and knows each and every one of us, because we are literally His children. Did you know you were born with a royal birthright? We are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly King.

Okay, "Martha Washington" just marched through the Cave Creek Library with a bunch of preschoolers on parade, waving little American flags and singing "Yankee Doodle Dandee" and "It's a Grand Old Flag." It was so cute! Gotta love the holidays!

I love being here on a mission! Thank you all for all of your love and support. It means the world to me!

I love you all! Be safe, and be happy! God loves you!!!

Love, Sister Hailey Brown

 

We had a super cloudy overcast day this week! Lots of wind, but no rain... yet!

 

MacDonalds' Ranch! With an Arizona painting horse. :)

 

And yes, here we share the road with horses, not bicycles. But usually it's a little of both :)