A Great Week for the Font!!................... October 29, 2014

10-29-2014

HELLLOOOOO OUT THEREEEEEE!!!!

So, I had a GREAT week here in Arizona!! Michael and Anne Marie both got baptized on Saturday!! They actually both went off without too many problems! We even drove the 20 miles out to the Clay Springs building to see an 8 year old baptism from Pinedale Ward at 1pm, then drove back to make our 2pm baptism. We had a CRAZY BUSY DAY!! but we loved it!

Anne Marie

Michael and his sweet family

Did I mention the awesome family in Clay Springs that wants to be baptized?? The Kasson family just moved there and were instantly fellowshipped by members and invited to church- they love it! They have been 100% prepared by the Lord. They came to Anne Marie's baptism as well! All 6 kids sat quietly and were AWESOME!!

Kasson family

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I love them all so much! they are all like sponges, taking in as much as they can- and retaining it! The kids are so smart! They were going to be baptized nov 22, then they wanted it sooner so it was the 15th, but now it's the 8th because they don't want to wait anymore! Unfortunately, I have been transferred and am no longer in the mountains- but Sister Carroll and I are going to ask President if we can go back for their baptism! All but the youngest girl are 8 and older and will be baptized. 7 baptisms!! Such an amazing miracle.

So, Yes! Now I am serving in the Paradise Valley Zone ( and Stake) covering the Shadow Mountain and Granite Reef Wards. Something really interesting will be, we share both wards with a set of elders- only different elders for each ward! We are assigned to less active work in granite reef, but help out where we are needed! It's so strange, I don't really know anyone in this zone, so it feels like I'm brand new! Only, I'm one of the oldest ones on the mission now!

Man, so much has happened this week, but I don't even know what to say! I think Sister Carroll and I said a lot of goodbyes and took lots of pictures to remember. She was there for 6 months and I was there for 6 weeks, but it broke both of our hearts to leave. There is so much I still want to do, and so many people and want to be friends with forever! I am so thankful for the opportunity the Lord gave me to serve among His people in the mountains, even for this short period of time.

Don't have time for lots of details, but that's the scoop! This is me and my new companion, Sister Entin, from Virginia. We were in the MTC together!

Sister Entin

Ps- this is us, right now, emailing. haha.

I love you all! be safe and feel the Spirit of God! God is there and LOVES YOU!!

Until next time!!

Love,

Sister Hailey Brown

A Beautiful Miracle.............. October 20, 2014

10-20-2014

So hello again everyone! We had a great week down here in the White Mountains of Arizona, with a bit of rain and a bit of sun. We love it!

So, the biggest news- two baptisms! this Saturday! Man, I will be running around like a crazy person that day, trying to make sure it all goes right! Michael, who is married to a member, has been trying to meet with the mission president back since this area was in the Tempe Mission, because he has been on parole and had some other questions. We were FINALLY able to work out that visit, with a little help from our awesome mission president and his wife, President and Sister Sweeney. We met at the Linden chapel, and smushed together in the truck (because we weren't sure if their car would make it) and went out to Michael's house for our appointment. And it was great! President set up Michael's baptism date. This baptism has been four years in the making. The entire ward is so excited, and we are so blessed to be able to see this miracle take place!

Anne Marie has officially been taught all the lessons and is good to go! We are so excited for her as well! She is so ready for her baptism, to be clean from the sins of her past and begin a new fresh life.

I have been so blessed to be here in this beautiful, spacious, and spread-out area. It's probably good I'm going to leave here next week because I might accidentally pick up the country accent and loose my English grammar skills! I love the people up here, and I am so thankful for the friends and acquaintances I have made, and for those that I have been given the chance to help. I love serving the Lord on a mission, and I wouldn't be anywhere else!

I love you all! Go check out "A Word for the Hesitant Missionary" if you want some good words from President Uchtdorf!

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/02/a-word-for-the-hesitant-missionary?lang=eng

Be happy and stay true! Love you!

Sister Hailey Brown

Another Drizzly Week- We Love The Rain!!...October 13, 2014

10-13-2014

Hello! I'm writing a bit later today because we had a sisters conference in St. John's for the sisters in the mountains this morning, which was really good! We'll take some time tomorrow to get the rest of our P-day things done, we just need to do everything that's in town today so we don't have to use the miles tomorrow!

Best news: Anne Marie passed her baptism interview! I was a little worried, wondering if she was ready to make this commitment and really understanding it all,  but she seems to be doing great. I'm excited to be here for her baptism on the 25th! She has really let the Gospel of Jesus Christ influence and change her life for the better. I love seeing the result of the Lord's work!

We met some other people in our wards, less actives and such, who I am excited to work with! But, we got a leak of transfer news- Sister Krutsch is the only one who is going to stay in this area come October 28th. I was pretty bummed about the news- I really thought this would be my last area! But I guess the Lord has one more place in mind for me. I asked President today what my chances are of staying the mountains (after all, Mom, you just send me all my cold weather clothes!!) and he said it's a 50-50 chance right now. So, I know I'll be leaving, but I don't know where I'm going. But I am so thankful for the chance I have had to serve in this area and meet so many new people! My companions have helped me so much, and I am so thankful for them as well :)

Wait, I just thought of the other Best News: A woman named Colleen saw the elders in walmart last monday, went up to them and said, "I want to be a member of your church!" So, these great elders got her information and sent it in, and we got the referral the same day. We contacted Colleen on Tuesday, and she is really lonely and want's to belong to a church that will love her and that she can get involved in. She has a long way to go, along with a slew of medical problems (and other problems too, of course), but she seems genuine and we already have such a love for her! We visited her last night, and just testifying of God's love for us brought the Spirit into her home. I'm thankful for everyone who has helped her in little ways to be led to some people who can help her find some direction in life.

I am so thankful for this gospel and this church! I love my Savior, and know that I am able to do everything I do because of Him. But, here's a shout out to you as well! I love you all!!

Love, Sister Hailey Brown

pictures- we finally found a tarantula. intriguing and terrifying. don't look if you don't want to see! 

A Great Week with General Conference!!...... October 6, 2014

10-6-2014

So hello again!

Yesterday I watched my very last session of General Conference that I will watch on the mission. I can't believe how fast this time has flown by! I am so thankful every day that I chose to serve a mission, and I receive so many blessings and good times because of it.

So, I think we ALL LOVED General Conference! We watched the Sunday Morning session with our investigator Anne Marie, and she loved it! She even called in sick to work so she could watch the last session too :) Each member of the First Presidency especially impressed her: President Uchtdorf (whom she refers to as Deiter), President Eyring (she doesn't remember his name) and our prophet, President Thomas S Monson- she remarked after his talk about how humble he is! I love all of them so much, and I think she does too :) And, she likes Deiter F. Uchtdorf's hair :)

Anne Marie is still planning on being baptized on the 25th, so we are getting the ball rolling! We are so excited for her, and I think she is excited too :)

We were well taken care of for conference, so no worries! I ate so much food everywhere we went!

We had a lesson with our investigator Dan on Friday, which went really well. He asked us what makes our church different from other Christian churches. So, we again taught him about the Restoration of the Priesthood and Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. We also read to him the baptism interview questions, which will help him see what we plan to teach him so he will be able to understand the standards and commandments we keep. We think the questions kind of threw him for a loop... He had stated earlier that he just wanted to be baptized into a Christian church. We hope we will be able to keep meeting with him, and that he may be able to understand and to feel the Spirit of God touch his heart. He didn't come to any of the sessions of conference, except the Priesthood session- which is great! We will try to set up a time to meet with him this week to see how he is feeling about it all.

I love you people oh so very much! I am so thankful for your influences in my life and for your love and support. Thanks for everything you do!!!!

Love, Sister Hailey Brown

pictures-

we saw a big ole herd of deer! I love the wildlife up here!

Sitgreaves National Forest, I believe. We headed in there to go visit some members!