Elder Conner Brown

Ohio - Week 11

Hello there! 

 

This week, the Lord gave us many opportunities to teach people about the Book of Mormon. It truly is the sickle God has given us for this work and it is the starting foundation of testimony for those investigating the Church. All who have accepted our invitation so far have found blessings in studying the Book.

 

For instance, a great guy named An. is finding the same peace through reading the Book of Mormon that he finds with meeting with us and praying. The Spirit truly testifies of Christ and his word. 

 

We did have a few downs this week with lots of potential investigators who either canceled lessons or didn't show up for them, but we'll keep reaching out until they have the chance to accept Christ's word and his peace.

 

General Conference is coming up, which is an awesome opportunity to invite investigators and returning members to watch living prophets and apostles speak to us. 

 

The scripture I'd like to share for this week is Proverbs 3:5-6

5 ¶ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

We can always trust that God's ways are higher than our ways. The things that may not make sense to us now will one day be revealed to us, and we will be able to see just how the Lord has prepared all things for our good. I testify that he has already prepared the way so that if we follow him, we will be blessed.

 

Have a great conference week!

Sincerely,

Elder Brown

Ohio - Week 10 - Zone Conference!

Hello there!

 

As the subject suggests, this week we got to start off with zone conference! We've been studying the ordinance and covenant of baptism this transfer, so that was the focus of the conference. The spirit was strong as we discussed how important making and keeping these covenants is. Truly as we understand just how important these promises and blessings are, sharing these blessings with others becomes so much easier.

 

We have been working hard trying to find good people to teach as of late. We have a lot of great potentials, but few have been able to have a successful meeting as of late. With general conference coming up, though, comes lots of opportunities to love, share, and invite others to come and see. One of our highlights this week was a sick member we met with who we reminded that this was coming up. She was so excited and had totally forgotten general conference was coming soon and was so happy to be reminded.

 

Mission life has so many instances where the Lord times things just perfectly. Like how we went to visit a guy Melvin who we want to meet with soon. We pulled in just as he was getting stuff out of his car. He said he was just thinking of texting us because he had a day off coming up he wanted to meet on! Little victories like that are always so fun.

 

Not too much else has been happening as of late, but I'd like to share a scripture that has always struck me powerfully:

Moroni 9:4 - "Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I speak the word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me; and when I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them." 

When we hear invitations to increase our faith or become better disciples, do we nod our heads and keep moving in our lives, or do we take these invitations to heart and act on them? When we take chastisement for something, true or false, do we tremble in anger, or do we humbly take it? 

 

The answer says a lot about our commitment to the testimony and faith that we have in Jesus Christ. I'm not always able to answer these questions correctly, but I know that as we go to Christ throughout our lives with a broken heart, he can mold us into the best version of ourselves, and the spirit will always strive with us.

 

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Elder Brown

 

Picture of my companion, Elder Stubbs, and I at a cool dam north of Wheeling. It has the cool water level system to let barges in and out.

 

Ohio - Week 9 - 1 Year of Service!

Hello there!

 

We've been enjoying some nice cooler weather here in Ohio lately. It's almost time to break out the long sleeve shirts.

 

We have lot's of great potential investigators we're currently in contact with. We just need to get those appointments scheduled for them and get the ball rolling. 

 

Zone conference is coming up! We've been studying baptism and the covenants involved as a mission lately and it's a really neat topic.

 

Also, I've now served as a missionary for 1 whole year! Took me 2 years to get to this point, but I'm thankful for all the awesome and inspiring experiences that have led me here. And I've still got plenty of time to keep making the most of the Lord's time. This mission has definitely been the greatest thing for my life. I testify that the Lord's work is the same in power, experience, and fulfillment regardless of the location. Wherever you go, the Lord needs you there.

 

 

One of the things I've been able to do is be a message moderator for one of our pages. It has been super cool to work with people who message us online and refer them to their various areas. One particular person I messaged we had a great conversation on why we go through difficulties in this life. 

 

2 Nephi 2:11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

 

We may experience rejection or sadness in life, but that makes the good times so much sweeter. We'll have the greatest joy possible when we return with our families to our Father in Heaven. 

 

Hope you all have a joyous week!

Hope as well that everyone is getting ready for general conference!

 

Sincerely,

Elder Brown

 

Oh yeah, that's my large mouth 3 pound bass 😎

Ohio - Week 8

Hello there!

 

The weather is finally starting to cool down a bit here in Ohio, after how many weeks of hot and humid. It only took a hurricane to do it, lol.

 

The work in Ohio has been good! We have a lot of potential people we are messaging and reaching out to who could turn into investigators, and then the fun begins! My favorite part of missionary work has always been the teaching. Becoming one with your companion and the spirit and sharing what you know and testify of. It is a fantastic experience! Though, PMG is right when it says "Nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach." (Chapter 9)

 

We do have people we are currently teaching who are doing well.  Jo. especially is progressing at an awesome rate! He bore powerful testimony in sacrament meeting this past Sunday, and the ward has been so supportive of him.

 

This Sunday, a member visited from out of town for the weekend who saw my nametag and started speaking 日本語! We immediately ducked to the side and started speaking back and forth. She went to Japan with her brothers before, so we were able to talk about our time there a bit. It was brief, but refreshing to have a full conversation in Japanese.

 

One quick scripture before I close, Mosiah 4:27 - "And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order."

 

The Lord doesn't expect perfection from us, but he does expect our best. He will honor our efforts and give us the strength we need to do all things requisite in him.

 

Hope you all have a great rest of your week! 

Sincerely,

Elder Brown