What is this? A school for ants?!

Hello family!!
 
Well first off I am glad that E's surgery went well. That makes me
happy :) you guys know how I sometimes stress about stuff... Haha but
I am glad it's all good!
 
Well this week was better than last week! Things are starting to get
better. Can you believe that transfer calls are on Saturday?! So crazy
that this is the last week of the transfer. I am a little nervous what
is going to happen. I feel like I might stay here but I just don't
know.... I feel like I will stay because Hermana Rudolph doesn't
really know anything about the area and it makes me stressed if I had
to leave it in her hands.... So we will see what will happen!
Stresssssssful!
 
The weather has been good lately! Saturday night it rained. SO HARD.
like the hardest I have ever seen. It was absolutely crazy but so cool
at the same time. I was running out to the car and I felt like in the
movie "Where the Heart Is" you know with Americas? and they have that
tornado and it's just crazy? That's how I felt minus the tornado and
such. Besides that the weather has been good. Someday cloudy, others
sunny. The heat hasn't been anything too crazy so that's good too!
 
So we have a new investigator Jesus Quijas. He is so cool!! We met him
last week and we had our first lesson with him last week. We taught
about the Book of Mormon and he seemed to really love it! He really
likes it because it's something he has never heard before. He said he
was going to come to church on Sunday and he never showed... I was so
sad.... He texts us and all of his messages come up blank and we can't
download them because of our ghetto dinosaur phone and so we call him
and he never answers... But I'm not too worried about it, but it is
kind of stressful because I feel like he is someone who would really
help out the Spanish members here!
 
I have gained like the strongest testimony of members helping the
missionaries. Seriously. All of our progressing investigators right
now are referrals that were given to us by members or they are the
members friends! It truly helps so much. About 2 months ago We had
challenged one of the families in the ward to share the gospel with
their neighbors and friends. The wife said she has been wanting to
take a Book of Mormon to her neighbor but was kind of scared. We then
practiced how she could give her the Book of Mormon. Well 2 months
later the neighbor has read almost half the Book of Mormon, stopped
drinking coffee, trying to stop smoking and now SHE wants to meet with
the missionaries. That is the coolest part. When members start doing
missionary work, nonmembers really want to learn more!
 
We have really been trying hard to find new people and contact all the
members who were in the Spanish branch. It has been a lot of hard work
but we have been seeing success paso a paso :)
 
One scripture that I felt like I can relate to a lot this transfer is
Mosiah 23:21 it says
"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth
their patience and their faith."
 
I think sometimes we hate our trials so much and they are so hard but
when we come to understand the difficult times we have or the trials
we are faced with can be more appreciative of them and know that the
lord is trying to help us become who he knows we can be. I love the
being a missionary. Even though it so hard and i just want to cry
sometimes, I have never been happier. I love the Book of Mormon. It's
so amazing and I always receive the answers to my questions when
reading. Our stake here has been doing a Book of Mormon challenge and
we are reading the Book of Mormon together as a stake in 2 months.
It's so awesome and it's amazing to see how many times Christ is
mentioned in the Book of Mormon. It's the best.
 
Well I better close. But this week was better! I will definitely keep
Elsie and the Cramer family in my prayers. Thanks for being so
awesome. I love you family and I am grateful for all your support you
give me. Have a grrrrreeeeeat grrrrrrant week :) WE GET TO SKYPE IN
TWO WEEKS!!!! 🏻️
 
Xoxo
Hermana Brown :)
 

Talk about a hole in one (happy Gilmore subway commercial)‏

Hello!! Wow so this week was crazy. It was like the most awesomely
horrible week ever. Haha like how does that happen? I will tell you :)
 
Well it rained. And rained and rained some more allllll week long. We
went on exchanges with the stl's on Monday night. I stayed here in my
area. It was fun! I was pretty excited. I thought I would be nervous
but not at all. Monday night was fun but all our appointments canceled
and we were without car... And then it started pouring. Like POURING
rain. Like it was good because sister mellor and I had umbrellas but
like they didn't even help. Our clothes were drenched same with
everything. Haha it was a good experience :)
 
Tuesday was a great day! We had a lesson with this sweet lady named
Maria. Hermana Samaniego came with us. She is so sweet!!! I always
call her my abuelita de Panamá. ️  seriously she is so sweet. She
bore the sweetest testimony of her conversion and how to came to find
the church was true. Her testimony of the atonement really touched my
heart. Maria is awesome and she really wants to learn more. She
doesn't have much of a religious background besides being catholic and
going to church on Easter and Christmas and she really wants to learn
more. I am so excited to watch her journey in the gospel. I know she
will be so blessed. One thing that I love most about being a Spanish
missionary is that chance is which I get to work with these amazing
Hispanic and Latin people. Their testimonies are so pure and sweet and
will touch anyone's heart.
 
I am grateful for the gift of tongues. Okay it is SO real. As we were
on exchanges and I was a little nervous to have to try and teach
lessons by myself, but it was okay! I was just like talking and words
were flowing out of my mouth. What?! And I could understand everything
soooo clearly. It was so crazy. I am so thankful! :) speaking of
tongues.... I also had my very first taco de lengua.. In other words.
I had a cow tongue taco... It was actually really good!! I sometimes
would get a little freaked out because I could see like the tastebuds
and stuff and so that was weird but besides that I mean it was rather
tasty 
 
It rained a ton this week and we walked a ton. My hair is like getting
curlier by the minute I swear. The Cunningham river, which flows
through the western part of Tennessee and down to like Nashville and
stuff has started to flood a tiny bit! It was cool we went and took
some pictures. Everything here is so GREEN!!! It's beautiful. I will
send some pics :)
 
I had been feeling kind of down this week a little and so I was just
praying that I could just know that I was doing okay and actually
making a difference. Well on Wednesday we had heard one Of our older
Spanish sisters had been in the hospital, so we took like a 40 minute
bus ride down to the hospital and she wasn't there.... Don't worry
nothing bad happen she just got released and she was at home. So
that's good! But I was kind of bugged because we went all the way
there and had no luck. But we met this way awesome guy his name was
Grandpa Wayne. He was like the black version of grandpa Wayne!! Haha
but he was so nice and just told us  how thankful he is for young
people like us doing something good and that we are making a
difference! It was just what I needed to hear. And then like 3 other
people said that to us too during that day. It was a little tender
mercy from the lord.
 
I can't believe that it snowed like six inches last week!!!! That is
absolutely nuts. Also kind of scary about the wind and the mud storm!
That sounds terrible. I am glad dads yard is looking good. I need some
pics because I am bragging to everyone out here about how amazing my
yard always looks :) haha can you believe we only have 2 weeks left of
the transfer. Crazy!! Looks like josh and Brit are having fun in DC as
well :) thanks for all you do for me. I love you all :) have a good
week!!!!
 
Xoxo
Lizzy :)

TACOS DE LENGUA

Us with grandpa Wayne

So floody but so pretty

This week I felt like that porky's guy at the airport‏

Wow it sounds like Arizona was a fun trip! But I am also confused
because mom said it will be weird not going back there as much.. Are
Brandon and Haley moving and no one told me?? Messed up guys....
Messed up.... Haha but it does look fun! That pool looks awesome with
the lazy river and water slides! And all those fun places at dinner.
That big bowl of posole sounds DELICIOUS. My love for Posole has just
grown so much more since being on my mission. Did you guys do sessions
at both the Mesa and Phoenix temple? Thanks for all the pictures :) it
sounded like a great time!
 
This week was really good but oh my goodness I don't know how I am
going to survive a summer hear because I am already DYING. the
humidity and heat. Oh man. I'm just so sweaty and it's only April...
And this humidity has got my hair just crazy and gross.. This is the
struggle. I don't know how I am suppose to deal with the summer here.
Haha pray for me that I won't be so disgusting that no one will
talk to us. But this week it actually wasn't too crazy of weather.
Just super humid and super hot! This week it's suppose to get super
stormy so let's see how that goes 
 
I feel like we did so much this week but I can't remember it.. Like it
went by super fast. But the good news is that we found a ton of new
people to teach! So that's a plus. And we have contacted quite a few
less active members too. We also got bus passes and so this last week
my first time like bussing on an actual city bus. It was pretty fun!
But also a little different. Hahaha it's pretty nice because we live
relatively close to a couple bus stops so that is just a blessing!
 
Also I got to go to the temple again this week! We went and did
baptisms with Brooke!!! I had a great time and it was really just what
I needed. I just cried and cried. I was just so happy I got to be in
the temple. I love the temple so much. Brooke I think liked the temple
but just like anything you do for the first time is different and
unfamiliar. I was happy I got to go with her. She also came to a
lesson with us this week and she is a rockstar! Like she was just
telling our investigator that the only way to know the truth is to
read the Book of Mormon. It made me so happy! She is awesome and has
such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon. It also was really
awesome to hear her teach and teach our investigators some of the same
things that we had taught Brooke. She is so amazing!!
 
I am sorry that is email is kind of short and lame, but really things
are going good! I am starting to love this area more and more, but I
think I need to still love it more and more. I have had a weird time
adjusting because I loved Columbia so dang much. I hope you all have a
happy fun week :) thanks for all your love and support! you guys are
the best :) annnnnnnd we get to Skype in 28 days!!!! Not that I am
counting  get ready for a tear fest :) hahaha I love yall!
 
Xoxo
lizzy :)

Wild onions grow in people's yard here..‏

Yay happy Easter!!!  I got your package and it was perfect and
just what I needed! I felt like I got the "grown up" Easter basket
because it just came in all the packages and stuff. It was perfect.
Thank you so much. Also mommy I am glad to hear you had a good
birthday! That makes me happy. I hope you get my card soon if you
haven't already :) Well I do have to say I am actually quite
heartbroken that I will be missing one shining moment tonight :( think
of me when you see all the basketball players pounding their chests
and everything, you know that's my favorite! Haha
 
Well wow this week was awesome!!! Seriously. But also very wet. It
stormed the majority of this week. Like crazy stormed. I thought we
were under attack one morning. Seriously it was that crazy! Haha yall
know how much I love thunder and lightening storms... I was told that
in the summer it's like sooo crazy and the lightening is like a strobe
light... We'll see how that goes.. But one of the best parts about
getting so much rain is that everything is SO green here. It so
beautiful I just love it!
 
I did one different thing this week. On Wednesday Hermana Rudolph and
I were walking back to our apartment and we met these two older
ladies. They were so cute and funny. We shared with them the He Lives
video and they both really liked it. One of them, Sweet Mary, the
cutest German lady ever, invited us to a good Friday service at her
church on Friday. We agreed, so on Friday we went to a Lutheran church
for a good Friday service. It was really interesting. It's amazing how
other churches can have so much truth in their teachings but then at
the same time not have any truth at all... It was a candle light
service and so it was like dark during the service and continued
getting darker the whole service. needless to say I was like freaked
out most of the time. Especially with all the creepy organ songs that
they kept playing. It was good to experience though! It makes me sad
to think about how so much of the Christian world focuses on Christ
suffering on the cross. I am so truly grateful that Christ suffered
for my sins, pains, and sorrows in the garden of Gethsemane and on the
cross but I think sometimes we overlook the greatest miracle of all.
Christ is risen! Today he lives!! He broke the bands of death that we
all may live again. He suffered our sins that we all may repent when
we fall short and sin. I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ
and like Elder Holland mentioned in his talk, that his arms are
reached out to help us and hold us up. I am grateful I have had this
chance to be a missionary during this beatify Easter holiday.
 
Not only was it Easter week it was a week full of miracles here in
Clarksville as well. Yahoo :) this week I have gained a strong
testimony of goal setting and setting goals with the spirit. Hermana
Rudolph and I met every single goal we set for the week this week!! It
was awesome. On Saturday we were looking and we still needed to get
two more member present lessons to complete our goal for this week...
We prayed and really thought hard about who we could go and see (we
have been really struggling having people to teach) and as we were
planning a member texted us and asked if we could meet with her and
her neighbor (who isn't a member) sometime this next week. We
hopefully asked her if we could do it tomorrow (Sunday) and she said
yes! We were so happy but still needed to set up one more lesson with
another member to reach our goal. We prayed a ton. I just really felt
like it was all going to work out. So we finished our planning and
prayed that something would work out. Well yesterday after the first
session of conference we had planned to go tracting on a street with
the hopes that our member who lives on that street would come with us,
but we got stranded at the church and had no way to make it to the
street and back before the second session started. So we just decided
do some finding at some apartments near the church. And guess what? No
one talked to us. We got turned down the whole time. Such a let down.
We made our way back to the church and went in and watched the second
session of the conference. Well with about 2 speakers left of the
conference, a ysa came and told us that there is a lady who wants a
Book of Mormon is Spanish. And she was sitting out in the hall way. So
we go out there and we start talking to her. Her friend was still
watching the conference and they are both nonmembers! And they just
wanted to come see the church sometime. We ended up teaching her with
the ysa too! It was seriously a miracle!! So long story short we
reached our goal of member present and now two new SPANISH
investigators. Miracles on the Day of the greatest Miracle ever. It
was so awesome. :)
 
Talking about General Conference. It was awesome! It was weird to
think that in October I watched it in the CCM. And now I am just here
in clarksville Tennessee haha but it was great. On Saturday morning we
got invited to a members house for breakfast and to watch the first
session. The Castillo family. They are great. They made us this huge
Easter basket. It was so nice of them :) they have some young kids and
it was really different to watch conference not in like sweatpants and
with 4 kids under the age of 10 running around. Haha but it was great!
For the rest of the conferences we just watched them at the church. It
was really nice :)
 
I watched some in Spanish and some in English. It was a good time. I
can't really think of my absolute favorite talk because they were all
so great. I know that all those who speak in general conference are
truly so inspired. And like dad had mentioned, I know that any
questions we have they will be answered in general conference. I am so
grateful! I really loved all the Saturday session. It was so much
about the family. It makes me so happy to have a great family! I was
although getting a little stressed out thinking, how can I make sure I
am a good mother and teach my children the gospel of Jesus Christ? I
was a little overwhelmed and jotted down a few impressions that came
to me and then remembered I was a missionary and then I got a little
less stressed out 
 
I loved Sister Wixom's talk about focusing on what you know. I felt
like that is applicable to everyone members and nonmembers. It made me
excited to share it with my investigators and recent converts. I also
really enjoyed Elder Brent H. Nielson's talk about how to respond to
those who have lost their way. As a missionary it's so hard watching
people who once were progressing, stop progressing. But I realized
that as I listened to this talk that love can change even the stoniest
of hearts. As we love, watch, and wait. Wow I could go on forever
about all the talks I loved but that would make this email just way to
long. But I, like a lot of other people, loved the talk by Elder W
Pearson. His was great. Overall general conference was amazing.
 
Well after quite a long email I will close just saying how much I love
my family and friends. How grateful I am to have the love and support
from yall. I love being a missionary so much! I am grateful that I
have all my siblings to look up to while being out here on my mission.
I hope yall have a great week! Especially mom, dad, and e as you go to
Arizona. Enjoy a nice coke by the pool for me please :) I love yall!
 
Xoxo
Lizzy :)

Still mad about josh and Brandon hiding the Easter eggs in the backyard...

Hello family!!
 
Sounds like yall had a great week full of craziness! I am glad you saw
Elise!! She is so cute :) she was a great missionary. I recorded her
departing testimony at transfers and will send it so yall can see. She
is awesome!! I have also heard from a couple other people that E's
homecoming was awesome! I am proud of her. She is a boss. Also josh is
the elders quorum president!!! That is awesome! He is going to do
great. Sad to hear that the Utes lost too :( what teams are in the
elite 8??? You guys gotta keep me updated please! Who are the under
dogs? I would like all the deets :)
 
Well as for this week, let's start with transfers! My new companion is
Hermana Rudolph. She is so cute. She is from Cody, Wyoming and has
been out for almost a year. She is really nice but quiet. We get a
long really well! I am excited for this transfer. I have been a
little stressed about taking over this area but so far it has been
good. Mostly it's just hard because i feel like everything is on me
because she just doesn't know anyone or this area. So basically I have
to do all the nightly and weekly planning.. But it's been getting
better once she started meeting more and more people. So that's good.
But please pray for me! Haha it's just a little overwhelming.
Especially having to plan and get everything 100% ready for Brooke's
baptism. Talk about some stress acne and the need for a coke... (Which
I didn't drink, I have been staying strong!)
 
That leads me to my next topic! BROOKE'S BAPTISM!! Wahhhhhh. Crazy. It
was awesome. She got baptized!!! Her in laws drove in on Friday night
and her father in law baptized her :) she was so happy and so excited.
We had a couple break downs on Thursday night with Brooke... Man satan
has some weird opposition tactics... But we worked through them :)
yahoo! And she was baptized. Hermana LaPine was able to come and her
new comp is actually Herman Levao so they both were there :) it was
nice. Brooke asked us to bear our testimonies and overall it was a
great day! She kept saying "I'm a Mormon now!!" It was so cute. She is
awesome :) Sunday she got confirmed and it was also amazing. And then
she bore her testimony and it was the sweetest thing I have ever
heard. I just cried and cried. I am so happy for her and her
willingness to take this step into the gospel :)
 
On Saturday night we went to Hopkinsville for the general women's
broadcast and man that was AMAZING. I loved every minute of it. I
loved the topic on eternal families. That was just amazing!! I loved
it. I also thought it was amazing just for Brooke too! She just cried
the whole time. It was so cute. The spirit was so strong! I loved the
talk by Sister Oscarson. I loved her challenge to us to be defenders
of the family. I was thinking about how blessed I have been to be
raised in a home where my parents know, love and cherish the family a
proclamation to the world. And it's amazing to me to watch those who
were raised by this proclamation raise their own kids. I know it is
truly so inspired and from our Heavenly Father to help us grow happily
as families. Also I loved the musical number "when there's love at
home and let us all speak kind words to each other" it made me think
of my cute mommy who always always is singing those songs :) overall
it was an amazing conference. It makes me so much more excited for
General conference!!! 
 
One more quick thought. Did I tell yall about Fatima? Well we found
her tracting when I was on exchanges, and we went back and found out
she was a member!! We went over last week and she shared the story of
her baptism. She is from Panama but found the church and was baptized
when she was in Maine. Years before she moved to Maine she remembered
having a dream that she was in a church and that she was getting
baptized. But she didn't understand it. She had never been in a church
like the one in her dream and she was just confused. She just forgot
about it and went on with her life. Well when she came to Maine she
said that when she was in the chapel she felt she had been there
before but she couldn't remember when... Then at her baptism as she
was going to the font she knew she had been there. She remembered her
dream she had had!! How awesome is that?? I know that Heavenly Father
is always preparing his children and is always looking for ways as to
help them come unto the fold. Although Fatima fell away from the
church, when she moved her to clarksville about a year ago she felt
like she wanted to go back but didn't know how. And then what
happens... There is a little knock on the door and it's the
missionaries :) how awesome!! I love her and I just feel such a strong
connection with her! We also have the same birthday. Cute ️ haha she
came to church yesterday and we found her records and got them
transferred over! How great right? I am excited for her to get back to
church :)
 
Also a quick HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST MOM EVER!!!!! I love you soooo
much. Sorry I won't be home for your birthday... But I will next year
:) I love you so much mom.  And a happy Easter! And happy general
conference! And happy 1 year since I got my mission call. This is a
great week coming up!
 
Sorry for the longest email ever. This week was great! I hope all
keeps going well at home! Yall are in my prayers always! I love you
all sooooo much!!!
 
Xoxoxo
Lizzy ️