The members here are very amazing and provide meals almost every night! The members also keep on stopping by our apartment to give us food, pies, donuts, etc. We really do love them all and their support. They are all so great to us and I am so happy to be able to serve in such an amazing ward! I really don't know what I would do without all of them here helping us. Be sure to do the same with the missionaries back home. They need your help. As missionaries we have left our families, and the ward members are the ones that help fill that gap in our lives (although it truly will never be the same). Please be sure to do the same for the local missionaries. They are my second family!
My companion is amazing! We both get along very well and love being with each other. We laugh, work hard, joke, and have a fantastic time being able to serve the Lord. He always tells me that I remind him of his 18 year old brother and that he feels like he is serving with him. Oddly enough Elder Steele reminds me of my brother Jace. He is just like him and acts like him in every way. I love it so much! I feel like I am serving and working with one of my best friends, my brother. He makes me laugh and always supports me. I am happy that the Lord has blessed both of us and has allowed us to serve together.
This week I have had some very interesting experiences. The first is my story of the crazy cat lady. Elder Steele and I went to go visit a less active member and to check up on her and to see why she hasn't been coming to church. She ended up being very nice, but her home was really rather interesting. We walked in and were immediately surrounded by cats. Yep. Living, breathing cats! She said that she has over twelve of them and that she loves all of them so much. It was actually really gross and I had to go and shower after (for fear of getting bed bugs, a real problem in Ohio). Luckily we were just fine and she even went to church this week! So that was great and now I have a cool story to tell.
My second crazy story is of the crazy raccoon lady! Elder Steel and I ended up going and visiting another less active family that hadn't been to church or allowed anyone from the church into their home for over five years. When we went there the wife answered the door and we started talking. I found out that she loves animals and told her that I do as well! That got her very excited and she let us in. She then went on talking about animals and how her favorite animal is the raccoon! She then asked if we wanted to see one. We said yes, but of course thinking it was either dead or in a trap. We were wrong. She took us into the backyard and showed us her PET raccoon. She had it up in a cage and took it out and started playing with it. She then let us pet it and hold it. That was scary at first, but I can now say that I have held a raccoon. Afterwords we were able to have a great lesson with her family, and we committed them to come back to church. The father even started crying and said that he truly has missed the church in his life and that he was going to make it a goal to come back.
My next story will prove that I have learned to overcome my picky-ness when it comes to food. As I mentioned earlier we have meals with members very often. Well, one of my meals this week was really rather interesting and something that I wasn't expecting to eat. We got to the member's home and visited with them before sitting down to eat. When the food was brought out there were big, weird looking slabs of meat on our plates. My companion and I did not know what it was, so Elder Steele asked the members. We were told that it was cow tongue, and that it was supposedly really good and that all we had to do was peel of the taste buds. Needless to say it actually wasn't that good, but I did eat it all. Yes, the boy that hates red meat ate a whole cow tongue without throwing up! There truly are modern day miracles.
Well that has been my week and now here is my missionary tip: You will be surprised with what you can do! The Lord will help you through trials and with Him all things are truly made possible. Have faith, be strong, and continue to look unto and to trust in Him.
I love you all so very much!
Elder Brown
Elder Brown and Elder Steele
Playing with their new friend!
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