This week has been very good and really rather amazing! I love being in Ohio and I have really grown to love all of its beauty, although nothing will ever be better than Utah. This week our toilet in our second bathroom flooded and got all over the place. We all had a little adventure cleaning that up! We had to stop the water so it wouldn't flood into our kitchen. Good thing we have two bathrooms! Speaking of bathrooms, our shower drain was really horrible and wouldn't drain the water. So by the end of our showers we were taking baths. We didn't know what was wrong, so I decided to investigate. Inside the drain I found TONS of clogged hair and I was the only brave one to pull it out. Needless to say our drain now works perfectly fine and we now have a pet bunny made out of some random ladies hair.
This week has really been focussed on helping our ward and teaching the less active members by addressing their concerns. It was great to be able to go out and to support to their them! This week we ended up getting a call from the church headquarters referral office. We were told that a man had called the Illinois elders and had tried to get in touch with them, but was now living in Ohio. Those elders called headquarters who in turn called us. We were able visit a man named Rodger. He is a less active, and has had a great desire to be able to come back to church.We began teaching him this week and his significant other, Balinda. We invited them both to come to church and they both showed up yesterday! That was so cool to be able to see them there and to be able to help them in coming unto the Lord and following Him. I will keep you all updated on how they are doing.
There is an amazing family in the ward named the Kebkers! We are over there every day for either lunch or dinner and they spoil us like crazy. They have a daughter on a mission in Brazil, and then two teenage kids at home. They are so funny and they are like my family here. They gave us a great referral to their friend named Liz. Liz owns a big farm and grows tons of vegetables, but needs help harvesting them. So we went over there and worked on the farm for a couple of hours, and promised to go back every Friday until winter. It was such a good experience and I was so happy to serve and spend time out on a farm and to work around animals as well. She gave us tons of vegetables, so we have been having corn on the cob, zucchini, and other things everyday! We have also been having zucchini bread, thanks to Sister Kebker.
Last night I became overwhelmed with the spirit while tracting. Elder Steele and I were walking around and getting rejected over and over just as we always are. I then was reminded of a part of scripture that talks about our Savior being spat upon. I then thought "if people treated our Savior so horribly, then how can we, His servants, not expect to experience at least something similar?" I was so impressed by that and that we are able to experience just a sliver of what the Savior did.
Later in the night I was again taught by the Lord and was rebuked a little. I had been complaining in my mind about all of the things that we don't have, how it is stupid that we have to ride bikes, use library computers, and drive a car with limited miles when I have all of that at home, and much nicer ones at that. I was having these thoughts when we showed up at a less active members trailer home. She is a very humble and poor lady who works three jobs, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week just so she can pay for her food and get by. We talked to her and she said that she wants to come to church and prays everyday that she will be able to, but she can't because she has to work. She then said that she has been given so much, and even though it isn't a lot, it is enough. I burst into tears right then. I heard the Lord say; "My son, Jory, you have been given much and now too must give." How true that is! I am so happy that I am here in Ohio so that I can help and can give and provide all that I have been blessed with in my life. So that is my message this week. Be grateful for what you have been given, and rejoice in the mercies and blessings of God. Be willing to serve and recognize "Because I have been given much I too must give."
Love,
Elder Brown
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