Madeline Brown

Madeline Brown

Monday, June 17, 2019

Week 34 - Papillion - Baptisms on Baptisms on Tours at Historic Winter Quarters?

What's going on friends and family??? You read right, this transfer (and hopefully more) I will be serving twice a week or more giving tours at the Trail Center at Winter Quarters. I am SO EXCITED. I have already had so many sweet (some scary) experiences giving tours and learned so much about pioneer history. How cool is it that I get to be here on the actual ground where the saints traveled across the plains?? 

Wednesday we had transfers, Sister Nelson left and I got Sister Davis!!! She has been out almost exactly the same amount of time I have been out and she is from Fruitland, Idaho, on the Oregon border. She has been in the trail center full time her whole mission, so when we are proselyting, I am the senior companion teaching her and when we are in the trail center, she is the senior companion teaching me. It's so much fun. She is the sweetest, and we get along SO well. 

Thursday we ran around Omaha all day planning Jim's baptism and figuring out our scheduling for the next week and calling people, honestly, it was all a blur and went so fast I don't even remember all of it. 

Friday was the same as Thursday, we didn't get a whole lot of tracting done because we had to run back and forth from the mission office, to the trail center, to our apartment, to the library, to our church building and back again planning and organizing. 

Saturday we had trail center training at 7:30 AM. All the new sisters got to bear their testimonies and it was really powerful. Then we took a tour with one of the senior couples (and a huge spider crawled up my leg and I almost died of fear and made a huge scene) then we went back to our area for Jim's baptism!!!!! Sister Davis and I sang A Child's Prayer for a special musical number and Jim loved it. He was so excited to get baptized and he loves the gospel so much, it's so cool to see. After that, we went to eat lunch and plan out our day. About 10 minutes into lunch, we got a call from the Trail Center leaders saying that they needed more hands on deck, so we basically had to pack up and go back to the Trail Center and we worked there all the rest of the day. It was SO MUCH FUN!!! I love giving tours at the trail center, and the history is so cool. First shift ever was a huge success. 

Sunday we had the trail center in the morning before church, then had to rush to church and made it just in time, then had to run around and help some members with things, coordinate our meal calendar, and figure out how to divide our people with the Spanish elders. We also got a new bishop and he is a GREAT man and a huge spiritual giant. I am so excited to have him in this calling. 

I love you all. Thanks for all your prayers and support. You are all ROCKSTARS! 
email me.
Love, Sister Brown
The Sisters on my first shift at the Trail Center
Left to right: Sister Jones, Sister Johnson, Sister Albrecht, Sister Dastrup, Sister Davis, Sister Medley

One of the first tours. They are from Tustin in town for a baseball tournament, and they know some of my friends from home!



The Spanish Elders, Elder Holloway & Rassmuson and Chloe at Banh Mi the day before Transfers...we didn't all plan to be there at the same time!

The Sisters from my MTC District

Jim & Juli, his wife


JIMS BAPTISM!

At English Connect with Jacob

Sister Davis, Juli, Jim and Me

At Banh Mi!

Me and Sister Davis at transfers

Last photo with Sister Nelson

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Week 33 - Papillion & The Trail Center!

Hello beautiful friends and family!!!

This week was crazy here...every week is crazy here. There are a gazillion particles of pollen in the air now at any given time, and I sneeze my guts out every day. It's a good time.

Wednesday we had a lesson with this guy named John that we found, and we set him for baptism!!!! He is so cool. that's pretty much all we did on Wednesday.

Thursday we had district council, but we totally forgot hahahahaha so we did all of our morning studies, then got a text from our district leader who said: "are you coming?" And we just ran to the car and showed up almost 45 min late hahaha. The rest of the day we didn't do much, we had dinner and a lesson with Chloe and the elders. She made us Japanese ramen and sweet mango sticky rice. (Chloe's food is always incredible) then we taught her the 10 commandments and talked about the prophet, she is SO cool. We really just had a discussion about doctrine because she already knows and lives it all. We also told her about keeping the Sabbath day holy, and she said she has been closing her restaurant on Sundays ever since she found out that was a commandment...like 6 months ago...so golden. 

Friday we had a lesson with Amanda!!! We didn't have to drop her after all!! We went to Chic-Fil-A and talked about the Book of Mormon and how it can bless us. She is really searching, and it's really cool to see. 

Saturday we had a mission-wide meeting with Elder Renlund!!!! The whole mission showed up at 7 AM and organized for a picture, and it was amazing. The reverence was UNREAL. Instead of idle chatter throughout the missionaries, every one sung hymns together as a mission while we waited for Elder Renlund to get there. When he came in we all recited The Living Christ. Then we all got to shake his hand as we walked into the chapel for the meeting. He is a spiritual giant, it was amazing to hear from him. I could've sat there all day and listened. 

Sunday we had Stake Conference with Elder Cook of the 70. He talked a lot about President Nelson and how he is the busiest man, but also has time for everyone. It made me really think about myself. My ultimate goal as a missionary, and in life, is to help everyone feel like they are important and heard, I need to be like President Nelson.

Later we had dinner with Sister Ramos and her Fiance Chris, who is getting baptized on the 22nd of June!!! We taught him the Word of Wisdom and read with him about Jesus Christ in the garden of Gethsemane and talked about the bitter cup he drank for us. He was really apprehensive about giving up coffee and beer, so I am giving up soda in support for him. (Its gonna be a long road hahahaha) 

I'm not getting transferred...but I will be getting a new companion....and I will be in the Trail Center one day a week!!!!!

I am so excited to serve in the visitors center finally! It's going to be such a cool experience. 

I love you all!!!!!!!! Remember that you are all sons and daughters of God with divine worth. He knows and loves each one of you. 


-Sister Brown
Mural in Little Mexico

A picture I put together of the Provo Temple

Chris, Sister Ramos fiance, is getting baptized on the 22nd!!!

My best friend Hermana Jorgensen

The WHOLE MISSION + Elder Renlund

We have fun :)


My Daughter

My District!
Left to right: Elder Campbell, Elder Mathews, Elder Collins, Elder Andrews, Sister Nelson, Me

My Mom

Transfer day

Hermana Jorgensen



Sister Torsak feat. Elder Collins

Me being like...what is this

Hermana Hansen

Having fun

Sister Ramos and Chris


A little thing I made with my pressed flowers

Cool Clouds

Hermana Kinard


Week 31 & 32 - Papillion


Winter Quarters Temple

A nice message carved into the sidewalk

Hermana Esplin

I got bug-spray on my nametag :( I had to get a new one

Hanging out at the Trail Center with Sister Johnson

Found a Frog!

Raking...

Me on a lawnmower

Booth we did to find people to teach



Winter Quarters Temple

A horse named Applejack 



Some Nebraska Scenery

Me and Sister Nelson

Me in Nebraska :)




Planting corn

Planted sweet corn, we tilled and raked and planted the whole patch of corn

Watercolor