Well This is It!

So because I leave on Tuesday and not on Thursday I am currently at the mission home in my pjs in the living room sitting here at 10:40 emailing ya’ll.  President wanted us to email tonight since we would have no time tomorrow but man so I have a math question for ya'll.

What is 5 pairs of worn down shoes+4 areas+ 5 companions + 1000 of Baptists + 400 churches=?

Answer 1 awesome mission.  I cannot believe it is here and that my mission is ending it truly goes by so quickly words can never describe how I feel right now no one can understand except heavenly father and Christ the savior I love my mission and love the person I became I am a better changed person. I am so grateful more than anything for my mission and would not have wanted anything else but I love you all and will see you soon this is Sister Browning signing off from the SCCM best time of my life

Guess Who Came To Town?!?

The answer is not Santa Clause the answer is Elder Bednar he came to our mission twice in one year and I was at both what an experience so many questions were answered all by the spirit and put me at ease.  I cannot explain what I learned or what he said it is impossible but hopefully soon I will be able to show you.  This month has truly been a November to remember.  After 10 years Nick Cole was finally baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday the joy on his and his families faces were priceless so many people came to support him even people from Alabama came for his baptism.  He is really funny he kept calling me and sister Havens his posse because we organized everything but he was so happy and did not thank us but that is a compliment to me because I did not convert him the spirit and the faith and prayers of his family I just came to dinner and let him decide what he wanted to do. On Friday we went to the temple again to see a less active I taught go through the temple she was so beautiful in white and it made me cry to see her in white she has touched my life.  She told me that she was starting to go back to church but then one night decided that she was going to stop and never go back but then she got a knock at the door by these two soaking wet sister Missionaries sister Eames and Sister Browning This ward no longer needs me and that is also a compliment and here is how I figured this out.  On Saturday Robert who was baptized last Saturday fell and was in the hospital and when I found out the person who was telling me said sister Browning you are no longer responsible for him we are and the ward is handling it so don’t worry I just wanted to cry not because I was sad but because I was so happy and relieved and feel ok that they no longer need me here.  My companion Sister Havens is stepping up and taking control of this area and making it her area.  I feel ok with leaving it still hurts but I know it will be ok and the spirit has helped me to gain understanding and peace and comfort I know it is not going to be easy but I know that because I am on Christ’s side everything will be ok. I know it will be I love you all have a great week and be safe and remember who you are.

Love Sister Browning

Hey Ya'll

Dearest Family and friends I hope this email finds ya’ll well and happy.  This week has been great we have been very successful and ended it with Roberts Baptism he was so happy and excited and his wife too she looked so happy and healthy. We have been busy with helping him and Nick Cole for his baptism this Saturday He is very excited you can see the light in his eyes when he talks about it or someone comes to him and his family is so happy they have waited so long for this day.  I found out a member that I help to reactivate is going to the temple to take out her endowments this Friday and I get to go and be there so another of going to the temple I am so excited and happy to be able to be there with her and Sister Eames will be there too I saw her on Thursday and before we left I told her I would see her at the temple and she said I will see you dressed in white I thought it was funny because it was true.  Word slipped out that I am leaving soon and so the ward members come up to me and keep talking about it and all this stuff and things I need to see which is distracting and hard but I am well I love my mission and love being a missionary and would not want to be anywhere else right now I cannot believe how fast it all goes and how different I am now from the beginning of my mission I am eternally grateful for my mission and never want this feeling to leave I love all ya’ll and hope your day and week is great and successful be good and choose the right. Till next week

Love Sister Browning

One of the Best Weeks!

So this week has been great it starts with Friday we had a zone meeting and there we were told that we could go to the temple and so I did not wait a day to go and got the chance to go today and so we took our pday today so that is why the late email but the temple was so great and refreshing of my purpose and the savior and his role in preparing a way for us to make back to him.  Robert Hammond is getting baptized this Saturday and is so ready the only issue is his truck is broken so please pray that his truck gets fixed and he can have his truck back he is so sweet and sincere he does not remember a lot and struggles learning the material but whenever people doubt him I tell them to ask him why he wants to be baptized and this is his answer because he feels at home and wants to come closer to the savior and to change his life and he knows this is the way he needs to do it and that is a sufficient answer to be baptized he is humble and has that desire so he is getting baptized on Saturday. Then another Miracle happened Sunday so we have a part member family the wife and two kids are very active and Nick the husband was so close so we dropped by on Sunday and had dinner and he finally agreed for the 16th of November to be baptized after 12 years of waiting this family is finally getting their dream and on their way to an eternal family and it is so much fun because no one knows but us and the family and the bishop so Nick wants to tell a certain family before anyone else knows so keep it a secret but he is so ready and excited and his interview is tonight and he will pass.  I tell you what life could not be any better I have been so high on the spirit that it has caused me to not sleep at nights so I don’t sleep much but hey I can nap later because right not I am preaching and love it and would not be anywhere else. So today at the temple I saw so many people from my previous areas and was able to see them all and to hug them and thank them and got caught up on lots of people I knew and it made my day things right now are so perfect just perfect and I know that because I did my very best to work hard the lord is blessing us and this area and ward Last Sunday was one of the best testimony meeting ever that I have been too we had many less actives bear their testimony it was all about families being eternal the spirit was so strong and thick I was crying it was beyond this work the feeling that was there.  My mission is the best I am very heartbroken that I have to leave but I would not change a single second I love you all and hope you have a great day and week and I will talk to you on Monday hopefully don’t know but probably Till next time Love sister Erica Browning

Freezing Cold!!!

So I have survived these past few days of bitter humidity coldness and I am just so grateful to be alive…ok so I am a little dramatic but it was unreal of how cold it was never do I remember it getting so cold so fast on my mission. This past week has been awesome and great here is the low down:

Monday: Katie Peebles took us on a historic tour of Camden saw a lot of cemeteries and old revolutionary houses, it was very cool. Chris and Judy dropped us by ignoring us so that was a downer but it is ok everything always has a way of working itself out!

Tuesday we had a sisters’ conference! There are 102 sisters in our mission it filled the whole chapel but it was very spiritual and much needed.

Wednesday I was in Columbia on an exchange and wanted Moes for lunch and Sister Barbara Clow came and this was a great surprise that I did not expect I loved seeing her.

Thursday we had a lesson with Mary Hammond whose husband is getting baptized on the 9th of this month although he was working it was fun to read the book of Mormon with Mary.

Saturday we had a lesson with Robert and a member Cookie Adams who is so sweet and a really cool lady I love her name.

Sunday Robert came to church and brought his step son and his wife who we never thought would ever come to church again but they did and loved it Elder Homer actually taught the wife Trisha Helton it was great to see them.

So here is a miracle so you may plant a lot of seeds on your mission and never know what happens to them but every once in a while you know and find out where they are at. Well on Sunday I did.  1 year ago it was cold and raining and I was so young as was my companion and we did not know what to do and so we prayed and after the prayer I looked up and saw a light and I said lets go knock that house so we did and met Kim Singultary and Waddell they were not married and had one baby and one on the way but we taught and got a return appointment and we went back and no one was there and we lost contact until 1 week before I left Florence she called us and said she wanted to meet with us and so we went and she talked of her troubles and we said if you come to church we will help you well she never did and we did not know what to do so we left it to the lord. A couple months later I found out Waddell had been arrested for abuse and so now Kim was living alone and she was learning.  A couple weeks ago missionaries from Florence came to me and asked me her story and I told them what I knew and they said well she is getting baptized and she was this past weekend.  Missionary is not a singular thing it takes many missionaries the spirit the ward to bring someone in to the gospel and so we all have a responsibility  if one part is lacking than that person may get baptized but without the ward they will not stay I know that is true every part is crucial in missionary work these are his children and they are great in his sight there is no one not worth teaching.  I love it I love the challenge that it is the hard work and the pain I really do and am grateful for all the pain and growth he has given me and I am grateful to be an instrument in his hands it is his work his power and his will it has never been about me always about him and his children.  I love you all land hope you have a great week and day and keep safe and warm and I will do the same here hopefully. Till next week!

Love Sister Browning

Wherever You Grow Take Root and Grow!

Hey ya’ll so wow what a week it is definitely cooling off last night was the coldest 65 degrees it was chilly and I thought I don’t want to go home.  Life here is great we had a very successful week.  Robert Hammond came to church again and loved it and this time he brought his wife Mary.  Mary has many health problems and struggles going anywhere but she came we had a lesson with them both about repentance and Robert flat out said he wanted to be baptized and so he is now on date for Nov 9th we are so excited and so is everyone.  On Saturday we were invited to go to a child’s baptism in the ward and it was the neatest thing ever it was so cool and the spirit was so strong and it was just cool to have that perspective of a child’s baptism and how excited she was to make the covenant.  sister Havens was asked to give the holy ghost talk and after the baptism Bishop Luthy asked if I could speak in Sacrament meeting and so I did and spoke on Faith and as I sat up on the stand Mary and Robert came in and I was so happy and excited I was trying to tell my companion that they were here and she thought I was telling her I love her and so she was smiling and telling me she loved me too it was funny.  I do love her but that was not what I was telling her.  Chris and Judy have fallen off the face of the Earth and we have lost contact with them but hopefully we can find them and talk with them.  On Sunday we had a great relief Society lesson it was so great and awesome the teacher Sister Penrod had a great quote Wherever you are take root and Grow and she gave us all little plants so it is so better than a pet but it is a really cool little plant and I was so excited to have it.  This past week I studied of Christ and how he invited his disciples to follow him and to take up their crosses and forget the world and serve him and feed his sheep.  How grateful I am that he called me to serve I know he was the one that asked me to serve no one else told me that I should serve a mission but he invited me and has greatly blessed me funny how when you try to give him something and he blesses you ten times more amazing and truly beautiful.  I love being a missionary I love the south and love serving with all these people I love them all even those who don’t feel the same about us but you can go nowhere else and talk to complete strangers of Christ and they will talk with you and discuss their love for Christ.  There is nothing better. I love you all and hope you have a great week and day, be safe and true. 

Till next week love Sister Browning

I Love My Mission!!

So I am not going to lie this past transfer started rough coming into this area with nothing we felt like we were trying to barely walk but would always fall but we always relied on God and never stopped and now we are running, he has blessed us so much here this past week especially members they are doing great and coming with us and teaching. We resurrected the BRP in the ward and they love it and we have some great things here and I am so glad to be here for my last transfer.  Time is just going by too quickly I find myself not wanting to waste a second of it so it has pushed me to be the best and it is hard but so worth it.  We found a part member family the Hammonds who we taught and then on Sunday the nonmember husband Robert came and loved church you could see it.  I love this ward and love these people so much I never thought I would fall in love with this area like I have I promised myself after leaving Hopkins that I was just going to work and not fall in love but when you work it is impossible to not fall in love with the work and the people involved but I am happy and would rather have these people in my life than to not have known them at all.  I just cannot get over the love I have for these people I love them all even those who do not like us I love them and want to help them I know that I cannot do everything for them but I know the lord will do his part.  I love being a missionary it is the best thing ever and I would not have want be anywhere else right now, but life is great and I just want time to for once stand still or slow down because it is quickly passing but so many awesome things have happened and my mission is a work of art and it a beautiful picture to me.  I love you all and hope you have a great week and day and Happy Columbus Day.

Love Sister Browning

GO MISSIONARIES!

Missions are just so awesome and so happy sometimes but I truly love it here and especially loved General conference and felt every talk was for me I learned something from every one of the speakers but overall the most important thing I felt was the love of the lord in my life his love and gratitude to me and that made me feel like I did something good which I know that I have.  This whole past week has been a great spiritual experience for me.  We had Leadership training for two days in Irmo and so we went and listened to all the leaders in our mission I loved President Holm every time he spoke I just cried (I cry a lot nowadays) any time he speaks you just feel the love of our father in heaven and his desire for us to serve more and work harder he really pushed us to do better so that we can become better people.  I got to live a dream and work with my MTC companion I stayed the night with her and got to be her companion for a few hours it was a dream come true. 

The book of Mormon is true and one of the most powerful books in the world.  This past week we had a return appointment with a struggling investigator Judy and when we showed up she just had this different countenance about her she was so happy  and looked like a completely different person and she said I read the book and felt good and felt the power to shoo Satan away and not to bother me I have no doubt about it that it was the book of Mormon that gave her that power to act and overcome Satan he is a real being and he is set to make us doubt but we will not falter  he will not win.  Judy is not on date for the 2nd of November to be baptized so many great things are happening here that I can start to see how the lord has prepared this area it was a little weedy but now the seeds are starting to sprout.  I love you all and thank you for your love and prayers and support I do feel it and hope you have a great week and day and I hope you continue to be blessed by the lord and feel his love.

Love Sister Browning

Hello from Camden!

Hey ya’ll from Camden things are great as usual so this past week we have had like no miles and we cannot walk anywhere here because it is too spread out so let me tell you of our new ward missionary Katie Peebles you know everywhere I serve I always find that one person who I have a special connection to and she is the one in this area she is so sweet a true southern bell and has been so willing to take us to visit and teach with us it has been a true tender mercy. So on Thursday we had a lesson with the Taylor Family and we taught about temples and they loved it and had the greatest desire to go and they all said except the dad that they want to be baptized but they want to do it as a family and the dad is waiting for his church to go capoot so that he will have no need to stay there but hopefully this week in conference he will snap out of it and realize that he does not need to be paid by his church anymore and can be more happier. Pray for them they are so awesome and so close I feel it.  On Saturday we went to find some former investigators and we met Robert Taylor who is flat out creepy he was asking my companion of how he would be able to ask her out and then talked about how the church would feel about them being married with him being black and it was funny afterward and he was with the former we were looking for and the former was telling us to leave because he knew Robert was not good and so he told us to go and talk to his wife. It is funny now annoying then but poor sister Havens held up really well the start of many attempts for her.  We were able to have an awesome lesson with the wife named Judy and she is so sweet and she quit investigating because she was antied but she allowed us to teach her and clear up a lot of misconceptions so she is now going to pray and really read the book of Mormon. We had to go to the hospital this past week twice for a couple of people Katie’s Son was sick and was in the er so we went and got her a Pepsi to feel better and also a returning member had a stroke so we went to see him pretty crazy but they are both doing better and well so that is good power of prayer. Camden is a tough Cookie but I do love it and love tough things never really in the moment but from past experience I always come to love them.  Gen Conference is this weekend and we have great plans to watch it we are teaching a part member family the Coles and Nick is not a member but wants to be and now that he has quit smoking he is now ready and so we are now teaching him the gospel again and to strengthen his testimony great family we are having dinner with them this weekend so we are going to start working with them. I cannot believe it has been six months since the last conference time has just flown but I am excited and it has also been one year since the historic announcement and as I reflect the change it is a beautiful thing. I love you all and thank you for your love and supports and prayers I love you so much and could not ask for better family and friends have a great week and day.

Helamen 12:1

Fall is in the Air!

Hey ya’ll so man it is fall here nice and cool and not humid very much sounds like a perfect combination for missionary work. This week has been a roller coaster of diligence and obedience and still searching for those who are ready to accept the gospel.

This last Tuesday was my last zone conference as a missionary in this mission it was great it was awesome all about how not to stress and we got this new booklet that I wish would have come earlier on my mission but at least I have it and can use it now it is really fun to do and motivating.  Then on Tuesday we met with the Taylors and had a great lesson on Baptism and why they needed to be baptized and they are praying for October 12th for the date so we committed them to pray specifically for that day.  We have a new ward sister missionary Katie Peeples she is the best she is so willing to take us and help us she wants to use her testimony and grow stronger so it has been cool to have her.  On wed we went to find a less active to bring him to the book of Mormon class and he came Tyrone he is so sweet and when we got there everyone already knew him and loved him and he just went around like he knew what to do and it was funny and a happy site he felt at home again I do not know why he stopped coming but he is coming back.  Thursday was fun we went to the North Country and just walked everywhere and down the dusty roads knocking visiting fewer actives it was fun and an adventure.  Friday we went on an exchange with our Sister training leaders and I stayed here in Camden with Sister Titus who was my roommate when I served in Hopkins so that was fun to get a chance to be with her. We were able to be where we needed to be and it was comforting to know that the spirit was guiding us and that we were the instruments.  On Saturday I was tired and exhausted all we did was knock and walk and by 6 pm I was done and we did not have success and so we continued to work diligently and my companion felt inspired to knock on one more door and we met Lynn who is a spiritual man and let us talk and teach him about the  book of Mormon it was just what I needed to have to be able to finish the night it was so worth it and awesome I learned something cool this week I was thinking and doubting myself as a missionary and the thought came to me that Heavenly Father does not doubt he know we can accomplish anything he does not doubt but Satan does and Satan uses that to pull us down and to fail but we need to always remember that Heavenly Father never doubts he only sees who we truly are and he is so understanding when we don’t reach that potential and so encouraging I know it is true and that this gospel is true and it is the happiness of the world.  I love being a missionary and love my calling me love wearing Christ name every day and love pondering him and his love and his encouragement. I love you all and hope you have a great week and day I love you and pray for you keep safe and happy.

Love Sister Browning

Little Miracles!

Hey ya’ll from Camden this place just gets cooler and cooler everyday these people are so diverse and funny I love them they are all great.  This week we finally got our map and could start working hard in our area so we started and have seen so many little miracles that they are just enough to tell me that I need to be here and there are people here I need to find. I just need to be more patient with myself and with the area and just trust.  I read in Alma 31:31 about a plea to find peace and comfort and then at the bottom there is a foot note to John which is a reply about how if we come unto Christ than we will find that peace because it is only in the world that we find tribulation which is so true it is only in Christ and his gospel that we can find the most peace.  Yesterday we were knocking and found an Atheist named Shane and he told his beliefs and it depressed me the thought that this is it there is nothing after and we become worm food forever I could not bear to think about it.  The elders met a family that live in a women’s homeless shelter and the elders are not allowed to be there so we got permission to go and teach them so we did and they are so awesome two months ago they lost their dad/husband and they are trying to overcome it and stay afloat and they need this gospel and so pray that they can have that desire I worry about anti the mom Stella brought up anti questions so that is a fear I have and I don’t want to lose them very sweet family and very cool. We are also working with the Taylor family who have been investigating the church for 17 years but they have a fear of change and the two boys and the mom love the church and know it is true but the dad is the one with the fear but we have a lesson with them tonight so we hope it goes well and we can help him more.  Things are great and I love being a missionary on the tough days when it is hard to work and be diligent I always ask myself do I love my mission and the answer is always the same yes I do with all my heart I love this time of my life and all the bad times that come with it. Thanks for your prayers and love they are felt and needed I love all ya’ll too and hope you have a great week and day and be safe and healthy.

Till next time Love Sister Browning

Hello from Camden, South Carolina!

Hello from Camden South Carolina the oldest inland city in South Carolina this is a unique little city it is old and lots of old things people building and all that good stuff. My new companion is Sister Allison Havens she is from St George Utah and is a pretty great girl I love her and am excited to be with here so she is 21 which is rare nowadays I was looking at old sister conferences pictures and to see the number of sisters is amazing by the end of November we will have reached over 100 sisters and we will have more sisters than elders in our mission that is a 1st in history and I am a part of it  pretty awesome.  So We are working on getting our map updated and getting it running it is a little stressful because I do not like staying in the apartment for days and not working I love out working and meeting members and so forth but  it is what is is and I will do my part in making this area the best and strongest area in the mission but sorry this is short I love ya'll and thanks for the many prayers I feel and need them I wish you the best of luck and pray for you always. Have a great week.

Love Sister Browning

The Lord Always Knows!

So I got a call on Saturday I have never prayed so hard to stay in an area before but I am leaving Hopkins and my heart aches right now but I have been good I know it is the lords will and it will be ok but you would think that after leaving two other areas it gets easier but it does not and now I am leaving and going to a new area for sisters and training a brand new sister from the MTC and sister Eames is staying here and also getting a brand new sister missionary from the MTC but I have full confidence in her and know that she will do great things in her mission yesterday was my last Sunday and the bishop stands up and asked me to  bear my testimony I am so grateful to have had the little time I did here I know that my whole mission before this has prepared me for this area I felt at home with all these wonderful people and to be by the temple was just the cherry on top. Enough about that though I am excited to go to a new area.

On the bright side VERN WAS BAPTIZED!!!!! It was so great she was so happy and had a glow on her and it makes me so happy to see her so happy.  Right before she was baptized we started in the relief society room and then when it was time for her to go into the water Brother Mitchell stood up and said "sister Eames Browning lead her to the font" and we walked with her to the font it was the best walk through the church ever to have vern in-between me and sister Eames walking to the font the rest of Vern’s life I was crying but hid it well I think but it was so special and powerful.  Now she is looking forward to the temple in one year.

One thing I learned on my mission very early was that Heavenly father did not send me here to help me he sent me here to help others it has never been about me but others who would have thought serving the lord for others and not yourself. But I learned that and it is important because I know that is my purpose I am his everything I do is for him and he is going to open the way for me to do what he needs me to do to help him and right now that is to go to a new area and help them. I love being a missionary and it is so hard to believe that I only have twelve weeks left it is so little of time compared to how long I have been out but enough about that I love ya’ll and can’t wait to tell you where I end up thanks for the prayers and love keep up the awesomeness.  I love all ya’ll.

Love sister Browning

Tender Mercies of the Lord!

Hey Y'all from the beautiful weather of South Carolina yesterday and today was in the 80's with no humidity when we walked out we were blown away with how easy it was to breath.

Well here is our week in a nutshell

Monday we went to the zoo in the rain and got soaked but it was great we went with Sister Bonni it is funny I did not know what smelled worst the wet animals or us hehehehehe.  Monday night we go to Family Home Evening and the previous week we joked about having it at our apartment well no one knew the rule that they could not come to our apartment and so they all took it serious thankfully we were able to tell everyone but one family who drove to our apartment and found out no one was there she eventually forgave us and now we owe them all cookies but the funniest part was the lesson it was on No Corrupt communication.

Tuesday we got pied in the face by the elders because we lost a bet and so we lost and got pied but it was pretty fun and we were all laughing. we had an appointment with Vern but she bailed on us and was not there but we studied with benny her husband we were both worried that we went the next morning and she was telling us of how she was with her daughter and mad because her daughter mad her  miss her study class with her angels.  We laughed in relief that she was still solid and very excited for this coming Saturday.

Wed we had no more strangers fireside and my 7th interview with president holm it was great I cried because I realized the little time I have left on my mission and it is a bitter sweet thing right now but Vern came to the fireside and met president and sister Holm and she loved it and felt the spirit she is so great I love her so much.

Thursday we have a part member family who has been through so many sets of missionaries but never sisters so we went and she told us she is not interested so we are going at her with a different approach and serving her and she is letting us and she really opened up to us and told us she loves us so that is awesome and so it is going to be slow but I feel like one day she will be baptized.

Friday WE had dinner with the clow family the highlight of my week and it was great they are so awesome and are great I love them they are my family and take great care of us it was just a beautiful thing than that night we had another lesson with vern who again was with her daughter but this time she told her husband to wait for us and to stall us and study while she arrived so we did it was fun. Also on Friday one of the senior missionaries had an emergency and had to go home and so on Friday president called some missionaries to go and hear her testimony and say good bye it could have been sad but it was happy and she was ready to take on what heavenly father had given her it was a bitter sweet moment but I love her and miss her so much already.

Saturday the elders in our ward Melissa she has made a great change and was so happy to be baptized you could see it on her face and she was thrilled.

Sunday Vern came and stayed for all three blocks and loved them all I sat by her in Sunday school and was so happy I just smiled as I watched her learn.  Sunday night we had some major confusion we accidentally had two dinners planned and what happened was we first had two on Saturday and then we moved on to Sunday but then the other one had to change to Sunday and it was too late to change them around again so we had two dinners on Sunday one was steak and big potatoes and the other one was sushi which made my companion sick poor girl I felt so bad but she is feeling better. But we learned a very great and important lesson from all this.

Today is Monday we are taking one the Colombia sisters to the mission office so she can go to her real mission in Australia for the last week of the transfer we are a three pack with Sister Titus and we will work in both Hopkins and Columbia it is going to be crazy busy but great because VERN is getting baptized on Saturday.

This transfer is over we have transfer calls this week and I could stay or leave sister Eames no longer needs me and that is a good thing she is solid and always has been and will do great things no matter what.  I will tell all ya’ll what happens next Monday but I love yam and hope you have a great week Wish me luck and pray for me and our areas.

Love Sister Browning

Missionary Work and Rain!

Well the rain is back again we had a couple wet days but I like it makes me feel like a tough missionary working in the rain and there is more rain coming this week so I hear. This week has been great as always we really are trying to work hard and be where we need to be and to help those we need to see and finding those the lord has prepared for us to find.  This week we taught Vern twice the plan of salvation and the Restoration she just sits there and agrees and accepts it and loves it she has already made that decision to be baptized and nothing is going to stop her.  This pas weekend we had stake conference and she came with benny they loved it they just smiled it was awesome the conference was all about families and how they are so special in the church and how we need to be one in our families and in our wards I loved and cried as usual.  This place is so special and close to my heart all these people have stolen my heart and every time  I visit people in their homes I am amazed because just when I thought I could not love them any more  I am proved wrong these people are humble and accepting and let us come in and listen to us  I only pray to  be able to help them get a little closer I feel like  I am gaining more by knowing them than they probably get by listening to us but they continue to invite us back.  

 We met this man named Rene he call himself our special friend because he is he is gay and yet he lives in the south where that is not accepted at all but he was impressed with us and what we did he is learning and it is going to be a slow process with him but time does not matter as long as he gets it he lives with his mom who loves to testify and teach us and it is friendly and she means well she loves us and accepts us her sister is a member but she loves teaching and when she feels the spirit man she goes off and it is funny to see especially sister Eames who does not know what to do but she is learning young. I love sister Eames she is one of the best companions I have had we laugh and cry together and I feel so lucky and privileged to be with her I have always wanted a companion like her and I have her and sadly our time is coming to a close we only have two more weeks in this transfer and it amazes me how fast time goes.  I pray for it to stand still just for a moment but it won’t and I know it can’t but I can pray and continue to work hard.  I love you all and hope you have a great week and day Thanks for the love and prayers they are awesome I love all ya’ll. Till next week love Sister Browning 3rd Nephi 9:13-14 his only plea is for us to come unto him so simple and plain as day COME UNTO HIM

Eventful Week!

Ok so this week has been pretty great we started off Monday at the grand ol Congaree national forest which is just swamp and lots of it but it was so cool it was like a little Yellowstone that you walk through except more trees I will never again complain of there being too many trees in Yellowstone ever again but we were up for the challenge to spot some animals at the park we started off good  with seeing two small lizards and knew it was going to be grand so we went on and saw all the trees and swamp and then all the mosquitos came and they were HUGE never in my life have I seen any that big but we saw at least 1 million of them so that was pretty good and thankfully for bug spray to protect us from looking like balloons than half way through the park it rained and it down poured on us we were soaking wet and sadly the animals do not like the rain so they hid and we were not able to see any alligators but we are going back on a nicer p day to see them I am determined  but overall it was a great time I did spot a turtle on the side of the road and it was running as fast as it could be. We have been working and striving to find new people and boy did he bless us.  Tuesday we had a potential investigator call us out of the blue asking us to pray for her we were so impressed and grateful for Heavenly Father leading her to us and then to have her led to us again so we are going to teach her and help her during her hard time her name is Pamela Sumter very sweet and kind. Wed was great we have a less active who is a honey bee farmer and so we offered to come and help him he agreed and let us so we both went and put on all the gear and helped him in his honey bees but I related everything in the Hives to the gospel I learned of how hard they work in their lives and only do so little but that little bit makes a big contribution I hope to be like a honey bee and work as hard as they do. That was a great day and this week we are going to go and give service and make soap with them while we are teaching them of course it is fun and spiritual it is great! Also on Tuesday we met a Laquisha Adams who is a young mother and very prepared for the gospel she is so sweet she let us right in and taught her the 1st lesson she is very smart and very cool we are very excited.  Thursday we met Shelia who is a former investigator who met with missionaries but stopped progressing we went and visited her and she was so happy that we came and was really interested in us coming back this week! We prayed with her and the spirit was so strong we have high hopes for her.  Friday we had a great lesson with Gloria Mccampable who is a less active she is struggling with coming to church she know she needs to but we cannot figure out why she won’t come on Sunday so pray that she comes this next Sunday but we taught her the plan of salvation and it was a great lesson I love teaching that lesson so much it is my favorite and one that I love to see people just get. Saturday we wend and knocked finding new people to teach and we were walking down this dirt road when we saw two men sitting on a porch they invited us to come over and asked if we wanted to go horseback riding we declined and asked if we could share a message of Christ Lucky Leon and Frank Leon was drunk so he was in and out but Frank was listening and as we taught you could see the spirit touch him and at the end He said I know it was no coincidence that you came today I needed this he is so awesome and humble and ready to accept the gospel but the only thing is that he lives in a different town not in our area so we are going to give him to those elders but we know that they will teach and take good care of him. Sunday we had a less active surprise us and come to church named Charity we lost contact and so we were so shocked and happy but she came and loved it and is coming next Sunday as well Sunday evening we were walking following up with some potentials we had a lesson with Willie who loved the book of Mormon and is excited to read it and then we saw an investigator was home and she is hardly home so we stopped and she was so grateful but when we got there she has a dog named carter and something to know Sister Eames strongly dislikes dogs and it is funny because everyone in  South Carolina has a dog but she grins and is always is nice to dogs, so this dog comes up to her and jumps on her as she is standing and she is saying oh cute doggy but I know she is lying but Sharon our investigator yells and the dog leaves into the house and I see that the dog piddled on the ground and after Sharon leaves to put the dog away sister Eames looks at me and says the dog peeled on my toe I just laughed but she played it very well and did not let it bother her and we taught an amazing lesson it was so great and funny because it would happen to her who dislikes dogs but I love her and could not asked for a better companion at this time for me she is so hard working and loves the work. I have learned a lot this past week I realized my purpose as a missionary and how it is so simple and you do not need to be this grand leader or rich or educated all you need to do is know that Christ lives and then you will invite everyone to come and follow him that is our missions theme this transfer come follow me ( the savior) that is what I do I invite and I know that I am weak and have flaws but I am so grateful to be able to be here and to serve and invite other to follow Christ it is a humble purpose and it has taken this long for me to realize it but better late than never. This week is going to be great and fabulous great things are planned we have so many people to see and invite and Follow Christ so he can lead them safely home.  I love all y'all and hope you have a great and safe week. Love Sister Browning

People are like Peaches!

So get this analogy people are like peaches when we first meet them they are hard and green and bitter but if you wait a few days they become soft and sweet to taste and desirable.  We meet lots of people who are bitter and hard but as time goes by they soften up and become sweet and ready to partake of the gospel.  Is not that great I thought about it all by myself. I love being a missionary I cannot say that enough!! This week has been great as always.  Monday we went to the Zoo and met so many people we were able to introduce to the gospel just a little bit but hey a seed is a seed.  Every Monday we go to Family Home evening at a members house and two other families come one of which is less active and we go and enjoy and share our testimonies so tonight we are going to the Whitfield’s to have family Home evening his wife is a less active and very sweet and funny.  Then on Tuesday we got to put on pants and go and paint and good news no paint on the car (dad) but it was so much fun took most of our morning we work in the morning because by ten the humidity is out in full blast and you start to drip in sweat. Than on Tuesday we got to go to  Irmo and visit all the new sisters and see some of my mission friends transfers were Wed and on Tuesday they have all the Trainers come for training so we went to get three sisters who would be staying with us that night and All the new missionaries looked so cute and young and fresh I remember my first day in South Carolina and being scared and I must have looked like a deer in the headlights some of the new sisters had that look and I loved to meet them and feel of their spirit with the age change I have been amazed to see how prepared and smart these younger sisters are. Then Wed we went out to the middle of corn fields and met Akil and Jeremy we were walking down a dirt road and came up to their house and they  were interested Jeremy is more interested spiritually and Akil is more interested to learn more than anything but both have great potential and we have high hopes for them.  Also on Wed we went and visited a less active Sister Godwin and brother Godwin they have honey bees so we took a tour of his honey bees and they make their own bee boxes where you can observe them and then they gave us soap to keep made from their bees wax it was the coolest thing I have ever seen and we set up another appointment to go back and to work and help one day and see how he runs his bees He is not that  interested in coming to church so we are taking interest in his hobbies and hopefully we can help him they both are quitting smoking and doing great they both love us and we love them and love visiting them.  Thursday was a day of searching for less actives we went and visited a less active / part member the Fengers Sister Fenger is not a member but wants to be but has to be overcome some things right now but they are special and sweet and spoil us this whole ward spoils us and want to serve us and help us. Friday we went with a member family the McClure’s who took us to meet some friends who are ready to hear the gospel The coup family there is a Larry and Marg who are married and Bill who is Larrys Brother They are so sweet and love Family History and so prepared to hear the gospel it will be a few weeks before we go and teach though because Bill has cancer and is in Charleston for treatment so please pray all goes well.  Saturday was special sister Fenger had a friend going to the temple to get married and so she asked if we would come and sit with her outside while she waited as we sat there you could see the deep desire to go in in her face she will get there we need to help her. Sunday was a great day relaxing we had dinner with a less active family the Clows who fed us a great southern dinner and then we watched a church movie than later at the end of the day we had a few minute to knock and as we were wondering what house to knock so we stood at the end of the street looking just then a car came toward us and we started walking to a house and we met Katie Williamson who is so sweet she is married and has a 4 year old son who is so funny she was telling us of how recently she prayed to know what church she needed to go to no other church came close to what she wanted but she wants to talk with her husband before she learns so we are waiting on her and praying like no other that she will call us wanting to learn.  That was our week it was great but every day and week is great and they only get greater and greater  I love it the testimony I have gained and the love I have for the church and the savior it is so great I love ya’ll and hope you have a great week and a successful one at that.

Priesthood Power

On Saturday we had 4 amazing lessons planned and everyone we went to dropped us! We were questioned whether everyone let the adversary got a hold of them and they decided to not listen to us anymore, but we were trying to not let it get us down so we were going trying our hardest to find out where we needed to be and where we were lacking the spirit. We could feel the adversary fighting us very hard preventing us from working and being successful, but we did our best and we were so confused as to why the adversary was fighting so hard well we found out why. On Sunday evening we went to see a part member family the husband was baptized a couple weeks ago and his wife has been in and out of learning well we found out Vern, the wife, is having surgery the next day and we offered to ask some men to come and give her a blessing and so we had our bishop and a less active member, and a patriarch come and give her a blessing. We were talking and the three just brought the spirit into the room and when they gave her the blessing it was so powerful and she was so peaceful and happy so after the blessing we talked about baptism and she said because of the way she felt she wants to be baptized after she recovers! The spirit was so thick. The face of the husband was so priceless he was so happy and after we all left we just felt happier, everyone did.  When we got to the car we just cried it was so intense after all the felling of darkness we found the light again and we knew right there and then that the adversary was preventing us from going there to help Vern but I learned the priesthood is so much more powerful and it is real it is the light and chases darkness away I know it is true I know Satan is real and he is seeking every day to destroy happiness but he will not win.  I am so grateful for this past week for the struggle and  I am grateful for the priesthood and the power to overcome the darkness and bring light and peace in light we find peace and happiness in darkness we find loneliness and fear.  I love being a missionary and refuse to admit any other way or think any other way.  This past year and some months have been worth every tear, smile, heartache and pain I never want it to ever end it is just too good.  I love you all and hope you have a great and safe week and till next week.

Love Sister Browning