Christ's Hands

Vesel Božič!

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year! It's even better when there's snow, but it's great without snow as well.

Lots of wonderful things have happened recently. I think that the Lord works in small ways to bring about good things. For example, last night we were leaving a Christmas treat and a document called The Living Christ for a friend of ours. They weren't home, so we stood at the door to write a quick note. It probably looked a little funny because I was trying to balance a plate of cookies and a few bags while dictating a note in broken Slovene to Sister Squires, and waving my arm around my head like a crazy person every thrity seconds or so to keep the light on. In the dim light of a streetlight as we walked away, we saw a man puting a tennis racket into his car. So we stopped to chat with him about tennis. We talked with him just a few minutes and it felt like a little tender mercy to me, because I have learned to really love tennis. About 800 meters down the road was the miracle.

We walked away and down another street and just as we wre crossing a busy intersection, another man was shuffling by. We had Christmas treats in our hands, so we offered them to him only to learn that he was partially blind and trying to find his way back to the city center, hence the slow shuffling walk. The series of events - writing a note, talking about tennis, and then walking down the street enabled us to be at that intersection at precisely the same time as this kind man who needed help and to walk with him to center. It was really neat! I believe that the Lord was literally guiding our footsteps so that we could be in the right place at the right time. I believe that God will guide each of us as we seek to be led and he will give us opportunities to be Christ's hands.

As I've asked people on the streets about what Christmas means to them, I've often heard the response that "it's just another day and we should have Christ in our hearts all year round." I love Christmas and all that it represents and I hope that we can all carry the spirit of Christmas, which is the spirit of Christ, in our hearts all year long.

I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that He lives and I know that He loves us. I know that He loves you. Shine His light everywhere you go!

Z ljubeznijo,

Sestra Brown

Grateful for Jesus Christ!

Hey mom! We basically have no snow. It's really disappointing. I would GLADLY be shoveling snow with you if I could, but good job! 

The Christmas program was....well, it's over haha. I had such bad stage fright. But people were saying that they loved it and felt the spirit, so that's what matters. It was good! I'm just glad it's over. 

I am staying in maribor! And training a new missionary again! Sister Crosby is staying in Kranj and training there as well, so that leaves Sister Kanell and Jennings to serve together in Ljubljana. So I'm happy to be staying in Maribor!

Ask Cory the name of his grandmother who lives in Slovenia! I really want to know! 

Aunt Sabrina looks really cute in that hat! Good job with that. Tell them I love them and give them big hugs from me! I love you, mom!

I love you! I love the Lord! I believe that the Lord has given us commandments so that He can bless us and help us to reach our divine potential and I know that His blessings and promises are sure and certain. I feel especially grateful for Jesus Christ. He understands and knows what we experience. He is the true way to light and happiness and He invites us to come to him. Choose to come to him and experience the joy he has offered. 

I love you! 

Love, Steph

Make the Better Choice

Hi mom!

This week in a nutshell was FANTASTIC. A really good week and a really good time. I don't think I have ever been happier on my mission than I am right now here in Maribor.

I have two miracles to share this week. On Tuesday, a cute thirty year old woman just randomly walked into our English class. We were ecstatic because we'd just been sitting there, whistling a jolly tune, and twiddling our thumbs while we waited (and hoped) that people would come. She told us that she had been walking past the church Monday evening and heard singing coming from inside. She had really wanted to come inside because she loves to sing, but had been afraid. Then she noticed the poster in the window, advertising free English lessons and decided to come back on Tuesday. She told us that she has searched through lots of different churches and religions, trying to find something that felt right. What a miracle! What a sincere, open-hearted, and honest person! We were able to teach her about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ on Saturday and the spirit was so strong. The Lord is preparing people to hear the message of the restoration all around us and he will place them in our paths if we are willing to have courage, take action, and invite! Invite people to experience the joy that you have experienced in living the gospel!

We began our LightTheWorld campaign on December 1 and Sister Jennings and I were on a mission to give away a copy of the Book of Mormon. We were tracting and it was around 7:30 pm. It was pitch black (it gets completely dark at like 4:30 these days). We came to what seemed to be the last house on the road and then it continued on into foresty land.

But for some reason, we kept walking along the road a ways. We stumbled upon a driveway to the right and a house hidden way back against the hill and very dark. I'm totally afraid of the dark, so I was incredibly grateful for Sister Jenning's flashlight. We knocked on this door to find a sweet family who invited us in, allowed us to sing Sveta Noč for them and then asked us questions until we had taught them all about the restoration of Christ's gospel to the earth and The Book of Mormon, which testifies of Jesus Christ and teaches his gospel. He was SO excited to read!

It was so neat to see the Lord bless us in our desire to help light the world. I have such a testimony that Jesus Christ lives and that we can have our hearts changed through the power of His atonement. I have felt the relief and unburdening that come as we desire to change and turn to Him, and repent. I've learned that we won't just automatically be changed just because we want to, but that when we show the Lord our sincere desire, He will place opportunities in our path where we can choose "the better part." He will give us opportunities to either be selfish or to be selfless, mean or kind, judgmental or filled with love. And He will encourage us to make the better choice. The more often we make the better choice, the easier it is to make it the next time, and the more our hearts change. I love you! Don't forget to light someone's world today!

Actively Resist Evil

Hello from Maribor!

We had some really funny experiences this week as well as some really amazing ones! I'll start with the funny. My family will could all tell you that I have a very small bladder and a habit of basically needing to stop at every single reststop on the drive from Spokane to Provo.

Well, because of this problem, I find myself wandering to and from the bathroom a few times per night. Sorry, too much information. Well, the other night I was trying to get back to my bed in the dark. I thought I was on it, but it turns out that only my left leg was on the bed and my right was in middair. So when I tried to put weight on the right leg, my leg and my whole body with it went crashing to the floor! My back crashed into our closet door which rattled as loud as Darth Vader's breathing and I think I woke up the entire blok (apartment building). The next morning, I found it terribly difficult to kneel while I prayed because of the nasty goose egg on my knee. How's that for some good sound sleep :) We had a great time going to a classical concert in Ljubljana with one of our investigators as well!

I've learned a lot about the power of prayer to help us withstand temptation and trials which are before us. In the Book of Mormon, in 3 Nephi, Jesus Christ teaches us about prayer. he teaches us that Satan wants to tempt us so that he can "sift us as wheat" which means throwing us in the air and letting us be blown away and lost in the wind. Satan doesn't want us to succeed in returning to our Father in Heaven. Lucky for us, our Father in Heaven loves us and has provided help for us to resist Satan. It doesn't mean that we just have to pray and sit back and relax - no, it's going to take work and constant effort. But with Jesus Christ's help it is more than possible! I know that there is power in prayer and that we an receive the strength and help which we need as we turn to our Father in Heaven in sincere, earnest, and FAITHFUL prayer. Let's put our trust in God and actively resist evil (Alma 61:13-14) today! We have a good friend who is trying to stop smoking and he has found that when he turns to God in prayer and in the Book of Mormon, he has greater strength to withstand the temptation to smoke, strength that is greater than his own. That's what happens when we turn to and trust in God. We receive strength greater than our own.

And don't forget to spread the light of Jesus Christ this Christmas season by finding opportunities to serve those around you! Help others to understand how much God loves them. 

#SvetuPrinasajteLuc

also known as 

Light the World

Winter Coats and Prayers

About church - we had more than 7 yesterday. We had eleven members for part of sacrament meeting. 

So I translate during sacrament and then I translate during relief society so church is kind of rough for me. Translating is so hard because you have to listen in Slovene, then speak in English while your trying to continue listening to something different in Slovene. And in Slovene you can get ideas across MUCH quicker that in Slovene. And believe me, they do. President Fidler speaks about a million miles an hour. He spoke yesterday.

Sister Jennings and I finally pulled out our puffy winter coats to put up a little more of a fight against the wind! I put mine on only to realize that it fits a little more snug than it did when I wore it last year :) Just adding a little extra to keep me warm during the winter, I guess.

We had lunch with our branch president's family yesterday and their sweet three-yr old son grabbed hold of my ankle and had me drag him around on the floor. I told his mom that we were just mopping up the leftovers from the meal. It caused me some serious deja vu because I remember doing that to the elders who served in my home ward years and years ago!

I've had more people try to pay me this week than ever before on the mission. Sister Jennings and I have been knocking on doors and asking if we can sing for people and if they say yes, without fail, they will try to pay us afterward. I know that I am not a good singer, so I attribute it to Sister Jenning's INCREDIBLE voice as well as the kindness of the Slovene people. Needless to say, we refuse their money and ask them if we can teach them about Jesus Christ instead. We've actually had a lot of success with what we call 'sing-tracting'!

We had a miracle last week. It has started to get full dark around 4 or 5 in the evening, which is not so great for two young girls who are walking around trying to talk to people. We were walking along a pathway at about 6 pm and there was no one around. As we kept walking we came in sight of a man coming towards us, so we stopped under a streetlight and began to talk with him. We learned that he had never prayed in his life with his own words, just from memorized prayers which he had been taught. We learned that he had never felt that he had received an answer to prayer. So we read with him in the Book of Mormon when Jesus Christ teaches us how to pray and WHY we pray. For him, it was kind of like a new world being opened up. 

We CAN pray with our own words and we CAN receive answers from heaven. 

He was so intrigued as Sister Jennings and I told him that we had both received answers to prayer in a very personal way from God, our loving Father in heaven. The Lord will work miracles before us even when it's completely dark outside, it seems like no one is around, and it maybe seems a little sketchy.. :) 

I just want to say that I know God answers prayers because He loves us. He loves his children and He wants us to find truth. There is so much power in our sincere prayers! I know that God lives and I know that He loves us. And I know that we can each know that for ourselves through sincere prayer. Don't be afraid to ask!

Love, Sestra Brown

Tripping and Testifying

Hello!

We had a wonderful week here in Maribor filled with a trip to the cemetery, a trip to Zagreb, a trip back to middle school, and a little girl nearly tripping out of her father's arms. Okay, that last one was kind of a stretch - 'falling' would be a better word.

The cemetery. People really respect and honor their family who have passed on in this country. It's a beautiful part of the culture. At this time of year, everyone goes to the cemeteries and lights white candles in red plastic coverings to place at the graves of their families. When you see the cemetery at night, it looks as if the whole thing is glowing. It's amazing. We were able to go with a member of our branch to visit her parents and uncle in the cemetery.

Zagreb. We had a special zone conference in Zagreb this week with the missionaries in Croatia as well as Elder De Feo. Sister Melonakos talked with us about our divine nature as sons and daughters of God.

This fact is so simple and so profound and it will change the way you see yourself and others. It can be easy to feel worthless in a world that tries to tell you your worth comes from the size of your bank account, the size of your body, or the size of your IQ. Here's what I know: your worth is independent of any of those things. Your worth does not change or fluctuate as the circumstances of your life change.

You are worth everything to God because you are his child. And our Heavenly Father doesn't lose sight of our worth even when we do. So when you question who you are, let Him remind you of His love. And then try to see others with his love!

Middle school. Sister Jennings and I were bullied yesterday by twelve year olds. It was one of the saddest things I have seen here - little boys who are twelve years old smoking, and then using what English profanity they knew as well as innapropriate Slovene to act towards us the way they did. It made me feel SO grateful to have been raised in a home where I was taught to follow Jesus Christ and to make good choices. I bet it is really hard to be a parent and it's probably especially tough when your kids don't want to listen. But don't give up! It is so worth it to keep trying, keep teaching, and keep loving!

I think that family scripture study and family prayer are key!

Little girl. Last week, Sister Jennings and I met a man on the side of the street who was holding his daughter in his arms. She had lots of energy and was not content to be held peacefully, nor was she content to be placed on the ground :) So while we were chatting with her dad, she was squirming and trying to escape. This has turned out to be the most incredible family! We were able to meet with them last night and talk with them about our Heavenly Father's great love for his children here. Pray for them that we can go back and continue to teach them and that they will recognize the Holy Ghost teaching them.

I would just like to add my witness to my baby brother's that I also know the Book of Mormon is from God and that it brings us closer to Him! I have noticed that so much this week. God wants to help us to find direction in our lives and as we search with sincerity and ask with faith, he will guide, direct, and answer us! I love The Book of Mormon because it helps me recognize God's love for me. I feel His love as I study and learn from it.

I love you!

Sestra Brown

Maribor Miracles

Maribor is a wonderful place and we have seen miracles this week!

I'll start with the not-so-wonderful miracle. Apparently the missionaries basically do a musical number every week here because the branch president likes it....And I am not a talented singer. BUT it was a miracle yesterday because no one threw tomatoes at me or told me to sit down. I'm sure that is mostly due to Sister Jennings singing next to me - she has a lovely voice!  Yes, I was the pianist, the first speaker, and the musical number in sacrament yesterday haha. Craziness. We had seven members, two missionaries, and one investigator. 

Another miracle. When I was taking the train from Maribor to Celje two weeks ago, I met a young man who studies in Maribor, but lives near Celje. Last week, when I moved to Maribor, I ran into him again! He joined us for family home evening, a tour of the church, a chance to learn about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth, and church this week. Heavenly Father will place people in our paths WHEREVER we go if we are willing to open our mouths and hearts. Trust the Lord that if you have the DESIRE to help in His work and you are willing to ACT, He will lead you to be His hands.

Another miracle. We were headed home through the park last week and we saw a man sitting on a bench in the sunlight. He invited us to sit with him and we learned that he is from a different country and his daughter and wife are here as well. They are trying to learn Slovene (which is a really tough language, in my opinion) while going to school here. He was SO SO kind. He agreed to meet with us again to talk about how we can strengthen our families.  

We were shocked and amazed to walk into the park again later that week to meet him and see that he had brought his whole family with him! My jaw literally dropped. And I think they saw...

Another miracle is knowing who we are. One of my favorite things about sharing the gospel is helping people come to understand who they are in God's eyes. You are a child of God with divine heritage and divine potential. Don't let the standards of the world and the people around you define who you are. You are a son or daughter of God and He knows you. Let Him remind you of who you are. I love you! I love Jesus Christ and I'm so grateful that He came to earth so that He can help us to change, so we can prepare to receive all that our Father in Heaven has in store for us.

Have a happy week!

Sestra Brown