June 18, 2018

Dear People,

On Sunday evening we were visiting previous investigators with no contact information besides an address so we had to visit their houses. Most of these people hadn't been met for like ten years but missionaries forget to write their reason for stopping meeting with them so we have to go find out if they still have interest.

In Korea you don't get doors shut on you because thanks to cameras, people don't even have to open their doors. You ring the door bell and smile at the camera really big. Sometimes a light turns on to show that they see you. Then nothing happens.

That happened with the first person we visited.

The second apartment had a passcode to even enter the tower. In those situations there is even less of a chance you will get a response after typing their house number and calling on the intercom. This family had nothing recorded on their teaching record since 2009 so we were super surprised when the sliding door opened. We went up to the house and he welcomed us in with no introduction. His wife gave us peaches and they treated us like old friends. He basically said that he didn't know why missionaries stopped coming and he has been waiting for us. He seems very intelligent and wealthy but he knows something is missing and he has been looking into religion for a long time but hasn't been satisfied with anything. Elder Cragun and I feel strongly that we were guided to his house at this time for a reason. He wants us to meet his son who is about our age but is going to be preparing for a test for the next couple weeks. We are excited to teach this family.

I had some good practice repenting this week. It's always so much easier and faster and more rewarding than I think it will be. 

Repenting makes Heavenly Father real. 

Repenting makes it difficult for subsequent prayers to be mundane because I'm not praying to an idea. 

I'm speaking to the same person I had a serious conversation with just hours before and He answered. I can't pretend to have forgotten our conversation and our relationship and just speak at Him. 

I finally read what has been released of the new Church history project called "Saints". I was riding a bus when I read the first vision account and started uncontrollably crying. I know that Heavenly Father visited Joseph Smith in the flesh. The Holy Ghost impressed this in me. 

In the words of James E. Faust I know this "so deeply that no earthly power... can separate [me] from that knowledge" 

Anyway "Saints" is super good. Read it. 

A conversation with an older brother in our ward:

"Your p-day's still Tuesday right?"

"Yes."

"Well my white hairs are getting a little out of control. I can pluck out the ones in the front and sides alright but I can't do the back. Do you have plans on p-day?"

We came up with some plans very quickly.

I love y'all and I love this work and know it's true even though it's really hard. 

Wuv, 

Elder Brown

We did another baking activity. I never made a test batch before we brought all the premeasured ingredients to the church and went for it. I was pretty confused an embarrassed when the dough ended up looking like cake batter and were super light and fluffy coming out of the oven. They tasted good though! I found out when I got home that the flour that was in our house when I got here was bothersome "cake flour". If the members follow the recipe I gave them they are going to think they failed when the dough ends up normal.