Erika's Senior Dinner Dance

Erika went to her Senior Dinner Dance with her friends, Yvette, Peggy and Jared.  It was in Lehi at "The Gardens at Dry Creek."  They had a dinner and then dancing until 10 pm.  Thank goodness it was nice weather, because it was mostly outside.  Erika said that the garden was really pretty with lots of trails and gazebo's.  It was nice that it was stag, so all the seniors could go and have fun together.  This is just the beginning of all the graduation parties coming next week.

Fun Run 4 Kids!!

Sharri, Riley, Sara and Garret walk/ran in the Fun Run 4 kids in Provo Canyon.  We were bused up to Vivian Park and then walked and ran 5K down the Provo River Trail to Canyon Glen Park.  Sharri was #128 and finished 4 to last and Riley was #127.  Riley jogged the whole way, but Sharri mostly walked. It was a great accomplishment for all of us.  Now we have to improve our time by doing another 5K.

Rain, More Rain, Flooding, oh my!!!

 Riley standing by the townhomes in our neighborhood

 The street in between the town homes

 In back of our church field

 Utah Lake

The ramp at Utah Lake

Erika's last philharmonic orchestra concert @ PHS

Erika had her last philharmonic orchestra concert tonight.  It was a hawaiian theme, so they had to dress the part, that is why she is in shorts.  And we made it to PHS just in time for them to start playing all their songs.  Of course, our favorite was Pirates and Summon the Hero's.  They sound so awesome.  We have enjoyed going to all the concerts over the last 8 years, since she started playing in 5th grade.  We hope she continues to play in a orchestra at BYU to keep her skills and playing fresh in her mind.  She is an amazing violin player and we love her that she shares her wonderful talent.  Great Job ERIKA!!!

Riley's last choir concert @ Dixon

Riley had his last choir concert tonight at Dixon Middle School.  As always, it was at the same time as Erika's orchestra concert, but we were able to make both of them, since Erika's orchestra was last on the program.  We hope that Riley's continues to do choir at PHS next year.

Elder Brown update

Well, it cooled down a little bit this past week. We have been in the low 70's which is nice for a change and very little humidity which is a blessing in itself. Anyways, We had a good week and we have been doing some good work. We had 4 Less-Active families at church yesterday. It was awesome! I am finding that the work here right now is Less-Active members, but we are still on schedule for a baptism for Charles Lambert for May 28th. Donald's date has been moved back and we still don't think he has quit smoking yet, so we will have to help him out some more. Quitting smoking is a hard thing, especially when you live in a home where everyone else smokes as well. We are working with him though.

I am so glad and happy for Erika and her progress she has made in graduating from Seminary. That is an OUTSTANDING accomplishment. It is a good feeling to have that piece of paper in your hands. Anyways, it sounds like the weather has been better in Utah. That is awesome! I hope that y'all enjoy it, because if you were here in Texas, it would have come months ago. HAHA! Just teasing you!

So, just a quick comment. I was looking at the pictures you sent me this week, and I was like, no way! That is my family and that is Nathan! AHHH! I cannot believe it! That is crazy to think about, I cannot believe I will be home in 4 1/2 months!

Anyways, so what an companion exchange is, is we schedule it about a week in advance and we change companions for 24 hours and it allows me as a District Leader to see the progress of their area and offer suggestions and help them out a little bit. I am not trying to run their area, but just help them out a little bit. After a while, you can get burned out with seeing the same things over and over, and you just might lose some focus, so it just helps to refocus missionaries. I have to do it with each Elder Companionship in my District. I don't exchange with Sister missionaries, obviously... That would be bad.

I hope y'all have a wonderful week and I always look forward to next weeks e-mails. Keep me posted on everything and send back my GPS as soon as you can. Thank you so much for everything!

Love y'all so much!

 

-Elder Brown

Erika's Seminary graduation

 Grandma Bette & Grandpa Doug gift

 Jenny Oaks Baker CD - finally the last one

 Dating book from mom & dad

 Another book

 With her Seminary diploma

 The family together

Erika's 2nd Prom Date

 Erika and Levi - waiting to exchange flowers

 Erika, Cortney & Breanne with their dates in front of the SUV limo

 Erika and Levi and their shoes

 Erika & Levi inside of the Limo

 The gang again - before going to Prom at the U of U sky tower

 Erika & Cortney all dolled up - ready for Prom

 All 7 couples going to Prom in the Limo

Levi giving Erika her wrist corsage

Erika's 2nd Prom day date

 Lunch at Tamra's house

 The spread for lunch

All of them at dinner at the "Citrus Grill"

Riley's new contraption

 After spending a whole day at Lagoon, Riley built this to water his newly planted strawberry plant.  Yes, it is with duct tape, as usual.  And again, I ask him, "Where is your brain?"

Erika's PHS Orchestra pictures

Erika NHS Awards night

Erika was given a two year award for being part of the National Honor Society.

Riley and Brian piano duet

Riley and Brian played a piano duet for Riley's family talent show during his 1st period class, Concert Choir.  They played the June's Bug Dance.  Riley just learned it a couple of days before, but they did great.

Elder Brown update

Well, yes it was so good to hear your voice as well. It made me so happy to hear from you and to know that y'all are doing well. It was really good to talk to you. I miss y'all a lot.
I will go through my 5 binders I have of stuff in them and start mailing them home. I will get some boxes from the Post Office today and package it all up and mail it home next week.

Nothing new has happened since we talked yesterday with missionary work. The Bishop invited us over for Mother's Day dinner. It was real nice. It was also the Bishop's wife's Birthday, and she also wanted to since a belated birthday to me as well. I told them it was okay. I already was sung to. They just smiled.

I hope the Father's and Son's is good. I miss being able to go out with Dad and Riley for a camp out. I can't wait to do it again.

Anyways, I love y'all and thank you again for all your support and love! Tell Both Grandparents Hi for me and that I love them as well.

Take Care, and be safe!

-Elder Brown

PHS Prom Pictures back

Elder Brown District Leader

Elder Brown update

Well, First off thank you for your e-mails again. It has been rainy and cold these past couple of days, but last week Elder Anthony were driving after dinner and we noticed something was wrong with the sky. It started raining, then hailing, then we couldn't see and the siren's were going off. We had to hurry back to our apartment because we were in a Tornado. It actually touched down in downtown Denton. It was crazy! It was fun though.

Anyways, as for missionary work, yes I am a District Leader and with that brings lots of responsibilities. I am over the Justin Elders, and the Spanish Elders and Spanish Sisters. Yup, that's 3 companionship's. Crazy huh? It will be fun though, they like me and we are getting along well and doing the lord's work here in Denton.

Elder Anthony and I have a set a baptismal date with a guy named Donald Hammond. He has been meeting with missionaries for over 5 months now, and he has committed to be baptized later this month. We also are teaching a friend of a member named Charles Lambert. He is shy, but he loves the gospel and he even told us that he feels like this church is it. He said there is no other church that teaches the gospel the way we do and he really wants to get baptized. He has a great fellowshipping family to help him into the gospel. We love teaching him.
Well, I am so glad to hear that y'all are doing well. Crazy weather up there! I want to be up there, I absolutely do not like Texas heat! I have officially decided I will move to Alaska. Just kidding, probably Canada. :)
That is all, and yes I am very happy to be able to call y'all. Hope all is going well!
Love ya lots!

-Elder Brown