Elder Brown update

Well, we couldn't e-mail yesterday due to the Memorial Day, but I am now just doing it. I hope you will get this e-mail before you head out on the trek.  I did not get the pictures you sent to me. I guess you will have to resend them to me next week. For some reason they just didn't make it through, but I am really happy that Erika had a wonderful time and that it was a neat experience. I remember mine, it was fun. I hope Erika likes her new laptop. I am so jealous. I really want to use the computer again. I miss it terribly, but I know that I need to finish my mission first.  I keep struggling to pull myself together for the summer. It is just going to be way hot and it is just misery.
So a couple of quick stories from this past week. So, we were eating dinner with some members, and the husband was going out on exchanges with us. We went out and visited a couple of people. The clouds were really dark. Then we were driving and the sirens went off. Our exchange was like "I have a feeling we need to go back." We did, and a tornado would have hit us had we not turned back. We didn't even realize we were headed straight for it. We found out later cause of all the damage it did in one community. It was crazy! I made it through though.  There is also another member that is moving up to Utah and she was sitting at the airport when the storms hit. She happened to run into a missionary named Elder Porter headed to the MTC. His and her flights got cancelled, so she brought him home and took care of him. She called us up and was like "Hey, can you take this elder out and work with him all day so he isn't bored at our house?" We called President Sagers, and he said yes, so we did. It was a awesome experience for us and him. He got to experience the life of a missionary before he even went to the MTC. He is headed to Paraguay for his mission. Cool huh? I have some pictures attached.  Well, Charles and Donald are doing okay. Charles is looking good for June 18th. We are so excited for him! Donald is struggling again. Oh, well, we did manage to find a new investigator named Luis. He lives with members, and he wants to learn more. We are probably going to start teaching him soon.
Also, President Sagers did move transfer calls to Tuesday night, so I won't know till the night before transfers if I am leaving or not. Transfer calls are on June 7th, so don't send mail to me until I can let you know whether or not I was transferred. Transfers are on June 8th.
Love ya lots!

-Elder Brown

Erika's 2nd Prom date Pictures

Erika was able to get the pictures from her cousin, Cortney of Jordan High Prom this week.  She went with Levi Honsvick, from Salt Lake, and went with 6 other couples.

Erika's graduation from PHS

Erika graduated from Provo High School today.  She was able to wear the NHS stoll and the gold rope for high honors.  She was beautiful and look perfect.  She also played in the graduation orchestra.  The ceremony was at the UCCU UVU events center at 2 pm and we were done by 4 pm.  It was perfect time wise.  Her grandparents came as well as her friend from Salt Lake, Levi.  Instead of throwing their caps, they threw bouncy balls.  It looked really cool to see all the balls bounce every where and kept bouncing.  She meet up with her friends outside to take pictures, like Peggy, Aly, Ryan, and Jared.  She was so happy.  We went to Olive Garden together to celebrate.  We then went home and gave her the graduation presents from us and her grandparents. We decided that she needed a laptop for school, so we bought that for her as a graduation present. At 10 pm she went to the Senior All night party at Pirate Island and she came home at 4:30 am.  She had a great time and was glad she went.

Riley 8th grade recognition assembly

Riley received the Outstanding Achievement award for choir during the awards ceremony at Dixon as well as an Achievement Award for getting 3.9 GPA for 4th Term.  He also received a medal that said choir on it.  He was a little bit surprised about the award for choir, but not the GPA award. We are so proud of him and now he will be a freshman at PHS next year.

Erika's Senior Awards Night @ PHS

Erika was invited to attend the Senior award night.  She had no idea what awards she would be receiving, until we saw the program.  She was awarded 6 different awards.  For Sterling Scholar alternate, Academic Letters in FACS and Music, Presidential Gold Award for having a 3.5 GPA and a ACT of over 25, and the 3 scholarships she received from Weber, Snow and BYU.  She was constantly walking up to the stage and sitting down most of the evening.  We are so proud of her.  GREAT JOB ERIKA!!!

Elder Brown update

Well, we are finnally recieving some rain around here. April Sunshine bring May showers as I always say here in Texas. :)  In missionary news...Elder Anthony and I had to move our baptismal dates back because Charles doesn't feel that he is ready and Donald is working on Sundays and cannot come to church. He has also punched on our last 2 appointments, so we don't think he will be getting baptized this Saturday. Ugh, well we move forward.  I just found out that this area has always struggled to get baptisms and I guess I shouldn't be suprised if we don't have very many, but I know that these 2 investigators we have are our only shot at baptisms here in Denton 2nd Ward.  Just a quick comment on the flooding. I cannot believe how much water is up there. That is crazy! It looks to me that if it continues to rain, y'all might be under water here pretty soon...and that won't be good at all. I won't have a home to return to in Utah.  I hope the graduation and the end of school goes well. I am so happy for Erika and her accomplishments. Keep up the good work, but remember, it is just the beginning. You have college to look forward to.  Well, I don't think I have anything more for this week's e-mail.  Please continue to pray for me, cause I need it. I had another break down on Saturday and I wanted to come home again. So please, keep me in your prayers. I have a feeling I might be having some more breakdowns in the coming months due to the heat. I would very much appreciate it.
Thanks!
-Elder Brown

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.