Group Email 1/8/2014

Second Week

Boe!

Muli Blangi?

So my week has been good!!! We met a family of 11 and get to teach them!!! The Dad is so interested!!! He demanded a bible, Book of Mormon and hymn book!!! He skipped a funeral to come to church this week! I love the people here!!! They just love Jesus!! I haven’t met one person who doesnt know who Jesus is and how Jesus helped them!! I have only met one person who wouldnt let us talk to them!!! I love it here, man!!! The joy I get every lesson!!! We have five people already with baptism dates and have 3 more we are going to ask this week!!!  It’s so awesome!!! The best part about it is they are strong!!! They believe and have found out for themselves!!!

So we lost power and water on the same day this week!! All day man!!! The worst!!! I almost cried when it came back on, One of the senior couples even heard us yelling because we were so happy!!! IT IS HOT here!!!  Man, let me tell you, way hot and when the power and water went out I felt like I was going to die!!! No AC and no water or filtered water!!! Finally it all came on and was on for a whole day until boom!  One morning nothing!!! I yelled- literally!!! Then I got on my knees and thanked God for what I did have!!! I think he put me in my place a bit!!! Ha!!! The people here don’t ever have that! I sucked it up and it all came back on!!! Amazing right? Ha!!

So church was awesome three of our recent converts got confirmed!!! I loved seeing their faces!!! So happy!!!

So funny thing happened this week!!! A lady asked me for a job!!! Because evidently all Azoogoos have money to spare!!! Ha no, we just said we are missionaries and asked if we could come and teach her sometime!! She said she was busy but walked us to her house and said come back and made an appointment!! Ha, people! Oh, one thing did scare me pretty bad this week!!! We were talking to a lady and a very drunk man (very tall and about 32) came over and sat down by us (we were standing) and started talking in Chichewa to me!!! Well I can barley understand them already but when a drunk guy talks there is nothing!! He was getting angry because I just kept saying “English!!” and he started to move closer!! I took a step back and then said to him very firmly, “Sit back down and don’t come any closer!” He did!! Then I grabbed my comp. and said, “It’s time to go.” Thats my story!

So there was a protest too this week so we had to go home early!!! That wasn’t so fun!!! There was also a soccer game and man the people!!! It was the largest crowd of people I have ever seen!! They came out and they stretched for like a mile or something long!! Just kept coming, screaming and hitting the car we were in!!!  I can’t tell you how many kisses were blown my way!!  Idiots!

It’s all fun though!! The kids are funny!!! They follow us!!! I love being white here sometimes too because the people will see me and stop what they are doing and their jaws will drop and they will just stare!!! Everybody no matter what age!!! It’s the best!! So funny!

Sorry if my grammar is weird!!! I am not talking the same!!! I haven’t used the word “legit” in a while!! 🙂

Anyways, it was a good week!!! I learned lots, taught lots and am having fun!!! I love teaching the gospel!!! I love the people and feel so blessed to be out here!!! I have come so much closer to our Heavenly Father and I am just happy!!! I love it!! I haven’t been homesick or depressed once!!! (well I did have to turn off the song I’ll be Home for Chrstmas. because it made me just a little sad!!! But it was all good!!! I love it!

Have a wonderful week!!

Love you all,

Sister Neicia Marie Browning!

Group Email from the MTC Nov 20, 2014

I think she’s really enjoying herself….made clear by the caps and exclamation points.  I love my girl’s infectious exuberance.

HEY EVERYBODY!!! THANKS TO THOSE WHO SENT ME EMAILS!!! THAT MADE MY WHOLE DAY!! IF YOU DIDN’T EMAIL DO!!!!

SO I’VE BEEN HER FOR 8 DAYS NOW!!! ITS WEIRD!! IT FEELS LIKE I’VE BEEN HERE FOR AT LEAST 3 WEEKS!!! THE TIME IS DIFFERENT HERE!!! ITS LIKE YOUR DAY IS SOOOOO LONG AND WHEN YOU LOOK BACK YOU CANT REMEMBER LIFE OUTSIDE THE MTC BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN YOUR’E IN THE MOMENT IT FEELS LIKE TIME IS FLYING!!! ITS CRAZY!!! THE CRAZIEST THING THOUGH IS THAT I ONLY HAVE 4 MORE DAYS LEFT!!! I ONLY HAD TO BE HERE FOR 12 DAYS!! I THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF THANKSGIVING OR SOMETHING!! NORMALLY I WOULD BE HERE FOR 2 1/2 WEEKS!! I LOVE IT HERE BUT I AM READY TO BE OFF TO MY MISSION!! I’VE WAITED SO LONG!

I GUESS THAT’S THE SPIRIT THOUGH!!! ITS SO COOL HERE!! I HAVE COME SO MUCH CLOSER TO HEAVENLY FATHER AND TO JESUS CHRIST!! ITS AMAZING!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT HERE!! A LOT OF THE MISSIONARIES ARE STRUGGLING AND HAVE ANXIETY AND STUFF AND I AM JUST ENJOYING IT!!! I AM THE HAPPIEST I’VE EVER BEEN!!

SO I AM SICK WHICH SUCKS, BUT OH WELL!!! ITS JUST AWESOME TO BE HERE AND I THANK GOD IN MY PRAYERS EVERYDAY!!!

SO PRAYERS, I HAVE NEVER PRAYED SO MUCH IN A DAY THAN I DO HERE!!! WE PRAY CONSTANTLY!!! ITS COOL!!! I USED TO TRY TO HIDE THE FACT THAT I AM PRAYING, MAKE IT INCONSPICUOUS BUT HERE YOU WALK DOWN THE HALLWAYS AND THERE ARE MISSIONARIES PRAYING ALL OVER!!! ITS AMAZING!!! I FEEL SO COMFORTABLE HERE!!! LIKE SERIOUSLY I PRAY MAYBE 20ISH TIMES A DAY!! ITS THE BEST!!!

SO THE STUPIDEST THING I’VE DONE SO FAR IS THIS:

IT’S MORNING AND I WANT A TOASTED BAGEL! WHEN IT IT’S DONE I LOOK AT THE OPTIONS OF TOPPINGS, PEANUTS BUTTER, JELLY AND CREAM CHEESE!! I CHOOSE CREAM CHEESE OF COURSE!!! LOTS AND LOTS OF CREAM CHEESE!!! FEELING HAPPY AND EXCITED TO DIG IN, I SIT DOWN, SAY A PRAYER, AND THEN BITE INTO MY BREAKFAST!!! AS SOON I DO SO I KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG!! IMMEDIATELY I SPIT OUT MY ONCE PROMISING FOOD AND REALIZE, THEY WHIP THEIR BUTTER

AT THE MTC!!! THAT WAS FUN…

SO THE MOST SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE WAS WHEN I WAS TEACHING, FOR THE FIRST TIME-A REAL INVESTIGATOR, AND I FELT PROMOTED TO SING TO HER! MY COMP AND I SANG HER “LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” SHE HAS GONE THROUGH SO MANY TRIALS IT MADE ME SO SAD. BUT AS WE SANG SHE JUST SAT THERE AND BAWLED!! WHEN WE WERE DONE WE WERE ALL JUST CRYING OUR EYES OUT BECAUSE THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG!! IT WAS THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!

SO WE GOT A TON OF NEW MISSIONARIES IN YESTERDAY!! BECAUSE OF THANKSGIVING THEY DOUBLED UP SO WE ADDED TWENTY TO OUR ZONE AND ITS CRAZY!!! MOST ARE GOING TO WASHINGTON AND TO TEXAS! SOME ARE GOING TO SALT LAKE AND THEN SOME ARE GOING TO A VISITERS CENTER BUT I DON’T REMEMBER WHICH STATE!! I AM THE ONLY ONE GOING FOREIGN IN MY DISTRICT AND AN ELDER AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES GOING TO AFRICA OUT OF THE WHOLE MTC!! THAT MADE ME FEEL SPECIAL!!! THERE ARE A COUPLE THOUSAND MISSIONARIES HERE!!

SO HOW IS LIFE FOR EVERYBODY!? I WANT RESPONSES!! DON’T LEAVE ME HANGING!! ALSO SEND ME LETTERS ON “DEAR ELDER!!” ASK MY MOM HOW!!! I AM THE ONLY ONE IN MY DISTRICT THAT HAS ONLY GOT ONE LETTER!! ITS A BUMMER!! TWICE A DAY WHEN THE MAIL IS HANDED OUT I GET JUST A LITTLE SAD!!!

ANYWAYS I LOVE YOU ALL, YOUR’E AWESOME, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!! IT REALLY DOES MEAN A LOT TO ME!! 🙂

LOVE,

SISTER NEICIA MARIE BROWNING!!

P.S. I HAVE TO FLY ALL THE WAY TO ZAMBIA BY MYSELF… 23 HOURS, JUST COUNTING FLIGHTS NOT COUNTING THE LAYOVERS!! I LEAVE MONDAY AND EVERYBODY ELSE DOESN’T LEAVE UNTIL TUESDAY NIGHT WEDNESDAY MORNING!