Week 43

Well on Tuesday I left my beloved Boston for my new area Swindon!

Transfers were only slightly traumatic but against all odds I've made
it to Swindon with my bike and all my crap. Navigating trains is
probably my least favourite past time in the world I think now.

I met my new companions Sister Gee and Sister Chenna. Sister Gee is
from Provo Utah and she is incredibly sweet she is in sister James
group so she has only been out for three months. So Swindon is still
her greenie area. She is so funny I don't think I've laughed this much
for a while. Sister Chenna is from Andhara Pradesh ,vishakapatnam
(India) haha she has been out for four months and she is adorable but
funny enough she has a wicked sense of humour like telling sister Gee
she is acting like a drunkard or that she is like a light bulb open
off open off. Oh my days between the two off them I just sit there and
pee my pants haha. Oh also out of the three of us I'm the one with
cooking skills so I've been putting my home making skills to the test
this week but I made curry and I got sister Chenna's stamp of
approval.

So I got to Swindon and we had a Baptism to plan for that Saturday
holy stressful! It wasn't our areas baptism either it was the other
teams but they got there area closed so we were given there
Investigator and four lessons to teach him and a baptism to plan for
him but he is seriously as good as gold such a sweet heart and he
kinda even looks like Santa haha. So sister Gee sister Chenna and I
put on our big girl skirts and planned a baptism in less then a week!
But it went beautifully the only hitch was that the font wouldn't fill
but after we made an ensemble line with buckets we filled that thing
right up!

Guess what else happened this week! I gotta see my mission mom
(trainer) Sister Vousden! She was already planning on coming up to
help her sister move and of course because we are missionary's we were
there helping her move too so it was nice being able to see her and
talk to her after like six months.

So I am no longer in a car and I've been put on a bike again oh my
days it's really sad because when I was a greenie I thought I worked
through the whole aching feet and muscles time of my life but after
being in a car for six months all my missionary muscles have turned to
mush so I'm back to square one which is a bit depressing but hey it
gets made up for by the wicked flat we live in that is only across the
street from Aldi!

Something else that blew my mind this week was the ward here in
Swindon they have a 120 active members it was a bit overwhelming to
see so many people at church! I couldn't believe how many youth and
primary they had as well it was so cool.

Anyway this week should be a bit less high speed now that we don't
have transfers or a baptism.

Week 42

Well cheers to the best last week in Boston! This week we had a multi
Zone Conference in Coventry and we got to hear from a seventy Elder
Massimo De Feo, it was so dang good I loved hearing from him he had a
lot of good insights but in all honestly it was just nice to be
spiritually uplifted. Funny that a missionary needs to be spiritually
uplifted but it's so true I really needed it especially with transfers
coming up. Also it's always a party when you get to see friends in the
mission! It's really sad a lot of my friends go home in the next
couple of transfers. But hey at least I getta see sister Romero until
the very end haha.

As expected I was worth the term totes emosh this week every time I
said good bye I felt like I was getting a punch to the gut. Something
I didn't expect on the mission was to never want to leave an area. I
was honestly hoping that I'd have tons of areas so I could see the
country but now I'm like uhh can I never ever move please... so ya but
something great happens when you leave people tell you how much they
love you and how they appreciate you so that was fantastic for the
good ol missionary self esteem haha.

Now for the grand conclusion to the Boston chapter of my mission.....
The smith mum and dad got Baptised!!! I think it was the greatest day
of my life in all honesty but I think I've had a couple of them now on
the mission. So that night we were driving back from Coventry but we
hadn't heard from the smiths so naturally we started freaking losing
our minds thinking they skipped town haha. But right before we turned
down there street they texted us letting us know they had just topped
up there phone bill and that they'd see us he next morning at 10.
Woooho all was well we met them that morning and had a wonderful
baptism service for them except when I gave the talk on baptism I made
the mistake of looking down at the mom who was balling so naturally I
cried all through my talk and yes it was the ugly cry. I loved being
able to be at the font with a towel and a hug waiting for the mum to
come out. Later talking to them that dad said I never realised how
heavy I felt before my baptism but coming out of the water he said it
was like he had shed the weight he had on his shoulders. The mum felt
the spirit so strongly she just kept saying how wonderfully peaceful
she felt. The next day was there confirmation in sacrament meeting and
the spirit was so strong it was amazing. Again I balled my eyes out so
much this week that I gave myself a big headache haha I think from
dehydration.

So ya later I got the call that I'm moving! So sad! But hey I
was pretty ready for it. So I'm moving to Swindon! Funny story about
Swindon we actually have some history. My greenie area was meant to be
Swindon with Sister Vousden. the night she got her dodge call was that
she would be training in Swindon but her Sister and Brother in law are
the ward mission leader in that ward so they had to change our area to
Gloucester so it looks like the Lord really wants me to serve in
Swindon haha. And guess what he wants even more for me to be in
another bloody trio!
So ya nothing but adventures this next Transfer.

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧
68, Norfolk St
Boston
PE21 9HQ
England

Week 41

Well this week is probably the start of my last week in Boston. You
know how before you go on a mission or think of other people on a
mission and think oh I hope I get a lot of areas or wow look how much
of the country they got to see... Ya I've been in Boston for about six
months now and I'm starting to have thoughts more like maybe I could
spend the rest of my eight more months in Boston? I'd be down for that
but unfortunately my mission President and the Lord have a different
idea.

This week I gotta go to Stamford again on exchanges and see how the
other half live... Just kidding Stamford is flipping gorgeous I love
going there on exchanges it's like a little English get away. I gotta
go to Burghly house again which is always nice and I gotta be with
Sister Nkomo who is like the best person in the world I have loved her
being my STL.

This week was good but honestly I feel like I was a puddle of tears
the whole week haha. Every time we went to a members home or visited
our Investigators I couldn't help but shed a few tears. I can honestly
say I have found that my heart has stretched so much bigger then I
ever thought was possible. The thought of leaving my people honestly
breaks my heart. When I left on my mission I had one mom one dad two
grandmas and grandpas, but now I've found I have inherited three more
mums and dads ten more grandmas and grandpas and too many friends and
people I love to count. I can't imagine the ocean of tears that are
coming next week.

At the same time change is good and what one of my English mums told
me Is that I am needed somewhere else to help in a way that only I can
so I'm very grateful and hopeful that this will come true, I have to
keep reminding myself of when I left Gloucester I was so sad to leave
and nervous to find new people to love but here I am feeling the same so
 I know whatever happens its going to be fine and
I'll find people to love in the next area.

I want to share something that I have been able to witness over the
past two months that has truly been a real shaper for my testimony.
This story is about the Smith family and if nothing else happens on my
mission I will still be able to sleep at night because of them.

About two months ago sister James and I were making our way out to a
village about forty minutes from Boston to do some finding, but by the
time we got ten minutes out we realised we would not have enough time
to get out there and make it back for our appointment but we had
twenty minutes to kill until then so we saw a old farm road that had
about half a dozen houses on it called Browns Drove. We decided to
pull over and tract it. Once we got to nearly the end of the road we
knocked on the door of the Smith family and a mum, dad and about four
little gorgeous kids answered the door with bright smiling faces we
talked for a bit and asked if we could return and share more they
agreed.

We returned that next week and taught the mum and a couple of the
kids. We returned a few days later and taught the whole family, at the
very beginning of that lesson the mum asked so you guys don't drink
tea or coffee right? "Yup" ok but can I still drink my coke? "Go for
it!" Perfect I've already cut down on the tea and I've tossed the
coffee.... So basically she committed to live the word of wisdom only
after the first lesson. And we just kept returning and teaching after
that and witnessed how God literally took this family and has changed
there lives completely the father who smoked every day for the past
twenty years has now quit for a solid week, during the plan of
salvation lesson the mum asked so after we are baptised what's next
for us? It's like her spirit recognised that God still had so much
more planned for her and her little family. I will never forget when
we were able to tell them about the temple and then spent the rest of
the lesson googling pictures of temples around the world. And the
father who said he hadn't read a book since school has been mowing
through the Book of Mormon and picking things out of it that I had
never even noticed.

Now not to say the past two months haven't been without trials is a
lie there was definitely trials and things we had to work on but it
was honestly incredible to be able see how God really does prepare his
children it was not Sister James or I that convinced these people to
join the church, it was all from the spirit preparing the hearts of
the children until the Gospel and knowledge to back it up it was
finally at there door for them to accept it. The mum and dad are
getting baptized on September 2nd and the older two children are getting
baptised a couple weeks later. I honestly feel like these people are
why I came to the EBM and most importantly why I came to Boston, there
have been lots of other miracles and great things that have happened
but this one has definitely impacted me a lot.

I am truly so grateful for this experience to be serving in Boston I
can honestly say I love this area  and the people so very much and I
can also see that it has left such a large imprint on my heart my hope
is that I've left one on it as well.

I love Boston, I love my people, I love my girl and I love being a missionary.

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧
68, Norfolk St
Boston
PE21 9HQ
England

Week 40

This week we pretty much got flogged by everyone but hey we had a lot
of opportunities to go finding so we found new friends so that was a
bonus I guess!

One of our Investigators went to Belgium this week and brought back so
much Belgium chocolate for us. Oh my days I thought English chocolate
was the good stuff but Belgium chocolate wipes the board!

Well if you ever wondered if I'm an awkward Sister missionary then
this email is for you! So we were at a recent converts house this week
they are the best people they are from Portugal and we're helping the
mum improve her English. There nephew was over visiting from Portugal.
I was minding my own business and trying to serve the Lord and this
guy kept coming a little bit to close to me and he kept trying to
flirt with me and I was like uhh companion! And before we went to
leave he asked if he could get my number.... and I being the chill
sister missionary that I am was like oh you want my number?... No you
can't have it! I didn't give any explanation I didn't try to explain
why I couldn't, I just ran away like a scared little girl.
So ya we got in the car and Sister James and I just about peed our
pants because we couldn't not laugh at my awkwardness that night.

Hey and the awkwardness continues! As we were tracting I swear we
found the chaviest street there ever was and met some of the slimiest
guys ever! It was so bad Sister James and I resulted to listening to
Christmas music.

So ya we have been feeling the Christmas spirit pretty strongly we
have listened to nothing but Christmas music we've even gone as far as
reading the December Ensign. So ya when December actually rolls around
we will definitely be ready for it I think.

So things are still just a trucking along in good old Boston,

Love ya 

Sister Brown

Week 39

Well this week I reached my hump day! I've now been out for 9 months
and I only have  9 to go which is a terrifying yet exciting thought
haha. It's kinda crazy because I've been out for so long and I'm still
in my second area but honestly I'd be perfectly happy with staying in
Boston the rest of my mission even though I'm pretty sure this won't
be the case, but hey a girl can dream!

We are trying to build the missionary work in Skegness because
President told me that he is putting another team in come September so
we got the Lincoln Elders to come and do finding with us for a
majority of the day on Wednesday. Unfortunately it rained heaps all
day! So we looked like soaked rats on people's doorsteps haha, you
know it's bad when they tell you that you should just go home and get
out of the cold rain. But hey we persevered and we ended up making it
over to the beach and the Elders gotta see the North Sea.

A high light of all the time we spent in Skegness this week was
probably eating donuts and ice cream, while walking on the beach
though sister James sliced her foot open. We ran to our Investigators
house where I gotta play Doctor and rinse all the sand out of the cut
with Alcohol, to be honest sister James totally kept it together she
didn't even use any adult words though I think she muttered Holy sugar
a few times haha.

We got to do a lot of service this week which was great we moved a
lady in the morning and that afternoon we went ham on a members garden
ripping out all the un wanted bushes the Dad was super impressed cause
he didn't think we could actually do any damage so we showed him that
we are beasts under our skirts and badges.

The members in Boston are seriously killing it. This week a couple
brought our recent convert and an investigator to the British pageant
in Chorley and also took them to the temple and they absolutely loved
that experience. Another couple had our Investigator and her toddler
over for a cottage evening in there home and fed us a turkey! We are
just so stinking blessed with these amazing members they are always
asking what they can do for us and if they can help or come teach or
gives lifts. It's wonderful.

So the past 5 months every time I would go to Ruskington I would drive
past this wall with a Union Jack painted on it and every time I would
so badly want to stop but there was always a rubbish bin in front of
it or a vehicle but there was nothing parked in front so
naturally we stopped and took photos!

This week Sister James and I were definitely facing some turbulence
with our progressing investigators we have six people who are working
towards baptism but it seemed like Satan decided to raise some hell
with all of them this week, so Sister James and I played firemen and
worked so hard to put out the fires. We landed some grace on sunday
though. We hadn't heard from one of the people we are teaching and
then he came to church by himself and it was seriously the best he
texted us after to tell us how he couldn't stop smiling he just loved
being at church! Our other investigator came over for a cottage
evening and we had a turkey diner and watched meet the Mormons and she
was able to meet members and learn more about how Mormons are actually
normal people haha. The highlight moment is when she prayed out loud
in front of us for the first time. Even though the week was all over
the place with our Investigators it's funny how in about 18 hrs
everything was perfect and fine again. God is just so good.

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧
68, Norfolk St
Boston
PE21 9HQ
England

Week 38

This week was pretty un eventful but hey pictures!

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧
68, Norfolk St
Boston
PE21 9HQ
England

Week 37

Well another week in Boston was pretty good I have to say I'm a fan of
these English summers full of sun light and flowers.

This week we have been teaching all the time which is definitely
putting our skills to the test as well but it's ok we are having fun
with it.

Sister James and I were cruising along on Tuesday when we found
heaven.... but really though there is a man in a place in Revesby that
only works on volks wagon vehicles And he had about 10 VW vans
chilling in his parking lot but the guys let us explore and look
around at his vans for a bit. Unfortunately he wasn't so much
interested in the gospel but hey we got to check out some wicked vans
so that was sweet.

Sister James asked me to cut off more of her hair yesterday so I did
..... it was a lot shorter then we originally planned it being but
after some laughs snorts and tears we chopped the rest off and made it
look pretty good. Her favourite thing to say now is even Jesus has
longer hair then I do. Haha

While we were finding this week someone told us to go check out the
pilgrim fathers memorial to see where America really took its first
steps. So we went and checked it out in Fishtoft and it was actually
in a really gorgeous spot so that was really cool! It was the spot
where the pilgrim fathers first tried to take off to find religious
freedom.

Life is going good though can't complain I'm loving Boston and the
people we are teaching and my girl.

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧
68, Norfolk St
Boston
PE21 9HQ
England