A Pleasant Surprise!

Everyone look over there ----------------------------------> notice that the countdown time is no longer in the 700's. WOOHOO!  We made it to the 600's my friends.  Now, that is not the pleasant surprise, but I was pretty cool to log on and see!  Yesterday, I got a letter in the mail from Elder Brown, and Madison got one too!  It was not even expected.  What a nice surprise to find a letter nestled with all the bills and credit card applications.  (is is just me, or do you get about 10 credit card applications per week?)

This is what Elder Brown had to say:

Dear Family, (I am pretty sure that he means Mom)

How are things back home? I love you all!  Things are going great out here as I'm just about to complete my first week of work in Tennessee. I've met some awesome people out here and the ward is great! Southern hospitality is a very real thing and no one shows it better than the people of east Tennessee. Every time we tract, people offer us water and we even ran into a die hard southern baptist who invited us to stay for dinner. The number of baptist churches out here are crazy! There are as many baptist churches out here in Tennessee as there are LDS churches in the state of Utah. These people have a strong belief in Christ, but it is frustrating for me because they think that is all they need to do to be saved. For example; we'll knock on a door and start talking about Jesus and they'll say oh yeah, I believe in Jesus, I'm saved. There are so many different baptist churches out here and they are all different. They all teach different things.  People here are set in their ways and don't want to change. They go to the baptist church, because they have always went there their whole lives. They don't see a need to change.  It is sad to me to run into people like this because I can't help them unless they are willing to listen with an open mind.

The humidity is something to get used to out here. Just going outside walking makes me start dripping like a wet dog. My body will get adjusted though. The time zone also throws me off, again that will just take some time getting used to. Also as expected the people here talk very funny. For example, I don't live in East Knoxville, I live in East Knoxvull, also just down the street isn't Maryville, it's Maravul. When it comes time to change the oil in our car, we won't be changing the oil, we'll be changing the oal. When we ask somebody to do something and they say I don't care to do that, that means sure I'll do that. Y'all has now become ingrained in me. How Y'all doin? Y'all have a good night, Y'all take care. Yes sir and yes ma'am is the proper way to address somebody older than you.

Overall I'm having a great time out here and two years just isn't enough. On the other hand I miss all Y'all very much and you are always on my mind at night when there isn't much to do. Sometimes it gets lonely, but I can always turn to my Heavenly Father. I also feel your prayers all the way out here in Chilhowee. I love all you guys and couldn't make it through without your support.

With Love, your Brother and Son,

Elder Brown