From the Trenches to the Top! Dan Got TWO JOB Offers!

Okay, So this is written as a letter to my brother who is on an LDS Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

I put this picture first because it makes me laugh! 


Elder Brown, 

JOB

I have to tell you first things first. The Lord answered Dan's faithful prayer for two offers by the end of the month and gave us two job offers! We know pretty easily which one we would take. It is in Palo Alto, California starting next summer. That is near San Francisco and Stanford University. There is lots of open space to go hiking/walking in the area; its not all developed. We are so excited! We would be really close to Monterey Bay (less than 2 hours) where Dan's family beach house is. So we could stay there. Dan would like the work. It is a really prestigious firm so it would put him in a good place to get into a top 5 MBA school.

No more snow for this little one!!!

EDEN SINGING

You would have loved seeing Eden this week performing with Women's Chorous! She just shines. I love to see her beautiful face and her expressions as she sings with all her heart and soul poured into the music. I especially loved the song by the Beatles "Here comes the sun" that they sang. She played the ukelele on stage for it! 

In her concert the men's chorous also sang. I think you would love being in Men's Chorous. They had a whip on stage for their western songs and the guys were cracking the whip for the "yippie-i-a, yippie-i-o ghost riders in the sky." They also did the famous Jungle Book songs with drums and an accompanying band and lots of hand motions and a big Baloo bear coming out in a grass hula-skirt. It was really entertaining. And thankfully Eden watched Milah for us so we could see the concert. 

INDEXING/ELIMINATE SATAN FROM YOUR LIFE

Mom sent this quote about Satan. 

“Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life,” said Elder Scott ( Gen Conf Oct 2012).

I found this quote to be profound! Elder Scott promises a "sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life." That is such strong language.  Amazing!! Prayerfully ponder how you can qualify for this great blessing. We all need Satan's influence eliminated - nightmares, uncleanness, bad choices, depression and more. . . eliminated! 

I thought about what Mom had sent and realized that for me I could start indexing in my spare time instead of spending silly time on things that don't matter as much (e.g. facebook). I have felt an immense power come into my life as I am indexing. I am sure these ancestors (right now I am working on names from Ghanian people) are watching me and so grateful that I am taking the very first step so that they can be saved and accept the gospel of Christ. Of course, Dan and I also go to the temple most every week (or at least every other) and that also brings the spirit. 

GOD SAVED OUR CAR (i.e. the importance of following the spirit)

God saved our car Friday night. Dan decided to pull in both cars onto our driveway (we often leave one int he street). I felt foolish because I told him "aw, its okay if you just want to leave it in the street" but luckily he followed the spirit and pulled it out of the street. That night about 12:30 it sounded like a loud firecracker went off with one "bang" and then a bunch of things showering down like a firecracker has. Well the next morning we went outside to see the snow and right across the street there was a HUGE branch that had fallen off the tree right above where our car had been parked. The branch would have surely done tons of damage to our car! The ward came by and cut up the branches with a chainsaw and it made a pile 15 feet long and 5 feet tall! I am so glad Dan followed the spirit. 

MILAH

Milah started making consonant noises yesterday for the first time (e.g. adding "m" "b" "d" to her words). She also makes cute little squealing noises that don't hurt your ears but are cute. Well in Sunday School today there was a little boy who came up to her and started making louder growling noises and her cute little squeals became louder squeals and then shrieks. They kept making noises back and forth until she made an ear piercing scream. I think she just won against a boy who is like 8 months older than her! Atta girl Milah :)

She is so good! She missed both her naps yesterday (which is tragic for babies) but she was so sweet and fell asleep on my shoulder yesterday afternoon when we were shopping. Everyone remarks how incredibly happy she is and they all want to make faces at her. Then she makes the "bunny" face back at them where she crinkles her nose. They get such a kick out of it! 

SPIRITUAL MATTERS

Dan and I have been reading his mission journal daily lately. I have realized a lot more of what you are going through and how you must be growing leaps and bounds. Even if it doesn't feel like it, you are learning about yourself and your relationship with God. 

I loved this verse I read tonight "And now if you have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles. But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are." 

Mormon 9: 10-11. 

I believe that you will see miracles in your mission this week if you look for them. This last week Heavenly Father inspired Dan who followed a prompting and saved our car. I know you too can follow promptings to be led to those who will have soft hearts and hear the gospel. But even more importantly, you will be led to those who might reject you but who will know about the gospel because of you. They will be more open to the gospel of Jesus Christ and even search for it as they think about their lives and realize they should not have rejected you because you were trying to share the truth. 

I love you! 

Love, 

Alyssa