July 6, 2015
Dear Family and Friends,
Monday-
Today we went to the Young Single Adult FHE where they talked about any questions they might have about the Gospel and then discussed them. There were some really interesting and deep subjects.
Tuesday-
Today we had district meeting where Sister Penrose taught about diligence, then I spoke about why we are here. I really did not know where to take it, but I spoke a lot about how we all have a specific reason or person we are here for in Lithuania at this time. It was interesting to think about.
Wednesday-
Today I moved back to Kaunas West because the district leader decided it would be better since there are more people in West. We also had a lesson with Ade, a recent convert, where we talked about service and missionary work. It went really well.
Thursday-
Today we went on our first exchange of the transfer. I will be with Sister Soosalu on these exchanges in Vilnius. Vilnius is beautiful and really quite large. Sister Soosalu has hurt her back, so we got to go to the clinic where she has a physical therapist. It was super nice. We then got to go over to the church to look for activities for the Young Women to prepare them for girls camp. There were some really good ideas on lds.org. While we were there we met a previous missionary who had served here like 8 years ago and his wife served in Latvia, and they had two cute little boys.
Friday-
Today Sister Soosalu, who is from Estonia if I didn't mention that, walked around quite a bit and spoke with people. It was so hot today, with lots of sun. Then we had a lesson with a mother and daughter who are less actives. We then met the other sisters to travel back to Kaunas. We met a very interesting man on the bus. He kept looking back at us, he was probably drunk or something. He then kept saying something about how the door was letting air in or something, he even pulled out his lighter trying to prove his point. I thought he was going to start the bus on fire. Then he started to talk to Sister Penrose about where she was from and what she was doing here in Lithuania and then he said she was beautiful and if she was married. She said no, but then told me in English what he said and I said yes you are, so he would stop trying to talk to her. So then she told him she was married. He just kept saying that she was lying. Finally, I just said she does, I know him, his name is Martinas. He stopped talking after that. It was so funny, then finally he kept trying to warn us that there are not good people in Kaunas and that we needed to be careful. He gave us these weird shirts with cherries on them, so now I have a new T-shirt. It was very interesting. When the bus stopped in Kaunas we basically ran so that he wouldn't follow us.
Saturday-
Today we celebrated the 4th of July by making hamburgers and fries. It was super delicious. Then we had a Young Women activity where we played a game of spoons with Go Fish cards, then we made s'mores in the oven since the church's stove is electric. They were super good. I think the Young Women liked them.
Sunday-
Today was a really good day. So Agne, who plays the piano for Sacrament meeting, was gone and the Branch President asked me if I knew how to play about 10 minutes before Sacrament meeting and I said I couldn't, so I asked Elder Fraiser and he hadn't played in forever, but he said he would try. You should have seen us, all four missionaries around the piano trying to figure out which songs he could play in the easy hymn book and getting the numbers up from the Lithuanian Hymn book. Elder Fraiser and Sister Penrose saved the music for Sacrament meeting. Sister Penrose led the music and Elder Fraiser played the piano. I tried to sing really loud. Then after Sacrament meeting we went in to Primary to help for the first hour. Since Sister Bruce was able to switch singing time and sharing time so that she could have both of us. When the second hour came, we hadn't even sang any songs yet. Sister Penrose had to stay in Primary to play the piano and I had to go to Young Women's. It went pretty good in Young Women's. After church we were headed to the bus stop when we saw Albina, who is super old and she is one of the Elder's investigators, sitting at the bar talking to all of the drunk people. Sister Penrose and I went and saved her from them. She is so cute, and was probably just called over to them. Sister Penrose told her we do not go to that place. After that, she got on the same bus with us and she was getting up to exit the bus, Sister Penrose was standing in front of her and I was sitting behind her and she was saying goodbye when she started to fall forward on top of Sister Penrose, I grabbed her coat (yes, she was wearing a coat in 83 degrees of humidity), and we held her up so she wouldn't fall. Sometimes those buses stop pretty suddenly, it was so funny!
*It has been hot here too, today the high is 92 F, and that is with humidity. I just feel really wet. Here is a cool story, so a few weeks ago I made a goal to ask the Lithuanians if I don't understand a word they are saying in an effort to speak more and try to understand. I just wasn't doing it, so then last Sunday I was asked to be the YW President and then I fasted for my language too yesterday and Heavenly Father definitely blessed me with opportunities to ask questions for understanding by making me go to YW's by myself without Sister Penrose for the beginning. Sister Penrose had to play the piano for Sister Bruce in Primary and then YW's started, so I then had to go by myself to YW's. During the lesson, Kamila, another leader, was teaching the lesson and she asked us a questions I didn't understand when they were asking me to answer, so they were so patient re-explaining it to me in different ways. I really do feel like Heavenly Father blessed me with more understanding yesterday. It went pretty good, I didn't end up teaching because Kamila offered, so I just did opening exercises. I made a paper for Justina, the class president, to fill out so that she could begin with the song, prayer, and announcements. It worked really well. They have youth conference in Vilnius this week, which both of the active young women will be going to. Then the branch is going to the temple in Finland in a couple weeks for 5 days, and then the week after that they have girls camp in Estonia. I am trying to help them prepare for all of those things. The active YW are Justina and Diana, then we have one other who is not active. I will send a picture.
I only got to be in the new area for a week, ten we moved back to West in the apartment Sister Seaman and I were in. Sister Penrose is wonderful! She is so cute and proper. I help with singing time for the first hour, then I go to Young Women's until they are done with singing time.
*It has been hot here too, today the high is 92 F, and that is with humidity. I just feel really wet. Here is a cool story, so a few weeks ago I made a goal to ask the Lithuanians if I don't understand a word they are saying in an effort to speak more and try to understand. I just wasn't doing it, so then last Sunday I was asked to be the YW President and then I fasted for my language too yesterday and Heavenly Father definitely blessed me with opportunities to ask questions for understanding by making me go to YW's by myself without Sister Penrose for the beginning. Sister Penrose had to play the piano for Sister Bruce in Primary and then YW's started, so I then had to go by myself to YW's. During the lesson, Kamila, another leader, was teaching the lesson and she asked us a questions I didn't understand when they were asking me to answer, so they were so patient re-explaining it to me in different ways. I really do feel like Heavenly Father blessed me with more understanding yesterday. It went pretty good, I didn't end up teaching because Kamila offered, so I just did opening exercises. I made a paper for Justina, the class president, to fill out so that she could begin with the song, prayer, and announcements. It worked really well. They have youth conference in Vilnius this week, which both of the active young women will be going to. Then the branch is going to the temple in Finland in a couple weeks for 5 days, and then the week after that they have girls camp in Estonia. I am trying to help them prepare for all of those things. The active YW are Justina and Diana, then we have one other who is not active. I will send a picture.
I only got to be in the new area for a week, ten we moved back to West in the apartment Sister Seaman and I were in. Sister Penrose is wonderful! She is so cute and proper. I help with singing time for the first hour, then I go to Young Women's until they are done with singing time.
Love,
Sister Brown
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