EARTHQUAKE ALERT

HELLO EVERYONE YES YOU HEARD ME SERIOUSLY WE FELT AN EARTHQUAKE LIKE AN HOUR AGO OK OUR WHOLE APT SHOOK WHILE WE WERE DOING PERSONAL STUDY

AND WE WERE SHOOK 

Yes so we were just quietly studying and our apt started shaking and we were like WHOA and ok I’m probably making it a big deal but it lasted like 5 ish seconds and it was kinda scary! We thought maybe people were wrestling downstairs or maybe a car crashed into our our apt building? Realistic I know. But then we texted the Santa Rosa sisters and they were like WE FELT IT TOO and they are like 10 miles away so we were all WHAAAAT and then we freaked out for a good ten minutes, pretty sure Sister Tomisin peed her pants while laughing and crying at the same time (HILARIOUS), and now we are fine just sitting here and calmly emailing. So it’s been a fun morning. We also went to Winco this morning so that was lovely. 

Ok anyway hello! It has been another great week! On Tuesday we had ZONE CONFERENCE! President Dixon gave an awesome training on Joseph Smith and the Restoration and basically we are all PUMPED to go out and unapologetically testify that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. I know that he is! Also I got to see Sister Vest there so that was sweet. I have pictures of course. 

Also basically I love Sister Tomisin she is so hilarious I want you all to meet her ok

Oh yeah and last week we went to the fair with the Griffins! IT WAS SO FUN and guess what, the Griffins paid for us to go on some rides! Best pday ever! Never thought I would go on rides on my mission but hey it was so much fun. 

Also this week i went on exchanges with Sister Trussell! So that was fun. Also yesterday Ashley came to church again! She is seriously the cutest, she reminds me of my sister Gracie.  We had an POWERFUL lesson yesterday with Ashley and Pauline about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pauline testified so strongly that she knows this is all true, and we were all crying, and we all basically took turns testifying and then we asked Ashley if she wants to be baptized and she said yes! We don’t have a date yet because we are waiting on approval from Ashley’s mom. So please if you could, pray for Ashley and pray that her moms heart will be softened! Her moms named is Maritess. Thank you! 

Also yesterday we met with the Bishop and our Ward Mission Leader and we had a REVELATORY meeting about our ward mission plan. It was so cool, we were all counseling together and receiving revelation for what the ward needed and how we could help and we were just bouncing off each other with ideas. Seriously, the Spirit of God is so real and the Church is true everybody. Also Sister Tomisin and I are speaking in sacrament meeting in two weeks on member missionary work and I am SO EXCITED.

While we are on the topic of member missionary work, I read a talk this past week called “Ask in Faith” by Elder Bednar from the April 2008 general Conference. I invite you all to read it, it talks a lot about prayer and how we can improve our prayers and ask in faith. One thing he talks about is how often as members we will pray for the missionaries but then we won’t go out and do missionary work ourselves. My favorite thing that he said was “missionaries are the full time teachers, and you and I [members] are the full time finders.” I just absolutely LOVE that quote. It’s true, we as missionaries are here to do the teaching, but we are most successful in finding when the MEMBERS are on fire about missionary work. A quote from the missionary dept went something like this: “If you want to find people to teach, go knock on doors. If you want to find people to baptize, go work with members.” The most solid investigators ive had on my mission have come from members. I invite you each to pray for missionary experiences this week, and to ACT when you receive a prompting from the Holy Ghost. This may not mean that you give someone a Book Of Mormon this week or invite someone to meet with the missionaries, but it DOES mean that you could naturally bring up the gospel in a conversation, share something uplifting on social media, etc etc. it’s the simple things! I know this is the greatest work on the earth, and it is a privilege and blessing to participate in it. 

Ok I hope you all have a wonderful week! I LOVE YOU ALL! 

mwah 

Sister Carina Brown 

California Redlands Mission 

Discover.mormon.org

Fair pics, zone conference, etc

Wrong scripture reference but cute pic someone drew 

Date Day

HEYYYYYYYYY HELLOOOOOOO

guess what we are doing today, we are going to the International Date Festival! held right here in Coachella valley (in the same exact place where the Coachella music festival happens). Apparently people come here from all over to buy and sell dates. It is essentially a county fair with fatty fair food and rides and crazy people, so I’m excited! maybe I will send some pictures of it later. Haven’t had a date in a while so this will be fun we are going with the Griffins! 

It has been a fun week! This week we had interviews with President which is always amazing. I loooove President Dixon soooooooo so much. He told me some things that I really needed to hear and it was just very uplifting. Seriously I am just obsessed with the Dixon’s. 

Also this week we did service at the Braille Institute! It was SO fun! We basically helped blind people, one on one, with their ceramic projects. It is a great service opportunity because we could just talk to people individually and help them with whatever project they were working on. I loved it, we will be doing that probably once a week! It is just so fun to help people. 

OH YEAH we had a wonderful Valentine’s Day! That was the day we had interviews. Also yes mom I got the card, thank you soooo much.  Sister Griffin fed us dinner on Valentine’s Day and it was just wonderful. Her husband was there (non member) and her mom and Sister were also there (both non members) and they were all just so sweet. Also, Sister griffin got Sister Tomisin and I valentines presents! Seriously it was the sweetest. She gave me a cute apron and a heart shaped cast iron skillet, and a Panera gift card  I love Panera! And dinner was so good, wow we got so full. Sister Griffin is an amazing cook and always gives us like a seventeen course meal, so if you see me rolling off the plane in a couple months you can know it was Sister Griffins fault  seriously though I LOVE HER. 

Also on Saturday we had two mini missionaries from Yucaipa spend the day with us! Or was fun! Their names were Liz and Emily. They are so sweet and it was fun to have them with us. 

Also our investigator Ashley came to church yesterday! She hasn’t been to church in weeks! And her sister Pauline (recent convert) got engaged last week! So exciting! Also yesterday we had a great lesson with Marius and he told us his feelings on baptism and said he wants to be completely sure that this is what he wants before he dives in. We are being patient and praying for him all the time. If you could include him and Ashley in your prayers, that would be great! Thank you! 

This past week I have been thinking a lot about charity. Sometimes I don’t know how to respond to people as the Savior would, and the scripture that always comes to mind is Moroni 7:45. That is our guideline to act exactly how the savior would! I came across a wonderful quote by Thomas S. Monson the other day: 

“Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others.”​​

The thing is, we are all imperfect. That is the one thing that you can expect from everyone, is that we all make mistakes. But that doesn’t mean that we should condemn others for those mistakes! Yes, people are going to hurt you. Yes, people will say mean things. People will cut you off on the road. People will make decisions that you can’t understand. Once we understand that these things WILL happen, we can choose to respond in a charitable way. Charity is not something that comes quickly or easily, but if you really want it, it will come. I invite you all to pray fervently for charity this week and to think before you speak, to assume the best in other people, and to see them the way god sees them. Assume the good and doubt the bad. I know that Jesus Christ is the essence of charity and that if you follow his actions, you will become like him. 

Whoa this was kind of a long email. But just know I appreciate all of you and hope you have a GREAT week! LOVE YOU! 

Sister Carina Brown 

California Redlands Mission 

Discover.mormon.org

Sister Peterson and I wore the same apron! This is her last year at Sister Griffins house 

Crepes for breakfast on Valentine’s Day (I’ve been really into making breakfast food lately)

Quinoa and baked broccoli for dinner yum 

mini missionaries 

I HAVE THE CUTEST PARENTS EVER

Tour de Palm Springs 🌴🚲🌴

HELLLOOOOOOOOOOO EVERYONE what’s up 

It has been another wonderful week! And another busy week! So much has happened! 

OH MY GOODNESS IT IS VALENTINES DAY ON WEDNESDAY I forgot 

Remember to love each other ok 

Also I just realized that today is my 16 month mark on a mission  #scary 

Transfers were on Wednesday and I got my new companion! Her name is Sister Tomisin and she is a FIREBALL. I love her so much already, she is so outgoing and hilarious and we have already laughed a ton. She is a strong missionary and loooves being here, she has no homesickness right now and is doing well! I am really impressed with her. You would never tell that she is a new missionary. She is from Ogden, Utah! I think it’s good that she is very emotionally solid because she will probably be the one to send me home! 

On Thursday we had MLC, so I drove up to Highland with Sister Hinckley since we are the STLs. We had so much fun together that day too, I love her so much! Also it was a very revelatory meeting and just confirmed my love of being a missionary. One elder bore his testimony very sincerely and I started crying, seriously I cry a lot in big missionary meetings lately because I just know I’m going to miss this so much when it’s over. Plus when the Dixon’s are around it’s hard not to cry because I just love them so much. 

On Saturday we volunteered for the bike race Tour de Palm Springs! It was so much fun! We basically handed out water to all the bikers at the finish line in downtown Palm Springs, for almost 4 Hours. It was a BEAUTIFUL day and we talked to a lot of people so it was great! I have lots of pictures of that day. 

I came across a scripture yesterday that I loved. It is Alma 5:12 and it says, “And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart.” Simple and so profound! Mighty changes are wrought by small amounts of faith over extended periods of time. Faith is built on REVELATION, so if you want to increase your faith then you need to invite revelation into your life. How do you invite revelation? Consistent prayer, scripture study, worshiping at church, serving others, family history research, etc etc. I invite you all to pick one of those things you can improve on this week, and set goals and make plans to be better. I know it will invite revelation into your life, which will increase your faith in Jesus Christ, which will bring a mighty change in your heart, and in turn will bring you JOY! God wants us to be happy, and he has given us the tools to do so. 

Have a lovely Valentine’s Day this week and remember that life is always good when you LOVE. Love you all!!!

Sister Carina Brown

California Redlands Mission 

Discover.mormon.org

Movie night pics

Tour de Palm Springs

Seriously she is so cute and trendy, my wardrobe needs an update in think 

We tried to take jumping pics in the bathroom idk