Chat with mom 5/30/2016

I'm waiting to go to the library so I can post more photos but the one's I send where I was at the Rodriguez house, he's a cop and I tried on his gear, hahaha.   They are seriously the best and I talk a lot about them in my emails

I absolutely love your emails! You and Neicia do a really great job on that! It makes my day honestly. Keep doing it. What's dads email? I don't think I ever got it.

And yeah you should send me some church CDs. I'm desperate, hahaha.  Can you send me random photos I have on my Facebook that can save on my iPad? People wanted to see my modeling pictures hahaha, and anything else you think I would like...friends family etc

You should give brother Keeley my email!!

Yeah I just replied to dad so I have his email and he would have gotten my group email. We do have things to play them on, we just don't really have any good CDs and I'm dying without music...like I miss it as much as the Idaho mountains haha.

Group email 5/30/2016

Amazing week full of miracles

FHE w/ Perez family
So the Rodriguez family is one of my favorite families here, they are
super sarcastic like my family and fun to talk to. They are really
into the missionary work here, and will translate for us for the
Spanish investigators we're teaching. So we planned a FHE with them and
the Perez family, their kids are so interested in the gospel as well
as the parents. We taught them a short lesson to go with FHE and there
kids were so involved . I have never seen little kids so interested in
the gospel before. I was super impressed. We all read the family
proclamation and they made me read some of it in Spanish, some times I
forget I was called as a English missionary, and sometimes I wonder
how much easier it would have been if I was called as Spanish. We
invited there family to pray together every night. Not only did they
agree to it but offered to start coming to church again. We were
shocked, I really have high hopes for this family.

More miracles
We had so many amazing miracles happen to us this week. One of our
investigators Robert, was able to start getting Sunday's off after him
telling us he probably won't and not sure if he was interested
numerous of times. We were shocked again and just felt super excited!
Another Investigator, Kathleen, has been taking our lessons but
telling us she not interested in being baptized but just likes to learn
about new religions. The cool thing about it all though is she keeps
all the commitments we make with her and knows how to recognize the
Holy Ghost really well. She told us this week that later on if she
feels like she needs to that she will be baptized. We were so happy!

1 month
So on Friday I made my one month mark, so exciting! I spoiled myself
with a 1 month Smash cake!

Sunday
So the Perez family was at church, I have never wanted to jump for joy
so much in my life...maybe...but I was super excited. They seemed to
enjoy themselves for the most part. It's awesome how well we get along
with the kids. I think their parents really like that, which is one
reason they like to be involved so much, hopefully they will stay
involved when we leave this time. They have been so tough with
missionaries in the past but have so much potential.

Sister Browning

     

Group email May 23, 2016

These past few weeks have been super crazy and I'm just trying to get
my two feet put back on the ground. My last week at the MTC was
absolutely amazing. I already miss my district so much. My first week
in the field has been a little chaotic but it get better and better as
I go. My new address is
801 E Corsicana #566
Athens TX 75751
United States
Feel free to write me letters or send me packages. I can only email
and write letters on Monday but I can receive emails anytime of the
day so feel free to email me whenever, in fact I suggest it. Also
happy Birthday to my Brother Kalten, he turned 22?..I think, last
week.

Last week at the MTC.
So sad it was my last week at the MTC, the whole 3 weeks you talk
about wanting to just be out in the field but once your out you miss
all the fun experiences you had in the MTC for sure. My last week
there started out with one of my companions, (love her to death)
sister Mills freaking out because her boy friend was arriving at the
MTC that morning. She sat at the window during lunch hoping to see him
walk by and then next thing I know she takes off running outside, me
and my other companion had to take off running after her because of
course we have to be exact obedient and not let her be
alone...especially with her boyfriend-_- I would have been more
irritated if I wasn't promised already to make there future wedding
cake.
So we were the sister training leaders in my district so it was a
blast welcoming the new sisters in our zone. I really connected well
with these two sisters, going Manchester England, Sister Johnson and
Sister W. (First name is McKenna☺️). I was sick of being the one
getting blown with the leaf blower last week, so much that my
companions let me blow the new sisters with them, no worries they
still liked us after that.

Theo (MTC)
Theo was an investigator/actor at the MTC. (You don't know who is a
real investigator and who is just acting here.) He was so much fun to
teach. He lives back and fourth here in Utah helping his grandma and
Las Vegas where he works. He's a DJ at the strip and has met a lot of
famous people which is super legit. When we got him they told us that
he doesn't really open up well with others and he will be tough but he
ended feeling really comfortable with us. He liked one of my
companions because she dated some famous football player, JJ Watkins
or some thing like that? He pretty much broke the 4th wall and were
all pretty sure he was a real investigator and he started taking the
missionaries discussions because he wanted to marry his girlfriend,
who is LDS, in the temple. We committed him to baptism and it was such
a great feeling. We told him we were leaving to the field and he
seemed sad about that since he hasn't really opened up with other
missionaries before. So much fun to teach him and get to know him and
getting him to commit.

Last Day (MTC) ...learning to be more exact obedient.
My last day at the MTC had to be the best day on the mission so far.
We sang in sacrament meeting as a district which was so fun, The
temple walk was so much fun with our zone and district. I got to watch
Characters of Christ again one last time. I so wish they didn't only
have that talk in the MTC. Then we all didn't want to say goodbye to
each other so we hung out as late as we possibly can without getting
into trouble outside, thanks Mom and Dad for those glow and the dark
blowup punching balloons. They were so fun and we didn't pop them so
that they would stain our suites and dresses. We finally went back to
our residence right before quite time and I still had to finish
packing and get ready for bed and say goodbye to the sisters I
trained. We definitely were staying up later then we should because no
one wanted to say goodbye to each other and I was leaving 3:30 in the
morning for me to be able to make my flight to Texas. I was then
carrying all my luggage to the hallway to get them  out of the room so
it would be easier to slip out of the room and not keep my companions
up in the morning. My companions were in the bathrooms in the
building. Then the door stop bumped out of place and the door closed
and we were all locked out of our room...keyless...we all began to
panic because we had no phones, no keys to get back in and we couldn't
leave the building because we didn't have a key to get in the other
buildings and to get back into ours, so we couldn't get help and were
stuck...and it was 11:30...a hour past bedtime in the MTC. We prayed,
cried, and laughed wondering if we were going to be able to go to bed
that night. Good thing I had all my things in the hallway other wise I
don't know how I would be able to make it on my flight. We all looked
up at the wall and saw a big red emergency phone, half of us hurd that
it calls straight to the emergency department and of of my companions
Hurd it goes straight to the front desk where they could help us. We
took our chances, picked up the phone hoping it was the front desk
and...
No worries it was. The security guard saved us and we didn't get into
trouble. We were lucky and learned that we needed to be obedient and it
was definitely an amazing experience and last one I had with my MTC
companions. I woke them up at 2:45 and said goodbye and can't wait to
see them again when we come home in 17 months

First Day in Texas
I was so exhausted with the 2 hours of sleep I got and was learning my
lesson on exact obedience, but got to ride a train for the very first
time of my life. It would have been cooler and more interesting if it
wasn't so dark outside and I was able to stay awake. It took us to
subway And that took us to the airport. We got in okay and with no
troubles. It was so great to talk to my parents on the phone for a
little bit. I love my family so much and can't wait to spend eternity
with them.  We got on the plane and I tried to sleep comfortably but
it was super hard, once we landed and got off the plane, the humidity
hit and it was hard to breath, it was pretty hot from the beginning,
colder day for them Texas people because of the wind but it just felt
like a lot of hot air. We walked around the Dallas, Temple with my
mission President and his wife talked about the importance of
families and how we need to make it our goal to help Christ's children to
make it to the temple and help them take the right steps that would
get them there. We then went to the church for more training. I
honestly don't remember what I learned, 2 hours of good sleep was not
enough for my brain, then they let us take a nap for a hour which
helped. We had family home evening with them and dinner. I slept with
some other sisters at their apartment.  Most of the day was a blur.

FIELD
Finally, after a night of sleep we went back to train a little bit
more. And then met our companions including a bunch of other elders and
sisters in our mission. It was so much fun meeting them and was just a
really great day in general. I'm in Athens Texas, it is country and
there are beautiful trees everywhere. No mountains which is kind of sad but
still beautiful. Their people are super nice and sweet. It's a lot
different but I'm learning to love it. We have a few investigators.  My
favorites are Robert, who when we first taught him he told us he wasn't
interested anymore. We asked him why and he said because he's doesn't
know enough and he's afraid to mess up. We told him more about the
atonement and helped him understand more about the gospel and how even we
as missionaries are still learning. We had a great lesson with him and
he agreed to be baptized in June. We hope he doesn't have any more
second thoughts but I guess we will see.
I also enjoy Teaching the Perez family, which has been a huge struggle
since they don't speak any English and we don't speak any Spanish. We
have a member in our ward translating back and forth but whenever we
teach them the spirit is always there! I love it.

Funny part of the week
There are turtles every where here. I freaked out when I saw a small
one and made my companion take a picture of me with it. Then we were
driving and a huge turtle sloooowly ran in front of us on the road
(more like my companion didn't see it) and we hit it...so sad...good
thing is had a huge shell. I think it will live.

I love you all and hope Y'all have an amazing week. I know that this
church is true and its our only way back to our father in heaven. I
know that he loves each and everyone of us and we are all sons and
daughters of God. Pray to him everyday and keep that relationship with
him. He truly listens and is eager to help us. We just have to ask and
also listen.

Chat with Mom May 23, 2016

Yeah I think I can chat! I'm allowed to check email anytime and any day with my iPad. I'm just not allowed to respond unless it's Monday! So go ahead and chat with me everyday like we did with dear elder! And yes you should send me my blessing on here if you have it? My new address is

801 E Corsicana #566
Athens TX 75751
United States

Oh, and send me random pictures I have on my Facebook that way I can save them here on my iPad. That is so much easier than developing them there! Kristy told me she came over and you guys talked for ever. Thats awesome!

Athens is super small and total country even though country here looks so different and now what I pictured Texas looking like. There are trees galore like as if we lived in the woods. I like that part! The trees make is beautiful...I really do miss the mountains though. I hate the air and feel like I can't breath right  all the time. The people here are super stranger yet super nice at the same time. They don't take care of there teeth very well and litter a lot but there some of the kindest people too!  Our ward is tiny, like there is only 1 ward in our whole area and were the only missionaries here. Our district has to drive either 2 hours/45 minutes for our district meetings. The ward was half the size our 1st ward was, maybe even tinier. But the ward is so involved with missionary work which is good! 

My companion is tough, she's super nice and it's good that she's my first companion that way I'm pushed from the beginning. 

Love you Mom

 

Also, were allowed to listen anything the invites the spirit so feel free to put any CDs in my next package that you think I may like...like David Archuleta.  Haha.

May 10, 2016 Email and chat to mom

Hey Mom!

Talking to you guys and being on the phone makes me feel tons better so I think I'm more like Kalten that way! I haven't gotten one from Jasper yet but can't wait until I do! Was it a dear elder? If so I'll get it tonight! (: 

 

Usually a normal day in the MTC looks like waking up, exercise, breakfast, getting ready, class, TRC, Class...more Class, Lunch, Class...More class, TRC, Class...and a little more Class...then bed! so its definitely always a full, crazy Day!

 

I leave at about 3:30 am from the MTC to the airport it's a few hours to get there and since I'm training leader I'm in charge and the other two girls I'm riding with will be interesting, one of them doesn't speak English and the other one I'm just going to have to learn a lot of patience so I'm trying to just go into it with a good attitude. The rest of my district is going to Florida the next Day together so I'm super jealous 

 

Do It! Heck write him one! It would be totes funny! his name is Jayden Peterson and hes in District 31c and is going to Tampa, Florida...Idk what other information you have to have to write someone! Just make it super weird and funny! It would make my whole districts day!

Btw, I'm not coming home until November 13th! I'll have a extra 16 days! I forgot to put that in my email!

Group Email May 10, 2016

Hey Ya'll

So this week has been even better then last week! I feel so Happy here but also miss everyone at home! Thank you all for emailing and keeping me updated on life! It means so much to me seeing all your emails. This is ya'lls last week for Dear Elders so definitely take advantage of that and they do make my day when I get them! Also if you have epic picture with me, send them to me! My district wants to see them, and I would love to have them too!

Sister McKennna Isabelle Browning
MAY16  TX-DAL
2005 N 900 E Unit 117
Provo UT 84602

So as a district we made a bunch of goals for the week. One of them was drinking the orange juice (for those who don't know, MTC orange juice is known for making people really sick and giving you the runs) together. As of now half of us are sick and half of us are doing good, I don't know if its because of the OJ but I sure enjoy making people believe so.

My Testimony has grown 5x greater since I have been here! I can recognize the Holy Ghost so much better and it absolutely feels incredible, I love being able to teach with the spirit and help our "investigators" come unto Christ! I love our new TRC's. They both are major talkers but they're so fun to teach, They love the stories and our testimonies! We just finished a TRC last week named Janie, We have a strong feeling she was either an investigator or inactive and she agreed to baptism and that made our whole week! Did I mention I love being in a trio? My companions are now some of my best friends, they're both going to Florida, I'm the only one not going to Florida in my district but I definitely feel like I belong in this district and we were all put together for a reason. 

For those of you who know I love to sing, one of my favorite things about the MTC is singing in the shower, sometimes  random girls and my companions will just randomly join in with me, we all have fun memorizing vocals and harmonizing together really well.  It makes me think of my siblings when we were forced to clean/slave in the kitchen every Sunday and we would sing and harmonize together!

So The other day I was in my room alone while I thought my companions were showering or something and I went to go leave my room and I was viciously attacked by what I though was a vacuum blowing lots of air and then I looked to see and my companions started chasing me with leaf blowers...why was there even leaf blowers in our building, idk? This has now happened twice!  Someone needs to take the leaf blowers out of our building and hide them!

Me and One of my companions, Sister Mills put on black and white polka dots, not trying to match and we forced our other companion, Sister Stevenson to wear black and white polka dots as well. So people stared at us in confusion and when ever someone would ask us about it, we would act very confused like it wasn't planned and we were embarrassed. Then a old couple stopped and started taking a bunch of pictures of our backs... and told us we were very cute and they were going to send people our pictures... of our backs..we then regretted our choice in matching with one another

So another highlight of my week! We have all as a district been craving Dr. Pepper and Chick-Fil-A and begging our teachers to buy us some for days (totally against the rules and would get them fired). Of course they kept saying no to us, and couldn't even afford to get themselves some...so then we told them we would slip them some money and instead of looking at it as a bribe more look at it as a "Mormon exchange" and still they said no. So then we went to dinner and they had Chick-Fil-A for dinner in the cafeteria, and they didn't get the chance to get some. It was so shocking and so good! I looove chicken strips way too much! 

 

Also talking to my family on Sunday was another huge highlight, it has only been 2 weeks and they have already changed so much. Jessica has a car and dyed hair. my mom cut her hair...I'm sure the house looks different and there is no sign of my old bedroom or me ever living there anymore. I sure miss them and am curious what's going on! 

I love going to the temple every week! It's something that helps me relieve all the stress and work from the week and also the fact that the Provo temple has a cafeteria where you can eat good food that doesn't make you feel sick! 

 

Anyways Love you All!

Sister McKennna Browning

May 3 Email to Mom

MOM I received that Package and Dear Elders and I can't even express how happy they make me! I can never have enough of them. The MTC is hard for me but it is getting better everyday! My District's all best friends and I love the people here and the spirit but its really hard work for me sometime and I'm slowly getting better! I've been stressed but the letters just make me feel tons better! I'm really learning to trust more in Heavenly Father when I teach even when its hard.

I haven't so much ever in my life here because of my district, but no worries we still stay on task. Our whole zone goofs off and doesn't take anything seriously so we have kind of been the examples but we have so Fun too! MTC time is so slow I really feel like I have been out here for months but it's only been a week! The good thing is that I do feel like I learned a full 3 months knowledge! 

Some things that would really help me though out here that you should send me are pictures...get Jessica on that and my blessing you guys recorded!

My Companion is having a really hard time though! She has broken down quite a bit and doesn't believe her testimony is strong enough and just wants her family! I told her she was strong and she really is! She's super quiet and it's sometimes hard to teach because I have been the only one teaching, so our TLC's have really pushed her to talk a bunch more and she did and they went really well! She kept saying she wanted to go home though so we put her name in the temple this morning (I love that weird old temple movie now because it reminds me of watching it every morning with dad) and we decided to stay in the celestial room for a good 45 minutes so she could really pray about going home or not and she said she got a huge feeling that she needed to go home, so I'm guessing I'll just be companions with the other two sisters in my district?

We had another guy in my district who just did not want to be there and really didn't have a testimony so we all fasted for him and asked for him to gain a testimony and we have all seen a HUGE difference ever since! I love that!

Love you Mom! 

I'm having a ton of fun!

McKennna

Then chat comments:
I just sent my group email! Fix the spelling and all the grammar!

So now I'm in a trio! which will make my lessons harder but, oh well, I guess I'll learn more from it!

This is True! I just said goodbye to my companion, its sad but I don't think i can do anything more about it! I almost got depressed...probably was for a good hour but I decided to change my attitude and it totally worked and felt happy again which was great! and if i haven't said already i absolutely loved that packed...made me week!! (:

Can I get Coopers email and can you ask people who I still don't have! I don't think I got Kalten's or Allison and a lot family!

Thanks Mom! Love you and miss you! Tell Dad I love him miss a lot too!  Hows my dog?

May 3, 2016

Hey Ya'll! This week was one of the longest weeks of my life! The MTC goes by super slow and I feel like 

I have been gone for months! But the spirit here is so strong and I feel like I have learned about 3 

months of knowledge! I feel like I'm already best friends with my district even though I will be the only

one going to Dallas Texas! They are all going to Florida!

Me and my companion were called as the new district leaders for our branch which is super exciting! 

My companion will be going home today for personal reasons so I'll probably be companions with the 

other sister in our district.  

Characters of Christ was the best talk I have ever heard from Bednar! I wish

it wasn't just an MTC talk and you can watch it out side of the MTC!

We had our first TRC's yesterday and they went so good! I'll probably start teaching with the other 

sisters in my district which makes me sad but excited at the same time!   Me and the sisters are so close. 

We have a hard time going to bed on time because we cant seem to stop talking.  We have to force ourselves

to play the quiet game!  The funniest thing happened this week. My second night here we got done with class 

really early and were allowed to go to bed early. We were all so excited and took a shower and wrote in our 

journals and were in bed when all of a sudden the fire alarms went off! Our whole building was running out 

side from the smell of burnt popcorn! About 300 girls ran out side some in dresses most in pajamas and 

some in towels because they were in the showers when they alarms went off! We all knelt down and said 

a prayer over this burnt popcorn and when we finished someone got a good idea to sing church hymns 

"The Spirit of God like a fire is burning" The song couldn't come at a better time! Then the cops showed up 

and asked if we were doing burnt offerings! Seriously the funniest night ever! 

Anyways, Love you all and love the spirit here at the MTC!

Sister Browning (McKennna)

Its always good to know know someone well at the MTC! I have gone to school with Elder Transtrum since
 3rd grade and now were in the MTC together and in the same ward back at home!

  

       
                                 

McKennna - 4/28/2016

Hey Mom! I hope you were able to get my email yesterday! Well I'm able to write you guys again.
Some REALLY exciting news I have, We are able to call you guys on Mother's Day! How exciting 
is that? And then I will call you again a week later at the airport. Anyways I'm obviously only on 
my second day here at the MTC but I feel like I have learned a full months knowledge of 
Missionary Training! Its crazy how fast you learn and how much you learn in such little time! I 
absolutely love it and love my district. They keep me busy and working and we still can talk and
joke around at the right times. My companion in sister Hamilton and she's super sweet and quiet...
so I feel bad for being put with me but she doesn't seem to hate me yet so we're good! We just 
got made the Sister training leaders for our district so that's exciting and I'm so excited to meet
and welcome the next set of missionaries coming in next week! The days are absolutely long 
here but going great and spiritual at the same time, I feel like I'm already changing and I haven't
even been here for the full 2 days. I get to teach my first investigator on Saturday and am nervous
but think I'm ready! Anyways love you guys lots and cant wait to email again on Tuesday!

McKennna's first email- 4/27/2016

McKennna wrote just an hour after we dropped her off at the Mission Training Center.  We got a kick out of her first line.  Like we didn't know that.  

"Hey Mom, I made it here safely and found everything.  Everything is going good and I'm excited. Love you lots. Tell Jaide Happy Birthday for me and everyone that I love them.