Letter from Elder Brown 6-11-2010

Dear Family,
Monday I picked my subject and stuff that I was going to study for the week. I picked charity and love which was a really good topic for me because of Elder Egbert. I picked it and have studied it and just practiced it. It is working so well I havent even argued with Elder Egbert this week which is nice. I just ask myself is this worth getting mad and losing the Spirit over and the answer is always no. Nothing is worth getting upset about. You should never get mad because then you lose the Spirit. So practice that. Ask yourself that is this worth losing the Spirit over? This Tuesday I got apostle number 3. Robert D Hales not as good of a spot but the same spirit was still in the room. A spirit that brought me to tears. The Spirit is just an amazing thing that we should always strive to have. What a joy it brings. What a companion it is and can be through out the day. His talk was amazing and I loved it. I am almost positive the Prophet is coming at the end of the month which is way exciting! I'll tell you if he does. But you can be jealous it is ok! So i was extatic to hear about your job! O man how the blessings come in if you let them. It is amazing how the Lord will bless you. So continue doing that. I encourage you to. Ok so I have to go. I might be back on here in a little bit. I just want to let you know everything is amazing here! I want to just be like my Heavenly Father more and more everyday.
Elder Brown

What have we been up to?

I love my family!
Grandpa Winegar
My Mother's headstone on Memorial Day 2010.
Tristan's 8th grade graduation from Fruitland Middle School.
Tristan's 8th grade class
Memorial day was very nice. We went to the cemetary and decorated Moms grave. And then we went back to Kevins house for a wonderful barbeque. I only had 1 hour of sleep before we left for the cemetary. So I came home and slept for 5 more hours. And then Bill brought me to see Robin Hood. I am a huge fan of Russell Crow. I have never seen a movie that he is in that I don't love. Needless to say, I loved this movie. Kerry and Shalisa brought Tristan, Braxton and Tanner to the mountains for Memorial weekend. They just got home today. They had lots of fun. They also brought a couple of Shalisa's little brothers. They are very brave if you ask me.
Kerry and Shalisa are doing good. They are healing from their car accident wounds. They are working with at lawyer right now to try and get money for their medical bills. And to get another car. Hopefully they will get some help in those areas.
Ashley and Josh are doing well. Josh's dad died. So they have been busy trying to get his estate settled. Josh was his Dad's only child. So he has alot of responsibilities on his shoulders. But he is handling it great. Josh was given his first church calling about a month ago. He is Sunday School Secretary. He is loving it! He and Ashley are finished with their temple prep classes. Josh was baptised June 13, 2009. So they can go to the temple and be sealed after that date. They are really looking forward to that.
Elder Brown is doing awesome! I couldn't be prouder. I cry with every letter he sends. His testimony is growing so big. He is working very hard. He still asks with each letter for people to write him letters on dearelder.com. He loves getting letters. So write to him if you have a minute. He would love it!
Cassandra is just finishing up drivers ed. I am not sure if I am ready for another teenage driver. But it will be nice having someone else to share the driving responsibilities. She started summer practice for basketball and soccer today. They should keep her busy this summer.
Tristan, Braxton and Tanner have all started baseball. It takes up almost every night of the week. It will until the end of July. But we love baseball season at our house. We are going to send Tristan to a summer camp at BYU this summer. He is very excited for this. It is going to be a big experience for him. Tonight I had to bring Cassandra to her practices at 4:00. We had an hour before Braxton and Tristan's practices started. So we went to Mesa Park. The little kids played on the playground. Tristan hit balls to Braxton and Tanner. I was sitting there reading my book. And they decided that Mom needed to join in on the fun. So they found me a mit. They were very suprised when I could actually catch a pop fly. But when it came to throwing the ball back to Tristan, it became great entertainment for them. Let me just say, I am not so good at that! Oh well. We had lots of fun and laughs. I think we made a few memories. I can guarantee that I am going to be super sore tomorrow! At this park they have a big tennis court right next to the playground. So Tristan and I went to Walmart today and bought some tennis rackets. We are at this park every day for practices. So we decided that we are going to go a couple hours early and play tennis every day. I am very excited about it! I am sure it will be even more entertainment for my kids! :)
My job is going great. I am still really enjoying it. I applied to a full time position. It is overnights. The store manager told me that he is going to highly recommend me for the position. I really hope that I get it. It would be a very good thing. If I get it , I am going to give up my babysitting. I have done it for so many years. I am ready to do other things. It is just very hard to schedule sleep as well as all the other things that I have to go and do every day. It is hard to schedule your day around other peoples schedules. Or drag 4 or 5 extra kids around with you wherever you go. I have had these kids for a long time. So it is going to be hard to say goodbye to them. But I know that I need to do it.
Well this is long enough. That is a little update on a few things we are up to this summer.