November 28th Letter

BELLI DI MAMA!!! this is what Sister Alicino says to us missionarionaries. She is a cute older lady in our ward that is always giving us food and helping us teach those around our neighborhood. So i thought that i would start this letter off like that rather than the normal CIAO or BUONGIORNO. So how are you? I hope everything is going well and that your Thanksgiving was wonderful. We had an incredible Thanksgiving. We spent all of our preparation day and thursday morning cooking. We had the american traditionall: Turkey, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Rolls, and Corn and of course the Italians had to have their lasagna so Manollo cooked it at work and we ate it after. And then for desert :) (the best part) we had cheesecake, pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie, and Bannana cream pie. It was really good. So much food! Then after words we talked and sang. Manollo and I sang tons of american songs. In italy they sing and listen to American music more than italian... because its better. So that was good for me because i knew the american songs and so did he even though he doesnt speak english. We sang songs from Sister Act 2, Titanic, Backstreet boys, disney, prince of egypt and many others. It was great. I love the Italians. THey are so funny, expressive, a little stubborn, and so loving! They are incredible. For christmas our mission president and his wife are putting together a book of miracles. They asked us each to submit a miracle we have seen on our mission, so here is mine. It just happened last week and is still happening. " It was monday the night of November 19 (I know, it sounds really dramatic... but it is the best way to start it). We went over to Barbara's house (a recently baptized member) for Family Home Evening. When we arrived there were Simone (a recently baptized member), Sorella Alicino (who is a great older lady in our ward) and 24 year old man, Manollo, who we have never met before. He is a friend of Simone and Barbara and they invited him to come. Sorella Alicino gave a lesson on prayer that really touched him. He told Barbara latter that night that he felt something. "3 days later we had Thanksgiving with a few members and investigators. He came along with his friend Daniel. We ate, sang (a lot), expressed what we were grateful for, and got to know each other better. He is an incredible singer and I love to sing so we sang for about an hour, having a great time. "Then, that Saturday Anziano Scoville and Anziano Goddard taught him the first lesson. He said he wanted to baptized and that he wanted me to baptize him. The next morning he came to church and asked me. I was blown away! We met him twice and he wanted to be baptized. He said he felt very connected to me while we were singing and that I am the one to baptize him. He is a big guy and i am... not, but he wants me to baptize him as long as i dont drop him :). This showed to me that there are people who are prepared for this change in their life. Manollo is at the elect time in his life to take upon him this incredible obligation and it started with an invitation. " Isnt that neat! I did nothing. This is just one of the amazing miracles we recieve everyday. They arent always this big, usually they are tiny but still a big deal. I dont even know how Heavenly Father does it, but i know that he does. So, i hope that i dont get transfered next week so that i can be here to baptize him. But if not, i will go where the Lord wants me to go. That sounds really cheesy but its so true. I have learned that a lot here. To be willing to do his will and not my own. Thats so hard! I have my own wants, thoughts, desires... but He knows exactly was is the best for me. My first transfer (6 weeks) is almost over. That's crazy! At our district meeting the week before the transfer call we all make guesses on where we think we will all go. Everyone said that i was going to stay except for my trainer who says ill go to Pascata. He just said that to change it up... he thinks that we will all stay. I dont know what's going to happen, but i will let you all know next week. We get the transfer call on Monday in the morning and then the change starts on Thursday. I guessed that my trainer will either take the open ZL position in Napoli or be Assistant to the President in Roma 2. We will see what happens ! Well, i love you. Have a great Christmas season. Dont forget the things you are grateful for. that is something i am working on, to be more grateful. We have so many blessings and gifts from God that we dont recognize, but they are there. I am very excited for Christmas and i hope your christmas' all go well. Love, Anziano Beau Brewster PS: i dont think i am going to have a white christmas in the sense of snow... but maybe in the sense of baptism!

Thanksgiving Letter

BUONGIORNO! I never know how to start an email so i always use BUONGIORNO. ...I will be more creative next week :)- I just said something completly wrong in italian to my district leader and my companion so they are laughing at me, im turning red, and i lost my thoughts on what to write in this email. Oh wow! The language is something else. I try so hard to come up with sentances and things to say, i say them... and then the conversation is full of laughter. Well, atleast i have become a comedian! People are finally laughing at what i say... but not in a good way. Ah, well. My companion is great with the language, so he helps me out a lot. He is so great to correct me and help me. We read from the Liahona and il Libro di Mormon for 15 minutes a day. It seems like its helping a lot. The language progresses slowly... which is frustrating at times... but its great. It is teaching me patience. It is also teaching me to never give up. If i gave up speaking after saying a stupid thing, i wouldnt make it through the first minute of the day. I make so many mistakes! Which is great a thing because i learn how to fix them. I learn how to say that word or phrase correctly, which is a start a little step toward success. So, learn from me, and never give up. I have met a lot of great people and developed great relationships through my awful mistakes! The members in my ward love it when i only say, "Mi Dispiace" because it is the only thing i know how to say! Ok, i know more than that... i hope! But, i realized that not being something is a blessing, because i can work on it, progress, learn, experiment. It is fun! I am truly loving it here. I dont know if you all know this, but in Italy there are many foreigners here. We have many from Romania, Russia, India, Peru. It is great to meet all of the different types of People. At times it is hard because of the language barrior, but it is a nice challenge. I have come to realize how much God loves everyone of his children. I know that i am here for a reason. I am here to help those who are prepared for this message. Those who are searching for this truth. I have met many who I have come to love who dont want this message, but that is ok. I love them anyways. I talk to them to bring this message but also to care for them, talk with them. I am working on asking myself, what would Christ do if he had the opportunity to talk to them, to meet them? I know that Christ lives. I know this is the True Gospel from him. I know it because i feel it, it is verified every single day to me. I know that I am here for a reason. I was at church a couple of weeks ago, and a wonderful lady from Scottland spoke with me. She told me how she joined the church, how the missionaries found her, and the miracles that occured. It was an amazing story. And after she said to me very boldly and geniunly, "Someone is waiting for you. You will find them and you will help them come to Christ." It was exactly what i needed to hear. We get turned down a lot and ignored. Im not telling you this for pity or anything like that. I am saying this because i know that there are people, even here in Italy, who need this. Who are waiting for this truth to lighten their lives. We have two new investigators that we recieved this week, Mirco and Luca. It is incredible how we found both of these men, a week within each other. We are teaching Luca tonight and then Mirco on Friday. They are great guys (25 and 22). Our lessons with them went really well, both very different. But in both the spirit was very strong, almost tangibile. You never know what a simple action can do. A " hello" or a talk on the metro, or with these two men, a stop on the street and inviting them to take lessons. Miracles happen. I love you all. Have a great Thanksgiving! Merry Christmas as well. Look at what you have, not what you wish you could have. When you do that, you will be happy. I love the scripture, "The Lord is my Shepheard, I shall not want" Love, Anziano Beau Richard Brewster.

Weekly Letter - November 14, 2007

HELLO ALL! Buongiorno! it is wednesday, 14 Novembre 2007, in Ostia, Italia. I am doing great here. i have an hour to do email, so i apologize if this is short. i love you all so very much and hope all going great. Italy is incredible. i have been to the vatican, well san pietro (the piazza). I am going to go into the vatican next week, or the following. i have also been outside of the pantheon, the piramide outside of rome. i have seen many castles. Its an incredible city. great architecture, incredible designs. The history in this counry is breathe taking. i love it here. but i tell you that everything is beautiful and that this city is great, not just because of the architecture and the history, that is just an added plus. But the main reason why I love being here is that i am here with incredible elders and sisters from many places in the world. I am here preaching the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. He loves each and every one of us individually, personally and he supplies our needs. Thanks to Him we can look forward to so much more after this life. He also fulfills this life. My life would be miserable without Him. I cant even begin to express the feelings, miracles, blessings that i have recieved in less than 3 months. My companion and i are starting a new tradition where we bought a little book (teeny, tiny and travel size). This is our little book of miracles. every night during planning session we write down a miracle that happened throughout the day. we did this last night and it was so great to see the hand of the Lord in our work. We missed a few metros, had a no show appointment, and werent on exact time as we planned, but because these things happened we met new people that we talked with, we did service, and we did the will of the Lord. Look in your lives for miracles that happen each day. it may not seem like a miracle at the time, but it is! Know that. God lives! He blesses our lives each and everyday, dont ever say that he doesnt. Please, dont. He may answer our prayers in a way that we dont expect. He usually does it that way. He answers our prayers through other people. He knows our needs, and provides for them. I know that this is the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ and that we will be able to live with Him, God, and our families for eternities when we follow it. I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Do what is right and let the consequences follow. You will be blessed, helped, and aided. I know that i have. Love, Anziano Beau Richard Brewster

Second Letter from Italy

Italy is wonderful! so much has happened in 2 weeks! Its incredible here, i dont know how to describe it in any other way. so... where do i start? well, to start i want to talk about the metro. or depending on the metro: THE GHETTRO! We travel a lot in this mission and especially in my Area. I live in Ostia which is about an hour away from Rome. Our proseliting area is in Rome, Ostia, Acillia and basically covers an area that takes 2 hours to get from the highest north to the lowest south. i love that because that means that we have a lot of time on the GHETTRO. the Metro or Ghettro is a great place to talk to people. They dont have much to do and they are there for a while so they are more willing to talk. For me its a great experience because my companion goes and talks with one person and i go and sit by another. This means that i am all alone with the language. this is great because i cant rely on him taking over if i dont understand and i also cant turn to him and say, (how). i just have to wing it on my own and try to get the point across. its not easy to do, but its an adventure. i love it because i can go up to someone and say, I'm new here and i was wondering how you say this word or what does this saying mean and then they are open to talk. Italians love helping others. thats such a great quality that i admire. its funny cause when we go up to someone on the street they are audomatically turned off and dont want to be bombarded (as they have been by Jehova Witnesses), but as soon as we ask how to get to someplace or where we can find the metro, they put all their energy into helping us find our way. I really do love the people here. They are great. They live their lives in a very breezy but defined way. They spend hours cooking, take a good 2 hour lunch with their family, go to work as much as they have to, because unlike Americans they do not like to work. If they could choose, they would stay home rather than make extra money. Then at night or even during the day they take a Passagiata. which is a walk. they love to walk and think or walk and talk with a dear friend. They also take their dogs on walks frequently. Their are so many dogs in Italy, i dont know where they keep them! The apartments are fairly small but almost everyone has a dog, no particular size, small, gigantic, just their preferences. You are probably wondering why im talking about dogs of all things but i do have a point. My point is that their arent any lawns in Italy so where do the dogs go to relieve their food... yes, on the steets. But thats not all. Because we are talking to everyone on the streets and walking everywhere, i dont look down at the sidewalk so, what happens? I take the wonderful presents from the dog community with me on my journey. the Elders make fun of me because i never fail to step in the presents. I hope you enjoyed that, becuase its very imbarrassing for me, and im blushing... but at the same time, its very funny. so i understand. Well, i dont know how familiar you are with missionary vocabualary so im going to explain it a little to you. When you are brand new (like me) you get a trainer companion. In the mission they are called your Dad or for the sisters your Mom. If you are a trainer then your companion is your child. My Dad is Anziano Scoville. He is from Idaho Falls and has 11 brothers and sisters. He is so great. He is a runner so every morning we wake up at 630 and go running for a half an hour. He is very fast, and runs marathons, so he runs for the full 30 minutes and i run a lap here and there and then walk for the rest of it. He has been in the mission for a year and 4 months. My district leader, Elder Goddard is from Las Vegas and has been on his mission for a year and 6 months. Usually when youre born, new in the mission. You have a mom and a dad. the dad is your trainer and the mom is the senior companion of the sisters in your area. Well... we dont have sisters in my area, which is very sad, so i dont have a REAL mom, but long story short Elder Goddard is my mom because he and elder scoville were companions in caserta. So with Dad and Mama Goddard, im in good hands! ha ha ha ok, enough with that. I hope you liked that. We are all crazy here, but atleast we are crazy together. Now, the language. It is coming... i hope. I love it. Its beautiful and incredible. I am trying to ubsorb all that i can, and im so glad that i have two years. I wanted to just get it all in one week, but as all the italians tell me PIANO PIANO which means step by step. Which is so true. Even by learning a phrase a day, i am improving and getting the language. My trainer is fluent and is working on Spanish. There are many foriegners in Italy, so that means there are many languages. His spanish has helped in a lot of situations. I wish i could speak Romanian or German, because there are many people who speak those languages. But i learned that the most important language is the spirit. I spoke with a couple on the metro. They were from the Island just off of India. You know, the tear drop country... I dont remember the name, not a big surprise! But anyway, He spoke less Italian than i do and spoke that language from India. But even though we had a language barrior, we had a great conversation for about 20 or 30 minutes. Its incredible the miracles that have already happened here. I realized that so many miracles happen that we dont fully realize or appreciate, but they are miracles. That was just one example of many. I know that this is the only true church on the earth. I do not have any doubts of that. I know that God and Jesus Christ love us so much. The scriptures are incredible. I love you all, miss you so very much! Enjoy life and live it to its fullest, thats what im striving to do. love always, Anziano Beau Richard Brewster

Pictures from the MTC

"The Pie is so Good!"

Says my companion Anziano Bennett as he shoves his face full of "Torta" (Pie in Italian) Beautiful Sunday at the Temple Got Missionary? (Ha ha ha) Elder Rea and I! We sang twice that Sunday and then took pictures afterwards. He left the next morning at 6 am. He's teaching and preaching in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania right now! WOW! Beautiful Provo Temple Anziano Ball and Anziano Garcia Early in the Morning!! Attractive! "Mail, Glorious Mail" They are the 2 best times of the day when i pick up the mail. One day I had 4 letters! I'm Waiting to exceed that number... No hints or anything!! I used to pick up the mail, now it is a nice surprise when I get a letter at lunch.

Ostia Beau's First Area

<
View Larger Map

Beau's First Letter from Italy

Hello everyone! Im in italy and this keyboard is so crazy so i apologize now for the spelling and having no appostraphies (because there arent any!) Its so crazy here, i love it! its very different. ok, so before igo into detail let me start from the beginning. So on tuesday october 23i left the mtc at 1130. then we went to the slc airport. i got to callfamily and friends but at first no one answered... so... i called my momat school and interupted her class, but she didnt care and i didnteither. then my companion was dying for burger king so he grabbedburgerking while i grabbed an americanized italian food place. I wantedto compare the two, and it was pretty good. we then caught our flight to Chicago. it was a good flight and towards the end i talked with thisreally nice lady from Florida who went to Utah and then was going tochicago, new york and then back home. we laughed and talked aboutlanguages, etc. it was really great. We then arrived at the chicagoairport which is huge. Its more like a zoo or a factory than an airport.we had a layover and a delay so i was able to talk to my family as longas i possibly could. i talked with my two brothers Brody and Braxton, itwas great to talk to them. Brody was so sweet and Braxton was talking upa storm so excited to talk. i talked with my dad too, he was in orem forthe week because my stepbrother went into the MTC. hes going tovladavostoc russia. i know thats not how you spell it but its the best ican do. ok, i then talked with my beautiful aunt tawny who is having ababy in april! yeah! i cant wait. and then i talked to beautiful bonniefor a great amount of time. it was so great to hear her voice. i missher much. and i then talked to my mama. which was wonderful. ok, ill getto the point. sorry, i just have so much to write about. a lot happensin a week, its incredible. i got on the flight to london and i was and was going to visit. my companion was sitting by her and i switched him seats so i could talk to her. i told her that my uncle is from ghana and i showed him a picture of my cute little cousin athena. it was great to talk to her. we were given meals, which were really good, at least compared to anything i had for the past 2 months. she gave me her cake, showed me how to work the tv and radio even though i wasnt interested. my companion gave her a pass along card before i sat by her. i had a book of mormon on the seat inbetween us. i wanted to give it to her, but me being a chicken said really nothing. i was about to go to sleep and "try it in the morning" when she tapped me and said "is that your book? what is it about" are you kidding me! i was so happy. i talked about it, and she was intrested. i said, would you like this one? oh, no i dont want to take it from you. no, i brought it to give to someone, i replied. we looked up some scriptures together and we read seperately. it was an incredible experience. i thought it was over, but in the morning she asked if i would sign her book, so i did and i wrote a note to her. it was a great lesson to me, that we arent here to scam people, i always knew that, but there are really people that are wanting this truth wanting to find happiness and this is the only way they will find it and have it stay. i know thats true! oh, by the way her name was hawa, a beautiful black woman from chicago. i then got off the airplane and transfered my dollars into euros. my first euro was a 50, it was really cool, i got a picture of it... and that moment people knew that i was a poor white boy who had never been out of the united states, except mexico, but that doesnt count. we got on that plane, exhausted as ever. i sat by a really nice couple from mexico city. she didnt speak english across the way from a lady who was going to ghana. she has family thereand was going to visit. my companion was sitting by her and i switchedhim seats so i could talk to her. i told her that my uncle is from ghanaand i showed him a picture of my cute little cousin athena. it was greatto talk to her. we were given meals, which were really good, at leastcompared to anything i had for the past 2 months. she gave me her cake,showed me how to work the tv and radio even though i wasnt interested.my companion gave her a pass along card before i sat by her. i had abook of mormon on the seat inbetween us. i wanted to give it to her, butme being a chicken said really nothing. i was about to go to sleep and"try it in the morning" when she tapped me and said "is that your book?what is it about" are you kidding me! i was so happy. i talked about it,and she was intrested. i said, would you like this one? oh, no i dontwant to take it from you. no, i brought it to give to someone, ireplied. we looked up some scriptures together and we read seperately.it was an incredible experience. i thought it was over, but in themorning she asked if i would sign her book, so i did and i wrote a noteto her. it was a great lesson to me, that we arent here to scam people,i always knew that, but there are really people that are wanting thistruth wanting to find happiness and this is the only way they will findit and have it stay. i know thats true! oh, by the way her name washawa, a beautiful black woman from chicago. i then got off the airplaneand transfered my dollars into euros. my first euro was a 50, it wasreally cool, i got a picture of it... and that moment people knew that iwas a poor white boy who had never been out of the united states, exceptmexico, but that doesnt count. we got on that plane, exhausted as ever.i sat by a really nice couple from mexico city. she didnt speak english we communicated. she was very kind and had a beautiful smile and kindness that just burst from her heart. her and her husband were going on vacation to italy for 5 days. i hope they had a great time. well, then i arrived in Rome! yeah. we went and met the mission president, president acerson, and his wife and the 4 new missionaries who already know italian, and the two assistants. we stayed the night in the mission home, ate great food, just wating to hear who ours trainers would be and where we would serve. but we didnt find out until the next afternoon. the next morning we were trained a little bit, and then went to a church owned site. it was great to be there, they want to build a stake center their and then someday a temple. i hope so. it would be the perfect place. ok, now for the exciting part. we went back to the villa (mission home) and ate lunch with all of the new trainers. we then were seperated into 2 different rooms. they were being trained and we were dying at this point. we were so excited and dying to find out. we then gathered together. we were all given yellow envelopes that said where we would serve and who would be our trainer (our mom or our dad (babbo in italian). i was the 9th to get my envelope. i was so excited to open it. i opened it and i read: OSTIA with Anziano Jonathan Perry Scoville. my trainer, anz scoville screamed so loud. he was taking off his tie and i thought to myself, what is he doing! he screamed, this is yours! it was by far the best tie in the room! I was so excited. I thought we would stay a little longer and wait to hear the others... oh no, we were out of there! We left in seconds. I left my scriptures and binder at the villa, thats how fast we left. i know not much of a shock. we then caught a bus and started to talk with people. my companion even had me talk... in italian! are you crazy! i dont understand a word they are very well, and my italian is very basic, if i can speak it at all, butwe communicated. she was very kind and had a beautiful smile andkindness that just burst from her heart. her and her husband were goingon vacation to italy for 5 days. i hope they had a great time. well,then i arrived in Rome! yeah. we went and met the mission president,president acerson, and his wife and the 4 new missionaries who alreadyknow italian, and the two assistants. we stayed the night in the missionhome, ate great food, just wating to hear who ours trainers would be andwhere we would serve. but we didnt find out until the next afternoon.the next morning we were trained a little bit, and then went to achurch owned site. it was great to be there, they want to build a stakecenter their and then someday a temple. i hope so. it would be theperfect place. ok, now for the exciting part. we went back to the villa(mission home) and ate lunch with all of the new trainers. we then wereseperated into 2 different rooms. they were being trained and we weredying at this point. we were so excited and dying to find out. we thengathered together. we were all given yellow envelopes that said where wewould serve and who would be our trainer (our mom or our dad (babbo initalian). i was the 9th to get my envelope. i was so excited to openit. i opened it and i read: OSTIA with Anziano Jonathan Perry Scoville.my trainer, anz scoville screamed so loud. he was taking off his tie andi thought to myself, what is he doing! he screamed, this is yours! itwas by far the best tie in the room! I was so excited. I thought wewould stay a little longer and wait to hear the others... oh no, we wereout of there! We left in seconds. I left my scriptures and binder at thevilla, thats how fast we left. i know not much of a shock. we thencaught a bus and started to talk with people. my companion even had metalk... in italian! are you crazy! i dont understand a word they are of mormon and about joseph smith. we talked to 3 people before we got to our destination. we then met the other elders who we room with. anziano funk (who has been in the mission for 3 transfers-- a transfer is 6 weeks-- and had been in ostia for the whole time.) and anziano goddard who is my district leader. its us four in our district. i love these elders. they are very funny, and we get along really well. i gotta go, but i love italy. im in the ghetto, tons of graffiti everywhere! But i love this place. its great for me. yesterday we served at the mensa (cafeteria) and we are doing the same tomorrow. ive talked to great people. My first night we shopped and then taught my first lesson. the spirit was so strong, it was incredible. ill tell more stories next time, so that this is really long, and talks mostly about the airport. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! oh before i go, i went to the trivy fountain today and it was beautiful! we also met a lot of americans today from utah, that was cool, they stoped and talked to us. I love this work. its tough we have a lot of doors not opened and a lot of people who are not intrested but that doesnt mean that there isnt success and that there wont be baptisms. if that was the case, then we wouldnt be here. i know this work is important. this gospel is true. i know that with all of my heart. i love the people here. Gelato is wonderful i had my first one last night! i love the gospel. i know that my savior loves me and helps me every day. I got to go. CIAO i love you! ANZIANO BEAU BREWSTER

Pictures from the Mission President

Here are the pictures from his first days in Rome. Beau and President and Sister Acerson Beau and his Trainer Elder Scoville. His first area is Ostia about 15 miles southwest of Rome. He is right on the Mediteranean Sea.

Beau Brewster's Italy Mission Blog

I have created this blog so you can enjoy beaus mission with me. I will post all the letters that I recieve and the pictures that he sends. Feel free to add whatever you want.