June 24, 2009

Things are going so well. We were able to do 2 exchanges since i last wrote. I went up to Olbia and had a great exchange with Elder Sullivan and i just got back last night from an exchange with Elder Bowen in Oristano. I had some neat experiences. I was able to see some of the same people that i saw last transfer and even the transfer before that. In fact, my first transfer here i did an exchange with Elder Pepperdine in Oristano and visited a former investigator and her family. We had a great lesson and they invited us over a second time. After that they werent able to see them because they were never at home and never answered the phone. I even went last transfer and passed by but they were not home. Elder Bowen planned for us to stop by them when i was there because he had never met the son nor the husband. When we knocked on their door the son answered and let us in. We had a great lesson with him. He doesnt believe in God and doesnt believe that he doesnt exist. He really doesnt know and didnt know how to ever find out. We told him that he can find out through the holy ghost. Praying and reading brings the holy ghost and answers any question that we have. It was an amazing lesson. The spirit was very strong. Right when we had finished the father walked in and talked with us. He has a great character. He has a dry humor and says jokes/witty remarks with a blank face. I love this man. We talked about the gospel and important principles in life. He is a very wise and God knowing man. We shared the same scripture that we shared with his son previously, Moroni 10:3-5. He loved it and started reading more of the Book of Mormon. He is going to read it, pray to know that it is true and come to church. They will be wonderful members. Right after that we had one of the best visits with an inactive member that i have had. We used Moroni 10:3-5, bore our testimonies and shared our personal experiences. We then asked him how he came to know that the Book of Mormon was true. At times inactive members kind of deny having spiritual experiences that came when asking that the Book of Mormon is true but this man did not. He said that he prayed and received an answer that it was true. He then said that he had to leave one way to follow another. We invited him to church but he could not come this week. He was very kind and showed me how important inactive work is and what a difference it can make. I know that there are more concerns that they will have to resolve with him but it was a wonderful start. He has 3 children and his wife is visiting her parents in sicily for a little while. Oristano only has 7 members so a family of 5 would be such a great strength. I love exchanges because i learn so much from the elders that i serve with. The next day i was able to help a new convert, Alessandro. I was actually the one who gave him his baptismal interview. His testimony was so pure when i gave the interview but now i could tell that a few things were bothering him. He was struggling. We talked about temples and shared our great love for the temple. He was zoning out and asking if we were done. We knew that something was not right. We finally pried it out of him. He is debating on serving a mission or going to school. He plans on going to Torino for school for 3 years but the missionaries challenged him to pray about it to get his answer. He prayed about it but you could tell that he didnt listen because he doesnt want to get that answer that he knows the Lord will give him. We knealed and prayed with him and you could feel the spirit. He his worried that if he goes on a mission and comes back, he wont find a job and it will be hard to go to school. He also doesnt feel that he is capable of serving a mission, that he doesnt know enough. We bore our strong testimonies that the Lord will provide and that as he follows this commandment The Lord will guide him to eternal happiness. I love the mission and would be no one without it. I have learned and grown more in such a little time. I have learned many christlike attributes such as patience, faith, virtue, obedience, hope, diligence and love. The Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall i know! Love, Elder Beau Brewster

June 17, 2009

I love serving a mission. I am learning so much from these experiences. For so long i just taught lessons rather than teaching the people. I am now striving to read them and to discover their wants, desires and concerns. Once we know that we can then help them. That is what Elder Kopischke taught us. We cant connect with someone or teach them without their want and desire so to get that we have to know what their concerns and questions are. Today i am in sassari doing exchanges and then at 1 i leave for Olbia doing exchanges there. Ever since we had zone leader council with Elder Kopischke a lot has changed in the mission which is great. We have switched exchanges so that one ZL stays in his city with the companion of the DL of the other city while the other ZL does an exchange with the DL in his city. This means that we do a lot more traveling because we have to go to their city (3-4 hours away and then come right back). It's better this way but it is crazy. I am exhausted but i love serving this Elders. I loved Zone Leader Council. We each brought up one or two ideas of how we can better the mission and change. He told us that we are the leaders of the mission and it starts with us. I never realized that. I always just thought that it was up to the president but i realized that he cant do it alone, we have to be self reliant and get the things done that we know need to get done. The spirit was so strong. I love President Acerson. He knows exactly what i need exactly when i need it. One thing that is hard for me is correcting other elders and as a leader i have to do it or they will keep doing the same things. He said to me boldly with the spirit, "You are where you are for a reason. Move forward and Do it!" I was able to go to Ostia for my Pday and see Barbara and Carmelo. I am excited to stay with them in August. I was able to sing for them and film a few messages to give to 2 old investigators and 1 inactive member. I love the mission. This church is sooo true! Carlos passed the sacrament last week which was great! Love, Elder Beau Brewster

June 10, 2009

I love our new district. My companion is wonderful. He is so supportive, hard working, and so calm. I am so blessed to have him as my companion. We had a great zone conference with ELder Kopischke. I really wish that you could have been there so i will try to describe things that he taught us. He started by saying that a mission = people. He had such a great love and energy. He taught us on having an eye of faith meaning to dream and picture new investigators that we will meet that day. He challenged us to wake up at 6:29 thinking of the person that we will meet or the family that we will meet that day. I am making it my goal to find a family and baptize them before i go and i know that i can do it. This conference helped me realize the great blessing it is to be called of God and serve Him as a missionary. I cannot get distracted and will not as long as i keep my relationship strong with my Heavenly Father. The spirit was so powerful. He answered our questions with simple principles of truth always based on scriptures. I received answers to prayers that i have had for a while. One of these was to have confidence rather than fear. I asked him the question on how i could overcome fear and have confidence. He answered my question perfectly. I dont remember the answer on the top of my head but i wrote it down so i will have to go back to my notes. I can see the difference in me, before the conference and after. He helped me realize the importance of planning that it is sacred time. He showed the reality tv type movie that we watch in the MTC that is such a great example that really helped us. My companion and i are working so hard to put these things into practice and be the best that we can be. His wife is the most energetic, inthusiastic and loving woman. She helped us realize the importance of our nametag and what we need to think of every time that we put it on our chest. She also helped us realize that we can have a huge impact on those at home that want to hear our great insights, spiritual experiences, and success stories. I hope that i have been doing this well. I am striving to do better at this to inspire all. I know that this church is so true. The spirit cannot lie! I had the great privilege to sing with one of my favorite elders, Elder Cangialosi, "This is the Christ." It was probably the worst musically that i have ever done but it was the most spiritually filled and touching that i have ever sung. The spirit was expanding my heart. I know that this is the christ the savior of mankind and i will bear my holy witness to all of those around me that He lives and this is His restored church. I will invite them to come unto Him and to repent for the rest of my mission and the rest of my LIfe. I will not let the mission end when i go home. I will help my brothers and sisters that i love to come to their Father in Heaven and partake of His everlasting love. I still have time to do it here and i am so grateful for that. I am not letting a second pass me by without striving to do the will of the Lord. I love my mission. Love Elder Brewster

June 3, 2009

I am realizing every day that I am so blessed! This

morning we woke up early so that we could go to the devil's saddle again

and study our scriptures there. It is a beautiful mountain that

overlooks the sea. It was a beautiful spiritual experience for me. I

read my Zone leader call letter and wrote goals and desires for this

next transfer. I was also able to right all of the things that i learned

from my companion Elder Sponseller. I then prayed to find the best thing

to read in the book of Mormon. Mormon 9 came into mind. I really needed

this chapter. It was talking about the miracles of God. That He always

has been and always will be a God of miracles. The same miracles that we

read of in the Book of Mormon and the Bible can and do happen in these

days. Why they seem to not happen as much is because of our unbelief and

lack of trust in God. I sure needed this chapter today. There are

miracles waiting for me every day here in Cagliari. The reason why

somedays it seems like there are tons of miracles and others that there

isnt even 1 is because of my faith and belief in the Lord. We have to

look forward for this miracles and have faith... meaning ACT! I love the

Scriptures. It was so beautiful being so close to God in the nature

today. I was just amazed by his creations. I am so blessed, we are so

blessed.

I got the transfer call on Monday and to my surprize i am staying. I

thought that either i would leave and go District Leader in a small city

or stay with Elder Sponseller, but non of those actually happened. I am

staying and my new companion is coming from my birth city--Ostia. His

name is Anziano Stanfield and is from Mesa, Arizona... i believe. He

came into the mission with my son Elder Manwaring. Infact, they were

companions in the MTC. I am very excited. Elder Sponseller is going to

be the District Leader in Rome 1 which is the biggest district in the

mission. Elder Starkweather is going to be the district leader and elder

pace's new companion. I am really excited for this next transfer. It is

crazy that this is my last full transfer. Elder Kopishke from the 70 is

coming on Tuesday for Zone Conference. It is really fast this transfer!

We are way excited. Ok, Giovanni was baptized on Saturdayf! yeah! ELder

Pace, SIster Hansen and I did a musical number, "come thou fount of

every blessing" in italian which went really well. He had 3 friends that

came. We knew 2 of them and talked to them a little bit. Giovanni and

Carlos then were given the gift of the holy ghost in sacrament meeting

on Sunday. After church they were ordained with the aaronic priesthood.

We are so excited for them. Giovanni was baptized by President Sanna,

our District president. His water was ice cold but he did it and it was

a beautiful site. Fratello Caravagna gave him the gift of the Holy Ghost

and President Espis gave him the aaronic priesthood. It is so crazy that

we had 2 baptisms in one week. I love it!

Love Elder Brewster