- February 9, 1996 – Friday – Quito Ecuador… “Today Elder Herrera and I walked all over. At times I wonder if we’re following the Spirit because we walk all over but nothing. There is always a reason for everything. We taught some good 1st Charlas, and we gave Pepe Salas the 2nd. We have his date for the 18th. We know that he’ll be ready. We put Miguelon Pena for the 25th. We didn’t make it to the cita with Angel Montero. I felt really bad. There was no way. At these times I wonder if it was our fault for not following the Spirit or if the Lord wanted it this way. I feel that this is the Lord’s work, and he impedes us at times to complete what we’ve planned. I know that we sure aren’t going to impede or hinder the Lord’s work. A worthy missionary never will. He’ll just be used when the Lord wants. And when he wants, the missionary should have the Spirit strong enough to follow His promptings. If not, the missionary won’t be an effective instrument.” – Clinton Brown Missionary Journal
- February 13, 1996 – Tuesday – Quito Ecuador… “About the comment that Elder Ponciano will push Satan out – Satan testified of it today. We were eating some bread & chocolate milk, sitting on a curb. There was a drunk across the street yelling at us, & trying to start something. We just ignored him because it always happens. Well, the drunk grabbed a blade out of his sock and came after us! We both grabbed our books, bread, etc & I went one way and Elder Ponciano the other. He followed Ponciano trying to stab him, but some guy grabbed him so he couldn’t. We left like nothing happened. When we started meditating over the situation we both recalled feelings we had to not be where we were. We didn’t follow the Spirit & we were almost sliced. We need to learn to act on 1st promptings of the Spirit.” – Clinton Brown Missionary Journal
- February 17, 1996 – Saturday – Quito Ecuador… “We decided to go to Oswaldo Melo’s house. We gave him a charla reading the Book of Mormon. We invited him to be baptized. He said he would. We were speaking more about it when he suddenly gasped, and he said that he has a huge desire to be baptized this day, and that his whole body was filled with joy. We helped him to understand that these feelings come from the Holy Ghost. It looks like his partners are going to be stumbling blocks.” – Clinton Brown Missionary Journal
- February 20, 1996 – Tuesday – Quito Ecuador… “Right now I’m a little shook up. Emotionally wise. Tonight we went to an FHE at the Melo’s house. The Vallejos & Tipan families went with us. The Spirit was so strong & great there. We then arrived late to the Salas’ house. I’m sure we’re testing their patience. We started and Elder Ponciano started speaking on the importance of obeying parents, etc. Lourdes then went off on Lorena, telling us how bad she was etc. It was very uncomfortable. No Spirit. But the Spirit of contention. We were there 1 ½ hours, and the two of them spoke. Lorena finally spoke which is what she needed to do and Lourdes needed to do. Elder Ponciano & I did our best, trying to help them openly talk and come to conclusions. At the end, the Lord blessed us with such a strong spirit that it brought tears to our eyes. We then left and as we were walking down the street a drunk came up to us, asking for $ for some beer. Then an urgent feeling came over me saying to catch a Taxi & leave!! About 3 or 4 Taxis came by. The empty ones didn’t stop & I started getting scared. The drunk was getting very upset because we didn’t cooperate. We kept trying to walk and the drunk started to look around as if to see if there were people. Well, I looked ahead and there was a Taxi backing up to us. I was so happy because we were in a full on feeling of Satan. We got in the Taxi (Ponciano got in back, entering from the other side) and the drunk wouldn’t allow us to shut the door. I told the chofer to Go, so he did. The Tax driver then told us that he saw us as he passed by. He then went up the hill and came back down in front of us and then backed up. He told us that the drunk was a robber, and that he had a knife on him. We thanked the Taxi driver for stopping, paid him & left. As I said, I’m shooken up. 1st of all because of what COULD’VE happened if we didn’t have the Spirit with us, and to recognize the difference as the drunk came up. 2nd of all, Satan is trying so hard to kick us out of this sector. He has done more things with us this past week that I see that he’s working intensely. He has given us the creeps, etc, but he won’t send us out of here. I know that we are here to kick him out of this sector and zone, and he’s fighting until the end. Stan is testifying to me that Elder Ponciano is a valiant Spirit, that he’s going to be the one to finally overcome this sector. That’s the goal. Kick Satan out through hard work, obedience, studies, positive attitude, Love, Patience, diligence, and the Priesthood of God. I love this work.” – Clinton Brown Missionary Journal