I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed but can you ever just be whelmed?

I am seriously the luckiest. I have the best friends and family ever and I've never felt so blessed.

Hm...let's see. Since being here, I've realized that I never ever ever want to go to Prison. Being stuck in the same place day after day is rough. My companion likes to refer to this place as Spirit Prison. Or Azkaban. My other companion actually had a dream that Harry Potter came in the window at night and rescued her/helped her escape on his broomstick. So...yeah. Jail break. On the plus side, it has been BEAUTIFUL here this week, so we've been going outside to study and enjoy the sunshine. Vitamin D is so good for my soul. I shout "Ha sol em minha alma hoje!" pretty much every time we walk outside. Not mad about it. Although, my companions might be, because then that song is stuck in our head literally forever. 

Funny story, so we do service every week--aka clean the MTC for free--and this week, after gym, I was wrapped in my towel and walked in the bathrooms to find a bunch of girls cleaning the showers. Not unusual. Then, Lu (Sister Taylor) turns the corner in her goggles and hose in hand and we both just start dying laughing. For the rest of my shower, I just kept thinking..."Welp. You saw me naked so...." 

Side note. I learned how to say crushed it in Portuguese this week--esmagei-lo. No worries, I'm learning the necessities. Haha, okay, but real life. Portuguese is coming REALLY easily for me, which is SUPER nice and I feel so so blessed because I decided to take Spanish last semester and that I learn languages so easily, but I just want to know all of Portuguese right now. And it's hard because I feel like I already know what they are teaching us in class, so I'm trying to teach myself more and then I ask questions about it and they're like, it's okay, we'll get to it. But I need to know it. And in 3 weeks I'm gonna be dropped in Portugal and it's going to be the only way I can communicate, so...I need to know it. And I need to know the basics. Like food and body parts and directions and...things you don't learn in the MTC. But you want to hear the first few lessons? Got those down. But it's good, and it will come, and I am doing really, really well comparatively, so...it helps me feel less stressed. Ugh, the perfectionist in me is dying. 

Also, so is the English major in me. Seriously, I've decided no one can learn the languages they need to, because no one knows actually English. "What's the past tense?" I'm sorry...what? I don't think it helps that there are large signs everywhere that say "fire hazzard" NO. Hazard actually has one z. It hurts. It's fine. I'll survive. Speaking of the English major in me, I just started reading some scriptures in Isaiah, and I LOVE IT. What? Who loves Isaiah? Read Isaiah 55:11-12. It's the closest thing to Poetry I'll get for a while I suppose. 

This week, Sister Jackson said, "I would cuddle with a turtle right now." So...that's about where we're at with the starved for love and affection part of the mish. 

On Tuesday night, we had a devotional from Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy, and it was so good! The perfect reminder for why we are aligning our will with the Lord's. Ether 12:27. As long as we are humble and do what we are asked and have faith, we will be blessed. When we do his will, He will strengthen us, He will help us, He will perfect us. God is so good, and Jesus Christ's atonement is infinite and eternal and powerful enough for us to become new creatures in Christ. What a dream! Seriously, God is so good. 

It's funny how the days are so dramatically different. One day, I'm in full-fledged missionary mode ready to run to Portugal, and others I feel overwhelmed and not ready and secretly wishing to run away. But I think that's part of the experience. And I think when you have the highest highs, you also have to experience the lowest lows. Opposition in all things. I am super happy though! Don't worry about me! I know this is where I am supposed to be, and I know that this is where the Lord wants me to be. And I know that God is good always, and that I have been so incredibly blessed that I can't even begin to express my gratitude. On the upside, it seems as though on my hardest days, they have Graham Canyon for us! Or I get a package FULL of zucchini bread! Oh my heart is SO full! Brooks Bakes is the world's greatest. And so are you Sissy-ter!! SO glad you are keeping the business running!! Answers to my prayers.

I wish I had more to tell you, or I had more time, or could actually call you, but...in less than 3 weeks, I'll be calling you from the airport!! CRAY-ZAY. Can NOT wait to hear your voices again. Time is flying, and standing still. I wish I could explain it. Also Mom, what the you're on twitter? What do you tweet? It better be funny to keep up with the Brooks Twitter rep. Did you guys read about the Abu Dahbi Stake Center? Rad. Obviously my love for the middle east just keeps growing and growing. 

Okay, I must leave, but I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO VERY MUCH! Thank you for your love and updates and everything. ALSO VERONICA MARS MOVIE WHAT?!? MISSION BLESSINGS. Maybe they'll film in Portugal? One can only hope... I pray for you all every night, and I hope everything is going perfectly and I hope you are taking advantage of all my mission blessings. You guys are the best and I love you more than you know.

TE AMO,

Sister Brooks

I'm posing a very important philosophical question this week: "If we're all going to be perfected, what happens to Beyonce?" -Sister Jackson

**Kristan edit: after finding out Mom had no idea about Sam's "kimye" reference from the email a couple of weeks ago, I feel it necessary to note that Sam references the movie Pitch Perfect about a hundred times (in this and previous emails). So if you're confused by something (like "Welp. You saw me naked . . .") just assume it's a movie/TV/song quote.