You attack me with the words of God, and I attack you with chocolate cake. -Cesar

ANOTHER P-DAY!!! This week FLEW by!! EEE! You´ll all be so glad to know that this week was a bajillion and 12 times better than last week. Well, maybe you don´t care, but I LOVED it. YIYIYIIII!!! 

K. Lawls. My life is the funniest, but it´s also the greatest, and I am just really starting to get attached to my little Mem Martins family. Seriously, it´s the funniest little area, but it´s awesome at the same time. I´m sorry that I´m so awful at explaining everything, it´s just like impossible to explain.

ANYWAYS. Remember that guy that I told you about last week that showed up to church? Well, I realized I didn´t tell you his name (and I´m convinced it´s because it´s kind of like when you like a boy, but you don´t want to tell anyone, because you´re afraid that as soon as you admit it or tell someone his name, then it won´t work out and you´ll just look like an idiot and you´re all embarrassed for even thinking something might happen in the first place-hahahah). BUT. HE´S FREAKING AWWEEESOME!!!! Guys. I love him so much. He´s so perfect. He´s 25 and talks a bajillion and twelve miles an hour and he loves How I Met Your Mother and Modern Family and I just giggle at everything he says, because he is just SO happy. Oops. Still haven´t told you his name. It´s Diogo. He´s seriously so awesome. And he rocks the deep V just like Kyle. Okay, so anyways. We met with him for the first time last week, and we find out in the first 10 minutes that he´s vegetarian!!! I´m sorry WHAT?!? Our District Leader said I smelled him out. HA. (He also has a field and he makes cookies out of SEEDS!! Kena---you guys would be the best of friends. I just know it!) AH HE´S SO GREAT AND HE´S SO ELECT!! HE´S PERFECT! Anywho, so he´s awesome and he makes us the happiest and he´s just so stoked about everything we tell him. And the other day he was telling us that he has panic attacks whenever he thinks about not being with his family again after he/they die. And Sister Barlow and I just turned to each other with the biggest smiles on our faces and we were like "BUT YOU CAN BE!!! FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER!!!" Anywho, so he´s just jazzed on everything, and everything he has a question about is like directly answered by the Gospel. It´s quite possibly the coolest thing I´ve ever witnessed in my whole life. Like when we were talking about our purpose on this life, and we showed him 2 Nephi 2:25, after he read it, he hit is head and goes, `Duh!´ It´s Elder Holland´s promise!!! They will remember the things they already knew before this life!!! GUYS--HE IS THE GREATEST. I love him. Buuuuut, like the rest of Portugal, he´s got a leeeetle bit of a smoking problem. So...we´re working on that. He can do it. He´s the greatest. I mean really, who needs drugs anyhow?

AH. And then...there´s still sweet Cesar. Okay, he is the funniest. And he thinks EVERYTHING is the Holy Spirit. (Direct translation from Portuguese--and he says it in English and it´s just so funny.) Anyways, so here´s the experience he told us this week. He was sitting in seminary and he had to go to the bathroom. So, he walked downstairs and thought to himself, `I should check the refrigerator.`So he did. And there was pudding inside. It was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wanted him to have that pudding. HAHAHAHAH YES. YES CESAR. It WAS the Holy Spirit. Whatever. All things that are good come from God, nao e? (Moroni 7:16-17) Like when New Moon and Raise Your Voice were on back to back on Saturday afternoon in the place where we were teaching. Yeah. That was happy. 

Also, I have the nickname Sister Bolachas (Cookies) already. And this little boy came up to me at church yesterday and goes, ´Èxcuse me Sister Brooks, but when will you bring more of those cookies?` hahaha oh he was the cutest kid in all of the world and rockin this little gingham shirt. Oh, I die. 

OH! And Dad! The Olivera family (that we literally do everything with, because they are the absolute best) had us over for a noite familiar last week and they had these chips that were called ´ruffles with ketchup´ and I just died laughing, because I can only imagine how much you would love them, so I hope they have that flavor in America too, and I hope shmommy can find it for you. 

We saw a LOT of miracles this week, and a LOT of people were realllyyy open to us, and seriously, you guys´ prayers are working. So, THANK YOU!! I´m really excited about life and everything and I´m just so happy to be here and I just love seeing the Spirit work in people and watching them grow. It´s the coolest. The Gospel is SO true! I love it! I love Portugal! I love life!

I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOO MUCH!!! SERIOUS. I could not love you more. You´re my strength. I love you I love you I love you. Until next week.

xoxo

Sister Brooks

hahahhaa we made scripture cigarettes for one of our investigators -- hahah our only investigator. BUT HE'S GONNA QUIT SMOKING BC OF EM I JUST KNOW IT. it was probably the funniest thing I've ever done. And note to self. tobacco and perfume make the world's WORST smell in the whole entire world. 

Cristo Real - Or just me. HI!!!!

  

This one's for you Kel. We HEART 1D!

LAWLS AT THE WIND HERE. WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BLOW AWAY.

MCDONALDS DATE with Ces cakes!

My pretty little fake east coast home. 

Fine. I'll live here. FINE.

You know the nail ladies?

...And how we always look at them as if they are unintelligent, because they can´t speak English. Yeah. Well, THEY´RE PROBABLY BRILLIANT in their own little Vietnamese minds. That´s what I´ve realized this week. Everyone looks at me like I´m an idiot when I speak and I feel like the biggest impostor trying to speak their language, but ya know what? I´m smart okay! It´s not my fault I wasn´t born into this country speaking your language. Ughs. Whatevs. I have a new appreciation for the nail ladies. That´s all. 

HOW ARE YOU FAMILY?!?!?! Why are you guys the greatest? Seriously the greatest I tell you.

Mom, thank you so much for going out and teaching with the missionaries! Getting members to come along with us can be such a struggle, but it is absolutely awesome when it works out!! Sisters--do it too! 

Let´s see. This week was great. Last P´day, we went to the mall and I was in heaven. Except, I also felt like I was like beyond onver-stimulated with all the ads and signs and music and happiness. I was enjoying the real world a bit too much. It´s fine. Whatever. Little miracles. No, seriously. Like when a man drove by us on the street this week, and I was SO TIRED I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE SLASH CUT MY FEET OFF and then Michael Jackson just starts blaring down the street. It was the perfect pick-me-up. Miracles I tell you.

Also, I had my first set of divisions this week. Sister Wilde and Sister Urilges came to our area and we were split up and it was great and hard and I learned a lot and I thought my head was going to explode and i was so afraid of doing something wrong and yeah. but they are awesome angel human beings and i am so glad i got the opportunity to serve with them and learn from them. They´re our Sister Training Leaders or something like that and only have a couple more weeks in the mission, but they´re awesome and at night it was like a big sleepover and so I was just laughing lots and feeling like it was the freshman year dorms all over again.  

Oh my goodness. The breads slash pastry deliciousness things are going to kill me here. You know how much I LOVE those rolls you make me Kristan? Yeah. The ones they have here are like a bajillion times better and they make them fresh everyday. So...that´s fun. BUT. They don´t have anything like the cookies we make, so everyone in the ward just noms on my chocolate chip cookies, and obviously I love it. But it´s the funniest thing, because they´re always asking for more and there isn´t enough time in the day to make them, but I don´t mind, because it gives me an excuse to make them whenever there is time-heheheh.

BUT IN OTHER NEWS!!! MIRACLES!!!! Okay, so everyone and their mother and dog has been dropping us like the plague and it made this week SUPER hard and exhausting and I literally feel like I got hit by a bus and then a train and then a car and then an airplane (okay, whatever, i´m dramatic, i get it.) EVERY morning when I wake up. No, seriously. What is this? BUT. On Saturday night, we were walking to an appointment, (that didn´t show-shocker) and I saw this guy crossing the street. And we kept making eye contact, and we kept walking in opposite directions, and I am terrified of contacting people, but we kept looking back and forth at each other and so finally, I just turned around and we started walking toward him and I´m pretty sure I didn´t even say hi. I just said `We´re missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.` And then he just started talking to us and was SO excited we were Americans and just went on and on and on and I didn´t understand a word, but he was SUPER happy and that made me super happy and it was awesome. Then on Sunday, we were leaving church and the Elders told us that he showed up during Priesthood!!! What?!? AWESOME!! He came all on his own!! And apparently he told the Elders that he had been so sad all week and wondering what God wanted him to do with his life, and then when we walked up to him, he said he had just been thinking about it again and was all sad and he´s taking us as his answer from God! AH WHAT?!?! SO COOL!! Anyways, so we called him right away, and I am SO excited to meet with him tonight. We´re going to have a Noite Familiar (Family Home Evening) with one of the member´s family and him and I am SO stoked!! We might finally actually have some people to teach!! God is SO good!! And this kid is seriously so awesome and so funny. I love him already!! 

Also, everyone thinks we´re from London, so that´s funny. Like today, these boys started shouting `harry potter! harry potter`in bad british accents at us and we just go....we´re americans!! hahahah I love my life. 

I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOO MUCH!!! YOU´RE THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD!!! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS!! I KNOW THEY´RE WORKING!!! I MISS YOU SO SO MUCH!!!!

PS. WHAT THE FREAK?!?! SJ IS ENGAGED?!?!?! I AM SOOO EXCITED FOR YOU!!! AHHH I CAN´T BELIEVE I´M GONNA MISS THE WEDDING OF THE CENTURY, BUT I AM SOOOO EXCITED FOR YOU!!! EEEEE!!!! WE LOVE LOVE!!!!

PPS. HAPPY EARTH DAY KENA DEAREST!! I´m trying to save the earth one plastic bag at a time over here for you too! 

xoxox,

Sister Brooks

My hizzome. Aka, waiting on the people to never show

It´s not pink berry, but it´s blue berry, so it´s like the same thing!

THEY SELL MACAROONS AT MCDONALDS HERE!!!

Yes, English? No, English? NO ONE HERE KNOWS ANY ENGLISH.

HI HI HI HI HI HI HI!!! 

So, ya wanna know what I learned this week? I handle rejection WAY better than I thought. lolololol. The Portuguese LOVE to set up appointments with you and tell you they´re be somewhere at a certain time and then they just never show up, or they give you their number and never ever answer or they say they´ll come to church and they don´t. So...... that´s fun. Hahah no literally, what is this life? 

Also, I´m ready to be fluent like...whenever. We have this one recent convert who is 17. His name is Cesar and he´s the funniest, but he LOVES to correct me and my Portuguese. And half the time I can´t even tell the difference between what he is saying and what I´m saying, so...that´s a good time. Listen. It´s not my fault the the c makes an s sound and the x make a sh sound or a j sound or an x sound and you leave the e sound off sometimes but not others and the m at the end of a sentence makes a ng sound-like WHATEVER OKAY? Ugh. Yeah. So...that´s how Portuguese is coming. Actually, I already feel like I understand a LOT more than I did last week, but still. like maybe 3 percent of the convo.  

For instance, this week, Sister Barlow was on the phone with our Zone Leaders and we were stopped on the side of the road, and I was holding our pass along cards/invites to church, and this man slows down and looks at me and then at my hands and I go, "Quer?" and he responds "Sim," so I gave in a convite (invite) and then he walked away. So...here´s to hoping he shows up at church on Sunday. Hahahhah. My companion watched the whole thing go down and then we both just started laughing our heads off. #stupidamerican

I had my first encounter with creepy guys harrassing us this week, so that was funny. But don´t worry mom and dad, they weren´t in our area. So all is well.

Also, you wanna know how missionaries make jokes? At night, we have to call the Elders and give them our numbers, and every once in a while they have scriptures for us to read during personal study. Well, they also like to find the most RANDOM scriptures in the world and send us on scripture chases and just laugh at us through the phone as we read them. So...missionary jokes. HAHAHAHAHAHAH WHAT? 

The sun FINALLY decided to make an appearance this week. Man, that rain overcast stuff was tough. But despite all the rejection, as long as the sun is shining and we have DC in the fridge, my life is so beyond good. And I am SO glad my companion supports my habit. Actually, we´re probably bad influences on each other, but whatever. I´m not mad. We may or may not have walked 30 minutes in the sun yesterday carrying 8 liters of DC. Why? We don´t know. There´s a store 30 seconds away, but it seemed like a really good idea to buy it when we were 30 minutes away. Hahahah, whatever, we have diet coke. 

Also, the vegetarian thing spread like wildfire in the ward. So that´s funny. I walk in and all these people come up to me and go, "what´s you´re name?" Move hair off name tag and point. "Sister Brooks" "Oh.....you´re the one that doesn´t eat meat." Judgy face. hahahaha so that´s a good time. But on the upside. Everyone knows. So I don´t have to worry about it anymore....in this area at least.  

My companion is an angel and she puts up with me and all of my weird ways. She lets me bake at night time, and she even laughs at my jokes (and we all know how important that is). She´s an awesome example to me and we have lots of fun together, so I feel so very blessed.

Hm....my life. Okay, this is kinda how it goes. Wake up at 7 (Portugal bby). Pretend to exercise. Shower. Personal Study. Companionship Study. Training. Go out the door around 11:30. Go to where we said we´d meet someone to teach. They don´t show up. Try to talk to whoever we see on the street. They ignore us. Go in for lunch around 1. Language study for an hour after lunch. Go to this little abandoned mall thing to meet with our only reliable (so needy it´s insane) friend, Cesar, and have a little lesson. Then we try and find some more people and we keep trying to find some more people and we keep trying and trying and trying. They say the field is white, but I´m starting to think we´re like looking for needles in the haystack here.  Whatever, all is well, because God is good and he loves us and we see miracles everyday. Sometimes I feel like this must be what it´s like to be a mom. You spend all day running errands and trying to help people and just talking to everyone you know in the grocery line and petting everyone´s dogs and waving to their children and trying to make sure everyone feels loved and making lunch hahahahahah. Yeah. Exactly like motherhood. 

Anywho, we´re going to the mall today, so....yay!!! Here´s to hoping the McDonalds has fountain DC. Also, goal for the week: find peanut butter and chocolate chips. How have I been surviving, you ask? I know, I know. It´s a miracle. I am happy! Life is good! We´ve got the Lord on our side, so all things are possible! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! YOU´RE THE GREATEST IN ALL OF THE LANDS!!! Seriously, SO glad I have you. I miss you everyday, but you´ve got me for eternity suckaaas. :) LOVE YOU!!

xoxo,

Sister Brooks

Just Zone Conferencin´

Cesar our newest member!!

He´s literally the biggest diva I´ve ever met. EVER. lololol

Just waiting for the bus #kythan

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

WWJD (What would Jenna (Sister Jackson) do?)

LOLOLOLOL WHAT?

I´m in Portugal. Hi. No, like literally hi. What? (Also, bear with me, because I cannot figure out this keyboard for the life of me.)

I don´t even know where to begin. For starters, our water got cut off this morning, so...that´s fun. It´s almost like I´m living real life, but actually not at all. Everything is so strange, and I just laugh A LOT. I´m pretty sure if I didn't laugh I´d cry, so..we´re going with laughter over here in Europe. I´m sorry, I´m in Europe? Alright. I´ll take it. 

Okay, let´s see. I don´t even know where to begin. I am BEYOND exhausted. I FINALLY got a nap today, and it was seriously a blessing from above. I am still so jet-lagged, and we are just constantly on the go. Literally no time for anything. I didn't even realize I hadn't gotten any mail in almost a week until yesterday! Unreal. I know. But I do miss that so much. We were far too spoiled in the MTC. Oh well, all is well. 

Either way, I´ll get it. I haven´t received anything yet, but don´t worry, I already bribed the AP with freshly baked cookies and he said if I get anything, he´ll hand deliver it...so here´s to hoping :) #thatsistermissionary

Okay, PORTUGAL. I am in this area that´s just outside of Lisbon. It´s called Mem Martins, and it´s very old and I´m not sure if we have the coast in our area or not, but it´s good. It reminds me a lot of Jerusalem with the Magnum Bars everywhere and the cobblestone streets and the shops just surrounding you. It´s more like west Jerusalem, but it´s beautiful and I like it a lot. Also, every door has these old fashioned like real life keys--even for the bathrooms--and I feel like the Princess Anastasia trying to open her locket everywhere I go. It´s actually so fun. We walk around everywhere and take the trains or buses to get around to further away places. 

My new companion is an ANGEL! All our prayers worked guys!! She is so nice and so patient and so loving. Her name is Sister Barlow, and she´s from Maryland  She´s cousins with Paul Davis! (And all the rest of them) But she´s far too kind to me, and so helpful, and she´s been out a year already, so she knows the ropes. I am SO happy she speaks English, because oh man guys, I am SO lost. Like SO SO LOST. Also, fun game here, EVERYONE has a different accent and some people like to just throw in other languages whenever they feel like it, so...that´s a good time. But I do pick up probably 1 phrase in every 30, so then I just bear testimony on that. And I smile a lot. Apparently, I´m fooling them, because they look at me like I know what they´re saying. LAWLS. There´s a lot of grumpy old men, and apparently the economy is doing terribly, so people talk about that a lot and about war, but mostly I just stand there confused with a smile on my face. Might not always be appropriate...oops.

SO much has happened, and yet nothing has happened. Okay, let´s see. So, we got here and had dinner and got to sleep at the mission home, so that was such a blessing. Then we woke up the next morning and went straight to the office for a sort of information meeting where we met our companions and got our new areas and talked about the mission and about the little things like finances and the sort. Then we were pushed out the door and sent to work. We´ve already had a zone meeting and with General Conference and everything, I have yet to have a full "mission" day. BUT GUYS! A MIRACLE HAPPENED! On Saturday, we were trying to figure out how we were going to get to the chapel where they were showing conference and it was going to be in Portuguese and I was going to cry. BUT THEN! Sister Fluckiger called us and invited us to the mission home to watch it there! IN ENGLISH! OH, I WAS SOOO HAPPY!!! OH MAN OH MAN, GOD IS SO GOOD! AND THEN!!! When we were there, in between sessions, we made dinner, AND SISTER FLUCKIGER LET ME MAKE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!! GOD IS SO GOOD!! I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY!! My fingers were just covered in dough and I kept saying, "This is my happy place. I´ve never been happier." These are real life miracles. Oh, I cannot even begin to explain how badly I needed that. 

AND CONFERENCE! SO GOOD! Oh, I am SO happy. The Prophet and Apostles are truly men inspired by God. Elder Holland´s talk was just so perfect. Sometimes, I get stressed that I don´t know enough, but it´s all about faith and the desire to know. Alma 32:27. I actually used that in a lesson this week. EVERYONE WATCH ALL OF IT! SO GOOD! LDS.ORG

Speaking of lessons, it´s SO much different in real life. And so interesting how different people accept/don´t accept what we have to say. And sometimes we just pray with people in the streets, and it´s actually the coolest experience  because the Spirit is so strong, and God really is on our right hand and on our left. He´s everywhere, and he loves us so much. 

Side notes--it´s actually SO cold here, but we have baby space heaters in our apartment, so I´m surviving. We've already had two meals with members, hahahaha this is going to be funny. I've had to break the news about being vegetarian, but they are all so nice about it, and secretly, I think it will end up saving my life. Also, apparently there are 30 sisters in the mission right now and 30 coming next transfer, so hahahha sorry if I have to train someone after 6 weeks, because we gonna be LOST.

Mem Martins is a wonderful area. One of the only areas with a really strong ward already, so I feel so lucky to be here for my first area. The Bishop´s daughter is actually Sister Jackson´s new companion and they´re serving up in Porto. Also, apparently there are a few cathedrals in our area and there are a few shopping centers too, so...miracles. It´s so strange not seeing the same 11 people I saw everyday in the MTC, but the Elders and Sisters here are SO loving and SO kind and funny and great and I just love them all so much already. I am SO happy to be here! There is so much work to be done! And I have cookies to go make for our noite familiar (family night)! Ee! ee! ee! Brooks Bakes takes Portugal. 

I am so happy! I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO MUCH!! SO SO MUCH!! God is so good. Look for him in your life everyday, because he is there and he loves us so much. More than I love you all, but I still think that might be up for debate. TE AMO TE AMO TE AMO.

xoxo,

Sister Brooks

Virginia and ATL---Peace up, A-town down

JRU Easter Reunion

Elder Nichols!

saying goodbye to the one and only

GOODBYE STUPID MTC DESK THAT I NEVER MOVED FROM

PAZ E BENÇOES MTC

HAPPY CAFE RIO

just being Princess Kate in London

Mission President and his wife!

The dramatic goodbye with Sister Jackson.

Sister Nelson, who knows everyone from home! Yay for mutual friends!

My new companion! Sister Barlow

IM IN PORTUGAL!

hi hi hi! i dont have any time, but i just wanted to let you know that i am here! we made it safe and sound. im currently in the mission home. we just had dinner and a little testimony meeting and we're staying here for the night before we get assigned to our areas and our new companions tomorrow morning! ah! its so weird and i still cant wrap my head around it, but im a real missionary and apparently i have lessons to teach tomorrow and everything! also, dont worry, i gave out two pass a long cards on the plane adventures, so i guess i really am a real missionary. anyways, i am dead tired and smell absolutely horrible and my hair is greasier than ever, so i must shower and get to bed, because ive got work to do tomorrow! I LOVE YOU SO SO MUCH! ate logo!

xoxo

sammy 

FESTA NOS EUA

FAMILY! FRIENDS! LOVED ONES! HOW ARE YOU?!?!

What a week. What a week. Let's see...what happened? Ah, the days are all starting to blur together and it's stressful. 

Last weekend was such a blessed one. Oh, how I am going to miss running into all of my favorite people in Provo. On Saturday, I GOT TO SEE KATE! She and Davis came into the teaching center (TRC) to get taught by the Koreans, and as I was walking to dinner, I looked in the windows of one of the rooms and saw Kate's face! My heart literally jumped for joy. But she couldn't leave and I had dinner, so we quickly went and ate dinner, and then on our walk back, I ran into Sister Stewart, and I grabbed her and forced her to come with me and we went and waited until Kate came out of the room. Tears were shed and hugs were shared. It was VERY dramatic. I know, you're all shocked. But it was SO good to see her! And then on Sunday, we were walking to the Temple, and I was literally attacked by all of my best friends, and I was so so SO very happy for the whole day (even though it was FREEZING outside.) So...if you all want to move to Portugal and stalk me there too, that'd be great. No really, please. 

Also, HAPPY HOLY WEEK!!!! I cannot believe that this time last year I was walking around the Holy Land. Oh, my heart. It aches. And yet, I am SO happy that I get to celebrate two Easters in a row solely focusing on the Savior and celebrating His life! We're having some super special Easter service with the ENTIRE MTC. So, like all 3500 people or so that are here right now are going to be having a Sacrament meeting together! Crazy awesome huh? Don't know who is coming yet, but we know it's really important, so...fingers crossed that my rumors reached Salt Lake. 

There's this kid here who is from Dubai (so....obviously you know I die). Well, actually he's from Canada or something but lived in Dubai for like his whole life. Anywho, when I first met him, he wrote me a note in Arabic to prove that he actually lived in Dubai, so obviously, I died again. Anywho, from then on out my companions and I just continued to refer to him as Dubai. Still don't know his name actually. Anyways, he's going to Malaysia, and he left this week, but on Monday, we were walking to class and we all saw each other and he told us he was leaving, and I said, "Good luck in Malaysia!" and he said, "Until our wedding day!" And I just giggled and giggled and giggled for days. Seriously, why are people so funny? Also, why am I starved for attention/positive reinforcement? I blame the lack of social media likes. #saidit

So...here at the MTC, since all the days blend together, my hilarious companions and I decided we needed a way to differentiate the days. So, we decided that if the day before P-Day is P-Day Eve, then the day before that should be P-Day Adam. So that covers Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Well then, Sister Jackson dubbed every Tuesday, Haikuesday. Yes, we write Haikus to each other every Tuesday, and generally we do it in Portuguese, so they make no sense, but they're hilarious. For example:

Encorocolado (Curly) 

Do you want to know?

What I think about Heaven?

Batatas Fritas. (French Fries)

OR

Hoje: Haikuesday! (Today: Haikuesday)

Festa in the MTC, (Party in the MTC)

Platas de latao! (Plates of brass)

I invite you all to participate in our now weekly celebration of the Haiku. It makes every Tuesday a great day. 

Speaking of language study...this week, Sister Jackson and I also decided to write a Portuguese rap. We'll record it for you and send it home later. But I'll give you a little sample of it right now:

"Traz-lo diabo temos isto (fogo, fogo)

poder de Deus e platas de latao

Nossas rimas fazeram-se chorra

como o paz do Espirito Santo! (garra)
....

Ouro, prata, ferro, e latao

coisas preciosas de Joseph Smith!

And we after we so cleverly made up our rap, we decided we needed to translate Party in the USA into Portuguese. #longlivemileycyrus Festa nos EUA: "Saltitei do aviao a LAX com um conho e minha camisola, Bem vindo a terra da fama excessa, WOAH, estarei aceito?" Why are we so funny? It's a question we ask ourselves everyday too. Jokes, jokes, but I wish I could truly explain to you how much laughter and happiness was involved in this process. I am going to miss my companions so much. I actually dramatically fell to the ground in our room one night this week and just said how lost I'm going to be without them. Everyone say a prayer that I can laugh with my next companions just as much.  

On Wednesday, my companions and I were chosen (Hunger Games style) out of all the missionaries in the MTC to be 3 of the like 20 missionaries who are involved in demonstrating teaching in the very first meeting that the new missionaries have the night they arrive to the MTC. SO basically, they have a bunch of rooms set up with hundreds of new missionaries in each room, and then one or two people acting as/or actually someone who is interested in meeting with the missionaries. Our job was to knock on the door, and get to understand the needs of the person and how we could help him and begin teaching something about the Gospel that would benefit the person individually. It was really interesting to be a part of, and an awesome experience to see how far we've come. It's seriously so cool and terrifying all at once. I have SO much more to learn, and yet, I can't even begin to comprehend how much I've already learned. Also, it was surprisingly really hard to do in English. I'm secretly so grateful for the language barrier.

Also, THE TEMPLE HAS SONIC ICE! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE BOTHER TO MENTION THIS TO ME BEFORE?! Let's just say, I was very, very happy at that discovery this morning. 

Has anyone noticed this Harry Potter reference in the Bible before? Or, maybe it's the other way around...whatever. 1 Corinthians 15:26. Also, READ 1 AND 2 CORINTHIANS. SO COOL. Ah, the scriptures are so cool! I blame Jerusalem for my love for the Bible, but I love that I love it so much, because then I can see how closely the Book of Mormon and the Bible work together! I love it.

I'm getting on a plane to Portugal in 3 days. 3 DAYS. WHAT? I am scared out of my mind. I actually cannot believe it. Not at all. But I am SO grateful for the time I have had in the MTC to prepare me. Oh, how badly I needed this. I am SO excited to go meet the people and help serve them and bring them closer to Christ. Christ's grace is sufficient for us all. That is seriously beyond comprehension, but I am SO grateful to know that that is true. He emerged from the tomb triumphant with the power to make us triumphant as well. His atonement is infinite and eternal. Because of Jesus Christ, our life is eternal and our love is eternal. I've never been happier to know that that is true. I love you all SO SO much, and I truly canNOT wait to live with you all forever and ever and ever and ever! :) Stuck with me. Zarry. "Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I am near." He is not here, for He is Risen! HAPPY EASTER AND HAPPY WEEK!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!! I HOPE YOU HAVE THE GREATEST WEEK! CATCH YA IN PORTUGAL NEXT WEEK! AH!!

XOXOX,
Sister Brooks

PS. SHOUT OUT TO ELLY BABY!!!! PORTUGUESE SISTERS FOREVER!!! Can't wait to be those obnoxious girls that only talk to each other in their mission language....oops. not mad. not sorry. SOOO EXCITED FOR YOU BABY GIRL!!! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW!!!

KATE CAME INTO THE TRC WHICH IS THE TEACHING CENTER WITH HER BROTHER TO GET TAUGHT BY THE KOREANS AND MELISSA AND I SAW HER BY LITERAL FATE!! DREAMS!

Oops....then maybs they all stalked us on Temple walk on Sunday -- SO NOT MAD. 

THE BEST OF FRIENDS! #NUNS4EVER

#makenaisperfect

#severeseparationanxietyalready

District & Temple love