Irmã Brooks.: 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