A heart full of love.

for this work. This week I had this feeling where I was just like, `Why doesn`t EVERYone serve a mission? This is the greatest thing anyone could ever do!!` And then I immediately laughed at myself, because I have officially become that missionary. But here`s the thing, this actually is the greatest thing anyone could ever do. And when I got here, I could hardly understand how all of my friends who were serving we all like `Ah the mission is the greatest yada yada yada.` Because I was just like, WOAH. What did I just get myself into? Hahahha (oops...said it), butttttt...It`s so true! It IS the greatest! And I am SO lucky that the Lord trusts me enough to let me do His work.

Rosa got baptised this week!! Yayay!! Woof. That was a close one. Man oh man. She like to talk a loooot, which is good, because we can really apply the lessons to her life, but yiyiyi it makes it a tad difficult to teach. But after like a `Listen woman, if you want to get baptised, then you have to stop smoking and pay tithing and let us teach you the rest of the lessons` it happened! Miracles of fasting I tell you. And yesterday after she received the Espìrito Santo, she was just like...`Okay. I need to move my house, and I broke up with my boyfriend, and I need to find a job, and I am just going to make every possible change that you can imagine in my life right now, because what better time than this?` Pode ser woman. Fooorça.

Ana Pinto. We basically stumbled across her house....actually not at all, we were looking for another person who told us she lived there, and we met her, and oh my goodness the Spirit is SO strong EVERY time we talk to her. She is SO ready for this Gospel, and she really reallyyy needs it in her life. After we explained to her how Christ was baptized, but before we even invited her, she was like, `Yeah I really want to be baptized like that--like Christ was, and I am going to prepare myself, but I need an answer from God first, because I`m already old and I need to make sure this is really the right thing.` No worries...you`ll get your answer woman. 

Also, we met this kid, Flavio, from Capo Verde #elect. When my colega asked him, `Have you ever asked yourself why there are so many churches if there is only one God?` And he goes, `Yeah, actually, por a causa, I have.` OKAY. Well, good thing we`ve got that answer for you. Literally SO excited to work with him. 

Speaking of my colega....this is her last week, and I am having a mini panic attack--both for her and for me. Yiyiyi. This unknown stuff is killer. Here`s to lots of prayers that Sister J and I get to be comps again. (yeah Sister J?) Ah, transfers are so stressful, but they`re so good too. 

I love you all so so so much. There are actually not words to express my love for you all. I know that we can`t imagine the love that God has for us, but truly I can`t imagine how He can love us all more than I love you all. Love you and pray for you every day. Keep being incredible. And thank you for loving me back. 

xoxox

Sister Brooks

LISS BBY!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY PERFECT OTHER HALF!!! I hope it is filled with lots of crazy asians and diet coke in a bag maybe a bicycle ride or two. Jealous of all the thai bbys that get to celebrate with you, but I`ll be celebrating here in Portugal too. You are the world`s best missionary and you make my world go round. I LOVE YOU!! 

LIV!! SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!! I am a little sad I am missing the wedding of the century, but I could not be happier for you!! You are the most beautiful bride there has ever been.

K8! You`re a champ. There are no words. 

Why am I so blessed with such INCREDIBLE friends? Seriously. I love you all SO much. 

PAZ! PAZ! PAZ!

We had this contact the other day where this rapaz was making fun of us and my sweet companion is telling him how our message will bring more happiness and peace into his life. And he starts telling us how everywhere we go there is more `PAZ!`and he`s like screaming it in the middle of the road and it`s actually really funny and really painful at the same time. And he goes to Sister Alves, `When you go back to Brazil, it will just be like BAM! PAZ! in all of Brazil.` and then he turns to me and says, `And when you go back to America and talk to Obama, it`ll just be like PAZ PAZ PAZ! And he will stop all the wars in all of the world and it will be all because of you two.` So after we kind of died laughing, we`re walking away and he just keeps shouting, `BAM. PAZ! PAZ! PAZ! PAZ!` hahaha and that`s why I love contacting teenagers. 

So....this week, lots and lots happened, but I can`t even begin to think about what actually happened. But, it was a really good week and I was really happy and I am just loving this work more and more everyday. I actually feel like so unbelieveably happy and I have no idea why, but it`s the greatest feeling and I am so far from mad about it. 

Rosa`s getting baptized this weekend!!! Yayay! She`s this really funny lady that Sister Alves met on the street last transfer and then we started teaching her this transfer! She really sad and she realllyyy likes to talk, so sometimes we just sit there and listen to her talk, but it`s good, because she`s lonely and needs a friend. And she has this boyfriend who has another girlfriend and I just want to shake her and be like, `Woman! You are better than that!` But it`s way cool, because as we`re teaching her, she`s like, `Well, if he`s okay with it then great, and if not, then whatever, because I am going to continue in the same. I know that this is right and you girls are giving me more strength and happiness than I have felt in a long time, so I am going to keep following this path and everything with work out!` FREAK YEAH. I am actually so amazed by how having a knowledge of the gospel will change people`s lives and habits. It is so incredible to me and it makes me want to be a better person every day. 

And we are working with a Brazilian family!! Why is it that every time we have Brazilian investigators, I cry and wish I were serving there? Hahah, just kidding, I love Portugal! Wellington and Adriana are so sweet and sooo elect. Now they just have to get married. I didn`t know I came on a mission to plan so many weddings...hahah.

Also, I would like to invite you all to do the same thing that we were invited to do in conference. Pray for a name to come to your mind to have someone to invite to go to church or hear from the missionaries this week. I know the Lord will bring a name or a face to your mind and I know that person is prepared and that is why the Lord put it there. The field is white and ready to harvest folks. John 4:35-36.

Also, I was studying Day of the Atonement today and does someone want to explain to me the whole fasting and the Atonement connection? I think I`m starting to figure it out, but I`d love your thoughts. 

Speaking of Gospel scholars...could´ve sworn I saw Brother Ludlow in a bus the other day...what? So thrown off. Also, LUDLOWS! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LETTERS!! You guys are the best and I love you all SO SO much!!

MARCIE PRINCE!! HAPPY FREAKING BIRTHDAY YOU SOON TO BE PARSON YOU!!! I LOVE YOU BBY GIRL!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL. YOU ARE ALL PERFECT. Thank you for making me want to be a better person and a better missionary every day. I love you I love you I love you. 

xoxox

Sister Brooks

baptism of batista!!!

Sister Hirschi!! She was with Eleanor in the MTC and I about killed her when I saw her because I jumped on her out of love because I felt so close to elly.

divison with sister travis! (sister jackson`s old companion....aka we talked about how perfect she is for 24 hours)

This week, I literally face planted on the bus.

GOD IS SO GOOD. OH MY OH MY OH MY. I AM IN TEARS. MELANIE MOORE. I LOVE YOU SO SO SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY PRAYERS.

 

My dear sweet family. 

 

I am sorry it has been 3 years since I have written you. Really just 2 weeks, but I know. It was rough for me too. But I very happily opened my email to 83 new emails and lots and lots of joy and love, so maybe the extra 7 day wait was worth it after all. So, long story short, last Monday we had to go to Lisboa for Mission Counsel on Tuesday (aka a whole meeting about mission secrets! ee my dream come true), and my comp got permission to visit her recent converts in Lisboa, so we went down a little early and we sacrificed our most beloved email time to visit some sweet little Portuguese people. But, it was really good, and we actually ended up sleeping in the Mem Martins house, so I got to do a trip down memory lane and it was oh so sweet. Aka, I looked in the Area Book and read what`s happening with my recent converts. Hahhaha. Yikes. I am such a missionary.

 

Perks of being an STL--I got to play with Sister J on Tuesday, and by play, I mean we got to sit in the same room and receive the same training. Also, I get to meet all the other sisters and see all the areas and meet all the incredible people they are teaching. It is actually so fun, and I love it so much. It`s kinda funny though, because the new girls just look at me like I am this brilliant amazing missionary that knows everything and I just secretly giggle to myself and think...jokes on you. Hahaha, but really, I am learning from them and I love it. Also, ELEANOR--I met Sister Hirschi and I about jumped on her, because I freaking love her and it made me feel closer to you and my heart. Oh, my heart. We will be reunited again.

 

Also, I have been studying a lot and praying a LOT to be a more consecrated missionary. And to just give it my all and to not worry about the future or all the other things that are going on and to just talk to the whole world and never stop. So, we`re memorizing a scripture and hymn every week and just focusing on the work, because when we love the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, everything else will work out for our good.

 

Batista got baptized last week!! Yeah! That`s right! João Batista--aka John Baptist. hahh, but he is actually so elect and so incredible and yay! He`s gonna be a leader so soon, I just know it.

 

We have difficulties, because the Lord loves us. Because he wants us to grow and to learn. Because he trusts us and knows that we will draw closer to him. He gives us challenges so that He can mold us. Oh, how grateful I am for the very, very, very many challenges I am facing every day. I am glad that the Lord loves me and trusts me enough that He is willing to give me all these challenges.

 

Perks of having a native companion--I learned `If all the rain drops were lemon drops and gum drops, Oh what a world it would be....` in Portuguese this week! Yeah...there was lots of rain.

 

Remember that episode of Veronica Mars when Logan calls her and sees her pull out her phone and reject it and put it back in her pocket and then he`s all heart broken? Yeah....that happened to us this week. But we were sitting in the autocarro and we saw our investigator on the street, so we called him and he pulled his phone out of his pocket, held it up, and put it back. OUCH. Except we actually just laughed and laughed, because....yeah. Good thing my comp is a champ and just sends him a text calling him out on it. hahaha I LOVE HER.

 

Trial of the week--Without Twitter, I can`t complain to the whole world about how cold it is and force them to listen to me. So instead, I just say `Eu vou morrer do frio` about every 3 seconds to my comp. Sorry ´bout it. 

 

Also, that and every single person decided to call me `brancinha`(really, really, ridiculously white) this week. So...that hurts.

 

Also, here`s to signing on one week and not having another one of my best friends engaged. Well...there`s always next week. hahaha jk I LOVE YOU SO FREAKING MUCH ERIN AND I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER FOR YOU!!! eeeee!!! 

 

MARCE AND CRAIG!! Thank you for fulfilling my dreams and for marrying each other so I can have two of my best friends with me forever and ever and ever.

 

Also, glad to see you survived the ten miler kel. So proud of you. Wanna do it together next year?

 

Okay, my eyes actually hurt from looking through so many emails. Man, it`s so hard to be so popular. ahhahaha jk. You`d think I`d get more humble on the mission.....I`ll keep working on that one.

 

I hope you all watched Conference and I hope you all remember how much God loves you. If not, go watch it!! LDS.Org. When President Monson came on, I immediately started bawling. Oh, my heart was so full of love. I guess that`s what I get for talking about him every single day and FINALLY getting to hear from him. Hahah I can only imagine what that means about when I see you people. Hahahah Im a mess. Kristan--did you cry during called to serve? haha Also, shout out to Huntsy for a little camera time in MoTab. Oh, how my heart longs for my JRU fam.

 

I love you I love you I love you. No time. I LOVE YOU. Ill send pictures next week. SORRY MOM.

 

Sister Brooks