If only we had our own personal bus... -Sister Briggs

Uh...you mean, a car? Hahah oh how much time we spend running from bus to bus. You guys would die at the sight. Speaking of, this week, we`re running to catch the bus and obviously it leaves as we`re like 3 feet away and Sister Briggs punches me for making her run after me mais uma vez. ´Ow. That hurt.` Her: `Ya know what hurts? My feet and my pride every time I run after you.` Hahah. Oh, I love her.

So Dad, you know how you are always joking about that mail delivery service? Well...that would have really come in handy this morning. But, instead, my comp and I took a little 2 hour bus ride up north to Vila Real to pick up some Christmas packages and bring them back here. Literally, feeling like Santa Claus. It was a pretty good view. We drove through the mountains and looked over at Spain and then did a hand off with the Elders, got back on the bus and back to Porto. Why President decided to call us and have us do this, I will never know. But, we´re not mad.

This week was....cold and wet. But, it was excellent. We had the coolest miracle happen. So, there is this lady in our ward, Amelia, who comes to church every week and is married to a super faithful member and is just the sweetest, but doesnt want us to teach her. But, she treats us like her granddaughters and I just love her so much. Well, since I`ve been here, I have wanted to just pass by and drop off a note or a talk with some cookies just so that she knows she is loved and not forgotten, but I`ve never done it, because I don`t know where she lives and I hate getting lost in this country. Well, we are doing a study about Recognizing the Spirit, and basically it was decided that every thought or feeling or idea that we have comes from the Spirit, so my awesome companion was like, we`re going to do it. And I`m all stressed, because it is literally the blind leading the blind and its raining and I dont know how this lady is going to take it, but we start walking. We hop off a bus, and start walking again. We get to a big road crossing, and I go ´I feel like it`s that way.´ So, we ask someone for a reference point and it is that way! So then we`re walking and walking and I`m like I have no idea, and Sister Briggs is just so patiently following me, and all of a sudden we turn the corner, and there is the road! And her apartment! And the door was magically already opened, which never happens, and we knock on her door, and she is home! And she lets us in and she talks to us and gives us a lanche and tells us all her concerns about baptism and everything without us even saying anything! Oh my wow. It was so incredible. And such a miracle. Literally we were supposed to go there that day. I know it. And she will feel it. Oh, she is so great.

And Manuel prayed for the first time this week! Oh, I die. So incredible. There are few things I love more on this mission than sincere prayers. He still doesnt feel ready for baptism, but it is because he actually understands what an important commitment it is with God and he doesn`t want to just do it to do it. He is so incredible. We just need to help him keep praying and reading so he can get an answer and recognize it. But, I feel so lucky to be able to work with him. He is an incredibly faithful old man with just a heart of gold. Man. These people. I love them so much.

I hope you all have an excellent Christmas. I will be eating with a bunch of Brazilians. And then laughing as all the other missionaries eat this weird Bacalhau fish. Except not, because I will be eating another scrambled egg over rice. Oh....my life ahhaha. 

AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF THE REST OF YOU!!! You all are incredible and I hope it is the very best one yet. I am so grateful for our Savior and for His willingness to come into this world to save each and every one of us. Especially so that each of us can have the opportunity to get to know each other and to have the opportunity to have the joy of the Gospel in our lives and to have the opportunity to live with each other forever and ever and ever. This video says more than I could ever say. I know that He is the reason for this perfect holiday and the reason we all have to have joy. Mundo feliz, nasceu Jesus. http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911161814001&cid=HPWE121813271

 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. SEE YOUR CUTE FACES ON WEDNESDAY!!!

xoxo,

Sister Brooks

I`d like to give a big anniversary shout out to all you crazies that get married right after Christmas--Mom&Dad, Caisa&Dan, and Amy&Chase!! yay! marriage!!!

ERIN GREENWOOD SOON TO BE SHIELDS--I AM DYING. You are getting married and I am SO happy for you!! I love you my perfect beautiful best friend. It breaks my heart that I cannot be there with you, but I know that you are happy and that makes me happy. I love you so much and I am so happy So SO happy for you!!

our cute little brazilians. 

look mom, i found a veggie burger.    

my cute comp. 

#nossasenhoradefatima look it up. maybe a little sacreligious.

teaching kawany american hand slapping games in their fruit shop    

wrapping book of mormons and singing christmas hymns in the park    

oops. i worked so hard that i wore my shoes out. and then had to go shopping to buy new ones. #yesthatisarockinmyshoe  #noihavenoideahowlongthatwastherefor   

yes. thats a nativity. out of pumpkins.