´What´s there to do in Póvoa?´ ´What.. you haven´t seen the animal farm yet?´

Yup. That is apparently what there is to do here. Don´t worry, still haven´t been. Something tells me that it isnt quite like that horrid place you dragged us to at home where the cow´s tongue were....I cant even finish. 

BOM DIA ALEGRIA. bah. hahah. HELLO FAMILY THAT I LOVE SO MUCH. It´s raining and cold. Whyyyyy, Portugal, whyyyyy?

We had the most incredible lesson with Rui this week. Oh, it was so wonderful. We were teaching him the Plan of Salvation and Word of Wisdom, and he just accepted it all so well. Also, he tells us we are like angels in his life and that our friendship is gold to him, so it´s like the most precious thing ever. Well, anyways, we taught him about baptism and he just got so excited. I love when they get excited and start asking like the logical questions--like where and when and what they have to wear, ahah. But anyways, he is really afraid he isn´t going to be strong enough to do it all and quit smoking and drinking coffee and everything, but we asked him if he believes that God is strong enough to help him and he just, without a doubt, said yes. Oh, it was so wonderful to see so much faith. So we had him say a prayer and ask for help and ask to know when he should be baptized and he was all nervous and saying that our prayer would be more effective, but he ended up doing it, and right after the prayer, he looked up and just had this huge smile on his face!!! Oh, it was so wonderful, and my heart was just so full and so happy and we asked him how he felt (which is normally like my least favorite question because people are just like...uhh normal?---you dont feel normal when you are fasting people--you feel hungry! haha whatever), and he says, ´Happy. And relieved. Like God lifted a weight off my shoulders.´ Oh, it was so wonderful. Sister Mullen and I left so happy. And he came to church again on Sunday! Oh, I am so excited for him.

We had a branch activity where we watched the Restauration video this week, and ohhh my goodness--the church is so true!! Literally, SO true. Like, there is no way that it could not be true. And what those people went through and were willing to do and sacrifice. Man, I think the mission is hard sometimes--HA.  Also, I want to be like Joseph Smith. Honestly, I have NO idea how he did it, but he was just always so like, ´Well, it´s what God said, so we have to do it.´ Like, God says we need to build a temple. And how do you build a temple? No idea, but He said we need to do it, so...we have to do it.´ Seriously, to just do the will of God always. Even if you have no idea how. Or if everything about your life is being challenged and threatened. Ah, my dream. Slash goal. 

Well, my weekly revelation came in church yesterday (shocker), this girl in our branch got up to speak before she leaves for her mission this week, and OH MY HEART. Literally, I felt like I was looking at myself a year ago. And I just realized how much I have changed and grown and experienced. And then it hit me--like really, really hit me. I am at the end of my mission. My mission is coming to an end. Yeah, I still have a lot of time left and a lot to get done, and I am SO grateful that I still have so much time, but it´s still the end. And I am sitting here, understanding perfectly, and just watching someone at the beginning of the most life changing, amazing experience ever. And I just got so overwhelmed with love---love for the Savior, love for the mission, love for Portugal, love for how perfect God is and how He perfectly creates things like missions to help change us and mold us and make us start to reach our potential. 

Then, her dad gets up afterward and has her stand by his side, and starts talking about how proud he is of her and how much of an example she is and yada yada and I just LOST it. Literally lost it. I was bawling. Luckily, when I looked up, I saw Sister Mullen was a mess too. Oh man, I was just so overwhelmed with love and happiness and it was so precious, and my heart broke, because I missed Dad so much, and I just got so excited to stand by my dad´s side again, and then I was just so grateful that you are who you are, Dad, and that you taught me and raised me how you have. And I just missions are the greatest thing ever. It´s like a mini-life. And I just can´t wait to be able to return to my Heavenly Father and have him say He´s proud of me and He loves me and all that wonderful dad stuff, and oh man. I was seriously such a mess. So Dad, thank you for being you and for being the best dad in the whole world and for loving me and supporting me and always being there for me. I love you oh so very much. 

Mom, don´t worry, I love you sooo much too--and I tell everyone how much I want to be like you all the time. Sisters---I LOVE YOU ALL SOOO MUCH. But you all already know that. Well, now that we played the equality game... :) 

I love you I love you I love you. The church is true. God is good always. I am dyinggg to go to the temple again, so....enjoy it this week :)

xoxo,

Sister Brooks