Olhai para miiiiim.

First off, Dad--I had a dream last night that we were walking down the streets and I saw the man from Iron Man, and I ran up to him and asked him if I could take a picture with him just so I could send it to you. He was down with it, because he thought it was so sweet that I wanted to send a picture to my dad. So.....I`m still dreaming about you guys. ...Kinda? 

In other news! So much happened this week! Last night, I was thinking about what I was going to tell you guys, and I got so excited, because WE FOUND MIKAELA!!! But, then I realized....you didn`t know we`d lost her. Hahahah. SOOO much happens in a week. It`s actually unreal. BUT. I`ll let you in on the wonderful story that is this perfect little girl. 

SO. We met her and her mom like a month ago or something, but they were just here on holidays and they were leaving for another city, so we got their info and passed it off to the missionaries there blah blah whatever. And then last Sunday, we were walking down the street and we saw this little girl waving to us. I was SO confused, because NO ONE ever calls OUR attention, so we waved back and then ran over and talked to her and she could not be more elect! Anyways, we went back and talked to her the next night, and turns out her dad works in a little cafe here in Viseu, so she was here again! Well....we taught her the first lesson. She loved it. She was holding onto the Book of Mormon like it was gold and I think my heart was overflowing with joy. She actually reminds me a LOT of Milena from my first area, so it makes me really happy. But anyways, so we marked to go back on Tuesday night, and we show up and......her dad says she went back to Coimbra. WE WERE BROKEN HEARTED. Seriously, it hurt so bad.

But, we kept going by her dad`s cafe everyday and we are teaching him some English words and we washed his dishes and he`s funny and Brazilian and WHYYY OH WHYYY AM I NOT IN BRAZIL? Hahah just kidding, I love Portugal. Well....I LOVE Brazilians so... kind of just kidding. 

BUT. Then, on Saturday night, we had about an hour and half to work still and ALL of our plans and back up plans and back up back up plans had fallen through, so we prayed to know where we should go and what we should do. I got this really strong feeling that we should go visit Paulo (Mikaela`s dad), and then I was like...`Ugh, but he`s always working and we can never really teach him and we need progressing investigators` (Yeah, I know...I`m really good at listening to the Spirit.) But Sister Stokes felt it too, and I still couldn`t shake the feeling, so....we walked over there, started talking to Paulo, and then all of a sudden he goes, `spera aí....minha filha (hold on...my daughter).` YOUR DAUGHTER?!?!! AND THEN MIKAELA CAME RUNNING IN!!!! HAPPINESS JOY FELICIDADE AMOR!!! AHHHH!!! SO HAPPY!!! 

Then we talked to her again, and LISTEN TO EVERYTHING SHE TOLD US. She told us how her mom and her were actually riding behind us on the bus back from one of our zone conferences and then after that, they saw us everyday for the next couple weeks and we still hadn`t talked to them, so her mom said that we must have been their angels protecting them, because we were just walking around in their same paths. And then when we did talk to them, she was like they really are our angels!!! Anyways...it was the coolest thing ever and I love her SO much and she is SO perfect and I just want to take her with me everywhere. Anyways, we`re meeting with her again tomorrow night so...phew. She`s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Also, we met this SUPER nice lady this week, who is actually Russian, and I`ve realized I have such a soft spot in my heart for Russians, because they just make me think of Julia and Olga and then I just get happy. But anyways, she asked us what we do all day long, so we told her---talk to people about our message of Christ, and she goes, `So....you basically do nothing.` KNIFE IN THE HEART. Except I totally see what she is saying, yet....it`s SOO hard. It`s the hardest nothing I`ve ever done haahha. I know, I know, it really shouldn`t be... but it is. 

There are so many other things I have to tell you, like how this man Luis met the Elders and bikes 80km back and forth to get to church every sunday and he heard a message from the Elders when he was 15 and he hasn`t been able to stop thinking about it since then and now he`s 50 something and he hadn`t seen the Elders again until he saw them and he contacted them and told them that they had to come to his house and he got baptized this Saturday and HE IS SO INCREDIBLY AMAZING IT`S UNREAL......but there is no time, so....sorry. 

Also, there was a fire this week and it was raining ash, so...that was a first. 

I just want to tell you all that I know how much God loves each and everyone of us. We are all His children and I can feel His love for other people every single day. I know that through Him we can overcome anything. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the way I can learn more and more everyday how Jesus really is the Christ. I am so grateful for the Atonement and that He loved me enough to be willing to take upon himself all of my weaknesses and doubts and stupidities. I am so grateful that I can pray every day and He will give me the strength and power and He will just pick me up and LET me be an instrument in His hands. I know He is our Savior and our Redeemer and I know that through Him we can return to our Heavenly Father again. And I know that He can do all of that for you too. We just have to have faith and put our trust in Him first.

Thank you all for lifting me and supporting me and making me want to be a better person and missionary everyday. I could not be more grateful or more blessed. I love you so much. I love this work so much. I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so SO much.

xoxoxo

Sister Brooks

KRISSY-TAN!!! G-DAWG!!! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPPPPYYYYY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! Kristan---have a ball in Prague and Vienna. Send me a postcard. Play in some water? See cool things and scope out all the good things so you can take me back for your 31st :) I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH AND I HOPE IT`S THE HAPPIEST 28TH OF AGOSTO YOU`VE EVER HAD!!!

Just casually chatting on the phone in Portuguese in the middle of Portugal. And look at that almost empty water bottle!

We found Waldo!!

Or Aldo, but it`s basically the same thing right? He seems legit, but we`ve only met with him once, so....I`ll get back to you on that one. 

MOM! DAD! FAMILYYY!!! Hiiiiii. How are you?!! Sorry I`m late today. We decided to have our District P-day today and we went on a walk to Africa to go to some Brazilian restaurant that was actually closed, so...that was funny. But no worries, because in the end, we ended up at the mall and we got frozen yogurt yay! 

Also, last night, I guess the Tour de Portugal or whatever was ending on our street, so the streets were lined with peeps and everyone was waiting for the bikers to come through and it was chaos and it reminded me of that episode of Gilmore Girls where all the bikers come through like hours late and they`re all mad and it`s so funny and then everyone`s falling off their bikes. Anyways. It brought joy to my soul. That and when the Elders started talking about Disney Channel Original Movies and they love Brink and Motocrossed too dad! Hahah, I`m sorry my mind is so sparatic. 

THIS WEEK, THE COOLEST THING HAPPENED. Actually lots of cool things happened. First, we had interviews with President and we had this really cool training on planning and I won`t bore you with everything I learned, but I LEARNED SO MUCH! And I am so excited, because we have been applying all the things we learned and it is realllyyy improving how we use our time and the people that we meet and everything. Like instead of just saying we`re going to go looking for people to talk to in a certain area, we write down road names and paths and it`s SO cool, because the Lord really does put specific people in our paths. 

FOR EXAMPLE. One morning, we were about to head out the door to do what we always do, and I thought to myself, I should put that `Perguntas da Alma` (Questions of the Soul) paper inside the Book of Mormon. I kind of paniced, because cutting and pasting and having all the page numbers on there might take some time and we only have like 2 minutes to get out the door and I didn`t want to be late, so I thought...`Maybe I`ll just do it at lunch,` and then i thought, `No, you can do it in 2 minutes. Do it now.`So I said, `Fiiiiine Ill listen to the Spirit and have faith.` So I did, and then we were walking and walking and walking and we were on this road where there are like a bunch of abandoned houses and stuff, but it`s an area we haven`t really every explored, so we were there, and then all of a sudden there was a door that looked relatively clean (it didn`t have cobwebs around the door handle...yay!) So, we rang the doorbell, and this kid answered and he opened the door and everything! Then he started going off about how religion is so confusing and how can he know if there is a God and if God loves him and ALL THE QUESTIONS OF THE SOUL THAT THE BOOK OF MORMON ANSWERS!!! And so, we opened the book, and I said, `Listen, I felt like I needed to put this in here this morning, because God knew that we would meet someone who would have these questions, and I KNOW that that person was you.` And then he was totally down with it and said he`d read it and I asked if we could come back and he said yeah, next week. And then he said that he will have to get reading if he`s going to have the whole thing done by next week. We assured him he didn`t have to, but how freaking cool would that be if he did?!?!? ANYWAYS. He`s SO cool though and suuuper smart. He`s going to be a stake president in 20 years...I just know it! Don`t mind that he doesn`t realllyyy believe in God, but he will! See people as they can become...right? Well, I`ll let you know more next week....  

We`ve been working really hard on just being happy and trying our best, and it is making ALL the difference! People are being really nice to us, because we are just going up and talking to them and being funny and normal and nice and then hitting em with the greatest message there is! And we`ve had a lot more contacts and a lot more people who are actually picking up the phone when we call! YAY! 

Sister Stokes and I are just loving each other so much and we are working together so well. I am seriously SO proud of her! We have made all sorts of goals to only speak in Portuguese and for her to take control of the phone and this that and the other and she is just so incredible. I love her so much, and I am seriously so dumb founded by how the Lord let me have this opportunity to work with her/all the amazing people that I am surrounded by.

I realized this week, that I have COMPLETELY forgotten to fill you in on our living arrangements. Hehehe, but I think Sister Call explains is perfectly in her journal, so I`ll just quote that. `Stupid bed bugs! Whyyy? Haha did I ever mention that our house is freaking crappy? We only have one toilet that works and there`s no AZ or heat and mold is growing everywhere and there`s holes in the doors and walls and window seals (don`t worry, we`ve got socks covering them up). Also there`s no door knob and just a gaping hole instead of a peep-hole. There`s pidgeon nests on the balcony and enough pidgeon poop to build a beaver dam. Also, not to mention the water smells like sewage all the time and it switches between scalding hot and freezing cold spontaneously during showers. The walls are covered in dirt and scum and the floors are always nasty. And of course, THE BED BUGS! GAH! They`re eating us alive!`hahahahahah it would be horrible if it wasn`t just soooo funny. And if the bed wasn`t still soooo comfortable every night. 

Hm...other than that, the work is still going fabulously and we are still dyinggg of heat, but we`re laughing every day, and I`m loving the mission. Also, Sister Call asked President why we have to get rejected so much, and he said, `Jesus got rejected everyday, but He was the most powerful man on earth. Just because we get rejected, doesn`t mean we aren`t powerful missionaries.` So....that brought a lot of peace to my soul too.

I love you I love you I love you. I love the mission. But I really love you. Yay! 

xoxox

Sister Brooks

TAYLOR NOE----I AM SOOOO EXCITED FOR YOU AND YOUR PERFECTNESS!! Ahhhh. The world`s most beautiful bride!!! Oh my oh my oh my I got your announcement this week and I opened it in front of our whole zone and we all just died over how perfect you are and my mission president`s wife was like, `Wow, they`re so beautiful.` And then she kept asking me how we became friends, and....I still can`t remember. Hehehe oops. I`ve just loved you always. ....Right? 

frozen yogurt

I introduced sister stokes to ruffles with ketchup! and bueno bars....it was a good week for her. hahah

hahahah they have the same funny skirt things here that they have in jeru!!

oh yeah, we had a ward picnic this week! also, the Portuguese don`t know how to picnic, so they just bring rice and potatoes and like full chickens and cakes outside. It`s insane.

"vais subir um pequena montanha"

I was trying to give directions to the church. Couldn`t remember the word for hill, so I looked to Sister Stokes, remembered that she didn`t know either, and the next closest thing I could come up with was......little mountain. So...little mountain is was...oops. Didn`t you know we`re actually in Switzerland and we`re just casually walking through the Alps to get to church? hahahah oops. They made it there, so....não faz mal. If only I could`ve figured out a way to say candy cane forest in Portuguese.. I probably would`ve been better off with that. 

Another week? What? I remember when I first got here and everybody was like, `The weeks go by so fast blah blah blah` and I just looked at them with darts in my eyes and was like, `LIARRSSS!!` hahaha but now. I believe it! And it really is crazy. And I actually almost forgot today was p-day. I woke up this morning and my first thought was  `AH! who is going to come to church today?!` And then the panic faded when I realized that I still have another week to plan it all out again. #missionaryproblems

In other news. SISTER BARLOW AND HER PARENTS CAME TO VISIT ME! And it was the sweetest, greatest 5 minutes of all time! She is such an angel and oh my heart. So full of love. And I had this crazy realization where I was just like WOAH. The mission is going to go by SO fast and it has already gone by SO fast and it`s all going to feel like a dream and once we`re all back together, it will be like we were never apart. And it was this weird feeling of both peace and panic at the same time. Actually, I feel like I get that feeling a lootttt on the mission. Also, you guys are going to make fun of me so badly once you get here, because her mom was already making fun of us, and I can only imagine. Oh well...tem que ser. That`s another thing. I can`t speak English like a normal human being. It`s so weird, because everyone that we speak English to can speak Portuguese too, so it`s like this impossible thing to try to understand how someone can`t understand Portuguese. I wish I could explain it better, but I can`t.  

Hm...this week. We have been working a lot with recent converts/less actives and we saw a lot of miracles with week! There`s this one, Ana Paula, and she is so sweet, but she`s always saying she`ll come to church and then she never shows up, so that`s a little frustrating, but she is finally letting us in her house all the time, and she`s praying when we meet with her, so these things are really good!  And! This week, she gave us a ride to the chapel! Which, I know probably doesn`t mean anything to you, but it was a HUGE deal, because she hasn`t given rides to any other the missionaries since the missionaries who baptized her about a year ago! And she`s always complaining about how she doesn`t have gas and things, so it was actually the best and she really is doing better, and she`s going to come back to church--I JUST KNOW IT!! And then, the other day, we went to visit this other less active, and we`d never been to the area before, which is always an adventure, because yeah...you guys know how I am with directions, buuttt...anyways, we showed up to her door, and there`s this little button thing you have to press before you can get into any of the apartment buildings, and they have to let you in and so....it`s always a gamble, but anyways, I was about to push the button, and THE DOOR OPENED! And no one was around and there was literally no other way that it could have happened, except that it was from an angel and we were SO supposed to go in there. And the girl was home! AND we found a new investigator in that same apartment building! Ah, God`s so good. 

Also, never thought I`d have to have a dtr...ever...but ESPECIALLY on the mission. One of our investigators met with us this week, and after we´d just had this really good talk about the Book of Mormon and we finally got him to pray on his own, he looked up from the prayer and said, `I have a great passion for you.` (Which is just so much worse to write in English...actually it`s pretty uncomfortable to hear in Portuguese too.) And then he said, `Eu amo você.` YIKES. Nails on a chalkboard. So.....after I very kindly told him that that`s inappropriate and that I`m a disciple of Christ and that he loves God, not me, I had to tell him that we can`t work with him anymore, but we`d be more than happy to pass him off to the Elders. Oh no.... I think Sister Stokes enjoyed it wayy too much, because she just kept laughing about it alllll day. It`s not funny. It`s horrible. But it`s kind of funny at the same time. 

Anyways, other than that, we`re praying and fasting lots and we`re working really hard to get some people progressing. I know everything happens on the Lord`s time table, so we`re just talking to the whole world and praying always and running back and forth from place to place and trying to do everything we can to help the Lord help us. It will all come with time. So....here`s to time. Hahah, that makes no sense, buttt....whatever. 

Okay, gotta go play at the fair! EEE!! I`ll let you know if it`s like the ones in America or not, buttt....if nothing else, I know there`s a giant Kangaroo so....it can`t be too bad. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

xoxox

Sister Brooks

AIM!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! AH I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! Even if I haven`t heard from you in forever, but it`s okay, because I know that all is well and I love you more than life itself. Hope Chase splurges and brings you to McDonalds. If not, tell him you get a cone on me.

E BABY!!! AHHHHH LOVE THE MTC LOVE PORTUGUESE AND GET SOOO EXCITED FOR BRAZIL!!! The Brazilians are secretly, not so secretly everyone`s favorites here. AHHH YOU ARE GOING TO BE SO INCREDIBLE AND YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE IT SO MUCH!!! AH I LOVE YOU!!!

"She´s in a coma..."

Last night, TRANSFER CALLS! Except, this time it wasn`t a call, because we were already with the Elders, so....it was more like run to the computer and find out what`s gonna happen! It was actually really funny, because we had a Serão Domingueiro, which is like a fireside where we acted out stories from the Book of Mormon and it was really funny, and I have no idea what the point of this is, but all the members were there, so they all got realllly in on the situation and were all freaking out about what was going to happen, but anyways.........

I`m staying! And I`m keeping my companion! Finally! Yay! So, yesterday we were talking about how both Sister Barlow and Sister Rojo are going home (today....) and then I said, `All my old companions are dying!` And then Sister Lofgreen said, `Except for Sister Jackson and Sister Mullen.` And then Sister Call said, `But Sister Mullen is going back to Canada, so....it`s like she`s in a coma!` Hhaahhaha. Yup. These are the things we joke about over here. Bad news is, Sister Lofgreen got transfered and all of our hearts broke. But we got Sister Cutler, and she is an angel sent from above, so I know it`s going to be another amazing transfer with the best house and district in the mission! 

This week was amazing! I don`t even know what happened, but I know that it was incredible, and that we were really happy this week! Sometimes it`s really hard to feel like we have faith, but Sister Lofgreen taught us this week that it so important to remember. Faith isn`t a feeling, it`s an action. So, even when we don`t feel like we have faith, if we`re getting out of bed every morning and we`re talking to people on the street every day and we`re praying to our Heavenly Father constantly, then we have faith. And when we choose to have faith and we choose to be happy, even when the work is really really tough, everything goes so much better. Also, I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants 1:20-23 and it talks about how God calls the weak, and my heart just felt so at peace, because I am SO weak, and I have no idea what I am doing, but it`s okay, because the Lord knew I would be weak and He knew I wouldn`t know how to do anything, so He`s just using me as the instrument in His hands, and all will be well as long as I keep trying my best and aligning my will with His. 

We had divisions this week, and they were SO good! It`s always such an amazing opportunity to learn from the other sisters. It was a little different this time around, so Sister Campos da Silva (who is from France) came and she just joined Sister Stokes and I. But the day was so incredible! We saw so many miracles. And that night, we went to teach this girl Sara, and she is SO incredible! She`s seriously so cool. I love her so much! And her friend Claudia was there with her, and she was so excited to share what she already knew with her, and it was just the coolest lesson! And they were both talking about how they grew up Catholic, but they have some problems with it, and so now they are searching to know the truth for themselves and to know what God wants from them! And at the end of our lesson, Sister Stokes marked her for baptism, and she accepted right away!! It was so incredible! She`s SO prepared! And she`s so cool, and I love her so much. And she was asking what she has to do after baptism, and I just said continue on keeping the commandments and such, and she goes, `yeah, so just like a whole new life in Christ.` SHE`S SO COOL! So keep praying that she stays firme until the 31st of August. 

On Friday, we had a sports night, which was both....really funny and really fun. We invited sooo many people and all these people showed up and brought all their friends, and then we had them sign up on a sheet of paper with their name and contact information and told them they would get a prize! Someone walked up to me and said, `The Prize is God isn`t it?` Oops. Guess that one wasn`t as sneaky as I thought. Hahaha 

Ah, and Sofia bore her testimony yesterday!! I was bawling! Oh my heart! Could she be more incredible?! Also, Maria has already read ALL of Principios do Evangelho! Okay, amazing. And, when we were talking about temples to Sofia, before we could even invite her to prepare to go, she said, `We`re going to get sealed there in a year!` AH. They`re SO incredible. I DIE! 

Shannan--remember that time you hiked that mountain and you just sat down and said you weren`t walking anymore? Yeah....that`s how I feel every night.... But then, by some sort of miracle, I wake up the next morning and I can walk again.

There`s something so great about transfers! It`s like a whole new start every 6 weeks. Even when everything stays the same. I`m so excited for this transfer! I know it is going to be so incredible, and I know that we are going to keep working hard and keep seeing miracles, because I know that this is the work of the Lord and I know that He is placing people in our path everyday, and I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to just go around and talk to people all day long about the thing I love the most!

I love you guys!!

xoxox

Sister B

K8!! I got your letter and I died of happiness and I may or may not have read it out loud for all of the other sisters and we were dying of laughter and happiness and drama. Too good. Also, I found your recipe for love in my recipe book this week, and I loved it so much. You are perfect. I love you SO much!

"Ela é mais linda."

Yup, these boys had a fight over whether Sister Stokes or I was prettier this week, and it was the funniest thing in the world and it was funnier that Sister Stokes didn`t understand a word of it and I just giggled, because I felt so awkward and I didn`t know what to do and...then they told us they would take us back to Africa with them after our missions so....#joysofbeingasistermissionary? I`ve gotta learn how to escape these situations. 

BUT! BIG NEWS IN THE MISSION!!! WE CAN TEXT!!! I`ve never been so happy as I am right now. YAY! All those language barrier problems can be fixed with dictionaries!!! AND we might finally be able to get ahold of teenagers! It`s such an amazing little miracle. Now....I just have to remember how to text on brick phones. 

And, we`ve really been seeing that/the Lord`s hand in the work this week . Even though are numbers are kind of struggling, and we`re having a hard time finding people who really are progressing, I know that as we apply what we`ve learned and trust in the Lord and his timing, we will be able to help others gain a testimony of their own. The thing that hurts my heart the most is when people don`t want to read the Book of Mormon. Because, it`s so good! But...yeah. But! The coolest thing happened yesterday. Sometimes, I get a little upset because we just walk around and talk to people all day long and nobody wants anything to do with us and....that`s hard for me. #sorryiliketobeliked And sometimes it´s hard to feel like you are really making a difference, but on Saturday afternoon, we were talking to this man on a bench in the park and we invited him to come to church with us on Sunday and gave him our card (like we do with every person we talk to), and then on Sunday, we were sitting in Sacrament meeting (which we have last and it`s upstairs), and this member walked up to us from the back of the chapel and showed up our card and said we had an investigator that was looking for us! IT WAS SUCH A MIRACLE! And that hasn`t happened since Diogo!! So you KNOW I`ve got a good feeling about this one. God is SO good! Except that he lives in the other sister`s area, so we won`t get to work with him, but that`s okay, because he`s still gonna be incredible! I just know it. 

This week...I`m realizing a lot of my weaknesses. It`s kind of funny (and actually not that funny at all) how the Lord shows you your weaknesses. He does it out of love and because he wants us to grow and what not, but sometimes that growing and understanding and studying to figure out how you can humble yourself a little bit more to trust in the Lord a little bit more to work a little bit harder and have a little bit more courage and just do your part is actually really really hard. But, this morning, I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants, and I read about how we have to be the small helm in helping steer the big boat and then Sister Lofgreen said that someone is standing over directing the helm and I just got all teary eyed, becaue I know the Lord is standing over helping direct His work. 

We`re also trying to come up with new and creative ways to find people, because.......yeah. So last night, the other sisters and the elders and us all went to this little park and set up a table with Book of Mormons and pamphlets and coisas assim and started singing hymns, and it was actually so incredibly amazing. People were coming up to us! And we were happy, because who can`t be happy when you`re singing? It`s no Les Mis, but....it`s what we`ve got right now. And our district is full of people who have the voices of angels, so...that helps. Now if only we could get Celine to come sing with us next week. I think that`d be a real crowd pleaser. Ya feel me Kate? 

Okay, can you believe it`s already time for transfers? Where on earth did this transfer go? I have no idea. But, not gonna lie. I`m a little stressed about it. Sister Call and Sister Lofgreen and Sister Stokes and I all love each other so much that we can`t imagine parting. We`re thinking about asking President if we can all just stay together for the whole mission. Think he`ll go for it? Yeah, me too. It`s like when Meliss told me I should ask the Prophet if I could just switch to her mission. Seems logical to me. 

This week, I`ve been thinking a lot about how lucky I am to have you all in my life. I don`t even know how it is possible that the Lord has blessed me with so many people that are so incredibly amazing. And how is it that we all found each other? How is it that the Lord loves me SO much that He gave me all of you who are willing to put up with me and love me and take care of me? I have no idea, but I am so so so grateful. Words cannot express the love I have in my heart for all of you. I love you so much, you amazing people you.

xoxxo

Sister Brooks 

look how adorably perfect our little district is

"You're speaking in a different language, but I can still understand you."

A little 5 year old girl told me that the other week. So....yup. That`s where I`m at with Portuguese. Hahah it was actually so funny. She really honestly believed I was speaking to her in another language. Nope....estava a falar em Português. So...that`s hard. 

Why is email time so stressful? So many emails. So little time. So much love in my heart for this blessed hour and a half of the week. But I love and cheerish every one of them. And every one of you. Even if I don`t respond, so please oh please keep them coming.

This week was filled with all sorts of adventures. First and foremost, I had another go to Lisboa and come back in a day adventure this week! Yay for 8 hours on a bus in one day! Not gonna lie, I was a little weary of leaving my comp all alone without me. I really do feel like a mom! hahah. We had to go get our residency cards so I can stay here for another year! Yayyy! It was actually the greatest little blessing from above, because it was just a whole day with Sister Jackson! (I`m still praying that we get put back together....so....if you guys wanna join in on that one too, I wouldn`t be mad.) Basically, our whole MTC district had to go to this little place and get our fingerprints taken and sign some paperwork. But, I think we really just went to hang out with each other again. Sister Jackson and I took the same bus back and we used the ridiculous photo booth things that they have here to take the world`s funniest pictures. Oh man, she is still so amazing. Sister Mullen has to go back to Canada for a transfer because her papers didn`t work out. Made me think of The Proposal #deported #canadaeh? hahaha so....as far as I know, I`m legal.

Other than that, it was kind of an interesting week. It`s always hard to go from working with people who are progressing and just really feeling like you are fulfilling your purpose to walking around and trying and trying and trying to talk to people who don`t want to talk to you. I don`t think I`d make a very good lion. I don`t like to be on the hunt. hahaha what? Who am I? ANYWAYS. But, I`ve finally learned how to just go around complimenting people in Portuguese, and it`s my favorite thing to do now in the street, because then they at least smile back at you. The only problem is....I don`t ever want to go from the nice little foreign menina to the annoying girl who is trying to talk to you about Christ. And I still can`t figure out that transition...so.... hahahah it`s such a hard life.

But we have met a couple really cool people this week! Mostly teenage girls that I can relate to because we talk about Justin Bieber and One Direction and Taylor Swift. And then they tell me they`re 14 and I remember that I`m 21 and I say to myself.....glad not much has changed in the last 7 years. Hahahah I hate myself.

Also, reinstated secret of the day this week! (I`d completely forgotten about it!! I know...I can`t believe it either.) And it`s way harder and way more fun on the mission, because you actually are with each other 24/7 so there`s a lot less secrets which means that they`re that much better!!!

ALSO! You know what Lisbon means?! LETTERS!!! I LOVE LETTERS AND I LOVE YOU ALL AND I LOVE HOW MUCH I LOVE I GET IN THE FORM OF LETTERS! You guys really don`t understand. It`s my favorite thing to walk into the office and ask the Elders for permission to run downstairs and then I look in the little mail box and I`m just so happy! (Also, I realized this week that I ask 19 year old boys for permission for everything/call them to report about my life/ask them every question I have, and then I just giggled to myself, because really? Oh well, I look up to them so much it`s unreal. So...whaterrs.)

Speaking of.....DOUGLAS WALL YOU ARE MY FAVORITE PERSON IN ALL OF THE WHOLE WORLD!!!! SERIOUSLY THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!

AH. OUT OF EMAIL TIME. YIKES! But, I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! Until next Monday....

xoxoxo

Sister Brooks

Oh, guess what?! Diogo`s getting the Priesthood this week! and Armando got it yesterday! and Toze passed the sacrament for the first time this week!! Yay! I love the Priesthood!!

  

MTC REUNION THIS WEEK

My companion is just so precious

yeah MTC COMPS!

WHY IS SISTER JACKSON SO FUNNY?

"It's literally killing two birds with one stone." -Sister Call

Hahahah, okay, so there is this pigeon that is living on our porch and she created a nest and she is now sitting on her eggs, and it`s so disturbing, but we can`t bring ourselves to do anything about it. And the birds are ALWAYS outside our window at night and it`s the most obnoxious thing in the world, because they`re SO loud. So last night, Sister Lofgreen wanted to throw a rock at the birds to make them shut up and Sister Call told Sister Lofgreen said to just take one of the eggs in the nest and then we´d being `killing two birds with one stone.` HAHAHAHA I hope you guys found that as funny as I did, because I was DYING of laughter. 

ANYWAYS---THIS WEEK WAS SO INCREDIBLE!! I don`t know if I am even going to be able to explain it. I mean, it was kind of really stressful, because it turns out that having to make sure that everything is being done correctly is actually really hard, and it`s even harder when it`s in Portuguese, and it`s all these legal words that I have no idea what they mean, but no worries, because everything went PERFECTLY!! Well....kind of. Speaking of, just so you all know...there`s family drama at weddings in Portugal too. Yikes. BUT. 

SOFIA AND ARMANDO ARE SO INCREDIBLE!! THEY WERE SO PREPARED, AND THEY ARE JUST THE WORLD`S GREATEST PEOPLE!! I love them and their little family SO much!! And the Gospel really is blessing them and their family in so many ways!! Sofia was telling us that she has wanted to do this for 10 years now, and the fact that it was finally happening, she couldn`t have been happier. She and Armando just couldn`t stop smiling, and they were SO happy, and they really were acting like newlyweds and it was SO precious. I was dying! The wedding was civil and it was actually really strange, because this lady just mumbled a bunch of words in Portuguese and then they both said yes and then they exchanged rings and then they kissed and that was that. But it was still so perfect in its own little way, and they were just so happy and it made me so happy and I just can`t even begin to explain it.

So they got married at 3:30 and then they got baptized at 7!! They changed into their baptismal clothes and Armando kept joking around about how he looked like a painter, and they are just SO funny. I wish you could know them so badly. You will. But they were SO happy, and EVERYONE was there. There was SO much support from both wards! It was incredible!! And everything went so smoothly and then afterward, we had a little fiesta to celebrate with them! The Bishop`s wife and another lady in the ward made cakes in the form of a heart and it was so precious. They were just so excited about it all. And my heart was just bursting with love for them. Sofia thanked us for helping her realize this dream, but we didn`t do anything. It was all Heavenly Father, and I couldn`t be more excited for them and this time in their life.  

And THEN on Sunday, they showed up to church looking SO good! Armando was wearing a white shirt and a tie! I die! SO perfect! Ah, they are so perfect, and they are SO happy, and they really have felt the Spirit touch their hearts, and they are seriously so converted! It`s SO incredible to be a part of. I feel SO lucky to know them! And they got the Holy Ghost on Sunday, and the Spirit was SO strong, and it was just the most incredible thing. Sister Stokes and I had to refrain from squealing with joy, because we were just SO happy. And he`s preparing to get the Priesthood next week, and I just LOVE this Gospel! 

But funny story of the week--in Portuguese, there is this ´lhe´ sound that we Americans can`t make, and it`s the funniest thing, because we try SO hard, but it never works. I don`t know if I`ve already told you this or not, but anyways. This week, we were sitting at dinner with Sofia and Armando, and Tiago, their 4 year old son, spent literally 15 minutes trying to teach us how to say ´orelhas´ or ears. Basically, it went like this. Tiago: `O-RE-LHA-S´ Us: ´O-RE-LEE-AS` Everyone bursts into laughter. Tiago: ´No no no no. It`s not like that. It`s like this. I`ll go slower.... OOOO-REHHH-LHA-S.`  yep. Nope. Still couldn`t do it. It was the funniest and most humiliating moment of my life, but it was actually REALLY funny, so...I`m not mad. THEN he started dancing around the table and he was doing Gangham style, and he knew all the dance moves and it was SO funny. And he is SO cute. and Mom, you would DIE. 

Anyways, I wish I could tell you everything that I am thinking/feeling about this week, but there really are no words. Other than I know this is really the work of the Lord and that the way for us to be happy and find peace in our lives is through His Gospel. I am SO grateful to have this opportunity to meet these people and to feel this love that the Lord has for us and all his children. He loves us SO much. More than we can even begin to imagine. I am SO grateful to know that, and I am so grateful to be in Portugal with these crazy, funny, ridiculous Portuguese people.  

xoxoxo
Sister B 

PS. CANDICE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE OF MY LIFE THAT I HAVENT HEARD FROM IN 5 MONTHS (you like that subtle hint? Write me ya punk.) I HOPE IT WAS FANTASTIC! I think of you every day and I miss you dearly. 

MARLEICE!!! FREAK YEAH!!! Hope you LOVE the MTC!!! GO take Brazil by storm!! Can`t wait to talk to you in Portuguese!! Eeee :) I LOVE YOU!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIMMING!!! I HOPE IT`S THE GREATEST!!! Mom---better make him a roll-up cake. 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO MUCH!!!

hiking....

lololol im so in love with our elders

look at my cute roomies....on megabed

Sofia and Armando's Wedding

Invitations!!

YAYYA WEDDING CAKES AND LOVE!!!!

LOOK HOW HAPPY THEY ARE!!! OMG I DIE!!!!

OUR LITTLE FAMILY!!!

Tiago is the world`s CUTEST child ever.