Irmã Brooks.: FESTA NOS EUA

FAMILY! FRIENDS! LOVED ONES! HOW ARE YOU?!?!

What a week. What a week. Let's see...what happened? Ah, the days are all starting to blur together and it's stressful.

Last weekend was such a blessed one. Oh, how I am going to miss running into all of my favorite people in Provo. On Saturday, I GOT TO SEE KATE! She and Davis came into the teaching center (TRC) to get taught by the Koreans, and as I was walking to dinner, I looked in the windows of one of the rooms and saw Kate's face! My heart literally jumped for joy. But she couldn't leave and I had dinner, so we quickly went and ate dinner, and then on our walk back, I ran into Sister Stewart, and I grabbed her and forced her to come with me and we went and waited until Kate came out of the room. Tears were shed and hugs were shared. It was VERY dramatic. I know, you're all shocked. But it was SO good to see her! And then on Sunday, we were walking to the Temple, and I was literally attacked by all of my best friends, and I was so so SO very happy for the whole day (even though it was FREEZING outside.) So...if you all want to move to Portugal and stalk me there too, that'd be great. No really, please.

Also, HAPPY HOLY WEEK!!!! I cannot believe that this time last year I was walking around the Holy Land. Oh, my heart. It aches. And yet, I am SO happy that I get to celebrate two Easters in a row solely focusing on the Savior and celebrating His life! We're having some super special Easter service with the ENTIRE MTC. So, like all 3500 people or so that are here right now are going to be having a Sacrament meeting together! Crazy awesome huh? Don't know who is coming yet, but we know it's really important, so...fingers crossed that my rumors reached Salt Lake.

There's this kid here who is from Dubai (so....obviously you know I die). Well, actually he's from Canada or something but lived in Dubai for like his whole life. Anywho, when I first met him, he wrote me a note in Arabic to prove that he actually lived in Dubai, so obviously, I died again. Anywho, from then on out my companions and I just continued to refer to him as Dubai. Still don't know his name actually. Anyways, he's going to Malaysia, and he left this week, but on Monday, we were walking to class and we all saw each other and he told us he was leaving, and I said, "Good luck in Malaysia!" and he said, "Until our wedding day!" And I just giggled and giggled and giggled for days. Seriously, why are people so funny? Also, why am I starved for attention/positive reinforcement? I blame the lack of social media likes. #saidit

So...here at the MTC, since all the days blend together, my hilarious companions and I decided we needed a way to differentiate the days. So, we decided that if the day before P-Day is P-Day Eve, then the day before that should be P-Day Adam. So that covers Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Well then, Sister Jackson dubbed every Tuesday, Haikuesday. Yes, we write Haikus to each other every Tuesday, and generally we do it in Portuguese, so they make no sense, but they're hilarious. For example:

Encorocolado (Curly)

Do you want to know?

What I think about Heaven?

Batatas Fritas. (French Fries)

Hoje: Haikuesday! (Today: Haikuesday)

Festa in the MTC, (Party in the MTC)

Platas de latao! (Plates of brass)

I invite you all to participate in our now weekly celebration of the Haiku. It makes every Tuesday a great day.

Speaking of language study...this week, Sister Jackson and I also decided to write a Portuguese rap. We'll record it for you and send it home later. But I'll give you a little sample of it right now:

"Traz-lo diabo temos isto (fogo, fogo)

poder de Deus e platas de latao

Nossas rimas fazeram-se chorra

como o paz do Espirito Santo! (garra)
....

Ouro, prata, ferro, e latao

coisas preciosas de Joseph Smith!

And we after we so cleverly made up our rap, we decided we needed to translate Party in the USA into Portuguese. #longlivemileycyrus Festa nos EUA: "Saltitei do aviao a LAX com um conho e minha camisola, Bem vindo a terra da fama excessa, WOAH, estarei aceito?" Why are we so funny? It's a question we ask ourselves everyday too. Jokes, jokes, but I wish I could truly explain to you how much laughter and happiness was involved in this process. I am going to miss my companions so much. I actually dramatically fell to the ground in our room one night this week and just said how lost I'm going to be without them. Everyone say a prayer that I can laugh with my next companions just as much.

On Wednesday, my companions and I were chosen (Hunger Games style) out of all the missionaries in the MTC to be 3 of the like 20 missionaries who are involved in demonstrating teaching in the very first meeting that the new missionaries have the night they arrive to the MTC. SO basically, they have a bunch of rooms set up with hundreds of new missionaries in each room, and then one or two people acting as/or actually someone who is interested in meeting with the missionaries. Our job was to knock on the door, and get to understand the needs of the person and how we could help him and begin teaching something about the Gospel that would benefit the person individually. It was really interesting to be a part of, and an awesome experience to see how far we've come. It's seriously so cool and terrifying all at once. I have SO much more to learn, and yet, I can't even begin to comprehend how much I've already learned. Also, it was surprisingly really hard to do in English. I'm secretly so grateful for the language barrier.

Also, THE TEMPLE HAS SONIC ICE! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE BOTHER TO MENTION THIS TO ME BEFORE?! Let's just say, I was very, very happy at that discovery this morning.

Has anyone noticed this Harry Potter reference in the Bible before? Or, maybe it's the other way around...whatever. 1 Corinthians 15:26. Also, READ 1 AND 2 CORINTHIANS. SO COOL. Ah, the scriptures are so cool! I blame Jerusalem for my love for the Bible, but I love that I love it so much, because then I can see how closely the Book of Mormon and the Bible work together! I love it.

I'm getting on a plane to Portugal in 3 days. 3 DAYS. WHAT? I am scared out of my mind. I actually cannot believe it. Not at all. But I am SO grateful for the time I have had in the MTC to prepare me. Oh, how badly I needed this. I am SO excited to go meet the people and help serve them and bring them closer to Christ. Christ's grace is sufficient for us all. That is seriously beyond comprehension, but I am SO grateful to know that that is true. He emerged from the tomb triumphant with the power to make us triumphant as well. His atonement is infinite and eternal. Because of Jesus Christ, our life is eternal and our love is eternal. I've never been happier to know that that is true. I love you all SO SO much, and I truly canNOT wait to live with you all forever and ever and ever and ever! :) Stuck with me. Zarry. "Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I am near." He is not here, for He is Risen! HAPPY EASTER AND HAPPY WEEK!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!! I HOPE YOU HAVE THE GREATEST WEEK! CATCH YA IN PORTUGAL NEXT WEEK! AH!!

XOXOX,
Sister Brooks

PS. SHOUT OUT TO ELLY BABY!!!! PORTUGUESE SISTERS FOREVER!!! Can't wait to be those obnoxious girls that only talk to each other in their mission language....oops. not mad. not sorry. SOOO EXCITED FOR YOU BABY GIRL!!! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW!!!