'Estou a jejuar...uhh...como um quase jejum.' -Zito

We had a noite familiar with Jeisa and Zito the other night, and Zito tells Jeisa not to put a lot of food on his plate, because he's fasting. And I go..' Uh...fasting?' And he says, ' Well, it is kind of like fasting, because you know, summer is around the corner, and it's beach time.' Hahha apparently dieting can be called 'almost fasting.' hahah Zito is actually the funniest human being. He speaks part Portuguese part Creole part English and it is the greatest thing that happens to my ears every week. Like when he calls himself bem black. Oh man. Too good. Or when he says, 'Ah, foi amazing man.' I love this family.

Anywayssss. HELLO FAMILY. sorry for the confusion. We had zone conference yesterday, so....no time to send an email on pday. Yeah...zone conference on a pday. I know. I agree, buutttt...it was actually SO good and exactly what I needed. Renewed the fire and just made me so excited to keep working in this special little area of Portugal. Yeah, okay, sometimes I get sad when I see Elly and her 5 story building chapel in Brazil, and we have one little room next to three other churches, but then I get super excited, because I remember that the Lord is preparing His children in ALL parts of the world, including here in Lagos. And that He has promised that even more, His angels are working here to help guide us to His children and help guide His children to us. He is preparing the Algarve for a stake. He is preparing Portugal for a Temple. He promised this land a temple, and He never goes back on His promises. I am SO grateful He trusts me enough to call me to this land and this area to let me be an instrument in His hands and work in His vineyard. 

MIRACLE OF THE WEEK: Deus e taoooo bom. Oh my goodness. I have never had a stronger testimony of the Lord seriously knowing what is best for each of His children and how He answers our prayers so specifically. Seriously, I die. God is sooo good.

So, we have been working really hard with Fatima and Francisco, and we know they are ready to get baptized, but they need to come to church, and they need to know that they are ready to get baptized, so we decided to fast for them this weekend. Well, we prayed that Fatima would wake up early and that she would feel excited and like a little push to go to church on Sunday morning and that when she got there she would be able to feel the Spirit and know that it is true and that she needs to be baptized. Well, we are praying and praying and we have so much faith, and sacrament meeting rolls around, and she and Francisco dont show up. Sister Blanco and I are a little disappointed, because....we were fasting and the cause was just and it should have been in accordance with the will of God and yeah. But, sacrament meeting was kind of a disaster and there was a lot of screaming and this child running around and just making a big confusion and it was kind of hard to feel the spirit. Well, afte church, we went over to Fatima and Francisco's, and Fatima tells us that she actually woke up really early, which never happens, and she was like, 'Yes. Hoje, eu VOU para igreja.' So then she was like Im going to just take a shower and then get ready and go. BUT, then, she fell back asleep and didnt wake up until 11:30, which she says she never does. So, when Sister Blanco and I walked out the door, we just looked at each other with a huge smile in awe, because we both had the same revelation. GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS. Specifically and in His time and in His manner and in the way that is best for His children. Because, she woke up, and she wanted to go to church, just as we had prayed for, but then, when the Lord knew that sacrament meeting would be kind of a bagunca and it would be hard to feel the Spirit, He let Fatima fall back asleep, because He knew that she would have been annoyed and frustrated and wouldn't have wanted to come back next week. GOD IS SO GOOD.

It is funny, because sometimes we think that the Lord isn't answering our prayers or maybe it is our lack of faith or maybe we were praying for something that wasnt just, but really He sees the big picture. He knows His children. He knows what is best for us and He works in His own time and His own ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. Because His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. God is good always, and He hears and answers every one of our prayers. 

In other news, we have this 16 year old girl and her mother that we are teaching, Susana and Bruna. Well, we are teaching about prayer and how its a commandment and how o espirito mal ensina que we shouldnt pray. Well, then Bruna asks, 'I have a question. I heard Satan is God's brother.' And we say, 'Well, He's one of God's sons. He's Jesus's brother.' And she says, 'So...he's my brother too?' 'Yes.' And she says, 'So...now I can tell my teacher that my brother ruined my homework?' Hahahha literally no idea how she went from that one thought to the next, but Sister Blanco and I just died laughing and I remembered how wonderful it is to have the mind of a 16 year old. But Bruna is seriously so incredible. She will make an incredible member one day. 

Also, our internet guy is from Pakistan, and man, it makes me miss Israel. These people are so incredible. He came to church with us the other day, and then he invited us over to his house for lunch this week, and ohhh my goodness, I thought I was going to die. Either I have gotten really used to bland portuguese food, or Indian food is actually the spiciest thing on the face of the earth, because I thought I was going to die it was so hot. It was actually so good, but Sister Blanco and I were trying so hard not to laugh slash make it noticeable that we were drinking like gallons of water. Hahhaha, oh I love this place. He is amazing, and I promise that when the middle east is opened to missionaries, the Lord's work is going to explode there.

Ah, the Church is true. The Doctrine of Christ is pure and if we apply it in our lives, we can be changed and we can see the lives of others change. I am SO grateful for the Atonement and the opportunity we have to change and to become better and to be more obedient everyday and to dedicate ourselves to following our Savior and becoming more like Him everyday. It's not even close to easy, but it is so so so worth it. I think it is so incredible trying to look at people the way the Savior does and treating them the way the Savior would--loving every one and forgiving every one and remembering that people are more important than all the 'things' that occupy our time. 'Never let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved.' The Lord loves ALL his children. We must see people as they can become. We must picture them in white. Of us it is required to forgive all, but He is merciful and just. I am so grateful for His mercy and patience with me. I still cant figure out how I deserve to be so blessed when I make so many mistakes, but I am so grateful for every blessing He has given me. I dont know how I got so blessed to have a companion who is so loving and patient with me, but oh my goodness, I have never been happier. I dont know how she puts up with me all day long, but she is an angel. I dont know how you guys have put up with me my whole life, but THANK YOU. Thank you for loving me despite all my imperfections. 

You all are my angels. You are my happiness. You are my inspiration. I LOVE YOU.

xoxo
Sister Brooks

Zona da Algarve - Março 2014