So in response to your letters!! Looks like you all had a fantastic 24th!! Can't believe you did the 5k that's so cool! :D The indexing craze is so cool too! Love Family History so much! Also, the MTC is really stressing the importance of the Temple :) We're changing so that we stay in contact with converts a year after they're baptized! Talk about retaining and pushing forward! :D
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| Elder Bengtzen and my adventure with microwave smores!!! :) |
Now for the days!
Friday: The 1 Month Mark!
Cannot believe I've already been out an entire month! It's insane!! it goes really fast but the time is well used every second. We started to teach José about the commandments from lesson 4 and started with keeping the Sabbath Day holy. It went really well and in my personal study I had found a verse in Isaiah 58 that was great! I shared it and then he was confused. Then I realized I had no idea what it even meant in english!!! Ah! It talked about being blessed with the "heritage of Jacob". I calmed down a bit and then thought about it and suddenly it was unfolded to me! Completely the Holy Ghost helping me out! It was talking about the blessings of being part of the House of Israel like eternal life and exaltation! It was so cool to learn that while I was teaching it in the very moment!
Then later that day we got out Travel Itineraries!!! We leave next Tuesday at 3:30 AM! So early but it'll work out well! We leave SLC at 7:45 and stop in Detroit for a little then on to Montréal and land by around 4:00 their time! :)
Saturday:
We taught Albert the Gospel of Jesus Christ, lesson 3 and it went super well! We're so happy with both of our investigators because we can really see the progress being made. We had a zone meeting where we learned about the importance of Listening. As missionaries we need to listen because otherwise we won't be able to even know if our investigators understand or if they have concerns. Great life lesson too! Then later I got 2 packages in one day!!! It was like Christmas!!! I knew one was from the family but I didn't recognize the other handwriting. It was the Brousseaus!!! I was so pleasantly surprised!!! And the contents were perfect!!! Hi-chews, EXTREME Sourpatch Kids (MY FAVORITE!!!), fresh homemade bread, nutella, and jam! I was in heaven!! Then the package from the Fam! Those cookies were divine! Super big and soft!!! GAH! You're the reason I'm gaining weight now ;) (but only 3 pounds this week)! I loved reading your letter Mom! Made me happy to have 5 pages to read! :D And the pictures! Yes! Great to see Jonah's getting his use out of his waffle iron haha!
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| PACKAGES!!! |
Sunday: THE BEST DAY!
I had Branch Council and Leadership training in the morning. I hadn't had time to prepare my talk for sacrament meeting like everyone else and it came up in the meeting. I freaked out for a little then asked what the topic was. They told me it was Atonement so then feeling alright I blabbed and practically told them to have me talk. They agreed...Yup me and my big mouth... Haha but it was totally fine because I LOVE the Atonement so much because it has blessed me in my life so much! After my meetings I spent some time on Family Search looking at stories of ancestors. I love learning about them and seeing my heritage. I remember once that we found a line that went way way back. Do you remember which line that was?
Then it was time for Sacrament meeting. After playing a couple hymns, in which I am beginning to improvise more and more to make them more interesting, I was called upon to speak. So I needed to talk for 3-5 minutes in French in my talk. I spoke for 8 minutes!! It went so quick and I could have gone longer! But really the Atonement is amazing! Christ suffered personally for each of us one at a time and he knows our trials and pains and sicknesses personally. I used Alma 7:11-13 and also 36:17-21. They are my favorite for the Atonement because it tells what Christ did for us and what it does for us in bringing forgiveness and joy in our lives! Go read up on them to get the entirety of it! :D At the end I bore my testimony all in French and it felt so good! I meant every word I said and the Holy Ghost witnessed to me that what I said was true. Later many from my zone thanked me for my testimony but I don't feel like I could take credit for it. The Spirit was working through me and its thanks to Christ and the Spirit that I know and love the Atonement. I know it is real :)
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| Sunday walk to the temple! :D (my companions) |
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| Bunch of the zone! |
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| Elder Hammer from OHS! |
For devotional we had Stephen B. Allen, managing director of the Mission Department. He spoke about serving missions our whole lives, called or not. Also the importance of Find, Teach, Baptize, Retain, and Activate. I love those last two because it is putting the focus on an eternal perspective and not just getting numbers but saving souls :)
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| Men's Chorus guys at Devotional |
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| Shenanigans at devotional with Men's Chorus guys and Hermana Gardner! |
In the morning I hosted senior missionaries. I actually met one couple that is going to Netherlands!! I got talking with them and they're from Taylorsville and I mentioned my Dutch heritage with the Van Tussenbroeks and the man said he knew some. He knows Julie and Gerrit! Then I got talking with one of the Elders not from my zone and he went to PGHS and he knows tons of people from choir that I know! :D It is way cool to find connections here all the time! After lunch we worked with Frère Call on learning how to work with Less Active members. I loved it! In our role play I was able to really connect with him because he felt he had shame for doing some things he wasn't proud of. I was able to testify of the power of the Atonement and the Spirit was definitely there! :) After dinner we had Frère Nash with us and we worked lots of grammar. Future and Conditional tenses. Now I can tell what I will do and what I would do! Haha really though, the gift of tongues is so real! Now at the end of being here I can lead a lesson and sufficiently converse in French :) I love it! :D The church is true!
Tuesday:
This morning we went to temple and we got to see the new temple film!!!!! IT WAS SOOOO GOOOD! Probably my favorite :) But during our stay we've seen three different films! :D Weighed in before lunch and I've only gained three pounds! I blame the cookies Hannah ;) Then I got my first hair cut and that was probably the scariest thing here so far haha!!! But all is well! Only a little trouble of a plume on the back of my hair!
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| First haircut!!! Me right now as I email :D |
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| Shoe shining party! Be proud of me Dad cause I taught both my companions how to do it! :D |
Know that I love this work and I love the Gospel and I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Church is True! :D
Love♥
Elder Brooks
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