A Week of Work :) (Sep 8, 2014)

Hey everyone!  This week has been so awesome!  We had ups and downs but honestly it ended so well!  We are making it to our goals and we have a lot of people who are progressing and we have hope for baptisms in the future :D

Tuesday 2nd

After emailing we went and got myself a Uke :D  It`s already proved to be a huge stress reliever and just a way to also accompany myself on the go.  I`ve learned two songs already, Come Come Ye Saints and How Great Thou Art.  The tricky part is memorizing the lyrics in two languages haha!  But I`m loving it!  Also started on a Missionary Parody of Get Lucky by Daft Punk :)  ``We`re out all day in the sun, Just trying to find someone, who will accept the Son, and change their life for the better`` or something like that haha! :)  

My Uke :D (Today) 

We also had our first lesson with Fabienne!  At first she told us that she had really bad experiences with reading the bible and Temoins Jehovah scriptures that something just was pressing her in her head so she stopped.  But we testified to here that the Book of Mormon was different and that it would really help her and she took it and said she would read! :D

Wednesday 3rd

Zone Meeting! :D It was so awesome!!!  There were 8/19 missionaries there that were from my transfer from the MTC!  Both of my companions were there!  It was just a super fun gathering and I even got to see Elder Pesquirra who I`ve known since 5th grade and Sister Hinkson who was Kayley`s old roommate!  But we had super good training there and just a rejuvenation of the missionary spirit to work hard!  Woo! :D  i especially loved when they shared about Luke 15 and the parables of lost things that can be found but only through work! I encourage you all to go read up on them and see if you can do some finding ;)  

Elder Pesquirra from Orem! 

Whole zone :)
Sister Hinkson is the sister on the back row on the right

All of the Elders from my transfer!
(Four from my MTC District)

The Sisters from my transfer

Pano!

The Montreal temple which is just outside the Longueuil Stake Center. 
Totally being redone!  (Currently closed for renovation)

Right after Zone Meeting, we had exchanges with the District Leader, Elder Pilling, and I got to be with Elder Peery my old companion! :D  So fun and awesome!  Great to catch up with him really.  That night we taught a recent convert English and had a little spiritual lesson after.  During that the RC looked at me after I said somethings and said that I reminded him of Elder Cloward.  A little info on that is that Elder Cloward is now the Assistant to the President. Talk about big shoes to fill haha!

Thursday 4th

Reading in Alma and I just have to say that the Sons of Mosiah are just boss missionaries.  They know exactly how to get things done and use the Spirit and really bring people to the truth. Just look at the Anti-Nephi-Lehis!  They were so converted that they wouldn`t even defend themselves for their want to not kill even at all!  Talk about conversion!  After studies we went and taught one of Elder Peery`s investigators.  She wants to be baptized so bad but currently she`s quitting smoking and coffee and her body can`t even take the withdrawals.  But she`s pushing on as much as she can!  Super cool.  Then we headed to Marieville and waited around before unexchanging.  Us two greenies did some contacting on our own which was actually pretty scary but very rewarding too being able to do that after only 5 weeks :)  

Split Selfie with Elder Peery my old companion :)

After exchanging, Elder Losee and I headed straight to a dinner appointment with the Fremonts.  I was able to play and sing Come Come Ye Saints for them which was fantastic!  Back in Granby we got to teach Nannette one of our investigators.  We taught about the Book of Mormon and how it can change her life.  She actually started crying because that is what she wants so bad.  her friend Gil was there too and so I was able to have a one on one conversation with him, in French, all by myself!  I`d say I've come a long way already but still have so far to go! :D  (Also FYI, I believe this is the day that I got Joey Brooks` letter :) Tell him thanks so much! I loved it!)

Friday 5th

Alma is just my favorite book in the Book of Mormon right now.  It is all about missionary work!  I just get so empowered from reading their experiences and knowing that I can do the exact same! :D  We were able to teach Kalila  with Frere Donovan.  It`s great French practice for me because she knows both languages and so she can correct us and help us  :)  Then we had dinner with the Boulangers.  He`s our Ward Mission Leader Assistant :)  Bien Quebecois though which means very hard to understand sometimes haha!  

Once we got home, I made a call to my buddy Shawn who is a potential.  We had a good discussion on things in the Book of Mormon because he`s been reading.  Then we were able to set up a Rendezvous!  It is so cool to see that by just staying in a little contact and little bits of the Book of Mormon and helping come closer to God and preparing him to receive the restored Gospel.

Saturday 6th

Saturday morning I had an amazing experience.  After waking up I went into our study room and decided that I was going to say my morning prayer vocally.  What happened after was so powerful.  I just felt God`s love for me so strongly sweeping over me.  I cannot deny that he is there and that he really does hear our prayers.  He loves each and every one of you so much!   Believe it!  Also it was probably one of the longest prayers I`d ever said too and it was so sincere for me :)

Mais quand même (But anyways) This was the first morning I made myself banana chocolate chip pancakes.  They were so good! :D Super simple even!

1 cup of Pancake mix

1/4 cup of diced bananas

1/4 cup or less of chocolate chips

And they were heavenly!  Pancakes are just happy food for me :)  We met with our investigator Marco and he`d read the Book of Mormon some which was awesome!  although we`ve got a lot of work to do with him.  But we`ll be patient! :D  I had the opportunity to really testify to him of how I had come to know the truth of the Book of Mormon for myself.  The gift of tongues and Holy Ghost really took over and I felt it work through me.  

We later had a dinner appointment with the Wus.  4th appointment for dinner this week!  Had the opportunity to really share about my family history though.  Thank you especially Grandpa Brooks for sharing all the stories about Edward Lloyd Parry and Mom for sharing about Joseph Egbert :)  Family History is the best! :D

Sunday 7th

Fast Sunday! :D  I love Fast Sundays actually :) Don`t have to worry about keeping yourself fed because the Spirit does it for you pretty much haha! :D  But at church we had a 3 hour block for the first time in Granby! :D  It was awesome!  Priesthood I was especially grateful for :)  I even got to share and take part in the discussion in French :D  Such a miracle and blessing!  

After church we had Elder Hayward, a senior missionary assigned to attend our unit in Granby, come with us to pass by Francine for a lesson.  We went there with him and she wasn`t there sadly. :( But he then took sometime to talk with us and give us some advice on teaching and having the spirit which was awesome.  Then, lo and behold, Francine showed! :D  Miracle!!!  We got to go in and have the most amazing lesson with her!  She`d read Moroni 10:3-5 like we asked and she`d even marked it up!  Such a fantastic start!!  We talked all over the place because we were really tailoring it to her needs and each scripture we shared she would mark something that touched her. It was so cool to see her already grabbing onto the truths in it!  But towards the end of the lesson she really opened up to us and emotions flowed.  Elder Hayward was key though!  Then we were able to set up to do the exact same thing the next Sunday with Elder Hayward!!!  It was beautiful! She`s going to come along and learn so fast! :D  And what`s more is that in the lesson, she didn`t even have a desire to smoke which was huge!!! :D  Miracles everywhere!!!!  

That night we stopped by Elle`s parents again except this time we had a lesson and at the end I sang How Great Thou Art for them :)  they enjoy my singing and I`m just glad that I can share the talent that God has given me.  Seriously I owe everything that I have and I am to God.  Even the things that I`ve worked hard on are still thanks to Him and his son :)  I love them so much!!! :D  At the end of the day we tallied up our lessons and other numbers for the week and we actually hit or surpassed almost all of them which was amazing!  But it makes me so excited because we have lots of people to teach that we have found and now we just got keep finding and teaching and the work here is going to make some big things happen!  I`m so excited! :D

Monday 8th

Had studies today.  Alma a little bit each day.  Oh that I were an Angel like Alma said though in chapter 19 (chapter 29).  Speak with the power of the Holy Ghost like a sounding trump.  But alas I am satisfied to just have my own voice because I`ve been blessed with even just that! :D I love this work and I can see so many miracles coming to pass and so many instances where I can see that I am supposed to be here especially.  Can`t believe that my first transfer out is almost done! :D

So that`s my week!  It`s been amazing!  Everything has really worked out in the end even when there were some rough spots like in our companionship.  but in the end everything has smoothed over and we`re happy as can be with the success we`re seeing here :)

Goodness I love all of you so much and I`m not even spending time with you haha!  It`s cool how that works.  I feel like I`m still growing closer with all of you yet I`m further away than I ever have been in my life.  But that`s something amazing about the gospel.  Through Christ and Heavenly Father we are all brothers and sisters and the gospel truly does bless families.  That`s one of the first things we teach to anyone and I know it`s true.

Have a fantastic week everyone!  I love you all so much!

Avec amour, (With love)

Elder Brooks :)

(Transfers are coming next week.  It is unlikely that he will be transferred, but if you are going to send something to his apartment in Granby, you may want to wait until his letter comes next week.)