February 4, 2013

 

 

 

 

1. sunset

2. streets we drive down

3. Sis Ellett and I on our porch

4. nerd :)

 

 

 

Sweet family of mine,

 

Well another great week has come and gone. I know everyone is talking about time going by fast but, I feel like I hit a brick wall. Time has stopped. It has been a challenging week and I know that there are even greater challenges up ahead. But oh how grateful I am for these challenges because they are helping me become who I need to be. Sis Ellett is 24. She has a generals associates (same as me). She is quiet, very very quiet. She is having a very hard time adjusting to the mission life. And I have had a very hard time knowing how to help her. I have never prayed so hard and so fervently in my life. I pour my heart out to my Father in Heaven multiple times a day. One of the things I am going to be working on this week is really serving her. I want her to feel at home, feel comfortable, and to start to see the fun and joy that comes to serving the Lord in the Florida Fort Lauderdale mission! Today I am going to go get her ice cream :) and take her some where fun for p-day. I don't really know how to tell you about my area. We spend most of our time in an apt complex called Malibu Bay. We are teaching mostly Haitians. Our area is very small but for opening an area its great! On Tues we went to the island. There is a small island right off of the coast. There is a member of the other sisters ward that lives there and cleans the mansion that she lives near. She invited us all over for lunch. It was really fun! I will send pictures. I think I am going to start to send my photos because it will help you see more of my area and my companion. Sis Clayton (a roomie) and I were talking the other night and looking at all the pictures we brought. I am starting to feel the weight of training and opening an area. When I got here I was thinking to myself that I can do this- I got it. Well of course the Lord is humbling me and I don't have it. And I can't do this without His help! This past week when I got home we planned, and I passed out on the floor twice because I am just ssooo tired when we get home.  

I am glad you got my packages! Bri is growing so fast! I cant believe she is 8! She is so pretty and shes growing fast! It takes me a little bit longer to get mail to my apt because I moved farther away from the office. I got a lot of letters this past week from Grandma and Shine and Haile and Crystal... I love hearing from all of them! Mail is great! Its really helping me this transfer! ha.

 

The sky goes on forever here. It is so beautiful. There have been some really great sunsets lately. The other night the sky was pink and purple. I can't help but wonder if our Heavenly Mother gets to paint the sky. And if she places certain flowers, and breezes in our lives just when we need them!

 

The other day when we were having a longer day we stopped to eat at an ice cream shop. I received a tender mercy there when they were playing great music! ha. all 80s. I heard take me home tonight, living on a prayer, we built this city on rock n roll... it was great and it was just what I needed. Its times like that that help me realize that I am only human! Sometimes I try to be super woman and just do everything on my own and think that everything has to be perfect...... but then I wake up and realize that I am just a normal, average person doing amazing things through the atonement of my Savior Jesus Christ. All he asks of us is to do our best. After we do all we can do, he helps us out. Every time. It never fails.

 

How I miss all of you and my last area! I never knew I could love somewhere so much as home but, I love my old area. I think about my recent converts all the time. I miss them! I am grateful that I am able to write them though! On the 14th of Feb (vday yaya) we are having another specialized training. I will get to see Sis Holyan again!  I write Sis Holyan every week ha. I miss her. We had so much fun! I am trying to have that much fun with my new comp. It will come. I have to tell you a funny story about her and I share it with love. Maybe it will help you catch a glimpse of my days. She is huge into recycling. Which i fine. I've never done it but I support it, sure. So she had a card board box with a few milk cans in it. We were taking the garbage out and she had two garbage bags and I had the cardboard box with the milk cartons in it.... we walk to the dumpster, life is great, and we toss the garbage into the dumpster. Then she turns to me and says "Sister that wasn't garbage" and I said what do you mean? ya it was was" then she said no its for recycle and so I was sorry sister it will be okay though. and she said no it wont and started trying to climb into the dumpster to get the cardboard box with the milk cartons in it.... I was dying hahahahahahaha I couldn't believe it. I said, "sister I am sorry I did that. I didn't realize that you had set it aside for a reason. It will be okay in there and next time I will not put it in the dumpster." haha. I hope that brought a laugh to you. I am still laughing as I write you. Last night we ate at a members home it was super good! It was kinda like Hawaiian haystacks... but not at the same time ha. I was just super happy to be in a nice home. I would love to write something for Bris baptism. I will put something together and send it next email because her baptism is on the 16th right?

 

Well I suppose I will end on a spiritual note.

 

3 Nephi 5:13 "Behold I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

    I have been called of him to declare his word among his people,

                      that they might have everlasting life."

 

This past week there have been two experiences where I have realized that I truly am a representative of my Savior Jesus Christ and others see and feel it too. After leaving a harvest blessing with a man he said, "I feel as if you are Jesus Christ reminding me of what I need to do and reminding me that I need to pray to God." Then the day after that we knocked into a women named Samantha. She stepped outside and asked what we wanted. We told her that we were representatives of Jesus Christ and that we would love to leave the Saviors peace and blessing with her. I then asked, " what can the Savior help you with at this time in your life that I can include in the prayer for you?" she started bawling and said she was leaving for rehab and to pray for her kids. I asked if they were home and she said yes. I asked if we could pray with her and her children. She let us in. There was a 10 year old girl and a 6 year old boy. I asked the girl what I could include in the prayer for her and she just looked at me and then to her mom. Her mom said " I told them I was going to rehab." the little 10 year old girl started crying and said I just need help. My heart was filled with emotion at this time as I heard and felt this little girls plea for some kind of peace and normality to her life. As I said the prayer all I could think of was the atonement and how it can heal everything. After the prayer we helped do laundry and dishes and we cleaned the home. I am so grateful for my Savior and for him allowing me to be a representative of him and to do his work. Pres Monson has said "take a hand, reach a heart." This is the purpose of missionary work. The reach the hearts of Heavenly Fathers children. To invite them to come unto Christ.

 

I love being a missionary. I love the things I am learning and the growth I am experiencing. I love you! Thank you for all that you do for me! Your support, love, advice, and words help so much! I hope you have a great week! I look forward to writing next week and hearing about your week! I still always get on an email from around 10_11:30ish depending on when we get here but maybe I will get on later one day so we can chat! I chatted with Jake today and it was great! I will tell you about it next week! LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!

 

xoxoxox sister brooke johnson