Week 64

Dear Family and Friends,

This week the family we've been working with got baptized and confirmed. They are so special and I'm excited to continue to work with them and help them continue to learn and grow.  A ten year old boy that the Elders have been teaching got baptized as well. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. I had a white Christmas and the snow continues to come down. I feel like I've seen more snow in the past month or two than I have my whole entire life. It's really beautiful though and I'm grateful that a good amount of the time we have a car so it's not too bad being in the cold. 

I am so grateful for the scriptures and how God can speak to us through them. I know that when we search for answers to questions that we have, if we have a true desire to act on the answers, God will tell us what we need to do. Sometimes we don't feel like we are getting specific direction but when we act on true righteous principles that often times we already know then we can trust that what we are doing is something God would want us to do. God does not need to direct us in all things, He trusts us to apply what we learn from the scriptures, prayer, church, our leaders and life experiences and use our agency for righteousness- to serve and love others.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and that you have a fantastic New Year!

Week 63

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been amazing! SO much has happened and when I look back on each day it's hard to believe that everything happened in just this week.

We went on three exchanges this week- which means that we trade companions for 24 hours for the purpose of learning from other sisters and helping each other become better missionaries. We also had a Christmas Gathering with other missionaries in the southern half of the mission. Each zone put together a little spiritual thought/musical number and afterwards we watched Meet the Mormons. I highly recommend it to everyone! Friday evening we had the branch Christmas party and a couple we have been teaching got married as well. It was so awesome and they will be getting baptized with their two daughters this coming Saturday. 

Sunday we had a special Christmas program during Sacrament Meeting, but what I really enjoyed was teaching one of the youth Sunday School classes and getting to spend time in the primary for the last hour. I was reminded of the true reason of the Season and the spirit taught me some things that honestly brought tears to my eyes. I was reminded of the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ and also of the innocence and pureness of children. Also while teaching the youth I learned the importance of teaching better so that when you ask 'why we should do missionary work' the answer won't be 'so we don't get our arms cut off'. Ha I hardly kept myself from just laughing out loud. We had been talking about Ammon and how great of a missionary he was because he served the king and loved his fellow servants and protected them from the robbers who came to steal the sheep by cutting their arms off. So although we should do missionary work, the reason shouldn't be because we want to keep our arms. Our motive should be because we love God and those around us and seek to serve them and help them.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas this week! I love you all and invite you to take some time to evaluate your relationship with Christ and seek to strengthen it by getting to know Him. Study His words and works in the scriptures. I'm grateful for Christ and His love for me and His example that I can do my best to follow.

-Hermana Brighton

Week 62

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been another wonderful week in Yakima! We are working hard and it's been amazing as we have seen how the Lord helps us find those who are more prepared to accept the Restored Gospel.

We've been teaching a family that is just incredible and they are planning on getting their marriage license today so they can get married soon- hopefully this week. They are just incredible and have so much faith, although lately they have had a lot of struggles they still are progressing and they are just awesome. I believe Satan is working really hard against them, yet I know as they continue to act on faith they will come out on top. That is something we all need to remember. In the end those who have had faith in Christ and have made and kept their covenants will be successful and happy. 

Something I've been thinking about a lot is a phrase that came to mind this past week- Endless progression is true joy. The more I've thought about it the more I've liked it and I really believe it's true. I know that it is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we can continually progress. We can repent and change and leave things in the past and move forward seeking to become better and more fully follow Christ's teachings. The Gospel is wonderful! :) The Gospel encourages change, yet never changes itself. It will always be the one and true way to eternal joy. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has the permission from God to perform baptisms in the way He wants them done. What a blessing this is and that is why I'm serving a mission- to invite all to come unto Christ and be baptized with His authority and then to continue progressing and becoming better each day.

I hope everyone enjoys these coming weeks before Christmas and that you can share your testimonies of the Restored Gospel and invite others to learn more by meeting with missionaries. I love you all so much!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 61

Dear Family and Friends,

This past week has been awesome. On Wednesday Hermana Bailey and I received a third companion, Hermana Dee. She is from Alaska and is super positive and fun be with. So we will be in a tri-pan until Hermana Bailey goes home on the 18th. In the mean time we are taking full advantage of there being 3 of us and have been getting rides with a lot of the men in our branch since often times they are the ones that are available to drive us places. This allows us to save miles and also let the other sisters use the car more often. For those unaware, as missionaries we have a rule that we have to have a 3rd adult of the same gender in order to get rides from members or go into someone's house, that's why it's SUPER nice being in a tri-pan. :)

There has been a good amount of snow, rain, and slush falling from the sky this week, probably more that I can remember in my whole entire mission. It's good though because we all in this area have been praying for water in this area. God answers the prayers of the faithful.

We have been working with a wonderful family and they have come to Sacrament Meeting these past 2 weeks and are just incredible. The Mom reads in the Book of Mormon and just loves it and makes all kinds of connections to the Bible and to herself. She learns so well on her own and then we are able to just come and aid in the learning process.

There are also a couple other people we have been working with that are progressing well and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be serving a mission and to be here in Yakima. There are so many amazing things happening and sometimes I ask myself why the Lord has been so merciful as to allow me to be a part of these miracles. I am just so full of gratitude though and I hope to continue to be do all I can to work hard and be faithful in aiding the Lord to carry out His work and help Him fulfill His promises.

I hope we can all have a wonderful week and share the joy we have because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for this Christmas season and for this special time we have to be able to focus more on the Savior and help others recognize the importance of Christ and what He has done and still can do for us.

Love you all!

Hermana Brighton

Dear Family and Friends,

This Sunday a family we have been teaching for a few weeks came to church and I was so happy!!! :) The parents are just incredible and they need to get married before they can be baptized but there is nothing preventing them from getting married and they are going to work with el presidente de la rama so that they can get married soon. They are both just so ready and everything we teach they fully accept and just love, even the Law of Chastity which they immediately committed to live (though they are still in the same house). They are sleeping in separate rooms, one in the bedroom and one on the couch. At first thought if makes me kinda laugh that they would do that when they are going to get married so soon but really thinking about it, I am amazed by their absolute faith and desire to follow God's commandments. They truly are an example to me, and I love them so much. Along with this family of 5, 2 other investigators came to church, one of which is preparing to be baptized on the 12 of December. It was an amazing Sunday.

As well there were 4 baptisms in our branch on Sunday evening. It was a father who's sons had already joined the church over the past couple years, and then 3 youth in another family, who's parents will hopefully be baptized soon. It was an incredible experience and there were so many people there to support them in the incredible choice they each had taken to be baptized.

After the baptism that night, at seven o'clock there was a fireside at which Alex Boye came and spoke. He has an amazing conversion story and while listening it made me think about how even though each of our stories are different we are all converted to the same gospel. We are here to share our experiences to help one another and to strengthen and encourage each other on the path back to our Heavenly Father. Everyone is unique and different but that is not a bad thing. We need to use our strengths to help others come unto Christ. The fireside went pretty long and we didn't get back until late.

It's been snowing here in Yakima and Tuesday morning during our exercise time we went out and had a snowball fight because it was the first snow fall of the year. Since then it's snowed a couple more times and it will probably start sticking more now, though the snow from Tuesday stuck around all week in places where the sun doesn't hit as much.

Well transfer calls happened this past Saturday. I'll be staying here in Yakima with Sister Bailey but we will also be receiving another Sister because Hermana Bailey will be going home mid transfer in order to be home to go to school in January.

There are so many exciting things happening in our area and I look forward to the coming weeks and the miracles we will see. 

Love you all so much!

Hermana Brighton

week 59

Autumn Leaves, Jesus Doesn't
Dear Family and Friends,

Happy Thanksgiving this week! Hope its wonderful and that you take time to really think about your blessings and even make this a habit throughout the year. 

It is getting colder here and we've had to scrap ice off our car most mornings. As well we've been getting little snow flurries today. We'll see if it ends up sticking at all.

We had stake conference this weekend and I remember that faith was a big topic. I invite all to study it and think about what faith is.

I know that when we have faith in Christ we are able to have hope and be much happier in this life. I'm grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that I can become better each day of my life, each moment even.

I love you all!

Hermana Brighton

week 58

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope everyone had a great week! I don't have a lot of time left this week to write but this week has been busy and full of learning and growing opportunities. I am growing to love my mission more and more every day, even though its hard sometimes. It's worth it. 

We are teaching this incredible family that hasn't come to church yet but I feel like next week will be the week! The mother Carmen is incredible and has been reading the Book of Mormon since we gave it to her and she loves to look up the cross references at the bottom and she has told us she just knows it has got to be true because it's teachings are so similar to the bible and they just go together so well. She just really understands things as we teach and I love it! Hna Bailey and I also had this opportunity of finding people that we referred off to the English missionaries that were just really awesome. We met this one man named Ken while walking down the street at the end of the night and when we invited him to be baptized, he accepted and wanted to come to church and learn more. Hope the Elders get to teach him more.

Well I love you all and wish you a wonderful coming week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 57

Dear Family and Friends,

This week Hermana Bailey and I had a lot of meetings that we went to as part of our leadership calls. I'm starting to realize that I am kinda more like one of those get out and do people, not just sit around and talk about what we are going to do. I do know that it is important to make plans though and I did enjoy the insights and spiritual experiences I had in the meetings. They were opportunities to feel the spirit testify of the importance and truthfulness of what we do, and made me more excited to get out and work and share the restored gospel. 

There are a few people that we have been focusing on this past week, but Hermana Bailey and I had been wanting to get out and find some more people in a specific section of our area and we were finally able to do that Sundaynight. We were able to find some good people that we have return appointments with as well as others that we could tell the English Elders to go visit. A very awesome moment was after saying a prayer with someone that was simple and sincere and after saying amen, the guy looked at us and was like "That's what's up! I like that." He was just really pretty interested in the first place and the prayer at the end I feel like really drove the simplicity and beauty of our message home to him. We are sending the English missionaries his way.

This past Saturday there was a baptism of a boy in our branch that we went to and helped out with the music. A recent convert and his 10 year old daughter came and we were excited for his daughter to see someone get baptized closer to her own age. We are wanting to teach her more to help her prepare for baptism as well. It's something that she seems to want, but we just need to help her learn more about and what it means.

Earlier in the week we went to a place called Northwest Harvest and helped out for a couple hours sorting vegetables- mostly peppers. I always enjoy getting to do something active during our service opportunities. It's amazing to me how much produce gets donated around here in Yakima, but it's awesome that there are just so many people willing to do that. We usually go to this place once a week and we have sorted all kinds of vegetables- bell peppers, jalapenos, all types of squash, onions, and more.

Well I hope everyone has a great week! I know that what I am testifying of as a missionary is true. Jesus Christ is our Savior. His church and the fullness of His gospel was restored through a living prophet Joseph Smith and I know we receive continued revelation and guidance through living prophets today. I love the Book of Mormon. I know it is true. It is physical evidence of the truthfulness of the first vision and the restoration of the church of Christ to the earth today. In moments of trial or difficulty I pray and study the Book of Mormon and by doing these things I receive additional strength and encouragement. I invite all to do the same. 

I love you all!

Hermana Brighton

Week 56

Dear Family and Friends,

This morning I went with the missionaries in my zone to the temple down in Kennewick. It was a wonderful experience that I am grateful for. I'm grateful for the tender mercies I have experienced through out this past week that have helped me continue faithfully doing the Lord's work and given me strength and support that wasn't my own. I know that God puts us in certain places at certain times to help us learn and make us stronger- to help us develop a depth of soul and character that we wouldn't be able to develop otherwise.

I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is what allows us to have hope. As we have faith in Christ, we trust that He knows us and can help us. I love the Book of Mormon. I know it is inspired by God and written by prophets. I have seen how as I read the scriptures searching for answers I have found answer after personal answer to my questions. I feel like I am doing better than ever because I am really learning to recognize the answers God is giving me as I honestly sincerely seek them.

This past week I got to go on two different exchanges with sisters in our stewardship- in Selah and in Toppenish. It was so awe-inspiring to work with these sisters and see their individual talents and abilities and learn from them. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve as a Sister Training Leader because I get to learn so much from other missionaries. It's incredible!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week! Hope you had a fun Halloween!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

week 55

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been pretty good. It's nice that I didn't have to pack everything to move into a different area, rather I just had to change bedrooms. Ha, the only struggle has been going into the wrong bedroom sometimes. Otherwise things haven't been to crazy. The new area I'm in is not as predominantly Hispanic as the previous but we are finding people to teach. It's been really incredible to see how the Lord has guided us to people who we needed to talk to and we were then able to send the English Elders to go meet them. 

A little while ago I found a quote I really love.

"If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived."

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

I really like this because we are reminded that there is always opposition but that doesn't mean we should give up. Even the best people have had to be confronted with trials and struggles. Christ himself suffered "pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind" so that He could know how to succor His people- us. I believe that sometimes we pass through certain hardships so that we can know how to help others who experience similar hard times. I'm grateful for a Savior who understands me perfectly. I've always loved the words to the hymn "Where Can I Turn For Peace?" because they remind me of the unfailing source of hope and comfort I have when I may think no one else understands what I'm going through.

1. Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?

2. Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.

3. He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.

So I hope everyone has a wonderful week and remembers our true source of comfort and strength and hope, our Savior Jesus Christ and what He did for us.

I love you all!

Hermana Brighton

Week 54

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was the last week of the transfer and we received our transfer calls this past Saturday. I accepted the assignment to become a Sister Training Leader and my new (not-so-new) companion will be Hermana Bailey. It will be fun working with her again because she was my companion for a transfer when I went back to Royal for the second time. 

So I will be staying in Yakima and will be working in a different area, but will still be in the same Spanish branch. I'm looking forward to learning A LOT as I work more closely with other Sister missionaries and do all I can to help and serve them.

Some great verses of scripture I'm ponderizing for the week is 1 Nephi 10:18-19. I love how it says we have to search diligently to really find out and understand the mysteries of God. We have to put forth effort in order to receive and/or find answers. We can't just expect answers to come easily all the time, exactly when we want them. I know this is true and I love when after a long search or diligent study I am able to receive guidance from the Spirit of God that helps me better understand different doctrines and principles of the gospel and how I can better apply them in my personal life.

So kind of funny news is that I will still be living in the same house as my old companion yet I will have a new companion and my old companion will be training a new missionary. It should be an interesting adjustment these next couple weeks, but it should all be fine. Because we've been receiving so many new missionaries they've had to change a lot of housing arrangements in order to accommodate the new missionaries. I'm looking forward to a great transfer though, full of learning and changing for the better.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful week! 

Love you all!

Hermana Brighton

Week 53

Dear Family and Friends,

Last night my companion and I rode with a member to go to a little city that we cover about 30 minutes outside Yakima and we had a really interesting experience. The people in the first house we went to were not very interested in changing and although the spirit was with us testifying of the truth of our message it was like they couldn't feel it at all. They just were not at all open to change. The second family we visited was a completely different story. I feel like they really have been prepared by God to receive the Restored Gospel. When we talked to them about their greatest desires they very sincerely told us how they want the best for their children (in fact that's why they recently moved here to Washington- to get away from the drugs and gangs in California), and the husband shared how he wants to change and become better. They were just so desirous to learn more and we are so excited to teach them.

This past week or so I've been studying about Christlike attributes and I really like the Attribute Activity in Preach My Gospel because it really makes you stop and think and really spiritually evaluate yourself. You really learn a lot about your character. So I definitely would recommend taking a little time each day to maybe just evaluate yourself and how you are doing with developing certain characteristics and attributes. You can learn and grow a lot from it and then be able to set goals to improve.

This week the scripture that I am ponderizing is Mosiah 3:19 and I really like it because of the attributes it reminds us we should have.

Yesterday I got to teach the gospel principles class at church about missionary work and it went really well. The spirit definitely helped to know what to say and do and I am coming to realize that I really like teaching the gospel in a class setting with members where all can contribute and where we can learn and grow together.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful week! Keep doing the little things- personal prayer and scripture STUDY (not just reading)- to strengthen your testimonies and to help you be safe and protected when life throws curve balls your way.

Love you all!

Hermana Brighton

Week 52

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow. This week has been so full of learning experiences and my testimony of the Restored Gospel is being strengthened and reinforced each day as I study and pray with real intent and desire to know truth. 

General Conference was an incredible experience. I know that God cares for his children and it is through called and ordained leaders that we can receive additional inspiration and teachings to guide us on our pathways here in mortality. I had many questions answered and I know that God is aware of me and love me because I am His special spirit daughter. I know that God created our spirits and He knows us better than we do and sees the divine potential we have. The Spirit of God has lead me to find answers to questions and even doubts I've had. I love what was stated in conference though about how faith and doubt cannot exist in you simultaneously. Faith dispels doubt. I know this is true and as we choose to have faith and push forward despite out weaknesses and difficulties, God recognizes that and is proud of us. I know that when we choose faith, we also choose to trust in God and His timing and His timing is perfect. Answers do come. Sometimes we just have to wait for them in patience all the while searching diligently for answers.

My companion and I had a special experience when one of our investigators invited us over to come teach. It was so amazing to come at someone else's request and then teach someone who is so ready and willing to learn. Who has so much desire to know! She wants to be baptized and has set October 24th as the date. We have a lot to teach her still but I know that things will happen according to God's will as long as she submits her will to His. :)

I love you all and hope you are all continually learning and growing your testimonies of the doctrines and principles of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity I have to be a full time missionary and see the lives of those I love be blessed, mine included.

Love,

Hermana Brighton 

Week 51

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope everyone had a wonderful week. It is starting to really cool off here in Yakima and I believe it was in the 40s this morning, at least according to our car. It really warms up during the day though so it's been really beautiful. I'm going to have to get used to wearing a sweater and then back to boots and a coat for this up coming winter. It's fun to really experience all four seasons.

This week my companion and I had an interesting experience. It was later at night and we were walking down a street when we saw a couple people sitting at a bench so we went over to talk to them. At first they were super closed off and the woman kept saying she didn't believe in Joseph Smith and other things like that, but then she said she was glad we came over because our smiles made her night better. We started to share why we were so happy and we ended up getting to teach her all about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and she accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon and a pamphlet about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and said she'd read them. I think that lesson we had with that woman and her friend really was something I won't forget. I just remember being filled with so much peace and desire to share the truth with her. I'm so grateful the spirit softened her heart and that by the end she truly wanted to know for herself if all we shared is true. She even said the prayer before we left and she expressed to God that she wanted to know if those things we shared with her were something she needed to know about. So this little experience really stood out as a bright moment in a somewhat tough week.

Here are a couple things I found this week while studying that I thought I'd share.

Luke 9:52- And Jesus said unto him, no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

I like this scripture because it made me think about how for me I've currently devoted my whole life to sharing the gospel- I've put my hand to the plough. When my full-time mission ends though that doesn't mean my sharing the gospel should end or that I should go back to who I was before. I shouldn't look back at all but look forward with an eye of faith, taking what I've learned in the past and using that to help me move forward and keep pushing the plough.

We had a meeting with a lot of missionaries this past week and something that was said really stood out to me. "Charity- the never-ending search for someone else's happiness." That is so true. That was Christ's motivation for all he did- our eternal happiness. It was also said that "Charity is the silver bullet to missionary work." If your motivation isn't love, Love for the Lord, Love for the People, Love for your companion and those you serve, then it makes everything a lot harder.

So a couple funny things from this week. While reaching to knock a door I mixed up my words and accidentally asked my companion if I should "knock the doorbell" instead. We were laughing about that one for a while afterwards, probably not that funny but we for some reason just couldn't stop laughing.

We did a service project this week and painted fire hydrants. We got paint on our hands and arms and had to resort to desperate measures to get the paint off... scrubbing with iron wool. It worked pretty well to get the paint off, and maybe a couple layers of skin. All's well that ends well though and we were just relieved to find something that could scrub the paint off cause it was stuck on pretty good.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful week! I'm looking forward to general conference at the end of the week. I'm curious to see who the 3 new apostles will be. I feel like by the end of my mission we'll have a whole new quorum of the 12! I hope not though. I hope everyone takes some time to write a few questions they have and I know that in some way God will answer them.

Love you all!

Hermana Brighton

Week 50

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been one full of learning for me. I learned a lot about family history and keeping track of your own history when I went to a Family History Fair this past weekend. I learned a lot and am grateful for the opportunity I had to go and feel the spirit testify to me of the importance of writing my own story as well as learning about the lives and stories of others- especially family. I would like to invite everyone who reads this to write down a personal story from your life. It can be about whatever you like, but maybe something that helped shape you into the person you are/want to become now. If you'd like to send me it, I would love to receive a letter with your story. I love learning from and about others.

So I wanted to share a little about my companion cause I realized I didn't last week. Her name is Hna Kennedy and she's from Draper Utah. She is the youngest of 10 children. She is amazing at playing the piano and I hear she can play the violin super well also. She's been out 10 months and her spanish is awesome! We work well together and we are accomplishing a lot here in Yakima. I am learning a lot from her about myself so it's been super interesting and I look forward to the rest of the time we will spend together. Oh, she also has an incredible sense of direction, which is a major help to me because if you know me that is something I've always kinda had a problem with. It's okay though, because I am learning and I hope to make my weakness into a strength eventually.

I love the song Asombro Me Da (mom you're gonna have to look up the english translation cause I'm blanking). Oh.. it's I Stand All Amazed isn't it?(YES, that is right) I invite all to look up the lyrics and ponder what it means for you- the Savior and His sacrifice and strive to strengthen your personal relationship with Him.

Love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 49

Dear Family and Friends,

I am in Yakima and I am loving it. I didn't think I'd be able to love any place as much as Royal City but I'm coming to realize that I can love these new places, because of people and experiences I have that help me grow and learn and change for the better.

This week we taught a lot of people and although not all are super interested it is still satisfying to know I'm doing all I can to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am really coming to learn about and appreciate more the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His example. When we rely on the Atonement of Christ, change is real and possible but you really have to want it. That's what I think I've struggled with the most on my mission- finding people who have no desire. In the scriptures it even says that you don't have to have faith at first, just a desire to believe and then you can let that desire grow with in you... well there are too many people in this world who are just complacent with how they are and don't believe they can change. This morning we were at a members house doing laundry and there was a quote on her wall that said "If we did everything we were capable of, we would literally astonish ourselves." When I really think about this I believe it. I think we are capable of so much more than we realize but we let things like negativity, discouragement, pride, pessimism, and not believing in ourselves and so many other things get in the way of us accomplishing more. This is why its important to remember our divine potential and remember what grace is. I feel that part of it is that extra strength that comes to us when we feel like we can't go on. When we feel like there is too much being asked of us and just how are we supposed to do it all? I was reading in Believing Christ and I could really relate to an experience that the author's wife had. She just got so overwhelmed with all the demands of life and then trying to be righteous and perfect that she just wanted to give up. This is where the author then talks about Christ and His atonement and that it is because of Christ that we don't have to be perfect, that our shortcomings or failures can be overcome and made right. His perfection makes up for our imperfection. He then writes, "What matters is that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can receive, despite our unworthiness, what we desire, what we long for- but only if it is what we really long for. So what do you want? What do you really want?" Reading that really struck me and it made me really think about my desires and what I really want in my life. One of those things I know I want is understanding and a strong testimony of Christ and His gospel. The author also shared the scripture Matthew 5:6-  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. I now really have come to love this scripture because it has so much more meaning to me. I know it is true. There have been times where I really have struggled and truly spiritually speaking hungered and thirsted for understanding of the gospel. Because I have sought after righteousness and wanted to know truth, many times I have received understanding and answers through the scriptures and through the words spoken at church. I'm so grateful that there is always more I can learn and that God wants us to search after knowledge and He gives it to us, line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week and that together we can continue to seek after righteousness and strive to align our will with God's will, make our desires what God desires for us.

I love you all!

Hermana Brighton

Week 48

Dear Familia y Amigos,

My companion will be receiving a new missionary to train and as well will become a Sister Training Leader. This means I will be moving on to a new place. I will be serving in Yakima. I'm looking forward to the new experiences I will have but I will also really miss Royal City and the people I have served here. 

This week has gone by so fast and lately the weeks have just been really flying by. It's hard to think I've been on my mission for almost a year. I've learned so much that will help me for the rest of my life. I've met people that have changed my outlook and have taught me more about compassion along with so much more than I think I could ever have learned any other way.

I'm grateful for the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for the prophets we have today to lead and guide us as times change and the influence of Satan grows stronger in the world. I know that by following the living prophet we will not be lead astray and we will know that what we are doing is pleasing to God.

I love you all and invite you to follow the Prophet- know what he is teaching now and find out for yourself that it comes from God by living it. John 7:17.

I wish you all the best this week!

-Hermana Brighton

Week 47

Dear Family and Friends,

Here are some pictures from 2 baptisms we had this past Saturday.

Juan is 16 and he had been going to church for almost a year and he also went to seminary last year. What's really incredible is I had been teaching him and his family when I was here at the beginning of my mission. He never could get baptized because his mom wanted to come to church first before giving her permission. Well she came at the end of July and then gave her permission so we taught Juan and he got baptized. He is an amazing kid and has a strong testimony of Joseph Smith and going to church and how it has changed his life. All his family except his dad and older brother came to the baptism and it was a beautiful experience. We want to teach the whole family more and we hope that they too can choose to come to church more and gain a testimony of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel and when they are ready be baptized.

The other picture is of Damien and his family and he's 11. We have been teaching all his family since I returned. The dad is already a member who is returning to activity. His mom is not a member... yet. Damien's little brother Carson is 9 and was going to be baptized but he decided he wants to wait to be baptized with his mom when his Dad is able to perform the ordinances. Both the parents have to work through some things before they are ready for baptism, but they are both incredible and I love them SO much. They also have a 2 year old Mikayla and she's one of the toughest little kids I've ever met but she's pretty funny. Teaching this family has strengthened my testimony that sometimes timing is everything for people and sometimes it takes certain experiences before people are willing to learn more and accept the Restored Gospel. They've also shown me how although live can be hard, it is possible to overcome hard things and press forward in faith.

I have loved getting to teach these families and I want to continue being a part of their lives forever. They have forever changed mine.

Also on Saturday we had the opportunity to go to a "Celebration of Life" for someone in the community who died. She'd been fighting cancer for a long time and she just recently passed. We helped out with the lunch afterwards. The reason I wanted to mention this though is because I was just amazed by how many people she had affected throughout her life. Practically the whole community was there and the service was held in the school gym. It just makes me think about what kind of influence and what kind of memories I want to leave behind when I die. I want to live life to its fullest and enjoy every minute and serve those around me and do it all so that I don't regret anything or wish I had or hadn't done something.

I'm grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how as my life has been centered around it I have been able to be happy. I've seen the difference it makes in people's lives when lived. It helps me know my purpose. It helps me find answers to the questions I have as I go throughout life. It helps me to overcome challenges and seek out the good. I love the Book of Mormon and the advice I get from it to solve my problems. I admire and appreciate the testimonies of those who wrote the scriptures and I find strength in their courage and willingness to do hard things and follow God's commandments. I love being able to learn from their experiences and learn from them what I should and shouldn't do to find true joy in my life.

I hope everyone is doing well and for those who are back in school I wish you the best! I encourage everyone to keep doing the little things like personal prayer and scripture study and going to church because that will be what strengthens and will provide support for you when the storms of trouble come.

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 46

Dear Family and Friends,

A quote from some kids we are teaching...

11 year old- "I don't know who the Holy Ghost is."

9 year old's immediate response- "He's your true eternal friend."

I just thought that was pretty awesome. We were of course able to talk more about the Holy Ghost, but I love when we are able to expand on the truth of what others say. They are preparing to be baptized on the 29th though the 9 year old wants to wait until his Dad (who was previously less active so has to work through some things) can baptize him. The 11 year old though decided he does want to be baptized so his grandpa will be doing it. I love these kids and their family and have learned so much from them.

This week, well yesterday, we had a conference with Elder Packer of the 70. We learned more about the importance of teaching to the individual needs of people and helping them really feel the spirit. In order to do this we need to be more obedient and have the spirit with us. Basically we need to 'seek first to obtain the word before we try to declare it. We need to recognize how we've been converted before we can help others do the same. I look forward to learning more and more as I study the notes I took as well as dive deeper into the scriptures. I know that learning will be a huge part of our lives and even will extend into the eternities, so it's important to seek after it and desire it. I'm grateful for what I'm learning on my mission and I look forward to learning for the rest of my life. 

On a slightly different note, I would like to let everyone know that tacos de lengua are delicious and I want to invite everone to go out to a taco truck and get some. Of course hopefully you can find an authentic Mexican food taco truck. Ha, hope you have a wonderful week!

Love you all!

Hermana Brighton

Week 45

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been full of some interesting experiences. I'll just do some bullet points.

• Stood and listened for quite a while as a lady told us why everything we believe is completely wrong. She said many things that hurt and all we did was listen patiently and with love. When she was done we asked if we could leave her with a prayer and once again offered our service cleaning up a tree that had gotten uprooted in a windstorm this past week. She allowed us to say a prayer with her and afterwards we once again expressed our desire to help her if she needed anything and left her with our number. She seemed maybe a little surprised that we didn't try to argue or anything the whole time. I just hope she remembers the experience as something positive.
• We got a window shut in our face as soon as we introduced ourselves.
• A man came bursting out of his house yelling at as, as we were about to walk away after knocking a couple times because he thought we were trying to break in. 
• I had a wonderful Sunday that made up for the rest of the week which was a little rough. The spirit was very strong and I'm grateful for the opportunity we have to go each Sunday to church and have our spirits uplifted and to be spiritually cleansed and renewed.

Well I don't have a whole lot of time left, but I just want to share my testimony again this week of the power of the Book of Mormon. I'm grateful for it and for the opportunity we have to have another Testemant of Jesus Christ to read, ponder, and study.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

week 44

Dear Family and Friends,

This week I really enjoyed sacrament meeting. Those who spoke really brought the spirit. You could tell they were both super shy and don't like public speaking but I think that's what made it all the better. Their simple testimonies and experiences they've learned from. I'm grateful for the opportunity we all have to go to church and not only renew our covenants (which truly is the most important part) but to learn from others and hear their testimonies. It really does strengthen everyone.

I love Royal City and how there is so much fresh fruit and vegetables. Members and others just give us them all the time. Apple picking will be starting very soon and I am looking forward to eating apples straight from the tree. The people here as well are incredible and I know that they will always have a special place in my heart. I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to serve them.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. Make sure to take time to just enjoy the little things, the little blessings and miracles, in life.

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 43

Dear Family and Friends,

This week I got a new companion and her name is Hermana Hall. She is from St. George, Utah and she is AWESOME. :) We have already had the opportunity to teach a lot of people and it's easy to stay happy with her because of her cheerful attitude. 

We have been able to teach a lot of new people this past week and although not everyone wants to continue to learn, I still am grateful that I have the opportunity to share at least a little bit about how the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and invite them to find out for themselves if its true. This leaves the rest up to them. They have the opportunity to exercise their God given agency to accept or reject the message we bring. I know as well, that sometimes people aren't ready but that maybe sometime later in their lives they will be. With some people we just need to be patient and continue to be examples and share what we can.

So something I found out today is that we only have 57 companionships in our mission. With some more time, I think we will be getting more missionaries though because that is why they split the mission, so that things would be more managable for the mission presidents because before there was probably twice that many missionaries and there still weren't enough.

Here in Royal it has been pretty smokey because of fires going on. We have heard there have been one or two pretty bad fires, but they were mostly able to keep them under control, I think. Otherwise, things are beautiful here in Royal. It's amazing to see all the crops growing and the orchards. I'm looking forward to when they start harvesting the apples in a couple weeks. I hear that the apples are SUPER delicious.

I'm grateful for all the things I'm learning as a missionary. I know God is aware of me. I know I can talk to Him in prayer and that He listens with love and understanding. I know God answers our prayers in His own way and timing.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 42

Please use the Yakima Mission address located on the current address page when writing to Hermana Brighton.

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been really great. We spent several hours helping rip up linoleum in the casita of one of our recent converts. We did this a couple days in a row and I have to say my arms were pretty sore, but it was good to do some hard work. We also got to pick apricots this week again.

We met several people who we are excited to keep teaching. Unfortunately others we were excited to teach ended up telling us they were not interested. That can be really hard sometimes, but we keep moving forward with the trust in the Lord that He is there and that He will guide us to those who need us and who are willing to accept the gospel.

So we received our transfer calls this week and my companion is leaving to go to Moses Lake and I will  be receiving Hermana Hall. I've only met her once or twice and haven't really talked to her much, but I know everything will be great.

I'm looking forward to more time in Royal City and I'm grateful that I get to serve there.

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 41

Please see here current mission address on the other page.

Dear Family and Friends,

This past week it has been incredible to see the progress of a family that Hna Bailey and I have the wonderful opportunity to be teaching. Both the parents have quit smoking and they are just so solid and they basically teach themselves. The husband was baptized when he was a youth but hasn't really been active since then and his wife and kids are not members. They are really progressing though and just to be getting to teach them and hear their experiences and the things they have over come has strengthened my testimony that God is individually aware of each of us and that everything happens for a reason. I don't know how many times I've said that- that everything that happens to us in our lives has a purpose, but I know it's true. I guess what really is more important is how we choose to react to the challenges that come our way, but I know as we choose to turn to God and Christ, that is where we will find the most comfort and the strength to overcome our trials and hard times.

We've also gotten to pick lots of apricots as service this past week and that has been fun. The above mentioned family has several trees just overflowing with apricots and so we've helped them pick them so that they can be canned.

This week we had interviews with our new mission president. I know that he is called of God and I am so grateful to have him as my new mission president. His wife is also equally incredible and I'm excited to get to know them more and learn from them over this next year or so.

I hope everyone is doing well! Thank you for all the Happy Birthday wishes and cards and everthing. I really appreciated it and am grateful for all your support and love.

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 40

Dear Family and Friends,

Let me just say that I had one of the best apricots I have ever had in my life. I got to pick it right off the tree and then eat it. We tried to teach the lady's who's tree it was but she was busy and had to return to her cooking inside. She said we could have some apricots though so that was nice of her.

Yesterday my companion and I got to do a musical number in church. I sang and she played the piano. The song was I Stand All Amazed and it was one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever had. Truly "Words make you think a thought, Music makes you feel a feeling, and a Song makes you Feel a Thought." I know that Christ is my Savior and I am so grateful for His sacrifice for us, his family. I know that it is because of Him that we can return to live with God if we chose to follow Him and obey His teachings.

On Saturday the town had a Summer Fest and we did service by helping out with a couple things. The whole entire town must have been there so it was nice to be there and get to see everyone.

This past week we had a lesson where we focused on The Restoration and Joseph Smith's role in it. I know that Joseph Smith was called by God and His son Jesus Christ to be a prophet. I know that Joseph Smith was given the authority to reestablish Christ's church on the earth. Through him the Priesthood was restored to the earth and it is with this Priesthood that the saving ordinances of the Gospel can be performed. I know that God chose Joseph Smith to be a prophet not because he was perfect or because he was knowledgable. He chose Joseph because he was humble and willing to act on the answer he recieved. God does not necessarily choose those who seem qualified, but He qualifies those whom He chooses and that's how it was with Joseph Smith. We meet so many who say they don't 'believe in Joseph Smith.' Well we are not asking people to 'believe IN Joseph Smith' we are asking people to believe in God. To believe that He loves us and therefore gave us another prophet. People don't even have to believe us missionaries. They can ask for themselves. I think that's one of the best parts of our message! People don't have to take any person's word for it. They can go to God and ask Him themselves. How wonderful is that!?!

Well I love you all and hope we can all together continue to strengthen our testimonies of the truths that have been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Faith in Jesus Christ is what can give us hope in this life. I know that Repentance is possible. People can change. I know that it is through baptism that we make a covenant or a promise that we will follow Christ and remember Him and keep His commandments. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is one of the greatest gifts of God and as we live worthily and endure to the end faithfully we can always be guided and protected, comforted and strenthened through the presence of the Holy Ghost in our lives. 

Love,

Hermana Brighton

week 39

Dear Family and Friends,

This week while knocking we talked to someone who was nice but said some things that honestly hurt to hear. She said she had heard of the Book of Mormon so we asked her if she had read it and she said no and that she didn't believe in it. We taught how the Book of Mormon only supports the Bible and is another Testament of Jesus Christ and invited her to read it but she said she didn't believe in Joseph Smith (who we hadn't actually mentioned yet) or the Book of Mormon. She said she knew it wasn't true and said she'd prayed and felt that the Bible is the only word of God, but she hadn't even taken to the time to actually read in the Book of Mormon.I guess that's the thing that hurt the most- that she refused to even read the Book of Mormon, to even find out for herself whether it was true or not. It hurts to see someone deny the divinity of something you know is of God and refuse to hear anymore about it. I know that anyone who takes the time to actually read in and ponder about the Book or Mormon will know that it testifies of Christ and teaches of Him and helps us more fully understand the Atonement and Christ's teachings and God's commandments. You will know that the Book of Mormon only contains good things that are truly of God and are given to us for our benefit, because God loves us, His children.

I know the things I'm experiencing and learning about on my mission are going to help me so much the rest of my life. I know that God is real and that He answers prayers. I know prayer is a wonderful thing and that God listens to us and cares about what we are experiencing and our struggles. He answers in His own way and in His own time and we just have to trust in Him.

On a different note, I am officially a missionary in the Yakima Mission! The mission split on July 1st. My companion and I got to meet President Lewis and his wife with the rest of our zone on Friday and they are incredible people. I know they love us missionaries and are happy to be with us. I'm excited to learn from them.

I also wanted to express the gratitude I have for those who have served to protect our country's freedom and those who still are. Some scriptures I read that I liked are Alma 43:47 and Mosiah 29:32 that talk about the importance of freedom. They help me realize that America is truly a special country and has been watched over by God but that we need to continue to trust in Him and be obedient to His commandments otherwise things will not always be so great.

I love you all! I hope everyone had a wonderful week and that this next week will be great too!

Hermana Brighton

Week 38

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been great. My companion and I have been working hard and are excited for this next week. We'll be super busy this week.

I am grateful for the Book of Mormon. My testimony has been strengthened by reading and studying it. I know that the Book of Mormon is from God, given to us to really help us understand the gospel better, to strengthen our relationship with Christ and to help us know that the Priesthood really was restored through Joseph Smith and that Jesus Christ's church is on the earth again. I know that if a person reads the Book of Mormon with a true desire to know of it's truth and divinity then will pray to God and ask for His confirmation that it is true, they will receive the answer that it is.

I love you all and hope you are having a wonderful summer. I'll give you the advice that everyone has been giving me and my companion- "Stay cool!"

Love,

Hermana Brighton

week 37

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been pretty awesome. It's really amazing being back in Royal City and getting to reunite with the members of the branch and the English Ward here, especially those who were baptized when I was here just several months ago. There is a lot to do though and my new companion Hermana Bailey and I will be working hard to strengthen the branch, as well as searching for those who are ready and willing to learn of and accept the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We have been trying to talk with all the people we see and share with them as much as we can about how knowing about the Gospel can help them individually. Sometimes this is the biggest challenge I think, to help people recognize why what we share would bless them specifically and individually.

It is very different being here in Royal during the summer. Everything is green and growing and previously there were just lots of brown fields of dirt. It really is quite beautiful. It's incredible how the orchards which previously just looked like a lot of sticks in the ground, are now beautiful trees full of green leaves and fruit starting to mature. This morning Hermana Bailey and I got to go pick cherries with a family in our Ward. It was really fun and incredible to be among so many cherry trees with SO MANY cherries. I have been warned many times though about not eating too many cherries. They are very delicious though. :)

Since I left and returned several young men have also recieved their mission calls. One of them is the Bishop's son and he'll be leaving this Wednesday to go to Washington DC. Another one I know of recieved his call to go to Ecuador, the same country his mother went to, but unfortunatley not the same mission. I'm super happy for them and I still am just so amazed how so much has changed in the past several months.

So overall I am just really looking forward to being back here and I know that I am here for a reason. I love the people here SO much and I just hope to serve and help them in any way I can so that their testimonies can be strengthened and so they will have an even greater desire to go out and share with others the blessings they have recieved from being a member of Jesus Christ's church. Hermana Bailey has been here for a few months previously and they have been teaching a family that is really doing well. I remember going by their house when I was here before and never really being able to talk with the parents, so it was so awesome to get to really met them and then to see them at church on Sunday.

Well I hope everyone had an awesome week! Happy late Fathers Day to all you fathers out there. Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

week 36

Dear Family and Friends,

This week I have some big news to share. We received our transfer calls this past Saturday and my companion and I found out that we are getting doubled out. This means that both of us are going to new areas. There will not be any missionaries replacing us though, so instead of there being 3 companionships in the Kennewick Branch there will only be 2 and the area of Kennewick is being re-divided. The other set of sisters in the branch will be taking over our area and a large part of their former area will now be the elders'.  Hermana Mrozek is being transferred to Othello and I am being transferred back to where I was before- Royal City. We will both be in the same zone though within the Yakima mission. So these next couple days will be pretty busy as we prepare to leave. We will probably have to clean out our whole apartment since no one is replacing us. We'll just have to wait and see though.

I have learned so much in these past few months. I have learned the importance of humility and really striving to be obedient and the miracles that come from being exactly obedient. This morning I had the wonderful opportunity to read about and really study and ponder about faith, hope, and charity and how they are all so perfectly intertwined and connected. Moroni chapter 7 is a really great resource to study about these Christlike attributes.

I know that Christ is our Savior. I know that it is because of Christ that we can have a hope of a better life yet to come. This hope can help us to have faith enough to act and follow Jesus Christ and what He taught. I know that He was perfectly obedient and I want to strive to follow that example. I know that there will be times when I falter, but I can have hope that I can change because Christ atoned for my sins and mistakes. When I have faith, I can repent and know that I can continue to learn and grow and improve in my life. He also understands all the pain and trouble I might go through. He loves me and all of us perfectly which is why He came to earth to show the example, to show the way, to be the way, so that everyone can have eternal happiness. We can learn from John 7:17 that if we will only ACT in faith we will know whether something is good (whether it is of God) by how we feel, by the consequences that follow. I know that as I have lived the Gospel of Jesus Christ and as I have been obedient to the commandments of the prophets of old and the ones we have today, I have been able to be happy. I can look back now and recognize the many blessings that have come from choosing to be obedient to God. Sometimes we don't understand exactly the purpose behind certain commandments or things that are asked of us, but I know that with the time all things will made clear. We will be able to clearly understand and see the bigger picture. As I continue to be obedient I know I will receive help from heaven. I will be continually supported and guided by the Holy Ghost. I know the Book of Mormon is good. It is of God and was inspired by Him so that we could have more guidance and receive more understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how to apply it in our lives. I know that Joseph Smith translated this sacred record of old through the power of God and that God and Jesus Christ came to him and that Joseph saw them and they really did speak to him. I know that because God and Jesus Christ love us they called Joseph Smith as a prophet and through him the Priesthood authority of God has been brought back to earth. It is with this Priesthood that we can receive fully all the blessings that God has in store for us. It is through this Priesthood authority that God works in order to bring to pass the salvation, the eternal happiness, of man- of us.

I am grateful to be a full-time missionary of Jesus Christ. To preach His gospel and have the opportunity to share my testimony with all I meet and I know I will continue to do so through out my life. I share these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.