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