week 35

Dear Family and Friends,
This week has been good. My companion and I found a few people who we are looking forward to teaching. The Lord lead us to be in certain places and certain times and placed these people in our path. It's just so amazing when that happens.

My testimony of the Book of Mormon and it's divinity and truthfulness is continuing to grow. While talking to people we focus on how by reading the Book of Mormon they can strengthen or even begin to have a relationship with God and our Savior Jesus Christ. I think that one of the biggest struggles is trying to help people understand what the Book of Mormon is and why it's important. Often times people just think it's another Bible- a different version though. If only people would read it with an open heart and mind and really ponder what it means to know that the Book of Mormon is true and came to us by way of a living prophet translating a record of ancient prophets.

This week we went on exchanges with our Sister Training Leaders and it was an incredible 24 hours. I stayed in the area for the first time since I've been in Kennewick and truly I got to see miracles. Our Sister Training Leaders are both English speaking sisters so as far as speaking the language I was on my own but it went great and I really didn't struggle. I know I had a lot of help from the Spirit to understand and speak. What was really the better part was that although most of the people we talked to couldn't understand much English, I would make sure to still have Sister Larsen share her testimony and take part in the lesson, trying to keep translating to a minimum. I know that the Spirit can reach past any barriers that there might be because of language. I know that as Sister Larsen bore simple testimony that people where able to feel the spirit, even if they couldn't understand everything. I am so grateful for the things I learned on exchanges and I'm so grateful for the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.

This weekend there was a baptism in the branch. It was wonderful to be able to attend Saturday night and then see them be confirmed on Sunday. They are a young couple with a month old baby and will be a strength to the branch as they continue learning and growing in the gospel. It's just so wonderful to see how happy they were and are because of the steps they've taken to come closer to Christ.

Well transfers are coming up next week. We find out whether we stay or go on Saturday. Where we end up will also determine which mission we will be in so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 34

Dear Family and Friends,

It's hard to believe how quick summer has come. I'm sure it will fly by though and before we know it, it will be winter again. Right now here in Washington it is cherry picking time. My companion and I got gifted some freshly picked cherries, and they are so yummy! I was warned by another Elder who was around during last season cherry harvest to be careful not to eat too many because... well you might spend a night sleeping on the bathroom floor to illustrate with his experience.

This week Hermana Mrozek and I were very happy when one of the less active/part-member families came to church. We are starting to teach a daughter in the family and she is really starting to open up to us. We showed her the mormon messages and things online and she really loves them and watched a lot and it must have motivated her to come to church because she came with her mom and two other siblings who are members. We are super excited for her.

There is also another person we are just starting to work with named Cruz. We found him while knocking and he is super excited and has A LOT of really good questions. Hna Mrozek and I feel like he is an answer to our many prayers to find someone who is actually interested and has a desire to learn. We had a lesson with him last night with a couple from the branch and it went pretty well. The only struggle is going to be that he works a lot and so he's not home a lot. He wants to continue learning though so we will see where things go!

This past Saturday we had a fun afternoon helping out in the garden of a recent convert family. We were helping them remove a lot of lava rock from their yard as well as dig out some really old rose bushes. There are so many rose bushes here in Washington. I don't thing I'd ever seen so many in my life til I came here. We also got fed lunch- carne asada- which is super delicious. :) Basically just thinly cut beef grilled and you eat it in tortillas with salsa, avocado, cilantro, or just by itself. That evening for dinner we also had carne asada, but we did not complain. :)

Well I hope everyone enjoys this next week or so as things come to an end with school at least for those in grade school. I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 32

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy late Armed Forces Day. :) Well to be honest I had never heard of this holiday before but it was on Hermana Mrozek's calendar for the 16th of May so we thought that was pretty cool. So I wonder did anyone else know about this holiday?

I wanted to share a cool experience my companion and I had yesterday evening. We had written in our planners that we were going to go try by these kids that we met and even though we both weren't so sure about how it would turn out, we decided to go ahead and do what we had planned in faith to do. When we got to the trailer park where the kids live, we saw one of them and started talking with him and asked if we could visit his family and he happily said yes and took us to meet his grandmother. We had a great first lesson with her and she is a really incredible woman. She is from a part in Oaxaca Mexico where they speak a different dialect called Zapoteco (not actually sure how to spell it). She learned how to read and speak spanish by studying the bible. In short she accepted our invitation to read the Book of Mormon and we are excited to go back and met with her. She has had some interesting experiences that have increased her faith and we hope that she will choose to continue learning with us and really read and pray to know that what we share- the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the authority from God to perform the saving ordinances- is true.

So it's little experiences like the above that keep me going as a missionary. We have so many disappointments and hard times that sometimes it's really hard to stay positive and hopeful. I know God gives us little miracles though so that we can remember He is leading and guiding us. Our job is simply to be willing to be lead and then open our mouths and let Him fill them.

Currently my companion and I are working with several people and trying to help them progress. We have a part member family we are working with but they are struggling but the wife wants to be baptized so we hope to help her prepare to do so. It's been tough though because many appointments we have made fall through and then they haven't come to church these past couple weeks. We are planning to keep working with them and we just need to have faith in the converting power of the Gospel.

I hope everyone has a great week! I want to invite everyone to do what they can to support the missionaries in their ward or branch. We missionaries NEED you members to help us find people who want to learn- who are ready to accept the Restored Gospel.

Love,

Hermana Brighton

week 31

Dear Friends and Family,

I just want to say Happy Mothers' Day! Thank you to all you moms who dedicate everything to help their children. I have blessed with a mom who has taught me more than I sometimes realize. She is an example to me. She is a hard worker, constantly gives to and serves others, dedicated, and SUPER talented- especially at writing poems and expressing her thoughts. :) I know that my Mom loves me and I love her. I know not everyone has been blessed with the best mothers. This is why we can also find mother figures in those around us. I'm grateful for all the just plain GOOD women. I have had the opportunity to know and associate with so many women that have changed my life. My teachers in school and church, as well us those I've worked with and around. I'm so grateful for all of you women.

I know that often times God works through others to bless His children. I hope we can all constantly look for ways that we can serve and help others. A scripture found in Mosiah 2:17 basically sums up why we are to serve others-

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of yourfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

So if we love God we will serve him, and how can we serve him? By serving others. It's as simple as that. As a missionary that is what I have the opportunity to do basically every day. Go out and serve God by finding people and serving them- whether that be by teaching them how to find true and lasting happiness, or lending a hand helping out in their garden. We serve however we can with the hope to bring others closer to God and Christ. Through the love we give we hope to help others recognize the love God has for them as well.

As far as events from this past week go... we have gotten to do several fun things. We serve at the animal shelter and they have a baby bunny I got to play with and hold. It had been a while since I'd held a bunny so I really enjoyed that time. We also spent a few hours shoveling rocks out of someone's garden. I always enjoy getting to work outside so although I have been sick this week, I did what I could to help out. Both my companion and I haven't been feeling super well but we've been doing what we can and I know that is what matters. Friday evening there was a Mother's Day activity that the Spanish Branch organized that was super fun. Us six missionaries in the branch did a little skit that was pretty funny but also talked about how mothers can help teach their children and prepare them to serve the Lord.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 30

Dear Family and Friends,

So this week marks the beginning of my 3rd transfer in Kennewick and I will be staying with Hermana Mrozek, which came as a bit of a surprise because she's been in Kennewick for 6 months already.

This past week has been a blur but it was good. We serve in an adult day center now and so that is always enjoyable. We do a Women's group and basically sit and talk with several women about random topics like cooking, gardening, nature, etc. We aren't really supposed to talk much about religion but it's so awesome to have the opportunity to help out and give these women the chance to just talk together with us. We work with a group of all spanish speaking women so it's really interesting to try to talk about things other than the Gospel in spanish... sometimes I have to just smile and nod. Ha, but usually I do understand what is being said, or at least the main idea, so it's not really bad at all. It's really good practice.

The branch also had an activity this past week called "Juegos Olympicos- Casi" which means "Olympic games- almost." We helped set up and run the stations with all the games and we had a really good time. Not as many people came as we hoped despite the fact that we handed out A LOT of invitations to our investigators and others. There was good food and games though so we really enjoyed ourselves and got to know the members better so that was really great.

This week I've been thinking a lot about how people reject us before even listening to what we have to share as missionaries, as representatives of Christ. It's really discouraging sometimes but it's the little moments when we meet people and have a spiritual experience with them that makes all the rejection worth it. There is a part in Preach My Gospel that talks about how as missionaries we will experience a lot of discouragement but as long as we feel the Spirit with us and working through us we can know that what we are doing is what we should be doing. Because of the experiences I'm having as a missionary I know I am being prepared for my future. I'm grateful to be serving the Lord in this capacity and I hope to be able to continue being a missionary for the rest of my life by being an example not just by word but by deed.

I hope everyone has a great week, love you all!

Hermana Brighton

week 29

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week my companion and I found a couple people who we are super excited to start teaching this next week and hopefully longer. I know God answers our prayers to lead us to people who need us. Sometimes I struggle to know what to write about by the time Monday roles around because so much happens!

I would like to mention a talk I got to read though from the Priesthood session given by M. Russell Ballard. It is amazing and includes several questions that I will copy into this letter that help us gauge our spirituality.

1. Do you search the scriptures regularly?

2. Do you kneel in prayer to talk with your Heavenly Father each morning and each night?

3. Do you fast and donate a fast offering each month—even if you are a poor, struggling student who can’t afford to donate much?

4. Do you think deeply about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice for you when you are asked to prepare, bless, pass, or partake of the sacrament?

5. Do you attend your meetings and strive to keep the Sabbath day holy?

6. Are you honest at home, school, church, and work?

7. Are you mentally and spiritually clean? Do you avoid viewing pornography or looking at websites, magazines, movies, or apps, including Tinder and Snapchat photos, that would embarrass you if your parents, Church leaders, or the Savior Himself saw you?

8. Are you careful with your time—avoiding inappropriate technology and social media, including video games, which can dull your spiritual sensitivity?

9. Is there anything in your life you need to change and fix, beginning tonight?

Anyway, I just really loved the talk, especially the above questions and I think I will be using those questions often with myself. I know I can always do better. I love the scriptures, but I realize that I really don't know them that well so I'm going to study with more focus and intent to find answers to questions i or others might have. I pray, but am I always praying with real intent and sincerely?

I am so grateful for modern day prophets and apostles to help lead and guide us in the way we should go in order to return to live happily in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ after this life. I know that it's the little things like studying the scriptures (not just reading), praying often- sincerely, and going to church that will help us remain faithful and true in the Gospel. If we find ourselves struggling those are the 3 basic things we need to make sure we are doing. Also go to your leaders! The bishop is there to help as well as your home teachers and/or visiting teachers! Also for the youth, go to your young men and women leaders. I know they love you. I am so grateful for all the teachers and leaders I had that were such wonderful examples, who loved me and encouraged and helped me.

One more thing, do missionary work! I have learned that full-time missionaries can not do much with out the members' help. Reach out and offer to help the missionaries. See if their investigators need rides to church or other activites, or if you could accompany them to a lesson. Take the missionaries to see your friends. If you don't have friends you think would accept the gospel, think again! You never know who might be ready. I read a talk about that in the Ensign the other day. About how later on in life someone reconnected with a friend from high school that had later on found out about the church and gotten baptized, but he asked his friend who was a member in high school why he hadn't told him about the gospel sooner. So moral of the story is basically you won't know if someone will accept the gospel unless you invite them to. So my challenge to everyone is to reach out to the missionaries in your ward or branch and see what you can do to help them.

Well I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

week 28

Dear Friends and Family,

This week has been a busy one, full of finding and teaching many people. It's been amazing to see how God leads us to certain places so that we can meet specific people. I can't say how many appointments that we had set ended up falling through, but in their places we found others to teach right around where the appointment was originally supposed to be.

This past Sunday the family of three that was baptized where all confirmed and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It was so awesome to see how happy they were. I can't even think about them without just feeling this fulness within me and I know it truly is that joy that comes from serving God's children and helping them make covenants, or promises, with Him.

Today I wanted to make mention of something that has been on my mind a lot lately- the family and a way Satan is trying to tear it apart. That way is pornography. Just this morning my companion and I received a text from someone who wanted to know who we were because we had been texting her husband. She mentioned how there had been problems recently with infidelity and she just wanted to make sure her husband wasn't falling back into this because they had been working hard to overcome it. Long story short we were able to speak with her because we called her to explain why we had her husbands number (given by a family member who said he might be interested) and who we were and what we do as missionaries and what we invite others to do. We talked about the importance of families in God's plan for us and in the end she just asked that we pray for her and her husband. After ending the phone call my companion and I talked a lot about pornography and how destructive it is and how it leads to even greater sins. And so with that I want to insert a few paragraphs from a talk in the April 2015 Ensign- The Savior's Selfless and Sacred Sacrifice.

Satan Attacks the Family

President Marion G. Romney (1897–1988) told me once, “Don’t just tell them so that they can understand, tell them so that they cannot misunderstand.”
Nephi said: “For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding” (2 Nephi 31:3).
So listen up! I will speak plainly as one called and under obligation to do so.
You know that there is an adversary. The scriptures define him in these terms: “That old serpent, who is the devil, … the father of all lies” (2 Nephi 2:18). He was cast out in the beginning (see D&C 29:36–38) and denied a mortal body. He has now sworn to disrupt “the great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8) and become an enemy to all righteousness. He focuses his attacks on the family.
You live in a day when the scourge of pornography is sweeping across the world. It is hard to escape it. Pornography is focused on that part of your nature through which you have the power to beget life.
To indulge in pornography leads to difficulties, divorce, disease, and troubles of a dozen kinds. There is no part of it that is innocent. To collect it, view it, or carry it around in any form is akin to keeping a rattlesnake in your backpack. It exposes you to the inevitable spiritual equivalent of the serpent’s strike with its injection of deadly venom. One can easily understand, with the world being what it is, that you can almost innocently be exposed to it, read it, or view it without realizing the terrible consequences. If that describes you, I warn you to stop it. Stop it now!
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/04/the-saviors-selfless-and-sacred-sacrifice?lang=eng

There is the link if anyone wants to read the rest of the talk. I really recommend it. I hope everyone can think more about the importance of the family and work even harder in your own lives to protect yourself and your family from things like pornography that will destroy you- the way you view others and the world, your self confidence, and your ability to feel the influence of the spirit in your life. It is never too late to stop doing something that you know is destructive. Talk to with God through prayer. Read in the scriptures. Go to your bishop and speak with him. Make commitments to yourself and others and God to improve. Reach out for help from those around you, the Savior. All of things apply to any challenges we might have or trials or addictions or struggles

Well that all is kind of a heavy topic but I just wanted to share just a little bit of my thoughts.

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

Love,

Hermana Brighton