week 27 (with recordings)

Dear Family and Friends,

So pictures are worth a thousand words right? So here we go....

So this is the family that got baptized yesterday- Juan Norma and Erick and then us two missionaries, and the person on the left side is Miguel who comes out with us sometimes and is an awesome member missionary. He is the one who performed the baptisms.

Juan and Norma got married Saturday afternoon/evening. Us missionaries helped make sure things went smoothly and helped serve food and set up and clean up. Everything went so well because of all the support and help from the members of the branch.

So here's a picture from the wedding. Kinda blurry, but here we are. :)

So this weekend was amazing. SO MUCH HAPPINESS! :)

Alright well, I hope everyone has a great week! :) I will plan on writing a little more. Time just kind of got away from me this week.

Love,

Hermana Brighton

At the following links you can listen to a couple songs Hermana Brighton and her companion sang. The first they sang at the wedding.
You can listen to a couple songs Hermana Brighton and her companion sang.

Mas Cerca Dios de Ti

Hazme En La Luz Andar

these links will take you to a dropbox file and you can download the songs from there- you do not need to have dropbox to access the songs.

week 26

How was your Easter holiday? It was interesting to note how I almost forgot about the Easter Bunny and eggs and candy and such. I got a package from the Leavitts with eggs and so that was a happy surprise/reminder. (Thank you!) Also at dinner yesterday my companion and I were given bags that had candy and eggs and such. :)

As missionaries we have been sharing little cards that say #GraciasaqueElvive or the english version is #BecauseHeLives because there is a little video that goes along with it that is awesome. http://www.mormon.org/spa/pascua  <----- that's the link in Spanish
http://www.mormon.org/easter<------and in English

The video helps us remember why it is that we celebrate Easter- because of the Resurrection of Christ. It was kind of funny because my companion and I were teaching a lesson and we were trying to figure out how the Easter Bunny and everything ties into the real reason for Easter...we mentioned a few things such as new beginnings (for the eggs) and how it's 'sweet' to know that we will live again (hence the candy) but honestly I'm not really sure about the Easter Bunny (though I could of course come up with some interesting ideas). Anyway, my invitation for anyone who reads this is to watch the 2 and a half minute video and just think for a moment about the gifts that come to us because of Christ and His example, atonement and resurrection.

This week has been full of little miracles here and there as well as several challenging moments. We have been helping a couple prepare for their wedding and then baptism and they will be getting married this coming Saturday and then will be baptized with their son Sunday evening. I am so grateful I have had a small part in helping them prepare to take these life changing steps. I am so excited for their future and all the blessings that await them as they continue to faithfully make and keep covenants. On a funny side note, this week we received a text from the couple saying they couldn't get married and we were devastated for them. After we had responded the best we could, several minutes later we got a text saying April Fools! Man that was the meanest but I have to admit pretty good April Fools joke ever.

This past week we found a couple people who are less active by pure miracles. One was from a referral that ended up not being the right address, but that led us to someone who is inactive and we were able to get to know her. The other person we found also came by way of trying to contact a referral. We went to the apartment and weren't able to get in and as we were leaving we started talking to this woman who ended up being a less active member and she took us to the door of the person who we were trying to find. He wasn't there but we were able to get the woman's phone number and we are planning on meeting with her later this week.

Conference this past weekend was incredible. I love how it focused so much on the importance of protecting the family and also not letting technology pull us away from what's really important in life. There were also several other talks that answered pretty directly other questions I have had on my mind. I loved the talk Saturday Afternoon by Wilford W Anderson so here is a link to it. ---> https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2015/04?lang=eng&vid=4153714715001&cid=9

So on Saturday we watched conference in English but on Sunday we watched it in Spanish. I was very happy to discover that I really didn't have a super hard time understanding what all was being taught despite it all being in Spanish so I guess my Spanish understanding skills are coming along just fine.

Well I hope everybody has a wonderful week! Also I hope everyone can take some time to go back and read/watch some of the talks and put into practice the teachings of the wonderful modern day prophets and apostles. What they teach truly is inspired by God and if we do what they teach we will be following the will of God more closely in our lives and we will be happier as we are more obedient to God.

I love you all!
Hermana Brighton

week 25

Dear Family and Friends,

Looks like it will be bullet points again for this week.

• This week my companion and I dug a huge hole in our investigators' yard to a pipe that was leaking then with the guidance of one of them I got down in the hole and fixed the pipe. We had to turn off the water, cut out a part of the pipe then replace it....yeah interesting process. I just followed instructions. Hopefully it holds. Personally I would have just called people in charge of the water system or whatever it is to do it, but whatever. It was fun and I was totally wet and muddy on my front side from laying on the grass and reaching into the hole to do things.
• Because of transfers we got new Elders, the others were doubled out. One of the new elders is from Honduras (and is being trained) and the other is from Utah. 
•  Women's General Conference was awesome and focused a lot on the Family. I hope my family knows how much I love and appreciate them. This week I hope everyone can look for ways to serve their loved ones and show them how much they mean to you.
• On Saturday we got fed all our meals. There was a stake missionary breakfast, our investigator fed us lunch, and then we had pasole at an investigators house for dinner then also had dinner with members but it was a light dinner (crepes) so we weren't too full. :)
• This week a recent convert who hadn't been able to come to church because of work, came AND she brought friends from work. It was awesome. :) They don't live in our area so we won't be teaching them but it was awesome to see her doing missionary work and sharing the gospel.
• Some one who is less active that we've been teaching brought her grandkids to a movie night activity. We are so happy to see her coming back and getting involved.
• We did a lot of thank you cards at the Animal Shelter we volunteer at. I want to invite everyone to look for ways to serve in their community. Their are more ways than you might think. Let me know how that goes! 

Well I'm out of time so for further details see hermanamrozek.wordpress.com my companion's blog. :)

Love you all!

Hermana Brighton

week 24

Dear Family and Friends,

It's hard to believe it's only been 4 days since I've written. I'm going to do bullet points now.

• Transfers are happening this week, but my companion and I will be staying put.
• I got to go to the baptism of someone I taught when I was in Royal City this past Saturday and it was so incredible to see him and also all the branch up there in Royal.
• My companion and I got 'dropped' hard by a couple who we had been teaching. They decided they were fine with where they are in their religion and that they don't want to change. It was hard but it has been a learning experience for me.
• I am sore. My companion and I and a couple elders in our district helped load up LOTS of wood from one of our investigators trees they cut down partially. It was fun to be out doing yard work on a Saturday.
• A less active woman we found by a miracle came to church this Sunday. :) It is so awesome to see her making her way back.
• A family we have been teaching will be getting baptized mid-April and we have been teaching the husband (to-be cause they are getting married April 11th) and the kid and they are really progressing. The wife is SOLID. :)
• I got bit by a dog. We volunteer at an Animal Shelter and the dog just got a little too excited. It was a puppy, but very large, so it left a mark but it bit be through my sleeve so it wasn't really too bad.

So overall these past 4 days have been fun and full.

I wish everyone a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 23

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been pretty awesome. I am constantly learning the importance of acting on the little thoughts I have to knock a certain door, or more often, walk down a certain street. When my companion and I have done this we have found people who were open to listening to us. Also each week we have a day set aside to plan for the week. We write down someone we are going to visit or somewhere we will be knocking or finding people for each hour of the day. Throughout the week we will make adjustments as needed, for example if we find someone and set a return appointment we will do a time that works for them, despite what we have written down. The miracle about this weekly planning though is how often things go how we plan them. I can't say how many times through out my mission there have been moments where we go to set up a return appointment with someone and their name is already written where they say they can have us return. Other times we have planned on knocking certain areas and it is from these areas that we will plan to get a new investigator and we often do find people who are ready. God truly does help us reach our goals and plans as we go through with them and act in faith.

This past week my companion got sick and so for one day we stayed in and she slept basically all day. She REALLY needed it (and of course we had permission) and it was amazing to see how much better she felt after just taking that day to rest and sleep. I took the time to catch up on filling out teaching records for new investigators and just in general cleaning and house work.

I am so grateful to be a missionary right now. I was telling my companion the other day after an especially incredible teaching opportunity, that it because of moments like that, that I love being a missionary. Yes, sometimes things are so hard, harder than I ever thought it would be, but it's when those little moments happen when we talk to someone who really needed it and things like that, that I know I'm where I'm supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing.

On a side note, our tire popped the other day. We got to our last lesson of the night at 8pm and I was backing my companion to park when I heard air whooshing out of our tire. We figured we probably hit a nail or something sharp and we'd have to deal with it after the lesson. After the lesson when we came out, sure enough the tire was completely flat. A member had come to the lesson though so he helped us change it and put the spare do-nut on it. The next day we went and got a new tire. So yep- fun little adventures you have when you have a car.

Overall this week was good and I'm looking forward to a good remainder of the week. It's crazy to think it's almost already half way over. Having our preparation day on a Wednesday kinda throws off the week but that's okay. It was changed to today because we went to the temple as a Zone this morning. Next Wednesday will be transfer day so this Saturday we find out if anything is changing. This transfer sure flew by!

Hope everyone had a great St. Patricks Day and are enjoying life right now despite any challenges you might be having.

Love you all!

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 22

Dear Friends and Family,

 Time is short this week, but I wanted to share a quote that I attempted to share last week but some what butchered. 

"When the Lord plants a testimony in your heart remember that testimony isn't something you have today and you are going to have always. A testimony is fragile. It is as hard to hold as a moonbeam. It is something you have to recapture every day of your life."

I hope everyone has been trying to work on ways to recapture that testimony each day. Let me know how that is going for you!

There is also another quote I read this morning- "There is neither man or woman in this church who is not on a mission. That mission will last as long as they live, and it is to do good, to promote righteousness, to teach the principles of truth, and to prevail upon themselves and everybody around them to live those principles that they may obtain eternal life." -Brigham Young

I love both these quotes. It reminds me that you always have to work on growing your testimony and one way we can do this is sharing it with others- doing missionary work. Inviting others to "come and see" and feel in their lives the same joy we have found from the Gospel. I love being a missionary and seeing how the Gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives. I also just found out that the husband of Maria, someone who was baptized in Royal when I was there will be getting baptized March 21st. I'm so happy that I had a part in watching him come closer to Christ and that everyday I get to continue helping and serving people in any way I can. Helping them recognize the good and grasp on to it. To live by it and welcome it with open arms.

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

Love,

Hermana Brighton

Week 21

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this letter finds everyone doing well. This past week has been pretty good. I have seen how the Spirit has guided my companion and I to certain places so that we can meet specific people. I have also come to realize that there are so many different ways people can be lead to the gospel. Sometimes their first contact with it, does not mean they will accept it. Our job as members is to set the example though and continuously invite others to come and see for themselves whether the church of Jesus Christ has been restored. I know it has. This knowledge doesn't come all at once, but comes through praying and reading the scriptures and going to church. If you stop doing these things you'll forget that you knew. You will lose your testimony. There is a quote that I like that goes something like this- A testimony isn't once captured and forever kept. It is fragile and has to be recaptured every day. Well I basically butchered that quote... I'll have to find it and write it home next week. 

I invite all who read this to commit themselves to read from the Book of Mormon a little each day and work on recapturing, or simply capturing for the first time, their testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is by reading Christ's teachings and then applying them that we can really feel the joy that comes from living the Gospel, from following Christ's example.

I hope everyone has a week full of miracles and happiness!

Love,

Hermana Brighton