Week 4 - So excited to Proselyte!

September 9, 2015

Familia!!!!! 

Oh I absolutely love hearing from you and really the little moments are what makes it so fun to read :) 

American things are so expensive here! $7 dollars for HBOO!

And the bunny story is really gross, but I think thats how all our animal stories happen so I guess I should just expect it. (Our rabbit had bunnies this week and the she "took care of one" as nature would.)

I will try to write more specifics but its hard when I have so little time. I was thinking I should have gotten a voice recorder before I left and now I am regretting not getting one.

Proselyting?
(Really don't know what this picture is from)

So I told you I was going procelyting this week and we finally got to go to the Lima East mission. It made me so excited to get out into the field and actually teach people! I went out with a latina from the CCM (MTC) and a missionary from the mission. We went to track down a less active member and when we showed up he wasn't there, but his mother who is an active member was so we went in to use her bathroom and give her a short message. While we were there her son showed up with his wife and 2 year old daughter!!! So we got to teach them about Faith and how it is an action not just a feeling. I understood everything that was happening which was absolutely incredible because that never happens! I was able to ask them a few questions and respond and bear my very simple testimony in spanish. The wife was crying by the end of the lesson and the spirit was definitely there. I am just amazed how God works in such mysterious ways. We got to go contacting after that and just talk to people on the street...and if I could make myself short with black hair I would. I stick out like a sore thumb!!! But I guess it is for a reason :) The people are so patient when I try to speak and really care about what I have to say even though it takes me a whole minute to form the sentence I want to say. Some people were so open and receptive and wanted to hear more! We got a few appointments set up too. And then some people just reject it. We sat for 15 minutes trying to get out of a conversation with a guy that just kept on asking for a argument. And it makes me wonder in times like that what kind of person I would be if I didnt have the gospel and someone else was trying to teach me.

Washing out clothes in the sink because the
laundry soap doesn't seem to do much here.

Teaching our "investigators" has really taught me to follow the spirit. My companion and I go in there so many times with a lesson plan and then end up going a completely opposite way...which is hard because our spanish is struggling still. We watched an MTC devotional by Elder Holland on sunday and he talked about opening your mouth and that people cant hear the gospel if you keep everything you know to be true inside of you. Fear is just and state we put ourselves into. That is the one thing I dont want to say at the end of my mission which means I have to start changing that right now.

We got new missionaries this week and there is another Elder from Herrriman...Elder Mortensen! What are the odds??? Kayla Klingbiel just left, she was on seminary council with me and it was really good to have 4 weeks with her really just for a friendly face.

Hermana Jardine and I get along really well together and although we may not be perfect, we work everything out...and end up doing crazy things like all singing in the showers together, and putting mouthwash in our mouths before we go down to class and then realize people are trying to talk to us but we couldn't respond until we run to the bathroom and spit it out. Random things like that that just make life so much more enjoyable. Like finding that the toast line is short in the morning or realizing you understand how to conjugate a verb!

Sis. in my district at the MTC and Sis. going to Iquitos

 I found an arrangement of hymns with Spanish lyrics to it at the distribution center and I really was just jumping up and down with excitement! I love it at the CCM and it is the perfect environment to grow but sometimes the walls feel like they are closing in. One of the hardest parts is just staying focused on my proposito. It really shouldnt be that hard, but i think that is what this life is about is remembering our purpose and then acting likewise. It wasn't a really out of the ordinary week...more chicken and rice and teaching and growing in my testimony and conversion. I love the work here and am really just trying to be more diligent but it is hard.

Running at the MTC

Last little thing, like today I was trying to decide whether or not to go on an undetermined split with one of the other sisters in my room so I could go running. I got one lap around and just felt awful! So we went back to the remorse of the other sister and I was trying to see how everything would work out. But it did! And I went running later and my compañera came out and watched me run and one of my favorite other Hermanas, Hermana Huber came out and ran with me too! It would have never happened that way! It is being obedient in the little things that the Lord learns the condition of your heart.

I love you all and thank you so much for your prayers. I can feel them.Scripture that helped me so much this week is Alma 32:27....look it up and then remember the less active story above.

Yo se que esta iglesia es verdadera y que Dios es nuestro amoroso Padre Celestial.

Love you and keep smiling!!!!!

Love, Hermana Briggs