Monday, July 28, 2014

It was so neat to see Chloe be baptized!

Hello!

So Sister Warner is getting transferred this Wednesday so that will be some new stuff haha. Hopefully our investigators will still like us. But this weekend was really awesome! :) It's crazy Chloe is now a member. Her grandparents are really excited! So are we! I really want to come back and visit them with you guys! But for now it's nice that I'll still see them all the time. I love the Kaptains! I miss you guys too! But it is all worth it. I love being a missionary. This weekend was just great to see two people enter the waters of baptism who are so ready for that change in their lives. 

We had five investigators at church on Sunday so that was pretty wild! Johnny came! It was funny because we were talking to him on his porch about how the extremely well planned barbecue had been canceled because of the really bad storms. He was super excited to go! He was like I want to meet all the people. So then I was like oh well there is church tomorrow so just come and meet them all then. He told us he was like I think I'll ease my way into it. Sister Warner was like well we don't want to make you uncomfortable then he said I like when people are honest and speak their minds. So then I was like straight up you need to come to church then. haha. So that is how we got Johnny there :) He loved it! He was commenting in all the classes and telling everyone his testimony of his experience in prison and his accident. I told him we have testimony meeting every first Sunday of the month and he is really excited to get up there. He was like I'll be there! haha. So I'm glad he liked it!

It was so neat to see Chloe be baptized! We stood on the steps to watch and it was so amazing to see the smile on her face and this light that came as she was baptized. I've never felt anything like that before. She has changed so much since we first met her. Even confidence wise she has so much more confidence. When we first met her and she was talking my ear off her grandparents were like in shock she talked that much. Now she is like that with everyone. And she even tells the Elders how much better the sisters are like every time she sees them. She is just such an amazing girl who wants something so different for her life than what her parents had. She is such a sweetheart. I told her she is always welcome in our home or in my future home.

So it's about to get real up in here! We most likely have another baptism set up for the 10th of august but I don't want to give the story until it's legit. But this area is really blowing up!
We have dinner appointments set up with non members! Which is super sick!
You should see the amount of food we have…that means we are good missionaries. ;) haha. 
Well I love you guys. Stay classy!
Sister Brooks

We went to one of Sister Warner's past investigators baptism and my mommy was there :D


I got some earrings from Lone Eagle


The Kaptain's 




 We went to a place like Benihanas for lunch it was wild! 



Sunday, July 27, 2014

Mormons do party!

Hello!
My week is going pretty well! Missing you guys a little and I'm kind of jealous you guys are in California without me! But I'll catch ya next time. We are having this like extremely well planned barbecue this weekend in our ward. So that should be pretty wild! They like have this big fireworks show and everything. The guy in charge showed us his like map of the BBQ I've honestly never seen such intense planning haha. We are trying to invite everyone so they can see Mormons do party!

So we do service at this club for people over the age of 65. We work in the food pantry there. We usually go on Tuesday's but this week we decided to go on Thursday and we were waiting for the truck to get there so we could unload the food. This old man came over and asked us who we were and we told him and he was like oh do Mormon's dance. We were like Heck yes we do! So we ended up folk dancing with old people. It was seriously the best thing ever. They were so pumped to have us dance with them! So I think that should be our new service project. 
The other day we were teaching Chloe about the Ten Commandments and somehow the 7 deadly sins came up. Her grandma was trying to remember what they all were and she said greed and obesity. I was like dying of laughter haha! Obesity is pretty accurate. 
This week we taught this Baptist guy who basically let us come over because he wanted to make sure that we were saved. We were like super hesitant when he came over to us and asked us where we thought we go after this life. So he thought we didn't know. We were just thinking he was going to tell us we were going to hell like most other people do haha. But he believes we are saved so that is dope. He is pretty crazy but I think he is honestly trying to be a missionary. 
There is an old man sitting next to me in the library and he keeps yelling at his computer that he just doesn't get it. haha. I'm too afraid to help him. 
So yeah this weekend should be pretty great! I can't believe I would have been on my mission for like 9 months now if I didn't go home. Instead it has been 6 months for me. Pretty wild stuff!
I love you guys! Have fun!
Sister Brooks

I'm braiding her hair for her baptism
  

I curled Chloe's hair at their young women's activity. I actually curled like 6 girls hair haha. It was so cute to see their confidence levels increase as soon as they saw their hair. :)


I won this dinosaur out of a claw machine! My companion brags that I can win these haha. I named him Jerome :)


Wednesday, July 16, 2014

We are preparing for Chloe's baptism!!!

Hello human beings! 
So we are preparing for Chloe's baptism!!! This is real life! She is getting baptized July 26th and we are all soooo excited! We took her to why I believe on Sunday. Someone asked us if we were related haha. Gosh I love Chloe! I told her my spirit animal is Beyonce and she stared at me for like 10 minutes and was like oh really? She just can't see the fierceness. 

Interviews went well :) just real short, simple and spiritual like usual haha. I'm senior companion now. He just wants me to be able to take the lead. So it seems like I'll be staying here. But you don't really ever know with president because he likes surprises sometimes. 

So we have met some pretty great people this past week! We are now teaching this guy named Johnny. He told us that he had been in prison for 10 years and that is the place where he first felt the spirit. He also has a pretty crazy survival story. He was in a head on collision with a semi truck and basically his whole body was broken and he was in a coma for a month. He said his mom always told him he should be a Mormon but it would be too difficult. So now he wants to know why. :) He has already been reading and praying. He is like super excited to find his answer. It's funny how nervous we were to talk to him because he is a giant guy haha. But we did it. Super glad we did! He is such a cool guy! 

Everything is going pretty well! I'm like hitting my 6th month mark soon haha. What the?! 

Well I love you guys! 
Sister Brooks

  
On our way to Why I Believe with Chloe and her Grandma. :)

We were working in the rain all day so that is why we look so crappy !

On exchanges :) 

People in Indiana don't understand that we Utahan's don't get the pleasure of seeing squirrels on the daily. 
 Waiting for the interviews. 





Tuesday, July 8, 2014

4th of July week craziness...

This past week has felt somewhat jack haha. Having a full day off on Friday was some weird stuff. Because not sure if you knew but p-day only lasts until 6 usually and we got until 10:30 on Friday.

Monday we didn't have a full p-day so we went out and worked, Tuesday I had a stomach bug so I slept like all day but we still got 3 member presents haha, Wednesday we had like 4 hour car stuff, then Thursday we did service like half the day and went to dinner at bdubs with two 20 year old boys... Probably the most jack day ever! But we got a super solid investigator out of it. Then Friday we had the entire day off and we went to the mall with the elder’s haha.

So story behind going to dinner with two 20 year old boys... We had a lesson with one of them in a members home and then afterwards we were going to go home and eat but then we were just like hey let’s just go grab some food. So he had to pick up his friend and we went to dinner. We taught the restoration and then our conversations got split off in to two which made it feel super like a date and really awkward. The kid told me like his entire life story and yeah now we are teaching him. We took him on a church tour and he came to church yesterday! He is super solid! He hooked me up with a bunch of Christian rock music :) I really want to serve on campus one of these days it's so much easier teaching people your own age! He is a super nice kid reminds me a lot of Hayden they are like twins haha.
4th of July was pretty good! It was just super weird not doing missionary work all day. We took a nap, ate McDonald's, played some ball, gamed it up, ate some more and then played some more ball. Then Sister Warner needed a blessing because she wasn't feeling super great so the elders all came to our apartment which was also weird. I felt like I was back home hanging with some of my buddies.
So not sure if I told you but our mission is doing church tours and they are pretty awesome! We basically take a member and their non member friend/ friends around the church and teach them the restoration lesson through showing them paintings. It is super great :) The spirit can really be felt throughout the tour. 
I honestly like didn't even care about fireworks this year haha I think I saw like two. I feel like there aren't really rules here with them though like people are setting them off all night and all the time. So it's kind of hard to sleep sometimes. I'm pretty sure ever since the 4th happened you like can't go outside and not hear fireworks. It sounds like gun shots all day every day. 
The monopoly game is sweet thanks so much Jojo! :) I gave the elders all tie pins since they were missionary ones haha. They were all happy because they already all have matching ties. Thanks so much for all of the stuff you sent! 
Well I love you guys! 
Sister Brooks 




I got to wear one of Lone Eagles chokers haha. That is the day I was sick so that is why I look the way I do haha. 

We had purple day for district meeting haha. They all have matching ties because they are women. 

Austin
He answered the door and said "come to the dark side we have cookies" Nerdiest and best experience of my life haha. The light saber I'm holding he got for his graduation present.

This is Bessie Brown and she is a member of our ward. I love her! She has us over at the nursing home to eat cafeteria breakfast with her haha. She just speaks her mind and it's hilarious. She is like 87!

Elder Twitchell and Steab. They are my favorite Elders! Elder Steab is like a puppy haha.

Monday, June 30, 2014

This is the sickest mission on the earth!

Dude the weather here just got so real haha. Some of the computers in the library went out so if you get this you should consider yourself lucky. :) Utah storms ain't got nothing on the Midwest. 

So our district is pretty great!  We are all going to lunch today and our DL called last night and was like hey what are you doing for lunch tomorrow? Then he was like wait it totally sounds like I'm asking you on a date haha! Then the other day Elder Twitchell was trying to give me a compliment apparently haha. I was talking about my brothers and he was like "wait you don't have any sisters? Is that why you are so masculine?" I was like uhhh I'm masculine?! then he was like no you just aren't one of those pretty girls your like a tom boy. haha It was super awkward because he kept like digging himself deeper. He said he was trying to say is that I'm so laid back. But now I'll never forget someone called me masculine. Bro for life right there, I had a nightmare I got bro-zoned for life.




So we went to the Elder Steab and Twitchell's investigator's baptism and it was cool to see one of my MTC homies have his first baptism. They were tearing up a little when we were singing it was pretty adorable haha.

I got the guitar book I've looked at it a few times but lunch time I try to use for naps :) That is so exciting you guys are going to a niners game! I wish that I could go! haha. I'm also really jealous you get to see Uncle Shawn I miss that guy!
I'm glad they liked my chicken picture. Thanks Indiana mom's facebook page it means a lot! 

Health wise I'm doing pretty fantastic! I think eating better and exercise really have been helping me out. #Livingthewordofwisdomfordays

So I think for the 4th of July we aren't really supposed to go outside. We have weekly planning in the morning for three hours and then we have the rest of the day 1-9 pm. Which will be super weird! I think I'll definitely take a nap! We have dinner with the Petty's I think. 


So yesterday we were tracting and this lady answered the door and was like I'm the last person you want to talk to. Then she came outside and said she had a PHD in religious studies. At first I was like oh no she is going to anti us haha. Then she just started going off about how much she loves Mormons! It was the craziest tracting experience I've had yet haha. She knew like every part of our church history. But she was a little drunk so she called the handcarts wheel barrels. She was like Joseph Smith had so much faith he did whatever God told him. Then she was talking about the pioneers and how they traveled west and was like you girls are amazing going out her doing this you have no fear, when you are out walking around remember the wheel barrels and how they pushed them all the way to Utah. haha. She then went off about how the Elders always stop by her house when her kids are sick. She was like every time one of my kids are sick I always look at my watch and I'm like hey where are the hot guys? She thinks Mormons are the most attractive people ever haha. She seriously pumped us up though she was like you girls have no fear my neighbor is a racist southern baptist preacher but I'm sure you will stop by him anyways haha. She was like I'm soooo excited you are here on my porch right now I'm going to talk to my class about how great Mormons are tomorrow haha. 

President said this to me this week "Every time I read your letters, it puts a smile on my face. Thank you for coming back and being so diligent." It pumped me up! :) I'm just so happy to be a missionary! This is the sickest mission on the earth! 

I love you guys!

Sister Brooks

Monday, June 23, 2014

It is soooooo hot here I'm dying...

This week has been pretty stellar it went by pretty quickly. So here is to another transfer!!! haha. So we ran into a guy who had missionaries in his home like 20 years ago all the time. He loves missionaries! We talked to him in the parking lot of his apartment complex for like 2 hours. We asked him if he had ever taken the discussions and he said no but the elders would hang out at their house and watch movies all the time. So yeah this guy has never even been taught about the restoration. Imma kill those elders! haha. So that was a little upsetting but we are happy that we will get to teach him. :) He is a little obsessed with Starbucks so that could be a possible problem in the future. But we will get there...
It is soooooo hot here I'm dying. We went tracting the other day and we talked to this lady standing on her porch for an hour and the sun was just straight killing us. We took a taco bell icee break in the mall. That felt really weird to be in a mall haha. We took disgusting pictures in the photo booth because we were bright red and sweaty haha. I'll have to send you some sometime. But dang those
icee's were great!  


I did lose 10 pounds probably from the heat! Actually we have been going hard in the gym every morning. So it has been nice.
We were gardening for 4 hours on Saturday and I thought I was going to die I have never been in weather like that! Soooo hot!!! I drank like 3 bottles of water in 10 minutes haha. I was trying not to look too pathetic so I just kept pulling weeds in the shade whenever I took a break. 

We took Dola a chicken sandwich from Wendy's on Thursday I guess her husband used to buy them for her all the time. She was so happy. Gosh I love that lady! 

Friday we taught Austin, Logan and Tyler. So that was sweet! We were going to give Austin a church tour but like every single vacuum was going so we just taught him instead.
Saturday we took Austin to a baptism of a 9 year old. There were so many missionaries there! Like 6 sets
We have a new DL and he is hilarious! He reminds me of Dallon. 

The other day there was this sweet old lady picking up leaves so we went to talk to her. She told us how her husband had recently passed away and he always did the yard work. Then she just started crying. It was seriously heart breaking to see this lady cry. We talked to her about the plan of salvation and she told us we could come back sometime and she wanted to make us dessert. Widows make me soooo sad. Visit all of them! haha. 

Yeah the elders got my package at transfer meeting so we are good. For some reason Sister Steadman didn't know I was on medicine... I was like well that is the only reason I was able to come back haha. 
The weather hasn't been too crazy just really hot! I'm not used to it. And there were some storms. I saw Elder Anderson at church yesterday because he got transferred into one of the wards that attend our building. So that was cool to see him. 

I miss you too! I've been having really bad dreams and sometimes I just want my momma!

Thanks for sending that stuff! I got the guitar book and CD thanks mom!!!
Maybe put my monster stuffed animal I kind of miss it haha. 

Love you!
Sister Brooks

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Friday, June 20, 2014

We now have 5 progressing investigators!

Hello There!
So we will both be staying in Greenwood for another 6 weeks! So that is good news :) We can still baptize someone together haha. We have a lot of people to get prepared! 

This week has been pretty great! Chloe, Logan and Tyler all came to church! We went to the 12 year old class with them haha. So that was a little different than our normal Sunday schedule.

We took a lot of pictures with people this week in case one of us got transferred so I'm sure you will be happy with that :)

So I think our zone got quite a few changes last night! We will have to see today. We really thought one of us was leaving because for some reason the 'your both staying' text didn't get to us. So it was like almost 10 and we still didn't know our zone leaders told one of the assistants and they called to tell us we would both be staying. Sister Warner was crying because she thought she was going to leave.

We now have 5 progressing investigators! That is a lot better than the 0 we started with at the beginning of the transfer. I really think the summer time is flying by the cold winter made transfers go by so slow haha. I can't believe it has been 6 weeks already! I still feel like I just got here sometimes. 
That is really cool about the mission calls :) It's crazy they are already old enough.

Oh I found the Hyundai key!!!! It was in my jacket pocket for some reason. I'll have to send it to you sometime. 

We had a 4 hour lesson with Austin. It was pretty wild! He is a bible major so he kind of knows a lot more than I do haha. I'm just like hey I know that the church is true! 
I'm like all of the sudden really bad at emailing I don't know what to say to you guys haha.  I'm really not sure why I'm like out of things to say haha. But I love you guys! :) 

Love, 
Sister Brooks