9/29/14
My week has been so slow!!!! It has been a hard, busy week. I've had so many meetings and it seems like I've been traveling nonstop which effected our lessons negatively, but it has been a good week as well. I'm glad it's over though.
My meetings were really good. Elder Giforos, Elder Gentry, Hermana Sanchez and I went to the mission home on Tuesday where we had our meeting with the other Zone leaders and Sister Training leaders. It was really good and we mainly focused on our purpose as missionaries which is to INVITE. We talked about how right now our baptisms for the mission are a lot lower. We talked about why and we think it is fear. It was a really good meeting and I got to see a lot of missionaries whom I've worked with before like Elder Nielson and Hermana Endicott in Gijon and I also met a lot of new missionaries. It was also fun to get to know the zone leaders in our area Elder Giforosand Elder Gentry. They are really good elders and good examples. Hermana Sanchez and I are such a good team!!! She is Spanish and so nice I really enjoyed being with her and learning with her. That night when we got back we found out that we were going to the temple that next morning, so Hermana Sanchez and Hermana Frost stayed with us that night because they're in Sagovia. So we did splits the rest of that night and I learned sooo much! That morning we went to the temple which is always a good experience and then had zone meeting right after that in Pavones. Hermana Sanchez and I only had 15 minutes to prepare, but we did such a good job! The Elders wanted us to talk about inviting our investigators and street contacts. We talked about fear and how we can overcome that fear. We shared the story about David and Goliath and how sometimes we have a huge trial of our courage. Sometimes we have people telling us that this work is too big for us and that we are only a muchacho :) but we have so many things that will help us. We had every companionship pick their 5 rocks that they were going to use against Goliath. It was really an uplifting meeting and I love my new calling. I feel really privileged to have this calling and it has helped me so much. It has really helped me look at what I need to improve on in order to be a good example and has helped me be more bold as a missionary. At our meeting with president he showed us a video of President Monson talking to the new mission presidents and their wives in April of this year. It was fantastic! It has changed my mission! You should look it up. I'm going to send it to Joseph. I just go on exchanges once or twice a transfer with the sisters in our area. Hermana Sanchez is going with the Villalba sisters and I am going with the B5 sisters. Hermana Kuhn is fine with that. She'll probably go to B5 with a Hermana with more experience and her trainee will come to B1 with me.
I definitely wish I prepared a little more for my mission. I've learned so many things that maybe I wouldn't have learned if I did prepare a little more. Our missions are specific to our needs and everything that happens to us here is for our benefit and good.
I am so excited for conference this year and it's on my birthday! What a wonderful opportunity and experience. On Saturday at 4 we are going to see the Women’s Conference and at 6 the Saturday morning session. Then Sunday we are going to see Saturday afternoon at 2 and Sunday morning at 6. We'll miss Sunday afternoon, but I know we are so blessed to be able to see any of it. I'm so excited. One more conference after this and I'll be home! Time is flying by so fast. I'm kind of torn about it. It's bitter sweet. but I'm eternally thankful for this time. I have been changed and molded for my heavenly father and I know I've been blessed.
It sounds like Sammie and Ben are taking great care of Scout. That was such a nice thing. She said they took her to the vet and they said she was soo healthy! What a blessing. :)
I did get the package, I'm not opening it till my birthday! I'm so excited. We are all going to the zoo on the sixth for p-day. I can't believe I'll be 20! I'm sad you won’t be here with me, but I can feel all of your prayers and love. Thank you so much for everything! I love you all so much. I am truly blessed to have so many examples of love and faith in my life. Not many missionaries can say that. Thank you for everything!
Hermana Brumble
Monday, September 29, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
Week 44 in Spain! (14 in Madrid)
9/22/14
My week has been pretty great! My first week with my new companion and I Love it! Hermana Kuhn is great! She is so much fun and a really hard worker. I have never had a companion before with less time on the mission. It has been interesting being on the other side of things and remembering what it was like. I have learned so much this week. Having to take on more responsibility has been really good for me and my confidence. Our leadership meeting with president is on Tuesday. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time. We'll get there, talk, have lunch, then get back and the Zone leaders are supposed to call sometime that night to tell me what I need to talk about the next day. Then the next morning before the Zone meeting, Hermana Sanchez (the other STL) and I will have some time to put it together. The AP's called me this morning and I also have to direct the music for the meeting. I'm excited really, I know I am going to learn a lot.
I have heard about that movie (Meet the Mormons). I hope we will have the opportunity to see it, but I'm not sure if it will be a movie in the theatres.
I am so excited to see General Conference soon. All the missionaries in the Madrid area will go to Povones to watch it together and I'm sooo excited. It will be a really neat experience and I know there are going to be some neat things said. Hermana Endicott is back in Madrid so maybe I'll see her:)
Hermana Kuhn and I are trying really hard to find more people. We have been teaching English class and we have started teaching this family that comes. They are adorable and they love me! They are from Bolivia. The mom, Maria, and her 13 year old daughter Daniella come to church with us and she has two more boys that are 9 and 5. The 5 year old is the CUTEST little boy I have ever seen. They always ask us so much about being a missionary. I know they are so prepared and I am excited for the opportunity to help their family be an eternal one!
We met with Ana and Pascual again this week. They are so cute! I called Pascualand he wouldn't stop talking about telepathy and how he was just wishing that I would call and then I did:) and then that night he told me that Ana was going to take a picture of his face and give it to me so I would never forget him and that he would marry me! He is so funny. I really love Ana and Pascual so much.
Well I will talk to you guys soon! I can't wait to share more experiences with you! I love you so much!
Love Hermana Brumble
My week has been pretty great! My first week with my new companion and I Love it! Hermana Kuhn is great! She is so much fun and a really hard worker. I have never had a companion before with less time on the mission. It has been interesting being on the other side of things and remembering what it was like. I have learned so much this week. Having to take on more responsibility has been really good for me and my confidence. Our leadership meeting with president is on Tuesday. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time. We'll get there, talk, have lunch, then get back and the Zone leaders are supposed to call sometime that night to tell me what I need to talk about the next day. Then the next morning before the Zone meeting, Hermana Sanchez (the other STL) and I will have some time to put it together. The AP's called me this morning and I also have to direct the music for the meeting. I'm excited really, I know I am going to learn a lot.
I have heard about that movie (Meet the Mormons). I hope we will have the opportunity to see it, but I'm not sure if it will be a movie in the theatres.
I am so excited to see General Conference soon. All the missionaries in the Madrid area will go to Povones to watch it together and I'm sooo excited. It will be a really neat experience and I know there are going to be some neat things said. Hermana Endicott is back in Madrid so maybe I'll see her:)
Hermana Kuhn and I are trying really hard to find more people. We have been teaching English class and we have started teaching this family that comes. They are adorable and they love me! They are from Bolivia. The mom, Maria, and her 13 year old daughter Daniella come to church with us and she has two more boys that are 9 and 5. The 5 year old is the CUTEST little boy I have ever seen. They always ask us so much about being a missionary. I know they are so prepared and I am excited for the opportunity to help their family be an eternal one!
We met with Ana and Pascual again this week. They are so cute! I called Pascualand he wouldn't stop talking about telepathy and how he was just wishing that I would call and then I did:) and then that night he told me that Ana was going to take a picture of his face and give it to me so I would never forget him and that he would marry me! He is so funny. I really love Ana and Pascual so much.
Well I will talk to you guys soon! I can't wait to share more experiences with you! I love you so much!
Love Hermana Brumble
Monday, September 15, 2014
Week 43 in Spain! (13 in Madrid)
9/15/14
I'm GREAT and sooooo excited for this transfer! WHY?? BECAUSE::::::::: Well, I'm staying in Madrid, but I'm getting a new companion. Her name is Hermana Kuhn. She is so sweet. She has 3 transfers in the mission, so I'm definitely the senior companion now. She is 20 years old. I still have yet to be older than my companion....that's a little frustrating. She is from Maryland. She is such a good singer and is going to be famous one day, for sure! Also, my name is no longer Hermana Brumble.....meet Hermana Sister Training Leader Brumble! President called me today while I was making lunch. I'm so nervous! I have to go to the mission home in a week for the meeting he has with all the Zone Leaders. And during Zone Meeting I have to speak. I am also in charge of all the intercambios (exchanges) for the transfer. I'm not sure how prepared I am for that, I'm area training again, I know more Spanish than my companion, and I'm Sister Training Leader. I'm so scared, and I know I'll make mistakes, but I'm going to learn a lot. I'm ready for the challenge and am excited for the new experiences I'm going to have. I can't wait to share them with you.
It is hard when you don't see outward results from your work. But we receive blessings from what we do. Our work NEVER goes unrecognized. I get sad when missionaries are so focused in numbers, they don't realize what they have accomplished or the blessings they have received. Grandma Brumble sent me a picture with this saying, "To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may mean the world." We are serving and affecting lives every day, whether we can see it or not. Also, we are preparing fruits for other missionaries. Every fruit from your labor is going to be harvested, by you or other missionaries. There have been two baptisms in Gijon that were people I found and taught, and even though I wasn't there for the end, I was the one who started it. I feel and see results from my efforts through the love I feel from my Heavenly Father. I can tell a difference in how I feel when I know I've worked my hardest and when I haven't. I know heavenly Father is proud of what I've done and that I am progressing, when I can feel his love and spirit around me. When I feel good about my work and when I feel WHOLE. We may not be progressing in the way we expect because what we want isn't apart of God’s plan for us. He knows what we need and in his time, we will receive it. We just need to be patient and faithful, continuing forward with a perfect brightness of hope. Hope has been really important to me on the mission. Hope is having a knowledge that we will receive the blessings the Lord has promised us if we are obedient (PMG). I know this is true
We haven't had any experiences quite as bad as that one. Madrid is a safe place. I know if it wasn’t I wouldn't be here. Even though that was a scary experience, I feel perfectly fine. I know I'm worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost and that If I'm focused I will receive promptings of where I need to be at what time. Whether is it a warning or a spiritual prompting. I know I'm guided by the spirit.
Being kind to others is so important and something I need to work on. Being kind to one another isn't just how you act when you’re around them, it is also your thoughts and actions when they are gone.
Oh, I forgot to tell you where Hermana Reyes went, TENERIFE! One of the most beautiful Islands on the Canaries. She is probably going to finish her mission there! QueSuerte! Maybe I will replace her when she goes home in January, it's possible:)
I love you and miss you guys! Thanks for everything!
Love Hermana Brumble
I'm GREAT and sooooo excited for this transfer! WHY?? BECAUSE::::::::: Well, I'm staying in Madrid, but I'm getting a new companion. Her name is Hermana Kuhn. She is so sweet. She has 3 transfers in the mission, so I'm definitely the senior companion now. She is 20 years old. I still have yet to be older than my companion....that's a little frustrating. She is from Maryland. She is such a good singer and is going to be famous one day, for sure! Also, my name is no longer Hermana Brumble.....meet Hermana Sister Training Leader Brumble! President called me today while I was making lunch. I'm so nervous! I have to go to the mission home in a week for the meeting he has with all the Zone Leaders. And during Zone Meeting I have to speak. I am also in charge of all the intercambios (exchanges) for the transfer. I'm not sure how prepared I am for that, I'm area training again, I know more Spanish than my companion, and I'm Sister Training Leader. I'm so scared, and I know I'll make mistakes, but I'm going to learn a lot. I'm ready for the challenge and am excited for the new experiences I'm going to have. I can't wait to share them with you.
It is hard when you don't see outward results from your work. But we receive blessings from what we do. Our work NEVER goes unrecognized. I get sad when missionaries are so focused in numbers, they don't realize what they have accomplished or the blessings they have received. Grandma Brumble sent me a picture with this saying, "To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may mean the world." We are serving and affecting lives every day, whether we can see it or not. Also, we are preparing fruits for other missionaries. Every fruit from your labor is going to be harvested, by you or other missionaries. There have been two baptisms in Gijon that were people I found and taught, and even though I wasn't there for the end, I was the one who started it. I feel and see results from my efforts through the love I feel from my Heavenly Father. I can tell a difference in how I feel when I know I've worked my hardest and when I haven't. I know heavenly Father is proud of what I've done and that I am progressing, when I can feel his love and spirit around me. When I feel good about my work and when I feel WHOLE. We may not be progressing in the way we expect because what we want isn't apart of God’s plan for us. He knows what we need and in his time, we will receive it. We just need to be patient and faithful, continuing forward with a perfect brightness of hope. Hope has been really important to me on the mission. Hope is having a knowledge that we will receive the blessings the Lord has promised us if we are obedient (PMG). I know this is true
We haven't had any experiences quite as bad as that one. Madrid is a safe place. I know if it wasn’t I wouldn't be here. Even though that was a scary experience, I feel perfectly fine. I know I'm worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost and that If I'm focused I will receive promptings of where I need to be at what time. Whether is it a warning or a spiritual prompting. I know I'm guided by the spirit.
Being kind to others is so important and something I need to work on. Being kind to one another isn't just how you act when you’re around them, it is also your thoughts and actions when they are gone.
Oh, I forgot to tell you where Hermana Reyes went, TENERIFE! One of the most beautiful Islands on the Canaries. She is probably going to finish her mission there! QueSuerte! Maybe I will replace her when she goes home in January, it's possible:)
I love you and miss you guys! Thanks for everything!
Love Hermana Brumble
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Week 42 in Spain! (12th in Madrid)
9/8/14
This week has been pretty challenging, not very many lessons. But I'm feeling good regardless. :) Our investigator came to church this week! Finally! I was so happy. We had a pretty serious lesson with her. Summer is a hard time in Madrid because everyone is on vacations, and now they're getting ready for school so everything is really busy. I think it will be better soon.
We had a pretty crazy experience this week. Hermana Reyes and I were walking back to our piso at night. It is getting really dark pretty early now. And this man stops us right in front of our piso and starts talking to us and asking us if we were Mormons. I think he had some experiences that were not very good, so he has a problem with religion. He was acting crazy though and kept on asking if we were scared. He was getting pretty angry. I was prepared to do anything I had to. I had the worst feeling. I heard this grunt and I looked up and a man in our building was looking down at us. The man talking to us heard him and immediately stopped and walked away. I looked back up at the man and he waved at us. Right in that moment I felt so much peace and gratitude that he was there. I don't know what would have happened. The next day we saw him in the hallway. We thanked him and he said that he always thinks about us and our safety. He said that he knew the Elders that were living in our piso before. He said that if we needed anything that we can come and get him. He is a super nice older man. We are going to make him cookies this week. That night he was our guardian angel! I know Heavenly Father is watching over us and knows what we need when we need it.
Thanks for e mailing me Josephs letter. He sent me one too. He is so funny. It sounds like he's doing just fine. :) He is going to have a great time in the MTC. You are surrounded by the Spirit there. His experiences have already strengthened my testimony. I hope mine will do the same for him.
I had similar experiences in the MTC. My District really tried to be unified. My district leader tried to get to know everyone, he tried to make it so everyone was comfortable and happy. Having a close district makes a huge difference. I have really tried to apply that in all my districts. It helps a lot. I've made some really good friends through my districts. People I know I will probably stay in contact with for a long time. In the MTC the elders and sisters there would call me Humble Brumble. :) I had to learn a lot about humility there. Before I left I had this attitude about how I was going to help other people with everything and how they were all going to look up to me. I had to learn that before I could try to tell others what they needed, I needed to work on what I could improve myself, what I could learn from others, and being able to accept the fact that I needed help. It made a big difference for me. Now whenever I meet someone new or have a new companion, if I have a humble attitude and look for things I can learn from them, we have a lot more unity and love for each other which makes it so we can work more with the Spirit. I think that's why I haven't had companion troubles at all.
It is getting hard not to count down how much time I have left. I'm soo excited to see all of you, but at the same time I wish I was at the beginning again. I think I have reached a hard time in my mission. Realizing how much time you have left and feeling like you could have done more with the time you've had. It makes you feel terrible, but at the same time, it is helping me cherish the remaining time more and I'm working harder than I was before. The key is not to get discouraged because those feelings aren't from our Heavenly Father. I've worked so hard and I'm proud of what I've done so far. I can't wait for the experiences that I have ahead of me.
Thank you for everything! For your constant love and support. A lot of missionaries don't have the kind of support from families like I do. I am truly blessed and grateful for the wonderful family I have been given. You truly fill my life with love and strength to keep going. I love you and pray for you! Have a great week!
Hermana Brumble
This week has been pretty challenging, not very many lessons. But I'm feeling good regardless. :) Our investigator came to church this week! Finally! I was so happy. We had a pretty serious lesson with her. Summer is a hard time in Madrid because everyone is on vacations, and now they're getting ready for school so everything is really busy. I think it will be better soon.
We had a pretty crazy experience this week. Hermana Reyes and I were walking back to our piso at night. It is getting really dark pretty early now. And this man stops us right in front of our piso and starts talking to us and asking us if we were Mormons. I think he had some experiences that were not very good, so he has a problem with religion. He was acting crazy though and kept on asking if we were scared. He was getting pretty angry. I was prepared to do anything I had to. I had the worst feeling. I heard this grunt and I looked up and a man in our building was looking down at us. The man talking to us heard him and immediately stopped and walked away. I looked back up at the man and he waved at us. Right in that moment I felt so much peace and gratitude that he was there. I don't know what would have happened. The next day we saw him in the hallway. We thanked him and he said that he always thinks about us and our safety. He said that he knew the Elders that were living in our piso before. He said that if we needed anything that we can come and get him. He is a super nice older man. We are going to make him cookies this week. That night he was our guardian angel! I know Heavenly Father is watching over us and knows what we need when we need it.
Thanks for e mailing me Josephs letter. He sent me one too. He is so funny. It sounds like he's doing just fine. :) He is going to have a great time in the MTC. You are surrounded by the Spirit there. His experiences have already strengthened my testimony. I hope mine will do the same for him.
I had similar experiences in the MTC. My District really tried to be unified. My district leader tried to get to know everyone, he tried to make it so everyone was comfortable and happy. Having a close district makes a huge difference. I have really tried to apply that in all my districts. It helps a lot. I've made some really good friends through my districts. People I know I will probably stay in contact with for a long time. In the MTC the elders and sisters there would call me Humble Brumble. :) I had to learn a lot about humility there. Before I left I had this attitude about how I was going to help other people with everything and how they were all going to look up to me. I had to learn that before I could try to tell others what they needed, I needed to work on what I could improve myself, what I could learn from others, and being able to accept the fact that I needed help. It made a big difference for me. Now whenever I meet someone new or have a new companion, if I have a humble attitude and look for things I can learn from them, we have a lot more unity and love for each other which makes it so we can work more with the Spirit. I think that's why I haven't had companion troubles at all.
It is getting hard not to count down how much time I have left. I'm soo excited to see all of you, but at the same time I wish I was at the beginning again. I think I have reached a hard time in my mission. Realizing how much time you have left and feeling like you could have done more with the time you've had. It makes you feel terrible, but at the same time, it is helping me cherish the remaining time more and I'm working harder than I was before. The key is not to get discouraged because those feelings aren't from our Heavenly Father. I've worked so hard and I'm proud of what I've done so far. I can't wait for the experiences that I have ahead of me.
Thank you for everything! For your constant love and support. A lot of missionaries don't have the kind of support from families like I do. I am truly blessed and grateful for the wonderful family I have been given. You truly fill my life with love and strength to keep going. I love you and pray for you! Have a great week!
Hermana Brumble
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Week 41 in Spain! (11th in Madrid)
9/1/14
How is everything? What’s going on? How is it with one less child to take care of? It sounds like everything went really well, I'm glad. I have been worried all week long about Joseph leaving. I just want him to have the best experience. I got an e mail from him and it sounds like all is well. I's so relieved. Also thank you for sending me pictures, I appreciate that. It is nice to get e mails, but it is different when I can see everyone.
I've had a great week. Nothing unusual, but Hermana Reyes and I have been getting some really good lessons. Everyone right now is having a hard time getting to "Lesson 2" But I know that we talk to people for a reason and even though they don't accept the gospel now, they have a higher chance in the future. Jose and Isabel came back from Ecuador this week and brought Hermana Reyes and I little coin bags. They are so cute, I love them.
There was a huge riot/protest in front of our Piso this week about racism. Hermana Reyes and I had to go back to our piso for a while and do work there. It was pretty intense, but I don't think there was really any danger, our district leader just thought it would be better to be inside. Sometimes when people get really excited, they do stupid things.
I wish I could have been there for Joseph's setting apart. I wanted to so bad. I remember being so nervous. My emotions were going crazy! I'm glad I don't have to do that again. It is funny hearing about Joseph's experience and remembering mine. It sounds a lot different. I think I was the only missionary in the airport for a while. I didn’t want to look back at you and mom in the airport because I knew if I did I probably wouldn’t be here right now. :)
I can't wait to hear all about his mission. Hermano Sanchez, my MTC teacher in my ward went to Uruguay on his mission, he was telling me how much he loved it. Joseph is going to have a great time and I'm so proud of him.
I'm great! I don't need anything. Time is going by so fast. I can't believe I have already hit the half way mark! I'll be home before you know it! Every day I feel like I have so much left to do. I hope when I'm finished I'll have a complete feeling. Everyone says they don't feel ready to go home when they're finished, but I feel like if I know that I did what the Lord has called me to do, I will feel ready, complete and ready to take on my next calling. I am really truly thankful for this experience. I know I talk to people every day who are being prepared, and maybe I am helping prepare them for the next missionary who will cross their path. I know I am here for a reason. I know I have been called to be an instrument in the Lords hands.
As a mission we are reading the Book of Mormon together and we are going to end on Joseph Smith’s birthday. I think it is so cool and every day I feel my testimony of the restoration strengthen. You guys should do it too if you want!
I love you! I'll talk to you soon!
Hermana Brumble
How is everything? What’s going on? How is it with one less child to take care of? It sounds like everything went really well, I'm glad. I have been worried all week long about Joseph leaving. I just want him to have the best experience. I got an e mail from him and it sounds like all is well. I's so relieved. Also thank you for sending me pictures, I appreciate that. It is nice to get e mails, but it is different when I can see everyone.
I've had a great week. Nothing unusual, but Hermana Reyes and I have been getting some really good lessons. Everyone right now is having a hard time getting to "Lesson 2" But I know that we talk to people for a reason and even though they don't accept the gospel now, they have a higher chance in the future. Jose and Isabel came back from Ecuador this week and brought Hermana Reyes and I little coin bags. They are so cute, I love them.
There was a huge riot/protest in front of our Piso this week about racism. Hermana Reyes and I had to go back to our piso for a while and do work there. It was pretty intense, but I don't think there was really any danger, our district leader just thought it would be better to be inside. Sometimes when people get really excited, they do stupid things.
I wish I could have been there for Joseph's setting apart. I wanted to so bad. I remember being so nervous. My emotions were going crazy! I'm glad I don't have to do that again. It is funny hearing about Joseph's experience and remembering mine. It sounds a lot different. I think I was the only missionary in the airport for a while. I didn’t want to look back at you and mom in the airport because I knew if I did I probably wouldn’t be here right now. :)
I can't wait to hear all about his mission. Hermano Sanchez, my MTC teacher in my ward went to Uruguay on his mission, he was telling me how much he loved it. Joseph is going to have a great time and I'm so proud of him.
I'm great! I don't need anything. Time is going by so fast. I can't believe I have already hit the half way mark! I'll be home before you know it! Every day I feel like I have so much left to do. I hope when I'm finished I'll have a complete feeling. Everyone says they don't feel ready to go home when they're finished, but I feel like if I know that I did what the Lord has called me to do, I will feel ready, complete and ready to take on my next calling. I am really truly thankful for this experience. I know I talk to people every day who are being prepared, and maybe I am helping prepare them for the next missionary who will cross their path. I know I am here for a reason. I know I have been called to be an instrument in the Lords hands.
As a mission we are reading the Book of Mormon together and we are going to end on Joseph Smith’s birthday. I think it is so cool and every day I feel my testimony of the restoration strengthen. You guys should do it too if you want!
I love you! I'll talk to you soon!
Hermana Brumble
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