10/27/14
What an amazing week I have had!
Really Hermana Kuhn and I are working so hard and it hasn't seemed like we've been seeing any progression with people. But then we had a lesson with Maria and her family. We decided to watch the restoration video about Joseph Smith and his first vision because they weren't quite getting it. During the movie was a disaster! Ramiro started having a bloody nose (which I stopped with my nursing skills) and Alvaro was so bad the whole entire time. I'm pretty sure they didn't see any of it. Afterwards we were talking about it and I decided to talk to them about the Spirit and how I know when I feel it and then I just bore my testimony about everything. We left feeling like the lesson was just terrible. We also didn't follow up about the law of chastity lesson and if Maria had spoken to her husband about getting married. A couple of days later we had clases de ingles and Noche de Hogar. The family came as usual and Maria was talking to me afterward. She was talking to Elder Miranda and Hermana Kuhn while I was playing with the kids and she told me that what I said about the Spirit really stuck with her and how she has been feeling a pressure and warmth in her chest and how she wants to get BAPTIZED but how Hermana Kuhn and Elder Miranda said she can’t until she gets married! I was talking to her and made her promise that she would talk to her husband. On Saturday the family came with their DAD! AHHHHH! It was our big ward Pais activity where everyone made food from their lands. Maria was sitting by me and she is starting her marriage papers with her husband!!!! They are going to get baptized!!! I can’t believe it! What a miracle! I love them so much. I have never felt so much love for someone in my whole life. I know heavenly father loves them and wants me to know that.
....Unfortunately we got transfer calls that night a couple hours later and I’ve been transferred to Leganes! Right now I'm in Leganes and loving it. Hermana Clements and I are opening another companionship for Hermanas there. Maria and I were crying so much. She was heartbroken. She knew that it was possible but we didn't think it would happen. Sunday I had a talk and the WHOLE family came and stayed the whole 3 hours with the dad! Then we took pictures and cried. I'm heartbroken, but I know they are going to be baptized and that I had a big part in getting them there. I'm thankful for what I've learned with them and will always love them.
Like I said, I'm in Leganes which is a cute little pueblo outside of Madrid. I'm opening which means that we literally have nothing and are starting from ground zero. I'm nervous and excited at the same time, but ready for it. I know this is where I need to be, even though it hurts. There is a reason for everything. I’ve grown and learned so much. I'm really sad about leaving Hermana Kuhn, we're besties, but we're gonnahang after the mission, so I'm not worried. And her and her new companion will take care of the fam. ugh I had to say goodbye to Ana and Pascual too, that was heartbreaking, but that will have to go in another e-mail.
Hermana Clements is my new companion, she is going to hit 7 months on the mission and I have 11!! She is 19 and is from Spanish Fork Utah. She's a cutie, I'm excited. She loves to sing, another angel voiced companion, and is very animated! FUNFUN! As for Sister Training Leader, I don't think I'm it still. President changes them a lot and I'm in a new area, but we'll see. He calls if you are, but as of right now...we don't have a phone yet:/
Well wish me luck, The packages are fine! You're following all the rules with that so there is no need to worry. As of things I need, nothing right now. Here I go! Wish me luck!
Hermana Brumble
PS Tell everyone I love them, I'm not going to have time to email everyone else! You're in my heart and prayers!
Monday, October 27, 2014
Monday, October 20, 2014
Week 48 in Spain! (18 in Madrid)
10/20/14
How is everyone? Our week was pretty good, we did a lot and have seen a lot of good things happen with investigators. I decided to write down a couple of things that I wanted to tell you this week so I didn't forget, because that happens a lot:) First, we were in the church waiting for Melisa to come (who fired on us...) and this woman came in who was super nice wanting to know about English classes. She gave us gum:) and then not even 5 minutes later we were still waiting and these two old woman opened the door and peeked in...who said "Hola! Podemos ayudarles?" (Hi! Can we help?) They shut the door when they saw us and then one of them opened it again and asked "Have you seen Jesus here? Has he passed by?" and then she shut the door and was laughing about what she said with her friend! HOW RUDE! I was so mad that an old woman could be such a bully!
On Wednesday we had our district meeting. Elder Ballard decided it would be fun to have a scavanger hunt about scriptures that answer questions of the soul. Hermana Kuhn and I won:) It was fun but after we were talking with the Hermana's from B5 and they said that during their district meeting the Zone leaders were talking to them about how they waste too much time and how they aren't going to get baptisms that way......We felt kind of bad after...
They past two p-days have been filled with traveling to Aluche to do Hermana Kuhn's residency card. The first time we went we couldn't get it because she wasn't empatronized...so we had to go back. Then we went to Pavones to get her empatronized. It takes an hour to get to Povones and she ended up just needing a copy of her empatronizement from the MTC...which took two seconds....and now today we have to travel back to Aluche to do her residency card stuff. It just brings back bad memories of my residency card problems...ugh.
We had a Law of Chastity lesson with Maria and her family. I was so nervous for it. We had decided that we wanted to focus more on why we have the Law of Chastity. So we read a family proclamation to the world and we talked about eternal Marriage and Temples. She was so sweet and really understood everything. During the lesson she asked us "Pienses que soy mala?"(You think I'm bad?) We giggled and said no! Of course not! We talked to her and expressed our love for her. I bore my testimony about you and mom and Mal and Sam and how much eternal marriage means to me, and how we can only have an eternal marriage if we keep the law of chastity. We committed her to talk to her "husband" Everytime I talk with them I can feel that this is their time. I have never felt so impressed in my life to help and teach someone. I have also never felt teh need and rush to get them to baptism. I hope it isn't just me wanting a baptism, but I have so much love for them. They are so special to me.
We had a Noche De Hogar "Family Home Evening" on Friday with the ward and all the investigators. Hermana Kuhn and I taught it. We read in Efesios (I think thats Ephesians in English) about the Armor of God. We had Alvaro (Maria's little boy) Stand in the front of the room and everyone threw paper balls at him. It was so funny he was so excited and just stood and covered his face. Then we dressed him in the armor of God. We made it out of cereal boxes and tinfoil. he had a sword and a sheild everything but a helmet (his head was too big, it fit all the elders...just not Alvaro...) It was a lot of fun and there were a lot of members there talking to Maria and her family. What a blessing.
Saturday there was a baptism of a little boy in our ward. We invited Maria and her family. They loved it, that was so good for them. Then afterward the family had a birthday party for him in the church. Everyone was there having fun. The family had a lot of fun. It was a great night. There was a lot of dancing. Alvaro stole the show with his smooth moves:)
I had a great week. We are seeing the members try to be more involved with the family. It is really touching and I'm so excited for this upcoming transfer.
The transfer calls are this Saturday. I'm terrified! I hope I don't get transferred. It would break my heart! But I know if I do, its because I'm needed somewhere else. I'm just having a hard time with thinking I won't be there to make sure myself that the family gets to baptism, but I need to trust more in other missionaries and Heavenly Father.....that doesn't change my prayers though:)
Change is a struggle for me, but it is so true, especially when it comes to contacting. I have no trouble with changing lessons according to what I feel, but while I'm contacting and I see some success in what I'm doing I stick with it instead of changing it up. Then I get STUCK and we don't recieve anything! The spirit can't work through you in you are in a routine. I need to take a step back and evaluate the things I do and how I do them. When we trust in Heavenly Father and give everything to him and say "I'm in your hands, I'm your instrument" That's when the blessings come.
The Halloween party looked soooo much fun! I miss halloween, they celebrate it here, but as a missionary you can't really do anything. I miss doing stuff with you guys for Halloween. The ward is having a special Pais party the 25, the American family, Hermana Kuhn, Elder Ballard and I are incharge of the United States. We are going to decorate it like Halloween, I'm so excited:) we also might do thriller.....not confirmed:) Since when do you dress up for Halloween!!!
I love you guys! You're in my prayers! Have a great week!
Hermana Brumble
How is everyone? Our week was pretty good, we did a lot and have seen a lot of good things happen with investigators. I decided to write down a couple of things that I wanted to tell you this week so I didn't forget, because that happens a lot:) First, we were in the church waiting for Melisa to come (who fired on us...) and this woman came in who was super nice wanting to know about English classes. She gave us gum:) and then not even 5 minutes later we were still waiting and these two old woman opened the door and peeked in...who said "Hola! Podemos ayudarles?" (Hi! Can we help?) They shut the door when they saw us and then one of them opened it again and asked "Have you seen Jesus here? Has he passed by?" and then she shut the door and was laughing about what she said with her friend! HOW RUDE! I was so mad that an old woman could be such a bully!
On Wednesday we had our district meeting. Elder Ballard decided it would be fun to have a scavanger hunt about scriptures that answer questions of the soul. Hermana Kuhn and I won:) It was fun but after we were talking with the Hermana's from B5 and they said that during their district meeting the Zone leaders were talking to them about how they waste too much time and how they aren't going to get baptisms that way......We felt kind of bad after...
They past two p-days have been filled with traveling to Aluche to do Hermana Kuhn's residency card. The first time we went we couldn't get it because she wasn't empatronized...so we had to go back. Then we went to Pavones to get her empatronized. It takes an hour to get to Povones and she ended up just needing a copy of her empatronizement from the MTC...which took two seconds....and now today we have to travel back to Aluche to do her residency card stuff. It just brings back bad memories of my residency card problems...ugh.
We had a Law of Chastity lesson with Maria and her family. I was so nervous for it. We had decided that we wanted to focus more on why we have the Law of Chastity. So we read a family proclamation to the world and we talked about eternal Marriage and Temples. She was so sweet and really understood everything. During the lesson she asked us "Pienses que soy mala?"(You think I'm bad?) We giggled and said no! Of course not! We talked to her and expressed our love for her. I bore my testimony about you and mom and Mal and Sam and how much eternal marriage means to me, and how we can only have an eternal marriage if we keep the law of chastity. We committed her to talk to her "husband" Everytime I talk with them I can feel that this is their time. I have never felt so impressed in my life to help and teach someone. I have also never felt teh need and rush to get them to baptism. I hope it isn't just me wanting a baptism, but I have so much love for them. They are so special to me.
We had a Noche De Hogar "Family Home Evening" on Friday with the ward and all the investigators. Hermana Kuhn and I taught it. We read in Efesios (I think thats Ephesians in English) about the Armor of God. We had Alvaro (Maria's little boy) Stand in the front of the room and everyone threw paper balls at him. It was so funny he was so excited and just stood and covered his face. Then we dressed him in the armor of God. We made it out of cereal boxes and tinfoil. he had a sword and a sheild everything but a helmet (his head was too big, it fit all the elders...just not Alvaro...) It was a lot of fun and there were a lot of members there talking to Maria and her family. What a blessing.
Saturday there was a baptism of a little boy in our ward. We invited Maria and her family. They loved it, that was so good for them. Then afterward the family had a birthday party for him in the church. Everyone was there having fun. The family had a lot of fun. It was a great night. There was a lot of dancing. Alvaro stole the show with his smooth moves:)
I had a great week. We are seeing the members try to be more involved with the family. It is really touching and I'm so excited for this upcoming transfer.
The transfer calls are this Saturday. I'm terrified! I hope I don't get transferred. It would break my heart! But I know if I do, its because I'm needed somewhere else. I'm just having a hard time with thinking I won't be there to make sure myself that the family gets to baptism, but I need to trust more in other missionaries and Heavenly Father.....that doesn't change my prayers though:)
Change is a struggle for me, but it is so true, especially when it comes to contacting. I have no trouble with changing lessons according to what I feel, but while I'm contacting and I see some success in what I'm doing I stick with it instead of changing it up. Then I get STUCK and we don't recieve anything! The spirit can't work through you in you are in a routine. I need to take a step back and evaluate the things I do and how I do them. When we trust in Heavenly Father and give everything to him and say "I'm in your hands, I'm your instrument" That's when the blessings come.
The Halloween party looked soooo much fun! I miss halloween, they celebrate it here, but as a missionary you can't really do anything. I miss doing stuff with you guys for Halloween. The ward is having a special Pais party the 25, the American family, Hermana Kuhn, Elder Ballard and I are incharge of the United States. We are going to decorate it like Halloween, I'm so excited:) we also might do thriller.....not confirmed:) Since when do you dress up for Halloween!!!
I love you guys! You're in my prayers! Have a great week!
Hermana Brumble
Monday, October 13, 2014
Week 47 in Spain! (17 in Madrid)
10/13/14
It is a lot colder now!
Our week was a ton better than last week! This week we had a lot of blessings. A while ago Elder Giforos called me to ask if I was teaching piano because there was a mom and two kids at English class that night who were interested. So we started teaching them piano this week. Hermana Kuhn talked to Ani, the mom, while I taught the kids. She's from the Dominican Republic and while talking to her she said she had been listening to missionaries in her Paìs(can't remember the English word) (country)and that she knew the Church is true. We were in awe, we didn’t know what to say, and then she said " the problem is I work internally and can't come to church"....NOOO always! We are praying to try to see how we can work things out. She wants her kids to go to church though, which will be good.
We were also walking down the street and a guy stopped us and said (translated) "Hermanas how are you! I took lessons not very long ago, here's my number, call me and you can come over and teach my family some time." We'll see where that goes. :)
There have been a lot of ups and downs lately which is usual. You just need to make sure the downs don't overshadow the ups.
Hermana Kuhn and I are great! She is such a good example and she works so hard. She has also improved so much during our time together. That has been so fun to see. I've always had older (mission wise) companions, but being able to see someone start out and to still have that fire in them has been such an interesting experience. It has helped me get that MTC excitement back in my teaching. I love Hermana Kuhn, she is really good and helping me feel successful. I love her. We have a lot of plans for when she gets back.
The family is such a blessing for me. They are so special to me and I can feel the love God has for them every time I teach them. I love them so much. Even if they don't get baptized while I'm here, they are special to me. Every time we are in a lesson together I can feel the spirit. Especially with Daniela. She is the 14 year old daughter. I see a light in her and I know she feels the spirit. Every time I bear my testimony to them something lights up in her and you can see in in her face. She is special. But, last week we had a lesson with them and the Law of Chastity was a question that Maria brought up. Maria told us after we explained it to her that her and her husband are not married!!! NOOO! My heart was aching! I just couldn't stop thinking about Gema and Ricardo in Gijon. This can't happen again. I wanted to cry. But after that I felt the Spirit tell me that everything was going to work out if we kept moving forward with them, if we kept being bold with them and if I kept showing them that I loved them and that God loved them. That night I talked to Hermana Kuhn and we realized something really interesting, I have been having HUGE desires to get married lately! I have never wanted to get married so bad in my life... which is so weird. But I thought about it and I think it is because I have so many examples of good and righteous couples in my life. That’s the biggest blessing we could receive from our Heavenly Father. It breaks my heart, but I feel like I have been having these feelings because I need to help them know why marriage is so important. After that night we have been seeing the family and their DAD everywhere! He hasn't been interested at all to meet with us, but I really feel like it's his time. We just need to keep moving forward and get the dad in the lessons with us. With hard work and pray it's possible and I know everything will work out.
Exchanges were this Thursday and it was great! I was so nervous because I really wanted to be a good example to Hermana Whiting. She is being trained right now, it was really interesting because I did twelve weeks with her during our companionship study. I tried so hard that day to help her and really try to feel her needs and look for ways to serve her and Hermana Shill. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot from that opportunity.
This week I also got invited to a sealing. Our Menos Activos (not less active anymore:) are getting sealed and they invited us! I am so touched that they thought of us and wanted us to be there. I am so proud of their progress and now they get to be an eternal family! What a miracle! Unfortunately, as a missionary I can't go...but I will definitely be praying especially for them that day. They are getting sealed November 1.
The miracle of repentance has been on my mind lately. I have been having feelings of inadequacy lately and I've really had to apply repentance. And at the beginning of my mission I really only thought repentance was only something we needed when we make mistakes, but as I've progressed I've learned that repentance is something that has been given to us to help us be better every day regardless of whether or not we've made a serious sin. Repentance is a daily process that helps us feel closer to God. And right now, it is the things that has been critical. When I don't kneel down and night to talk to Heavenly Father about my day, my challenges, my worries and the things that make me happy, I can feel a difference in my life the next day. That to me is the miracle of repentance and the atonement.
I love you and have been thinking about you. Thanks for your example to me and your constant love and support. Thank you for always teaching me who I really am so I can teach others who they are.
Hermana Brumble
It is a lot colder now!
Our week was a ton better than last week! This week we had a lot of blessings. A while ago Elder Giforos called me to ask if I was teaching piano because there was a mom and two kids at English class that night who were interested. So we started teaching them piano this week. Hermana Kuhn talked to Ani, the mom, while I taught the kids. She's from the Dominican Republic and while talking to her she said she had been listening to missionaries in her Paìs(can't remember the English word) (country)and that she knew the Church is true. We were in awe, we didn’t know what to say, and then she said " the problem is I work internally and can't come to church"....NOOO always! We are praying to try to see how we can work things out. She wants her kids to go to church though, which will be good.
We were also walking down the street and a guy stopped us and said (translated) "Hermanas how are you! I took lessons not very long ago, here's my number, call me and you can come over and teach my family some time." We'll see where that goes. :)
There have been a lot of ups and downs lately which is usual. You just need to make sure the downs don't overshadow the ups.
Hermana Kuhn and I are great! She is such a good example and she works so hard. She has also improved so much during our time together. That has been so fun to see. I've always had older (mission wise) companions, but being able to see someone start out and to still have that fire in them has been such an interesting experience. It has helped me get that MTC excitement back in my teaching. I love Hermana Kuhn, she is really good and helping me feel successful. I love her. We have a lot of plans for when she gets back.
The family is such a blessing for me. They are so special to me and I can feel the love God has for them every time I teach them. I love them so much. Even if they don't get baptized while I'm here, they are special to me. Every time we are in a lesson together I can feel the spirit. Especially with Daniela. She is the 14 year old daughter. I see a light in her and I know she feels the spirit. Every time I bear my testimony to them something lights up in her and you can see in in her face. She is special. But, last week we had a lesson with them and the Law of Chastity was a question that Maria brought up. Maria told us after we explained it to her that her and her husband are not married!!! NOOO! My heart was aching! I just couldn't stop thinking about Gema and Ricardo in Gijon. This can't happen again. I wanted to cry. But after that I felt the Spirit tell me that everything was going to work out if we kept moving forward with them, if we kept being bold with them and if I kept showing them that I loved them and that God loved them. That night I talked to Hermana Kuhn and we realized something really interesting, I have been having HUGE desires to get married lately! I have never wanted to get married so bad in my life... which is so weird. But I thought about it and I think it is because I have so many examples of good and righteous couples in my life. That’s the biggest blessing we could receive from our Heavenly Father. It breaks my heart, but I feel like I have been having these feelings because I need to help them know why marriage is so important. After that night we have been seeing the family and their DAD everywhere! He hasn't been interested at all to meet with us, but I really feel like it's his time. We just need to keep moving forward and get the dad in the lessons with us. With hard work and pray it's possible and I know everything will work out.
Exchanges were this Thursday and it was great! I was so nervous because I really wanted to be a good example to Hermana Whiting. She is being trained right now, it was really interesting because I did twelve weeks with her during our companionship study. I tried so hard that day to help her and really try to feel her needs and look for ways to serve her and Hermana Shill. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot from that opportunity.
This week I also got invited to a sealing. Our Menos Activos (not less active anymore:) are getting sealed and they invited us! I am so touched that they thought of us and wanted us to be there. I am so proud of their progress and now they get to be an eternal family! What a miracle! Unfortunately, as a missionary I can't go...but I will definitely be praying especially for them that day. They are getting sealed November 1.
The miracle of repentance has been on my mind lately. I have been having feelings of inadequacy lately and I've really had to apply repentance. And at the beginning of my mission I really only thought repentance was only something we needed when we make mistakes, but as I've progressed I've learned that repentance is something that has been given to us to help us be better every day regardless of whether or not we've made a serious sin. Repentance is a daily process that helps us feel closer to God. And right now, it is the things that has been critical. When I don't kneel down and night to talk to Heavenly Father about my day, my challenges, my worries and the things that make me happy, I can feel a difference in my life the next day. That to me is the miracle of repentance and the atonement.
I love you and have been thinking about you. Thanks for your example to me and your constant love and support. Thank you for always teaching me who I really am so I can teach others who they are.
Hermana Brumble
Monday, October 6, 2014
Week 46 in Spain! (16 in Madrid)
10/6/14
Thank you so much for all of your birthday wishes! My Birthday was wonderful and I feel so blessed. I could feel everyone's love with me and I feel so blessed to have all of you in my life. I waited to open the package till my birthday, so Hermana Kuhn hid it. We decorated for my Birthday and I made a birthday breakfast. Hermana Kuhn wrote a lot of nice things in our bathroom. Then we got ready and got to conference. We watched the first session (Saturday afternoon) amazing. And then my zone threw me a surprise birthday party! They made a cake, and a piñata. They made me a card and sang to me! It was amazing and so special I am so blessed to have so many good influences and loving people in my life who care about me. Hermana Kuhn put everything together. She is wonderful and so special. I love her so much. She really wanted to make sure I had a good birthday. I definitely did! But apparently it is a tradition in Spain that you have to take a bite out of your birthday cake....queverguenza (what a shame)! We took videos and pictures that I'm going to try to send. I was also surprised to get beautiful flowers from Sammie and Ben! That was such a wonderful surprise:) President Jackson and Hermana Jackson called me to wish me a happy birthday and they sang to me! So Cute. I had a WONDERFUL Birthday! Also the zoo today was a lot of fun. Elder Ballard and Elder Molina came. Elder Gentry and Elder Giforos came (My Zone Leaders) And Hermana Coburn and her companion (can't remember her name) came. We had a lot of fun and I LOVE the zoo!
Things are going great here! We are working so hard this week, we only got 4 lessons which was really bad, but sometimes that happens and we are working hard so that's all that matters. We are finding some really good people and staying busy with that family. They are so cute I love them so much and know they are going to get baptized. I am so excited, they just love everything we teach them and are growing so much. As far as my calling goes I have to do intercambios (exchanges) with the sisters this week and then report to president with things that are happening. That’s really it, and then nothing until next transfer and the next leadership meeting, if I'm still STL. That could change. It is weird that I'm STL and haven't trained, but one of the most important positions you have on the mission is being a trainer. We'll see if that happens. I'm not sure if I could do that. :)
Conference was so great! We went to Pavones and there were so many people, definitely a lot different from Gijon. Our stake was there and I think there was another stake there. It was really cool. We got to watch Women’s Conference, Saturday Morning and Afternoon and Sunday Morning sessions. I really enjoyed the Women’s Conference a lot and the talk from the Seventy that spoke in Spanish was really good as well. I thought it was interesting how many people spoke about the sacrament. I also liked what Elder Oaks said about accepting others no matter what religion they are from. I thought a lot of people talk about acceptance and being more Christ-like. Elder Holland’s talk was very touching. He gets so passionate about what he talks about and what he believes in. I wish I could speak with as much conviction as he does.
I love taking rides in the mountains during the fall. I miss that so much. We'll have to do that before I go to college. I'm going to have to start thinking about that soon... also work...scary.
My mission has really helped me go back to the basics. Teaching simple gospel principles everyday like Heavenly Father loves us has probably strengthened my testimony more than anything. The gospel is so simple and sometimes I think we get caught up in deep doctrine too much. We need to think about how investigators learn and gain their testimony. Through simple gospel principles, sincere prayer, study and attending our church meetings, we can all be converted. I am so thankful for this gospel and love sharing it more than anything in the world. I have never felt so much love and strength in my life. I have the beautiful opportunity every day to share this good news. I have had the opportunity to help bring our brothers and sisters back to our loving Heavenly Father. I wish I knew before that you don't have to have a tag to help show our brothers and sisters that God loves them. I have felt the love of God for his children which has changed my life. I hope I will be able to apply what I have learned here to my future life.
I love all of you. I miss you every day. I'm not quite ready to go home. Time is moving way too fast and I'm not leaving till I can say I have done all I can to help my Savior in this work. Thank you for your prayers and words of love on my birthday. I have such a special family and am blessed with so much love and support. Thank you!
Hermana Brumble (20 YEARS OLD AND NO LONGER A TEENAGER!)
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Thank you so much for all of your birthday wishes! My Birthday was wonderful and I feel so blessed. I could feel everyone's love with me and I feel so blessed to have all of you in my life. I waited to open the package till my birthday, so Hermana Kuhn hid it. We decorated for my Birthday and I made a birthday breakfast. Hermana Kuhn wrote a lot of nice things in our bathroom. Then we got ready and got to conference. We watched the first session (Saturday afternoon) amazing. And then my zone threw me a surprise birthday party! They made a cake, and a piñata. They made me a card and sang to me! It was amazing and so special I am so blessed to have so many good influences and loving people in my life who care about me. Hermana Kuhn put everything together. She is wonderful and so special. I love her so much. She really wanted to make sure I had a good birthday. I definitely did! But apparently it is a tradition in Spain that you have to take a bite out of your birthday cake....queverguenza (what a shame)! We took videos and pictures that I'm going to try to send. I was also surprised to get beautiful flowers from Sammie and Ben! That was such a wonderful surprise:) President Jackson and Hermana Jackson called me to wish me a happy birthday and they sang to me! So Cute. I had a WONDERFUL Birthday! Also the zoo today was a lot of fun. Elder Ballard and Elder Molina came. Elder Gentry and Elder Giforos came (My Zone Leaders) And Hermana Coburn and her companion (can't remember her name) came. We had a lot of fun and I LOVE the zoo!
Things are going great here! We are working so hard this week, we only got 4 lessons which was really bad, but sometimes that happens and we are working hard so that's all that matters. We are finding some really good people and staying busy with that family. They are so cute I love them so much and know they are going to get baptized. I am so excited, they just love everything we teach them and are growing so much. As far as my calling goes I have to do intercambios (exchanges) with the sisters this week and then report to president with things that are happening. That’s really it, and then nothing until next transfer and the next leadership meeting, if I'm still STL. That could change. It is weird that I'm STL and haven't trained, but one of the most important positions you have on the mission is being a trainer. We'll see if that happens. I'm not sure if I could do that. :)
Conference was so great! We went to Pavones and there were so many people, definitely a lot different from Gijon. Our stake was there and I think there was another stake there. It was really cool. We got to watch Women’s Conference, Saturday Morning and Afternoon and Sunday Morning sessions. I really enjoyed the Women’s Conference a lot and the talk from the Seventy that spoke in Spanish was really good as well. I thought it was interesting how many people spoke about the sacrament. I also liked what Elder Oaks said about accepting others no matter what religion they are from. I thought a lot of people talk about acceptance and being more Christ-like. Elder Holland’s talk was very touching. He gets so passionate about what he talks about and what he believes in. I wish I could speak with as much conviction as he does.
I love taking rides in the mountains during the fall. I miss that so much. We'll have to do that before I go to college. I'm going to have to start thinking about that soon... also work...scary.
My mission has really helped me go back to the basics. Teaching simple gospel principles everyday like Heavenly Father loves us has probably strengthened my testimony more than anything. The gospel is so simple and sometimes I think we get caught up in deep doctrine too much. We need to think about how investigators learn and gain their testimony. Through simple gospel principles, sincere prayer, study and attending our church meetings, we can all be converted. I am so thankful for this gospel and love sharing it more than anything in the world. I have never felt so much love and strength in my life. I have the beautiful opportunity every day to share this good news. I have had the opportunity to help bring our brothers and sisters back to our loving Heavenly Father. I wish I knew before that you don't have to have a tag to help show our brothers and sisters that God loves them. I have felt the love of God for his children which has changed my life. I hope I will be able to apply what I have learned here to my future life.
I love all of you. I miss you every day. I'm not quite ready to go home. Time is moving way too fast and I'm not leaving till I can say I have done all I can to help my Savior in this work. Thank you for your prayers and words of love on my birthday. I have such a special family and am blessed with so much love and support. Thank you!
Hermana Brumble (20 YEARS OLD AND NO LONGER A TEENAGER!)
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