BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!!

 HIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me just say, I HAD THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!!!!! I am so happy that I was able to Skype y'all and see all those cute and happy faces! Man I have the best family. And boy did I get spoiled this Christmas. I can't thank y'all enough! That was really so sweet of all y'all to get me such amazing gifts, Thank you everyone!!!!!!!!!! I wish I could hug each person individually. Don't worry, I only have a year left and then I can! :)

This week has been so much fun. On Tuesday, we had a Christmas Conference. Our whole entire mission got together and we heard some very good talks and a lot of good musical numbers. We had a wonderful little lunch. We were eating these really good Oreo fudge things and president came over, grabbed my fork and started eating mine and just left. Our table was laughing so hard. It was so funny and random. It was fun seeing some of the sisters I have already met and talking with them and it was fun being able to meet some new sisters!!  It was fun and helped bring the Christmas spirit in a little more and learn more about our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ :) Aren't we so lucky to have such an amazing Savior who has died for us and loves us so much!? It blows my mind sometimes, we are truly lucky,  Some times I took the atonement for granted, but as I have been on my mission and learned more and have come closer to Jesus Christ, I feel so blessed and lucky to have someone who loves me that much to go through so much pain for each of us. I could talk about this all day, but I will go on with my week hahaha

We decided to stop by Monica's house on Wednesday and see how she was doing. Sadly, she relapsed and isn't doing very well right now, but we are still working with her. IT WAS POURING. it was seriously raining so hard this day. Monica had to take her dogs out to go to the bathroom, so being the wonderful and nice missionaries that we are (haha yeah right) we took her dogs out for her. We didn't have anything to put over our heads to save us from this rain storm, so she gave us grocery bags. hahaha I have never gotten more funnier looks in my life. We were outside for at least 5 minutes and we were drenched!!

The weather has been so strange here the past week, it has been raining like crazy but it has been around 70-ish degrees and humid. Then today its 40 degrees and really windy and cold, it is very bipolar. We never know what to wear each day because everyday it is so different. We had the BIGGEST rain/thunder/lightning storm the other day. It just made me think of mom so much because we both love them. It was awesome!! The power even went out during one of our lessons. Thank goodness for Ipads and the bright screens ;)

We met these little boys the other day, ages 9, 11, and 13, as we were tracting, they were jumping in rain puddles. We went and talked to them and explained who we were, after that, they started taking us to houses who they thought would be interested. Sadly, none of them were, but it was so funny. We became best friends with them and they followed us everywhere for the rest of the night. 

Christmas Eve we went with some of our ward members and went caroling at the Care Center.  It was so fun to see all the old and cute people. They were all singing along and even a few of them cried, tears of joy of course!! It was so hot in their room we were singing in we all were about to pass out!! But it was still fun. As we were leaving the center, and walking to our car, that was only 100 yards or so away, it decided to POUR as we walked outside, needless to say, we got soaked again. 

THEN OH MY! CHRISTMAS WAS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!! Skyping y'all was seriously the best. It made my whole entire month :) After Skyping, we went and visited some ladies that were alone on Christmas. We made them cookies and just talked with them!! Then we went back to Zaira's and hung out with them for a little bit until we had to go home. 

 Christmas day at Zaira's house (with her family)

Zaira's little girl- so cute!

We were tracting all day yesterday, not even exaggerating. We were tracting this one street and ran into a family from Afghanistan. They invited us in and Sister Tadd and I got a little scared cause, come on, they are from the Middle East and this crazy isis stuff, but we went in anyway. haha We started teaching him and talking with him. He was very firm in his beliefs but very nice and listened to us. Then he started talking about isis and how everyone judges their family and thinks they are apart of isis. He told us they believe that anyone who kills someone, its like killing multiple people and you will be in jail for life and even be killed. Then he started using an example. He said, "it's like if I went up to you right now and killed you, I would have to go to jail." Sister Tadd and I looked at each other and we were like, can you not use that metaphor please, we are already freaked out. But everything was great and they were very nice and we got out of their house safely. haha 

WE HAD THE COOLEST MIRACLE YESTERDAY!!!!!! We had a member bring us over dinner because they weren't able to have us over after all.  We hurried and ate and took a little cat nap. This was the weirdest thing ever, but I'm serious, I had a dream we were tracting around this neighborhood that was on the very top of our area. When I woke up, I told Sister Tadd about it and we decided to go do it, why not right? So we get on the street, we pray for a miracle and start walking towards this house. We knock on their door and this nice guy opens the door.  We explain who we are and what we do. He stops us and says he needs to go get his wife because she would like this. (This either means its going to be really good or really bad because she will come out and yell at us and tell us to leave. But we decided to have faith.)  She came to the door and got really excited and listened to EVERYTHING we had to say. She started to explain how she was looking for a new church for her family to join and for her to raise her young children in. WHAT!!!??? It was so awesome!! We are going back on Wednesday afternoon and we are so excited!! That made our whole day, that's for sure :)

Scripture for the week: Doctrine and Covenants 121:7- its says that our adversity's and afflictions will be such a small moment in life, we just need to continue to have faith in Jesus Christ and know that everything we have and will go through, he has as well. He knows exactly how we feel and we can always turn to Him prayer when we need Him.

I love y'all so much and I am extremely thankful for the love and support I get everyday. Have a wonderful week and NEW YEAR!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU! :) :)

Love Sister Kaylee Brooks 

When we went caroling.  Favorite girls in our ward. :)

We are wearing our new Christmas clothes.

 Peggy, she is in our ward and gave us stocking and tons of food.  

She is so cute!!  She is the one we helped decorate Christmas with.  

Skyping on Christmas Day with Sister Brooks

(written by Mom)

Sister Brooks was suppose to Skype at 12:00 (noon), our time.  All her family would be at our house to Skype with her.  We were excited, to say the least!  She Skype called us at 11:20 and the call was coming in our office computer, of which was not set up to receive a Skype call because it did not have a camera.  Because she tried twice and we did not answer, I received a text message that said, "ANSWER!"   I texted her back and said that the whole family was planning on noon and they were not here yet.  She asked if she should wait to call.  Not wanting to tell her, yes you need to wait, I said, "I don't know."  She said she would wait and call at noon.  At 11:40, she text me again and said, "Can I Call Now?"  I said, happily, "YES!"  We had some time to talk before all the family was here.  When we first answered her Skype call, and saw her beautiful face, LIVE, we started getting quite emotional. We controlled ourselves really quick and had the BEST SKYPE EVER!  We talked for two wonderful hours.  BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!!!

 Getting ready to Skype with Sister Brooks.  EXCITED!

 Mike and Teria sent her a jumbo Snickers! :)

Sister Brooks' nephew, Dayten (7), had no trouble talking to 

 Aunt Kaylee through the computer screen!  

 Nephew, Nixon (2) was a little bit apprehensive-

 talk to a screen?  I don't think so!

 Nephew, Easton (1) wasn't sure about Skyping either. :)

Niece, Kate (2.5 months), met Sister Brooks for the first time.  

Sister Brooks is in love!

 We met Sister Tadd through the Skype.  She is awesome!!

 We also met Sis. Tadd's parents.  This was way fun.  

Sis. Tadd was Skyping her parents at the same time!

 Our traditional "I LOVE YOU" goodbye.  As much as we love to express our love,

 we hate to say goodbye!

Chris leaned over to me and told me that we need to hang up now.  I told him, I know but I could not do it.  I put him in charge of that and he got up right away and said, "We need to say goodbye now so I am going to hang up.  Sister Brooks said she knew it was time to hang up but it was hard to do!!!  We tried not to cry- tried really hard- it hurt.  But we could not hold it in.  We said GOODBYE, I LOVE YOU and Chris hung up.  He was the brave one!

It was a FANTASTIC, SPECIAL, 2 hours and 2 minutes!