Sister Kaylee Brooks: My heart is three sizes too big!

Emailing at the church with the crew.

Happy Monday Family and Friends!

MY HEART IS SO FULL. (I can't tell you how many times I have used this phrase this week, seriously I'm just so happy. As the Grinch would say, "My heart is 3 sizes too big.") This week has been incredible. I just wish y'all could experience my weeks, days, hours, and minutes with me in the mission field. The people, things, experiences and miracles I see are so unreal. Every single day, without fail I can see the love God has for me. I truly know I have a loving Heavenly Father that loves me and is aware of me. Okay, on to the week...

Let's start with Jolene. When we first got here, we were calling people in the area book to see if we could set appointments up with them. We called Jolene, she is 20 years old, and she said she would love to meet with us. Here's a little of Jo's story:

She grew up in foster care; she never really had a stable home. She has a lot of brothers and all of them are currently in jail. She wanted to do something big to show her brothers they can too. She joined the Marines. She told us how hard it was and how she kept seeing God help her and the tender mercies he would give her. She ended up passing out and having to be in the hospital for over 3 weeks. She was discharged but they are letting her back in and she will be going to the Army now! She told herself she would find a church once she was home. She knew a Mormon girl growing up and went to some get-together/parties with her. She loved it because they were having so much fun, but didn't have any alcohol. So she had her aunt drop her off at our church in October. She really liked it and is excited to learn more. She works a lot but is so willing to meet with us and learn more. I love her.

Thursday was a particular day that things seemed to go very wrong and not in our favor. One thing happened after another, so the little things (we just look back at them and laugh because we are so ridiculous) seemed to be so big at the moment. It was a series of unfortunate events. This paragraph is here for your entertainment and for some laughter for your day. It started out being freezing cold. The weather is so darn cold here, so knowing it was freezing already start out not in our favor. You know when the weather gets below your age, it's a problem. Haha we had a few cancelations, no one wanted to talk to us, we texted almost every sister in the ward to see if they could take us to the baptism Saturday and no one could and people getting mad. It seemed to be a domino effect. We had a dinner with a member that night but they had a meeting and had to cancel, but she said she would order us pizza and have it delivered to our house. We were SO EXCITED and couldn't wait for dinner. As we were driving home I jokingly said, watch our pizza not come. Well... I spoke too soon. The pizza never did show up. Hahaha we just laid on the ground or staring out the window for that hour trying not to laugh at our life. That was the cherry on top. Haha but... the good news was the weekend was absolutely amazing!! We look back and laugh because it wasn't even that bad of a day, now it's just funny!

WAITING for our pizza to come.

McKenzie, our investigator from Chippy, the one who referred herself and got on Mormon.org, was scheduled to be baptized this week. Usually, in order to go to a baptism in your old area, you have to be fairly close and a member has to take you. I decided I would call President to see if I could go. What was there to lose right? HE SAID I COULD GO!!! I was so stinking excited. We started calling and texting people in the ward to see if they could take us. Nothing... no one could. Thursday night came and I was set on the fact I just wasn't going to be able to go. I was a little bummed, but understood because people are busy and it was a 2 hour drive. Friday afternoon we had a meeting with our ward mission leader. After the meeting,Sister Wastlund checked the phone and saw that we had a text. A member said she would be able to take us!!! I was so excited. I only told Emma Claire and Sissy Fitt that I was coming. It was so fun to walk in and see so many people that I loved, it's only been 3 weeks, but boy have I missed them. McKenzie’s baptism was amazing, I love her so darn much. Her mom that wasn't a member attended her baptism and you could just see how happy she was for her daughter. I am SO grateful for the member that took us, she is a life saver.

I LOVE McKenzie so much

Emma Claire is one of my best friends

It was great to see Sister Fitt again!

I don't know if y'all remember Haley Cuneo. I taught her my first transfer in Chippenham and then she moved to Virginia Tech to go to school. She was a huge miracle!! Well, she and Missy (the other girl we taught) went down there and didn't meet with the missionaries because they were busy with school. But, I got an email last Monday saying that Haley was baptized!!!!!!! It made me so happy to hear that. I am so grateful I was able to meet her and teach her a little bit. I love when people make those covenants with our Father in Heaven!

We had Fast Sunday at church and someone explained how "mas" in Spanish is MORE. So look at Christmas and it means MORE CHRIST. Whoa, that is cool. It just really reminds us that we need to be more focused on Christ and those around us. Yes, presents are wonderful, but we need to remember what our Savior, Jesus Christ has done for us and remember His birth. We need to have MORE Christ. #LIGHTtheWORLD

Scripture of the week: Mosiah 2:17. We have been showing the Christmas video #LIGHTtheWORLD a lot. Every time we show that, it reminds me of this scripture. I have really learned and understood the importance of service on my mission. I know we are all God’s children, so when we serve His children, we are also serving our Heavenly Father!

I LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH! Always remember, Sister Brooks loves you!

Love Sister Brooks :)