Sister Kaylee Brooks: Spiritual High!

Emailing at the library with Sister Mailata

Another Monday is here, I hope y’alls week was wonderful :)

This week has been pretty slow. We didn't have many appointments, we just mainly tracted all week. We didn't find much success either so that was a bummer. Hardly anyone was home and most of those who answered didn't have much interest in learning or finding out more. But, we didn't stop!

We were actually let in once (it was a miracle!) We were contacting a less active but she ended up moving and there was a new family that lived there. The wife was so cute and was from Mexico. Her husband grew up learning about Mormons because his grandparents were super active in the church, but he just didn't have much of an interest. We showed the wife and kids the new Easter video. If you haven't seen it, you need to, it's so amazing! They loved it. We had a really good discussion about the atonement and how much Jesus Christ did for us and how much he truly loves us. This Easter video has been amazing and has helped us get people's attention more.

Now to some of our investigators:

James is doing very well. We saw him Wednesday and had dinner with him and Lisa. We talked to him about how he is feeling and what his main concerns are. He said that he doesn't fully understand everything about Joseph Smith because the elders didn't explain much about him and he doesn't understand prophets too much either. So we are going to focus on those two points. He told us he has really been thinking about baptism and says he is almost there, he just needs to clarify these two things. We also had dinner with them at the Despain’s last night. We had a lesson at the Despain’s house after dinner. We started talking about what our favorite scripture was and the Despain’s son-in-law started talking about how he loved Enos 1. Lisa started reading it out loud and we discussed what was going on throughout that chapter. Everyone was making really good comments and you could see the wheels turning in Jame’s mind. Brother Despain started to explain that even though things are hard, if we put our faith and trust in the Lord, things will work out. If we truly love Him enough, we will put our habits or the things we are scared to give up to the side and rely on the Lord and know He will help us through all of our struggles. It was really good. He is so close!!

Dan, the one the works at the dump/goodwill trailer has progressed SO MUCH!! He is an older gentleman. When Sister Squires first met him, he was really stand-offish, he says he is agnostic, meaning he doesn't believe in any religion and doesn't know if there is a "higher power" but he really wants to believe in one. He finally softened his heart and Sister Squires started teaching him and we continued to teach him and still are. He would read the assigned chapters we would leave with him, but he wouldn't read the Book of Mormon on his own. We challenged him to read it from the start about 3-4 weeks ago. He is now cruising through the Book of Mormon. He reads it every free chance he has at work and when we come to teach him, he will explain everything that is going on that he has read so far and if he has questions he will ask so he knows exactly what he is reading and understands it. He is doing so well. He never would pray about a question because he though prayer was just being thankful for things he had and he didn't want to sound "selfish." But the past week we have encouraged him to pray with a specific question and then he will get his answer. We saw him on Saturday and he said he has started to pray with a certain question in mind. It was so cool to hear him say that. Every time we ask him about baptism, he says "well, it's still on the plate, it hasn't moved yet though." At least he is still thinking about it. He is a great guy.

We did some service for brother Noe this week. On Wednesday it was the high 70's and felt so good, but that dang humidity comes in. We did a lot of yard work for him and made his yard look so much better. It's fun being out and doing yard work again, don't worry dad, I'll help you when I get home, I'm pretty good now ;) and cleaning houses- you're welcome mom. Anyway, we were just putting all the tools in his garage when he asked if we wanted to go on a quick bike ride to cool off, so we jumped on the bikes and went down the street and cooled off. The wind felt so good. It got really cold this weekend... Boo, but once it warms up, we are going to use his bikes in the morning to work out. Yay!

I'm a Pro!

I had mid mission this week, it's a meeting that you're invited to go to when you're almost to your halfway point in your mission. It went from Thursday morning to Friday afternoon. It was the sisters in my transfer and the transfer before me that went. President decided to do all sisters because there were 27 of us and there would have been only like 10 elders, so we just did sisters and it was so fun!! It was so fun being with the sisters I came out with and meeting and becoming friends with the other sisters. We had way too much fun. We stayed at the mission home Thursday night. Not very much sleep was involved, oops. We talked all about goals, how our mission has been so far, how we want our mission to be like for the last half of our mission and then heard really good trainings and had good discussions about the gospel. It has made me find so many things I would like to change in what I have been doing and has made me want to work so much harder. The meeting really pumped me up. I learned so many things and I want to share it all with you, but here are some of my favorite things we talked about: the way we act and the habits that we are developing now and is shaping us for what we will be when we get home. If we are Obedient and work hard, we will do the same thing when we get home, but if we slack off and be disobedient and don't work hard, we will be that person when we get home. It makes me want to work so hard so I can be like that when I return home. I just want to be able to look back on my mission and know that I did everything I could and worked my hardest. I don't want to have any regrets! I'm going to try and work so so hard these next 9 months!! We may at times be disappointed on how things are going or we aren't finding success, but if we work hard, we won't be disappointed in ourselves and it will strive to make us work and find success Harder.

We were talking about the plan of salvation and how people are foreordained in the premortal world to do things. President Wilson mentions later that it's no coincidence that we are here in Virginia at this time. We have prepared ourselves throughout the premortal life and our earth life to be our here at this time and we are here for a specific reason. It's cool to know that I may be here to learn more from a certain companion, or I might be here for a certain person in Virginia. Heavenly Father has put us here for a reason!! That's so cool to me. It makes me wonder what I am here for and can't wait to look back and see the things I have learned.

I could go on all day about the amazing things I learned, but one thing that was really cool was when we were talking about the Holy Ghost and how he is always with us. We are so lucky to have someone guide, direct, comfort and help us. The Holy Ghost is always guiding and directing us, especially as missionaries, to find those who are searching or need the gospel. President explained how he doesn't like when people/missionaries say "I had the feeling I should do this, or say this or go there" and take the credit. It wasn't us at all, it was the Holy Ghost. When we say things like that, we are be prideful and want all the praise, but it really was the Holy Ghost prompting us to do things. Never take the credit, be thankful for the Holy Ghost and the help he gives to us continually.

I'm so so thankful to be out here on a mission and serve the people and the Lord here in Virginia. I love it here and I am so blessed. There is nothing better than being a missionary.

Scripture of the week: Enos 1:15- at the very end it says, if we ask in faith, believing we will receive it, we will. (If it's Gods will, of course) It has helped my prayers be more sincere and has helped me practice and exercise my faith. I know that if we have that Faith and we ask with a sincere heart, God will help us in any way.

I hope this week is amazing for y'all and know that Sister Brooks in Powhatan, Virginia loves you so much :)

Love, Sister Brooks, who is on a spiritual high J

Mid Mission at the Mission Home:

From the Virginia Mission facebook page- a post from Sister Wilson:

We just completed a marvelous day and a half of Mid Mission Meeting with 27 Sisters!!!! So spiritual, fun, and motivating! Documented proof that we housed and fed 27 missionaries in the mission home! Fabulous servants of the Lord!