Sister Kaylee Brooks: I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

Emailing at the library today!

Hello!

I know I say this all the time, but I can't help it... I love being a missionary!! I wouldn't trade this for the world. I am so extremely blessed. Heavenly Father has been way too good to me these past 15 months and I can't thank him enough for it. I have never been happier in my whole life!

I can't wait to tell you about my wonderful week :)

Let's start off with the most exciting news... Stefano our investigator is SO AWESOME!!! Let me tell you about him. He is probably 5'3, with dark brown hair and the funniest little grin. He is very shy but has opened up so much to us in the past 2 weeks. He has grown so much and has really opened up to the ward as well and has gained really good friendships. Ryan Morrow, a guy in our ward, has really been fellowshipping him and has come to about every lesson with him. He has helped Stefano tremendously. Ryan is the greatest :) Stefano was baptized when he was little and told us he hasn't really seen a need to be baptized again, BUT, as we were on exchanges Wednesday night, I was here with Sister Thornley, we sat down and had a lesson with him. After singing and praying, we asked if he had any questions. He looked at us and said, "Yeah, I actually do. Tell me about how baptism is done in your church. I love the activities and church so far and all the people here. I think I'm leaning towards being baptized." I was completely shocked and SO DARN HAPPY!! We had a wonderful lesson with him on baptism and confirmation and how it is all done.

Well Thursday we had a super funny law of chastity lesson with him. It is seriously so funny teaching YSA law of chastity. You never have a dull moment. After dying of laughter, cracking jokes and ending the lesson, we said our goodbyes and went on our way. We had dinner with Jessie and Anna, a member in our ward, at Cafe Rio- #blessed. We got in the car and saw we had a text from Stefano. In his text he said he wants to be baptized and decided to be baptized on November 12!!!!!! We are so excited and of course screamed a little. We called Ryan to tell him the good news and he told us he was praying for Stefano a few minutes before we called asking God to answer his prayers and guide him in the right direction. It was so amazing!! GOD IS AMAZING!!

This week has been a little harder to find and teach people because the first half of the week was mid-terms (which also means if you talk to anyone, they completely ignore you) and then starting Thursday, they had fall break. So campus was pretty much dead. But, God still put people in our path to talk to :)

We have worked with a lot of recent converts and less actives lately. It's so amazing for me to see the strength and testimony some of the recent converts have. They are so great. They really have a love for our savior and want to do everything they can to help build his kingdom and help themselves grow more in his gospel. Most of these converts are the only members in their family. It must take a lot for them to go against their families beliefs, but we know this is the restored gospel here on this earth and the amount of blessings we receive from it is so wonderful :)

Today after sacrament meeting, we were talking with Jessie. She was telling us how her baptism date is set in stone and is working towards the 11th of November. She then looked at us and said, "Sisters, I know I was supposed to be baptized when y'all were here." It was one of the sweetest things I have heard. It was a good confirmation that I needed to be here. I sure love Jessie. We have gotten so close to her. I love her so much. She told her twin sister and her family this week she was getting baptized and they weren't happy with her at all. Her twin sister won't talk to her, so it has been a hard week for her. Definitely keep her in your prayers!

I don't know if I have ever told y'all about the Boswells. They are fairly new and they are the senior couple in our ward. Holy cow, they are so amazing!! They will drop anything and everything to help us missionaries out. Elder Boswell is Hawaiian, Sister Boswell is from Texas and they have lived in Hawaii for almost there whole married life. They make me so happy. (They told Sister Fitt and I that we could go stay in their house and use their car if we went to Hawaii.... once we save up, guess where we are going..... HAWAII) They feed us all the time and have us invite our investigators. It is fun to be with them around the dinner table, with super yummy food and to die for homemade apple and peach pie.

I am so grateful to be in Virginia. I know I am supposed to be here and serve these amazing people!! I love it here.

Scripture of the week: Matthew 16:19 "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." I love how it says what is bound on earth will be bound in heaven. I am so happy I get to be with my family forever :)

I love y'all so much!! I hope you have a wonderful week :)