1/16/17
1. There is a guy in my sector who, every time we talk to him, tells me, "I had a dream about your mother last night. She misses you and is looking for you." I asked him what color my mom's hair was and he said, "I can't give out those details." I'm on to him. I love being a missionary in those moments. 2. We did two divisions this week with Hermanas Alvarado and Gubernick. Two of my favorite gringas!!! The division with Hermana Alvarado was awesome because we have about the same time in the mission..so we went crazy. With Hermana Gubernick we had the worst day ever. Everything went wrong. It was so bad, but she's the bomb and super funny so we just laughed it all off. 3. We had a service project where we cleaned the new house of a couple that is coming to our mission. The elders put me in charge of inspection and now my new name is "dicator." I may have been just a little bossy with my power. ;) 4. I asked for a blessing this week from one of my leaders. It was the first time in a long time. I am grateful for worthy elders who literally came running when I asked. During the blessing I could feel the power of the sacerdocio (priesthood) and it was a great experience. It was also in Spanish so that was cool!!! This week we saw so many miracles. We had four people come to church all by themselves...basically people we invited on the street. Then an inactive brought his girlfriend to church which is like the best thing EVER. I am happy, healthy, and—just an FYI—never coming home!!! I love my new sector soooooo much! I've never had a ward so active in the work. It's the biggest blessing. I love you all so much and hope you are surviving the SNOWWWW. XOXO Hermana Brinkerhoff P.S. My district leader tells me every week "Hermana, tell your family I said hi." So Elder Rios from Orsorno Chile says "hi" to you all. ;)
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1/9/17
This week in my part of the world... 1. I called the hermanas that I'm in charge of, who just so happen to live in my old house with the good old Hermana Rodriguez. Upon telling the hermanas that I am their sister leader I hear screaming.... "MOMMMYYYYYYYYYY! Mommmy I love you!!" I died laughing. She literally started crying and told me she missed me a lot. I have to say that my first baby is one of my favorite people in this world. She even made me promise not to get married until she can come to the wedding. Love that cordabasa. 2. The hermana leaders had breakfast with Hermana Woodward. The assistants made it for us and served us. Those elders are high on my list. We talked about some of the issues the mission has and our plan for this cambio. Best of all I saw GROVE CITY!!!!!! (Shoutout to the Grover family in Gilbert) We've come a long way since our MTC encounter one year ago. Then we met with all the zone leaders and made plans for 2017!!! After the meeting la Hermana Zapata told me, "Wow I missed you! You know how to get stuff done." Haha, she didn't like her divisions with some of the other hermanas. 3. I had my first division with la Hermana Chimbo. She is also from Quito Ecuador!! This girl was the bomb. She's a convert to the church and almost became a nun. I really enjoyed being her comp for the day. This week we found some of the greatest people. We were able to find 28 new people to teach and had a new haitian friend at church. I've been reading the Book of Mormon in Creole. and I'm starting to understand. Maybe I'll speak three languages when I get home?? My haitian friends are helping me. :) We want to make this area a stake!!! That is the goal for El Abrazo this year. We've got to work hard. The church is true. This is God's work, &&&& I love my mission. Read the Book of Mormon or...you lose. It's the most clear and perfect book!!! XOXO Hermana Brinkerhoff Fotos: Elder Jennings after telling me I can't have the package David and Shayla sent. Make this picture famous!!! Blackmail. He eventually gave it to me Thank you Katie, Brad, Shayla, and Dave for all the wonderful gifts!!! It cheered my missionary heart!!! Best meal evaaaaa. I need to wash my backpack more... 1/3/17
This week was probably the hardest of my mission. Okay, now that I've got your attention. I love my new sector!! I still don't understand it all, but I'm learning. The ward is fantastic!!! My new comp is from Ecuador (shoutout to Hermana Williams in Quito!!!!) She's very, VERY sweet. Knows PMG like a bible and I've learned a ton from her thus far. The carpeta (area book) was terrible when we arrived, so we have a lot and I mean A LOT to do. I've only cried once. ;) No, really I'm good. I've also been called to be a sister training leader ;) I told the zone leaders I didn't like their jokes when they told me the news, but they weren't joking. I'm excited to help other hermanas in the mission with their progression. My new motto is bring it on, I can do anything the mission wants to throw at me at this point. I've also been talking in my sleep lately...in english. It's getting weird. My poor latina comps are a little freaked out. It was a week of contacting, changes, adjusting, moving into a new house..to-dos. We saw so many miracles and somehow had two people at church in a whitewash. The year 2017 kinda scares me. Last year, 2016, was the year of my mission and I will hold it forever so dear to my heart. It was a very special year. BUT I'm excited for ya, 2017. I'm going to keep working my tail off here in Chile for the next 6 months. Other exciting news....after much thought and prayer I've decided to head back to UW. I love that place. Too bad all my friends and roommates are married and on missions, I may be a loner for a semester, but I'm excited for this year!!!!! XOXO Hermana Brinkerhoff Fotos: I made my district leader sing Happy Birthday to me over the phone. It was great. Also a sweet hermana in our ward gave me banana bread!!! I think I'll be Chilean FOREVER!!!! These are the hermanas that are going to train at the same time as me!! Two of my greatest friends!!! 12/26/16
First of all, my hija started crying in a lesson this week when we were talking about obedience and said I was a good example of being obedient. It was really special. That's all I ever wanted as her trainer in the mission. I really hope it sticks with her, because I can promise you one thing—and I can promise it with ALL my heart—when we are obedient, we receive blessings. Not just in the mission, but in our lives too. We show our love for the Lord and we are protected. We had a dinner with the president for christmas. It was soooo fun! We played bingo with all of our faces on this card, and if you won you got to go pick a gift. I quite enjoyed it. Everyone loved on us this week!! Everyone was giving us goodies, clothes, you name it. It was so sweet!!! I sure loved talking to my parents this week, and I send all my love to my siblings..hopefully we can figure out how to all talk on Mother's Day! On Christmas Eve we had a dinner with Olga, Paola, and Ignacia. They treated us way too well and it was a great time full of a million laughs!!! Yesterday we got transfer news... I got changed!!! No. I seriously cried. I love El Sauce!!! But this hasn't been as hard as leaving Republica (there is something about your first sector). The members were so sad and I was too. They really were my first family ward. The Morales family invited us over and threw me a little goodbye party. It was the sweetest ever. Then I had to call Makenson and tell him I was leaving. He started bawling over the phone and was like "You won't come back???" Nope. So sad. Anyway I've been moved to Maipu- El Abrazo. I don't know who my comp is because president has asked me to train another new missionary for 12 weeks!! woo-hoo new sector and training. Love curve balls. I'm thinking I need to train again because there is still more I need to learn from the new missionaries. Anyways, I'll be busy, a little stressed, but ever so happy to be a missionary. LOVE YOU and happy New Year! I turn 20 this week. Kissing the teens goodbye, they were some good ones and I'm grateful for the life I've lived up to this point. XOXO Hermana Brinkerhoff 12/19/16
Alright, I'm just going to start by saying this.. I went to the beach this week. Well I saw it more like...okay, I saw the water from far away. BUT this week we had divisions and we got to go to the coastal part of the mission. It was AWESOME. I loved it. Loved it. It's not as hot there and the hermanas have a sweet view of the ocean from their house. During the two days we were there I just watched the light house light go round and round. It was a dream. I really didn't get any good pictures...but I hope you enjoy. While we were there I met this lady named Alejandra who got baptized in March. This lady changed my life. I'm never met someone so golden. Holy cow. It's rare you find someone so ready—no, so prepared. She started talking about how she is so excited to go to the temple. And on top of all of that..this lady got baptized in two weeks. Escogida, no? We had a Cenda de la Navidad with our ward. It was super, super fun!! Good food and of course good people. Yesterday we set a fecha with a lady named Maribel. :) I'm excited to see how it all turns out!!! And I gave a talk in church yesterday about the Book of Mormon and how it needs to be the keystone of our testimony. Eight minutes of me rambling in Spanish. I based it off of the talk "Look to the Book, Look to the Lord" from this last conference. Really the Book of Mormon is evidence of the restauración through Joseph Smith and I hope you are all reading it every day!!!! Love you to pieces and Merry Christmas!!! XOXOX Hermana Josie Brinkerhoff |
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