4/24/2017
Great story of the week: [We're doing service and a lady walks by.] "Que lindasssss!!!" -lady (what beauties...referring to Hermana Robertson and me) "Gracias" - Elder Marsh "YO DIJE LINDAS" - lady (I said beauties!!!) "Ohhh, lo siento" -Elder Marsh (sorry) "Ahora voy decir lindos a ustedes...que lindos" -lady (no I will say lindos which is the male version) super snake. *she walks away really ticked and we all die laughing* If you speak spanish, please tell me you found that funny. We had the great Chilean census this week. We were stuck in the house all day. I managed to write five letters. We made fake snow and drank hot cocoa. It was a waste of a day because the census person never came and then they cited us two days later for not being home when they passed by...two days later. Below is a photo shoot. We had divisions and it finally rained here. It's about time. 11:30 at night... I wake up because i thought someone was shaking me. Nope. Just a classic Chilean earthquake. Our conversation: "Hermana..." -me [silence and shaking] "Do we bother getting up?" Hermana [earthquake passes] We've become real Chileans now. That was a 6.1, the biggest I've had here. Also I have theory we have earthquakes all the time in Wyoming being so close to Yellowstone. The only difference now is that I know what they feel like. Don't stress out, Mom! I'd choose an earthquake over a Wyoming tornado any day. This week we met Leandra. She came to our english classes and is the sweetest 12-year-old....ever. Her family is so kind to us, it's refreshing. I have a rant today... "Si guardáis mis palabras no seréis confundidos en este mundo ni en el venidero." [...inasmuch as you keep my sayings you shall not be confounded in this world, nor in the world to come.] D&C 93:52 Basically if you treasure up THE WORD OF GOD you won't be confused in this world or in the world to come. I've been thinking about some of my dear friends and family members who have gotten deep into anti-mormon doctrine. How sad. If we fail to treasure up the true word of God (the scriptures and the words of living prophets) we will be taken up in the winds of the world. We will be lost, confused, and our eternal salvation will be in jeopardy. HOLD TO THE ROD (the word of God). Don't read the garbage (basura de verdad) that is found in the internet and from people who have no right or authority to say these things. (Since when can we trust the internet anyways? Rule #1, duh). I LOVE YOU ALL regardless, although many have broken my heart. I know that salvation is personal in the end and I must do my part in coming unto Christ and believe me, I will bring others with me as I come unto HIM, the author of peace and truth! "Keep the commandments in this there is safety." BE GOOD. Keep your covenants por favor. The church is true & Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration. I know this without a doubt in my mind, but I must keep this testimony burning BRIGHT. XOXO Hermana Brinkerhoff
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4/17/2017
This week in Chile: - A service project which included cleaning up a lot of trash. We found two new people to teach and we got a lot of attention. - Searching the country part of our sector and finding a ton of houses and a sweet less-active who gave us once (Chilean dinner). - Self-defense and english classes are now in session. - Family home evening with Elanie and Eric. It was a success. - Raul, a haitian, came to church and a new investigator named Alejandro came to church too. El Abrazo is far from dead. ...and we just keep chugging along. I love you all. XOXO Hermana Brinkerhoff 4/10/17
Alrighty.... This week I had divisions with Hermana Alvarado from Utah. She's the sweetest! She goes home in three weeks...that just weirds me out because we got here almost at the same time. How the heck did I become the oldest in the mission? We have some investigators de ORO...(gold)! - Ricardo (the single dad police officer) is back in the teaching pool and wants to get baptized ASAP. Unfortunately he couldn't come to church yesterday so we are preparing him a bit more! - Elanie (Eric's little sister): nine years old and reads The Book of Mormon more than I do. Her mom is less active, but has desires to come back. She's the cutest, most intelligent little thing!! - Jaime made some big steps this week and asked our ward mission leader to get him to an alcoholics support group for help. Finally. Jaime still comes to church every week and gets there before we do. - Viola, our sweet Haitian lady, came to the ward family home evening. She's so cute. The members ate her up. Yesterday we were praying for some miracles. Week Three of a cambio is CLAVE [key] to baptizing that cambio. So we tried our best to get everyone there that had potential. I was feeling a bit down because a lot of people didn't come...just then the elders came running up to us and said, "HERMANAS, there is a menos activo that brought his whole family to church!!!" We then met Tamara and Francisco. Tamara isn't a member but Francisco is. They had been assisting church in La Riena with Francisco's brother. I asked them where they lived and when they said the name of the street I almost died because earlier this week I almost passed right by them. Tamara is an old investigator whose teaching sheet I found earlier this week! Crazy stuff. And they're married. It's almost too good to be true. I am soooo excited for Easter. For me, Easter is waaay more important than Christmas (and we make a bigger fuss at Christmas). I have a very simple testimony to bear this easter and that is.... ¡YO SE QUE VIVE MI SEÑOR! [I know that my Lord lives!] How grateful I am for Him and the opportunity to preach of Christ EVERY day. Wah. I love my mission. "Even as the son of man came to be ministered unto, but to minister and give his life a ransom for many." - Matt. 20:28 This week I challenge you to read about the Savior's last week. It starts in Matthew 21 when Jesus rides into Jerusalem. Ready? Go. XOXO Hermana Brinkerhoff 4/3/2017
"We should be worried when we don't have problems." -Nelson Don't you just love his attitude. Nelson is worth 400 rejections. ;) This week was great!!! - I had divisions with Hermana Gubernick and Hermana Gomez. Both are lovely, lovely girls. The future of the mission is bright. - This week we had a special visit from the elder who baptized Rodrigo (the boyfriend of Victoria). His name is Elder Montgomery from California and now he is almost 50!! (It was weird seeing an American fresh from the states). We had once with him, Rodrigo, and Victoria. It was so fun seeing his old photos and hearing his stories. He served in a part of out mission almost 30 years ago. Many of his converts are stake presidents, bishops, and so on in our mission. What an influence he had here. I guess we never know how much good we do. He said to us "It's true what they say, it's two years and eternity to think about it." That struck me right in the heart and now I know I need to work harder!!! Also the Elder had perfect spanish still. He is goals. - I LOVED CONFERENCE. I get so much more out of it as a missionary. This is probably weird, but when they said the number of convert baptisms I got huge smile on my face. I know and personally taught some of those people. For me that number has faces, stories, and a good part of my heart. - I went into conference just looking for some general guidance and peace. I didn't write any questions this time. For me the most powerful part was when the choir sang "Go Forth with Faith." This song has a special meaning for me. In fall 2015 we sang that in the General Women's Meeting. I remember being fresh into college and with a brand new mission call to a country I didn't know anything about. I was very scared. We sang that song and I cried! I remember feeling the courage to continue on with school and with this scary new mission call. It was more than ironic that we sang it again and I thought back to my days in Laramie and how that song gave me the courage to keep going. It was exactly the reminder I needed from my Heavenly Father to finish these next few months...strong. Without fear or regrets. -When they sang "How Firm a Foundation" I couldn't help but think of my wonderful mother (especially verse 3: "Fear not I am with thee..." ;) I am so grateful that she taught me about the Savior and gave me the firmest of foundations. I am grateful for a father who taught me a good work ethic, how to make jokes, and the importance of serving others. They seem to have both given me a good combination and I love them more than they will ever know. XOXO Hermana Brinkerhoff LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!!! :D |
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