VC Miracles, Bob Dabilder, a confirmation, dependability and bad hair cuts

Well. It is 10 days into 2011. How's everyone's goals going? Mine are A OK.  But it's only January 10th. I'll let you know where I'm at in 6 months.

This week was pretty great. I had 2 very cool experiences at the Visitors Center. One was with a lady named Karrie. Karrie is african american and she is 86 and is investigating the church. A couple came into the VC last week on their way home from their Senior Mission in Oakland and they said the best part of their mission was seeing an 86 year old man get baptized. When I met Karrie, I thought of that story. She is investigating the church and being fellowshipped by a very nice guy who has really been to hell and back and has really had to use the atonement for a true change of heart. After every video I showed her at the VC she said "That was beautiful". The Elders are meeting with her and they updated me yesterday and said she went to church. She's gonna get baptized ( I hope :))

The next was Lisa Jackson. Sister Browning and I are in charge of sending out all of the referrals that come in through the computer (internet referrals, VC referrals, and then referrals from other> missions) and as we were going through them, I noticed this Lisa Jackson who had a Hotel as her address here in LA. That wouldn't work for the program to send a text to the Elders in the area so I called her to get her address. Turns out,she had referred herself from the internet because she took a quiz advertised in Oprah's magazine about how to know what religion you should be a part of and her number one result was to be mormon. Ha! So she is investigating the church. While on the phone, we became friends and I invited her to the VC. She came the next morning and we talked for a while about the restoration. I gave her a Book of Mormon and she is so excited to read it. She is coming back to the VC tomorrow and she meets with the Elders tonight. Another person coming to the truth! Hooray!

So. On Mormon.org people can say they want the missionaries to come visit them. When they give their info, a text message goes to the missionaries in that area (after Sis Browning and I make sure to send it to the right area) and we got a referral last week and I was SOOOOO excited because that is every missionaries DREAM to have someone REQUEST the missionaries! I looked at the text and said "Oh my gosh this guys name is Bob Dabilder! Like Bob THE builder! That is hilarious!" And then of course I told EVERYONE about our referral named Bob Dabilder. You guessed it, someone played a joke on us. We called Bob, and there was NO Bob, and we went to the house which was a construction site right on th beach. Nice, right? I was really sad. BUT as we were walking along Santa Monica beach trying to street contact (and people just walk by as if they didn't hear us) we talked to guy playing the trombone. It was really a cool conversation... We talked about how people think money will give them happiness and how there are so many people who just go to work, go home to their huge house and nice cars (and let me tell you, there are some HUGE houses in Santa Monica. And like 100 steps from the beach.... Ridiculous) and they think that will bring them happiness. He wasn't super interested, but we are going to go back and see him another Saturday night cause he always plays there. He will see the light someday.

Robert Webster Light Jr. was confirmed a member of the church yesterday! It was wonderful. When they called him up, he stood up, straightened his tie, fixed his hair in the isle and then marched on up to his chair. He again felt very exhausted last night and says "I am just so relieved and tired from all of my searching. I don't have to do that anymore". Brother Elkins confirmed him and it is so great to see that Robert has so many friends now.The Gospel really does bless lives.

 I am realizing something more and more everyday. I have been depending on things and people my whole life for the things that I need. My Mom for EVERYTHING, every care every worry every frustration, security etc... My family for so many things, my friends for support and to make me feel happy and better, Shep for always making my hair look great (bad haircut story coming soon), shopping for immediate gratification and to look good, the MDT program to help me belong and feel good at something, my car to get me places, stress relieving activities (painting my nails, duh! But you all all ready knew I was obsessed with that), Weight Watchers to help me eat right and be healthy.... All of these things I have always depended on. And of course I always did depend on the Lord, but I think I never really understood that none of that "stuff" matter. I am now without all of those things and I have only my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ, my Book of Mormon, and my Companion for help and support. Oh how we all need to depend on the Lord for EVERYTHING! He will provide! I am proof of that. I never thought I would be Ok without MY LIFE. Of course I still think about my life and the things I did and would be doing if I wasn't on a mission, but I am really OK without my "Life". I am learning to depend on the Lord for everything, and it is wonderful. I am understanding more and more about myself and more and more about the person Heavenly Father wants me to be and BELIEVES that I can become. I am so grateful.

So we had 2 people tell us that the salon called "The yellow balloon" was great for hair cuts. WRONG. And on top of that, it's a KID salon! I was sitting in a submarine to get my hair cut. Elsa practically burnt my ear off with the blow dryer and did a number to my bangs. My head isn't THAT bad but you just don't know how good Shep really is until you don't have him anymore. (Mom- Shep is my facebook friend... Shep Wolsely I think. Tell him to look at this. He'll get a kick out of it) Anyways, Sister Browning and I had to fix my bangs yet again. I guess it's time to just give up on having a cool hair cut for a while. Man. Speaking of not worrying about my "life"

anymore haha.

 This is a long one, I'm gonna end.... Hope you all are doing wonderfully. I miss and love you all greatly!

Love

Sista Brink