The Season of Love

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I wonder when that day will actually have significance in my life.... It definitely doesn't mean anything as a missionary other than the fact that it is impossible to set appointments with people which is REALLY annoying. And if you've ever tracted on a holiday, you know that people don't exactly love it when we knock on their doors these kinds of days.... BUT it's good because we can find people at home! So, there are lots of good things about it too... But to all those who have a reason to celebrate Valentines Day, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Twas a good week! My time is ticking, which gets sadder and sadder especially because it seems like there are all of these great things happening right now right when I'm about to leave.

I have been able to call people from my old places and wards and invite them to my Departing Fireside. It's super fun because I haven't talked to some of them in a year! I realized, in making these lists of people that I wanted to call, that there are so many people, members, investigators, converts, people I met at the Visitors Center, that I absolutely LOVE and know I was supposed to meet them here. It's a neat thing to experience, meeting someone who you really know you promised you would meet and help and be helped by. Heavenly Father is amazing.

We had a good week. One experience stands out. We dropped an investigator, Princess, because we realized her intentions really weren't with "real intent". Although she was doing what we asked, she didn't really have any desire to really change in order to return to God. So, it was difficult, but we had a good conversation with her... and then the next day, when we should have been meeting with her according to our plans, we went tracting. We decided to tract in a wealthier area and just got rejection after rejection. It didn't help that I was seriously drugged up because I had a super bad chest cold, so I was literally concentrating on keeping my eyes open. We even got "shoo-ed" by a woman from inside her window. We kept waving, and she kept shoo-ing. It was pretty hilarious. And then, right when we were about ready to leave back to the Visitors Center, a woman was moving stuff from her car to her house. We went to help, she let us help and invited us in. She is a young Mom, though her husband and 2 boys weren't there. She said we could come back! What a miracle! We are excited to teach them about Family Home Evening first and then invite to learning more about the Restoration. I thought it was really amazing because we felt that the Spirit wanted us to let Michelle go for a while, and because we followed the Spirit, we really were in the right place at the right time to meet this lovely woman. Miracle! Blessing! We are very excited. God is so good.

Polly is progressing well, we love her....

Abuelo is darling. But we didn't get to meet with him this week.... We just did lots and lots of tracting this week which was really fun. It's so fun to talk to all sorts of people and hear about their lives and what not. There are a lot of people out there, not sure if you knew that. It's a big world. (I think that's a quote from Toy Story by big Al....)

A guy on the street told us Whitney Houston died. It's funny how we seriously have no idea whats going on in the world. Pretty sad, she was such a talent!

SO EXCITED FOR ROB GARDNER! Oh my gosh. And I am one of his FRIENDS. Can't believe it. What a huge blessing!! CONGRATS ROB!

I love the Book of Mormon. But you all ready knew  that, right? I think that my mind gets filled more and more every time I read it.

I want to make a list of the things that I love right now. To honor the holiday. I don't have to celebrate but I can honor it. And it doesn't have to be about romance anyway.

I LOVE the Book of Mormon

I LOVE my Savior

I LOVE the Gospel

(OK these are all inevitable....)

I LOVE Pink Berry

I LOVE my bag from Sis Saiz's Grandma. It's adorable.

I LOVE running

I LOVE seeing people change

I LOVE to change

I LOVE to teach the Gospel

I LOVE Stephanie Nielsens Mormon message

I LOVE all of my friends here and at home

I LOVE my companion. Taquita.... she's the best.

I LOVE the Santa Monica 2nd ward.

I LOVE smoothies

I LOVE my new skirt from Leah. So comfortable.

I LOVE shopping.

I LOVE our investigators and members.

 Anyways. Gotta go, LOVE YOU ALL!

Sista Brink