Limbo

This time is always a bit interesting... its the end of a transfer, we have one week to go,  and you start to thinka bout what could happen. I know it really probably doesn't matter what I think... it's really up to President Baker and the Lord of course, but I will say that I have loved my time in Bel Air. If I need to do more time here, so be it! If I am off to a new area, so be it! There are several reasons why I would want to stay, and feel like I would need to stay... the biggest being to help organize the Talent Show for the WW 1st ward as the ward council is VERY concerned about the "production" of the whole thing. I know someone else would do fine, of course. It's just that I have been there the whole time working on putting it together etc. I do feel somewhat at a loss for how to progress in this area. You know, sometimes you just need something new. It's like when you've been wearing the same things over and over and you've tried every sort of variation on the same things, but really, you just nee a new scarf to put it all together. In fact, we are going with Sis Ashby and Franks to dinner today. Maybe we will have to stop in to H and M and get me a new scarf. Good idea. I told the sisters I would take them for "Dinner on Dar" (the spanish sisters got really confused... Dar means "to give" which actually fits my mother perfectly! She is the most giving person I know) because Sis Ashby did me a huge favor and got rid of my mullet cause she does hair. Wow, I am ADD today. (Linz... I'm turning into you). Anyways. I definitely feel like the experiences I have had here in Bel Air have really shaped me. They have made me think and learn and grow in really painful ways, but wonderful ways. There are so many wonderful people that I have learned from in this area. I feel like I have learned to have charity (of course completely not perfectly) and to love people for who they are. I do think that I am sort of at a progressional halt. Like I am not sure how to continue to progress in an area that I have all ready had SO much progression and learned so much. Maybe it's time for a new experience. However, if I stay, I'm know the Lord would show me what I needed to do!

We are working with Anastasia again! She is for the UCLA ward. She is back, after needing a "break", and she came to church yesterday! Great news. I think she will really start progressing. The ward has a lot of young people her age who I think will do a great job at fellowshipping her. I love the UCLA ward very much! Most of our time lately has been spent finding for the UCLA ward, and then working with members for the Talent Show for WW 1st. We have found a couple new investigators...We will them Mickey and Minnie. They were OLLLLLD referrals, from before my time,  that never made it to the book and we found them through the referral manager, and called them. They are very skeptical, have read a lot of anti literature, but they are willing to read and pray. Alexandra is very interesting, has a lot of questions about the validity of the Book of Mormon, but also doesn't know how to recognize an answer from God. So we are trying to focus on not just answering all of her questions, but helping her to discover things for herself. The spirit has been super duper strong in both times we have visited them (they are roomates) and I KNOW they are feeling it, but they really don't want to accept another book of scripture.

Which brings me to a thought. Do we realize how much it makes sense that we have the Book of Mormon? I am dead serious in saying that the Book of Mormon is remarkable and completely logical. I have learned many many thins about the B of M and I know this book is true! During one of our lessons, Mickey asked me : "If there was a credible source, let's say the Smithsonian, that came out with a research article or something proving the Book of Mormon to be false, would you deny it?" NO! I WOULD NOT!  She seemed kind of shocked. I learned some interesting things this week too... Interesting things from a Visitor who we had a lot of common contacts and things. From the things I learned from her, I decided something. I never have to do _____ becuase I know the Book of Mormon is true. A Lot of things can go into that blank. For example, I never have to doubt myself becasue the Book of Mormon is true. I never have to be hard on myself, I never have to question Gods validity or reality, I never have to do things that I know are wrong, I never have to fall into traps... All of these things that I fear, I don't need to fear because of my testimony of the Book of Mormon. This is fa reals. I love the Book of Mormon. Kenz and Jaid: WAY TO GO! Keep reading it! I'm so proud of you two! I have the best nieces and nephews in the entire world.

Granny G... Love her. She is such a funny lady. Not feeling to good, but she seems to be happier than before. I wish so badly I could just maker her life happier. I used my Mom as a great example when we visited her the other day. She was complaining about things (and yes, she has some legit things to be complaining about), but I realized that if this woman does not change something, she is going to live the rest of her life in misery! For reals! She is going to wither away on her couch and die. So I said "Gianna I want to tell you something about my Mom. My Mom has lived a really hard life and she has been through a lot. Really hard things. And yet, you know what she does? She does everything for everyone else..." Gianna said "What does she do?" And trying to think of good examples that wouldn't make her feel like she had something grand to live up to (which would totally happen because the things my Mom does are just incredible) I said "Well she invites all the kids over for stories. And pizza" And I of course listed some other things also... And then Gianna called us yesterday and said "I wanna have you sisters over for pizza" Hahahaha. So sweet. So we will be having pizza with Gianna on Thursday. She is trying to change and do good things. Sweetie. Thanks Mom for being a wonderful example.

Sis Pinto is so funny. She is stressing out about not being companions, so she just hugs me all day long and says "Seeester...." but then nothing else. She looks at me with sad eyes. It's really interesting because really sis Pinto bean and I can hardly communicate. With my sort-of Spanish and her sort-of English we have gotten by. But we have communicated so much in other ways. I have learned so much from that little thin.

Bro Simpson is... Not sure... he just has some serious road blocks and we are not sure what they are or how to get through them.

I think this is long enough for today. Thank you all for your love, support, frienship yatta yatta yatta. Wah Wah Wah, right? You are wonderful.

-Sista Brink

PS including some pictures....

Me and Sis Pinto Bean after a hike that I forced her to do with all of us. Hahah!

The Westwood Zone!!! At the Observatory

Elder Jacobberger in a giant Book of Mormon. HILARIOUS! Sis Rose, that is your Son... be so proud. It was a training, and it was AWESOME. Really amazing. Those Elders... Man they are the best.

Tour with Elders and their invesigator. It was an amazing experience. She is a wonderful person!

I love to see the temple.

I went there today! Let me tell you something. I love the temple. So. Much. It really is the best place. The only bad part about temple Preparation Day (the pday that we go to the temple) is that we have to wake up at 5:30. And seriously that ONE hour throws me off so badly. I can't pretend to be a morning person. I have slept past 6:30 one time in the last year and only because I was sick, and I have done that ONLY because God told me to through a little book called the Missionary Handbook. When I get home, 6:30 will not be my rising time. At all. I wish I could pretend it will be. But nope. Anyways, the temple was really amazing. I am so grateful for the peace I can feel there. People ask us questions about the temple all the time, and while we don't say TOO much, I love testifying of the peace and serenity I feel while in the temple. I know it is truly the house of the Lord.

I think this has been just a really interesting transfer, for a lot of missionaries... A lot of the sisters seem to be really ready for the transfer to come, including me. But I am trying to not "wait for the golden ticket" and be happy and excited about each day. It's working for the most part! I am taking it one day at a time. My mission president encouraged me to really keep a miracle log... I write one a day all ready but I need to do more with it... I will let ya know how it goes.

We had a mini missionary again this last weekend. It was way fun. She was a doll and we really had some miraculous experiences with her. Some very frustrating experiences like being thrown off of a premises in West Hollywood. Good times. BUt over all, she loved it and was a great missionary.

FINDING! It's going better. Calling a bunch of old referrals, and have had some pretty hilarious chats with some people. A lot of them have moved, but we have gotten 2 new investigators kist from calling someone who at one point requested a DVD or a Book of Mormon. So thats good! Hopefully they will follow through. Faith and prayer!

I really just don't feel like writing much today. And most of my time was my letter to the mission president.... So I'm just gonna send some pictures and wrap it up today.

My pictures:

Sisters in front of the temple!

Mini Missionary!

This is what happens to my hair after the shift when I am putting numbers into the computer and Sis Franks rubs my head. Love it.

Sista Brink

My Conference Theme: Focus on the Important Things

I felt that a general theme for me during Conference was to really focus on the important things. Obviously on my mission, that is easier than maybe after, but it still is hard. And I TRULY believe that this experience is preparing me for the future, especially in being prepared to prioritize my life and strive to do what the Lord wants of me. I thought about putting the Lord first in everything, about always reading the Book of Mormon (forever. I'm serious, I never want to go a day again without reading in the Book of Mormon. It's important. If you didn't get that vibe from conference, watch it again), preparing and being a good mother, learning to be guided by the Spirit (a frustrating process as you will see later), learning to understand the Atonement more and more etc etc... I understand more and more everyday how this experience as a missionary is preparing me to be a Wife and mother someday. I want to be a great Mom. My Mom is the best, so hopefully if I just inherited all of her great qualities I will be just fine. It really was an amazing conference and, watching it with missionary eyes, I felt like a lot of it could have been geared for non members. It's amazing how many people are fascinated by who we are. I mean, it's not SUPER amazing if you understand that the Book of Mormon is true and prophesied of this thousands of years ago... The Book of Mormon is true. I love it. I love that my fam is reading it until I come home! Way to go everyone. You rock. I loved the "waiting on the Lord" talk too. (Court... of course you did :) I just really appreciated so many of the messages and am so grateful that we know we have a prophet. It was funny, after conference, we went out to Westwood (a little city-ish place in our area) where everyone is just hustling bustling around and I thought "None of those people know..." and that is really sad. WE GOTTA TELL THEM!

I wish I had something miraculous to report on. Nothing really has changed very much. Finding, finding and finding.

You hear about stories where missionaries felt the Spirit tell them something like "Knock on THAT door" or "the next house we knock will be a new investigator" or things like that. I felt so strongly for a while that we should visit this family from the Potentials in the Area Book. Their name literally has been on my mind since I moved into the area and saw their name in the book. We tried several times, they were never home. One time, we talked to their housekeeper and she let us use the bathroom and I saw a picture of the family and I thought "that is a family that will join the church someday". We didn't go back for a really long time and then a few days ago, I felt strongly to visit them again. So yesterday, we went. A woman answered the door who didn't look like the woman in the family pictures I had seen, and she said "We are atheist" and quickly shut the door. It kind of broke my heart. But maybe they moved, and they will still be baptized. And I will see them in the afterlife and say "YOU! I KNEW YOU WOULD GET BAPTIZED!" Sometimes I really do wonder if I am able to pray and receive answers. I mean, I hate to even say that because I KNOW I can because I have received answers for things before my mission ( I mean obviously I am here, that was a BIG answer to get) but on my mission I feel like I have tried to listen to the Spirit to find the elect. I know that we have in the past, that there have been people guided to us or us to them, but right now it doesn't seem to be happening. I know it is Satan getting me discouraged, but when you feel something that you THINK is the spirit prompt you to do something, and then it doesn't even feel at all what you thought it would, you begin to wonder. I think this has been the hardest month or so of my mission. I know it is good, I know we can improve, I know there are people out there. I am just struggling to know how we can receive the revelation we need to find them.
Conference really helped me in so many ways. I love the Lord. So much. And I love being a missionary. When person after person says "No", I really do think about the Savior. I think my perspective has changed from being sad that they rejected ME to being sad they rejected an opportunity to know our Savior. And that is WAY more sad than them rejecting me. It is sometimes hard to see the work we are doing being anything productive.

Granny G is still really struggling, but I think she is better than before. We finally got to see her yesterday and it was actually a huge miracle and answer to a prayer. (See I DO know, but its just hard to recognize sometimes!)  But she did watch conference a little which is great. Hopefully she will come to the recent convert meeting at stake conference next week.

Bro Simpson is sort-of progressing. He came to church and watched a bit of conference, but he still just won't open the doors... Hopefully soon.

I think that is all. Sis Pinto-bean and I are doing great, learning, truckin along, practicing English, boosting each other up when one of us is discouraged.

I'm sorry that my e-mails have been slightly grim, just bein

I love you all. Thank you for the encouragement, the e-mails, the letters, the goodies, the prayers. You are all wonderful!! I'm the luckiest.

I know this is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. With everything that I am.

Sista Brink

and then the mornings were dark

When the morning is dark still at 6:15 when we wake up, it is IMPOSSIBLE! Seriously! And it will be this way until daylight savings. Which will be a glorious day because we get an extra hour of sleep. Oh the blessing of sleep. Hopefully that one extra hour will tide me over for a few more months until I can go down to my dark, cold basement with my warm, huge, comfy bed. And sleep. For days. Thinking about it makes me drool. I will say, though, I am pretty lucky because I do have a very comfortable bed here. And I've never moved apartments my whole mission besides moving from the MTC here. Count my many blessings. There's one.

Whew. Another week.

I have to be honest. This has been the hardest couple of weeks of my entire mission. Sometimes, I really do just feel completely incapable, and these last few weeks were really trying. I wish everyone could experience being a missionary in Beverly Hills. It is the most humbling experience of my entire life. Sometimes people just stare at us when we knock on their door and I think they are going to burn my forehead with their eyes. Or put a hole through my tag with their laser beams coming out of their pupils.  I  am trying to rely on the Atonement, and I feel like I am starting to glimpse at what that actually means, but when it comes down to it, it breaks my heart that person after person tells us that we are wrong, crazy, and brain washed. At the end of a day, I just want to cry because I just want to do missionary work. I want to do what the Lord wants me to do. And if that means just talking to people and giving them an opportunity to feel the spirit for a second, so be it. But it is still a hard thing when our real purpose is to prepare people for baptism. I need to have more faith. I realized something this last week and that was that my need for validation is a representation that I don't trust in the Lord enough. I don't trust that he is proud of me or happy with my work, so sometimes I feel like I NEED someone to tell me. But that is really silly. Because I do know that the Lord loves me and is glad I am serving a mission. I really am doing the very best I know how, and I know the Lord is aware of us over here in Bel Air. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm fine. It's just that I am a representative of Jesus Christ. That is a lofty task. I'm also very imperfect and a little OCD. Also a lofty task. I think my desire to share this wonderful Gospel has increased substantially since I have been here, and because of that increase, my sensitivity about those who reject it has increased also. So, while I have a much stronger testimony, I also cry a lot more because I want to share this with others so badly and just want to grab them by their very expensive face and say "LISTEN TO ME! THIS IS REAL! I PROMISE THERE IS MORE TO YOUR LIFE THAN WHAT YOU THINK!" The Book of Mormon has perfectly illustrated stories about the kinds of experiences I have had and the kinds of people I have been able to serve here. I am trying to be more like those missionaries. For a detailed description, read the Book of Mormon. You all ready should be anyway! It is really cool though because all of the missionaries in the Book of Mormon have different missionaries with completely different kinds of experiences, people, situations, trials, etc. And that is exactly how it is here... We all in our different areas experience completely different things, so really, trying to compare is completely silly. I am grateful for the experience I am having.Pushing forward...

We have met a lot of students lately, who say they want to learn more, and then stand us up. That is the worst feeling ever. Because you get SO excited, and you KNOW that this one is going to be ready... And then they choose to not go forward. We are trying to find the elect... I know they are out there. We just gotta be patient and find them. Man that patient thing has been a pattern for me... Maybe I should work on it... It's definitely gotten better. I think.

 A glimpse of hope was that Bro Simpson came to church yesterday. What a wonderful blessing. We really hope he will begin to progress more. We weren't able to meet with them this week unfortunately. I was sitting there at church, waiting for Sacrament to start, and I see little Shirley Temple running over to me screaming "SISTERS!" And it seriously just melted my heart. And then Bro Simpson came around the corner which of course melted me a little more. The Lord really is so good. That was a much-needed tender mercy after a week of hope-thrashing experiences. But that is the remarkable thing, the Lord never ever ever lets us go uncared for... He sometimes lets us struggle, so that we can be stronger, and then to see the blessings that he has provided so that we can KNOW and RELY on His help. It is wonderful.

Dear Courtney: OMgosh! Dying a little. Maybe I'm SO excited, and will probably hold my breath until your next letter. Also, the recording made my week last week. I forgot to mention it, not sure how, but I seriously needed that so badly. And of course I listened to the whole thing. Mostly while sis Pinto bean tried to pick out some shoes at payless. Which took a while. It was hilarious on so many levels. This comment is for anyone: Never ever think that I don't like to hear about the "mundane" things! I love it! I love the little details. And it really doesn't distract me. If anything, it helps me remember that things are still somewhat normal even after all of this crazy-time as a missionary. Thank you for sending it, Court. And everyone else who recorded on it, thanks!!! Love you all.

Lauren: Loved hearing from you! I need your address :) xoxo

Moffat said something in his testimony at church yesterday that I really loved, and that I think I needed to hear. He said "Repentance is sometimes just letting go." I really do need to learn to let go and let Christ take care of some things. I'm such a micro-manager. Which is good for some things, and horrible for others. I am definitely working on that one... I think I have changed a lot in the craziness factor. That's the hope anyway.

Allrighty well that's enough of my rambling. I am grateful for this work. I know it is the Lord's work and I really do want to do all I can. I love my Savior Jesus Christ with everything that I am.

Sista Brink

I never saw that movie.... but I imagine it was probably a lot like this week.

We really did have a series of unfortunate events this week! A lot of things just hit like a tornado (If you know me, you know I have nightmares about Tornadoes, and really just natural disasters in general, ALL the time... which is funny because I have never experienced one, or never really even lived in a place long enough to experience one... Probably a good representation of my life: Always worrying about things that really I have no control over... And what does stressing do? NOTHING. And then there never really is a "storm" anyway.) and we were NOT prepared for these things....

The first was that Sister Parra-- a missionary here at the VC who I just LOVED (and still do, of course)-- went home quickly because her older sister passed away suddenly. How heartbreaking! AH I can't even imagine... for several reasons... That would just be so hard. She actually had finished her 18 months but had extended one transfer so she really didn't miss any of her mission. BUT she didn't get to have any sort of preparation, spiritually or mentally, to go home. That would be so hard. And her family... My heart goes out to them! We love you Hermana Parra. "I lub you"

Granny G isn't doing too well. It really is sad how Satan moves in and tries to strike just after a very amazing, spiritual experience. I had never seen her so happy than after her baptism. And now, she is just having a hard time. We had a lesson and I became very very very upset afterwards. I was able to talk with our VC director about things, and it was really a blessing. SO this experience wasn't totally unfortunate. We had a good talk about doing all that we can, and then leaving things up to the Lord. He reinforced my work, helping me feel better and not believe that things are always my fault. People have their agency... And just because my feelings get hurt, it doesn't mean that I can change anyone or force them to do anything. My heart gets broken so easily by people... something I'm working on... but the truth is, if things always went MY way, I would be taking away the opportunity for someone else to excercise their agency and also probably miss out on some seriously cool growth experiences. Cause that is what trials turn into. Like a butterfly. Anyways... pray for Granny G.

Yesterday, Sunday, 2 of our Sisters got in a car accident. Sister Pinto and I were able to go and help and such... They were T-Boned in an intersection and the cars were completely totaled. One Sister felt horrible because of the accident, and the other one was rushed to the hospital for some x-rays and things... We were at the hospital for 3 hours with them yesterday. Both of them are fine, just really sore, especially one of them... But all is well. Needless to say, it was a pretty dramatic day. This is funny: there was a Stake Conference that Pres and Sis Baker were supposed to speak at, but they were at the hospital with us. So it was announced to an entire stake that there was an accident, that 2 sisters were in the hospital. Which then of course caused for a lot of drama. Our Zone Leaders who were at the stake conference were stressing out thinking one of us had died. Maybe that's not funny, but I thought it was pretty amusing. Oh the drama. I love it.

So, as you can see. It was a crazy week.

BUT there is something really crazy cool happening. The other VC Sister trainer-- Hermana Bustamante-- and I were able to get trained through Headquarters how to do "chat" on Mormon.org. So we are able to teach people online! It's amazing! I have all ready had some really amazing experiences. Tonight, we have a "return appointment" with a guy who is seriously searching for the truth. I've taught him 3 times and it really has been incredible. If you go on Mormon.org and click "chat with us" it takes you automatically to a missionary. Pretty amazing stuff. Send your friends there!

Oh. So I wasn't transferred. I can't believe transfers were just 4 days ago. Like I said, LOOOOOONG week. We are still truckin in Bel Air for at least one more transfer! I'm glad I'm still with my Pinto Bean here. There is so much work to do in this area....And we are working hard, mark my words. By the end of this transfer, I will have been a missionary in Bel Air/Beverly Hills/UCLA for 7 and a half months. Which is a reallllly long time to be in one area. But I'm lovin it. Sort of overwhelmed at times... But loving it nonetheless. Heavenly Father is also probably laughing at me all the time because I am ALWAYS around Black Range Rovers... My favorite car.... But I have to be honest, after being a missionary here for that long, I think I'll pass on the Range Rover. A mini van for my 6 kids will suffice. (I know, right?! Changes!)

Simpsons are doing well. We are starting completely over with him and hopefully that will help him to receive some answers. They are so great...

Halloween is everywhere all ready. Really?! Is it all ready HALLOWEEN TIME?! Can't believe that at all. I think I'll be a Sister Missionary this year (that was for you Mom.)

We did a lot of finding this week. Not too many funny or crazy stories, but we did find some new potential investigators for the UCLA ward. Pray for us! We need a teaching pool... I have been very fortunate to have people that we have been teaching my whole time in Bel Air, now we are on a "dry spell". So... we need some super soakers...

I AM SO EXCITED FOR CONFERENCE! I really cannot explain how wonderful conference is as a missionary. It's like the best treat ever. Better than the new Oatmeal Cookie flavor at Yogurtland. For reals. I have been re-reading all of last conference and I am so excited to see what those wonderful men have to say. Conference will also be 5 years since my Dad died... a good time to reflect and remember that special man. I miss him.

Sometimes a Sister just needs a nap! (said with a "sparkle s"). I guess it's my own fault that I am tired right now because we played Ultimate frisbee for 2 hours today. SO I am tired and a tad sunburned. But it felt oh so good.

I love being a missionary. So. Much.

Yesterday I was in a tour and feeling the spirit really strong (even in SPANISH!) and I had the though "I only have 5 more months of this". And I got teary-eyed. I never thought I would be one of those "NOOOO I DONT WANT TO LEAAAAAAVVVVEE" missionaries but maybe I was fooling myself. This work is oh so good.

PS. I didn't have time to write ANY letters today. Again, frisbee.... Sorry! I love you oh so much (Mom and Court... this is for you... please forgive me!::(

Sista Brink

Transfer Number 9

Ok when you think of 9 transfers out of 12, that makes it REALLY scary how little time I have left.

So yes, transfers are the day after tomorrow. Again! Doesn't it seem like my little Pinto Bean just barely joined me in the land of the rich and the famous? I know. Time is a flyin. Probably for everyone but Dar. She seems to think the time is still going super slow. Don't worry, Mom. I will be home before you know it.

SO as far as transfer chisme (gossip) I don't know anything and I don't really have any inklings or anything. Usually I do, and usually I'm right about what happens. But this time, I really think a lot of things could happen. I feel like I will stay in Bel Air though. I have unfinished business (I just thought of "Casper" and how I used to be in love with Devin Sawa. Maybe I still am....) to attend to here in the Bel Air area. Yes I know I am selfish. I really will be fine with whatever happens to be honest. But I feel like I'm staying. Tune in next week to find out where in the world is Sista Sista Brink (I had to do a double "sista" for it to fit with "where in the world is Carmen San Diego". Maybe you figured that out...)

I'm always hot. And my companion is always freezing. Mostly just in our apartment. Because when we are outside, we will walk 10 steps and I think she's gonna have a heart attack. But then in our apartment I turn on the air cause I feel like a rotisserie chicken and she starts shivering. It's a problem. I HAVE to marry someone with some meat on him so that we will never fight about the air...  It's brought us closer together though... I sacrifice covers, she adds them... it works. Literally I think she has like 10 on her during the night. And I only have my ancient blanket that I have had forever that was sewn by I think my great great grandma. It's the ugliest thing in the world. I will never ever ever sleep with anything else. But it will ALWAYS be hidden under a darling bedspread.

Speaking of being high-maintenance. (We weren't... but I am...) I realized the reason that I could never have a cat. It's because I could never have an animal that was more high maintenance than myself. This is going somewhere I promise. It's called the Cat Genie. You should look it up on Youtube, apparently there are videos of said Cat Genie. The Simpsons just bought one for their cat and Bro Simpson had me come watch what happens after the cat disposes... It's ridiculous! It cleans everything like 3 times! BY ITSELF! And then cleans the litter out. And then cleans it again. And then dries it with a dryer that is all inside this fancy shmancy machine for the cat to go to the bathroom in! Apparently cats are very specific about their litter. Just look it up. Point in case: I will never own a cat. But they are very soft. And I happen to like Smokey (the Simpsons cat) very much. I just don't like his toilet.

So the attached pictures have one with me and a half-eaten loaf of bread and a hole in our screen door.

A squirrel broke into our apartment! And ate my bread! And pooped on our couch! I was so mad. And now we have a hole in our screen door so heaven knows another rodent will make its way in and eat my rice cakes! Grrrrrrrrrr. As you can tell, I was not happy. And don't judge me, it was at the very end of the day when I was exhausted. Such is life as a missionary.

There is another picture of me and Pinto Bean, Elders Jacobberger and Bennet and Sisters Ashby and Oteiza-Hernandez at my FAVORITE place Souplantation. Just like sweet tomatoes. They knew that that was my place so we went last prep day. Mmmmmmm.

 And then there is me and Pinto Bean and RWLJ.

He played another Robert Webster Light Jr. Original at the Visitors Center! It's called Zephir in F#. It was incredible. I seriously just am so grateful for that man. He's on youtube apparently. Check it out. He's a talented soul. Big heart, little hands. Amazing. RWLJ will be one of the best things that happened to me on this journey.

Soooooooo. Things are good. Still doing lots of finding and sending lots of referrals to other missionaries who I am SURE deserve them :) We did find a new investigator who will be out of town for a couple weeks so that's a bummer. But we love the Simpson fam. Bro Simpson is still very hesitant to really make any commitments and we are trying to help him along in this journey. They are wonderful, I really love them a lot.

I also included a picture with me and my plant, Herbert. I love my plant. 

I will take care of him till the day I die.... And then I will give him to another missionary to take care of.

Ok this e-mail is nonsense. I am kinda dazy.... I'm just ready for a new transfer to be honest. New Goals, new things, I'm a fan of change. For the most part...

But on a serious note. I am thinking about the things I have changed over the last year. One of the biggest things that has changed is my perspective. About SO many things. Life, God, missionary work, wards and stakes, auxiliaries, religion, family, myself, relationships, hobbies, future, careers, priorities. My perspective about all of these things has changed from a "sister Brinkerhoff" perspective to a "Sister Brinkerhoff and God" perspective. I really feel like I have made giant strides to try and align my perspective with Gods and see the bigger picture. It really has changed a lot of my mentality about these things. Some have changed from an ignorant or luke-warm feeling to a strong desire to change and help, others have changed from a worldly point of view to a more spiritual and "bigger" perspective. I really do believe that part of our "purpose" in this life is to align our perspective with God's so that we can understand more fully His wonderfully perfect and detailed plan for us. Rather than looking at everything from a "me" perspective, if we can look at it from a God perspective, we might be able to understand things a little more clearly. Try it.

I had an amazing experience at the VC the other day with some elders and their investigator. Ah the spirit was SO strong while we taught him about the Book of Mormon. I have a special Book of Mormon that I spent a loooooong time marking with specific subjects and all color coordinated. It's a little OCD but its wonderful. We all chose scriptures and it was so cool because the scripture we each chose was so pertinent to our individual situations. There were tears and lots of smiles. It was really neat. He will get baptized.

Welp.... Not much else in my brain today. Gonna go help some people or something.

Seriously though, I love you all so much.

-Sista Brink

PS for LANUS: Elder Macdonald (VC director) showed us the last 2 minutes of the Ole Miss game and I thought about you. Ummmm maybe I teared up a little. And I wasn't even THAT into football! I was just so happy to be a Coug! And I'm sure that was a highlight of your month so wanted to let you know I kind of shared it with you :)

September Select

September Select" is our Zone Goal for the month of September. Elder Jacobberger and Bennett (Zone Leaders) did the most hilarious skit to introduce it. Basically, it was a skit representing the all-too-common ways that guys try and get girls to marry them after their missions. It was hilarious. And it was showing that we as missionaries sometimes just gotta move on to find those who are really prepared to receive the Gospel, rather than just waiting and trying to convince people that they should get baptized. We just want to find ANYONE who will learn at this point, let alone someone who is actually prepared to accept the ordinance of Baptism! Nonetheless, it was a good reminder that we really do have to use our time so wisely on our missions. And in life really... Definitely an eternal principle. Time is such a precious gift we have. I wish we had more of it to sleep.

Speaking of sleep. So this week, something crazy happened. I had like a CRAZY sinus attack. While getting ready the other morning, I felt nauseous (no idea how to spell that word. Never have known), and then I swallowed and something exploded inside my mouth! True story! And I started choking on something... like acid-y tasting... and then was like dry heaving. Ok I know this is a horrific description but I'm just telling what happened to me. Anyways. So then my throat and my eyes were BURNING and my head was on FIRE. It was the craziest thing in the world. Then I couldn't like lay down or anything because I was going crazy with how badly I was burning. SO I tried to rinse with salt water for like 30 minutes and I just kept spitting and spitting because there was so much gunk in my mouth. So gross. anyways... so then I finally felt ish-ok and went to the VC and we worked all day. Then that night, I tossed and turned and only slept for 2 hours! But I was breathing fine! It was so frustrating. So then the next night... SO excited to sleep.... and the SAME THING! Tossing and turning. Ah it was horrible. And if you know me, you know that I do NOT function on no sleep. So it was a rough couple of days and I felt like I was in a haze. It was awful. But I finally slept on Saturday and Sunday night, hallelujah. It was wonderful. But I'm still a little hazy and need to catch up. Like that will ever happen....

Things are going pretty well. Doing a lot of finding and a lot of praying. We are excited for a ward activity that is in the making, finally, after some convincing and a nice "pitch" from our ward mission leader, for the WW 1st ward. Hopefully it will be a good missionary activity. It's gonna be a talent show. Hopefully everyone will get involved and make it a fun night. And mostly, hopefully people will bring friends!! I'm seriously so excited to be able to help with activities for the missionaries when I get home. I really want to be a good member missionary. As should all of you... Just sayin. If you don't know the missionaries in your ward, GET TO KNOW THEM! They need your help! Do it for us over here in Beverly Hills. Let me know about your missionary opportunities :)

We are still working with Bro Simpson. We had a lesson and dinner with a family in our ward this week which was wonderful. Bro Simpson knows everything, he understands everything and really does want to do what is right. But he will not accept a baptismal date. We are trying to figure out what is holding him back... I am just in love with that family. I literally fall asleep every night thinking about them in the temple. But then I end up dreaming something reallllly crazy. This week I dreamed that Pres Baker sent me home for no reason, just felt I needed to go home and it was HORRIBLE! It made me think about how special this time is and how I really need to give my all, because it is so short and before we know it I will be home wondering how in the world a year and a half all ready went by.

We had some pretty great finding stories this week. Its really sad when people tell us we are going to Hell, or rather, the Lake of Fire, because we are preaching to people about the Book of Mormon. Oh if only they could really see how wonderful it is! I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON! And I know it is true. Nothing will ever shake my testimony of the Book of Mormon and its truthfulness. I have read it over 4 times just on my mission and every time I just fall more and more in love with it.

Sis Pinto's favorite thing to say is "You are really crazy". That pretty much sums us up. Haha. You know you never really appreciate the value of communication until its hindered quite a bit. We are learning a lot. A LOT. I sometimes think that patience is being shoved down my throat, but really, I need to allow myself to enjoy the taste a bit...

Granny G had cataract surgery this week so she is pretty out-of-service. Italian people are somewhat stubborn if you didn't know... I love that woman. She is hilarious. Stubborn and hilarious.

Sister Hanselpants and I did a training this week for the Visitors Center ( we do one every week... one gets over and we are relieved and then two days later we are having to brainstorm about what to do next. It never ends! ) about our calling... applying to both our call as missionaries and our calling from the call center where we call the referrals we received. I don't think I have really written very much about the wonderful, miraculous experiences I have had and always have in the call center. To be able to have a spiritual conversation over the phone with someone, to get to know them, have them open up to you and really see how God has been with them in their lives is an amazing thing. Something that you can only experience it if you experience it, you know? It is such a unique calling that wehave as Visitors Center AND Proselyting missionaries. Best of both worlds!!! I am very grateful.

I always think I have nothing to say and then BAM! I've written a novel. Seems like that is a pattern in my life. Haha. Like the time I didn't have anything to say for my Dad's funeral, and I ended up talking for 20 minutes, Such is Sista Brink. Be with it as you may....

Love you all very much! Thank you for your support and love and prayers and everything!

Sista Brink