I'm so blessed to be working down here where the people are receptive to the word of God

Thanks for the prayers! I need them!!!! I loved reading your email mom. Necisita escribirme mas en espanol para practicar :) Como le fue su exam? Esta practicando con los exchange students? Le gusta mi texmex? :)

I type my favorite exclamation to say in spanish but I don't know how to spell it... I'll type it phenetocally... E-WHOLE-A (using english prononciation) it means "OH MY!"

The whole week I wasn't really feeling well - I thought I might have a tape worm or something haha but then yesterday I started to feel better.... but then I woke up this morning with a sore throat entonces I'm going to buy emergence at Walmart today! But I should be okay.

I learned many lessons this week. I learned that even when you think you just can't take your trials ANY LONGER... you can. For some reason it had just been hard the past couple weeks.... I just wasn't feeling good and I didn't feel like the work was going anywhere. After we got back from emailing last week I just went to the bathroom and got down on my knees and poured my heart out to Dios letting Him know that I NEED HIS HELP. No matter how old I get or how independent I think I am - I CAN'T LIVE THIS LIFE WITHOUT HIS HELP. Were things instantly better after that prayer? No. But I kept moving and pressing forward in faith that things were going to get better... and the next day was awesome! I didn't feel much better but we were able to talk with Liz and she wants to be baptized! YAY! For some reason after that lesson I had a HUGE burden lifted off my shoulders and I could feel the hand of the Lord just pushing me along. I know He gives us trials and hard times for a reason... in this instance to keep me humble and leaning on Him. I know He will help us - He doesn't give us more than we can handle...only really close to it :) But that is how we grow.

Presidente and Sister Trayner came by to our apartments for interviews on Friday. It was nice to talk with them and get words of counsel/wisdom from President Trayner. He said I'm going to stay in Brownsville for a while... unless the Lord tells him otherwise so we'll see this next transfer :)

I'm excited for your package!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need some good gluten free things! My companions have been eating a lot of delicious WHEATY breads and so it has been super hard becuase it smells SO GOOD!

Yesterday was a REALLY special experience. In the two wards in Brownsville yesterday, EIGHT people entered into the waters of baptism. It was really special to see that many people take turns and walk down into the baptisimal font. The spirit was super strong. It made me think of D&C 4 how the field is white ALREADY TO HARVEST. I'm so blessed to be working down here where the people are receptive to the word of God... there are people out there ready. We are working hard to find them and working with FAITH that they are out there. It is hard sometimes when we haven't had anyone very serious for a while but they are out there!

D&C 103:12

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This year is going to go by super fast. I can already feel it. Keep moving forward and read those scriptures :)

Good luck in school mom and tell everyone I said hello!

IT POURED ALL DAY LONG!!!! It felt just like home :)

Thank you for your email. I really needed that last sentence that says "although sometimes we can get discouraged because we can't hit the bullseye, it's no reason to give up. The arrows are free, through Christ, we get to repent and keep on trying to do better." This week has been hard. We had a zone meeting where our leaders told us that if we aren't meeting our goals it is OUR fault... no excuses... we can't blame no one coming to church on anyone but ourself... we just need to repent and think of what we need to do differently. I have been thinking of all the things that I need to do better as a missionary and it has been really overwhelming for me... you know me I don't usually let things get to me but this week I have and it was hard. So it was good to read that reminder that we just do our best and the Lord will make up the rest.

Monday we couldn't email because the library was closed and yesterday we were SUPER SICK. It was my first day being sick on the mission. Sister Zamora and I were puking all night :/ Those moments are never fun but they bring me closer to my Savior because in those moments I am humble. In those moments I realize that I need help. We stayed in all yesterday and slept...and tried to study when we had energy. I'm feeling better today but still just the crummy after effects.

YAY YOU DID THE FHE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!! I'm glad that went well! Sarah and Debbie are going to prepare? That is awesome. What about Chris/Jeff/Steve/Mike? Thanks for doing that. I hope you all could feel the spirit and my love for you all!

Brownsville! Well it has been a transition from Raymondville... a lot bigger haha. My new address is:

2425 Barnard Rd #33B
Brownsville, TX 78520

We are basically starting from square one here. We have one progressing investigator. She is a girlfriend of a less-active member here. She really wants to know for herself if these things are true. She has good questions and real intent. I know she will get her answer about this gospel soon. There is a lot more Spanish here which is fun. People walk to Mexico all the time becuase it is only a couple miles south (like walking from our house to downtown Oly). Saturday is our walking day... and for the first time in my whole mission it POURED ALL DAY LONG!!!!! It felt just like home :) haha except I wasn't prepared with any rain gear so I was SOAKED.. but it was fun. No one really wanted to let us in though becuase we were wet :) OH well! Ni modo!

Your pictures look AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad you all had a good time together. I am so grateful for the support and love you give me every day. I NEED IT!!!!!!!!!! I am very appreciative for all of you.

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M BEING TRANSFERRED AGAIN!

I KNOW I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M BEING TRANSFERED AGAIN! This seriously never happens. I thought I was staying for sure. When we got the phone call, the zone leader said "okay Sister Carlos and Sister Nelson..." and I thought he was going to say "are leaving" but then he said "are staying...and Sister Bricker is going to Brownsville." Crazy. We freaked out. As always, I love my area and will miss it a ton (dejavu AGAIN haha) but again I know it is for a reason and God has other plans instore for me. I will be in Brownsville with Sister Zamora and Sister Boyle. I have met them both before and are super fun so I it will be a blast to serve with them. I have been out the longest out of the three of us so President has assigned me as Senior Companion :O Uh oh! Brownsville is basically 70% Spanish and 30%English so I'm excited to work on my spanish more...

I have been thinking about getting moved around so much... and trying not to think "why" but "what can I learn from this?" I think what I have learned the most is that no matter where I am or where I go or what situations I'm in... the Lord always provides. He always takes care of me and knows exactly what I need. In these changes I remember that it is upon HIM that I need to build my foundation (Helamen 12:14... I think?). Everytime I get moved somewhere it is like starting new...new people, new companion, new place, new members... but the Lord is always there to rely on. Maybe I just need more humilitly...

My last week here in Raymondville was good :) We have been working with an investigator to get her ready for baptism this month. We had a good FHE with her and her kids this week. She just had a baby a month ago. We went over there and she was feeling pretty low :( becuase she can't really go out anywhere except be with the kids while her husband works. She says she is always exausted (b/c of the two older kids)... so we were able to clean her house for her... we swept and mopped and did ALL the dishes and the place looked really nice! It sounds really simple and like "whatever..." but honestly was the best experience I had this week because she was so thrilled. It made her day and lifted her spirits a lot. "By small and simple things do great things come to pass."

I know that there are people that need our help all around. I know you are all doing great things out there in the world - keep it up!

Mom I hope everything goes well with the FHE I sent :) Let me know how it goes. I wish I could have been there for Gracie's baptism! Send pictures. I'll send pics this week. Tell her that she is EXTRA CLEAN NOW! Third time is the charm :)

LOVE YOU ALL!

GOD IS GOOD!

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY SPREADING HIS TRUTH

HERMANA BRICKER

I'm Excited for Gracie's Baptism!!!

WELL HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLO THERE! FELIZ ANO NUEVO! MAMA podemos hablar en espanol ahora porque va a saber el idioma!!!! Que bueno! Estoy animada.

That is exciting about the new year! Tabloid teasers sounds like it was a hoot! For the New Year hear we went down to Brownsville and got to watch Toy Story 3! It was fun. We played it over a projector and ate lots of popcorn and chocolate... I was sick of junk after that. There was a part in it where Buzz gets turned to Spanish mode and so he spoke in Spanish. It was kind of funny to listen to and cool to know what he was saying for the most part. Then the Swayne's (Senior Missionaries) drove us home. Elder Swayne knows lots of facts and took us on a tour of Los Fresnos on the way back. I think he told us that the Raymondville chapel that we go to church in was the first or second chapel built here in south Texas. Cool eh?

Yes transfers are coming up :O I want to stay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *crossed fingers* We just met some really great families and I hope that they will be ready to make steps towards Christ. I was missing the chex party mix on new years! I thought of you all! After we were done planning we played Uno and went to bed at 10:30 :) There were lots of fireworks going off... and the next day we witnessed two big fires. Somebody must have lit a firwork into the field...and of course it hasn't rained here in about four months. We were out contacting people and all of a sudden we see this HUGE billowing thing of smoke rise up. I asked Melissa who was with us "What is That?!" She was like "Oh, probably a bbq..." I laughed and was like "Melissa, I don't know what kind of barbeque's you go to... because that is HUGE." I like when Melissa comes out with us, it's fun. Her testimony really adds a strength to the work... and she makes me laugh a lot.

This week I didn't tighten my camelback enough and the water spilled out on my scriptures :/ I was really sad but they are okay now... just a little wrinkle-y. You should send the chex mix to the La Vista address :) Because somebody should be able to bring it up here on transfers. MMM sounds delicious!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay gotta go but I just want to tell you that I love the Doctrine and Covenants! I love being able to repent of my mistakes - because I make plenty of them. I love that God is nice and gives us second chances. I love peanut butter. I'm excited to go to the Temple again. I'm excited for Gracie's baptism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOO!