Monday, December 6, 2010
I'm so blessed to be spending this Christmas working along side Christ here in Texas.
That is so fun that Mike and Jess are there!!!!! What things have you done besides the Space Needle? I'm excited for the beach gingerbread project :) :) :) I'm going to talk with Sister Nelson because that would be fun to make one Christmas Eve with investigators or something.
So Raymondville... is small... but has a lot of character if you know what I mean. Everyone knows everyone here. We see the people that we contact all the time around town. The population is about 9,000. There is only one little branch - it is all in TEX-MEX... so literally the President Ramos will say one sentence in english and one sentence in spanish. It is funny to listen to. My brain gets really confused though haha. They have head phones and a translator for everyone to understand. There is a lot of work to do here which is getting me really excited. Raymondville has a lot of potential.
Sister Smith goes home this Sunday! I'm excited for her - she gets to go home for Christmas. We put up a little tree with lights and it is cute. Today I'll buy some lights at the store. Oh and just fyi my going home date is officially January 25, 2010 (I think she means 2012). I go through waves of missing you all and wishing I could be home with you during the holidays...and being so glad I'm here serving the Lord. Yesterday during the Christmas Devo ( WHICH WAS AWESOME) we made popcorn for the people that came and watched it on a little 35 x 35 inch tv. I was sitting there and just started to cry because I've never done something so good in my life. I realized then that I am on a mission. My thoughts, efforts, and strengths are all dedicated to the Lord and His children. I love being out here and talking/teaching/testifying of the Savior everyday. I'm so blessed to be spending this Christmas working along side Christ here in Texas. I feel like my work is pleasing to Him and I can't express how much joy that brings me. I'm definitely NOT perfect by any means but I am trying... I'm trying so hard.
I want you to know that the Lord truly is watching over me here. I know that is in part becuase of your prayers and the prayers of many others. So many times we go up to someone's door and they were like "how did you get up here?" And we're like "umm...we walked?" haha. Then they say "huh that is weird becuase we have a big dog that always goes after people." We look around and there is no dog in sight. This week we came back for a return appointment and there was this HUGE rooster standing on the gate as we walked by only a foot away. It just stared at us as we passed. When we talked with the lady, she said the same thing "I'm suprised you got to the door, the rooster pecks and scratches people all the time - it is very defensive." I have seen some things here in Texas and have HEARD lots about the border that is getting worse but never worry because the Lord is protecting us.
I'm grateful for all you do for me. My time is up but I know that my Redeemer lives!
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!
So Raymondville... is small... but has a lot of character if you know what I mean. Everyone knows everyone here. We see the people that we contact all the time around town. The population is about 9,000. There is only one little branch - it is all in TEX-MEX... so literally the President Ramos will say one sentence in english and one sentence in spanish. It is funny to listen to. My brain gets really confused though haha. They have head phones and a translator for everyone to understand. There is a lot of work to do here which is getting me really excited. Raymondville has a lot of potential.
Sister Smith goes home this Sunday! I'm excited for her - she gets to go home for Christmas. We put up a little tree with lights and it is cute. Today I'll buy some lights at the store. Oh and just fyi my going home date is officially January 25, 2010 (I think she means 2012). I go through waves of missing you all and wishing I could be home with you during the holidays...and being so glad I'm here serving the Lord. Yesterday during the Christmas Devo ( WHICH WAS AWESOME) we made popcorn for the people that came and watched it on a little 35 x 35 inch tv. I was sitting there and just started to cry because I've never done something so good in my life. I realized then that I am on a mission. My thoughts, efforts, and strengths are all dedicated to the Lord and His children. I love being out here and talking/teaching/testifying of the Savior everyday. I'm so blessed to be spending this Christmas working along side Christ here in Texas. I feel like my work is pleasing to Him and I can't express how much joy that brings me. I'm definitely NOT perfect by any means but I am trying... I'm trying so hard.
I want you to know that the Lord truly is watching over me here. I know that is in part becuase of your prayers and the prayers of many others. So many times we go up to someone's door and they were like "how did you get up here?" And we're like "umm...we walked?" haha. Then they say "huh that is weird becuase we have a big dog that always goes after people." We look around and there is no dog in sight. This week we came back for a return appointment and there was this HUGE rooster standing on the gate as we walked by only a foot away. It just stared at us as we passed. When we talked with the lady, she said the same thing "I'm suprised you got to the door, the rooster pecks and scratches people all the time - it is very defensive." I have seen some things here in Texas and have HEARD lots about the border that is getting worse but never worry because the Lord is protecting us.
I'm grateful for all you do for me. My time is up but I know that my Redeemer lives!
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Guess Who's Being Transferred???
Mary sent a voice recording this week. She is going to transfer to Raymondville, TX, which is 40 miles northeast of Weslaco. She will miss her new investigator and convert friends she has made in Weslaco.
Monday, November 22, 2010
ARM WRESTLE--Raspa (snow cone) vs. Book of Mormon
Pues Hola :)
Hello everyone back home :) I can't believe it snowed!!!!!!! That is crazy. I was just talking to Leanne Longoria (she goes to byui but came back to Weslaco for Thanksgiving break) and she said that Rexburg doesn't even have snow yet. Olympia is ahead of Rexburg in snow... weird... that has got to be the sign of the second coming or something. You're going to the Tri-Cities for Thanksgiving?! FUN! Say hello to everyone over there for me :) Eat lots! For Thanksgiving we have two dinner appointments right now :) Yay! Don't you worry, I will eat lots of pumpkin pie. For some reason I thought that we had holidays off as missionaries just to kind of hang around the house and visit members.... haha I was wrong. It's going to be just another day because the Lord's work never stops! I think maybe we'll stay in for a bit on Christmas. I'm not going to lie, I've been wishing for just a day to rest. Everyday I wake up I'm exhausted... and everytime we get back home I hit the pillow right after planning. We've just been going, going, going! I'm super tired... but life is still good of course :) It is the least I can do...the Savior suffered for all of our sins and bled from every pore... the least I can do is be a little tired right?
This week went by SUUUUUUUUUUUUPER quick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only people that came to church were the kids I talked about last week. They are awesome - I love them. The one girl is EXACTLY like Gracie. I wish they could meet because they would have fun together. After a lesson about the Word of Wisdom she wanted to arm wrestle me... so I said if she beat me five times in a row I'd buy her a RASPA (snow cone type thing that everyone raves over down here) and if I won she would have to read a chapter out of the Book of Mormon. She beat me (with help of course) so now I need to buy her a watermelon raspa with kool-aid and gummi bears.... but I made her read a chapter of the Book of Mormon anyway :)
We are still working on helping people solidify their testimonies... we are trying to get people to come to church, but it is hard for them... either because they just don't have the desire or because it is new and different for them. The Spanish branch is going to start a "noche de hoger" family home evening for our investigators to come to... I think it is an awesome idea. People can just come and see members in real life and talk casually.
I'm so excited for pumpkin pie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got some letters from people in the single's branch! Yay for Oly 5th!
On Saturday we find out if we are being transfered or not! I have NO IDEA if I will stay or go... but I hope I can stay. I like it here.
La vida es buena!
LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!
Hello everyone back home :) I can't believe it snowed!!!!!!! That is crazy. I was just talking to Leanne Longoria (she goes to byui but came back to Weslaco for Thanksgiving break) and she said that Rexburg doesn't even have snow yet. Olympia is ahead of Rexburg in snow... weird... that has got to be the sign of the second coming or something. You're going to the Tri-Cities for Thanksgiving?! FUN! Say hello to everyone over there for me :) Eat lots! For Thanksgiving we have two dinner appointments right now :) Yay! Don't you worry, I will eat lots of pumpkin pie. For some reason I thought that we had holidays off as missionaries just to kind of hang around the house and visit members.... haha I was wrong. It's going to be just another day because the Lord's work never stops! I think maybe we'll stay in for a bit on Christmas. I'm not going to lie, I've been wishing for just a day to rest. Everyday I wake up I'm exhausted... and everytime we get back home I hit the pillow right after planning. We've just been going, going, going! I'm super tired... but life is still good of course :) It is the least I can do...the Savior suffered for all of our sins and bled from every pore... the least I can do is be a little tired right?
This week went by SUUUUUUUUUUUUPER quick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only people that came to church were the kids I talked about last week. They are awesome - I love them. The one girl is EXACTLY like Gracie. I wish they could meet because they would have fun together. After a lesson about the Word of Wisdom she wanted to arm wrestle me... so I said if she beat me five times in a row I'd buy her a RASPA (snow cone type thing that everyone raves over down here) and if I won she would have to read a chapter out of the Book of Mormon. She beat me (with help of course) so now I need to buy her a watermelon raspa with kool-aid and gummi bears.... but I made her read a chapter of the Book of Mormon anyway :)
We are still working on helping people solidify their testimonies... we are trying to get people to come to church, but it is hard for them... either because they just don't have the desire or because it is new and different for them. The Spanish branch is going to start a "noche de hoger" family home evening for our investigators to come to... I think it is an awesome idea. People can just come and see members in real life and talk casually.
I'm so excited for pumpkin pie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got some letters from people in the single's branch! Yay for Oly 5th!
On Saturday we find out if we are being transfered or not! I have NO IDEA if I will stay or go... but I hope I can stay. I like it here.
La vida es buena!
LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!
Monday, November 15, 2010
WE ARE HERE TO HARVEST--I AM BEGINNING TO SEE THAT THE SEEDS HAVE BEEN PLANTED ALREADY
Sister Sigler and I have just been working away down here in Weslaco. We are having fun and meeting a lot of special prepared people. Last week we picked up a family for church and they came in their jeans and school clothes... but we go to pick them up this week and the 8 year old had nice slacks/shoes/shirt and the 12 year old had a nice easter dress on... and we didn't tell them anything :) We have been finding a lot of young adults/kids that really want God in there life - it is just hard to get the parents on board as well. It is true when the scripture says "the field is white already to harvest." I think back to my farewell talk and how I talked about us planting seeds as missionaries... but that isn't the main job at all - we are here to harvest - I'm beginning to see that the seeds have been planted already. We are here to harvest because the field is ready. There are many people ready for the gospel and baptism all around us.
I started reading the Doctrine and Coventants all the way through this week. I love it! I have never read it all the way through before and it is awesome. It is really neat to hear the voice of the Lord speaking through the verses. I feel like I'm coming to know Christ more and more as I read it and see His interaction with the prophet and other people.
LOVE YOU ALL AND HOPE YOUR WEEK IS GREAT!
I started reading the Doctrine and Coventants all the way through this week. I love it! I have never read it all the way through before and it is awesome. It is really neat to hear the voice of the Lord speaking through the verses. I feel like I'm coming to know Christ more and more as I read it and see His interaction with the prophet and other people.
LOVE YOU ALL AND HOPE YOUR WEEK IS GREAT!
Monday, November 1, 2010
TRYING TO STOP THIS WORK IS LIKE TRYING TO STOP THE MISSISSIPPI!!!
THANKS FOR THE PICTURES!!!!!!!!!
They were beautiful! It looks like you had fun with Grandma and Grandpa Bricker! Tell them I said hello. Andrew and Anna's costumes look AWESOME! They are so big everytime I see them. I was on the bus in spirit! YES I GOT THE PACKAGE THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE GLUTEN FREE BARS WERE SO GOOD MOM I NEED THE RECIPE! OF COURSE I HAVE EATEN THEM ALL ALREADY HAHA. The blanket was a bad idea though... it's so comfy I don't want to get up!!!!!!!!! :) I love it and use it all the time! But there is so much work to do here that I am able to get out of bed in the morning, don't you worry! The GPS is awesome Dad, thanks a ton. I like it because it has the speed limit in the bottom corner so I can always make sure I'm driving the correct speed... perfect for being exactly obedient :) And the card was cute Mom thanks. I also got a notice that Grandma Palmer sent me a package so I'm excited to pick that up today :D
How was Halloween? I'm sick from eating so much candy. I need to eat better out here! I've never had so much Church's chicken in my life. It's like there version of KFC... it's good but so unhealthy! I've started jump roping in the mornings now.. but the one I have isn't very good...it's one of those chepo rope ones you know? IT HAS BEEN FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZING HERE IN THE MORNINGS! The temperature says 65 degrees but honestly it feels like it could snow.... it is the weirdest thing. But by the time we head out after all our studies it is plenty warm.
This week was a good one!!!!! The work is just moving along here in Weslaco. I think I'm pretty much adjusted now :) The Lord has blessed Sister Sigler and I to find some awesome new investigators this week. The first people we found are sisters and going to the local high school here. There is also a fmily that is really awesome as well. They opened up and were welcoming right away. They said they have been wanting to come to church for a while now and we told them that we can help them out with that :) ...but then they never came on Sunday... haha but that is okay, this is a new week! Yes Jennifer got baptized on Saturday! That was really exciting. I love seeing them right after they come out of the water... she told us "Sisters... that felt REALLY GOOD!" :) She was clean :) The best part of the mission! We had a lot of support from the members at the baptism which makes a big difference. Our building here is currently under construction so we have to commute to a chapel in Farr now... I hope that all goes well with that!
This week was a week of success... and some really neat experiences... but also we have seen Satan working really hard. Yesterday we saw a lot of opposition and nothing seemed to be going right. But we are not letting things get us down - don't you worry about that! This is a new week and we are just working away... people may try and stop this work but it won't happen. I love when God speaks in the Doctrine and Covenants and says trying to stop this work is like trying to stop the Mississippi with your arm... not happening!
Yesterday I gave a talk in the Spanish ward for the first time :O ...it was interesting haha. It was super hard for me to speak ten minutes in a row - Spanish tires my toungue out... you know what I mean? It takes more energy to speak and form words... I read a story from general conference and it was probably a bad idea becuase most of the words were really big and hard to say. It was a good experience though and they all were patient with my Spanish.
Oh yeah! Edana sent me leaves from WA in the mail! Cool eh?
Well I love you alll and hope everything is going well! Time is just flying by! TELL CONNOR HAPPY BDAY FOR ME! He now only has to wait 6 years before his mission :)
Love,
Sister Bricker
They were beautiful! It looks like you had fun with Grandma and Grandpa Bricker! Tell them I said hello. Andrew and Anna's costumes look AWESOME! They are so big everytime I see them. I was on the bus in spirit! YES I GOT THE PACKAGE THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE GLUTEN FREE BARS WERE SO GOOD MOM I NEED THE RECIPE! OF COURSE I HAVE EATEN THEM ALL ALREADY HAHA. The blanket was a bad idea though... it's so comfy I don't want to get up!!!!!!!!! :) I love it and use it all the time! But there is so much work to do here that I am able to get out of bed in the morning, don't you worry! The GPS is awesome Dad, thanks a ton. I like it because it has the speed limit in the bottom corner so I can always make sure I'm driving the correct speed... perfect for being exactly obedient :) And the card was cute Mom thanks. I also got a notice that Grandma Palmer sent me a package so I'm excited to pick that up today :D
How was Halloween? I'm sick from eating so much candy. I need to eat better out here! I've never had so much Church's chicken in my life. It's like there version of KFC... it's good but so unhealthy! I've started jump roping in the mornings now.. but the one I have isn't very good...it's one of those chepo rope ones you know? IT HAS BEEN FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZING HERE IN THE MORNINGS! The temperature says 65 degrees but honestly it feels like it could snow.... it is the weirdest thing. But by the time we head out after all our studies it is plenty warm.
This week was a good one!!!!! The work is just moving along here in Weslaco. I think I'm pretty much adjusted now :) The Lord has blessed Sister Sigler and I to find some awesome new investigators this week. The first people we found are sisters and going to the local high school here. There is also a fmily that is really awesome as well. They opened up and were welcoming right away. They said they have been wanting to come to church for a while now and we told them that we can help them out with that :) ...but then they never came on Sunday... haha but that is okay, this is a new week! Yes Jennifer got baptized on Saturday! That was really exciting. I love seeing them right after they come out of the water... she told us "Sisters... that felt REALLY GOOD!" :) She was clean :) The best part of the mission! We had a lot of support from the members at the baptism which makes a big difference. Our building here is currently under construction so we have to commute to a chapel in Farr now... I hope that all goes well with that!
This week was a week of success... and some really neat experiences... but also we have seen Satan working really hard. Yesterday we saw a lot of opposition and nothing seemed to be going right. But we are not letting things get us down - don't you worry about that! This is a new week and we are just working away... people may try and stop this work but it won't happen. I love when God speaks in the Doctrine and Covenants and says trying to stop this work is like trying to stop the Mississippi with your arm... not happening!
Yesterday I gave a talk in the Spanish ward for the first time :O ...it was interesting haha. It was super hard for me to speak ten minutes in a row - Spanish tires my toungue out... you know what I mean? It takes more energy to speak and form words... I read a story from general conference and it was probably a bad idea becuase most of the words were really big and hard to say. It was a good experience though and they all were patient with my Spanish.
Oh yeah! Edana sent me leaves from WA in the mail! Cool eh?
Well I love you alll and hope everything is going well! Time is just flying by! TELL CONNOR HAPPY BDAY FOR ME! He now only has to wait 6 years before his mission :)
Love,
Sister Bricker
Monday, October 25, 2010
There are awesome investigators here preparing for baptism
WELL HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLO OVER THERE IN WASHINGTON!!!!
How are you doing? How is school? Primary program? Fun!!!!! I wish I could be there that sounds awesome. Hopefully the exchange students can make it! I haven't gotten the package yet but hopefully it comes soon because those granola bars sound delicious :)
Okay well it has been a bit of a hard week for me. I really missed "mi mama" or trainer Sister Villalobos. It was hard to change companions AND cities... but day by day, prayer by prayer things are getting better. I love Laredo and miss it and the people... especially LELILAH :) I hope everything is going well with all the investigators over there. Things here in Weslaco are great though. We are over a bunch of cities around here so there is a TON of work to do. I'm learning a lot from Sister Sigler. She really takes the time to get to know people and work by their needs. She is from Las Vegas and is a super hard worker. We will have a good time together, I know it. There are awesome investigators here that are preparing for baptism. One of them will get baptized on her birthday which just happens to be Halloween :) She has sacrificed a lot to be baptized and I'm excited for her to take that set this Sunday. She is a nurse too! Another investigator is reading the Book of Mormon like nobody's business. She is already in Mosiah 14 and she will get baptized on Nov 7.
Have you ever been to Luby's before? The Longoria family took us there the other day and it was DELICIOUS. They are a really sweet family and let us wash clothes over there.
On Saturday we walked everywhere. It was fun :) It was SUPER windy though and my skirt kept blowing up as we were talking with everyone haha it was pretty bad. I wish we could walk every day! We are having a hard time finding new investigators... but we know that there are prepared people out there... it is just a matter of finding them.
I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH! I PRAY FOR YOU OFTEN AND THINK OF YOU! HOPE ALL IS WELL
SISTER BRICKER
How are you doing? How is school? Primary program? Fun!!!!! I wish I could be there that sounds awesome. Hopefully the exchange students can make it! I haven't gotten the package yet but hopefully it comes soon because those granola bars sound delicious :)
Okay well it has been a bit of a hard week for me. I really missed "mi mama" or trainer Sister Villalobos. It was hard to change companions AND cities... but day by day, prayer by prayer things are getting better. I love Laredo and miss it and the people... especially LELILAH :) I hope everything is going well with all the investigators over there. Things here in Weslaco are great though. We are over a bunch of cities around here so there is a TON of work to do. I'm learning a lot from Sister Sigler. She really takes the time to get to know people and work by their needs. She is from Las Vegas and is a super hard worker. We will have a good time together, I know it. There are awesome investigators here that are preparing for baptism. One of them will get baptized on her birthday which just happens to be Halloween :) She has sacrificed a lot to be baptized and I'm excited for her to take that set this Sunday. She is a nurse too! Another investigator is reading the Book of Mormon like nobody's business. She is already in Mosiah 14 and she will get baptized on Nov 7.
Have you ever been to Luby's before? The Longoria family took us there the other day and it was DELICIOUS. They are a really sweet family and let us wash clothes over there.
On Saturday we walked everywhere. It was fun :) It was SUPER windy though and my skirt kept blowing up as we were talking with everyone haha it was pretty bad. I wish we could walk every day! We are having a hard time finding new investigators... but we know that there are prepared people out there... it is just a matter of finding them.
I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH! I PRAY FOR YOU OFTEN AND THINK OF YOU! HOPE ALL IS WELL
SISTER BRICKER
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sad to Leave Laredo
PUES HOLA MI MADRE HERMOSA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom that is interesting that you read the book "How to Have Difficult Conversations." You should gives me some tips/pointers! PLEASE! Last night we had a rather lengthly conversation with a Jehovah's Witness preacher about Adam and Eve. I'm still learning how to go about those the right way without getting into Bible bashing. People want us to back up our teaching and beliefs with the Bible... and then when we do they are always like "no, that is not what it means... it actually means this" and it is a bit frustrating... that is why PRAYER is so important because you can ask God Himself what it really means. Hahaah okay sorry that was a rant. But yes feel free to give me a summary of that book!
FELICIDADES ABOUT YOUR JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MOM THAT IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!! YOU DESERVE IT! It brings me great joy that the Lord is blessing you with prosperity - because you are sacrificing so much right now for Jon and I to be out here.
I'm excited for the package! Thanks for moving it... SERIOUSLY THAT WAS THE LAST THING I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN THAT I WAS TRANSFERED! I JUST GOT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!! I love Laredo and I LOVE SISTER VILLALOBOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO MUCH! She is "mi mama" in the mission so I am sad to leave her... she has taken good care of me and taught me all I know :) Don't worry though we have already planned a backpacking trip for after the mission so you'll meet her someday... and LELILAH. She is a recent convert here who comes out with us ALL THE TIME and takes us out to eat. She seriously has the biggest heart. I'm so blessed to be here with great people. She is the one who texted you saturday :) We BIKED ALL DAY (saturday is now bike day) and we were EXHAUSTED so we went out to a delicious chinese buffet. I was a tomato! I'm suprised I haven't gotten super burnt here. The Lord is blessing me.
This week was honestly a week of MIRACLES. Seriously I have never seen the hand of the Lord so OBVIOUS in my life. These are stories for another day so you'll just have to take my word for it :) THE ONE INVESTIGATOR THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HAS A BAPTISMAL DATE FOR OCTOBER 31ST! We are soooooooooo excited for him. He is prepared and ready. Everytime he is talking to someone about us he refers to us as "his angels." It's really kind of special to think about being someone's angel... but when we turn ourselves and what we do over to God every day, we can become those angels/servants for God. This isn't a missionary thing - this is an every person thing. This is a YOU thing. Everytime you work for God, you are His angel. I love that Spencer W. Kimball quote that talks about - God meeting our needs through other people.
Anywho! I am sad to miss his baptism. I am sad to leave Laredo but I know God has other things in store down in McAllen. The area I'll be working in is called Weslaco. Everyone I've talked to about Weslaco LOVES IT! I'm really excited. My companion will be Sister Sigler and she has been out for five months. It is about 50% Spanish and 50% English. I'm excited!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL
2 NEPHI 27:23
ENOS 1:1 (switch "father" with "parents")
Mom that is interesting that you read the book "How to Have Difficult Conversations." You should gives me some tips/pointers! PLEASE! Last night we had a rather lengthly conversation with a Jehovah's Witness preacher about Adam and Eve. I'm still learning how to go about those the right way without getting into Bible bashing. People want us to back up our teaching and beliefs with the Bible... and then when we do they are always like "no, that is not what it means... it actually means this" and it is a bit frustrating... that is why PRAYER is so important because you can ask God Himself what it really means. Hahaah okay sorry that was a rant. But yes feel free to give me a summary of that book!
FELICIDADES ABOUT YOUR JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MOM THAT IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!! YOU DESERVE IT! It brings me great joy that the Lord is blessing you with prosperity - because you are sacrificing so much right now for Jon and I to be out here.
I'm excited for the package! Thanks for moving it... SERIOUSLY THAT WAS THE LAST THING I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN THAT I WAS TRANSFERED! I JUST GOT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!! I love Laredo and I LOVE SISTER VILLALOBOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO MUCH! She is "mi mama" in the mission so I am sad to leave her... she has taken good care of me and taught me all I know :) Don't worry though we have already planned a backpacking trip for after the mission so you'll meet her someday... and LELILAH. She is a recent convert here who comes out with us ALL THE TIME and takes us out to eat. She seriously has the biggest heart. I'm so blessed to be here with great people. She is the one who texted you saturday :) We BIKED ALL DAY (saturday is now bike day) and we were EXHAUSTED so we went out to a delicious chinese buffet. I was a tomato! I'm suprised I haven't gotten super burnt here. The Lord is blessing me.
This week was honestly a week of MIRACLES. Seriously I have never seen the hand of the Lord so OBVIOUS in my life. These are stories for another day so you'll just have to take my word for it :) THE ONE INVESTIGATOR THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HAS A BAPTISMAL DATE FOR OCTOBER 31ST! We are soooooooooo excited for him. He is prepared and ready. Everytime he is talking to someone about us he refers to us as "his angels." It's really kind of special to think about being someone's angel... but when we turn ourselves and what we do over to God every day, we can become those angels/servants for God. This isn't a missionary thing - this is an every person thing. This is a YOU thing. Everytime you work for God, you are His angel. I love that Spencer W. Kimball quote that talks about - God meeting our needs through other people.
Anywho! I am sad to miss his baptism. I am sad to leave Laredo but I know God has other things in store down in McAllen. The area I'll be working in is called Weslaco. Everyone I've talked to about Weslaco LOVES IT! I'm really excited. My companion will be Sister Sigler and she has been out for five months. It is about 50% Spanish and 50% English. I'm excited!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL
2 NEPHI 27:23
ENOS 1:1 (switch "father" with "parents")
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
THE BIGGEST GRAPEFRUITS YOU HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!
WELL HELLO THERE! Thank you for your email! I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading them. I apologize because I only have fifteen minutes left to write!
JON LOOKS SO SKINNY!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS LIKE ?QUIEN ES ESO? HE LOOKS REALLY GOOD AND HAPPY!!!!! That is so amazing. I love that kid. He never writes me though so thank you for forwarding emails!
MOM WAY TO BE A MISSIONARY! You are seriously better than I am at this work! Way to go! That is so cool! Could you write this in it for her:
"Se que las palabras en este libro son las palabras de Dios. Testifico que cuando lea este libro puede ser mas cerca de Dios. Se que lo bendicira su vida mucho. Me cae bien su hijo Jorge! El es muy amable y divirtido!"
That is awesome that you had the missionarys over! What did you cook them?! That will be great for the exchange students. The members here have started inviting us over more = :) :) :) Tonight we are going over to a brazilian members house and I hear really good things about her cooking so I'm excited. I'm also excited because through the members is where the best missionary work happens.
This week was good! It had some hard moments and some good moments. We went on exchanges this week for my first time. I went with Sister Bevan and she is AMAZING. It was fun to work with her and see how she does things because everyone is so different. President Trayner came up from McAllen to do interviews. It was good to talk with him and Sister Trayner. Transfers are next Tuesday... I have almost survived my first transfer in the field!!!! Crazy eh? I think I will be staying here in Laredo with Sister Villalobos... or at least I hope anyway.
The one investigator I was talking about didn't come to church this week :/ I hope he is okay. We have an appointment to come back tomorrow so we'll see what is up. That is the hardest thing when people start out so strong and then slip away... like Jon was talking about the guy that didn't want to get baptized anymore. It is rough but we just keep moving - like he said everyone has their agency. I realized this week how much I need to be working on to become more like Christ. Every moment and every thought of this life counts. I'm so grateful for this experience to be out here. Thank you and Grandma and Grandpa Palmer for making this possible. I am grateful every day.
Oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!! THIS WEEK WE WERE OUT CONTACTING AND THIS GRANDMA LET US INTO HER HOUSE AND GAVE US THE BIGGEST GRAPEFRUITS YOU HAVE EVER SEEN! THEY WERE FRESH FROM HER TREE IN THE BACKYARD AND WERE AS BIG AS A MELON!!!!!!!!! AND SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! I'LL SEND PICTURES :)
LOVE YOU ALL!
TAKE CARE!
P.S. WILL YOU TEXT BLAKELEY HAPPY BDAY FOR ME? OR ON FACEBOOK HAHA AND TELL HER TO WRITE ME SOMETHING B/C I DON'T HAVE HER ADDRESS
JON LOOKS SO SKINNY!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS LIKE ?QUIEN ES ESO? HE LOOKS REALLY GOOD AND HAPPY!!!!! That is so amazing. I love that kid. He never writes me though so thank you for forwarding emails!
MOM WAY TO BE A MISSIONARY! You are seriously better than I am at this work! Way to go! That is so cool! Could you write this in it for her:
"Se que las palabras en este libro son las palabras de Dios. Testifico que cuando lea este libro puede ser mas cerca de Dios. Se que lo bendicira su vida mucho. Me cae bien su hijo Jorge! El es muy amable y divirtido!"
That is awesome that you had the missionarys over! What did you cook them?! That will be great for the exchange students. The members here have started inviting us over more = :) :) :) Tonight we are going over to a brazilian members house and I hear really good things about her cooking so I'm excited. I'm also excited because through the members is where the best missionary work happens.
This week was good! It had some hard moments and some good moments. We went on exchanges this week for my first time. I went with Sister Bevan and she is AMAZING. It was fun to work with her and see how she does things because everyone is so different. President Trayner came up from McAllen to do interviews. It was good to talk with him and Sister Trayner. Transfers are next Tuesday... I have almost survived my first transfer in the field!!!! Crazy eh? I think I will be staying here in Laredo with Sister Villalobos... or at least I hope anyway.
The one investigator I was talking about didn't come to church this week :/ I hope he is okay. We have an appointment to come back tomorrow so we'll see what is up. That is the hardest thing when people start out so strong and then slip away... like Jon was talking about the guy that didn't want to get baptized anymore. It is rough but we just keep moving - like he said everyone has their agency. I realized this week how much I need to be working on to become more like Christ. Every moment and every thought of this life counts. I'm so grateful for this experience to be out here. Thank you and Grandma and Grandpa Palmer for making this possible. I am grateful every day.
Oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!! THIS WEEK WE WERE OUT CONTACTING AND THIS GRANDMA LET US INTO HER HOUSE AND GAVE US THE BIGGEST GRAPEFRUITS YOU HAVE EVER SEEN! THEY WERE FRESH FROM HER TREE IN THE BACKYARD AND WERE AS BIG AS A MELON!!!!!!!!! AND SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! I'LL SEND PICTURES :)
LOVE YOU ALL!
TAKE CARE!
P.S. WILL YOU TEXT BLAKELEY HAPPY BDAY FOR ME? OR ON FACEBOOK HAHA AND TELL HER TO WRITE ME SOMETHING B/C I DON'T HAVE HER ADDRESS
Monday, October 4, 2010
THE BAPTISM WAS AMAZING! The Lord works miracles.
WELLO (WELL HELLO HAHA) MAMA!!!!!
Okay I have so much to write I need like TEN HOURS TO FIT IT ALL IN! I'm going to speed type for you all. Conference was amazing right?
Okay so we had a BAPTISM AND IT WAS AMAZING! The Lord works miracles. It was amazing how calm and at peace she was later in the week when we talked to her. We had all been praying for her to feel at ease with the decision... and the Lord works according to our faith :) Her husband was able to baptize her on Saturday. It went perfect. She asked me to give a talk on baptism and I was honored. It was my first time speaking at a baptism. She came up out of the water and I knew she was clean. What a great feeling. They are planning to go to the Temple in a year with their little girl. Miracles happen.
The one investigator we met last week continues to amaze me. SOOOOOO many times people tell us "yeah come back next week..." but then they are NEVER there... but he was there and he had READ the pamphlet about the gospel. We had an amazing lesson about faith using Alma 32 and Ether 12. I can see the light and hope enter into his eyes already. We invited him to prepare for baptism and he is thinking about it. We also invited him to conference... and HE CAME..,.. and listened intently to the WHOLE thing. It was amazing. He did look at his watch once. Afterwards he told us that he loved it. He said that he felt like they were speaking DIRECTLY to him. It was Saturday afternoon session which talked a lot about faith... and I know the Lord specifically had him in mind while directing the speakers... so he is starting to feel it and each day I can see his smile is a little brighter. I really, really wish you and dad were serving down here as the senior missionaries... because honestly him and dad are SO MUCH ALIKE! He reminds me of Dad all the time and the things he has gone through. I was thinking as he was talking to us - "Dad would be the perfect member to take to these lessons." But anywho he is doing so well and I can't wait for you and Dad to serve a mission someday BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
So I have had some really interesting tracting stories from this week. First we were speaking with this lady at her door about the restoration.. in Spanish. I was explaining prophets and all of a sudden I hear my companion SCREAM... and I was like uh oh... and I look down and there was a GIANT HUGE GRUB WORM crawling past her feet on the portch. It was seriously three inches long and a half an inch wide. I have never seen one so big in my life. The owner kicks it to the side and we keep talking. Well Sister Villalobos invited her to be baptized and so the lady was thinking... and thinkking... and then all of a sudden she starts screaming hahaha I was like what in the world is going on around here... the bug decided to make another appearance. This time the woman gets her broom and procedes to golf it off the porch... we gave her a card and went on our merry way.
Second happened yesterday. A man opened his door and we introduced ourselves. He then asked us these questions
-Are you all pretty close?
-uhhhh sure.. yeah?
-Do you share things together?
-umm... not really but sometimes
-Would you ever share you husband?
Oh my goodness it was so ridiculous. It was really creepy and not a good conversation with him. I just thought it was funny though because he must have spent a long time thinking up those questions. No husband sharing for me!
Okay one last thing... THE COCHROACHES ARE CRAZY! We deep cleaned our apartment and found like 100 in the cupboard dead. We proabably kill one a day but they are small little buggers so it's not a big deal. The mosquitos are crazy and eat me like crazy. They are out at all times of the day--I don't get it!
Well I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SURVIVED FOUR WEEKS OUT HERE SO FAR WOOOOOOOOOT WOOT!!!
TAKE CARE!
LOVE,
HERMANA BRICKER
send my love to everytooonea;sdfj!!!!!!!!!!1
Okay I have so much to write I need like TEN HOURS TO FIT IT ALL IN! I'm going to speed type for you all. Conference was amazing right?
Okay so we had a BAPTISM AND IT WAS AMAZING! The Lord works miracles. It was amazing how calm and at peace she was later in the week when we talked to her. We had all been praying for her to feel at ease with the decision... and the Lord works according to our faith :) Her husband was able to baptize her on Saturday. It went perfect. She asked me to give a talk on baptism and I was honored. It was my first time speaking at a baptism. She came up out of the water and I knew she was clean. What a great feeling. They are planning to go to the Temple in a year with their little girl. Miracles happen.
The one investigator we met last week continues to amaze me. SOOOOOO many times people tell us "yeah come back next week..." but then they are NEVER there... but he was there and he had READ the pamphlet about the gospel. We had an amazing lesson about faith using Alma 32 and Ether 12. I can see the light and hope enter into his eyes already. We invited him to prepare for baptism and he is thinking about it. We also invited him to conference... and HE CAME..,.. and listened intently to the WHOLE thing. It was amazing. He did look at his watch once. Afterwards he told us that he loved it. He said that he felt like they were speaking DIRECTLY to him. It was Saturday afternoon session which talked a lot about faith... and I know the Lord specifically had him in mind while directing the speakers... so he is starting to feel it and each day I can see his smile is a little brighter. I really, really wish you and dad were serving down here as the senior missionaries... because honestly him and dad are SO MUCH ALIKE! He reminds me of Dad all the time and the things he has gone through. I was thinking as he was talking to us - "Dad would be the perfect member to take to these lessons." But anywho he is doing so well and I can't wait for you and Dad to serve a mission someday BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
So I have had some really interesting tracting stories from this week. First we were speaking with this lady at her door about the restoration.. in Spanish. I was explaining prophets and all of a sudden I hear my companion SCREAM... and I was like uh oh... and I look down and there was a GIANT HUGE GRUB WORM crawling past her feet on the portch. It was seriously three inches long and a half an inch wide. I have never seen one so big in my life. The owner kicks it to the side and we keep talking. Well Sister Villalobos invited her to be baptized and so the lady was thinking... and thinkking... and then all of a sudden she starts screaming hahaha I was like what in the world is going on around here... the bug decided to make another appearance. This time the woman gets her broom and procedes to golf it off the porch... we gave her a card and went on our merry way.
Second happened yesterday. A man opened his door and we introduced ourselves. He then asked us these questions
-Are you all pretty close?
-uhhhh sure.. yeah?
-Do you share things together?
-umm... not really but sometimes
-Would you ever share you husband?
Oh my goodness it was so ridiculous. It was really creepy and not a good conversation with him. I just thought it was funny though because he must have spent a long time thinking up those questions. No husband sharing for me!
Okay one last thing... THE COCHROACHES ARE CRAZY! We deep cleaned our apartment and found like 100 in the cupboard dead. We proabably kill one a day but they are small little buggers so it's not a big deal. The mosquitos are crazy and eat me like crazy. They are out at all times of the day--I don't get it!
Well I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SURVIVED FOUR WEEKS OUT HERE SO FAR WOOOOOOOOOT WOOT!!!
TAKE CARE!
LOVE,
HERMANA BRICKER
send my love to everytooonea;sdfj!!!!!!!!!!1
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