Week 47 - The Vinyard

July 10, 2018

This week was SO great! Here's why:

- I got to have a few conferences and interview (conferencia de zona y concilio de liderazgo) with our AWESOME new president, President Brotherson and his wife. They were trained for 3 or 4 days by the apostles and prophet and even though I could tell they might have been a little overwhelmed by the task that lies ahead of them, they are SO prepared and ready and excited to help our mission reach the potential it has! 

- We had intercambios (exchanges) with Hermana Henson and Hermana Gonzalez, which is always really fun! We taught a lesson to a woman named Angelica (but when we met her a few days ago we totally wrote her name down as Ranzel, but we quickly found out that wasn't even close ha ha). She has two little poodle-looking type dogs that were ferocious! They kept yapping and grabbing at our heels, Angelica said they wouldn't do anything but I know I felt teeth on my calves! I was guessing that kicking her dogs wouldn't be the best impression to give, so we resisted. The lesson went well. She studied to be a Nun for 12 years and is very Catholic, but poco a poco!

- We got a new mission leader who is super capo! (chilean for a capable or stud). He is so excited to help and just gets things done. I love when members magnify their calling to the fullest. It makes allll the difference!!

- The CUTEST hermana made us Japanese food! Her husband is from Japan but has lived here ever since they got married. Her name is Hermana Kazama and is always thinking of others and how she can help. What a great example for us all!

- It rained! I love the rain.

- We got super frustrated at one point cause nobody wanted to listen to us. It was one of those 'what am I doing here' moments (we all have them I think) and sat down on a bench. We talked for a second and then a lady entered the park. I had the feeling to talk to her but then thought no, I don't want to be rejected once again! But so glad I did because if not I wouldn't have been able to meet Pilar and pray and cry with her. The spirit will always tell us 'ALL things that we SHOULD do' but we have to be the ones to decide to DO them. We'll be blessed when we do(:

Hermana Siebach and I are reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish together and we read Jacob 5 yesterday, the parable of the olive tree. I never really got it and just got pretty bored before when I read it before the mish, but this time, WOW it's so clear and we can learn SO much from it! One verse that I loved was Jacob 5:22- 

"And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit."

God knows the potential each person has, and though sometimes some need a little more nourishment and we can't see if our efforts are making a difference, God knows what each person needs to 'give fruit.' God is the Lord of the vineyard and we are the nourishers; let us not counsel Him saying that we have done good enough or they aren't going to change, or that it's not worth the effort. He knows every situation perfectly and we can help Him nourish a person, a place, our family, or the church wherever we are with persistence until it gives fruit!

The Tame and Wild Olive Trees 

Love, love you all so much! Read your scriptures and say your prayers and God will speak to you, that's a promise! What a wonderful day to be alive, no?

Love,

Hermana Briggs

Week 46 - No Email this week!

Week 45 - Temple lovin'

June 26th, 2018

Hello hello!

This last week went well! Ines and Felix went to church for the second time and stayed for gospel principles! They really like it and are learning a lot, they just want to make sure it's right. We invited Felix to get baptized, and he didn't say no. He said he could see it getting there but wants to learn more first. They really are making so much progress! He wants the missionaries to teach his kids that live in our ward, but in the elders area, so we sent them their reference and their going to pass by. Ines is bien Catholic and has a lot of faith. She is the cutest little ol' 80 year old and is always so happy to see us. She's like my little Chilean grandma!

We taught Juan Pablo this week! He has been progressing well, but we taught him the law of chastity and that's where he decided to leap off the salvation train. He didn't think it was from God and isn't willing to find out if it is, which lead to doubting basically everything we've taught him, aaaand needless to say we dropped him. He isn't willing to pray to receive answers from God or to act on the principles to find out if it's true. And because he won't, everything he's learned just crumbled in about 10 min. We've taught him since I got here so that was pretty rough. But listen. I don't know if I've said enough about JP so that you know that he is super unpredictable. We were sitting in Sacrament meeting Sunday and guess who walks in the room..JUAN PABLO WHAT?! And gospel principles talked about the exact thing he's been not understanding since we started teaching him. We hope and pray that the spirit was able to touch him somehow.

We visited a less active this last Sunday who has not gone back to church since she was in her teens, and she is now in her 60's. Her name is Mylene. She lived in Florida when she was younger and moved back to Chile in her 20's after both her brother and her dad died within a 2 year period, her brother from cancer and her dad basically from a broken heart after the death of his only son, their American dreams crushed. Her dad loved the church and was baptized in Florida along with the rest of her family. She knows English really well, so helped her practice a bit and we explained about the temple and I bore my testimony about the sacred and redeeming power of the ordinances and promises we make in the temple, and how being sealed to our families is one of the greatest blessings that comes from it. She told us that she would like to prepare to go inside one day with her whole family, and that maybe a good step would be to go to church Sunday. YES!! It would!! This lesson was really special and I felt the spirit so strong testifying of the truth of the temple! I know she felt it too. 

Speaking of temples, Hna Siebach and I got to go the the temple today!! It was super lindo. Ah, I just LOVE the temple. All you who live super close to temples, you are so BLESSED!! Take advantage of it! Go this week! Go tomorrow! Go today! There are SO many blessings from the temple and ALWAYS more to learn! Also crazy thing, I walked around the corner and guess who was in the temple going to the same session...Charissa Hayden who is serving in Santiago North!! It was nice to see a familiar face! And Cony was there as a temple worker! She is preparing for her mission to Mexico in September. I got really close to her in Las Gardenias and it was so great to see her there! 

Warning: Triste paragraph approaching. Our dear president Morgan is going home this Friday. President Morgan is amazing. A few things I've learned from him: 

-siempre buscar lo bueno. ese era su motto: y con buen animo busca lo bueno. eso es el. siempre tiene animo, y siempre esta buscando lo bueno.

-Las personas siempre son lo mas importante

-milagros no han cesado en santiago

-podemos ser perfecto, un paso a la vez. 

-Rush forward to meet your destiny

(Always look for the good. That was his motto: and with good cheer he looks for the good. that is him. He always has encouragement, and is always looking for the good.

-The people are always most important

-Miracles have not stopped in Santiago

-We can be perfect, one step at a time.

These are just a few of the many, but I'll miss him and his family a lot. His two daughters were here with us and I love them like my sisters! We're getting a new president the same day, and though it's sad the Morgans are leaving, I'm excited to welcome the Brothersons!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes! It was a lovely day visiting lots of lovely people and I wouldn't have wanted to spend it any other way. There's some pictures (the ones with cakes and pizza:)

Have a great week y'all!! Today is a wonderful day to be alive, si o no?! sure is.

Besitos! abrazos!

Hermana Briggs

Okay, next week we'll discuss  Matthew 26:33-43. that gives you another week to read it!!(:​

33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

36 ¶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

Week 43 - The Work Goes On

June 12, 2018

Dear Presidente,

We had a lot of progress this week! We had some very spiritual lessons, are helping quite a few menos activos become active, found some investigators that we had lost contact with, 3 investigators came to church, and one now has a baptismal date! 

Natalia is the one that has the baptismal date and she is progressing very well. She's 24 years old and from Columbia. She is hard to find available and cancels lessons frequently, but every lesson we have is very spirit filled and she listens intently and has a desire to learn. We are trying to get her involved with the ward and teach hear ley de castidad before her boyfriend comes back in July! ay!

Alberto is a menos activos referencia from our bishop, who's family went inactive because after preparing and turning in his mission papers, was denied the ability to go for health reasons. The family was really hurt by this decision and believe it was the bishop's fault, so we are helping them understand the need of peace that comes from forgiveness through Christ's atonement. It will be little by little with them, but their youngest son wasn't baptized at age 8 because of it, and now is 9. They are still strong believers in the church and would like that their son can make the decision to get baptized so we are hoping  to get to teach their son, Juan Pablo.

It's been a great week of learning and also a week where I feel the Lord is blessing us for our efforts. I love this ward and this area and am seeing more and more how there really are miracles in everyday that God blesses us with!

Love,

Hermana Briggs

Week 44 - Salchichas

Me and Ines at the temple.

June 19, 2018

Familia y amigitos!

This week was great. Like always! I learned a lot this past week and had many answered prayers. I'm also trying to get better at going back through my notes so that I can apply it, because I've noticed that many times I write down some really good notes, but I never go back to them, so I forget it! So I'm trying to get better with that- reviewing and remembering what I have learned. I have also noticed that my happiness level has been staying really constant, meaning that no matter the situation around me- even if it requires patience or is a little discouraging- I've been able to keep a vision and not let the immediate reaction of a situation get to me, if that makes sense! So in short, I've been pretty happy.

This last Saturday we watched 'The Restauracion' with one of our investigadors in a members house, which went really well! He said that he had never realized the sacrifice and and  persecution involved with the forming of the church. He asked why there was so much, and  we explained that the adversary is always going to be fighting against the good in any and every way it can, there is opposition in all things, and especially the good things! Satan didn't want Joseph to succeed and the church to grow, so he did everything he could to stop it. The movie really helped Juan Pablo get a broader vision and really understand how Joseph Smith was prepared and divinely authorized to usher in the restoration! 

Our zone from the zone activity today.

That night we took Ines to a baptism in Pocuro which she liked! She felt the spirit and could tell the difference of spirit that there is there. We also took that opportunity to walk around the temple grounds and talk about the importance of the temple. We invited her to church but she said that she needed to get lunch ready for all her family who was coming over...the 10 commandments and the sabbath day are definitely the next lesson on the bench! Then after we walked into the annex of the temple because I was sooo thirsty and guess who was sitting there?? LAS GARDENIAS!! All the ym and yw had gone to the temple + the bishop and leaders!! It literally was the best surprise EVER!! Ah it's amazing how much I love them! AND YAIR was there!! (my convert) and it was his SECOND time going to the temple!! I am so proud of him. He's making decisions that are going to change the course of his life for the better. After that I was walking away with a smile as big as the love I have for him and all of them and couldn't help but thinking how blessed I am that God let me be here to love these people and bring a soul unto Him. I really am so grateful for that trust and love He has for me.

Aldo, a recent convert.

Yesterday we had the last Charla Foganera (fireside) with President Morgan. He and his family go home in a week and a half..how crazy is that?! We are all pretty sad, but also he has two grandkids he still hasn't met so we'll let him go home and welcome President Brotherson on in. Anyway, Hermana Henson, Siebach and I sang 'Oh dulce grata oracion' (sweet hour of prayer)! I got to see my first comp, Hna Silva who goes home to Peru in a month and my sweet hijita. And cony and really a lot of people who I just love. 

Bishop Fernandez and his wife and YAIR!,

Me & Hmna Silva

My BFF, Madison, Pres. Morgan's daughter.

Anyway, hope y'all have a great week! What a wonderful day it is to be alive, am I right?(:

AMOR,

Hermana Briggs

ps study matthew 26:33-43 and we'll talk more about it next week!

Completos (but really just a hot dog)- am I Chileno yet?

Week 42 - Dulce Oracion!

June 5, 2018

HELLO!! 

This week was really great! We have an investigador that we really feel like is starting to progress, her name is Ines and her husband Marcos and her son, Felix. They are keeping their commitments and are really receptive to learn! We are going to eat ice cream with her after this even though my fingers are already frozen from typing ha!

Hna Henson stayed with us the last 2 days because her comp went home..bien divertido!

Juan Pablo came to church this sunday as well! We are planning a day with a member so that he can watch the Restoration as we have felt several times that this might help him gain a greater testimony in prophets. We also had a very inspired and spirit-guided lesson where we talked about praying in the name of Jesus Christ, which before he was refusing to do. We did some studying before, and found that more than Him being the way we can come to live with our Heavenly Father, when we close in His name, we are saying that we are aligning our will with His, and basically saying that what we say is something that Christ would say. In the bible dictionary it says that if our prayers aren't answered, that many times we are praying for things that 'in no way represent His mind but spring out of the selfishness of man’s heart,' and so they aren't prayed in Christ's name. We discussed this with Juan Pablo and at last he said that it made sense and he would start to make the change to pray in His name. Yay!!

From last week at the charla that I got today..Hna sSlva and a newbie who she's training and my dear Hna Vasquez!

I read a scripture this morning that I loved. D&C 34:7, dice "4 I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; and verily, I say, even as many as have believed in my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them." Really it isn't Christ shedding His blood and suffering for us that makes His atonement meaningful, it's the VIRTUE of His blood that He shed that makes the difference and gives His suffering value and redeeming power. It's because He was perfect and lived a clean and rightous life, and is pure that gives Him the ability to overcome all sin and plead before the Father for us. I love that.

Hope you all have a great week! Don't forget to pray and ready your scriptures every. day. God wants to hear from you and answer you, I promise(:

Muchisimo amor y cariñitos,

Hermana Briggs

ps. hope all of us (especially the youth but really all of us) can take the challenge of doing the 5 things from President Nelson's devotional Sunday. I know it was inspired and will make all the difference!! link:

https://www.lds.org/blog/five-things-the-prophet-invites-all-youth-to-do-now?cid=HP_SU-3-6-2018_dPTH_fBCAST_xLIDyL1-A_&lang=eng

Five Things the Prophet Invites All Youth to Do Now - lds.org In a special devotional for youth, President Russell M. Nelson told young people across the globe that taking part in the gathering of Israel is their most important purpose right now. www.lds.org

Week 41 - Our Talents to Share the Gospel

Our lovely zone-they're pretty great!

May 29, 2018
Another week? where does time go!

a few highlights from the week:

Alrighty, juan pablo. He's an investigator who really wasn't progressing and the lesson this week just confirmed that even more (he's great, but he does something that's called the buffet approach. He just kinda floats from church to church, taking the things he likes, leaving the things he doesn't like and moving on, creating his own religion based on what he's comfortable with. But God's commandments and gospel are unchangeable and eternal truths, even if we, with our limited knowledge, want to see them as otherwise.) Anyway, after this lesson we decided we were going to drop him, as that's what we felt we should do and hope that maybe he'd be ready at a later time in his life. Then the following Sunday he calls de la nada in the morning to tell us he's comin to church...what?! He hadn't gone to church in months! But we were excited and he came, felt the spirit, stayed all three hours, made lots of friends, and loved how he felt there. Wahoo! So now we're just gonna keep teaching him! Stay tuned!

It's a rainy day today so I'm pretty happy!!

We met a lady who was raking her leaves and we felt like we should stop to talk to her. We gave her a  tarjeta of the temple and explained what it means to us. She then expressed what she had been feeling the last few years with some pretty traumatic deaths that had taken place in her family and how she had just moved on with faith, not knowing where they went or why they had died, but still believing in God and never doubting his presence in her life, knowing that God knows best and looking to him for solace. She is an amazing lady! We were able to share more about temples and eternal families and she said she knew that there weren't coincidences in us passing by to tell her about the peace and joy that can come from the knowledge of the gospel and plan our father in heaven has for us. We've since gone by to teach her and is praying to know if what we are teaching is true.

Our little chapel is behind the big glass building...spot the steeple??

We've also started to try to find ways to bless others by using our talents because we've received lots of counsel on this from church leaders. I mean it makes sense, right? There is no one cookie cutter missionary (or church member) and everyone has God-given gifts that we can use to serve others and share the gospel! So I found out that hna Siebach is really good at water color, so we bought some two mil water colors and got painting! I also like calligraphy, so she did the painting and I did the writing and have been giving little cards of the favorite scriptures to hermanas who feed us lunch everyday and to some other people and for certain occasions! (a few are pictured below:) Every single one of us can find something- a talent or even just something we enjoy doing to bless the life of someone else! 

Love you all! Keep looking for ways to make a difference and share the gospel!

--1 Nefi 16:5 -  And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness.

Besitos y Abrazos! 

Hermana Briggs

The little tarjetitas with scriptures

...hna siebach is so talented!

Sometimes I get a little stressed ...... This helps so much!