Week 22 - Aprendiendo!!

January 16, 2018

Dearest Familia and Amigos,

Here's a little of how my lovely week went, honest and open(:

This last week was a little bit of a tougher one, for me personally. Over time, I've realized that I am a perfectionist, I have an ideal in my mind that of how I want things to turn out and how I want to be. And when it doesn't or if I don't live up to these expectations, I get frustrated and down on myself. And this week was one of those weeks.

 Every day I got pretty stressed because I wasn't seeing the results I wanted to see. And when it comes down to it many things were out of my control, like people not being home. But then I always found a way to blame it on something I was doing wrong or should be doing, such as maybe we need to call or send a text message the day of so they remember our appointment and are home. And this is how my week flew by, stressed that we weren't living up to my expectations. I thought many times that we were trying and that we were in a preparation period (we've been really working and organizing the ward directory to find menos activos and with the relief society president!) and that we will see the results in the next few weeks, which maybe is true, but after thinking about my week and evaluating, I think the real reason why I was frustrated is that I knew I wasn't living up to my potential. We were doing everything that we should- we had citas, we were visiting menos activos, we were trying to find and follow the spirit and plan for the needs of our investigators, and much more but something was missing. And I think it was that I was focusing so hard on the things we weren't doing that it seemed impossible that we could do better the next day. But this is no way to improve! 

I'm now going to tell some of the good things that happened this week. 

Our investigador, Jesse, wants to know, with the most true intention I've seen, if this church is true. She has so much faith, and although she is learning little by little, I know one day she will receive an answer to her prayers. She thanked us deeply for the difference us and other missionaries have made in her life. Dennis told us he wants to be baptized, although he wants to wait until he knows more Spanish, he is willing to keep commandments, like word of wisdom, and fulfilling his commitments. Another miracle this week was the weather! A few days this week were cloudy and windy and it was so fresh and felt so good in the middle of this hot summer! 

There really were many miracles this week and what I've come to find through prayer and personal study is that the only thing that matters in the end is what our Heavenly Father thinks of us. If we are doing our best and making sure to put in our intentional and honest effort to serve Him and do better, He will know and bless us. I'm excited for this week to give everything I have everyday, and actively search and find ways to live up to my potential and the potential we have working together in a companionship. Sometimes there are setbacks, but only to comeback even stronger than before! Because from them we learn. Well, to learn is a choice, but I should hope we always find something to learn from our experiences.

I hope you each have a great week! Remember God loves you and has a perfect plan for you! 

Muchisimo amor,

Hermana Briggs

"When we are righteous, willing, and able, when we are striving to be worthy and qualified, we progress to places we never imagined and become part of Heavenly Father’s “divine design.” Each of us has divinity within us. When we see God working through us and with us, may we be encouraged, even grateful for that guidance. When our Father in Heaven said, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,” He was talking about all of His children—you in particular." --Elder Rasband

"By Divine Design"

Week 21 - Hermosa Semana

January 9th, 2018

Familia y amigos!!

Quick random quote for your week I found: "the greatness of man is in the way, he meets the eternal everyday." -some apostle that I can't quite remember. (Quentin L. Cook, of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, quoting Edmund Vance Cooke)

Our zone activity today- we played soccer, capture the flag with water balloons, and ate lots of ice cream! (which is the part featured)

This week was just the best! We worked on a lot of things this week and are finding lots of solutions to what we can do better for our area! One thing that I personally have been pretty frustrated with is contacting. We have so many people in our area and have so many people we could visit that I used to think why contact and have lots of new investigators if we don't even have time to visit them all? But this question was answered in district meeting last Monday when our district leader talked about how God is always preparing people to hear the gospel, and we need to be willing to open our mouths invite them to hear it, because how else are they going to hear about the true gospel that can bless their lives more than anything else? We always need to be searching and talking with people to find those who have been prepared. 

Yair has a baptismal date! And he also went to church Sunday for the first time! He is 12 years old and really timid but his older brother who is a member is really helping him adjust and want to go and keep learning. I have also seen a lot of progress with Roller, his older brother who was menos activos. He asked him if he has thought about a mission and he say yes he wants to go! So we are studying Preach My Gospel with him to help him start preparing. We have also seen a lot of progress with our other menos activo who we are working with, Alexander, who is really starting to want to have the spirit and apply the gospel in his life. AH the change is amazing! He also is thinking about a mission!!

We went to the temple today! AH man I love the temple so much. there is so much peace unlike anywhere else!

Something I learned this in my studies is about Christlike attributes and how to develop them. In Preach My Gospel there are 9, or maybe 10. But what I found after reading Ether 12:28 is that developing just three attributes will help us reach all of the rest of them: Faith, hope, and charity. And then I added developing all of these in the attitude of humility. It says in this verse that having these three traits leads us to ALL righteousness. So, developing more faith will lead us to be more obedient, and diligent in doing what God has asked us to do. To have more hope requires us to learn of God's plan and trust in it- more knowledge. Want more charity? We have to have more patience with others, study the Christlike life of Christ and have noble thoughts always of others--virtue! Really they all connect from faith, hope, and charity! And then trying to develop this with the right reason in mind, doing it because we love God and Christ and want to become more like Him.

I have learned a lot this week and have much to improve on, but I am grateful for the Atonement of Christ that allows us to keep trying over and over again. 

Hope you have a great week and always remember why you are here and what your purpose is. If you don't know, kneel down and ask your Father in heaven and he will let you know(:

LOVE YOU!

Hermana Briggs

Week 20 - Milagros!

January 2, 2018

Family y amigos! 

New Year's Eve, eating our super rico (delicious) Haitian food!

This week was super crazy! We always have something to be doing, which is really good. Hermana Vasquez and I get along really well, and she has a super strong testimony and knows exactly what to say in the right time, which means she is in tune with the spirit. I have opened up a lot, and learned to trust my Español and recognize and follow the promptings of the spirit.

We have had quite a few miracles this week (okay there are always miracles but these were especially grand!). One of them is that Yair (12 years old)  is preparing to be baptized! He is a very intelligent kid and remembers everything we talk about in great detail. But also wants to pray to know if it is true. When he receives his answer his older brother who is a member will be able to baptize him. 

Another miracle is that an investigator for  a few months who has almost dropped us several times, is finally receptive to truly pray to know if the Book of Mormon and this church is true. His wife was very Catholic and he didn't believe in religion, but both their hearts have been softened and they wants to know if this is true. I think the thing he is most scared about is having to change, but he already has so much already. I love seeing the difference the gospel makes in people's lives!

Another miracle is that two of our menos activos we are visiting (one 17 and one 19) are now thinking about serving missions! We are helping Roller study Preach my Gospel and Alexander is learning to be more sensitive to the spirit. 

Miracle number 4: Luis (one of our investigators for 3 months) broke both his arms and can't work! This seems terrible, right? BUT NO. He can't work so he is at home all day long! What does this mean for us missionaries? We can pass by every single day if we want and he has lots of time to ready the Libro de Mormon! It's a great blessing in disguise and we have seen a lot of progress with Luis because of it!

Last miracle (of this email, not of our week), a man approached us and told us he had some questions. He continued to ask about who Joseph Smith is to us, if we worship him, or God, and who Jehovah is, and a few more questions which we were able to answer pretty easily. But normally when people ask us questions like this it's because they want to argue with us or try to prove us wrong in some way, but this man was genuinely sincere. After he told us he respects us a lot because there's a lot of other teenagers doing bad things and it's rare to find them doing good things, and he wishes his sons could find God and be like us etc and started to tell us a lot about his life. This man was searching for goodness and went out of his way to get his questions answered. And he will! We are visiting him this Thursday to answer all of his questions and help him find more joy and goodness through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There are so many miracles and I'm so grateful for this full year that I get to be a missionary. I have learned so much already and know that when we sincerely approach God and ask for His help, for His guidance to change and become the person He wants us to be, He will always give us direction and the experiences we need to learn and be a better version of ourselves. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father! And I hope each of you can feel His deep love for you.

Love you all! Never forget to do the simple things, they make all the difference.

Hermana Briggs

1 Nefi 17:3 

 3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

Week 19 - Gifts to our Savior

December 26, 2017

Querido familia y amigos,

This week went by so fast like always. Hermana Vasquez and I's first lession was with Jesse and David. David has a hard time with faith, especially acting on his faith. He always says that he thinks our faith is really 'bonita' but he has his religion in his heart. Well, Hermana Vasquez told him straight up that Christ said we have to be baptized to enter into the reigna de Dios, and to have this sealed in heaven as well it has to be done by the proper authority like Christ had to seach for John the Baptist for the right athority, so we have to find the church that has the right authority and be baptized or basically we can't be saved, then live by the precepts of that church- which will be the true church of Christ. David couldn't disagree with any of that and it basically disproved his theory of how he can live forever with his faith in his heart. Her testimony was so strong, and she said it in the most loving and humble way possible. It was direct and powerful, and since then I have seen that same directness and power not offend people, but help them understand more clearly. I also found it was in this way that the Savior taught. Directly with power and love. I have already learned so much from my new compañera and know she is teaching me wayy more than I could ever teach her!

My new companion, Hermana Vasquez!

We taught Renee this week, who was a contact from a few weeks ago. But he had so many questions about the book of mormon and is so eager to learn and is really prepared. I am really excited for his progress! We also found Lizandro, another one of our contacts from a few weeks ago who told us he wants to make changes in his life, not for us, but for himself and he knows that we can help him. His pareja is really interested as well and wants to introduce us to her son as well! We also felt prompted to visit Shelah, one of our old investigators, and in her house we found another new investigator who has definitely been prepared to be receptive to the gospel! She is haitiana and works 4 hours from here, but on the weekends she comes back to live at her sisters house which is why we haven't met her before because we never visited Shelah on the weekends. She said she hasn't gone to a church since she moved here but feels she lacks it in her life and wants to learn more!

My first and second companions!

Sunday I felt so strongly we should visit Genesis y Tomas, even though we didn't have an appointment and it was about time to go to the Christmas Devotional, but we went anyway. Normally it is pretty hard to find them, but they were home! I shared Mosiah 2:41 with them (which is almost my all time fav) and words just came out of my mouth to tell them. Hermana Vasquez knew hardly anything about their situation and her words were inspired and perfect. It was a short visit but I know it was inspired and I'm grateful for the Spirit to guide.

This week has been really busy and I haven't had much time to think and evaluate but I have learned so much, from being a trainer and from Hermana Vasquez who is so patient and willing and ready to work. I can already see some of the new things I'm going to need to learn and am excited to trust more in the Lord and 'lean not to my own understanding.'

Best Christmas present ever!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! With all the gift giving, think of a gift you can give to the Savior this year(:

con mucho amor,

Hermana Briggs

Week 18 - FELIZ (casi) NAVIDAD!

December 19, 2017

Dearest family and friends,

This week was super crazy! We had cambios and my super amazing comp is leaving me! I'm going to train a new missionary (which I'm super nervous for!) and will pick her up tomorrow! So these last few days we were saying bye to investigators and members, which is why there are so many pictures. The people may all look the same or not mean much to just anyone, but to me they have been my life for the last 3 months, and each one means SO much to me, including my comp. So as you look through them, maybe they are just another face, but they have a life and a story and hardships and faith and love and so much more just like you. Each person is distinct and so very different but isn't it so amazing that we all have the same Father and are all children of God who loves us all no matter our circumstances or who we are?! It's truly amazing. 

Christmas is super close, and don't forget what Christmas is really about: love. Everything Heavenly Father does for us is out of LOVE for us and because he has perfect love for us He wants us to progress and learn. That is why we have trials that test our love for Him or patience or faith, but when we focus on this love and turn out and love others and as He loves us, that is when we find real purpose and joy, not just happiness. There is always someone that needs to be reminded of the love Heavenly Father has for them, so my encouragement for you is to find that someone that God needs you to touch and be His hands for him. They will be blessed and you will be blessed. I can testify that there is no other joy alike that comes than being in the service of others and feeling the love God has for them. I hope you all can find this for yourselves if not already!

Love you all so much and hope you have the Felizest of Navidads! (:

Enviando mucho amor,

Hermana Briggs

We just had cambios (exchanges) and MOM I'm going to TRAIN a new missionary!! AHHH I CANT TRAIN I BARELY KNOW SPANISH!! Anyway I was supposed to pick her up today but president is sick and so we are waiting until tomorrow. AH man I can't believe it, it was a super big shock. If they are gringa we are dead. Not really but yeah it'll be hard. I know I will learn a lot and there are a lot of things I want to instigate and I'm excited but also really nervous and anxious. Any prayers would be appreciated(: but I know I will be able to do it with the help of the Lord.

ps. enjoy the snow for me porfeis!

Week 17 - Following the Spirit!

December 12, 2018

Dearest family and friends,

Our best Haitian friends!!

This week was a good one. We've had quite a few new investigators and have been working with them a lot. We have found that once we start teaching people they have a lot more temptations or get really sick or things like that! It's kind of crazy. But we know that the power of God can help them through it all and is more powerful! There was one specific lesson we had with one of our investigators who has a hard time having faith in God and in the moment I had no idea what to say and literally nothing was coming to my mind. I said a little prayer for help and opened my mouth and it was filled with words that were not mine and that I would not say normally- different vocabulary and phrasing of words. In the moment I still had no idea what to say but words were flowing out of my mouth and things to talk about just came to my mind. It was a truly amazing moment when I knew without a doubt that the gift of tongues is so real and God will help us know exactly what to say for each person in specific time that we need Him, we just have to trust Him and be worthy to receive His help. 

There were a few times Sunday that I felt to talk to certain people and I didn't, and after it's the worst feeling ever. So Monday I decided that I would not let that happen again and made sure to talk to every person the spirit prompted me to talk to, and the results were amazing! I'm trying to work on being more sensitive to the spirit to guide me throughout the day and better determine the needs of my investigators and help them. So very grateful for the help and gift of the Holy Ghost.

Hope you all make this a great week, and don't forget to LIGHT THE WORLD with acts of service this month (and every month:) That is the best gift we can give to the Lord this Christmas season. 

Love you all and never forget how much God loves you!

Amor,

Hermana Briggs

Pictures:

Ilumina el Mundo charla foganera (devotional) that I played at, everyone got a balloon and a card and wrote a note on it and gave it away to someone that night on their camino home. It was really beautiful!

Our best haitian friends!!

Week 16 - Light the World!

December 5, 2018

Dear family and friends,

This week was full of lots of ups and downs! Tuesday was Hermana Silva's birthday and our loving bishop and his wife made a tres leches cake and we celebrated a little! It was super fun, they are really entertaining and are are super fun family to be around. They even bought me a little present too ha ha they're the best! 

Thursday we got a call from one of our members who told us that 3 people from Cuba had just moved into his apartments and wanted us to come visit them. He said that they had asked if he could arrange for Jehovah Witnesses to come teach them, but he told them he didn't know them, but he didn't know missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ! and he called us and we went and taught them right away. They left everything, literally and traveled here over 10 days. They sold their house in Cuba to have the money and by the time they got here, all of it was gone. They have a lot of faith and are so positive, knowing that although they may have not much in matter of the world, they have the most important thing together- their family. So we're starting to teach them too! And they're are going to visit the temple Saturday! Also their accent is super thick and way different but so cool too. Also really grateful to the member reference and the courage he had to simply talk and stand up for his religion. Because of his good example as well they are a lot more receptive:)

Friday we stopped by one of our investigators house who just had her baby 4 days earlier (the one who named her baby the name I suggested:)  and oh my goodness she is the sweetest thing in the whole world. Entering the room of the baby Nora I could feel the spirit SO strong, it was amazing! Babies really are the closest thing to heaven and are perfect in every way. I really couldn't believe that Heavenly Father would trust us with someone as precious, but he does and it's a grand and glorious responsibility. My testimony grew a lot about the role and importance of mothers and fathers, and the important role they have in teaching and raising children in righteousness!

Saturday one of our investigators committed to be baptized! He is really excited and keeps saying he's been waiting for this and is really ready now. I am really excited for him and the changes he can make in his life for the better! I also read a talk for personal study called 'Stand as true Millennials' by Pres. Nelson and oh my goodness it is amazing, I really encourage everyone to read it and take him up on the promises he makes!

Monday we shared the light the world campaign with one of our menos activos who got super excited about it. Light the world is an amazing way to get people excited about Christmas and the true meaning of it. I read a talk this week that said something like 'can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone gave gifts of service, love, and compassion in place of games and toys?' Every light starts with one person, and we don't have to change the world- start in homes, with friends, and on you way to work or school find ways to help and serve, that is the way we show our love for God.

Today was crazy loco, got up to practice at a a'capella with and elder who is going to play the piano for me in the centro of Santiago my piece I'm going to play for a Christmas devotional. It's this Sunday and I'm super excited! 

This week was hard and really good in a lot of ways. I learned how powerful the adversary is, but also how brilliant and real the power of God is. I know that this is His work, and I am only an instrument. I also know that he will bless those who are willing, ready and choose to answer His call and promptings and choose to to the best they can to fulfill them. When we are obedient, live righteously and do all we can to help others live the gospel that is when we are successful.

Anyway love you all so so much! Try to find meaning of Christmas to you personally and how you can show what Christ means to you through your actions, especially through service. You will have more joy and find direct answers to your prayers, I can promise you that.

Make it a good week!

Amor,

Hermana Briggs

Alma 48:12

pictures: birthday de hermana silva, actividad de distrito hoy dia