Hey family!!!

I would like to start off my email with some words from Bon Jovi "Wahoo, we are half way there ohh oh, living on a prayer, take my hand we'll make it I swear, wahoo living on a prayer" This song, along with my Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been the theme song of the month! Cannot believe that I have hit half way. I don't want my mission to end! I have been trying to enjoy and live every moment and just have fun and get lost in the work. I love it. My mission has taught me so much and I can’t wait to be a able to apply what I learned when I get home but at the same time I wouldn't mind extending at least right now. Might change in a few months but I am so glad 4 years ago I was told to go on a mission. Remember that day! My eyes flew open during the Patriarchal blessing and I was so scared and thought Heavenly Father was crazy! Didn’t he know my plans? ha-ha. But I am so glad he knows us perfectly and what is best for us! So grateful for that!! :) 

tTshirt from one of the most popular stores here located on the beach! Salt Life!! :)

I have lost so much weight since being in this area. I was 134 and now I am down to 122. All muscle! So glad Sister Torralba loves working out! We have been doing lots of hill work outs! Reminds me of XC and track. Miss racing. I have been her personal trainer this transfer and it made me realize how much I love coaching and helping her improve. She has made such progress because she never worked out before her mission so it’s been fun creating work outs for her and teaching her new things and techniques. Makes me really want to be a coach or a private coach some day! :) Been lots of fun! 

Matching!

     

This week was crazy. It was filled with meetings because Elder Zwick from the Quorum of the Seventy was here. Such a spiritual week! He is amazing! I love him and his wife so much! Funny story. We had a meeting with Elder Zwick and his wife and all of the church leaders in 4 stakes, and after me and Sister Torralba went up to say hi and get a picture and he asked where I was from. I said Seattle and he was like oh my wife is from Lynnwood and so is Elder Nash!  I said, “yeah Elder Nash is a good family friend and my mom babysat his kids” and he was like no way! He thought that was the coolest thing. Then I went to talk to his wife to see if she knew grandma or grandpa but it’s been 50 years since she was there so she didn't haha but still super cool! I learned so much from them! Sister Zwick told of a really cool story. She said when they were mission president in Chile, they would once a month go to the airport to get the new missionaries that would come in. As they were waiting, out comes all the missionaries and she noticed right away this tall white elder from Idaho. Once he saw Sister Zwick he made a bee line towards her and by passed Elder Zwick and shook her hand and said "Sister Zwick you can count on me!" When we came to earth, we not only came for ourselves but to help and strengthen each other. When we left Heavenly Father we told him, "you can count on me!" A disciple of Jesus Christ speaks of the good news. We need to trust the spirit. He will direct our missionary efforts. We need to keep going and hang in there. 

Before meeting Elder Zwick

She told of another story about her son who is mentally and physically disabled, Scotty. Scotty decided that he wanted to be in the Special Olympics and he wanted to throw the softball. Well Scotty has never thrown a softball before so he started to practice in the back yard. Every time he would go to throw the ball it would just land in front of him. Sister Zwick thought there was no way he wasn't going to be able to do it. But still determined he kept practicing and practicing on throwing that softball and on the day of the Olympics he threw that softball perfectly and got a ribbon. Scotty didn't let anything stop him he was determined even if it was a struggle he had a goal in mind he was going to achieve it! We must never give up because Heavnly Father is counting on us. It was a really good meeting.

A couple days after that we had a meeting with them with just us missionaries. He mentioned something really cool. He told us was that the cumulative hours spent in primary, Young Women, seminary and institute and then the Missionary Training Center, exceeds the amount of hours spent for a person who is getting their master’s degree. Which shows that we as missionaries are 3X more experienced then a person with a bachelor’s degree. Pretty cool stuff. A quote I really liked that he said was “who you are is more important then what you do!”  As missionaries it’s easy to lose sight of who we are and only focus on the numbers. It has happened to me a lot where I have lost who I was and needed to re gain sight of me and not focus on numbers and not to let the numbers determine what kind of missionary I am. What matters is who I am and that I use my personality to exceed because Heavenly Father called Sister Heacock to this mission not a robot. It was a really good reminder. Another quote I liked is "I will never limit myself by what I think my capacity is." We as humans, without knowing it, give ourselves limits based on what we think we can do but in reality we have no limits. In Heavenly Father’s eyes we have no limits or capacity! This reminds me of the quote "what would you try if you knew you wouldn't fail." So good! Got me pumped up and focused. I loved Elder Zwick learned so much from him!

Oh and no we aren't getting iPads yet. Next month he said, but we have started to switch things over so getting ready for them. I would start saving for it because they are going to have us buy them. They should be here soon! Will help so much!!

   

As for missionary work this week, it was slow. Lots of tracting and trying to find people by visiting members and less actives. But our faith hasn't been dimmed. We kept our faith up and stayed happy and positive. My personal study this morning I read Mormon 9:20 and I know that if we trust in god he will give us miracles. This is going to be a for sure miracle week and we are so excited!!! :)

Have a great week!! I love you!!!!!!!!!!! Remember to smile!! :)))

Love,

 Briaunna