Family!!

            This week has been great! It’s been a roller coaster but when is it not! I guess I will start with the sad news. Esperanza, who I just loved so much, called us last Tuesday and told us that she got a job offer back in Ecuador and that she was leaving:( She left Friday night and we got to say goodbye to her on Wednesday. It was so sad. I cried. It was hard because we became fast friends with her and connected with her so well! But I know she will get baptized in Ecuador and she will be able to receive the blessing she needs at this time.

But since Heavenly Father is so loving and amazing, He blessed us with Jose! We found him knocking doors this week! He said it was such a blessing that we passed by because he said he has seen our church and has always wanted to go! We prayed with him and he loved it and wanted to start learning more. So we set up a return appointment for the next day. We went over the next day with a member who we thought he would connect well with and they became friends right away! He didn't have a whole lot of time so we taught about the Book of Mormon and gave him a copy and committed him to read 3 Nephi 11. The next day we went over and we got to teach him and his wife the restoration. It was really good!! They both really liked it and the Spirit was super strong. We followed up with his reading and he gave us full run through of what he read and what he learned. He loves the book of Mormon and says he can just feel the power it has just by holding it. His wife said that she has started reading the Book of Mormon too. It was an awesome experience to see Jose just light up as he talked about the Book of Mormon. It’s such a testimony builder that the gospel really does change lives! I love watching investigators lives change as they come to know that the gospel is real! :)

Sister Moise's first time at an IHOP

            This week we had a bug going around our district and what do you know, I caught it. Yuck. I was out all Sunday. We went to church but I only got half way through sacrament before I needed to leave. I had a huge headache that was making me dizzy and I ached all over and had a cough and a fever. Being sick didn't help my back at all. It got very inflamed so I was in pain too but I was so spoiled by Sister Moise. She took good care of me and made me soup and everything! She is the best! That night a sister from the Relief Society brought us dinner and her husband and son gave me a blessing. That night my fever broke and yesterday I was able to go out and work. Recovering but I am doing good!! :))

              This week I was reading a talk called “You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory”. It was a super amazing talk! I loved it! Some parts from the talk that I loved were:

    ".....This is not new news. You have been told countless times that you are a chosen generation reserved for the latter part of the latter days. Just two months ago, in general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley said once again: “You are the best generation we have ever had” (“An Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World,” Ensign, November 2003, 84). It’s akin to being chosen to run the last leg of a relay, where the coach always positions his strongest runner.

You were recommended to help run the last leg of the relay that began with Adam and Eve because your premortal spiritual valor indicated you would have the courage and the determination to face the world at its worst, to do combat with the evil one during his heyday, and, in spite of it all, to be fearless in building the kingdom of God.

You simply must understand this, because you were born to lead by virtue of who you are, the covenants you have made, and the fact that you are here now in the 11th hour.

You were born to lead as mothers and fathers, because nowhere is righteous leadership more crucial than in the family. You were born to lead as priesthood and auxiliary leaders; as heads of communities, companies, and even nations. You were born to lead as men and women willing “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places,” because that’s what a true leader does (Mosiah 18:9; emphasis added).

You were born to lead, and, in the words of Isaiah, you were born for glory (see Isaiah 62:2–3).

Now the glorious but sobering truth is that, in spite of your aeons of premortal preparation, the days ahead will at times “wrench your very heart strings,” as the Prophet Joseph told the Twelve (in John Taylor, JD 24:197). If you’ve hoped to passively, comfortably live out your lives, let me burst that little bubble once and for all. Now, please, do not misunderstand me: This is a magnificent time to live! It is a time, said President Spencer W. Kimball, when our influence “can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times” (“Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters,” Ensign, November 1978, 103). The strongest runner wants to run the last leg of the relay.

But the last days are not for the faint of heart or the spiritually out of shape. There will be days when you feel defeated, exhausted, and plain old beat-up by life’s whiplash. People you love will disappoint you—and you will disappoint them. You’ll probably struggle with some kind of mortal appetite. Some days it will feel as though the veil between heaven and earth is made of reinforced concrete. And you may even face a crisis of faith. In fact, you can count on trials that test your testimony and your faith.

Aren’t you glad I came bearing such optimistic news? Actually, I am nothing if not optimistic about you, for everything about your lives is an indicator of our Father’s remarkable respect for you. He recommended you for now, when the stakes are so high. Now is the day when His kingdom is being established once and for all, never again to be taken from the earth. This is the last leg of the relay. This is when He needs His strongest runners.

The simple fact is that our Father did not recommend Eve or Moses or Nephi or countless other magnificent exemplars for this dispensation—He recommended you and me. Do you think God would have left the last days to chance by sending men and women He couldn’t count on? A common theme of patriarchal blessings given to men and women your age is that you were sent now because our Father’s most trustworthy children would be needed in the final, decisive battle for righteousness. That is who you are, and it is who you have always been." 

I not only love it because it talks about running, but how true it really is. It was a mind blowing experience to realize that Heavenly Father has saved US for these latter days for the last leg of the race. He didn't save Moses or Moroni, although they played a huge part in the church and they were saved to do a special work but as we grow nearer to the end of the battle/ race, Heavenly Father is counting on us. We have such a greater responsibility. We are the anchors and we need to do our part! This talk was very uplifting for me and helped me realize how important i am and how important my part is. I hope it does the same for you!! :) 

            I love you all so much!!! I hope you have a great week!!! Miss you all!!!! :)))

Briaunna

Family!

So first off, transfer calls! Me and sister Moise are staying together!! :) Super excited to stay and end in Hialeah with her! It’s crazy! That was my last transfer call! So weird! Anyways super excited to be able to end strong! :)

Sister Moise's Birthday!

                  So this week was crazy! This week we were on hurricane watch for Hurricane Erika. We had to prepare our 72 hour kits, buy some food storage and make sure our house was good! The mission kept us updated! It was crazy going to Walmart to buy all our stuff. Everyone and their dog was there!! Florida needs to know how to do food storage! We were expecting it to hit Sunday but at the last minute it turned and went for Tampa, but we still got a really good storm! Probably the worst I have seen since being here. Didn’t sleep all night! Our room was lit up with lightning and our house was shaking with thunder! Everything was flooded. But super glad it wasn't a hurricane! If we were to have one and it was bad enough, they would just sent everyone who goes home soon, early. Wouldn’t want to have come this far to get sent home early because of a hurricane! Glad it is all over for now :)

Our District

            This week we had to drop Juan and Norberto. Juan doesn't want to see us anymore. :( It was super sad!! We tried to understand why, but he wouldn't tell us. I know one day though, if not in this life, he will accept the gospel! Norberto is a different story. Had a lesson with him this week and taught him the plan of salvation. At the end he said that he had a dream and an angel came to him and told him that this church wasn't for him. Our jaws dropped open. We bore strong testimony and talked about how he felt at church but he wouldn't budge, so we dropped him :(

​Lots of hair!! Super excited to have it short! So much cooler, healthier and easier! :)

BUT! Heavenly father is so amazing and merciful that he blessed us with a miracle!! This week the members asked us to go visit a member who had just moved into the ward from Ecuador. Her name is Esperanza (means hope). We went over to welcome her and as we were talking we felt like we needed to ask if she had been baptized. She said no! She said that she took all the lessons from the missionaries and is on the list but for some reason has never been baptized!!! We were shocked! She loves the church and goes every Sunday. I guess people just thought she was a member! So we taught her the restoration and right when we pulled out the pamphlet she started crying! She said it reminded her of the good times when she was back in Ecuador with her family! Her husband cheated on her so she left everything and lives in a one room efficiency. She has two kids but they live far away. We taught the restoration and she knew it all. It was basically a review! She is so amazing!!! I love her to death! She came to church on Sunday and after we went and saw her and read 3rd Nephi 11 with her. She loved it! We asked what her favorite part was and she said when it talked about baptism. She said that she was so excited to be baptized! She is set for the 18th of September! :) Such a blessing!!

           

Passion Fruit Flower

This week I read the talk Dad sent to me called The Blessings of Serving a Mission. I really enjoyed it! All the experiences were really uplifting! One quote that  I loved that stuck out to me was “the harder you fight for something the harder it is to surrender”. So true! There is so many blessings that come from serving a mission you can’t even count them! All I know is that serving is worth it! Every single moment is worth it! The harder you work and try your best the harder it is to want to quit. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father loved me enough to be bold with me and told me to serve a mission because I probably wouldn't have gone if it wasn't for my Patriarchal Blessing. I feel so blessed!! :)

 

Thanks so much family for all that you do!! You are all amazing!! I miss you all so much!! Have an amazing week!! :)

Briaunna

Family!!

Boy oh boy was it so good to talk to you all this week. President was inspired for letting me call you, that's for sure!! Thanks so much for all the advice and scriptures and love!! I won’t lie, I feel tired, run down and like my body is 40 years old. BUT! After our call I prayed for a half hour just bawling my eyes out. I was so torn and confused about whether to come home early or not. After I prayed I felt a lot of comfort and peace and was able to sleep well. In the morning we had our personal study and I have never read so many scriptures that talk about our bodies and trials! I read in Proverbs 3:5-8, 2nd Corinthians 1:2-7 and all of chapter 4. All the verses talked about overcoming trials. After I re-read that talk Dad sent me, the Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence and these are the things that really stuck out to me:

"It isn't over until it’s over"

“The fight goes on"

“Don’t let your guard down. Don’t assume that a great revelation, some marvelous, illuminating moment, the opening of an inspired path, is the end of it. Remember it isn't over until it’s over"

 “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise… If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. We are not of them who draw back unto perdition"

 “We don't draw back. Don’t panic and retreat. Don’t lose your confidence. Don’t forget how you once felt. Don’t distrust the experience you had. That tenacity is what saved Moses and Joseph Smith when the adversity confronted them, and it is what will save you"

“If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don't give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. Cast not away therefore your confidence. Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold before you"

"Fear ye not. And when the second and third and fourth blows come, fear ye not…. the Lord shall fight for you"

Sister Mosie made sure I was entertained

In the ER again....

            When I first read this talk I liked it, but at the time it didn't have much relevance but now it sure does!! Dad was really inspired!! After I read this talk I read my Patriarchal Blessing which I have it memorized inside and out. But what stuck out to me this time was "Ask you to always give your life as a loving token and sacrifice to Heavenly Father" I have never known what this has meant until now. Heavenly Father isn't asking me to die for this work (and if he did I would do it), but he is asking that I give EVERTHING. And I tend to do that so I have deiced to stay and finish my mission. I called and told President Richardson and he said okay but if I go to the ER one more time, that's it, I don't get to choose. haha But yes I will stay and finish strong! :)

            This week was great! Besides the little bump, we had a great week!! Juan has diabetes and was in the hospital all week. We went and saw him and shared a message with him and helped him feel happy! He then told us we needed to pray with the man that was next to him. So we did and it was so cute. We told the man who we were and then you could hear Juan on the other side of the curtain say "they are from my church!" It was so cute!!! It was a great experience and he is excited to continue to come to church and prepare to be baptized! 

Norberto is doing amazing! He came to church and loved it. After, we went and saw him with a member and had a great lesson about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is excited to be baptized on the 5 of Sept. He said he prayed and knows that this church is true! He is a cute little old Cuban man. He is so Christ like.

Sister Mosie thanks you so much for Olive Garden! We had a blast. We went out with our district . It was a fun time and she had a great birthday Sunday! She is so cute! I love her!

            We are continuing to knock doors and find! The members are doing better about giving us referrals which has been a big help! We are seeing lots of miracles and are having lots of fun!! :) The work is so amazing!!! I love it!!!

  

I cant believe Sam is coming home!! Will got home last week. Lauryn sent me pics. Super weird!!!! If I decided to go home, me and Sam would have been on the same flight. Crazy!!

 

Anyways I love and miss you all sooo much!! Thanks for everything!! Tell Grandma I am sorry hehehe but that I love her!!!! :) Give everyone hugs and kisses!!! :)

Briaunna