Amazing time for Elder Brooksby

Oi!
Fica com mias tempo hoje! Já ler todos suas emails e cada uma foi optimal!

I have some time today! :) Many great emails brief and Inspiring, Thank you all :D

Its funny to write in portugese :P I dont feel like its a real language when I write it hahaha.

So.. wow. This week had some ups and downs thats for sure! But First lest start with a general Elder Brooksby Update!! :)

So each week I have a Major question rolling around in my head usually comes about tuesday or sometimes even the night of Pday while we are working.

Each week I look back at the previos and notice the differences and try to write them in my journal or on my notethoughtbookthing :P

I dont wana tell you everything about it but to say the least I feel like a crappy missionary! :P

This week was the first time I was in charge. My comp had to do splits for an interview and I was left with the other elder in Our Area! It was pretty... interesting hahahah

I wasnt scared!! TO start off with a little nervous to navigate the winding dusty roads alone but I was well equiped with maps andaddresses so all was well!

........... Or so I thought...............

I had no IDEA what all my trainer has been doing for me! Wow! To navigate house to house, make decisions, pray for inspiration where to go, who to pass by, My mind was blown with how much work It took just to get from place too place!

Now, all of you know me. When I want to get something done, I dont wait around. So we hit all our appointments right on time and with all the força i could pull outta my body to show how great a missionary I was to this other Elder...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA God knows me a little more then I guessed.

Each and everyone of of appointments fell out. Doors were even slammed in our faces.

And most dissapointing of all... Manuel is no longer going to speak with us...

I was crushed.

His Uncle talked to him and told him all this false info about the church, then told him if he wanted to continue talking with us he would need to leave his house and find a new place to live.

Manuel is 33 years old and here in portugal only for Phisical therapy (2months) so he chose to discontinue talking with us.

It felt like a defeating blow... The Advisary had worked hard to counteract years of preperation of this Amazing man...

I didn´t know what I could have done better. TO make it worse Elder Figerido wasnt there to help. He fights like a Lion for our investigators when they face adversity and I had to do my best to follow his example in love.

/break in the story/ I just want you all to know that I am happy here in portugal and that when I tell you of a big let down I want to tell you all of something that I´ve learned here. Joseph Smith is an amazing man. WHile reading the book of Mormon and the D&C, I replace my name with his or other prophet/missionaries of old. In particular missionaries and stories about people being humbled :P ;) so... when Joseph recived the revalation after asking our Father in Heaven "where art thou?...." The Lords response to Joseph is true to EVERY Single one of us... I know that. /back to the story/ :)

well... we tried to pass by a woman who is marked for baptism but she was pretty scantily dressed so we prayed and hi-tailed it outta there :P

at that point in the day I was in shock. I was so afraid and alone and litterally my brain had run outta of everything I could think of...

6:00PM - Prayer for the mission. Elder Ericksson and I sat down for the prayer to bless the mission.

With a heavy heart and a mind empty of all thoughts and feelings I began to offer a prayer for the mission. which turned into a prayer for me in particular to this mission here in portugal. I was feeling pretty down and expressed this to my Father. He listend to me while I told him about what happend during the day then when I was through.. he taught me.

In our moments of great dispare and when our minds are blank. When we have nothing left to lose or even try. He takes out a what I imagine to be a Blue Marker and writes a few simple things on our white washed boards of our minds. He writes the things that make us grow.

That night I learned how to be a better missionary. I was filled to the tippy top of my body with a feeling I cannot sit here and discribe to you. It stung my eyes and warmed my soul so much that I couldn´t help but smile.~

Not long after this I felt the spirit take over what was a very frail boy at that point. I had a plan, not sure where it came from or why I felt the way I did but I did.

We found 6 new investigators, contacted 4 less active members, shared experiances with them that touched both us and them, even to the spirit coming so abondantly that I wasnt thinking about Manuel. Only what was to come.

Now I will say this. I havent baptised anyone yet. Sooo all this work is good and dandy but Nay Nay Nay I will bring my heavenly fathers Children back to him! Missionary work is Baptisms. If you dont baptie, get back to work. Thats our old Mission pres statement and Its what we stick too.

The rest of the night was a fire of following the spirit unto finding many souls. We returned to the house completing the impossible goal of 6 new investigators in only 3 hours. Literally a Miracle. Each one we felt the spirit enter and exit with us. Each one I will return to and strive to live worthy of the spirit I felt that night.

Now, the other elders dont know what happend. Only that I had a bad start and then "changed".

I know see how missionaries glow.

Its not because they know the language. Its not becuase they are a ZL or Assistant. Its not because they´ve had 1year 23 months on the mission.

Its because they opened their minds to the Savior and were worthy and Diligent in following his commandments.

Trust not in the arm of flesh. It makes you a great robot missionary who can baptise every so often.

Trust in the Lord. A Concept that Nephi knew all too well.

He once (or twice) said "oh how weak a man I am!" we are all so weak compared to our Savior. I am so week each morning when the Alarm goes off.

But he called us.... and when he calles us to a work. Hes ether going to help us, or teach us how to do it his way. If we listen :)

Man I feel like this was a long boring letter so on the upside!

The Bakerys here are AMAZING. 1 euro for like a million things and they´re alllllll SO bad for you!! hahah I love it!!

Anyways! I Gtg :) Love you all!

Elder Brooksby