Some thoughts....

Well the days have been coming with more miracles each step of the way. I am serving with Elder Lee (an old friend from the mtc) who has been in the mission about 10 1/2 months now. Its been a crazy ride until now he says!

 

The mission here is taking some big changes as we get ready for 54 new missionaries in 3 weeks. Its pretty exciting to see what will happen and how it will all work out!

 

Our job really is to teach the Gospel to people, I hope we can help not only wake up the people in the streets but the ones who are inside the church as well to the many wondrous blessings that are waiting in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

I can really say I'm fluent in English or Portuguese at this moment, I am pretty terrible with both. Language is not something you get over ever!

 

This week Elder Lee and I went on a division with our Mission President.

It was pretty terrible :P :P We talked with a few people and taught one lesson and it all seemed to be pretty garbage. I felt so bad with how it went I was like off the cliff of depression in no time. (Not really depression just super sad lol) and I was like.... WHY ME?! I used to be so strong at teaching and this and that!! Why cant I do the same thing now?! I just want... RAWR!!! I was so frustrated at how I have been here for one year now and I still have terrible days :P

 

Luckily at the end of our 3 hours together the Assistants were also to be doing a division with us... So If the first failure wasn't enough, I thought to myself, now this will really seal the deal!

 

I was assigned with Elder Andrade from Africa and the division started out with us walking down the hill and talking about a few things (mainly the division w president) I got to feeling the spirit pretty strong all the sudden. I was with someone who was going to run with me :)

 

So we started doing a few contacts in the street, we were getting rejected left and right but our faith was high and our excitement rate started to climb as we started to see the potential power that was brewing within us, being fed by The Lord!...........

 

At the end of the night we were laughing and walking home sharing some pretty deep feelings of the spirit and smiling talking to all who would cross our path.

 

It was a moment in which I just thought... Could this go on forever? Could I continue to feel so blessed and loved by My Heavenly Father as to share His Plan with His loved but lost Children?

 

The Division ended all to soon and we were pulled into a room for our evaluation and then went home.

 

President told me to be more patient with my companion and with people around me. Show more love for people and when people need help just because they are missionaries doesn't mean they don't struggle and I needed to help more then just kickin butts.

 

I can see his point. 

 

I'm so excited for this new year I have to be spending all the time in the service of the Lord.

 

Last night I had a dream.

I was sitting in general conf watching what looked to be the oldest man in the world talking to me. he was one of the quorum of the twelve apostles. He was describing to me the pain and suffering that my Savior passed through as he paid for my sins and faults. In an Instant I was taken to a Garden, where I was shown a man on His knees praying intensely. I saw the blood leave each of his pores and run to the ground as He trembled and cried out the Glory was for The Father.

Instantly I was taken to see A Man perfect in all ways looking upon His suffering Son and a tear left His eye. In an instant the dream closed before me and I was lying awake in my bed. I could no longer sleep. I felt no pain, no sleep, no worry in my body as I lay there. I felt.... paid for.

 

I bare my testimony to you that Jesus is The Christ. God is our Eternal Father.

They Love us. They care for us. They cry as we suffer the pains of this life.

 

I know HE Lives. I know the Book of Mormon is True. I know the Priesthood is real. I feel it´s power guiding my life as a Worthy holder of its magnificent blessings.

 

There is no way or means by which men may return to God, Only through faith on His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ.

 

It is true.

 

Elder Trey Brooksby, You are about to live it.

 

Elder Tyson Brooksby

Well... shoot.

Well,

I got emergency transfered out of my favorite areas of my mission.

 

I dont really want to say too much, basically I had to leave because someone was developing feelings that dont work for missionaries.

 It was a really big big dissapointment. I was pretty bummed after so much to get shoved out was pretty rough.

 

Now I am in one of the most desired areas of the mission appraching my 1 year mark. Its been pretty cool here. Its like californa here.

 

basically the area is awesome and I spent the week talking to everyone in the world trying to grab some new investigators with a little sucsess. It looks like this battle is to be fought with members and our best effort in following the spirit to find.

 

I had a cool exp with a lady this week. Sitting in the bus stop I began asking questions really simple that ended up teaching this woman the plan of salvation. after a moment she just gasped and said "I feel so good talking to you! I just had so much on my mind and so many problems but I feel that I can be clean through church!" Then after getting on the same bus as us she turned too the lady next to her in the bus and said "Im going to the church of these two little boys! They make me feel so good!" Her friend made some remark about how we only want money but that was brushed aside quickly and she said "No, I feel you are wrong" somthing like that. I was pretty happy to be able to see the faith of someone Ive only known for 15 mins grow and a Daughter of God take the first steps to the path of Ether Life with our Father.

 

I know the Book of Mormon is the means by which we in the latter days are "healed" "Cured" and "woken from a deep sleep" I testify that it is the most correct of all Books on the face of the earth.

 

Elder BRooksby

Super Blessed

Well I feel like... Super Blessed.

This week we've been moving forward with our plans to help this area blow up. The Lord has been at our side through the rough and the best of it.

Some really cool experiences with people that I'm not sure I will send through email :) 

GC was awesome! We had some great exp there too!

I got a letter from someone who I love more then anyone in the world: My Mom. Along with her email I was blown away with the way she views one of the ways we can show our gratitude for the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ.

You are a child of Heavenly Father

He sent His son to reconcile us (Or, make us better again) with our Heavenly Father.

This way when we follow Jesus we can go back to live with Them one day :)

Its true

Love Elder Brooksby

Together STill

I'm grateful to be continuing here in Beja :)

Ive got some really powerful Revelation of how we can broaden the Vision of this city. More and More I see children of Heavenly Father ready and needing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings it brings. Its frustrating when they recognize the need and the source but cant bring themselves to accept a visit from us.

We Need our Members to do the Inviting!!!!!!!!!!! 

The entire attitude of people change when we have a member of the Church with us. Its completely incredible.

First time in my mission I have a companion for more then 1 transfer! :):)

Plans:

1. English Class. Invites that the MEMBERS will give their friends and invite to come and enjoy.

2. Scripture Study Class. Invites that MEMBERS give to friends to come and learn the answers to the question "Do you want the best for your family?" and many more. We have 9 other types of churches here in Beja almost all with double the frequency of ours, Why? Their friends bring friends to church.... Rawr.

I realised that my Testimony is a giant point of straight to the members and other missionaries IF I am strong. If I am weak I see how it effects all those around me. I'm doing my best everyday to take steps closer to Christ so that those that look after me will want to follow.

Each Sunday at 19:00 we do an activity based on the D&C DVD´s and we are watching the faith of our Investigators grow!!! Its so true that knowledge is 100% necessary to be able to be converted. Helping them understand the back round of the church and also all the many miracles we know we see the Savior touching their hearts and helping them take steps towards true conversion.

We have 3 Main Stars at the Moment.

XXXX: 27 Woman. Well on the way to conversion. Work is stopping her from church attendance. Her contract renews soon and she is trying to get Sunday Off. She bought a 55$ ctr ring this week....

XXXXX: (RC) 43 Man. Strong in his testimony his friends have started to call him "pastor" with his diligence in keeping the laws of Heaven. He is moving forward immensely in his testimony through movies and praying and constant scripture study!

XXXXX: 23 Women. The Only non-member of a less active family we have here. With her desires to follow the family is coming back to church and we are just needed to get the arms open of the branch members to bring them all back in.

Elder Shumway and I have been working on the training diligently.

This week we worked everyday practicing the 3rd lesson 4-5 times during compain study. He is getting more confident and his testimony is growing! Confidence is the key to success with him! He loves to hear about how good he is doing :) I love him. Also working with chapter 4 in pmg has helped us recognise times when our investigators are feeling more of the spirit and when were are just mearly "teachers". Contacts in the street are 7-8 of which 1 -2 people will stop to speak. Our plans to help the people understand our message (passing out little papers for English class or importance of scriptures in family papers inviting them to come and study with their children) we will have more confidence with the people we speak. A specific message is much more effective then trying to "shotgun" for their needs in 3 seconds.

Im doing pretty good. We have Satan working hard against us but were fighting back!

Elder BRooksby