Missionaries Come Running!

Hey Everyone!!

 

Okay, I'm sure you're already heard, but my incredibly talented super amazing brother got his mission call-just where he wanted to go- Tokyo, Japan!!!!!!

 

I can't believe the work is exploding so much-Will you tell every future missionary you see "Congratulations and way to go!" for me?

Our mission is going to see huge changes next transfer. This transfer will be only 4 weeks long to catch up with the MTC schedule, and then 8 new sisters and I'm not sure how many but a lot of elders will be coming in! I"m sure a lot of these new missionaires will be 18 and 19 year olds also :D:D

 

This week there's one thing that stuck out in my mind-We got to be with the Young SIngle Adults in our ward/branch on Friday night, and it was so much fun! They'd each brought a random-sandwhich making ingredient (we had crab, corn, mayo sauce, lettus, cheese and a mixture of stuff :) and after we got to eat crazy food (I couldn't help recording them as they laughed and teased each other-there is so much energy in our 독신s!). 

Then Sister xxxxx (RM from Seoul and 독신 leader) talked to us about Eternal marraige and we all wrote down characteristics of the person we'd like to marry, why, and what we would do to be worthy of that person. When I was sitting there, pen in hand and blank paper on my lap, I realized I didn't really have a specific picture in mind like so many of the others seemed to have. I knew I wanted to marry him in the Temple, I wanted him to have the Priesthood to be able to bless our children, and I wanted him to be kind. I've thought more about it since then. 

And I keep coming back to this--I want to be the best person I can be for him and for my family! And I've realized that, on my mission, I'm slowly chipping away those faults and smoothing the many rough places. I don't think I've grown so much so fast in all of my life :) I feel bad for my companions that have to live with me! But I'm so thankful that these experiences are helping me grow little by little so that I can be the best mother and friend to my future family :)

 

So we just got transfer calls as I was reading MOm's email about Trey's call (while laughing and crying :D:D) I'll be staying with SIster Cho here in Cheonan! I know that with her, I can grow a lot :D

 

With three of our 5 main baptismal date investigators baptized, our focus is now on helping our remaining two to overcome the obstacles they have and see them in the water! They both have dates for this month, but I was really wondering about xxxxx. She hasn't been meeting with us for a month now, and hasn't been to church in that long too. She already has had most of the lessons, she has developed good friendships with awesome sisters in our ward, but with limited contact it's been a source of worry for both of us. Just last night, she texted us and said she could come to church next week!! :D:D:D:D

 

Also, xxxxxx Jamaenim's professor was sick, so because she didn't have her academy this Sunday, she came to all three hours of church! Her academy has been an obstacle, but we have faith that when she knows this is something she wants, and when she has really good friends, she'll want to talk with her parents about changing the academy time. Two more times! FIGHTING!

 

:D I'll share a thought I really liked in Alma. We are all re-reading the book of Alma for preperation for MIssion Tour on March 6th, and everytime I read about the Armies of Helaman, I feel so happy.

Amalickiah was being awful. He had already taken over the Lamanites be treaterchy and murder, and now he was targeting his own people, the Nephites. He was compared by my mission president to Satan, looking to destroy the souls of all men. Moroni, on the other hand, was righteously ingdignant about Amalickia. So he does something really noble-he prays. :)

 

 11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the ^achief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.

 12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—^aIn memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

 13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his ^abreastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the ^btitle of liberty) and he ^cbowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of^dChristians remain to possess the land—

 14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.

 

Then the people come running.

 19 And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the people, waving the ^arent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying:

 20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and ^aenter into a covenant that they will ^bmaintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.

 21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running ^atogether with their armor girded about their loins, ^brending their garments in token, or as a ^ccovenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ^dashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.

 

Being courages in the face of evil is not easy. It's easier to pretend it's not there than to face it. But because of Moroni's courage, the people remembered what they were fighting for and Who was with them, and they came running.

 

When we remember who we are, what a glorious blessing we have in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we too will want to come running. Running to share the Light that we've been given. Running to strengthen someone that doubts thier worth. Running to serve someone in need. Running to love, to lift, to inspire because we feel so must how much we have received

 

Im so thankful that I get this chance to come running-to share my testimony and gratitude for the Gospel that has blessed me my whole life. And to everyone who is preparing or knows someone who is preparing to serve a mission or is serving, THANK YOU FOR COMING RUNNING!! The mission fields EVERYWHERE are bursting with bright, willing new missionaries that chose to come running.  :)

 

Trey, I love you!! Thank you for coming running with us :) Tyson, Way to go!! KEEP RUNNING!

 

Love you all!

 

Sister Brooksby