His Name On Our Lips

What a week.

I think this week was the hardest I have ever worked on my mission.

And it was amazing!! It fleww by and I was happy and tired and happy.

I finally got to meet the new Visitors'' Center directors, the Wards! They are fabulous. They are SO energetic and motivated, fresh from the MTC. They were so grateful for our warm welcome and they feel like family already. They took each one of us aside individually and expressed their love for us and that they were there for us for anything we need. They also expressed to us that feeling the Spirit we have and the Spirit of the Visitors Center has deepened their testimony that the church is true and that the Savior's love is so real. I am so glad they felt of the powerful Spirit that dwells in our hearts and in the Visitors' Center. It is hard not to feel the Spirit in there. They helped me remember how excited and motivated I was when I first got to the mission, and my similar immediate love for Oakland and the temple and the Visitors Center. I felt their sincere love and trust and cant WAIT to serve alongside them! I love having grandparents here on the mission. LOVE.

We had an incredible experience this week. We got to watch a word-wide broadcast for missionaries all over the world. This was the first time they have done anything like it in over 10 years. It was powerful to know that about 75,000 missionaries from all over the world were sitting there listening to Apostles and leaders speak of missionary work and give us specific guidance that came straight from the Lord. And of course, Dont forget about all of us singing "Called to Serve" together at the end. I am surprised there wasn't an earthquake.

One thing that really stood out to me during the broadcast was Elder Neil L. Anderson's testimony of the Savior. He told us to "always have His name on our lips." He told us that if we were ever unsure what to say, "to testify of the Savior." He ended with, "Speak of Him. Speak of His doctrine. One day He will speak of you to the Father." So beautiful. I tried to incorporate this into my week as we talked to strangers, I tried to never leave someone without at least mentioning the Savior and I felt a new strength and love and power come to me and my testimony. I hope they could feel it too.

So about this week: We had every single one of our lessons cancel hahaha. Every single one. But luckily, we had backups for all of them, which mainly involved knocking the doors around that persons house. So, we ended up knock knock knocking. We laugh so hard that sometimes we have to catch our breath and stop laughing before we knock on someone's door, and even then sometimes its still hard not to laugh. Especially when an 80 year old shirtless man opens the door carrying a cat and a gallon of strawberry milk (I think). Anyways, I am about to get real cheesy here, but this week it wasn't missionary work, it was missionary fun. We have fun talking to strangers and testifying of Jesus Christ. The more doors you knock that say no, the happier you are when you find the ONE that says yes. If all of the doors said yes, we wouldn't be as excited.

One night it was about 8:50 and we are supposed to be home at 9:00, and we looked at each other and we were like, "one more." We found the address of a former investigator and went to her house. We didnt find who we were looking for BUT sometimes that is how the Lord works! He sends us to someone who IS ready. We knocked on the door of an young Asian man from the same city as Sister Zhong and he is so open and ready for the gospel. His name is Steven and I will keep you updated. Tender mercy.

MIRACLE: I hope you all remember Mary Miner. She was a beautiful lady that came in to the Visitors Center back in October. She loved the VC, gave us her info, and we taught her and her less-active boyfriend, John, the restoration the next day. She accepted it whole heartedly and KNEW that it was true and this is what she had been looking for her whole life (so beautiful). They knew they needed to get married before she was baptized, so they got married a few days later. She came to church, then they moved to Idaho. She fell away and was having a lot of issues, but she came back to church and we have been in contact with them over the last few days and SHE IS GETTING BAPTIZED January 30th. Sister Harper and I get to Skype her baptism since we were the missionaries who taught her! I am beyond excited for her and have enjoyed watching her change her life through Jesus Christ!

I would just like to end with my testimony of the strength that can come from prayer and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Prayer is real. Our Father in Heaven loves us and hears our prayers. Turn to Him. You will receive strength to continue on, even when it seems impossible or hopeless. He is Hope. He is Love. I have seen Him in my life. The Atonement of Jesus Christ can change our hearts, if we are humble and willing to submit and change. If we didn't have weakness or weaknesses, we wouldnt be able to use or apply or appreciate or understand or come to love the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Weaknesses are ESSENTIAL for us to come to know the Savior and His Atonement. May we always remember this and welcome trials and weaknesses, grateful that we can grow and change and become more like the Savior.

Have a happy week!

I love love love you

Sister Brinton