Oak-Town

HII! Happy happy summer! :)

SO! Transfers. I am leaving San Lorenzo after 5 months! I am sad to leave because I LOVE the area and the ward and the people, but I am excited for a change as well! :) I am going to Oakland 9th! It is inner city, downtown Oakland, a very poor and diversearea! I have heard amazing things. So many miracles. There is a lot of work to do. I know the Lord will protect me as I go about doing His work with these humble people. One of the sisters that served there said two things about the ward. 1. Everything you know about the gospel is about to change. 2. If Jesus Christ were to come to a ward, it would be the Oakland 9th ward. Also, Sarada, Abi, Midu, and Abikshana are in that ward (my recent converts from San Leandro). I am SO excited to see them, I haven't seen them since December!! My new companion is Sister Taylor from Holladay, Utah and this will be her last transfer! I will "kill" her in missionary terms. I have served with her at the Visitors' Center and LOVE her. I am SO excited!!!!!!! I will still be serving at the Visitors' Center, thank goodness! :) It was sad at church yesterday, saying bye to all the members. But it's not goodbye, just see you later. And they can come visit at the VC anyways. I hope I made a difference. That ward and area has a piece of my heart FOR SURE. It's beautiful how the Lord lets us serve in different places with different people to see different miracles and GROW in different ways. LOVE. I am THRILLED to see what miracles lay ahead!! I am ready to work hard among the people Jesus Christ would be here serving. He is going to help and protect me. This is His work anyways.

Ben's baptism went perfect. He was just glowing. He had to be baptized twice because his toe came up haha. Afterwards, he shared a thought or two or fifteen. He said that he knew he met us for a reason, that is whole life he had done things because other people told him to and this time he wanted to make a decision for himself. So between him and the Lord only, he decided to be baptized. He is wonderful. After he received the Holy Ghost on Sunday, he stood up and did two big thumbs up to the congregation haha. What if I never would have talked to Ben on the street? I watched him grow and change from that one time I said hi to him, into the waters of baptism, wow. The Lord truly does place those who are prepared to hear the gospel in our paths!!! We just have to open our mouths and say something! I am going to miss him. What a perfect way to end in San Lo.

We did a fun district activity where we all got together, changed companions, and tracted in Alameda for the Alameda sisters! It was fun and beautiful outside. We met someone who told us that the Mormons were controlled by men and that we need to speak up for ourselves as women. In that moment, I just pictured cutest President Monson and how GRATEFUL I was for Him! We met someone who told us that it was rude that we don't let everyone inside the temple. I just pictured the beautiful Oakland temple and how GRATEFUL I was for the blessings and peace we receive from the Lord's House. We met someone who told us that Joseph Smith made up the Book of Mormon. I just pictured the miraculous First Vision to the Prophet Joseph and how GRATEFUL I was for the Restoration of the gospel and the translation of the Book of Mormon. I was just LONGING that those people with sad, dark eyes could feel the way I felt. I was longing for them to soften their hearts and let the truth and light of JESUS CHRIST fill their soul with exceedingly great joy. I am grateful to be a missionary and to stand up for what I believe in. I love this work, whether it is in San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Alameda, or Oakland, it is the same beautiful work. God DOES love all His children. That truth rings clear here in the Bay Area.

We had an awesome training about working with members and I am excited to go do it in Oakland! That is truly how to do missionary work and we have seen success from it!

Sister Benosa and I have 10 more pages of the Book of Mormon! WHO HOO! It has been a powerful experience. I finished Jesus the Christ this morning. That has also been a powerful experience. I have come to see the Savior in a new light and get to know Him a little bit better, which helps me grow closer to Him! One of my favorite passages from it is, speaking of the First Vision:

"The darkness of the long night of apostasy was dispelled; the glory of the heavens once more illumined the world; the silence of centuries was broken; the voice of God was heard again upon the earth."

"Joseph, the prophet, and his brother Hyrum, the patriarch of the Church, were brutally slain as martyrs to the truth at Carthage, Illinois, June 27, 1844. But the Lord raised up others to succeed them; and the world learned in part and yet shall know beyond all question that the Church so miraculously established in the last days is not the church of Joseph Smith nor of any other man, but in literal verity, the Church of Jesus Christ. The Lord has continued to make known His mind and will through prophets, seers, and revelators whom He has successively chosen and appointed to lead His people; and the voice of divine revelation is heard in the Church today."

Reading Jesus the Christ has helped me realize the "reality of His matchless life." Jesus Christ was foreordained to be our Savior. He really lived, He REALLY lived. He suffered soo much. Some pages were so gruesome, I couldn't stand to read of the cruelty he faced. He suffered for us. He bled from every pore. He CHOSE to die for us. They didn't kill Him. He chose to give up His life, FOR us. The most beautiful thing, HE LIVES! He rose again. I know He did. Jesus Christ lives and He is going to come again. Hopefully soon. I can't wait to meet Him and hug Him and thank Him. But for now, we have to do our best and show our gratitude for Him and EVERYTHING HE did for us. How? Keep His commandments.

I am more and more grateful every day for the BLESSING and MIRACLE of the restored gospel on the earth. I love being a missionary. I love California. I love the Lord. I am happy to serve Him. I am learning to trust Him and allow Him to direct my paths.

Let's smile, pray sincerely, reach out, be kind, and speak kind words.

I love you!

Love

Sister Brinton