1 year!!

Every single day Sister Chiang and I sit down at our desks at the end of the night and just look at each other and say, "Well! Another great day!" We had an awesome week. We went on three exchanges with the sisters. It was a BLAST! I love love all the sisters. They are seriously some of my very best friends. I love being with each of them and learning from them and seeing miracles together. I love that they trust me enough to open up to me and I feel the Lord guide me as to what to say and how to help and comfort. I just think, "What would the Savior say? What would the Savior do?" This has brought me closer to Him and to the sisters :)

Mitchell is doing so well! He is so involved and cant get enough of the scriptures! He goes to every single activity/class/fireside available and is an hour early. His prayers are more sincere. He asks us for more and more readings and talks! We set a new baptismal date with him for October 9!! He has lived the word of wisdom for 4 days now!! A record! We also added a new investigator this week named Popi. Other than that, the Visitors Center has been pretty slow, but the Spirit is just as strong and the people who come in are GOLDEN. We get to spend more time with them because we aren't so busy.

When I went to New Leadership Training a few weeks ago, we had a discussion on how we can have unity between our missionaries. I thought back to girls camp and the testimony meetings we would have. I thought about when I felt the closest to family members and friends. It was always when we shared our testimonies and cried and felt the Spirit so strong!! I felt the prompting to do a testimony meeting with the sisters to build unity and the Spirit in the Visitors Center. We have a Visitors Center Training every Thursday with all the sisters and the senior couples. This week for our training we did a big testimony meeting. All of the sisters and senior couples got up and shared a scripture that they turn to when they are going through a hard time and how it helps them. The Spirit was SO strong. We were all in tears and hugging and I heard reports from all the sisters of how much they LOVED it and how inspired it was. I know this was a prompting from the Spirit to help us grow together and closer to the Lord. The Visitors Center has gone through waves, changes, ups and downs depending on the Spirit that's there, the people that are there, ect. I feel like over the past year I have been here, THIS is the best it has been so far. The Spirit and vibe is so sweet and still. The sisters are all getting along so great. We are all happy and hopeful and strong. We are seeing miracles and working together. I am SO LUCKY to be here right now. I love it. I love everything about it.

I would love to share a beautiful experience I had this past week. Three young adults came into the Visitors Center. As we began to show them pictures of Jesus Christ, they began to exchange looks and giggle and whisper under their breath. They were laughing at and mocking us. Nevertheless, we continued to share our testimonies and give a spiritual tour in the face of ridicule. Towards the end they were just openly & cruelly laughing at us. I was angry at first, almost embarrassed. I was squeezing my Book of Mormon so hard. I could feel the tears starting to sting my eyes. Then I remembered this scripture:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" Romasn 1:16

I knew that all I could do was turn the other cheek and bear my testimony. I chose not to be angry or deny my testimony because these people didnt agree with me and were laughing at me. I chose to stay calm and say what I know to be true. This experience helped me to see a teeny tiny glimpse into what the Savior might have felt as He was MOCKED and RIDICULED and WHIPPED and STONED and LAUGHED AT and eventually CRUCIFIED.

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth."

Mosiah 14:7

I know He lives and I am so grateful for what He went through for me, for you, for those three young adults.

I will hit my year mark this week. I can't even BELIEVE it! I had no idea how much I was going to learn and grow in so many ways! I am so so grateful for the opportunity my mission has given me to

BECOME

grow closer to my Heavenly Father & Savior

strengthen my testimony of the restored gospel

see & experiences miracles

meet the most incredible people

grow from my trials

learn to see others as the Savior would see them

hard work!

patience

I could go on and on and on. I would not trade this experience for the world and honestly can't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't serve a mission. I know I will be eternally grateful for this decision. I already am! I cant wait to work and love and serve and cry and laugh and testify and teach and trust and pray and read and see the Lord's hand for another 6 WONDERFUL months!

LOVE

Sister Emma Brinton :)