AAAAAHHHHH!!!

Time is flying. Exchanges back to back. Lessons. Meetings. Studies. Visitors Center. Planning. Running. Eating. Teaching. Sleeping. Laughing. Texting. Updating. Reporting. Calling. Street Contacting. Praying. Driving. Testifying. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

We taught Albert the 10 commandments and invited him to live them. He said yes. He is doing so well. I love seeing him grow and pray with faith.

Seeing David, Daniel, and Oscar sitting together on a couch, after three hours of church, after being sustained in their new callings, waiting to talk to the Bishopric about receiving the Priesthood... I thought my heart would BURST!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the JOY of missionary work! They are so so so so so cute I could die. I love them. They are progressing and growing and will achieve wonderful things.

I got to go to San Lorenzo on exchanges this week!!!!!!!!!!! It was so fun to be back in my old area. SO many memories. I can't believe how much has changed since I was living in that apartment. I woke up the next morning and had a mini panic attack thinking I was still in San Lorenzo and I hadn't ever left and I had only been on my mission for 5 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It freaked me out and woke me right up with my heart racing. I loved looking through the area book and seeing all my notes and teaching records and comments. It was so fun for me. I have grown and learned so much since then. I have met so many wonderful people and seen so many miracles since then!!!!

I got to go to San Leandro too, but with the Spanish sisters. I secretly wish I was called Spanish speaking haha because I LOVE the culture and the food and the language!! I didnt know what was going on because everyone was speaking Spanish but I loved it. Exchanges are so great to see the sisters lead the area and meet their members and their investigators. I love these sisters. We have such a great group!!!

We had a representative from Salt Lake, Brother Hodges, who is in charge of Visitors' Centers come and give a training! It was wonderful. The Spirit was so strong. At the beginning we all went around and said what Christ like attribute our companion had. It really united us! There were tears and love in the room. The training was to help us to remember the important role we play at the Visitors' Center. If the exhibits could do the converting, we wouldn't need sisters there. We are there because we can touch these peoples' hearts. We can discern their needs. We can testify with love while looking into their eyes. We discussed all the logistic reasons for having a Visitors' Center, but we talked about the REAL purpose! To bring eternal life. There are steps to get there, but that is our ultimate goal! The training really united us and lifted us up. We have seen miracles since then as we have greeted more sincerely, taught more simply, invited more powerfully, and felt the Spirit stronger in our Zion.

Brother Hodges was in a recent conference with Elder Holland. Elder Holland said,

"God is so easy to please, but hard to satisfy."

He is so quick to praise us and lift us up, then He immediately wants us to stretch further, reach taller, grow stronger. "That is wonderful my child. Good job. I am so proud of you. What else can you do?" I have felt this in my life. The second I grow or change or improve, I feel His love and approval in my heart. Then I have a desire to be even better and He helps me do that, too! We have such a beautiful gospel of PROGRESSION! I have seen that with my recent converts: I am so proud of you for reading the Book of Mormon this week. Now are you ready to keep all 10 commandments? I am so proud of you for choosing to be baptized. Now are you ready to receive the Priesthood? God will not force us to grow. He will support us when we choose to grow. Then we will feel that He is proud of us and that He loves us. Wow He is so loving. He is so kind. Everything He does is because He loves us. He wants us to be happy. He loves us SO much that He gave us His Son. THEN He gave us the Restoration and all of its beautiful truths.

I am so so happy to have another wonderful week ahead of us. We have miracles planned. We have exchanges and meetings and lessons and shifts where we will see the Lord's hand. I LOVE this work. I LOVE Sister Muench. I LOVE these sisters and these people and my ward. I love the Lord. I know Jesus Christ lives. He is at the head of this work. How could it ever fail or falter?

Love

Sister Brinton