HEY EVERYONE!!

HEY EVERYONE!! 

Its been a really great week. I got my iPad, which makes Sister Bulson so happy.  All the work for records and planning is done through them, so it makes it real difficult to work when you don't have the tools to do it. but it equals out the work a lot more! :)

We had interviews with President Taggart this last week. It was really good. I don't really know the Taggarts really well, but it gave me an opportunity to love them.  Sister Taggart likes to be involved in the work as much as possible and President is really good about helping the work move forward.

Then we had a training with the AP's on why technology was so important. I think the coolest part was realizing how much its a blessing, to not only use it, but the bretheren want us to learn how to use tech. responsibly so that we won't have bad habbits with tech. As soon as we get off the mission, but instead know how to use it right.

WE WENT TO THE TEMPLE THIS LAST THURSDAY!!!  We went up to the Manhatten temple. We went as a zone. We all had to car pool.  Sister Bulson and I had to take the zone leaders.  We all drove up to Newark and met up at the chapel building there.  The building is really great.  It's also interesting because I forget how spoiled I am in Eaton town.  You drive into the city and I start feeling home sick. But the city is also the best place to go contacting.  So it's an interesting combo.  The church building has a parking garage, partly because of space and partly because...well, it's just a good secure place then sitting outside in the parking lot.  We all got on the train to go to New York. I am so so grateful that it's a group thing with zone leaders and all, because I would have gotten lost or left behind so many times.  Once when we got off the train and were waiting to get on the subway, I got on and then the door closed and Sister Bulson was left outside the door and all of us started panicking. I really don't think the doors opened any other way other than a miracle because the doors opened for a brief second and we grabbed her and pulled her in. I'm pretty sure I would have started crying.

I loved talking to people on the train.  It was the coolest thing, there and back.  People were staring at us where ever we went....but it was the best feeling. (Not that I wanted the attention) but as a missionary, it's good to stand out, to make them wonder.  Moving in a group of us in a big huge city, I felt like we had light. I feel weird saying that and hope I don't sound snobbish, but as latter day saints, we are different. and it's our responsibility to help others see that.

The temple was awesome! I'm so grateful I got to go. I've missed going so much.  You walk into the temple and all the noise of Manhatten is gone.  It is completely shut out and you know you are in the Lord's holy house.

On the way up and down we spread out and sat individually,  It was AWESOME! I sat next to a woman on the way back and we got to talking, I taught her the Plan of Salvation.  It felt so good to sit down and give a lesson without someone closing the door, or having to dig just to get there attention, but for them to be genuine and to be genuine. I bore my testimony and I know the spirit was there! I know she felt it, but when I asked her for feedback she brushed everything off as a that sounds nice. 

I instantly thought of C.S Lewis's worm tongue and screw tape.... one day, the missionaries will knock on her door, and this time she'll let them in. (She told me how she never talked to the ones who had knocked before) but I know next time she will. 

Another woman I got to sit next to told me how she went to Utah for a while with her husband. I asked if she saw the S.L Temple. she said she had and I asked her what she thought and how she felt. she replied "it was like....like a fairy land" I told her all about the Philadelphia Temple open house in August. I did my best to be excited and to emphasize to her that she could go see the inside. I hope one day she goes. :)

Friday and Saturday I got to go on exchanges with Sister McConkie again. I really really love her. We had some really great experiences visiting L.A's and knocking doors. 

I love my Heavenly Father! I know He teaches us line upon line and precept upon precept. 

I know He has a plan for each of us and all His children and I'm so grateful to be apart of this work. It is amazing and I know He's teaching me what I need at this time.

God bless and keep all of you! thank you for all that you do whether seen or not. l

Love you all

Sister Brook Burk

Ice-cream...it could be a prompting

Dear Heeyoo!!

So this week we get to GO TO THE TEMPLE!!!  The Manhattan temple. I feel so stoked!!!! I loved in the new Provo temple dedication Elder Oaks said that everytime a new temple is built and dedicated it literally weakens and pushes back the forces of Hell. HOW COOL IS THAT!!!! and in General Conference they said go to the temple at least three times. 

So there is a less active in our ward. Sister Reynolds. She is wonderful.  She was converted in Arizona (she moved from jersey) was baptized, move back to Jersey after being strong, but when she moved into our ward boundary life just got away from her and she hasn't been to church in several months at least six.  So sister Bulson and I went down and visited her by surprise because if you try and make appointments with most people.....well, they never have time. So we just showed up and got to talk with her for a good hour. We comitted her to come to church two Sundays in advance.  The following sunday wasn't an option. So the Thursday before she was going to come, Sister Bulson and I asked Bishop Lindeman and his wife to come with us to visit her. So we got her to let us come, we went and visited and it was great. She was so excited to come to church, she was going to bring one of her daughters. We wake up Sunday morning to a text explaining she found bed bugs....in like three different rooms in her house. Satan does his job well. She's been telling missionaries for months she's gonna come...but no dice. It's gonna be ok though, we're gonna lick this.

This month for our mission is focused on the law of consecration. We had a zone meeting last week and it was such a good reminder to me! I started thinking about how in the morning each day I could make the decision of "I want to give all my desires and heart to Heavenly Father so in each action, do I do it just because I've been told to be obedient, or do I do it because I love him and He's asked me to? That's a question I want to work on for myself daily. Well, the day after the meeting I was having a rough day, and I turned to Sister Bulson and say "I need a frosty" she says ok.(lol, I know I know, but its me :)) So we drive down to Wendy's it's $2.76 for two small chocolate frostys. So I hand the guy at the window three dollars, and he hands me back a quarter, but I look at it and think, wait somethings off, oh, its' one cent extra, (quick thought, am I right, or am I just paranoid....all well, doesn't matter, just tell him.) "Oh, I think you gave me one extra cent" and I hand him back the quarter and he instantly asks "What church are you from?" It would not have happened if I hadn't pointed out he gave me an extra penny. I told him. we gave him a card. His name is Rex. I gave him the address and time to church for the next day, I wanted to tell him more, but cars were talking behind me. so I had to drive forward, but it was the coolest experence/tender mercy ever!!  The rest of my day was wonderful. ......all because of a frosty :) (next time you're craving ice-cream, especially my family members, think twice before you fight the thought, it could be a prompting. :) 

So before coming out, everyone says that there are really hard days (most of the time) and some really amazing days (some of the time). So I expected it, but one of the things I wish they would have added in that field of thought was how personal each of those hardships are.  Each of them get to you differently. But that's ok. Heavenly Father helps fill the chinks in the armor so the next time you go out, you can be confident He'll help you when you come back more. This week He taught me once more, that he knows us. He knows where we came from, He knows how we learn, He knows where we're going, what we want. I'm sure that within a year from now, when I've been pulled through the ringer and am a lot stronger than I am now, I'll probably write back and hopefully will have grown and have a stronger testimony and say something very much along the same lines, but that doesn't matter. But I know He knows us. I know He loves us. and I know He has a plan for each of us. This life really is like an amazing tapestry. 

I love you all. I can't say how much your letters mean to me. I love you all!

-Love sister Brook

HAPPY LATE MOTHERS DAY!!!!

Dear EVERYONE!!

 

HAPPY LATE MOTHERS DAY!!!!

 

ok, funny story:

We have a less active in our ward named Judi Barnes. She's a sweet heart, but she insists on being a less active. Shen I came into the our apartment the first time the counter tops have: girl scout cookies (boxes) peeps, a GIANT chocolate Easter Egg, candy like no other, and so much more. I opened a drawer in my desk and it had so much candy! so I grabbed a trash bag. I did some spring cleaning. I filled the entire trash bag with junk food, and the sad thing was that all of what was in the bag, wasn't even all the junk food. 

Anyways, so sister Barnes, each time we visit has a few grocery bags of food. She sorts through what she doesn't want when she goes to the food bank. The only problem is that she's not the only one who likes to just give us as much junk food as possible.  And when sister Bulson doesn't like to get rid of stuff, then it's there to tempt me. So I asked her for a favor. :) Shen I want to eat junk food. (We volunteer at a food bank and the lady there gets offended when we don't take a pie or cookies) We get in the car and I ask her a favor. To keep me from chowing down, she spits in it, or licks it. I know it's pretty ridiculous, but if you're looking for a laugh this week......there it is!

 

This week we had a super cool contact. It was 8:30 and dark and people really don't like you at the door. But we were walking around an apartment complex and saw a couple walking. It was my turn to start. We got their attention. It was a young muslim couple. They were on a walk, had just moved in and were walking with their three month old girl. We got to share the restoration and give them a Book of Mormon. I felt so grateful that they would listen. We made a return appointment and cell phones. I can't wait to teach them again.

 

I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father for all that He teaches and does for each of us. I'm here and I feel so overwhelmed so much at times in those moments when I realize all how in the past has even been mapped out to be for me, and others and His work, It all is for a great big work, when all at once, It's all for me. Just like if no one in the world excepted Christ as their Savior except one person, He would have still gone through Gethsemane and the cross just for that one person. Oh how I am grateful!

 

I love you all! thank you for all you do!

-Sister Brook