Monday, May 13, 2013

Re: Last mission report

Dear Family,

I can't believe this is the last time I'm e-mailing you from out here! My heart is aching and yet so full, it is the most bittersweet feeling. I don't want to leave - this has been so hard for me. But I know that there are wonderful new sisters coming out that need to help with the work here too, so Wisconsin's in good hands. :)

I've never felt deeper joy or greater gratitude than in serving here. What an incredible 18 months it's been - the Lord has been so good to me. I love the Savior and the people of Wisconsin with all my heart, and I can't believe the miracles I've witnessed and the changes I've seen - both in others and in myself. This really is the Lord's work, and He is the one directing it! I know now more than ever the reality of the Atonement, and of why the Savior is the center of everything - it's never been more clear to me. I know that this is Christ's restored church again on the earth, and that He leads and guides it today. The fact that we have knowledge of God's plan for all of us, and that He speaks to us today, is amazing to me. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and my testimony of it & of the Restored Gospel grows stronger as I continue to read it and share it with others. We are so blessed to have it as another witness of Christ and His teachings.

Oh I love being a missionary so, so much. I don't have words to explain it, except that I am so grateful for this experience - and always will be. I'm so grateful for your support too - thank you for your love, prayers, encouragement, examples and testimonies that you've shared with me throughout my time here. I can't tell you how much that's meant to me. I've grown so much in my love for all of you and feel so blessed to be part of this family. Thank you for all that you've done for me and for who you are.

I feel like Ammon in Alma 26:11-12 - this is His work, and He will help it go forward! I feel so blessed and humbled to be part of it.

Love,

Sister Brinton

Monday, May 6, 2013

Dear Family,

I don't know how I can be going home so soon, because I feel like there is so much more to do out here & learn still! The work is never done and I feel like I'm always learning so much every week. I'll never stop learning.

Our branch is amazing - a different family is going to fast each week for missionary work, they're setting up a mini Family History center in the building to expand their missionary efforts, and they are starting "Cottage Meetings" once a month to have open houses in the church for discussion on Family History and all aspects of Jesus Christ and His teachings. I am SO excited for the things that are happening here!

While tracting one night, we felt we should go down a certain street. (We tract a lot of other streets too, but this was one of those times we just felt a little stronger about this specific street.) :) While tracting we met H & his family - they were going on a walk and stopped to talk with us. They realized quickly that the Restored Gospel can bless their family, and they agreed to meet with us again. They are so prepared to hear this message; again, there are no coincidences - I know that the Lord was leading us to this family!

Hope you all have a good week. I love you!

Love,

Sister Brinton

P.S. You should go on the new FamilySearch.org site (new as of several weeks ago) - it is so neat! We've been asked by our Mission President to spend time on familysearch.org & mormon.org to help familiarize ourselves, so we can better use them in our teaching/finding. I've never felt a stronger pull to Family History work than I have on my mission: families really are the focus of God's plan, and Christ's Restored Gospel can make it possible for us to be linked to them for eternity. It amazes me how perfect God's plan is!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Re: Weekly note

Dear Family,

There was a young family we tracted into several months ago - the mom let us in immediately, and we set up a time to come back. Rescheduled appointment after another and with the family moving, we lost contact with them - but this last weekend, we found the mom again! Prairie had a Relay for Life, and we went to it to make contact with another investigator. While there, we ran into the mom of this young family again! We rounded a corner and saw her, and she recognized us immediately and was excited to see us. I know I've said this before in other e-mails, but I've never felt more strongly about it than on my mission: I know that there are no coincidences! We are so grateful to have found her again - I know God's hand was in this.

Looks like you found out about the new structure of leadership in missions! Nope, there are no "Senior" Sister Training Leaders - all are one in the same. We serve like Zone Leaders in that we serve the sisters in our zone, but are like District Leaders in that there is only one Sister Training Leader (per zone). Sister Training Leaders are supposed to serve by setting an example in obedience & meeting participation, keeping track of the needs of the sisters, and training through exchanges. We have some amazing sisters in our zone and mission, and I've already been learning a lot from them! I'm excited to be able to continue to do that.

I love, love, love being a missionary. I've never felt more like I've been in such a "refiner's fire", but I know the Lord gives us those opportunities because He loves us & wants us to grow. 1 Nephi 20:10 teaches me that affliction = a chance for refining, and I love that. :) The scriptures really put things in perspective!

I love you! Hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Sister Brinton

Monday, April 8, 2013

Re: Abby's post-Gen conference letter

Dear Family,

Isn't General Conference amazing?? I don't think I'll ever get over that we get to hear from a living prophet and apostles, men who are called by and speak for God. It's a modern day miracle. (One of my favorites was this talk from the Prophet: http://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/obedience-brings-blessings?lang=eng I've never had a stronger testimony of obedience than on my mission - I know that obedience brings blessings! I love this principle of the gospel so, so much.)

We witnessed a miracle this week - one of the families we've been teaching came to Conference! The whole family! Ahhh I loved it!! :) We'd just talked with them this past week about how Christ's church had been restored, and that there is a living prophet on the earth today - then they get to experience it for themselves by listening to the prophet! It was so neat for us to get to see it happen.

I found answers to questions I had and direction I was seeking by listening to these inspired leaders this weekend. We can receive revelation today, and we are! That is so incredible! I know that what they share is from God - and I know that anyone who listens to them will draw closer to the Lord and find answers they are seeking, too.

I love you! Have a great week! :)

Love,

Sister Brinton

Monday, March 25, 2013

Dear Family,

 

I know that the Book of Mormon supports the Bible - and Sister D. is seeing it too! I love seeing her faith grow! She's an older woman we are teaching here, who was so excited to find out that Christ also visited the people in the ancient Americas, not just the people in Jerusalem - she's of American Indian descent, so it had a personal connection for her. She told us that she also loves seeing how the Book of Mormon has cross-references to the Bible - it's been another faith builder for her that the two books witness of each other. Preach My Gospel provides a cross reference that I think is a perfect example of this: Matthew 3:14-15 (Bible) talks about Christ being baptized "to fulfill all righteousness", and 2 Nephi 31:5-9 (Book of Mormon) explains what it means "to fulfill all righteousness". It is so clear to me how the Book of Mormon really is "another testament of Jesus Christ"!

 

We've been praying to be able to find families to teach, and I'm humbled to see how the Lord has been answering our prayers. The branch members here are amazing, sharing the gospel with their friends and inviting them to meet with us to learn more! We had two lessons in members homes last week with families of other faiths. It was so neat to see them finding answers to their questions - one dad said that he'd never been able to find a straight answer for the questions he had, until that night. The message of the restored gospel really does add to - and does not take away from - their beliefs.

 

I love, love, love being a missionary. It is the hardest, most rewarding and most fulfilling thing I've ever been able to do - and it is all made possible because of the Savior. He really is the center of our teachings, and the way everything in God's plan is made possible. I'm so grateful for Him and so grateful to be here. I love you - hope you all are doing well! I'm praying for you!

 

Love,

Sister Brinton

Monday, February 25, 2013

Re: Weekly mission update--prayers answered!

Dear Family,

This has been a faith-building week! Our cell phone went missing Friday, and we searched everywhere but couldn't find it. When coming home that evening, we decided to spend a little time searching for it again in our apartment - so we knelt in prayer together to ask for Heavenly Father's help in finding the phone. Right as we were closing the prayer, someone buzzed our doorbell - which almost never happens, let alone that late at night! We went to the front, and our neighbor - who we'd introduced ourselves to a couple of days ago, and who we'd waved to earlier that day when passing his home - was standing at the door, with our phone and a couple of mormon.org cards in his hands! He said that he'd found the phone on his sidewalk with the mormon.org cards next to it, and called the number on the cards to see who the phone belonged to. When he heard our voicemail he knew who we were, and brought the phone to us - what a miracle! Once again, I do not believe in coincidences - I know that Heavenly Father heard and was answering our prayers. We are going back to see this man and his wife soon. My faith has been strengthened so much from this experience!

We had an amazing first lesson with a woman we tracted into - it never ceases to amaze me how quickly you can love someone, even after just meeting them. We read with her out of the Introduction to the Book of Mormon and talked about how the Bible and Book of Mormon support one another - and that the Book of Mormon testifies that God loves and speaks to all of His children. The Spirit bore powerful witness of it, and she felt it. She said that it just "made sense" to her. I absolutely love hearing how the restored gospel "makes sense" to people - it's a testimony that it really is true, and is from God.

I love you all! Thank you for your continued support - it means so much to me. You're wonderful examples to me; keep up the great work you're doing! I'm praying for you.

Love,

Sister Brinton

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Re: Trial of Faith

Dear Family,

This was a week where we didn't really see any visible success from our efforts at first; no one seemed to answer their doors or to want to listen to our message, but we kept going - and just when things seemed like they wouldn't turn around, they did. Ether 12:6 talks about the purpose of these experiences: "...ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." If we feel discouraged about our circumstances, it's time to draw a little closer to the Lord and remember that His plan is perfect - we really can trust completely in Him; as we do so, our faith will grow. I know this to be true!

I love you all so much, and am praying for you. Hope you have a great week! :)

Love,

Sister Brinton

Monday, February 11, 2013

Dear Family,

We've been on the road a lot this week - going to Madison and Oshkosh for 2 different meetings, and Richland Center inbetween. We drove back from Oshkosh in a blizzard - our car had to get shoveled/pushed out of a drift which was a fun adventure. The man who stopped to help us was so kind, and was interested when he found out we were missionaries! I guess letting our car slide off the road is a good finding method. :)

We met P yesterday, the mother of a young woman who used to meet with the missionaries here. We weren't able to talk to P for long, but we did get to talk about how there has been truth restored to the earth - and she was interested in learning more! It amazes me how quickly we can love someone - even when we've just met them. I can't wait to keep teaching this woman; I love getting to be a part of this work.

I just found out that Sister S, a woman I helped teach in a past area, was baptized - by her husband! I can't tell you how happy this makes me!! Both she and her husband hadn't been very open to the church - he was already a member, but wasn't interested in coming back into the gospel. They started to meet with us because Sister S wanted to better understand the beliefs of her stepdaughter, who was coming to live with them and is a member of this church. She told us very firmly that she didn't agree with our beliefs, and that she would not be converted. :) Anything can happen, and the Lord makes it all possible!

I love you, hope it's a great week for you! Thank you so much for your love & prayers!

Love,

Sister Brinton