June 29, 2014

Me and Sister M

 Dearest Mom,

Hey your letter is not lame! It's perfect and I am going to send a short one back because I am spending most of my P-Day [Preparation Day] today trying to finish the Book of Mormon this week!!

Oh and we got our transfer news last night!!!

Sister P**** and I are both staying!! So I'm stoked that I get to send another missionary home! (It's a little hard emotionally on the goodbye night, but overall I really like being with a missionary on their last transfer!!)

And we are getting a new ward!! That's right! Three wards! Sunday's are going to be really fun! :)

Yesterday we spoke and sang in the MP ward. Bishop asked me to share why I came on a mission and the blessings I have seen for others when others accept the gospel in their lives. I used a quote from "The Hope of God's Light" (Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk. It's great you should read it!!!) and then I focused my talk on how the gospel brings light.

And after the sacrament meeting, a young man named A*** came up to me and told me that what I said in my talk was exactly what he needed to hear. He said he felt like he was in darkness and that he felt like my talk was written just for him. And!! He's not a member!! He was visiting the ward because his friend (who just got home from his mission) was giving his return talk. It was amazing to me to get to see how I was an instrument in the Lord's hand that day

Haha, that is so sad that Emma asked all day if I had written back!! I am glad you guys discovered what happened :) I loved getting Emma's letter this week!! [We accidentally sent Emily's letter to Erica's gmail address and of course Erica did not get the letter, thus she did not write back.]

I love my siblings and my family. I really look forward to having family reunions and I hope that my kids have good relationships with their siblings.

Yum I want cheese right now.

I did a lot of service his week too!!!

Wow all of your books sound really good! I am glad you are going to be a librarian because now I can just ask you what all of the good youth books are!!

hahahah I love Jenna's story about being confused!! Haha she is so cute!

I have this really cool tool that I use when my lower back hurts (cause I have had a few incidents when it has been in killer pain, and so a kind lady in my first stake gave it to me :)). I would love for you to try it, but it's probably to big to try to take home :/

I am sorry that Emma broke Michelle's plate. Was Michelle upset? [No she was not – she was very gracious.] Did I ever tell you about the time that I broke our Bishop's (here in Mesa) beautiful glass cup.....?

I love Elder Holland too!!!! I am reading all of his general conference talks!! They are incredible!!!!!!

Here is something President Jenkins shared with us in his email that I want to share with you:

"When I entered the Language Training Mission (the precursor to the MTC) in May of 1977, I was nervous and excited to begin my mission. I had more adrenaline flowing through me than before a big game or a big race! I remember laying on the bottom bunk and staring at the bunk above me, not able to sleep because I was so pumped! One of the first things that came to my mind that night was a horrifying question: "Do I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet? Can I testify to others about him?" My testimony of him was not what it could have or should have been. I remember foolishly praying a panicked, urgent, and anxious prayer that I would somehow be granted an instant testimony of Joseph Smith. The testimony came--not that night, but over time on my mission as I fell in love with the Book of Mormon and the message of the Restoration and as I studied and came to appreciate the life and work of Joseph Smith. 

"Many years later, Sister Jenkins and I took our oldest son to Palmyra, NY so he could experience those Church historic sites before he left on his mission. I was serving as a ward mission leader at the time. As I was alone in the Sacred Grove, I wondered what I might pray about at that stage of my life that would be on the same level as Joseph Smith's first prayer. I pondered how much my testimony of Joseph Smith had changed and grown over the years since that first night in the MTC. I didn't need to pray to know if the Church was true or if it had been restored through Joseph Smith. I didn't need to pray to know if the Book of Mormon was the word of God. I knew all of that was true. The horrifying question of that day in the Sacred Grove was no longer, "Is Joseph Smith true?" It was "Have I been true to Joseph Smith?" Had I shared the message enough with others for which Joseph gave his life? Had I appreciated and studied the Book of Mormon enough? Had I been as dedicated to the gospel as Joseph was? It was a special moment in my life to spend some private, thoughtful moments in the grove that Joseph made famous and sacred."

I love the question he asked: "Have I been true to Joseph Smith?" That makes me want to devote greater diligence and faith to the work of salvation!! I love being a missionary!! I think I will serve another one in a few years :)

I love you Mom :) :) :)

Love,

Sister Brady

Me and Sister T

Dear Dad . . . 

Me and Sister H

Okay here was something like what I meant to send, but it got deleted :(

Dear Dad,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON FRIDAY!!! Another year has come! And the 4th of July
is my 13 month mark! Crazy, right??

I really love you Dad :)

I am glad you got to drink Root Beer. I just drank some Dr. Pepper. Yum.

I like that the kids would bust up laughing whenever you laughed a little bit!! I will do that to when we watch a movie together when I am home!!

I am glad you liked the video, and I don't want you to regret anything!!! You and mom really are the best earthly parents ever!!

I can't believe Seth is married now!! CRAZY!!

Tell the Hinton's I say hello!!

Did anyone else report about their missionaries? Did Sister or President Linn report on Chance? Can you believe he comes home this month??!? And Jeff too!!

I am SO EXCITED that we have sister missionaries in the ward!! I can't remember ever having sisters in the PB ward! I want to go out with them all of the time when I am home!!

Let me know how the lesson goes (if they tell you how it goes :))

What are your plans for your birthday!!?

I love you Dad!!

Love,
Sister Brady