October 19, 2015

 Sister R***, Sister S**** and Me!! We were in the MTC together and
we were at a sister training leader lunch meeting with president and
sister Jenkins! I love them! We also told sister Jenkins that we would
like to pull an extra mattress into one of the bedrooms so that one of
us doesn't have to sleep alone on our last night. (Departing
missionaries sleep at the mission home before they go home).

 On exchange with Sister V***** from the Philippines!!
She is sooo sweet!!

 Dear Mom,

This week was really busy and also wonderful. Tues, Wed, and Thurs I had exchanges!!!! There is one sister I went on exchanges with who is SO sweet and SO kind!! She made me breakfast and she just was so loving and said so many nice things. She is a very humble sister and always ready to learn. Anytime she would ask me a question and I would start to answer, she would pull out her notebook to take notes! I'm pretty sure she taught me more about being Christ-like than anything else I taught her on the exchange!

Then on Friday we had zone conference! My LAST zone conference!! So sad!!! I bore my testimony at the end of it and I started crying. I am so grateful for the Savior and the example he set and the sacrifice he made. Even after Christ died he didn't just stop or rest. He went on to teach the people in the spirit world and he still continues to help us every day. That is just like how even after I finish my mission, my mission doesn't ever really stop. I can't just rest or slow down. I need to continue serving the Lord everyday. Just as he serves me everyday!

It reminds me of the quote from Jeffrey R. Holland's talk "The First Great Commandment":

"'If ye love me, keep my commandments,' Jesus said. So we have neighbors to bless, children to protect, the poor to lift up, and the truth to defend. We have wrongs to make right, truths to share, and
good to do. In short, we have a life of devoted discipleship to give in demonstrating our love of the Lord. We can’t quit and we can’t go back."

I love that talk. I can't quit! And I can't go back to who I used to be! I need to allow my mission to have changed me forever!!!

These members have a telephone booth in their home. It actually
makes calls. They said I could use it to call home at
Christmas........[Shelly here - but she will be home!!!!!!]

Then on Saturday, B** had her baptism interview and she is scheduled to have her baptism this Saturday (oct. 24th) at 4pm. Please keep her in your prayers!!!

Sunday. I was emotional and people were mean (not to me. Well a little to me, but mostly to other people) and then I cried while conducting the music in Relief Society (we were singing "I need thee every hour" which has a very tender spot in my heart and I was already super emotional from earlier events that day.) so I cried a lot on Sunday. Also I'm just stressed about this week. Like super stressed?

Zone Conference pictures!

Sister S***** said something that made me laugh reallllyyy hard.
President asked "who is cackling back there?!" Thanks Pres....

It is crazy how fast Thanksgiving is approaching!! So crazy!! I remember last year. I hope I have a good thanksgiving this year! I have no idea where I will be! I could be here, or I could be in a
completely new area for my last transfer :/ can we have a great thanksgiving feast when I am home?

Yes, a physical would be great. And also a massage... But seriously a massage, not a chiropractor. Please. Haha. But really.

THE GROTTO??!??!? I thought PPS stopped allowing their schools to sing there???!??! Is Emma still getting to sing there???!? :D

Here are some other dates (well ideas/wishes really) to not think about:

Massage - 18th
The Nutcracker Ballet - 18th
The Pittock Mansion - 19th (I've never been at Christmas time)
A beautiful sabbath day worship - 20th #thelordsday
The Portland Zoo Christmas Lights - 21st
Downtown stuff - 22nd
Etc.

Also I want to spend time with my Grandma's and Kat and her family and other important things :)

*side note* i am really not trunky, I just want you guys to know what things I want to do when I am home. Also, I TOTALLY understand if we don't get to do any of those things and I will NOT be disappointed!!! Okay, I will be a little disappointed if we don't have a beautiful sabbath day.... ;)

So..... Is someone going to go with me to the Dentist on the 16th? Mom? Dad? Emma? Anyone? #companionplease .....

The weather in Mesa has been AMAZING!!! Yayyyy!! Two summers down!!

Scorpion!!!!!!
It could have crawled up my leg!!!
 It was as big as my palm! Haha
which isn't saying much
cause I have a baby palm I know.
But it was BIG!!

I do not like loud noises. This morning our roommate was using the blender and it was making me angry and then we went to the carwash and the vacuums were too loud and one of my companions was using a tool to dry off the car and that was also loud and it was right by my ears. Ahhhhh!!!! LOUD NOISES!!!

I am less stressed this week. Thank you for your prayers!!

I heard about Seth and Marrisa!!! Congrats!!

I AM SO HAPPY KEVIN GOT A JOB AT MICROSOFT!!! YAYYYY!!

Crazy that Cecilia is home!!

I love exercise.

I am so sorry that you lost all the info on your computer!! That makes me so sad for you :(

How was the iron rod activity different? I love RS activities!

When is Girls camp next year?? Can I help out???!! I want to do something!! Tell whoever the camp director is that I would love to help (Is it still Susan?)

I was studying Christ-like attributes this morning and at first I though "wow, I'm still very unchristlike" but then I realized that I have changed a lot from when I first came out on my mission and so even though I'm not as charitable, or as humble, or as patient as I want to be, I have still progressed a little! It's nice to know I have grown AND I can still set goals to improve! Because we can never stop growing and learning! I am so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel!

I love you Mom and Dad :)

Love,
Sister Brady

PS - I love Emily so much!!! And I am so proud she earned her YW medallion! She can be my companion over the break! (After she gets done with school haha!) or maybe I will just follow her to school hahahahahahhshaahahhahaha okay maybe not :)

What is Grandpa and Belnap doing for the musical this year??!

Coraline!
These are blueberries from the STL lunch we had.
They were HUGE!!!