E-mail (Dated: 11/24/14)

Hola mis amores!

It has been an incredible first week opening this area with Hermana Mills!
We have had so many miracles! There was one day where I remember having nooo idea what was going to happen. I was a little nervous, not gonna lie. And throughout the whole day, Heavenly Father guided us and put people in our path. We started out with our first appointment, which went well, and she ended up giving us a reference-her sister! As we went to contact her sister, we ended up finding a menos activo! It was so funny the first thing she said to us was "My husband isn't baptized!" Haha made me smile! And after we talked with them, they ended up giving us another 2 refs. And when we contacted these two refs (one named Lydia), Lydia gave us another 3 references!! It was incredible! And on our way to contact these other 3 references, we found a girl named Veronica. She told us that her parents didn't want her. But her eyes filled with hope and tears as we testified that she has a Heavenly Father who loves her immensely. It was such a special experience for me.

There is also a girl named Elizabeth that we found. She used to believe in God, but now she doesnt. But she said she would like to believe that someone is looking out for her in the heavens. At the end of the lesson, her little sister (8 years old) named Areli wanted to say the prayer and I got to kneel by her and help her say her first prayer. It was one of thee most tender moments for me. We invited Elizabeth to say her own prayer later on that night, and as we passed by later during the week, she told us she prayed!! She said "I said a prayer... but i didnt kneel. But i prayed". Aw it was so so incredible! We will be teaching her again tonight!

This past weekend there was also a huge stake activity where the youth got to be missionaries for 6 hours and come out with us!! My "baby" was Hermana Romero and she was 12 years old! And also a recent convert to the church of 7 Months... inspiration i know! But afterwards the kids got to get up in front of everyone and bear their testimonies. And this cute little girl got up and started crying. Saying it was one of the most special experiences shes ever had, as we sang "I need thee every hour" to an old woman on the side of the road. She also told me she wants to serve a mission. Aww melted my heart.

We also found a woman named Yadira. She is married and has 2 kids. During the lesson, I asked her what she was willing to do to have an eternal family. She replied saying anything. Later on in the lesson, I invited her to be baptized. The spirit was so strong and she answered saying "I will be baptized if it is what I need to do to have an eternal family".

I am so grateful for the love our Heavenly Father has for us. And I feel so honored to be sharing his wonderful plan for us. I'm so grateful I can share the wonderful news that families really can be together forever. I love this gospel, and i love sharing it.

Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 5:27
"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness".
Just want to share that this gospel really is happiness! And i know it is the ONLY way to true lasting happiniess (:

Les amo!!
Con muchooo amor,
Brookie Cookie

E-mail (Dated: 11/17/14)

Big news! So president told us we will probably won’t be going back to Chilpancingo at least until after Christmas... So we will still be living with these two other sisters, but we divided the area! And what happened is me and Hermana Mills will be in charge of places in their areas that these other two girls have never gone too. So me and Hermana Mills just opened a new area wahoo! We started Saturday! We literally are started from nothing... Like the old investigators in the folder don’t even have house numbers or anything. But we are so excited to "open" this new area! The first day that we went to our area, we saw so many tender mercies from our Heavenly Father. Strangers walked with us, showing where people lived and the streets we were looking for, and people we were searching for from the carpeta found us!! It was crazy! We were on this mouse chase looking for an old investigator named Katy, and after about an hour, she found US! She was like "who are you looking for? I'm Katy!" It was insane! This will be such an amazing opportunity!

Also earlier this week, before the change, Hermana Prieto and I had a special experience. We have an investigator named Lucy. And she text-ed us one morning asking us to borrow her money so she could feed her kids. We called the Relief Society President, and later that night, 3 women came with us to visit Lucy. They had collected a mini food supply for her. It was so so heart touching. As Lucy realized it was for her, she was SO grateful. It was so amazing to see how much the ward jumped up and helped us. And not only did they bring her a food supply, but they brought a Liahona, gave her hugs, smiles, and so much support. I know it meant so much to Lucy. I felt so privileged to be apart of this special experience. I know that these 3 women will be so so blessed.

I love you all so so much! I invite all of you to go get on your knees, ask the Lord how you can serve him today, and when he puts something into your mind, Do it! (: There is nothing better than serving!

Okay so funny story of the week: Don’t judge:
So last night, after singing at a baptism, me and Mills hopped on a bus to get back to our new area. Mills was contacting in the front of the bus, and I started talking to this lady towards the back of the bus. And after while the lady said ya you should probably be getting off soon (I had told her mas o menos where I was going). And as I stood up, I looked to where mills had been sitting.. and she was no longer sitting there. I started looking for her in all the other seats, and the woman she had talked too said "Your friend got off a while ago." And i was like  "WHAT!" and she was like "Ya she got off honey" And I said "Are you serious!?" And she said "Yes." And I ran to the front of the bus and yelled "STOP THE BUS!" -You guys should know that we were literally on the freeway haha. And it was completely dark outside.- So he stops the bus and I just start sprinting up toward the direction where my companion should be. Just imagine this please- im a white girl in Mexico, springing along side of the freeway, yelling Mills! And through the headlights I see Mills sprinting toward me! Best sight of my life. It was like the movies not kidding. We literally jumped into each others arms and couldn’t stop laughing! Hahaha and the first thing she says is I literally peed my pants! Hahahahha! Poor thing, she said she got off the bus, realized I wasn’t with her and when she looked back toward the bus she saw this little blond head pop up. Hahahaha.

Well hope you guys have a great week! (: LES AMO!!
Brookie Cookie (:

E-mail (Dated: 11/10/2014)

Hola Hola! Things are great here in Palmas (Cuernavaca)! We had a huge blessing of 8 investigators come to church yesterday! Its amazing to see the Spirit work in them and to see their progression.
Me and Hermana Mills had an experience yesterday that i want to share with you. It was about 7 at night and we were looking for a woman named Lucy. I had only seen her house one time and it was in the dark, so I didn't know exactly where it was. And as I was telling my companion I wasn't sure where it was, sure enough Lucy popped out of her door and said "Hermanas can you come visit me?" She isn't doing too well, she has no support from anyone-both her brother and dad died, and has been looking for a job for a very long time. And yesterday she hadn't eaten anything because she had no money. I cried with her as she expressed her hurt. She told us she felt like Heavenly Father doesn't answer her prayers (She has been praying for a long time to find a job). But she also told us she had been praying right before we got to her house for us to come, cause she loves the feeling we bring into her home. We helped her realize that this was an answer to her prayer.. that Heavenly Father was and is aware of her situation. My companion later on promised her that if she said only prayers of gratitude every day this week, that she would find a job. And she happily agreed to the challenge.
Im so grateful for every thing my Father in Heaven has given me. As I look all around me, I cant believe how blessed I am. And I realized I need to give prayers of more gratitude to my Heavenly Father.

For the scripture of the week I want to share Doctrine and Covenants 122: 5-8:

"If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea;

 6 If thou art accused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age,shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father,why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb;

 7 And if thou shouldest be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness,and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all,if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee,know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience,and shall be for thy good.

 8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all."

I think this scripture is very clear- No matter what trial is placed in front of us, it will be for our good. Our Heavenly Father only gives us trials because he loves us. He wants us to grow and to be able to return to live with him. And every pain and heartache that we have, our brother and Savior has felt it all. He is the only one who fully understands. Let us turn to him in every moment. I know his arms are wide open to catch us when we fall. I hope and pray that we never forget that we are never ever alone.

I love you all so so very much! Have such a great week (:
Con muchooooo amor,
Brookie Cookie (:

PS: Here is my pregnancy pic from my 9 month mark. Your welcome.
And the second one is me and my comp- we had to do a skit for our multi-zone conference haha!

LES AMO!!!

Email (Dated: 11/3/2014)

Hola mis amores!! Wow can you believe I only have 9 months left today!? Time is crazy! Im so grateful for all this time that my Heavenly Father has given me to work here in Mexico. Honestly this has been the most amazing and needed time in my life. I will forever be grateful for each day Heavenly Father gives me to serve him. 

Things are great here in Cuernavaca! I have loved this time with all these sisters! We actually just got a call from our Zone leader though, and he told us that Hermana Sturt and Castenada are going to leave... they will be headed to Cuautla. :( I may or may have not started crying. Its been such an amazing 2 weeks to be with my best friend from my mission and now shes leaving. :( But I know its from Heavenly Father so I just have to try to accept it with a good attitute! Im trying to work on giving Heavenly Father my whole will. :) I know that as I do, I will see more and more miralces. And hey I got to spend 2 weeks more with her than I should of had, what a blessing (:

So this week we were actually able to work out until 9 again!! We were so excited! It was such a huge blessing. We actually found an amazing family in the last moments of the day! 

We have an investigator named Rosy, and we had such a tender experience with her this last week. As we started a second fast with her, she promised the Lord to fast every first Sunday of the month for the rest of her life. The spirit flooded the room as she put all her faith and trust in the Lord and made him that promise. I really do know that fasting has true power behind it. I know that as we show Heavenly Father our faith, he will answer us and we will see miracles. I invite all of you to go to the Lord in fasting, with a specific question. And I promise you as a missionary for our Savior Jesus Christ that he will answer it.

I am so grateful for this gospel. I love it so much. I know that it is the only way to happiness. Nothing of this world is worth our Eternal bliss. 

PS fun fact of the week: Halloween has actually been going on for 3 days now.. haha Mexicans love to party here! But its alot different! Not very many people dress up! They mostly put out offerings for their dead loved ones! 

I love you all so so much! Have such an amazing week! You are all in my prayers (: Oh and Ill send pictures next week I cant on this computer!

Con todo el amor del mundo, 

Brookie Cookie

Mwah!

Les amo!!