Oct. 2, 2017 ~ My heart TRUSTED in Him, and I AM HELPED (Week 12)

Hello family and friends! 

California is beautiful 

and perfect 

and I love it. ❤

 

We have transfers this week and I will be staying with the other sisters here! However, 3 of our 4 elders are leaving us, so I'm sad about that. I hope the new elders step up and eat my extra food while at dinner appointments, just like the past ones did. ;) They will definitely be missed!!  

On Tuesday, we were getting ready to go to an appointment, when we realized that we were locked IN our house. Yes, IN. Our doorknob was completely dead. Haha we had to climb out of our window to get to the appointment. However, the last sister missionary to crawl out made the mistake of closing the window behind her… so then we couldn't get back into our house after the appointment... Even though the door was unlocked and we had the keys. 

Luckily, we ate dinner with a member who had an extra doorknob laying around, and he was able to come to our house and break the old one off. 

 

But what made it difficult, was that even when the doorknob was off, the latch was still holding our door closed. Haha so he had to break many things to open our door. We eventually made it into our house and the member put on a new doorknob. It was pretty funny!

 

Twice a year, around general conference, we are encouraged to go to the temple! Hermana Patricia, who went through for the first time in August, was available to take us. It was such a special experience to be with her for her second time in the temple, and her first time experiencing it in English. She has such a strong testimony and we are super grateful for her. I love her!

Things are progressing well here!
SLOWLY BUT SURELY! 😊.
We are finding a lot of people to teach and taking every opportunity we can to share a message about Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. I am excited to see what the month of October brings! 😁 It has always been my favorite month and I have great hopes that it will stay that way throughout my mission! ❤

Thank you to everyone who has liked and shared our video on Facebook!

 

(Teresa's Note: Here is a link to a Sister Brooks' Facebook page. Be sure to "friend" her.)

https://www.facebook.com/savanna.brooks.75

Wow, It's kind of crazy how the video came to be…

A few P-Days ago, I was playing the piano in the chapel while sister Iverson was singing. (For obvious reasons. She sounds AMAZING, amirite?) I started to play the song Hallelujah, which she sang beautifully. I got super excited and ran to the family history center, where I printed off the Christmas version of the song that I had heard a few years ago. I gave her the lyrics of the renowned version, and once again, she sang it beautifully... but something was still missing. Almost in unison, we said, "We should change the words"... So we did! 

In less than 30 minutes, we changed a few of the verses to be not only about CHRIST’S BIRTH (which remained the same from the Christmas version), but also about HIS LIFE, HIS DEATH AND HIS RESURRECTION. It came together quicker than either of our abilities permitted; It truly was inspired! 

“The Lord is my strength… my heart TRUSTED in him, and I AM HELPED; therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth; and WITH MY SONG WILL I PRAISE HIM.” Psalms 28:7

We posted the song on Facebook and were instantly overwhelmed by the likes, comments, and shares; but more so by the emails, messages and comments we received. We received messages from people in Tonga, England, and of course, Utah. Strangers wrote to us, saying that they felt chills and had tears rolling down their cheeks for reasons they didn't know. One woman not of our faith said that it was the answer to her prayers, and that she was reminded that God truly is aware of her. Family members and investigators were touched. Long lost friends reached out... It truly has been a miracle! 

It's amazing how Heavenly Father prepares a way to help His children. That song had nothing to do with us. Trust me when I say that we are not skilled in the art of writing or performing… The first time I played the piano in Sacrament Meeting, I went home and cried during the last 2 hours of church because I was too embarrassed to face my ward, knowing that I had messed up one too many times. For the major duration of my teenage years, I refused to join in any choir, stand on any musical stage, or even perform in any way for my family. My companion was the same way… She said that her performing career consisted of singing in the shower and in her middle school choir. 

Once we wrote the song, our intentions were not to post it... In fact, I had originally told my President that I was hesitant to download the Facebook app... However, I am learning that when Heavenly Father has a will, He provides a way. 😊

I have been reminded over and over throughout my life that we may not understand everything Father asks of us… but what's great about that, is that we don't have to. We just have to trust in Him and His great and perfect plan.

 

My mom discovered in my teenage years that I didn't really like being told what to do. (Surprise!)

While she tried her very best to deal with my stubbornness and rebellion, sometimes I think I was just too much to handle.
And though she was always patient and loving, (Teresa’s Note: I was NOT always patient and loving, believe me!), her words often went in one ear and out the other… That woman deserves the world... As if my brother Sawyer's childhood of cracking his head open 12 times and running into things and jumping over toy cars on rollerblades wasn't enough... She had to deal with my teenage sassiness and drama. I'm sure she would testify that Sawyer’s childhood was easier to deal with. 😂😉

Somewhere along the road, she discovered that I am a Reader of Quotes. She placed them on our fridge, displayed them on our table and mirrors, and wrote them on a chalk board that she strategically placed by our front door which I had no choice but to walk past every time I entered or exited the house. (I can’t help but laugh right now as I write about her passive-aggressive genius!) (Teresa’s Note: I called this my CHALKBOARD COUNSEL…. Hee Hee.) 

My brilliant mother finally discovered how to say what I needed to hear, without having to waste her breath. 

During those years, a frequent quote read:

"I know only as much of God and the world as a creature with two eyes must… And what I do understand, I love. But what I don't understand, I trust." (Carol Lynn Pearson)

I appreciate what Elder Rasband said yesterday in General Conference, "Not all that the Lord asks of us is a result of how strong we are, how faithful we are, or what we may know… when we are striving to be worthy and qualified, we progress to places we never imagined and become part of Heavenly Father’s divine design." Sometimes, He simply has a will, and in turn provides a way. Most of the time, he qualifies the called, rather than calling the qualified. And His display of trust in us, by asking us to fulfill something, should be reciprocated by our trust in Him to help us accomplish such things. 

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thy own understanding."
Proverbs 3:5

“The Lord is my strength… my heart TRUSTED in him, and I AM HELPED; therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth; and WITH MY SONG WILL I PRAISE HIM.” Psalms 28:7

Thank you to everyone for your letters and prayers. I am so grateful for the support and love I feel from all of you. 

I love you all!!!

Love, Hermana Brooks

More pics from last week too cuz they make me happy and we had a blast!