Week 4

December 31, 2013
Hello!
 This week flew by.  I don't know where the hours went.  I was sick for a little bit of it, but the one day where I felt like curling in a ball and sleeping all day we had two of the Elders come give me a blessing.  Elder Keyes and Elder Scott.  They were awesome.  I am blessed to have such worthy priesthood holders around.  It was so awesome, that after the blessing closed, I felt the cloudiness of my mind go away.  I felt much better.  I still have a runny nose from it, but it was a blessing to be able to go about my day with nothing but a runny nose when that morning I felt like crap!  The gospel is true.:)
We have a baptism on Saturday!  This guy is amazing!  His name is Drake and he is only 15.  I only came in to teaching him the last little bit, but he has been ready for a long time.  The only hang up is his mom wanted to wait till the new year.  We met with him on the 21st and he said he wanted to be baptized yesterday!  It is awesome.  He just soaks up all that we tell him, grinning the whole time!
We are also  teaching Nolan.  I think I've told you about him and his mom.  They are awesome.  Nolan has trouble staying focused, but when he is paying attention he just soaks up and retains so much.  I love teaching him.  His mom is awesome, but talks a lot, so we end up being there a long time, but that is okay.  We had to push back him baptism because they have been sick and we haven't been able to get in and teach very much, but it is probably for the best.  Maybe his dad will come now that we pushed it back.  His dad is very inactive:(
Sis. Newcomer and I have changed a few things about how we work.  With having 9 wards to work in, it was hard to build member trust with the old way of doing thins, so I hope this new way works or at least points us in a way that will work.  I can not stress more on how important the members are!  In this highly populated state it is hard to find someone to teach without the help of the members.  For a while in the past I kept thinking I should be a better member missionary, but never acted upon it.  Now seeing things from this side of things I am getting a nice kick in the rear. Heavenly Father knows me better then I ever will.
 I invite everyone to pray and fast this upcoming week for a missionary opportunity.  there is always work to be done.  Less actives to invite back to the knowledge, new converts to befriend, friends and acquaintances to talk to about the wonderfulness of this gospel!
I know for a fact that Joseph Smith was called of God to bring the truth back to this earth in these the latter days!  The gospel that was on the earth while Jesus Christ was here has been restored.  We have tangible proof of that.  The Book of Mormon!  As we read the Book of Mormon we will come to know God and Jesus Christ better.  This fact alone testifies that there is no other way but that Joseph was called by God to be a prophet in this dispensation!  I love this gospel and all that it has shone me.  I have learned so much of the love God has for me and everyone on this earth in the short time I have been on my mission!  I promise, as you pray to God, read the Book of Mormon and go the church you will know too of the amazing truth this gospel holds!
I love you all!!  Smile, and be true to yourself and God.
Love Sis. Kimberly Brooksby

December 26th Letter

It was so good to see and talk to you yesterday!  I am so blessed to have an amazing family.  I know that whatever I decide to do with my life I have my whole family behind me.  This blessing is denied to many.  Before I skyped with you guys I was looking through the book you game me and I could just feel, literally feel the love that everyone had for me.  I'm not going to lie, I cried.  But it was a good cry.  Sis. Livingstone, my MTC companion, said that her family are criers.  Her mom once put it that it we her overflow.  When their hearts ere so full all the extra emotion would come spurting out their eyes.  Maybe she wore off on me?
Well this work is hard.  With being in Utah it is hard to get people to listen to us.  Most people have been in the area for a long time and have been contacted so many times that they say 'I'm not LDS and don't have an interest in being one.'  Some also add 'but you are welcome to come over anytime.'  That last part gives me hope.  Maybe through service we can soften their hearts.
The Lord is Real!  He is here guiding us!  He loves me and He loves you!  I am blessed to be here serving Him and His children.  Trials are part of life, a way to learn and grow so we can prove we are worthy to return to live with our Heavenly Father!  I love you all!
Sis. Kimberly Brooksby

Missionary Work and the Atonement

Merry Christmas!

Sis. Brooksby and Sis. Newcomer.

My companion and I at a members house.  This is their Christmas tradition.  Everyone has to take a picture with these props.  Cute family!

Me and all my presents on Christmas morning.

 

 

Skyping with Kimberly on Christmas. She looked beautiful and happy.

Week 3

December 24, 2013

"Well I am now actually in my mission!  The last few days at the MTC were crazy!  Great Sunday and devotionals!

I am now in Syracuse.  I am over the Syracuse South Stake, which has 9 wards.  It is proving to be crazy.  My Companion is Sister Newcomer.  We joke that we need to switch name tags, because I am the new comer.  She has been out for almost 9 months!  She is from Pennsylvania, so she is more used to the cold weather than I am.  We are in such a small area that we are a bike area, but in the winter we walk and/or get rides from the members.  It is interesting to try and find out where I am and which ward I am in.  Whenever I go into a house and then come out I am so lost that there has been multiple times where Sis. Newcomer has not been paying attention and we have walked the wrong way for a while, and I go willingly because I have no clue where I am.  It will come soon (hopefully).  My prep day is Tuesday.  And the best part of that is that we get to go to the temple once a month on p-day!!!  I am so excited!  We get to go to the Logan Temple on Jan 14th!  The day after my birthday!  What a great birthday present!  And the day before my birthday I get to give a talk in the South Bluff ward.

This area has been a little 'dead' so there is not very many people we are teaching, but there are a few less active families that we are trying to get back to work.  We did have a baptism for a cute girl named Paxton King.  She is 21.  Her story is awesome.  It is Sis. Newcomer's miracle.  It was a great baptismal service.  We also have two baptisms on Jan. 4th.  One is a young man who is 16.  He has been ready for a long time, but his mom won't let him get baptized until the new year.  So the 4th it is!  The other is a 9 year old boy.  His mom wants the kids to be in charge of their baptism so she waits until they turn 9 and ask to take the missionary discussions so they can know for sure that they want to be baptized.  The dad is not active and a little rude to them as they try to go to church.  But the mom is so spiritual.  She is amazing!  I met her my first day in the field and when I was hugging her goodbye she whispered something in my ear that was amazing!  I am so glad for her.  This last Sunday the family came to church!  It was so good to see them there!  We hope we can get all the discussions before Jan. 4th!

Well, tomorrow is Christmas and I get to Skype with you!  My companion and I are going over to a members house to use their computer.  I am so excited to see you!  Love you all!"

Lucy, the dog we live with.  We live in the top floor with a family.  The family is in England for a year, but the oldest daughter lives in the basement and is going to school.  So I have a dog on my mission!

Welcome to the Utah Ogden Mission

New Arrivals at the Utah Ogden Mission.

Sister Kimberly Brooksby with Pres. Maurice and Sister Charlene Hiers.

Week 2

Friday, December 13, 2013

 "So this last week has been crazy.  I have been affectionately calling it the MTC Roller Coaster.  There has been so many highs and lows just like a roller coaster.   But it has been a great ride.  I am a little sad that I will be leaving in three days, but I am also so excited!  I am leaving Tuesday morning and taking the train up to Ogden.  Sister Livingstone is so excited to go on a train, it will be her first train ride.

Class is going a lot better, we had a district inventory last Saturday night and clarified a lot of things and set goals on how we wanted to do things.  It helped a lot.  We are still really talkative, but we are super close too.  I am okay with that sacrifice. 

So a little bit about our District.  We are in Branch 1 of the MTC also know as a Zone.  We are District B of that Zone.  There are 2 Districts in our Zone and we all are close.  We always eat our meals together.

Funny story: One day we were running late to class so we all left the cafeteria at different times.  Everyone but two sisters got there on time.  We told our teacher that the two sisters where on there way, they were just dropping their dishes off.  When he heard that he turned to the Elders and said 'The Sisters were taking their own dishes?  Elders, I don't think you understand, you hold the priesthood!'  It was so funny.  Needless to say, the Elders have taken our trays ever since.  But back to my district, there are 8 of us, 4 Sisters and 4 Elders.  All but my companion and I are going to the New York, New York North Mission.  Elder Torgenson and Elder Sorrenson are companions and Elder Nielson and Elder Jessee are companions.  Sister Orme and Sister Nielson are companions and then Sister Livingstone and I are companions.  They our teachers are Bro. Derenthal and Bro. Bryan.  I like Bro. Derenthal a little better because he knows how to show me my weaknesses in a loving way so that I can work on them.

I have been learning so much.  It's sometimes overwhelming to try and implement everything into my lessons, but it's a learning process.  I am getting better.  I am learning how important missionaries are and also how important members help with that work is.  We had an in-field orientation seminar yesterday and they could not stress how important members involvement was.  So I invite everyone to talk to people, fiends, co-workers, anyone about the church.  Invite them to things and invite them to dinner at your place with the missionaries.  You never know when someone is prepared to hear and how their heart will be softened.  Mom and Dad, I am so proud of your openness to share and your experiences you shared with me. (Yes, Craig and I have been trying to do better and have more courage to open our mouths and share and invite!) Thank you for sharing them with me.  I was grinning from ear to ear when I was reading your experiences.  Thank you for sharing them with me! I love you all!  This is truly God's church restored onto this earth today.  I love the individuality that it holds and how much God loves me and each and every one of you!  Stay strong and don't be afraid to open your mouth about what you know and believe.  I promise you that someone is out there waiting for you to share this glad message!  Endure to the End and Merry Christmas!

Love with all my heart,

Sister Brooksby



  

 

Sister Livingstone and I.

Our District with our evening teacher, Brother Bryan.
From top left: Elder Jessee, Elder Nielsen, Bro. Bryan, Elder Torgenson, Elder Sorrensen.
Bottom left: Me, Sister Orme, Sister Nielsen, Sister Livingstone

Our District with our morning teacher, Bro. Derenthal.

Our whole Zone in front of the Temple.

The Sisters in my District.  Sister Livingstone and I pointing to Ogden and
Sister Neilson and Sister Orme pointing to New York.

Me with the map pointing to Ogden.

Week 1 Continued

Notes from a snail mail letter sent December 7, 2013:
"After our P-day was over we got changed back into proselyting clothes and went to dinner.  After dinner we went into additional study time with our District.  We started off with a song and Elder Torgenson (an Elder in our District) say the prayer.  It was long and so what we needed to hear.  Then we separated into companionships.  Sister Livingstone and I went off to talk about our investigator, Terry.  We talked about what he needed to hear.  It was wonderful.  At the end of study we all came back together and everyone was way pumped up.  It was amazing!
Today we were learning a lot of different things and when our time came again to teach Terry I got the impression to teach him about prayer and the love of God.  And the lesson went amazing. We even got him to pray.  I just hope that he continues to pray.  I'm excited to get to know what the Spirit wants us to teach him and what he needs to know!  This work is amazing!  I doubt myself and my abilities sometimes, but I just need to start to love the investigators and God will help me know what to study.  As in 'Ender's Game', when you know enough about your enemy to kill them, you love them.  This is an amazing work.  I challenge you to pray more sincerely and with your whole heart and I promise you that God will answer your prayers."
Love Sister Brooksby