"Sneezed on the beat and the beat got sicker"

The past few weeks our mission president has been wanting us to perform around campus and use music to attract people to church. We've been crafting a repertoire and experimenting with a lot of different upbeat Christian songs, and it's been SUCH a blast! A lot of students have come up to us to ask what we're doing and it's always a great lead-in to being missionaries for the church. For zone conference our companionship gave a training on using music to invite the Spirit into lessons. It was such a fun topic to talk about and hear success stories of when a hymn totally changed the course of a lesson. We also had a musical fireside in Bloomington that we brought our investigators to, and everyone was really touched by the music that testified of the Savior. Something that Vinh has started doing is listening to church-y music while he walks to class. Out of nowhere he just started humming "I Believe in Christ" and was like "I really like that song!". He says it puts him in a good mood and helps him focus. And he did it totally on his own- we never thought to introduce him to the hymns, so we were so excited when he did it by himself! I know God made music for a reason, and it's definitely one of the ways I feel the Spirit the most! 

Also at zone conference, our mission president's wife gave an awesome training on the Holy Ghost! Something she said really resonated with me: "We can't do the Holy Ghost's job- as missionaries we are called to teach, but we can't force people to feel a certain way. The Holy Spirit is the real teacher. We can't be crushed when people don't choose to accept the gospel. Just do your best and the Holy Ghost will do the rest of the work." It's so true! It's easy to be devastated when someone chooses not to accept the gospel, especially after they've received a witness from the Spirit that it's true. But in life all we can do is make choices for ourselves and hope that other people use their agency in righteous ways. The Holy Ghost will guide our steps and help us make correct choices that will bring us lasting peace and happiness- and that's only possible through Jesus Christ!

ALSO!!!! Victor and Vinh are receiving the Aaronic Priesthood tomorrow!!! Seeing them progress so much already in the gospel is the greatest thing to ever happen. Every time they show up early to church to help set up, or bring food to an activity, or just something small that they totally don't have to do but just WANT to, teaches me so much about service and selflessness. They're AMAZING. The YSA has the best recent converts :)

Also also, our whole district got way sick. We blame Elder Chen. But the district that has nasal congestion together, stays together.

Quotes of the week: 

"Brothers and sisters, I come up here tonight covered in tears. Admittedly they're President Forbes' tears." -Elder Rulon Stacey

Sister Gotchy: "He looks like he's still in his tens."

Timmy: "You mean teens?"

Sis Gotchy: "No."

Love, Sister Brett <3

Hard Things = Growth!!

Man, this week was kinda rough! Our mission president needed to send a pair of elders to another area, so Elders Meyer and Peterson got transferred to Wisconsin and the legendary district got ripped apart. When the APs came to pick them up at the institute, we locked all the doors and closed the blinds and tried to ignore them trying to get inside. It's basically what I imagine it was like for Joseph and Hyrum before they got martyred...we even sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" as they tried to pick the locks. It was literally the worst. But I've been reminding myself we don't come on mission to make friends, we come out to change lives- luckily we got to do both this transfer :) Other than that, this week has been awesome! I cant believe Victor and Vinh have been members for almost a whole week now! The light that radiates from them is crazy- they had the light of Christ before, but man, the Gift of the Holy Ghost really packs it on! We're going to the temple with them for the first time this week- I'm SO pumped! We also taught this super cool girl named Ashley about the Restoration, she's been reading the Book of Mormon, and she's coming to church on Sunday! She had awesome questions and said the things we talked about answered a lot of things she'd always wondered about. I love that about the  gospel- it just makes sense. We were talking to a convert the other day who's a super talented neurosurgeon, and she talked about how you can have all the science and proof in the wold to prove something, but the only thing you can really KNOW is what you feel through the Spirit. Hearing somebody so intelligent and logical talk about their conversion to the restored gospel through strong impressions and feelings was so cool! Right now we're teaching a lot of engineers and people who love science- which is great, because God is the greatest scientist there is! It's amazing seeing people have their own spiritual experiences that they can't physical see or prove to someone, but they know are real. 

This week for YSA soccer it was legit dumping rain, but we couldn't flake because we had investigators coming haha. So in the 40 degree windy downpour we were out running around hoping they would think our church was really cool...and it WORKED because we always sneakily do a Book of Mormon book club right after soccer, so all the investigators came and read from the BoM with us and the members! Everyone was soaking wet from sliding around the field, which might as well have been a pool, so we turned on the oven in the institute kitchen and huddled around it reading from the scriptures! Plus hot chocolate. It was one of those moments that you think, "This is why I came on a mission." Man, being a missionary is the best! 

There's a quote by Brigham Young I read during studies this week that really hit me. "Show me one principle that has originated by the power of the devil. You cannot do it. I call evil inverted good, or a correct principle made an evil use of." The more I thought about it, I realized that so many things in the world start out for a good purpose or with good intentions, and then slowly things go wrong and people start using it for a different reason, one that isn't so righteous. It was interesting to ponder about! 

Love, Sister Brett

Double Dunk ...#baptisms

Best day ever! Today Victor and Vinh got BAPTIZED! Everything went perfectly- Heavenly Father made sure it all worked out! Almost the entire ward came...everyone is so supportive in the YSA!!! When they both gave their testimonies at the end, there wasn't a dry eye in the house (except Vinh's...I think he was a little confused why everyone was crying haha). Sister Winters was able to come too! It was so amazing to see her. Teaching Victor and Vinh with her was AMAZING and I'm SO glad she was able to come see the fruit of her labors :) 

Everything else kind of pales in comparison to today, so I'll just blow through some highlights:

-A member bought our groceries at Walmart for us!

-It was 70 degrees one day and a snow storm the next #minnesota

-Victor taught people at the student union with us at U of M

-We had 3 exchanges- being area homesick is a real thing! 

-TOMORROW IS EASTER! 

I want you all to know that I have a testimony of the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives and leads His Church! Because of His Atonement, we can one day be resurrected and live with Him again- I KNOW these things are true! They've blessed my life so much, and today two new people are able to bear their testimony of the same thing :)

Love you all! -Sister Brett

Faith + Baseball = Baptisms

This week was CRAZY! Crazy amazing! So the way things turned out this week, we actually had 3 P-days...pretty sick. We had General Conference last Saturday so we had to make up for that day, then half of our mission went to a Twins baseball game on Thursday, and today is P-day again! But we were kinda worried we wouldn't be able to find as many people to teach because almost half our week we wouldn't really be proselyting- BUT, as Nephi says, "The tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith." We saw incredible miracles the past few days and got 3 new investigators in ONE day! We were out showing the new Easter video the church put out, and ended up sharing it with people who were searching for a faith of their own. So we have a few return appointments this upcoming week! God definitely put people in our path that we needed to meet- I'm constantly reminded that everything that happens in missionary work is through no merit of our own, but only through the Lord! We're so lucky to be instruments in His hands :)

Vinh had his baptismal interview this week! The day before we were teaching him about the law of tithing, and he opened up about how he's helping his family back in Vietnam because they're really struggling, especially since he's come to America. As he was talking about it, I was thinking it was something he was going to have concerns with and be worried about. But of course in typical Vinh fashion, he said, "Of course I'll give what I have to the Lord, because then He will bless my family. If that's what He asks, then I'll do it." The tears could NOT be stopped in that lesson. The scripture popped in my head where it says, "Nay, never had there been such faith, not amongst all the Nephites." His trust in God is unreal, especially for someone who didn't even have a relationship with him a month ago! Before his interview he told us about all the changes he'd made in his life the past several weeks. He said before he'd started meeting with missionaries he was a negative person and didn't have love for anyone- there was no purpose to his life. But now he feels filled with light and happiness; he has direction and an end goal- the Celestial Kingdom! He said he's changed his thoughts and actions and that he's not the same person he was even just a little while ago. Then he bore an awesome testimony about repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (He was much more eloquent than that, but my rushed typing skills don't really portray that very well). He's coming with us to Lamb of God tonight!

We're teaching an AWESOME guy named Bryce! His brother Nick is a super active incredible member, served a mission, just the best person! He and his dad joined the church, but his mom and brother didn't. Bryce comes to activities a lot, so last week we asked Nick to get him to have a lesson with us- and it went so great! Bryce is super open and goes to a Baptist church in town, but is looking for more guidance in his life. After we met he said, "I feel really good about this. I'm excited to meet again next week." The next day he came to YSA soccer and had a total blast, then he came to Book of Mormon book club! And tonight he's coming to Lamb of God with us!  I feel really really great about Bryce- good things are happening in the YSA! 

Something I've been pondering about the past few weeks is how to be at peace when questions go unanswered and prayers seemingly go unheard. It's so easy to have faith and believe when things are going right, but when doubts come up it's easy to forget the spiritual experiences you've had that got you to where you are in the first place. But just because something is unexplainable by us, doesn't mean it's unexplainable! The Lord's ways are WAY higher than ours. I feel like the resolution I've come to for when things go unresolved for a while is to keep an eternal perspective. When I have concerns about different things, I think about the eternal effects it has and if that question will really make any difference in my life. The conclusion I've come to is that I know following the teachings of Jesus Christ will get me a lot further in life than disregarding them and doing whatever I want. No one is truly happy that way. Being a member of the Church isn't always easy, but when I think about the alternative, there's no way I would ever put those standards aside. Time will resolve all questions, but until they do, I know safety comes from heeding the words of the Lord's chosen servants. Satan isn't called "the father of all lies" for nothing- so don't fall for his traps! Love you all so much! -Sister Brett

Quotes of the week: 

Vinh: "When I first started coming here, I thought you guys put something in the food, because I was so happy whenever I would eat dinner with you guys."

Vinh (again): "When you and Sister Winters first started talking to me, I thought, 'This isn't in the script!'".

Change is hard ... so is staying awake during all of General Conference!!

Weird transfer change- Sister Winters actually didn't come back to YSA- President decided to move her somewhere else (one of my previous areas!), so now Sister Gotchy and Sister Heath are here in the YSA! I was so devastated when I found out we wouldn't go eternal after all...I love her with all my heart, and she has been the BEST companion ever. When she came back to get her stuff from the apartment we both started crying, but I know the Lord needs her to help His children in Eden Prairie. They're lucky to have her!  

If you missed hearing a prophet's voice this week, GO BACK AND WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE! It was so amazing! The Spirit was so strong and testified to me of the truthfulness of everything that was said. We had a few investigators come which was neat! Vinh took lots of notes and asked some awesome questions afterwards. Speaking of Vinh, he thought it would be super funny to April Fools prank us by telling us he broke the Word of Wisdom- he's so Mormon already He's so excited for his baptism! Back on the topic of April Fools pranking, with a little help from the EQP Sister Gotchy, Sister Heath and I broke into the elder's apartment- we stole their piano and all their toilet paper!  We put the keyboard in the institute bathroom during conference- it was so hilarious. The TP issue they found out later that night...#christlikeservice. Later on a member took all 7 of us in his 5-seater truck to dinner...so 6 of us are squished in the remaining 4 spots, and poor Elder Chen got tricked into sitting alone in the truck bed. The member was hilariously awful and braked about a thousand times to send him flying. But he seemed to like it after screaming "WHY AMERICA???". 

This week has been kinda crazy with all the emergency transfer stuff going on, but Victor and Vinh are both preparing for their baptism on the 15th! We're trying to find new investigators every day- being in a trio makes talking to people on campus a little more awkward, but we're trying! :) Hope everyone has a great week! 

Love, Sister Brett

Quotes of the week:

Tuan: "Wherever Timmy is, peace isn't."

Us: "Did you get a chance to read over the Plan of Salvation pamphlet?"

Vinh: "Yes, but I don't remember much. Something about living with God before we lived here, then we came to earth and Adam and Eve ate the fruit and then we were all subject to sin, so God sent Jesus Christ to die for us, and then we'll die and be resurrected where our bodies and souls will never part, and then we go to either the Celestial, Terrestrial, or Telestial kingdom. But I don't know, I just skimmed it." 

Elder Chen: "Why everyone in America so loud? You laugh at everything, even if it not funny. I will not laugh if I do not like."

No Strings Attached!!

This week was crazy! #transfers Sister Winters is being swapped out with my MTC companion Sister Gotchy for a week, but she'll be back in a few days and then we'll be in a trio in the YSA! It's fun being back with Sister Gotchy after 16 months...it feels like the MTC was yesterday! We're also the STLs for not just one zone, but now two! Sister Winters and I will probably see each other like twice this transfer haha...but exchanges are a blast, so no complaints! Our district is going bowling, so I'm gonna try to bust out the highlights of the week before we go! 

Vinh is getting baptized April 15th! He's so prepared. We gave him a Plan of Salvation pamphlet to look over before we taught him about it the next lesson, and when we met with him again he could recite the whole thing! In our previous lesson he promised he would pray every day, and he told us he had a cool spiritual experience with it! Ever since he was little, he's had insomnia and hasn't been able to get an actual good sleep almost his whole life. But he said when he started praying he could fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He thought that was so neat!  (So did we!) He also said he'd been having some contention with his roommate, but he prayed to stop having negative feelings toward him, and now they get along great! Vinh is the greatest- we're so excited for him!

Also happening on the 15th...Victor's baptism! We had a bonfire for FHE, and at the end he stood up and shouted, "EVERYONE COME TO MY BAPTISM APRIL 15TH!" and proceeded to run to his car and drive home. It was kind of a big deal for him to finally start telling people it's happening. He brought his friends over to the institute and was super open with them about why he was joining the church. He's the best! Also he made us dinner- and came to our district meeting? Can I reiterate that he's the best? 

Our mission president told us we need to be utilizing our district's musical abilities more, so we've been doing jam sessions outside the institute building as people walk by! It's so much fun! Hopefully it's helping set the precedent that Mormon missionaries aren't tooooo weird...I don't know how that's working out, but we enjoy it! 

Just a little spiritual thought- yesterday we had a speaker come to Friday forum, and he said something really cool: "There are no strings attached in the gospel of Jesus Christ." It's so true! Everything we do is to become closer to Him. There aren't any loopholes. There aren't any secret motives. Literally every part of our gospel is learning to be like Him. Christ never gave anything with the thought of getting something in return. There were no strings attached in His ministry. I'm so grateful for the chance to be a missionary and to truly strive to live with "no strings attached"- to try my best to give and not care about what I'm getting out of it. Because it all goes back to our end goal- being close to the Savior. And if that's all we ever get out of life, then that was a life well spent :)

***SISTER PETERSON IS RILEY NOW. Congrats on completing your mission!!! You were an AMAZING companion and step-mom, and had a big role in who I became as a missionary (for better or for worse ;) just kidding!). Thanks for singing with us at MPF! Love you!

General conference is next week!! Aw, yeah! Come listen to a prophet of God! 

Love you all! Kicking (and screaming) off my last full transfer as a missionary! Bittersweet! -Sister Brett

By their fruits ye shall know them...

TODAY WAS THE BEST! Andrew got baptized and it was AWESOME. When we first met him, he asked Sister Winters and me to share our thoughts on Matthew 7:20, the verse "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Both of us bore testimony of the fruits of the gospel and how we've seen them in our own lives. We spent almost 3 hours with him that night at dinner with 3 of his other LDS friends (in the pic below) talking all about the fruits of the restored Church of Jesus Christ. The Spirit was really strong that night, and it was the next week he told us he was ready to be baptized! When he was bearing his testimony today right after he'd come out of the water, he quoted Matthew 7:20 :). 

MIRACLE TIME! There were a few this week! It's spring break, so we thought no one would be on campus....but we've actually met some AMAZING people the past few days! We met a super cool guy named Vinh who (because he had nothing going on because of break) came to every activity we had this past week! He came to FHE on Monday, institute dinner AND the eternal marriage institute class (that was an accident) on Tuesday, we taught him Wednesday, came to institute dinner on Thursday, came to lunch AND we taught him AND came to the St Patrick's Day party on Friday! Today is the first time we haven't seen him all week, but he's coming to church tomorrow! The major blessing is that he's Vietnamese and the elders quorum president is a Vietnamese recent convert!! He prayed for the first time and said a totally beautiful prayer- he promised to pray every night! I know as he continues to build a relationship with Heavenly Father his life will be blessed and filled with so much more peace!  We met a lot of new investigators and taught some lessons on campus, even when it looked barren! I know the Lord rewards us for our efforts. I think the best part of the week is when we were walking around on campus and this guy with a guitar came up and started serenaded us. He asked us what we thought, so I took his guitar and we sang a rebuttal! We did a dueling guitars thing and it was literally the best. 

Zone conference was this week and President Forbes told us AN APOSTLE IS COMING TO THE MISSION! Also, Laura asked us to go with her to get her Patriarchal Blessing tomorrow!!!! Also today I hit my 16 month mark?!? Also this is the 3rd surprise birthday party we've thrown for an elder this month. And our investigator Sharif brought his own birthday cupcakes to church. And Victor went to church in Rochester while he was on break! Good things are happening here. I'm just too lazy to type all of them. 

Love, Sister Brett