NINE GRIND 😤

Things are ramping up here! It's been another great week for Elder Lunsford and I, but how can it not be when you are in the service of the Lord. 

The Standard of Truth!

Last P-day, I was able to look at a BYU Speech by Elder Maxwell labeled "Wisdom and Order." In it, he basically talks about how we have to be decisive about what we choose to do. There are so many good things we can do with our time, but we need to choose the best. This talk really helped me to understand my own limitations. I tried to pay attention to it more and it made me more relaxed and at peace, so in turn, I was able to feel and teach by the Spirit better. 

We have been able to visit the members some more and seen so many miracles. Almost everytime we visit, we are about to say the opening prayer and the family just starts talking about a friend that they have that they would love to share the gospel with. They would then ask us how they can do it. Elder Lunsford and I just look at each other in awe. So, the work will be in good hands once I leave. We also got to speak to our ward on Sunday. As a missionary holding special authority, it is a special opportunity to testify of Christ and His plan.

Saturday Morning Ward Soccer!

Yesterday, we had a Bible study with a man named Ramon. Elder Lunsford had found him over Facebook. We thought he lived near us, but he actually lives in Downtown, so bummer. We had a great study over video call and then Ramon starting talking about how he loves the missionaries so much and how missionaries even showed him the Book of Mormon (he says this while he holds one up in front of the camera) which he has loved because it teaches him more about Christ. Elder Lunsford and I just looked at each other again in awe. 

In pondering about why so many good things are happening to us and to our area, I've often thought that it is a result of more prayer, or more obedience, or what not. These types of miracles have happened to my companion and I multiple times on my mission and I always wonder why. This week it finally hit me, with an explanation from Moroni explaining about miracles from the Book of Mormon: 

"Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after(that's all of us)." (Ether 12:16)

At the heart of it all, it has been faith. As a result of faith, more prayers have been offered, a greater sacrifice has been given, and we are more obedient because we trust the Lord. 

We've also seen an increase in our Zone. We tried extra hard to have every area find one new person to teach. We didn't make our goal, but we had a fun time bouncing finding ideas off of each other and now we have a great energy from it! It's something we've really needed here. We wanted to find nine people (for the nine areas in our zone) so we called it NINE GRIND . Elder Lunsford and I had way too much fun with it. It was just a great opportunity to increase everyone's faith that the Lord is preparing specific people to be placed in our paths. 

We had way too much fun with our In-N-Out hats.

One funny story: While Facebook finding, we talked to a man who only wanted us to help him find a wife. When we asked him about his beliefs, he simply said that it was to get married. We have had some good laughs about it.

This will be my last week here in San Diego. It's very surreal. We are also jam packed busy with District Councils, and different departure activities. It will be a goody :)

Elder Brooks

Note:

Elder Brooks will be speaking in our sacrament meeting at 12:00 pm on Sunday, August 22.  The address is 670 East 800 North in Orem.

A Lesson with President and Sister Gimenez

This past week was packed.

For starters, President and Sister Gimenez wanted to try something new instead of regular interviews this transfer. Instead, we had a Zone Council with them all in person and then they got to go with different Companionships in our Zone to lessons and different activities. And..... Elder Lunsford and I were the ones scheduling it all :)

It was a bit stressful at times, but it worked out very well. For the Zone Council, we learned lots about planning with priorities and how we need to make sure the most important things get taken care of. For us, that is based off of our key indicators (baptisms, people with a baptismal date, people attending church, and new people being taught) It has really helped Elder Lunsford and I to focus on what is most important with our time. It reminds of the Lord's advice to the Whitmers: "the thing that will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people" (D&C 15:6; 16:6)

After our big day with President and Sister Gimenez

Elder Lunsford and I also had a special opportunity. A member couple in our ward invited a neighbor family to come over and we got to visit. We had also arranged for President and Sister Gimenez to come with us. We met last Wednesday evening and met Luis and Brenda and their family. We got to visit, talk about our message, and Sister Gimenez even asked me to play a piano piece right there (this member couple had a piano in their home). We have been having struggles getting in touch with this family again, but this experience taught me a lot. Observing President and Sister Gimenenz in this situation was fascinating. You would imagine that a General Authority Seventy Mission President would be very straightforward and to business, but he was very relaxed and chatted with this family and asked questions about them. We didn't have a very formal lesson lesson, but President would share little bits and pieces of how the gospel blessed his life. Later, I realized how they used the process of Love, Share, Invite. First, they loved this family. They asked them questions, sought to really get to know where they are coming from. Then, throughout the visit, they shared about their own experiences with the gospel and even had me share part of my talents with these people. At the end, Elder Lunsford and I got to invite this family to learn more. We also connected on Social Media so that we could keep sharing. I was pretty blown away. Anyways, I loved that day so much.

We've been teaching more and more. We met a man this week who had a loss in his family and we've been able to send him some videos from the church and we are working with the members to help invite him. We had our friend, Tony, who we found on Facebook come to church with us (and we also learned he lives about a block outside our area, but we've got some plans). We just taught Tony about Joseph Smith and the Restoration and he loved learning about it. He's just the best. 

I've also had the chance to do two more Exchanges this past week. One was with our Mandarin Elders over a group here. I was with Elder Plothow, who went to Orem High! Kinda crazy how our paths crossed and how we even ended up in the same zone here. The other was with the APs. I was with Elder Lindsey. He's the greatest. Anyways, just lots of good times together.

Exchanges with Elder Plothow

Exchanges with Elder Lindsey

Last picture with Elder Day!

If you've made it this far, congrats haha! It's very interesting how many emotions go through your mind at the end of your mission. I feel sad to leave this area and to leave the people. But, I'm excited to see old friends and family at home. My mission has been an immense blessing for my life. I have learned so many things that will help me to become who God wants me to become. We've been asked about why the church sends young people instead of older and wiser people to be proselyting missionaries and I believe that part of it is to help set us on the right track for life. We can learn about God and be more aligned with him. It truly is a wonderful gift.

Elder Brooks

After some soccer with our ward!

Miracles of Missionary Work

This week was incredible. It just seems that it keeps getting better and better here in Rancho Bernardo.

Elder Lunsford and I

We had a special opportunity to fast in order to find new people to teach. It's something we did as a Zone. At first, it didn't seem to bring many miracles, but after a day or two, we all began to see miracles. For example, in our area, we ran into a Part Member Family and began to teach the brother of a less active sister of our ward. His name is Mark. We also messaged a man on Facebook named Tony, who lives in Rancho Bernardo. He was interested in learning more and we had our first video call lesson yesterday. So, just for our area, we have begun to teach two new people, which is more than all transfer so far. Elder Lunsford and I are so excited and so grateful for these miracles. In our Zone, we had a companionship have some members call them with some friends who are interested. The best part is that these miracles keep coming. It's a wonderful time to be a missionary.

This week was Zone Conference as well! This was my last one, which is sad, but I am still amazed at how much I still learn from these. At the conference, I got to see Tom (the member I lived with from my last area) and other familiar faces. It brought a lot of closure for me.

My departing testimony

Our Zone!

Here's another miracle. Because of my health problems, it was necessary for me to get some tests done at a LabCorp. I knew there was one almost a half hour away and so going back and forth for these tests seemed exhausting and time consuming. When I talked with the mission nurse, she said that there was one close to us. I looked up its location and it was directly next door to our church building, almost 5 minutes away. I was truly amazed at the gifts and miracles that were divinely given.

We got a Rav!!!!
(but he's not allowed to drive it because he's in his last transfer)

This week, I am grateful for the Book of Mormon. Whenever we go street contacting, I love to carry one. It helps me remember what we have to share with others. While teaching our new friend Tony, we shared some scriptures from it and he was interested and wanted to learn more. We got to testify how the Book of Mormon brings hope and truly testifies of Christ. We will be teaching Tony about it more this week. This past week, there have been times when I had the desire to walk out on our balcony and to show everyone the Book of Mormon and shout "it's true! It will bless your life and bring you happiness!"

Elder Brooks

"We'll Bring the World His Truth"

I want to start this week with the spiritual and end with the temporal, because of priorities. 

We got to go to the temple today again. It amazes me how much I feel myself progress from going. On the way to the temple, my companion Elder Lunsford and I were listening to our favorite tabernacle choir and the song "We'll Bring the World His Truth" came on, the October 2015 cover, sung by the stakes here in Orem. As I was reflecting on my experience there, I couldn't help but think of those I grew up with and my close friends. We were taught in our youth and here we are today sharing the gospel, doing that which is of most worth to us. I thought about how singing in that choir was just a "cool" experience for me then and how I didn't understand the magnitude of even reading my scriptures, of saying my prayers, and of going to Seminary. I believe we won't understand the real value of what we do for a long while though, because that's faith. I wanted to write about how God knew. He knew what was coming. He knew a pandemic was on the horizon. He knew was coming for my life each and every day. This is His plan and His work. I feel privileged to have gotten a glimpse of what is waiting. He saw my potential and helped me to achieve that and it fills my heart with love. It's a feeling that's really hard to describe adequately, but you've probably felt something similar in your life at least once before. Anyways, I love my Heavenly Father and the ways He has prepared me in my life.

The temple today!

Okay, now for the temporal. We did a total of three exchanges this week. It was a lot of fun. Elder Lunsford and I had a blast getting to know these Elders better and to find together. We've spent more time now talking to people and trying to invite them to learn more. It's really a happy time when we talk to someone. It's nothing too special, but it always leaves me feeling a little happier than before. We talked to this man named Reza this past week who lives in our area. He started asking all these questions about people from Utah. He went off about how they were Catholic and he just wanted to be with them and really see them. It went on for a bit before I said: "I'M FROM UTAH!" He didn't seem to understand and we talked before it finally clicked for him. He wasn't willing to give us his phone number or address, but he has our number and we pray he reaches out to us again. We discussed the question: why are there so many churches? He loved talking with us, and we loved talking with him!

Guitars in our apartment, and an exchange.

A picture from one set of exchanges!

I also did my first baptismal interview this week haha. It's always fun to have a first every now and then!

Elder Brooks

Cane's!

Notes from our video call:

They went to Raising Cane's this week for lunch because they were in Mira Mesa where it is and he thought it would be his last chance to go there.  When we told him today that there will be one in Provo he was so excited!

One of his exchanges this week was with Elder Cummings.  One of the mission secretaries had sent me a picture of Elder Cummings and said the sisters in the office thought he looked like Elder Brooks and how fun it would be if they were companions.  At least they got to do an exchange together!

Elder Cummings and Elder Brooks

The Last MLC

What a wonderful week! 

This past week started a new transfer. Last week, Elder Cullimore went home and my new companion is Elder Lunsford. We serve in the Rancho Bernardo ward here in northern San Diego.

Elder Lunsford and I doing chalk at a member's house.

Elder Lunsford has a really great heart and has the best intentions for the work, so we've been working hard, trying to find the most people we can. Our teaching pool has diminished to really our friend Martha. She lives down the street from us and our attempts to help her come to church with us and teach her amounted to one phone call with her. Right now, our biggest priority is going to be finding, especially with the members of our ward. 

Speaking of which, we had a ward party this past Saturday! Our Bishop really wanted tacos and churros, so we had free tacos and churros for everyone!! It made it really easy to invite people :) We didn't have any friends there, but the members invited many of their neighbors and we got to meet a lot of new people. It was also a great opportunity for Elder Lunsford to meet the ward as well. I've never really appreciated the idea behind ward parties until now. Talking to people is now super enjoyable, so I guess that means I'm growing up. 

Speaking of talking to people, we had some good interactions with a few people this week. I feel that finally I'm starting to get the hang of talking to people on the street after everything being "open" now. 

Yesterday, we had our MLC (Mission Leadership Council)! It was my last, which is sad, but we made some great goals and plans for the upcoming five weeks. I have always loved the group coming together and discussing problems and solutions in the mission. It is always a highlight of the transfer for me.

A favorite picture of the three kingdoms this week.

I've studied recently about the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we live the gospel and stay faithful, we can experience the blessings that our Father in Heaven experiences. It's the whole point of this life. I am so grateful for these experiences that I am having.

Elder Brooks  

Part of our district playing pickleball at a member's house!

The House of the Lord

I don't have a lot of time today (probably one of the most typical missionary things to say) but this week was magical.

Our District!

I dropped Elder Cullimore off at the airport this morning. He has finished his two years and has returned home. My new companion is Elder Lunsford from Illinois. We will be serving as Zone Leaders here in the Rancho Bernardo ward. This transfer will be my last. That means I will return home in 6 weeks. While I am sad to see it go so fast, I am grateful that I still have six more weeks.

Early this morning at 5:30 AM, Elder Cullimore and I had the opportunity to attend the temple. It was the first time I attended since October 2019 when I was in the Ghana MTC. It was magical. I have grown much since then and I have learned much about the gospel. When we were pulling up to the temple, we had some tabernacle choir playing and I almost began to cry. The temple is such a beautiful and holy place. It is the house of the Lord.

The Temple!

It was also my birthday, so thank you to all those who reached out and made it special :)

Birthday Cake!
(Gluten and Lactose Free - sent from home)

Birthday Dinner at Grub Burger Bar

I am so grateful for modern revelation and modern day prophets. This Church is really led by men of God sent to help us and protect us in times of need. 

With gratitude,

Elder Brooks

Notes from our video call:

Elder Lunsford is from Alabama and Illinois.  He has been on his mission for almost a year and was called to San Diego speaking Spanish.  This will be his first English speaking area.

Elder Brooks and Elder Phung made a patriotic video for Facebook.  It's linked here if you'd like to watch it.

Love, Share, and Invite

This week was incredible. I love the mission so much and will miss it a lot. BUT there is a lot to look forward to and progress to be made.

I loved this week because of multiple reasons:

1) The ministering of angels is real. Sometimes we can't see angels or sometimes we just don't notice them as those sent around us. I am so grateful for President Gimenez and Elder Cullimore and all the help I have gotten from the both of them and many more. 

2) Our sacrament meeting was different this past week. Our Bishop decided to do a sacrament meeting focused on music. A member would bear a testimony about a specific sing and then the congregation would sing it together. It brought a lot of good experiences to many well known hymns. I also got to sing and play "In Humility, Our Savior" a favorite of mine.

3) The Golden Spoon next to our apartment is owned by members and gives us free froyo. 

Free Froyo!

4) I am so grateful for my testimony of God and Jesus Christ. I am trying to make sure that the changes that I have felt here on my mission "stick." I hope they carry with me throughout my life. There were some rough spots this week, but my testimony and just reminding myself of that helped to carry me beyond it.

5) The latest devotional to help us (not just missionaries, but everyone) share the gospel is based around three guiding principles: love, share, and invite. Each are simple, deep, powerful, and carry a responsibility. I highly encourage you to watch that devotional. These principles have helped my missionary work when interacting with others.

This coming week will be my last with Elder Cullimore as he leaves in a week. I have loved working with him these past two transfers and I feel that I have grown with him as well.

Some sidewalk chalk we did to interact with people.
It is the question "What are you grateful for?"

I am so grateful for my mission. There is absolutely nothing else that is more important than this work. God knows it, and He is the driving force behind it. Every single effort we make helps us to help Him, because it's not our work, but it is His.

Elder Brooks

Cinnamon Rolls!