Becoming Covenant Keepers

This week has been a great one! I've been focused more on covenants recently. I love so much how our covenants (made through baptism and at the temple among others) will lead us always back to Christ and to His loving arms. 

One Elder I live with, Elder McKean, went through the temple for the first time this week. Elder Day and I weren't able to go through with him, but we still got to drop them off at the temple and see the grounds again. There was such a peace felt there, a peace that comes from keeping those sacred covenants. As Elder McKean came back home, we could see him being so happy and full of light from that sacred experience. I am so grateful for temples in our days. 

Elders Day, Brooks, McKean, and Hendrickson

The Temple!

Elder Day and I have been loving missionary life. We've been working hard and doing our best to help these people. I always loved watching the cheesy missionary videos called The District (especially because one of the seasons was in my mission) and its such a miracle to be able to live that and see the blessings of the gospel in other people's lives. 

We live with a member here, we call him Tom. He is a saint. It was also his birthday this past week and so we took him out to dinner and had a great time. 

Carne Asada Tacos!

These emails are getting shorter I feel, but the time is going quicker. I love this work and I want you to all know that it is true and will bless your life!!!

Elder Brooks

It's all about the people!

This past week has been a BLAST.

Exchanges with Elder Hendrickson (lunch at the office)

We were able to start teaching two new people and almost a third!! We found one man on Facebook and one through a part member family. Both lessons went great and we are excited to meet again with Grant and Emilio this week. It's been amazing to see how this area has totally changed from when I got here. President Gimenez has challenged our mission to set the goal of finding one new person a week and we are starting to accomplish it! The combined power of prayer, persistence, and obedience can do a lot for the Lord's work. We are starting to see the fruits of our efforts too. One man that we found, named Matt, is supposed to get baptized this Saturday in a nearby ward!

We also learned and "sharpened the axe" as well. We had our Zone Conference on Friday and then interviews with President on Saturday that we needed to set up for. Both went so smoothly. At Zone Conference, we learned more about setting effective plans and having goals on the right focuses, for us as missionaries our key indicators, and using our time to influence those. It has helped Elder Day and I to focus on helping our area and the missionaries we serve. I always love our Zone Conferences and the opportunities to see other missionaries and be edified by the good word of God. 

Our Zone!

Our Roommates - Elder Hendrickson and Elder McKean

With two of the APs - Elder Lindsey and Elder Harrison

With Elder Turner

I can't express enough how grateful I am for my mission and the people here and this time set apart to serve and come to know the Lord. I love serving with Elder Day, he is such a diligent and obedient missionary and so caring for this work. I love my mission President and his wife, President and Sister Gimenez and their efforts and love for each of the missionaries in the mission. 

One insight I had during one of my study sessions this week was about missionary work. I had studied about promises given to Covenant Israel and I was studying and pondering about how to use time effectively as a missionary. I thought about even WHY we need to use our time effectively. It all comes back to the people. It's all about the people here and their souls. Christ even promises that He will gather in His people and bring them back to Him, the Gathering of Israel. At the end of the day, that is central to my purpose as a missionary: to invite others to come unto Christ.

Elder Brooks

Notes from our video call:

San Diego is in the Red tier now, which allows them to meet with people in person.  The ward Relief Society is holding a baby shower for Esther, who they are teaching.

It has been a year since he came home from Africa.  The three months at home after that felt so long, but the nine months in San Diego has gone so fast.

18 MONTHS

Hello everyone! Yes! It is true that it has been 18 months since I first left for Africa. I celebrated with a Ben and Jerry's! It's been totally crazy to think about how so much has happened in that year and a half. Going to Africa, coming home, and even coming to San Diego. I still really feel like I don't know lots in terms of missionary work, but I know more than when I started and I think that's what counts.

The longer I am here for, the faster time goes. This past week was no different. We've recently been focusing on our planning, especially our weekly planning. As missionaries, we plan our weeks by focusing on the needs of the people we teach and how to work best effectively to find more people to teach. Elder Day and I have done a better job at following what is said in Preach My Gospel about it and it has helped us so much with trying new things and staying energetic for the work. 

The work in our area has been going well and Elder Day and I have been finding much joy in ministering to others and helping our missionaries. In hindsight, the week has all mushed into one in my head. But I would love to share some scriptures that have been on my mind recently. I have really loved 2 Nephi 9:5. This is Jacob talking and teaching about the Plan of Salvation. In this verse, he speaks about how Christ had created all things and yet He suffered and endured all things. And then Jacob goes on to explain the significance of Christ's Atonement in the Plan of Salvation. I just think it is so amazing how He created all and yet was so humble and submissive to God to undergo all that suffering. He was obedient, not because He was forced, but because He truly loved the Father enough to do His will always. It is truly a beautiful concept.

Over these past 18 months, I have learned and experienced much in regards to God's plan. We may not understand or comprehend all things, but we are where we are for a reason. We go through specific trials to learn more and to progress, and even to help others do the same. God really does know more about what we need more than we do. "But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of HIM who knoweth all things." (2 Nephi 2:24). He really loves and cares for each one of us and we have been sent here for a reason.

Elder Brooks

"Restored"

Wow everyone! It is so good to be able to write you all again so soon it feels!

Quick sweet experience. Some other Elders in the mission met a man from Côte d'Ivoire this past week and I got to help them teach him this past Sunday. Who would've thought you would find an Ivorian in the middle of San Diego. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

This past week was the start of the transfer for us and it was a busy one (go figure). One of the biggest highlights was being able to attend MLC yesterday in person! It was such a good experience and I learned so much about how to be a better missionary in the processes we do in our planning and teaching. It was a beautiful bright day. President taught us about having objectives and working to accomplish those, rather than just doing activities in our days.

MLC (featuring Elder Doolen)

Recently, Elder Day and I watched a YA Devotional on Sunday. There was a beautiful opening number, called "Restored." The song speaks of the Restoration and the blessings we receive. I loved it so much, I got the song (it was for free on the composer's website) and Elder Day and I listened to it about 5 times in the car to MLC and back 

On Sunday, we had a great miracle. We have been teaching Santa more about the gospel. She's not quite ready to take the next step, but she is still progressing. She got up and bore her testimony on Sunday about sharing the gospel with a lady she came in contact with. It was so touching and so fulfilling to hear. Something I've been learning is the real importance of the gospel. While serving a mission, you get to see a lot of hardships. You meet many people who could be blessed by our message. Some accept it, others don't. But to those you do, you can see so much change. It's hard to explain, but you see them fill with light and their countenance changes little by little. 

Elder Day and I also have the opportunity to be in a class about dealing with depression and anxiety in the mission field. It is so insightful. I have learned so many good things about mental health. Our thoughts and our behaviors influence how we feel, so I'm trying to make my thoughts wholesome, positive, and Christ-centered. It really makes a difference in my mood about things and I love the ability and choice we have over our situations. 

After a ward service project this week at Mt. Helix.

Since transfers, we have a new Elder living with us, Elder McKean, and he is just a straight party. We have been having a lot of fun together recently. Anyways, it's been a wonderful, not easy, week! 

We have so much to be grateful for because of Jesus Christ and because of the Restoration of His gospel!

Elder Brooks

Notes from our video call:

Fun rendezvous - Today they ran into Elder Doman at Walmart while they were getting groceries.  Elder Doman (who was trained by Elder Brooks) is companions with an Elder who was trained by Elder Day.  It was a family reunion!

About half of the missionaries from his MTC group returned to Cote d'Ivoire this week to finish their missions.

The Great Granite Hills

In thinking about this past week, there isn't too many special things going on. I am still in love with this work and these people, just nothing too out of the ordinary.

When Elder Day and I aren't doing work for the zone, studying, or teaching, we love to find people! We didn't have a whole lot of success on that front this past week. We usually do Facebook finding (interacting with others in normal and natural ways and starting messaging conversations), go on walks (doing our best to talk to others), or contacting those harder to reach members. We love our members. 

This was the last week of the transfer (Elder Day and I get to stay as ZLs, while the rest of the companionships in our zones changed) and so President Gimenez gave us an invitation. The invitation was to get on our knees and each pray vocally as a companionship, taking turns, 3x a day. I loved doing it with Elder Day and it helped to keep us focused on those longer days. I love prayer too because it can make up the difference. We do our best and pray for the rest!

The Zone before transfers!

The biggest miracle from this past week was that Gusman and his family came to church in person! It was amazing to see them all there after all this time!

Gusman and his family!

This has just been a quick update from me. I'm doing well and loving the most true work on earth!

Elder Brooks

Bonus Video:

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