Ayala Vido un ano ya

Hi family,
What a week! We had zone conference, interviews, district conference in my area and a whole lot of traveling back and forth to do. I feel like I was just sitting here writing to you all and I here I am again. The weeks pass quickly here and they are not dull.

One notable thing in particular, on Thursday I completed ONE YEAR in the mission! It was neat because since I live with Hna. Kennedy, she and I were able to celebrate together. She used the Robisons oven next door to make brownies and we celebrated with Hna. Ponce and Hna. Brenes, sharing with them our nuggets of grand wisdom we have acquired in a year...not really, but we did eat brownies.

It's so weird to think about everything that's happened in just 12 months. I remember everything so well that it seems like a joke when I look at my calendar and it tells me I'm 2/3 done here. On Friday we had our large zone conference and we had to travel 3 hours to get to Chorrera, my second zone. That was one of the weirdest deja'vousie experiences ever, and seeing as my second transfer wasn't the happiest event to ever occur in my life, there was a part of me that felt a little haunted as we walked down the same streets, past the old ¨Chichemito¨ stand and the chapel. It made me laugh, though, to think of how things have changed. My Spanish is so much better, I know my way around, I have many more friends in the mission and I just feel altogether more confident with everything. But that being said, I still oftentimes feel like I'm new at this just because I'm ALWAYS learning. There's always something I didn't know before, some new flaw to fix or another lesson to learn. Just when I think I've mastered one thing, I get served a slice of humble pie and realize I'm very far from that "perfect missionary" I always wanted to be and it makes me grateful for the time I've got left to learn and do all that I can to make other people's lives better here in Panama--including my own.

But I want you all to know that my testimony has grown tremendously in this last year and I absolutely love what I get to do every day. It is, as one of my companions described it, a dream job. What a comfort it is to know that we have the truth--that thanks to Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel, we don't have to worry about what we're doing or why we're here. Prophets are still alive to help us and guide us along today and we just need to listen and do what they say to be a happier, better people. Pretty simple, huh?

I love you all so very much. Thank you for your letters, your prayers and above all your love that you've shown me in this last year. I do miss you but I know we'll see each other pretty darn soon.

les quiero mucho,
Hna. Brewster