Hellooooo my dear family!
I sit here in slight shock today for several reasons:
1. I just received in my email a copy of my travel itinerary, informing me that I am in fact going back home in a short 4 MONTHS. Remember when I got my mission call and had to wait 4 months to leave? Yeah. This will go by twice as fast. I'm freaking out a tad.
2. I mentioned to you all that transfers were last week. Well thankfully they granted my wish and kept me here in Santiago with Hna. Aguero, but it came as quite a shock when they took out the other two sisters from Santiago (without informing us beforehand) leaving the entire province to just the two of us. We are now in charge of the entire salvation of Veraguas---like Davis County. It's been quite the experience trying to figure out exactly who lives where according the sisters' area book meanwhile juggling the people we were already teaching in our area. It's making us really analyze our investigators to try to figure out if it's worth devoting so much time to a few of them whom we know may never accept the gospel. (Sounds harsh, I know.)
So that's where we are for now. I have a mere 5 weeks left here in Santiago to do as much good as I can. We have a couple of people who I know have made some great progress (including Princesa Leon--have I mentioned her before?) and we're doing our best to be "bold but not overbearing" about testifying of the truth. I think I initially spoke pretty softly about my beliefs and what I wanted for these people I'm teaching, but I don't know...something about only have 4 months left makes it feel like there's a timer beeping in my head and I've got to save as many people as I can while I have the chance ("DO YOU WANT SALVATION OR NOT? LET'S GET TO THE POINT HERE!"). It's not really that dramatic...but it definitely feels urgent.
Just a quick funny story for you: We were contacting houses last night and we met a man who was unmistakably gringo. His skin was flaming white and he had an Alaska shirt on. Trying to be conversational, I asked, "Oh, are you from Alaska?" To which he replied "no," as if it was a stupid question. I don't remember where he said he was most recently from, but I said, "That's great! I'm actually from Utah." He looked me up and down and said, "Oh, I KNOW you're from Utah...." Smiling, I continued, "So...you've spoken with missionaries before, I take it?" His reply: "Yes. And I think it only fair to tell you that I'm Christian and don't believe in the church of latter day saints." There was just so much irony in that sentence that I couldn't contain a smile. "All right! Thank you for your time, sir," was all I said and we left. As soon as we rounded the corner I just laughed. There was a time when I would've felt angry or offended by something like that, but I've learned to just enjoy moments like that and think to myself, "Someday we'll replay this conversation and you can tell me what you think."
H.A. and I have talked a lot about how our testimonies really are the only things we have that people can't claim to be mistaken. We can teach them the doctrine and they can choose to reject it, but they can't tell us that we don't feel the truth of these things in our hearts. That's why it's our most powerful tool and that's why itneeds constant sharpening.
I hope you're all enjoying the snow and know that I love you. Have a great week!
love,
Hna. Brewster
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