Week 56: Fall

  October 27, 2014

Friends & Family,

This week went by so fast. We had a good week. Some ups and downs but such is missionary life.

Random thing I did... I MILKED A GOAT................ haha SICK. It was fun.  

Things that the ward here has been talking about a lot about being prepared. I think it is interesting that this is such a big thing right now. but it makes me think... am I prepared? Every day we need to prepare ourselves for what is to come!!

So I have gained such a strong testimony of The Book Of Mormon. It seriously is amazing. I love that we have to study for 3 hours a day. But Whenever I am having a bad day or in a bad mood, I always go to The Book of Mormon!!! As I was studying a couple days ago I came to this scripture that I LOVE so much!! It's about following the example of Jesus Christ. Its in 2 Nephi 31:9, it says, "And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straightness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them." I love this scripture. To follow Jesus Christ you need to be baptized. Jesus Christ was baptized and every day we want to try every day to be like him!!!! He has set this amazing example for all of us!! He loves us and cares for us!!! It always gets me thinking. Every day I think to myself.. what do I need to do.. to become more like Jesus Christ!!! I love this church more than anything! I know with this Gospel we can live with our FAMILIES FOREVER!!!!! :)

I love the members and people here in Gloucester. They have a "Fall Festival" every year. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! We helped and carved 8 pumpkins, It was so fun! :) So at our bishops house they have this huge party every year. It was so fun, lots of food, play house, face painting, hay rides, HUGE bomb fire. It was so much fun!!!! I love the Bishop here and his family. They are so amazing! They make me feel at home!! I am so truly blessed to be in Gloucester and to meet the people I am meeting!!! People out here in Gloucester are some of the most nicest people EVER!!!!! :)

I am so happy, I love serving the Lord. I love this church and my family so very much!!!!!! I can't wait to see ya'll in 5 months!!!!! :)

Hermana Brugman

Week 55: "Don't Eat Ghost Peppers"

  October  20, 2014

"I want a horsey! :)"

Friends & Family,

Well let's start with crazy things that happened..

1. Just in case ya'll don't know.. DONT EAT GHOST PEPPERS... let me tell you.. my lips and mouth were literally on fire for 15 minutes... I really thought I was going to pass out.. my arms were numb. hahaha IT WAS CRAZY, and all the Hispanics were laughing at me. haha. I love my Hispanics.

2. Some of ya'll might not know but there is a place in St. George called swig. (I know my parents know) but it has the BEST SUGAR COOKIES in the world. This lady in my ward made them and they tasted just like them. It made my day!!! :) (I ate a lot..... :( )

3. So all the missionaries in my mission are doing something called social media splits... on November 1, 2014. So members will come out with us all day long from 7:30am-9:30pm. Members will come out for 2 hours, than we will have another member come out with us. When they are with us they will be taking pictures and posting stuff of what we do. We are flooding the social media with good stuff. As some of you may know, there is a play called "The Book of Mormon" It is coming over here to play. So we were told to use the SAME hash tag they are using. We are trying to show the world what missionaries really do. So on November 1, 2014 if ya'll want to go on facebook, instagram, tweeter and search for #mormon or #gloucesterward there will be pictures of us doing missionary work! :)

4. I am going to come home with a whole different way of speaking English.. All I say is ya'll ... SORRY :)

We have 3 with a baptismal date!! We are excited. We are having such a fun time together and we are loving being a missionary!! :)

My prayer was answered. We have to do this thing every Saturday called walk and talk from1-4pm. It is hard. We have to talk to everyone we see!!! For ya'll that know me, it's not hard for me to talk to anyone. haha! But recently I have been more on the scared side (For some dumb reason) Just to start the conversation is always awkward. haha But Saturday morning I prayed and asked Heavenly Father to help us have one person ASK US first who we are or what does our name tag mean. So that we can start the conversation. So we get to this little antique mall strip thing, we get out of our car and start walking around.. 4 minutes go by and this older man comes up to us and says, "What does your tag say, Hermana? WHATS THAT?"  Then we just jumped into it and told him who we are and he said oh okay, do ya'll  have some literature I could have? IT WAS A MIRACLE. THIS CUTE OLD MAN MADE MY DAY!!!!  I have such a strong testimony that no matter how big or small your prayers are.. HE WILL ANSWER. I promise you all that if you pray with sincerity and real intent... HE WILL ANSWER. He loves and cares for each person.. He wants you to kneel down and pray to him!!!!

I love this gospel SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!

I love and miss ya'll .

Hermana Brugman :)

Week 54

  October 13, 2014

Family & Friends,

This week was very slow because Hermana Nord was leaving, so we were saying bye to everyone and she was packing. I love my companion Hermana camps, she is seriously the funniest person ever, we get along so well. When you have a great companion it makes the work so much more fun! :) I am very grateful for her.

So awhile back, I can't remember if I have talked about this or not but I started a grateful journal, every night...no matter if I am so tired.. I write in it!! I say one thing that I am grateful for. I LOVE IT!!! It is so amazing, because even when you feel like you had the worst day EVER and you feel like nothing went well.. you have to stop and think.. okay really what was I grateful for today.. it gets you thinking... and I never realized how blessed and loved we are from our Father in Heaven. He loves and cares for us so much he just pours blessing on us. Its amazes me every day how I can at least think of ONE thing I am grateful for.

So this week wasn't the best but it was still okay. We were both so ready for Sunday. We love Sundays so much!!!! It really is a recharge for the next week. Anyways we were thinking that no one was going to come to church because we couldn't get in contact with our investigators. So we go to church thinking no one will come. Then BANG, 4 of our Hispanics showed up. It was amazing! It was so great. We had a lesson with one after and she said she will pray to know if she should be baptized. We had and amazing lesson with her! It turned out to be a really good end to a kinda slow week!! :)

Missionary work isn't easy. People think we are perfect we are NOT.. It's frustrating and hard sometimes but that is where I have learned to fully trust and rely on my Heavenly Father! I love the relationship that I have gained with my Heavenly Father. I am so grateful. I love meeting new people every day. I love all the people who I serve with!!!

I hope ya'll have a great week!!!

LOVE YA'LL!!

Hermana Brugman

Week 53 - Transfers!

  October 6, 2014

Jaymee with Madi (Bishop's daughter)

 Family & Friends,

We got transfer calls.... Hermana Nord is leaving and me and Hermana Camps will stay here in Gloucester. I am excited yet sad. Sometimes I feel like transfers are like break-ups. hahaha! But I know that it is what Heavenly Father wants.

On Tuesday we went to see the movie "Meet the Mormons". It was a great movie!! I am so excited for all ya'll to watch it!! :)

General Conference was this past week, I LOVED it. As a missionary, it feels like I am watching the Super Bowl. We get so excited! I can't believe it is already over. A couple of my favorite talks…. D. Todd Christofferson, I love how he said, "He doesn't walk in crooked paths.... TRUST HIM... HE IS PERFECT..." Sometimes it is hard to fully trust in God. You don't know why things are happening and you are lost.. but really God is there. You are never alone. Even when you feel like you are.. you ARENT!!!!!!!!! I have experienced that on my mission.. I felt like no one felt what I felt and I felt so alone.. but after a lot of prayer... I felt Heavenly Fathers love so strong. I knew that Jesus Christ suffered and went through EVERYTHING.. for me.

Another talk was by Tad R. Callister, of course. haha I love how focused he was on parenting. I just want my parents to know that they were and are the best prime parents EVER.  All that they went through for each of their kids, and still do. I am so happy the way they parented my family. I love my family so much and I am so blessed and happy to have every single person in my family. I am happy that they are all active in this church. I love a quote he said, "Don't let your kids go out in the most dangerous battlefield without prayer." This world is crazy, it's not safe. We need communication with our Father in Heaven!!! He knows what's going to help you best!!! We all need to be better and MAKE time for our prayers and scriptures study.. because we HAVE time.. you just have to DO IT!!!! It will bless your life and help you when you need it!

I am so blessed to be on my mission, it is the BEST calling ever. I wouldn't trade it for anything! I am so happy even when times are hard! Just gotta keep being positive. :)

I miss ya'll and love ya'll!! :)

Hermana Brugman