Week 65: Last Christmas in the mission!

  December 29, 2014

Friends & Family,

So this week was GREAT. Christmas Eve, we made tamales, some had chicken, beef, and cheese & Jalapenos. YUMMM!!! We just hung out with people in our branch, it was so fun. 

Christmas was amazing. I loved every minute of it. I loved skyping my family!!! I miss them so much and just love them SOOO MUCH!!! It's nice to say that the next time I see my family is NOT going to be over Skype... :) After skyping we just went home and RELAXED.... we watched some bible videos and took naps.. I know it sounds lame and weird BUT as missionaries we don't really get to really relax... EVER...  So it was so good!! :) 

So our Saturday didn't go as we planned.... after we studied we were eating lunch then decided to take our beds apart to make more room in our bed room.... So these are steel bed frames.. I get on and try to jump to take it apart, I got one side then my companion Hermana Nyre gets the other side, she jumps and it falls and then she lands on a sharp steal spring.... she starts yelling and screaming and crying... all I see is blood.. I ALMOST passed out... ( I am so glad my other companion was there to take care of her and help her, I wouldn't have been able to do that. haha) I went in the other room while I called my mission presidents wife. The cut is like 2 1/2 inches long and REALLY DEEP!! So we go and get her in the car as I am driving to the urgent care... the wait was 3 hours long.............. I said a quick prayer to get us in a little quicker than 3 hours.... it was only a 1 hour wait...  she got back there and got some stitches.. six stitches!! I could watch. I felt so sick after... I think I take after my dad?? (does that sounds familiar daddy?) haha, But she is doing good now, on crutches so it's hard to do missionary work. haha Soon she will be better!! :) She is a strong girl!! I just felt so bad for her.. :( Poor girl! hahaha.

So my other companion, Hermana Newman is going home today...I am very sad but happy for her. She has been such an amazing example to me! She has taught me so much in the 6 weeks we had! :) I will miss her a lot but I will see her soon!! :) I LOVE HER!! 

So transfers are next week, Next week I should have some NEWS.. :) 

Well, Thank you for those people who sent me a letter or package, it meant a lot to me. I will write you when I get the chance!! :) 

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM VIRGINIA :) 

Love and miss ya'll!!! :) 

Hermana Brugman

 

Week 64: Feliz Navidad!

 December 22, 2014

 

 

Friends & Family,

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.... I hope that ya'll have a great Christmas!! I love and miss you all!!! :)

As a mission, we all got together and had a Christmas devotional. WE WATCHED POLAR EXPRESS... I was so happy that we got to watch that.... I cried a little. haha!! So we watched that then ate lunch then had a musical program. All of the Spanish speaking sisters sang a song in Spanish, it was good :)

I am in love with Hispanic food.... I really can't wait to come home and "TRY" to make this for all ya'll..I tried "sopas" for the first time. IT WAS SO GOOD!! It's like a homemade tortilla deep fried with chicken, lettuce, tomatoes,  salsa, avocado... SO GOOD! And the other thing is called "Pasole" Its a soup and you put lime and lettuce in it!!! I want to eat this food for EVER! haha :) I am loving this branch so much and loving the culture :)

We had a Christmas party for our branch.. SO FUN!!! A lot of food, dances, singing. Santa came... That was great!! Had some piñatas. It was such a fun Christmas party! :) I love this time of the year!!! :)

In my studies the other day I learned so much. One of my new favorite scriptures is in the Bible in Luke 9:23 is reads, "And He said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow him." I love this scripture so much because we are always told to follow Jesus Christ. That does mean when we follow Him that are life will be perfect. His life was NOT perfect, He was perfect. He went through so much pain, and sufferings and much more for us. Yes we need to follow Jesus Christ, but what are we doing EVERYDAY to take up his cross and follow him? What sacrifices are we making for Him?

I love this church so much. I learn so much everyday!! I know that through Jesus Christ that we can be clean again. Only through Jesus Christ, WE can be saved. He is the way, the ONLY way!!

I hope ya'll have a good Christmas.

FELIZ NAVIDAD!! :) 

Hermana Brugman

Week 63: Blessings!

 December 15, 2014

Friends & Family,

You know we are missionaries when we eat RAW CHICKEN... and don't get sick.... 

HAHAHA.. we went to this persons house and the chicken wasn't all the way done, but they were eating it so WE HAD TO.. I was trying so hard not to gag.. But the result of this experience, God is REALLY watching over us. :) 

This area is so amazing, we have seen so many miracles this week. All of our investigators are doing amazing!! It is so much fun speaking Spanish. There is always reasons why you get transferred to some areas. There is ALWAYS something new to learn, trials, people waiting for you. I feel that I am here for this person specifically. EVERYTIME I talk to her I feel like I know her. We connected right away. She told me the other day when she was hugging me, how special I am and how much she loves me after 2 visits!!! She made me a Puerto Rican dish (MOFONGO). Just for me! I love her so much!!! I just want to go over every day and talk with her!! :) Her Spanish is beautiful, I LOVE it! :)  

So our mission was blessed with a general authority coming, Elder Snow. It was an amazing conference!! I have such a strong testimony that God has called a Prophet in our days!!! Everything always comes down to how Heavenly Father just LOVES US. He loves us so much so he gives us our families, Temples, Churches, The Book of Mormon, Prophets, EVERYTHING!! Also since it’s the Christmas Season everyone is talking about Jesus Christ. We should think about Him not just when Christmas comes, but we should be thinking about how Jesus Christ died for everyone...all of our temptation, sicknesses, sins, afflictions and ALL our trials..(Alma 7:11-13). We need to everyday think about what is one thing I can do to follow Jesus Christ today? I love this Gospel with all my heart. I have never felt so much joy in my life. This is the TRUE Gospel. I can't wait to live with my Father in Heaven again someday, with my family!!! :)

I just am so grateful for the Gospel in my life and for the spirit and love that I feel from living this Gospel. I am beyond happy! :) Thank you all for everything you do for me!! :) 

People here are really nice, random fact: We went to target the other... and some lady came up to us and said have a merry Christmas and gave us 20$. MADE OUR DAY!!

I love and miss ya'll!! :) 

Hermana Brugman

Week 62: Jaymee's First Sunday at the Spanish Branch!

  December 8, 2014

Jaymee's New Zone

 Friends & Family,

I was sick from Friday till Tuesday!!! I stayed inside all those days and was about to go CRAZY!!!!!!!!!! haha I am so glad I am feeling better!!! anyways...

I am in love with his area, You all are going to hear a lot of this I am sorry! hahaha but I am so happy. My heart is so full. We are teaching these three investigators that are amazing!! These people have so much faith!!! Their desire to come unto Christ is out the roof.

I am so blessed to have been called to speak Spanish, my Spanish is NOT perfect but I am so grateful I can have conversation and understand what they are saying, I am learning everyday!! I love Spanish so much!!! I love Virginia Beach, the members of the church here are amazing!!!

My first Sunday at the Spanish branch... IT WAS AMAZING!! It is different than English. The doctrine is ALL the same but just the environment is different. I love it! when I get home I want to go to a Spanish branch every once in awhile. haha :)  We had 1 investigator come to church, that was a miracle!! :)

So one day we were having a rough day, all of our lessons didn't work out... so we had nothing to do. So we prayed and asked where to go. We felt the impression to go to this park and talk to everyone. We found these two Hispanics. It was a miracle. They want to learn more. Long story short, it showed us how much God loves us. He always has a plan! And His plan is perfect.

On my mission I have learned that If something is supposed to happen... HE will MAKE it happen! He loves us so much... That knowledge of how we are all his children fills my heart!!! :) I love this gospel so much. I know that this church is SO true!! My testimony has grown so much.. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve the Lord. I am beyond happy. I love the Lord with all my Heart!!!!!!! :)

Hermana Brugman

Week 61: Next stop...Virginia Beach!

  December 1, 2014

Jaymee and her new companions (Hma. Nyre & Hma. Newman)

Friends & Family,

So this week was CRAZY. hahaha It didn't go as I planned.. but it's okay. haha So we went to the transfer meeting to pick up our trainee. Her name is Hermana Nyre and she is from..... (drum roll.....) UTAH!!!!!! hahaha. She is great! She loves to work so that is a plus. So we went straight to Virginia Beach and got to WORK!!! :) I love Hermana Newman so much. She makes me laugh all the time!!! SHE IS THE BEST :)

So Thanksgiving was GREAT. haha I really am in LOVE with this Spanish Branch. I feel like I learned so much Spanish already. I understand and talk more which is GREAT!!!!!! I am so happy here. Everyone is so understanding! Sooo.... you have to eat all your food on your plate. It's just what you have to do, eat everything. So we get to dinner for Thanksgiving... you think you ate a lot already... I PROBABLY ate 10x what you ate. hahaha NO JOKE............. I gained 3 lbs.... just in one night.... hahaha funny huh....  anyways...

So my companion the new one, Hermana Nyre... couldn't eat her food... hahaha so I had to eat it. What I do for my companions haha! Anyways. Thanksgiving was great! I loved it. It was a fun experience that I probably won't ever have again!!! The Branch here is really amazing though! 

Everywhere we go to teach they feed us!! ITS GREAT! :) 

I just love the people here and love speaking Spanish!!!!! It brings me so much joy!!! :) 

So Friday I started feeling sick.. I had a fever... so I just relaxed and slept all day and night.... hoping I would feel better in the morning. NOPE.. still had a fever, cough, achy. Slept ALL day. then Sunday... I STILL didn't feel good. So my mission president told me to go to urgent care... so we went and took sacrament at a different church and left to go to the urgent care.. that took 3 HOURS......  but whatever... I have the flu. Yay.... haha so I have a senior couple missionaries come and "babysit me " while my other two companions go out...

But anyways I love my new area. I am truly so happy!!! :) I love being a missionary! 

I miss and love ya'll!!! 

Hermana Brugman