I forget that I have a first name. Its the weirdest thing. I come on here
and you all call me Mackenzie and I am so taken back. Hermana for life.
This past week has been filled with ups and downs, but mostly ups. Let's
start with the funny news... I broke my pinky. I was playing Knockout with the
Elderes and one was throwing the ball to me and it destroyed my pinky. It's
getting better though, just slightly painful and it's a little distorted, but
hey at least I won the game. No more pinky promises for a while. I don't know if
the time is flying by for you guys like it is for me, but it seems like just
yesterday I was writing home. Last Tuesday is when we went to the temple, it's
so beautiful and we go every other week so this week we are just chillin like
villains. We're having a picnic today, all thanks to me. My district is so close
and it's going to be so hard saying goodbye to them in 4 weeks. Never a dull
moment. Mom, you said that when I said district it reminded you of hunger games,
which is hilarious because randomly there are these huge canon BOOMS around the
city and it sounds like someone has died from the hunger games. It's very
humerous. Speaking of people dying off, a girl in my district has been really
sick and is going home this week. I am so sad because she is one of my greatest
friends here. This also means that the other hermana in our district is now in
our companionship and boy let me tell you that a tricompanionship is about the
hardest thing. We get along great, except if one person has to go to the
bathroom we all have to go which is really inconvenient. But the only thing that
matters is that we teach well together, which we do. We already finished with
our first investigator and we get two new ones this week. It's weird becuase the
investigators are our teachers and we know them so well and then BAM! they play
this whole other person. I can carry on a conversation in spanish... not saying
it's good spanish, but it gets me by. Every Sunday at church the
branch president randomly picks 6 people to talk after sacrament to share theirs
so you always have to come prepared. Luckily for me though I have made it two
weeks and this week is fast and testimony meeting and the following is General
Conference. That means I made it 4 weeks. Booyah. I am so excited and grateful
that I get to be here for General Conference. The Spirit here is so crazy and I
love constantly having it around me 24/7. I could only imagine what conference
is going to be like with all of us in the gym watching it. Most likely a lot of
Elderes will be sleeping... Typical.
I am so confident with teaching the doctrine and lessons, but there is just
a barrier with the language. But I have come to learn that the language isn't
important, it's just my tool. When I focus on the language too much I tend to
not have the Spirit with me as much and it makes it harder, but when I focus on
the Spirit and my investigators then the Gift of Tongues is in full throttle. I
was teaching our first investigator, Luis, the third lesson and I remember going
into the lesson feeling sooooo discouraged, but I go to bare my testimony on how
much the Savior loves him and such and here I am bawling my eyes (typical) and
he was crying too. It was such a blessing and sweet reminder that I am loved
infinitely by my Heavenly Father and that I can do this.
I just finished reading "Our Search for Happiness" by M. Russell Ballard
and it was WONDERFUL. I encourage you all, members or not members, to read
it. It's definitely different reading things scriptures, talks, etc. while being
a missionary. It's as if I have a new set of eyes. I am loving every experience
I have had here, whether good or bad, happy or sad, broken pinky and not broken
pinky.
We found a cute little snail, Sherman, hanging out in front of our
house one morning and being the freak that I am decided to play with it for
awhile. Me and my companera took it everywhere with us and sang "Whole New
World" from Aladdin and you bet that snail was having the time of his life
being taken to new places.
I am getting massive bugbites, but it's nothing like that one time after we
went hiking. My hair is growing super fast so you could say that I am loving
this moist place... SO DANG MUCH. I am going to be so sad to leave, but am so
excited to start my work in Florida.
RANDOM FACTS: so this week I learned 2 pretty life changing things. First,
how to fold fitted sheets during our service for the week. I folded about 50.
Beckie I should have learned long ago, but don't worry I have it down now.
Second, a hermana in my casa knows how to thread eyebrows, so I can now thread
just about anything. Random, but awesome.
My address here is:
Hermana Mackenzie Marie Brooks
Col. Zona Escolar, Deleg. G.A. Madero
C.P. 07230, Mexico
D.F., Mexico
District 12C
Write me. It takes about 2 weeks. Be a champ and buy some stamps! It takes
like 2 or 3. I love you all.
So grateful for this opportunity and the love I get every week. 31 emails
making all the other hermanas jealous :) Getting mail as a missionary
is the greatest feeling ever. I love reading all of your guys updates and what's
going on in the real world, which I do not miss. In fact, I love reading emails
more than I like writing them. Hope you all have a great week and look for the
joy in all things. It's there, I promise!
Xoxo,
A very happy Hermana
Hermana Brooks
Pictures coming your way. MUAH!!!!
and you all call me Mackenzie and I am so taken back. Hermana for life.
This past week has been filled with ups and downs, but mostly ups. Let's
start with the funny news... I broke my pinky. I was playing Knockout with the
Elderes and one was throwing the ball to me and it destroyed my pinky. It's
getting better though, just slightly painful and it's a little distorted, but
hey at least I won the game. No more pinky promises for a while. I don't know if
the time is flying by for you guys like it is for me, but it seems like just
yesterday I was writing home. Last Tuesday is when we went to the temple, it's
so beautiful and we go every other week so this week we are just chillin like
villains. We're having a picnic today, all thanks to me. My district is so close
and it's going to be so hard saying goodbye to them in 4 weeks. Never a dull
moment. Mom, you said that when I said district it reminded you of hunger games,
which is hilarious because randomly there are these huge canon BOOMS around the
city and it sounds like someone has died from the hunger games. It's very
humerous. Speaking of people dying off, a girl in my district has been really
sick and is going home this week. I am so sad because she is one of my greatest
friends here. This also means that the other hermana in our district is now in
our companionship and boy let me tell you that a tricompanionship is about the
hardest thing. We get along great, except if one person has to go to the
bathroom we all have to go which is really inconvenient. But the only thing that
matters is that we teach well together, which we do. We already finished with
our first investigator and we get two new ones this week. It's weird becuase the
investigators are our teachers and we know them so well and then BAM! they play
this whole other person. I can carry on a conversation in spanish... not saying
it's good spanish, but it gets me by. Every Sunday at church the
branch president randomly picks 6 people to talk after sacrament to share theirs
so you always have to come prepared. Luckily for me though I have made it two
weeks and this week is fast and testimony meeting and the following is General
Conference. That means I made it 4 weeks. Booyah. I am so excited and grateful
that I get to be here for General Conference. The Spirit here is so crazy and I
love constantly having it around me 24/7. I could only imagine what conference
is going to be like with all of us in the gym watching it. Most likely a lot of
Elderes will be sleeping... Typical.
I am so confident with teaching the doctrine and lessons, but there is just
a barrier with the language. But I have come to learn that the language isn't
important, it's just my tool. When I focus on the language too much I tend to
not have the Spirit with me as much and it makes it harder, but when I focus on
the Spirit and my investigators then the Gift of Tongues is in full throttle. I
was teaching our first investigator, Luis, the third lesson and I remember going
into the lesson feeling sooooo discouraged, but I go to bare my testimony on how
much the Savior loves him and such and here I am bawling my eyes (typical) and
he was crying too. It was such a blessing and sweet reminder that I am loved
infinitely by my Heavenly Father and that I can do this.
I just finished reading "Our Search for Happiness" by M. Russell Ballard
and it was WONDERFUL. I encourage you all, members or not members, to read
it. It's definitely different reading things scriptures, talks, etc. while being
a missionary. It's as if I have a new set of eyes. I am loving every experience
I have had here, whether good or bad, happy or sad, broken pinky and not broken
pinky.
We found a cute little snail, Sherman, hanging out in front of our
house one morning and being the freak that I am decided to play with it for
awhile. Me and my companera took it everywhere with us and sang "Whole New
World" from Aladdin and you bet that snail was having the time of his life
being taken to new places.
I am getting massive bugbites, but it's nothing like that one time after we
went hiking. My hair is growing super fast so you could say that I am loving
this moist place... SO DANG MUCH. I am going to be so sad to leave, but am so
excited to start my work in Florida.
RANDOM FACTS: so this week I learned 2 pretty life changing things. First,
how to fold fitted sheets during our service for the week. I folded about 50.
Beckie I should have learned long ago, but don't worry I have it down now.
Second, a hermana in my casa knows how to thread eyebrows, so I can now thread
just about anything. Random, but awesome.
My address here is:
Hermana Mackenzie Marie Brooks
Col. Zona Escolar, Deleg. G.A. Madero
C.P. 07230, Mexico
D.F., Mexico
District 12C
Write me. It takes about 2 weeks. Be a champ and buy some stamps! It takes
like 2 or 3. I love you all.
So grateful for this opportunity and the love I get every week. 31 emails
making all the other hermanas jealous :) Getting mail as a missionary
is the greatest feeling ever. I love reading all of your guys updates and what's
going on in the real world, which I do not miss. In fact, I love reading emails
more than I like writing them. Hope you all have a great week and look for the
joy in all things. It's there, I promise!
Xoxo,
A very happy Hermana
Hermana Brooks
Pictures coming your way. MUAH!!!!