Bezi - Week - 10 "Russiaaa"

 July 20, 2015

All is well,

I will forever be amazing by how much can be done in a 24 hour period on a mission. And what happens in a week is insane. I feel like Nephi, saying that my journal cannot hold a hundred of the things that happen out here. 

We've still been doing loads of contacting, but honestly with the way I've been eating lately it's probably okay that we've been doing a lot of walking. The weather here has been HEAVEN lately. It's been constantly in the 20-25s (I think that's about 75 degrees F). This week while contacting we met a lot of people who gave us the magic phrase, "I'm interesting, and I want to know more." I have heard that so rarely on my mission that I literally feel overjoyed whenever I here it and it's hard not to freak people out with my excitement. 

This week early in the morning we stopped a girl who seemed to be in a hurry, her name was I. We told her who we were and she quickly asked us, "do you know where I can find a fortuneteller?" We asked her why, and she said that she wanted to know the future so that she could get revenge on her husband. They've been married 6 months and have been fighting constantly. We quickly responded that revenge will not help anything. Instead we opened up to Moroni 7 with her in the Book of Mormon and told her that charity and love is the only thing that will heal their relationship. Her heart was immediately softened. She took the Book of Mormon and came to church with us this Sunday :) She's a bit of a hooligan and took a few smoke breaks before and during church, but we'll work on that. I'm so excited to see the changes in this girl's life thanks to Christ. I love meeting people that the Lord has prepared for us! Another time she may have rejected the missionaries, but the Lord's time is so perfect, and he sent us to her in a time of need. 

Brooklyn in 2003 showing her Patriotism

This week I found a little hymn book that I bought in the MTC. I haven't sang hymns in english in foreverrrr and I miss it so much. So lately at night I've been locking myself in the bathroom for 10 minutes and just singing hymns to myself in my lovely native language. I have to admit that I almost cried when I sang, "America, America God shed his grace on thee...." (I'm pretty much asking to make myself homesick). Buuut... honestly I've never felt more at peace that I need to be on a mission at this time. I looove America, I love my homeland, but I am so grateful to be in Russia for right now. I know that as long as I am here, I am needed here. 

I love my companion so so much. I have never laughed more in my life I think. Last night we had a lesson with a less active member whose legs are too old to bring her to church. Sister Sotnikova spent half the lesson trying to convince this 75 year old woman to do online dating. She is the funniest person, and the nicest and the most selfless and most humble and patient. 

Also, sitting on the bus the other day, I turn around and see that my companion started a conversation with the largest man I have ever seen in Russia. He told her that he is a championship body builder, and then she asked for his autograph. He asked her what her name was and was probably expecting something like, "Katie" or "Lena" but she said, "Sister Sotnikova" she was laughing so hard when she thought about how absurd and nerdy that sounded later. Her next question was, "shouldn't you have body guards or something?" and in the cockiest voice he says, "за чем мне охраник" which in english would probably mean, "why would someone like me need a body guard?" ah... people. 

We are writing at the office in Samara right now and in 3 hours we will be on a train to penza to do exchanges with the sisters there :) it's a 5 hour train ride, yaaaay! So much better that marshootkas. I remember taking 5 hour bus rides in those last summer, such a nightmare. 

Love you all :) 

Sister Brooklyn Wilson 

Bezi - Week 2 - "Summer is Here!"

May 25, 2015

All is well, actually everything is really really great :) 

We pray for miracles every day. And that is something that I will probably continue to pray for after my mission in order to help me to continue exercising faith in Christ. On a mission the miracle is that we find a new investigator, and maybe when I get home my miracle will be that I found my baby's long lost binky. 

Holy cow. I LOVE Sister Sotnikova. So much. I cannot say enough good about her. She has her weaknesses as we all do but she is such a hard worker and so humble and we are able to work so hard together, and it feels so good :)  I haven't laughed so much my entire mission. Honestly I kind of feel like a goofball sometimes and feel like I need to be more reverent or something but she is just so funny I can't even help it. She has a dry, witty humor and comes up with the most ridiculous senarios. I never knew that I would be able to laugh so much and connect so much with a 28 year old Russian woman. She is really my best friend. I have been praying to have more love for her, and maybe she's been praying for the same thing, because our companionship is super strong right now and we truly do love each other :) she is from Yekatinburg and when I showed her a picture of Tanner (who served his mission in Yekaterinburg) she said that she's seen him before, interesting right? She was baptized 6 years ago.

There is not a week that goes by that I don't have reflecting moments when I feel an enormous love and reverence toward my mission. I love my mission so much. 

I don't know who on earth would ever want to marry me without me being humbled by all the experiences I have had here. And I still have sooo much further to go. Proof of that is when we tried to return our vacuum today and the woman told us that it was broken and we can't return it.... I was so frustrated in that moment for not getting my way and I was so surprised at the angry feelings that I had, I haven't felt such feelings of frustration in a long time! Then I realized that I was being completely irrational and had no patience in that moment and that Heavenly Father doesn't get outraged when he doesn't get his way (when we break commandments or what not). So pretty much I had no right to be angry... interesting learning moments. Never even thought that I'd try to return a vacuum to a store in Russia anyway. I'd really like to see my mom trying to return it to be honest ;) 

Anyway all is well and I am happy and growing and LOVING the sun. It is apparently only like 80 degrees outside but it feels like 105. But honestly I don't care how hot it is... missionary work (for me) seem so much easier and more fun when its warm out and people are also a lot warmer :) Also I think that in Russia all mosquitos are born in one day or something. Because literally the night before there were no misquitos.. the next night I was eaten alive. LITERALLY 27 mosiquito bites in one night. Hallelujah that my mom provided me with $30 worth of top brand mosquito repellant. Last night it was really interesting to walk into a more forested area and watch as a herd of mosquitos tried to eat me but wouldn't touch my skin. It's like that mosquito spray makes my skin iron. I'm super grateful for it right now :) 

Our area is doing well! We've got investigators and we've been giving out lots of Books of Mormon :) 

Love, 

Sister Wilson 

"Saratov - Week 2"

January 19, 2015

All is well!

Saratov is wonderful. Oh my goodness and the members... there is one member named S. Man, I wish you could all meet him. He makes me laugh so hard, I literally don't think there is anything better in the world that laughter. It makes everything so much better. We went over to their house the other night and they kept us waaay too long just telling us amazing stories about how they joined the church, we finally just had to pretty much literally walk out the door as he was in the middle of one of his tangents. 

My companion is Sister Busman and she is a powerhorse. She never sits down to rest, I have to remind her that she should probably actually get some food into her stomach for lunch :) She's always making calls or doing something, and it is her last cycle, so I am having to sprint to keep up with her. She loves to sing Russian hymns as we walk down the streets together (I have no idea how she memorized any of them) and her and I run up and down 10 flights of stairs for exercise in the mornings, we've been so sore lately! But it feels sooo good to finally exercise. 

This area is super busy with less active and new convert work. We are constantly running from one place to another, I am really just wondering how we are going to have any time to find some investigators to teach. 

We have really trying to get a hold of two new converts who we just baptized last year and have pretty much ever since then disappeared. One is A, the other is N. A is about 20 years old, he has freckles and has a quiet confidence about him. N is about 60 I would say and has all gold teeth, all but one real tooth on the top row. But her smile really isn't scary looking, I love her smile :) I was privileged to be at A's baptism because we happened to be on splits with the sister training leaders that weekend. I saw so much light in this young man's eyes. I could really see so much potential in him. But Satan has been working hard on him, he got a job and is now studying and it's been a difficult transition for him. This week while struggling to get lessons with members, it seems that all has fallen through. So interesting how hard you try, God makes it so that no body will answer their phones to set up lessons because he really wants you to meet someone on the street. One night when all plans fell through we decided to go to a less active and then a member, well the less active lesson fell through, so we went over to the member's house a little earlier since we had nothing to do before that. Just as we were about to walk into her apartment I noticed a boy walking on the street, his back was toward us and I couldn't see his face, and suddenly my mouth blurted out, "A!!!" The boy turned, and sure enough it was A. He ran over to us and we were able to remind him of who he is, and what is most important and that without God he cannot reach his potential. He was so happy to see us, and I know that the spirit really touched him. I know that I did not just "happen" to be at A's baptism, I wouldn't have been able to recognize him and call out to him if I hadn't have been there. 

Then N, who was also just barely baptized... her family found out that she joined the church and turned on her. She decided to move, considering all the family problems and some problems with her apartment... and we lost all contact with her. Well the other night as we were running somewhere again, late again actually... we were giving out church invitations while still trying to hurry up... one of the invitations fell into the hands of who? N. God had placed her right on our path. It turns out that she returned to the city just to grab a few things that she had forgotten, and she agreed to meet with us at least one last time this week considering that Sister Busman is leaving Russia for good in just a few weeks. We had been praying so fervently for both of these new members and Heavenly Father is taking care of them, he put not just one, but both of them on our pathes this week. If that's not a miracle, then I don't know what is.

Also... the other night on the bus I was sitting by a girl about my age, and I asked her if she has ever wondered if God really exists. She said she didn't know if he did or didn't. And I said, "you can find out! Do you want to find out?" I explained that she can know that he is there through prayer... she just looked at me a little shocked, and then looked down at the book sitting on my lap. She asked what the book was, and I put the Book of Mormon in her hands. She was just thumbing through the pages and really admiring it. Then her mother looked over and grabbed the book and put it back in my hands. I insisted that it was a gift for her daughter but the mom insisted that I take it back. Both me and the girl looked at each other with sad eyes and she turned to her mom and said, "maybe I could just read a little bit of it...?" Her mom responded with a strict no. So sad :( But I know that this girl will never forget the Book of Mormon, next time she sees it she will be ready :) 

I am doing well as an individual, I actually had a rather eye opening experience last night. My mood the entire day had been really sour, and I had been trying to suppress it the best that I could with prayer. As we were hurrying to a meeting with somebody I pulled out my phone and just began to make calls to members to simply thank them for the service that they render. It was wonderful, we thanked them for their care and concern and help and told them that we love them. It was wonderful to hear how shocked they were that we actually weren't calling for help :) It just made me feel so good, being grateful, and you know what? Doing something that small and simple changed my whole mood! Really the whole night I had the spirit with me and I just felt like a butterfly. I will have to say that I definitely benefited from the "service" than they did :)

I feel a little frantic writing this letter, we really don't have much time today so I feel like I'm all over the place. I hope everything makes sense :) 

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Sister Brooklyn Wilson 

Samara - Week Nine - "How to Study the Scriptures"

September 22, 2014

All is well,

I love Balakovo so much. Because this branch is so small, we really get to know the members rather well. There's still a language wall but they seem to love me anyway. Can I just say that I have probably turned into the most awkward person ever since I've come to Russia? It's not that hard asking questions to get to know them, but understanding what they say back is the sad part and the awkward part, because they just go on and on, and I am sitting there like, I lost the topic of this conversation 5 minutes ago... The best is when we have conversations on the street and people will be talking to me and I will catch bits and pieces, but then they'll turn to my companion and say, "she has no idea what I'm saying huh?" I'm pretty sure the big dumb smile on my face gives it away when they're talking about how their son broke their leg or how they had an awful childhood. My branch mission leader speaks English and then there is a less active in my ward that I have met ONCE but speaks perfect english, it's really nice to have an english conversation sometimes and remember that I actually know how to carry on a normal sincere conversation :)

Some interesting things for the week, we went to a less active's house that we have been HOPING to work with. We approached their door and once again heard yelling.. like the last time we came. This member's name is T. and LOVES the missionaries, but hates the members because she was offended by them. We rang the door bell twice and then the arguing stopped. Out the door comes T's daughter who hasn't been to church in FOREVER, like 10 years, but somehow remembers SO much about church and still reads the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. In the middle of our conversation T stumbles out the door and started screaming something at us, she was seriously having a fit. I've never seen an adult act like such a child. Which doesn't make sense because she loves the missionaries. Just goes to show you what alcohol does to completely sane people. Really sad. 

We are praying for and expecting miracles every day. Sometimes I would say that the thoughts that are brought to us from God through the Holy Ghost are miracles in themselves. One thought that has had a rather profound impact on my work lately is thinking that every single member that I work with here in Russia, every mother I pass on the street, and every investigator I teach will be with me in the next life. I will talk to them face to face. I want that conversation to be a good one. I don't want any, "Hey!!! Why didn't you stop me when you walked past me on the street?" Or, "why didn't you help me to better understand God's plan for me?" I want to put my whole heart into this work in every way.

"If you're gonna do something, put your whole heart into it...!"

The other day as I sat in the house of a less active, I realized that I was a little less involved in the lesson than I should have been. I really don't understand much of what she says considering all her words are becoming slurred as she is growing older and she is quite onry a lot of the time. As my companion was talking to her, I looked up on her wall and noticed a picture of her in her youth, and I realized that THAT is the person that will approach me in the next life. When I meet her I want our conversation to go a little something like this, "We didn't always understand one another, but I always understood that you loved me." People can tell really easily if you do/don't care about them. If you go about teaching people or visiting people or calling people, why do it AT ALL if you are going to do it without real intent? If you're gonna do something, put your whole heart into it, otherwise it literally does nothing for your spirit and it does nothing for the spirit of the person you're teaching.

I don't know if I have ever mentioned this before or not, but during one of the zone conferences President Bennett, one of the general authorities over our mission, asked an apostle how he studies his scriptures. He asked either Elder Bednar or Eyring, I can't remember who exactly. But he says that he reads until he feels the spirit, and then he keeps reading just a little bit more. If you are ever wondering how long you need to study your scriptures, try that :) don't do it for 30 minutes or read 5 chapters, read until you feel the spirit. That is my challenge to you.

Be good!

Love, Sister Brooklyn Wilson 

Samara - Week Six - "Enduring Joyfully"

September 1, 2014

All is well,

On Friday we had a zone conference from 8-5:00, it was great :) Really I thought that zone conferences might be a drag they're so long, but now that I'd actually out here I am so grateful for them. They just get you so pumped up for missionary work. Here in Russia there are THOUSANDS of less actives. And hundreds of them in our city alone, there was a period of time when the missionaries in this branch would baptize 1 or 2 people a week. I think that we have only had 2 or 3 baptisms in this branch total this year. In short... we are going to be doing a lot of work with less actives.

The miracles started right after Zone Conference actually, on the bus. (we all breathed a sigh of relief when we saw how big the bus was, you get so exhausted and beat up from the small, crammed buses) An Elder and I were sitting on isle seats and so so very exhausted, so exhausted it seemed a chore to even talk! But there was a boy sitting behind us who was really eager to speak English with us, so we buckled down and opened our mouths. This boy ended up being really actually quite interested in what we believe. It was the first time I've taught the first lesson at 10:30 at night... on a bus... to a muslim... and basically having an Elder as my companion for teaching. Very interesting to say the least! However the best part was that when it was time for us to all get off the bus HE was the one who said, "can we meet to talk about this a little more tomorrow? and can I bring a friend?" Yeah that was a tender mercy to say the least. I think the people who are most prepared to receive the gospel are the ones who pretty much do the missionary's job for them, they do all the asking, they do the inviting themselves. 

Also another miracle this week: we had a lesson outside with a boy named S, he is

AMAZING, absolutely has a heart of gold! Sadly in the middle of our lesson it began to pour rain and we had to run to a bus stop and we immediately parted ways, not even being able to end with a prayer. As my companion and I got on the bus, I sat next to a beautiful young mother with a sleeping baby. I noticed that she kept slightly looking over to me but felt awkward turning her whole head, so I gently slid my Book of Mormon up to the front of my lap so she could see it :) She then turned her whole body to me and started to talk to me, she is "Russian Orthodox," but she said it as if she is not really in favor with her own church/religion. She happily said that she would like to meet with us again. As she walked away I told her that it wasn't a coincidence that we met, and she agreed :) 

Something else from this week... We have been working with a less active. At first she was a really grumpy and bossy grandma, now she's gotten a lot happier since we've been teaching her :) It is so awesome to see the transformation. She is still a little bossy though. I was saying the closing prayer and in the middle of the prayer she says, "Wilson!!!" I opened my eyes and she says, "stop furrowing your eyebrows, you're going to get wrinkles like me." only she said it so sternly and seriously... I nodded my head and said sorry, and kept praying. But I couldn't pray, I was trying SO hard not to laugh, which made my brow furrow even more. Then I hear weasing and I open my eyes to see our grandma laughing so hard she could hardly breathe hahahaha, it was great. People have a habit of interrupting prayers here.

This week I have figured out what makes a mission so hard. It's not people rejecting you, it's not your companion, it's not the language, it's your attitude! Keeping up with all of these responsibilities and Christlike attitributes for so long is so very challenging. That is what is going to be hard about a mission, enduring joyfully :) I am so young, I have so much to learn. But I am so excited that I have a perfect environment to grow and become who God wants me to be, with no body else except me and Jesus Christ. That's why we're so heavily separated from our family on a mission, so we can learn to rely on our heavenly family.

I am so grateful for all the many prayers I am receiving. I love being out here, it is a privilege to be called specifically to help people remember their identity as children of a merciful Father in heaven. 

Love,

Sister Brooklyn Wilson 

Samara - Week Five - "Be True"

August 25, 2014

All is well

It is finally starting to cool down here, I am definitely grateful for that. It feels like October today honestly. I can't wait for fall in Russia! I hear that everything just turns golden :)

During district meeting this week our district leader, Elder Wall, gave some really great advice in regard to investigators and their overwhelming questions. But what I really loved about what he said was that it related to me, too. He said that there is a difference between questions and doubts.

 Questions have to do with our understanding, but doubts have to do with our faith. There will always be questions, and we can't always answer them... We just have to move on when we can't answer some questions. But doubts on the otherhand... need to be solved. Why? Well, if faith leads to action, then doubt leads to...? The opposite. Doubts keep us from acting. I have been working on casting out doubts and fears this week, because I know that nothing good ever came from worrying.

Know when I expect miracles the most? When all of our plans fall through. Because then I know that Heavenly Father has a different plan for us. And we should expect miracles from it. Whether it be to find a new investigator, or to learn an important lesson about talking to all of God's children. One miracle we saw this week was when all of our plans for the afternoon fell through, and we ended up coming home with 2 numbers from men. Why is that a miracle? It's a rule that we're not allowed to talk to men or approach them first. Which means that both of these people spoke to us first! One of them asked if we were passing out literature. We showed him the Book of Mormon and he said, "Another testament of Jesus Christ?! I have to have this!" We called this man later on during the week to see if we could meet with him and he said that he's already read halfway through the Book of Mormon... yeah we definitely are hoping to meet with him soon haha :)

On Friday this week we have another zone conference with President Bennett. I know that we are going to get a throwdown by him most likely. But that's okay :) I love a little chastisement, it brings so much motivation. We still have 100 baptisms that we need to get to this year, we've had about 50 or so, but the thought of 100... wow. My faith is not yet perfect, and we could definitely use some prayers out here in Russia to reach that goal. But we believe in a God of miracles, so I plan to see that happening here. The most comforting knowledge to me is knowing that the work is ACCELERATING, and when things accelerate they gradually speed up. So we CAN see 100 more baptisms by the end of the year. 

Yesterday I had a very spiritual experience. I would say that my most spiritual experiences happen when I am in my normal surroundings and nothing really wonderful happens but I feel something that doesn't match up with my surroundings or circumstances. I just finished telling an 18 year old girl how much I loved her tinkerbell green dress... Sometimes after the people I am sitting next to on the bus get up and leave, disinterested in my nametag and a message about their Savior, I feel a wave of approval wash over me. Not my own approval, but from my Heavenly Father. It's such a simple and soft feeling, but it pierces my heart. When we are rejected with people we can have peace, because I know that IT (the Gospel) is true. I am not running around telling lies. I know that this message is true, and if I am rejected, I should still be confident! Not because I am confident in myself, but because I am confident in this message and I know what a wonderful gift it is. And if you don't think of the gospel as a gift, I would invite you to think again :) Through the grace and mercy and LOVE of your Heavenly Father, the gospel has somehow been brought into your life. The gospel has been presented before you, and the message is true. Whether you like it or not, it's right, it's pure, it is true. The gospel will always be true, make sure that you are being true to your God who gave you this gift. 

Hugs and love,

Sister Brooklyn Wilson