So I've made the decision to come home from my mission and to serve a church service mission. I've submitted information for service at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City and hopefully I'll be able to serve there and I would also like to serve at the temple. I've made this decision after much thought and prayer. I know that God doesn't want me to be here if I'm going to be sad and upset the whole time. I spoke with our area mental health coordinator and she said that she'd rather I go home and do this than stay and be miserable and become even more depressed. The decision I'm making is what's healthy for me and what will make me happy. I'm really happy with my decision and I'm really excited to do this. I will be back in Utah on Thursday! I've really appreciated my time here and I've grown a lot. I'm grateful that I had the chance to do this and I know that one day my experiences, especially my experience with coming home early, will be able to bless others. I've seen a different perspective in life and I want to keep that. I know I will continue to serve God as a part time missionary and that serving will bless my life, in whatever capacity. I've heard that a mission doesn't define you and doesn't define your life. I just want everyone to keep that in mind as I come home and try my best to fit back into life there. I'm really excited to be able to come home for the holidays and see everyone! Talking with Sister Hardgrave, the mental health adviser, was very helpful. She helped me realize that I'm not a failure and I'm not letting anyone down, I'm just doing what's good for me. Me, Heavenly Father, my mission president, and my parents are okay with this and that's all that matters. I'm going to come home with my head held high because I tried and full time service just wasn't right for me. I love you all and will see you soon :)

-Sister Brouwer

First week in the field!

This is my first p-day officially in Kentucky! We left the MTC at 4 AM last Monday (ugh). We spent Monday night in the mission home (all 21 new missionaries) and then Tuesday we had transfers and went our separate ways. I've been assigned to Versailles (pronounced Ver-sales because we're southern here) Kentucky, which is about halfway between Frankfort and Lexington. It's a really small town but it's pretty nice. We have all of Woodford and Anderson Counties, and we're in the Frankfort ward and Lexington North stake. We have a pretty big area! My trainer is Sister Munk. This is the last transfer of her mission, so after December 10th I'll have a follow up trainer here in Versailles. It's strange to think that people actually go home ;). I appreciate everyone's emails they've been really helpful as I've gone through a hard time. Adjusting to mission life is not easy at all. I was all ready to go home for a few days there. I talked with the area mental health adviser, and I talked a lot with President Brough, my mission president. He's super awesome and he came over yesterday (an hour away from the mission home!) and talked me through the issues I was having. I know a lot of people have been praying for me and fasting for me and I've never been more grateful for you guys. I feel really loved so thanks everyone! President Brough gave me a lot of good advice and told me some really inspired things that I needed to hear. I've never prayed so much in my entire life. For a while I was confused about what to pray for. But I've started praying that I'll have the strength to stay here and that's worked. I've also had three priesthood blessings and that's been really helpful. There's a family over in Lawrenceburg called the Fugals and they're really nice. Sister Fugal said she'll be my surrogate mom while I'm out here in Versailles, and that's really helpful. We had some family time at their house the other night and we sang some hymns. It was really helpful. The ward members here are really nice so that'll be really helpful. Something President Brough said has changed my whole perspective on my mission. He said that he thinks when I was in the premortal existence I was one of those really valiant spirits that fought really hard in the war in heaven, and that's why I've been saved for this time. He said that when I caught just a glimpse of the blessings Heavenly Father would give me, I decided that I would give Him eighteen months of my life. I know that if I keep going and be patient I will be greatly blessed here. Because blessings come after the trials (D&C 58:4). It's still hard and I wake up every day and still want to be home, but it'll get better as I get used to things. I've been told I need to go to Dairy Queen today and get ice cream, so anyone that wants to can join in. I want to share my new favorite scripture, which is John 16:33.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace . In the world ye shall have tribulation : but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world. 

 

It's very helpful for anyone going through a hard time, and even when you're not it's just nice. So I encourage everyone to go look that up. And thank you all so much for all your prayers and support, it's really helped and encouraged me. God bless you all (that's something we say a lot in Kentucky)!

-Sister Brouwer

This last week has been great! We've become the old missionaries in the zone this past week. I've loved meeting the new missionaries. I totally know how it is because we were them only last week! Our teaching has been going really well with our progressive investigator and she's really progressing well. We've also been leaning a lot in class. We do a LOT of role play here, which is cool because you can kind of simulate how things will really be in the field. Yesterday we had infield orientation. We learned more about working with members, finding, and how things really go in the field. It's fun to be in the MTC and hear a lot of different languages and accents. We have a lot of people try and say hi to us in Chinese or Spanish or French or something. It's crazy to think we leave in only three days. I've become really attached the MTC and the people here. It'll be hard to leave but going to the field is really exciting. Everyone here has been getting sick so it's only a matter of time before I get it as well :P. 

Our district is really great. We've totally become a family. I'll have to send pictures of all of us. We have four elders and four sisters in our district. Elder Weyland is from Highland, Elder Hustead is from Kaysville, Elder Ashcraft is from American Fork (yeah it's Chris Ashcraft from the band), Elder Frederickson is from Las Vegas, my companion Sister Jarman is from Orem, Sister Bunker is from Provo, and Sister Kempton is from Gilbert Arizona. We all like to hang out a ton. We go to the gym together, we eat all our meals together, and we're constantly in class together. We're even together right now sending emails ;). I'm really going to miss them when we leave on Monday. We're all going to the mission together but we probably won't see each other. 

I'm excited to go to Kentucky on Monday, but I'm really really going to miss the MTC. It's been a great 8 days and I've been learning a lot and meeting a lot of great people! Love you all!

-Sister Brouwer