I don't have a good heading for this week, but it was definitely an interesting one full of ups and downs!! And I only have two weeks left in Mexico City!! Whaattt??!!! Basically that seems crazy to me, I dont know about all of ya'll back home, but two weeks is nothing. Its going to go by sooo fast, and I am so excited to go to Seattle, but also dreading saying goodbye to all of the amazing people that I have met here! Its a struggle. And after this week me and my companion will be the oldest sisters in our branch!! Its just soo crazy to think that time has gone by so fast. 

But I did have some really neat experiences this week!! 

First thing, was that I met a woman whose dad was baptized by my own Grandpa Briones when he was on his mission!! She works in the CCM now, and came and found me in my classroom just to meet me. It was such a neat experience that really touched my heart. She just kept saying home much missionary work means to her, and how much it has blessed her family. She told me to remember that I never bring just one person unto Christ through baptism, but that it will affect many people for generations to come. And now I get to see her all of the time and even do service with her on Mondays!! Yesterday we cleaned the gym with her, and it was so fun. She tells everyone who I am and she's taken like 4 pictures with me every other time she sees me. Its just so sweet and really puts into perspective how important missionary work it. It really is such a blessing to have the chance to meet her and share our testimonies together. I am also so very grateful for my Grandpa and the service that he gave. It really is so special to me that I get to share in that a little bit with my time here in Mexico. 

My companion and I also made lots of new friends this week!! The more our Spanish improves, the more we are able to expand our circles, and it is such a blessing!! The native people here are just amazing and so so so very friendly. Really, learning Spanish is just the greatest thing. And we have so much fun doing it!! Really, we just have fun all the time. 

Also, this week, I have learned that the gift of tongues is real. My companion and I have both been soo blessed with learning the language. We still have a long ways to go, but the more we practice and have faith in ourselves and God, the more we are blessed with the language! It really is just the coolest thing to give different lessons of the gospel in Spanish everyday and also feel the Spirit despite the language barrier. 

One lesson that I really learned this week was of testimony and conversion. We had soo many devotionals and classes about it this week, and it really strengthened my testimony and helped me get through the harder parts of the week. What we learned is that there is a difference between having a testimony and being converted. Having a testimony means having knowledge. That is basically it. But you can know that something is true or real without every doing anything about it. Conversion is when you use that knowledge that you have gained and use it to change you. Conversion is change. And it is only through actively trying to become better, serving others, and follow the example of Christ, that we are actually converted. Conversion is a life-long pursuit, but it is only through conversion that we can actually become better. Its going to be hard, and it is going to be even harder to help others do this as well, but now more than ever it is important that we are truly converted in order to stay strong. 

I love you all so much!!! I hope everything is going well! Know that I miss you all and pray for your successes. Thank you for all of your amazing examples that you give, they have blessed me more than you will ever know. All of my love from Mexico!!

Love,

Hermana Brooks