I hope everyone had an amazing week and was able to recognize at least a few of the miracles that God put in your path. :) 

Our first full week in Bothell has been AMAZING!! And when I say amazing, I don't mean that we found 10 people who are ready to be baptized, and I dont mean that we didn't struggle. But we were able to have so much fun and see miracles literally everyday. 

So, Hermana Wrubell (she is from the same ward as my Grandma Brooks in Cedar Hills, UT!!!) is completely amazing. I don't think I have ever had a companion as focused and hard working as she is. She knows her purpose like the back of her hand. And like I said last week, she is a fireball! So it is really fun to work with her. Especially this week, we were lost pretty much the ENTIRE time. We have no idea how to get around Bothell. But regardless of getting lost, being late, and smoothing over some bumps in our teaching as we learn how to teach with one another, we were able to find a deep love for our new area and for each other. She really wants to be the best missionary she can be, and she is willing to do anything to be that. So I am really excited to work with her for as long as the Lord sees fit :) 

We are really focusing on finding new investigators right now. Since the area didnt have its own missionaries for the past 6 weeks, the work really slowed down and was not progressing. So as we got on our feet as quickly as we could in a new area, we have slowly been able to find more people to teach. We are also really focusing on Christ-like attributes this transfer. I have been able to see more and more clearly throughout my mission the necessity of trying our best to be like Jesus Christ and allowing Him to help refine us. Don't get me wrong, we are who we are for a reason. We have been given divine gifts, talents, and personalities. But if we go throughout life never seeking to progress or become BETTER versions of ourselves, we lose the potential to become more than we currently are. Life is about change, and if we allow ourselves to be enslaved by the version of ourselves we think we are, not the celestial, perfected versions of ourselves God has promised we can become through His Son, Jesus Christ, we are wasting our time. We are not expected to attain perfection in this lifetime, but we sure are expected to try. Sorry, tangent over :) 

An interesting thing that happened this week was a huge storm that blew through our mission all day Saturday. My companion and were actually out walking, doing our normal missionary thing (haha we had NO IDEA what was going on) and all we could tell was that traffic was really bad and the wind was really strong. So we get in our car after trying to find a few people at home (and not much luck) and as we get into the awful traffic, we see huge branches from trees allll over the sides of the road, falling onto power lines, and pretty much everywhere in sight. Turns out that the greater Seattle area (I am not 100% sure where...) completely lost power from it! Our apartment was out of power for 24 hours, and it was definitely an adventure trying to get ready for bed and church in the morning (it was so dark and cloudy in the morning that it did not make much of a difference that it was 'morning.') Haha it was crazy! But all the while, I was able to be grateful for the peace and security that the Gospel brings. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we really have no reason to fear as long as we are obedient and strive our best to be prepared for the storms that come in life, both physically and spiritually. 

We are having so much fun in Bothell and are ready to prove to the Lord that He can trust us to do a great work wherever He puts us. I really just love being a missionary :) OH!! And update for John: the Zone leaders over his area said that he is still doing okay and progressing towards baptism!! yay!!! Pretty much I am always on the look out now for missionaries in Redmond (when we have big mission things and such) so that I can ask them about him. GAH!! Im okay :) 

Well, I just want to challenge you all to commit this week to being your best self that you can be each day. Sometimes our best today will not be our best yesterday. But that does not mean that we should stop trying. I really truly love you all so much. I am sorry if I have ever been a cause of doubt, anger, frustration, or pain. There have been many days (and still are) where I am not my best self. But I know that God loves us all so much that He will never deny us the opportunity to try again and be better. In fact, He loves us so much that He will give us any and all help that we need as long as we are willing to accept it. 

Hasta Pronto!! :) 

-La Hermana Brooks