Fellowship of the unashamed

Rowlett Hermanas on exchanges

My sweet Hermana Brightman amazes me each week with how much she is increasing in her testimony of the Lord! She has always been strong and it is amazing to see her growing stronger in the gospel daily. 

 I’ve been thinking about the account of Martha and Mary in New Testament. In Luke 10:38-42, these very short verses seem to speak volumes. There are times I find myself “cumbered about in much serving”, and I think there is a time for that, but Christ tells Martha that as Mary sat as his feet and listened to all that he taught, which was very uncharacteristic of women in that era, she had “chosen the good part”.  I love the time I am able to devote to learning more about our Savior, and my role as a woman in these latter-days. If you have not yet read the Ensign I encourage you to read The Spiritual Influence of Women. I watch my sweet Hermana Lauren choosing  ‘the good part’ and strengthening those around her. It makes my heart so full of pure joy!

I was able to meet up with the missionary momma of sweet Hermana Brightman’s trainer, Hermana Pollock!! It was so amazing! We find joy and strength in other missionary mommas!

Here is her email from this week. 13 April 2015 (the poem is one that was included in her “son”shine package. I got the idea from Haley)

"I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed, the die has been cast, I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made- I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed vision, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I won't give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up, stored up and prayed up for the cause of Jesus Christ.

I must go til He comes, give til I drop, preach til everyone knows, work til He stops me and when He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me because my banner will have been clear."

This is what I have strived to make my motto this week. Remember that there is no such thing as coincidence and that no effort is wasted. Living and working and serving with no excuses and no regrets. And this week has sure been an adventure. From exchanges to finding new people to finally getting back in touch with people we haven't seen in a while.

Last Monday we found someone that had been taught a while ago but had to deal with physical therapy appointments and hadn't been able to meet with missionaries in a while. We taught her a great lesson and are going back tonight.

Friday was.... a miracle. We were able to meet with Betzabeth again! Renee is in and out of the hospital for blood transfusions. But Betzabeth and her boyfriend are getting married on Saturday! She invited us. We're going to try to get permission to go out of our area to go. Hopefully we can! and then once things settle down she's going to set a baptismal date so they can go through the temple as soon as possible!

And then Saturday we had exchanges and I realized that the world gets a lot smaller when you throw an LDS mission into the mix. The girl I was companions with knows a lot of my friends from Colorado that I grew up with!!!

Well, that's all for now.

Con amor,

Hermana Brightman

 

Hermanas Brightman and Watts on exchanges

Plano Zone at Mongolian Grill

Hermana Pollock's momma and I. We met at the Seattle temple.

Revolutionary

Cinder"Lauren" They found a teeny shoe and couldn't resist the photo op

They joined the tree in surprise that it is already conference time!

I started writing my favorite thoughts from conference…and several pages in I realized it might be better to say….listen to them at https://www.lds.org/general-conference

Last week I became renewed in my goal. I want to be able to have Christ say of me "she has done all that she was commanded to do". That is my focus! That is why we are here! Of course with that renewed effort comes the renewed effort of Satan. He is working tirelessly to be sure our families cannot achieve such eternal goals. But I will remember, as was said in conference, to have eternal perspective. It is tricky sometimes, as a mother, to realize all the things, that really are your job, for the most part are not important in the eternities. Our families have to eat, be clean, have clean clothes, and have groceries but even though those are necessary in mortality, they are not the big picture. Now, to find that balance :') I will teach the dance and perform the music so my children will know the steps and have the opportunity to hear the music for themselves.

I love my Dear sweet missionary!! It was really awesome to be able to focus on conference and know that our sweet Hermana Brightman was listening to the same words of counsel and inspiration at the same time!! The Lord is good!!

Preparing for Conference

Email from 6 April 2015

                                Conference is always my favorite. But I don't think I ever enjoyed it quite as much before as I did this time. There's something different about listening to the leaders of the Church speak when we're "bearing the Lord's name on our shoulder", as a friend worded it beautifully.

I loved how much it really encouraged us to examine our souls and our motivations and the paths we are walking in this life. All of it is possible through the Atonement of Christ.

We need to really live what believe and what we know every day of our lives in everything we do. We need to take the risks to live what we believe. That's where faith comes in. I am inspired by the example of those in the Willie and Martin Handcart companies who crossed the plains in the snow and ice with hardly the necessities of life. An excerpt from one of the journals of a member of that company reads "The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay." We must pay that price willingly and faithfully. If we do not yield to faith, we will become victim to pettiness, doubt, fear and jealousy.

The Good Samaritan helped his fellow man with the same portion of currency that Judas used to betray the Son of Man.

We must have and nourish even the very seeds of our faith and help them to take root in the fertile soil that comes with softened, teachable hearts. This requires action on our parts. Every day we face the test of our lifetimes. Will we follow Christ or the master of deception? We actively choose to believe just like we actively choose whether we obey the other commandments.

Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Be a REVOLUTIONARY. Just because you may feel like the majority is against you doesn't mean its actually so. You see, the problem we face in that regard is that the media and the fear and intolerance and stray from traditional values portrayed there in is the minority masquerading as the majority. We are still the solid majority. We are not alone in these beliefs. We want our voice to be heard above all the counterfeits so we must continue to project that voice.

Fear is hushed through faith in Christ. It is once we are acting in faith that we can follow on the path to receive all that we have been promised--and no one was foreordained to receive less than all the Father has to offer.

A saint is just a sinner who keeps on trying. Who we were doesn't have to be who we are.. heck, I'm living proof of that. Through Christ, my "weaker" moments now have become even stronger than my "stronger" moments before I came out.

"If we don't try, we're just Latter-Day sinners

If we don't persevere, we're just Latter-Day quitters

If we don't help others, we're just Latter-Day hypocrites"

Don't be a Latter-Day hypocrite.  In this world of me and mine, take caution not to forget Thee and Thine.

Shiblon. Dude, that was one awesome person. I want to be more like him. So many of you are Shiblon-like souls and I'm so grateful for your example.

We have all been saved by the grace of the Atonement of Christ, the real question we each need to ask ourselves is have we been CHANGED by Grace?

The future is as bright as our faith, so we can find joy in the journey. "When you come to the end of all the light and must step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen. Either your feet will be placed on solid ground or you will be taught to fly."

If you haven't watched Conference, I encourage you to go watch it at lds.org

If you haven't seen the beautiful #BecauseHeLives video, please go watch it at helives.mormon.org

If you're having hard times, take heart. "If at times you feel like the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people that have ever lived." Times are rough. We're bring the revolution of the knowledge of the truth to all the world and Satan doesn't like that. But we're so much stronger than he is for the Lord of Hosts is on our side.

If you need something to do, serve.

"The Savior stands triumphant over Death, though He stands on wounded feet. He extends abounding grace and mercy, though He extends them with pierced palms and scarred wrists."

Remember Him and His loving sacrifice and give a little back this week!

Take care. I love you all!

Hermana Brightman

Everything is changing

Okay, well maybe Some things are staying the same J

Elders Smith and Truman "The Texas towers"

Even on their knees they are taller than my sweet girl

Given that this missionary momma is behind on blog posts. I will just post Dear Hermana Brightman’s email and skip the commentary. Though I do think the pictures need a little discussion. Elder Smith and Elder Truman are in the same zone with Hermana Brightman. It seems they have the tallest (6’7”) and the shortest (4’10”) missionaries in the Texas Dallas mission. 

Email from 30 March 2015

Hola todos!

Espero que todos estan bien! Esta semana fue MUY loco. Todas las cosas estan cambiandos. I hope everyone is doing well! This week has been crazy! Everything is changing.

Everything is changing. The work, the methods, the area, and us. We have a new branch mission leader, Hermano Gonzales. He is awesome and super passionate about missionary work. He knows what to do to help the branch and the community.

The entire nature of this work is changing to help us best utilize the tools we have been given. "An effective builder knows how and when to use every tool. And we are the builders of the Zion of our God."

As a result of this, we are changing how we teach. When teaching is our focus, changing how we teach really is changing who we are.

I am so much more humble and more acquainted with my Savior in a much more personal way than I was two months ago. Such a short time for so many changes. It's definitely a refiner's fire. And refiner's fire is most DEFINITELY a fire still. But its making me into all I can and all I need to be. And this is only the beginning. I'm excited to see what the future brings. 

Saturday was a blast! We went and washed the dogs of Familia Dominguez for our service and that was just a lot of fun and then later that evening the elders had a baptism! Leslie is 13 and just a little ray of sunshine! She knows what is true and I'm so happy she took this step. .... I didn't get any pictures there though :/ oops! It was Elder Allred's first baptism too. He was SO happy, it was awesome.

Yesterday I was looking over my notes from some past conference sessions and there are a few things I would like to share with you all.

"Believe in miracles. They come when every indication said that hope was lost. Hope is NEVER lost." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"God will love them forever, so what excuse do you have to do differently?"- President Henry B. Eyring

"Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees"

"Don't settle for GOOD. Try for BETTER. Aim for BEST".  (This has been continually reemphasized with all the changes. What we have been doing has been good. What we're starting is better, which is the first step on the road to best.)

 You're never too young to learn. You're never too old to change.

and finally, some last words of wisdom from a CCM relief society lesson.

                     

"Un deseo no cambia nada. Una decision cambia todo." “A desire changes nothing. A decision changes everything.”

Don't forget to watch General Conference and invite your friends to do the same! This Saturday and Sunday!!

Also, go to helives.mormon.org and watch the new video "Because He Lives" and share with your friends.

The Lord is hastening His work in His way and His time.

Siempre,

Hermana Brightman

Volleyball at the zone party in Plano

Sister Taylor on the trampoline at the zone party