Sister Brooke Bertoldo: June in Gulf Breeze. A Week of Change.

Dear Family-

This week has really been one of change. We had our last zone conference with President and Sister Jensen- we get our new mission president in July, President and Sister Smith. It was really intense and amazing. The thing President taught me that I will never forget is how to be a Celestial missionary- not just good- valiant. Obedient. Hard working. Humble. He taught us how a mission is like a mini life, and therefore how you act and serve the Lord and His children while on the mission is a reflection of how you will follow and serve him throught your life. It will determine who you marry. It got me thinking about the kind of missionary I would want my future husband to be- I would want him to be Celstial! So now is my time to do the same and to prove myself to the Lord.

But it's more than that- now I am seeing that its not about just "proving myself" and then done- its about CHANGE. Inner change. The kind that lasts forever and you are never the same again because you have progressed. We had stake conference this Sunday as well and an area authority came down to speak to us, Elder Gibbens, and what he said really resonnated with me. He said, "The Lord can't drive a parked car." We first have to give the lord something to work with by stepping out in faith even when we may not know where we're going, like Nephi "not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." Then the Lord can lead and take us down roads we didnt know existed- that's how we become like Him and change! Progression. Also I love this quote, "The hollowing preceeds the HALLOWING."

This has been a week of change for me because after 4 months- I don't know what it is- but something inside me has changed. My thoughts are different. I feel different inside. I've been studying Christ and how he carried himself while on the earth and I'm learning how truly little thought he gave to things based on perception or appearances to others. He obeyed his Father's will even when others despised him for it. He let His physical body be weak sometimes simply so that He could rely solely on the strength of the Spirit and let God work through Him. I think about that- a lot- how much i cared pre-mission about how I may come across to people and be viewed and perceived- whatever! I am starting to understand that when the Lord says, "My grace is sufficient for you."(2 Cor. 12, talking to the apostle paul who was facing a "thorn in the flesh") He MEANS IT. We have mortal, physical, temporal failings and weaknesses and flaws for a reason. We have to learn to accept certain things and let them go and focus on what we CAN do and CAN offer people. The rest we must let go and leave to the Lord because truly, His grace is sufficient for each of us.

Ok so now weekly update :) Last night we had an AMAZING lesson with a family who is investigating the Church! They are young, in the airforce and have 2 little daughters- they were a referral from the Mellars family in our ward and sister Mellars invited them over for dinner and then afterwards we had the Restoration lesson. It was so amazing though because they just wanted to learn more and more the mom (Holly is her name) had so many questions, so we ended up getting out the white board and drew out the entire plan of salvation lesson too!! It was really intense- she asked the hard questions, like "what were we before this life? Why do some people never know the truth and what happens to them? Is God a person or a spirit?" We loved it! Together with the Spirit we were able to have answers to all her questions and it was proabably one of the most challenging and intense lessons I have ever given and therefore also one of the most precious and choice. At the end- we TESTIFIED. I bore my testimony of Christ, that He lives, of God's plan for us, of Joseph Smith, all those things that I have had to ask and learn to know for myself in prayer and as I did I felt the Spirit fill the room and my own testimony grew 10x bigger. Me and sister Treiber have also decided that we are going to be the "singing sisters" and at the end of every lesson we sing a hymn! so in closing we sang "I know that My Redeemer Lives". The Spirit was so strong afterwards time felt frozen! They want to learn more. We gave them a Book of Mormon and set up an appointment with them next week.

I want you to know how powerful members are in missionary work. The Mellars met them at a school field trip and talked about the gospel with them and invited them to dinner and look what happened?? People are ready for truth. People are searching. People need to hear God's Plan for them. INVITE INVITE INVITE! Also- I got permission from President to start a running and crossfit group with the sisters here! Many women here are alone with their husbands in Iraq or deployed elsewhere to the purpose of the running group is for all the sisters to be able to come together and bond and support each other! We are also telling them to invite nonmember friends and many less active sisters are interested as well so it is a missionary effort that all the ward women and young women and their nonmember boyfriends can be involved in!! I am so excited and on fire about it :)))) Today me and Sister T did crossfit on the beach and ran 2 miles with all the Laurels (they are all pretty excited to have sisters here, as many of them want to serve missions themselves!) they are truly incredible young women. We plan to do it every monday! Sisiter T hates running but she is such a peach- she does it and I love her for it! At the end 5 dolphins swam about 30 feet from shore where we were and started doing flips and jumps!! I have never seen wild dolphins like that and especially never seen them jumping and flipping so I was ecstatic! We were all excited and felt like it was the perfect end to our workout :) anyways family dear, I love you. I hope you all are well. Write soon so I know how you're doing. Love you all!!

<3 Sister Bertoldo

Ariana one of the young women :)