Week 4 in Los Angeles

Dear Brooks Family,

If anything gives me a great boost to the day it’s reading your letters. Every now and again it hits me, I’m on a mission! What a blessing to serve. Sorry Dallin about your last football game, but it sounds like you did great. I’m excited to see you play when I get back. Ally it’s crazy that you are in your senior year talking college already. You’ve just grown up so fast. SUU is ok for your first year but it’s USU when I get back. I can even get someone to personally set it up for you, yeah, I’ve got the hook-up.

Erin you never cease to amaze me with how you handle every component of your life. I can’t believe this is your last year in college! My big sister is all grown up.

Parker, ruff ruff rooohhhhh, ruff ruff rufffff, roofffff, ruff ruff.

Mon and Dad, you two are quite the pair and oh so great. Can I just say that we have the best family around, like really though. Seems like everyone I talk to lately has family problems, I just don’t get it. High fives to all of you. I just can’t begin to tell you how much I love all of you. I absolutely love hearing from you and all your good news.

Ok, so this week in the mission field has been pretty cool. Have I told you about elder Ohata? He is from Japan and was in Joel Einfeldt’s ward. In fact his father is Joel’s Bishop. I’m going on splits with him tomorrow. More good news is that Elder Carroll is doing a lot better. He’s been down because of the lack of baptisms and thinks it is fate. I have a different opinion so I ask him what he thinks we could do to improve and change things. Today seems to be a better day for him - he is smiling anyway. Maybe it’s the eggnog I bought and he tried for the first time ever. Good stuffJ

That’s great, Jessi Carter is coming to this mission. Maybe I’ll see him in the MTC when I’m sent back. I wrote Jase Bleazard today and have tried to write Ryan, not sure I have the pouch system down though - hope it got to him. I do need Joel’s address if you could get it for me. Also I’ve lost track of Brandon, I’m assuming he has been sent to Mexico by now.

Mexicans are so funny. When they feed you and ask if you want water or soda to drink, and you answer water, they bring you juice. They take little pieces of fruit and water and blend it all up and call it water. I don’t know why they ask what you want they are going to give you what they want you to have. I think they think just water isn’t good enough.

Another funny thing is that they cannot sing. I want to record them sometime. When we sing the hymns in church it sounds so bad I can’t help but laugh.

So this week I planned to finish the Book of Mormon on Sunday. I couldn’t wait and finished it on Friday. What an amazing book. I decided to take Moroni’s challenge and to pray about it again. I read and re-read Moroni 10:3-7 and then the introduction and testimonies of the witnesses. I read some conference talks on the book of Mormom. I couldn’t wait any longer, I ran to my room, closed the door and knelt down to pray. I could only get out two words before I felt the spirit rush through me. I couldn’t hold in my emotions and let it all out. What an experience. I have a testimony that the Lord will answer our prayers. I recently reviewed Elder Holland’s talk, Safety for the Soul. In his talk he bears the strongest testimony I have ever heard of the divinity of the Book of Mormon. I had the opportunity to be at that session when he gave the talk, so powerful and influential in my life. Give it a listen if you have the chance this week.

I want to let you know of the importance of our testimonies, they are what keeps us going and keep us living the gospel. They can only be gained through the Holy Spirit, not proof.

I think that’s why Laman and Lemuel were so week. Sure, they had seen an angel but they never sought a witness from the Holy Ghost. Alma the Younger even after seeing an angel still prayed to know if it was true through the spirit of the Holy Ghost. Our testimonies are vital to our progression in the Gospel. I love you all so much and can’t imagine heaven without you. I want all of us to make it there. I want all of us to inherit the glory of the celestial kingdom. Keep working hard to earn that reward. I love you!

-Elder Brooks

1591 E. Temple Way Los Angeles, California 90024-5801

Dallin actually had a much cooler carving on the other side of his pumpkin. It was an owl, but amidst the intricate carving it didn't survive.