Transferred to Lisbon!!

So long Madeira!  You were awesome!

So.  I've been transferred!  It was a bit of an ordeal.  In the islands, we usually get the calls early because we have to catch flights. Saturday night we found out that me and sister prieto were going, sister hickey would train and sister cardoso would stay. So we stayed up late that night packing, so i was already sleep deprived. we went to church the next Sunday and i told Rita, my recent convert, that i was leaving and she looked at me with a really serious look and said, your joking. and i said, nope. and she started bawling right then and there. Oh that hurt my heart. she is incredible. 

so we get to the airport at 4 pm to catch our plane at 6 pm, and as we are getting our luggage checked in, we find out the flight was cancelled, and the next one wasn't until 11:15. we got a free dinner, but it was still a long time and i was already sleep deprived. we finally got out of the airport around midnight. and then we didn't get to a house to sleep in until around 3h30 in the morning. and then the next day, i got to see sister ROSEMANN!!!! FINALLY for the first time in my mission, and sister brooks who is going home, and said goodbye to sister prieto, and then we got on a train to come to seixal, in the setubal zone, on the other side of the river from lisboa. I'm pretty excited to be here, to be back in Lisbon. its gonna be great. I miss funchal, but i think i was ready for the change. also, coming back to Lisbon and visiting my first area where the mission office is was like a dream I CANT BELIEVE ITS BEEN A YEAR. IT DOESN'T FEEL REAL. 

so, im in Seixal. technically, i haven't actually been to Seixal yet, we work in all the areas around it. I live in Amora. The area we work around in is right around a bay. It looks a lot like a Minnesota lake, and there are buildings right up by it and it reminds me a lot of little lake towns in Minnesota. The only thing is, this bay is connected to the ocean... and sometimes during the day the thing is full of water. and other times, is straight up empty. like, dry land where water used to be. its the weirdest thing! im so used to water just staying where it is!!! its so weird. but when its full, its so pretty. 

Seixal is a lot like Benfica, but not quite as busy. Its not exactly lisboa, like benfica was, so its a little calmer, but there are still way more people on the street and stuff than in Porto or funchal. I LOVE IT!!! Its so wonderful. Passing throught benfica was like walking in a dream. everything, sights, smells, everything was reminding me of my first transfer. and then i got my other suitcase that i left in the office when i went to the island, and it was like unpacking the first half of my mission. it was so weird. i still cant believe its been a year. so much has changed, and i wouldn't trade a minute of it.

I'm serving with sister Fuller! you already know who she is because i lived with her when i was in Viseu!! go look at some old pics. i love living with her and working with her, she is awesome. 

its also hot. hot hot hot hot. im red, all the time. i put sunscreen on my face, but i still turn red because of the heat. Its killer, but its also way better then the rain and cold of porto so im not complaining. 

Im sorry i dont talk more about the people or the work here. Its not because its not important to me... but because its all sacred to me. its people,, places experiences that have changed me, and im just not sure all of you understand all of that, so i do my best and share what i can, but someday ill have to tell you all about it in person.

Im reading the conference talks in my studies right now, YOU ALL NEED TO GO BACK AND READ ELDER BALLARDS TALK AND APPLY IT RIGHT NOW.

Thats all, pics coming soon.

Much love, 

sister briggs

My new mailing address:

Rua Sociedade F.O. Amorense Nº28 5ºDto

Amora 2845-469

Portugal

1 year down, 6 months to go!!

This week I hit one year on the mission and i had to look at pictures from my previous life because i'm forgetting the faces of my friends and family. i'm not even kidding. its like, do they still exist? did they ever exist? its strange. I thought back to a year ago that day, and everything in betweeen is kind of a blur, but i have changed. i want to cry to think about how much i have changed, because its so good. That day I remember saying goodbye to you, my wonderful family, crying in the bathroom in the airport, meeting sister vomocil on the plane, getting cafe rio with lance and steph, running up on byu campus to say happy birthday to amanda monn, having the MTC lady put my tag on my shirt. meeting my MTC district and not knowing how much my life would change. and i wouldnt change a single minute of it.

We had divisions with the sister training leaders this week and president and sister flukiger came to the island for zone conference. its always fun having visitors on the island. I love our little zone and i love how much more personal our conferences with president are because of it.

There's this girl on the island named sasha. Shes a member of the church but right now shes inactive because she has to work on sundays. Shes from another country in europe and speaks like, 6 languages and is here as a tour guide. last pday she gave us a tour of the island. while it was an awesome experience, the whole time i felt like there was just an elephant in the car... the fact that she served a mission and is now inactive was always in the back of my head. And it just made me think of myself. Will that be me in 5 years? will i be breaking the comandments and not going to church?

Never.

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER!!!!!

I know that Jesus Christ is my savior and example, and by following Him i will be happier than i could ever be doing anything else. I know the church is true!!! i know we have a living prophet!!! I know the book of mormon is true and the living gospel was resotred through joseph smith!!! These are things that i know, that are written on my heart and that i will never be able to deny. i am so grateful for president fluckiger and his mission to make us consecrated missionaries, that not only work hard and are faithful on the mission, but for the rest of their lives. Because thats the most important thing.

Do you guys also know these things? if you dont, i invite you to study and live the gospel until you do.

MOM I GOT THE PACKAGE AND I LOVED EVERY SINGLE PART OF IT. thank you so much, you have no idea.

I really dont have much more to say. my feet and legs hurt from walking up and down the hills of madeira, im always red because of the sun and heat, i love these people, i love speaking portugese with people and with the other sisters at home at night and i speak pretty well, to the point where sister cardoso was like, slow down, youre speaking portuguses so fast i cant even understand you. holler. my bed is like a rock so sometimes i dont sleep super well, but thats okay. we had fleas in our house and they bit everyone except me haha. I dont know. this is my life.

Will everyone who reads this send me pictures of us from before the mission? i literally am having troubles remembering life before the mish.

thats all for this week. i really do love you all.

paz, amor, casamento do templo,

sister briggs

Sister Rita!!!

RITA GOT BAPTIZED!!!! AND CONFIRMED!!!!!

So, once upon a time me and sister carroll were teaching an investigator in front of the chapel and we were well on our way to marking him for baptism, the lesson was going great, when out from no where this lady shows up. I thought she was a member at first glance, but then she starting asking what the schedule was for the church and so we showed her around and got her number, but then our investigator had to go... so we were a little annoyed about the interruption. Well, that sunday she showed up for church. In a dress. and loved it. and we taught her the first lesson after that and it was a little rushed but she was so patient and then she came that week to a meeting with us and we marked her for baptism and then she did family history with the branchs family historian. And at first when we talked about preparing her for baptism, it was her saying, This girl wants to baptize me! to, Im going to get baptized!!! It was so cool. She accepted everything that we taught. She went on the church website and watched mormon messages and that helped her testimony grow. she stopped drinking coffee even though she was pretty much addicted. She first found the church website because she saw a picture of the temple, and wanted to get baptized in the temple really badly, but already has a goal to go. Our members know and love her. She actually already knew a couple of them from before she started investigating the church. And she got baptized on saturday and it was the greatest thing of my life.

The Lord did it all. we just marked appointments and taught lessons and did what we have been trained to do, but it was the spirit that touched her and testified to her. I have no doubt that Rita will stay active for the rest of her life. Literally the only thing that kept her from being baptized was how simple the baptismal clothing is. One night we passed by a members house and the lady was talking about how awesome Rita is and how wonderful it is to see her changing and accepting the gospel and i just started crying. what a priveledge it is to have played a part in all of that! It is all worth it. Oh, the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.

And that was pretty much the highlight of the week. Other than that, we worked hard and enjoyed life on madeira.

I love you!!! Have a good week!!

Peace, Love, temple marriage,

sister Briggs

40 days under way . . .

This week was the first full week of the forty day fast. Its harder than i thought! I'm doing my best, but im grateful repentance is real! Haha. But we are seeing the miracles. We found one of our investigators that had stopped answering our calls, teresa, and she came to church this week! she is wonderful. And Rita is well on her way to progressing to baptism. She came to a baptism of the other branch this weekend and was talking about where she wants to get baptized and what clothes, etc. What a blessing to work with her.

Some funny stories this week. The other sisters that live in our house have a less active lady that they are working with, who is really really old. She lets the jehovahs witnesses come in and talk to her and stuff. shes really really old. Anyway, one night this week, the JWs came over in the middle of the sisters visiting. And their less active let them in! they all sat down at a table together, and then they started to talk. Well, i wasnt there, but the sisters came home and just really freaked out and talking about going home and really scared, and i was trying to calm them down because i couldnt believe it, but it was freaking me out a little, but they were like, if you were there you would want to go home too! they literally grabbed the book of mormon and showed us things we didnt even know... etc etc. it was a little scary. and then as i was about to call the zone leaders to let president know that they were on the edge of going home...

Sister cardoso came and told me it was all a joke. How it really went down was the JWs came into that lesson and really wanted to bible bash with them, and the sisters were like, well, there is no way out, and the entire lesson was the JWs trying to find scriptures and the sisteres teaching and testifying and the JWs not having answers. Sister Prieto even said that one of them you could tell felt the spirit as she testified and accepted a card from them at the end. So basically, we won. THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!!!!!!!

Also, we tried to go visit this lady this week and we walk up to the house to knock on the door, and from around the corner come running dogs, and my comp hates dogs and goes running, but i didnt get away fast enough and one of them nipped at my foot and got me. it wasnt bad, but my comp was freaking, so after going to the chapel and cleaning it up, we had to go back to the house and ask the people there if the dog had all its vaccines and stuff. we spent the whole rest of the day walking between that house and the chapel and then back again. but at least it makes for a good story.

I love you all!!!

Paz, amor, casamento do templo,

sister briggs

pics...
the castle today!

Taking it to a new level

Helloooooo everyone!

Transfers happened. I will staying on Madeira and I will serve with Sister Hickey from Utah. Shes a sweetheart, it will be a good transfer. I'd already met her at zone conferences and such, and she seems really great. I'm going to miss sister Carroll a lot, she was wonderful and there were a lot of people here who loved her.

On Sunday, it was pretty spiritual. There was a recent convert young man who is going on a mission this week who gave his final testimony, and he was in tears and so was everyone else around me, and then one of sister Carroll's recent converts bore testimony about how she came to know the church was true, and she too wants to serve a mission, and she is absolutely incredible, and her and her mom and sister Carroll were all in tears. Oh, this gospel is beautiful. A joy that brings us to tears.

I'm fasting. for forty days. not from food, but from everything that cuts me off from the spirit. I'm trying to take it to a new level. To truly give it my all, to consecrate myself, so that i can get to the end of my mission and know that i gave it my all, and so that I can have His spirit with me, to guide me and to testify that my words are true. So, friends of mine, I'm sorry for being a bad friend, but I'm just trying to give Him my all.

This week we had a miracle, Rita showed up and had read the book of Mormon, loved it, accepted everything we said, and, with a little help, accepted the invite to be baptized on the 13th of June. Friday the 13th. We thought it was a Saturday. oops.

I love you all, so so so much. Ill keep you updated on how things are going, and i would love it if you asked me about it so that i have to be extra accountable.

Paz, amor, casamento do templo,

sister briggs

ps, even though I'm being consecrated, I'm still turning 21, and i would love to get letters from everyone in the world who has ever loved me ever!!!

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

Madeira zone with Pres and Sis Fluckiger

Hello Everyone!!

This week was quite incredible.

Louisa, the daugher of a less active lady, who has been less active for about thirty years and is now coming back to church. She loves us and is super religious and believes everything she says, she just is really busy right now and feels unsure about baptism. But teaching her is awesome.

Diogo, a middle age man who comes from a family of atheists and has passed through a lot of hard things and wants to be clean again and repent. He has a sincere desire to be free from all his sins and start over. He drinks and smokes, so it will take some work, but he has a really really pure desire.

Tereza, the aunt of a recent convert who opened up to us about how she wants to quit smoking, and we are helping her do that, and in the process helping her  come unto Heavenly Father and feel His love for her. We love her so much, and she has a ways to go before she can get baptized, but the lessons we have had with her have been the most spiritual lessons of my mission.

Rita, who has been been investigating temples for a year and finally got around to doing a visit of the church. The members already love her and she wants to do family History and learn more. She is so patient and sweet and loving. We are planning on marking her for baptism this week.

All of these people we love so much. It has been the best week of the transfer. And I feel like it happened because me and my companion decided to put things on the altar of sacrifice. We named three things we could do better and be more obedient or diligent and we have been working at them hard, and the blessings are apparent.

This has also been presidents focus, to help us be consecrated missionaries. Yesterday we had a visit from one of the seventy, elder Kearon. It was so awesome. Just the 12 missionaries on the island and him. between what we learned with him and what president has been teaching us, Im planning on making some changes in my mission, but ill let you know more about that as the time goes on.

HELLO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO READ MY BLOG I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH YOU DONT EVEN KNOW!!!!!!

Paz, amor, casamento do templo,

Sister Briggs

Miracles for Mother's Day!

This week we had a lesson with an investigator at the chapel. we were teaching him the second lesson, as planned, when i had the prompting to leave the lesson plan and talk about baptism. we were talking about it for about  minutes, me and my companion were both on the same page, and just on a roll, when suddenly two women came around the corner of the chapel. They were asking about the schedule  and one woman had been investigating temples for a really long time and wanted to learn more. She came to church this week and accepted everything. The members were all talking to her after church, inviting her to come to the other hours. we have two lessons with member present marked this week and we plan to mark her for baptism. Even though we didnt mark our other investigator for baptism, it was a really cool experience to follow the spirit like that, and i know that Heavenly Father had a purpose in us being at the chapel at that time.

Today we went on a hike. Man, i am so blessed to be serving in madeira. I just kept on having to remind myself, im hiking on a forest in the mountains on an island off the coast of africa, speaking a different language. How blessed i am!!!

I love you all, it was so good to talk to you yesterday. its weird to think that was the last time ill talk to you till im home... but im so glad you guys are happy! makes me happy. I seriously love you all. so stinking much.

Paz, amor, casamento do templo,

Sister Briggs