Bryndee Down South: Hello Family and Friends!

It's been a CRAZYYYYY week! I don't even know where to start!

So, this letter is coming to you on a Wednesday, because apparently earth day is a library holiday. who knew? but, in honor of the holiday, brother story (one of our Less actives) gave us some bamboo shoots to plant, because they are almost impossible to kill...They may or may not be dead in our apartment right now...... but it was fun!

Reasons this week was crazy:

1 crazy drunk investigators boyfriend

30 black kids street fighting (which Sis. Gardner proceeded to break up... crazy girl!)

2 run-ins with the police (once when on a member ride along, we had a very hysterical investigator who was being abused, so the member whipped our her phone and called the police... talk about an exciting lesson! the second one was when Sister Gardner broke up the previously mentioned fight. Us and the police are pretty much on a first name basis now. In all seriousness though, I am so grateful for good law enforcement. They sure have their hands full around here!)

1 investigator (and son...) in jail right now. (I guess a 2 year old DUI case that was never resolved? this sounds like a bad thing, but its actually not... this investigator has a really hard time committing, and his wife was so excited when he was booked because it's not permanent, and it'll give him a chance to think. He's on date to be baptized, and we're hoping the jail time humbles him enough to stay that way)

1 Zone conference

1 exchange

1 free perry the platypus t-shirt (I was really excited about that one... someone left it in my apartment when she went home, and Sister Gardner has never seen Phineas and Ferb (I was so sad for her...) so she said I could have it! SCORE!)

Plus 3 opportunities to wear JEANS!!! (I love service projects!!! :D I got to paint a house (mom! I now know how to paint a room w/o having to tape! Ill have to show you when I get home...) and then help brother storey with yard work. it was wonderful!)

So, exchanges were really fun! I got paired up with sister Ibarra, an outbound missionary from salt lake (who knew Nichelle Yazzie, fun fact...) and I GOT TO RIDE A BIKE!!! I was so excited! We ended up visiting a bunch of less active members in Evans, GA, which is a super classy area. it was weird to see real, actual functional families... with a mom and a dad who are married, and kids who all have the same daddy. the spirit in the homes we visited was so different from what I've gotten used to, and it was really nice to see. I also had my first member meal (so fun! We had tacos, and they had adorable kids!). All in all, exchanges get a double thumbs up, but i am very glad to be back in my area. Who knew you could miss the projects so much?

Little Miracle: I got a little bit mopey this week, because i haven't gotten any mail from anyone back home in 2 weeks (SLACKERS! ;)). anyways, we go out to visit a less active that hasn't seen anyone from the church in years, and her 12 year old great granddaughter comes out and I swear, I was looking at Kymber. they look so much alike! needless to say, we hit it right off, and we are hoping to get permission to teach her, because she hasn't been baptized yet. fingers crossed!!!!

A sweet little moment from Martha: she said the closing prayer at one of our lessons this week, and thanked the lord for sending her best friends, the missionaries. I almost cried.... It was so sweet and tender. Baptists say the best prayers... They are so sincere and sweet and full of fire and faith.

One thing I learned this week: On Thursday, I took some sacred grove time to just talk to my father in heaven. I was feeling pretty down because I didn't feel like I was a great missionary yet. all my life, I've picked things up really quickly, but I wanted to be the very best missionary that this mission had ever seen. I felt like I owed it to my father in heaven to be perfect, because he trusted me with this area of his vineyard.

Lemme explain sacred grove time really quick. our apartment has 2 rooms, but only one companionship staying there. so, during sacred grove time, I take the spare room (Sister Gardner takes our room) and we just pray out loud. its a few minutes of perfect solitude, to tell the lord all of your secrets, your desires, just whatever you feel like telling him. So, I went in that empty room, and knelt down, and told the lord about every thing that was wrong with me; every shortcoming that had been eating at me for the past month, I put out on the table. I told the lord "I'm not good enough! I cant figure out how to make myself do what you want me to do, and not what I know how to do! I feel like I've been wrestling with myself and loosing.... " I finished my self-degradation, and kind of just sat on the ground for a minute, wallowing. Then, the sweetest moment of peace. "Bryndee, You are enough. I know its been hard, but your efforts are acceptable unto me. go, and keep working at it."

The lord knows that I struggle, and its okay that I do. I'm allowed to have a hard time. I cant be perfect yet... but I can have a perfect knowledge that the lord loves me, perfectly.

On that note, I'm running out of time... till next week!

Have a blessed day!

Sister Derrick