Hermana Brayton: Hasta Luego Long Beach :-(

September 08, 2020

¡hola y'all!

Wow SO much has happened these past two weeks so please forgive me for this novel I'm about to write haha, but how is everyone doing?? So good I hope!!:)

On Friday, Hermana Hansen and I got the news that we're leaving Long Beach and getting separated. I'm not going to lie to y'all, we were some BIG sadboys. I wish so badly that I could've had more time in LB with the people there, but I'm definitely learning to practice more of what I preach by trusting God and His plan. So now I'm moving on down to Costa Mesa and I'm pretty excited:) It's a little wild though bc my new companion, Hermana Nitta, and I are staying in a hotel in Anaheim bc there aren't enough apartments bc of how many missionaries there are now. I'm definitely not complaining though bc we get free breakfast every morning so yeehaw🤪

But sí, for our last week in LB, we took a day for each of our sisters and spent about 4 hours with them and it was such a fun time! A lot of things around here have been kind of stressful for people, so we just wanted to try to make everyone happy little campers:) We made some tacos, played some volleyball, went on some walks, and talked a TON.

Also our sweet Abuelo Arturo and our homegirl Isabel both decided that they wanted to be baptized soon!! Arturo is set for Oct. 26th and Isabel is going for Sept. 17th so please, please, please keep them in your prayers!! Golly I'm going to miss them so much:(((

Guess what else happened this week!!! The cutest family in the entire world that Hna Hansen and I taught in Buena Park got baptized!! And we were able to go and it was the happiest day in the whole wide world:) It was Emmanuel, Raymond, Hilda, and Andrés and they are literally the best kids in the world.

And just to end things off with a nice spiritual note, here's a little scripture for y'all:) In 3 Nephi 27:21 Jesus is teaching the Nephites, and he says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do." This kind of highlights something that's been on my mind a lot lately. What would Jesus do? How would He treat the people around us? How would He serve? What would He say? I'm really trying to develop the habit of asking myself these things super often. Christ is such a perfect example, and I want so badly to be able to embody at least some of His perfect characteristics. His love, charity, patience, confidence, optimism, faithfulness, obedience, and so many other things are what I'm striving for. I definitely have SUCH a long ways to go, but I'm trying!

Anyway, I hope that y'all are just thriving and that y'all know how much Jesus is cheering for you. Gracias por todo lo que hacen y por su apoyo constante!! Les amo!!

Con amor,

Hermana Brayton😊