August 26

D&C 88:73

"Behold, I will hasten the work in its time"

The time is now.

The Santa Rosa, CA mission is the first mission in the WORLD to get iPads as a mission.  But it is more than that.

We are now able to teach people from all over the world.

Friends, family, your friends, your family.

The time is now.

Mosiah 16:1

"The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when ever nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye"

How is this possible?  Missionaries aren't even allowed in China.

Well... you can see eye to eye over Skype(:

Because we can do that now!

Prophesy is being fulfilled, and the Gospel is being brought to every single person(:

Other than that, the work is progressing!

Things are moving forward.  And next week I will have a lot more to report!

Missionaries are definitely being kept busy!

August 19th

So this last week was just very difficult.  It is awful because missions just make you like emotional monsters!  Seriously one week I am fine and then the next I am just bawling.  It is embarrassing. 

Anyway!

Missions also do this really funny thing and somehow you recognize like EVERYONE you ever see.  Seriously I see someone and I am like hmm.  I think I know you.

It is crazy!  I guess we were just friends in the pre-earth life.

Sorry this is so scatter brained.  P-Days are really stressful. . .

I can't think of everything I need to say!

oh!

So on Saturday night at 9:15 at night, we got a text from our mission President, President Alba.  And he said that he wanted me and two others sisters to sing Joseph Smith's First Prayer at Stake Conference... the next morning!

So we made the 2 hour drive to the stake center in Ukiah on the scariest road ever (I don't know what it is about Northern Cali, but these roads are just out of control) and we totally winged this three part A Capella rendition in the middle of his talk- just like he wanted.

I have never shaken so much in my entire life.  Seriously every single muscle I had was convulsing.  It was to the point where I wasn't sure if I was nervous or going into epileptic shock.

But I am alive to tell the tale!

So that is good news!

Other than that, this week has been very humbling.  I have learned that the best way to get through hard times is to forget yourself and go to work.  Even if you think you cannot keep going, you just have to keep going.

and somehow, you get through it(:

So that is my invitation to ya'll.  Look for the Lord's hand pushing you through those hard times.

And pray for him to help you.

Because I know He will.  And I can promise you that He will.

Love,

Sister Bryant

August 12

So this week is going to be super short because we only have a half p-day today.

Uhm.

I love being on a mission more than anything in the entire world.

And it is so hard yet somehow so rewarding and it is such an emotional roller coaster ride that you don't even know what to do about it.

But!

Amazing.

And there is something so rewarding about having the whole purpose of your life to be to, "Invite other to come to Christ".

I could not ask for a better calling.

So!

For those of you who are thinking, "man, I really want to send Sister Bryant something amazing but I just don't know what to send!"

I will give you some amazing ideas:

1) I am fresh out of Bath and Body Works menthol lip gloss.  And anyone who knows me knows I can not live without it.  So I am going through withdrawals.

2) We just got a new truck and it smells like man.  So those nice little air freshener things are pretty dandy too.

3) The only store we have here is wal mart.  So anything from Bath and Body works is just wonderful.

4) Cute stamps.

And I think that is it!  

Of course, Any letter is so wonderfully accepted.

I love hearing that there is still an outside world(:

I LOVE YA'LL!

August 5

Meet Clearlake(:

Those two elders are Elder Farnsworth and Elder Goynes.  Isn't it beautiful?  Sometimes it really is, even though other times it just stinks.  But we appreciate the beauty it brings(:

Meet Monce and Keahi.

Monce's mom found us one day as we were walking down the street, telling us that she used to go to church with the Mormons. So of course, we got her information, went the next day, and started teaching her nine year old daughter, Monce.  Keahi is her cousin- who is six years old and just too adorable for words to describe. 

So we started teaching Monce about how she is a Princess and how one day she can go into the Castle here on earth called a temple.  In that first lesson, she wanted to know how and we set a baptismal date right then.

Her excitement was uncontrollable and we went there are almost every day to try to thoroughly explain everything she needed to know before this big step in her life.  And we found this gem on her fridge.

-Keep in mind she speaks Spanish and English so sometimes words get confusing for her(:

So then Sunday came- we finally got everything arranged so that her baptism could be perfect.  Filling the font was pretty funny.  Usually the elders to it and they just put Hot and Cold on full blast for about 2 hours.  But, us being Sisters, wanted it to be the perfect temperature so it took us much longer.  And then we found this wonderful surprise in the font. 

 Yeah... We were not happy about that one.  Apparently he wanted to be baptized too- but two sisters trying to get a giant Wolf Spider out of a baptismal font is too entertaining.  Nevertheless, we succeeded.  Barely.  My companion almost fainted.

One thing that our mission does is every fast Sunday from 4-5, we do Might Hour of Prayer.  Which is exactly what it sounds like- an hour of praying.  

And I would suggest everyone to do it.  It is the perfect time to figure things out, talk things through with your Heavenly Father, and feel of His love for you.

So right after Might Hour of Prayer, we had the baptism.

Don't mind my hair- I know it is getting long.

But THAT right there makes this all worth it.

There are not words to describe the feeling you get when somebody that you have studied for, prayed for, and think about all the time actually does it and gets baptized.  There are no words.

It is worth it to preach His Gospel.  So worth it.

This whole family is going to be the most amazing family on our Spanish Branch, once we get enough members to start one.

I know it with all of my heart.

A lot of people here think I am Mexican- apparently I have "ojos tapatillos" (big eyes).  Which a lot of people in Guadalajara and Jalisco have.  And then I speak and they know I am from America haha  but it is an honor until then!

Okay.  So besides that- I am staying in Clearlake!  And I am staying with Sister Chavez!  So exciting.  I love her so much and I love this area so much.  We definitely have a lot of work to do!

But my Zone just isn't going to be quite the same.  It is crazy how attached you get to the missionaries you serve with.

Left to right:  Elder Nelson, Elder Farnsworth, Elder Skidmore, Elder Goynes, Elder Johnson, Sister Reid, Elder Giles, Me, Elder Campbell, Sister Chavez, Elder Volksen, Elder Van Wagenen Front: Elder Alvarado, Sister Jones

So, I do exist.  And I am indeed a missionary for all of those who were wondering.

Thank you for your prayers!  I miss you all and think about you every day!