Sept 15

I know I have been doing so bad at updating this thing. But here I am! Last time I talked about how amazing using Facebook is, and how I was blessed to have the opportunity to teach someone in Chile who was baptized.

I don't know the elders who baptized her, but The Lord is definitely hastening His work. And He is definitely getting His word to all the crevices of the earth. I am not sure if you are aware of the push for the use of social media, but our general authorities understand the impact it can have. So... I would encourage you to pray for a vision of how to use your social media to spread the gospel(:

Unfortunately, the a California Santa Rosa Mission is taking a break from online work. Dangers on the internet are real. Even for missionaries. So our mission is taking a break to "patch up the cracks", if you will, and re strengthen our defenses against the adversary. 

That means that Facebook just lost about 200 missionaries working online. So now it's your turn to keep the flood of uplifting messages going! How exciting is that??

I have a testimony of the tools we have to share the gospel. 

I also have a testimony of missionary work! This past week I had the amazing privilege to go back to Santa Rosa, one of my past areas, and see a family I taught there get baptized.

I taught them for about 2 transfers. When we first started teaching them, Carolina said there was so way she would be baptized any time soon. She said maybe in a few years after she had really learned everything. 

And now look!

There is nothing happier than seeing a family enter the waters of baptism. Those kids are going to go on missions. Their entire lives, their eternity, was changed because of this gospel(:

Words cannot even describe how happy I am. It is SO TRUE that the greatest joy comes from sharing this amazing gospel. Ahhh. I love being a missionary. I love it so much. 

But I want to add that it isn't easy. I was in Santa Rosa for almost 5 months and I didn't see one baptism while I was there. In fact, it has been like that in a lot of my areas. I do my best and then hand it to The Lord, and then after I leave, people enter the waters of baptism. Hopefully that doesn't say anything about me as a missionary haha... But what is really shows me is that we have to be patient. We plant a seed and it has to germinate and simmer for a while. But it will grow(:

So be patient in your efforts! You are planting seeds(: and one day, something will click. And their whole family will take the steps to become an eternal family!

So that is me! I hope you are all doing amazing. 

Just in case you were thinking,

"Wow, I haven't sent Sister Bryant any love in a while. I should definitely send her something so that she knows that we haven't forgotten her",

Here is my address(:

518 Greenbriar Circle

Petaluma, CA 94509

Aug 24

So I need to repent for not writing about my missionary adventures for quite a few months... In fact, I don't think I have said anything about my Rio Vista adventures. For this, I am truly sorry. I have been transferred to Petaluma, CA. But the last four and a half months in Rio Vista have been absolutely amazing. I sure am going to miss my little river city. 

So my transfers started with Hermana Wilcox- whom I absolutely adore. I was so sad to leave Santa Rosa, but she made it so easy. We had a special assignment, because we were to teach anybody and everybody in our area, not just the Spanish speakers. And we saw so many miracles. It was... So fun. 

There was never a dull moment. It was full of lip synching to Mormon Tabernacle Choir songs, making up raps to help our investigators understand the Book of Mormon better, and adventures in the small towns we covered. We were even given an ostrich egg from one of the doors we knocked on. Easter, Father's Day, and Our one year mark occupied our time. She truly became one of my best friends.

But sadly, it wasn't the Lord's will to let us be companions forever. So after only short transfer together, I was told I was going to be in a zebra trio, with two English speaking missionaries. I was absolutely shocked!

When I went to drop off Hermana Wilcox, my heart was heavy, but I them received Sister Warnock and Sister Miller. Our mission president's wife told us we had to stick together like, "three gums". And believe me, we did work! 

Being in a trio was the funnest thing ever! Even though we got on each other's nerves sometimes, we truly loved each other. It was the perfect mixture of personalities and we helped push each other further and further. We ended up teaching almost all of the small town of Rio Vista, and we set a record in the area for the most number of lessons taught in one week. The members started to catch the fire and you could feel that something amazing was about to happen. The funniest things would happen. We had the most hysterical group of investigators, and Jamal, our golden investigator with a baptismal date, was reading the Book of Mormon and progressing towards his baptismal date. 

We were known all around town, seriously everyone knew us- we were even buds with the neighborhood kids.

I think my favorite memories were when we went to some beehives that some members had.

We also were able to take a picture with the infamous Moose in Foster's Bighorn (a world renowned restaurant filled with taxidermied everything... It is crazy.)

We did a flash mob in the mall for the Fourth of July where we belted the Star-Spangled Banner at the top of our lungs and almost burned to death on the Fourth of July.

We also got to go to Sherman Island- a world renowned tourist attraction for wind and kite surfing. And boy oh boy was it windy,

But, as in all aspects of our lives, it is always darkest before the dawn. Sadly, it wasn't God's will that us "three gums" should stick together anymore. Sister Miller was transferred and Sister Warnock and I were left to man Rio. I absolutely adore my dear Sister Warnock. She is by far one of the funniest people I have ever met in my life. We would just laugh and laugh and laugh. 

Within that first week of being together, our area fell apart. Jamal decided he didn't want to meet with us anymore, the branch president and his wife told us they were moving, and some pre existing health issues started creeping back up on my companion. The adversary started sneaking up on us and things started to crumble.

It was a really difficult transfer. And sadly, my companion had to go home. And The Lord decided it would be better if elders were put in Rio Vista.

So... After 4 1/2 months falling in love with my little area, we had to give it up and prepare it for someone else to harvest the seeds we planted. But it's okay. We all play for the same team!

Speaking of teams... There was this elder in our zone named Elder Gasu. He is HUGE. One if the biggest people I have ever met. So one day, he and his companion asked us to do them a favor and put some stuff away in their apartment. So they told us how to break in, and then we out the stuff away, but while we were in there, we thought we would see just how big he was.

Turns out one of his jersey's is completely missionary appropriate when it comes to length. 

Super funny.

We also had the best zone! Every PDay was super fun. Mostly we would just play basketball or something, but it was always a blast.

So I'm going to share just a little bit about the love I have for Rio Vista.

I think the biggest miracle I saw was with William Carroll. He has been inactive for 14 years, and every week for the past 3 years, missionaries have been stopping by to help him come back. Finally, after 14 years, I had the opportunity to watch him step foot back into the church. It was an absolutely miracle. I absolutely love this man. He is so sweet. I will miss him so much.

We also had this amazing neighbor named Barbara. She isn't a member of the church , but she loves missionaries. She would just come over and talk and talk with us and she is hysterical! She would always watch over us. And if we ever came home late, she would yell at us. I love her. The best thing about her is that she always wear wolf shirts. So she kindly gave us some shirts. I will definitely never forget her.

The most amazing thing about a mission is the people you meet. Everyone has a story. Everyone is so interesting. That has been my favorite part of serving; listening to other's stories and just marveling at their strength. 

But... Here is my absolute favorite experience from Rio Vista. 

The Harris family have got member missionary work figured out. They are a family of 8- six kids under the age of 8. The parents are both converts to the church, and their kids are just crazy! But so adorable. 

At the beginning of my transfers with them, we started discussing people she could start sharing the gospel with. She immediately thought of her friend Lareya. So she started building up courage and praying for Lareya. She started inviting her to different activities. At first, Lareya was hesitant, but after a little while, started coming and creating really good friendships with the members of the branch. This whole time we and that Harris family were praying for her heart to be softened. Eventually, Lareya started looking things up online, out of curiosity, and asking Sister Harris questions about the church. Sister Harris answered them normally and continued pursuing a friendship. After a little while, we friended Lareya on Facebook and started talking to her there. One Sunday, we fasted with the Harris family that Lareya would finally be ready to accept us. After a few invitations, she finally came to church AND started taking the lessons. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and even accepted the baptismal invitation.

All this started four and a half months ago and required a lot of prayer and patience. But she is now one of the most solid people I have ever taught in my mission. The Lord is preparing people. It took our faith and the faith of the Harris family, a lot of inviting, some fear, patience, and a whole lot of love. But look how far she came.

This work is so true! If we trust in The Lord's promises and do our best, the windows of Heaven will be opened and we will see miracles. It is so simple.

So that is that. I am most definitely missing Rio Vista.

So now I am in Petaluma! My companion is Hermana Nimmer. She is from Orem Utah and she is just adorable. A very, very hard worker. She is also a cross country runner, so she is kicking my butt every morning. I am definitely significantly more tired all the time. But this area is kicking! We are teaching a ton of amazing families and having a lot of adventures. 

For example:

THE EARTHQUAKE!!

The first earthquake I have ever experienced in my life! It was crazy! I was sleeping and then all of a sudden I wake up because the bunk bed is literally swaying back and forth. Luckily I immediately knew it was an earthquake, so I just chilled until it stopped. Everything was rumbling and a few things fell, but it was kinda fun! My companion and I remained totally calm, and it only lasted about 20 seconds. So it wasn't that bad. It was a 6.1 earthquake, and the epicenter was in Napa and American Canyon. Which was really close to where I was just serving in Rio. I'm kinda sad I missed the action, but oh well. Nobody was hurt and we are all alive and kicking. But yeah! Pretty exciting! It's definitely time to start preparing(:

Also! I was referred to start teaching this girl named Fernanda on Facebook and I started teaching her, then she went to church in Chile where she lives, and yesterday she was baptized! So very exciting(:

The church is true. I am more sure of it now than I have ever been.

I promise I will be better at updating this blog of mine. Just know that I still love all of you! And I LOVE my mission.

Love,

Hermana Bryant

April 13

I am leaving Santa Rosa.

These last 5 months here have changed my life.

I LOVE Santa Rosa, CA with all of my heart.

The members, the investigators, the crazy people on the street, the missionaries, my companion.

Santa Rosa has been amazing.

Leaving is just heartbreaking.  Gosh I do not want to leave.

I am being transferred to...

Rio Vista(:

It's an island kinda in the middle of the Sacramento River. At least I think it is... honestly I have no idea.  It's in the middle of nowhere haha

So just in case you are thinking, "man, Sister Bryant has been out on her mission almost a year now.  Maybe I should send her some love"...

 

My new address is:

301 S. 4th St. Apt C

Rio Vista, CA 94571

 

(:

But this area has been amazing.  We started with virtually nothing.  We had 2 investigators... 1 of which really wasn't interested at all.

And now we have 20... 4 of which will be baptized pretty soon.

It is devastating to leave.

But it's okay.  The Lord knows where I am needed.

It just proves to show that hard work brings miracles.  The Lord will bless you if you put forth that effort.

I am so grateful for this Gospel and for the opportunity I have to serve a mission.

I LOVE my mission.

It is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

So here are just a bunch of random pictures, just to give you a little taste of my love for this area.

March 29

So I have been the worst missionary in the whole world because I haven't written anything in quite a while about my adventures in Santa Rosa!

Mostly it is because I love it so much that I don't really have time to say anything.

But I think I will say a few words today.

I don't remember if I mentioned this, but back in November, Elder Ballard gave our mission some very specific promises.  He said that if we would contact 20 new people per day every day, and pray for our investigators to come to sacrament meeting, that they will and that our investigators will double and we will be able to baptize weekly!

And guess what! We are seeing the miracles being fulfilled!  So amazing!

We finally put it into practice and we have contacted, as of today, 1,107 people!  Amazing!

And yesterday, we had SEVEN investigators at Sacrament Meeting!

And we have 3 that are going to be baptized very soon!  We are so excited!!!

Miracles truly happen when you believe and when you are obedient. 

So... I just thought I would let you all know that. 

And it proves to me that Elder Ballard is truly an apostle of God!  He speaks for God!  And I am so grateful that we are able to watch General Conference and listen to them!

Get ready to receive some revelation!

I love you all. And I love my mission!

Love,

Hermana Bryant

March 10

So I have like 0 minutes to write this, just know that I am loving my mission more than ever right now.

Hermana Hardy is the best companion I could ever ask for.  We get along so well.  She always has me laughing.

Our area is amazing.  Sooo much potential!  It is crazy!

This last week was transfers.  And a few funny things happened.  

On Tuesday, we had Hermana Ellsworth with us.  Which was wonderful!  I love her!  And we were making brownies. Well, lately, our oven has just not been functioning correctly at all.  Whenever we turn it on, there are these SUPER loud cracking noises, and then it starts to stink like crazy and the fire alarm goes off.  So we had to stop our adventure of making brownies because of it, just because it started stinking so bad and everything.

So we opened all the windows and inspected our oven and nothing!

Then, I had this revelation to check the drawer underneath...

and I found this poor plastic plate.  That was once a Polar Bear/:

Apparently you can't put things that melt in the drawer under the oven.  Who knew?

On Tuesday night we had our last dinner as a Santa Rosa Spanish Branch.  I love all these missionaries so much!

In this picture they are making fun of me because I have gotten into a habit of putting my hand under my chin and smiling whenever I mess up... which is apparently always.  So yeah.  From left to right it is Elder Parker Albertson, Elder William Wright, Elder Eduardo Perez, Elder Bryant Nelson, Me, Hermana Lauren Hardy, Elder Mori Dunlap, and Elder Dallin Jeske.

And this my district.  Well... the best picture we could get.  I am going to miss them all too. Such a sad thing that everyone is changing!

I love them so much and I am so sad that some of them are leaving!

But the best story of the week is this HYSTERICAL lesson we had with one of our less actives.  We were teaching him the word of wisdom, which we knew would be a challenge for him because he owns a restaurant.  Anyway, we have been putting off and putting off teaching it and finally we knew we couldn't wait.  So we were teaching him in his restaurant and then all of a sudden he goes, "ladies, we are going to have to pause.  The wine guy is here".

We witnessed a full on wine tasting in the middle of our lesson on the word of wisdom!  It was hysterical!!!!

So funny that we couldn't help but take a sneaky picture.  Anyway, we think we are going to have to reteach it.  It was too funny.

I love missionary work.  It is so much fun.

Life is to be enjoyed, not endured!

Have a blessed week!

Love,

Hermana Bryant

March 3

It is a new transfer!  Can you believe it?!  I feel like it was just last week that I got my greenie... but now it is over!

Luckily, we are both staying here in Santa Rosa!

Yippeee!

This is the first time that I will be in an area for 3 transfers!  And I am so excited!  I LOVE Santa Rosa!

So this week was just amazing. 

Monday: It started out with a trip to the beach!  Bodega Bay (not too far from where The Goonies was filmed)

I sure do love the beach!  It was way beautiful and so fun.  We played volleyball.  Well.  I tried.  With little success. Oh well. Some things never change.

Tuesday:  We had a mission wide conference call and our amazing mission president talked to us about how we cannot be letting the stress get to us. As a whole, I think all the missionaries have lost a little bit of the fire.  But we were reignited.  He talked about how it's always darkest before the dawn.  It has been that way throughout history.  Christ's suffering preceded His resurrection, Joseph Smith was enveloped by darkness before The First Vision, and at this time, we are getting tempted and tempted because something amazing is about to happen!  So we are all excited to just keep going and shake off all the worries we have been gathering.

Wednesday: It rained and rained and rained. We went tracting in it and ended up completely soaked.  Kinda fun.  I am really starting to learn to rock the wet hair look. And then we went to dinner at this Peruvian Restaurant(:  soooo good.  We had this quinoa stew.  I LOVE Peruvian food.  Seriously, if you are ever in Santa Rosa, go to Sazon.  It is amazing.

After dinner we went to our investigator Griselda's house.  She is amazing.  She has so many questions and she is SO prepared.  Then we made her whole family pancakes afterwards. In Mexico, they put Sweetened Condensed milk on pancakes instead of syrup.  And it tastes SO MUCH BETTER!  Mexicans really have the whole taste buds thing figured out. So that was fun!  And we were able to escape the rain(:

Thursday: We learned how to make Tacos Dorados!  Which is basically like a potato filled taquito (or flauta- for those of you who know what I am talking about) Anyway, they are so good!  And I am a pro!  Day by day I am turning into more and more of a Mexican.  I love it!

Friday:  MLC!  So all the STLs and ZLs got training and we watched a movie!  What?!  12 O Clock High.  It was in black and white and man, was it good!  I loved it!  Such a treat for all of us haha and it is always good to receive more instruction.  I feel like I need all the help I can get!

Saturday:  Service/ weekly planning/ baptisms/ everything!  Saturdays are so busy! 

Sunday: Church.  So amazing.

And here we are back to Monday(:

But we had this amazing miracle this past week.  Last Sunday, while I was in a meeting (yes, I am always in meetings), my companion was on mini exchanges with some sisters from a different ward.  While she was with them, the sisters got a call from a member, Robyn, asking if they could go and visit a friend of hers who she had recently reconnected with over Facebook.  They explained that it was too far for them to go to, but the lady actually lived in my area!  So my companion said we could!

So we went to the lesson with this amazing member and met Laurie and her sister Terri.  Laurie was baptized some 20 years ago, but Terri isn't a member.  Terri and Laurie have been through so much.  And just recently, their mother passed away.  And it has been extremely hard on all of them.  Robyn had just felt randomly impressed to message Laurie and after some conversation, realized that she definitely needed the gospel back in her life.  She was there right in that time of need.

And we taught an amazing lesson with them.  We were able to share our experiences and the Spirit was so strong.

But, this is the coolest part, Terri's daughter was in the house, but didn't want to listen or be apart of our conversation.  Right now, she is going through a lot.  A LOT.  She is in an extremely ugly custody battle, and in order for her to fight it, she needed the support of 5 different senators. (I don't know details, this is just what she told us).

She had 3 and while we were there, she got a call from another senator, saying they would support her.

The most amazing part, the senator was from Utah(:

Crazy, right??  The entire family took that as a sign.  Sure, it could have been a coincidence, but I don't believe in those anymore.  Everything happens for a reason.  I am grateful for Robyn- for being ready to reach out to someone in need. 

What are the odds??

Anyway, the church is true.  I know it with all of my heart.

I love you all!  Have an amazing week!

Love,

Hermana Bryant

Feb 24

Hello world!  This week was filled with a ton of exciting things.

Monday: P-day.  Crazy.  Always crazy. We taught our investigator, Griselda.  She is amazing.  And she read the introduction and the testimonies and everything and she was asking us the CRAZIEST questions!  Our brains were about fried afterwards.  But I think she felt the Spirit.  It was so strong.  In fact, she even came to church this Sunday!  So exciting!  So she is progressing!  She is really an amazing woman and I am so grateful for her(:

Tuesday: A regular work day!  So exciting! Well sorta.  We went to the mission office to help out and ended up getting to call all the companionships in the mission and ask them about the cell phone service. It was very exciting.

Wednesday: We went to the temple! YAY! (***insert picture from my facebook here***)

It was so wonderful(:  I love my companion.  Isn't she adorable?? And the Spirit you can feel at the temple is just indescribable.

Thursday: We learned how to make Chocoflan!  For those of you who don't know what it is, I am sorry you are mission out.  It is DELICIOUS!  And I am turning into quite the little latina.  Ya'll will think I am Mexican by the time I get home!

Those are some of our Branch Buddies.  I serve with all of them in the branch here.  They are like my brothers.  I don't know what I will do without them

Friday: Crazy.  Weekly planning day.  Definitely not one of the more exciting days.

Saturday: We did service for this amazing woman who the elders found at a park.  Her husband had just died and she ws trying to figure out how she was supposed to maintain her property without him.  So the elders stumbled upon her and offered to help.  We ended up taking down like 3 trees and hacking down a ton of rosebushes.  It was crazy!  And so fun!  I love doing service!  Definitely one of the better aspects of being a missionary.

Sunday: Church!  The best day of the week!

And here we are back to Monday!  I love this area.  I love the amazing missionaries I get to serve with and the amazing people and families I get to teach.

It is such an amazing experience.  I love my mission!!!

Have a great week everyone!  Can you believe it is almost already March??  Where is the time going???

Have a marvelous week!

Love,

Hermana Bryant

Feb 17

This week happened!  A lot of crazy landmarks too, Valentine's Day, the Musical Fireside, My Halfway point, so crazy!

Can you believe it?? I am already halfway done!

WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?!  MAKE IT STOP!  I feel like I just finally started getting the hang of things.

But let me think.  A lot of this week has been dedicated to the fireside we were planning.

It went SO well!  This stake is wonderfully supportive. 

I was so afraid nobody would show up.  but over 200 people did!  And they all loved it so much that they convinced the Mission and Stake president to do it again!

So in a few weeks we will do round 2 hahahaha

Advertising it was super funny.  we went to Downtown Santa Rosa and sang on street corners.  I felt so silly walking around with a ukulele.  And people would ask me to sing and I would have to break the news that I only new one song.  Super embarrassing.

But we were able to talk to a lot of people! 

Valentine's Day was just wonderful.   The branch had this fiesta and boy oh boy do Hispanics know how to throw parties haha it was a very exciting event.

I hit 9 months on Saturday.  I am still in shock that it is all almost over.  I am thinking about all the things I still need to learn and all the things I still need to do and everything I wanted to do differently and I am just overwhelmed.  I am just grateful that I have had the opportunity to get this far!  I did it!

And I am looking forward to making the next nine months the best ever(:

Thank you for everything! I love you all!

Love,

Me

Feb 9

This week has been such a crazy roller coaster!

There are honestly not even words that can accurately describe how crazy things have been.

Monday: we were "dropped" by one of the sweetest ladies I have met on my mission. (Dropped means that they tell you they don't want you to stop by anymore... It is kinda worse than a break up haha)

Tuesday: Zone conferences! We got to listen to our amazing mission president and APs. They are all so wonderful and inspired. It was truly a wonderful experience. And then exchanges! I had the opportunity to be with a different sister, leaving my little greenie in charge or our area.... With another greenie haha me and the other sister had a blast though. It is definitely different teaching in an English area. I have grown to LOVE Hispanics. Apparently in my area, Hermana Hardy had to call the elders about everything. They are such good sports though. Seriously, I am so taken care of it is ridiculous. And my greenie didn't die! So that was good.

Wednesday: a day of miracles! We had the opportunity to teach three amazing lessons and find two more souls to bring unto Christ. It was truly a productive day.

Thursday: we had to get our oil changed. It was funny because the "it is almost done" lasted 3 hours. But in the evening we were able to go and see my favorite family that we are teaching. They have a 2 year old son names Iker. He is just so adorable I can't even handle it. Babies speaking Spanish is so adorable. And he knows one word very well: "GOOOOOOOOOAL!" It is SO CUTE. He makes us play soccer with him and everything. My heart melts just thinking about how wonderful that family is.

Friday: weekly planning! And we actually finished it in 5 hours! Woo! I keep telling Hermana Hardy that half of missionary work is planning and the other half is changing those plans. We had a lesson with a new investigator. In the middle of the ghetto. In  a house with like 6 gangsters. So that was very exciting haha missionary work definitely unpredictable. We get to meet such a large variety of people.  Unfortunately, the man wasn't very interested so that was sad, because the story of how we found him was so awesome!  But as we were leaving, one of the guys who lived with him came out running after us- in the rain- and asked if we had a pamphlet or something he could read!  Such a miracle!  It is so funny how God puts you places for purposes a little different than you think.

Saturday: we helped this wonderful lady move. In the rain. Have I mentioned at it has been POURING everyday this week? God has this funny way of answering prayers haha so it has been exciting but man. Wet. We have been so wet haha but the rain is pretty fun. Also. We are doing this musical fireside pretty soon and so me and a few other sisters have been preparing for that. Let's just say we have gotten super creative! Ukuleles, Guitars, and Mandolins are involved. Pretty exciting.

Sunday: Church! AND ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PEOPLE CAME! He was baptized last April and went less active right after that. But he came!!! For the first time in about 6 months!!! It was the most exciting moment ever! Words cannot describe. I definitely screamed a little when I saw him in the chapel. So exciting!

And guess what!

This week I hit my halfway point. I cannot believe it at all. I feel like I have finally gotten to he point where it starts flying. So crazy. Make it stop!

Words cannot describe how much I love my mission. It is he greatest decision I have made thus far in my life. I love it so much. I love serving The Lord. I love the people. I love the missionaries. I LOVE my companion. She is such a tender mercy from The Lord.

The church is true!

Love,

Hermana Bryant

Also... here are some pictures of us in the rain.  Pretty cute, huh?  We have matching umbrellas(:

Feb 3

Hello world!

Guess what!

It rained!  It was the fastest answer to a fast I have ever had.  It rained allSunday and it was kinda fun to run to all of our investigators houses before church in the ran to try to get them to come.

And guess what!  In the 7 weeks of me being in this area, we have not have 1 investigator at sacrament meeting.

And yesterday? We had 1!(:

Such a miracle!!!

It was truly a day of miracles.

My Super Bowl Sunday was adorable. There is a family in our stake that had us over for dinner and they have a "Soup-er bowl Sundae" tradition.

So we had soup and salad and ice cream sundaes.  It was adorable.

We have really been seeing miracles in this area.  Everyday I fall in love with it more and more.  The people, the branch, the missionaries, the stake.  Santa Rosa is really a wonderful place.

And we are going to see miracles! I know it with all of my heart.

Hopefully is starts raining a little more.

I mean, I don't really want to say that because missionary work in the rain is quite the adventure, but it needs it!

I have gained a testimony of hard work, sacrifice, miracles, and tender mercies this past week.  I wish I had enough time to explain all of the amazing things that happen on a mission, but I know that the Lord is mindful of me.  This past week has proven it more and more as He has sent "angels to bear me" (D&C 84:88) up in my time of need.

I know that the work is true.  And I know that God loves every single one of you.

Try looking for those tender mercies in your life- those little miracles.  You will find that they are everywhere!

I love all of you so much!

Keep praying, and then write Sister Bryant a letter when you're done(;

Love,

Sister Bryant

Jan 27

I MADE IT THROUGH MY FIRST WEEK OF TRAINING!

Which actually wasn't too difficult.  I have a wonderful greenie.

Her name is Hermana Hardy.  She is from Palmer, Alaska.  She lived on a reindeer farm and had a pet domesticated Moose.  How adorable is that?

So we are definitely good friends!  It really isn't even like I am training.  She is so wonderful.  I am being taught much more than I am teaching her.  But it is still very stressful.  I definitely always have to be on my A-game.  So I am definitely seeing all the things I have to work on.  But it is good!  Very humbling.

This area is starting to bloom!  We are starting to find all of those people who are searching for the truth.  The Lord is hastening His work, for sure.  Therefore He is preparing so many more people!

The branch just had the first missionary to ever go on a mission in the branch come home.  It was wonderful to hear her words and I am just so excited for the moment when I get to say that I gave my all... but on the same note, it is nerve racking because I want to be completely honest when I say that!

I have got a ton of work to do!

Busy is my middle name out here!  There is never a dull moment in missionary work!

I think that is everything.

Oh.  Apparently California is in this drought or something (which still confuses me, because there is an ocean like 20 minutes away.) And everyone is complaining about how hot it is (it is like AZ temps... apparently I brought the sunshine with me haha) so CALI is fasting this next Sunday for rain....

I don't know how I feel about that because I know it is going to work and I am not too pumped about rain haha

But I am excited.  Rain is the best.  And whatever helps the people of California, right?

I love my mission.  I love the Gospel.  I know that Heavenly Father is so aware of me and all that I am doing out here.  He has never left me alone.  Whenever I feel like it is too much to handle, He sends little angels my way who give me the strength to carry on.

Tender mercies are real and I have received so many of them.

I feel your prayers and I know that is it is those prayers that keep me going(:

THE CHURCH IS TRUE!  And if you doubt it, pray(:

I love you all so much!

Love,

Hermana Bryant

Jan 20

At Camp Liahona they focused a LOT on "Banking on Blessings"

When we are obedient, we get blessings.  And there are specific blessings that coincide with specific commandments.  If we want the Windows of Heaven to be opened in our lives, pay your tithing.  That simple! (Also, much easier said than done.  I understand)

Anyway- this week we saw those blessings.

We met four AMAZING people who have clearly been prepared by God to hear the Gospel.  It was so exciting!  We have been struggling this entire transfer to try to find new people to teach.  We have been doing a lot of work with formers (people who were taught by missionaries in the past but for some reason or another stopped).... but that hasn't been proving to work very well.

"Where you look where everyone else has looked, you will find what everyone else has found"

So we started looking in different places and guess what?  We found some amazingly golden people.

I have a testimony of obedience!  We started contacting that 20 people a day and we immediately saw the blessings.  I know it was not coincidence.

I am going to try my best to illustrate to you the emotions of transfer week.

So each transfer lasts 6 weeks.  On the Friday night of week 6 we get a call from our Zone Leaders in which they explain our fate... if we will be staying, if we will be going, who our new companion will be... it is very nerve racking!

Sometimes President or Sister Alba will call you on Thursday to tell you if you are getting a special assignment (such as being a Zone Leader, District Leader, or STL [the girl version of those] or training).

So all of Thursday you are terrified because you are just waiting for the phone to vibrate and for Sister Alba to be on the screen.  That is such a scary, scary moment.

Well.

This Thursday Sister Andrews and I were teaching people on Facebook when the phone vibrated.

You can imagine the sinking feeling in my stomach when "Sister Alba" was on the caller ID.

So we answered and Sister Alba said, "Hello sisters!  Can I talk to Sister Andrews?"

PHEW!  Off the hook.

So she told her that she will be trunky transferred (the last transfer of her mission will be in a new area) to Rio Vista and that she will be an STL there.

And then... she said, "and Sister Bryant, can I talk to you?"

WHAT. NO NO NO!

She then proceeded to ask me to be an STL and to train.

I'M GONNA BE A MOM!!!! (For those of you who do not know, that means I am going to have a 'greenie' and I am going to be training her in the mission.)

And I am here to testify that The Lord calls us in our weakness.  I am terrified.  I feel so ill-prepared.  I do not know Spanish well enough.  Up to this point, all of my companions have been older than me in the mission and in actual age.  I am... humbled.  So humbled.

Apparently the Lord needs me to step up.  So step up is what I am going to have to do.

I think The Lord is pulling the sink or swim method on me... so hopefully I don't drown haha

If I do, goodbye.  It was so nice knowing ya'll!

Anyway. I love you.

Thank you for being so diligent and so wonderful.

The Lord loves you too!

Love,

Hermana Bryant

Jan 13

Well... I have 9 minutes.  And I write these things religiously to make sure that you all know I am still alive every week, but I don't think my dearest sister actually posts them all in the same week haha so... sorry about that haha

anway.

This week was crazy! 

On Tuesday, we felt like we needed to go to Sebastapol.  Which is this little ho-donk town on the outskirts of my area.  We had never gone there and from what we had heard, there was little to no Hispanic population.  So we went... on a whim, just following the Spirit.  We had one address to go visit.  So we put it in the GPS and arrived at our destination.  Except it didn't actually exist.  Which happens a lot in missionary work.  And it was frustrating because we don't really have the miles to be driving down to this town for no reason.

So I had the strongest impression to knock on this one door.

And we knocked and no one answered.  And we knocked again, no one.  So we knocked one more time and nothing.

And so we thought, well.  I guess we will go home.

So we started to walk towards the car when the door opened.  And we turned around and this man was standing in the doorway with crutches.  His name was Sergio and he started telling us his life story.  Turns out that he had been in an accident and tore a part of his spinal chord, but through a miracle was able to function.  He was talking about his turn around and his faith when he said, "I know you ladies are here for a reason!  You were in my dream last night.  I think this is a sign from God".

Yes.  It is indeed.

Miracles happen.  We are going back tonight to teach him more.  And I am so grateful for that opportunity that I had to drive down to the middle of nowhere and find one of God's lost sheep who was clearly waiting for us.

So that was an amazing start to the week.  We then went to camp...  I don't know if I mentioned this last week, but a few of us were chosen to go to a leadership camp (namely the STL's and Zl's... I am neither.  But I was one of the lucky few who was given the opportunity to go!  And it was life changing.  Exhausting, but life changing.  It was definitely the kick in he seat of the pants that I needed!  The biggest thing I learned is that you can take God very literally on His blessings.  And He has promised our mission that if we contact 20 new people a day and do some other things, we will baptize weekly.

And we can take that to the bank.

The promises in the scriptures are true- if they came from a representative of the Lord, then you can take them to the bank!

Seriously!

So do it!

Anyway, I am starting to get a little sick.. so please keep my health in your prayers. I do not want to die here in California haha

I LOVE YOU ALL!  Stay strong(:

Love,

Hermana Bryant

Jan 6

I officially have 6 minutes to write this... now 5.

So!  This week was crazy!

It was Pday, then district meeting and double exchanges (which means 2 days of me being the only one who could speak Spanish in my companionship), and New Years!  AH!  So exciting (well... not really.  It was just a normal day haha), and then Weekly Planning, Saturday, then church. 

And here I am again!

This transfer has BY FAR gone the fastest in my entire mission.  Probably because I love my companion more than everything.  She is just so wonderful!

And the holidays were perfect.  Thank you everyone for contributing to my happiness this Holiday Season!  It really was perfect.

So this last week I have had the opportunity to really think about this past year of my life.

It started off at college, with the plans to eventually go on a mission, I was working and involved in Women's Chorus... just kinda living life!  Then my dad died, and that put everything on hold.  I stopped thinking about the world- I stopped thinking about things like school, work, friends, everything.

And I started doubting going on a mission.  But then the confirmation came.  I knew I had to go.

So I did everything to just get out in the Vineyard of the Lord as fast as possible!

I got my call, the semester ended, I went to Ohio and Arizona to see all my family before I left,

And now I am here.

Can you believe it?  I can't.

This year has been the craziest of my life, but I have come to know my Heavenly Father more than I ever have before.  I know that He loves me.  I have an unshaking testimony of Missionary Work and Obedience.

11/12 months of this next year will be spent on my mission.  It is so strange to think that.  It seems so far away, but on the same note, I cannot imagine myself being home.  I think I have finally adjusted!  I love this work more than anything.  This is the greatest decision of my life.  It is hard, so hard.  But it is so worth it.

The Gospel is worth it.

This next week will fly by again (I am going CAMPING!!! Don't worry, you will get full details next week), and then the transfer is over.

So. Crazy.

There is just not enough time in this work to waste.  And I am grateful that after my mission I still get to serve and share the Gospel.

Stay strong everyone!

Make 2014 the best year of your life thus far, because I know it will be in mine!

Love,

Hermana Bryant

Dec 30

OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE CHRISTMAS ON MISSIONS!

It really throws everything off, but it is just so wonderful to be around when everyone has the Spirit of Christ.  And maybe they don't want to meet with you, but they at least listen to you carol(:  So that is so sweet!

But let's just say that I have been Christmas music-ed out.

What else....

This week I had this wonderful opportunity to eat at a restaurant called Sazon that one of our less actives owns.

And it is a Peruvian restaurant.

And I felt like I was living in The Emperor's New Groove.  I am not even kidding.  Like the music and the decorations and everything.  It was just perfect.  I just wanted them to serve me like a giant beetle that I could hit with a stick... but they didn't.  I ate shrimp mango ceviche instead (oh yeah... it was just as good as it sounds).

Sometimes serving in the states has its perks(;

So yeah!  Super exciting.

I have been stressing out about new year's goals. So that has been occupying my mind for forever...

I think I have finally come up with some realistic goals.  Because I am so lucky that 11/12 months this year will be occupied by my mission!

So exciting!

Anyway,

I guess Christmas and Peruvian food was the theme of this last week.

And it was just wonderful(:

I LOVE YOU ALL!

The church is true and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to an amazing new year!

BTW, watch this.  Because I love it and it has really helped me(:

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=910930409001