GOOD NEWS FOLKS!

My camera and I are baaack in the game! (to be said like Joseph Gordon Levitt in 10 Things I Hate About You.) 

Am alive (despite the lack of correspondence, sorry guys) and HAPPY in Santa Lucia. Changes are next week! It's likely I'm staying, but we'll see come Monday!

Love this branch. Love this area. Love the converts. Love the people. 

We had a biiiig change as a mission this last week: 

We got a new mission president!

His name is President Markham, he's super enthusiastic, and his wife is super cute. Their first Sunday in the mission was in our branch! #nopressure

Saying goodbye to President and Hermana Brough was hard; they changed the life of every missionary in this mission (I know they changed mine). 

But these next 7 months are going to be incredible -

ADVENTURE HO!

Photoz 4 dayz, because you guys know that I've lost all ability to communicate in English. But they say a picture speaks a thousand words...

1. My very chula companion. (Ya'll don't know how hard it is to get her smile on camera! #countyerblessings)

 

 

2. Our new roomates. (Yes, those are baby cockroaches. Yes, we have approximately 30 of their nests in our house. No, we don't have the cockroach killing spray in our house that all the houses in our mission are supposed to have. No, we're not worried about a mass cockroach invasion in which they eat all our garbage and grow huge and eat us alive. #paranada)

 

 

3. Your favorite new Molly Mormon got her Personal Progress! #COMEATMEBRO
 

 

4. We made Salvadorenan (HOW would you say that in English?) pupusas with Sandra! It just doesn't get better. 

 

 

5. Meyli + Pupusas = a lot of loveliness. She's kind of the cutest. And even whiter than I am. That just doesn't happen, folks.

 

 

6. And Oscar thinks he's a model. Which he totally is: He's the newest face of the "Where's Waldo" line. It's a new haute couture line designed by Waldo himself.

 

 

ENOUGH LOCURAS. 

LOVE YOU KIDS.

Get to work!

<3  Hermana Brower

I feel like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland; always running late and out of time. 

But pictures, at least, I can manage.

Love,

Hermana Brower

1. Who comes to Guatemala and gets whiter? #thisgirl

 

 

2. Also. Cake. It doesn't get better.

 

 

3. Pin the tail on the Gringa?
(Also faceless. Again.)

 

 

4. Guatemalan Gothic.

 

 

5. And why do we have bodas? Why, to keep the Law of Chastity and make sacred promises with the Lord, of course!

 

 

6. And to take photos of people wearing my hair. 

 

 

HEY KIDS.

It's pictures galore. Disfruuuuuuuuten.

P.S. I'm giving ya'll one more week to get your paws on the Book of Mormon and get reading. 

It can't hurt. And it's free.

And I know that in this book, you'll find peace. I know that its words are inspired. I know that God gave it to us to help us get closer to Him. To help us understand Him better. To love Him and follow Him. Pick it up and see if that's true.

The Savior himself said: 

"Wherefore, do not spend money for that which...cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness."

And another oldie but goodie:

"All objections to the church...whether they be on abortion, plural marriage, seventh-day worship, etc., basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets of God receiving divine revelation...The only problem the objector has to resolve for himself is whether THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE." - President Ezra Taft Benson

And this:

"Our main task (as missionaries) is to declare the gospel and to do it effectively. We are not obligated to asnwer every objection. Every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there he must make his stand." - President Ezra Taft Benson

#JUSTDOIT

looooove

Hermana Brower

1. Hermana Martinez & I (aka the only chicks on the beach in skirts.) 

(okay, well, the only chicks on the beach.)

2. just a girl and the deep blue sea. (bad hipster blog name? DONE and DONE.)

 

3. The famous black sand of Guatemala. 

 

 

4. Enchanted highways, CHECK.

 

 

5.  I have sent you all SO MANY PANCAKE PICTURES.. 

Welcome to my life.

 

 

6. "Waiter! A pina colada, please."

 

 

7. It's a sick soul that brings missionaries to an ocean they can't swim in. BUT so pretty. So happy. 

And not hot. #itsamiracleladiesandgentleman

 

 

8. They say EVERYTHING CHANGES IN THE MISSION.

But some things just...

don't.

 

 

P.S. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAYYYYYYYYYY!!!

To all you beautiful creatures that put up with missionary daughters who are not very good at writing every week - God has a special place for you. A very special place. A celestial mansion with jacuzzi, pool, and housemaid. #enjoy

I love and appreciate you all!

I love the people here.

Soooo much.

 

Am happy, tired, sweating (always), and sooooo out of time.

Love you cool cats!

Remember that Imma be verifying with each and every one of you next week on the Book of Mormon challenge front.

With all my love,

Hermana Brower

 

I knew this day was coming...

THE COAST.
My new area is El Bilbao, in Santa Lucia. In the coast. Aka I be sweatin alllll the time. The metal part of my nametag actually started to rust off onto my chest in the river of sweat I had going on the other day. 

So. much. sweat.

All. the. time.

Or in pocas palabras: Hellloooo pubescent acne. Bienvenido to my face.

BUT.

Guess what? 

It's the coast, right? It's hot. As hot as that place that now I reaaaally don't want to go to. (Give you a pista: Satan lives there.) There's lots of bugs. They love me. I was informed that this is because my blood smells of hamburgers and pizza. And I couldn't really defend myself because we had just eaten McDonald's. There's cucarachas. 

But I got a 

Biiiiiiig secret:

 

(I love it. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.)

1. The first picture is of my new companion, Hermana Martinez, and I. (And may I just say that ya'll are BLESSED to know someone as beautiful as I am?) She's a real cool cat. I kinda like her a lot.

 

 

2. On my last P-Day in Antigua, we went to Luna de Miel and pigged out on crepes. And Pris and I got CHOCOSMOOTHIES. It's a big deal, folks. This is Hna. Navarro and Marvin.

 

3. This is my soul sister and I. 

 

4. This is my other soul sister and I. 

 

5. Cutest girls in Antigua! 

 

6. Sorry, these lips are sooooo sealed. 

 

 

 

I love you cool cats. Enjoy your air conditioning for me. Imma be serving the Lord with all my HEART, MIND, STRENGTH, and SOUL. 

And I've got some homework for ya'll:

We've been studying a LOT about the Book of Mormon recently. Because it's true. And it's "keystone of our religion". A keystone is the stone that holds an arch together. Without the keystone, the arch falls.

So WHAT does it mean that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion? Meaning if it's not true, all the rest is a pack of lies or tonterias, too. But if it's true, and guess what, buddy? It's true.

It means that everything else is true. 

You think it's worth finding out that it's true? As the famed philosophist Hermana Brewster once said, "YEAHHHHH BUDDY!"

So: I have some assignments: And like every good missionary, I'm going to VERIFY in 2 weeks.

1. If you haven't read the Book of Mormon in the last year (April 2013-April 2014): LEALO. Especially those of you who've never read it. (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. XXX) Even if, especially if, you're not a member of this church, or don't go to it, or whatever. LEALO. (I'd tell you to Google Translate it, but I'm pretty sure you get the picture without it.)

2. Follow the invitation in Moroni 10:3-5, on the last page, the same invitation that is made in the last two paragraphs of the introduction: 

PRAY ABOUT IT.

Even if it's a prayer like this: "Hey, God, if you exist, would you please let me know if the Book of Mormon is true? In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Guess what? God's gonna be jumpin out of His seat to answer you. 

Because if it's a lie, do you think He wants you to believe a pack of lies? PARA NADA.

And if it's true, do you think He wants you to know so you can know this is the true church so you can keep His commandments so you can be happy because in the Book of Mormon itself it says "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have JOY." (2 Nephi 2:25)?

YEAH BUDDY.

As an authorized servant and representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

As Tabitha Brower, I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

I testify that it will bring you peace. I testify that it will bring you joy. Through the Book of Mormon, you will come to know that Joseph Smith was not a liar or a crazy - he was a man, called of God to be a prophet. Through this knowledge, you will come to know that this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the only true church.

A church that doesn't just talk of Christ, but where He talks through His living prophet. And I know that this knowledge will give you the faith to do WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO to follow Him. To obey Him. To receive His blessings.

I know it.

I always had a LOT of doubts about whether God existed, if religion was important, if this church was the true one or if there even was one, if Joseph Smith was telling the truth, if ALL of it was a pack of lies or not.

But as I have read the Book of Mormon, I have felt something that no person can put in my heart. I have felt peace. I have felt warmth. I have felt purpose. I have felt HIS love. I know that HE EXISTS. I know that THIS IS HIS CHURCH. I know that HE directs it. I know that HE loves you. I know that HE wants you to know that.

I invite you to put aside your doubts for just a minute. Read it, wanting to know if it is true. Wanting to know if He loves you. Wanting to know if this is His church. Wanting to know if you should join it. Wanting to know what He wants for you.

 

You'll know. 

 

 

Will you do it?

You have 2 weeks to get your hands on a copy, or if you've already got one, get on it! Once you've started reading, get back to me. 

This is your mission, should you choose to accept it.

Do you accept it?

I want every single one of you to write me back and let me know. 

It can't hurt. It can only bless you with a knowledge of the truth. 

Because as missionaries, we're not here to convince. We're here to let God do the talking. To let him CONVERT you.

I love you. 
That's why I'm sharing this with you. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

 

 

"I'm leeeeavin, never comin back again"

Sorry, folks, it's a Jesse McCartney kind of day! Changes tomorrow : Headin' off into the wild blue yonder!

I have so many people I love here in Antigua that I'm going to miss, but I know God needs me somewhere else. Just as long as I can take Priscila in my suitcase we will be A-OK!

My district of the last 4.5 months (and my $3 thrift shop skirt from India! #notetoself: Always shop with a Chapina. You get the special "Not ripping you off because you're a Gringa" discount. #yeahbuddy)

Love you lots and will let you know next week where God has put this little buddy!

With love,

Hermana Brower

 

 

HEY YOU BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. 

I shockingly have no time.

But in this moment, the lines of a famous song come to mind: 

"I just called 

to say

I looooove you."

A looot.

Wasn't General Conference amazing? If you didn't watch, ten lashings and go watch it NOW. It was beautiful. The church is true, God DOES have a living prophet, and He DOES speak to us today because, hey, guess what? We're His children and He loves us.

I asked Priscila, "Did you like watching Pres. Monsen speak? Could you feel even stronger that he's a true prophet?" And she just looked at me and went, "Ohhh yeah."

It's true, guys. Ohhhhh yeah.

Also, no worries, eatin well in Antigua!

LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLL!!!