Hello Happy: Continuing to change and grow everyday! Brooke Gertsch Mission Update 1/9/2017

Brooke’s contact info:

1122 Budapest

Hajnoczy Jozsef utica 14

Hungary

She would love a quick hello email!!! brooke.gertsch@myldsmail.net

Well, this week totally flew by. They really are getting faster and it is really starting to scare me! Still enjoying every minute of it, though. The awkward moments, the snow storms, the funky foods - ALL OF IT. Man, I love this place and these people more than I can begin to explain. And that doesn't even really make sense. I can’t speak well english anymore, haha! You know what I mean!

This week, we visited family in the ward who had the cutest little twins. You could most definately say that it made me miss MY twin and little kids a whole lot!

We also were adventuring (looking up less active members) in a falu (village) and found SLOVAKIA!

^ SLOVAKIA JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER!

“ADVENTURING” IN A NEARBY VILLAGE (FALU)

Went on splints with the Sisters from a city called Szombathely and I got to spend time with Towne Nőver who is the sweetest!

And met with my favorite person on the planet, Johanna! (Brooke’s mom is going to try to NOT take that last sentence personally!)

Well I just kind of rambled on about my week, sorry!

^ THE WARD BROOKE IS SERVING IN GYŐR, HUNGARY

On a more serious note, the biggest thing I have been thinking about, studying about, and learning about, is our self-worth and our purpose here and God’s plan for us. I had taught the Plan of Salvation so many times before, but this week, with one of our investigators, we really focused on our time here on Earth and why we are here. This investigator just feels so lost and so alone. One of the coolest things I have received as a missionary, is being able to see someone through Heavenly Father’s eyes and as this person was saying that they feel that they just go through life unnoticed and doesn't understand what they are doing here, I just wanted to hug them so hard and tell them, “YOU ARE LOVED!”

I tried as best as i could to help this person know the God loves them more than they will ever know. Something I have learned is that it is so great to help comfort someone and tell them that they are loved and important. I was able to see their heart soften and they even got emotional. But then we left and came back a few days later, and it was like we had never said anything. SO what is most important is that we, on our own, turn to our Heavenly Father, find out for ourselves that He is there. And as we do that - without a doubt - we will start to feel His unconditional love and will receive guidance as to where we need to go in life. That is why prayer is so important, because it is the way we can strengthen our relationship with the one that we need most. That’s what is so cool about his whole mission thing. I knew all of this before. But it wasn’t until I was teaching somebody else and telling them these things, that it really clicked. It changed me. I am just continuing to change and grow everyday.

D&C 18:10 - “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”