Final words

Last email from Connecticut, February 8, 2010:

3 John 1:13-14
I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen
write unto thee:
But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face
to face. Peace be to thee.

Sister Brenda Darrington completes her time in the Connecticut Hartford Mission and returns home February 10, 2010! She leaves behind a place and many people she has come to love with all her heart.

Blessed with Love!

From Feb. 1, 2010, email:

Susan's baptism is still on for Sunday! She's super excited for it and looks forward to this new beginning for her. The Gospel Principles class just happened to be on baptism and she answered all of the questions. It's funny how lessons turn out like that. Dean, her husband, will follow soon behind. He's still trying to overcome smoking, but I know that he can do it.

We had an awesome lesson with Josh at the Preneveau's home. It was one of the most spiritual lessons that I've been in on my mission. We taught him about the Word of Wisdom & Bro. Preneveau bore such a powerful testimony. I wish you all could have felt that Spirit! He's got a smoking habit, but he wants to kick it.

Yale was pretty cool! But it would have been more enjoyable if it hadn't been raining so hard. We toured around the libraries and I had to go to the gym. I haven't changed much, have I?! Yale is a neat school, but there's something missing there: the Spirit. It seemed so cold & lifeless with all of the stone buildings. It made me appreciate my education at church schools because the Spirit is there. Being on campus got me excited to head back to school.

Yesterday in Relief Society I realized that I was going home. It was Ward Conference so the stake Relief Society President was teaching the lesson. She talked of how we can "Come Unto Christ" as it says in Moroni 10. One way that we can come unto Christ is by sharing the gospel. All of a sudden I had tears streaming down my face & I couldn't stop. I was pretty much sobbing through the closing song. I didn't expect it to hit me like this. I have grown to love the people & the area SO MUCH that I'm having a hard time saying goodbye. I'm sure there will be a few more tears shed this week. I can attribute it all to the charity & love that the Savior has for all of us. I prayed to love these people and I was blessed with that love. It makes it so hard to leave!

I'm excited to see you all soon!

More good news!

From email of Jan. 25, 2010: This will be short because we're heading off to Yale University in New Haven for p-day with the Trumball Sisters. It's a super rainy day today, but it's in the 50s so we're happy about that. Hopefully things will clear up in the next few hours so we can enjoy our visit to Yale.

We found out last night that Dean wants to be baptized! He has seen the change that the Church has made in Susan's life and he wants to be a part of it. We haven't set a specific date for him, but Susan is still on for February 7th. Dean has a few Word of Wisdom issues he needs to work through, but he has made amazing progress already. And he's done it all on his own! It looks like we're bringing a family into the gospel because of three car crashes! The Lord works in mysterious ways! We helped Susan paint one of her bedrooms for a foster kid that she is getting soon and we had a blast! She took us over to Home Depot to pick out the colors: teal, dark gray, and white. It looks pretty cool! Good thing I've had all that experience painting up in Almo!

Can you believe that I'll be seeing you all in a little over two weeks? I sure can't! Time flies by when you're having fun. But you have to make the most the time that we're given. Remember the words of President Monson: "You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you've collected a lot of empty yesterdays." Live the gospel, love others, be happy!

Spiritual Records

From email of Jan. 19, 2010: The weather out here can't make up it's mind! The past few days we've had spring-like weather in the 40s. Now today, there's been rain and then snow! As they say in New England, if you don't like the weather, just wait a minute.

The past few weeks I've set a goal to write in my journal every night and so far I've succeeded! I want to remember the good times that I've had on my mission. I kick myself for not writing more earlier in my mission because those experiences have come and gone and most are not written down. I remember Adam told me last Christmas to write in my journal as often as possible, but I didn't do as well as I should have. In zone conference a few weeks ago, President Pehrson stressed that we needed to write down our spiritual experiences & feelings, rather than the day-to-day things that we did. So I've taken that to heart. Each night, I write down an experience that strengthened my testimony. Some nights it's easy to see those experiences, such as a powerful lesson with an investigator. But other times, I've had to really reflect on my day and look for those little things that the Spirit witnessed to me. I've been able to see the "tender mercies" more often as I do this.

Susan is progressing along so well! She wants me there for her baptism so she is making the necessary changes to her life so she can be baptized. We talked about the 10 Commandments and Susan brought up a good point: the world has forgotten about these basic rules. Most people know they exist, but don't realize that they are actually commandments from God. I guess you can see where people put their priorities. She thanked us SO much for teaching her. She is so humble and teachable. She soaks everything in and wants to follow Heavenly Father's will. I'm so humbled & grateful for my opportunity to teach her these last few weeks of my mission. It is a marvelous blessing from Heavenly Father!

I was reading today in 2 Nephi 9 about Jacob's exhortation to the people to repent and something struck me. He speaks about those who are "puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches," or basically those who are not humble and repentant. In verse 43 it explains that "the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever, yea, that HAPPINESS which is prepared for the saints." Those who do not keep the commandments will never be truely happy. Look at the world around us today. The things of the world claim to bring you instant happiness, but it quickly fades away. People turn to the next claim of happiness, only to find it even shallower than the first. If they could just realize that happiness is in the gospel of Jesus Christ! I reflect on the times that I was the most miserable in my life. Those were the times that I wasn't humble, submissive, patient, repentant, etc. But now that I'm living the gospel to a greater degree as a missionary, I have found that joy. And I have helped others on their way to finding it also. I love it!

The days are slipping by quickly. Before you know it, I'll be home! I'm excited to see you all!

Another great week in Torrington!

From January 11, 2010, email: It was another great week in Torrington! Things seem to roll along a little bit better with three missionaries. More testimony, more Spirit! I have loved serving with Sister Murray and Sister Mortimer (again!). They are such great missionaries and they know how to have fun.

Susan is still on for baptism for the 7th of February. We taught her the Word of Wisdom last night and I was slightly nervous for her answer. Why did I doubt?! She accepted it without a hesitation. There are a few things that she will have to exclude from her life, but she knows the importance of this commandment. She stayed for all three hours of church yesterday plus a "munch & mingle" (remember those?) and she LOVED it! It even brought her to tears as to how happy she was. A friend commented yesterday in our lesson that Susan had a different countenance or a glow about her. That's what the gospel does! It has been such a blessing to see her change. I feel privileged to have served here in Torrington my last few months and make a difference in someone's life. She printed off the whole Gospel Principles book so she could make notes in it and cross reference scriptures. Every single night she whips it out and studies. If only we were all like that! When we continue to have that thirst for knowledge and seek after it, that is when Heavenly Father will open unto us the windows of heaven. I don't ever want to become complacent with the knowledge I already have.

We started teaching a new guy this week, Josh. He actually called us up and requested to have lessons. He had been taught in Bloomfield a few years back, moved away, and then moved back to Torrington. He has had a troubled past & wants to find a sense of belonging. I can see that he wants to change & to be healed from decisions in the past. He willingly came to church & made plans to come again next week.

We found out this week that one of our investigators, Scott, has a brain tumor. We didn't get too much information, but we know that they are going in for surgery on Tuesday. Pray for him & his family! He & his wife, Dale, had been investigating for a few years, but I know that this situation will determine whether they join the church or not. They say that they know it is true & I know that their family can be blessed incomprehensively if they do join.

Sister Mortimer reminded me of our most adventurous event of the week. We got to ride home in the back of a Torrington City police car! And no, we weren't in trouble! We were riding with a member to dinner & apparently someone forgot to pay the insurance on the car, the registration got pulled, and she didn't know a single thing about it! The car got impounded & we almost had to hoof it all the way across town. But the policeman was kind enough to give us a ride home. Hahaha...it was quite the experience! I'll try to stay out of trouble for the next few weeks. :)

I still can't believe it is almost time to come home. It probably won't hit me until I'm actually there. This mission has been the greatest experience in my life and it's very hard to leave. I've met some of my best friends out here, whether it be companions or members or investigators. I have had so many spiritual experiences that have strengthened my testimony of the gospel. Because of the mission, I can say that I have a testimony. I've had the happiest moments of my life here & have experienced that JOY the scriptures talk about. There is no greater calling than to preach the gospel!

Good News!

From email of Jan. 4, 2010: I definitely had a wonderful birthday yesterday. . . the best out here on a mission! We made the "birthday brownies" Mom sent so Sister Mortimer & Sister Murray sang as I blew out the candles. They stuck little notes around the apartment that wished me a Happy Birthday so that was a good surprise. They even stuck them in the refrigerator for me to see. I love them! Elder and Sister Carr brought a cake to Susan's appointment so I got sung to again. Then the bishop invited us over for cake & hot chocolate so I got another birthday song! We were a bit sick of cake by the end of the night, but it still made for a very happy birthday!

The good news of the week: Susan accepted a baptismal date for February 7th! She didn't hesitate a bit when we extended the invitation to be baptized. I can tell that she really wants it. We had a great lesson on repentance last night which is leading her to change a few things in her life. I love to see the change of heart that converts have when they repent and come unto Christ. There truly is something special about the gospel! Hopefully the baptism goes through on that date so I'll be able to see another person enter the waters of baptism before I go home.

Our New Years was just as "exciting" as yours, complete with Martinelli's and party hats. We spent most of the time taking apart the bunk bed to move up the bed so Sister Murray doesn't whack her head in the middle of the night. The only problem is that we couldn't move it up! After we had the many pieces strewn across the apartment, we found out that the other holes were for the rails, not for an adjustable bed. Ugh! So we put it back together & enjoyed the rest of our night. I'm happy to have a little bit of handy-man skills because the other sisters had no idea what to do.

I got my flight plans at transfer meeting last week! President Pehrson told us to be released as soon as possible after we get home, so I guess we could arrange that. It still doesn't feel like I should be going home yet! I just read in Jacob "our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream." That's how real life feels to me. And I don't want my mission to feel like that, just a dream. Hopefully I can continue this work when I am home! See you all soon--on February 10th!

Happy New Year!

From Dec. 28, 2009, email: The highlight of my week was of course talking to you all [family Christmas Eve]! I'm happy that everyone was able to be there. I guess we'll all be getting together again in the next few months! And I'm glad that you enjoyed the mission DVD. It is such a blessing to have all of those pictures to remember the good times! I'll have to create my own for the family to see when I get home.

We decided to cancel our first dinner appointment on Christmas Day because we were still stuffed from the night before. Plus we didn't want to have to rush around. President & Sister Pehrson opened up the mission home to the missionaries and we had a great time there. Lots of good food, fun, and company! Sister Pehrson introduced us to a game called Five Crowns...it's quite fun! We watched a little bit of "It's A Wonderful Life" before heading back to Torrington for our dinner appointment. It was at the Greens, the same family that had us over for Thanksgiving. I love them so much! It always feels like home when we are there. I was happy to see that dinner was lasagna. I'm just about tired of ham & turkey! We ended the night with dessert and carols around the piano.

Susan is still progressing along so well! She came to church yesterday and LOVED it! She says that she wants to be baptized, it's just all a matter of when. It's so great to see her excitement for the gospel. She's already got a strong knowledge of the scriptures and the Book of Mormon is adding to that. I know that she is feeling the power of that book. The Spirit is touching her heart and helping her to change. Yay!

Oh! I almost forgot to write about transfers. Sister Murray & I will be staying in Torrington together...but Sister Mortimer is joining us! I'm so excited to have my greenie send me home [next transfer]. I love her so much! She knows how to have fun, yet work hard. It is going to be such a wonderful transfer! Happy New Year!




Left: Sister Darrington & Sister Mortimer walking on Preneveou's frozen pond