58th B-Day Oh my soul she is hasn't changed!!!

Helloooo family and friends. 

Will the real Hermana Talbot and Hermana Tax please stand up?

One more week down. It's already August! Hope you're all sending or have sent my birthday packages. LoL. If not, they won't get here till December. :) Just kidding. I really don't need a single thing, other than my family, Internet, a haircut, a pedicure, a gym, and if it's not too much to ask, a car. That's all. Simple, inexpensive things.

Hermana Tax told me something really cute this past week. She said she had a confession... I'm thinkin 'what did she do now'.... But instead she said that before I came to this sector to be her companion, she was going through a rough time and she decided the only solution was to pray. So she prayed for a companion that liked to work hard. Annnnddd here I came!! Hahaha. She told me how grateful she was for having me as a companion and that I was an answer to prayer. Ahhhh. :) 

Whew here they are beautiful ladies!!

We had a tender experience Tuesday in our district class. Our district consists of: Elder Silva, Elder Pirir, Hermana Sharp, Hermana Urzagaste, Hermana Tax and me. Anyway, Elder Silva, from Brazil, was to share a spiritual thought to start off the class. Usually it's a scripture or something... but he just got up and said, "My Mom got baptized yesterday!" with the biggest smile and tears running down his face. Funny thing is, his companion didn't even know; so it was a big surprise for everyone. Elder Silva was soooo happy. He said that he is now excited to tell people that he's not the only member of the church in his family. :D It was a wonderful affirmation that this gospel blesses and changes lives; and also that the blessings that me and my family have received, am receiving, and will receive, due to dedicating this time to my Savior on a mission, are incomprehensible both for now and for eternity. Our Heavenly Father truly does know and love us.

Hermana Berthelson got a package from her family this week. She might have shared something with us... Tabasco flavored Jelly Beans. HOW GROSS IS THAT!!??? Only from Louisiana. 

Another drunk story. We were walking in the street (me on the phone) and heard "Hermanas!". Turning around we found Boris... drunk again, but wanting to talk with us. So as I finished my call, Hermana Tax talked to him. Unfortunately a neighbor of his (even more wasted) walked over to us as we were talking. He was a bit abrasive in his speech and talked a foot from your face. Hermana Tax backed away a little and he just took over the conversation... he did not shut up. So I'm trying to get off of the phone in order to save Hermana Tax and can see that Boris is getting agitated. Boris kept telling him to stop bothering us. The neighbor was insistent that he was not bother us... Finally, I get off the phone and join the conversation. The neighbor looks at me and says "oye Gringa!" and starts coming closer to my face. I did not respond and tried to greet Boris... until the guy says louder and closer, "You're a Gringa!!" I respond and say, "My name is Hermana Talbot". I am used to the attention by now as a blonde who they believe has money; however, Boris was not. He yells at the guy (remember they're both drunk) and says, "She's an Hermana! Show some respect!" as his fists are coming up. I'm thinking 'wow, I never thought I'd see 2 grown men fighting over me...I'm just gonna leave them to fight this out.' (that'd make a good story).... Nahhhh, I immediately changed the subject to brake up the fight and we left with Boris to go to his house. Truly, I felt loved and protected that day. It might have been by a drunk, but still. :) We truly are protected as missionaries. 

Protected even if we look like this...

Sad story: I found my first gray hair today. It was sooo long! I've decided that I am grateful for blonde hair. They can call me "gringa" or say all of the blonde jokes they want, but I will forever be grateful. :) And don't chu worry, I pulled that hair out as fast as I could. 

I read a talk this past week in the Liahona (a church magazine) that I want to share with you all. I'll write a few paragraphs here of what I loved and attach the link below so you all can read the whole talk. "Act Upon This Land as for Years" - Dennis Gaunt. August 2014 Liahona. 

"We may not be satisfied with our circumstances and thus spend time wondering when things will change. Or we may experience an unanticipated change to our pleasant routine. How we choose to respond to these experiences determines, in a large part, our happiness." 

"If we spend our lives focusing on what we don't have, we may fail to be truly grateful for what we do have."

"Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience. Often we can't see the Lord's hand in our lives until long after trials have passed. Often the most difficult times of our lives are essential building blocks that form the foundation of our character and pave the way to future opportunity, understanding, and happiness."

"When we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God's timing, we really are suggesting that we know what is best. Strange, isn't it - we who wear wristwatches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars." 

"That positive perspective comes when we faithfully follow the Lord with optimism through our own wilderness (like Nephi's wilderness travel to the promised land). As we do, we will one say discover that our wilderness experience wasn't nearly as bad as we thought. We may even admit that it was totally worth it." 

Cleaning the chapel

Love you all. Have a great week! You're all amazing to me. :)

Brooklyn aka Hermana/Enfermera Talbot

My beautiful daughter

P.S. We have some inside news... there's a missionary that's coming to the mission in November who is a nurse; HOWEVER, she does not have in her call to be the mission nurse... So Hermana Wright is going to do some calling to Salt Lake. Hahahaha. I should be coming home in December guys. =)