Sister Brianne Watson: 5 Seasons

Hola me familia y amigos!! I'm going to be a Hermana! President decided there weren't enough Spanish speaking sisters in the mission so he called me to be one. CRAZY!

It's that time again!! The church has released a brand new video and website for Easter called #hallelujah. (Remember the #ASaviorIsBorn?) Well, the video was just released yesterday and WOW I love it!! It talks about finding new life and coming unto Christ and really embracing His life and everything He did for us. This #Hallelujah initiative is truly inspired and the missionaries are strongly encouraged to use it in all finding and teaching efforts. The video can be found on www.mormon.org/easter. PLEASE PLEASE share it on your social media accounts! It has such a good message that everyone needs to be reminded of.

I had the first lovely opportunity of being sick on my mission this past week and even as I write this email..yayyyy..we had to stay indoors all day on Thursday so that I could rest and try to get over it. It felt so strange just sitting there in the apartment all day when I'm so used to going, going, going, all the time! Sister Black and I didn't even know what to do with ourselves. We thought we were going to go absolutely insane..missions are so weird. What have I even become? I used to be able to sit and relax with no problem whatsoever at home..

Oh, shoutout to my wonderful mom for sending me gifts all week in celebration of my half way mark. She's the real MVP :)

There are actually five seasons here in New England instead of four...the dreaded MUD SEASON. The earth is now pure mud and we are constantly almost getting stuck in it but hey, it's making life exciting! It's all just about 5-6 inches of thick mud everywhere. Nice..

Sister Black and I had a sleepover with the Portland sisters this weekend because of stake conference!! Bethel is 2+ hours from where the conference was going to be held so we drove with a member there for the adult session, stayed in Portland, and drove home with that same member on Sunday after the meeting. I LOVE PORTLAND, MAINE!! Oh my gosh...it is a c i t y! am the biggest city girl you'll ever meet so driving through Portland opened my eyes to the deprivation I have experienced from living in Boonie-Bethel for the past 4 months and I was on cloud nine..we were right on the coast and there were houses everywhere and buildings and lights and cute little shops and civilization. Who would've thought those things existed anymore? :,) don't get me wrong, I love my tiny tourist town of Bethel...but I just really miss the city.

One of the sessions of stake conference was also in TOPSHAM! My birthplace! I loved seeing people from the first stage of my mission. Ahhhhh the bliss :)

I was listening to a song from the Press Forward youth album and one of the songs said, "Everybody's gathered around you, eyes all aglow. You start to read that piece of paper to see where you'll go. You'll wonder if you're ready, but you already know...it's not about you. It's for those who are searching for the truth, it's not about you..."

It wasn't much, but those lyrics hit me like a brick when I heard them...It brought me back to the night I opened my mission call in my living room with a vast variety of all my friends and family standing around me looking at me with so much love and support and excitement. It reminded me of how excited I was to love and meet and dedicate 18 months to the people of where I'll be serving. Now that I'm here and it's halfway over, I have learned that there is truth in those lyrics. It is NOT ABOUT ME. Too many times I find myself throwing pity parties and putting my own happiness/comfort over others. I am so wrong in doing those things..I am not here for myself. I am here for the few people in Boonie-Bethel that are searching for the truth and know not where to find it (D&C 123:12). I am here for my crazy companions. I am here for the Oxford ward and the past wards and areas I have served so far. I am here for the Lord, this is HIS work!

Two more weeks and we are moving to Norway...which is next to Paris...and South Paris...and Sweden...not too far from Mexico...and Peru...and Poland...and China...hahaha WHY does Maine do that? it's actually hilarious. I love it. Well, that's about it for this sister missionary. I'm actually not really going to be a Hermana. I totally made that up. Those poor people who don't actually read all the way through these long group emails...just thought y'all needed a scare. Or a laugh. Either one :) I hope you all have a great week and DON'T FORGET TO SHARE THE #Hallelujah VIDEO