My Dream Mission...

As I look at my mission pictures and the areas I served in, the people I met, the companion I had at the time, I can't help but think about the feelings I had during that specific time. I remember feeling completely inadequate and weak most of the time. I had the feeling often but comfort came as I prayed for strength and courage to just do my best.

Looking at pictures of Renca (my first area) the feeling that comes to me right now is laughter but I remember feeling then at that time confusion, panic, anxiety, loneliness, humility and gratitude. I remember relying SO much on the Lord at that time.

Looking at pictures of Quilicura (second area) I remember feeling determination, excitement, discouragement, joy, some pride, gratitude and capacity to do hard things.

Pictures of Los Andes brings back feelings of excitement, happiness, determination, hard work, beauty, comfort, home, guidance, inadequacy, trust laughter and fun.

Colina pictures bring back feelings of endurance, happiness, exhaustion, hard work, hope, enjoyment.

And finally, Huelen...frustration, hilariousness, capability, incapability, assurance, pride, light heartedness, joy, hard work, stress, maturity, leadership, fun, happy, excitement.

Good times! I have so many small flashbacks to being in Chile. Certain streets, companionships, Favorite food stops, favorite lessons, funny street contacts.

I loved it...the good, the bad, the hard, the stress, the joy, the service.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY....

How time has flown! A year ago today I spent my last few hours in Santiago Chile where I served for a year and a half as a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Every day this past year I have thought of someone I met while serving.

I remember Dionisio and his big smile an older gentleman who had been baptised 20 years prior to when we knocked on his door. He was so excited to get back to church.

I remember the Sanchez Family we met New Years Day 2008. They were baptised and the parents received callings quickly.

I remember the Salvatierra Family and their humble home out in the country and how much they loved to have us there.

Ignacio a little 8 year old who was the second baptism I ever saw while on my mission and how he LOVED to sing hymns.

Patricia Dinamarca, the first baptism I witnessed as a new missionary. She was a middle aged woman who embraced tightly the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE....

October 2008:
Returned from the Chile Santiago North Mission (October 15, 2008)
November:
Met Jake Winmill, the sweetest, best looking guy I know!
Served a week long mini mission in the Ventura California Mission.
Spent Thanksgiving in Lake Tahoe with Family
December:
Spent Christmas in California
January 2009:
Headed back to Utah State University studying Broadcast, Art, Spanish
February:
Started work at an old 1920's Restaurant: The Bluebird
Called as a Relief Society Teacher in my Student Ward
March:
Survived the forever long winter in Logan
April:
Started pulling out of the forever long winter and ended finals.
May:
Landen Kenneth Buttars was born! 7 lbs. 8 ounces 19.5 inches
June:
Spring time! Sunshine!
July:
Turned 25....wow!
Bought a Mazda 3 Hatchback with a rack!
August:
Jet skiing, water skiing
September:
Started up my last semester of college!
October:
Chile Santiago North Mission Reunion

AND MORE TEXTING FUN...

"Stop stealing my bean bag stew JUDITH" -Brooke

"Ahhagahahahga! LIsten gravy sack...I didn't steal nothin" -Michele

"ok I think a sweater made out of jalapenos will keep people plenty warm." - Jake

"well I think slippers should be made of queso and chile sauce." - Brooke

So from time to time Michele and I like to harrass our Dad with text messages because he doesn't know how to respond haha....the only thing he knows how to do related to texting is use the quick text responses that are already programmed into his phone...check this out!

Today Michele and I took turns sending all together 7 text messages all within two minutes of eachother to my Dad..here's what I sent him..

"Hey Poodle"

"You having a nice day?"

"How's the weather?"

"Fathers Day is coming up."

Here's what he wrote back after the stream of texts

"sorry" -Dad

"Happy Birthday" -Brooke (it's not his birthday until August)

"No" - Dad

"Where's the syrup?" -Brooke

"Sorry I'm late"   -Dad

haha...I love that he can only use his pre-written texts because he's a crack up!

COMPANIONS

TEDI ANN SMITH - SUGAR HOUSE UTAH

DILILAH HUAYAC - LIMA PERU

VANESSA MALDONADO - ANGOL CHILE

ELISE BARTLETT - GEORGIA
RUTH GOMEZ - BOLIVIA

ABBY HOGAN - TEXAS

MARITZA QUISPE - PERU

GLORIA MENDOZA -VALPARAISO CHILE
BEATRIZ CUEVAS - SALTA ARGENTINA

AREAS

RENCA - CERRO COLORADO
QUILICURA - LO MARCOLETA

LOS ANDES - PRIMER CRUCERO

COLINA: ESMERALDA

HUELEN: SIMON BOLIVAR

(VENTURA CALIFORNIA)

PERSONAS INOLVIDABLES

PATRICIA DINAMARCA (30) 15 JULIO 2007

IGNACIO (8) 22 JULIO 2007

ALAN (9) 19 AGOSTO 2007

CARLOS OSSES (11) 2 SEPTIEMBRE 2007

YASMIN BRAVO(13) 30 SEPTIEMBRE 2007

VALERIA (16) 21 OCTUBRE 2007

RODRIGO BAEZA (14) 21 OCTUBRE 2007

CATALINA MORA (11) 11 NOVIEMBRE 2007

CARLOS BUSTOS (26) 11 NOVIEMBRE 2007

SCARLET BAEZA (8) DICIEMBRE 2007

DANIELA BAEZA (22) DICIEMBRE 2007

ERNA ROCO (52) 23 DICIEMBRE 2007

VERONICA GUERRA (26) 30 DICIEMBRE 2007

MAXIMO MERCADO (26) 17 FEBRERO 2008

MARCOS ABURTO (33) 6 ABRIL 2008

RICARDO SANCHEZ (45) 13 ABRIL 2008

HERMANA SANCHEZ (45) 27 ABRIL 2008

FELIPE SANCHEZ (11) 13 ABRIL 2008

VIVIANA AGUILAR (22) 11 MAYO 2008

WALDO HORMANZABAL (8) 11 MAYO 2008

CARMEN LEON (65) 11 MAYO 2008

NICOLE (13) 11 MAYO 2008

ROCIO PARRA (11) 27 ABRIL 2008

HERMANO PARRA (55) ABRIL 2008

MARCOS SALVATIERRA (30)

YOVANA SALVATIERRA (30)

MARIA JOSE SALVATIERRA(10)

GABRIELA AGUILAR (21) 29 JUNIO 2008

ELIAS NUNEZ (45) 29 JUNIO 2008

PEDRITO (9)

EVELYN RONCAL (21) 21 SEPTIEMBRE 2008

GLENDA MENDOZA (53) 12 OCTUBRE 2008

JUAN CARRERA (29) 2 NOVIEMBRE 2008

NAIR MENDOZA (19) 2 NOVIEMBRE 2008

MARGARITA (68)

PAMELA (16) JUNIO 2008

FELIPE (21) JUNIO 2008

GERALDA (82) 11 MAYO 2008

DICHOS A LA CHILENA

I thought it was about time I posted a list of common Chilean sayings...so I never forget them.

• Cachai?  You know?
• Yah Poh!
• Si poh
• No poh
• Vamos poh
• Como estai? How are you?
• Como te llamai? What's your name?
• A donde vai a irte? Where are you going?
• Que Bakan! How cool!
• Pulento/Pulenta You're awesome!
• Pololo/Polola Boyfriend/Girlfriend
• Porrotos My favorite Chilean meal.
• Prietas Grossest meal..sack of fried animal blood
• Rica Pretty girl
• Gua Gua Baby
• Guata Stomach
• Guaguita Little Baby
• Guatita Tummy

MICHELEKELLY

BRANDI

RACHEL

MIRANDA

MIKAYLA

SISTERS
I am Brooke (Shnook) and these are my beautiful sisters. My older sister's name is MICHELE (mousy) and she is a doll-face. Anyone who meets Michele instantly loves her. She's the funniest/quirkiest girl you'll ever meet. She rubs fuzzy quilt ties through her fingers to relax. She's pregnant right now with a baby boy and is the most darling of all pregnant ladies. She's my girl. Then comes KELLY (chum). What a firecracker she turned out to be. By firecracker I mean...incredibly good-looking. Kelly is awesome. She has out-awesomeized her two older sisters by a landslide. She plays the guitar like a champion and speaks spanish like a latina. BRANDI! (Brandies or Muncher) In one word...Beautiful! Brandi has the BEST laugh! I LOVE to hear her laugh at something stupid i've done. One time I was driving her to school and intentionally drove around the round-about like 3 times in the middle of her school just to keep her laughing! RACHEL (sunshine) She is beautiful also...in fact all of my sisters look completely different but they are all B_E_A_U_T_I_F_U_L! Rachel is Such a SWEETHEART. You'll never see Rachel be rude or sharp with anyone intentionally. I love how sweet and pure she is. Here comes MIRANDA (Bambino or Manda-rie) she's another Firecracker/Fireball. She is my little dancer! I've never seen a little 9 year old dance so dang good. She was dancing like a champion since she was a toddler. She moves those hips like it's no ones business. And finally MIKAYLA (Kayla-rae)she's 7 now! Kayla has the most beautiful eyes!! BIG and DARK! Kayla is the baby. She gives me hugs all the time. She's a sweetheart as well. Her and Miranda are best buds..just like Michele and I.

MORE TEXTING FUN
actually I think it's mostly just entertaining for myself and michele :D

• "SWEET CHARIOT OF FIRE! DOG GONE. OK WE HAVE YOU OVER ANOTHER DAY." -michele (her reaction to me not being able to visit the other night with her and kenny)

• "SWEET CAROLINE!! HEEHAWW" -Michele

• "SWEET JOSEPHINE OF MASSACHUSETTS!!" -Brooke

• "SWEET HANNAH BERRIES! LOOK AT IT OUTSIDE! IT'S KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF BEAUTIFUL!" -Brooke

• "HOLY KIBBLES! YOU'RE RIGHT! IT'S BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE! IT'S A REAL TREAT OF A DAY CINDY" -Michele

FLIP-FLOPS and some CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE...
What does it take to soak up some sunshine and west coast culture in sunny Southern California? Not much! Like I said, just a pair of flip-flops and the outdoors.

Flip-flops have been around for centuries, some 15,000 years! Many believe they originated from ancient China or Egypt. Flip-flop looking shoes are seen in ancient Egyptian rock paintings called hieroglyphics that date back to around 4,000 B.C.
However, we would never hear ancient Egyptians refer to their sandals as "flip-flops." The term flip-flop is a term that has been used since the 1960's, for sandals that have no heel strap or back. The shoe began to be referred to as the "flip-flop" because of the sound it would make as you walk. Flip-flops are popular in warmer climates, which is why they are great for sunny California. The culture you find in my hometown of Ventura California, has a laid back culture where you will find yourself surrounded by surfers, long-boarders and beach-goers who happen to ALL be wearing flip-flop.

Flip-flops first appeared in North America after World War II, when soldiers returned from Japan with cheap rubber sandals that became known as our so dearly loved flip-flop.

"Flip-flops came to represent the California lifestyle in general and surf culture in particular" said a beachwear company found at www.pecheblu.com/history. This website for beachwear also tells us of more flip-flop history "A large push of the conversion of flip flops into everyday life came from Havaianas, the major Brazilian producer. For over three decades, Havaianas were $3 Brazilian flip-flops of synthetic rubber that were the footwear of Sao Paulo peasants, housekeepers, dockworkers and other poor people."

So, if you plan on visiting Cali anytime soon, especially Southern California, don't sweat it...just throw on some FLIP-FLOPS and you'll be living it up California style.

CALIFORNIA

!!MY HOT LINKS!!

Here is an awesome site that I found in my Online Journalism class. The Pioneer Woman is an awesome site for Photography as well as cooking. Also a newly found photographer blog that I think is great is Jessica Kettle Photography and finally, another site I love to look at is The Food Network where I find all sorts of meal ideas.

WHO'S YO MAMA??
Yep...that's her!

This is Mom opening my
oversized christmas present.

Together again

Dang ya'll are lookin' good!

I'm proud to say I think I'm a mix between
looking like these two.

Who can get cooler than this?

Home again

Beach Bums.
ZUMA Beach??

!!CHILE!!
Here are just a few of my favorite photos I took out there.
YAH POH

LA CAZUELA
This is your typical chilean meal! It was pretty tasty!
They love eating pumpkin out there. My companion
Hermana Quispe hated it...so I always ended eating
double. Blame it on her for the 15 pounds I gained.

SOPAIPILLAS
This is a common breakfast. It's like a scone!
They eat it with mustard...but I ate it with SUGAR!
They thought it was the strangest thing ever. haha.

LA UVA
Hermana Hogan actually came up with this idea.
I like it. It was an experience I'll never forget being
inside a vineyard looking for miles at the vines.

EL TEMPLO
This is a picture I really like. I kind of
want to see it in black and white.
But It has a shot of the Santiago Chile
Temple. A place i came to love greatly.
The badge is the purpose I came to love.

FERN GULLY
this was such a cool place. All the missionaries
were dying to jump in.

EVERYDAY SUNSET
Los Andes had the prettiest sunsets I saw in Chile.

ESMERALDA
I'd say Colina did too. Check out that orange!
We left a lesson and looked up and had to stop.

LA CALLE POH
This was taken near finishing my mission.
Its the first street I ever walked in Chile.
I remember wondering why they cut their trees
so hideously. But I love it. Isn't it awesome!

LOS ZAPATOS DE UNA MISIONERA
The shoes of a missionary. I went through about
a dozen pairs on the mish. No I didn't wear the flip-flops
out tracting...just to church ;)

BACK HOME
I took this leaving my mission.

LUZ
I love the lighting in this one. I took it inside
a moving vehicle.

BARBARITA
This girl was such a character. She loved my
companion, and sort of, kind of liked me..haha
this is a shot of her living conditions. Pretty rough.

PORTILLO
looking at this makes me feel like i shouldn't
be sitting down. I should be getting my water ski's out.

EL LAGO VERDE
what an awesome color! It's the same
lake as the one above, but in the summer time.

LA PLAZA
This was my favorite place to go in Chile. It was
a place I felt I had seen before in my life.

VENTURA CALIFORNIA
California Street

LA MONTANA
I like the colors of this one.

MENDOZITA
There is no better picture to illustrate her.
She was my funniest companion. You'll
get a better taste of Hermana Mendoza later on.

LIL' HUT
I saw this little hut thing outside a house and liked
the woodsy feel of it.

LA SELVA
This looks like I served in the Jungle or something
but...I didn't. It's just a lush place. Santa Maria.

oops...CHUECA
I couldn't resist holding this little ball of cuteness. Joaquin.

JOAQUIN
He was so fun to photograph because
he has the most beautiful skin, eyes, and smile.

JUNTITAS
another mud wall shot.

LA PALMERA
my companion got a cooler shot of this looking up into the palm.

CHILENA
This is definately one of my favorite shots on the mission.
I love how you can see the true style of Chilean homes.

HOGAN
I love this of Sister Hogan. I love it
because it's blurry all over. I think it
looks awesome! It was both of our
first times inside a vineyard!

HILARIOUSNESS
We were so goofy together. I loved the character
of the mud walls out there.

GERALDA
This photo is timeless to me. It
puts me back to visiting her in her little
house and feeling her sweet spirit.
She was baptised at 80 years old!

CURVES
Alright! don't judge me for this one.
This sign says
"Precaution. Zone with Dangerous Curves"
hahaha

ESMERALDA DE NOCHE
Esmeralda Sunset. I took this while out tracting in the streets.

PROSELITISIMO
I liked this. It was on one of the millions of doors we knocked there.

LA MISION DE MIS SUENOS
Another reason why this is my dream mission.

LAS ALTAS
Hogan and I were the tallest sisters in the mission.
We were as tall as the houses even!!

EASILY THE CUTEST GIRL IN CHILE
P.S. I don't
know why it was making that blue above?EL CAMPO
This was why it was a dream of a mission.

CHILE AT NIGHT

LOS CHILENOS
If you want to know what Chilean Men look like..
here it is. They were a bunch of taxi drivers.
Chileans love to get their picture taken.

CERRO RENCA

SANTIAGO

I kind of wish I wasn't
in this shot. It would have been
cool to see all the Chileans behind me.

PAN
Bread oven

EL SOL DE LOS ANDES
Los Andes Sunset I like the chilean biker in this
shot. I didn't realize it till today.

LAS CHIQUILLAS
This is a famous photo of the sisters in my mission.
I've got some hops and didn't even know it.

BIKING WITH DAD

When his girls get home from their missions he takes them out for

their first ride back. I loved it. He's an awesome Dad.

Presidential Inauguration

This was the first presidential Inauguration I have ever watched! I was very excited about it. I felt like there was a lot of patriotism and support being shown towards our new President Barack Obama. I also watched the Martin Luther King Jr. "I Have A Dream" speech the day prior and there was a great amount of sentimentality that came with this last Presidential Inauguration. For most people this inauguration was a huge moment long-awaited for in American history. I not only feel like Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream came true because of our new President but because of the continued freedoms we have as citizens of this country. I feel it's important to support our President, no matter what party we are apart of. I also feel it's important that we be proud as American citizens. I am proud to be an American.

FUNNIEST QUOTES I'VE RECEIVED FROM TEXTING...

"Tahoes nice because you can take a load off. Its a load of fun dumping a load there. Did you bring a load of food for turkey load your face day?"
-Michele (haha she loves the word "load")

"Susanna?" -Michele (she always calls me different names)

"Nuggets is right this has been the longest drive since the gold rush! Oh I love Pride and Prejudice." -Michele (driving to Tahoe for Thanksgiving)


"We'll see you soon Calrise!" -Michele

"Hohoho Merry Turkey scraps Delores!" -Michele


"Ronlanda? Is that you? How was your trip to Tokyo?"
-Michele (I never went to Tokyo and my name is not Rolanda hahaha)


"Xyeng Chue is out fishing with Tang Tang right now." -Michele (Who???)

"Hey China!" -Jake (haha he's in on the name calling too)

"I will shove a pinto bean up your nariz and make you cry queso para una semana." -Kelly

"You can't be rainbow ninja turtle! That's not possible! This isn't like mission impossible where you can have any weapon you find!"
-Kelly (Prior I was talking about how I have ninja-worthy skills in my kick-boxing class)

MICHELE and KENNY Michele and Kenny
Engagement Photo

Bountiful Temple November 18, 2006

Day they got engaged!

Race

Featuring... KENNY BUTTARS

michele's husband and my snickety brother-in-law lol jk ken.

TODAY WE WILL BE FEATURING...
LIL' SISTER KELLY!! AKA CHUM!!!

SURFER-CHUM

PHSYCADELIC-CHUM

GIVE-IT-TO-EM-CHUM

CHUM

EAT-YOUR-YOUR-HEART-OUT-CHUM

PLAYER-CHUM

ROCK-IT-CHUM

BEA-CHUM

KELLY IS THE CUTEST ONE (no offense anyone)

ROCK-IT-ONE-MORE-TIME-CHUM

LAKE TAHOE

My tire got pinched one too many times out there!

CHILE

We are all OH so righteous!

Chilean Sky

Los Andes house tops

Lil' Brother Timmy
he's a laugher...he's also going into sound engineering. Us girls used to dress him up as Minnie Mouse when he was like four. He smiled the whole time.

And this is Little Brother Timmy

He's ALWAYS laughing or giggling. We love it!

We clean up pretty good!

Tim and I like to lounge around in HUGE wooden chairs.

I Love Photography

Another Classic

I love timeless photos like this. (I've always had a nail-biting problem) She looks like my mom.

This is a VERY special photo of mine. I took this photo on September 14th, 2008. It was taken right as I arrived to the Santiago Airport at the closing of my mission. Before arriving, on that long drive in the back of the mission van, I had been praying to ask Heavenly Father if I had completed what He had hoped of me the past year and a half. I sincerely wanted to know if He was pleased with my service as His missionary. As I stepped foot out of the mission van I looked up to see this beautiful cloud in the sunset. As you can see it's a heart with sun rays bursting out of it. As I looked at it I felt a sweet, peaceful feeling come over me. I felt this was Heavenly Father's way of showing me his love and approval for my missionary service there in Chile. Moments later the cloud dispersed and I went home feeling grateful.

I LoVe my SiSTeRS
Yo Amo Mis Hermanitas

Sunshine, Muncher, Shnook (me), Manda-rie, Kayla-rae

Kelly and Michele

Me seeing them for the first time after a looong time

This is me fresh off the mission hugging Michele for the first time!

Lil' Cuties
Manda-rie & Kayla-Rae with friend Erika

SISTERS

I am Brooke and these are my beautiful sisters. My older sister's name is MICHELE (mousy) and she is a doll-face. Anyone who meets Michele instantly loves her. She's the funniest/quirkiest girl you'll ever meet. She rubs fuzzy quilt ties through her fingers to relax. She's pregnant right now with a baby boy and is the most darling of all pregnant ladies. She's my girl. Then comes KELLY (chum). What a firecracker she turned out to be. By firecracker I mean...incredibly good-looking. Kelly is awesome. She has out-awesomeized her two older sisters by a landslide. She plays the guitar like a champion and speaks spanish like a latina. BRANDI! (Brandies or Muncher) In one word...Beautiful! Brandi has the BEST laugh! I LOVE to hear her laugh at something stupid i've done. One time I was driving her to school and intentionally drove around the round-about like 3 times in the middle of her school just to keep her laughing! RACHEL (sunshine) She is beautiful also...in fact all of my sisters look completely different but they are all B_E_A_U_T_I_F_U_L! Rachel is Such a SWEETHEART. You'll never see Rachel be rude or sharp with anyone intentionally. I love how sweet and pure she is. Here comes MIRANDA (Bambino or Manda-rie) she's another Firecracker/Fireball. She is my little dancer! I've never seen a little 9 year old dance so dang good. She was dancing like a champion since she was a toddler. She moves those hips like it's no ones business. And finally MIKAYLA (Kayla-rae)she's 7 now! Kayla has the most beautiful eyes!! BIG and DARK! Kayla is the baby. She gives me hugs all the time. She's a sweetheart as well. Her and Miranda have a relationship like Michele and I do hahaha...they are hilarious.