Two Weeks Until My First Transfer

Oh my goodness! Only two more weeks of my first transfer left! Then I won't be the newbie anymore. Only slightly seasoned...

Anyways. Probably the best part of this week was going to the Salt Lake City Temple this morning. It was my first time. We're only allowed to go once a transfer (about every six weeks) and so Sister Guanzon and a bunch of other sisters in my zone went this morning. It was a beautiful experience. As beautiful as the Salt Lake temple is on the outside, it is ten times prettier on the inside. The work that the pioneers did inside that building is incredible. I loved being able to sit in the temple and just feel the peace that the spirit provides. Missions aren't easy--as I've come to find out--but going to the temple just reminded me what this is all about. Something that I had reaffirmed to me is that this is truly Christ's church on the earth today. I know that through living prophets the ordinances that we do in temples have been restored and that through those ordinances we can find the greatest peace and hope. This is something that those pioneers also new and their testimony of that is reflected in their work on the temple.

Conference is coming up, and I'm pretty sure that it is going to be crazy. Usually we have "motors" (computer time, but President Holmes calls them "motors" so we all do) for about half of the day, but starting on Thursday and extending until Sunday we don't have motors. We'll spend all of our time on the square inviting members to share this message with their friends by filling out referrals. SO, if you're coming to General Conference, bring the name of a friend that you would like to have with you at Conference next October. You'll probably be asked to share their name.

Oh! We just had Young Woman's conference here this past week! There were TONS of young women on the square. It was quite exciting. We took a few groups of young women and their moms through the God's Plan presentation that talks about families and how it the gospel applies to them. It is a really powerful presentation and it touches a lot of people. It sounds like the young woman's conference was a lot about the thirteenth article of faith. I bet it was a really good session. I hope that someday I can serve in young woman's. They look like such a fun bunch to be around.

My most memorable miracle from this week was a tour that Sister Guanzon and I gave for a mother (Lisa) and her daughter (Katie). They were up here from California because Katie had an audition for a ballet company. We took them to the Assembly Hall and the Tabernacle and also to the Christus statue. I know that they felt the spirit here because both of them referred to have missionaries bring them a copy of the Book of Mormon. I'm so excited for them to receive it because I know that the Book of Mormon has the power to change lives. And also bring people greater hope.

Every time I read the Book of Mormon I'm reminded of how amazing and true it is. My favorite verse from the Book of Mormon this week is Alma 26:12 "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." That was such a help to me when I read that because I had been reminded of that all week. I'm learning how to be humble and how rely more on my Savior because really I can't do much of anything if I'm not humble and seeking for the spirit, because it is only by the Spirit that a person can learn for themselves that Jesus is the Christ and that this is His church today (Matt 16:13-17). President shared that this week. He is really an inspired man.

Until next week!
Sister Smiley