What We Did For Christmas

Christmas Stockings

Hi Everyone! What a great week we had here! Contrary to some people's misunderstandings members of the church do celebrate Christmas and all other holidays. At  Temple Square we celebrated on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. 


On Christmas Eve we had Mexican food and watched the Polar Express. There were some very kind people that gave each of the sisters on Temple Square a stocking full of all kinds of useful gifts. I've already used the water bottle and the tissues. On Christmas day we had church in the morning like we usually do and then Sister Mendivelso and I were on the square in the morning. It was really quiet, as you might imagine, so we took our own "tour" of Temple Square. We sat in front of the Christus for about 20 minutes listening to Mormon Tabernacle Choir music that plays there during the season. Then we went to the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall and talked about why we like each of those places. I love the spirit of Christmas that is here before everyone comes in the evening. It's calm and peaceful, just how Christmas should be. It was the first Christmas that I didn't open any presents on Christmas day, mostly because I didn't have time to, but it was great not to focus on that at all.

Hot Dogs!

In the evening we had hot dogs for dinner. Sister Mendivelso, Sister Moore, and I were in charge of boiling the hot dogs. We boiled about 300 hot dogs (I couldn't help but take a picture with all of that processed meat). We calculated that there were about 77,000 calories in all of those hot dogs. Then we watched the Nativity Story (I think that is it's name). It isn't a church-produced film, but it was interesting. After the movie President Holmes challenged us to highlight all of the references to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost in the Book of Mormon. We were each given a new copy of the Book of Mormon and a red dry highlighter. We have until April 6 to finish, but I want to finish before that. We'll see, we don't have very much spare time right now.

Yesterday we took a tour with a family that is from Egypt but lives in Florida right now. They came to Utah to go skiing and they heard that they should see Temple Square while they're here so they scheduled a tour and we were assigned to take it. I think they were a very wealthy family because their driver came with them. This family wanted to know everything about our beliefs and so they insisted that we explained everything. We told them the story behind each painting in the New Testament gallery (which we never do) and they had lots of questions about anything we showed them. He was trying to figure out how Islam and the beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mesh. He realized that we have a similar moral standard and values, but our beliefs about prophets and the role that Jesus Christ plays in our salvation is different. It was a very long, but also good tour. 

The other day I found a spot on Temple Square that I really like. It's the handcart monument. There is a statue of a man and his family pulling a handcart to remember the sacrifice that was made by those that traveled to Salt Lake and the great faith that they had. Usually we look at the handcart monument, but the other day I realized that when we look at what the man pulling the handcart sees from that spot we can see the vision that he had. He could see the Assembly Hall where they could go to church with their family, he saw the Tabernacle where he could hear the voice of a prophet of God, he could see the Seagull monument, a reminder that God does answer prayers, and he could see the Temple where him and his family could be sealed for eternity. What a great vision those pioneers had! I hope that I always remember that.

At the Temple

Yesterday while I was waiting at the desk for the tour with the Egyptian family I met a young woman (I think she might have been a year or two older than me) and she had been on Temple Square for the past hour taking pictures and things. She is a member of the church and she knew a lot of sisters that served here on Temple Square. The first thing she asked us was "do you like serving?" Of course Sister Mendivelso and I said "yes", and we asked her if she was thinking about serving a mission. She said that she has been thinking about it a lot lately but she has a different situation. Sister Mendivelso asked her what that was and she said that she has Crohn's disease. With much excitement I told her that I have Crohn's too. She was super surprised and hugged me. It was more of a reaction than I was expecting. I wanted to talk with her and explain my story, but the Egyptian family came and I had to go, but I got her phone number so I'm going to call her back. It's interesting how Heavenly Father can put you in the right place at the right time.

Bonus!

Me and My Zone

Merry Christmas! Christmas is in a few days and I can hardly believe it! I don't know what we're doing for Christmas Eve and Christmas yet, but it's bound to be good. They like to keep us guessing until the last minute.

Today is my bonus p-day because I switched p-days so I have two in one week. We haven't done anything very exciting, but it is nice to have another break.

Yesterday was transfer day and it was CRAZY! As a Zone Leader I have learned that there are lots of things to figure out on the first day. The most complicated part is figuring out the schedule to make sure that at least all of the assignments are covered that first night. The assignments that we were in charge of were Christus crowd control, the two desks in the South Visitors' Center, opening and closing the Joseph Smith movie in the Legacy Theater, and introducing the choirs in the North Visitors' Center. There are ten companionships in the South 2 zone (the zone that I am in) and four of them were out of commission that night for various reasons. It made things complicated but it worked out. Tonight Sister Mendivelso and I are going to do our best to finish working out schedules so that we don't have to do that anymore.

Also, Sister Moore and I were companions for about two hours yesterday morning because a Michelle King from the Mormon Times came with a camera man to do a piece about the Temple Square mission and we were chosen to be her go-to missionaries for those few hours that she was there. While she was here she interviewed President and Sister Holmes and Sister Moore and I. She also took some quick shots of six international sister missionaries here. We were in charge of finding sister missionaries from various places for those shots. There were just so many international sisters to choose from that it was difficult to choose which sister should do it. We ended up with sisters from Italy, Australia, Mexico, China, South Africa, and Canada. I heard that the article is suppose to be up on January 15. I think Sister Moore will be in it more that I will, though, she tends to talk a little more that I do. They also filmed parts of the trainer/trainee meeting where everyone finds out who their trainer or trainee is. It was quite exciting because I got to go too.

Today during companionship study Sister Mendivelso and I were trying to find something to be the zone's theme/motto for the transfer. As we were thinking about it Sister Mendivelso showed me a scripture that I really like: Mosiah 3:13 --

"For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?"

I really like this one because as a missionary I get to wear his name on my tag and do my best to serve him. It made me think about if I talk with people the way that Christ would talk with people and if I love people as he would love people and if I invite people the way that he would. I don't know if this will be South 2's theme for the transfer, but I really liked this scripture.

I just found a Mormon Message that I really like: Wise Men Still Seek Him. No one is a stranger, we are all brothers and sisters. Christmas is a great time, as is every time, to celebrate with our heavenly family by serving our neighbors.

Transfer Conference

This morning we had transfer conference, so you're probably wondering what happened to me. Things haven't changed too much. I'm still a Zone Leader but I have a new zone and a new companion--Sister Mendivelso from Columbia! I haven't worked with her very much, but Sister Moore was her companion too and she says that she is amazing; one of the hardest workers you'll ever meet. I believe it. This means that I might get to learn a few crumbs of Spanish too. This transfer conference we went to the Conference Center and had time to take pictures with all of the Christmas decorations there. They go all out for the Christmas concert there.

We've had some great teaching moments this week. We're still teaching Shannon and his humility never ceases to amaze me. We taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ: faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. As we were teaching him about baptism we committed him to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by one holding the proper priesthood authority of God. He told us that he hasn't been baptized yet but that is something that he has wanted to do. Sister Moore and I didn't know what to say to that, it was amazing. The next time we taught him we gave him Enos to read and we talked about it when we called him. He asked us if we had ever felt like we had chills go down our backs when we read the Book of Mormon or the Bible because he said that he felt that as he read parts of Enos. We told him that we knew exactly how he felt. He also called the missionaries there and they set up an appointment to meet on Wednesday! Those missionaries have no idea what an incredible and prepared person they are about to meet.

 

This past week I also had a miracle on the phone. I called and talked to Sarah who was referred by her friend here on Temple Square. Sarah has had a lot of member friends growing up and she was curious about their beliefs so she asked her friends for a copy of the Book of Mormon. Sarah's friend who I talked to on the square gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and highlighted her favorite verses. I think that was a little while ago because when I called Sarah had read those verses and felt that they were true, she just didn't know what to do next. I told her that I could help her with that. I don't know that I've ever called someone that was so prepared as she was. I'm learning more and more what a difference it makes in a person's life to have a friend that is a faithful member of the church. I definitely what to be like these incredible members that I meet here on the square. Sister Moore and I are going to call Sarah this evening. I'm praying that she picks up the phone.

 

There are TONS of people that come to Temple Square to see all of the lights so one of the things that we have had to do differently is crowd control at the Christus. Before we did anything about the Christus we would get complaints all the time about people climbing on the statue. I don't understand why people think it's alright to climb on the statues here on Temple Square. So we made is so that we stop people at the bottom of the ramp when it is full at the Christus then the sisters at the top will introduce and play the narration (words of Jesus Christ from the scriptures). Then after that people exit down the stairs instead of the ramp and we let more people up. It has taken a bit of orchestrated effort to make sure all the Christus assignments are covered and all of the sisters doing it know what they are supposed to do. Since there is more than one zone doing different assignments it has taken some extra communication. People seem to like the new system, though, because you can actually hear the narration. So that is one thing that Sister Moore and I were helping to figure out this week.

 

I love being able to spend time here on Temple Square during the Christmas season. It's a great mission to be in at this time of year. Have a great week!

Miracle Week

Wow! What a busy day! Today's p-day was FULL. This morning Sister Moore and I went to the temple. It was wonderful. I really love sitting in the Celestial room and feeling so close to Heavenly Father. Then we went home and made French toast and banana-oatmeal pancakes (I made the pancakes and Sister Moore made the French toast) for our zone activity. So everyone in the zone came over to our apartment we had breakfast and did a white elephant exchange. It was quite fun. Then Sister Moore and I took Sister Wu and Sister Chau to places that they wanted to go. Sister Wu really wanted to go to East High School (where some of High School Musical was filmed). So we went there at took pictures. You know Asians and their love of pictures...:). This evening Sister Moore and I were invited to go to a Christmas party at President's house so our p-day turned out to be much shorter than we thought, but it has been quite fun.

Anyways, back to missionary work. We have had lots of miracles this week, but the two that stuck out to me were talking with Shannon and Levi. Last week I told you how we met Shannon (in front of the Priesthood statutes) and this week we got to teach him TWICE! He is absolutely amazing and SO prepared. The first time we taught him about dispensations, the Savior's earthly ministry and the apostasy. We taught him how to pray and he said a beautiful prayer at the end. We found out that he grew up without religion in his home and just in the past few years he has become interested and started going to a Lutheran church. He calls himself a "beginner". He is really curious, though, and sincere about finding out what we believe. The next time we taught him we continued with the Joseph Smith's experience  receiving an answer to his prayer. He asked some really great questions like "why are there so many churches?" and "is the Holy Ghost the way that God communicates with us?" He said that prayer has been going really well for him and he can tell when he is feeling the Spirit. He is so great!

Sister Moore and I met Levi yesterday on the phone. He has been trying to figure out what church is for him and it sounds like he was praying to know what he should do. The only thing that came to his mind as he was praying was "Utah" and the only thing he knew about Utah is that Mormons are there. So when he found out that we are in Utah he knew it wasn't coincidence. He said that he wished that his answer was "Florida" or "California"... Utah isn't as warm. We got to share with him about Christ's purpose for coming to earth and how God has called a Prophet again. He thought it was pretty neat. So we are going to be teaching him and helping him know for himself that these things are true. He sounded really excited to meet with missionaries.

We also had another miracle on the Square! On Friday night we were walking towards the South Visitors' Center and we started talking to a very tall man from Gambia that has lived in Salt Lake for two years now, but it was his first time on Temple Square. He looked a little lost so we took him to the Temple model and there were tons of people there as usual (it's really busy at night time when the lights are on) and we shared a very little bit about the Temple. In fact we didn't teach him almost anything but we both felt that we should invite him to meet with missionaries. So we did and he said that he would like that! It is just incredible what the Spirit does. So hopefully we'll be able to get in touch with him and share more about Christ's church restored!

Well, those were the really big miracles that we had this week, but there are so many more that just made this week incredible. It is amazing just how much Heavenly Father loves all of these people that we talk to and how much He truly wants to bless them! I am quite blessed too.

An AMAZING Week!

My companion Sister Moore is to my right.

Hi everyone! It has been yet another great week here at Temple Square. The lights are on and the Christmas season is in full swing. We have met some interesting people. On Tuesday night we met Aaron with his 10 year-old son, Zach. They both live here in Utah now and they came to Temple Square because Zach wanted a tour. It was quite an interesting tour. Zach had investigated the church twice before but told us that he couldn't decide between being a Mormon or being a witch. It turns out that Aaron is a Pagan and told us right off the bat that he wasn't interested. Zach has a difficult time expressing himself so he talks really fast and it's difficult to understand, but he understands so much. You can tell that he knows a lot more than he can really tell you. Anyways, we took them to the Christus and the Tabernacle and finally the temple model. Zach asked me where Jesus was before He came to earth and Zach also wanted to know how Jesus could help everyone. So I read him Alma 7:11 while Sister Moore was talking with Aaron. Aaron and his children have gone through a rough time, but he felt like he should learn more so he referred for missionaries.

Aaron came back to Temple Square a few days later with his daughter, who is eight, because she wanted to go on a tour of Temple Square too. So we took them all around. Those kids have lots of energy. But we also learned that Aaron is actually a member of the church, just very inactive. His kids aren't members, though. So we got to teach them about Jesus Christ and how there is a prophet on the earth again today.

Sister Moore and I also had some great teaching experiences over the phone this week too. We talked with Ashley, who referred for missionaries when she called in for a Finding Faith in Christ DVD. She has three young children, all under that age of five, and she has great faith in Jesus Christ. Well, it turns out that the missionaries brought her the DVD the day after we sent the referral. That's AMAZING! That almost never happens. Not only that, but they came back the next week too. They talked with her about the Restoration and also about baptism. That is also incredible. Those Elders really know what they're doing. She wanted to go to church too, so hopefully those missionaries got her there this past Sunday. She is certainly ready for the restored gospel in her life.

This past Saturday Sister Moore and I got to do MTC contacting. That is where the Visitors' Center missionaries at the MTC come to Temple Square to practice being a Visitors' Center missionary. So Sister Moore and I each had a companion from the MTC for an evening. It was a lot of fun. I was with Sister Arnesen from Pleasant Grove, UT. She was on her way to the Kirtland, OH Visitors' Center. Let me just tell you that Sister Arnesen is pretty much amazing. We went right to work talking with people and inviting them to share the greatest gift with their friends. She was inviting people and teaching and testifying. We had a lot of number success that evening. Probably the best part was when we ran into Shannon. He was here for some kind of conference and he is from Minnesota. We found him outside by the Priesthood statues which show John the Baptist restoring the Aaronic priesthood and Peter, James, and John restoring the Melchizedek priesthood. He had just read the plaque about the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood so talked with him really briefly and explained a little about the history here at Temple Square and the sacrifice of the pioneers. I could feel right away that he would refer. Sometimes people have a spirit about them and you can tell that they're ready. Well, Shannon was ready and even though we didn't teach him hardly anything he said yes to missionaries. It was most definitely a miracle. So Sister Moore and I are going to call him on Thursday and get to know him and help him come closer to his Father in heaven. I'm excited.

AND we also got to go to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional yesterday evening. It was pretty great. I love hearing President Monson speak. Christmas is really a great time to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Christ. When we talk with people on Temple Square most of the time their favorite part about the holidays is getting to spend time with family. That is how Christmas all started--with a family. A baby boy was brought into the world so that we could return to our Heavenly Father as families.