December 28, 2010

Hi Everyone!!

So Christmas time on Temple Square! We had a mission party on Christmas Eve; we left around 5 p.m. This guy came up to us as we all were leaving (we got to wear jeans on the Square for 5 minutes, seriously best moment of my life) and he said, "Who will play all of the movies for us?" Was he serious!? I did not come on a mission just to play a movie for him. I almost said, "Go figure it out yourself" but I refrained, smiled and said "There are Senior Couples at the desk who can help you" and left. *Sigh of frustration* But we all crammed in a bus, drove to Heritage Park, had a catered dinner of fake potatoes and ham. Sisters then did a musical presentation and after that we made gingerbread houses for kids at the Children's Hospital. Christmas day we got to sleep in!! We didn't have to be on the Square till noon so I woke up at 8:30 a.m. A Senior Sister made breakfast for us all, so good - yes, this letter is going to be all about food. Then we opened presents! Thanks everyone! I loved it all! A stake in Sandy gave us a stocking filled with little wrapped presents. There were scriptures on each gift so we looked them all up and tried to guess what it was. Hahaha, it was actually really fun. I want to do that later in life. The Square was super busy on Christmas! They weren't expecting it so it was all hands on deck. We had a mission party again around 5 p.m. and ate more food (soup bread bowls with salad) then watched CHRONICLES OF NARNIA!!!! It was a real movie! We were all so excited. But that movie has so much gospel symbolism in it which is why I think we could watch it. At the end President Holmes said that he was worried that we didn't feel the spirit as much as he wanted us to. Meh. So Christmas was really fun but the next day it was back to work with lots of people to contact! Lights go out on Friday then it is back to normal p-day times, dark nights and most likely no people coming to the Square. Thank goodness we have people to teach on the phones, otherwise I don't know what I would do. But anyway gotta run, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The TSQ Zone

December 21, 2010

'Twas a few days before Christmas and all through the Square,

Were millions of people excited to be there.

The Sisters were placed by the Christus with care,

In the hopes of referrals soon to be there.

Ah dang, I don't know the rest of the poem, BUT it is CRAZY! Ah, it is just like General Conference except 4 hours long and every night! It is super busy though now that it is closer to Christmas and I am training in the middle of it! So hard but, oh well, must press on. We don't get to check out the lights very much since we have assignments on where to go but that is ok. But all of the Sisters are getting really excited because apparently we are having a party Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! Well, I think it will be doing service somewhere but still yay! And last year they got to sleep in! I need that really badly. Somedays we go home at 10 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. and it is rough.

But really cool story (for me). We took this guy around who was a disfellowshipped member of the Church. He says he is famous (Sal Silva?, never heard of him personally), but he was really cool. As we took him to the different buildings he started opening up about why he was disfellowshipped. I won't go into details but when we took him to the Assembly Hall, which was one of the first chapels, he started crying. He said he knew that he needed to start going back to church but he didn't know what to do. We took him to the Tabernacle and he was talking about being afraid to take the steps necessary to get his life back in order. So I gave him my Book of Mormon and had him read a verse. He read the wrong one but actually it fit - go Holy Ghost! But as soon as he held the Book of Mormon he started shaking and crying uncontrollably. I had no idea how much power that book had until that moment. As we were walking to the North Visitor Center I noticed security following us; I had to laugh. But we showed him a picture of Jesus Christ and he started crying again. I pointed to it and was about to say something marvelous and wonderfully eloquent but then it hit me how real the atonement was. Here I was with this 38-year-old man, sobbing uncontrollably and trying to shake off the sense of urgency to repent, and I was giving him the message that our Savior offers to everyone. This scripture popped in my head, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matt 11:29). So I ended up not being able to speak and said, "This man can fix you" Ugh brilliant moment of Ensign Worthiness gone. Oh well, we showed him Elder Holland's clip on Gethsemane, probably kinda harsh but I figure if the Lord put him in my path he was going to get the straight up message that he needed to make changes in his life right now.

Anyway but training is hard! I am still teaching her how to use every appliance known to man but she is getting it. I had to teach her to use a credit card today - see Dad that skill IS needed. But anyway, can't wait to call home Christmas Day! Lots of pictures coming too! Anyway love you all. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Mission Photo

Karly with Bruce (Her Uncle)

As you saw with the photo Spencer sent to you, we saw Karly on Temple Square. She looked great!

However, she told me she couldn’t accept any packages and that anything intended for her would have to be mailed. So, I wasn’t able to hand her the Nelson Book I had with me.

P.S. Since I had asked several sister missionaries on Temple Square if I knew where Sister Nelson was (none gave out that secret information), I assume that by now I am on some church terrorist watch list. Bruce

December 14, 2010

Pershendetje! which means "hello" in ALBANIAN! I have a new companion and she is new as well. Yes, I am training! I have no idea why since I will surely ruin her whole mission, but just the same, cool! She has decided that she is going to cook gourmet meals every night (which will change, I promise you) but until then I am getting many jealous looks from Sisters as we eat our Albanian food and they have their Wonder Bread sandwiches. But when I cook for us she doesn't eat it. She doesn't like American food. She has never had a taco either! That was fun. I have had to teach her how to use the stove, microwave, washing machine, toaster and how to use a computer. It is frustrating at times to explain everything but she will be an expert by the end of the transfer!

We have seen lots of miracles though! It is really hard to give a tour by myself. She doesn't know the history, the doctrine (she is a convert of three years) or English very well so I have had to carry all of the tours. After a few days she has started picking up the phrases and history so she gives her input every once in a while - which is wonderful! I can see how she will be in a few weeks and I am excited. But we took these three kids around and they came to learn the history of the place. The two guys were very talkative and the girl was quiet. Whenever I bore my testimony or explained a principle I looked at her since I figured she was more open. But all three of them referred! It was amazing. Then we contacted into this Australian guy - note, I have NEVER gotten a referral for Australia the entire time I have been here (Sorry Matt). But I talked to him and he said that he wanted to know more of the doctrine of this Church. He intended to read the Book of Mormon too. So I said, "Well, the best way to learn the doctrine is to meet with missionaries!" He referred! Yay Australia! We are teaching him too! One last miracle; since it is Christmas time we are swamped with members. It is INSANE. I felt like we should talk to this one couple and when we asked if there was anyone we should call, the lady said, "Call me!" I was really confused and she said that she wasn't a member and would love to learn more. Best contact ever. We are teaching her too!

Oh and our investigator from the UK, Alex, went to church on Sunday! Yes, that is a BIG deal. Hopefully we will find good people like her this transfer too.

Can't wait to get this transfer rolling. Lots of changes since the entire mission is now teaching over the phones. But I have learned how much we need to rely on the Lord because I don't know what I am doing and yet they expect me to teach and find people. But life is good and we go to bed exhausted at night; 10,000 people come to temple square every hour at nighttime to see the Christmas lights. Lots of people to talk to!

Anyway we have to go but more stories to come! Miss and love you all!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas... Loving my Mission!

Winter on Temple Square

December 1, 2010

Hi Everyone!

So Thanksgiving update! We all were on the Square at 10 a.m., you know normal day. As time got closer and closer to noon we were all getting anxious. President said that we were going to do service for a ward and they would do a talent show for us. You could have heard the crickets chirp as we all expressed great fake enthusiasm. When we got on the bus he said that he lied and we were going to Noah's which is a reception hall/place where every BYU stake goes for stake parties and such. We watched Toy Story 3 and Beauty and the Beast. I spent my time playing "wolleyball" (racquetball and volleyball mixed) which was awesome! As we were playing the arcade games it occurred to us that these might not be OK to play. So we whistled as we walked away, sorry PAC-Man! We had dinner catered to us while Sisters sang Karaoke. Food wasn't amazing or anything but it was free so who cares! It was a good day and we went to sleep exhausted.

After Thanksgiving comes Christmas festivities! The lights that volunteers have been so diligently putting up ever since I got here are all light up. It looks beautiful and there are thousands of people! It is such a contrast to how the Square has been since it turned cold. It's almost like sensory overload because it's loud and we don't know how to talk to so many people anymore. But it is one contact after another. We don't have a set mission goal for how many member referrals they want but we are going to try to beat whatever we achieved the week before. The Christmas lights will be up for six weeks (which is the same amount as a transfer) but this transfer ends next Wednesday, December 8, 2010 so we will see how different life will be then. The square is dead until about 5 p.m. then it gets really busy. They give us controlled assignments like we are at the Christus statue for an hour, then we are at the temple model for an hour, then we are finding, then working the God's Plan for His Family presentation. It changes everyday - probably so we can't write home and tell our friends where we are. But since we are on the computers every other day at night sometimes we are out and sometimes not. If we don't have any appointments or anything else scheduled we go out to contact.

So no big stories this week but I am very happy to announce that I have my first BAPTISM! AHHHHH I know, be excited. It was the man we met on the Square a month ago who said that he was going to become Mormon. We taught him till the missionaries came (They were good missionaries too. They came within a day of us sending the referral!) We called him and he said that he was going to quit smoking tomorrow and he was going to be baptized on December 18! So COOL! Our other investigator from the UK who was completely atheist when we met her is meeting with missionaries! So she ordered a Book of Mormon online so she could get one without being delivered by missionaries but then a few days after getting it in the mail, missionaries called her and asked when they could come over and give her a Book of Mormon. She allowed them in. When we talked to her she said, "So I opened the door and there stands this super fit [ British for really cute I assume] boy!" So she let them in. They asked her if she wanted to be baptized but she said maybe. Which isn't a no! We will see what happens!

So I know I said this last transfer BUT I really think that Sister Belleza and I are splitting up. Our relationship has been a long and good one but after president announced that they are going to try putting Sisters together who speak the same language I felt we were done. Plus the whole mission is going to be TEACHING! Just like me! I started cheering and screaming but then I realized I was the only one... awkward moment during a mission meeting. So I don't know when I will be writing you next but until then, Merry Christmas!