December 7, 2010

Dear Family and friends,

I am on the fast/liquid diet for the 3rd time in as many months. Yelch. This along with the P90X (Thanks Josh and Regan!) which I've been doing in the mornings will surely keep me fitting into my skirts :) Sister Ku and Sister Martinez (one of my roommates) sometimes join me, and then we are all sore as we walk around on Temple Square. I like it. It feels great to be active and sore, especially in the winter. Mom, did you ever check it out?

Temple Square is cool because we get to meet and talk to people with so many different beliefs and backrounds every single day. They are at least somewhat interested in the history and beliefs of the church so 1/2 the battle is already over (I feel like in Poland that will be a hard fight) . This week I had several great experiences with people from each of these backrounds:

1. In the R/C (Referral Center) a 7th day Adventist, who was reading the Book of Mormon, called in and wanted to talk (sincerely) about why we worshiped the Sabbath on Sunday, and not Saturday. We had a good discussion, and with some quick learning from the Bible dictionary ( I love the Bible dictionary!) I found that the time that worship switched to Sunday was after Christ's resurrection, since it was on a Sunday.

2. Heather Gilliland, the girl I was in Haiti with, came to Temple Square and I got to see her. She gave me the number of her friend Andrew from Colorado who was moving to the East Coast to work at a Space Camp. We talked about religion and his beliefs making decisions, and I shared with him a scripture and he was really excited to have the missionaries come over and teach him. hooray!

3. On Wednesday I met an inactive member named Autumn who was there with her 2 kids. I started the conversation by telling her how much I loved her red scarf. We ended up talking for a long time, she had been going through some really hard things with the dad of kid. I thought of that forgiveness talk that you sent me, Dad, (thank you for that!) and shared with her some things I had learned from it. We connected really well and she recommitted to start going back to church- I am going to call her today and she how that is going. At the end of the conversation, she took of her scarf and gave it to me. I tried to refuse, but she was very persistent. I had just been thinking earlier that day how I wanted to buy a scarf to be from Temple Square, but now I have something much better!

4. In the RC I called the friend of Mike, this way sweet inactive motorcycle man, who had referred his friend. His wife answered, and went off on me forever about how we weren't Christians (she used to be a Mormon) and how we don't believe in Christ enough, b/c we try to earn our salvation through ordinances, etc etc. I tried to not Bible bash, and simply explain my beliefs, bear my testimony, and get off the phone, but it took a while.

5. Sister Ku and I had the chance to teach the whole first lesson in a discussion we had with this couple from Missouri. They came to us asking about why there were so many religions, how it doesn't seem to make sense (can you believe it!) and how they had been searching from church to church, but none seemed to be right. I have been becoming increasingly more bold with how this gospel is important, and the husband was stuck on her beliefs, but the wife was very reflective and interested. It came to my head like 5 times while we were talking to show the special witness clip from Elder Bednar about the Priesthood authority, so I hope its what they needed. As we finished, I realized that we had hit on every point except for focusing on how God is our loving Heavenly Father and how the gospel blesses families. Right at that moment, Sister Ku stepped up and bore the most powerful and passionate testimony I had ever heard from her, and the first words out of her mouth were how God is our loving Heavenly Father and how the gospel blesses families. She didn't even realize it. I wanted to stop and give her a high five.

6. We have been trying to get through to Poland in the R/C but the program has been down. I finally got through, and in my surprise was connected to a member in Poland. She spoke only Polish, but her son in the US spoke Polish and English. I was trying to get his number. It was a humiliating and humbling experience. I could not understand, or explain myself very clearly, and the woman angrily (and quickly) spoke back in Polish and when I said "przeprasem, nie rozumiem..." she hung up on me. I was frustrated at my lack of ability and the struggle to even be able to reach someone to be able to teach them. I still was in the process of hanging up the phone with it rang from an inbound phone call. My screen was broken, as was my spirits at the time, but the person on the phone immediately said "What do I need to do to be able to have the missionaries come teach me?" Miracles.

7. I made a guy cry yesterday. I met this kid named Colton, who was studying his scriptures by the Christus statue. He had been home for 6 months for medical leave because of anxiety. He was now trying to make decisions about if he should try to go back, go to school, where to go to school etc. He had to come home before he left the MTC. It was amazing talking to him. I related with so many of his frustrations, of just wanting to serve and not being able to control the circumstances, of difficulty in making decisions and discerning answers. I have been amazed at all the things i have learned already from being on a mission, especially in regards to those specific things. I thought of this whole last year how I had tried to learn how to recognize the Spirit and answers to prayers. I wrote a whole list of scriptures, talks, and books that had helped me with situations like that. In having that discussion with him, I thought of 2 Nephi 2:2, where Lehi promises Jacob that his afflictions will be consecrated for his gain. I think the wording of that is so unique. I was so grateful for the things I've gone through, especially the feelings of anxiousness, inadequacy, indecision, and frustration in discerning answers; because they are things that I had to overcome (and I still am definitely working on...) . I have learned so much because of trying to find answers and results to those weaknesses and they allowed me to relate and help Colton yesterday b/c of the things I had learned. I told him that and honestly felt so gratitude for those hard things, and we both cried a little bit.

Well that's enough of the experiences, but there are plenty more, the mission is awesome. we had transfer conference yesterday, and I have 2 new companions! Sister Ku will be training someone new, and I will be with Sister Peets ( who is one of Crystal Stay's best friends) and Sister Samuels ( who is coming home a transfer early from outbound to help us out, she is from Pakistan) . The change happens Wednesday. Oh and I'm moved to Extended Zone, which means I'll be at Beehive house, Welfare Square, and the Humanitarian Center. Its great that in my short time here I still get to do some of everything!

I love you, life is great, thank you so much for your prayers, letters, and thoughts, they help so much! Grandma and Grandpa, I LOVE the ancestor stories you have sent, I tell them all the time as I'm taking tours. Amber, the anniversary book is beautiful! It stayed in the lunchroom for 2 days while 200 Sisters all looked through it and ooh-ed and ah'd over my family. I was proud. One of the Sisters was looking at it and said to me "This really is such an incredible blessing. Look at this family and how much they love one another, spend time with each other, and are firm in the gospel. That is my life dream is to have a family like that. Thats why we are doing missionary work, to be able to help make families into something like that. " Her comments really touched me, thank you so much family for being amazing and such great examples to me. I love you!

-Sister Stay