May 21, 2013

Hi hows it going? We are at the Family History center right now. I just know you would fit right in here Mom! Haha! Alright so much has happened since my last pday! It's been over a week so I don't even remember what I told you last time so sorry if I repeat stuff! Well I am in St George!!!!!! But first I want to tell you about my experiences at Temple Square like a week and a half ago before we left the MTC! Our second day we got to go up we got paired up with a sister missionary that was working there and walked around, gave tours and talked to people. Well my companion (for the day) and I had to be over this desk area so we didn't have much to do and finally she told me to just go talk to someone. There was 3 separate sitting areas. One had a young boy probably around 12, the next was an old man on a phone and the next was a Vietnamese lady. Well of course I wanted to go talk to the 12 year old boy because he was the least intimidating but he was falling asleep on the couch so I decided to talk to the Vietnamese lady. I just sat by her on the couch and struck up a conversation. That was her third time being to Temple Square and had never talked to a missionary there. But she has been going to BYU for the past three years so knows a little about our church. We had an amazing talk on the plan of salvation, eternal families, and temples! She told me she wanted to get converted!!!!!!! Ya I guess missionaries had actually stopped by her home a few days before but she was busy so just got their number. She said she would call them to meet with them. I didn't get her information and I kick myself every time I think about it! But it was such an amazing experience.

So the next day was Mothers day and I was having kinda a tough morning. I wasn't feeling well.. Bobbi had just had her Baby, Gunner had got baptized, Brooke was due soon, and then Mothers Day.. It just made me miss home. But Relief Society and Music and the Spoken Word were awesome!!!! For Relief Society we had Janice Kapp Perry come and speak which was amazing. She is the lady who wrote As Sisters in Zion and lots of other church songs. Well she changed As Sisters in Zion a little bit and called it The Sisters of Zion and we were the FIRST people to sing it. It was awesome! Pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the room. They said there are going to sing it every Sunday now in Relief Society in the MTC so maybe you will get to sing it soon Mom ;) So Sunday ended up actually being a great day, the spirit was so strong the rest of the day. Monday and Tuesday were normal Visitors Center Training. Tuesday night we had a devotional and Russell M Nelson came and spoke! It was so great! His wife and him both spoke on missionary work and how to involve Family History into it.

We left the next morning at 4AM for St George! I think there was 20 of us who all went to St George, and I think maybe 1 or 2 more Sisters than Elders even. It is the strangest/neatest thing, because I have felt so much calmness throughout my whole mission. Everyone on the bus to the airport was all quiet and I was all excited! Maybe it was just cause it was 4 in the morning and everyone was dead and I was just slap happy.. I don't know. But when we landed in St George President Leonard, his wife, and a few other people were there to great us. We then went to the Stake Center ate waffles and had some orientation things. Oh and got my companion! Her name is Sister Sporl. She was born in Brazil and lived there til she was 7, and then lived in Salt Lake since. She has been out 16 months, but extended a transfer so she will go home the beginning of August. Before we got our companions President interviewed us all and asked what we wanted in a companion. All I told him was someone exactly obedient but can still have fun and enjoy doing the Lords work. Well I definitely got that. She is great! So after that we then dropped my stuff off at the apartment and headed to the Visitors Center the first night. Everyday we have half the day at the Visitors Center and half day proselyting. It's been tough with proselyting because we were white washed. Meaning neither of us have been in this area so we know nothing. Oh and we are walking which is great exercise but hard because we will walk far and the people won't even be home half the time. But it's good. I already have a tan line from my watch and shoes. Haha it'll be interesting to see what that'll be like at the end of the summer.

Oh and because I am in training I know I will be with my trainer and in this area til she leaves. My mission has you be with your trainer for 2 transfers aka 3 months. So in our area we have 3 and a half wards. We split the stake with other sisters and we share the Young Married ward which is why we have half a ward too. Haha. So far we don't really have any investigators. Well actually we've already had 2 baptisms on Saturday, but other than that we weren't left with investigators. The 2 kids baptized were Chanee and Braxton-13 and 9. We gave them their last lesson before their baptism. Which was amazing! Their parents are members but have been inactive for a long time but let them still get baptized which is great. I think their parents know the truth but aren't ready to give up their lifestyle. The dad really opened up last week when we were teaching the kids. He has been offended by some people in the church but I think we cleared things up for him a bit and made him more comfortable with us and the church. He told us it was an honor to have us in his home! So amazing! The parents came to church on Sunday when Chanee and Braxton were confirmed. Both the talks were on Priesthood which I think the dad needed to hear. So perfect!

Then Sunday night was my first night I got to give tours at the Brigham Young home. I will get to do that about once a week I think. It was neat to meet that lady that you have been talking to on the Missionary Mom website or whatever. She is so sweet and brought me my favorite snacks and gave me her number in case I ever need anything! It was so sweet of her especially because we had like no food at our house because we couldn't go grocery shopping til today! So I have lived off of puffy cheetos the past few days ;) Actually we have gotten fed dinner every single night I have been here! It blows my mind how willing all the members are to help us. We either get food dropped off at the Visitors Center or eat at their home if we are proselyting at night. We have eaten at our ward mission leaders home twice and they have given us a few rides. They are the sweetest! Sunday Aunt Barbara and the clan came by too! It was good to see them! I barely missed them on Wednesday at the Visitors Center I guess. Well other than all that not too much is new ;) The Visitors Center is great.. Still trying to get the hang of things but it is good. And hopefully our area will pick up. So pray for us and for our area that we can find people. Love you!!!! Summer

This was us and our companions for the day at Temple Square.

On the way to the airport at 4AM! Sister Luebbert, me, Sister Sordes, and Hermano Moyano!

My companion Sister Sporl and I the first day!