Namaste!

Happy Thanksgiving from Temple Square!

Anyone know what Namaste means? It means hello in Indian.....which means I have a new companion from India! Her name is Sister Doraiswamey and she is coming back from her outbound today. She is going to be my follow-up trainer for the transfer. It's going to be a curry Thanksgiving!

So my P-days are now Wednesdays, and are usually from 1PM-9PM but with the Christmas craziness starting on Friday, our p-days from this transfer are like normal missions, from 10-6.

So there are two sisters here on Temple Square who went outbound today to Tucson! Their names are Sister Cummings from Hawaii and Sister Ogata from Japan. They are two of my favorites so tell everyone to keep an eye out for them and feed them well!! [Sis Ogata is actually in our, Adam & Kami's, ward!]

Well it seems like I was just writing, P-day was just a few days ago! So I don't have too much to say. Transfer day is the biggest news.

But remember the lady from Estonia that I am teaching? She wants to be baptized! Super exciting. She has a daughter, and I can't wait until they can be sealed together.

I did get to see one of my favorite customers from the bank that I worked at, He came on the Square to meet his kids and grandkids and by some odd chance, I was the first person he saw! That never happens so it was really nice to chat with him.

I am a little nervous for the lights to turn on because it is going to be insane, but I am also really excited! I love Christmas and I can't wait to talk about Christ with everyone. That is why I am on my mission, and I couldn't think of a better place to talk about Christ than at Temple Square around Christmas with all the lights. I think the reason I love Christmas so much is because even it is just for a short time, most people put off the Natural man and become a little more Christlike. They think about Christ and the whole spirit and atmosphere of people change, and that is what the Savior is all about is change. It really just testifies to me that change is possible,and that through the Savior's infinite Atonement, we are able to truly change and become better. We are able to become the person that He wants and needs us to be. Nothing is impossible with Christ.

Well I don't have too much more to say....but at least you don't have a novel from me to read today!

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow. Eat extra for me!

Love,

What are you thankful for?

Well next Thursday is Thanksgiving, can you believe it?

This week, actually this whole transfer has flown by. Wednesday starts a new transfer. It probably won't impact me too much, since I will still be with my trainer for another transfer. Unless she becomes a Zone Leader, I probably won't even move apartments. Wahoo!

Hey the performance from last Tuesday is going to be put on DVD's and distributed to all the sisters! I didn't think they would do that. I'm so happy thought because you get to see all the crazy good talent.

So this week I would have to say the craziest story would probably be this:

We were talking to an RM who served in Vanuatu when this man in a red sweatshirt walked by. Something really grabbed my attention, I don't know how to explain it, but now I recognize that was the Spirit getting my attention. We continued talking, but then we had to go to our next assignment. So we said bye and started walking to our teaching center. On our way, I saw that man in the red sweatshirt going down the escalator. I had a feeling, someone needs to go talk to him. But we were going to the Teaching Center, we had appointments with people to call and I figured there are over 100 of us on the square, someone will talk to him. We were outside the TC but I couldn't stop thinking about it, someone needs to talk to him. I couldn't put it aside anymore so I spoke up and said to my companion: "I wonder if anyone has talked to that guy down there, I think someone needs to." She asked if I wanted to go talk to him and I said yes. Well we go down there and find him at an Inner Peace kiosk. We start talking and he explains that he served a mission in New Mexico and had been back for 4 years, but that he had been in and out of the church ever since. He told us how he came here because he needs peace. He knows the church is true, the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet, but he does not have a testimony of modern-day prophets. We asked him questions and testified, and he started crying. Then he explained his situation in life. He is in a very....very very dark place in life...We talked and testified some more, and he cried a lot. He said that he really felt like he needed to come here, and he was hoping someone would come talk to him. My companion told him how we were supposed to be at an assignment but that we had a prompting to come talk to him, and how important he is. We explained about the Atonement, how it is infinite, and how nothing is impossible through Christ. I told him to think of the temple often, because that is where he will be safe from Satan.I know he felt peace when he was here. We called him last night to see how he was doing, and unfortunately, he was on his way "out." And did not want to talk to us. I have to just trust in the Lord that his experience will come back to him, and help him through this hard time in his life. I know the words that we said were not our words, they were the Spirit, so I need to trust that he will be strong enough. Hopefully our continued calls will be able to help him. But regardless, everyone has their agency and can choose what they do with their lives, as hard as that is sometimes. But I felt so thankful for the Spirit. I am grateful that Heavenly Father trusted me with a prompting to talk to one of His children that really needed someone to talk to.

Anyway, a funny story for the week.....

So we had a Spanish investigator lesson a few nights ago. This is when elders from the surrounding missions bring investigators here for a tour. The Elders had told us that the lady had been dropped before, so we needed to make it really extra spiritual and that it had to be really good. So we start with God's Plan. Well it's set up where you move to different rooms. We get through two rooms and I turn into the third room, and there is a homeless man sleeping on the seats!! I gasped, and we all were like what do we do! He is just laying there sprawled out, snoring! God's Plan is playing not quietly, and he is still sleeping. So the Elders start trying to wake him up, and we all sit down to watch God's Plan. Finally the man wakes up and sits up and starts watching God's Plan like he was a part of the group and nothing happened...we were like what the heck. I said we should call security so we called while the Elders were talking to the man. We finished talking to Security and the man goes, so I guess I should leave? The Elders were like yeah......you should. Well we continue on in God's Plan and security comes busting in, about 7 of them with flashlights (it's dark in there) and they're all sweaty, they must have ran there. I explained how he left, and what he was wearing and looked like and they left. Well at this point the spirit is all ruined, and we finish God's Plan. We then go to the Christus, and guess who's sitting there, yep! The man! I called security again, and they came to check it out. I talked to the security guy and he said that they spoke with him, and that he said he was just tired and wanted to sleep, but that he knew he had to be out in a little bit because we would be closing. I couldn't help but think of what would have happened if no one found him, he would have been there all night! But I think it's part of the night shift security to check it so maybe he wouldn't have been there all night. But still...I am thankful for security!

Yesterday the lady who wrote President Monson's biography came and spoke to us (I can't remember her name). [Heidi S. Swinton] She was so great! She told us a bunch of stories about President Monson that were so cool that I had never heard before. He is such a great servant of the Lord.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner! What are you thankful for??

I hope everyone has a great week, and a great Thanksgiving. I sure am thankful for all of my blessings, especially my family. Heavenly Father sure loves His children.

Since Transfers are on Wednesday, I am not quite sure if my P-day will switch (it depends on your zone, I'm hoping to get moved to the Beehive house, cross your fingers!) so I am not sure when you will hear from me. But it won't make too much difference.

Happy Thanksgiving, I love you all and am thankful for all of you.

Love,

The Field Is White Already to Harvest

Literally white this week. I bought pumpkin eggnog (my favorite holiday treat probably) and the next morning we wake up to 4 inches of snow. Coincidence? I think not! So every one in AZ where it's still in the 80's, drink the eggnog it works!

The snow has all melted though. But there will be plenty more time for that!

So the biggest miracle of this week is probably this:

It happened last Saturday. We were out on the Square. How it works is every night during our planning time (9-930) one of the things we do is plan our locations for the square times for the next day. So we pray about the places we should go and when. Then we pick 3 places for every hour. So Saturday we were going to one of those places when the sisters at one of the desks told us we needed to find this lady. They said she had literally walked out and said "I can't wait to learn more." So we were like what the heck we gotta find her! So we start checking every building and we decide to go to the North Visitor Center. We walk up to the Christus, and she is just leaving. We say hi and she says "This is so beautiful, I can't wait to learn more!" She is dating a member, and they started getting serious so they decided it was time to discuss religion. He brought her here, and it was the first she had heard about the church. We knew that we needed to take her though God's Plan (hopefully I have explained about this presentation it's wonderful). So we take her through and she cries the whole time. After she said how much she loved it and how she has felt like something is missing in her life and that she thinks it's this church. So I said, "Toni, as you come to know for yourself that this church is true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the proper authority?" and she said....."Oh yes. I want to follow God, and i want to be close to Jesus." (she's black so picture it in a black voice haha) She is so prepared! Holy cow. I wasn't even nervous asking her because I knew the Lord had prepared her already and the veil was so thin she couldn't help but say yes! So we have been teaching her this week. It's hard because she travels for work a lot (She is kind of like a motivational speaker. She speaks about her past life; she was out on the streets for 19 years and fell into drugs and alcohol and a lot of horrible things happened to her. So she goes around telling her story of hope. And she said she wants to add the Gospel to that story!). So it's hard for her to find time but she is going to try to go to church. We are going to set a date for her baptism.

Sorry about my typing. We are not in our usual building, and this keyboard doesn't allow me to go back and correct mistakes so I can't catch them all.

Other miracles....

I took a chat from a man named Stephen. He said missionaries came and visited him and told him a little about the church and told him about mormon.org. They tried to give him a book of Mormon but he insisted on looking at the website, so that's how he got there. We had a great discussion about the Book of Mormon and he wanted to learn more. So I got his phone number and called Him the next day. Well he is from Ghana, but living in Finland to finish his degree. The day I called him, we were having problems with our phones so they were fuzzy and his thick African accent made it so I couldn't understand a word he said. But I really wanted to teach him so I would ask him a question, pretend like I understood what he was saying, and try to follow the spirit in my response, and keep teaching. I felt so bad but I didn't want to hang up! So the next day my companion and I called Him back. Come to find out it's not just the fuzziness, we really just can't understand him! It literally gave us headaches straining for the entire lesson as we taught the whole Plan of Salvation. We only understood about 20% of what he said (still an improvement from before haha) but tried to rely on the Spirit as best we could. His faith is amazing. He wants to do what God wants him to do, and he wants to do what is right. We asked him if he would be baptized and he said yes! He has a date of December 21st (has to finish finals and such) so please pray for him to continue to prepare for that day and act on his faith! The Lord prepares people to receive His Gospel. So crazy!

So then....I think the next day. I took a chat from a guy in India. He said that He found this site, and that He wants to know about the plan of salvation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said some sisters are teaching Him but that He is really busy and can only get on chat every so often on weekends. So I taught about the plan of Salvation and he was so enthused! He loved it. I taught about Lesson 3 ( Gospel of Jesus Christ) and focused on baptism. He thought it was really amazing that we could be forgiven for everything we have ever done. I asked if He would be baptized on December 7th and He said yes! He wants to prepare for that day. The nearest church is 2 hours away but he said he is willing to make the sacrifice to go so he can be baptized. The only downside about this is.....The way our systems are set up, each time we get a referral or they want to know more, we use a program called Connect (like an online area book) to keep track of them. So they become a contact, and there cannot be duplicates. So because the other sisters already have him in Connect, I can't teach him! I actually know the sisters, so I will just have to keep asking them how he is doing. He was sad I couldn't keep teaching him but understood. Hopefully they can prepare him for that date!

So do you remember about the african-american girl I wrote about a few weeks ago? The less-active who came from Las Vegas because she knew she needed to change her life? Well she left saying that she knew exactly what to do and how to change and that she couldn't wait to go to the temple. I called her a few days ago, thinking that that wonderful feeling might have worn off and that she might have slipped into her old ways. Well she answers and says hello? And I say May I speak with Natoya? And she says who is this (kind of rudely, I was nervous)? I say Sister Ferguson from Temple Square, do you remember me? and she says(all this time speaking almost in a whisper and I couldn't think of why)....................................................................................................................................................Oh my gosh hi! I'm in institute right now. I could have died I was so happy! I think that was my happiest moment of my mission so far. I was so proud that she was acting on her experience! I'm so happy that she is changing her life! It made my entire day/week/mission really! I am so thankful to the Lord for helping her feel the Spirit, and giving me the words she needed to hear at that time.

I have gotten pro at making chow mein out of ramen! it's so good!

Embarrassing story of the week: during our dinner break, we decided to go to the grocery store around the corner (we can go during our lunch times) and we bought a bunch of groceries since we didn't go on p-day last week. Well we're walking back and we cut through city creek because it's warm and faster and we're walking over the bridge when....the handle on my paper bag broke! And like in the movies, things rolled away haha and no one helped us!! we made it back to the mission home and got them in the fridge, but that night when it came time to go home, i was carrying my package mom sent me too, and the other bag broke! I was like what the heck! So some kind sisters helped me carry it all home. hopefully that gave you a good laugh!

Well we re excited for the Christmas lights to come on. They come on after Thanksgiving,

Also, the Sisters are putting on a performance on November 12th for the public. It's meant to bring investigators to. we are in the choir (even though I suck at singing...I'm gonna mouth the words haha). So if anyone wants to come and invite non-members or less actives do it!

I think that's probably it for the week. The Church is true! Don't forget about Elder Ballard's challenge. I love you all!

Shook an Apostle's Hand This Week... Who Was It?!

So form a guess in your mind. Winner gets......to buy themselves something! Or a free Book of Mormon...haha. The Apostle was.....














Elder Oaks! And his wife Kristin.

They came Monday morning just to the Temple Square mission home (in the South Visitor Center) and talked to us sisters. I have never been so close to an apostle before it was nuts. And he has really soft hands. It was so good! He talked about how a mission call is very inspired and special. And he was so not-serious! Usually at conference he is very serious but he was cracking jokes left and right, him and Kristin were having a great time together (they spoke to us together). It was humbling to have an Apostle of the Lord talk to us, and for once, I didn't fall asleep in a meeting! Miracle.

So this week....

I will start off by telling you what literally just happened. So we work like a usual day until one, when it becomes p-day. Today we were on the Square from 10-12 then in the Teaching Center (where we teach online and over the phone) from 12-1. It got to be 12:45 and we were going to our last location in the South Visitor Center. I saw a man sitting by himself kind of hiding behind a tree, and I felt impressed to go talk to him. So I told my companion and we went and talked to him, got to know him. His name is Rob. He was a young member who was waiting for his wife to come meet him. He explained where he is from, where he served his mission, and that he had had to come home early on a medical release. We talked a little more, and there was not much more reason of us being there, but I felt like I should ask him if there were any questions we could answer for him. And he said, well I'm not sure if you guys could help with this but.....and UNLOADED this story about how he had been previously married (he's only like 24 or less!) in the temple and divorced, but was waiting on a temple divorce so his wife and he had not been sealed. Also that he desperately wants his wife to come to church, but that she won't come. She has anxiety about getting ready for church or something like that. He then told us all about how his now second marriage is failing, and how she wants to leave him and kick him out. I guess he had done something to lose her trust 6 months ago but has since tried hard to regain the trust. She is unwilling to forgive. He sees the bishop for counsel every week, and she refuses. She won't go to a therapist, and blah blah...My companion and I were like what the...WHAT do we do haha. So we bore our testimonies about God's love for him, and the Atonement, how powerful it is and how all things are possible. Then he said he wanted us to talk with his wife. We were like uh yeah (but we can't counsel as missionaries!) So we left to grab something (and pray!) and came back and she was there, really mad. She was very rude, and upset that he had set up an "intervention." We tried bringing the Spirit, asking her questions to rediscover her testimony, and took them to the Christus. We had them read the Living Christ before we played the narration, and I bore my heart and soul about the Atonement and how nothing is impossible and about God's love and understanding for her. She cried a little, and I finally thought we were making progress but she then proceeded to tell us how unhappy she was, and how her marriage sucked, therefore her life sucked (keep in mind her husband is sitting right...next...to...her). And how she so badly wanted a divorce because she knew it would make her happy, but that she was raised to believe divorce isn't an option. We tried to explain that Christ can help people get through anything, but at that point, she was not receptive. She has no desire to change and forgive, so there was nothing we could do. I just said look, we as missionaries can't counsel you. But we bore our testimonies, said this was the last of the tour, and left them in the theatre to watch a Mormon Message on marriage and divorce so that we wouldn't have to see how it ended...it was so crazy. I tried very hard to listen to the spirit, and prayed a lot so I am comfortable in the fact that we did all we could do...I am not sure what else we could have done but he put us in an awful spot! So awkward.

On a better note, we had a sweet miracle this week!

So Tuesday I think it was, we were having a rough day. Every single person we called either didn't answer, were too busy, didn't want to talk with us, argued with us, or was anti. Every person! We didn't have any good tours either where people wanted to know more. We were like what the heck this sucks..So we decided we were going to go to Kneader's to cheer us up haha. So on the way to the food court, we met two security guards. One is a member, and the other (Domincko from some country that speaks Swahili) is not a member. He is a new employee, and the other guard was training him, and explaining a little about the church as he went. So we talked with them for a bit, then off we went. We got to kneaders, and I remembered how expensive it is, and felt guilty but just said oh well, we're already here, and really wanted kneaders. So I ordered and then said oh, how much is your pupkin loaf? And the guy behind the cashier said, oh it's free! I was like what? How? And they said, you're sisters! We need blessings. I was shocked and so happy! I thanked them and handed them my card for the rest of the order and he wouldn't take it. He said you don't need that, we got it. I was like what? The whole meal? No! I can't do that. Then they both said no, that they needed the blessings, and that they were paying for our meals. So they paid for our meals! It made my entire day. They didn't know that we had had a bad day, but they had served us, and went out of their way to make our day. It was so great! And the miraculous part of this miracle was that the whole time we were there, there was always someone in line, except for when we were in line, so I know that if we would have gotten there at any other time, that I'm not sure they would have been allowed to do that with other customers around. I was so grateful for that tender mercy of the Lord. And it gets better! On our way back to the square, we bumped into the security guards again. It was at the entrance, so you could see the temple, and they had just been discussing it. We asked Dominicko some questions, and explained how we want everyone to enter the temple, and how wonderful it is. I felt prompted to ask if he would like a BOM. He said yes, that books were his favorite gift. So we went and grabbed him one and wrote our testimonies in it and gave it to him. He is so humble and gentle, and open-hearted! He also gave us his contact information so we could keep teaching him. I was so so so thankful to the Lord that day. Even though we didn't have success, no one wanted to talk to us, but just in that one hour for dinner, everything changed. The Lord went out of His way to show His love for us. I felt so special, and humbled!

It seems like the whole continent of China came to the square this week....there have been so many Mandarin tours, those poor Mandarin sisters! There was a conference last weekend for Nuskin (cosmetics), and the headquarters are here in Salt Lake. The Owner and his Assistant i think are both LDS and are serving as Mission Presidents. So all the Nuskin people who were here for the convention all wanted to come to temple square to see what it is all about. We took so many of them on tours it was way cool. Talk about being an example missionary! Thousands came to the square because of those men.

So First transfer missionaries had a Living Christ meeting, where we talked about the Living Christ document, and shared our testimonies. They had us quickly write our testimonies on the back so we could mail it home to our families, so I will do that this week a long with my SD card. But there are too many pictures on there to try to explain them all sorry!

Oh, I watched Mountain of the Lord this week, that is a good movie. I have always appreciated the pioneers and their sacrifice for the Temple, but this really solidified that! I am so thankful for their dedication. For chipping away at granite for 40 years, to give their posterity something beautiful. I feel so grateful. They were so willing to obey the Lord, they volunteered their time, talents, and efforts every single day. And I get to look at what they have given us every day! They really gave us so much!

Anyway, what else can I share...Oh yeah! I passed of on giving tours this week! I had to take my zone leaders on a tour (like a role play but real tour) that both had all the historical facts, and spiritual converting tour too. They said it was awesome! So now my compy and I get passes to the Lion House to eat for free :)

This week I cooked chorizo for the first time. I was so scared! But it was really good! I sauteed red potatoes with spices and celery and carrots together with the chorizo and it was good. My companion even loved it! She's from Mexico and said that it was really good and that it reminded her of home. Proudest moment of my life. haha jk

Well I guess I don't have as many stories as I did last week. It was a little slower here on the square this week.

Oh yeah Halloween! So we ended our day yesterday at 5 and all the Sisters and couples came down to the Mission Home where we were lovingly served a baked potato bar, and various types of delicious cookies. I felt like a queen, they stuffed us! Then as a mission we watched The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It was weird to watch a worldy movie, and the sisters are crazy haha they giggled and screamed the whole time, which if you know me, you know that's not how I am! haha but it was funny. I couldn't help but relate it to being a missionary the entire time. It basically represents the atonement and I compared Edmund to Judas haha and they kill the Lion and he comes back to life...I couldn't help but think of the crucifixion and resurrection haha so funny! Oh and we got to wear p-day clothes for the first time! So comfy! 

But the time has seemed to start going by faster. It's crazy, but I still haven't been out for very long.
Oh! Something we do everyday: Count our miracles. I invite you all to do that this week! Count your miracles, it really opens your eyes! Heavenly Father really loves His children.

Well I'm not sure what else to share. I hope this wasn't too boring! It was a great week though.

Anyway, I love the mission, not my mission, but the mission. Because it's not my time here, it's the Lord's. I have really come to see that here. It's his mission, and I cannot do anything without Him.

The Church is true, and change is possible!

Love you,