Sometimes being a temple square missionary is just mind-blowi​ng

How is it even P-day already?! I don't even know. I honestly feel like I was just writing you guys yesterday! So crazy.

So this week has been so wonderful!

For all of the day Thursday my companion and I covered an assignment on Welfare Square. It was so cool! I think a lot of people don't realize how big the church welfare program is! It's amazing! So because Welfare Square isn't as busy as temple square we had lots of study time, but to any missionary this is like a dream come true! It seems like personal study time goes so fast and you always want more! So Thursday was great!

On Thursday night we went to a play that the church has every Christmas season now. It's called Savoir of the World. The script was written and approved by the Quorum of the Twelve and it is about the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was so good. Near the end when the disciples were gathered together (this is after Christ died and they were told that Mary saw the resurrected Lord), Jesus appeared to them. The man who played the Savior was dressed all in white, but his back was always turned to the audience so we couldn't see his face. But when that man walked out onto the stage I couldn't help but sit up and have the strongest urge to go be close to him. I couldn't take my eyes off of him during the entire time he was teaching the disciples. I kept thinking in my head, "What if that isn't just a regular man...what if that was the Savior...what if it IS him.." I knew in my heart that the man on the stage wasn't the Savior, but I couldn't shake the longing feeling I had inside to go be close to him. I wanted so badly for it to be him... Needless to say it was a very powerful, moving performance. I would encourage anyone to come see it if they are in the Salt Lake City area anytime soon!

On Friday I went on exchanges with Sister Vaivai from New Zealand. She is the funniest sister ever, I love her so much! We did a lot of contacting on the square and I learned SO much from her. She is great:)

Our proselyting boundaries have been expanded!!!! Instead of just being able to contact on the square, we can contact by the reflection pool in front of the temple and out by the conference center!!! That probably isn't super exciting for y'all to here but it was super exciting for us!!! Haha:)

This last week we have gotten two new investigators: One man from England and another from Virginia. They are both really interested in the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and we're extremely excited to be teaching them! We found BOTH of them on chat. So crazy. Two of our other investigator ladies here in the states are doing so so well! One of them went to church on Sunday and told me that she felt SO good there and the people were SO great and she really wants to be a part of this church. The other has been in contact with the ward in her area as well and she is really excited about the things she has learned about the restoration! When I called her Saturday night she was so sweet, she said "Well I wish you were here because I'm making a big roast!" Haha she's great:)

So this next thing I'm about to tell you will make you all jealous So my companion and I were on the Eternal Families desk on Sunday night when this man walked by wearing these interesting glasses. As soon as I saw them, I knew what they were. I went up to him and said, "Excuse me, but are you wearing GOOGLE GLASSES?" (I didn't shout of course I just wanted to make sure you all saw those words hehe.) He said, "Yes, these are the Google glasses! Would you like to try them on?" Ladies and gentlemen, I have worn and used Google glasses! AH! It was the coolest thing ever!!!!! I put them on and then all I had to do was nod my head (then a screen appeared in the air in front of my eyes), say "Ok glass" (then a list of commands appeared) and then say "Take a picture" and it took a picture of what I was looking at! AH! My companion didn't know what Google glass was but she figured out pretty quick once she tried them on! We ended up talking to this guy for a long time and apparently he's one of the few people in the world that get to test out this beta version of the Google glasses. Ah! It was just the coolest thing!

This morning our mission had a really special meeting about how we can teach people who are from China (but there's lots of technicalities that go along with that). I'm not supposed to say much about it...but people from China are ready and willing to hear the gospel! We just have to share it in the correct way...The temple square project of "Save China" is in full force right now though! AH! It makes me so happy!:)

So this is my last P-day of my first transfer... It has flown by! When I write again on my next P-day I might not even be with Sister Wettingfeld anymore! And it might not even be on Wednesday! But I'm super excited and feeling super positive about this next transfer starting next week. This is truly the best mission in the world!

I love you all! Thank you for all the support. Have a wonderful week!

 

Sister Davis

 

 Sister McBride had to go home for surgery:( This was the last time I saw her, after the musical concert. We're going to miss her :(

Taken in the T.C. (the calling center where we chat and call investigators) I think this was Friday morning

We ate lunch in the C.O.B. (Church Office Building) on Friday so we took the tunnels back to the S.V.C. (South Visitors Center) cuz it's faster haha This is right near the exit that takes you out to the east gate. :)

Me, Sister Laporte, Siser Wettingfeld, and Sister Vaivai just being happy in T.C. :)

 

Thanks for reading!

What a Week of Miracles and Answered Prayers!

What a week it has been! I feel like I say this every week...but every week is just such a learning and growing experience!

Thursday night (what we sisters here call anti-night) was quite the experience! My companion and I were assigned to the main desk in the North Visitors center, which is the closest place to the gate that all the anti's stand outside of and pass out flyers. A young man came in and asked for a tour so we called west gate to send some sisters over. But while my companion was calling them another sister came up and whispered in my ear "Just so you know, that young man is anti. Tell west gate not to send some girls over!" As soon as she told me that I was so terrified! I had never talked with or been near an anti yet so I didn't want to say anything to him, I honestly just wanted to run and hide! Haha:) My companion was great though and took care of things! After that experience, we were talking to one of our friends, Ian, on the maintenance crew and I was saying how scared of anti's I was when he looked at me and just said, "Sister Davis always remember that you are twice as powerful as they will ever be." As soon as he said that I had this feeling in my heart that I KNEW he was right and that I had no need to be worried. The next day my fears were settled even further as my companion and I were asked to cover the main desk at the South Visitors Center. Two men walked in and introduced themselves, they were both members of the church and were in town for a conference for the Non-prophet organization that they are the presidents of. Upon further conversation, we learned that this organization was one full of all members of the church who do research for/and help people deal with anti-Mormon literature! They have the support of the general authorities of the church, and they even were the men who trained the first missionaries for online chat! They told us about a book that helps people who have struggling testimonies because of anti-Mormon literature. This book is called "Shake N Faith Syndrome". If your testimony is wavering because of something you read, I would recommend this book highly. These men were so great! They bore testimony to us, and told us about some of the research they have been doing their entire lives! They have been invited to speak at several mission meetings, and we are hoping they get to come to our mission and speak! Their words were an answer to my un-said prayers. Since then, SO MANY anti's have tried talking to me and now I am not afraid. I've learned how to just smile, testify boldly, and move on. Heavenly Father is taking care of us.

On Friday I went on an exchange with Sister Malavasi from Italy! She says that Italian pizza is one thing that she misses the most! One tip she gave me, "If the pizza is good, you will not be thirsty after eating! American pizza, I get so thirsty when I try it! Is no good!" Hahaha:)

Miracles have been continuing to occur in the call center this week! There are many times a day when we kneel in prayer in the call center and ask for Heavenly Father to help us know what to say. Our prayers are continually answered. On Saturday AND Sunday I received inbound calls from two different women in two different places in the u.s. Both have heard about our religion and wish to know more. BOTH went to church on Sunday and met members, and both have asked my companion and I to continue to call. What blessings!

On Sunday my companion and I received a paper informing us that we will be speaking in a ward here in Salt Lake! I'M SO EXCITED!!! It'll be later in the month, but I just can't wait for it to come! We've been assigned topics and were asked to include a musical number. Now here's the crazy part...we are speaking with two other sisters from our mission...but the assignment has been extended that the three other sisters sing, and I accompany them on the piano. So! I'm breaking out the music! Luckily, we have many pianos here on the square that I can practice on! I'm SO excited for this chance to travel out of the mission and speak in a regular ward! SO COOL!

Because of our early mornings preparing for the concert, our mission president let us sleep in til 8AM ON TUESDAY MORNING! He spoils us so much!

Our musical fireside concert was last night. The Assembly Hall was packed full! Even the General Relief Society Presidency came!!! And this is kinda sad, but I didn't know that we are aloud to invite family and friends to these performances! I'm so sorry I didn't invite you, I didn't know I was aloud to! But we will have more during my mission I'm sure, so if you would want to come to one, you can later, if you want. You don't have to. I would COMPLETELY understand if you chose not to. :) But anyways! The concert went SO well! I feel as though I have been sent to the most talented mission in the world! Some of the musical selections included: A four part piano number of "Stars and Stripes Forever", The Piano Guy's arrangement of "Love Story Meets Viva La Vida", A Polynesian song number (MY FAVOURITE!), and the small group I was a part of sang an arrangement of "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". At the beginning of our small group I sang a solo part for the first little bit, and I was just flooded with memories of singing in the assembly hall before with Chrissy and the high school choir. It was so crazy to me, standing there singing, to think that I had stood on this stage before and heard my voice fill that same room before. But the best part about this entire program was that the sole purpose was to help others "See our good works and glorify our Father which is in Heaven." The spirit was flooding the room all night, it was a night I will never forget.

Today has been a wonderful p-day! This morning we went to the temple. The Salt Lake Temple...I can't even describe my love for the Salt Lake Temple. It was my first time there today. And I loved every moment. :) After, we went shopping at walmart, target and took care of our laundry of course. We got to take a nap this afternoon and it's been super relaxing, just what we've needed. I love logging onto my email and reading letters from family and other friends who are in the field! Thank you all for your words of encouragement! They mean so much!

I know without a doubt that this church is true! This is Jesus' Christ's Church, and He is at the head of it! What glorious news! Share it with someone today!

Love,

Sister Davis

Our last district meeting with our sweet Mexico Sisters!

Sister Ochoa and Torres are leaving back to their mission in Mexico this Monday! They are such sweet girls! We are going to miss them so much! :(

My companion and I before our concert!

Sister Bondare and I after the concert! She is from Latvia! I LOVE HER!

After the concert with my companion and Sister Laporte! We were just so happy haha:)

For a p-day activity I learned how to water proof my Book of Mormon that I carry around the square. (Aka We put clear packing tape on the cover haha) :)

Thanks for reading!

There's this white fluffy stuff falling from the sky...

Her letter from this past Wednesday!...

This week has been such an adventure! On Halloween the square closed at 5pm and all the sisters changed into pajamas and went to the mission home for a Halloween party!!! It was the cutest thing ever! Our mission president shared some cheesy Halloween jokes, his wife gave us holiday recipes and told us Halloween poems, the a.p.'s did a funny sketch for us, and for dinner we had potatoes! AH! And there were tons and tons of sweets! Oh it was wonderful... But the most exciting part is...wait for it...we got to watch Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe! It was so much fun! And of course because we're all missionaries we were connecting EVERYTHING to the gospel! Haha! When Aslan comes back to life we were all just so happy and crying and it was just so tender haha:)

We've been having rehearsals like crazy now since our concert is coming up fast! But you can probably guess that I love it! Singing is just something I need to do one way or another to stay healthy and happy and so it's such a tender mercy that I can be in a choir and do this!

On Sunday I was able to call a referral to a wonderful lady in the U.K. She was just so sweet and so kind and she is happy to stay in touch with us! We pray for her daily. We also found a young 15 year old girl in Oklahoma (where the wind comes sweeping down the plains...) who really wants to learn more and join the church. At first I was nervous because she was asking about why we don't date until we're 16 and why we dress modestly. But it was SO neat because I was able to share with her some personal experiences I've had from dressing modestly and waiting until I was 16 to date and she was just so receptive to it! She was like "Well I guess I'll just have to throw out half my clothes then!" And I'm just so happy because THAT'S what the atonement is all about! It's about change! Jesus Christ is the hope and the light in our soul that makes us willing to change! Not just on the big things but on the little things too! (Like how we dress!) Then just the other night I received a call from a lady in Oregon who really wants to learn more about the church. She also wants her son to join the church and go on a mission! It's incredible because she doesn't know a lot about the religion, but she feels that it's good and she wants it for herself and her children! There are so many out in the world that are ready to hear the message of the gospel!

I really love Sundays here! We only get to have sacrament meetings early Sunday mornings but we get to hold our services in the Joseph Smith Memorial building. It is SO beautiful in there! It used to be the ballroom if that gives you an idea haha! And honestly, every time I'm there it makes me think of the ballroom in the VonTrapp home (in The Sound of Music). :) So lovely. Sunday was the first snow of the season too! So beautiful! Anyone of my friends know that I've never liked snow...ever...but I really have felt like I need to be grateful for it and understand that it is beautiful and wonderful and everything God created, He created for a purpose. So now I love the snow. And I am in the process of training myself to love cold weather as well...hahaha!

While doing our shift at the Eternal Families desk Sunday night I saw the amazing youth speaker John Hilton III and his family! I recognized him the moment I saw him because I had met him before my first year of EFY on BYU campus! I got to talk with him and he asked me what my experience was like being a missionary here. It was so cool to see him again and talk with him and his wife!

It's all just work, work, work here on the square and I love it! We have early morning meetings literally every day this week, but that's ok! Going to meetings is enjoyable and always a learning and growing experience! I hope all is well in St. George, Utah! I've met SO MANY people who are on their way there to visit or just on their way home, having visited St. George. Haha it's such a small world! Especially in the church! Kori, you'll be excited to know that I have met SO MANY returned missionaries from Roseville, California. It's quite amusing actually.

Have a lovely week everyone! Stay happy! Remember, life is wonderful! Bloom where you're planted!

Love,
Sister Davis

Some adorable pictures!

My companion and I at the Halloween festivities! :)

Katie! It's Sister Laporte and I! She says hello btw:)

My companion and I with our zone leaders Sister Laporte (California) and Sister Vaivai (New Zealand) I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!

Snow! It's so beautiful here on Temple Square!

I am extremely proud of this picture... :D

In honor of watching Narnia the other day, this lamp post in amidst the snow was very inspiring to us haha!:)

Sometimes we get a glance of Christmas which is quickly approaching! Ah!!! :D

Baby it's Cold Outside

Met so many people from Boise, Idaho this last week! One was a lovely lady that was a yellow bys counselor with me! The other was an older couple that knows the Spjutes, haha! Small world in the church.

On Monday morning Dallin H. Oaks came and spoke to the mission with his wife. It was very different from how they were when they spoke in the MTC! They spoke together and didn't have a script, just followed the spirit! They laughed lots and they are just the cutest couple the world has ever known! When Elder Oaks was talking about how amazing his wife is she was all smiling at us and looking around and he suddenly stopped talking, turned to her and said "Stop posing sweetie!" Hahaha! Oh they were just so funny, cute and inspiring! We got to shake his hand afterward! He asked where I was from and I said, "St. George, Utah!!!" He said, "Oh! Wow, well I am so glad you get to serve here on Temple Square!" Oh it was so neat!!!:)

I told before of an investigator we met over chat who went to church the day after our first contact! Well we've been teaching him and he is doing SO well! He went to church with his little boys AGAIN on Sunday and stayed for the entire 3 hours! He really really loved priesthood meeting too!!! His wife is still bed ridden because of her pregnancy but the missionaries came over and gave her a Book of Mormon and were able to talk with her and resolve some concerns she had! They are just doing so well and we're going to extend the baptism commitment this week!:)

So my companion and I have been giving lots of tours but I finally got to pass off to my zone leaders yesterday! For passing off we got to go eat a free dinner at The Lion House! It was SO GOOD!!! And we didn't have to cook for ourselves for once, which was kinda nice. :)

Today (P-day) we got to leave temple square and go do some service in East Salt Lake! We got to rake leaves!!! It was SO FUN!!! I took pictures. :)

A lot of people wonder what being a missionary here is like, so I will explain what it is exactly we do. Our schedule is planned every day for us. It tells us where we need to be, and then we plan what we're going to do at those places. For several hours a day we have what we call "Square Time". That is time that we just have to be on Temple Square, doesn't matter where, just contacting people, offering tours, and helping people feel welcome! We plan each night what places on the square we are going to go to when. Then we have what we call "Building Assignments". For example, every Monday we are assigned the Assembly Hall from 4-5 pm. That means we have to stay in the Assembly Hall and greet people, answer questions, etc. Then for several hours a day we have what we call "T.C. (Teaching Center)" That is where we contact people through mormon.org chat, incoming phone calls, or we will teach people discussions over the phone. We also do something here called "Investigator Lessons". That is where regular missionaries from any of the Salt Lake City Missions (there are 5 believe it or not) can bring their investigators to Temple Square and we have a joined lesson with them and we just use places on temple square to help teach! So like just the other night we did and investigator lesson with Elders Beeton and Mauinatu from the Salt Lake City West mission where we taught a less active girl. We took her to the assembly hall, God's Plan Presentation, and Christus. Those are always wonderful experiences. :)

There have been TONS of Asians on the Square here this last week! Like it's been so crazy! And my companion and I have been asked to be in SO many pictures hahaha We both have blond hair though so we kinda expected it:) They're such cute people though! They're always so happy and friendly! I went on an exchange the other day and gave a Mandarin tour for the first time! That was a huge learning experience! I'm still struggling with being able to say "Hello I'm Sister Davis! Welcome to Temple Square!" in Mandarin. IT'S SO HARD! I really wish I was fluent in mandarin...

On Saturday we had security training at 7:30 am. (We have TONS of early morning meetings in this mission, almost every day.) I feel super lucky to be a missionary here... Security is ALWAYS watching us sisters like hawks. But it helps me feel safe... They did have to train us on certain things though, like how to respond to a bomb threat. Unfortunately, we get those at least once a month. But it's ok because we have the Lord on our side. :)

Choir has been getting super down to business lately! All of us sisters are putting on a music fireside on Nov 12th in the Assembly Hall. I'm part of the choir, and I'm part of a small singing ensemble as well. I was going to be a dancer in one of the songs too but things just got to busy. Next time though!:)

Well that is all of my news for this week! (Of course, I'll think of a million other things later that I will have wished I wrote but that's what my journal is for right!?) Haha:) Have an amazing week e'rebody!

Oh, and Roll Tide! I've heard they're still undefeated. :)

Sister Davis

 

Pictures!!!

 

This is inside the Relief Society Building. I really really love this...

Just a beautiful morning on our way to the Square!:)

My bountiful meal at The Lion House!!! SO GOOD!

It's been getting so cold outside I've started to use those fuzzy gloves you gave me last winter, mom!:)

When we got to go to Music and The Spoken Word! (No we don't get to go every Sunday sadly)

On our way to the service project in West Salt Lake:)

Raking leaves! Service is the best!!!

 So many leafs! So many trees!

My zone! Zone North 1!!!

They gave us FREE UNHEALTHY FOOD after! For a Temple Square sister...this stuff is like gold...

My comp and I :)

My district!!! :) Back row: Me, Sister Sherret from Southern California, My comp. Sister Torres from Mexico, Sister Ochoa from Mexico. Front row: Sister Zhau from China, Sister Yu from Taiwan, and Sister Malavasi (Center light blue shirt) from Italy!

Thanks for reading!