This week! (June 4th)

Wow there are so many miracles on Temple Square every day!

Last week we were struggling committing people to be baptized! We were praying and praying and resolving every concern you could imagine but everyone we were teaching was just so unreceptive to actually making the commitment of baptism. We weren't sure if we were doing something wrong or if there was something in the food...of every single country we're teaching in right now...it was just madness. But this last morning things just flipped around! We called our investigator Lidia (in Texas) on Monday morning to find that she HAD been baptized the day before! She said she didn't tell us until after because she didn't want us to be sad if she changed her mind. Haha so that was exciting! We also called our investigator in Columbia (who we've been playing phone-tag with for a while). Well he told us he's still been reading the Book of Mormon and praying and he really feels that he needs to be baptized! He now has a baptism date for June 22nd! Then our investigator in California texted us and said that he too is getting baptized this month, on June 21st! We were sitting there at the computers in total and utter shock staring at each other saying, "Well, great! Our diligence is working!" Haha(: In other good news: our sweet investigator in Canada went to church on Sunday! She was sooo sooo nervous but when she got there she met so many friendly people and lots of missionaries (it was Stake Conference) and she was so glad she went!!! When we talked with her yesterday she told us that she felt so happy while she was at church and she knew the Holy Spirit was helping her to feel that way. (: We are so happy!!!!

Yesterday we had quite the terrifying experience at the Beehive House! We were in the front room talking with some folks that we were about to take on a tour when President Poulsen (the mission president) just came walking on in! He stood there and watched us as we talked and then we started to take the couple in to the next room to begin the tour. I knew that President likes to watch sisters teach so as we were going I turned to him and said, "Do you want to come?" (I know, that's like signing away my own death, right?) But he just said, "No no that's ok." Then he all of the sudden pauses for a second and then turns back to me and says, "Actually, yes! I'd like to come." I know...me and my big mouth. Hahaha(: So our mission president joined us on the tour...it was probably the most nerve-racking tour of my life! (Yes, even more nerve racking than when David Archuleta was watching us teach that Spanish couple a few weeks ago.) But no worries, the tour was great and president gave us a thumbs up at the end. A thumbs up from president is like a high-five from a 6-year-old; the best stamp of approval.

Just this morning we had another one of the teaching-the-restoration-in-five-minutes-to-random-people experiences. It's something that happens so often but yet something that never ceases to amaze me. No matter where we are on the square, when we meet someone who asks, "So what is the story behind how the Mormons started, anyway?" the area we are in suddenly becomes empty of other people and super quiet and reverent. This morning it was outside of the Assembly Hall. There was a cute couple sitting on a bench who we said hello to. They turned out to be from England, just visiting on holiday. The husband said, "So, there were so many religions in New England why did those people just pick up and leave everything? What was so different about Mormonism that they just decided to pick up and go to the desert?!" Isn't that just the best question anyone could ever ask?(: We taught the restoration in 5 minutes and, once again, there was suddenly nobody nearby, no cars wizzing through the streets, no children screaming or laughing, nothing! It went totally quiet as we explained the first vision. The Lord is so gracious to create such reverent environments for teaching. We are the luckiest.

We went to the temple this morning. Oh how I love the Temple!!! This morning I was thinking about how blessed I have been in my life to always be so close to a temple. In St. George the temple was 10 minutes away! In Idaho is was 15 minutes away! Here it's...like 3 minutes away. Haha(: I feel so blessed, but I don't think I'll really understand how blessed I am until I live in a place that isn't close to a temple (if that does happen someday).

Last week for Relief Society three amazing women came to speak to us! They are the founders of Eyes for Zimbabwe, a project that works to provide thousands of people with a simple surgery that allows them to have full vision restored in just 10 minutes! These 3 women are professional golfers and some of the most accomplished members of the church. They were sooo amazing! They follow the spirit in everything they do and they said so much that really helped me receive personal revelation. It was such a neat experience to be able to hear their testimonies and know that the Lord wants us to accomplish great things to serve His children. We just need to pray, listen for the spirit, and then go and do good!

We're really excited for this coming week because we get to participate in hosting some Youth Conferences here on the square! I'M SO EXCITED!!! I have been anticipating the chance to do youth conferences ever since I got here :D eep! We have one next Wednesday that we'll be in charge of. At the end of each one we take them to one of the large theaters to hear from a youth speaker and we are also invited to stay and listen to the youth speaker. Well guess who we get to hear from next Wednesday? That's right...John Bytheway!!!! AH!!!! Oh my goodness. I just love working with youth. They're so lucky. And they're so amazing! The youth of the church just have SO much ahead of them I wish they just knew how much potential that God sees in them! Anyways...so yes that's very exciting. (:

Well, I believe that is the bulk of the news for this week. I'll probably think of more stories I could have told when I leave but that's ok!(: Thank you for the love and prayers and support! I hope ya'll have a great week and continue to enjoy the summer sun!!!

Love yous,

Sister Davis

Our mission with the founders of Eye's for Zimbabwe!(: I'm right above Sister Poulsen (she's on the first row wearing a green shirt.)