December Sightings and Challenges

Dear Family and Friends,

We love the "Standard of Truth" here. When I first heard it was that so exited! "THIS IS AWESOME!" I told my trainer, "Why don't we just say this to every anti (Antis are people that make a career out of tearing down what we believe. They show up at big events hosted by our church or at historical sites belonging to our church ie Temple Square. The purposely waste the sisters serving on Temple Square time so they have less time to spend with people not of our faith.)  we meet!?" I was on exchange the other day and sister Jarrett showed me the mormon.org profile of Victor Garcia, he was a big anti against the church, and reading about all the programs he was in that goal was to destroy the beliefs of others was astounding! But it made me think, no other church faces such opposition. The best part was when is conversion experience when he finally prayed to find out if the  the Book of Mormon is the word of God. He instantly knew it was true! He went out and found some missionaries and told them he wanting to be baptized right away! Imagine being those Elders...

Sister Bascom after the 1st Presidency Devotional

Again this week Sister Turro and I haven't had much success in the way of getting referrals for people to teach but boy have we learned so much about ourselves. I realized that everything I'm going through right now is prepping me for outbound ( The sisters in the Temple Square mission go to another mission in the USA for aprox three months to do traditional missionary work.) and the rest of my mission. I feel so blessed that the Lord is giving me these trials, but so scared too. So unprepared, so unworthy, so unqualified... But than I remember that as long as I go home converted to the gospel and loving it with all my might I have had a successful mission I have to just keep telling myself that... a long with many other encouraging things..

Krista and Lani dancing buddies since pre-school on the Square together.

I am reading  Jesus The Christ right now hoping to get to the chapter on his birth before Christmas. I also hoping to gain a stronger, more passionate testimony of who he is and what he has done for me. How did you all like the Christmas broadcast? I just loved the spirit you feel when listening to the prophet. 

Sister Bascom and Debra Moore her second mom and favorite photographer.

So I have a challenge for everyone this week inspired from another amazing missionary All this week I want you to say a 20 min prayer. Prayer is so important it our communication with our father in heaven. When we start to think about what we are saying our prayers are more meaningful.We get more out of them. Just like the anti who only needed to pray and ask if the Book of Mormon is the word of God to receive an answer that forever changed his life. You can have something like that too. Just say a prayer, talk to your father in heaven. Is a 20 min conversation to much to ask?  Like my mom always says "Try it, you'll like it." So this is thechallenge for this week. But prepare yourself for next week, as missionaries on Temple Square Christmas time is all about challenging members! :D

A link that shows the wonderful lights and the craziness of the Christmas Season on Temple Square. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LPyaIN1L6Q

 Have a great one!