My Purpose

The sister on the left was escorted around Temple Square on her tour training week by Sister Peters and Sister Bascom. She is from France and assigned to the London visitors centre

Dear Family and Friends

These last few days I have been feeling really tired! (Thank goodness it is P-day and I can get a few more hours of sleep). I don't think I have ever been so driven and excited about being a missionary. We have some great people we are teaching, My personal favorites (I mean missionaries don't have favourites.) are Josh #1 and Josh #2. Hahhaha yep we are teaching 2 Joshs. They are both LA and they both come to the square to be taught. I shared a little about Josh #1 last week. This week was the best with him! He opened up to us about his challenges and how frustrating it is to have to wait to start his mission papers. We gave him a Preach My Gospel and told him that we are going to help him prepare for a mission. He texted us later and was just so grateful to have our love and support. Man he is going to be such a great missionary! I can't wait to go to his welcome home :) Josh #2 is a little bit older than Josh #1 and just got back from South Carolina.  He grew up a member, but has not always embraced his childhood faith. His fiance is hopefully coming to join him here soon and they are both making the goal of going to the temple. I just hope Sister Peters and I can help in our small way. Josh #2 use to come to TS all the time and meet with sisters hahaha he was so funny when he met us talking about how he needed to get 2 new sisters to help him out since the other 2 are long gone now.

Other exciting news? hmmmm I had my first district meeting since I got back and it went really well. I based it off of a lot of what Sister Peters and I have been talking about. The mission of late has really been focused on baptisms and as you can see from my 2 favorite people to teach I'm not wholly focused on that. Sister Peters was actually very.... hmmm against focuing so much on baptisms, but understood why we are doing that. So we have talked a lot about how we can accomplish our purpose. what our purpose is and feel successful. So that is what I taught in district meeting our purpose "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."

Sister Peters and Sister B went to see the Mo Tab perform this week.

I wanted to make sure we weren't loosing our focus on Christ here., Yes baptism is how we bring someone closer to Christ but do they know that? Do they know that Christ is at the center of everything we do? Not just as missionaries but as members of the church? Some people don't even think we are Christian. I think we need to fix something here.... So I will commit you as I commited my sisters "Will you keep Christ at the center of everything you do and say?" If you won't how can you say you are Christian? How can you be a part of his church and not have him at the center of your life? Its not possible. I only say this because I love you, I say this because I know that it is true. The ways of the world and the ways of Christ are very far from each other now, but where are we?

I would love for you all to read this talk that our zone leader (Sister Briggs) gave to us all
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2007/12/jesus-of-nazareth-savior-and-king?lang=eng

Its got some big words in it, but Elder Maxwell is truly inspired. My favorite line:
"This people is seen by the world as eccentric, because they are so Christocentric!"

Be weird to the world, be different  The world turns to us and says "You are not like us." and we turn to them and say "We know it, we don't want to be."

Sister B with Norwegian pro golfer Cecilie Lundgreen
She and two other pro golfers taught RS the lesson today.

You can read about Cei Cei's visit to Temple Square on this blog post. http://sisterbriggs.blogspot.ca/2014/05/its-spirit.html

I love you!
Sister Bascom 

FYI T2

If you have ever wondered about what makes the Temple Square Mission so unique a sister that served in this mission addresses some of the false facts and educates on what makes it an AMAZING mission to serve in.

http://justforthesisters.blogspot.ca/2013/06/the-truth-about-temple-square.html?m=1

Happy Memorial Day

These are MORE pictures taken on the farewell trip at Arlington cemetery.

Just guess what the mission president in DC North name is???

Pres. Cooke is retired army reserves and 

enjoys sharing his passion with the missionaries.

This is the group going home or leaving the mission in May.

Rocking the Square

Dear Family and Friends,

Things have been really good this week. Sister Peters and I are working get use to each other and become one. Its been hard adjusting back to the square. Sharing all those facts and sharing the gospel principles. Decerning who is ready for the gospel and who isn't. Presenting them what they need and not necessarily what they want. 

Sister Peters is really good at that. She is really observant and can just tell where those people are. Yesterday she spotted a man siting by the handcart monument. We started talking to him about the mission he had just gotten back from and turns out he served in Sister Peters ward. Not just in her ward but he even taught in her house! Ya so miracle there. We have asked him if he would like to help us in teaching people that we have lessons with. He said he would love that. 

Another miracle: She spotted another man siting at the temple model and she just sat down and asked him what brought him. His friend is serving a mission in Germany. He told him to come here (Already good when a missionary friend tells you to go somewhere and he did. )  He wants to serve a mission too, but isn't making the greatest choices in his life right now. We shared a lot with him and at the end he asked when he could see us again. I almost started crying when he asked us that). He as such a desire to serve a mission. Why? Because he sees his RM friends and what they were like before and what they are now. He hears the experiences from his friends on missions and he wants to do things like that. But he doesn't really have a testimony of the temple, The Book of mormon or anything  but he sees missionaries and he wants what they have. Well we will start with that :D 

Oh Sister Tuft (Hope) and Elder Alca (Andre) found me on the square and both said they would love to be a member present (As explained above. Is a member of our faith that helps to present basic lessons on what we believe. Hope has been helping me teach K a professor in FL that is really interested in the church :) We have him on date as well as Theresa for before the end of the transfer. We have been getting so many member presents, well really focusing on having one for each of our investigators Before  I went out bound I had maybe 2 member presents in a lesson. Well I have had that again in my first week back and another 2 this week :) We really want to fulfill our purpose as missionaries and bring people closer to Christ through baptism. Sister Peters and I have really been talking about and how to invite people to be baptized  without disrespecting this sacred ordnance.....

Elder Clark of the 70 came again this week and he brought the same fire as last time. He focused on the Book of Mormon this time and how we need to be asking everyone "What page of the Book of Mormon are you on?" The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on the Earth. We need to be reading it daily and feasting upon its words. I have started it again and I invite all of you if you aren't already reading it start tonight. And if you are presently reading it I want to know and Elder Clark wants to know what page you are on?

Hope you all have had just as great as week as mine. I want you to know that it was great because I went down a lot, but came right back up the next day. It was so good! The Lord really does break us down and build us up to be better.

Remember you are Braver than you Believe, Stronger than you Seem and Smarter than you Think.
Sister Bascom  

Throw BACK Thursday

Dear Friends and Family

Awe lucky you, you get to hear from me twice in one week :P

Wow, it is so good to be BACK. The square is beautiful, the sisters are all beautiful and its all just so beautiful! I just love being here again. Its like outbound was a dream and I have woken up and back at Temple Square.

 My companion is Sister Peters from Arizona. Its been crazy because Sister Peters and Sister Siegle flight got cancelled for repairs so they just here an hour or so ago. (They both came back from outbounds in FL.) I have been with Sister Dutra, Sister Seigle's companion. Sister Dutra is amazing, we took some mandarin tours with Sister Ma and it was awesome! She such a good testifier! I have also been able to take two calls and both referred themselves! I'm excited to call my old investigators and really jump into teaching. Sister Peters is really excited and high energy, I'm going to have to keep up :P  Sister Peters and I are going to have so much fun there!  

I have been called as district leader again in the West Gate zone the same one as before. I look forward to getting to know my district better. My zone is awesome! Sister Seigle is in my zone. Sister Opeda and Briggs are my zone leaders :D The APs are Sister Ordones and Sister Garcia. It's feels a little weird because its like  back in high school when you come back after summer break and now your the 12th grader and no one is older than you.

A Few things have changed here, President Pollson is trying to make this mission more like the others. We won't get as much special treatment. like going to Brighton girls camp! ahhhh I will miss that. Zone conferences aren't going to be a big thing either... no more going awesome places. Its all good, some of the changes are really good. Like the fact that we have 200 sisters to run the square this summer, that will be really nice. We have a lot more square time too. Some sisters also have studies in the evening (us) so we are on the square early but then go home at 8 to do companion study. I think I will like that.

This morning Sister Dew came and talked to us for Relief Society about women and the priesthood. She gave a lot of insight and her perspective about a lot of things. It really helped me as I know a few people who do support ordain women and I want to know how I can talk to them about it without getting into an argument. The biggest thing that I took away is the simple truth is that this is Gods church. It is not run by men and God is smarter than us, he knows what is best. Satan isn't pulling fast ones over on our Father. We don't need to worry. :)

Sorry I don't have more to say today still a little scatter brained, but hopefully next week I'll be a little bit more grounded...

Love you all!
Remember you are Braver than you Believe, Stronger than you Seem and Smarter than you Think.
Sister Bascom  

It's Been a SLICE

Sistah Bee at the back golfing last pday with her district.

 Yesterday I got to talk to my wonderful family and I suddenly understand what everyone is saying.... They are crazy :P I look forward to being part of their crazy again :) 

Sister B and Sister E

Lately the following question has been on my mind al lot. When I look back on my mission what do I see? I see a lot of great things I have learned  so far and  Wed morning I will be back on Temple Square! Crazy how time flies.  I have made some goals. The main one is focusing on the people there. Their needs and how I can help them during little time we have together. I want to make a difference in their lives and I want them to make an impression on mine. I need to imprint these peoples names on my heart. This requires loving others more than myself and being more concerned about them then myself. A friend mentioned in his email today how he and his companion shared the gospel with  others. They didn't teach anyone. They just shared, with their investigators, with members with less actives etc etc. I think this is a much better way to look at missionary work in all aspects.  We want to share the message of the restored gospel with our friends and loved ones, not teach them, not convince them, just share. What does sharing entail? Sharing is an act of love. It is giving something you cherish to someone else, you do it out of kindness and love for that person. So why are we sacred to do missionary work? What is so daunting about sharing something with a friend? Okay so maybe they don't accept it. Are you hurt and offended when someone doesn't want a ride somewhere  or a bite of your sandwich? No, but you wish they would take it. You start to feel like the Saviour when he too tried to share this same message and was saddened when people didn't want to partake of things that will bring them the most happiness in life. Yes you will be sad, but you will feel the love of the Savior because you are walking in his foot steps and you will know you are on the right path. I invite you all to continue to share he gospel with other, stand out and be different. We are the members of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints, gods kingdom on the earth, We are different. we act differently, we talk differently and we dress differently. This was talked about a lot in general conference and I want to add my voice to those of our latter day prophets and apostles. Stand and defend your faith! Invite others to stand with you and you will not be ashamed to stand before God at the last day because you have been standing your whole life with him.

How many sisters does it take to set up a bunk bed?

or is is set up yet??

I love you all and invite you to stand with me, I know we are children of God sent here to learn, not get caught up in the unimportant drama of the world, have that bigger perspective.

Remember you are Braver than you Believe, Stronger than you Seem and Smarter than you Think!
Sister Bascom

Zone Activity last week.

Living The Dream

Momma Post: The moto for The DC North mission is Living the Dream and Sister Cooke puts together a media presentation for each Zone Meeting.  Our Sweet Sister Missionary can be spotted a few times in it. These glimpses of her missionary experience make my heart sing.

http://calledtoserveindcnorth.blogspot.ca

Momma's Day Media Presentation

Mom Post: One of my favourite missionary moms invited the missionaries to send photos to their moms for Mothers Day and she made a media presentation. Our cute missionary is in this presentation.

http://missionarymommas.org

April Showers Bring MAY Flowers

We just got back from zone activity. It was a lot of FUN! We played volleyball and soccer tennis and ate hamburgers and hotdogs :) It was TONS of fun! I even got an award. MVP Don't ask me how. I'm really tired and ready for a nap. Gratefully we don't have a lot to do today other than cleaning a little at home and maybe I will finally write some letters.

I'm ready to go back to Temple Square. I'm ready to be back with my sisters and hit the square hard :D I'm sad though because the work is finally getting going. We are staying really busy :) I leave early in the morning next Wednesday. Other then that I just keep working my hardest and finding lots of people to work with.

We went and visited a wonderful family the other day that hasn't been attending church regularly! I have completely fallen in love with them all and want to be there all day helping them. The mom hurt her knee and can't do much very much right now. She has three children a 14 year old daughter who has been assisting a lot by taking care of her younger siblings.  Her 7 year old sister and her 6 year old brother. They are just so sweet and cute, they remind me of my siblings. I just want to take the 14 year old in my arms and hold her and tell her is will all be okay in the end. I can see she is really stressed. Going to see them again tomorrow.

Sorry I didn't say much last week, I was just so tried and stressed from the Arlington departure trip... 

Love you all!

Remember you are Braver than you Believe and Stronger than you Seem and Smarter than you Think :) 

Sister Bascom