1 Year Exactly...

Every week someone takes missionaries serving foreign missions around
on temple square. We got to do it this week and it was so fun. Four of
the sisters are actually serving in Tahiti so it was fun for them tomeet my companion!

Zone activity last week

Today marks exactly one year until I get sent home. Crazy to think so much time has gone by. I don't think I explained that you can extend another transfer on Temple Square (which makes it 13 transfers/about 19 months). What a whirlwind it has been! I feel like a different person from the person who entered the MTC seven months ago. I'm still me, but I feel different somehow...

I don't think I've ever explained where our main source of baptisms come from either. We get most of our baptisms from chat, the next highest source is Temple Square, and the third highest is member referrals. Our mission as a whole achieved about 920 baptisms for the year of 2016. If we meet someone on chat or on the square who wants to meet with missionaries, we refer them to their locals. We call them and follow up on how their progression is going and teach according to their needs. If they choose to be baptized, we count that as a baptism. In case someone was interested, there's a little glimpse on how things work.

I've been learning more about Sister Tekurio's culture and it's so interesting. She says that there are a lot of people with big families. Sometimes if someone has a big family and the wife gets pregnant, a neighbor will ask if they can have her next child since she clearly has plenty to spare. Sister Tekurio's aunt is from a family of 15 and she said that happened to her mother all the time. Sister Tekurio told another story about a woman who had 21 children (!!!), no twins BTW, and she had to give the five youngest up for adoption. She couldn't take care of them because she didn't have enough money and energy, and her husband was gone on long trips a lot. It was really devastating for her, but she was left with no other option. It's so interesting--and sad--to learn about what life is like in Tahiti. Sister Tekurio promised me that she will show me all the cool spots if I ever come to visit (I wish!).

This week has been pretty good. We took the most awkward tour with a Russian family who live in New York City. It was a husband, wife, and son. We think that the wife requested the tour but the husband wasn't interested. He would appear from time to time at different places. We started at the Temple model, he wasn't there. We went to the Assembly Hall and he joined us for a time. We finished in the Tabernacle and things got really crazy when they found a lost phone on the seats. We continued on with the tour, but they were so concerned that they were all consumed by the phone. Anyway, it was a funny experience and we realized how very little control we have on a tour if the people aren't willing to listen. Haha, we tried!

Sister Tekurio found a family of nine (through a referral) living in Democratic Republic of Congo. They are all interested in the Church and want to be baptized, but they don't have missionaries! Ahh. There are always obstacles, but the Lord will provide a way! I know it.

I think this is all for the week. I love you and miss you!

xoxoxo,

Since last week was president's day all of the libraries were closed
where we usually do emailing. So we emailed on our iPads in the
office/cubicle.

Sister Butler