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| The future visitor center director's of the priesthood restoration site! |
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| We were matching! Unplanned too! This is Sister Carrus from Italy! |
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| Saying goodbye :( |
Where do I start? Monday was Sister Eging's last p-day and I was so sad to say goodbye to her. She has been an amazing companion and an amazing leader and missionary. She headed back to Virginia on Wednesday. On Tuesday was the departing Temple trip for all of the departing sisters which I attended along with Sister Eging. After we had pictures and then a fancy meal in the JSMB [Joseph Smith Memorial Building]. The departing sisters bore beautiful testimonies at the end and the spirit was so sweet. It was almost like we all were partaking of the sweet fruit from the vision of the tree of life. There is nothing like a mission, giving all of your heart, might, mind and strength to the Lord.
On Wednesday the craziness began. We welcomed the new sisters from the MTC at 8am (another story is describing what they go through to get here. They travel on foot with three pieces of luggage after they get off the Trax. And it was raining this time.). We had an orientation, then interviewed the 11 new sisters, and then president had some time alone to pray and assign them to trainers. There are so many details that go into all of this. We had a lot of office work and questions and concerns to attend to brought up by sisters. It is always an exciting day though!
On Thursday we had future Visitor Center Directors and wives come to Temple Square to get an experience of what it is like taking a tour and being a missionary with us. Sister Zafarana and I had the opportunity to take the couple who will be presiding over the Priesthood Restoration site in New York. They were so sweet. We had a wonderful tour with them, and it made it even more special sharing the First Vision with them since they will be going to the place where it happened. They actually gave us a referral of a man who tends to the Sacred Grove. He isn't a member but he's meet a lot of general authorities, including President Hinckley, and from what we understand he has a great understanding of the First Vision in relation to the Restoration. The second part of the training experience was to have this couple do missionary work with us. We had some missionary contacts on the square and then we went to the teaching center and took a chat. The young lady on the chat had som major concerns about knowing that God loved her. She was able to give her info to stay in touch with this couple. It was a wonderful experience for us and this couple.
On Friday we had an inspiring meeting with all of the first transfer sisters and their trainers. We got in some time in the teaching center and on the square as well as attending to office details.
Saturday we had a meeting with all of the second transfer sisters and their trainers, which was wonderful.
On Sunday I had a talk to give in sacrament meeting (each sister in the mission has an opportunity to give a talk during her time here) and I had no time to prepare except for an hour and a half on Saturday. I had received the topic two weeks previously, so I was able to think about it a little and jot down some notes, but that was it along with the time I had to prepare on Saturday. I felt more unprepared then I would have liked, but a principle I know to be true is that when you do your best the Lord makes up the rest. Yesterday when I walked in the chapel I was feeling a little nervous, but when I saw who was sitting on the stand my heart dropped to the floor. Elder Quentin L. Cook decided to attend our sacrament meeting that morning. I think we hold the earliest session of church in the valley (7:30am) so sometimes when he has a lot of meetings he comes to our meeting to get the sacrament. But this is rare. He has only been one other time, which I think was about a year ago. I went to sit on the stand with the three other sisters (I was 10 minutes early btw) and they had a look of fear in their eyes. Haha. I was the final speaker of the meeting but I was able to endure to the end. I shared the story of the currant bush as told by Elder Hugh B. Brown and related it to my own experience and testified how trials in our lives are to build us. Sister Risenmay told me she offered up prayers for me individually because she new I didn't have much time to prepare and I definitely felt them. It turned out pretty well I think.
At the end of my talk we had 15 minutes left (which NEVER HAPPENS. We always go over). There was enough time for Elder Cook to share a few thoughts. He shared how touched he was by the talks given and by the Spirit that was present. He shared a personal experience he had and then closed with his testimony of the Savior. It was so sacred and the spirit just filled the room. At the end of the meeting he shook my hand and patted my shoulder and made a comment about Elder Brown to him was a combination of President Uchtdorf and President Eyring. I was just in awe he was touching my shoulder. Haha. It was an amazing day!
Well, I hope you got a kick out of my experiences. I know that the Lord's Church has been restored to the earth and that it is the way back to God. He blesses in so many ways and is willing to bless us even more as we do everything He asks. I love the Savior and my life is forever changed and will continue to change because of Him.
Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Sister Butler
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| Goodbyes are so sad. :( SIster Exposito was in the MTC with me. |
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