Transfer 4: Week 4: S2

Happy New Year!

It is week 4 already and I feel like we started yesterday... missions go by pretty fast. I enjoyed talking to the family and having fun with my friends on my birthday. (Sister Bruno took me out to eat real Brazilian food, which was pretty good, I might add ... I'm learning how to make cheese bread today) Since Sister Bruno is a District leader I've had lots of opportunities to work with other missionaries on Temple Square The Sister I end up with the most is Sister Rosenberg from Finland. We have too much fun; sometimes we have so much we joke around and call it the Apostasy... We talk to loads of Floridians who have Finnish ancestors though, which is interesting because there can't be too many of them there. They all come up to ski in Utah every year though, apparently. They are fun and we work well together, so it's even more fun.

For some reason they also had me go on exchanges (mission lingo for switching companions without making Mission president angry) with the first transfers (other missions call them greenies, but our mission never picked that phraseology up for some reason). I was with Sister Harris for two hours while her trainer got some amazing training. There are two things you have to know about Sister Harris though 1. that she is a convert whose parents aren't the happiest that she's on a mission right now and 2. that we're both in the same major at BYU and didn't realize it until that day, we've had the same classes together and everything (Whoops!). If anyone needed further proof that Microbiologists in general are absent minded they got it. We met a lot of fun people from Utah and got two members to let us call their best friends. I also got to chat with my organ buddy from summer who is moving out to Pennsylvania today and discovered that we are both Isaiah fans. We shared scriptures and now I have a fun new one for me to share with members (Isaiah 9:2 or 2 Nephi 19:2 for anyone interested).

I am excited for the New Year, it always feels so fresh to start new with January, and the nice white snow is definitely helping with that imagery. Hopefully everyone finds great new year’s goals to help them progress into the people they want to become. I am excited to write mine down and look and see how much I'll have accomplished by the end of the year. (and the end of my mission, yikes!)

Thanks for all of the Christmas and birthday gifts... I feel like I'll only have to go shopping for food when I run out of vegetables and fruit now. (or when I want to learn how to make crazy Pakistani or Brazilian food yum!)

Sister Pielstick from Temple Square

Merry Christmas from Temple Square

Feliz Natal!

(Merry Christmas in Portuguese)

This is certainly the most wonderful time of the year. The lights are brilliant, the people happy (for the most part), and there should be snow by the end of tonight. I am excited to see what is going on for Christmas here on Temple Square... Sister Inoue is pretty excited about everything that is planned, and Thanksgiving was fun, too.

There are also a lot of miracles because there are some amazing member missionaries out there this Holiday season. For every three or four who just walk past us saying "oh, we're members" we get some real gems. One little boy, who was about three in a green dinosaur t-shirt, had a fun talk with me about being a missionary and giving books of Mormon to people all over the world. He told his daddy to give one to a neighbor, it was really sweet. A pretty good missionary at three, I want to see how much better he will be at 19. Sister Bruno and I also got to take a fun group of 11 year olds through Temple Square. They were all so different, but they all loved stories so I told them how important it is to read the scripture stories... in front of the Nativity here on Temple Square with the wise men.

Think about how much studying and pondering it took for those wise men to find out where Jesus Christ was to be born. Then they had to take up their belongings for a long journey on only the promise of the scriptures. They were probably looked down upon by their peers, they probably had to spend night upon night looking up at the stars for the new star to appear, but it was worth it because in the end they found the Savior. How much effort are we willing to put in to find the Savior in our own lives? Are we willing to study every day? Are we willing to give up prestige or power to seek him out?

I was talking with President Holmes the other day and he gave me some scriptures to read, I thought you'd like to have them as well.

Luke 2

1 Nephi 11

Helaman 14

3 Nephi 1

I am focusing this Christmas on how much I am willing to do to find the Savior and follow his guidance. I hope that this Christmas you can think about how you are actively seeking out the Savior. (It really is the most wonderful time of the year)

Best Regards!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 4: Week 2; South 2

Hello everyone!

I hope this Christmas season is fun for everyone; every night here it gets crazier and crazier... too many people and not enough time to talk to everyone. Sister Bruno seems to attract every RM from Brazil that exists on the Square. Portuguese is a very odd language to listen to, it sounds like a hybrid mix of Spanish and Italian. It's harder to follow than Japanese. There haven't been too many memorable people that I've talked to so far in this transfer, so it's rather difficult for me to think of any fun experiences this time around. There was one man who thought my companion was attractive and tried to ask her out at Wal-Mart, but other than that we've been trying to figure out what it is we're supposed to be doing now that we are teaching.

We're starting to teach people now, which is an exciting adventure. My first teaching appointment I accidentally called someone's grandchildren 'evil' instead of 'even'. At least she thought it was funny. We teach until the person meets with the missionaries, and then I have no idea what happens next. After that... I have no idea: we've never gotten that far. We have a fun world map where you can see who has been contacted by missionaries and are being taught by the missionaries. (even some baptisms and the whole mission's been doing this or a week now) It's fascinating to see how everything works out here on the mission now that so much has changed. I'm thankful we have some top notch leaders this transfer who can sort everything out; there is a lot of scheduling to be done here in the mission. In case anyone was wondering (I know I sure was) South 2 means where our teaching phones are located, so now I spend half my day in the basement of the South Visitor Center teaching people all over the North American Continent. (we could teach anywhere in the world, but everyone we're teaching thus far are from the US and Canada)

Temple Square has snow again, so the lights look like a winter wonderland. President Holmes, Sister Doggett, and I were talking about the lights and realized that with over 700,000 lights it's almost how many families are in the church right now. Funny how there are so few lights on so few trees (they alternate putting the lights on the larger trees here, and the biggest trees are dark this year) but you don't notice because of how bright the lights on the other trees shine. The same is true of our families in the world. Who cares if there are not as many lights around your area, that doesn't mean that you put out your light to fit in with everyone else, it means that you try to let everyone else light theirs. It would be pretty amazing, no?

Hope that all is calm and bright!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 4: week 1: South 2 Zone

Hello!

I'm sure this letter took just about everyone by surprise. Thursday p-day is definitely different. At least Wal-Mart was pretty much empty and there were no lines at the checkout (a miracle in and of itself).

My new companion is Sister Bruno from Brazil, she's very crafty and loves to make everything look nice. She also enjoys testifying all about the Gospel. She'll stop anyone in the street and if she feels like it is awkward, she'll testify and bring the Spirit so that it's not so awkward anymore. Sister Doggett went off to be a zone leader, so now Sister Bruno's hoping that the same fate doesn't await her.

The entire mission has changed here, instead of 6 zones we have 8 and there are so many different ways to share the gospel now it is insane. We now are able to teach the people we meet on Temple Square and let them know more about Jesus Christ. We are able to teach until the missionaries come into contact with them, which sounds amazing... I just have to figure out a whole new set of missionary skills that I haven't used since the MTC. It makes for an interesting new way to look at people; you want to teach them just enough so they want to learn more... but don't feel overwhelmed with the new information. There are other aspects of the mission that I haven't figured out yet, but everything here is definitely changing.

I did have one last miracle to share that I had with Sister Doggett. Zone leaders have a lot of training that they need in order to become such. The last week we had together, Sister Doggett and I had hardly any success because we weren't on Temple Square much. However, the short time we were on the square gave us so many miracles, Heavenly Father does not joke around with blessings. If you serve him as best you can he will pour you out a blessing that you may not be able to receive it. Every time we were on Temple Square we found someone who was prepared, someone who either wanted to know more about the gospel or people who just walked up to us with friends they thought would love to learn more about Jesus Christ. We even met an amazing lady from Holland who was the sweetest, friendliest, nicest European that I had ever met during my time here. I hope that she loves the missionaries as much as they are going to love her.

I'm sure I'll have miracles with Sister Bruno, but as we have been together for just one day nothing yet... I'm still figuring out how to fill out paperwork and work the conference calls. Oh well, just as I thought I had figured everything out they change everything up on me.

Love you,

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 3: Extended Zone: Week 6

Life is good here, Sister Doggett just got her hair cut by a crazy Malasian and I found a new green jacket that just needs a button sewn back on to be pretty close to my favorite tweed jacket I left behind.

This week has been amazing, I forgot how much I love talking to BYU students until they all decided to come onto Temple Square yesterday night with their Wards. I never realized that time was moving on so fast, in my head it is still the week before Thanksgiving. Then of course I discovered the magic that is the Joseph Smith movie, I love the spirit that that movie brings to the people here on Temple Square. We were assigned to contact people who were going to it and it was amazing to have people stop and talk to you rather than you stopping and talking to them. It was amazing.

Take that fun evening and add to it the newfound proficiency I have found in the Beehive House and I've been doing great this week. Hopefully I won't get too distracted by the Transfer conference that is happening on MONDAY. Can you believe it? So many people are coming back and we're getting 27 sisters in from the MTC. There are going to be trainers out the wazoo. Then of course we are starting to teach the people we talk to here on Temple Square and on the phones... which is going to be an exciting experience.

I've not seen many people who I know, but interestingly enough every other Utahn I've met knows where I'm from which is pretty awesome, but odd when they start chatting about the shopping or the beach while forgetting that we're standing outside in FREEZING weather. oops, live and learn I guess. And now I am famous in the mission for Swing dancing because someone had a jazzified version of Go Tell It on the Mountain and I couldn't help myself with the dancing.

That's what a mission is for, right? Trying new things and helping others come closer to Jesus Christ?

Hope this season is wonderful!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 3: Week 5; Extended Zone

Merry Christmas!

The lights are on and Temple Square is so BUSY. Admittedly it is slow during the day (4 or 5 visitors if we are lucky) but as soon as the lights turn on it is busier than Conference! There are a million visitors expected from now until January. I hope that I can survive the winter here, but there is plenty of exciting news here at Temple Square.

Thanksgiving was nice (a dinner and karaoke with Disney songs and Toy Story 3) and then we had one day to prepare for the lights and the large number of people that come here. We visited with over 50 people in one night. Crazy, right? And there were plenty of people who were willing to share with us their stories of their conversions, their missions, and their families (little kids are cute that way).

I don't have a lot of time for writing today, it's our first P-day in the morning and the time seems to fly faster and the building where we do our e-mail closes early and opens late. But there is exciting news for next transfer... next transfer our mission is making the change to become a finding AND teaching mission. We will be able to find people on Temple Square or on the phones and teach them until they meet with the missionaries. This is crazy because we have just been finding people for the missionaries before this transfer, never keeping track of them so when we sent a referral we never know what happens next. This time we are allowed to teach them and find out if they get baptized as time goes on. I am so excited. It means that we need to work and learn two whole different sets of skills here on Temple Square, but it also means that more people are getting to know the gospel.

I hope that everyone is planning on having a wonderful Christmas season because I am looking forward to the Christmas devotional (we get to see it in person as a whole mission). I wish I had more time, but I have to go and sing in the temple square choir.

Love,

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 3:Week 4; Extended Zone

This week has been crazy... P-day snuck up on me yet again.

Life here at Temple Square is pretty crazy; the grounds crews are working hard to get the lights up in time for next Friday when they turn them all on. There haven't been that many people around, but there have been some fun miracles. There are families that are great member missionaries (they help the missionaries in their area any way they can & people who have friends or family members for us to call) Calling people is probably my favorite part of missionary work right now... I have been able to talk to college football players, mothers, and devoted employees and have a lot of fun getting to know them. I just wish that I could get to know people a little bit better because it's hard at times to get to know someone so well and then just not call them back.

This week has been pretty amazing -as weeks go. Started off with a devoted member missionary who I met while at an art exhibit of Altar paintings at BYU, followed by missionary training in a Historic mansion in Downtown Salt Lake, topped off with a testimony meeting in the Conference Center, and completed with a trip backstage to see the choir loft. Our mission is pretty unique, opportunities to meet people from around the world as well as chances to meet Apostles randomly as you go to your various assignments.

Not much else to say, as you can tell I've been working this week on being brief and clear. Apparently people are more likely to listen when you don't say much, so I'm trying to talk less and listen more. So far it's led to amazing stories from guests about things from meeting their spouse in South Africa, to escaping the Soviet Union (and a very long conversation with a 9 year old about how to avoid being bitten by a rattle snake) It's funny how many different things can be tied into the gospel. It's pretty amazing to see.

Hope all is well with everyone, as there haven't been as many people visiting from Florida (or BYU, or much of anywhere I've been) from whom I can glean my information.

Regardless, the temple's still here, the gospel's still true and Jesus is still the Christ, so life can't be all that bad. (even if there are snow storms involved.)

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 3: Week 3; Extended Zone

Hello!

There have been a lot of fun things happening around here (Although I am sad that we have had the last of our binary days for this year ... next year are the last possible binary days for this century so look out for them). The Christmas decorations are up and I am looking forward to Thanksgiving where there are going to be tons of people around here for the lights.

When it is cold outside I am grateful to be assigned at the BeeHive house. We are getting a lot of people from the chemical engineering conference and I am thoroughly enjoying myself out here right now... imagine me connecting chemistry to the gospel and learning about proteins used in the study of Alzheimer’s disease... I was just in heaven right then and there. Benam from Persia was really a delight to answer questions, even though we couldn't invite him to learn more about the gospel. He was fascinated by the temple and about our devotion to God... he just didn't think that he would have time to get to know God and study any science.

The members who visit the Beehive house are pretty amazing. I may still feel a little worried around little kids, but I am completely at home with the youth groups that come through. Brigham's conversion story really brings in the spirit; there was one group of girls who were in a show choir (like Glee, one of them said) and they came through and they felt the spirit so strongly when we explained to them about his conversion: how one person's simple testimony converted a man who eventually became a prophet of God. Imagine their surprise when we also answered the one question they had at the beginning of the tour by showing them the room where that the scripture was revealed. It was an amazing experience. I am grateful for their leaders taking the time to make a spiritual experience instead of all of the scavenger hunts that we're seeing as of late. The hunts are fun, but the fun spiritual experiences are what they are going to remember for a lifetime.

So much fun though, remember who you are and what it means to be a missionary. (because everyone really is one)

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 3: Zone Extended: Week 2

Hello!

This week has been crazy, it definitely doesn't seem like it has been a week. Wow! The Beehive House is becoming more powerful as I've finally mastered the history to the point where I am comfortable changing up the facts I share every time I go through the house. History and pioneer stories have a mind of their own sometimes (and hyperactive Utah fans are hilarious BTW). Sometimes I mess things up, but Sister Doggett seems to have an infinite well of patience coming from somewhere. (I haven't found the source, but hopefully she'll teach me how to get that source because I am certainly still as impatient as ever)

We've had a lot of fun member missionaries who came and visited the house. Even though people who live in Utah don't have a lot of friends to invite to meet with the missionaries, they still try their hardest to find ways to serve others. There are also a lot of people here seeking to find out their heritage, which is interesting because President Holmes added the family search center to our mission. This is exciting, also, because our boundaries are small as it is and we definitely appreciate the increase to the area we have to take the guests. It's exciting to see how we'll be able to let people realize that genealogical research builds perfectly to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It makes me a little excited because now I am learning more about how immigrants came into the USA. There are some amazing stories.

Service is the best thing, especially if that service means taking down a haunted village, which we did on Wednesday. With most missions you have to do a certain number of hours of service per week, at Temple Square there are too many of us so we're lucky if we get to do service once every six weeks. We got to take down the haunted pirate ship, it was awesome. Then surprise, surprise we started putting out the Christmas decorations. Which is crazy to me, but for big places things like Christmas decorations are planned as early as May. Eeek! Now that's scary.

We're having fun, and still searching for a pair of attractive AND warm boots for winter because the first lasting snow is expected next week. As much as I'd like to imagine that the warmth of the Holy Ghost can keep me from frostbite here on Temple Square, other sisters have told me that I will, in fact, need to wear boots and gloves to stay warm when the Christmas lights turn on. So much for a Floridian's hope for the warm weather to continue.

Hope this letter finds everyone in good spirits,

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 3; Week 1; Extended Zone

Happy Halloween family! (and friends too!)

Life is pretty slow here on the square (and temperatures are significantly cooler now) but I have good news I am indoors most of next transfer in the Beehive House. I am a little excited because I'll be there for the holiday season, but not when things get really hectic, so that is good. The Beehive House is the historic home of Brigham Young and it is currently under construction: the historians are having a hey-day with the pictures and other paraphernalia in the house and it's a little more interesting to do a tour because you never know when you'll run into a historian or a new item in a room that you've never seen before. It also means that we get to see President Holmes more often as he supervises the work and tries to get things moving along. (Which is nice because he sometimes brings us Lion House rolls and honey butter for our breaks)

My new Companion is Sister Doggett from Orem Utah/Boston, she's a neuroscience graduate who has done studies in Oxford England! Amazing, no? We have fun bridging to the Gospel in the Beehive House, which can be hard to intermingle the history with the basic beliefs. She just got back from her outbound assignment to Ventura, California which was a fun place, apparently. (Obviously I've never been there) She also drives so we're planning a lot of fun activities for P-day including seeing a haunted house put on by a pioneer park today. I'm a little excited. President Holmes was pretty excited about us being companions, which was reassuring when she came in late from the airport so I was companions with 7 people the day of transfers (including some good friends so I was happy). As fun as being with different companionships was, there is nothing like having your real companion and no worries about what she looks like or who she is.

Not many miracles this week, but I got to see Park City, the farthest assignment any sister missionary can have while at Temple Square. It is an amazing place where you can help people come closer to their ancestors and to Christ. It's such a nice place to go and see... I didn't want to be assigned there ever during my mission, but after seeing it (and the town reminds me of St Augustine with snow) I realized that even in a Family History Center, it would be fun.

I am looking forward to learning new things and improving everything this next six weeks. (and to the turning on of the Christmas lights!) Hope all is well with the family and friends.

Love,
Sister Pielstick

Transfer 2: Week 6; Cover Zone

Jumala rakastaa sinua! (Fininish)

Eek! I think that the scariest thing about this Halloween is that I'll be in my third transfer. It feels like yesterday I was at the MTC and about midmorning-ish I was with Sister Inoue... life moves fast around here. I can't imagine what it'll be like when it's Christmas. One of the sisters here told me that they trained in their third transfer; I hope I don't because I hardly know anything. Imagine two of us meandering around the square and trying to figure everything out, just me with a seasoned expert makes me feel like I am swimming in deep waters. Hopefully I'll manage to be afloat before the lights come on on Temple Square.

Things are definitely chillier here. But I am enjoying myself thoroughly, I've been able to explore a lot more of Temple Square because of the lack of guests so it's been rather fun. Also I've met some awesome members who come here regularly (or are here for weddings) who are so amazing at member missionary work. I want to be like them when I get home... to have friends who want to learn more about why we have so much hope. I've been talking to a bunch of people over the phone and it's fun to teach someone who is having a hard time that God loves them and still cares for them no matter what has happened to them or where they are at.

We've also had some people who leave their dogs tied up next to the visitor centers and Sister Newman loves going over and petting them. We had some dog miracles where we got to meet awesome families and people who were also congregating around the dog. We took them to see the Family presentation that the North Visitor center has, it was wonderful because we thought it was a normal family home evening activity and it turns out that they were showing dad around after he decided that after over 10 years of marriage he wanted to meet with the missionaries. He had been searching about it and seeing the blessings it had given his family and decided that he really did want his family to live together forever.

I'm also having fun with Sister Farmer and her companion Sister Mosio, they are a fun group who love to explore with Sister Newman and I. We're going to make sushi tonight for P-day. I hope that we are in the same zone next transfer so we can hang out again. It's going to be a blast as soon as it gets cold. It hasn't snowed yet, which is CRAZY! It's a blessing. And the leaves here are finally turning; I was beginning to think that they'd stay green FOREVER.

Live is good, the gospel is true... and I think that the book of Matthew was written for missionaries.

Love ya.
Sister Pielstick

Transfer 2: Week 5; Cover Zone

Hola!

This week has been an interesting one, to say the least. There have been fewer people around here, so it's been a bit of trouble finding people to talk to. However, there are more gardeners here putting in the tulips and the Christmas lights in time for Thanksgiving. It's hard to believe how many people work behind the scenes here at Temple Square to make everything gorgeous for the holidays (Easter and Christmas, not necessarily in that order though). There have been a lot of youth groups that come here for their young men and young women's activities. Imagine how amazing that would be, to live close enough that you could actually plan an activity to Temple Square. Some of the Youth just take it for granted and text during the entire thing, but some of them are drinking in every second of it, even though some of them may have grown up here.

There are always fun people to meet here. This last week we had 18 hours at a desk assignment, which means that the area that you cover gets limited to a single area (the 'desk' being the center of it). It's hard to really get to know people there, but I had a lot of fun talking to the many guests who came and visited with their families. There was a 'Fall break' here in Utah so there were a lot of stellar members who were fun enough to share a few mission stories and missionary experiences. I love talking to the little kids too, they know who Jesus is. One little girl was waiting for her parents to get out of the temple with her grandmother so she was playing at the map of Jerusalem. Her Grandmother was trying to make her understand what Jesus did at Gethsemane, and finally gave up saying that a 3 year old couldn't understand. I later heard that three year old explain,”Jesus was hurt there for us" to one of her older siblings who hadn't been paying attention earlier. Little kids are a lot smarter than we sometimes give them credit for. They are sponges for information, if I've forgotten where I am in a tour I can just ask them and they set me straight immediately about what I have and have not told them. I think it's great for an absent minded person like myself, and it makes the kids think about what they've been hearing.

We also got to start all of the church movies in the North Visitor center, which I thought was nothing short of a miracle in some cases. We had one Catholic lady who went and saw the Testaments movie and came out so touched by it she went immediately to Deseret Book to buy a copy of the movie and the Book of Mormon. She started telling us how she is trying to be a defender of all Christian Faiths, because she thinks it's silly for Christian churches to fight among each other when we're already being torn up from the outside. It was a fun conversation and she says that she's going to prove anyone wrong who claims that Mormons aren't Christian. Sometimes I wonder if non-members who love the Church do more help when they are not of our faith than in our faith. Because we met an amazing man who leads the huge tour buses here and he made sure that his guests know that Mormons are not polygamists and that he teaches everyone the truth about what the Mormons believe. (His wife is a member, and he learned his truth from the missionaries and general conference, so pretty awesome sources I think) If he only believed that you could know that there is a God...

Oh yes, funny joke from one Jewish couple that came through the Beehive house. So we were taking a tour of the Beehive house on Saturday (which is typical) They were talkative, but not very interested in the history of the church (even more typical). We were in the kitchen and the husband says (out of nowhere) "Do you want to hear a joke?". His wife rolls her eyes and tries to keep him from saying it, so we got nervous (Beehive house is a wonderful place for not so nice jokes). Then he surprises us with this:

So a Cardinal goes to the Pope and says " I have good news and bad news"
The Pope says, "well I'll hear the good news first"
"Well the good news is that Jesus Christ came again"
So the Pope says: "That's WONDERFUL news. What could possibly be the bad news?"
" He's calling from Salt lake City"

While it would be nice for everyone to want to learn more about our church, at least some people make being rejected a whole lot of fun.

Love until next week.
Sister Pielstick

General Conference (Transfer 2 Week 4 Cover Zone)

Hello!

Sorry for no new nifty languages this week, I'll do better next time promise. This week has been a rather crazy one. From General Conference to Christmas (which starts here Thanksgiving), it seems like there is not enough time for everything to get done here. Oi!

There were some amazing miracles, and the members are so nice during conference. Usually they try to avoid us, but this time they were more than willing to talk to us. And we had some amazing people, couples who had just joined the church and were getting sealed this week, people who had been on 4 or 5 missions together as a couple, people who were just starting school or just finishing it. There were amazing families of people who were listening to conference while they were eating lunch on the lawn... I enjoyed it. They also were able to let us call their friends, which is a huge trust that they put in us. I hope that I can talk to their friends and do the best I can. If the members were that amazing, I can't imagine how amazing their friends are going to be...

We also get to see only one session of General conference, which was sad because apparently this one was especially good. I saw the Saturday afternoon session and I was only 10 rows away from the pulpit (albeit I was also only 10 seats from the wall) and I loved Elder Scott's talk about Faith building character. I hope that all the faith I have to use is helping me build some sort of character... otherwise I am just sitting here on my mission learning nothing more than a few new ways to say hello/ how are you.

We've also had a couple of amazing people, Charlie was my personal favorite though, he is a water quality guy for the government and his tour was really fast. (Sister Newman likes short tours, but he likes them even shorter: we saw the three historic buildings and the North visitor center before most people stop gawking at the Tabernacle roof) But we had fun talking to him about Joseph Smith, which was funny because he wasn't interested in anything before, then he asked if he and his wife could learn more from the missionaries about the Book of Mormon. He then walked to the Book of Mormon displays and saw the Christus in the time it took us to get upstairs.

There isn't too much more to report here, except that temple square is now officially in slow season... which means that there are fewer people and that I have time to push more buttons and see all of the media that temple square has... someone told me that there is over 12 hours of material on just one floor, so I may be able to listen to everything before it gets too slow. :)

Love you all,
Sister Pielstick

Transfer 2: Week 3; Cover Zone

Bienvienue a Temple Square!

Conference is coming, are you ready for it? I'm not so sure, over 100,000 people are coming just for tomorrow. Eek! It's going to be crazy, but it'll be good. This week has been interesting, especially since our friends with the signs are enjoying coming to Temple Square to scope out the best places for the big two days. A lot of sisters have encountered them and it makes me a little sad to see so many people so against people trying to come unto Christ. But I suppose that just means that they are fulfilling prophesy so I can't complain.

We've met some amazing people here though. This morning alone we got to meet two gentlemen from California one who has been a member for all his life, and one who is preparing to enter the temple himself in a couple of months. The convert had the most amazing testimony I've ever heard... He's such a good man and going to conference was his dream come true... and then he got to see what the Temple looks like inside. We've also met members from Guatemala and Tahiti. They had brought their families and were enjoying everything, just drinking in the spirit of the place. There are a lot of people from Ocala here, that surprised me. All of the guests (and many of the members) these last few days have been from Ocala. Interesting.

We also met a fun lady from Florida who was Jewish and was an interior designer. She loved taking photos and kept on trying to teach us how to take better photos by framing the subjects just right. We told her that we read the Book of Mormon to help us frame the shots of our lives, to give us perspective. She then wanted to learn more about this book of Mormon and how she could get one. Sadly she didn't want to meet with the missionaries, but she wanted to tell them about her experience on Temple Square the next time they knocked on her door... so that was a decent end. I always love it when we get people to want to read that copy of the Book of Mormon gaining dust on the Shelf. (or when members say they don't have anyone to refer because all their friends are already meeting with the missionaries.)

Wish me luck as I go on the next two days... we are going to be busy from 8AM-9PM, and we're going to the Saturday afternoon session of Conference so look for me in the front section :) Not much else to report, but I'm sure more will come later as time goes by.

Love you

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 2; Week 2; Cover Zone

New Zone, new companion... everything is different here. I am assigned to the Beehive House and I get to learn a bunch of new history facts. Which is nice/ hard at the same time. Now I know a lot more about Brigham Young... did you know that he had a hand in starting BYU and University of Utah ? I know that there was a reason the intense rivalry seemed odd... The tours are hard because they are supposed to be 20 min instead of 30 min and we have so much stuff we need to cover, including the restoration of the gospel and what items in the house are original to the time period. ( This hat, cane, and book of Mormon are original to Brigham young, however the painting of his family ....etc etc) The house is beautiful though, the clawed feet look is really cool...Sometimes I think that the chairs are going to walk away when my back is turned.

It's a little different to not have language tours anymore. I didn't realize how much I loved them until I didn't have them anymore. All the more reason to regain my French so I can give my own language tours. I have been able to study plenty these last few days because my companion has been sick. May I mention that being sick on a mission is hard/ weird? Especially for the person who is just sitting on the chair next to the couch watching her companion sleep through reading the Book of Mormon in French and reading the last conference Ensign.

I also am a little excited because Conference is coming and I realized that the sister missionary seats are in the front section for conference. My companion is already planning her outfits so she can get her picture in the Ensign, I am trying to figure out how to avoid having my picture taken for all the world to see. I am still getting over people wanting to take my picture because they associate me with their Temple Square vacation. I miss my organ music. I was giving a tour in the Tabernacle the other day and I wasn't mad at the organist for starting his practicing right as I was teaching about prophets in the Book of Mormon... mainly because it was Clay Christansen and I love listening to him play. My companion almost had to drag me out of the tabernacle. *sigh*

Hopefully my companion will be healthier next week so I have more exciting stories for next week. (and tripply hope that I do not get what she got... I am working hard to be healthy and drinking tons of orange juice)

Have fun.

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 2; Week 1; Cover Zone

Ni How !

I know it's been ages since you heard from me last. A whole three days. Transfers are CRAZY, everyone is going everywhere and no one knows exactly what is going on. One Zone (one I affectionately call the 'New North') was created yesterday because there are so many people on Temple Square still. Usually by now there are fewer people, but it's almost as busy as the middle of summer when I first came here. My assignment to cover is the Beehive House, which will be interesting because I do not have any historical information for the House and we're going to be assigned there for 9 hours tomorrow. I hope that my old companion Sister Inoue can give me that script before tomorrow afternoon, because I don't want to be a mute guide for the historical tours at the house. I'll take a picture of the house because I know that my family at least has never seen the inside of the Beehive house.

My new companion Sister Newman is pretty cool, she's a social butterfly and loves to explore new places. Dinner and Lunch are an hour long so sometimes we'll finish early and explore places that I haven't really been before (Like trying to find the new trees that have lights on them). She is also a fan of Motor coaches, we've only been together for 2.5 days and we've already given two. However, she also pretty amazing at them, we keep on getting referrals right and left. We talked to a wonderful Californian Engineer and he had moved to the states from India. He was so much fun to talk to, and his Computer Engineering friend who didn't say much, just pushed his friend around and nodded referred! Apparently something at Temple Square computed.

It's interesting to be with Sister Newman because I get to meet so many different sisters. She is very big on making sure that we evaluate after every tour, which is nice because then we are able to improve faster. Speeding up the improvement process is good for me because I still need to work on my social skills a little more. And I tend to accidentally wade into deep waters with teaching people ...AKA I'll answer all their questions so they just want to research things on their own instead of having other missionaries in their area who can help them come closer to Christ.

Love ya!
Sister Pielstick

Transfer 1; Week 6, North Zone

Mungu anakupenda! (Swahili)

From my friend, Sister Amuli from Kenya. There are a lot of people from everywhere on the Square. We've talked to people from Australia, and a sweet couple from British Columbia who wanted to know how one joined our church and why someone would change their lifestyle to join our church. We've met a bunch of really awesome members from Utah... too bad they don't have many chances to meet people outside the church. We need to befriend everyone, even if it is hard to see them on a regular basis. Sometimes it is just one nice thing built upon another that brings people closer to Christ. There was one lady who brought her exchange students here and she mentioned that people in Utah were so nice that if they found out that she missed having time to make chocolate cake she'd find one on her doorstep the next week.

Sometimes things are hard to do, like giving a tour to 30 people from the Netherlands. They are sweet people, but I do not speak Dutch, and they didn't speak much English... but they seemed to like the buildings. And one lady had a son who does the same thing that Dad does, but since we didn't speak much of each other's language we didn't get much more than that understood. But it was scary and fun at the same time. Temple Square is slowing down a bit so we get to go on the Square at 10 instead of 9, which means we get full uninterrupted study time! I am so excited to actually delve into more things that will help me teach more effectively because the shortened study time meant that I go to study the assignments for zone conference, mission conference, and district meeting and had no time for my own personal questions I needed to find answers for.

Yesterday was transfer conference, when we find out our new assignments. Transfer conference is the most unusual experience I have had on the mission. Imagine 200 girls sitting together and the mission president announcing the new companionships and the outbound sisters. There are 26 people going out! That is pretty insane, they're going all over the place: Georgia (Birmingham), Washington (Spokane), Virginia (Washington DC), Minnesota, Florida (Ft Lauderdale), and obviously many other places. No one to Alaska this time of year, thank heavens... it would be dark and freezing the entire time they were out serving. Then they announced the new leaders... which was sad for me because Sister Inoue is now a Zone leader, which means that I can't be her companion anymore. My new Zone is called Cover, which means that I can go anywhere on Temple Square... even maybe welfare square or the Humanitarian Center. My new companion is Sister Newman, who I don't know very well... but she is from the US and she tackle-hugged me yesterday, so she must be pretty nice. *this means P-day is now Friday--TWO P-days this week!!! SWEET!*

I also took my first tour of the Beehive house with one of the departing sisters, Sister Santana from Brazil. Sister Santana taught me so much about how to work with incorporating meaning to the tours, because it is impossible to properly teach about the history of the pioneers without explaining a little about the beliefs that they held close to their heart. I've been a bit of a fact machine, which is good, but doesn't make people remember their time here. Dates will fade, feelings will not. Everyone works here so different, each according to her own personality. Having different people makes life interesting here. And apparently Chocolate and gummy candies are the cure for when people are sad that they didn't get to go outbound, or that they've lost their friends as they go home to far away countries like Pakistan. I am sad that some of my friends are leaving...because I wanted so much to be companions with them. I guess I'll just settle for visiting them when I am done with the mission.

Love ya!
Sister Pielstick

Transfer 1; Week 5; North Zone

Alofa atuki'e otua! (Tongan)

This week has been busy and colder than usual. I've been begging sweaters from the sisters who are leaving this transfer because it gets cold in a skirt and a shirt. There were a lot of people that came to Temple square on Saturday and Sunday, but Monday there were not very many so we got to do service in the temple (aka deep cleaning some of the rooms). Mostly my companion and I did locker rooms and lots and lots of hallways, but we got to clean the glass in the waiting area too. That Temple is probably the most beautiful building I have ever been in. You can see the pioneer work everywhere.

There were a couple of fun miracles this week, and I love Singapore businessmen. We met one man who buys and sells pianos around the world and he was visiting with a member friend from Utah. His friend said that he wanted to be baptized (which oddly enough happens all the time) then we just laughed it off until the man asked us where he could be baptized right then and there. He said that he was tired of his church changing so he wanted to join one that wasn't changing. We obviously couldn't baptize him here (they removed the Font in the Tabernacle, and the reflection pool is too shallow to immerse anyone) so we told him that missionaries in Singapore could come and bring him a book of Mormon. He wouldn't give us his information until we assured him that the missionaries would be happy to baptize him and his family in Singapore. Apparently this doesn't happen every day because the Chinese sisters were so excited (as well as many others). I also like Romanian carpenters because we met one gentleman who asked us how he could get the Book of Mormon while we were letting him into the Tabernacle. He was such a fun man, apparently he got interested as he went around building Mormon churches around the States so that was pretty awesome.

Also I have at last purchased my own copy of PMG in French, so now I can learn some more. There are so many amazing people, I just wish that I could say good morning to all of them in their own language. I am learning how to hold my own in a conversation in Japanese... aka ask people where they are from and what their names are. I am not the best, but the other sisters from Japan understand me and the Guests just smile and nod (and some answer, but I can't follow that fast..eep!). I'll get it eventually. Next P-day I'll know where I am going to be for the next 6 weeks as well as who I am going to be with. I hope I get to stick with Sister Inoue, but new people would be funtastic as well.

Love ya!
Sister Pielstick

Transfer 1; Week 4; North Zone

Bog vas ljubi! (Slovenian)

Hello again and welcome to my letters. For those of you first joining us I will restate two things. 1) I am a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and 2) Temple Square is the most unusual mission in the entire world. First and foremost this week is that I wish that I spoke Hungarian. I have met so many people from Budapest this week that are so sweet and amazing that it makes me sad that there is a language barrier, at least we got them to understand that they could listen to the organ because music is the same language wherever you go, thank heavens. (I've also met many French speakers, but my miscommunication with them is my own fault so I can't be sad about that)

This week was a week of fun and interesting experiences. I love the curiosity of children (especially those who applaud after hearing the apostles speak on the kiosks, those who make stories about their stuffed animals and tell me about them, and those who sing about taco pie at the top of their lungs in the tabernacle). They make our jobs as missionaries so easy, because they recognize the good feeling there so much faster than their parents (one girl asked if she could have her birthday party at Temple Square) and they are inspired to press buttons that answer their parent's questions. It's pretty much amazing. I also love learning more about new religions... even if it means that I make mistakes when talking to them. I wish that I had learned more about religions all around the world and the US before I went, because it is good to know more about the world you live in. I am so glad that I went to the Vatican before I went here though, because people compare Temple Square to it often.

We also got to take a tour of the Beehive House, which is pretty amazing because there are so many old books there. There is almost an entire wall there full of books. If the Church ever wants to sell the book cases there I would gladly take them (and the books too, they have so many good ones) because I want to have lots of books (Imagine the library in Beauty and the Beast and that's pretty much how many books I'd like. But that building is full of so much history I don't know how it could all be fit into one small house.

This mission is definitely growing on me, although I will admit that it is nice to watch the quail chicks on Temple Square grow up and follow their mothers everywhere, and it does help that we get to see so many different people every day. I can't wait to see who I will meet the next day and where they are from. I am now keeping a list of all of the countries and states that I've met people from (and their names of course) so I don't forget them. (they get to take a picture to remember me by, I just have to write down their names and hope the face comes to mind when I read it.

Transfer 1: Week 3; North Zone

Bonjour!

That is 'good morning' in French, because my companion and I announced Sunday (you know the sisters with the language signs in the ensign, yup, that was us on Sunday) Admittedly I just stood in the background and watched, but it was still a lot of fun. I think that when I get back from my mission that I want to learn either Chinese or Hindi because they sound so awesome. Chinese is such a brisk language, the pronounciation is so sharp that you feel like their tounge is cutting the roof of their mouth.

This week was rather interesting because we are going through fleet training, where they are teaching us about how to drive mission cars. I know that I went through all the trouble of getting my driving record, but after reading all of the rules and regulations I feel like maybe not driving would be a good idea. The movies for the training are very old, so sometimes it can be really funny. (OK not sometimes, all the time) But the cars are how we go shopping and to other places. Did I mention that I love going to the Asian market, the feel of the place just makes you want to stay there all "P"-day (Preparation day). And oriental food is pretty amazing.

This week also brought changes, so many sister missionaries are now wearing patterns. There are flowers, checks, plaids, lace, everything that you could think of. The sisters are loving the new missionary dress code. Although, my companion and I have decided that instead of going shopping for new clothes we are going to the Planetarium. (I am so terribly sad about this ;)

We also have been able to meet a lot of neat people- even some I already know :). Recently I have also been meeting plenty of Navy folks, when I mention Grandpa Pielstick they give me a little nod of respect. Apparently Navy pilots are a very respected branch in the Military, even some of the Army guys were impressed. They are so much fun to talk to, and they have a different perspective on life, but they love the organization of the church and how it doesn't change over time because of the way the organization is set up.

I've also met some French folks who chided me for not keeping up my language. I guess I'd better work on it, I'll practice with the sisters from Tahiti and France to improve my French. Hopefully it returns, I've taken to reading some scriptures in French to force me to practice my vocabulary.

A favorite this week was a little girl named Emma, her parents are descendants from Taiwan and America and I believe that she was the cutest, most well-behaved 4 month old that I've met on Temple Square. Aside from a slight preoccupation with consuming her child carrier, she enjoyed looking at everything. She loved the pamphlets that we gave her parents and giggled and smiled until we had to go. Her parents are only going to speak Chinese so that she can learn her heritage language. I wish I had a heritage language to teach my children. I guess it'll have to be 'science' or maybe 'mathematics' because I don't know any foreign languages fluently.

Hope you enjoy.

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 1:Week 2; North Zone

God Love you! (English if you couldn't tell)

This last week has been interesting, but I will start with an amazing story. We met this young adult at Temple Square, who was just looking so happy we had to ask him why. Apparently you just exude happiness when it's the first time you've returned to church in over ten years. He is amazing, you could just feel the change in his countenance... he was so happy that when we took him to see the Christus he just stood there speechless for a while, then said '"How could anyone come here and not feel anything?". When he saw the Welfare Square exhibit he wanted to find out how to become a humanitarian missionary or to just help others in his free time. He's been to devotionals and he can't wait until he gets to go to church again. All of this because a girl asked him to go to church with her. I wish that I could write a letter to her telling her how great everything has become, how much light is in his eyes because of her invitation. Anyone can change, I just hope that his parents believe him soon, they are really skeptical of his change of heart. It was pretty amazing, he said he's going to come back to temple square to show off his spiffy new church clothes.

I saw the Marshes yesterday. It was rather random, but we said hey (and accidently stole them from the sisters they were talking to, whoops). I keep on running into people from Florida or Cincinnati, it amuses me. Oh and I met a family from Milan, but they didn't speak English and I didn't speak Italian so we sort of mimed to each other to get their questions answered... I hope we get Italian, Czech, and Polish sisters next transfer so we can communicate with the people who come here. But all in all it's pretty cool, even if the temperature is pretty hot.

The organ recitals are my favorite part of the week. I got to meet Clay Christansen, Grandma Pielstick would have been jealous. He was so nice. I got to hear so many amazing pieces, I wish that I could name them all, but I am always sad when people leave early because the best pieces are always the last. Sunday's performance had Flight of the Valkyries, I felt like I was almost plastered to the wall for that one. So, the music is pretty much amazing.

I've passed off on tours so now I can give tours to the 40 or more sized tours. Yeah, sometimes I wish I hadn't but they need all the help they can get. Next week they've planned for me to give a huge tour, and I am more than a little nervous. Oh well, I have to do it sometime, and it's better to learn in the first transfer. Hopefully it will be a Japanese tour so I don't have to say much... all I can do is introduce myself and say where I'm from so far. But Sister Inoue is going to try and have me be able to give my testimony in Japanese before I finish being her companion. So maybe I'll learn a bit of a new language.

Love ya
Sister Pielstick

Out of the MTC and onto Temple Square :)

kami sama wa aishiteiruyo!

God Loves you in Japanese, Mainly because my new companion Sister Inoue is from Japan/ Hawaii. She is really nice and very diligent, appearance wise she looks almost exactly like Mulan. She loves talking to everyone, but especially the children because before she was on her mission she taught Nursery. She also studied at BYU before coming on her mission.

I am in the North Zone, which means that I am in the building with the Christus and the Jerusalem Map. We also have the Tabernacle and the Conference Center in my area... which is pretty big because some zones only have one or two rooms as their assignments.

I have met many different people so far, especially since I have only been here a week. I have met many people from Japan and Taiwan visiting as well as many people from the Netherlands, even a family from Israel. The German sisters have officially decided that Pielstick is indeed German and that we have been mispronouncing it for ages... they say it more like peel-stoich than Peel Stick, so that was pretty interesting. I have not passed off tour giving, but I have learned most of the historical information for my area (did you know that the Christus has a twin that was used in the World's Fair?) The information is all very interesting from the hand painted benches to the scale model of the temple, but the hardest part is trying to tie everything back to our basic beliefs, because it is our basic beliefs that brought the Pioneers to this place, and caused them to create these beautiful buildings.

I like showing people Temple Square on tours most of all because you get to know people on a better basis. Yesterday I got to talk to a family that asked if they could sing in the tabernacle to test out the acoustics and they bust out into a four part harmony of one of the old chorales you often hear in the Catholic Cathedrals... I thought that was amazing, even if they didn't want us to show them around temple square (Which was sad because I would have loved to get to know them better). Music seems to have followed me out here as well because I am in charge of closing and opening the Tabernacle for the musical performances... which means of course that I have to listen to them:)

There is one unfortunate thing about being on temple square and that is my body's fault. I was practicing to be able to give the acoustical demonstration in the tabernacle and the day I planned to pass it off I lost my voice, so I get to add my input via whispering right now... I hope that i regain my voice sometime soon. I am not happy that as soon as I started to feel comfortable talking to people that I lost the ability to do so properly. But hopefully I'll be able to make a difference regardless.

They also love to have language tours here, but I talked to some Parisian people today and realized how much I had really lost in my speaking vocabulary... hopefully I am able to regain my French so I can guide people around temple square in French.

Love you all,
Sister Pielstick

MTC Week 4

Dievs Tevi mil!
Latvian.

This week started out with a secret combination at the MTC. (GASP!) A secret combination to the MTC visitor center training room, that is. It's a classroom with a Flatscreen and a collection of every movie that every visitor center has, with instructions to watch them before we get to the field... the Elders in the room next door are so jealous (they tried to sneak in the other day, but we crowded them out... there are 33 visitor center sisters being trained) We also have all of the kiosks that the visitor centers have because they want us to press every button and watch every clip. I am a little afraid of the Book of Mormon one because the volume is a little off it starts off at a normal volume, but it gets loud really really fast so it feels like the computer is screaming at you by the end of a segment.... I guess they want us to remember what was told to us in the clips. I must admit that it is very nice to be 'forced' to push every button on the displays. I think that I can finally put my curiosity to good use.

The sisters are numerous and amazing, of the 33 of us 2 are going to Omaha Nebraska, 5 to the Mormon Batallion historic site, and 26 to Temple Square. What amuses me is how much these sisters have gone through as they came to accept their calls... only two were particularly pleased with their calls and one of them is from Australia. There are several foreign sisters who are glad to finally be leaving the MTC after 8 weeks of English training. Mongolia, Hong Kong, China, Norway, Switzerland, Finland... all over the place. We are so large that our class room instruction is in the same rooms that we had our LGM training in (Large group meeting rooms because we are the largest district in the MTC.) We also have to have two rooms to hold practice tours in. Did you know that if you went to the TRC on a Thursday or Monday night that you get to have tours from the visitor center sisters? It would be so cool, I am doing it as soon as I get back because we only had one person in our tour and it wasn't as much fun as it could have been.

We are also going to temple square tomorrow for proselyting... weird, especially since we've only had one tour and two full days of class, and I had to miss it for the temple square enhancement class where they give us more make up because it is REQUIRED to wear make up on temple square. It is also required to wear professional shoes so my favorite brown shoes have been retired to P-day attire :( My shirts and coats have some back from alterations (finally) so now I am ready to look sharp with tailored coats and shirts.

We also get an expanded library full of church history books and packets so we can learn about the early saints in the Salt Lake Valley. I am a little sad about the choice of books because I already know most of the information in them because a certain Grandfather of mine.

That's all I can think of to report, except to say that I am leaving the MTC WEDNESDAY!!!! I can't wait to go from one bubble to another. ;)

Sister Pielstick

MTC Week 3

Shun ai ni!

Chinese for God Loves you according to an elder going to Houston, Texas Mandarin speaking. Life at the MTC is business as usual. This week we learned about how to direct talkative investigators to asking questions that move the lesson forward. When we did our practice we found out that it is really hard to control a talkative investigator AND a talkative member.

I have met so many amazing people here at the MTC, but my personal favorites are the senior missionaries... they have lived so much and have so many amazing stories. I wish they weren't so wary of talking to the younger missionaries. They have so much to add. I met one gentleman while I was waiting for my companion who went Navajo speaking on his mission. I was so impressed. Some are going humanitarian to foreign countries, some are employment specialists and a lot are CES teachers... they are opening up South America to CES teachers now so one elder and sister I met are actually in charge of setting up the institute program in Peru as soon as their visas are in. WOW!

I can't wait to start sister missionary training for visitor centers next week. We have a secret coded room on the top floor of one of the bigger buildings. I've been looking forward to it ever since the Kirtland sisters went in for theirs, they get to watch ALL of the visitor center video clips before they leave so they can learn how to attach the videos to the gospel. They even have a replica of the Christus! We also get to train at temple square for a whole day, so next Saturday I'll be at temple square :) I can't wait to go and talk to so many people at there... and yes, there are office sisters. Hopefully I'll get a little time to talk to other people if I get called there (and I don't lose everyone's appointments because of my absentmindedness).

Another exciting piece of information is that the sisters are getting a new dress code this Sunday, fresh from the first presidency. I'll let you know about it next week, but we get to wear shorter skirts and we don't have to wear nylons which is awesome. They have some of these skirts for the missionaries to purchase at the store so I might grab one later today because it is very hot outside.

Life is good at the MTC, and I can't wait for the next devotional... everyone is just what I needed/wanted.

Sister Pielstick.

MTC week 2

Bouge Lubit Vos!

The phonetic Russian for God loves you. The Russian elders thought I looked Finnish for some reason, but I love the harshness of the language it's muffled and rugged at the same time... like a lichen covered rock. The Kirtland sisters are leaving Tuesday :( I am sad to be losing them. They were so much fun to talk to, they have to memorize all of the history of their place and they have a secret training room that is key coded and locked. I looked in the other day and saw a life size poster of the Christus and several kiosks for the sisters to see what are at the visitor centers. I can't wait to start my visitors center training. I also met some Chinese sisters going to my mission... they were so sweet and I can't wait to see them.

I still love kickboxing, but I didn't get to try the aerobics class because I was sick for two days with a cold that has been going around out district (aka people that we have classes with and go to church with on sunday) The Sunday devotional is pretty awesome... we got a violin concert from Elder Oaks youngest daughter. He waved to us as we passed and my companion yelled at him "we'll see you at Temple Square". He didn't answer though. I don't think he could hear through the car window.

I'm much better now... and I got your care package. I loved the socks, I am wearing them right now and they keep me from getting blisters on my feet, so that makes me happy. I met some Finnish sisters and they were really nice. I can't believe that I've been here for over a week, the boys in our district are leaving in ten days... so next monday at 3 AM. WOW. that is really early, especially since they don't have time to pack before hand. I hope they can get everything done (apparently elders have to have all of their suits and shirts dry cleaned before they leave for their mission.... make sure Dagan has money to do that when he goes tot he MTC) I am not to worried... we leave on a Saturday so we have p-day to pack.

Classes are pretty cool, but yesterday we had a substitute teacher Brother Warner and I learned so much. Did you know that you could teach a lesson only asking questions? I didn't think it was possible, but by the end of the class we had taught the plan of salvation with only questions. I've never thought so much in my entire life. My other teachers are very talented, but they can't control the 'wiggles' that my class seems to have. (After meals I tend to have the 'sleepies' rather than the wiggles, but oh well) Brother Warner just sort of looks at the Elders and they behave. It was a miracle.

I also enjoy the devotionals on Tuesdays. We got the mission president of the Oslo Norway mission (or the old one Halverston I think was his name). He was AMAZING. He taught us so much about how life on the mission works, how you need to love the people before you can teach them, and to not waste a minute of your time. I wish that I could have video taped it for you so you could hear it.

I wish you all the best,
Sister Pielstick