Transfer 7: Week 3: Cover Zone

May I begin with a confused huh?

Utah weather is the strangest in the world... yesterday alone we had, sun, wind, snow, hail, and everything in between. But there are still people all around and they are so much fun to talk to. Just yesterday we met the funniest group of men I've met from India and China, Pennsylvania and St Louis... they had so many good questions and they were hilarious to boot. Too bad they didn't want to learn more about the Church after their trip. Maybe next time, but they were awesome. There have been a few people like that, fun to talk to but not interested in learning more... there was also a beautiful German couple (and their adorable daughter who was almost 8 months and wanted to walk everywhere...but needed mommy's help the entire time) who had the same thing, had wonderful questions, but weren't interested in having them answered at home in their own language (the language barrier made for some hilarious moments on that group as well)... Agency is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it can be a bit frustrating. But it is fun to love those people anyways.

Sister Bruno has continued my pattern of being zone leaders or going home after being companions with me... She's basically awesome and she's the funniest leader ever. Despite her irritation at being a leader yet again, she is really doing well. I hope to go and visit her in Brazil after the mission. We've met a bunch of awesome Brazilian members, one man who wants his whole family to join so they can be sealed in the temple that is being built in their state and a lovely woman who is dating a man who lives here in Salt Lake. All I can say is a few words I picked up from Sister Bruno, but apparently it is enough to help them want to share the gospel with their friends.

Teaching wise, the Beehive House means that we have fewer hours to teach people, but there are still a few people that we are blessed to be able to teach. One woman is anxiously waiting for her missionaries to come and give her a copy of the Book of Mormon... she doesn’t have e-mail so we can send it to her that way, but she is a lovely lady who has a beautiful testimony of Christ's love for her and help during hard times. Despite all the hard work, please believe me I am still alive.

Have Fun!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 7: Week 2: Cover-Beehive House

Hello!

This week we worked hard and saw many miracles. With the summer coming in there is a definite increase of the people coming to Temple Square. I wish I knew so many languages, most recently Chinese, Russian, and Farsi. Oh well, eventually I'll learn at least one other language. We've met so many people from everywhere, but life is pretty interesting as a missionary. I've met so many people from other countries this transfer that I've stopped counting the nationalities. I love the Chinese people though; they are so prepared and so excited when they get to feel the spirit for the very first time. If they are scientists or engineers, then they are my absolute favorite to teach and talk to. There is something about the eastern spirituality that is so in tune with God's love for everyone. When they feel that love they always want to learn more.

I got to pick up Sister Bruno from the airport and I was so glad that I got to see her again. I missed that crazy Brazilian... too bad I never get to see her since the mission changes and my moving to the Beehive House. It'll be nice to get to know the sisters who work there (they are basically amazing), but the only people we get to see are the ones who come into the house... but it is still the Lord's work and everything is going alright. All of the investigators that Sister Farmer and I had are either meeting with the missionaries or going to be baptized soon, or stopped answering their phones (unfortunate)... but we've trusted them to God and are now finding more people to teach, many from India... and several from other countries around the world.

As for everything else, Easter is coming and we cannot wait for people to come and the flowers to completely bloom here.

Have fun.

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 7: Week 1: Cover

Hello!

Transfer conference has come and gone, and unfortunately I am no longer with the amazing Sister M Farmer... instead I am taking a trip deep into the jungles of India with Sister Sundaram. (Ok, admittedly, she's from one of the cities and we're in the Beehive house again so it's not as exciting as fighting off the tigers and wolves, but it's fun none the less) Sister Farmer is going to have loads of fun teaching people from China with Sister Nien (who was one of my best friends before she left for her outbound journey). I have returned to cover zone, which has stayed pretty much the same as always... except now we have teaching computer time, which we share with or regular calling time.

Everything is rather crazy with the new transfer and all, sisters returning and sisters leaving...(about half of the sister I came in with are serving out of the mission for a bit) but we have some neat new investigators and a baptism coming up soon! One of our investigators from Arizona (the one I mentioned that we were praying that the missionaries would realize he actually wasn't a member) is actually going to be baptized on the 30th! We are so excited, he's had a lot of trouble getting to where he's at, but the ward in his area is amazing and they are helping him come closer to Christ and making him feel like a part of a family when his own kicked him out. He's so happy, we're so happy and he's thinking about coming out here to visit us next general conference. (Which is basically awesome) Please be nice to the people who randomly barge into your ward activities or into institute (or the institution as our friend says)... they may just have been talking over the phones with one of the missionaries here on Temple Square and wanted to see what everything was all about.

As for everything else, life is pretty awesome. Missionary work is hard, but well worth the effort... it reminds me that God really does want His children to be safe and happy. It seems that at times he bends over backwards to make sure that things happen so that you can find them... even if it means that you get to spend more time in a very hot old house in the summer, or in a hot little side room with plenty of computers. Funny how something that would normally make you feel like the world is beating down on you, is actually a blessing in disguise.

And yes, I have gotten lost multiple times whilst in Utah, more recently in a P-day excursion to see East High where "High School Musical" was filmed... it's really annoying to be driving around a place when you can see it, and read the signs, but cannot actually get into the school itself. (Sister Ishijima from Japan was in her last few days and she wanted to take pictures in the Gymnasium... so of course I was going to take her. Who can say no to a Japanese sister whose family was barely not swept away? ) And FYI that school is HUGE! There are so many hallways that after we got inside we couldn't find the Gym we located before we entered the building. (But we got to see a wall with pictures of MC Escher so that was fun) After about 45 min of searching (and finding the cafeteria, auditorium, and the physics lab) we finally caved in and asked the janitor for some help in our search for the Gymnasium... and Sister Ishijima got to take her loverly picture for her family to enjoy. Lesson learned: if you don't know where something is, then just ask for directions instead of looking by yourself.

Love you loads, and best luck with the Summer coming up!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 6; Week 6; South 2

Allo!

Everything for conference went smoothly, which is frankly astounding considering the bizarre weather that we ran into this conference season... I think that we experienced all four seasons in one weekend; I was more than slightly amused... especially since some of our sisters are rather small and looked like they needed a strong anchor to keep them from blowing away in all the wind. All the sisters who announced in their respective languages really had a blast, even though some were at risk of flying away. If anyone was looking for me, I didn't see them because everyone that I met was surprised to see me on a mission... which I thought was funny because I've been here for a while now.

Our investigators are doing well, although because of conference weekend we've lost contact with all of them, although we are sincerely hoping to meet with our Missourian because he wants to make it to Temple Square to meet us sometime.... and we want to know what happened when he went to General Conference. (Albeit we also want to know if the bishop and the missionaries have figured out that he's not a member of the church yet, because he called the bishop to ask where he could go and see conference and what time institute was... so there may be some confusion there) We're excited to see how everything works out. Missionary work is the best.

Transfers are coming up soon, I'm personally hoping that I get to stay with Sister Farmer because we still haven't made it to the Welfare Square yet and we really want to know what happens with our two friends who we are teaching together... however it would be exciting to change considering in my head these last two transfers have just been one incredibly large transfer merged together. Sister Farmer jokes that I'll look back and think that I hated her because I felt like I was with her for FOREVER, however that is merely a misconception because I was with her for two transfers and didn't really realize it. We're both sad that Sister Terry is leaving, but we're also excited to see the new sisters who are coming in this next transfer, 13 from all different parts of the world. Maybe there will be someone from the Czeck Republic! We need one so that we can help the guests who speak no English and come here wanting to learn about the "nice here".

Hope this finds everyone well! (and despite all odds- I am still alive for yet another transfer of excitement and adventure... hopefully it won't involve figuring out how to cure migraines in 45 min or less)

Sister Pielstick