Transfer 8: Week 1: Cover Zone-Beehive House

Ne Ho!

I just got my new companion, Sister Au-Yeung from Hong Kong... she has not been on the mission for very long, at this point I'd say she's been on Temple Square for less than six hours. Yes, that means that I am training. (Which is why if you have been expecting a letter it may not be written just yet) Sister Sundaram is now in Frankfurt on her way to India and I am learning how to help my companion learn how to be a great missionary and herself at the same time. She studied Psychology at BYU-Hawaii and she's best friends with my MTC buddy sister Chau! We're going to have a blast AND we get to go to Asian market for p-day. (I'm a little excited to try food from Hong Kong.) She speaks Cantonese, Japanese, and a little Mandarin aside from her nearly flawless English so I am excited to have plenty of language tours and everything.

Sister Inoue left this morning, which made me a little sad that she is not going to stay, but we'll see each other later (maybe I'll be her roommate with Sister Doggett). This is a very interesting time for me. To be perfectly honest I don't know what to write, so I'll just tell a funny story that happened while I was on an exchange (working with a missionary that is not my regular teaching companion for a short period of time) with Sister Abeyta from California. Now we get the chance to greet the people who come in to Temple Square (help them get oriented, have sisters to give them tours, things like that) for a couple of hours. Since we are stuck in one spot for so long and cannot leave, we often have trouble with people who want to argue with us about what we believe since we cannot leave the spot for any reason. One man walked up to me and asked me a few questions about being a missionary and some how we ended up with the question that I actually get most out here on Temple Square after they find out what I was studying before my mission: 'Do you believe that there is life beyond earth?' (typically asked "Do you think there are aliens?") My companions typically know that sooner or later this question is going to come up... however Sister Abeyta did not know this and almost called security.

I was glad that she was so observant and trying to help me, but it was funny. Then one of the displays broke and I got to fix it, by opening a door whose key was stuck in a display and opened a door that was impossible to identify before the key was placed in... I felt like I was being a secret agent, so it was amazing. But I don't know if I could handle being her companion... everything around us broke or everyone had amazing questions. Mixed group of good things.

Best of luck to Everyone and this week I am studying about how to seek for answers from God "ask, and it shall be given you; knock, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (3 Nephi 14:7)

Love you all

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 7: Week 6: cover zone

Wow!

I'm almost done with this transfer. That is actually exciting. I've learned how to make some Indian food, I've taught a bunch of people, and I've realized that God really helps out a lot in the world, especially in Missionary work. My goal for the end of this transfer is to be like Pahoran (see Alma 61), however I need a lot more patience if I am going to make it... it may have to be one of those life-time goals that you might make when you're about 95 and attending the temple every morning at 5AM.

This week was fun and exciting (exploding octopus in the microwave, hyper sensitive CO detector, and a baptism!) We also met so many people from all over the world (India, China, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Germany, Austria, United Kingdom, and that was just the last two days) They are also doing some extensive renovation on one of the fun presentations on Temple Square called 'God's Plan for The Family'. It's supposed to open in the next two weeks and we're so excited to see what they've done to it to make it better. (I saw them hauling in big red rocks earlier, so it's going to be really exciting)

Yesterday we saw a lot of missionaries about to enter the MTC today, it was exciting to see them... some were excited, some were scared, and some were so jetlagged that they had their parents do most of the talking. But regardless it is fun to see so many missionaries excited for their calls, whether they be for the Baltic states or Boise Idaho. There is a certain glow about them, because knowing you're exactly where God wants you to be is a comforting feeling... leaving the mission and trying to figure things out is going to be a little more difficult than I'd like to admit.

That said, as much as I would love to meet all of you guys in person it would be great if you could all wait until after my mission to come and see me. The foreign companions that I've had get really homesick when friends come to see me, because it reminds them that they cannot see people from their home wards/ countries/ school for a long time. Sad day, right? But thanks so much for all of your love and support and letters (yay).

Transfer conference is Monday... which means that you'll all have to find out what's happening at my next p-day. (Whenever that may be)

Best of Luck!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 7: Week 5: Cover Zone

Hello everyone!

First bit of happy news... the Sister Missionary from Italy is coming next transfer! I'm excited to meet her and the many other sisters who are coming in two weeks. (there are supposed to be a whole lot of them from all over the US and the world) Also I learned how to make non bread and now it is delicious with hummus (yes sister dearest, I have changed a lot since I started my mission). Indian food is... interesting... not many ingredients and some of them are only there to add color to your food?! Meh, it's the best vegetarian that I've ever tasted.

We're getting a bunch of people here now as the weather warms up (and I'm pretty certain that as the weather warms up that the mood of the people goes up as well). We're still searching for that Indian family from Bangalore that Sister Sundaram wants to baptize before her mission is gone. I know that we'll find them.... it may be our last day together, but I know that God will definitely provide. Trusting in him is rather difficult sometimes, but in all honesty there is nothing in this world that we do on our own steam... If God isn't in it, then in the end it doesn't succeed, especially in missionary work. We can’t convince anyone... we can only inform and invite the Spirit to come and testify of what we are saying. You can say something in a language you've forgotten, or you can say something you didn't know in a language you've spoken all your life but God will provide. (His timing, however is definitely not what we would expect)

As for our investigators, one was baptized last week and one's being baptized next week! Yay for weird member present lessons over the phone... Her friend may be inactive, but her friend is one of the most supportive people in all the changes she's made in her life... and she's going to be an awesome member missionary as well. Life is pretty good, and missionary work makes it seem even better. I hope that our India people pick up tomorrow... they are such sweethearts.

Have a wonderful day!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 7:Week 4; Cover zone

Long days, short weeks.

That pretty much describes missionary service. Our mission had some really exciting news, we're probably going to have more than 6 million people coming to temple square this summer, so it'll be busier than ever. It also means that someone *cough* Sister Pielstick *cough* is going to have to get over her crowd anxiety. It had to happen sometime... I suppose I'll just pretend I'm at Disney World, only without the horrendous lines and instead of trying to avoid the people I am going to try and talk to all of them. But we're having trainings galore to help us accommodate the many people who come to Temple Square... Historical training is my favorite, mainly because it means that we learn how to use historical information better instead of sounding like robots we can apply the pioneer history to their lives. (sounds like something a certain mother of mine might have attempted to do with unruly children)

We're meeting a lot of 'fake' Indians, which make Sister Sundaram sad... her main goal in life is to get a Temple in India... and Indian people who moved to the US don't count because they can't help her get a temple there. But all of the computer scientists and engineers make me feel more at home. (I wonder why...) We've met a few 'real' Indians, one from Bangalore , where she happens to be from. But there was a very cute little girl who came to the square with a giant white stuffed kitty. She was 3 and the kitty was almost larger than she was, but she wouldn't let her parents take care of her kitty. Her parents were so sweet and we're going to be teaching them as soon as they get off their vacation. (in two weeks) I'm excited to talk to them again, it was just the most adorable Indian family I've ever met. (‘Fake’ Indians because they're really from the midwest)

Only two more P-days left and then I'll be in my 8th transfer... oi vey. Where has the time gone? Sister Farmer and Sister Nien made some funny candy sushi, only instead of putting rice crispy, they put coconut... I thought that dad would appreciate that change. it was certainly yummy.

Best regards to everyone.

Sister Pielstick