Transfer 8: Week 5: Extended Zone (ish) :Assignment Office Assistant

Confused?

Me too. The Assistants to the Mission President called Sister Au-Yeung and I to an emergency meeting Monday... turns out that because of the many people here on Temple Square we are going to need the new sisters sooner than expected. I thought that I was going to train two at once, because rarely does the mission president take away a trainee before the 6 weeks are up, but as it turns out he needed me as his office assistant so as of tomorrow I am going to be with Sister K Farmer and we are going to be working in the office to get things ready for the new sisters and for the new transfer... including sending all the foreign language referrals to the mission that needs them. It's going to be a very different type of missionary work than I am used to, but I still get to be in the Beehive House once a week... which makes life a little more balanced.

This mission is really changing around, but there is more exciting news: Sister Au-Yeung got her very first referral from a big group tour... apparently a big family came here and they all wanted to learn more... we were sad at first because we thought that they were from China and they wouldn't be able to learn more, but as luck would have it they are from new York so not only can they learn more... Sister Au-Yeung can teach them more about the gospel herself over the phone! We also got to help this adorable deaf couple find out where they could find their ancestors, it took a lot of paper, and a bit of luck, but we eventually were able to help them. Then there was this amazing member family with their non-member friend... one of the first members I've met who thought to teach his friend the gospel according to the order in preach my gospel instead of skipping straight to the temple. His friend didn't refer, but he is certainly waiting for his friend and his family to join the church so they can have a big party in Heaven together.

We also took this member family from Hong Kong around; they flew out to see if they could help their 9 year old understand how to recognize when God talked to him through the Holy Spirit. Imagine, taking your entire family of four to another country so that they could have that firm testimony... That is a very dedicated mom and dad. It got me wondering about how much I would give, how much I would sacrifice to help others feel the gospel and understand it for themselves. I should be more like that mother with my investigators... care for them so much that I would be willing to give anything to help them feel the message is true for themselves. One day it won't be people that I've never met before... one day it'll be my own family and I'll give anything for them to understand how important this is to me and how much help and guidance it could give them throughout their lives. Too many miracles for one day, especially since things were not going as well earlier this week... God certainly knows what He is doing. He pushes you to the limit of your experience and then rescues you when you cannot take it anymore.

While it is rather sad that I am going to leave Sister Au-Yeung, I'm looking forward to the growing and serving that I'll be able to do in my new assignment. (But to be perfectly honest, I now understand a little about the reluctance parents have to send their kids out to college. We may change tomorrow... but I am not entirely certain that I am going to be able to let her go with Sister Hirt when the time comes. Hopefully screaming will not be my response to the change) This also means that I get to write twice in one week! So I'll tell you about my new companion, as well as hopefully send the pictures from the Zone activity today as well as our companionship excursion to the museums and things around Salt Lake.

No matter where I go I just can't seem to have a normal life, be it mission or otherwise. Oh well, more growing and learning! Celebrate!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 8: Week 4: Cover zone-Beehive House

Hello!

How is it going? There is Sun here, so life is pretty good, albeit my fair skin is not a fan of long-term exposure to the sun... but I'm sure it will adjust after a couple of weeks (or I'll just be lobster red and match my hair for the rest of the summer) We've had an increase of guests on Temple Square, and there have been so many prepared people.... I love them all so much, there was the cutest old man around earlier today and he is from North Carolina and is a music teacher who is so excited to see everything tomorrow night. And there was another lady from Washington who was excited about the temple, and seeing the temple model, it was good.

There is also a new exciting addition to Temple Square, "God's Plan for His Family". It's a cute 20 minute movie where you can watch a family work and grow together. Hopefully they put it out on video eventually, but if not definitely go and see it. We've already had several people refer to learn more about how their family can be forever as well. One man was from New York and he had a sister who loved Woody, just like my sister, he and his friend were missing their friend's wedding because of their trip, but they were excited to understand why their friend chose to get married where they couldn't see. And there have been many more miracles as well. Oddly enough, as much as society tries to take apart the family people still recognize (whether they know why or not) that families are so important to grow and develop and be the best that we can be.

Imagine if you never saw your family again... that would be so sad. But for centuries people have thought that it is until death do you part... that's why Joseph Smith was so excited to hear that we could see our families again, because he had not only lost his brother Alvin when he was younger, but because he had lost many children along the way and wanted to be able to teach them and love them still. I am grateful for a family that I know that I'll see after this life and know them as my family. That is why God restored temples, so that we could authoritatively say "for time and all eternity"

Have a wonderful day!

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 8: Week 3: Cover Zone: Beehive House

Aloha!

This week has been crazy busy. There have been more people on the Square every single day. I wonder if it is exponential growth or if it will plateau eventually, but right now there are so many people and wonder of wonders we finally have some sunshine. This mission is crazy though, especially since my companion speaks not one, but three Asian languages. (who knew, right?) I knew that there were a lot of Chinese people on Temple Square... but I never realized how many until we actually were companions. Which means that we have had a lot of fun... and we get to help people learn more about the gospel all the time.... well I smile and bow at the appropriate moment, but she has a lot of fun talking to all the people.

We've met some interesting people as we've come along, and now I have the odd inclination to study graduate school anywhere but the United States. (I love my country still, but now I have this desire to not just travel the world but live in part of it.) We've met people who travel everywhere... for work, for school, for everything... and some of them want to learn more about Jesus Christ, which is amazing because really the reason that we have that wanderlust is because we are children of God and He loves us very much and wants us to learn and grow. If we don't learn and grow where we are at, we have that desire to travel and see everything that this wonderful world has to offer. Like one man from Australia said earlier this morning: I go to places like this to see what man can accomplish, and I go to nature to see what God can accomplish. And it amazing to meet all these different people from everywhere... their different personalities and different experiences are also a testimony of what God can create.

This is truly an amazing mission!

Have a great day

Sister Pielstick

Transfer 8: Week 2: Cover Zone-- Beehive house

Rabbit- Rabbit!

(funny family tradition for the first of the month, if they are the first words out of your mouth for the day then in theory you'll have a great month... they're the first words I remember saying audibly so in theory this should be a great month)

This week has been crazy. But most of it happened on Wednesday so I think I already mentioned everything to you already. Training is loads of fun. I learn so much from Sister Au-Yeung about being positive when things don't always go our way... and about how to talk to people you don't know very well.

I want to go to Hong Kong now, but I may have to stand in line... she invites everyone we talk to (who is nice) to come and visit her. But she says that there are AMAZING science museums for us to explore together... so I'll learn how to read Chinese and by the time I learn I should have enough money to actually support a trip to Hong Kong. (*It also makes me miss Sister Foot a lot, especially when she cooks and organizes*)

As far as I know everything is good, the sun finally decided to come out and then we had trainings inside for the whole day, unfortunate... but the trainings were amazing (atonement of Jesus Christ and listening) One of our investigators (a nice old man who loves his family and adores his cat) got to meet with the missionaries and is going to church next Sunday, so we're so excited to hear from him. Another investigator just set a baptismal date for this month(yay). And our friends from Switzerland just got home from their trip so we can teach them more about the church (one of them kiteboards).

Also the good weather makes me want to go outside and study in the mornings, unfortunately it is still not quite Hong Kong temperature outside yet... maybe in a week or so. If there was a grove of trees around I would love to go and read the first vision in the midst of a bunch of trees, but there is one tree next to a grave marker that is within walking distance... maybe I'll go there. "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

I am so glad that Joseph Smith had the courage to ask his question and get an answer from God. It makes me more apt to ask my own personal questions to Heavenly Father... because, let's be honest... the only way one can really learn more about anything is by asking questions and applying our discoveries to them.

Wish you the best!

Sister Pielstick