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

Sister Pielstick and the MTC

Hola!

This seems to be the most common greeting at the MTC here. There are so many Hermanas in my hall. I love talking to them, they teach me the lessons and some cool phrases in their languages. Dieos los amos. God loves you. They like to practice the lessons in their language on you. So far I've had lessons in Spanish and Portuguese and a contact in German or Hungarian (couldn't tell which). I have them teach me a phrase or two in exchange for my personal study time. They seem to appreciate it. My companion Sister Nelson is very nice and from southern California. She loves to exercise so I'm either going to be very ripped or dying by the time I leave the MTC. The sisters get to have special exercising classes early in the morning, my favorite so far is the kickboxing class. It's so hard, but as close to dancing as we can get here at the MTC.

I love to sing here, I sing all the time: every time someone reminds me of a musical I end up singing it. I feel a little bad, but I am working on trying to attach these songs to church songs. I get to be in the MTC choir. I am so excited to be able to sing and work on Sundays. We open everything with a song.... even eating. I LOVE it.

My classes are all about teaching to the investigator. Tailoring the lessons to the people I am teaching, I love that emphasis. People don't want lectures on the gospel, they want conversations about themselves. We've not covered long lessons yet, but we've covered one minute lessons. Those will be really useful to my mission. I am also excited about learning about how to contact people, I want to be able to talk to everyone everywhere about the joy of the gospel. There are actors here who pretend to be real investigators instead of the typical TRC experience. We have tried our luck with several, but the hardest is the Eternal Investigator. I hope we can make headway with him before I leave, there are going to be so many people like him where I am going.

I just took off my beginner's 'Dork Dot' but I feel like I just got here yesterday. As it happens, I am only going to be here for four weeks. And I am leaving my mission December 18th 2011. It's going to be such a short mission. I am sad I don't get two Christmases at Temple Square, but it will be nice to see everyone again. There are 28 sisters who are going to temple square the same day I am (August 4th). We have other visitor center sisters in my zone (three districts of peeps) but they are going to Kirtland. I love meeting so many different people here.

Regardless of the bumps and inadequacies, I feel very much at home here. Everything seems to be going so fast here. I feel like time is falling through my fingers. I just want to have a time turner and have more time to be here and on my mission, but it'll be very fun all the time. I am grateful for my time here and I can't wait to see what will happen next ( good or bad).

I love all of you and wish you the best.

Sister Pielstick