Well another P-day to write to you all!
It seems strange to have two p-days in a row but also a great opportunity to relax :) I was excited to be able to hear more about how each of you are doing!
This week has been great! We have seen so many miracles. I think I told you about the fellow that we talked to on chat a little while ago from B.C, since we met him we've taught him twice, he met with the missionaries twice, went to church and will be meeting the missionaries again today! MIRACLES :)
We also talked to Monica from Florida, She is so sweet. Her boyfriend is a less active member and when he proposed to her she said that she didn't want to marry him until she was baptized. She is so prepared and everything we talk about she says just makes sense. She loves that there are modern day prophets and she was so grateful to hear that God was more then some miraculous being but that he really is a loving Heavenly Father, we had a great lesson with her and she said she would go to church on Sunday. I wish I could tell you about all the amazing people we are teaching in detail, we see so many miracles everyday.
On the Wednesday morning of transfers the sisters from outbound come back. We got to pick up Sister Jung from the airport! I love her so much :) It was so great to be able to see her again. It's sad to think that this is her last transfer and that in 6 weeks she will be gone back to Korea! I need to visit her one day. Or maybe I'll she will come visit me, she was outbound in Spokane, so close to B.C!
We contacted for a Korean motorcoach the other day! It was sooooooooooo FUN. I love the motorcoaches that come :)
I have new roommates this transfer Sisters Cao (China), Hee (Hawaii), Calderwood (Alaska), Chatterton (Austrialia) and of course my lovely companion Sister Creal from Indiana :). I love this mission the sisters are amazing!
Today we are going to go print off some pictures at rite-aid and then go to Harmons market and get some fruit and vegetables. We don't get money on our cards until next p-day so we aren't going to buy a lot of food but I NEED fruit! :)
I'm so happy that everyone is well, I will of course keep you all in my prayers still, I love you all so much.
Oh I forgot to tell you what I've been studying about! Lately I've been thinking about when we invite others to be baptized we are inviting them to take upon themselves the name of Christ but I didn't really understand what that means so I was studying it in Preach my Gospel. I just realized I don't have my notes with me. It was so good though, I love the gospel and that we are constantly learning. One thing I really do remember is that when we take upon ourselves the name of Christ we will be able to better recognize the Savior and that he will be able to recognize us and welcome us with open arms. There is so much more and I don't know why I can't remember everything I learned right now, maybe it's because I have a lot on my mind.
I'm looking forward to the new transfer. Like I said yesterday I'm really looking forward to serving the sisters and learning more from each of them. I always have so much to learn.
Well, we need to go now, I have to go drop off the transfer schedules for the sisters. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! Until next week, lots of hugs and kisses.
Love Sister Turner
P.S Did you know you can still send me dearelders? It's great when my friends from Canada send them to me because instead of taking like 10 days it takes like 2 days. I still LOVE letters and getting mail and hand written letters but I also wanted to let you know it's another way you can send me mail. I think you may have to have an account and pay like 40 cents per letter but it's cheaper than Canadian postage.
Dear my lovely beautiful family and friends,
Thank you so much from your letters and emails! Morgan James is beautiful! He looks so good and so healthy. I've been praying for all of you all week and on Sunday Sister Creal and I fasted for him. I felt so at peace and knew that all was well. I love how even though I'm not able to communicate with you I'm able to communicate with Heavenly Father and He helps me feel at peace. I'm so excited that Morgan gets to come home today!
Guess what, I have a new P-day so I'm going to email you again tomorrow. Let me know how everything goes today so I can read more about how everyone is tomorrow. And then respond and write you again tomorrow.
Because we had transfers I'll give you a brief update.
Companion: Sister Creal (so happy I get to continue training her, she is awesome and so full of love for everyone around her, I'm excited for the things I will continue to learn from her as we continue this next transfer together)
Zone: Cover (Which means I get to learn all about the beehive house, I'll be in there half of each day. It will be a lot to learn but I'm really looking forward to it)
District Leader: Me (which means I get to serve the sisters in our district by holding weekly meetings, meeting with each of them (3 companionship's) individually each week and helping in any way I can and encouraging them. Making sure that everyone in our district has their questions answered and stay happy and diligent. I'm sure there is more to it and I get to find out tomorrow. I know it will be a lot and a lot to learn but I love the sisters and I'm grateful to be able to serve them in this calling)
Assignment: Sacrament Meeting coordinator. The sisters in the mission all go to a sacrament meeting at 7:30 in the morning however we have the opportunity to go and speak at other wards in the Salt Lake Area (Like I did a couple transfers ago). So now Sister Creal and I are in charge of organizing that. Talking with bishops who would like to have sisters come, assigning topics and what sisters will go. It will be good. Sister Creal loves organizing too so we will have fun with that together.
It will be a very busy transfer with lots to learn but I'm very grateful for that.
Love
Sister Turner
P.S.S I went to the dentist. He told me it was free, isn't that nice - Utah is a great place to serve a mission.
Hello Family and Friends,
You have been in every one of my prayers this week. It is hard that, that is all I can do but after I talked with you mom I also fasted for everyone, especially Morgan James. It's amazing how much I love him even though I haven't seen him. Please keep me updated on how he is and how everyone is.
It was hard for me to go right back into being a missionary after talking to you but I've really seen the blessings as we have had so many miracles on the square this week. I know that when I work hard everything will be okay and that I will be blessed with peace. I pray the same peace will come to you as I work hard.
I want to tell you about some miracles that have happened this week. Yesterday we were on chat and we met Enoch. Guess where he is from! Vancouver Canada. I would never be able to teach someone from Vancouver unless I came to Temple Square. He had great questions and is really seeking truth. He agreed to have the missionaries come and teach him. He was a little hesitant at first but as we got to know him better and he knew I was from B.C too he really opened up. Heavenly Father leads us to certain people for a reason. I'm grateful that I will be able to continue teaching him.
We also had a great lesson on the square a couple days ago with a less active family. They were really struggling and said that they came here to feel the Spirit and that they wanted to be shown around. I really felt like Heavenly Father was leading everything we said as we shared the importance of prayer. The wife was crying the whole time and told us we were inspired. We told her that it is not us but that Heavenly Father loved them so much and wanted to help them. We committed them to have a family prayer every evening and it was a great reminder to me of how important that is. The husband shared that it was so hard to have the Spirit in the home sometimes and it made me remember that it is prayer which brings the Spirit. When we have a family prayer it unites the family together. It is often far to easy so say it is hard or to make excuses not to pray together and that is because Satan does not want us to be united. When we trust in God and pray together the Spirit enters the home. It is good that it is hard sometimes because it helps us strengthen our faith as we do something uncomfortable. It makes me think of the Savior. Life was never easy for him. That is why He gives us commandments, because when we follow them we can be happy. Our trials will not miraculously go away but we will be at peace which is greater then anything else.
I found a scripture I really liked this week which goes along with what I've been saying Moroni 7:16,19
16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God
19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.
Even though I'm concerned about how you are I know that you are all being taken care of. It's hard not to get daily updates but I know I will hear from you next week when I email.
I want to send you some pictures we took a while ago that I haven't been able to send. I will go ahead and send them now, if I have more time after I will write a little more then.
I love you all so much and I will be fasting on Sunday too. You are always in my prayers. And I know that God is with you. I just thought of a scripture we play at the Christus statue that I love it's in John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Love Sister Turner - Big hugs for all of you
Hello my lovely family and friends!
Thank you sooooooooooooooooo MUCH for the parcel :) I was soooo happy and now I"m sooooooo full. The treats are super yummy. It was so unexpected and exciting, especially to have 2 on the same day!
This week has been another great week! Really busy but tons of fun. Yesterday we had a Zone Conference at the Capitol Building. It was really neat to be there. Before we began the conference someone took us on a tour. Did you know part of legally blond was filmed there, haha interesting side note. It was cool to be there though and learn more about Utah's history and the U.S government. It was also neat to be in a government building but have pictures and statues of Brigham Young too, only in Utah.
The conference was also great. We learned about becoming a consecrated missionary and the importance of leaving everything behind and giving your all to the Lord for the full 18 months. It was really good. I still have so much to learn. I love my mission. Sometimes I wish I could be perfect and forget about everything and think about others all the time but I also know that all I can do is my personal best and every day (when I work hard) I can improve. If you read "The Fourth Missionary" you will understand where I' coming from.
We went to the Temple this morning. It's been closed for cleaning or something since the 25th of June. It was so nice to go again. I love the Temple. We talk about it all day long as people ask us questions and we constantly bare testimony of the importance of Temples and how peaceful and wonderful they are. It felt so nice to finally go and enjoy the Spirit the Temple brings. I always feel so refreshed as I leave.
We have a zone activity today. I will try to find time to write letters, if I don't have time please forgive me I will write more next week. The activity will be fun though, we are going to a park and playing volleyball and Frisbee and eating food. It's nice to have time to get to know the sisters a little better. We have a zone activity once every transfer.
Today has been a good day. We were at the museum earlier because Sister Creal hadn't seen it yet when a women stopped us as we were going out the door and asked us to teach the activity day girls (ages 9-11) about modesty. I love how I am a representative of Jesus Christ no matter where I am. It was so fun and they were so cute. Apparently they had something scheduled but it fell through. I'm so grateful I got the opportunity. I love teaching children about the importance of following Jesus Christ because I know it will help them have lasting happiness.
It's so great to be on Temple Square in the summer. It's so busy and there are so many teaching opportunities every day. We met a really nice lady yesterday. Her name is Quebec. She was so prepared to hear the gospel. We were talking to her about the importance of the Book of Mormon and she loved it. She was asking us questions about trying to understand the Bible. She said she had tried to read it but it was confusing because there were so many different translations and it was confusing. We helped her understand that the Bible and Book of Mormon support each other so that she can really come to know Jesus Christ and she reads both. It was a really neat experience helping her see the greater knowledge Heavenly Father has given us to understand. I"m looking forward to calling to teach her more over the phone. She is going to "education week" at BYU which is apparently like "EFY" but for adults.
I wanted to send you some pictures but I just realized I forgot my camera cable at home. I've been thinking of buying another USB and sending you all the pictures I have so far - I only send you about 20% of the ones I take. Some of the sisters do that and their family empties the USB onto their computer and then sends it back and they fill it up again. Let me know if you want me to do that. I don't want to send you my USB because it would be so sad if it got lost in the mail. I'd buy another one and then send that one to you.
Last week I wrote about studying the Atonement. Did anyone have a chance to watch the video I sent. What did you learn?
Yes I am a missionary and I am following up with commitments :) I know you are all amazing but I also love hearing your testimonies too, it strengthens my own.
Sister Creal is still doing really well. She is a great companion and we really help and support each other. She will go on to do great things in this mission and bring many people closer to Jesus Christ.
I love you alllllllll SO MUCH! You are in my prayers and I think of you often. Not too often to get distracted, just often enough to remember always how incredible you all are.
Love Sister Turner
Hello my lovely family and friends!!!
How are you all doing this beautiful day!? I love the Savior, I love my mission, I love my companion, I love my investigators I'm just so full of love! Of course I love all of you as well :)
This week was so great! Another week of fantastic miracles! Heavenly Father truly blesses us as we strive to do His work.
Thank - you for the mail. It was so nice. It's always such a treat to get mail and I'm always so excited! Oh also thank you for the pictures! Sarah you are beautiful! And your children are adorable. Oh and Sarah thanks so much for the last letter you sent, you've inspired me to REALLY start exercising. So this past week my companion and I have been waking up a half hour early so 5:50am and have been playing basketball, ultimate Frisbee and running the canyon. It's been great and I feel way better. It's also fun to play with the sisters. It's like a big family here and I love it. All the sisters are so unique and so much fun. We love each other a lot and see each other all the time.
We met some amazing people on the square this week! Heavenly Father is truly preparing his children to hear the restored gospel. We met this one young man and his Uncle a couple days ago. The young man wasn't member (his mom is less-active and never took him to church) but his whole extended family are members. He is from Seattle but was in Utah for a big family reunion. He had so many great questions and it was so nice to see his heart soften as we shared our testimony with him. I love asking questions and while we were at the Christus statue I asked what his thoughts were as he looked at the depiction of Christ. He said he felt like he was looking down on him. As we explained the Atonement and what that could mean to him his attitude changed and as we asked what it would mean to him to know that Jesus Christ loved him and that the Savior was willing to die so that he could be forgiven and comforted he said that if he were to know that were true he would rejoice and be so happy. God's plan truly is a plan of happiness. We will be teaching this young man over the phone and the missionaries will be coming by to bring him a copy of The Book of Mormon and teach him as well. I love my investigators I wish I had time to tell you about all of them!
It is wonderful to know that the Lord called me to this mission. For who I am and for who my companion is. As we work together we will be able to touch the hearts of countless people because Heavenly Father is sending people directly to us because he trusts us to teach them. It's interesting to find similarities to myself and those I teach to be able to relate to them which helps them feel comfortable. I love that I was called to this specific mission :)
We took a couple motorcoaches (tour buses that come to Temple Square for about 45 minutes) I love motorcoaches. It's so fun to carry around the microphone and teach and testify to SO many people at once! I love the history on Temple Square and also how everything can be bridged to any gospel topic. We really work on bridging on Temple Square because we have to explain the history but we also need to constantly be testifying and bringing people closer to the Savior. I love it!!!
Have I told you how amazing my companion is! I love her so much. She is such a hard worker and so willing to learn. We have a great time together but are always working hard. I've been trying to help her in anyway I can. It really helps that throughout my mission I've learned a lot of patience, a skill I now know I definitely needed before I became a wife and mother. I will always constantly be learning, I know that, but I love even looking back on past journal entries and seeing the growth already.
Oh mom and dad I was going to say that's so great you were able to go to the Temple this past week! What a wonderful experience. The Salt Lake Temple opens again on the 13th of Aug so I will probably be going next p-day! YAY!
1 hour a week we get to do something called "explore" where we get to go to the various buildings surrounding Temple Square and find out more about them. Mom you would LOVE the Relief Society building. I also thought of Grandma when I was there too. I bet she'd like it. Anyway it was beautiful. Something about being there reminded me of the Temple. Probably because all the buildings we go to are dedicated. Anyway it was so neat to hear more of the history and look at all the pretty things. We also went downstairs where they have a primary and young women's displays. Those were really neat as well.
I've been studying the Atonement this week again. I love studying the Atonement and realizing I still have so much to learn and also how grateful I am for the Savior. I've been reading lesson 2 in Preach my Gospel that talks about the Plan of Salvation. It is such a wonderful and perfect plan. I know that the Savior lives and loves us. It brings so much joy to our lives when we follow his commandments not asking the why but rather willing to go and do. I feel so much peace and happiness even through trials because I know that he is always there with me and will support me through anything. I need to go through trials so that I can become stronger in faith. The example of the pioneers shows me the need for trials and how important they are. As you go throughout this next week I encourage you to read and study the Atonement. "The Living Christ" always strengthens my testimony and I encourage you all to read it and to record your feelings in a journal or notebook. Will you be willing to do that. I know that as you do your testimony will be strengthened and that you will feel the greater peace and joy that comes into our lives as we "Always remember Him". Let me know how it goes.
Thank you for all your letters and love :) I'm so happy to hear how you all are all the time! I have been so blessed with such a loving and supportive family. Thank you so much for all you do for me so that I am able to have this amazing experience that will shape my whole life, not only now but for eternity.
Amanda you are always in my prayers and I know everything will go well for you! I can't wait to see baby pictures :) Any day now right?
Well I love you all sooooooooooooo MUCH! Sending you lots of love and hugs! Keep on being amazing you are all always in my prayers and I know Heavenly Father is watching over you and that he loves you so much.
Love Sister Turner
Hello family and friends,
:)Another week has just flown by. Sometimes I wonder where the time is going! It's August tomorrow! Anyway it's been a great week. I love having the opportunity to train a new missionary. Sister Creal is so great and we are learning a lot from each other. As I've been training I've been learning a lot about myself too. It is so important to love unconditionally. Lately I've done a lot better with loving the moment and not anticipating the next thing. I've never really had that before in my life and it is wonderful.
I finally got to introduce the Joseph Smith movie this week. I loved it because it reminded me of when I was younger (9 or 10 I think) when we first came to Utah and watched Legacy. I could remember being there when the Sisters opened the movie and I it was a neat experience to be able to do it myself (I've introduced other movies but this was the fist time in the BIG theater - the other theaters only seat about 200). Heavenly Father truly blesses his missionaries. I would never have thought I could get up in front of the theater with 500 seats and introduce a movie and bare my testimony with absolutely no fear. Also to take around bus loads of people from all over the world and all different backgrounds and tell them that I know this church is true and not worry about it but rather be excited. I love faith and how it truly is an action word!
Oh I also had a neat opportunity of doing the "pin drop" demonstration for the Grow family reunion in the Tabernacle. Henry Grow was the bridge builder who designed the roof and made it so it is acoustically perfect. Brigham Young knew there was an echo under a bridge and that sound would carry if they designed it that way. Anyway they had a big family reunion this past weekend so I got to do the pin drop for lots of people and I loved it! It was very much a once in a lifetime opportunity.
This has been a fun week. On Saturday the mission went up to a girls camp in Brighten Canyon. Well half the mission went from 6am-1pm and the other half from 1:30pm -8pm. It was so fun. They had a zip line and balancing games. I love the Temple Square mission. It is so unique and they treat us so well. We work hard, I've heard it's the only mission where you only get two 1/2 hour lunch and dinner breaks and you are constantly teaching all day but I love the busy-ness in the summer. I have pictures I will send.
So how is all my lovely family doing? It sounds like you are all very busy with summer activities :) It sounds great though!
I forgot to mention about my new roommates- I live in a basement of a house now with 8 missionaries upstairs and 6 downstairs. Our roommates are from the USA, China and Mexico. Lots of different languages and yummy food :) They are all very sweet.
Mom and dad it sounds like you are going to have fun on the youth Temple trip! What a wonderful way to go the Temple! Have a great time :)
I always have so much to say during the week and then I sit down to the computer and never know what to write about.
The weather has been nice. I'm getting used to the extreme heat! One more month of HOT weather, well maybe September will be hot too but not as bad I don't think.
Oh dear I'm talking about the weather. Hmm what else. Well like I said Sister Creal is so great an she is learning so fast. She's so great. We work hard together and I love it. There is never a tour missed or an appointment delayed. This is a great work. I think the best thing a leader can do is lead by example. How can I teach her to be an effective missionary and to take every opportunity to serve if I'm not willing to do the same thing? I so love teaching and serving - my companion, missionaries , members and investigators.
I'm going to try to send you some pictures now.
Thank you for your letters and emails :) It is wonderful to hear from you and I love you sooooooooooooooo MUCH!
Love Sister Turner
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