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
Well my lovely family and friends,
I FINALLY have a P-DAY!!We have had so many miracles this week and that I'm so excited to share with you :)
I want to tell you what I am doing this transfer .... My zone is South 3 which means I get to be on the square a LOT more which I LOVE. My P-day is Tuesday... as you can see. AND my new companion is Sister Creal! My assignment is training and so she came from the MTC! She is awesome and learning so fast. She's even a little sick right now but she works super hard and we are being blessed through our diligence and hard work. I love being able to help her in any way I can. I'm excited to have this opportunity to train a new missionary. We get along well and things are going great. I wish I could just pass all the knowledge on to her but I know that she has to have the good and bad experiences to learn. I'm grateful and she feels comfortable coming to me and we work well together.
When I found out I was training I had two days to wait to find out who it was. I was excited but I knew I needed Heavenly Father's help so I asked for a blessing from President Gillette. It was so nice and so helpful to know what to do and how to help her the best I can. We are so blessed to be able to have the priesthood restored to the earth. I've been thinking lately of how the temple would just be a pretty building if the priesthood was not there, it is because we are blessed to have the priesthood that it is the house of the Lord. That is why thousands of people come to temple square, because they feel different as the walk around the Temple grounds. They feel the Spirit.
Guess what! You know how I told you about teaching Sam in England! Well I knew he was coming to Temple Square but I didn't know when because I haven't been able to get a hold of him for a while. Actually the last time I spoke to him was when he told us about his baptism. Well today Sister Creal and I were walking around Temple Square looking for people to talk to and we stopped to say hi to someone and guess who that was! Sam and Abby (his sister who also recently got baptized)! That was such a miracle because that NEVER happens (that we run into people we know) ! I was so excited and happy to meet them :) They are going to schedule a tour on Friday and we will take them around. They were just as amazed as I was that we were able to just happen to run into them. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father lead me to talk to them. He hadn't got my calls because he's been traveling. As we are obedient the Lord truly blesses us.
Also another great experience that happened this week was that we were able to meet James and Jean. They are an amazing couple. Heavenly Father has truly been preparing them to receive the gospel. They were here on vacation to Utah to decide if they want to move here and they were curious to learn more about church. To back up a little bit to before we met them we were downstairs in the mission office area, I forget what we were doing - eating lunch or studying or something. Anyway a call came in that there were two people upstairs that spoke English that wanted to be shown around Temple Square. We jumped on the opportunity and let the sister know we were available. Every time before going to the square we ALWAYS say a prayer, as I prayed I included that we would know where to take them (like always however this time I felt a very distinct feeling that they need to be taken to the museum) When I finished the prayer Sister Creal said she felt they we needed to go to the Christus so we decided to go to both. As we met them we felt instantly that they were ready to learn more. They didn't even seem to really care about the history (like the Tabernacle and such like most people do) they just wanted to know about the beliefs. The museum was perfect because it goes through the first vision and tells of the sacrifice the pioneers made because of their faith. As we took them to the Christus we shared more about how we believe it is important to always follow the example of Jesus Christ. They wanted to know how we were introduced to the church. I always love being asked this question because I get to share how grateful I am that my mom chose to listen to the missionaries and pray about the book of mormon to know it is true. Then to go on to say how grateful I am that my dad later joined the church so that my family can know that we will be together forever through the blessings of the Temple. Sharing that really touched their hearts, The Spirit was so strong. At first they rejected meeting missionaries but as we shared more about the Book of Mormon and told them that is how they can know these things are true the asked for a copy. We let them know that they are missionaries just like us who can teach them more and they said they would really like that. I love the Spirit and how it testify to the heart of the listener as we obey the promptings we receive.
Oh so many other wonderful things happened this week but I don't have time to write them all. I will write letters when I go home today. And there is always my journal which you can read when I go home home.
I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCHHHHHHHHHH! You are ALL in my prays ALL the time. Amanda especially you as you prepare to bring another beautiful baby into the world.
Hugs and kisses :)
Lovely lovely family and friends:) How are you all! P-day is going GREAT so far!
Sarah I love your blogs and the stories about your lovely babies! Your children are amazing and you are an amazing mother! I can't forget about Nathan too you are both such great parents! And of course a wonderful example to me:)Mom thank you for your cards this week! I love hearing from you and the cards you send are always so beautiful! I love the quotes too! You are so kind and loving to me. I feel so blessed to have you. Also you mentioned relating your work at the temple to your life now and I definitely know what you mean. I always think about that and I know working at the temple was definitely an inspired call, it really prepared me to serve a mission. I'm so grateful that I had that opportunity. I love the Temple! It's been closed since June 25th and will be closed until Aug 13 so I'm looking forward to when I can go again next month.
Amanda!!!! I miss you and I miss hearing from you and how you are! Did you get my letters or email? I love you so much and would love to hear from you :) Give Lyra kisses for me.
So to begin telling you about my AMAZING P DAY!!!! So we woke up this morning, went to Temple Square and served in Guest Services for a bit and then we went to a baptism!!!! We took this lovely family around temple square on Friday, the husband was preparing for baptism and the wife has been working on getting active again. They were so sweet and they really felt the Spirit on Temple Square. The elders were with them and during the tour we took them to the front of the temple where we committed them to prepare to be sealed in the temple 1 year from the husbands baptism. It was so powerful, the spirit was so strong and they agreed that, that was something that they were going to work towards. They invited us to the baptism this morning and it was so nice. they were both so happy together and her children were so great and excited for their family. The ward was really nice and welcoming too. I will send you pictures.
The next adventure we went on was we decided to go out to lunch on our way home. Sister Steenblik had a gift card for "Little America" so we decided to go there. While we were there a really nice lady came up to us and told us she was buying us lunch! She was so sweet, as missionaries we have to refuse first so we told her it was okay but that it was very kind of her, but then she persisted and said that she needed the blessings, she said it in such a cute way and we accepted. The food was so good! I love food and nice people. Their are so many amazing people in the world, that definitely isn't the first time that has happened either. Their are so many amazing members here, it's also really exciting for us because we never have dinner appointments. Anyway there are a lot of very lovely people in the world that are taking care of me!
After emailing we are going to a performance at the conference center! It's a free performance (which is exciting) and it's a BYU Idaho dance performance. You could look at it at lds.org/events. We are excited to go! I love serving on Temple Square. I feel like this transfer p-days have been really hectic and crazy so I'm so excited to have a fun and exciting one. We will then go home, write letters, clean and do laundry.So you can see how much fun I've been having :)
This week has been good. Went by way to fast!!! I find out my fate for next transfer on Monday! I'm excited and have no idea what I will be doing. Coming to temple square I thought that there was much difference with transfers because we don't move far from place to place but it is incredible how different each transfer has been and will be with different companions and assignments. Because I don't think I will be in the same zone and that I might not have a p-day next week I think I will write a post card today (because I can only write letters on p-day) and fill in the blanks on Monday and send it off to Sarah and so that you can know what I will be doing. If I sent it to Canada you would probably get my email I send in two weeks before the post card.
We had an amazing youth conference group this week. The youth that came were mostly less active and it was a really great experience helping them feel the Spirit and recognize that. They were great. I really love the youth and feel very privileged to be able to help them see their potential. They need our love and support.
Well I love you all so much, I want to try sending you some pictures!
You are all so wonderful thank you for your love, support and letters :) my family and my lovely friends as well :)
THERESE I GOT YOUR WEDDING INVITATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you I loved hearing from you ( could you message that to Trezzypoo for me please)
Thank you I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL
xoxoxo
Love Sister Turner
Hello :)
How are you all?
Oh my goodness thank you so much for sending me the adorable video of Adelaide! SHE IS SO CUTE!!!!!! ahhh.
Also I love the picture of Lyra on Amanda's blog.
I can't believe how much older she is looking.
Can you PLEASE FB Therese and tell her I NEED her address and I NEED to hear from her!
Also yes isn't that exciting about Ravybaby! YAY!
AH I can't believe Toni is engaged too! Can you get her address so I can write her a congratulations and ask for the story!
Thank you :)
So much good news this week! It's crazy for some reason I thought everything would be the same when I got home but I'm realizing more and more how different things will actually be. It is good though. Life continues to carry on for everyone.
I'm getting my hair cut in 40 minutes! I'm excited. I'm not doing anything drastic but a good trim.
This week went by soooooooooooo fast. I'm already on week 5 of the transfer and we only have 6 weeks each transfer. Next week will probably be my last email on Saturday and I may skip the next week. Just a heads up if you don't hear from me the week after next.
Canada day was good, I was surprised at how many sisters wore red and white :) Although I have to say it was rather uneventful compared to the 4th of July. I'm sure every sister was wearing red/white and blue. They closed the square a 1/2 hour early so at 8:30pm we went and ate some food and then went to the 26th floor of the church office building and sang songs and then watched the fireworks that were happening all over the city! It was so cool to be up there! It was so cool especially because the Church Office Building closes at 5pm so if I wasn't a missionary I never would have had that opportunity! I took some pictures but I forgot my camera today so I will have to send them to you another day.
Guest Services has been busy. I'm anticipating a new challenge though. It's really true that when you can train someone with what you are doing your ready for your next step. I've told Sister Steenblik pretty much everything that I know about Guest Services and so I am excited to move on to my next adventure next transfer. I'm curious as to what I will be doing.
The young women in the C.R ward wrote me the nicest little notes that I got in the mail last week! They are so sweet. It was great to hear from them. I can imagine it's hard being a young women when your support group is so small. But it really is true that through trials is how you grow stronger.
I'm not sure what to write about. Like I said this week went by so fast I'm trying to remember things that I did.
Well if I can't remember events I will tell you more about what I am learning. I've come to realize something that I've been doing on my mission that has been helping me a lot is just to have a positive attitude. I hadn't really noticed I was doing it until this last week when quite a few sisters came to me with trials that they are going through and the way they think about things. I'm not sure why they come to me because I don't do much other then listen for a time and then ask them if they've prayed about it and usually tell them about a talk I've read (on a side note they usually haven't prayed and that is really what helps them). However I see these sisters going through such a tough time and I think to myself if they were able to change their attitude everything would be so much better. Sometimes it is really hard to change your attitude when you over think it and try to figure it out but really, for me at least it is just making a concrete decision and sticking with it even when times get hard. Please don't get me wrong and take it as though I am saying that everything is easy and happy and lovely every minute of every day and there are definitely times when I look at things negatively but when I try to see the good in every situation the situation just gets so much better! It really comes down to a personal choice and then act. Also I don't think anything can be achieved without putting your trust and faith in God.
Hmmm I'm not sure if the above paragraph will make sense to anyone else but it does to me and I'm running out of time so I won't backspace it because then this email would be very short.
I'm still trying to figure out 'my potential as a missionary'. I can't get it out of my mind and I keep on working on it through various talks, scripture study and prayer. I think the thing that maybe is the hardest is that I can't quite figure out what that phrase even means. What is a potential anyway? And shouldn't I not be able to ever reach my potential because I always need to be improving? I've had quite a few trials this transfer as I've been figuring that out and it's really helped me to see the good that comes through trials. I keep a daily journal which really helps me see any ups and downs (even when the are slight) and how I am able to overcome. Growing up I often wanted an immediate response to prayer and questions I had but I've really come to see that it rarely happens that way and that it is so important to just continue on struggling until one day you wake up and realize that, that struggle is over.
Anyway my time is about up. I love you all sooooo much. I know I say it every week but there is not other way to say it. I hope you are all happy healthy and well and you all mean the world to me! I'm so grateful to have such an amazing family and wonderful friends! I don't know if you realize how amazing you all are. I do! AND I LOVE YOU!
Love your daughter, sister, sister-in-law, aunt and friend,
~ Sister Turner xoxoxoxo
Hi my lovely family and friends, How are you all? I love hearing from you and I will print off your emails. I'm looking forward to reading them :). Thank you!
I'm a little tired right now, we just got back from shopping like crazy, we (Sister Steenblik and two other companionship's) went to Sushi (for Sister Steenblik's birthday), Costco (YAY food thank you for the gift card - I got yummy canned salmon, blueberries, granola, chicken and other yummy things - thank you so much for the gift card), and then to Walmart because that is where the Sisters like to shop, I got a tooth brush, tooth paste and some bananas.
Anyway my day has been crazy and before 1pm Guest Services was ridiculous - so many people calling in! I wonder what I will be doing next transfer. I'ts on the 18th so I still have like 2 and 1/2 weeks but the time goes by so fast here. Especially P-days!
Sam is getting baptized today!!! I'm so happy for him and I really hope that everything goes well with him today. I wish I could be there. But England is unfortunately more then 30 mins away (that's how far we are aloud to travel for a baptism). I could have gone to one today for Shaylee but it was 35mins away. Sad but it is alright. She is so sweet.
This week has been good. Nothing super exciting but a good week. I love teaching. There are so many amazing people that come to the square every single day. Also over the phone. It is such a blessing to be able to talk to so many amazing people. Of course being summer there are a lot of "friends of other faiths" or in other words anti that come to the square but it's alright because they only try to hurt you with your words but really it's just an opportunity to strengthen your testimony as you bare it more frequently and you feel the Spirit and then leave them and security deals with them if they are really being argumentative. I love my mission.
I'm a little sleepy because I've been so busy today and it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT! Oh my goodness it's been like 38 degrees everyday! People say it's going to get hotter but I don't know if I can believe them. I don't remember Utah being so hot , but then again when I think about it when I was in Utah with Sarah we went to the pool all the time. AH no I can't think of the pool. Sacrifice.
I'm tired often but I like it. I like it because it's a way that I can really SEE Heavenly Father helping me. Because I am tired and I think ahhh I don't know if I can talk to another person right now my feet hurt, I'm sweating, I've been up since 6am and I only get 7 hours of sleep a night and I do this 27/7. But then I pray. I say a super quick simple prayer sometimes all I can manage to say before I talk to the next person is two words but I completely trust that He will help me, that the Atonement will help me and then the miracle happens time and time again I start talking to someone and the words just come to me and I'm happy and smiling and sharing what I know with them and everything is not just good but wonderful. I love that Heavenly Father will give us trials so that we can learn to rely on him and really try our best. I think trying our best is the key. If I said a prayer and then sat down on the grass and said I can't do it anymore I know He wouldn't help me. I have to push just a little harder and that shows that I am acting on faith and then He is able to help me. I hope I am making sense. It is really wonderful to me and I'm so grateful that I have learned this type of faith on my mission. I always knew acting of faith was important but it's different when you actually have to act.
I love Temple Square so much. The Spirit is so strong here and it is such a blessing to be serving here.
I'm getting my hair cut next p-day! I'm so in need of a hair cut! Oh my goodness my split ends are like an inch. I think it's the dry air and chlorine in the water. Anyway I was talking to a sister and she said that there is an Aveda place that has new stylists that only charge $20. I'm excited to get a trim.
Well I'm out of time. I love you alllllllllllllllllllll soooooooooooooooooo muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch. I hope you are all well and happy :) I pray for you everyday! HUGS AND KISSES xoxoxoox
LOVE Sister Turner
JUNE 23, 2012
Things are going well here. We have a zone activity after I send this email to you. I made spice cake last night so I'm excited to eat it! And be with the Sisters of course :) I'm just really hungry right now.
This week was good. We have been teaching a lot of new investigators. Heavenly Father has really been blessing us with finding people to teach. Because we serve in Guest Services 6 hours a day sometimes it is hard to find people but this past week 2 people called in with questions about the church so we set up a time to call them again and set the referral through to meet with the missionaries. And then just today actually a woman called in and asked us to call her mom- Her mom's name is Emily too, she is an elderly lady and she just found out she has cancer. It was wonderful to be able to talk to her and help her feel the love God has for her, I got her address and explained that missionaries could come by and teach her more about the church and give her a priesthood blessing. I explained to her that it may not heal her but that it could bring her comfort, and that it was the same power that Jesus Christ gave to his apostles. I love being a missionary and being able to bring hope into peoples lives as I explain the restored gospel. It is such a blessing to be here.
Oh did I tell you in the last email that Sam (from England) has a baptismal date!!! June 30th! He is so great and has an amazing testimony of the restored gospel and of The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon truly is the keystone of our religion - every concern Sam had whether big or small we were able to resolve with the Book of Mormon- It's like the introduction says, men will get closer to God by reading it then by any other book! I love the Book of Mormon.
We had a really fun mission FHE last Monday, half the mission went on Monday and half the mission went on Tuesday! It was so fun. We went to President Sepi (on of President Gillettes counselors) house and it was so nice. He had a gigantic park backyard where we ate yummy food and played games. We then walked to the church for a fireside. The fireside was amazing, a couple talked about their life and the trials they went through but how those trials really brough them closer to Christ. It was so sad but so touching and they were so positive about their life. It was really an amazing fireside. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE serving my mission here!
I can't believe I only have a year left! I will never have another June,23 on my mission. I know I shouldn't think about that but it's crazy. Anyway I'm only in my 4th transfer and I have a total of 12 full transfers. It's good though, I'm not near ready to not be a missionary.
I've been reading and studying my patriarchal blessing lately and I love how well it matches up to my life and how I learn something new every time I read it. We are so blessed to have such an amazing gift from out Heavenly Father. Family I encourage you all to prayerfully study your patriarchal blessing. Praying beforehand to be able to recognize what it is you are meant to learn from it today. It is amazing and I invite you to all to read your patriarchal blessing again.
Well I want to send you some pictures from the zone activity so I should go. I love you all soooooooooo much. xoxoxoxoxoox You are amazing and remember Heavenly Father loves you and is always there for you no matter what you want to talk about with him. He truly is our father in heaven.
Love Sister Turner
Hi my lovely family and friends,How are you all? I love hearing from you and I will print off your emails. I'm looking forward to reading them :). Thank you!
I'm a little tired right now, we just got back from shopping like crazy, we (Sister Steenblik and two other companionship's) went to Sushi (for Sister Steenblik's birthday), Costco (YAY food thank you for the gift card - I got yummy canned salmon, blueberries, granola, chicken and other yummy things - thank you so much for the gift card), and then to Walmart because that is where the Sisters like to shop, I got a tooth brush, tooth paste and some bananas. Anyway my day has been crazy and before 1pm Guest Services was ridiculous - so many people calling in! I like Guest Services but I am looking forward to leaving it after next transfer. I wonder what I will be doing next transfer. I'ts on the 18th so I still have like 2 and 1/2 weeks but the time goes by so fast here. Especially P-days!
Sam is getting baptized today!!! I'm so happy for him and I really hope that everything goes well with him today. I wish I could be there. But England is unfortunately more then 30 mins away (that's how far we are aloud to travel for a baptism). I could have gone to one today for Shaylee but it was 35mins away. Sad but it is alright. She is so sweet.
This week has been good. Nothing super exciting but a good week. I love teaching. There are so many amazing people that come to the square every single day. Also over the phone. It is such a blessing to be able to talk to so many amazing people. Of course being summer there are a lot of "friends of other faiths" or in other words anti that come to the square but it's alright because they only try to hurt you with your words but really it's just an opportunity to strengthen your testimony as you bare it more frequently and you feel the Spirit and then leave them and security deals with them if they are really being argumentative. I love my mission.
I'm a little sleepy because I've been so busy today and it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT! Oh my goodness it's been like 38 degrees everyday! People say it's going to get hotter but I don't know if I can believe them. I don't remember Utah being so hot , but then again when I think about it when I was in Utah with Sarah we went to the pool all the time. AH no I can't think of the pool. Sacrifice.
I love the pictures you sent, ohh they are so cute.
I'm tired often but I like it. I like it because it's a way that I can really SEE Heavenly Father helping me. Because I am tired and I think ahhh I don't know if I can talk to another person right now my feet hurt, I'm sweating, I've been up since 6am and I only get 7 hours of sleep a night and I do this 27/7. But then I pray. I say a super quick simple prayer sometimes all I can manage to say before I talk to the next person is two words but I completely trust that He will help me, that the Atonement will help me and then the miracle happens time and time again I start talking to someone and the words just come to me and I'm happy and smiling and sharing what I know with them and everything is not just good but wonderful. I love that Heavenly Father will give us trials so that we can learn to rely on him and really try our best. I think trying our best is the key. If I said a prayer and then sat down on the grass and said I can't do it anymore I know He wouldn't help me. I have to push just a little harder and that shows that I am acting on faith and then He is able to help me. I hope I am making sense. It is really wonderful to me and I'm so grateful that I have learned this type of faith on my mission. I always knew acting of faith was important but it's different when you actually have to act.
I love Temple Square so much. The Spirit is so strong here and it is such a blessing to be serving here.
I'm getting my hair cut next p-day! I'm so in need of a hair cut! Oh my goodness my split ends are like an inch. I think it's the dry air and chlorine in the water. Anyway I was talking to a sister and she said that there is an Aveda place that has new stylists that only charge $20. I'm excited to get a trim.
Well I'm out of time. I love you alllllllllllllllllllll soooooooooooooooooo muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch. I hope you are all well and happy :) I pray for you everyday!
HUGS AND KISSES xoxoxoox
LOVE Sister Turner
June 23, 2012
Hello dear family and friends!!
Things are going well here. We have a zone activity after I send this email to you. I made spice cake last night so I'm excited to eat it! And be with the Sisters of course :) I'm just really hungry right now.
This week was good. We have been teaching a lot of new investigators. Heavenly Father has really been blessing us with finding people to teach. Because we serve in Guest Services 6 hours a day sometimes it is hard to find people but this past week 2 people called in with questions about the church so we set up a time to call them again and set the referral through to meet with the missionaries. And then just today actually a woman called in and asked us to call her mom- Her mom's name is Emily too, she is an elderly lady and she just found out she has cancer. It was wonderful to be able to talk to her and help her feel the love God has for her, I got her address and explained that missionaries could come by and teach her more about the church and give her a priesthood blessing. I explained to her that it may not heal her but that it could bring her comfort, and that it was the same power that Jesus Christ gave to his apostles. I love being a missionary and being able to bring hope into peoples lives as I explain the restored gospel. It is such a blessing to be here.
Oh did I tell you in the last email that Sam (from England) has a baptismal date!!! June 30th! He is so great and has an amazing testimony of the restored gospel and of The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon truly is the keystone of our religion - every concern Sam had whether big or small we were able to resolve with the Book of Mormon- It's like the introduction says, men will get closer to God by reading it then by any other book! I love the Book of Mormon.
We had a really fun mission FHE last Monday, half the mission went on Monday and half the mission went on Tuesday! It was so fun. We went to President Sepi (on of President Gillettes counselors) house and it was so nice. He had a gigantic park backyard where we ate yummy food and played games. We then walked to the church for a fireside. The fireside was amazing, a couple talked about their life and the trials they went through but how those trials really brough them closer to Christ. They had 4 children all with muscular dystrophy 4 of 7 cases in the world. It was so sad but so touching and they were so positive about their life. It was really an amazing fireside. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE serving my mission here!
I can't believe I only have a year left! I will never have another June,23 on my mission. I know I shouldn't think about that but it's crazy. Anyway I'm only in my 4th transfer and I have a total of 12 full transfers. It's good though, I'm not near ready to not be a missionary.
I've been reading and studying my patriarchal blessing lately and I love how well it matches up to my life and how I learn something new every time I read it. We are so blessed to have such an amazing gift from out Heavenly Father. Family I encourage you all to prayerfully study your patriarchal blessing. Praying beforehand to be able to recognize what it is you are meant to learn from it today. It is amazing and I invite you to all to read your patriarchal blessing again.
Well I want to send you some pictures from the zone activity so I should go. I love you all soooooooooo much. xoxoxoxoxoox You are amazing and remember Heavenly Father loves you and is always there for you no matter what you want to talk about with him. He truly is our father in heaven
Love Sister Turner
P.S I haven't got a chance to find a dentist, but I will look this week
P.S.S Thanks for the make up! That's what I picked for my birthday present - I wrote you a letter about it last week.
P.S.S.S I've been really enjoying all the yummy food you sent. THANK YOU
Hello dear family and friends!!
Things are going well here. We have a zone activity after I send this email to you. I made spice cake last night so I'm excited to eat it! And be with the Sisters of course :) I'm just really hungry right now.
This week was good. We have been teaching a lot of new investigators. Heavenly Father has really been blessing us with finding people to teach. Because we serve in Guest Services 6 hours a day sometimes it is hard to find people but this past week 2 people called in with questions about the church so we set up a time to call them again and set the referral through to meet with the missionaries. And then just today actually a woman called in and asked us to call her mom- Her mom's name is Emily too, she is an elderly lady and she just found out she has cancer. It was wonderful to be able to talk to her and help her feel the love God has for her, I got her address and explained that missionaries could come by and teach her more about the church and give her a priesthood blessing. I explained to her that it may not heal her but that it could bring her comfort, and that it was the same power that Jesus Christ gave to his apostles. I love being a missionary and being able to bring hope into peoples lives as I explain the restored gospel. It is such a blessing to be here.
Oh did I tell you in the last email that Sam (from England) has a baptismal date!!! June 30th! He is so great and has an amazing testimony of the restored gospel and of The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon truly is the keystone of our religion - every concern Sam had whether big or small we were able to resolve with the Book of Mormon- It's like the introduction says, men will get closer to God by reading it then by any other book! I love the Book of Mormon.
We had a really fun mission FHE last Monday, half the mission went on Monday and half the mission went on Tuesday! It was so fun. We went to President Sepi (on of President Gillettes counselors) house and it was so nice. He had a gigantic park backyard where we ate yummy food and played games. We then walked to the church for a fireside. The fireside was amazing, a couple talked about their life and the trials they went through but how those trials really brough them closer to Christ. It was so sad but so touching and they were so positive about their life. It was really an amazing fireside. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE serving my mission here!
I can't believe I only have a year left! I will never have another June,23 on my mission. I know I shouldn't think about that but it's crazy. Anyway I'm only in my 4th transfer and I have a total of 12 full transfers. It's good though, I'm not near ready to not be a missionary.
I've been reading and studying my patriarchal blessing lately and I love how well it matches up to my life and how I learn something new every time I read it. We are so blessed to have such an amazing gift from out Heavenly Father. Family I encourage you all to prayerfully study your patriarchal blessing. Praying beforehand to be able to recognize what it is you are meant to learn from it today. It is amazing and I invite you to all to read your patriarchal blessing again.
Well I want to send you some pictures from the zone activity so I should go. I love you all soooooooooo much. xoxoxoxoxoox You are amazing and remember Heavenly Father loves you and is always there for you no matter what you want to talk about with him. He truly is our father in heaven
Love Sister Turner
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