"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

September 23, 2010

I think I've got the flu. Not positive...but I'm feeling much better today!

It's been a wonderful week here on the Square; where the Sisters are beautiful, the flowers are out of a magazine & the Temple...is still standing :)

Friday: My "look around" day -- where basically I got to take a tour of the Beehive House (awesome!!!) & see all the movies (Legacy, JS movie, The Testaments) just a familiarization...which is a word now...apparently...day! It was great!

Grandma & Pop: Remember when we were on the East side of the Joseph Smith Memorial building, looking at those two completely out of place buildings??? Well, one of them says "O.C. Tanner" on the front. Since that tells us exactly what it is?

Sis Garbett & I took these five college students on a tour through the South Visitors Center (SVC). They were from Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Uruguay & Argentina!!! Cool, huh? They are going to BYU-Provo for the English program. They all understood English very well. All except 1 were members. The one girl who wasn't, was already meeting with the missionaries & then referred her parents!!! I was only pretty much completely stoked :)

That morning during personal study, I noticed a cat outside my window. Grey & white calico with a red collar - obviously a house cat. It then proceeded to ninja it's way up this crazy curvy tree! It got about 3/4 of the way up, decided it would like to come down now please & took a solid TEN MINUTES to figure out how to get back down the tree. It was a great way to start my day.

Saturday: I had to get my picture taken for my security card [I know! I've got a security card!?!] so I stand on top of these shoe marks in the corner of this room & smile at the camera, "Hmm, ok wait. Huh...could you maybe stand on your tippie toes?" I wasn't tall enough for my picture! I had to stand on my tip toes in order to have my chin not cut off in the photo?!? Who designed an un-adjustable camera? Genius...

GET THIS: I took an unofficial Spanish tour through the Conference Center! I haven't passed it off in Spanish, so it was "illegal" -- but we were about to leave & the host asked if we knew Spanish because they couldn't figure out what the family wanted to see. I asked, they wanted to see the auditorium & the roof garden. I reported back to the Host & he asked if I could go ahead & take them there? Hence the previously mentioned & completely illegal Spanish tour :) It was AWESOME!!!

If you could buy 2.5 - 3 lbs of a variety & self-chosen candy for the low low price of $4.35 ---- would you say you had the most conveniently placed mission in the world?!?!?! Cuz that's what I said :) Across the street at Deseret Books you can buy a bag of candy (fill it to the top...no joke - the very top) for about 4 bucks!!! They have crystalized grapefruit slices, chocolate covered gummy bears, chocolate covered cinnamon bears, cc raisins, cc peanuts, minty chocolate malt balls, gummy bears, cc raspberry sticks, Milkies (ridiculously good M&M-like things) & these SUPER minty chocolate bits. It's the BEST thing ever. It's an amazing deal...maybe a "once a transfer" kinda thing ;)

Sunday: I got to see Music & the Spoken Word -- LIVE!!! They sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" & it was absolutely gorgeous! Very impressive. PRESIDENT MONSON CAME!!! But lucky us, we were sitting in the balcony that he was standing under!?!?!? Convenient, huh? It was still cool that we were in the same room though. We have church with all the Sisters together in the Joseph Smith Memorial building. It's the coolest thing! The girls who speak are the ones who are going home this transfer, so they know what they're talking about. The Priesthood is the Senior Missionary Elders - luckily, they haven't forgotten how to pass the sacrament.

Monday: Laurel sent me a necklace!!! I put it on right then & wore it the rest of the day :) It's really cute - I love it! Thanks!

That night Sis Garbett & I went into the Tabernacle around 8:45 to see if we could contact someone. Nothing. Not a soul. So what would you do if you were in the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake & could do whatever you wanted? [Apart from running around like a crazy & completely irreverent person] That's right, we decided to sing! So there we were, standing on the stage - sans audience - and proceeded to sing How Great Thou Art. Turns out the acoustics really are as good as we tell everyone they are! It was so inspiring to stand on the stage of this building that was built in 1863-1875 where Brigham Young used to speak at conference AND where the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs. Heck ya.

Tuesday: I finished reading the Book of Mormon again!!! I felt so accomplished -- And yes I do mean in the legit Pride & Prejudice sort of way because I have improved my mind by extensive reading :) I don't need artifacts or a word analyzer or anyone else to tell me this book is authentic & the word of God. I know it's true. The End.

I saw Lynn Durrant & Jed Naylor!!! Lynn is headed off on a study abroad program with BYU-I & they stopped in SLC -- to see me! Ok, maybe not me but I was just a really great side effect of coming to TMSQ. Jed reported to the MTC yesterday. He hasn't changed one bit & I love it! He's so funny and he's going to make a great missionary. He asked for my sage wisdom (since I've been out for such a ridiculous amount of time...jokes) and I told him "Enjoy it! If you're not having fun - you're doing it wrong."

I had my first experience with Chat Finding! It's so interesting to think about how we can teach people the gospel over the internet...& then over the phone & THEN we can send them missionaries in their area! The first missionaries would be so proud. Most people are nice...some...not so much :( Makes me tough :) Sis Garbett says I'll get used to it & I'll start to realize how it really doesn't matter & typically they have no idea what they're talking about. Looking forward to it.

While we were out on the Square, we met a guy about our age - a little older - his name is Matt. All I have to say is that he was staring right into Sis Garbett's soul & he gave us a referral! It was the funniest thing! It was like I didn't exist! Even when I would talk - he'd look at me for two seconds then right back at her. It was the highlight of our day, simply due to its unbelievable-ness.

Wednesday: We had 6 hrs in Chat! We're so sneaky....it's our job to ask the questions - so when they ask questions, we have to use our super skills to make sure we're in charge of the conversation. I love it when people are actually interested in having a religious conversation! It's the best. Our purpose is to work with the people to the point where they would like to have the missionaries come visit them, we can teach them over the phone until they get in touch with them. So sometimes it's worked out to where, when the missionaries show up - that person already has a baptismal date set, a testimony & is done reading the Book of Mormon! This gospel really is amazing.

We had a run-in with a very disagreeable & immature 12 year old on Chat. I was mostly upset at her parents - who did not teach her better. I'm grateful that my parents taught me to be considerate of other people & to be this fantastic creature you get to read about every week :) [Said in all humility ;)]

Everyone says that Sister Garbett & I look like twins from the back. EVERYONE. It's also been decided that I'm "Garbett II" simply because she is older & got here first -- because we are so alike, in terms of personality & sense of humor. But we are different enough to make life enjoyable & interesting.

Mom: To answer your question about Sundays -- We have church at 7:30 a.m. then we're on the Square until we have training at 11:00 then lunch at home at 1:00 then personal study. Chat Finding at 3:00 Dinner at 6:00 -- Then home again by 9:00 Busy busy busy!

This week I got letters from:
Sis Maxwell
Aaron's Update
Bethany Daniel
Jesse Williams
Laurel West
My broseph Dallin :)
President Maxwell
Sister & Pres/Bishop/Bro Lee
Mom & Dad

Thanks for writing everyone! Yes I’m happy, Yes I absolutely love it, Yes I'm working hard & NO I haven't forgotten who I am - in any sense of the word :)

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Sister Ainsley