The Great American Dream - Sis. Missionary Edition

Hello Everyone!

This week was INSANE! But so great :)

Friday: I saw Becky Lou & Ryland Pigg!!! We talked for a bit, got a picture & they even thought of someone for us to call! Go missionary work :)

I also got to see Pop again!!! I got delayed in bringing my too-big coat over to the NVC but turned out to be perfect because as I walked in, who should I see? But that amazingly healthy looking man I saw just the week before!?!?!? What are the chances? We got to talk for a bit, I delivered my coat, got a hug -- an AMAZING pep talk & then we were on our way!

We went on exchanges with one of our Zone Leaders, Sister Cottam. She is so great! I learned a lot while she came contacting with me & Sister Garbett. We got 10 potentials throughout the day! SO GOOD!

I got word that one of the Elders from my MTC district broke his collar bone! He crashed on his bike...but he's fine - no worries.

Saturday: CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I'd never been to conference before so I was pretty stoked but a tad afraid. We set a mission goal to get 5,000 potentials -- members give us the names/numbers of people they know who might want to have the missionaries visit --- so out of 21,000 people for 5 sessions of conference you'd think we'd be able to get it, right?!? But OH MAN! Once we got up on the square & tried to contact people there were sister missionaries EVERYWHERE! It was hard to find people who weren't being contacted right then! It was a wonderful thing to see :)

Usually we're on the Square by 10, we get two 1 hr breaks for lunch/dinner and we stay until 9:00 But for conference weekend - we're on the Square by 8:00 and we get two 20 min breaks and we stay until 9:00... and we are standing ALL DAY. IT WAS SO WONDERFULLY EXHAUSTING!!! hahahaha it was hard!

I saw Laurel West, Alex & Courtney Caroll, Bryce Winsor, David Hawley, Brooke Jones, Ferry, Zach Gibson, THE MIKKELSENS!!! (i know!!??!?!), Sarah Cook, Corrine Christison, Elder Widenhouse, Heath Dewey & wife and then I caught a glimpse of Mike McEwen -- but I was in the middle of a contact :) I was so surprised to see SO many people! It was great! No, it didn't make me trunky - it was so fun getting to see everyone. It's nice to feel not-quite-so-far-away.

Turns out, the antis who gather on the sidewalks in front of the Square & the Conf Center are great missionaries! Well...some of them. Some just yell --- but it's usually stuff that we don't even believe in...so I was really tempted to suggest they do a bit of research before they have to shell out so much cash for a protest permit. But I didn't :)

Sunday: Sunday was the same as Saturday EXCEPT for the part about me getting to actually GO to a session! We went to the Afternoon session & I loved it! I felt bad for not getting to see the others because it's something I've grown up with. Every April & October we watch Conference at home & we take notes & it's really really great family time and I love it. This year I've got to wait for the Ensign to come out. Which is ok, I'm excited to read it!

Word on the street is that my MTC teacher - Brother Fereday - came to Conference both days! I didn't get to see him though, which bummed me out because he was definitely the teacher who had the most influence on me while I was there. He was so excited to teach us & help us learn. He was there to listen when we needed a friend & he was there to give feedback when we needed a critic. He was the best & I am so glad I was able to learn from him. Wish I could have seen him & his wife....maybe they'll come for Christmas!

Sunday night we gathered in THE tabernacle all 200 of us for our "Close of Conference" meeting. It included a rousing rendition of Called To Serve (with our very own TMSQ 3rd verse) and President & Sister Holmes doing the Acoustic Demonstration for us. It was hysterical! They have the best sense of humor..."Welcome to the TABERNACLE!.....We're gonna rip some newspaper!!! *Rip rip rip* Ok...what's next...hmm..oh right!" hahahaha it was great.

So, like I said - our goal was to get 5,000 potentials. Ok, you ready for it? *Drumroll* WE GOT 5,683 POTENTIALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to all the members who were at conference & gave us their friends' names & numbers. We really really appreciate it! This is how we get a lot of work done here at Temple Square & we are so grateful for those of you who were able to be fantastic member missionaries this weekend!!!

Monday: We got to sleep in!!!!! I slept in until 9:00 -- it was hard! I woke up a bunch but realized this chance doesn't come too often, so I made myself sleep :) Second great surprise of post-conf life? PIZZA!!! We're so easy to please. It was great though! Sleep & pizza - we Americans had found the true meaning of the "Great American Dream" Done. Finito. Misson: Accomplished!

I did the Acoustic Demonstration!!! This time I didn't feel quite so clammy & nervous. Sis Garbett says I just need to work on speaking lower & going down at the end of my sentences. Can do!

We've got a nice rhythmn going between us as a companionship - now that I actually have things to say - so we have nice a little pattern of alternating & backing each other up & answering questions etc. It's quite lovely :)

We hopped into the Assembly Hall perchance right as Sis Williams & Sis Gilbert were too! No one came in for a bit & so...you know us :) Sis Gilbert & Sis Williams were like, "Give us a concert! Ya! Sing!" hahaha [Sis Gilbert is from NY & Sis Williams is from Scotland] We sang "A Child's Prayer" -- I absolutely love being able to break out into song with 2 parts & know all the words! How great is that!? It was awesome!

Tuesday: We got to sleep in again. It was kinda hard! During lunch break we played Temple Square Hangman with Sister Gilbert & Williams. It was really fun - I felt like I was 10 again back in Sunday School when class is over & there's nothing left to do but to play Hangman!!!

I got a letter from Jamie! It was so great! Made my day!

We scheduled dinner for 8:00 so Sister Williams & Sister Gilbert came over and we made wraps! They were so good! It was fun to have some hang out time. We were chatting & eating & just being girls -- "It's like...having friends!" hahahahaha It's amazing how the little things make the difference. Having this connection between the four of us is so much fun. It really is like having friends...not that we're not all friends...but we're friends because we want to be -- not just because we're all in the same mission. Make sense?

Then we stuck some cookies in the oven! Sad news: they didn't turn out :( We're blaming it on the fact that Sis Garbett & I didn't make them together. However, I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that we melted the cookie dough to melt the butter that we were too lazy to try & mix in....maybe.

Wednesday: Back to waking up at 6:20 -- it was hard for about 3.2 seconds -- then it was fine! Just like every other day. So I got up & ran in the halls. It's a long hall. So to answer your question Mom: yes I do still run in the hall :) It's not the most thrilling of exercises but I like it. It works. Then I do some exercises with that hecka-awesome stretchy band!!!! SO FUN! ok...kinda joking...but it really is useful. And Sister Minchner is a PT & she showed me some other moves to do!

We had weekly planning. Which included a riveting comp inventory, when theoretically the two missionaries would go over issues they might have or ask for suggestions on improvement & then go over strengths of the companionship. Here's what ours is usually like:

Sis G: "Ask your companion for suggestions on how you can improve. Also, discuss any issues that might be keeping your companionship from being productive."
Me: How can I improve?
Sis G: Ummm.....
Me: I mean, I think I can definitely work on talking more....
Sis G: Ya! Sure - and that will just get better with more experience too. But you're doing great! What's something I can work on?
Me: Uhhhh....
Sis G: I should let you talk more....
Me: That would be good - kinda shove me into needing to talk.......

*cricket cricket*

Sis. G: "Hey what you said yesterday was hilarious!
Me: "What, when?"
Sis. G: "Remember during that contact with those 3 guys & you were like....."

So we're doing pretty good! We have fantastic communication abilities -- there's talk of us writing a How-to book on how to have a companionship as good as ours. With the subtitle of "And how to do it humbly" written obviously by someone else -- since that's not our strong point :) But seriously, if we do have issues (which the 1 or 2 that we have had are super minor) we take care of it right then. It's kind of like "Hey -- stop." "Ok!" The End.

OH! Remember back a few weeks when I mentioned the Ninja Cat that went up the tree? It was hanging outside the window again during Planning! But no new ninja stories to report...must have been on it's day off or something.

Sis G is writing Elder J in Florida & he sprays his letters with cologne. IT SMELLS SO GOOD! hahaha but that's not the point, the point is that I FINALLY get what the Elders in the movie The Best Two Years were talking about when he told Elder Van -what's his name to tell his girl friend to stop spraying her letters with perfume cuz it puts Elder Rogers in a coma. Yeah - NOW i get it!

I got my coat! It's the right size & everything! I'd like for it to be a little smaller....but it'll work great for layering etc. I can't wait to wear it with my super bright blue scarf!

We were calling referrals & Sis Garbett called a number for "Alison" but instead got "John" --- so the number was old or wrong or something BUT the weird/awesome/crazy/what-are-the-chances news: HE REFERRED!!!! Sis Garbett just talked to him, explained what we do, got to know him & he said he'd love to have the missionaries come & visit him & his wife & his little 3 yr old! I KNOW! WHAT ARE THE CHANCES!?!?!? Totally made our night.

From my message last week, you'll know that we get "trollers" on Chat -- people who just come on to waste our time. We usually talk to them, until we figure it out then we're super nice & ask if they have any legitimate questions - if not feel free to browse the site - have a nice day. But now, we have a new policy. We're actually going to talk to them! And try to teach them about Christ. It seemed kind of pointless at first but if you look beyond the huge headache you get at the end - I think we actually do some good! Instead of giving them the impression that we only teach "the Elect" we show them that the message we have is for everyone - including them! And wouldn't they like to learn more? So it's been an interesting ride already.

Thursday: We went to the Temple this morning!!!!!!!!!! It was really really cool! In the temple display in the SVC you can see the rooms & everything but it's totally different being inside. It was a really neat experience just knowing that the pioneers were the ones who painted the murals, made the super-low doorknobs and crafted all the designs inside. It was pretty historic. Just another confirmation that what we're teaching people is true. It's so true. Living according to the principles we learn in church brings us true happiness. Being able to accomplish the things we do, is amazing! We are so helpful to the world! After we have a hard time on Chat or a particularly rough contact -- Sis Garbett always says, "This church is SO true." We wouldn't have this much opposition if it weren't. And it's just nice to know.

This morning we had muffin tops at the Nauvoo Cafe! Later, in Chat, someone transferred a Spanish conversation to me & I attempted to talk with them. Sis Garbett asked me a question at one point but I told her to hang on - not right now - she called me out on being impatient & I said, "Just not right now - I'm trying to speak Spanish!" So it was kind of funny :) It went well. The lady was wondering how she could get her 6 yr old son to behave when they go to Mass. I told her about how my parents would take us into an empty room, sit us on their lap & we would be quiet until we started to behave. It took a bit of explaining & re-explaining but I finally got the point across! She got off before I could go into anything about the church, but hopefully I made her life a little easier.

Since I only got to go to one session of Conference, those talks are the only ones I know anything about. But from the Sunday Afternoon session, I really liked Elder Lawrence's talk. He talked about "courageous parenting". He said there are no perfect parents & no perfect answers. He told the parents to "Be not afraid" of parenting. He said that parents should always be unified in their decisions. He said "There is wisdom in staying up for your kids." One of my favorite parts was when he talked about how "young people understand more than we think" and that parents should have one-on-one interviews with each of their children. During this time they should talk to their kids & help them set goals to get them where they want to go.

My parents are the perfect example of this. They have always been very involved in my life. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

A contact in the Tabernacle asked how difficult it was for me to come on my mission. My response? Not hard at all. I've been planning on a mission for as long as I can remember & I've been saving for it for as long as I can remember. I was raised to save money for college & mission. So this choice was not a difficult one. I knew that if I wanted to go - I would have that option. And now, with the wonderful support of my parents & grandparents I am here!

I wouldn't give up this chance for anything in the world.

How many girls 21 year old girls get to say that they are a Sister on Temple Square in Salt Lake City Utah??? How many people get the opportunity to be within 100 ft of a pioneer-built Temple for 10 hrs EVERY day?!? Out of 14 million members -- there are 200 of us. And I am so pleased & proud to be one of them.


All my love,
Sis Ainsley Marie