Santa Came!!!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!!!!

Isn’t this time of the year just oh-so-exciting? It’s unbelievable how we can look back on an entire year and realize how many wonderful things we were able to accomplish in 365 days! All I can say is, every day is a good day on Temple Square!

Tuesday: Yay for Pday! I got up & immediately did laundry. If I don't do it first thing in the morning -- it goes late into the night. So I get it started while I run & get ready. It's perfect. Huzzah for clean clothes. Sister Khadgi wanted to hop over to DownEast, right by Walmart before we shopped for groceries. I'm so glad we DID because I came out with a SUPER cute purse [$5] and a gold zipper headband [$3] -- I'm very satisfied with my purchases…and so are all the other sisters :) When we got home I was able to write so many letters! Some pdays I only get out 2 or 3 but THIS pday I wrote 10 letters/postcards! Mail is the best. Back in computers, we forgot to call Dylan! The TMSQ choir had to fill-in for a last minute cancellation -- so it threw off my groove[much like the Emperor’s] & we forgot. We remembered when we were reviewing the day & it was a horrible "OH NO!!!" "What???" "We forgot to call Dylan!!!" "OH NO!!!!" hahahaha it would have been funny -- if it hadn't bummed us out so much! called home to set up a time to call Christmas Day!!! Ahhhh! So exciting.

Wednesday: Today, I planned in GREEN pen -- much more exciting! Sister Khadgi had to show the talent committee her dance that she wants to do for New Years. It's awesome!!! I wish I had some cool culture - being American is so boring here. We get discriminated against by guests -- because we're American. Way to hate your own people. Chat first thing in the morning! Yay! No one spectacular. However, we did get an original approach to a troll line...so that was entertaining! Lately trolls have gotten so similar, there is power in the advice of avoiding rote presentations – even for Trolls! At 3:00 we planned to take 2 guests from Ohio around. We missed them! I told Sister Bateman that we had planned for people from Ohio - so if any came to the desk - from Ohio - they were ours. Then we went down to the basement. I don't know why. But we did. And we missed our 2 people from Ohio!?!? But it's okay -- we instead, met Mitch - from Florida. We had a fantastic go-see with him! We took him to the Christus, Tabernacle, Assembly Hall & then to the Temple Display. He had great questions & we were able to teach him THROUGH questions, getting him involved in the experience. He has member relatives & friends and what it basically came down to was "Why aren't you a member - what's holding you back?" Turns out, he doesn't believe in organized religion. So, at the Temple Display - we asked him why. "...I don't know. Ya - I don't know!" "Okay....you don't know!" So we invited him to meet with the missionaries - again. He accepted! So we'll call him until he gets back to Florida & gets in touch with the missionaries! He knows everything already -- it's just a matter of having it really hit his heart. No problemo, we'll have him baptized in no time :) We had announcing for Joy to the World (which I love doing) and as we were trying to round people up, who should come gliding down the escalator but my good friend Chans! I know! What are the chances!??![hilarious, I know] Mr."Hasn't-written-me-my-whole-mission-despite-it's-currently-short-duration" No, just kidding. It was so good to see him! He was with one of my new friends Jess and she is awesome! We were chatting away & I said, "I like you -let's me friends!" "We are friends!" "Awesome!!! Chans - can you give her my address?" Oh the joys of making new friends :) And keeping old ones -- made my night!

Thursday: The strain of the season is starting to wear on some sisters & they're getting sick! Oh no! But it's okay, Sister Khadgi stayed with Sister Elias-From-Jordan-Middle-East so I was on exchange with Sister Bailey for part of the day -- which we love. We both love Chat & we both love desk. We're both really chill & easy-going...so it works out pretty great! There were a bajillion[yes, a bajillion – I counted] people on the Square and for whatever reason - no sisters? So we ended up taking 15 people on one tour!??!?! But it was a really good tour! We alternated so well & were perfectly balanced with doctrine, history & testimony. It was one of the best tours I've taken in a while. Loved it! We rescheduled with Dylan for 7:00 PM but when I called - he was at a pre-Christmas party!?! I mean...who does that?!? K - I would - if I was home. But it's all good - we set up a time to call on Friday.

Friday: The highlight & low light of the day all occurred in one event. We called Dylan. He wasn't busy & we did get to talk for a little bit. But it was cut short by his mother. She has been suffering from the chaos of the busy season & was in quite the mood. He had to go and he made us promise to email him. He is excited to go back to school. And because it means we'll be able to talk with him uninhibited over the phone - so are we. We were on the Square until 4:30 at which point we changed into Pday clothes for some holiday fun! We ended up sitting 3 to a 2-seat row on the bus. *Occupancy Level Breach* But we made it to Heritage Park in the same amount of pieces that we left the Square in. Christmas Eve was really fun! We had dinner, catered by the same people that did Thanksgiving, so it was yummy. Not like being at home - but hey, how many Christmases can you say you're a missionary?
We had special musical numbers in several languages. Piano, guitar & voice. So pretty! After we ate, we attempted to make gingerbread houses for kids at hospitals! It was an interesting experiment -- I don’t think any of us were meant to be in construction :) But it was fun! We got stockings from a stake & a bag with a gift from the General Relief Society Presidency! Sis Nichols & I tried our hardest to come up with "Twas the Night Before Christmas" but couldn't get passed "Something something when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly." So...maybe we'll have to find a copy to actually READ for next year :)

Saturday: MERRY CHRISTMAS! Sleeping in until 8:00 was wonderful. Just long enough. The four of us got up & opened presents together - just like at home :) Sister Khadgi & I bought some gifts for Sister Barona(Peru) and labeled them “From Santa”. It drove her insane all morning – trying to figure out “Who is Santa???” We showed her his picture several times…it didn’t seem to sink in :) I got so many wonderful gifts from so many wonderful family members! As I opened each package & was finally able to discover what was hidden inside, it was amazing to note how perfect the gifts were! Everything I got I either, needed, wanted or didn’t realize I needed! Christmas gifts are the best. I have to say my favorite gift was the star whole puncher that Mom sent me :) This means an endless supply of star confetti for my letters. YESSSS!!!!! Each Sister got an African scarf from the General Relief Society! Mine is salmon/orange/yellow – so pretty. Sister Bailey(NZ/Hawaii) gave every companionship in our district a box of Hawaiian Host Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts! So delicious :)

Yup! Today’s the day! I CALLED HOME!!!! It was so good to talk to everyone! And by everyone I mean everyone except Jeffrey. But that’s okay, some excuses are pretty good. Sounds like all is well on the home front! Jeff got accepted into his summer internship at Georgetown! Dallin is doing so well that he ditched my phone call early to play video games. Elena for whatever reason thinks boys are cute (Who taught her that?!?) and is doing great in school (I taught her that – jk) Dad is stoked to be able to research & write for a few months. I’m looking forward to Father’s Day when I can call and talk more with him! Mom is the same amazing & remarkable creature I left back in NC – wit, laughter & charm – all still there :)
Christmas party in Theatre 1 – we had bread bowls & salad for dinner. The lights went down, the screen was blank – but the Disney intro music played and the theatre full of 200 girls erupted :) We watched The Chronicles of Narnia.
Sis Despain to ZL Hernandez: "I’m here for ya. Need a shoulder to cry on -- I got two."

Sunday: Happy Birthday Jeffrey!
Brother Tom Pike sang two musical numbers for us. It was so interesting to watch the process, simply because this teeny old man hobbled up onto the stage & I was puzzled as to how he could purport to not need the microphone? But the pianist began & he stood his ground. He began to sing & I was amazed that that voice could live inside such a body? Just goes to show that some things definitely aren't as they appear :) He sang "Birthday of a King" and "O Holy Night", both very beautifully. It was a pleasure to have him in our meetings. Sister Khadgi & I got to go to Music & the Spoken Word! We got to hear The Bells on Temple Square as part of the presentation. So glad we go to go to this particular one, because there are very few times that missionaries get to hear the Bells. It was a beautiful performance. The MOTAB is very impressive & never ceases to amaze. We are getting so many emails! It makes me happy. Last transfer we were lucky to get ONE but just today we got FOUR messages! Not to say that they're always pleasant to get...but most of them are nice to get - investigators checking in, baptizees wishing us a Merry Christmas. Oh yes, we're very popular :) On Chat, we talked with someone with the email address of followerofsatan666@churchofsatan.com --- it was a great conversation :) I went on exchanges with Sister Bailey(NZ) from 6-7 because we had our last TMSQ Sis Missionary choir performance! Yes! Be excited! Bittersweet - but all good things must come to an end. It was really fun to be a part of this presentation. I feel blessed & privileged to have accompanied on a number of the pieces & still can't believe it's over! Fun while it lasted :) Sis Bailey & I ran into Kent Lyman's cousin! Small world. Turns out he was also Sis Holliday's home teacher!?! Even smaller world. After those exchanges, I went on exchanges with Sisters Hernandez & Gunter (our ZLs) --which I love! We were assigned to take families through God's Plan, so we headed up there and immediately took a family of five through. The daughters were 27, 24 & 17. It was a wonderful experience -- they actually laughed during the presentation! I'll be the first to admit, the jokes are kinda lame, especially after you've heard them eleventy billion times....but their enjoying it made me realize how great this presentation is. They really enjoyed it & gave us two potentials at the end. A very sincere and pleasant family to meet.

We never sleep here at Temple Square, we never get two seconds together to rest -- but that's okay because it just means that we're ridiculously busy having people refer for missionaries!!! Right after we took the above family through, we took a group of about 20 Spanish-speakers through! As we waited for the first video to finish, we played a bit of telephone as Sis Hernandez whispered to Sister Gunter, who whispered to me that I would testify at the end of the presentation :) No problemo! Happy to do it! So we took them from room to room, all 20 of them, including a teeny 10 inch puppy in a carrier similar to the cloth wraps that mothers have for their children :) It was adorable. At the end, I successfully testified in Español & told them that I knew that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, their family could last forever. That the church we have in our day & age -- is the same church that Christ organized during his lifetime. I know that when I read The Book of Mormon - the words are of God. And that by abiding by their precepts, we can be happy & come closer to Christ. Sister Hernandez followed up with a wonderful invite & three of the couples referred for missionaries! I love exchanges. Having the variety - really works for my personality :) After planning, Sister Khadgi & I tried brainstorming ideas for combating trolls. Way to incorporate scripture into answers of how magnets work etc. It was hilarious -- as we basically would be both ourselves AND the troller....it was entertaining & in the end, quite useful! We think Alma 26:22 will come in handy.

Monday: I got up & finally rolled out of bed at a very very late 6:37 am...and proceeded to run in the hall. Yay for actually being able to run! Love it.
There was no hot water. Still a mystery. So there we were, three sister missionaries - staring at the water heater...convinced that if we stick to it long enough...it would solve our problem. We got bored & decided to get ready for the day. I was only brave enough to wash my hair. Hopefully it will heal itself by tomorrow!
We found 38 year old Glenn on Chat this morning! He's from South Carolina and is interested in being baptized! I know, right?!? So we set up a time to call him later in the afternoon. We called him at the previously designated time & ended up having a wonderful conversation! We taught him how to pray, about the apostasy & restoration and he even committed to being baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as soon as was possible. I'm a tad skeptical as to how legit this is going to be. "Hey c'mon Sis Despain! Just be happy! He wants to get baptized! You don't get those everyday!" I know. Trust me. I just am not positive as to how much he really understands what is entailed in being baptized. But our hopes are high & we're praying for the best! We're thrilled to have another New Investigator!
I got Dallin's letter! Yay! So weird to have a letter start with "Ainsley" I'm like...hmm...Ainsley -- oh! ME! right, ok - got it. Now I'm with you. I love sibling letters! So good to hear what everyone is up to! I also got a letter from Grandma Deanna with an update of the year & a wonderful card from Maya & Greg Machacek! I remember staying at their house in NY and taking the subway to the Manhattan temple. Good times. I was surprised & very pleased to get their Christmas card :)
Only five more days of the Lights on Temple Square! Bittersweet...again -- glad to have the craze over with but at the same time, I'll miss the people.
I got a very productive call from Inbound tonight. I spoke with Brandon who is currently meeting with missionaries in his area in Minnesota. We talked about our beliefs regarding the Godhead, God loving all of His children, The Book of Mormon as another testament of Christ, what happens after this life & why we should do what we can during this life to be our best self. It’s the difference between a passing grade and an A+.

Tuesday: I made so much food this morning! I’m freezing it or putting it in the fridge for the rest of the week. I’m so excited. I made tortillas, pancakes and then this rice/veggies/meat combo thing that should last me a month :) Walmart later and then it’s LETTER TIME!!!! This week I really learned about the importance of taking things as they come. There is no point in getting stressed out or worried about things that either haven’t happened yet or you have no control over. I appreciate the fact that I have the ability to not become a mental case, just because something doesn’t go according to plan. Things change. Life goes on. And yet the gospel is still true ;) I am so proud to be able to say that I have officially become a “Make it count” missionary, opposed to a “Counting Down” missionary. So much better.
I love living in downtown Salt Lake. I love Temple Square. I love the work. I love being a missionary.

Keep smiling, life is good :)

Sister Ainsley Marie