Madeline's Missionary Blog: Home Sweet St. George

So yesterday morning I was in the Visitors' Center sitting on the couch and studying since the place was about as lively as a graveyard. When I sit there I face a whole wall of just windows with the best view ever of the temple. So I treasure my time there when I can sit and study in silence :) But then the phone rang and when I answered someone on the other side said, "sorry to make you get up from that comfy couch you were studying on, sister. Can I ask a favor?" And my reply was, "Uh...who is this...? And where are you??" And they replied, "It's temple security. We see all and we know all." And as creepy as that sounds, it's actually very comforting to hear!! Because believe it or not, there are some strange people who come into the VC... Just another one of the perks of serving in the VC!!

Another one is that we have a Book of Mormon closet filled with practically every translation of the book. And it not only serves as a closet holding the keystone of our religion in a hundred different languages, but also a crying closet for the sisters!! Which sounds so silly, but it is very useful when you don't want to go into the bathroom and have your cries echo across the whole VC. And even though it's used for when you're homesick, when you don't feel like you're making any improvement in your area, and when you're just down right frustrated, it's also used quite often when we are just overwhelmed with the spirit.

Although the VC has it's pros and cons (cons as in it's really difficult to work our proselyting schedule around it, to schedule appointments and find time to teach our investigators, and to get enough study time in), the pros would definitely have to be that the spirit is so strong there. Teaching those who come in thirsting for spiritual nourishment and being able to see their testimonies not only strengthened but seeing them more converted to the Lord is a beautiful thing. The experiences we have there are very sacred. The spirit is strong as we discuss the Lord's atoning sacrifice at the Christus, as we talk about families and why the temple is so vitally important, as we express our gratitude for a modern day prophet. You can see the tears in their eyes, feel them in yours, and then quickly go cry it out in the Book of Mormon closet. It's great.

So guess who came to St. George last Sunday for our stakes mission prep class?! Elder S. Gifford Nielsen!! You remember that former quarterback for BYU that gave a great talk last conference about hastening the work?! Yep, HIM! Since there are only two sets of sisters covering our stake (of 14 wards....) and the others sisters were at the VC, WE were the missionaries that represented our area! And we got to talk to Elder Nielsen about the missionary work in our area before it started. I swear, he shook my hand for what felt like five minutes...and his hand is about three of mine. I couldn't stop smiling. And my head hurt from looking up for so long. He's a pretty tall guy...

Him and his wife said some great things about missionary work. It was so interesting actually being a missionary at one of these talks... you see everything from a whole new perceptive. it gave me an insight of the kind of missionary I want to be right now and the kind of missionary I want to be when I get home. Because our whole lives are missions, right?? :) And let me tell you, Sister Brenders and I haven't had to find anyone to teach since we got here. The members have done it all. Our bishops, ward mission leaders, and stake president are AMAZING! And they are so ready and excited to see St. George flourish with members and missionary work!

I better get going, but I love you all!! And I'm lovin this mission!!

Much love, Sister Martin

P.S. My companion lost her wallet last p-day and someone named "Moroni" returned it...only in St. George, right?!