The answer is Revelation (Elder Holland) 10-27-2015

This week has been so great! Except I'm sick...

But Elder Holland came and spoke to us last Wednesday! He shook each of our hands which was so sweet and he truly had the softest hands I have ever felt in my life. 

He spoke about the principle of revelation and how that is the keystone of our faith. 

This transfer is called, "The Keystone Transfer" and we're focusing solely on the Book of Mormon. We've been taught about the empirical evidences of its truthfulness as well as the evidences that are unseen, but felt. 

Elder Holland talked about how the Book of Mormon is a revelation that teaches us about revelation! It is through revelation today that Christ leads and guides His church and it is through personal revelation that we can find out for ourselves the truth of all things. 

This really helped me a lot. There are sooo many questions people ask about doctrinal support in the Bible/BOM regarding our beliefs, and to be honest, certain doctrines we claim to be true aren't found in either of those records. 

So, in order to believe this church is Christ's church, one has to accept the principle of continuous, modern-day revelation. 

As I've been thinking about anti questions I've gotten about the temple, blacks and the priesthood, women and the priesthood, the godhead, etc. the answer is REVELATION. I loved every minute of what Elder Holland said to us.

We had 2 huge miracles this week! Last transfer when I was with Sister Revoredo we took a tour with 2 members and their friend who they had met in the airport! 

In the airport they started talking to her about the church and asked her if she wanted to come to Temple Square with them until she had to catch her next flight. She said sure and when they got here, we ended up being the sisters who took them on a tour. 

The tour was good and the spirit was there and so at the end we asked if we could keep in touch with her and she gave us her email and her address and said she would just like to learn over email. 

We were a little sad but it wasn't a big deal so we gave her a hug and said bye. I put her into our area book as a potential and sent her an email the next day and looked up her ward (since she gave us her address) and told her she should visit if she has a free Sunday. 

Well, she didn't respond. So, last week I was looking through our potential investigators and I thought I'd just email her one more time and then put her as a former investigator. 

Well, an hour later I check my email and GUESS WHO EMAILED!? The lady we took on a tour! She said she'd been to church and had met with the missionaries twice and was meeting with them again THIS week!!! I almost cried. I have never had someone email me back and be progressing. 

It was a huge miracle. It was just one of those tender mercies God gives you to help you know that even though you don't get to see what happens as a result of people coming to Temple Square, the effects can be huge. 

It also made me realize how important member missionary work is. If that member in the airport wouldn't have opened his mouth and shared a little something and invited her, she definitely would not be meeting with missionaries right now and going to church. 

I have the biggest testimony that it's the little things we do that make the biggest difference. Pray for missionary opportunities and then do the little things to help others come closer to Christ.

Also, Charly got baptized!! She is the cutest little 9-year-old who came to Temple Square with her family. They hadn't been going to church and had had a lot of trouble trying to get in touch with the missionaries and so we have been teaching them over the phone and got the missionaries to start visiting them! 

 

The Temple Square 5K 

The last little highlight of this week was our Temple Square 5K! It was sooooo fun. Sister Linares and I have not been running very much in the mornings (due to my terrible cold) so we were freaking out and thinking we wouldn't be able to do the 3.1 miles but we actually ended up running it all and finished in a half hour. I mean, not the best but not the worst it could have been. 

The run was really pretty. We went down this canyon by the capital in SLC and the leaves are just so gorgeous here because everything is changing for winter. Then we all had breakfast together as a mission and ate Einstein bagels. I'm obsessed with that place. We used to eat them all the time in San Diego and I didn't know they had one in Salt Lake but they do and it's super close to Temple Square :) 

Love you!

Sister Helton

Families can be bound on earth and in heaven 10-20-2015

It still feels like a dream that I saw you on Saturday! That was seriously the best day ever :) How was the reception? Will you send me more pics when you get them? Like every single sister was asking me to see pictures and I realized I didn't actually take any of Briggs or Becca....

Anyways! This week has honestly been a week of so many miracles. Saturday night (after the wedding) we took a tour at the Conference Center. I haven't taken any tours there since I was with Sister Isaksen because we only go over there when they need a specific language. 

But as we were walking through the Conference Center, Sister Linares was telling me about the big painting of Christ when He appears in the Americas. The artist, John Scott, painted himself in 3 different areas of the painting. You don't usually get to see it because they have to crop the copies of the painting since it's like 36 ft. long. The ones we usually see aren't the full painting. 

The first place John paints himself is right next to Christ; the second is further away from him but still close enough to hear what he's saying; and the third is way back in the distance kind of turned away from the Savior. 

As my companion was explaining the reasoning for this, I realized how much this painting applies to me. It really all depends on us. How close or how far away we are from the Savior. He stands there with open arms always and forever.

 It made me reflect on when He comes again, how will I feel when I see the Savior? Will I want to run up to him? Will it be a moment of stress where I'll be praying in my mind for forgiveness so I will feel good enough to go up to him? Or will I just stay in the background and not want to face him?

 He's given us the most incredible gift anyone could possibly give us, the gift of the Atonement. It just made me want to: 

1. Use the power the Atonement more in my life and 

2. Have it be the center of everything I share with people on Temple Square. Because if people don't know about it, how can they change? 

But the miracle at the end of the tour is that the guest wanted to learn more! He'll be in Utah for another 3 weeks and so he's coming back to Temple Square this weekend so we can give him a tour of the grounds. 

Another sweet little miracle was that our investigators have actually been answering the phone and many of them are meeting with missionaries! We always send the local missionaries to the people that we meet but you never know if they actually make contact or not. haha. 

So, our whole mission is just dying because tomorrow Elder Holland is coming to speak with us. I will tell you everything next week :) 

Becca and Briggs Oct. 17, 2015 SLC Temple

Can I just say that Briggs and Becca's sealing was the most beautiful thing in the world? I literally thought that my heart was going to explode out of my chest. There was just so much peace in that room. I don't know if there's been a moment that I've felt the spirit testify to me more that the authority from God has been restored and that through the Atonement of Christ, families can be bound on earth and in heaven. I am so grateful to be part of this family! And I'm so grateful I have a new sister! Love you all so much and I hope you have the best week.

Sister Helton

Got to see my wonderful Dad

The Family in the rain

I just try to go with my heart 10-13-2015

So much has happened this week! It's has been soooo busy. One of the most embarrassing things of my mission happened last week.So, the Lion House which is right next to the Beehive house gives missionaries free rolls . After our shift at Beehive, we stopped by the Lion House and grabbed a roll. We were sitting on a bench outside eating our roll and this couple from Mexico comes up and starts talking to us. All of a sudden we see this man walking towards us and the guy we were talking to from Mexico goes, "That's one of the new apostles!!" My companion like squints her and eyes and goes, "Nooo, I think that just one of the seventies." As the man walks closer the man from Mexico goes, "NO, it's the new apostle!!!" Sister Linares didn't really believe him and so were still sitting down just chowing down on our rolls and all of a sudden it clicked that this man was Gary Stevenson, THE NEW APOSTLE. I just stood up as fast as I could since I remembered you have to stand when a general authority walks in the room and I just like nudged Sister Linares and was like, "stand up, stand up!!" He totally heard me say that and just looked at us and smiled and shook our hands. Our hands were covered in honey butter and bread so I'm sure he appreciated that. haha. It's a good memory though. 

One of the coolest things happened this weekend and I just know that Sister Linares and I are meant to be companions because of it. I've been teaching this guy for about a month and half and he is awesome. He's preparing to be baptized and just is soaking up the gospel! We called him on Friday and I introduced Sister Linares since she's my new companion and we hadn't taught him together yet. 

As Sister Linares introduced herself, she said she was from Mexico. Our investigator goes, "Were you ever in the little booth on Temple Square where you give out maps and information about Temple Square??" The booth he's talking about is called West gate and it was Sister Linares' assignment to serve there last transfer.

She was like, "Yes, and I was the only one from Mexico who had that assignment." Our investigator was like, "I don't know if you remember me, but I came up to the booth and I asked for a copy of the Book of Mormon and you told me where I could find one." 

Sister Linares remembered him and they just started talking about his experience on Temple Square and everything that he felt since he left!! I was just in awe. 

Of all the sisters that I could have been put with on Temple Square, I was put with her and she was the one who helped him first! So cool how inspired companions are.

Another little tender mercy was when we called one of the less actives we've been working with. Sister Linares and I send out a question text each day to our zone and this week the question was, "How will you live worthy of the spirit today so you can know what God would have you say and do in each situation?" 

We were really focused on following the spirit and were trying really hard to live worthy of its guidance. 

For me, I'm not always 100% sure I'm following it but I just try to go with my heart. So it was so special because as we were teaching this less active, we shared 3 Nephi 20:1 with her. We didn't really plan what to teach her and it's kind of hard to know what she needs because she's pretty closed. 

Anyways, we read this scripture with her and invited her to always keep a prayer in her heart no matter what she's doing. She's a super busy mom and has a million and a half things going on and it's hard (we assumed) for her to find time to spend with God. 

After we shared this she goes, "You know, it's really interesting that you decided to share this today. This morning I was thinking that my relationship with God just isn't how it used to be and I was wondering what I could do to feel him more in my life so thank you for what you shared." 

Sister Linares and I almost cried because we have just felt like our weeks have been crazy and we haven't had very much time on the Square or to plan for our investigators and so it was just one of those moments where we really felt the hand of God in our lesson. 

I'm so grateful for the spirit. I would be lost without it. 

I am beyond excited for Friday! We have a plan for the tour we'll take you on and don't worry, we'll take you into the tunnels ;) LOVE YOU! See you so soon!

Sister Helton

 

P.S. The pics I attached are from our zone activity today! We went to Wheeler Farms. It's actually where Ness had her wedding reception..I thought it looked oddly familiar. Anyways. we went through a hay maze and went on a tractor ride hahaha Then we all picked a pumpkin and are going to carve it soon. Apparently, pumpkin carving is a super American thing to do and so all the sisters were super excited to do it! 

Why underqualified people like me teach the Gospel 10-6-2015

Sister Linares is my new companion!

Hi!

Well, we survived our last General Conference. Sister Linares and I are just 6 weeks a part from each other in the mission and so it was a little bittersweet having our last conference as missionaries on Temple Square.

 We didn't have any incredible, life-changing miracles happen, but every person we talked to was just amazing. 

 I love conference because of all the members that come from all over the place searching to find answers in their soul. I didn't really get to watch most of conference because they didn't have enough tickets for all the sisters to go to the conference center, but I caught little bits and pieces of it over the speakers that play on Temple Square! 

So, we have spent a lot of our time in the Beehive House these past couple days... On Friday, it was super busy there and we couldn't find an extra companionship to give tours there so we ended up spending like 8 hours straight in the hive.   Beehive House is an interesting place to give tours because people alwaysss ask about polygamy. Plus, it's super old and there's lots of interesting artifacts there so people always get distracted by all the furnishings in the home. 

  Sometimes, it's hard to help people have a converting experience when we have to tell them about the bracelet made out of Brigham Young's hair or explain why he had 57 children. 

  However, we have made it a goal to help every individual no matter what their questions may be, or what their reason for coming to the Beehive House is, have a converting experience in the home. 

  So, there is this picture of Joseph Smith in Brigham's personal office and in the 1850's a guest walked in and asked why Joseph Smith wasn't painted with any amount of strength or intelligence. He just looks like a normal person. 

  Brigham Young's response to this comment - I absolutely love. He said, "Joseph, was not a man of education, but received such enlightenment from the Holy Spirit that he needed nothing more to fit him to his work as a leader." 

  He then went on to tell the visitor, "And this is my own case also... All that I have acquired is by my own exertions and by the grace of God, who sometimes chooses the weak things of earth to manifest His glory." 

  I LOVE that. All that we are as people is by the grace of God and I think it's so beautiful how God calls normal people to do his work so that way everyone will know it truly is Him who works through us. 

  I know that this is Christ's church. He is at the head of it. No one in the church is paid and all of us are underqualified to serve the perfect Savior Jesus Christ, but through his grace, he qualifies and strengthens us. 

  I know with my whole heart this is true about being a missionary. This quote actually answered the question I've had practically my entire mission wondering why God chooses 19- and 20-year-olds to go out and try to teach people the way back to Him. 

On Sunday night, President Poulsen gave us a conference reward! The Piano Guy, John Schmitt, and his family came and played for us. It made me regret quitting piano lessons..I'll send you some videos I took. Hopefully it'll work. Sorry this email is so short but I love you so much! Can't wait to see you NEXT WEEK!!
SISTER HELTON

Sister Chazen

Sister Retuta