Making a "To Be List" for 2016 12-28-2015

Hi!

I feel like I don't have too much to update you on since we talked 3 days ago but I am just in shock that Christmas is over. It came and went so fast. 

These past couple days we really have been seeing so many miracles. 

  Yesterday, we took a tour with a Hindu family, a Jewish family and Christian family all combined.  

We were a little unsure about what to share to really fit the needs and help every person understand the incredible message we share and so we just shared our testimonies when it felt right. 

  By the end, each family took a copy of the Book of Mormon and one asked to meet with missionaries. The Spirit is real and the power behind a simply testimony is real. 

We had our zone training meeting yesterday and it was focused on the parable in Matt. 20:1-14. 

To be honest, this parable always confused me but as we studied it, I came to realize how beautiful the message is. 

  So, there's this man who owns a vineyard. He goes into the city to find men to work in his vineyard at about 8am. He settles a price with these workers that after a whole days work, they will receive a penny. The men begin working in the vineyard. 

After a few hours, the owner of the vineyard goes back into the city to find more workers and then he repeats this process up until the "eleventh hour." This is about 5pm so there's just one hour left of work to be done.      

  When 6pm comes, the owner of the vineyard pays each person one penny. This makes the workers who came early in the morning really mad. They can't understand why they worked all day and received the same pay as the people who only worked for an hour. 

  The owner of the vineyard responds that he's not being unfair: They agreed on the price of a penny just that morning and that it is his vineyard and his money which he can spend the way he chooses. 

  This story is comparable to us. No matter where we're at spiritually, as we make the decision to come unto Christ, we will receive the same reward. There is no such thing as being too far gone or deciding to follow Christ too late in the day. 

  The reason we discussed this in our meeting was because it's the start of a New Year! 2016. We can choose to work harder, to be a more devoted disciple of Christ, and He will welcome us with open arms. 

  The Savior's love is so much more infinite than I'll ever understand.  

Oh! Something that I decided to do is to make a "To Be" list for 2016. 

 One of the guest speakers we had last week talked to us about this. He said we make so many To Do lists in our week (in our planner we have space for one!) and he invited us to make a separate list on how we can become true disciples of Christ. 

  I have a million things to work on but I narrowed it down to just 10 things. haha. 

  The attribute I want to work on to begin with is hope.

  I love the scripture that says, "Be not afraid, only believe." It's one thing to believe that Christ came and suffered and died for me but it's another thing to allow Him to change me, and change my heart, and fill me with His love. 

  I just want to trust more in His promises and truly believe that in His strength I can do all things. 

Love you so much! It seriously was the best Christmas present just to be able to see you and talk for those 40 minutes. Have the best week!

Sister Helton 

                                                                  

Megan visited the Square

On Temple Square with guest at the Christmas lights

So grateful for the Christmas season and His light 12-21-2015

Zone pizza party

So much has happened in the past 2 weeks!! First of all, I'm not sure how I've survived up to this point. My mind after 2 weeks without a Pday just shuts down. 

But anyways, it has been 2 weeks of MIRACLES. To back up quite a while, a week ago Saturday, we had our last little zone party and we ate pizza and had so much fun. 

 Tuesday was a day of miracles. It was Sister Howard and my last day as companions and we found 3 new investigators on the Square! We hadn't been able to find anyone for about a week and a half and had been praying that we would be able to find those who are really prepared, who want to learn about Christ. 

As we talked to all 3 of these individuals, they all agreed to meet with local missionaries when they got home. Then on Tuesday night, this guy who Sister Howard and I had taught at the beginning of the transfer finally texted us after like 3 weeks of silence and said he was meeting the missionaries the next day! 

Sister Almeida of Brazil is my new companion

Then, on Wednesday I got my new companion! Her name is Sister Almeida and she is amazing. She's from Brazil and she served there for 1 month waiting for her visa before she went into the MTC - so she pretty much already trained. We are having SO much fun together. We will be companions until the end of my mission. 

I seriously love training. I feel like Heavenly Father just sends you so many people to teach. It's been amazing to see the hand of God just in our 5 days as companions and how much He is helping us. 

I feel like this past transfer, my testimony of the Restoration has increased soooo much. I was thinking about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ the other day and how fundamental it is to Christianity. If Christ wasn't resurrected, than why follow Christ on earth because there's nothing after this. 

That led me to really think about Christ as living today and got me thinking, If Christ lives today, what is He doing? Why would He just come to earth for 33 years and minister and organize his church for this tiny period of time and than break the bonds of death but never speak to us again. 

Christ leads His church today. I know it with my whole heart. Christ established His church on the foundation of prophets and apostles, he himself being the chief cornerstone. The gospel makes sense and I am beyond grateful to belong to His church.

This week we've had several guest speakers come talk with us! Lynn Robbins, Michael Wilcox and Elder Rasband all visited our little mission. 

Goodbye to Sister Howard

Michael Wilcox really focused on the signs of Christ's birth in the Book of Mormon. It's so cool because it's where I'm reading right now. I feel like we always read the story of Christ's birth in Luke 2 but I would definitely invite you to read the story in the Book of Mormon. 

I think it's best to start in Helaman 11 and read up to 3 Nephi 1. The faith that the believers in Christ had that what Nephi and Samuel had prophesied would come true is incredible to me. 

Brother Wilcox also pointed out to us that there were 2 signs of Christ's birth in the Americas: the star and the night where the sun would go down, but it would stay light, He pointed out how God always works with 2 witnesses. 

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert
 

I feel like my thoughts are in a million different places right now, but I also got to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert which was amazing. 

  It's been snowing like crazy here and my poor Brazilian companion has never seen snow before! 

  As we were walking to email, I was telling my companion how this one time crossing the street we ran into Russell M. Nelson and literally as I said that Elder Jeffrey Holland was right next to us!! 

I am so grateful for the Christmas season. I'm grateful for my Savior and really can't express it in words but I know that His light is real. 

He is the free gift given to each one of us and there are so many opportunities God gives us to feel His light in our lives. 

I'm grateful to be a missionary for another Christmas to really remember why we celebrate. I love being a missionary. I can't believe how fast it's going. 

 I'm so excited to Skype the family on Friday!! Could we do it at 9am Utah time? So, 8am your time? Is that too early? Let me know :)

Love you!

"This could be really good for my life" 12-9-2015

This week has been so great! 

Last week, we met a guy on the Square from Mexico. This week we called him to help him get in touch with the missionaries. When we called him the biggest miracle happened. 

  A little background before I keep going: the guy shared with us that he feels organized religion does more harm than it does good. He doesn't have any Christian background and he really likes Buddhist meditation and philosophies. 

  So when we called him on Saturday, we weren't exactly sure how everything would go but we just asked him if he had been able to start reading the Book of Mormon. He said he has and that he had read up to chapter 8 in 1 Nephi. 

  He kind of paused and then said, "Sisters, it's really interesting. Every time I read, I feel like something is telling me they love me over and over again. I really want to learn more about your religion. I think this could be really good for my life." 

  Sister Howard and I almost cried. This week one of our investigators had to postpone her baptism for a few weeks and this other guy we'd been working with dropped us so we had been a little sad and we had been praying so much for God to put someone prepared to receive his gospel in our path. 

Jennifer

Another highlight of the week was Jennifer's baptism!!! Sister Linares and I taught her together all last transfer because she had met her on Temple Square just a few days before we became companions. 

  Her baptism was in Provo so we had to take the Trax and than get on the Frontrunner to Provo and than take a bus to BYU campus and then find the building where her baptism was.

  It was probably the most stressful day of my mission. We missed the Frontrunner so we ended up waiting for 45 minutes until the next one came, so therefore we missed to bus going to BYU campus, and by pure luck, had this super sweet RM from Jennifer's ward pick us up and help us find the building she got baptized in. 

  Everything worked out even though we were 30 minutes late. They waited for us to come. It was so sweet to be able to see a baptism. The spirit was just so strong and really helped remind me of the importance of making covenants and how real they are. The spirit there was just undeniable. 

Oh, I got to watch the Christmas devotional. We didn't go to the Conference Center though because we went last year so this year we'll get to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert instead!! I think it's next week or the week after. Anyways, I loved Linda K. Burton's talk. Actually, all the talks were amazing. 

  We met this super cute family who told us that their Christmas tradition is to not watch the Christmas devotional on the weekend it is broadcast, but they watch it on Christmas Eve. I thought it was a pretty cute idea. 

Love you so much!

Sister Helton

Austin found me!

Missionaries from the USA. I'm in the center next to President and Sister Poulsen

God is in the details of our lives 12-2-2015

Today has seriously been the busiest Pday of my mission!! 

This morning we went for a really good run (we're trying to run everyday until it's gets too snowy and we're stuck inside) and then after, a ward made us brunch. 

This lady dressed up like Mrs. Claus and we sang Christmas songs and then right after, we had our zone activity. We went to a senior activity center and sang to them for a half hour while they ate lunch. It was so sweet they all got up and gave us grandma hugs and told us they loved us. 

Thennn, we went over to the Moore's house (one of the senior couples who do so much for our mission) and had hot chocolate/decorated sugar cookies. 

Then things got a little more exciting and Sister Bellais taught us all how to dance Tahitian style! We printed off a picture of each sister in our zone and everyone had to write why they loved the sister. It was really sweet. And since it is the start of a new month I had practically no food so we went to Costco and stocked up on the good stuff. 

This week has been amazing though. We had Thanksgiving and spent it with the most humble mom and daughter. I am SO sad we totally forgot to take a picture. I think maybe we were just enjoying the moment too much we forgot? 

It was Sister Howard, me and another set of sisters from Mongolia and we ate in this little apartment close to Temple Square and helped Briana and Lory set up their Christmas tree after we ate. 

We all were able to go around the table and just share our conversion stories. Lory is just getting back into the church and one of the sisters from Mongolia is celebrating her first Christmas here on Temple Square as a missionary because none of her family back home are Christians. The sisters on Temple Square have the most inspiring and incredible conversion stories. It always blows my mind when I'm able to sit down and really talk with them and hear where they've come from and how they've found the gospel. 

We have had the biggest miracles since the lights have turned on! Sister Howard and I were about to go home on Friday night and as we're walking by this couple, the girl yells to us, "Sisters! Can I give you a referral?" We were both like, "Um, YES!" 

So we called the referral the next day and it was this really cool girl from Flordia who's super open to learning more and has actually been thinking about investigating the church. Thenn, on Saturday, this other member just randomly walked up to us and gave us another referral of a part-member less active family who lives in Draper and have had a lot of questions about the church lately. 

But the biggest miracle of all happened yesterday. So, Temple Square is super dead during the day and then at night, things are ridiculously busy so Sister Howard and I were covering the Assembly Hall (just standing in one of the buildings waiting for guests to come in) because some poor sisters had been in there for a few hours and hadn't had anyone to talk to. 

Anyways, these 3 members walk in the door and we started talking with them. One of them was from Houston, Texas. To go back a little bit, about a month ago I answered an inbound call of this guy who's from Texas and is just super interested in the "mormon culture" and the beliefs of the church and how they shape us into the people we are. We've called and talked with him a few times and he actually met with the missionaries today in Texas for the first time! 

As we've been teaching him a little bit about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration he's been super open and interested but last week he had kind of a negative experience with a missionary. So we were kind of worried about him and sooo when we met this member in the Assembly Hall from HOUSTON TEXAS, we were like, "We're actually teaching someone from Houston right now!" 

He asked us where he lived so we looked it up and the member told us it's literally 10 minutes from his house and he knows tons of people in the YSA ward where our investigator would be attending!!! Then, he was like, "Give him my number and I'll introduce him to people." 

The member is actually a convert who joined a few years ago and he's superrr similar to our investigator. It was just so cool to see how aware God is of every individual and how he really is in the details of our lives. 

Being a missionary is the best. I'm not exactly sure who all my mom forwards this email to, but if you're thinking about serving a mission, DO IT! I love the gospel and I am so grateful that God allows me to be apart of his incredible work. 

Love you!

Sister Helton

Desire, Determination, Dedication 11-24-2015

I feel like I'm getting soooo lazy with emailing. But this week was so great, I have to tell you everything. 

SO! We went to "Savior of the World" and I absolutely loved it. The part that really stood out to me was when Christ appears after his resurrection to his disciples except Thomas. Even after witnessing Christ raising Lazarus from the dead, feeding the 5,000, and so many other miracles, Thomas cannot believe Christ is truly risen until he literally sees the resurrected Lord with his own eyes.   The more I read the scriptures, the more I realize how similar the people in the Old/New Testament and Book of Mormon are to us today. 

  Since I only have 3.5 months left on my mission I've really been thinking about who I want to become after I'm finished and how I'll continue to move forward with an increased faith in Christ. 

  I really know that the key to conversion is to remember. I have seen so many miracles being a missionary and had so many moments of surety and clarity that this is Christ's church. I know things are going to be a lot different when I get home but I am so grateful for the examples of those who have gone before (ie., Thomas) who I can learn from. 

Sister Howard from Australia is my new comp

  I will choose to believe and have faith even if I don't have the exact same experiences at home that I do as a missionary. 

Sister Howard (my companion) gave a talk on Sunday about gratitude and she said something that I loved!! She said it's not the experiences we have in our lives that make us who we are, it's how we choose to react. 

Yesterday, we went on exchanges with the district leaders in our zone and I got to go with Sister Caramia from Italy for the day. We got to take on a tour around Temple Square some of the architects for the Rome temple as well as two other men who are doing the interior of the Temple who weren't members of the church. 

  They showed us pictures of what they're doing and it is amazing. We should definitely go to Rome for the temple open house! Just an idea :) I mean, we have friends we can stay with! It was a really sweet experience, though, just to see how the Spirit works. 

  I love Temple Square. I honestly thought I might get sick of being on the same 10-acre square for 15 months, but every single day I am just so grateful. 

I forgot to tell you about the talk I gave in sacrament meeting! It's like the only talk I've given my whole mission and I was soooo nervous. It's weird how I feel comfortable talking in front of tons of guests on Temple Square about things they've never heard of, but speaking in front of a bunch of missionaries I already know makes my legs shake like nothing else! Anyway, my topic was: 

"In one who is wholly converted, desire for things [contrary] to the gospel of Jesus Christ has actually died, and substituted therefore is a love of God with a fixed and controlling determination to keep his commandments." -Marion G. Romney

As I was trying to figure out where to go with this talk, I realized that there are 3 major words in this statement: 

          Desire, Determination and Dedication. The 3 D's. 

  Feeling the love of Christ gives us the desire to follow him and as we follow him and feel our hearts change through him, we gain the strength and determination not to give up on our quest of discipleship. As we are determined to follow Christ, we want to bind ourselves to him through covenants and it's through the covenants we make with Christ that he enables us to dedicate our lives to him and never look back. 

We took this picture after singing "Walk Tall, You're A Daughter of God"

I love my Savior. I'm so grateful for this time of year to really focus on what's most important and to remember the greatest gift God has given me. 

Love you so much!

Sister Helton

Sister Lai, my first companion.
She and I both spoke in sacrament meeting (we are wearing the same sweater!)

What gift will I give the Savior this year? 11-18-15

This week has been so great!

We had a HUGE miracle. So, I've been teaching this lady about 2 months now. Her husband is inactive and they are currently going through a lot of struggles. She investigated the church about 2 years ago and firmly believed that it was not true. 

She had never read the Book of Mormon before or really lived the teachings and so as she and her husband started to go through all these difficulties, in the back of her mind she said she felt that she wouldn't be able to find the peace and strength she was searching for in any other church besides the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

We weren't really sure what that meant since she made it clear to us that she didn't have any intention of being baptized, but she began meeting with the local missionaries again in addition to receiving our phone calls. 

Last week we called her and she told us that she believes God has more answers he wants to give her and until she takes a leap of faith and gets baptized, those answers will never come. She's getting baptized in 2 weeks!!  

Our zone is doing super well too! We made a list of all the people's names who are meeting with local missionaries or are on date to be baptized. We found that in our zone, there are 48 people meeting with missionaries and only 9 preparing to be baptized on a certain date. We have set some really high goals for this transfer and know with the Savior's help, we can reach them! 

There's a new video coming out for this Christmas season called, "A Savior Is Born" and we're having a training tomorrow with the missionary department to see it. 

This past week, our mission president has invited us to ask ourselves, "

What gift will I give the Savior this year?" He's truly given us everything and in order to follow him more fully, what can I give him? I have about a million things I need to change and I'm really excited to do it.

I can't believe how quickly November is going by. Thanksgiving is next week and we get to go to a member's home!

I can't really think of too much else that has happened this week. We have had a ton of trainings and meetings since it's the beginning of the transfer but there's been so much inspiration for so much improvement. I'm really grateful to be with Sister Howard. I am learning sooooo much from her. She's so wise and really is able to answer complex questions with simple answers. 

We are going to "Savior of the World" tomorrow which I am so excited for. It's this performance the church does about the birth of the Savior and His resurrection. Last Christmas, I accidentally fell asleep and didn't really get as much out of it, so I can't wait to see it again! 

Love you tons! Happy Thanksgiving,         

Sister Helton

Pondering our duty to God 11-10-2015

This week has been so great. It's unreal to me that after tomorrow, I only have 2 transfers left. But my new companion is Sister Howard from Australia!! I almost cried when I found out. She's one of my best friends here and we were in the MTC together. She was companions with Sister Revoredo who was my last companion before Sister Linares so we've done this little companion circle. haha. 

 Anyways, yesterday we had the biggest miracle EVER. So last week I think I told you about the lady who came to Temple Square and just gave us her email but responded and said she'd been meeting with local missionaries/going to church? She emailed us yesterday and told us she's getting baptized on the 21st of this month with her husband and 3 daughters who don't even live with her!!! AND, she said we could Skype in and watch it! 

We have been teaching this other girl who Sister Linares found on Temple Square a week before we became companions who's preparing to get baptized on the 5th of December. She's living in Provo so it's a little miracle because we'd actually get to go to her baptism. My whole mission, I've never actually gotten to attend the baptism of the people we've taught. We've gotten to Skype, but not in person, so I am dying of excitement!

I don't have too much to update you on. It's been really cold here and the Square is pretty dead, but more and more lights are going up everyday! 

 We had transfer conference yesterday and can I just say my mission president is so inspired? 

 He said that several sisters have been emailing him and telling him that they feel like they're losing their "motivation" for the work. I definitely have had days like that and he talked about the meaning of the word motivation. 

 He said in our scriptural cannon the word motive or motivation only occurs 11 times and is usually associated with someone wicked who has evil "motives." 

 He talked about how motivation is associated with the natural man because it comes from within us. As we know from the scriptures, the natural man is an enemy to God. 

 President Poulsen went on to talk about how instead of trying to get "motivated" to be a missionary, we should ponder and consider our duty as representatives of the Lord. He told us the word duty appears in the scriptures 2,237 times. 

 There are a lot of things in life we probably will not feel too motivated to do but as we remember what our duty is to God and the covenants we've made, Christ will enable us to fulfill our duty to him. I loved that and it's really helping me move forward even though there are very few people to talk to on the Square these days. haha 

I love being a missionary. It seriously is the best. My new assignment this transfer is Welfare Square and they've redone everything! I'm so excited to what it's like now and drink gallons of chocolate milk every week :)

LOVE YOU!

Here's a nice photo of our flagpole tour 

and all the guests who were lined up to see Temple Square!