Monday, October 27, 2014

Helloooo!,

Well this was a great week full of many many miracles! It was the last week of my first transfer. What the heck? That 6 weeks went by so fast. I am still technically in training for another transfer though. This morning we had transfer conference and I found out that I am staying with Sister Cardus! YAYYY. Same companion, same district, same zone, same assignment, same mission, same life. Thank goodness. I am so happy about this and I know that this next transfer is going to be really great. So this was our last week of Welfare with Sister Bailey and Sister Brooks. Sister Bailey is going home :( This new transfer since things are slowing down for winter Sister Cardus and I are the only companionship at Welfare Square. We are excited to be staying there but we find that the best success we have is when we are actually on the square. We were on the square all day on Wednesday and got 7 new investigators in one day. It is really such a blessing to serve here because the people that come here are so prepared for the gospel. They say that something draws them to come to Temple Square and they love the spirit that they feel here so it is such a great opportunity to serve on sacred grounds every day. I have such a firm testimony in pass along cards you guys. On Wednesday I was on the phones and I got 3 callers in a row who had received pass along cards, wanted a Book of Mormon, and wanted to meet with the local missionaries and keep speaking with us. One of those ladies that called in was Stephane from Crockett Texas. She called because her boyfriend of 22 years received a pass along from the Elders and she said the holy spirit prompted her to call. She has a really strong southern accent and it is really hard for me not to laugh over the phone sometimes because she says the most hilarious things but I don't think she is trying to be funny. She is so prepared for the gospel. We have been talking with her every day since she called. She says she wants to finally get married so she can be baptized. We extended a baptism invitation to her yesterday and she accepted to get baptized later this month! Heavenly Fathers children are so prepared to hear the truth of the restored gospel it is a privilege to get to teach it every day. Like I said this week was full of many miracles. We had a goal this transfer to get three baptisms and before this week we only had one. We have been teaching Jesus all week here on Temple Square and he got baptized on Saturday and we were able to go! Saturday was probably one of the best days of my mission so far. The baptism was in South Jordan so it was like 20 minutes away. I had no idea where we were going and we had these crappy directions on how to get there haha. We showed up to what we thought was the right chapel but there was some kind of Halloween fiesta going on in there! We were so tempted to stay but we decided that we should ask someone if they knew where the baptism was. They said it might be in the chapel down the road so we tried that and found that there was another Halloween party going on at this church building but the baptism was there too so we made it on time! It was a very small baptism with about 12 people but it was the sweetest thing ever and the spirit was so strong. So crazy story, during the baptism not before but DURING the baptism service Jesus' uncle asked Sister Cardus and I if we would go up and sing a musical number....like right then. Like don't prepare, don't even look at the hymn book, like get up right now and sing in spanish okay, ready GO! Of course they chose a hymn that was not even in the English hymn book so I did not even know the tune. I am pretty sure it was a train wreck but it was still a great experience I am glad I did it. Y.O.S.O (you only serve once.) The baptism was beautiful and Jesus was just so happy we came! It was such a special experience. We are looking forward to Skyping Marys baptism this Friday! I will let you know how that goes next week. It was so good to see Grandma and Grandpa Leavitt yesterday they said that the funeral was really beautiful and that Grandma Austin left this world with a smile on her face. That made me incredibly happy. I am so grateful for the knowledge that we have that families are forever. One of my favorite things here on Temple Square is the Temple Model I love taking people there and explaining the sealing rooms. I love seeing the reaction on peoples faces when they hear that their families can be eternal for the first time. I am so grateful for all of you and your support. I love you all have a great week!

                                                  Love, Sister Leavitt <3

Sister Bailey and Sister Brooks last days at welfare square

So cute...

Okay this was the best thing of my life. On Saturday morning like 8 Asians came into the South visitors Center and each wanted to take 3 different pictures with me! Because I am blonde, I guess? This one was my favorite by far!! :) Hahaha I felt like a celebrity

 

Jesus is baptized! Best day ever!!!

They always ask me to play for MoTab!

Monday, October 20, 2014

Hello Errbody,

Sorry I am emailing so late I had to take a drivers test and I passed the first time unlike in the past. Yayyyy. This week has been great!! We have stayed really busy ending the transfer and trying to reach goals. Transfers are next Wednesday and Sister Cardus and I are really hoping we stay together. Well, I am hoping I stay with her I am not 100% sure that the feelings are reciprocated but I will pretend. The other day Sister Cardus made me mate', which is like some kind of Hispanic tea, and I told her that I felt like a horse because it literally tastes like liquified hay. SOO rough. I am definitely being cultured being the only American in my apartment. We room with a Thai sister and a Filipino sister. It is safe to say it smells like an Asian Market allll the time. I love it though I wouldn't have it any other way...not that I have a choice. But anyways our investigators are progressing nicely. We have been teaching Jesus this week. When I found out his name I was like "How are we possibly going to teach Jesus anything?" He just moved here from Mexico like a month ago and we met him because of some local Salt Lake City elders. He only speaks spanish so they wanted the help of Sister Cardus (and me too i guess, not really.) We have been teaching him here on the square and he is sooo golden. He is so golden in fact that he is getting baptized this Saturday! We are so excited because we think we will actually get to go because it is local. We are keeping our fingers crossed! It is so amazing to see how the Lord places people in your path who are so prepared. We have seen so many miracles this transfer and I feel incredibly blessed. Mary from California was supposed to get baptized this Saturday but she is actually getting baptized next Saturday (nov 1st). We are hoping we get to skype that baptism because although we have been teaching Mary for month now we still have no idea what she looks like! I love her so much anyways though it is such a crazy thing. I am pretty bummed I missed all of Austins senior year homecoming festivities but everyone looked so good!  Every one is telling me that Lindsey looks just like me now? Such a lucky gal she is :) Thank you so much for the package BTW we have been jamming out to Mercy River and all that good stuff! For future reference I guess you aren't supposed to just drop stuff off it has to actually go through the mail :( Lame, I know.  I just have 2 more requests for you to send me and I am so sorry I am annoying with this but if you could send my my brown boots that would be awesome and also P90x? Lets be honest no one is using it. I am so sad to hear about Grandma Austin but at the same time I am so happy! I am especially happy that she is one of the last people I said goodbye to before I came on my mission. She is such a special lady and I am so glad that she can be reunited with her husband again. What a blessing it is to know that our families can be together forever. I bear testimony of this to people every day. It is so amazing to see the light in those peoples eyes when I tell them that families can stay together forever through death and separation. Such a comforting thought! Send my love to all the family. I so wish I could go to the funeral but I will be there in spirit! I love you family and I miss you so much. Thanks for every thing! The church is true!

                                                      Love, Sister Leavitt <3

This is my zone last pday at Ensign Peak. Ignore the fact that I look like a pasty vampire!

Sister Brooks is the best!

Bow to your sensai

I am so ashamed of my unpointed foot

 

Monday, October 13, 2014

Dear all,

     Hello! I hope everyone is doing well. This last week has been so wonderful and I cant believe I have been on my mission like 2 months now? Right?? I am not even sure. We have stayed very busy and are continually being blessed. Last Monday we had our first Zone activity. It was in Park City at President Harmons it was weird getting out of Salt Lake but it was cool. (refer to ridiculous pictures in previous email) Welfare Square on Tuesdays are always just the best. We are able to get quite a few referrals from the members that come through there. We have been teaching Juan this week. We met him during the last few hours on Conference Sunday last week and he is just so great. He is the first progressing investigator I have had so far where I teach face to face so that has been nice. We have taught him twice so far and in planning to get baptized in November! Mary is doing awesome too she is still planning on getting baptized on October 25th still. We have 4 more lessons to teach her then she should be good to go!  She is the funniest person I have ever met. Her sass is unreal and I relate to her sooo well. She has family members who are members of the church and they are super supportive so we love them. I keep forgetting to email about Carlos but he is someone that Sister Cardus started teach right before she left her outbound mission in Houston Texas. Anyways we have been teaching him over the last month and so has Sister Cardus' companion from outbound and he got baptized on Saturday and his wife is going to get baptized soon too. We were unable to skype the baptism but he sent us a picture and we are soooo happy about it. We are seeing so many miracles here and it is a blessing to teach people from all over the world. At first I thought it would be strange teaching over the phone but I quickly got over that when I saw how many people we could keep in contact with. It is soo great!! So the best news of all is that yesterday we got a special little fireside from David Archuleta himself. WUT. They announced it at 7:30 at church and it was real difficult to focus the rest of the day that is for sure. WOW it was the best thing ever. I have never payed more attention to a fireside more in my life. He sang us three songs and gave a fireside talking a lot about his mission and his experience as an artist. I am trying to best to lock my heart on my mission but during that 2 hours it was not easy. He talked about all the miracles he saw on his mission and how much he grew as a person. He says it was the best experience of his life. I could go on and on but I feel so lucky that I came in the transfer I did. Speaking of transfers they are coming up in 2 weeks I think? I am hoping and praying that I get another transfer with Sister Cardus because we still have so much to do and I just love her of course! The mission is so fun. I laugh more here than I have ever in my entire life. The awkward situations that we encounter every day are what I live for. On Saturday we ran into John again, he is the homeless guy that I talked about weeks ago. He is seeing so many blessings in his life because of his faith. He has cadaracks? kaderaks? careraks? kaddieracks? I dont know how to spell it but basically he cant see? Yeah, that thing. He is getting an operation done tomorrow actually and had no way of paying to get there. He does not beg so he was hoping and praying for a miracle. On Saturday we got a call that he was looking for us and he said "I have good news!" He told us that "his angel of temple square" AKA some lady just came up to him and gave him $200 now he can pay to get his operation done. Prayers work. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are aware of all of us, even the homeless and I would say especially the homeless. Christ blessed so many of the poor and needy while he was on Earth and he continues to do so today. I love you all sooo much and I am so grateful for your support. I am so grateful for my mission and I am incredibly blessed. God bless ya'll. Have a good week.

                                                Much love, Sister Leavitt <3

Zone activity in Park City :)

Bang Bang!

Why yes, we have been called majestic in the past

David Archuleta! <3

THIS HAPPENED!!!!!!!

Carlos' Baptism. He is on the right. We are so happy for him!


 

Monday, October 6, 2014

Dear Everyone,

     I can not believe it is P-day again the weeks are going by faster and faster. I hope all is going well. Welfare Square is soo fun I love the feelings I get serving there. I am eating so much cheese and chocolate milk though its ridiculous. Wednesday was the best day. As a new Sister I have to "pass off" in order to lead tours so Sister Cardus and I were able to do that. Our zone leaders act as investigators and we give them a tour. I wish they were real investigators because that was probably the best tour we ever did. So I guess I am official now because I can lead tours? We got a free coupon to eat at the Lion House and used it that night #fatties. On Wednesday we also gave a tour to 8 people from the local rehab. It was....interesting. They had a lot of strange and off the wall questions but the spirit was still really strong. We ended up at the christus and the whole spirit of the tour changed. They were all tearing up when we bore our testimonies of Jesus Christ and at the end one of them asked if we could pray with them. When I was saying this prayer I was truly overwhelmed and could feel the love that Heavenly Father had for each one of these troubled people. It was really emotional and they wanted to give us their information but they could not because they did not have cell phones. So after that we checked our phone and saw that we had a message that said "We think one of those people on the rehab tour stole one of the sisters phones at the desk." We definitely knew that they did because they were so close to the desk and the phone was just right there. There was nothing we could do about it though and we felt so bad cause we thought that we would have effected them in some way and they just went ahead and stole a Sister Missionaries phone after we had this great and spiritual experience. Plot twist: the next day the guy named Zach returned it because he felt so guilty because we were so nice. It was so awesome. I hope that story made sense it is hard to express through email but it was really cool. We have seen so many miracles this week and were able to get 10 new investigators because of conference! We are excited to teach all of them this week. We get to attend one session each and we got to go to the saturday morning session. It was so awesome to just sit there and be spiritually fed. It is hard for me to adequately express the spirit that was here as a Sister Missionary. It was so tiring we were here from 7:30am-10pm but I want it to be like that every day. I hear it is like that every day during Christmas so I am excited. There were so many interested people that there was not enough hours in the day to speak to all of them. It was also so great just speaking to the members our goal was to spiritually uplift them. We love member missionaries. We are still talking to a ton of hispanic people we were actually in the Assembly Hall where they broadcast conference in spanish. I am able to understand a lot of what they are saying but I cant speak back I am just like "Si, me gusta el gospel." I wish I spoke another language so bad it is such an advantage here. Luckily I have foreign companions. People always stop because they see her flag. Us Americans are such a minority here its so funny. Anyways I am so looking forward to reading the rest of conference I heard Elder Bednar laid down the law on non members. I love my mission it was surreal to be here as a missionary and see so many people I know. We got to sleep in til 9 this morning and I think that was the biggest blessing I have received so far on my mission haha. Thank you for sending my ipod with all my old "apostate" music. I am not sure how I am going to get new music but I will figure it out. I love you all I hope you enjoyed conference time as much as I did. Stay classy Logandale.

                                   Much Love, Sister Leavitt <3

Operation Deep Clean

Happy 29th Birthday to my insane Thai roommate Sister Tan! 

Saturday morning Conference Sesh!

They didn't have our flags so we grabbed ones that were close enough

This is Bob the main Homie! He hangs out around Temple Square every day! We love him!