God cannot work on what He does not have.

Today is the last day of my second transfer here at Temple Square. It has been a crazy transfer, but one full of lessons learned and experiences that I can never forget. 

Sister Humble and I decorated our planners for the next transfer!



  I have seen that God really does lift us up and enables us to see miracles at His hand if we look for them and are putting forth the faith to be a part of them.  Some news to start off this note---Sister Humble and I had an amazing two weeks together.  I will forever be grateful for our short yet powerful 2 weeks together.  We saw miracles and I think one of the miracles even was us.  Seeing that when two missionaries truly give everything they have, that God works through them in ways we could have never imagined. 



And as you can see, I am very excited about my planner!  It's a good reminder to me to have "Discipleship through love and service" on the front, with Moroni 7:19 on the back



This is the front of my planner.


This is the back of my planner.  Moroni 7:19

Well, Heavenly Father now has others in store for us, so we will not be companions for our third transfer.  Exciting news though...I will be companions with one of my dearest friends in the mission...minha Linda Flor...SISTER SIEGLE FROM SAO PAULO, BRASIL! Ahhh! Sister Siegle reported to the MTC the same day and were roommates our first transfer and we became such good friends.  We always said how much we would love to be companions, and now we are! Also--it is her BIRTHDAY on SEPTEMBER 8...she really is the sweetest and most loving girl and if you have the chance, she would love to hear from you :) 

Our assignment for this transfer is Guest Services!  So for a few hours every day we will be on the phones arranging tours for people all around the world and working with the Elders and Sisters in the surrounding missions.  If you ever call to set up  a tour, yep, it just may be me and Sister Siegle who answers :)  Tomorrow is our first day together and I am so excited.  I know that God is aware of us and that when we endure and work through our trials, that oh how He blesses us and gives us an infinite amount of joy.  He knows what we need better than anyone else.


We got to go to Music and The Spoken Word last Sunday--it was so much fun! Shoutout to Andrew Lindsay's wonderful Mother!

This last week really was beautiful.  I was able to see so many people that are so dear to me and to really remember why it is that I am here.  My testimony of my Savior and of his Atonement have grown so very much.  In Alma 34:31 it reads....

"Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you."

I really am amazed by the love of God and Jesus Christ.  They hold no resentment towards us, but rather towards our mistakes, towards the things we do that keep us from them.  When we turn to them we are immediately blessed.  One way that we are immediately blessed is that we are changed, and change is the greatest blessing of all. I have witnessed this first hand on my mission in so many ways this past week. 




 Becca & Mary & Tori - sharing a hug from my Orem "Sisters". 



Our investigator, Adelle, from the Philippines has said YES to baptism and we are ecstatic :) We have seen her change in our two short weeks with her and have seen these immediate blessings in her life.  She went to church for the first time this past Sunday and took her daughter with her.  She even bore her testimony of the gospel during Relief Society.  I feel that I am learning more from her than she may be learning from her.  She always talks about how sometimes she'll read a chapter we assign her in The Book of Mormon, but then she'll go back and read it again because she feels she didn't internalize it.  When we internalize the teachings of The Book of Mormon, this is when we change, and I promise you all, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, that this change is only and ALWAYS for the better.  It is the only thing I would put a 100% guarantee on in this life for a sure foundation and for happiness in the lives of people from around the world.



Had some delightful smoothies with Sister Humble, Sister Lee and Hermana Triana it's so much fun to say her name! :)

 

Our other investigator, Richard from New Zealand, ALSO went to church with his 6 kids! haha We feel like Richard is our Dad, he is just the kindest man and is always so much fun to talk with.  He said that when he went to church, he had an "absolutely fantastic" time.  He said that he came to church with questions, and all of his questions were answered.  He said that when someone who teach something new, or say something he hadn't yet heard he would think --"hey, that's what I believe too!"  Richard is really showing us that this gospel really is nothing new.  I think so often we think that this world that we're in now is real life, but it really is not.  This time here is just a sliver, a blink that then leads us back to where we've really been all our lives, back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.  That's another miracle of the Atonement...not only does it allow us to go home, but it allows us to feel at home there.


Sister Hillam, one of my dearest friends is leaving for her outbound tomorrow to Arizona! Also..love love Sister Genster's face in the background.  So wonderful

I promise you all that change really is the greatest blessing we can receive.  God is so eager and so ready to give us everything that He has.  John Bytheway came and spoke to our mission this morning, and he spoke about the three parables in Luke 15--that of the lost sheep, the lost piece of silver, and the prodigal son.  He pointed out to us that in the story of the prodigal son, after the son has gone and spent all of his father's inheritance, has disrespected and brought dishonor to his family, he finally realizes that something is wrong.  When he returns home to ask to even just be a servant in his own home we see a miracle in Luke 15:20...

"And he (the son) arose, and came to his father.  But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."

 

John Bytheway pointed something out from this verse that I had never before seen.  In order for the Father to see his son, he had to have been watching for him.  This father had been so abused, so betrayed by his son, yet he waits anxiously and searches for him day after day.  When this son changed his heart, when he recognized what he was missing and started his journey home, his Father eagerly ran to him.  I have seen it in my own life, and now in the lives of my investigators that this is a reality.  Heavenly Father doesn't care what you have done, He just cares that you come home--and when you do start for home, it is Him, and it is our Savior who carries us joyfully the rest of the way.



We made the yummy salmon, Dad!

Mmmm leftover cheesecake in the teaching center...yummmm :) thanks Mom and  Dad!

I love you all and am so grateful for your support and encouragement each and every week.  You are all always in my prayers.  I know that our Heavenly Father is mindful of you :)  You can make a difference because you are different, and our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ can mold and change you into someone who can make the biggest of differences, let him.

Love Always,

Sister Briggs :)





 Ohh Sister Ha from Korea.  She actually is from Gangnum (you know the song Gangnum style).  Yep, it's a super high class place up there and she was a hair dresser for celebrities and such...she's always doing something fun to her hair...or even to ours haha



SHOUTOUTS: Ohh it was oh so wonderful to see Mary, Becca, Tori, Brother & Sister Donakey this last week at Temple Square! Thank you also to Sister Mcdougle, Casey and Bryan, Mom and Dad, Sara Donakey, Grandma Jeanie and Grandmother for the letters this last week :) you are in my thoughts and prayers and I will write back to you oh so soon! Transfers always make things just a little crazy :)

 



Meet my new friend--he's a stuffed white tiger named Ashira..yep, remember the song "There can be miracles, when you believe" from The Prince of Egypt? I think Ashira means miracle in Hebrew...maybe not, but it seems fitting for a tiger I think! Thank you Robert, I love it :)