"What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?"

(Kelsey returns home on October 29 and will arrive at the Redmond, Oregon Airport at 12:20pm - anyone who would like to join us to greet her is invited.  She will speak at the Cascade Crest Ward in Bend, Oregon on Thanksgiving Weekend at 9am on Sunday, November 30.)  

Photo by Mormon Newsroom

Ah! My heart could absolutely burst right about now.  There is nothing quite like being a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Temple Square during General Conference.  We wake up early, we go home late, we have 20-minute meals that seem to only be eaten simply because they were donated and prepared by loving members within the Salt Lake valley.  We walk, but we do not tire. No, we run, but we do not find any weariness.  Why? Because we know we cannot fail, we know that we are on the Lord's errand and that His children are here to hear just from Him.

There is a spirit about Temple Square at Conference time.  Everyone walks a little faster to hear the Prophet speak, everyone shares a little more of their light.  People ask in their hearts, "Was Joseph Smith truly a prophet of God?  Heavenly Father, did this young boy really see you and our Savior? Are the people speaking to us today really your called Apostles and Prophets today?" The restoration of the gospel is not a one-time event, it is about each and every one of us being restored to what we once knew as children living in the presence of God. It reminds me of President Uchtdorf's talk from this past General Conference, "Are you Sleeping through the Restoration?"

"Sometimes we think of the Restoration of the gospel as something that is complete, already behind us—Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, he received priesthoodkeys, the Church was organized. In reality, the Restoration is an ongoing process; we are living in it right now. It includes “all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,” andthe “many great and important things” that “He will yet reveal.”² Brethren, the exciting developments of today are part of that long-foretold period of preparation that willculminate in the glorious Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ." -President Uchtdorf.

 Sister Brink and I made bookmarks to give out to people on the square about the importance of missionary work, 
we gave them to our zone as well!

We were blessed to witness thousands of our brothers and sisters be restored to this very knowledge this weekend and feel humbled thinking about the millions around the world who felt the spirit as leaders in Christ's church again today testified of our Savior and of the living Prophet of God. 

People were restored in the smallest of ways.  There was the Judds on the couches by the New Testament paintings. Without our knowledge we shared D&C 6:22-23 as they sat and pondered if they did the right thing selling their home. Tears welled up in their eyes to see their prayers had been answered.

There was our two beautiful friends from Puerto Rico--they spoke hardly any English, we spoke hardly any Spanish (even though I like to say I speak much more).  We shared Alma 33:9 with them as they sat on the sidewalks outside the Conference Center.  They looked at each other and seemed unaffected.  Later that night, the same two woman ran up to us, embraced us and asked again for the scripture we had shared with them, that it was exactly what God needed them to hear. 

There was little 3-month old LaKai, who laid in her stroller sleeping as her parents asked us to take a photo of them at the beautiful Christus statue in the North Visitor's Center.  As the photo was taken, little LaKai opened her eyes and smiled at us.  She started to cry, we placed a photo of the Savior on her blanket.  She stopped crying and with all her might reached for the photo.  She looked at the photo, looked to her left at the Christus, looked back at the photo and smiled. She knew exactly who she was looking at. 

There were two precious young girls by the reflection pond who had dropped their flower from Grandma in the water and couldn't reach it, it was out of my reach as well. When I said I was a representative of their big brother Jesus Christ, they said, "We know, you can help us."  We knelt, we prayed, the flower was rescued, and their eyes became big and bright. "God knows you," I said.  They too were restored to the daughters of God they have always been.

Photo by Mormon Newsroom

There was Ben who we met last week  in the South Visitor's Center, who was so inspired by General Conference, he decided to kneel down and pray, and ask the Lord if we on this earth are important enough to have a prophet lead and guide us today.  He testified to us on the phone that he knows, that he wants to follow his Savior and be baptized.

There is no shortage of miracles with General Conference--we see them, He sees them, and we each are them. I love each of you and pray that we each are restored to who we are, and who we can be as we read and re-read the messages from this past Conference!

Sincerely,
Sister Briggs

SHOUTOUTS: Mom & Dad, Happy birthday Barry!, The Donakeys, Robert Donakey, Bry & Case, Grandma Jeanie, the Burkes, Kellie McDougle, Brig & Lisa, Aubrey & Jordan, Britania, Tom, Ella and Britania's mom, Preston Merchant, Jessica Helms, Jacque Sweeney, Amber, Sister Opeda, Sister Takahashi, Sister Olden, Sister Nelson, Sister Cummings