How Can I Be Like Moroni?

Hi everyone! Has it really been another week already?  The snow outside is the only thing that keeps reminding me it's November now.  I keep thinking I'm still back in September.  Time definitely flies when you are doing what you love :)


I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween this last week too! We had a fun activity put on by our mission presidency that was so wonderful.  I was sad to close the square so early, but I know it was all just for safety reasons so that made me feel better about that :)  We had a wonderful dinner and even got to watch a movie.  I have to say I was a little nervous about what the movie would be. My mind is so focused on this work that I didn't want anything pulling me away, but I am so grateful for the movie that we did watch.  We saw, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe," and it was amazing.  When we watch this movie with the right eyes, it truly teaches us so much about the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ and the matchless love He has for each of us.  I think I'll make it a new Halloween tradition :)


We decided to get these wonderful shirts at Wal-Mart with goats on them...we walked around saying,
"we are bringing them ba-a-a-ck to the fold." Ohh Halloween as a missionary :)

I hope I can gather all my thoughts today as I write.  My testimony grew so much this last week.  I am really experiencing and learning first hand the truthfulness of the saying, "Your mission is the MTC for the rest of your life," and I would even like to add, "Our lives and our personal missions are our MTC for the Celestial Kingdom of God."


I love our Senior Couple, The Frosts!!! Halloween picture :)

This last week I was reading in the book of Alma.  So often we hear people talking about the majority of this book being "the war chapters."  True--most of what is in here is wars, but we cannot discount it thinking that it only applies to us if we are physically fighting in a battle.  I have a very firm testimony that everything, I mean everything, in The Book of Mormon is for our gain
 and can be applied to our lives. Everything can be a direct letter from God to you.

One of my favorite scriptures this past week was Alma 48:17 which says,

"Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."

I shared this scripture with a lot of young men that I came in contact with this week.  I shared it with Elders just about to enter the MTC, I shared it with soon-to-be Fathers who were nervous about fulfilling their important role as a parent, and I shared it with Danny.

Danny is a good friend of a Sister serving here who will soon be going home from her mission.  Danny and her grew up together in California and he has always been referred to by this sister as "a powerful guy, clean-cut guy with a strong desire to do good and to be a good person."  Before she left on her mission, she gave Danny a Book of Mormon and he was receiving phone calls from the sisters here at temple square.  However, after a while, Danny stopped responding to their phone calls.  This Sister felt she should give me Danny's information.  I tried calling Danny twice, but with no luck, that is....until yesterday...Danny answered :)

I got to know Danny and really have a tremendous amount of respect for the person he is.  He is 23 years old and is in the air force.  He is an engineer and helps to configure the engines of the various planes. Danny was sounding like he wasn't too interested in hearing much about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and then Alma 48:17 popped into my head. 

Very boldly I said, "Danny, I want you to write this down- Alma 48:17."  For those of you who know me, you know I'm not a very bold person, and I think Danny already could already tell that about me, and he sounded a bit caught off guard. 


SISTER TAYLOR PASSED OFF!!! (a mile stone for Temple Square)
and so we celebrated by going to The Lion House with some sisters!

He said, "What's Alma 48:17?"

I read the words to him, and then afterward there was silence for a few moments.  I wasn't too certain what I should say, and then he broke the silence saying, "Wow.  I want to be like him."  I went on to ask him what it was he would do if he could be a man like Moroni. 

He responded, "I would do anything to be like him.  If I knew how to be like that, I would do it.  The world needs more men like this guy."

Throughout my week I have thought just as Danny.  The words of this scripture have passed through my mind and I too have asked myself, "How can I be like Moroni?"  Can you imagine how powerful it would be if we were each like this man that could shake the very powers of hell giving more power to the powers of heaven?  Think about it.

And then think about this...

Moroni is an amazing man.  He was humble, he was meek, he was faithful, his heart gloried in God, he was true to the commandments (Alma 48) and yet there is another who was and is even more...Jesus Christ.  Do we realize that?  Do we realize that by following the example of Jesus Christ we can become not only like this man Moroni, but we can become like the Savior of the world? The question we should always be asking ourselves is not always just, "How can I be like Moroni," but "How can I be like Jesus Christ?" for it is in him that Moroni even received the power that he had to do such good.

I testified to Danny then as I testify to you now, that because this truly is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, it gives us every step to not just become like Moroni, but more importantly to become like our Savior Jesus Christ, our elder brother.  I know that obedience is the first law of heaven, and it is by obedience that we can fulfill our hopes of becoming more like these exemplary people we are meant to all become. 

The gospel of Jesus Christ sets higher standards because it doesn't just ask us to be followers of Christ, it asks us to be His disciples.

A bunch of the sisters dressed up as princesses and spoke to us in relief society about what makes them royal.  Remember girls...you are ALL daughters of a King

 

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!  I invite you all to read Alma 48 and to be familiar with the characteristics of Moroni and the characteristics of Jesus Christ, only by so doing will you be more familiar with their characteristics within your own self :)

Love always,
Sister Briggs :)

 

Sister Taylor and I carved a pumpkin and named it Charly!

SHOUTOUTS:  Mom and Dad, Nyal Sewell (sorry I missed you at the square!), Sister Dimatera, Barry Donakey (you're the best! Thank you for writing!) Robert Donakey, Sara, Mary, Becca, Liz, Reid, Brother and Sister Donakey, Sister Britt Lam and Sister Kim Blauer :)

Miracles on West Temple

We had a fun little photo shoot since Sister Siegle has never experienced a Utah fall with all the lovely trees!
"Always remember, Look Up!"

Alright, who is ripping out all the pages in my calendar?  Where did September go?  Where did August go? The time here is going by so so quickly-it's already half way through October!

This last week really was a miracle.  When I add up all the experiences I had, little to grand, it may almost seem unbelievable, but I choose to believe.  I don't look for a way to explain all that happened, because I know that God's hand was in everything, and God is still surely a God of miracles. 

 

Yesterday we had our transfer conference and we all found out our new companions, new assignments, apartments, and even got to hear from our new Assistant to the President.  Sister Schill, from Virginia, is our new AP in the mission.  She walked up to the podium and shared an insight for God's miracles and with an enthusiasm I had never before seen. She explained that growing up she LOVED to make chocolate chip cookies with her Mom.  Although she would always get flour all over the floor, in her hair, really everywhere except in the bowl, her Mom always let her help because she enjoyed it so much. She then said,

"God allows you to be here, serving him in this mission, doing His most precious work, because He knows YOU love it, because YOU love being on the front-line to see all of God's miracles."


Brazilian Bakery Celebrations Last Week!

It is a miracle in itself that God allows me, allows all of us to be a part of His most important work, yet He does it because He loves us, and because He knows the joy and the happiness that it brings when we really serve Him in this way.

This last week I really saw that miracles especially happen when we give our whole might and mind to the Lord.  This past week I was working diligently to get caught up on reading my 6 pages every day in The Book of Mormon.  With General Conference and transfers taking place, all of us have become a little bit behind.  Any spare moment I had, I was reading the scriptures. This is not to say it was easy...there were times I had to sacrifice fun times bonding with the other sisters, or getting into bed earlier than 10:30, but it has been completely worth it.  As I have read The Book of Mormon, I have read of God's miracles, and each day, I have seen my own miracles :)


We'll miss our favorite Senior couple, the Creers!

One of my favorite verses I came across this week is Alma 5:7.  One line in there has stuck with me and has been something I have shared in almost every contact I have had with others this week...

"Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word..."

How beautiful and powerful is that?  All of us may be a little lost in some way.  Maybe it is not a thick mist of darkness, but many of us have fears, doubts, questions, concerns, worries that darken our view our cloud our perspective.  Is there something you wonder about?  Read The Book of Mormon.  Is there a fear that you have?  Read The Book of Mormon.  Do you wonder sometimes how you can be everything you were meant to be? Read The Book of Mormon.  Do you want to see miracles?  Read The Book of Mormon.


Happy 21st Birthday Sister Asay!!!

As I have read diligently this last week specifically, I have felt this in my life, I have felt my soul being illuminated.  The most beautiful part about being illuminated too, is that it gives off a light for others to see and feel too.  I know that because I was illuminated by the scriptures, I was able to be more in tune with the spirit, to say what it is God would have me say, to be where He would have me be and to love the way He loves.  Yes, by reading the scriptures, not only was I illuminated but I was "on the front-line to see all of God's miracles."


Remember Patrick?  "He knows where home is" man?  This is him :) and we just love him.  He shared with us this week that the one hymn he refuses to play for people on his harmonica is, "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief."  He said, "I may be financially stretched, but I am not poor; I have Jesus Christ, I have my Heavenly Father, I have their gospel, how could I ever be poor? I have everything and more I could ever need."

Cora and Katie were one of God's biggest miracles this week that I was able to witness and be a part of.  Sister Siegle and I were standing under the Tabernacle as the rain poured down, waiting to see if anyone would show up for our assigned flagpole tour.  Out of the door of the Tabernacle came a mother, Cora, with her adorable 4-year old daughter, Katie.  Cora said, "What is this place?"  but she said it in a sense of awe and wonder.  I stood there quietly looking at her and smiling as she glanced up at the temple.  Looking at me she then said, "This is a special place, isn't it?" I nodded my head smiling and responded, "Yes, it is." Our whole 20-minute conversation took place there, by the door of the Tabernacle, hiding for cover from the rain, and was one where I was completely led by the spirit, testifying of the temple and of the Plan of Salvation.  I asked questions I had never thought of, I explained things in a way I had never thought of before, and I watched as her eyes became misty that she was experiencing something she had never felt before- it was hope, faith, trust, love, and God was allowing me to be a part of it.  We would teach her things and she would respond and say she had always believed it, just never knew where to find it. 

Miracles don't just happen on 34th street or on West Temple Street, in The Bible or in The Book of Mormon, but they are happening today and they are happening now.  Be a part of these miracles. Hey, you yourself may even be one of God's greatest miracles.

 "And if there were ^amiracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he ^bchangeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles." (Mormon 9:19).

Let The Book of Mormon illuminate your soul this week and let me know what miracles you find.  Write them down, be aware and never stop believing :)

Love Always,
Sister Briggs :)


Celebrating Sister Nelson's 22nd birthday! :)


Roommate bonding one night.  We had a little testimony meeting together.

SHOUTOUTS: Brigham (thanks for the note, you're oh so wonderful! Sorry I missed you at Temple Square!), Bryan and Casey, Mom and Dad, The Donakey family, Robert Donakey, Caroling Slater, Sister Moffatt, Grandma Jeanie (thank you for the new dinosaur stickers! ohhh how I love them!), and Sister Brock's Dad (I met your daughter this week and she said you two would read this sometimes, I promise I'll take good care of her here!)

P.S. Two sisters are coming to the SALEM, OREGON mission for their out bounds...their names are Sister Mulli (from American Samoa and Tonga) and Sister Ichimaru (from Japan) please keep an eye out for them in Bend! :)


Sister Ichimaru (from Japan)

Sister Mulli (from American Samoa and Tonga)

"...become ye as little children."

 Oi! Is it just me or are the weeks starting to pass by quicker and quicker?  I think part of it has to do with conference as well.  How did everyone enjoy conference?!  I have never experienced something quite like it with being at Temple Square.  Being a missionary here really gave me a whole new perspective on the whole General Conference experience.  I want you to think of where you were this weekend for Conference.  Were you at home?  Were you at a friend's home or with family?  Did you watch on your computer, on a TV?  Think of the miracle General Conference is brothers and sisters.  Here at Temple Square I was a witness to thousands and thousands of people flooding the streets to go and hear a Prophet speak, to go and hear the words of God as spoken by his prophets and apostles.  Think of the miracle that is :) 


Day 1 of Conference with Sisters from all around the world! So exciting!

Walking around Temple Square we were able to meet people from around the world, people who had traveled thousands of miles and had sacrificed great amounts to be able to come and attend even just one session of General Conference. As a missionary at Temple Square, they needed us up on the square talking with all of the visitors, so we were able to attend just one session (the Saturday morning session), and even that gave me so much hope and so much joy to hear from and be in the same room as the Prophet, to be in a room holding so much hope and faith.


With Sister Deleu (France) and Sister Siegle (Brasil...my adorable companion!) right before day 1 of General Conference

To be prepared for General Conference, we had a meeting Friday night as a mission.  Before the closing of the meeting, we watched a short clip from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.  He said something that really stuck with me, "General Conference tells the world- God not only lives, but He speaks."  I testify to each of you that God does live and that He does speak to each of us, His children, today. I know that so many prayers and questions were answered throughout the world this past weekend, and not only with the distinct words being uttered by those who spoke, but also with the quiet whisperings of the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful that these words are recorded that we can go back and read them or view them as often as we would like to.  These words are revelation and they are revelation for the world!


With roommates and friends before heading back up to the square to finish out a wonderful conference weekend!





Can you see now why The Book of Mormon and why The Holy Bible are so important and so precious?  These books contain the records of ancient prophets.  God spoke to them, and He speaks to us now.  I am so grateful for how dependable our Father in Heaven is.  He truly wants to make Himself accessible to all His children around the world.


Sister Humble and I celebrating our first General Conference on the mission!

Something I love so much about the gospel of Jesus Christ and about the words of the Prophet, is that the message is so pure and so simple that "even a child can understand it."  One of the most touching experiences I had this weekend was at the Reflection Pond on the east side of the Salt Lake temple.  Sister Siegle had run into an older couple who spoke Portugese.  They had served a mission in Brasil and had come to General Conference with their granddaughters, Taylor and Courtney. 

As Sister Siegle spoke with this amazing couple, I was inspired and so uplifted by these two young girls before me.  Taylor and Courtney are twins, they are 8 years old and were just baptized this past Sunday. They were so sincere and so genuine as they spoke about the joy they felt at their baptism, of the presence of the Holy Ghost that was so strongly there.  They told me about the missionary work they have been doing with teaching their friends at school about the gospel.  I knelt down beside them and picked up two small "forget me not" flowers and handed them to the two little girls before me. 

I explained that these were flowers that can remind us to always remember the little things in our life, to remind us to always have joy.  I asked them about what little things there are in their life that make them happy. Taylor looked at Courtney and said, "Well, she's everything to me- Courtney has been with me forever.  We were born together, we were baptized together and we'll probably even die together...but I'm not really sure how that works." haha as you can imagine, these little girls were so cute and so adorable. Then Courtney smiled and twirling from side to side grabbed Taylor's hand and looked right into her eyes and said, "Yeah, we have been together forever, but we were with someone even before and now he's with us even more since we got baptized." 


Sister Barrett (California) is so much fun and has such wonderful stories! I feel so lucky to have been in her same district this transfer.

These two 8-year old girls went on to explain to me that Jesus Christ was their "forget me not flower."  These girls knew that they had lived with God and Jesus Christ before, and that they would return to live with them again. I remember feeling the spirit so strongly as these girls spoke about their love for Jesus Christ and of their love for their Heavenly Father and they shared that they were already preparing for missions because of the announcement and because of the emphasis on missionary work at general conference.

It was in this moment that I really learned what it means to come unto Christ as a little child.  In "Jesus the Christ," it reads,

"Christ would not have had His chosen representatives become childish; far from it, they had to be men or courage, fortitude and force; but He would have them become childlike.  The distinction is important.  Those who belong to Christ must become like little children in obedience, truthfulness, trustfulness, purity, humility, and faith."

Courtney and Taylor were my angels this General Conference weekend who truly were examples to me.  Their trust in God, their purity, their humility, was a reminder that we are to always remember WHO'S we are.  We are children of God.  Just as our Fathers here on earth, He wants us to succeed and He did not send us here to fail.  I know that General Conference, having a living Prophet and Apostles, the gift of prayer, church, the scriptures are all here to help us succeed.  Sometimes we may think that in order to succeed by the church's standards, by God's standards, we are sacrificing a lot.  If we really look at it though, we can see that this gospel, the doctrine of Jesus Christ, His plan, is perfect and we are everything to Him because we are His children.  I promise you that if there is something that you have been encouraged during this conference weekend to give up, or to be better at, it truly isn't a sacrifice but it is a tremendous blessing and opportunity to be transformed.



With roommates and friends before heading back up to the square to finish out a wonderful conference weekend!

Sister Asay (from Texas) and I were SO excited about Dinner Sunday night.  A local stake made us homemade Cafe Rio! Ahhh! :)

"What we give up only blesses us and prepares us for exaltation; there is no such thing as a sacrifice." (a quote shared with me by a fellow missionary).

I love you all and hope you have a most marvelous week!


Love always,
Sister Briggs


SHOUTOUTS: Sister McDougle, Zach Hansen, Carmen Bone, Danny Gessell, Joe Morris, Kenny Hutchings, Alexx Levya, Caroline Slater, Bryan & Casey, the beautiful Ensign King Family, Briana Layton and her cousins, Robbie Hernandez, Cory, Joe Peters, Sister Stephenson and Kate Thornock :)



Our amazing Zone Leaders (Sister Martinez from Spain and Sister Hvistendahl from Greenland) after our District Meeting...amazing spiritual thought from Sister Huffaker from California who shared with us her own version of Ether 12:27 (about making weaknesses strong).  She compared it to Pokemon and said , "Gotta teach 'em all!"  We love her :)

Talofa!

Talofa is "hi" in Samoan and since I got to be with a whole group of Samoan sisters this week, I felt it would be fitting!  Be sure when you say it, to say it loud and proud :)  Oh how I love the Samoan Sisters here.  So...TALOFA!!!! How has everyone been?  I hope everyone is doing well.  If you ever need me, I am still here for you. 

I had a wonderful week that has made me so very grateful to not only be on a mission, but to be here at Temple Square.  I had so many mothers say to me that they are forever grateful for their decision to serve a mission as it has made them better wives, mothers, daughters, community members in every way.  I want to be the best I can and so that meant the world.  I feel so blessed to be here. 

Me and some of my dearest Sisters from all around the world.  America, Korea, Mongolia and Hong Kong!

I hope everyone had a most wonderful 4th of July! Happy Anniversary Grandma Jeanie and Grandfather :) I most certainly was thinking about you.  This was the most different 4th of July I've ever ever had, and yet it was one of the best. 

I even ran into the Fischer family (from Sammamish, WA, grew up with them) in the North Visitor's Center.  I just cried, it made me so happy and was exactly the pick-me-up I needed. 

We left the square early since it was a holiday and had a wonderful 4th of July celebration at a chapel nearby.  We had a giant talent show.  Yes, I cried at one point because I was so amazed at all the talent I was surrounded by.  Girls from all around the world did dances, songs, skits, games all unique to their culture.  I loved seeing the passion that these Sisters have for their country, and yet each Sister at the end would say, "Happy America Day!"  It just made me want to travel the world.  There is so much we can learn from people everywhere.  I am so grateful to be in a mission where I'm able to speak with people from all nations every single day.  Did I participate in the talent show?  Yep :) Please don't be upset, my talent was pretending to be Canadian. haha

With the Canadians before our skit for the 4th of July!...sorry it's a bit blurry

I've become really good friends with the Canadian Sisters here and they wanted me to pretend to be one for this skit. Kind of hard to explain but it was great and so much fun.  CASEY- We even used some mean girls quotes- "She doesn't even go here!" It was a wonderful day and such a fun night.  We even got to look out the window of our house that night and see the fireworks out over the Salt Lake temple.  I hope it was an amazing holiday for everyone.  This truly is a blessed land.  It was prepared as a land of freedom, which enabled the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored once more.  Ah, I love it.

Friday was another wonderful day!  Sister Hillam, who has become one of my very dearest friends out here, asked if I would call one of her friends from back home, Austin...so I did :)  I felt so grateful and so humbled that she trusted me with such a dear friend of hers.  I had no idea what I would say, but it truly all just came to me.  I really felt the spirit working through me. I was able to share experiences from my life, share notes from my friends and family that have written me this last week, it all just lined up.  I 'm going to be teaching him and I am stoked.  Oh my goodness, I just want everyone to know about this gospel.  It makes me so happy.

Also..on Friday we got to go to Lion House! We get to go and have a free meal there once we "pass off," which means we are efficient at talking about the history and the gospel in tours.  It was purely delightful.  I highly recommend it.

Me and my Flor Linda (beautiful flower in Portugese) Sister Siegle from Sao Paulo Brazil! She is one of my roommates and we just have the best time together!

 Also, on our way back we ran into STEPHANIE NEILSON! If you are not familiar with who she is, she is an amazing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was in a terrible plan crash years ago.  Her near-death experience has led her to write a powerful blog, mormonmessages.org to create a video about her and she is able to speak around the world on her experience.  Check it out--I think it's called "My new life," at mormonmessages.org.  I hugged her and it just warmed my soul.  She is such an inspiration.


I love this scripture.  I truly feel blessed and grateful to be able to serve as a missionary for my Heavenly Father right now.

Yesterday was an incredibly busy day.  We had mandarin motor coaches, and then were taking people through the God's Plan video one right after the other.  When Sister Lin and I were in one of the God's Plan presentations, we were around the corner and on her phone texted, "We are never getting out of God's Plan." I know that was just a simply goofy text, but I received so much more from it than she may have expected.  All of us---me, you, people everywhere are a part of God's Plan whether they know about it or not.  EVERYONE is in His plan and so many just don't know it, that they have a purpose, that their pains and sufferings have a purpose, that they were somewhere before coming here. 

Everyone needs to know-this is so very important, this is something that people everywhere guess at, and it's only natural.  And there is a straightforward, powerful and perfect answer.  I testify to you that there IS a plan for each of us.  I want you to just bear with me and picture that you are familiar with Heavenly Father, that He is like your Dad...what you're picturing is real.  We all are spirit children of our Heavenly Father, he created our spirits and we lived with Him before we came here.  Just like my own amazing parents here on earth, He saw that I could become more, that I had so much potential, that we all do.  The only way we could reach that full potential is by coming here and walking by faith rather than by sight.  Through Adam and Eve's decision, we may not be in God's presence, but we were given the opportunity to become as He is, to be apart from Him for a short time, and then to live with Him again if we remember Him and do as He asks.  Everyone is a part of this plan, and knowing this plan has blessed my life in so many ways.  I see things through an eternal lens. I see everyone I meet as a child of God. 

Hi to Liz and Reid Donakey...Books of Mormon in Russian and Spanish! Keep up the good work out there!

Will everyone please, just pray to your Heavenly Father, ask Him who you are in His eyes, if you are special to Him, if He has a plan for you.  I promise that if you ask Him, with a true desire, you will receive an answer.  Receiving this answer for myself this last week has given me strength I have never felt before.  We truly are all so precious in His sight, and I know that that is an important message to share with missionary work.  Everyone wants to feel loved at some level, and God and Jesus Christ provides that for each of us.  He loves us with a perfect and infinite love.

I wish you could all feel of my love for each of you.  I sincerely and genuinely feel so grateful for my family, for my friends, for the people who are so close to me and just for everyone that I meet.  Thank you for everything that you do-I hope you all know how important you are, not only to me, but to your Heavenly Father.

 

 

I love you all!!!!!  Now we are off to hike Ensign Peak and go out for dinner later for our Zone Activity.  Thank you for your letters, packages, smiles and prayers.  They mean the world!

Thanks for the basketball hoop, Rob! You're the best!

Sister Lin and I eating famous Donakey chocolate chip cookies! Thank you!!!

Got fancy with dinner last night...it was time, thanks for all you've taught me Mom and Dad!

 I loved my package from Robert, thank you for all the goodies! :)

 

 

Shoutouts to Casey, Bryan, Mom and Dad Briggs, Sister Sheen, Sister Clason, Grandma Jeanie and Grandfather, Chase, Grandmother, Sister Kim Blauer, Mary, Sara, Becca, Jean, Ed and Rob Donakey.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

Sister Briggs :)

S.M.I.L.E.

PS.  Excited to meet you soon Sister Tiritilli!  Thank you for your note.