Joseph's humble prayer was answered...

So was mine, and so will yours. 

Hi again everyone :) I hope you all had a glorious Thanksgiving surrounded by the ones you love.  I hope you saw the blessings in your life from your Heavenly Father this last week too.  I may not have been in Oregon this Thanksgiving as I usually am, but I truly was surrounded by family.  The Sisters here, our mission presidency, they have all become my family too.  What a blessing :)

Everyone thinks we're twins, and that makes me happy :)
(with Sister Hittrich from Canada)

I want to start out by sharing with each of you that God truly does answer our prayers.  He doesn't always do this in the way we expect Him too, but He does it in His time and in ways that are far better than our own. This week not only were my prayers answered, but Linda's were too. And in meeting her, I feel my family circle growing even more :)

Whenever a sister leaves this mission to go home or to go and serve outbound, they will transfer the information of their different investigators to sisters that they feel will be able to help them best.  Linda was an investigator of a former sister here from Ukraine.  When she gave me Linda's information she was so excited and had so much hope for her.  I tried calling Linda a variety of times, and each time to only hear the answering machine. Friday however, she called us back and was the one leaving a message this time.

Sister Lin and I dressed up for line dancing on Thanksgiving!
So happy my trainer is back :)

"Hi, this is Linda, if you are a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I want to talk to you.  Please call me back."

You can only imagine how I felt! It had been months without any contact, and now here she was.  I called her back right away. When I spoke with her she said that every time she would pray about where it was God wanted her to be, she would feel The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was her answer.  

"The religion keeps pulling at me," she said.  "It's more than just a curiosity, it's a part of my faith now."

I called her back a few days later and was grateful that she answered the phone. We had a phone call that forever impressed upon my mind the reality that by faith, anything which is expedient in God's will, can and will take place.  I had prayed that I could uplift her, that I could say something, anything that would really be an answer to her prayers.  Our entire phone call that followed was truly a miracle and was a lesson taught by our Father above.

We all got to decorate Christmas ornaments!
What a wonderful holiday season!

Linda is a woman who is currently living in Indiana due to her Mom's recent stroke.  Now, her mom is in a coma and Linda, rightfully so, feels very afraid. I asked her if she had thought about asking the local missionaries for a Priesthood blessing.  I told her that the Priesthood works by our faith, and it would be up to her, but I promised it would be something that could bring comfort, strength and peace into her life in a way much stronger than she had ever experienced.  With that, we talked about the First Vision of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Priesthood, God's power given to man on earth to act in His name. 

Sister Taylor and I won our game of pool against Sister John and Sister Chau just
before being called to eat dinner and we were pretty excited about it!

Too much fun for Thanksgiving with Sister Chau, Sister Taylor and Sister Reed!

Love this girl :)  Sister Christensen!

She shared with me her understanding of Joseph Smith and all he had gone through.  I love sharing the account of Joseph Smith.  Here was this 14-year-old boy who had a sincere question in his heart.  I find it so profound that the restoration of Christ's gospel on the earth again, all started with a humble prayer. 
I felt a prompting so clearly to share with Linda Joseph Smith's experience in the Sacred Grove using his own words, and so I did...


As I spoke these words, the spirit was there to testify of the reality of this vision, so strongly and more profoundly than I had ever before felt in my life. I even started to cry as I spoke these words over the phone, to this sincere and wonderful woman far away from me in Ohio.  When I finished, there was a moment of silence.  I sat there just listening when she finally spoke.

"That really happened, I know it did.  I can feel it. I have goose bumps and feel more joy and happiness than I've felt in a long time," Linda said.

There is such a power in the First Vision of Joseph Smith.  I know that Joseph Smith saw the living God, I know he did.  Each time I have shared his words of his experience, I feel so overwhelmed by the spirit.
 

Family picture with Sister Taylor and Sister Lin :)

I had shared it another time in the Tabernacle (one of the buildings on Temple Square) with some visitors from Maryland earlier this week.  They had asked me to tell them more about Joseph Smith, and once again, this same prompting came to me to share Joseph's experience using his own words.  As I spoke, their eyes all were locked on mine.

To all of you who read this, I want you to know that Joseph Smith really was a prophet called of God.  He really saw the living God, he saw the living Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, of you, of me.  4 months ago, onSeptember 4th, our mission president committed each of us to finish The Book of Mormon by December 4.  I finished The Book of Mormon just before coming here to e-mail and I want you all to know that I know it is true.  I don't just hope it is true, wish it to be true, or assume it to be true, but I know with a certainty that it is true.

Knowing that Joseph Smith's prayer was answered, I too knew my prayer would be answered.  The Book of Mormon testifies to the reality of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that this is God's true church upon the earth again today.  So often at Temple Square I  meet people who say, "it doesn't matter which church you go to, all that matters is that you have faith in Christ."  Brothers and Sisters, faith is the start of our journey and it is what pulls us through, but this is not all.

Let me ask you, if you were on the earth at the time that Christ came, and lets say there were multiple churches, would it be okay to go to any of the churches even if they all taught faith in Christ, or would you want to go to the one where Christ himself was the one teaching?  Would you go to the places that taught you about Christ, that invited you to follow him?  Or would you go to hear the Savior himself speak, to hear him invite you to come follow him and show you the way?  I know that I certainly would want to be in the midst of the Savior, I wouldn't want to miss out on anything.  I would be in Christ's church, and I know that I am in it today.

Jesus Christ is at the head of this church, He is the one who guides us today so that we have a fullness of his gospel. Pray to know. Just as the song says, "Joseph's humble prayer was answered," I testify that mine was, and yours can be too.  This is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth again today, and I am so grateful to be a representative of Christ and of His church.  Turn to him, he is listening.

I love you all and invite you to read over Joseph Smith's experience in the Sacred Grove. (http://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1.16).  Read it, pray about it, and you will know, that is a PROMISE not only I give you, but that God give you as well.  Be sincere and He will hear you :)

Sincerely and with all my heart,

Sister Briggs

SHOUTOUTS:  Madeleine Kmetzch, Sean Burton, Mom, Dad, Bryan, Casey, Grandma Jeanie, Mary, Becca, Barry, Brother & Sister Donakey, Robert Donakey, Liz, Andrew Lindsay, Sterling Randle, Sister Stanley :)


"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.  When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

If God has to wait, so must we.

With my amazing Zone Leaders Sister George, North Carolina, and Sister Ince, Canada,
who will be going home in just 1 week!

This really was such a powerful week, and I know I must say that every week, but that doesn't make it any less true :) Each week as a missionary, each week being a representative of Jesus Christ, brings me so much joy, so much happiness and so many blessings and miracles that I don't even have room or time to comprehend them all.

All of the lights are continuing to be hung here at Temple Square and you can really start to feel the Holiday spirit coming into play.  I'm not getting as many funny looks from people when I just give my huge smile to everyone who passes by and say, "hello!"  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, not just in the decorations, but in the eyes and hearts of the people--even John and Margaret.


The East 2 Zone of  Temple Square mission walking through downtown Salt Lake City
(The Sisters often travel in groups for safety purposes especially at night)

Friday night, all of us Sister missionaries were lucky enough to be invited to the dress rehearsal of "Savior of the World," a production put on every year about the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  (If you have never seen it, PLEASE try to make time to see it.  It is at the little theater on the side of the Conference Center and it is so powerful and so beautifully done.) Sister Taylor and I were leaving the Teaching Center on Temple Square to go home for a quick dinner before heading over to the play.  As we walked out the door, a young boy, about 16 or so from Idaho, stopped us and said, "Sisters! I just found this wonderful couple crossing the street.  I told them I would be more than happy to show them around.  I have taken them to the Conference Center, the Tabernacle and have shared with them our basic beliefs.  I have to run off to drive home, but can you take it from here? They are so wonderful."

This adorable senior couple looked at us with the biggest smiles on their faces.

"Hi, we're John and Margaret, we're from Georgia," they said with their hands extended to shake ours. 

John had on such a funny beanie with strings hanging down the side, and his wife Margaret had the kindest smile and the biggest heart. They told us that they actually had to get going because it was getting late, which worked well because we had to get going home.  We told them that if they would be at Temple Square again, to ask for Sister Taylor and Sister Briggs, we would be happy to take them around!



Right after we had met John and Margaret, waiting for "The Savior of the World" play to start!

The next morning, Sister Taylor and I were sitting at our dining room table doing our Companionship study when our phone rang. It was the Sisters calling us from Temple Square, telling us that a cute senior couple had come into the North Visitor Center, requesting us to take them on a tour...it was John and Margaret.

We had such an amazing experience with them.  They are such a powerful couple full of so much love for everyone they meet, and also for God.  When we met them, Margaret gave us each a huge hug and they said they both just felt they needed to be here at Temple Square today.  The whole time we spoke with them I could feel the spirit so strongly.  We walked from the temple model in the North Visitor's Center, to the Assembly Hall, and then finished at the beautiful Christus statue.  They bore such deep and moving testimonies of Jesus Christ and kept repeating how they felt God had led them to us that day. Sister Taylor and I bore our testimonies there at the feet of this statue of Christ, and as I went to invite them to learn more, to read The Book of Mormon, I couldn't...I literally was restrained by the spirit as it sometimes talks about in the scriptures. 

I felt so stumped.  In every interaction I have I always invite people to act...whether it be to pray, to read The Book of Mormon, to attend church, no matter how big or small, I always extend an invitation as guided by the spirit, and here I stood after one of the most powerful tours and lessons of my whole mission and I felt restrained.  I couldn't understand why and I have to admit I even felt a little sad, I felt that I had let my Savior down as His representative just letting them walk away without inviting them to come even closer to their Redeemer whom they already loved so much.

Sister Taylor and I had such a long tour with them that we were running a bit behind to get to our next assignment at the Beehive house, so we stopped somewhere to grab lunch and headed over.  We thought we would be late, but we were still the first sisters to get there.  Because we had food, the sisters generously offered to switch positions with us in the line of rotation for tours.  When it was finally our turn to take the tour, we looked out the window, and there we saw them walking up the path...John and Margaret, our cute, wonderful, loving couple from Georgia, that I had previously failed to invite, and I had never been happier. 

It was such a miracle that we had taken time to grab lunch, and that we had switched places with other sisters, or we would have missed them all together, we would have already been on a tour.  I know God's hand was in that, I also know God's hand was in our entire meeting and experience with them.

We had such a fun and spiritual experience with them walking throughout the Beehive House.  At the end of the tour, I felt prompted to share with them Alma 26:12, one of me and my big brother's favorite scriptures.

"Yea, I know that I am ^anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will ^bnot boast of myself, but I will ^cboast of my God, for in his ^dstrength I can do all ^ethings; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

When we read that, Margaret and John seemed so touched by the words and by the spirit that accompanied them.

John looked at us and asked, "Now which is your primary book.  The Bible or this Book of Mormon?"

Sister Taylor responded, "Both, they support and compliment each other.  We use both books to bring us closer to Jesus Christ."

We went on to ask if they had ever read The Book of Mormon, and John went on to tell us that his Dad had met with Mormon missionaries about 40 years ago and he remembers seeing him open up and flip through The Book of Mormon but he had never really read it himself.

"I would certainly be interested in reading one now though."

What I want to share with you all, is that God has His timing in everything.  I know that the spirit had restrained me from inviting earlier, because that experience was more about softening their hearts, establishing a relationship with them and drawing them unto Christ.  Imagine what would have happened if we had gone against the spirit and invited them earlier anyway?  I do not know, but I know that God's ways are always better than our ways.

In 3 Nephi 20:30 it says, "And it shall come to pass that the time cometh, when the fullness of my gospel shall be preached unto them;"

If God had to wait to bring forth the most miraculous blessing of all time, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the fullness of His gospel on earth, then so must we. Imagine how patiently God was waiting for the day in which He would restore and re-establish His church among His children-the most amazing, glorious and biggest miracle of all.  I may not always know how long I will be waiting for these miracles, these tender mercies and blessings as God knew how long He would wait to restore His church, but I do know that God asks us to do that which we are capable of doing, and sometimes that means waiting.

John and Margaret left the Beehive House that day with their own copy of The Book of Mormon and a sincere desire to learn more about the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We will be staying in touch with them and sharing more as they read :)

That is my invitation to you all this week.  I want to invite you all to pray for the direction of the spirit and to have the sincere desire to really do as you are instructed to do by it's impressions.  I promise as you do so your faith will grow not only in God, but in His timing, and sometimes, that means waiting.

I love you all!

Sincerely,
Sister Briggs


Ice skating night for Zone Activity last week! so much fun!



More ice skating fun!

SHOUTOUTS: Mom & Dad, Bryan & Casey, Robert Donakey and the Donakey family, Sister Britt Lam, Sister Dimatera (is your family okay in the Philippines?) and John Bascom (so good to see you this week, it's been so long!)

 

Tyler, one of Sister Taylor's really good friends, sent her a package this week...my gift..bubble wrap! So much fun! haha ohhhh goodness

Transfer 4: "Even our Seconds Show our Stewardship"

Hey again everyone! Two P-days in a row, swell deal huh? (For those who don't know a P-Day is a Preparation Day or Personal Day - It is our day to do personal things, go to the grocery store, write letters, run errands, move in with our new companion, etc.)  I only have a few minutes to e-mail as it has been crazy with transfers and all.  I realized that I wrote yesterday that we had all heard about our new companions and assignments, but that I didn't share with you mine!

I feel very blessed and lucky to be called to serve as a trainer this transfer.  I am very humbled by this opportunity and know that we really will be training each other.  I like to think of Alma 12:1, where we can read that Alma supported his companion Amulek in everything.  Think of the most amazing companionship of all time- that of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.  They are all one in purpose, one in heart, mind, might and strength.  If we are to help fulfill God's purpose here on earth, "to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man," we too must be unified and supportive of each other in all things :)

The theme I want to have for this transfer is, "Even our Seconds Show our Stewardship."  I know that so many blessing come from truly consecrating ourselves to the Lord and in so many different forms. I know and testify that Jesus Christ was a steward of His time before coming to this earth as He prepared for His role here, to be the Savior of the world, and my new companion and I want to represent Him to the very best of our ability. I know that this is not our time, but it is the Lord's time.  I can't imagine anything more beautiful and powerful than spending our time the way He does.

I want to introduce my new amazing, wonderful, beautiful and delightful companion to everyone! Her name is Sister Taylor and she is from Rancho Cucamonga and she really is splendid in every sense of the word. 

Sister Taylor and I :)

 

It was actually a bit of a funny story how we first came together- The AP's were calling off the new sisters from the MTC and then saying, "And you're companion is.....Sister _____!" And then of course we'd all clap for joy :) I was sitting there with Sister Siegle (who is also training, ah how I love her) when Sister Centeno tapped on my shoulder from behind and said, "Sister Briggs...this one's yours!"  I just started laughing and was joking with her and then she kept pointing up, I looked around and saw everyone was looking at me...she really was my new companion! Sister Centeno called it :)  We already are having so much fun together and I can't wait to get to know her better and to learn from her.
 

My New Planner

 

I just want to testify to you all that I know this gospel is truly the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove.  I know that as missionaries, the work isn't better because we are here, but we are better because of the work.

I love you all and I'll see you soon!

Love Always,
Sister Briggs

SHOUTOUTS: Thank you for the letter Sister Dimatera and Robert Donakey! :)

Pictures.....decorated a gigantic pumpkin cookie with the roommates on our last night together thanks to Sister Siegle's wonderful sister!