Surprises & Picnic Benches

Where ever you are, I hope you are happy.  I hope you know you are loved.  I hope you know that your Father in Heaven sincerely cares and desires for you to never settle for anything less than what you were sent here to become worthy to achieve--eternal life in His presence.  Do not be discouraged.

I love the line in the well-known hymn, How Firm a Foundation which says, "Fear not I am with thee, oh be not dismayed."  When I hear this line I picture numerous looks I gave my big brother and parents year after year on Christmas morning.  My brother Bryan who I love dearly would always look at me anxiously sitting at the bottom of the stairs, rocking back and forth, anxiously waiting to run up to open presents with the family, and give me a look of, "Really Kels?" haha to that I could only think in my head, "why are you so suprised? this is what I do every Christmas, year after year!" There are things that are just a part of who we are, and our Heavenly Father is the very same.  Do not be surprised to find that your Heavenly Father is always there.  Do not be suprirsed that your Heavenly Father is there more than you sometimes feel.  Do not be suprised that His love for you is perfect and infinite.

Our amazing investigator Monica (on the left)...she's Dj's mom! And Sister Shipp..an amazing and loving member in our ward, she's the best!

This week we met so many people who become suprised to find their Heavenly Father cares more for them than they realized.  It is humbling to be an instrument in God's hands, to feel and see the urgency He has for us to be in certain places at certain times, for His very specific children.  Rob and Ally were two such of His children this week.

Earlier this week on a beautiful day, we had decided to walk from lesson to lesson so as to meet as many people as we possibly could.  As we approached our next lesson and realized we had a few extra minutes to spare.  We took a seat at a picnic table and decided to use the time to make phone calls to remind investigators of various things.  Sister Clegg and Sister Pickerell were working away on the phone when I felt this pull to turn around, to stand and to wave.  Not knowing what was to come of this I obeyed, stood up, turned around and waved.  I am happy to say I know my Heavenly Father and although I was surprised by the prompting, I was in no means surprised by the outcome :)

I Love the Reno Temple.

As I waved, a guy happily waved back.  His name was Rob.  Rob had on all black, was covered with tatoos from head to foot, had gages in his ears...and as I came up to shake his hand and introduce myself, his sunglasses came off and the light of Christ beamed from his eyes.  As we got to talking, I came to find that Rob used to be heavily involved in various forms of drugs, but gave it all up when his Dad passed away two years ago from cancer.  It was during that time he learned that nothing worldy could ever surpass heavenly help.  I shared with him the plan of salvation, the sure knowledge and conviction I have that he will see his dad again and saw hope reach him deeper than he before experienced. 

Sister Nakayama and I return to our home in Temple Square next week...it's flown by so quickly!

He took a deep breath and explained that he had been driving around and felt this sudden need to pull over at the park and to get out with his dog.

"I'm now seeing why God wanted me to get out here," he said. "I know why I'm here."  He laughed to himself and tears started to stream from his eyes. I could see the surprise in his eyes that God could lead him so directly to where he needed to be.

With amazing Michele at an enrichment activity, so happy she came :)

Rob is now meeting with missionaries in his area, is excited about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and says he feels God's love more powerfully than he ever has before in all his life. What a tender mercy it was to be a part of such a surprise in his eyes, and a moment of relief in our Heavenly Father's eyes.  I can only imagine the relief our Father in Heaven felt to see two of His children obey, for both Rob and I learned something from each other that day.   And it all started at a picnic bench.

I have thought about that experience often this week and have witnessed just how far this world has come from truly knowing and understanding the meaning of the true nature of God.  He does everything He can for us each day.  He knows the questions we have, He knows that which we seek, and He sends miracles our way each day to help us rest assured that He is there. 

With today being preparation day, we decided to take a walk around the University of Nevada Reno campus.  As we walked, a girl sat at a picnic bench getting ready for her next class.  What we both thought would be a moment of friendship, turned into a moment of divine discovery.  As we talked we felt that we had both known each other before.  There was so much we had in common, and as our relationship of pure charity for one another built, so did the spirit. 

Sister Nakayama and I return to our home in Temple Square next week...it's flown by so quickly!

I shared with her my spiritual experience in deciding to serve a mission and the powerful answer I received from The Book of Mormon that I needed to serve a mission.  She was amazed and looked at me with such awe and such surprise that any question could be taken to God.  When I asked her if she had any questions, she poured out her heart to be of things that have been on her mind and have been weighing her down.  I testified to her as an instrument in God's hands, that if she diligently prayed with her question and took it to The Book of Mormon, she would receive her answer.  Ally smiled with a look of relief and said, "I knew I was supposed to talk to you today.  I believe you.  I have never been interested in the Mormons, but I feel something here that I haven't felt before. I know that what you're sharing is true and am so excited to receive my answer." And it all started at a picnic bench.

Just after meeting Ally...sitting on the bench again on UNR campus :)

Brothers and Sisters, we do not have to be extraordinary to share the gospel.  These are God's children and He will provide a way.  Do not be dismayed that He is willing to do this for each of us, and do not be dismayed that He loves you enough to allow you to be a part of it.  As we serve our Father in Heaven, as we remember His greatness and our roles as His children.  As we stand steadfast in the faith which we hold dear, it is impossible to not find meaningful happiness in each and every day.

"And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice and be filled with the love of God and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true." (Mosiah 4:12).

Have a wonderful week everyone! Do not be surprised by the way God blesses you and those around you this week, you are more important to Him than any of us will ever comprehend :)

 I KNOW with all my heart and soul, whether I speak as Sister Briggs or Kelsey Briggs...this book is true and is from God.  Read it and take it to heart and you will find amazing happiness!

Sincerely,

Sister Briggs

SHOUTOUTS: Bryan & Casey, Mom and Dad, Julia, Sister Lin, Robert Donakey, Donakey Family, Grandma Jeanie, Grandmother...thank you!!! :)

No cost was ever too great for Him

Driving home at the end of a beautiful day of missionary work :)

I'm not quite sure where to begin this week.  This has been an amazing and inspiring week with attending our Zone Conference and even participating in a mini mission with a local youth from the stake. We have been blessed by our Heavenly Father to have so many of His children led to us who are prepared to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have seen people change through learning of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, yet often this is a change they likely don't see in themselves. 

We were able to feel the hugs of abused women and children who felt they were finding hope in their lives.  We were able to see tears coming out of the eyes of a less active women who is learning the reality of the Atonement.  An inactive member of the church approached us and asked how he could prepare to enter the temple to do work for his family.  We felt the spirit of a recent convert as we met with him after his recent return from visiting the temple for the first time. We were able to sit with one of our investigator families and hear how they have already made purchases to start their food storage, and to hear how their son DJ is thinking about serving a mission.  Brothers and Sisters, this gospel is true and it truly is the great and marvelous work brought forth by our Heavenly Father which is so continually mentioned throughout the scriptures.

Amazing Libby from the stake...I hope and pray she will serve a mission, she was amazing!

I know that this is truly the church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the earth again today because of the way it truly breaks through any barriers and protects and inspires souls from every culture and every social circumstance.  This gospel is not just for me, it is not just for the people we see who our downtrodden or for those who have faith, it is for all.  It is a gospel of change because it is centered on Jesus Christ, and He brought the greatest change to this world that man will ever ever know.

"For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens." (Moroni 7:28)

What is the cause of the children of men?  Ask yourself now...what is your cause today?  Is it to be a better parent or spouse?  To be a better student?  To be able to run errands and get things done to make it a productive day? Every cause that we inherintly have as children of God, is advocated by our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ is not just to be forgiven of our sins, it is to be better.  For every cause we have each day, we can have hope and have joy knowing that Christ advocates this for us as it is in His will.

I have learned through very special experiences that our Heavenly Father and Savior's will is always better than our own.  It will always be for our benefit, it will always be for our growth and it will always be for that which reaches the very goals and desires we each hold deep down.  Sometimes we may feel it is difficult, sometimes we may feel too much is expected of us, but to truly find happiness in this life and in the lift to come, to truly be like Christ, we must learn from His example...No cost was ever too great for Him.  There was no burden He wasn't willing to bear, no trial He wasn't willing to withstand, no fear He wasn't willing to conquer, no pain He wasn't willing to endure and to what end?  To what purpose?  For what cause?  For us.

In Matthew 16:21-23, we learn that our Savior took great offence to His Apostle asking Him to not endure the sufferings and pain of the Atonement.  As the Savior tells His Apostle of the great pain He would endure, that He would lay down His life and then take it up again, His Apostle Peter almost responds as if to say, "Don't to it Lord, it is too hard.  Speak not of such things!"  To this the Savior responded, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

With amazing Sister Coy...I will miss her when I return to Temple Square!

Brothers and Sisters, do we realize where this offence comes from?  Do we realize why it pained Him so much to hear one of His followers ask Him not to suffer so greatly?  Because He knew we needed it.  Nothing broke His heart so much as to not be able to give us a way to return to our Heavenly Father. He took such great offence because we are worth every drop to Him.  We are worth every pain and heartache to Him.  As we come to understand this concept, as we come to truly see ourselves through the eyes of our Savior, we will see that no cost is ever, EVER too great to pay to follow Him either. 

I testify to each one of you that Jesus is the Christ.  I say this not as a faith, or as a hope but as a sure and concrete knowledge that has come to me through being His full time representative as a missionary for His church on the earth again today.  Come to know your Savior Jesus Christ.  Have the desire to pay the smallest token of what He has done for us.  I promise that as you come closer to your Savior, you will automatically be brought closer to The Book of Mormon, to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because it is truly His.  I invite you all to read or listen to Tad R. Callister's devotional titled, "What is the Blueprint of Christ's Church?" and feel the gravity and weight of just every blessing Christ paid for with His life, for you, and for me.

Sincerely,

Sister Briggs

SHOUTOUTS: Gabe, Grandmother, Grandfather and Grandma Jeanie, Mom, Dad, The Donakey family and Tawny too!!!, Robert Donakey, Ariel Ibarra, Nikky Lin, Chance Robertson

His Image

 Hi again everyone! I'm pretty sure I always start off my e-mails in the same way, but I can't remember.  Either way, I want each of you to know that I sincerely hope it's been a wonderful week.  Each day is truly such a gift and I hope you've been able to see it as such. Know too that YOU are a gift to so many around you each and every day. 

Good luck on your mission in New Zealand Sister Elina!!! She came out on splits with us a
couple of times and was amazing! :)

One of the greatest gifts our Father in Heaven gives to us is the people around us, our family.  We are surrounded by family each and every day.  Each person you see is your brother or sister, a son or daughter of that same God who gave you life.  Family members often resemble each other. By seeing my Dad, you will have a pretty strong idea of what I look like as I truly resemble him.  We too can resemble our Father in Heaven.  Not only are we created in His image having a physical body of flesh and bone as He does, but we can literally resemble His very countenance. Such a resemblance is a gift as we follow Christ.

"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?" (Alma 5:14).

I LOVE Sister Pickerell and feel so blessed to be with her again this transfer!

We are blessed to receive the image of God in our countenances as we enter into His fold through following the example of His Only Begotten Son, even Jesus Christ.  The greatest step we take in receiving the image of God in our countenances is through baptism by the proper Priesthood authority of God. 

Carl Upson took this step over 50 years ago as a 20-year-old boy working as a musician on the streets.  He came from an abusive family who made him feel that he was never worth much of anything to anybody. As he learned about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, about The Bible and The Book of Mormon and their supportive roles to one another in inviting all people every where to come unto Christ, he started to feel something different.  He started to feel not his earthly circumstances with his family change, but he felt something much more powerful.  He felt that he was coming closer to his Father in Heaven, and that he was important to Him.  Carl listened to the missionaries, took everything to prayer and was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Saying good bye to Sister Michaud :( we miss her already and were just her companion for 2 days!

When Carl recounts this day he says he truly felt profound joy. He says that although the heavens didn't open and he didn't hear the voice of God, he felt a spirit that was more tangible than anything.  He felt that God was speaking to him the very same words that were uttered at the time of our Savior's baptism by this same Priesthood authority.

"...This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17).

Can you imagine how much this meant to him? I was not there at Carl's baptism but as he recounted this experience I knew that that day, he had truly received the image of God in his countenance.  He had been spiritually reborn and had received the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For all who were there, I knew they could see a resemblance of our Heavenly Father in his face.  What a precious gift it is to receive our Father's image in our countenance as we are born of Him.

We knocked on Carl's door my first week here in Reno.  His eyes lit up as he saw our name tags and immediately welcomed us into his home.  Carl is now in his late 70's and has been less active for quite some time but has been eager to come back to church.  I may not have been there at his baptism, but just yesterday I was able to witness him as he was ordained a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood of God.

With our brother, Carl Upson.  I am so proud of him :)

I watched as Bishop Rader, Brother Watts and Brother Turner laid their hands on Carl's head and bestowed upon him the Priesthood authority of God.  Carl was overwhelmed by the spirit that was there...really, we all were. I may not have been there to see Carl enter into the waters of baptism, to see him receive the image of God in his countenance, but I have been able to see him make decisions to have the image of God engraven in his countenance.

"I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?  I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?" (Alma 5:19).

The gospel is about so much more than doing, it is about becoming.  It is about so much more that receiving, it is about engraving.  The gospel of Jesus Christ does not settle with leaving us the way we are, it's purpose is to elevate our divine nature to the surface that we may become like Him. At baptism, we may receive the image of God in our countenances, but what a glorious day it will be, to look up to Him at that last day, and see our eyes in his, to see that we recognize His light because we have tasted of it in our own lives.

Was on splits with Sister Jump (from Temple Square) and Sister Boots for an hour and a half...through much prayer and diligent seeking we found 5 new investigators in that short time! Thank you Heavenly Father!

Jess is an investigator we have been teaching over the phone since I have been here in Reno.  He is recently out of prison and looking for a whole fresh start in his life.  Just this last week we were able to meet with him in person.  There he stood, covered in tattoos crawling up his neck and even across the bottoms of his eyes.  There he stood, a son of God.  We spoke with him, the spirit touched his heart, and he has now accepted baptism.  He is now looking forward to receiving the image of God in His countenance and willing to take the steps to have His countenances engraven that it may forever stay with him.  You should have seen the joy in his eyes, you should have felt the thick spirit, as he thought of what grand joy it would be for people to see him for his countenance, for the light and not for his tattoos. For the son of God he is.

I invite each of you to write down something each day that you have done to have the image of God engraven in your countenance.  I promise you that as you make resembling your Father a priority in your life, you will truly become like Him and be filled with a hope that you will one day stand beside Him, proud of the life you lived and all you are. I testify to each and every one of you that this is the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  You will never have to search further than your Heavenly Father to know that what I am saying is true, take it to Him and I promise He will show you who He is and who you can become through His son, Jesus Christ.

Sincerely,

Sister Briggs :)

PS. Forgot to mention we have a new companion...Sister Clegg from Spanish Fork, fresh from the MTC! We love her and are humbled to be serving with her! :)

SHOUTOUTS: Mom & Dad, The Achievement Day Girls of the Cascade Crest ward, Mary, Becca, Sara, Barry, Brother & Sister Donakey, Grandma Hill, Robert Donakey, Grandfather and Grandma Jeanie, Sister Hoyt, Kelsey Christensen and her lovely Mother! :)

There is one thing which is of more importance than they all...(Alma 7:7)

Thank you for everything that was sent my way! I felt so loved!

Merry Christmas everyone! This is unlike any Christmas I have ever experienced, and it is crazy to think that next Christmas I will already be home with my family.  No matter where we celebrate Christmas, it is truly my earnest prayer that we each put Christ at the center of this celebration.  I testify to you that all the mystery and excitement of Santa, all the cookies, candy canes and even the carrots for the reindeer can never replace the bounty of gifts, love and grace that come from our Savior Jesus Christ. Each Christmas may we write Him our letters with our deepest desires, and leave for Him instead of cookies, our very will, to do what it is He would have us do.  I invite you to do your New Years Resolutions early, to think of your gifts to Christ this year.  He gave His life, the least we can do is use ours to magnify His.


Right after calling home.  I love my family.  I know they are one of God's greatest blessings to me!

I met so many people this week that have completely changed my life and my perspective on Christmas. We met a less active member named Jennifer, from Australia, who came to Utah for the sole purpose of wanting to see temple square and feel the spirit here.  She said everything we shared with her was directly from God and exactly what she needed to hear.  We met another less active member named Joseph, from Ogden, who felt prompted to come to Temple Square.  He came into the tabernacle and after I completely spoke by the promptings of the spirit, he said he has decided to serve a mission.  We gave out two Books of Mormon in one hour to two different men on Christmas eve, one of whom was hurting after being deployed for 8 years and having lost his wife while he was gone.  All of this, brought to me a greater understanding, and the truthfulness, of something one 10-year-old girl said to me this last week.


Sister Phagwah (Guyana) and I getting creative to make a bigger Christmas tree...see the next picture!


We can always make the best out of the things we have :)

Her name is Katie and she is from Bountiful, UT.  She is so excited to serve a mission one day, so much so that she is counting down.  I asked her if she knew what a missionary's whole purpose is every day, what it is that we do all day long, with the intent to tell her that our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, that she can be a missionary today.  however, she caught me off guard with her response.

"As missionaries you celebrate Christmas every day!" Katie said enthusiastically.

I gave her a huge smile, laughed and then thought about the deeper meaning to it.  She may have meant we celebrate Christmas every day, in that every day is a wonderful and happy day, but I could see in the eyes of this 10-year-old girl that she had such a higher understanding than that. 



We had so much snow they had to shut down the square! We were sad to be sent home, but excited to have the day to study and read :)

We both knew, her family knew, that with her statement she knew that as missionaries we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas every day. Each day we are inviting others to come unto Christ.  Each day we are inviting ourselves and others to change their view of themselves, God and the world around them.  Each day we are reading from The Book of Mormon and The Bible, sharing scriptures with people that give answers to their most troubling questions.  Isn't this what it means to celebrate Christmas every day?

Think about how happy you are today.  Think about how much we each long for Christmas.  How many times have you heard people say, "People are just nicer at Christmastime," or "I feel so much more like giving at Christmastime."  It is not a mystery why.  There is so equation to solve, there is no puzzle to solve, it is because each of us, even if it is in the slightest way, is focusing on Christ a little more and on ourselves a little less. If you want to celebrate Christmas every day, you can! No one is stopping you, especially not me :)

Zone Activity! Look at my Mom, Sister Lin, as such a cute elf.  We all had so much fun!

There is so much at this season that weighs on our attention.  There are gifts to purchase, trees to decorate, cookies to make, dinners to prepare, cards to send, parties to attend, but there is one of more importance than they all.

"For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people." (Alma 7:7)

How grateful I am to know that Christ lives.  This is why we still celebrate His birth! How grateful I am that I do not need to walk across a desert as so many shepherds did, so many humble seekers, and those wise men of old to find the Christ child.  What I have learned on my mission and throughout my life, is that Jesus Christ, our personal Savior and Redeemer as well as the Savior of the world, is not as far away as many would like us to think.  He is in your scriptures, He is in your prayers, He is in each act of love and service we devote to others.  Let us not get lost in the convenience of finding Christ, and when we find Him, let us each be sure to treasure Him and to celebrate His birth not just once, but all year round.

Merry Christmas everyone :)

Love always,
Sister Briggs

SHOUTOUTS:Kelli & Taylor Gilbert (you two are the cutest! I miss you both and am so happy to hear from you!), Mom & Dad, Bryan & Case, Robert Donakey, Brother & Sister Donakey, Mary, Becca, Sara, Barry, Grandpa Chuck and Lolly, Grandma Jeanie & Grandfather, Papa Jim & Grandmother, Todd Bruner, Taylor Hansen and family, The Macrums and Woods, all the beautiful Wilcox's, Caroline Slater and Sister Dimatera!

And to every single one of you who read this...thank you.  You have truly put a smile on my face each and every day of my mission to have your love, letters and support :)



We got our roommates matching pajamas for Christmas!

Our whole district had breakfast together this morning :)  We have all made a pact to celebrate Christmas together with our families in the future

I need to go and talk with Dad

Sister Taylor and I in the tabernacle :)

Hi everyone! Just one more week until Christmas! I hope everyone is making an extra effort to include Christ at this time...it is in fact His birth that we celebrate at this time and I am so grateful to be His representative.  I testify to each of you that He does live.

I love this mission :) We got to take an organ tour, to go back stage to see just how all these beautiful instruments work, and I even got to play it! 

This was another amazing week of being a missionary at Temple Square.  Each day I saw so many miracles, each day I saw the amazing grace of God's hand working and weaving throughout my life and the lives of so many others. Many who have come to see the lights at Temple Square this week have taken notice of what a special and miraculous place it is.  I have heard many comments from people saying, "I wish I could just live here on Temple Square," or "I wish I could just stick Temple Square in my pocket and take it home."  What I wish for each and every person to know is that the reason that we love Temple Square so much is because it is a familiar feeling to what we have always known all along--it is the spirit of God that is so abundant at Temple Square that keeps people coming back.  This spirit can be with us everywhere we go, we just have to learn to recognize it :)


Sister Godfrey had us all over for dinner and made SEVEN different desserts..I am so grateful for everything her and her family did for us and wish them the very best Christmas!

Linda and Chuck were two people we met at Temple Square just last night who had learned to recognize the voice of the Lord in their own lives.  Linda and Chuck are from Texas and have been converts to the church for just over 1 year.  Linda laughed when she recounted the story of the persistent missionaries that would always come and knock on her door.  Chuck said the first time he let the missionaries in, he was searching around his home for his shot gun while the missionaries talked in the door way outside. When Chuck and Linda finally agreed to meet with the missionaries, they said they felt a difference right from the beginning, but they continued to attribute it to something else.  They would say, "oh, this warm feeling we feel is just the love we feel for these two Elders and the love they feel for us," or "this feeling is just coming because we are doing a service to them by listening to their message."  They continued to attribute the voice of God, the Holy Ghost to something they thought they were more familiar with. As they met with the missionaries, they said that everything they heard started to sound more familiar, and it was then, they realized they were familiar with God.

This is something that we each do so very often. We think we aren't familiar with God, that we don't have a relationship with Him, and so we say that what we feel, what we hear is something else.

I love having my amazing trainer, Sister Lin, back at Temple Square.  I can't believe this is her last transfer!

I was reading in the Old Testament in 1 Samuel 3 about the time Samuel was called of the Lord to do His work. In this account, we read that Samuel heard his name being called 3 times, each time thinking it was his Dad.  He would probably think, "Okay, I need to go and talk with Dad." Each time we went down the hall to the room of his father to say, "Here am I, for thou didst call me," and his Father would reply, "I called not, my son; lie down again." The third time Samuel heard someone calling his voice, he approached his father once more, only this time, his father recognized it was the voice of the Lord and instructed his son to respond as it was God calling him.



I was amazed as I read this account and thought about Chuck and Linda.  So often we hear a voice calling to us, a familiar voice, a comforting voice, yet we attribute it to something else.  Really, we are all so familiar with God, that we could easily mistake His voice with the voice of our own Father; for He is indeed, the Father of our spirits.

So often our mind tries to trick us, to make us think this familiar voice is something else.  When we had our mission tour just this last week, Elder Clark told us that while he was in Bolivia a woman stopped him and said, "You Americans, I could never live in your country. "  He was completely taken back and asked the woman why she felt that way so strongly.  She responded, "There you live with your minds, here we live with our hearts."


To the Briggs Family---the huskies are everywhere! This is Kate, she is the daughter of the family who had us all over for dinner this week :)

Let us all live with our hearts and recognize the God that calls out to each and every one of us each day.  He calls to us not just as a collective group but as individuals, as His precious children.  I know that I am His daughter, and when He calls my name, I know it.  He is my Father, your Father and He can pick each of us out of a crowd.  I wonder...can we pick Him out of a crowd?  Look for Him this Christmas, think and feel with your hearts, and you will find Him.

Love Always,
Sister Briggs



 This was actually taken the day after Thanksgiving when they had the lighting for Temple Square. Ed and I didn't get to see her, but Barry, Becca, and Mary did. This was the first time Barry has been able to see her there - Thanks to Jean Donakey for forwarding this picture.  We are always happy to add Kelsey Sightings to our Blog. 

SHOUTOUTS: Got to see Brother Cecil Samuelson at Target...that was amazing! My wonderful Briggs family, Robert Donakey, Brother & Sister Donakey, Mary, Becca, Barry and Sara Donakey, Zach Hansen, Karsen Yack, Sister Hill and Sister Rushing, Kurt & Megan Mooney, Jay & Taylor Winters, Matt Duke, Amy Briggs, Sister Blauer and the AMAZING Thomas family (thank you so much for your beautiful Christmas card! It really absolutely made my day!)


We got to have dinner with a family, and they had the cutest dog named Sammy! Joy really is in the little things :)

"What happens next depends largely on how we embrace our Savior, Jesus Christ." - Sister Wixom

It's such a blessing to spend Christmas time at Temple Square :) I love serving right next to a temple of God.  The spirit is so strong here every single day. You can feel the difference coming onto and off of the square.

I am really sitting here, staring at the computer in awe.  Where do begin, I never know. I have felt the love of Christ for so many people I have met this week.  These people will forever be precious and important to me, and I know they are important to our Heavenly Father, because of all the action He took to bring them closer to Him.  I love that the attitude of our Savior is not a "catch me if you can," but a "come follow me," (Jesus of Nazareth talk).  He doesn't care what hour of the day, what time in life we turn to Him, He just cares that we turn.  As a missionary, if I can help others turn to Him sooner, to receive the blessings and the fullness of the joy that comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ before years of possible heart ache and longing, then I will do all I can.  Really though, what happens next depends largely on how we each choose to embrace our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The choice is ours.

Last Friday, Sister Taylor and I had a short amount of time on the square before we had our scheduled time for weekly planning.  We joked that we wouldn't get to do our weekly planning, because it seems to be that all of our biggest miracles together have been during weekly planning...and sure enough that happened for us again.  We were walking on the temple grounds when we walked past 4 scruffy young men, all with tattoos, earrings, hats and sagging pants, along with a young 9-year old girl when we felt prompted to turn back around. Rick, Raymond, Anthony, Rodger and Chloe are their names, and they are all now new investigators of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

None of them knew each other until just a few hours before we had walked into them.  They were all traveling separately by a Greyhound bus to different places when their bus broke down in Salt Lake City.  They were told that they wouldn't be able to board the bus again until about midnight and felt that they should come to Temple Square.  None of them had been here before.  They all came from such different walks of life, and yet each of this men were looking for a new start and I think they found it here at Temple Square as the spirit spoke to them. We were with these men for about 2 hours, and I watched as their eyes locked on ours as we testified of the temple, of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, of Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon, of praying to know for ourselves. 



At the Christmas devotional! We were so lucky to get to go.  If you haven't watched it yet, please do! It was amazing and so different from so many others before!

I witnessed a miracle happening in each of their lives.  For Chloe, the little nine year old girl, her miracle was seeing all the lights come on.  She was the one that had felt they should all come to Temple Square.  As we were walking, the brilliant lights of Temple Square all came on.  She stopped, looked up to me and said, "Is this all for me?"  I smiled and said, "yes! Merry Christmas , Chloe!"  She said that just a few days before, she had been wondering if God was real, and told God that if He was there, if He really cared about her, she would really like to see some Christmas lights this year.  Her family has always really struggled, and she's never been able to see too many lights, but they are her very favorite part of Christmas.  You can only imagine the lights that went on in the eyes of this little girl.  She may have just seen the lights, but for me I saw a more powerful light--the light that God gives to each and every one of His children when they ask. God lives, and God loves.

For her father Rodger, his miracle was learning that families can be together for eternity.  I looked over to him as we spoke by the temple model in the South Visitor's Center.  When we showed him the picture of the temple sealing rooms he said, "This is amazing.  This gives me a whole new hope for my family."  I saw him as he reached down to his young daughter Chloe, pull her over and give her a hug.  I knew that he would do anything for his family and now because of the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he was realizing that he could.

For Anthony, it was hearing that the gospel of Jesus Christ is simple and that it makes sense.  When we first came in contact with him, he had a million questions to ask, all of which were sincere but from more of a researcher's point of view. As we testified to him of the restoration, he was no longer asking--"what kind of proof do you have that this happened?" but rather, "how can I know for myself?  This is the most wonderful news if what you have told me is true." He already has begun to read The Book of Mormon, which not only is convincing evidence that Joseph Smith saw what he saw, but also what teaches us of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ along with the Bible.  The Book of Mormon is a personal letter from God to each of His children, including Anthony :)

For Raymond, it was learning that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn't just teach us to do, it teaches us to become, and that was exactly what he was looking for.

For Rick, it was seeing the hope in his eyes as we testified to him that God lives and really does hear our prayers.  Rick was very quiet throughout our whole time with them.  Sister Taylor was talking with Raymond, Rodger, Chloe and Anthony and Rick had taken a few steps to the side.  I approached him and asked him about what he thought of everything.

He took off his hat and looking up at me said, "You've given me a lot to think about.  This whole time I thought that God just didn't care."

His eyes had completely changed from when we first saw him. He told us that he used to pray as a kid, but stopped because he never heard God answer him. 

I asked him, "Rick, in your life when you have been happy or sad, do you remember the words that people said to make you feel that way?"

"No," he responded, "I just remember how I felt.  Things like that don't go away."

"Exactly," I said. "God's love for us is so strong, that He doesn't want us to just forget it right away, but He wants it to have a lasting impression on us.  Instead of us often hearing His love, we get to feel it, that way, we can always remember that He is there."

Rick's eyes got watery as he said that he thought he could feel it right then.  I know that this gospel changes people.  I know that is is a gospel of hope, of second chances and of happy endings. 

Just a few days later, I had this witnessed to me again as I spoke in a branch for a half-way home here in Salt Lake City.  The branch is made up solely of women who have recently been released from prison.  It is a place for women who are looking to really make some changes in their life and want to trust in God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ to help them do it.  I have never felt the spirit so strongly in my entire life as I did at this meeting. I watched women walk up to us and tell them they were grateful for their time in prison, as it brought them to their knees and brought them to God.  One women in specific asked if she could talk with me.  She was an older woman who looked like she could have been the Relief Society President! She had such a glow and such a warm light to her, I had no idea she was one of the women that had been released from prison.  She told me her story, how she had been in prison for 25 years for several accounts of crimes. She had never been religious, but now, after looking for a change in her life, she knew that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was Christ's true church on the earth again today.  She said, "I wanted to change, and this is the only gospel that really did it.  I thought I had nothing that I could give to God, but instead I gave Him my heart.  Instead, I thought of what I could give up to come to know Him, and He gave me everything and more."

 I realized then so powerfully, unlike any time in my life before, the importance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  We are the ones He died for, each and every one of us.  He saw something in us that we couldn't see in ourselves. 

Rodger, Chloe, Anthony, Raymond, Rick and this woman all taught me so very much this week.  It is true what Sister Wixom says, "What happens next depends largely on how we embrace our Savior, Jesus Christ."

We were also very blessed to have an Apostle of Jesus Christ attend our Sacrament meeting on Sunday.  After he left, I went back and read his talk from General Conference, and I would like to echo his words to each of you today, "We must always remember that we do not save ourselves.  We are all liberated by the love, grace and atoning sacrifice of the Savior."

Always embrace the Savior, for in His arms, in His light, in His love, there is hope not just awaiting us at the end, but pulling us through every corner.


Love Always,
Sister Briggs



Yayyy, Sister Orfila from Brasil made us all brigadero (Bry---not sure how to spell it, casey---I ate extra just for you!)

P.S. Good luck with finals everyone!

SHOUTOUTS: Mom, Dad, Grandma Jeanie & Grandfather, Bryan & Casey, Jack, Carol, Marnie & Jeremy Briggs, Hermana Stanley, Alyssa Lamprecht ( I contacted your referral, she is amazing! Thank you so so very much!), Ashley Solosko, Courtney King, Stephanie, Sister Taylor's wonderful friends who came up to see us, Corbin Sterling, Eric Turner (congrats on the engagement!!!), Becca Hallerman and Lauren Miner :)



Look at our fun Christmas tree surrounded with fun gifts from my parents! Thanks Mom & Dad!

 

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!"