Mahal kita!

My beautiful and sweet companion and I at the parade-Sister Reniva from the Philippines.
We are already having so much fun together and really working hard

Well, I was about to say another week has passed by, but it's just been a few days since I was able to write! Transfers have been absolutely INSANE. Usually it all happens on one big day during the week, Wednesday, but this week we have been sending out and receiving sisters the past week.  

Not only did we get new sisters from the MTC (yayy!) but we also got Sister returning from their outbound assignments, and now.....this is the first time they have ever done this....we received Sisters from the MEXICO MTC!!! They got in this morning at about 1, so when Sister Reniva and I woke up, we were speaking some Espanol! Of course, I loved that, because if you know me at all...I love to pretend I speak Spanish :)  All in all, but the end of next week we will have over 200 Sisters serving here at Temple Square.  

This is the busiest summer we have ever had, the work is really going forward!

 I cooked on P-day so I could feed my companion! Thank you Dad for teaching me! 
Grilled asparagus, potatoes, and grilled pork with a raspberry balsamic sauce and apples. 
It was delicious. 

So quick update: My last companion, Sister Lin from Taiwan, left Tuesday night for her new mission assignment in Spokane, Washington.  I am truly grateful for her and her example of hard work and diligence.  It was such a blessing for me to have her as my companion and to be able to teach 100's of people every day from China about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Sister Lin and I with T.C. Christensen, holding up the flier for
"Ephraim's Rescue," another movie he worked on. 
The famous quote, "I am ready now."

Before she left, we had a special surprise for Transfer Conference from our mission presidency.  It was one of the best nights I have ever had.  We are so lucky in this mission to hear from the people we do!  

T.C. Christensen, the director of 17 Miracles and many many other films, came and spoke with us.  It was an amazing night that really got us ready to celebrate Pioneer Day yesterday.  He talked all about his experiences learning more about the history of the church, and the faith of these early pioneers.  He said to us, "Great things will happen when preparation meets opportunity.  This mission is preparing you for the rest of your life."  That has really stuck with me.  

The Christus statue at Temple Square at night after our Transfer Conference meeting.

My mission is already something that I hold very sacred and very dear to my heart.  I have seen that when I do as much as I can, as small as it may be, that my Heavenly Father really makes up the difference- actually, He IS the difference.  I couldn't do any of this without Him.  I know that He can make more of us because He sees us for who we will become.  His view of us isn't hindered by our daily shortcomings, WE are the only ones the can hinder our view, hinder our opportunities.  That's what I have really learned about this gospel, that it truly doesn't just say it wants to make us happy, and successful, but it really gives us every step to get there.  Already on my mission I have felt myself change in ways I never expected, and I know that is because I have truly asked Heavenly Father what plans He has for me, what potential He sees for me.  Heavenly Father loves me enough to not leave me the way that I am.  He wants to refine me and make me a woman who will be a better daughter, a better friend, a better wife, mother and neighbor.  I am forever grateful that His vision is longer and better than mine. :)

Sister Siegle and I making our planners for our 2nd transfer.

Tuesday- 

I have a new companion! Transfer day was overwhelming but I am SO excited about my new companion.  Her name is Sister Reniva and she is from Cebu in the Philippines! Already, she is teaching me so much and she does it in such an uplifting and loving way.  Speaking of love, "I love you" in Tagalog is "mahal kita," which is why it is the title of my blog.  LOVE is everything as a missionary, as anyone.  When we truly love someone, it makes all the difference.  

Meet Sister Bowden from Oxford, England. 
It was such a blessing to be here during her last transfer here at Temple Square. 
She truly reached out to me and really took me under her wing while she was here. 
I am forever grateful for her and already miss her so much. 
I am terrible at good-byes and definitely had a hard time saying goodbye to her. 
Oxford is lucky to have her back.

Our assignment here on Temple Square is to hold the Youth Conferences! Woo! I am so excited to be involved with this part of the work here at Temple Square.  Sister Reniva says, "When you save a youth, you save a generation," and that really is so true.  When we put forth the time to help people find their own testimonies of the gospel and Jesus Christ at a young age, it is something that can help them through everything in life.  Why procrastinate a testimony of this gospel when it can do nothing but bless us in EVERY aspect of our life?

President Uchtdorf waving to the Sister Missionaries.

Wednesday- 

Happy Pioneer Day Everyone! We started off the day at the Pioneer day parade in downtown Salt Lake...it was SO much fun! I even saw President Uchtdorf and he yelled, "Ah! The Sister missionaries!"  It was fun too to see the BYU float going by and to see some of my friends from school walking in the parade.  It makes me happy to see the people I love so happy.  I saw my Uncle Butch too! Uncle Butch is a member from my homeward who has blessed my life in tremendous ways.  Butch and his family are like family to me, really, my whole ward is.  They have shaped me in so many ways and prepared me for this mission in ways they may not even realize.  

Sister Sharatt and I with KAYLA and KEVIN'S wedding announcement!
I opened it up and everyone thinks you are just a stunning couple...congratulations you two!!!

I ran into Uncle Butch on the Square after I kept hearing Sisters say, "There's a 40-somethin year old guy looking around for you..."  Yes, I was a bit concerned :) haha luckily it was Uncle Butch.  Hello to him, his family and to the whole Cascade Crest Ward! Seeing him absolutely made my day, it was a wonderful way to celebrate Pioneer Day!

Sister Siegle, Sister Lucas and I watching the parade- all sisters from my same transfer!

Waving to Taylor Veater Winters on the BYU float, so fun to see familiar faces!

The pioneers, the early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.  These individuals, these families gave up everything for this gospel, for the building of the temple.  I thought so much yesterday about how they could've just stopped where they were, they could've turned around, but they did not.  They pushed onward through hunger, frost bite, long days, long nights and made famous the words, "All is well, all is well!"  I think of how they walked 1300 miles. 

Sister Humble and I became friends on Facebook before coming out to Temple Square
together, and now we're both in charge of Youth Conferences!
So much fun to see her every day!

Is there anything today that you would walk 1300 miles for?  To see your favorite basketball team play?  To eat at your favorite restaurant?  To see your loved ones?  Would you walk 1300 miles, pulling a handcart, knowing that the people you love might suffer and struggle along the way?  These people didn't do this for nothing, they had some idea of the trials that would await, and they pressed onward.  They put one step in front of the other because they knew, without any doubt, that they were children of God, that all their sacrifices would bring forth the blessings of heaven through the temple not just to them but to generations to come.  

Sister Reniva and I with Sister Lucas and Sister Parkinson. 
Sister Parkinson is a visa waiter and will soon be leaving us for Taiwan!
We love her and are so grateful for all she has brought to Temple Square
this summer...weird, that it's almost August.

And now today, all Heavenly Father asks is that we just put one foot in front of the other too, just in very different ways.  He asks that 1 day out of 7, we just think of Him and remember that His truly beloved son suffered for us.  He asks that we love our neighbor, He asks that we don't do things that will hurt us, He asks that we talk to Him so He can uplift us.  Sometimes here when we meet visitors, they will say, "Wow, 18 months, that's quite the sacrifice."  But I write now, even with tears in my eyes, "No, this is the smallest thing I can do and I am receiving more blessings than I even have room to receive."  I am so grateful for this time, and so grateful for the faith of the pioneers.  When we think of what God asks of us, in comparison to what he blesses us with, we really are not making sacrifices at all.  He is the most perfect, loving, enabling Father and my mission has taught me more and more about Him and His true character.

Sister Reniva and I making plans for Youth Conference as the member events coordinators!

Last night, I sat in our window seat, and our view overlooks the temple.  I just want to share with you all a little something that I wrote...

"Right now, I am sitting on the little couch that I got so used to seeing Sweet Sister Siegle (Sao Paulo Brazil) sit on each night as she wrote in her journal.  I know now why she liked sitting here so much- It's the perspective it gives.  Behind me are fireworks for Pioneer day, but directly in front of me, if I just glance my eyes up, is the Salt Lake temple.  This is the perfect perspective for my time as a missionary and for my whole life as a woman, a daughter, a mother, a wife, a neighbor, a daughter of God.  My focus is on the temple, my focus is on eternity.  The happiness that I have found by doing this is pure joy.  I can't even express or explain it."  

With Sister Reniva and her trainer, Sister Edmond...she left us today
to go back home to the Marshall Islands. 
We will miss her!

I truly love each of you that are reading this, I have found that Heavenly Father has blessed me to be a part of a family here that just loves, even adores people instantly, and I have felt that strengthened even more as a missionary as I feel not just of my own love for others, but of our Father in Heaven's love as well.  All I want is for the people I love to be happy, and this is making me so happy.  I hope you are all doing well and that you can feel of my love for you through my letters!  I truly promise each of you, that through prayer, you can come to know your full potential, you can come to feel of God's pure and deep and sincere love for you. 
I am so excited to write you all again oh so soon!

My MTC companion, Sister Marsh, and I are in the same zone this transfer. 
I am so excited to be with her again, I just love her.

Thank you for everything!

Mahal kita!
Sister Briggs :)

Shoutouts to:  UNCLE BUTCH (so good to see you!!!), Robert Donakey, Makelle Wood, Kayla & Kevin, Clarissa, Brig, Andrew, Dane, Grandma Jeanie, Joahnna, my Mom, Britt Lam and Aubrey Steenhoek (congrats on the wedding, and I saw your family!!!)

First Week at Temple Square: Asian Invasion!

Woahhh first week at Temple Square is almost complete. 

Catching the bus to Temple Square at 8:00 am :)

It was rough to leave the MTC...I didn't see that place as a prison at all, rather I saw it as a place where I met some of my best friends, where I grew closer to Christ and where I learned the importance of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Sister Marsh and I had a rough night saying good bye to our sisters who left us at TWO AM for Omaha, Nebraska.  They will all seriously be so amazing.  I was able to experience that wonderful feeling of seeing them through God's eyes, of seeing them as His children.  I miss them all and hope all is well with them.  I feel very grateful I had Sister Marsh as my companion at the MTC and that I had the district that I did.

So happy and grateful I get to see my old companion, Sister Marsh, here almost every day on Temple Square! We took this just a couple hours ago!

So, those tears soon turned into nerves.  I was so excited and yet sooo anxious to get to Temple Square to meet my new companion, my new district and zone, and my new mission president.  I am happy to report, all went well :) I absolutely love the Temple Square sisters.  Everyone I have met has been so kind and loving towards me. They all ask me if my face ever hurts from smiling so much..the Tongan sisters especially :)  I love how many cultures are represented here.  It truly is like in Isaiah 2:2 where it says, "and all nations shall flow unto it." 

With that said...any guesses on who my companion is?  Any?  Well, they called my name up to the front of the room in front of all of the temple square sisters and asked me what I wanted most in a companion.  I said, "I want someone who loves God above everything, someone who will be obedient, someone who is hard working and always desiring to act as Christ would in all things."  The AP's (Assistants to the President) smiled and said, "Well you definitely are getting all of the above.  You will be the busiest Sister Missionary on Temple Square this summer....you're new companion, your trainer,  your Mom is...SISTER LIN!"  Sister Lin is from TAIWAN and has been out in Temple Square for 7 full transfers (each transfer is 6 weeks).  She is diligent, hard-working, caring and so much fun. Plus, she feeds me AWESOME food every day for lunch and dinner.  I'm trying my best to learn some Mandarin Chinese because almost all we do all day everyday is give Mandarin Tours!  I can say "hello," "thank you," "My name is Sister Briggs," and "come come come!"  My favorite is the last...all of the Mandarin people that we teach LOVE to stop and taking pictures of everything...so I end up saying "lie lie lie," (come, come, come) quite a lot :)

The top of the Church Administration Building with my trainer and new companion, Sister Lin from Taiwan!

Just from being assigned as her companion, I have received such a strong and powerful answer to my prayers.  I want to share this with you and whoever may be reading this because I want you to know that I have such a strong testimony that God lives and that He hears our prayers.  Not only does God hear our prayers, but he listens and responds in the way that He knows is best for us. Ahh...what an amazing gift.  I had been praying a lot to Heavenly Father to know if He trusts me enough to represent Jesus Christ, to have his name on my badge for 18 months.  In the MTC I would be overwhelmed by the knowledge that I was no longer Kelsey...I really wasn't even Sister Briggs...but that I am to act exactly, as much as I can like the Savior himself would.  I am to say what he would say, think as he would think, hear, help, comfort, do everything as he would.  This is something that intimidated me and I realized just how important missionary work and how sacred of a calling this is.  I prayed earnestly to God that He would let me know that He trusts me, that He feels I can be true to His only begotten Son in representing him here at temple square.  When Sister Lin and I were assigned as companions, countless people said to me that day, and every day since, "Wow, God must really trust you to put you with Sister Lin.  You two will be busy and God needs someone with her who will be diligent and endure." Those sisters were answers to my prayers, Sister Lin especially is an answer to my prayers. 

Sister and President Gillette

If you're reading this, please pray to God.  I know that He wants to hear from you.  The wonderful thing about prayer is you have nothing to lose by trying.  What would it mean to you if I told you that He really does live?  That He really does hear you?  That He cares about you, that He desires to guide you, to help you and to lead you to a complete fullness of joy?  I promise you that He lives.  Pray, please, just communicate with Him and pay attention to the way you feel and the different ways He will answer you, because I promise you He will :)

Some of the Portuguese sisters.  Bryan--I am trying so hard to learn some Portuguese! They are all from Sao Paulo too! :)

Our first day we got right to work...June 12- We gave a tour to 46 Mandarin speakers straight from China.  I really wasn't sure what was going on for most of it, but the spirit was so strong.  It really showed me that the spirit is the main teacher and that he just works through us as missionaries.  Then at the end of the tour, on the spot, Sister Lin asked me to sing "I am a Child of God" with her for everyone.  So off I went..singing for people I hardly knew, that I couldn't understand, and yet I was totally calm.  God supports us when we try to do what's right.  It made me happy too to go grocery shopping that night and to have two little girls beg their dad to come be in our grocery line with us.  They said to their Dad, "Daddy, can we really grow up to be missionaries like them?"  That meant the world to me and has stuck in my head every day since.  I want to be the kind of missionary that my family would be proud of, that God and Jesus Christ would be proud of :)

Touring the Relief Society building...scripture power! 

June 13- My second day on the square was great! We had THREE tours..71 Mandarin speakers from Mainland China and an English tour of 13.  It has been such a cool experience to teach these people from China...people who know nothing of God and Jesus Christ, people from a place where missionaries aren't even allowed.  I feel very humbled that God trusts me to teach these people, that in a way, there are missionaries in China...they are in the hearts and in the lives of the Chinese people :)  My favorite was when a little ADORABLE 5-year-old boy sang in the Tabernacle for all to hear.  My heart just about melted and everyone clapped for him. The English tour came during our lunch time (we only get 20 minutes) but Sister Lin and I decided to be the missionaries that everyone can count on, that the Lord can count on, so we took the tour without any hesitation.  Yes, we were hungry, and yes, our feet hurt a bit, but we were sustained and strengthened for the rest of the day!

Outside of the Beehive house. 

June 14- This was a day when we were literally going non-stop, and I loved it! I am quickly seeing why they said we would be some of the busiest missionaries at temple square.  Motor coach buses pull up to the sidewalk and out come billions and billions of Mandarin speakers.  Since there aren't too many sisters that speak Mandarin, if Sister Lin and I are doing something else, it has to be left to go and serve with the wonderful Chinese visitors.  I love being so busy though.  I am growing such a love for the Chinese people.  They are all so prepared to hear the gospel.  We taught 31 people from China today and even handed out 2 Books of Mormon!  My favorite moment though was taking a small group of 7 Chinese individuals up to the Christus statue.  (please look it up if you are not familiar with it!)  While up there, Sister Lin asked me to bear my testimony of Jesus Christ.  I would say a line, and then she would translate it.  I tried to give the most powerful and yet simple testimony I knew to give.  Afterward, a sweet girl, 20-years-old from Estonia ran up to me and said that my testimony was an answer to her prayers and then she just hugged me.  I felt so humbled, because I know the words that I spoke were not my words at all, I know that the spirit was working through me.  This gospel is so true everyone :)

Saying goodbye to my amazing Branch Presidency at the MTC, I love and miss them.  They are such amazing people.

June 15- Today we taught 60 Mandarin Chinese speakers and even one of them was over the phone.  Every day we have hours set aside to be in the Teaching Center, which is a room full of computers where we take phone calls and do the Mormon.org chats (yes, they are real people answering you on there).  Today was also really special as we got to take one of our progressing investigators, Vincent, around Temple Square.  He first came to Temple Square last month and was just completely hopeless.  Sister Lin tells me they lost touch with him for a couple weeks and they weren't sure what to do, but soon he started to respond to the e-mails and texts and told us he had been reading the Book of Mormon and that he knows it is true.  I love that about The Book of Mormon. 

Two students we taught.  I absolutely love the girl next to me.  Her American name is Snow.  I testified to her that God lives and she was curious to learn more.  I am so excited for her!

I love that as missionaries we are guides, that we teach people what we know, but that the people we work with don't have to put all their trust in our testimonies, they can find out for themselves.  I love telling people to think about how their life would be affected if this really actually was all true.  What it would mean to them if families really could be together forever, what if would mean if there really was a living prophet, that Jesus Christ really did die for them, that The Book of Mormon really is an ancient record that testifies of Christ.  When people start to think about this, that desire is built for them.  They know that if all these things really are true, then their lives can be tremendously blessed.  I encourage you all to do the same.  What would it really mean to you?  I know that this gospel is true, and finding that out for myself has been a hard and yet rewarding journey.  I know that this gospel really is true.  That everything that I am teaching is not just a fairy tale or a nice idea, but it's reality.  Sister Lin told me that Vincent's countenance has completely changed since he was last here.  We talked to him about the Priesthood and how he can bless his family, how he can be sealed in the temple with those he loves.  I loved the light in his eyes when we told him that.  He has accepted our invitation to be baptized. We are excited to help him in anyway that we can :)

This is a painting telling a story about women who would walk miles to go to the closest temple, they would hold their temple recommends at their hearts the whole way.  I love the temple and I am so grateful to serve on temple grounds every single day :)

June 16- Happy Fathers day :) Sundays at temple square are absolutely amazing! We have sacrament meeting in the Joseph Smith Memorial building.  WOW.  It is STUNNING in there.  If you have never been in the chapel in there, stop by next time you visit.  I absolutely love that room.  I sat there feeling so grateful that in one sacrament meeting I was able to hear testimonies from people around the world-a sister from Oxford, England, one from Mongolia, one from Arizona, one from Hawaii and one from India. I am a lucky girl.  The Sister from Oxford cracked me up.  She started by saying, "please, please listen to what I'm saying and not my accent."  (shout outs to my London girls-you know I LOVED that accent!)  I really loved her talk though.  She talked about the gift of agency.  I absolutely love something that she said that I have made as a goal not just for my mission, but for my entire life.  She said that we need to act and not react- that when we choose to react to something or some one's actions, we are giving up our agency to that person.  We cannot allow the harshness or cruelty of others determine how we act.  Do not let some one's bitterness, cold shoulder or impatience control how you act.  God is the only person that we should ever give our agency to.  And the wonderful thing about that is when we give our Agency to God, all He does is direct our paths for good.  After sacrament meeting we surprised our mission presidency.  They all received special island necklaces from the sisters from Fiji and Tonga that we all pitched in on, and then we crowded outside the chapel and sang, "Called to Serve," with our special last verse that is specifically about temple square.  Yep.  I cried.  It happened.  I love our presidency.  I hope you had a wonderful day all you fathers out there...current and future!  Dad...I love you :) Thank you for all your support, I couldn't do this without feeling that from you.  You mean everything to me :)

There's my whole little mission right there :)  So many wonderful experiences in this small area in just 1 week!

June 17- P-DAY!!!!! Yay! This last week has been absolutely the busiest week of my entire life! For those of you who think Temple Square is just giving tours, or that we are not real missionaries, I promise you, this place is intense.  I think the most I've sat down each day is 20 minutes, and sometimes it's not even that.  but I LOVE IT!  I love being busy, I love being anxiously engaged in a good cause, I love going from group to group and being able to teach people from around the world about the basic truths of the gospel and about the early pioneers.  Everyone look up the story of John Moyle the stone cutter...that story amazes me.  Already before our P-day began at one we gave three tours.  I loved taking two 22-year-old sweet girls from Taiwan on a tour this morning.  Neither of them had ever heard of Jesus Christ or God.  We took them down to the scriptures and revelation section of the North Visitor's center, played for them a testimony of Christ by Elder Uchtdorf and then took them up to the Christus statue.  I could feel the spirit sooooo strongly.  I could see the light in their eyes when we told them that someone knows them completely and perfectly, that someone loves and cares about everything they do and everything they are.  They took some information with them and we are excited and hopeful that they will move forward.  I miss them and pray that they are well!  While we were on the tour we received a billion texts saying that they needed Sister Lin and I for Mandarin tours, but since we were on a tour we couldn't respond.  I laughed so hard when my adorable companion looked at her phone and said, "AH! Asian Invasion!!!!!"  It made me think of my old roommate Britt who would always say that and I just smiled.

Well everyone...this e-mail is now looking like a short novel and I didn't even give you half of it!  Just know that I love and miss you all and think about you often.  I love this work.  I love being able to testify to people everyday about this gospel and the truthfulness of its message.  I love learning Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Fijian...soo many different languages to bring the gospel to the four corners of the world.  I am grateful to have this time to dedicate to God and I am so thankful for all your support and prayers.  I can feel them :)

Mormon.org chats in the MTC on our last day! So fun to see Eric in there! Shout out to him!

Shout outs:  Thank you to everyone who wrote! Thank you to Kate Thornock, Madeleine Kmetzch, Lauren Moran, Grandmother, Grandma Jeanie, Mom, Bryan, Casey, Robert, the whole Donakey family, Sister Lelle, Sister McDougle, Nate Smith and Elder Robertson!

I have found out that we can only write letters on P-days so I am going to try to write back to as many of you as I can! Please know that I love you and am thinking about you!

Love always,

Sister Briggs :)

Mosiah...1 Nephi 3:7--> God gives us commandments and then provides us a way to accomplish them :)