Week #20 - January 9th, 2015

Hiiiiiii, 

To start off the week we had a miracle from fasting! Sister Chen and I fasted for our investigators that they would have a greater desire to be baptized and progress. We got an email from Belgianka and she said that 6 members in her family now want to be baptized on January 31st! She has progressed so much in this past month.. at first she was afraid to be baptized without the support of her family but we have been encouraging her  to move forward in faith and her family will be blessed by her example and follow for a month now!  We had been really emphasizing how important it is for them to pray as a family about being baptized  and now  Belgianka, Stella, Larissa, there two little brothers and sister in law are all preparing for the end of the month! The parents are also learning but are just progressing a little slower. The gospel of Jesus Christ really does bless families! They are about to make the first step by being baptized.... and we have faith that they will one day be sealed together as well! 

South Zone #1 Activity -
Movie night
"Meet the Mormons"

We have been blessed this past week with potential investigators! We were assigned to open and close the movie "Meet the Mormons" last night in the JSMB  and we got there a little early before it got out and met Karissa who was waiting in the lobby with her adorable but loud 3 year old. We just started talking to her found out she wasn't a member but her husbands family is.... she likes the church but it has just never been a priority in their family. She wanted to stay in contact with us so we invited her to come back to Temple Square to bring her family and meet with us. No matter what assignment we have at Temple Square the Lord will always put people in our path. 

O and remember the girl from Haiti who lied to me and told me her brother was the non member and that whole long story.... well we got a hold of her and laughed about the whole thing and we have an appointment with her this week(:

Every week Sister Chen and I have made it a goal to study and work on a Christlike Attribute. This week we are working on Knowledge! I love studying the scriptures! We have been studying the New testament this past week and Sister Chen is so smart so I feel blessed to be her companion I learn something new everyday! We also have had many experiences on the square that have helped us gain a greater understanding of the gospel.

Movie Night
"Meet the Mormons"

Today we are going hiking to Ensign peak as a zone because it is in the 40's so in utah thats warm... then we will eat food of coarse because I am driving.... most likely mexican. 

On Tuesday we went to cheese cake factory to celebrate Sister Richarsons birthday, yes serving at Temple Square has its perks. 

That is pretty much my week! Life is real good when you are preaching the gospel you know to be true and love! 

MUCH LOVE. 

Love,

Sister Sughroue

Week #19 - January 2nd, 2015

Hello!

Sister Sughroue
Last Night of the Lights on Temple Square 2014

Sister Sughroue & Beth Leichty
(Last tie I saw her is when we both
lived in Ames, Iowa and I was 2!)

It was the last week with the lights on at Temple Square!!! So things are really about to slow down, which means we are back to our regular schedule and more online teaching time! I don't mind because it is cold and snowy ahahah. We met some people and when they found out I was from Temecula they freaked out and showed me a picture of the snow you got!!! That's crazy! We got plenty of snow here its so cold.... I think they should turn the reflection pool into an ice skating rink, I know,...genius idea.

We started showing "Meet the Mormons" in the Legacy Theater and on Temple Square today! The missionary department came and gave our whole mission training this week to prepare for it. Again just another amazing tool we have here to help introduce and share the gospel to all the visitors. And no matter where they come from they will be able to relate to at least one of the stories because they are so diverse! 

Christmas Lights on Temple Square 2014

A stake dropped off boxes of Book of Mormons
filled with testimonies and pictures of members
 for us to hand out! when I gave one
to someone this week their heart melted
when they read the sunbeams short,
simple but powerful testimony!

Belgianka is from Ireland and we have been teaching her and I guess her family.... because every time we call her, siblings gather around the phone and we end up talking to them too. Belgianka is 16, her Sisters Stella is 20 and Larrissa is 14. They all want to be baptized on January 31st! So we are helping them get there! They are so amazing and have such a strong desire to be baptized and come closer to Christ. They have progressed so much over the past month, so I have faith they will all be able to reach their goal. They get so excited when we call to teach and we do too! 

Nick's Baptism - Ukraine
December 21st, 2014

Nick's Baptism
Ukraine

Little miracle this week. Short story version.... It was late the other night and we only had 40 minutes left on Square. We had planned to go to the Reflection pool in daily planning the night before... I looked at Sister Chen and said "I must not have been thinking last night it is freezing and we planned to go outside?!" WE walked over there anyways and the crowd was leaving to go home, so we were saying goodnight to everyone. And then 3 college aged peeps came running back up to us and asked us about Heaven. We began to have a really good discussion which led straight into the Plan of Salvation, we took them into South Visitor Center and ended up answering a ton of their questions and giving them a Book of Mormon. Two were baptist one was a mormon, the two baptist said they would read the Book of Mormon to know for themselves and they said they felt good about everything they had learned. They had such sincere to desire to learn more about the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I know they felt the Spirit and their hearts were softened.  We will hopefully be keeping in touch with them soon. We may not be able to see what comes of this, but I have faith the Lord will guide their paths, and when they meet missionaries back home they will open the door because of the experience they had at Temple Square. When we got home Sister Chen looked at me and said, "See Sister Sughroue the Lord was just proving you wrong!" She was right, clearly we were led by the Spirit to plan and go to the Reflection pool that night and that time! I know we must be led by the Spirit at all times, especially in daily planning. When we are in tune we will     be able to cross paths with those the Lord has prepared for us to meet and teach!

Dallin & Britt Starr
Sister Sughroue

Darby Maloney & Sister Sughroue

Sister Chen and are having a blast! We continue to work hard and testify all day long. We might not always be able to see the fruits of our labor but that doesn't discourage us. We do our best to plant as many seeds of faith as we can, and even help those that may be weak that come to Temple Square. So grateful for the members who bring their nonmember friends to Temple Square, keep up the member missionary work!

I hope everyone had an amazing New Year! I am so excited to be on my mission this year, I hope to become more like the Savior and the person my Heavenly Father wants me to be. I hope we all can strive to be more like Christ everyday(:

Much Love, 

Sister Sughroue

Week #18 - December 26th, 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! 

Sister Sughroue

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas(: We had an amazing one as well!!! We decorated cookies Christmas eve and Sister Chen and I rocked our matching pajamas... everyone couldn't stop laughing because of how big I am and how small she is.  

Sister Sughroue 5'11"
Sister Chen 4'11"

Christmas Morning SNOW!

We then woke up in the morning to a day full of surprises!  The first one was snow on the ground..... my companion was soooo excited it was her first white christmas, me on the other hand was praying for no snow. We woke up at 7:30 (the usual time) and opened presents and stockings! Then we made breakfast with our roommates and some other sisters in our hall. So much fooooood.

I got to call home and hear your voices!!! Best Christmas Present ever! <333 O and JACQUELYN CONGRATS ON YOUR CALL!!!! Sydney is so awesome! I convinced some people on the square the other day I was from Australia with my fake accent.... then I told them the truth of coarse. We had a Christmas program that some of the Sisters put together and sang and played music  about our Savior it was beautiful! Then they had us all walk into the South Visitor Center by zones and there were stockings filled with goodies, a byu choir CD and a nice green fluffy blanket with a small SLC Temple on each of them for every single Sister! We are so blessed, the members here are so gracious!  After we opened presents we were back to work on the square by 3pm! A few wards signed up to provide us

Love Sister Chen!

dinner for the night so we came in to our mission office zone by zone during the night to eat! (:

Christmas on the Mission!

So Funny story.... last night we were walking through the south Visitor Center and there was this girl from Haiti reading one of the explanations by the Temple Model so I walked over to talk to her. She said she was a member of the church and just recently got baptized but hadn't been to the temple, so we walked over to Temple Model and I started to explain it to her... she then pointed to her brother sitting on the couch and said I needed to go talk to him because he isn't a member. I started to talk to him and he said he was a member and I  was soooo confused. I didn't know who was lying, he said his sister was not a member but he was laughing so I told him to come with me. We started to walk towards his sister and she started to walk away really fast hahaha but we caught her and she was all embarrassed.  We all laughed and she fessed up to lying and I sorted out the truth that her brother is the  recent member and she is not. We had a good conversation and found out she knows a lot but isn't quite ready to be baptized. So I asked for her number, she started to give me the wrong number... and her brother caught her and said it was fake, she laughed. I looked at

<3 Sister Chen 

her straight in the eyes and said, "I am serious I care about you and want to help you" I bore my testimony to her and promised that this gospel will bless her life just as it has blessed her families already, and I could tell in her eyes that she already knew it was true but she was scared. She then gave me the right number and said we could talk later this week. Just a little lesson to me and my companion to be persistent! haahahaa

Twinning with Sister Howard
 from Australia!

Not any huge updates on our investigators, everyone has been busy with the holidays! 

Nick was baptized and confirmed on Sunday and a Sister Missionary from his branch who spoke at his baptism will be coming to serve a Temple Square in just a few weeks! Such a small world! 

I am so grateful I was able to be at Temple Square during Christmas time. The spirit here is undeniable and we are constantly reminded of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love my Savior and know he lives, I have seen the power of his atonement bless so many lives. This is my favorite part from the Living Christ, "Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God.His way is the path that leads tohappiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son." I know this to be true with all my heart! 

I will send lots of pictures!

Our Sister Missionary Apartment Tree!

Have a great week!

Much Love, 

Sister Sughroue

Living Christ link: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/36035_000_25_livingchrist.pdf

Sister Chen & Sister Sughroue

Week #17 - December 19th, 2014

Hello familia,

       

Sister Sughroue at Guest Services

This week was goood real goooood. I love being with Sister Chen she is always so positive and happy so we have fun together. I love serving in guest services.... its nice being in the office when it is freezing outside so no complaints... hahaha. Everyone in Utah wants a white Christmas, but I brought the warm weather with me so it hasn't snowed yet! hahaha. 

Sister Sughroue & Sister Chen during planning time

We are still working hard to find more people to teach during this crazy holiday season. Some of our investigators just disappeared again, I think they must have lost their phone or something ahah. Nick from the Ukraine will be getting baptized this sunday!!! He came onto mormon.org chat about a month ago and we called him right away to teach him, we encouraged him to go to church the next day and invited him to be baptized. Now he is getting baptized!!! He is so awesome and has such a strong testimony and great understanding of the Gospel. I know he will be a great influence on his family and friends! I will send pictures of his baptism next week, we don't get to skype because of the crazy time difference. So Golden. I am just grateful that Heavenly Father let me be an instrument in his hands to help Nick. The source of mormon.org chat and phone calls is so inspired, so many miracles happen every transfer in our mission from this great source. 

We had Zone conference this week with half of the mission on Thursday. President Poulsen and our other leaders all spoke to us. It was exactly what I needed! It was so motivating and like a spiritual recharge! We have a goal as a mission

to double our baptisms and we are on track! Everything we do is centered on our divine obsession to help others come

Zone Conference in the Tabernacle

closer to Christ by entering the waters of baptism. We had a testimony meeting at the end and almost all of us Sisters shared a time when we felt the spirit undeniably on our mission. The spirit is essential to our own conversion and our investigators it manifest the truth of all things! 

Last night we got to go the Parker family's home in Salt Lake City for a Christmas Dinner! A whole stake signed up to feed the sisters in our mission, so we went with another companionship. I love going to members homes and being with families. As soon as you walk into their home you can feel the spirit and love. We ate a traditional Christmas Dinner with the Ham, cheesy potatoes and rolls..... sooooo Goood. And they sent us home with left overs!!!!!! Yummmmmm. We all went around and shared our family christmas traditions and had great conversation about the Gospel and our Savior Jesus Christ! We left spiritually and physically full.... hahaah. 

Sister Sughroue takes a selfie!

We are having Dinner with Jim and Sue Pulsipher tonight, so excited for another delicious meal.... perks of having awesome family. 

I can't believe Christmas is next week! Ahhhhh I don't really want this season to end, I just love the spirit of Christmas. Everyone has such a greater desire to serve, love and share the Gospel as they remember and focus on our Savior Jesus Christ. I hope you all have a merry Christmas and I can't wait to hear all about next friday. Much love everyone. Remember He is the reason for the Season. 

The square is open all of Christmas eve and opens Christmas day at 3pm so we will be busy busy.... Can't wait to call and hear your voices! (:

Claire Beutler came to see Sister Sughroue

Mom thanks for the matching Pajamas for me and Sister Chen we definitely will be wearing those Chrismas eve and will take a picture! <3

Love- Sister Sughroue

Sister Sughroue was crossing the street and this random person jumped out of a car and took a selfie with her! HAHAHA Love Hayley Gharring!

Week 16 - December 12th, 2014

Hi!!! It has only been a few days since I emailed last but they have been great! My P- Day will be every Friday for this transfer!

Sister Sughroue & Sister Chen

Wednesday was Transfer day so I got my new Companion Sister Chen and we went straight to work! We are assigned to Guest Services and are in there for 5 days during the week for 3 hours. It should be fun, because I am super good at answering phones. lolz. Serving at Temple Square means you have alot of different types of assignments, I have learned that they are all opportunities to serve the Lord and the other Sisters in our mission. At guest services we schedule tours, investigator lessons, etc and assign sisters to those. We also get to answer alot of questions about the Temple and Square which leads to many opportunities to share the gospel! 

Sister Richard from Perth Australia got here! She is a friend from BYU-Idaho we were in the same ward and visit taught each other and now we get to serve together! She is so awesome love her so much! I will send a picture next week.

My new roommates are from California and Switzerland... idk how to spell their names.... but they cook really good treats so this should be great!

Sister Sughroue, Sister Nakayma
(my old Zone Leader on her last day)
& Sister Ye

And now for new Companion Sister Chen... She is AWESOME! She is under 5 feet tall, so everywhere we go people always tell us how cute we are together lol. We just laugh because we know we are(: She is 26 years old. She was born in mainland China and moved to Sydney Australia when she was 11. She is a convert to the church, and is a great missionary! She is so focused and loves the work!  She says super funny and random things, so we get along great. O and She made me dumplings for lunch today.... Whats not to love!!! <3 I am so excited to learn from and serve with Sister Chen! I know the Lord will put people in our paths for us to help and teach. We are trying to help our investigators progress but a lot of people are busy with the holidays and not picking up the phone. They will answer when they are ready for the Gospel!

Last day at Humanitarian Center
with Sister Ye

This morning while reading my scriptures Mosiah 16:9 stood out to me. "He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death." I love how we use lights to decorate for Christmas, the birth of our Savior. Because he is the Light of our life, his light is endless and can guide all of us safely home to our Father in Heaven. People are drawn to Temple Square to see the lights but really when they come they feel the Spirit and see the Light of Christ! Ahhh... Christmas as a missionary is the best... and I feel so blessed to be on Temple Square!

Have a great week love you all!

<3 Sister Sughroue

Week #15 - December 8th, 2014

Hello(:

So this was my last week with Sister Ye  she leaves on Wednesday to go to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for her outbound mission. She is going to do awesome! I love her and have learned so much from her. I am done being trained and I found out who my new companion is this morning, we will start together on wednesday. Her name is Sister Chen! She is from mainland China and lived in Australia for a bit too, just like Sister Ye! Hahaha I am excited to get to know her more and start going to work! Just when I thought I might forget my small amount of Chinese I get to learn more! Maybe I will serve a Senior mission in China or something.... ahahaha

The lights at Temple Square!

.

The new transfer means lots of changes, I will be in the South 1 zone and my new Pday is Friday so I get two p days this week! So this email is short but I will  email again on Friday! (: I was praying for that (; I will also be working in Guest services department, and I am moving in the apartment directly underneath the one I am in now. Hahaha 

Here are some Highlights from this week!

Sister Sughroue & Sister Burton, General Relief Society President

Thursday we had Relief Society in the RS Building with the General Presidency and they spoke to us and gave a very nice card signed by all of them to every Sister in our Mission. Such a cool experience to meet in such a historical place with amazing women. 

Saturday, we attended Sarah's Baptism! We helped teach her twice when the Elders brought her to Temple Square! She is so great and we got super close to her! Her example has already brought her family back to church and now her best friends want to meet with missionaries as well. She is going to bring them to Temple Square so we can show them around and help teach them as well! 

Sarah at her baptism.

Sarah at her baptism

Sunday we went to music and the spoken word in the conference center in the morning and then at night we went to the first Presidency Christmas Devotional! We got really good seats and the talks were so inspired. I feel so blessed to be able to attend these special meetings while on my mission! I am so grateful for the righteous and chosen leaders of our church. I know they are called of God and the revelation they receive is directly from God for all of us to hear, so we can be guided on the path of happiness and righteousness.  

Look we ran into at the Christmas Devotional!
The Koford's from Temecula!

Even though the Square is packed with members, we have found people to teach! They are there you just have to be more aware of and follow the spirit! They were led there for a reason and as missionaries we get to help them discover why! Can't wait to teach the awesome people we met this weekend! 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Much love,

Sister Sughroue

My Zone!

Week #14 - December 1st, 2014

Hiiiiii Everyone!

Sister Sughroue waiting to give tours after
Music & the Spoken Word featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and ate lots of turkey! We went to Brother and Sister Cook's home in bountiful, they are a awesome family and were so excited to have us over for dinner! The food was delicious and they sent us home with left overs..... ahhhhh a dream come true. We shared a spiritual message with them and really enjoyed being in a home surrounded by a faithful family! 

Elder & Sister Klien, Sister Ye & Sister Sughroue
at the Humanitarian Center

I know you all are wondering about the lights, yes the lights came on Friday night and it is so packed everynight... the line to see the Kristus is like waiting in line at Disneyland for space mountain. Except the Kristus is so much better than space mountain. We have a few new assignments and one of them is Sing and Smile.... we basically carol as a district and everyone loves it... people record take pictures and join in! Temple Square is packed with members but also non members so we talk to everyone and then we find them! haha 

HE IS THE GIFT. The church has a new initiative this holiday Season it is all over mormon.org and lds.org, with a new video. http://www.mormon.org/christmas. I love this short video, it is so powerful and reminds us all the true meaning of Christmas. It tells us that Jesus Christ is the first Gift, and this is so true. Because of our Savior we have happiness, hope and light in our life.  I love how Temple Square is packed with members because we get to invite them to share this gift with everyone around them, this is the best gift anyone could receive this season. So if you are reading this... I invite you to 1st Discover who the Savior Jesus Christ is to you, 2nd Embrace him in your life, 3rd share this gift with some one else (: Thanks! hahaa. 

The Campos family came for the lighting of
Temple Square!

Sister Sughroue, Kathy & Sister Ye
(Kathy works at the Humanitarian Center
& is Sister Nilsen's cousin)

So last week everyone in our areabook either dropped, or just was so excited when we called they passed out and couldn't answer the phone. But anyways.... we found 3 new investigators this weekend! All of them were over incoming chat and phone! Nick is from the Ukraine speaks perfect English, he came on chat, I asked if I could call him, and after the end of our conversation he got the confidence to go to church the next day and has a baptismal date for the December 21! He is so in tune with the spirit and told me he met missionaries once a year ago but has been trying to avoid that fact that he knows the Church is true but now it is time to take a leap of faith! And I feel so blessed to be by his side as he makes his way towards baptism!

On Sunday, I got to announce after Music and the Spoken Word outside of the Conference Center it was so much fun and freezing!

Sister Sughroue announcing after Music & the Spoken Word!

This is my last week in training... then I am going to be a big girl. hahah Crazy that it is already December!

I hope you all have a great week! 

Much love, 

Sister Sughroue 

Sister Sughroue

Cassy Campos & Sister Sughroue