Seventh Week of Our Mission

The Chapel We Meet in Every Sunday - Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Sister Smith -AP- On the Day She Left the Mission

Sister Frost - Fountain in Front of The Church Office Building

 

Seventh Week of Our Mission

Salt Lake Temple Square Mission

July 21, 2013

 

 In reading last week’s entry, we were saddened when the family from New Jersey did not come to “Music and the Spoken Word” on Sunday.  Obviously, something happened that made it impossible for them to come.  However, we felt that it may have been the evil one who had influence on them because they experienced something when they were with us.  It was very disappointing when they didn’t attend, needless to say, but hopefully one day they will remember their experience on Temple Square and the spirit witnessing to them.  But, we also had a wonderful experience on Sunday in that we met a couple from North Carolina.  He was a pastor in the Church of God faith and she was recovering from cancer.  What a couple to interact with!  They were filled with so many doctrinal questions and there was so much give and take.  Taggart met up with them in the Tabernacle and from there I joined with him and we went to various sites.  They enlightened us with their stories of faith and courage and hopefully they were inspired with the many displays and doctrinal answers.  We hugged as they left and we vowed we would keep in touch.  However, on Monday we met him again at the reflective pond just before they left for home.  He told us that he had spent fifty dollars at Deseret Book buying various books on our faith.  He indicated that he would have liked to buy Thomas Monson’s biography but he felt he had spent enough.  On Monday, we went and bought the Thomas Monson book for him along with a video on Joseph Smith.  We emailed them as to what we had done and immediately he emailed back and thanked us.  Although he is a pastor in his faith, hopefully this experience will be remembered well into the eternities and impact them.

This week also brought transfer days.  Some sisters got a new companion, a new apartment or went outbound to another state and others were going home.  All the sisters grouped together in their various zones and the news as to the changes was read by the zone leaders.  There was screaming, crying and lots of hugs.  (real girl stuff)  Luckily, Taggart and I are still together, no changes!  The highlight with lots of tears is when they sang their version of “Called to Serve.”  We must get a copy to include within the blog, very touching and emotional.

On Friday and Saturday we were asked to take on another organ recital, so we had the twelve noon and two o’clock recitals.  Because of this, we didn’t have a lot of time to work ourselves around the Square.  There were two big pioneer concerts at the Conference Center on those days and the Conference Center was closed to recitals.  So, we missed our one-on-one time with the people. 

Sister Thulasidass from India came up to Taggart today and asked him to be baptized for her father next week in the Salt Lake Temple.  Apparently her father and brother are no longer living and she is doing the temple work for them.  These sisters are so glowing and vibrant but some have such sad life experiences.  But, you would never know because they are upbeat and smiling.  They really lean on the atonement of Christ in their lives.