The Work Continues....

Sister Sloan  continues to love, love, love serving on Temple Square.  Every letter she sends is so enthusiastic.

This week has been great! I forgot to tell you that last week we brought around two couples from England and Wales. They were awesome! During the tour we taught the JS Story and one of the ladies started crying during it! Our last stop was at the Christus and then we invited them to learn more about the gospel.  They politely declined so we walked in one direction and they walked the other way.  As we were walking through the Old testament paintings display after the tour we heard one of the ladies, on the tour talking about how powerful our tour was and how she felt something.
This past week we brought around about 45 youth from ONE ward here in Utah. Oh man that was a good tour! At the end, one of our contactors was asked what the church was like in the Ukraine and so she talked about it, then the rest of us bore our testimonies of gaining a testimony and going to church. Afterwards there was one young man who came up to me and one of the other sisters who was contacting.  He was wearing a Crosby jersey and didn't look like he was really paying attention during the tour but he told us that that was what he needed to hear and that we did awesome!
Then two days later about 100 High School football players (catholic) from Cali came down for a tour. Its hard because most were underage so we can’t teach them but only answer their questions and once in a while sneak something in. We had 25 from the group. At first I was worried because they're in High school, they play football and so usually you think of them as just being crazy teens but our group was soo good and they were really paying attention to what we were saying!

Yesterday we had more great tours! in the morning my companion had a first transfer meeting so I was on exchanges and had a motor coach tour with a sister from the Ukraine. It was awesome! 6 people referred for missionaries! One we couldn't count because they didn’t end up giving their full address and two were going back to China in the next couple days.. It was so sad! Last night I kept thinking about those two girls around my age who wanted to learn more about God, and about their purpose in life and we can’t help them! They both got a copy of the book of mormon. We give them out only to Chinese people who are going back to china, but I felt so devastated! I want to keep teaching them! But I know that God will provide a way for them to hear the message of the Gospel again.  I don't know when that will be but I have faith that they will have the opportunity to hear it again. Yesterday we also talked with a guy from England who has come to Utah so many times but not to temple square.  This time, while he was here, he felt something different and we taught him about the temple and how families can be together forever and he’s says that’s something that he wants to believe in, so we got his number and will call him later. Tola our investigator in Nigeria is doing great! He has a fiancée who we just talked to today who also wants to learn more too so we are going to start teaching her on Thursday! Our other investigators are doing well too!

PS I saw Elder Perry this morning!! We go to the track to run, behind/ just past the Conference Centre. At the end of our run there is a steep hill that I like to run up. Usually there are a couple of sisters that run with me but they weren't there today so I ran by myself up it and I waited up at the top waiting for the other sisters to come up. While I was waiting, I turned around and I could see elder perry walking down the hill, towards me.  He's tall... just saying...and as he walked past me he said 'So, what are you doing out in the dark?" All I could say was "I'm running!"  He just smiled.  I was in aww haha and he just kept on walking... what a great moment!!  Love you.  Love, Sister Sloan

Keep up the great work Sister Sloan. Hoorah for Zion!

He's on His Way....

Elder De Vera has been so good at writing letters.  We've received one just about every week that he's been in the MTC.  It reminds me of all the other Elders and Sisters who are now so busy 'in the work' that they find it much harder to write consistently.  We take what we can get and are grateful for all of their service.

Here is portion from Elder De Vera's latest letter:

I'm doing great!  I just got my flight plans.  It's so exciting!  I fly out on Monday, October 8th (he's already gone by the time we received this) at 5:30am.  I think I might just miss the MTC.  Elder Neil Anderson came to speak to us.  We've had other seventies who have also been here.  Life's been great.  Worry Free and well fed! Such great and inspiring devotionals and firesides.  I will miss the MTC because of those.  The language...I've got it!  So a day in the life of Elder De Vera is:  6:30am wake up and get out of bed.  'Drag' a comb across my head.  Breakfast after planning and study then the rest is either personal, language, additional studies, class for 3 hours, then another class for 3 hours with lunch or dinner in between.  A LOT OF STUDYING.  I've read through the BOM once and now halfway through Matthew and Jesus the Christ.  That's a lot of reading....for me!  I miss you all.  Hope you are doing well.  When I get settled in my new area, I'll write again.  'Til next time.  Elder De Vera

Keep up the great work Elder De Vera.  The adventures are just beginning!!!

"It's Not About Me....."

Today was an exciting day. We received our very first letter from Elder De Vera, in the mail!!! Here is a little piece of what he wrote: I just want you all to know that the first few days here at the MTC has been great. Long days but good days!! There's so many opportunities to feel the spirit here. Also, I'm learning the new language pretty well! It's pretty similar to Tagalog so I've got somewhat of a head start! The food here is as good as they say. The cookies and cream 'ice-cream' is SO good. I might have gained four pounds already but at least they have a gymn. We had a chance to watch the Restoration movie last night and I thought it was such a testimony builder. It strengthen my testimony of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. ...I want you to know how much I am enjoying missionary work. I do know of it's truthfulness and how it is an important part of God's work. It's not about me! This is about us as represtnatives of Christ himself giving our best to find those that are ready to receive the gospel. I want to bear my testimony to you guys. I know that God and Jesus Christ live. I know that Joseph saw them in a vision. Through Joseph, the Book of Mormon was restored and the true church of Christ is now back on the earth. I know that God loves us and provided us with the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We only need to humble ourselves and repent of our sins to feel the joy that it brings. I know Joseph really was and is a prophet of God and that the Book of Mormon is true. My purpose is to declare this message to people. As a missionary, I am here to invite others to come unto Christ through faith, repentance, baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I love you all. Love, Elder De Vera OK. I don't know about all of you but I LOVE all of our missionaries. What a strength they are in our lives. I feel so very priviledged to know each of these wonderful Elders and Sisters. What a great blessing they are to all of us!! HOORAH FOR ZION ELDER DE VERA!!!! We love you!!!

Miracles Never Cease....

Recently, Sister Ultra had a wonderful experience that she shares with us below: On July 9, Monday, I fell off of a bridge. As per my previous email to you, last Monday, we taught in San Roque. It is a farming area. The bridge is like an iron bar, it's thickness is like a piece of lumber, in diameter, maybe. It is made of bamboo sticks on the left side which imbedded only in the river bed. I slipped and fell into the kangkungan (swamp cabbages) into deep water (over a man's head). It's good that I knew how to swim and that's why I did not panic. I did get out of balance due to my heavy shoulder bag that I used. I was the only one who fell into the water. My companion was safe. She was so worried about me and she was shaking until we got back to the house of the member in the middle of the farm. So, when I fell, I couldn't swim properly. I tried going to the shallow side due to the swamp cabbages. It's good that there were farmers there to rescue me. They pulled me out from the water. The member, where we came from, immediately helped me. There was then a miracle that happened. My bag fell down with me in the river, and so everything inside the bag got wet...including my camera. But, here is the miracle,the only items that were not wet were my scriptures. Isn't that great? After I got out of the water, we went back to the people and they let me take a short shower and lent me a dress and garments. I got changed, and then we went back to our home in town and I didn't look like a missionary, but I looked like a friend of my companion because the dress that they lent me was just an ordinary house dress. They are poor remember. Once we got home, I immediately took a shower. I kept on laughing to myself about what happened to me. I consider myself to be an 'astig' (tough) missionary due to that experience. What other missionaries can say that they've had an experience like that? Not a lot. I'm so lucky. Don't worry. I will take a lot more care when crossing that bridge, and maybe, I will bring with me extra clothes and a back pack also when we go back there. he he Take Care always!!! Isn't that a wonderful story? It reminds me of the scripture found in Mormon 9:15- "And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a God who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles." Hoorah for Zion Sister Ultra. We are grateful you are safe and sorry that your camera got wet. But, hooray that your scriptures were protected just as you were. We love you!!!

A Day on 'The Square'....

Here's a bit from Sister Sloan's latest letter: Monday was super busy until around 2:30 that day, half of the Sisters on the Square were gone for Zone Conference. So, we had tour after tour after tour until around 5:00 or so. Our zone conference was great! The President and his wife and the AP's talked about becoming a 'consecrated' missionary. They explained that there are 'good' missionaries and 'great' missionaries but there are only a few 'consecrated' missionaries who put everything they have on the 'alter table'. I realized that I have much more that I need to work on, even though I kind of already knew that. We are only serving for 18 months. Why can't we give our all? Love you!"

Sister Sloan and Sister Eggenberger (from Switzerland) celebrate Swiss Day on August 1st (same colours as Canada!!)

I LOVE IT HERE!!!

Elder Behira and 'Kyle?'

Elder Behira is a man of 'few words' and so we are always 'thrilled' to receive even just a sentence or two from him.  He recently told us: "I'm in St. Catherines now and serving with Elder Jasperson in a Chinese speaking area.  I love it here!!!  My last companion hasn't sent me our pics yet, but, here is one and it is interestingly familiar.....IT'S KYLE!!!!!!!!! Miss you all!!! "
 Love, Elder Behira   


 

And.....He's Off!!!

Well, the long awaited day has finally arrived.  Elder De Vera walked through the Vancouver Airport for the last time until he returns home, again, in two years.  Accompanied by friends and family members, Elder De Vera bid his farewells and headed through the large gates--separating himself from those he loves as well as letting go of his 'regular' life. A new adventure will begin for him as he dedicates the next two years, serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We can hardly wait to receive his first letter!! We know that he will be a wonderful, faithful missionary.
Hoorah for Zion Elder De Vera!! We love you and will miss you!!