I handed out my first Book of Mormon!

I am in the field. But before I speak about the field, I will speak about the last few days in the MTC. From 2pm Friday to 5pm Monday, I lived in a state of worry. I felt so cut off from the outside world because I didn't get the DearElder until Monday. The DearElder that told me that I have a new baby nephew named Duke, and that he and my sister are alive and healthy. At one point I sat down in front of a vending machine and turned it into thing to tell me the outcome of the birth. I am glad that my reading was wrong. But this made me very glad for the Plan of Salvation and that if something bad had happened, that I would have been able to see KT and Duke in the Spirit World. I am so very thankful for my Eternal Family. 

Now on regular MTC Sundays, they randomly choose a departing sister and elder to give a two minute talk. We departing missionaries all have to prep. Out of 15 sisters leaving I was the chosen one. I knew from Fast Sunday that I was going to be the one. Two reasons, I made eye contact with Bro. Jackson, he was the 2nd counselor in our branch. Second, while an elder was bearing his testimony, this feeling of, "hmmm," came to me and then I was one of the very few that didn't bear my testimony. I also did prep well for it and I kind of a little wanted to give it. It was about the Book of Mormon.

Sis. Meneghini and Coleman thought it was hilarious! I didn't specify my name was Allison and so I talked about Allison St in Seattle... There is also an Allison Rd out somewhere in the states, saw that on a package today. But I relayed the story of me reading Jacob 5 aloud while mom and I were driving home from Spokane, and how I was looking at it with a literal mind and not a spiritual mind. Also, that in order for one to be influenced and touched by the words, we need to have the spirit with us. But WAAAAY funnier, I guess, than those simple words. A common Allison talk, it was. Funny yet spiritual! 

Our Visitor Center training was getting us in the groove of keeping the gospel in with the historical. My last Saturday at the MTC we got to have field trip to temple square! It was nice to see the work we will be doing before we actually do it. 

I loved being at the MTC. Part of me is just a tad jealous of the missionaries that get to be there longer than me, but only a tad. When I entered the MTC, the leaves on the trees were green with a few yellow ones, and then when I left the MTC, most of the leaves where yellow and falling off!

Okay, my new companion and trainer is Sister Da Luz from Minas Gerais, Brazil. She is training me well. There are things that I have to have her explain a lot because her voice is so cute and high that some of the things she says doesn't stick with me. It is funny to see how when we are doing well, something puts a damper on us, but then soon after something good happens. 

I learned from a German sister, Sister Herr, that Glanz means Glow. Look at that! I glow with the Light of Christ!

We went shopping for food on Wednesday. I had no idea what to buy or what I could make. My brain just went dead. I remember thinking, "Man, I really need mom right now for this." But I think I got enough to survive until we go shopping again.

I ALSO HANDED OUT MY FIRST BOOK OF MORMON! Like I was the one that physically handed it! I gave it to a guy named James. We have high hopes for James. We should probably contact him soon. I think so far we have giving about eight Book of Mormons. My first Thursday here a group of Italians came to us and asked if we would explain something’s about the temple to them, about 20 people. S. Da Luz did most of the talking, I hadn't a clue as what to say. The man that knew English the best translated what we said. They didn't want to wait for an Italian sister. But I didn't feel nervous or anxious, I was pretty calm and I know that it was because I had the spirit with me. 

I absolutely love personal study time. Companionship study is so-so. I am getting really sick of role-playing, but I know that I need it to help me be ready for tours and contacts. A contact is when we talk to someone and share a gospel principle or doctrine, then invite them to do something. It is super hard to do. Some people are easier than others. I still have a lot of growing to do. I wish that they gave sisters from the states a flag with our state on it. When I say I am from Washington, I have to specify, even after I say Washington state. But then I live in the middle of nowhere next to nothing except Canada, "4 hours west of Seattle... 3 hours north of Spokane... west side of the mountains so it is dry... north central Washington". I am super awesome at telling people my home location, if they care to ask. Sisters from out of the country are more interesting than in country ones, no matter what country the guest is from. But on the occasion I meet people that know the area, like an elderly couple that was from the Tri cities and even knew what stake I was in! That was awesome. They know the May's, who where the first counselors in our branch, and they had met with them at Temple Square! Some of the Sisters from my MTC zone got to see them, so jealous, I love Sister May. 

We didn't get our temple nametags until Sunday because the engraver at the MTC was making the Temple catawampus. Now the unveiling of how they connect the flags to the name tags..... drum roll…..baadadadaddadadadaddaaddadadadaddadaddadadadda.... Tape! Such a divine way, I know, the Church is true!

I can say "itchy" in Portuguese, but S. Curcino from the MTC taught me that. I will have yet to find the Swedish sister that S. Hansen said is from her son's ward. But I am looking, it would help if I could remember what the Swedish flag looked like! 

I get my iPad today after emailing! Woot! Yay me! In some ways I am excited and others not so much. It takes S. Da Luz so long to put stuff in the planner on her iPad that our planning sessions take almost an hour! And then I have the night dish duty, which I regret taking, so now I have no time for writing in my journal! I have a few days to catch up on! Good thing it is P-day, #Blessed! I am in the North 2 Zone. I haven't seen the supposed secret tunnels; one or two of the sisters I came with was shown these on the Saturday we came. I asked my trainer about them, she didn't deny their existence, but neither did she confirm them. Hmm. peculiar. 

I can tell that my lack of feedback is bothersome to my trainer, but I struggle with giving feedback, my MTC district can attest to that. But then when I ask what we are doing she give me a look like, "why do you need to know that?" With time and patience we will get better. 

I know that as I forget myself and lose myself in the missionary work and strive to fulfill the missionary purpose, to invite other to come unto Christ, I will grow and become a great missionary! It is just rather hard to do that as Temple Square sister that is new to the work. 

May the spirit be with all of you, I'm outty until next pday... which is the 29th because Halloween is a Monday and the square closes at 6 and we are having a mission dinner and activity!

Sister Glanzer

President and Sister Risenmay

Sister Da Luz and Sister Glanzer