I HAVE A NEW ASSIGNMENT! WOOT!

Let me set the scene this morning. I hear the voices of Sis. Donald on the phone, 15 minutes before we are due to get up. The lighting in the room seems like a very wintery light. The alarm goes off, and I roll out of bed to my knees and have my morning prayer. I groggily leave our room. Sis. Donald tells us to call the zone leaders to know our new assignment. I am still in the same apartment with Sis. Da Luz as my companion, but we knew that, First 12 Weeks! I am now in the East One Zone, and my assignment is Beehive House (Brigham Young's house). Our p-days are now Tuesdays. I HAVE A NEW ASSIGNMENT! WOOT! Square is great, but I really wanted to have one of the different ones! Our new roommates are both German sisters, as well as out new district leader. It was snowing outside while we were told the news. It felt like Christmas. And this snow is staying.

Friday was the first day of the lights, and it was fun. By Saturday it was old. This will be a long Christmas season. An elder in the MTC had told us that they started putting up the lights in August. The people that put the lights up are paid workers on the square. I do not envy that job. They are pretty neat, but I think the ones that go up on my house are the most beautiful ever. Temple Square is a grand elaborate beauty, and should be for a place with such wonderful history and meaning. I am not too into grandly beautiful things. But it was very fun to watch the process of it all being put up. You leave the tabernacle one night the next morning there is decorations hanging from the balcony! Speaking of the tabernacle, with the dome shaped roof, the snow slides off at high speeds and can hit people! Oh my! It was fun to watch. No one got hit, but just the chunks of ice falling. There is a little warning sign.

This whole day felt like I was getting ready to go to a Christmas concert in the high school. With our p-day schedule like the traditional p-day, it runs the same way, studies in the morning, free to do what ever that is acceptable to mission standard, then return to work at 7pm, because that's when all the people come!

Even though our schedule is set back an hour, we still have Sacrament meeting and Relief Society at the same time! Yay! Sacrifice brings great blessings.

The Family that we ate dinner with was the Andrews. They were very friendly and nice. They have 4 kids, 9, 7, 4,and 1. Boy girl boy girl. The 7-year-old girl just loved us! They feed us a good meal, and this made me very excited for when I get to go outbound and interact with members more!

We have some extra assignments during Christmas; Sing Smile Find. This is where we sing Christmas hymns for about 30 minutes. Some sisters don't sing and talk to the people watching us. Christus, where we control traffic and one of three companionships bears their testimonies of Jesus and gives a little more info about exiting the location, but we are still able contact people and share with them. Being at the bottom of the ramp it the best. We have sisters at theaters, and four sisters running God's Plan for His Family, as well as one set at the temple model, then you have the usual desk assignments and others.

After the first Sing Smile Find, a guy came up to me, it was Elder Wilson! He was one of the elders that taught Daisy for two weeks before she was baptized, except now he is Scott. He has been home for about three weeks. He saw my name tag and recognized my name! Joey Hodges also found me, like she said she would! This was all the first day of the lights! Sis da Luz and I also had a lot of success too as missionaries with 31 missionary contacts. We got four new investigators and gave four copies of the Book of Mormon! Yonder local missionaries, we will be sending them too you!

I will say, again and again, personal study is so great! You know those things that you have been told or heard all the time and kind of accepted it? The majority of them have a scripture somewhere to support it! Such as this time being the last dispensation of the fullness of time, its sight scripture is in Corinthians 1:10! Who knew? I do now!

A tough thing about telling everyone all the time about Light the World is to try not to sound like I am campaigning. Because it is really cool and I would like everyone to be excited about it, but too much can run over the spirit trying to enter into the hearts of the people. But with this theme there are so many way to connect it to the lights on temple square, Christ, the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and even for someone to take home a brand new Book of Mormon!  But I need to do it in away that I don't overwhelm people with all the information and be able to invite the Holy Ghost! Tricky but little by little, I know that I will find the best way for each individual; this is why we do role-plays.

It has been snowing all day here, or maybe I actually just moved to a different part of Washington. Ha!

This is where I am needed, and we really do need sisters here. You wouldn't believe how crazily we need sister to cover things and get to their assignments on time! With this next transfer we are getting 20 new sisters and about 15-20 returning from outbound mission.

I invite you all to really take the time and do the Light the World challenge, religious or not, doing good is always needed, and I promise all ya'll that your goodness and kindness will be returned someway back to you. Go and do! This theme and idea is truly inspired.

Christmas is coming, so how will you make it a good one for yourself and others?

Sister Allison Jo Glanzer, Eastern Washington, north central, two hours north of Wenatchee, 20 minutes from Canada, the dry side.

The cute kids we ate thanksgiving with

I match the chair

I killed this cockroach with my boot in the north teaching center.

My 1st transfer Zone, North 2, missing: Sis Donald and Kampan

Sister Blocker and Da Luz, my lovely models

Look Who Found Allison!

Joey Hodges from Quincy (Ephrata WA Stake) was at Temple Square for the first night the Christmas lights were turned on and was able to find Allison.  She thought the chances were slim because of how packed with people Temple Square was, but when she and her family went into the Assembly Hall, there Allison was! What a great Thanksgiving gift to receive this picture!  Thanks Joey for the wonderful photo and message.

Kevin and Maria Griffin (used to live in Oroville) found Allison!

Neta Hodges found Allison and took a fun selfie!

Christmas Season is Soon Upon Temple Square

I am finally longer in the field than in the MTC! WOOT! How grand! Our Zone activity was a blast! Such fun! We played volleyball and soccer, and I got to wear pants! We played a get to know you game, ate pizza, and danced around to mission appropriate music. 'Go Tell it on the Mountain’ is very jazzy. 

We also had a District activity, so great! It was also funny because we started to joke that we would choose a house to go up to randomly and just knock doors! We all kind of wanted to, but we didn't, it would have been scary fun!

411 on Jeffery: Tuesday he went to church and his member friend gave him a Book of Mormon. He met with the local missionaries on Wednesday, but every time we go to call him after it goes straight to voicemail, or the last time we woke him up from a nap and we couldn't tell what he was saying. He was so tired still! That was hilarious. But, he is a progressing with a baptism date! He is filled in green! 

411 on Clifford: No one has called him since I did last Monday. Then again on Saturday to invite him to church and set his baptism date, which he is really excited for. Such a spiritual guy. I know once the sisters in his area start to teach him, he'll definitely be ready by December 4th!

The missionaries at Salt Lake area get the opportunity to see Savior of the World! We saw it Wednesday. For a while, they have been saying that it will snow, but there are a lot of green things still here and flowers in bloom, and sprinklers running, so I said it won’t. I refuse to believe that it will. We came out of Savior of the World, low and behold, it was snowing! I was not excited. The next day it was bitter cold, but then rather warm after all of that. 

Our flag pole tour that we took Sunday night was all young couples! Seven couples, 14 people, but they were chill, all members. It was the most fun tour I've taken! We could make it fun because they all knew the doctrine, all knew the basic history. We just invited them to pray again to know so they can strengthen their faith further, and we even took them to God's Plan for His Family! Gave them all 'The Family; A Proclamation to the World" and one couple says, “We should start a family, what do you want to name our kids?” None of them were married. 

One day, I met a lady, her parents were Ive and Della Iverson (my sticky note with her name has been removed from my book), who knew Keith and Donna when they were still in Belle Fourche. As well as another lady, who has a niece or daughter or cousin that knows Tyler Sherman! I think her husband works with him at the hospital and he is in the Stake presidency that Tyler's ward is in.

Christmas season is soon upon Temple Square. It has been fun to watch the slow progress of set up of the decorations. One day, no Christmas tree, the next day, three Christmas trees! Magic! They say it is crazy busy during this time. We are going to get a different schedule for a week, then a brand new one for the new transfer, then a new one for the last week of the next transfer because light season will be over before the transfer is.

Our P-days will be like traditional missionary p-days. We study in the morning, freedom until six pm then back to work! Our wake up and bedtime is pushed back an hour as well! 7:30am to 11:30pm. Whoa. But nighttime is the time for lights! They are giving us further training this Thursday morning for Relief Society. Waiting the day before to tell us what’s gonna go down, for about 45 minutes, I question the thinking just a little, but we'll get it figured out!

Sis. Da Luz hasn't been here for Christmas, nor Sis. Donald, or Sis. Kampan, or Sis. Tuttle. In our district, Sis. Sanchez is the only one and she goes home at the end of the transfer! I will miss her! She is an excellent missionary and district leader! It will be sad when our district is broken up. The four of us in the same apartment hope that we will be with each other through the next transfer, and not change apartments.

For our district activity, we went to the Bountiful temple. So far, my favorite temple of all that I have seen. After driving around it, I realized that I have dreamed about that temple before, especially the parking lot. Weird, I know! I have never cared about which temple I get married in, but right now, this one is taking the cake. But on Mondays, temples are closed. We didn't plan on going inside, but the gate was half closed half open so we felt like we were sneaking in. We weren't! A family stopped us on the way back to the van, they are from Yakima and they know where Tonasket is! How wonderful! It also rained today while we were at the temple, then at a park eating Costco pizza. I put on some pants (I love pants) and scampered barefoot in the rain! So great! 

For Thanksgiving, we get to go to a member's home here in the valley! We are going to the home of the Andrews, but we need to call them again to finalize our plans. I am thankful for that opportunity! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! I am thankful for my coat, my scarves, and my brown skirt. I am thankful for this opportunity to be serving the Lord. I am thankful for Sis. Da Luz's method of taking tours. I am thankful for time to write in my journal. I am thankful or any chance that I get to take a nap, and that I didn't have to help put up Christmas lights this year! But I think the Christmas lights that decorate my home will always be the most beautiful ones. Tastefully done, they are, and not too over baring in color or amount. I am thankful for the example of the sisters around me here at Temple Square, and as always, a very important one. I am thankful for my family and thankful that I am sealed to my family forever!

Fare thee well, until the next p-day, which could be a different day!

Sister Allison Jo Glanzer

I have no hat, so my scarf will do

Making pizza

Jeffery is progressing!

Everything they told me in EMS was lie! My hair touched the sprinkler and it did not go off.

The couples tour, we lost a set as we went along

Sneaking up the to the temple

Bountiful Temple

Bountiful Temple

I Invited My Very First Person Ever To Be Baptized!

Last Tuesday we had Zone conference. There were three zones, each zone has about three districts and each district has about three companionships. There are about 20 sisters in each zone. So there is a district four because of our lovely Zone Leaders, they need to be in a district! But Zone Conference was AMAZING! We went over some basic reminders of keeping our apartments clean, that’s why I cleaned the lint trap! We saw ways to improve our missionary contacts (tours) to be balanced between the content and the companionship. We got into some deep doctrine. The brethren (prophet and apostles) said that they want all missionaries to understand the nine doctrines much better. Some of it was overview, but there was a lot of eye opening and understanding that happened. We had just gone over only the purpose of the Godhead, or Trinity to ye that are not familiar with the term, but I bet you all could have guessed ;). We also went waaaaaaay super in depth with the plan of salvation. A lot of learning happened there also. Of course it is way too much to tell these people that visit here on the square, but we loved learning it. All of the senior couples, the mission presidency, and the assistants to the president spoke. So good.

Here is the update with Jeffery. The elders in his area can only go to the area where is home is on Saturdays. The sister at the referral desk was so nice to put up with my calls. We had our follow up call with Jeffery and I did it! I invited my very first person ever to be baptized! But we can't count him truly to be on date in our key indicators until the elders talk to him and confirm it. BUT! I still did it! Woot for me! Sister Da Luz set it up for me to ask. Companions are just grand.

Today we have an hour of Teaching Center and I called two people, Ann and Clifford. Ann was pretty great and open to receiving the missionaries in her home, but Clifford… Whoa! This guy. He had been investigating the church for about three years, but he has been familiar with it since '84. He has such a strong desire to be baptized. I haven't met or talked to some like him ever. It was a fantastic conversation over the phone! It was funny, he was driving and talking, he stops and says, "This semi in front of me says, 'Jesus saves.' What are the odds that I talk to a missionary and see this?" He talked about this song, Always and Forever, by Heat Wave. He asked me if I had heard it, of course the only Always and Forever I know is when Kip sings to Lafaunda in Neopolian Dynamite! He sang so it to me over the phone and it made me think of dad! He chuckled about singing to a complete stranger over the phone.

Yesterday I did a split because Sis. Da Luz wants to pass off Spanish so she can take Spanish tours and have language study time for it. So I went on exchanges with Sis. Randsom. She has a very strong testimony and is a good missionary, but I will say I am glad to do tours with Sis. Da Luz. We never really see how much we value our comps until we have an odd experience with another comp. 

For sacrament meeting on Sunday we go to the chapel in the Joseph Smith memorial Building. Everyone of us are sisters, senior couples, and also there are regular people that attend with us from time to time that are investigators of the sisters. But of course, we encourage them to attend their homewards to start building those bonds with the members there.

There was a boy who is going to brazil in December who talked to us. He wasted out precious time to serve the Lord. We talked to him twice the whole day and he probably spent an hour talking to Sis. Da Luz about Portuguese. The mission he is going to Teresina Brazil Mission. She said later that night during planning that he is going to suffer in that mission. His skin is going to get black and he is going to lose pounds. It is a hard mission. Props to him in wanting to learn Portuguese before mission, but he made us very foo-becca. Foo-becca means lazy missionary in Portuguese. I don't know to spell it, but that is how it sounds. We laughed a good laugh about this kid. But it would be odd if I talked to the other three groups at the Christ statue two times while she talked to him. We role played who to stop chit chat conversations the next day in companionship study. That was a giggle in a half as well!

When I am not on the square I am in the teaching center. There are different assignments that come with the Square assignment, such as the tours every hour at the flag pole from 9am to 8pm. We take the 8pm one on Sunday for this transfer. We are also assigned to each desk in each building at one point during the week as well, but then from time to time we get to cover desks for sisters. My favorite desk is the EF desk in the South Visitor center. At night, few people come through at a time so it is easier to talk with everyone that comes through the doors. 

Today we have a zone activity in a chapel close by. We are making pizza and guess who is in charge of the activities? Any guess? Any one? Yes! That's right! Sister Glanzer from Washington! (Every time we stand in a large group we have to say our name and where we are from) Who would have thought? many years of ASB leadership, leadership activities, girls' camp, and Link Crew have paid off! My element! 

We as a district went to the temple, but I don't remember the day. \_( '-')_/ oh well! But now at the temple model, I can testify, that is what the inside looks like! 

Creating food for myself can be fun, but also a stretch to think of easy things to make in 5-10 minutes! This week I microwaved chicken nuggets, but them in a tortilla, put Tapatio on them and that was a glorious meal! 

We were giving our training during Relief society time, for the missionary department last Friday about the church's Christmas initiative! #LightuptheWorld. Twenty-five days to do little things to bring Christ like things into the lives of others. Each day from the 1st to the 25th there is a different way. As well, they talked about the new guest card for the season. They did it so well, I, along with other sisters, didn't realize they were doing a role play. We thought they were just getting us excited! The sneaky guys, they were so good. The told us about 1 million people come to temple square for the lights. November 25th is the 1st day. Gulp. That is a lot of people. 

Tata for now, y'all!

Sister Allison Jo Glanzer, from Washington!

PS. Sis. Tuttle just asked me what is the plastic thing at the end of a shoe lace... aglet... Thought you'd know... What a confirmation of my personality! 

#Templesquaresavestheworld

http://slctemplesquaremission.blogspot.com/2016/11/blog-post_13.html

Salt Lake City Temple replica

This is where I get to spend every day!

Sis. Da Luz and I have so much fun

Just being creative with our food

My job in keeping our place cleaner; clean out the lint catcher in the dryer

Enjoying our time

I'm in the pictures on the mission blog. Click on the link:  November 8, 9, and 10, 2016 Zone Conference:   While others went off to feed their bodies, we continued to feed our spirits. we were "feasting on the words of Christ" (2 Nephi 32:3), seeking more understanding from the mission president.

I am Getting the Hang of Things Here on Temple Square, Enjoying a Little More Each Day

After I had left you, our district of six sisters had a "Thanksgiving" dinner in which we made a bunch of random food and ate at our and S. Donald/Kampan's apartment! It was a grand time to spend together! Then we had left overs for dinner on Sunday, Christmas. It was lovely to have a sit down dinner!

Halloween was the best Halloween ever! The meal was lasagna. And I got have a lot of leftover breadsticks! I have a bag chilling in the freezer!

I saw Lindsey Bair before she went into the MTC and hugged Sister Bair, and shook bro. Bair's hand! We were super excited! We went to Desseret Book to get some stamps. I so thought it was Jessica Bair, but then I realized. So awesome! So any future missionary out planning on serving in the next 16 months, come to Temple Square and try to find me! The sisters can't call or text me to tell you, but if you ask enough of them, one of them will be like yeah I just saw her! It would really make my day! 

In order to have sisters on the Square from 9 to 9, we have late schedule and early schedule. I am on late schedule so I am awake from 6:45 to 10:45, were as early schedule is 6:15 to 10:15. Everyone has different schedules. 

This past week in TC (teaching center) while I was cleaning out the many contacts that Sis. Da Luz has, a man named Jeffery called. That was the best experience I have had on the phone! He requested a bible. He wanted it for a bible study class. He was super friendly. Can the missionaries drop it off? Sure, most definitely (Internal screaming, so exciting!)! My comp reminded me to ask if he would like a Book of Mormon. Yeah sure! Do you know much about Mormons? I've got a friend. (I then reassured him that we haven't practiced polygamy since 1890) I explained a bit about it, how it is another testament of Jesus Christ and we use it as a companion to the Bible. He was so into it! I said a prayer with him over the phone and asked him if in about a week (plenty of time for the Elders to get to him) I could call back and talk about his meeting with the missionaries and even read the book with him. He said yes! "You can call me anytime. You really made my day thanks for talking with me."

My young missionary heart burst! "You made my day, and I am really looking forward to talking with you."

Everyday since then, I have been praying that the elders go to him, so when I call it won’t be another, "No, they haven't yet." That is awful when that happens. It is awkward on the phone after that. 

But Jeffery is so golden. 

There have been a few days where all the people we have contacted where mostly or all members, which to me is fine because our purpose is to invite others, meaning anyone and everyone, to come unto Christ. Sometimes Sis. Da Luz will say, "We are talking to too many members." You can never talk about Jesus too much with anyone as a missionary. That day that was all members, near the very end, we played the words of Christ for a student. There were Elders having a lesson, and I was hoping it didn't interrupt them. Perhaps it was what they needed right then.

We saw the elders later at a desk in the South Visitor Center. I asked them about it. The taller Elder said that they were teaching a less active member, and he had gotten to a point where he didn't know what to say next, but I had played the narration, he said, "I let Jesus do the talking now." Sweet! The Lord using his servants to help his other servants! Woot for the spirit guiding us! This was my first interaction with elders since leaving the MTC. Spiritual of course. 

One of the struggles we have are rude members of the church. They don't seem to realize that missionaries can help strengthen their faith as well as convert people. Yes, we will probably ask for a referral because our message is for everyone and we want to share. We are trying to fulfill our purpose! But they seem to forget they are included in the "others" part. Sometimes I just want to be blunt with them. 

Companionship study is getting easier a little bit each day. Role-plays are more focused. 

There is a lady in Brazil that went to church and felt so welcome and loved, she plans on going again! AHH! Exciting!! But then the same Sunday, a man in Brazil got off work early to go to church, saw that everyone was dress in nice clothes, and went home. Sis. Da Luz was very frustrated with the members, "Not one member could be ‘hey your new! you fine how you are, come!’ Bah!" It was rather funny. 

Since it is dark when we go home, we have to travel in groups of at lest three companionships. That walk home always energizes me! Talking with those sister is rather fun! I am also take that time to speak rapidly in my gibberish, such fun. Too bad it isn't a real language. But shhhh, not many know that. ;)

I am able to still talk to some of the sisters from my MTC time, especially sister Allyson Smith. I always locate her to sit next to during dinner and lunch, our comps see how much joy we have being able to talk with each other. They are like Sis. Smith is here, Sis. Glanzer is here. Aww, our “moms.”

Made a steal shopping for food this fine day, big box of pizza rolls for $6. Can't wait to eat them. I am getting the hang of things here on temple square, enjoying a little more each day. Definitely have learned somethings that I’ve never really put much thought too. I can always improve though, always!

Catch y'all on the flip side, and btw I can read emails during the week, so if ya wanna drop one in my inbox, no matter who you are, I just request a picture and a wholesome joke along with it! I'm outtie!

Sister Allison Jo Glanzer

My computer set up at the TC

Sis. Da Luz and I

Ran into Lindsey Bair and her family at Desseret Book!

All my name tags

Our "Thanksgiving" group

This beautiful sight I get to see everyday