Allison Jo Glanzer: 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