Happy Birthday To Me!

So now I am 20 years old! 

I am a little sad. This week I didn't have any crazy people to talk with on teaching center. But I did talk with a none member lady. She call in asking where a scripture was that talked about God's protection in the Book of Mormon. So I looked it up for her. It was fun to talk with her because she would start talking about her apartment getting re-floored, then ask me something about being a missionary. Then she talk about how she used to live some place and see her family all the time, then talk about the time she did genealogy with missionaries last year. Then her floors, then ask about missionaries. It was pretty fun! She is in her 60's. I think she just really wanted someone to talk to. I may have been more sensitive to this because just prior to this, Sister Blocker and I spent four hours in West Gate, and we watched the little videos that are on Mormon Channel, and there was one about an elderly woman who just wanted her children to write to her. The ending wasn't happy, it is called "The Mailbox" so give it a gander. 

It has been raining a lot lately, so if you are planning to come to General Conference, bring an umbrella, good raincoat, and good shoes. We had the security training for Conference and one of the head Security men said that he likes rain,"...it keeps the people away." That was very chuckle worthy. Since Conference is going to be super busy, I am told we are going to know every thing a few days before usual, but don't worry, I am not going outbound. Only two sisters are going this round because we need lots of sisters for summer. You can never have too many sister missionaries on Temple Square during the summer. Actually, they tell me that it is like we don't have enough! If my next companion is a Mandarin sister we will never eat and never rest. I am pretty excited! 

But with conference and spring kind of being here, there are beautiful flowers in the planters. They installed brackets to hold flower boxes, and it is super interesting to see all the work that goes into the Square. Sister missionaries do not help at all with Square grounds, we just proselyte there. 

Now, pause the present and go way back to the end on my second transfer. Okay? There? The second transfer service project was at a shelter for youth and we sorted a ton of things, and the location was super close to the Walmart that we go to. 

Now return to the present. We knew our service project was going to be making a meal at a shelter with half of us cooking, and half of us sorting. I got to be the lead car of our caravan of three, Moroni, red van. I love that van. Any who, so we miss a couple of exits, and we are worried we are going to be late. We didn't get a GPS, so we are going by iPad map. I got to flip a U-ie, but also made sure my posse was able to follow me. We got to the place, and were walking fast to the building. Our fearless leader, Sister Albos from the Philippines, asks a man where the place is. "900 W, turn left" or something like that. 

Well, we are all the way in the 3000s so we caravan back towards Temple Square. We kind of are like "Whaaaaat?" as we pass Walmart and the areas we all know very well. As we turn left, I see that all familiar building. We went in a huge circle! But we think it was inspired because even though we got there later than we wanted, they still need another 30 minutes before we could get into the kitchen. It was very fun to prepare a meal for them! We actually made too much and we got to eat some and so did the people that work there too! Volunteer service is always so rewarding when you do it with a willing heart.... and when you get to wear pants!

So the best scripture about service is Mosiah 2:17 "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

This transfer, since my companion is departing, has a different feel as I come to the end of it. When transfers come, I know I'll get a new companion and never see this one again roaming the Square. Sad. But I am trying my best, I hope, to keep her focused on her mission here as well as help her not feel stressed about the nearing end.

Next P-day I'll know all the new deets of the next six weeks! Exiting! 

Sister Glanzer

Zone working hard

I ran the ovens!

Zone in street clothes

Zone in PJs

Zone in Missionary clothes as well as looking at the "dying" sisters

The piñata they got me!

They threw me my very first surprise party, the first party I've ever attended at 6:45 in the morning!

Flooding at West Gate!

The organ tour! We got to see behind the Tabernacle Organ! 

West Gate, The Notifier of the Whole Mission about Tours and Covers

I have been out for six months! Whoa! During the week I had a four hour shift at West Gate! I rather enjoyed it too! 

One day this past week, I was on exchanges (are we surprised? No.) with Sister Sookhoo. We took three tours, and prior to these, she had a day full of rejection. The first two tours were rejection again. So sad. But the third tour, though they did not refer, they took a Book of Mormon! And they didn't interrupt us as we spoke! Win for us, and for God!

I am feeling that I am getting crazier and crazier people on teaching center.

As for General Conference, you can tell they are getting ready because it is full of beautiful flowers! It smells so nice as we go out. During Conference days, we only go to desk assignments or Square. No teaching center and other sister say that we are going to be exhausted. This sounds like it is going to be a good time. I have been told that it is going to be packed full of people and we offer no tours during these two days.

Let me paint you a picture! You enter the South Visitor Center at Temple Square. A modest young lady says hi and strikes up a very informative conversation with you. She asks you question like, "Where are you from? What brought you here? Skiing?" Some how the topic of a tour gets mentioned and "You would like one?" The young lady, that you now know to be a missionary, that doesn't go to school or work, but is volunteering 18 months of her life completely for her religious belief makes a phone call.

This call goes to West Gate, where two sisters are now in a mad rush to find two sisters to come to you. They text out "3 ENG @ EF" to only the sisters that are assigned to Square for that hour. However, you came near the end of the hour, around one, and there is a meeting happening so they don't know who is actually on Square or who has the phone! They also immediately call sisters. Five minutes pass. Sisters won't answer or they are giving excuses as to why they can't take it. Another phone call came in, "7 Spanish @ MAP." These poor sisters hear rejection after rejection. Then people come up to the windows looking for information. They don't know what is happening behind the windows, but the sisters remain calm and polite, even though minutes have passed since you requested the tour. Too fast it passes to 10 minutes. The sister that you first talked to comes over then, "Sorry for your wait, they are still trying to find some sisters." You keep watching the "I'm a Mormon" videos and they are pretty interesting.

Back at West Gate, sisters at the desk assignments are calling, "Have you found anyone?" Sisters with excuses are getting snippier with you, but then some blessed sister makes that sacrifice of her and her companion's studies to take the "999 3 ENG @ EF." They come to you, seeming just a little rushed, but they are professional in their behavior and very friendly. They take you on a wonderful tour on the grounds, really giving you things to think about.

West Gate has calmed down, the sisters there relax back into their chairs as sisters assigned to Square answer the phone call. The sisters at the desk say, "No, we already found sisters, thank you for calling back, bye."

That is West Gate! The notifier of the whole mission about tours and covers. Lots of fun. 

Sister Glanzer

The view from our window

There Is Nothing Better I Can Be Doing

Another Crazy week filled with, I don't know, it was just a really weird week. Just to call to your remembrance, Sister Samame is the Spanish Coordinator. Because of all she was doing for that she kind of pushed me to the side a bit and was doing things for with other sisters, I was "alone" quite a bit the past few days in Teaching Center, there where other sisters around me of course, but I was flying solo. We honestly didn't spend a lot of time with each other this past week considering we only had one exchange the whole time. Only in Temple Square can this really happen. You can really tell when you aren't doing all you can do verses when you are. 

But that one exchange I referred too, that was with Sister Manzalvo from Mexico! She is one of my zone leaders. The main goal for the exchange was to feel like a normal, regular TSM missionary. And it happened! It was wonderful to follow the schedule completely! There are so many great missionaries here on Temple Square!

On Sunday, my exchange during Spanish Meeting was Sister Tai from Hong Kong. She is such a spirited person. Her testimony is so simple and pure! So, funny Story, she was telling a woman that we took a short tour with, "to pray about the th-all-ogy of God." After the woman went on her way, I asked her what she was saying. Authority, she was saying Authority. Sister Tai has really good English! This is one of those rare cases of her not really knowing a word. The time spent with her was really good for me too! Helped me get over the kind of sadness that came from Sister Samame not being around. To be working, focusing on helping people understand the basics of the Gospel. 

When every conference draws near, TSM sisters have deep cleaning, that is where we don't go to the Square or do any proselyting. We clean the Apartment like it has never been cleaned before (in the last six months that is). Now it is all nice and good, let's hope it stays that way. ;)

I was going to give the training in this last district, but as we started together as a zone, we were down a third of the zone so we had it all together! But then all the missing sisters, except two, showed up! But it was still fun! I didn't have to give the training either, which is good because sister Da Luz and Sister Canda did a great job. It was about being more fervent in sharing the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the Square. 

Also, with people that I've sent to local missionaries from teaching center, one man lives in the boundaries of the Modesto Cali Mission and one lady in the boundaries of the Michigan Lansing Mission. Those were pretty exciting, and one day I am gonna see the name of a missionary I know! I am also still getting the crazy weird, nit picky, trolling, don't-ever-stop-talking people on TC. 

This week was a testimony that there is nothing better I can be doing as a missionary than missionary work. It lifts the spirit and bring happiness to any void that can be in one's soul. I got to put that to the test this week!

Chau for now!

Sister Glanzer

Sister Tai and I

Sister Bowman after dark

         How one feels after a whole ton of crazy!

This Has Been the Craziest Week Ever!

So far this has been the CRAZIEST week ever! Being the companion of a district leader in a three companion district, it was four straight days of exchanges! Even having temporary exchanges with them during those four days for different meetings, and boy it was just tiring. But It is a great way to get to know other sisters in the mission! Granted I have been changing Zones every single transfer. I am also known for my fun yet spiritual comments in Relief Society. 

Saturday we did MTC contacting, and the sister I was with is going to St. George VC! She is from Ireland. I was so sad to see her go, but she is going to become a great missionary! Sister Condemi and I hope that when I train I get a sister like her. She was so great! I coached her though her first lesson on the teaching center. After she was gone I was calling her my "baby" *sniff*. There are some sister struggling to get along in our district so from 7pm to 9pm on Saturday, I was in the south teaching center cleaning out the music that doesn't play on the computers, while the Zone Leaders and Sister Samamé talked with them. I had started this quest on March 2nd. I have cleaned nine computers, but there are a lot left.

Utterly crazy, on Sunday night we almost had to change buildings! I was half way done packing in about five minutes, then the Zone Leaders call us to stop. So I am still in Brigham! Woot! 

During my exchanges, I get all the weird, odd people, crazy, and not mentally sound people on teaching center. I don't know how, but I do! And it was a week of mostly rejection too, for me, on Square. But oh well! \_( ' ')_/ I take it all in stride! 

Since Sister Samame is leaving at the end of the transfer, we had the finish Strong Meeting. It was a good meeting. Act like your still in the middle of your mission because there is still so much you can improve on even in the last four weeks. Let me tell you, we haven't had time to really think about home in these two week! Exchanges, people having troubles, prepping for Spanish meeting, LDSBC for departing sisters, not wanting to talk with us. There was a day, Thursday (my exchange comp that day was sister Gemio from Bolivia), there was a flock of young antis roaming the Square. They were causing such a ruckus that some sister needed to call security! I was hoping they would come talk with us will we were in the Assembly Hall, but it didn't happen. Which you may think, "Why do you want to talk with antis?" I know that it would be a good testimony building experience!

Even today has been slightly crazy too! 

Ta ta for now Folks!

Sister Glanzer 

Sister Condemi from Ireland

I haven't been able to see out this window my whole mission

After Meet the Mormons

Sister  Carvahlo chatting it up with a recent convert

My name is on everything Spanish Meeting related

Look Who Found Allison

Look who found Allison at Walmart in Salt Lake City! A friend from Oroville Ward

Bonnie Roley! 

March Birthdays on the Square

The March birthday sisters came up during the March 2 Relief Society meeting and the other missionaries sang Happy Birthday to them.

Running on the Square, That is a No No

I switched Zones and assignment! I am not training, the exact opposite in fact! I am killing my companion! 

Fourth Transfer 

Zone: West 2

Zone leaders: Albos and Mazalvo 

District Leader: Samamé

Assignment:  West Gate

Companion: DL: Samamé

Roommates: Cavalho and Gemio

Role: district leaders companion 

District: Sookoo and Orellana, Cavalho and Gemio

P-day: Monday 

This is how the whole transfers thing works. You get a text two Sundays before transfers about having an interview with President Risenmay to know where you are going the next day. The Saturday before transfers you know if you are moving. I moved and Sister Nyamdeleg didn't.  We were sad that we weren't going to be companions anymore. The Sunday before transfers you get a text about interviews with President (training or Zone Leader) or the assistants to the President (New District Leader) the next day. Then Monday night is when the "Pyramid" is given to the current, not new, zone leaders, and they call everyone. So then Wednesday is a long slightly hectic day. When Sister Samamé saw me on Tuesday, she said she was glad to be my comp because I am funny. That's good. I had no idea what to expect from her, but she is in her last transfer, so I get to help her stay focused on the work! She is also the Spanish Language Coordinator, I am self-appointed secretary of the Spanish Sister! But really, I am. I'm gonna be on the poster for it. 

The longer I am in my mission the more crazy people I see or talk to on the phone. Sister Samamé is a bit laid back compared to my other various companions. At first, I was more casual in my texting and chat at TC. I actually did an accidental experiment with these obviously two friends texted into the system. I took both of them, one I was so not missionary appropriate with them, I then apologized for my lack of professionalism and ended the text. The other I saved myself, and shared a scripture with them and it ended well. I felt pretty bad about my behavior. 

It was pretty nice here for a few days then for the past week and a half it has been snowing or cold enough for snow. Right now it is snowing. All of us are not pleased with the weather. It came from the EAST! 

Now as for West Gate. In that assignment you text out the tours to the sisters on square. But they have this system down to a fine art! It is amazing! You can text out a tour to the sisters who have square at that time and just those sisters! Then as soon as we text it out, we start to call sisters to say, "Hello this is Sister Glanzer at West Gate, can you take three English at TC desk? No, okay thank you!" After having two shifts there, I am so sorry if I never was more than polite to any sisters at West Gate. Some sisters are on both ends of the phone can be so rude! But there is a whole process to West Gate. When we call for the sisters to take a tour or play a movie, we are crazy busy until someone can take it, then we sit and wait for something to do. It is fun, but I have a lot more Square time now. I went from 5 three-hour shifts at Beehive House to 3 two-hour shifts at West Gate. But it is still good.

We went to a baptism!!!!!! It was someone that came to the square that Sister Samamé took on a tour! We were late because we took a 999999999 minute Spanish Tour right after our West Gate Shift. Then we ran on Square, that is a no no, but we were late. We also took a few detours on the way to the baptism because the road work confused me! We got there though, the Baptism was in Spanish, I got the gist of what was going on. But that was so exciting! I haven't been to a baptism before on my mission, or even Skyped one, it was a good boost up of the work.

And today, on our way to some store called Winco, We took a few detours as well! WHICH, was really frustrating. But we got to see some part of the Salt Lake area that the the places were only semis go! But with my expert city driving and fantastic country driving skills, I was able to cut a few minutes off our arrival time! 

I am sad that I am no longer in Beehive House, but it definitely prepared me for testifying on Square. Everyone should have the chance to serve at Beehive House, so nice there. 

Sister Glanzer

Our view on the way back from the Baptism

There were a lot of sisters at that baptism, but I was pretty much just hopping on the band wagon for it!

Sister Gemio, the short, Birthday! 

My pasta box was upside down in the cupboard. It all went in the dirty water. All of it.

The strangely empty Teaching Center

Our view from West Gate...It is on the West part of the Square, and the West Zones are assigned there.

              Sister Risenmay TOLD us to lock our lockers, so we are helping!