My Temple Square Mission: Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone!! What a whirlwind of a week!

The Church is developing Visitor Centers for Sao Paolo, Rome, and also a Priesthood Restoration site in Pennsylvania. President asked Sister Ferguson and I along with another companionship to help out the church crew that's in charge of it all. Turns out, they wanted us to take pictures with same-sized furniture that will be in the VC's and then crop the pictures and put us in digitally made rooms of the soon-to-be Visitor Centers. We were asked to stand, sit, engage, and teach guests (there were families who came). And it's all for the Apostles so that they can look at the pictures and see how the displays size-up to actual people and what it would look like with actual missionaries and guests. It was pretty cool really and the families who came to help out and be "guests" were awesome!! It was pretty fun because when we would have to talk to the families during the picture-taking we would testify about Christ or teach one of the lessons, so we ended up having some nice spiritual experiences :)

Also, Paul is continuing to progress!! He told us how he went to the gym and was reading the Book of Mormon as he was working out. Then, a lady he knows, who teaches at the same school, came up to him and asked him if he was Mormon and he told us that he replied to her "yes!". Ha, he isn't even baptized yet but already sees himself as a member of the church! So cool! And last night we were talking to him about baptism again and he replied with this text this morning: "How do I prepare myself for baptism? I believe that I am a sinner, that Christ died for my sins, Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet of God, that he did see Jesus Christ and God the Father, that the Book of Mormon was inspired and is another testament of and to Jesus Christ, and we are the restored church of God. Is this sufficient?" How amazing, right? He is just so prepared!! Hopefully the local missionaries where he lives will be on board too. They have only met with him once so they wanted to push his baptismal date back, but it's been 3 weeks of him learning and searching with us and we know that he is ready. So, we'll be praying that it all works out :)

I gave my departing talk yesterday in our Sacrament Meeting. Since all of the classes are pretty large, we have to speak earlier than our last transfer. It was SO weird sitting on the stand because only sisters who are leaving speak...but I guess that it is getting to be my turn now. It was nice though because I was up there with Sister Hansen, Sister Gee, Sister Khao, and Sister Yeung. I was assigned the topic of "Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation and thankfulness for blessings or benefits we have received. As we cultivate a grateful attitude, we are more likely to be happy and spiritually strong. We should regularly express our gratitude to God for the blessings He gives us and to others for the kind acts they do for us."

I love it because I personally have seen the power of gratitude in my life! When we are grateful we are able to make life sweeter and more joyful! I have also learned the being grateful is an act of faith and trusting Heavenly Father. I think of the perfect example- Jesus Christ. He was persecuted, beaten, and crucified. Yet, while on the cross, he said, "Not my will, but thine be done". He had so much faith and trust in God. I know that this Gospel helps us to have hope in our lives and helps us to realize how truly blessed we are! I want to invite everyone to not only count your blessings, but to have a spirit and an attitude of gratitude always!

I love you all and I'm grateful for the examples that you are to me! I feel so blessed to have so many wonderful family members and friends in my life. Each of you mean so much to me!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving :)

Sister Asay