The Gospel Unites Us All

Ni Hau!

 

Transfers happened and I am so sad that Sister Bryuzgina and I were separated. I can't even imagine life without that little Ruski. Well... this summer will be a repeat of last summer.  I will be doing Mandarin tours again!  I am now a district leader and my new companion is Sister Tsang from Hong Kong.  She was actually born and lived much of her childhood in New Castle, England so she is an Asian with a British accent-- way cool. We just got together a couple of hours ago and we have already taken a Cantonese tour and a Mandarin tour.



 

This has been a good and crazy week and I just keep getting more and more tired. I am still in the Beehive House this transfer and I am really excited.  It is my most favorite assignment so far. We see awesome miracles in the Beehive House. I am really going to miss taking Russian tours. Sister Bryuzgina's new companion is from Switzerland. She actually took over New Iberia when I left to come back to the Square.  First she took over my area and now my trainee so I trust her a lot and I know Heavenly Father does as well!

This morning we did a Cantonese tour for a sweet family from Calgary, Canada. The grandma doesn't speak English so that's why it was a Chinese speaking tour. During the tour we focused on families and the temple. The spirit was present throughout the tour and it was such a good feeling! They were so excited about everything they were learning and were so prepared. We asked them if they were interested in learning more and without hesitation they said yes! I just fell in love with the family throughout the tour and can't wait to teach them over the phone.

Yesterday Sister Bryuzgina and I had a miracle! We met a couple from San Diego who came to Utah specifically to see the different temples here! They have some distant relatives who were members of the church. We took them around in the Beehive and they loved learning about the family values of the church and they both felt that it was so important! Both Sister B and I felt impressed to focus the lesson on the Book of Mormon.  We talked about it and bore our testimony and they said, "We really want to have a copy." So.. we gave it to them and they also wanted to learn more about the church. They are excited to get a call from us. We just need to get them with missionaries and they will be golden!

We also met an amazing Native American family from the Farmington, NM area this week! I just  loved being with them because it made me feel at home.  They were excited when I told them I have family there.  I was able to relate to them a lot since I am familiar with that area and they are familiar with Eagar.  The family consisted of a single mother and her five kids. When she was younger she was in foster care and lived with an LDS family in Salt Lake City. So she came here with her kids to try and find them. She went to our church for a few years but didn't end up staying active in the church as an adult. But she and her kids loved the tour and fell in love with Temple Square.  They even ended up referring and wanting to learn more. They can't wait to meet with the local missionaries. There were just so many miracles in mine and Sister Bryuzgina's last week together.

 

I am loving Temple Square. The summer is just getting busier and I am starting to feel the stress of it all! Mandarin tours are very demanding but I love it! I can't wait to see the fam in two weeks. It is  going to make my day.

 

Thank you so much for the birthday cards and letters everyone! Y'all know how to brighten my day.

Love, Sister Park

 

Pioneer Day

Hello!

Transfers are next week.  I am sad to send Sister Bryuzgina off on her own! I can't believe she is almost done being trained. We have become best friends! I never thought I would be such good friends with a Russian but they make great friends. 

Pioneer Day is a big holiday in Utah!  We were able to go watch the parade downtown and we saw President Monson.  He is so cute!  Some of the floats in the parade are pretty amazing!

Sister B helped me to have a really good birthday. As soon as I woke up she dumped a whole bunch of balloons on my face and sang to me! She put signs up all over our apartment that said Happy Birthday. Then some of the sisters came to my apartment and sang to me and made me brownies.  It was so sweet.

On my birthday we were slammed with Beehive House and Russian tours which was the perfect birthday present for me because I just love people and I love staying busy! That night we went out for cheesecake and it was just a really good day.

One of my investigators, "R", from Louisiana gets baptized on August 10th. I get to skype them so I can watch her get baptized! It'll be nice to see all the lovely faces of my New Iberia Branch. Oh! My branch president in New Iberia's daughters came to the Square on Saturday with their grandma so I got to see them! It was awesome.

I am just falling more in love with the Book of Mormon everyday! It is my favorite book and my new favorite hobby is relating Book of Mormon stories to me, investigators, and family and friends. That's how you can help people gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon.  The book itself is centuries old but the principles relate to us even today.  Keep reading it, everyone!

I just want to say thanks to everyone who sent me birthday gifts and cards! I really appreciate it!  Mom, Dad, Jeremy, Keli, Kendall, Jagger, Jersy, Grandma and Grandpa Wellman, Grams and Mac, Gigi, Great Grandma Slade, Aunt Tonya I loved it!  Aunt Tonya, I LOVE the rings so much!  All the other sisters are so jealous of them.  Thank you thank you!!  Grandma and Grandpa, I had Cheesecake Factory on my birthday.  Sister Bryuzgina got snickers cheesecake and I got Red Velvet!  You all made my birthday so good! I am so old now. I don't like being 21. I still tell people I am 20. 

Sorry I have to run so quick!

I love you all!

Sister Park

Russians, President Uchtdorf, and a Surprise Visit

It has been a good week! Today is exactly one year since I arrived at Temple Square. I remember what I was doing at this time. I was getting all settled in my new little yellow house with a perfect view of the Temple right outside the window by my bed.  That view really helped me to not be homesick at night. 

 

Last night we took a group of 40 Russians. All I can say is wow. There was one lady who talked like that scary old lady in the beginning of Anastasia with the low and nasally voice. I really felt like I was in that movie because she kept going behind me and talking softly in my ear. She would not stand in front of me and look me in the eye.

 

I am learning a lot of new Russian words and a lot of the Russians think I am fluent. I just pretend that I am with the little words that I know. If I don't understand then I just say "da" which means yes.

 

Some of us went to watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Sunday and President Uchtdorf was there.  He was shaking the sisters' hands.  While I was standing there waiting to talk to him I glanced behind me and saw a little girl, about 8 years old, standing in the background watching us meet an Apostle.  Looking at her I just had the feeling that she really needed the opportunity to meet President Uchtdorf.  So I went and got her and walked her up to him and she got to shake his hand.  I didn't get to shake his hand or talk to him because I let the little girl take my turn.  I don't know why but I just felt like she needed that more than me.  It was an awesome experience!

 

Sorry for disappearing for a while, Mom.  Just after I sat down to write I got a phone call from another missionary who told me my investigator from Seattle was here to see me!  It was a surprise but I really wanted to go see him because we have been teaching him over the phone for a while and I can't believe he came here to see us.  He was in California for business and made a detour through Salt Lake on his way home to Seattle to surprise us.  He told us we have helped him so much and he really wanted to see us so we taught him a lesson before getting back on the computers.  He is an awesome man!

 

We took a quick picture with him before coming back to email!

Every missionary discovers at some point in the mission why they were called to that specific place.  This week three things came to me:

 

1) I love the restoration.  I think that before our generations came to this earth we all watched the Restoration of the gospel happening and I have a feeling I begged Heavenly Father to let me be part of it somehow.  So he sent me to serve in Zion!

 

2) It was meant to be. The Salt Lake City Temple site was dedicated on July 28th which is my birthday!

 

3)  I needed to gain a testimony of the Plan of Salvation and Eternal Families.  Serving at Temple Square has really helped me come to know the truthfulness and greatness of Heavenly Father's plan for us. I love being able to take families around and teach them about this amazing plan! The past couple of families I have given tours to were not members and not familiar with the church.  The moms of both families were so touched that they cried at the end of the tour! It wasn't what we said, it was the spirit they felt while they were here. Family is what the temple is all about and I am so happy that God loves us so much to provide us with temples. I am so thankful that I can serve here because now I know without a doubt that families are forever!!

 

Thanks to everyone who came to visit me! I loved seeing all of your beautiful faces- Christie, Trevor and baby Cash, Aunt Kim and the Merrill kids, Aunt Debbie and Uncle Dan.  I also got a nice note from the Schier's and the Pena's! And I went and had dinner with President Wall!  Heavenly Father sent me so many wonderful people! I guess he just felt like I needed it.

Sorry I need to go so soon.  We spent most of our email time visiting with our investigator.  It was totally worth it!  Well, I hope everyone has a great day! Dasvedana!

Sistra Park

Repelling

Preveit!



We went repelling!

How's the fam? Well, I am great and I have had a fantastic week! I love being at Temple Square. It is the best place because it is in the heart of downtown but it is so peaceful and you truly feel the spirit there. It is interesting to watch people as they walk on the square because outside the gates they can be laughing and loud but as soon as they enter the gates they are just automatically reverent.  The spirit really takes over here.  A lady who isn't a member of the church came into the Beehive House yesterday and said "I can't believe how peaceful this place is for being right in the middle of downtown! I just don't understand it!" Well, we understand it perfectly-- it's the spirit!  The spirit is always so strong here! 

 

The Beehive House has been crazy busy. Everyone wants to go in there and cool down because it has been so hot. We have given tours to some awesome people and some... interesting people... as always.  But we just rely on the spirit to guide us when we deal with them and it always turns out okay.  I think I could serve at the Beehive for the rest of my mission. I just love the spirit there. It really is such a special place.

 

We have been taking a lot of Russian tours! I am trying to memorize my testimony and Joseph Smith's First Vision in Russian. I recited the first vision in Russian yesterday on one of our tours and guess what.. they understood what I said except for 2 or 3 words! YAY! I was so excited. Russians are awesome and they make great friends but they are stubborn and bold!

I love serving with Sister Bryuzgina. We really make a great team. I love how bold she is.  The other day some investigators came into the Beehive House and were asking us if the Lion House Bakery tastes as good as it smells.  And Sister B said, "Come with me."  So we all went over to the Lion House and she walked up to the one of the cooks and said "I need some free samples for these investigators."  The cook didn't really know what to do so he just gave them some free bread.  Sister B is awesome like that!

 

This morning we were able to attend the Bountiful Temple since the SLC Temple is closed for a few weeks. It was incredible. I hope everyone can go inside there one day because it is so amazing. I think its one of my favorites. 

 

Our district at the Bountiful Temple this morning

Monday was the best day of my entire life. So every Monday at one we have something we call the flagpole tour. It's where we wait by the flagpole with a "tours" sign and people start flocking. So there we were standing at the flagpole when I hear my rainfall text ring.. I got a text from some sisters saying that my outbound mission president, President Wall, was looking for me! So I texted back and said, "Send him to the Flagpole!" and 10 seconds later I saw President and Sister Wall from my Baton Rouge mission! I was so happy that I almost died.  He gave me a big hug.  I love him and learned so much from him while I was in Louisiana.  He and Sister Wall are taking me to The Roof restaurant for dinner in a couple of days.  The best part of all was they told me the best news..... THE OPELOUSAS BRANCH BECAME A WARD! My heart just dropped and I had tears of joy. I can't even explain how happy I am! Those people are so amazing!

On Saturday we were able to take a short break and go up to the mountains! We are constantly busy and on our feet so the mission presidency let us have a five hour break to unwind since summers are INSANE. It was so much fun. We went to Brighton girl's camp like last year but this year was better because we got to go repelling. I LOVED it!  I think I will make a hobby of it when I come home.

 

I just want to say thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Wellman for the beautiful letter! It made my day and was a big help!  You are so kind!

 

Happy Birthday Aunt Rita and Aunt Debbie!

I just love what I am doing. I have never been so happy and I want everyone to experience this kind of happiness. There is nothing better than serving the Lord!

Sister Park

Be Bold in Sharing What You Have!



Happy 4th of July! 

What a week! Summer is so busy that I can barely remember what happened... but I do know that things are going great!   I love serving in the Beehive House. I have learned so much about Brigham Young and I know that he was truly a prophet of God. I think I was definitely meant to serve here this transfer. It has been crazy busy, we are giving 10 tours every 6 hours! There is not much time for sitting down and relaxing these days. I was always nervous about serving in the Beehive House because there are so many people that come in who really just want to question Brigham Young, but we have been able to see miracles! When we talk about the kind of servant of the Lord he was their hearts are just touched and they want to learn more.






Yesterday I was on exchanges with Sister Rhodes- a new sister from Vegas.  One of the tours we gave really impacted me. We took four individual guests and then a family from Houston. The mom and daughter were members and the husband was not. We ended the tour at the Christus and two ladies who were not members of the church were crying as we talked about the Savior's atonement.  The spirit was so powerful. No one referred but it was a good moment. At the end of the tour the family started walking away and I suddenly got a strong impression that I needed to take them to "God's Plan for the Family" which is a 12 minute presentation about a family. It is based on the Family Proclamation to the World and I LOVE IT! So I told Sister Rhodes we needed to take this family so we chased them down and asked them if they would like to watch it and they said yes! So at the end it shows the family outside the temple taking pictures after the daughter gets married. The music is beautiful and dramatic and makes everyone cry. The mom was crying after the movie and her husband had his arm around her. I asked her what she liked about it and she said, "This is just where I am trying to get." She talked about being sealed with her family. Her husband has met with missionaries four times but says he has a hard head and one day it'll crack. THEN he bore his testimony about the church and what it has done for his family and texted the stake president while he was with us to ask for general conference tickets. I don't know why but there are just some tours I'll never forget. I don't always know what happens to the people I meet but I'll never forget the spirit that was there.

The other day I was thinking about some of the good experiences I have had on my mission and how they have impacted me. There are some people that I still think about but I have no idea what happened to them. Then my thoughts turned to Abinidi. He stood there in front of wicked King Noah and the priests and testified of the truth. He did not hold back once, he just said what the spirit told him to say. Because he was bold in sharing his testimony, he made an impact on a priest named Alma and converted him to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Alma became a prophet and was responsible for converting many people. Abinidi never got to see the fruits of his labors; but if he hadn't gone and preached the gospel then Alma may have never been converted along with Ammon and Alma the Younger and so many others who changed lives.

I can't even explain how much I have learned. I learn a new thing every transfer whether its spiritual or not. I never thought I'd learn how to put up siding on a house or lay tile. Kendall, I am seriously so excited for what is ahead of you. Lately I meet a lot of people from the Dakotas and every time I ask  what advice I should give to my sister, they ALWAYS say, "bring a coat." GOOD LUCK SISTA! Next month you are GONE!

 

SISTER PARK

His ways are much better than our ways

WE LOVE WORKING IN THE BEEHIVE HOUSE!!

Hello Everyone! This has been such an amazing week! Sister Bryuzgina and I are doing great and we are having so much fun. Salt Lake City is the best and Temple Square is amazing during the summer. I forgot how much I love summer time. I have been out a year now! Time has gone by really fast. I am so happy that I ran into some fellow Avondale, Arizonians today!  Brother and Sister Burnett from Grandma's ward stopped by and got Grandma Slade on the phone for a quick second!  It was so nice to hear her sweet voice!


The sisters from Mongolia and Brazil are behind me. 
Don't even ask me to remember how to spell their names!

The Beehive House is amazing!  We are extremely busy because it's that season so the tours are only 10 to 20 minutes each.  Needless to say we have to make it quick and short but a powerful spiritual experience all at the same time. That is hard to do so we decided to teach the Restoration throughout most of the tour. We relate each of the rooms in the Beehive House to the Restoration and so far every time we do that people have wanted to learn more! It is really cool because I was really worried about the short amount of time we have with the guests but we have seen miracles!! Sister Bryuzgina and I found that as we share Brigham Young's conversion story the spirit is so strong and it really has an effect on people. Maybe he is helping us out :)
So awesome news of the week! Sister Bryuzgina and I have three investigators with baptismal dates! "E" who lives in Sunset, Utah! She is the sweetest lady. We found her in May and we absolutely love her. We got her with the sisters in the Ogden mission and now she is getting baptized! The ladies in Relief Society are a huge help! She loves enrichment. She will be baptized on July 19. Then we have "R" from New Iberia, Louisiana!  Sister Maxfield and I taught her before I left and now Sister B and I teach her over the phone. I am so proud of her. She quit smoking and is getting baptized on July 13! Then we have "C" from SLC! He was a member referral. His neighbor is a member and she just started taking him to church.  He is a sweet man in a wheelchair and he will get baptized in August! We are so happy! 

One of my goals has been to help a family learn about and accept the gospel. Today I went on exchanges with Sister Magidson from Maryland and we took a Chinese family on a tour. They live in Wisconsin and they are adorable. They were really quiet so we just taught them the whole restoration in the tabernacle. It was really cool and the spirit was there. After that we took them to the Christus and asked them if they had any questions. They decided they would like copies of the Book of Mormon and definitely wanted to learn more. I hope things go well for them!

Lately we have met many people who are struggling or are going through a hard time.  Some of them are already members... many of them aren't.  They don't always share what is going on in their lives with us but we know they are struggling.  We can see it and feel it.  Sometimes people come here because they want questions answered or they have been praying for something specific but nothing is happening.  I thought about this a lot during personal study this morning because I want to help these people the best way I can.  I decided to read in Mosiah Chapters 4 and 5 and I came across a few of my favorite scriptures. Mosiah 4:9:

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."
 

Grandma Slade, it was so good to talk to you this morning.  You are the best!

 

Christie and Trevor, congratulations on beautiful little Cash.  I can't wait to hold him!

Well, I love everyone lots! I hope everyone is good!

 

Sister Park

 



 

The Beehive House, a Catholic Priest, and Fox News



Hello from Temple Square!

Zrastswitza,

 

We have had a lovely week in Salt Lake City and it is absolutely beautiful over here. Thanks mom for the beautiful letters and things I truly appreciate it!

 

This morning we had transfer conference and our assignment has changed. We are serving in the Beehive House now! Every single day before transfers Sister Bryuszgina would comment on how she does not want to serve in the Beehive House and I kept telling her that she was going to curse herself and she did!  I am so excited about it though! I have wanted to serve there my entire mission. I actually went on exchanges the other day with a sister who serves there and of course we had people coming in to make fun of our church and talk down on our church leadership! It broke my heart and let's just say I didn't bite my tongue. I know that I am going to learn a TON from serving there.

 

Just so you know my P-Day changed so I will email you on Wednesday as well. You get to hear from me twice this week but I might not do a blog. I have to catch up on emailing and writing people back.
 

We saw miracles this week! A couple of days ago we were on our way to lunch when some sisters stopped us and asked if we would take a girl from China on a tour. I was so excited because I love Asians and miss working with them.  This girl was a sweetheart.  Her name was Alice and she was born and raised in China. She has lived in Chicago for the last year for work. She came to SLC for work and wanted to visit Temple Square. She has no religious background but is searching for something. We taught her all about our loving Father in Heaven and eternal families. The spirit was so strong and when we asked her if she wanted to learn more she said yes without any hesitation! She also said she would love to have the local missionaries come and meet with her! The spirit was so strong that we were walking on clouds afterwards.

We got 5 new investigators this week which was exciting and a couple of our investigators went to church!  I have an awesome progressing investigator in the Alabama Birmingham Mission! We met him at Temple Square and gave him a tour. He is a hardcore Army sergeant but his heart is softened every time we have a lesson.  We are seeing miracles left and right!
 

We also have a lovely investigator from Germany who currently lives in Los Angeles. He is so cool. His names is Hans and he is a former Catholic Priest. He was a legit big time Catholic Priest in Germany until one day a long time ago he met the elders and they answered some questions that he had about things such as the Godhead.  He never progressed in the gospel back then but the things he learned never left his mind.  Now he is old and sick and lives in a care facility. Anyway, he called the 1-800 number on Mormon.org a few weeks ago and I happened to answer that call so Sister B and I have been teaching him and the local missionaries started visiting him as well.  The care facility said he has slight dementia that affects his short term memory but somehow he never forgets us or the elders or the things we teach him which surprises everyone- but not us.  He wants to be baptized but his illness is holding him back right now. He is such a sweet guy and we care so much about him.

I think most people know what is going on over here at Temple Square lately with the Ordain Women movement.  Fox News is all over the place and there are tons of people coming here with a lot of questions. They had to close the north and east gates yesterday due to the candle lighting demonstration. 

 

One thing that is so important to remember is that these people who may not understand the priesthood or the fulness of the gospel are our sisters and brothers. In April, President Monson spoke about how love is the essence of the gospel. I truly believe that love cures everything and that's how we can help people find their way back. Sister Oscarson, our General YW President says it perfectly:

 

“All of us as sisters in the gospel have the responsibility and privilege to support and nourish one another. We have all committed to be disciples of Jesus Christ, and this discipleship should be at the heart of all that we do. Each of us is in a different place in our spiritual journey. Some may struggle with testimony. Some have questions or wrestle with the pressures and trials of life. Those who are struggling for whatever reason should be able to find within our sisterhood a spirit of warmth, inclusion, and love."

 

One word that describes Heavenly Father perfectly is love.  He loves us perfectly and because of that there is no need to fear the plan he has lined out for us even when we don't understand it or when we feel like things are unfair.

1 John 4:18- "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." 

If we understood God's love for us, we would have no fear that we could accomplish the things he asks of us.  His plan is perfect.

We live in a crazy crazy time and things are getting worse by the second. I am so happy to have a prophet today who loves us so much and who teaches us to love others.  Anytime we are on a tour and we go to the tabernacle, I make sure to bear my testimony of President Monson. I trust his words and his actions and I know he is truly inspired. I love serving at Temple Square. It is by far the hardest thing I have ever done but it is such a blessing! I have learned so much about the church and it definitely has tried and strengthened my testimony. I used to wonder why Heavenly Father sent me here to serve a mission.  I didn't feel adequate enough to serve in a place like this.  But now I know that this is what I needed. I needed a tough place to get a strong and firm testimony that I will need in these tough last days!

Well, I love you so very much! Dobre Dane! Baca Baca.

Sistra Park