Jan 9, 2017 -- Now It's Serious

My motto this transfer has been "we don't talk about it."

When people on the square ask me how long I have been on my mission, my answer has been the good 'ole, "over a year." And when they ask how long left I have, I say a couple of months. I guess when you get to this point, where you really only have 1 final day left in the mission field, you could say things have become pretty real.

This week has been a wild and crazy ride where I have learned so much about myself and about what it means to be fixed on the truth and fixed on doing what's right.

What will you do when faced with a decision that no one else knows you have to make? Do you stand up for the truth and for what's right no matter the circumstances?

I won't go into the details of this experience but this week I came to know the importance of doing what's right even when it is not popular.

There was also moments this week that we drove a sister to the hospital and thought that our apartment was being broken into.

Last night we were sound asleep when I woke up to loud knocking on our door and the lights being thrown on by Sister B. She said there were two sketchy guys outside trying to get in and so we of course hid in the bathroom as they continued to knock (pretty violently). We called one of the senior couples that lived in our building and they came running down only to find that they had left. At this point our roommate had woken up and had scared us half to death because we thought they had gotten in. Then after the senior couple left we laugh, chat and hear the knock again! So we freak out and grab shoes, curling irons, a knife (not the smartest decision I have now been informed) and try to defend ourselves. "Night Manager, you left your keys in the door!"
"Yeah right!"
"No seriously"
"That's what a thief would say; Just leave the keys!"

And he did and the senior couple came back and we found out it really was the night manager the whole time.... because yours truly left the keys in the door. Haha my bad....

Overall it has been a great week and a wonderful time to serve as a missionary. I feel blessed to know how much God loves me and watches over me. I know that He sent His son to die for me and through the ups and extreme downs it was a worthy price to pay in order to become acquainted with my Savior. I know that God has called a prophet again on the Earth named Joseph Smith. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's kingdom, once again established on the Earth. Here's to the next chapter of my life and wherever that will take me. I know that as I hold on to the Lord's hand, I will be led where I need to go. I love you all so much.
Sister Eging

Jan 2, 2017 -- I Believe In Miracles

It truly has been a fantastic week and Sister B and I have been blessed with so many miracles together.

We truly have been working together to "not run faster than is needful," especially since this week I have come down with an awful cold/flu bug that I can only describe as an animal living inside of my chest. But, that has not stopped the work from progressing. We still have been finding, and teaching everyone we can about the restored gospel.

This week we found out that A is going to be baptized on the 27th of January and we have found two amazing investigators who want to be baptized! We found H on the square with his cousin and he had been to church a couple of times. He kept saying over and over again that he knew he was in Utah to learn about this gospel, so that he could make his life better. We called him and he said his first prayer out loud asking for guidance and the spirit that was present was tangible. I feel so grateful to be able to participate in teaching him.

Then on the last night of the Christmas lights we found T! T is 10 years old and his parents are members of the church. He wants to be baptized so badly and his parents have been looking for the sisters in their area to teach him. We were able to teach a quick lesson on Temple Square and will now be sending the sisters over to teach T and hopefully soon he will be baptized. It really is amazing to see the light of Christ work inside children as they are able to recognize truth.

I'm grateful for every second that I am a missionary and for the great blessings that the Lord pours out upon us.

We then had MLC this morning (Missionary Leadership Council) to train on how to be Christ-like leaders through the example we set. The example we set is extremely important and has such a profound impact on the people around us.

Also we have spotted Elder Holland, and Elder Oaks in just the past 3 days and received a package meant for Russel M. Nelson. You could say that we're pretty important people.

Love you all. Have a happy New Year and remember to set specific stretching goals!!!!

LOVEEEEEE
SISTER EGING

Dec 26, 2016 - Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had just as good of a Christmas as I had this year. Christmas' on a mission really are special, unique, experiences. I'm so glad I have been able to serve on Christmas twice!!

This week was pretty crazy and busy. We had Zone Conference all week which means Sister B and I were giving trainings about half of the week. It was really nice as the subject and topic of Zone Conference was on the Atonement. I can't think of a greater subject to study during Christmas than the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is why we celebrate Christmas. Without the ultimate sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ we would be stuck in a sinful state forever unable to return to God. But, due to His willingness we have been given the grand opportunity to change, to become more than what we are.

After Zone Conference was Christmas! What a treat it was to be able to Skype home and see everyone! (Don't worry it wasn't too crazy for me). And my mission president got a kick out of the VR goggles Will. After that we had a Christmas Program that Sister B and I were frantically putting together in between Zone Conferences. Up unto the very last second before it started we were still finalizing details. The cherry on top of that program had to be Elder Spencer. Elder Spencer is one of the senior couples that serves here and to be honest he is quite the character. For the Christmas program Elder Spencer was able to talk the folks in charge of the Savior of the World performances into lending us costumes. And so as a special guest we had a shepherd with a massive tangled beard read from his personal scroll the story of the Savior's birth.

Comedy doesn't get much better.

All in all it was a good week to learn and grow. We never stop serving or being asked to grow. This was a week were I once again was taught to look on the positive and happy side of things. Every person has a choice to make in this life. They can either go through life as a victim allowing the world to dictate their emotions, thoughts, and decisions or they can choose happiness. Choose to not allow the situation, attitude of someone else, or hardships dictate how you will react. We are agents to act, not be acted upon. And the moments when we truly find ourselves are the moments we fight for ourselves.

I love you all so much and hope you find yourselves. Find the gospel for yourself, find your purpose, and find your happiness.

With much love,
Sister Eging

Dec 19, 2016 -- Christmas Bells Are Ringing

As well as my head, my head is ringing and spinning. I can't believe another week has come and gone and that I am soon to be entering Christmas day! How amazing is that!

I absolutely love Christmas on Temple Square, despite the crazy look that seems to enter into every sister's eyes as the sleep deprivation really starts to hit home. In fact the weeks leading up to Christmas are so busy that we could only now start writing our email because we have been helping with various situations that have taken place on the Square.

Seriously, I feel like I've been run over by a truck....not once, but at least four times.

This afternoon we were involved in supervising a tour and interview with some of the sister missionaries on Temple Square.

And this week starting tomorrow will be the beginning of Zone Conference! I'm so excited! President is going to be teaching and speaking on the Atonement. Which is truly the reason that we celebrate Christmas. Without that event there would be no reason to celebrate the birth of a lowly infant but because of the immense sacrifice that the Son of Man endured we have reason to celebrate. Beyond that we have reason to rejoice that full access to the Lord's atonement has been granted to us through the restoration of the fullness of the gospel. Of this I rejoice and it fills my heart every time I am able to bear my simple witness of the truth.

I hope that you may all find joy this Christmas season and be able to find that truth or bring others to it.

With lots of holiday cheer,
Sister Eging

Dec 12, 2016

Well this one is going to be a pretty quick and short letter.

This week was filled with spiritual contacts and really strengthened my testimony of the power of teaching the restoration to members of the church and non-members alike. There is just something so sacred about seeing others feel the Love that God their Father has for them and their families. Being able to serve in an area where visitors from everywhere come we are able to see and explain the pattern that God has established to help us find peace in our families and return to live with Him again, the only way is and always has been through the Messiah, the Savior of the world whom our Heavenly Father sent to Earth roughly 2,000 years ago. And this peace filled those who followed Him. But sadly even with the Messiah on the Earth people still rejected those truths. And that gospel, in its fullness was lost. What a time of confusion we entered into! And what a time of light we found as our God and our Savior descended and appeared to a young boy in a quiet grove. There is no more meaningful and powerful message nor importance to the world today than that of God's activities in our lives today. He has called prophets and apostles to guide us back to Christ. And I'm grateful to share this message with all the world.

In celebration of our Savior's birth much of the mission was able to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's annual Christmas Concert, this year the guest performer was Rolando Villazon. It was a pretty special event and meant a lot to be able to see it.

We then wrapped up the week with an amazing lesson with B, our new investigator who already believes the Book of Mormon to be true (he was raised reading it). He is spiritually connected and knows that God is wanting him to join the church at this time in his life. It's been amazing to be able to teach someone who already knows and believes in the Restoration but had been lost for a time. He has already set himself a baptismal date for January 7th! I am so happy!

Oh we were also to take a reporter for the Toronto Star on a tour of Temple Square with Elder Clark of the Seventy. It was pretty cool. And after Elder Clark left we were able to walk her back to her ride and explain in greater detail about the Restoration and invited her to read the Book of Mormon, she was able to receive a copy and I'm grateful for the opportunity to help someone else understand a bit more and seek for them self.
I love you all! And Merry Christmas!
LOVE Sister Eging

Sprint! - December 5, 2016

My motto for the last 6 months of my mission has been to sprint.

I have been running, working, teaching, testifying, the whole nine-yards and it is the most rewarding feeling to see how the Lord blesses us when we simply try our best and also to see how the Lord will allow us to suffer in order for us to be taught.

This past week was transfer week, which is a very busy, very hectic week and, not to mention all of the Christmas programs, and events that are being coordinated,(I never realized how much coordination went into these things before). But it was a week of Divine strength and miracles for my new companion Sister B and I.

We have found some really remarkable people these past couple of days. The one I want to mention is E. We were walking on our way to the North Visitor's Center so that we could have teaching center time, away from the distraction of the office, when we saw J, a recent convert from Sister B's outbound, about to go into the Temple. We stop and start talking with her and her husband E. E has been studying the church on his own and when J asked if he would like to go and talk with us while he waited for her he said no. He said he didn't want to and was going to explore on his own and then his wife told him about this short video about the first vision we could take him to. And he agreed. As we started talking to E he told us about dreams of his father that he had been having and of this feeling that he needed to know more about the Mormons. So he started watching videos and things online and kept wanting to learn more. We taught him the restoration and asked what it would mean if he knew there was a prophet. As we took him and watched the first vision film with him the spirit filled the room. Afterwards we invited him to pray and to ask and he said he already knew that this was true. Long story short, when we left him he had committed to pray about a January 7th baptismal date. I know God had allowed us to find E.

It was a very good week. I look forward to seeing what other blessings God has every single day for us.

I also enjoyed attending the First Presidency Christmas Devotional yesterday. It was one way to really remember the reason why we celebrate Christmas. This is not just about the Savior's birth but His life, mortal ministry, and ultimate sacrifice that we celebrate.

I'm so grateful to have access to His never ending love and to be able to share that with all that I can.

Lot's of love, Merry Christmas, Happy holidays, Feliz Navidad, and all that good stuff.

Love
Sister Eging
New Companions!
Locked Out of the Square

Nov 28 -- These Are The Days

This past week was absolutely fantastic with finalizing transfers,
and Thanksgiving, and the start of Christmas schedule and then
announcing transfers! Woo!

Thanksgiving was absolutely amazing! We were able to go to our mission
president's wife's sister's home for Thanksgiving with our Mission
President and his wife of course. It was so much fun and such a
spiritual moment to be surrounded by spiritual Giants and given the
opportunity to share a message with them. And of course bring back all
the sweet potatoes and apple pie I could carry.

Then Christmas schedule has begun. This means we wake up at 7 and
leave the square at 10 pm. Unless it a day like yesterday, just before
transfer calls, then we have to stay a bit longer -- but don't worry
security is always really nice about it ;)

I just want to briefly mention how I have been able to see the hand of
the Lord in my life this week. There has been much that Sister
S and I have been expected to do and sometimes it can feel
like the weight of the world on your shoulders, like your swimming and
fighting for air. Then I have started to make the decision to choose
to trust God. Trust in his timing, in his will for me as his
missionary and realize at every single thing I do He is aware of and
will work towards my good. I serve a loving and merciful God. He has
numbered all of His children and I have been able to see Him lead us
to them or lead them to us. I am so grateful that He is allowing me to
find the prepared, allowing me to teach all in my path and simply
allowing me to be an instrument in His hands.

With all that the Lord has prepared for us to do it is important to be
worthy of the call. This Christmas is a time to become more like our
Savior Jesus Christ, acting as He would act and living the most
fundamental principle of the gospel, to love others as Jesus loves
you. With the coming forth of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ through a living prophet we live in the fullness of times where
we can access every bit of Christ's atonement. What better way to come
unto Christ than share this message with those around you. Reach out,
pray with all your hearts for ways to serve and then act.

Also take a look at the 25 ways in 25 days to serve around you on mormon.org and scroll down to the bottom to find it.

Oh sorry, by the way, my new companion will be Sister B from North
Carolina. She will be killing me... Yay....

I love you all lots! Have a happy happy Christmas and holiday season!

Love,
Sister Eging
Companions for only one more day! Going to miss her!