Tender Mercies

Parental Note: Amy will be speaking in church on New Years Day January 1, 2012 at 10:00 am in the Los Gatos Building on Rose Ave in Monte Sereno, California.

• Here we go….the final e-mail….






• Mai. You’ve changed my mission. More than that, you’ve changed my life. Thank you for being incredible. And human. I totally respect you. I look up to you so much and can not WAIT to see where life takes you…besides obviously hanging out. Thank you for the e-mail. You may NEVER know how much you’ve impacted how I live and the choices I make every day. Thank you so much!!!






• Sister Moisio….I am obsessed with you. Obviously. I hope you’re ready to be eternal friends. The Scandinavian way of friendship. Real friendship. You know. We went to Jade market today. I had to tell him about the Panda clouds. J We bought some in your honor.



• Jessica Walton! Hooray! I got word that you will be serving a mission in Portugal! Hooray for full-time missionary service. And hooray for JOY. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you. I know I’ll be sending you a letter or two, obviously. I have a testimony of those. And stickers. And the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.



• SHOUT OUT TO BIG MAC!! SHE’s the BEST niece in the world. Ever. If you disagree, we can settle the matter over a game of Scrabble or Scategories.



• I have the greatest family and friends in the world. Mom. Dad. Nicole. Brett. McKenzie. Lauren. Brett. Grandma & Grandpa Davis. Grandma & Grandpa Harmer. Uncle Dan & all the beautiful Davis family. Margaret. Bobbi. Tiffany. Lisa. The Knudsens. The Hodgmans. The McAdams. The Woodlands. And everyone in between….you’ve made these 18 months so special. Seriously. I am SO grateful for you all. Thank you.



• What’s the deal with the animal hats?? Honestly, we see a gazillion of those every day. You know the ones I’m talking about. Beanies disguised as animals. Sometimes, if Sister Mettra and I are serving in the Westgate booth, we get to see the whole zoo walk by. And this isn’t just 3 year olds. Grown adults. Maybe they are the style. Maybe I’m out of touch. Well, here’s a few of my personal favorites: monkey. owl. hot green pig. frog. bear. yogi bear. rabbit. shrek. wolf. ladybug. buffalo. shark. deer. kangaroo. monster with teeth.



• Dorothy…and Tanya. This phone call is probably one of the best in the past 18 months. In February I spoke with a woman, Jackie. Jackie wanted to know the directions to her nearest chapel. She shared with me that she was learning more about the church with her local missionaries. She told me how happy she and her family were as they learned with them. Before she hung up, I invited her to think about someone who would benefit from our message of hope. Without a hesitation, she told me about Dorothy, her mother-in-law. LONG story short, I called Dorothy and she did in fact, want to learn more about the gospel
  from the local missionaries. We called her and helped her learn a little before the local missionaries arrived. After she started meeting with them in Arizona, I didn’t really hear much about Dorothy…until this week. I called her back to follow up. And I started crying my face off. She’s doing fabulous. She shared with me that this has been one of the happiest years of her life. She was baptized. Has been attending church. Loves the scriptures. Received her patriarchal blessing. Preparing to enter the temple…in February. She’s got a
  beautiful heart.

Here’s what my week looks like. Amongst other things…some highlights:

• Thursday— Departing interview with President Holmes. Driving a sister to the dentist. Teaching Jacob the 20 year old astrophysicist in Texas & Osie in Ghana.



• Friday—Departing sister’s Temple Day.



• Saturday— Baptism of Sam, a recovering meth addict Sister Mettra and I took on a tour.



• Sunday—Sister Mettra is singing “O Holy Night”…she’s an incredible opera singer.



• Monday—Lunch & departing testimony meeting. Packing. Final choir concert.



• Tuesday—Fly home.

So I’ve been beating my head against the wall, trying to summarize the past 18 months. Ironically, a greasy 17 year old helped provide the answers. While Sister Mettra and I were serving at the North Visitor’s Center desk, in walks a boy. He’s wearing a bright red sweater with “Nintendo” plastered on it—as if to say, “watch out, I’m a gamer”. Well, come to find out, he is preparing to serve a mission.

• Me: Really?! That’s great. Why do you want to serve a mission.



• D: Well, it’s actually pretty simple. I want to help other people know about the joy that comes from the restored gospel. Think of it this way… it’s just like the Book of Mormon. It starts and ends with mercy.



• Me: That’s interesting. I never thought of it that way.



• D: Yep. Check it out: “But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Nephi 1:20).



• Me:

Honestly, I think that’s the best way to describe my mission. It started and is ending with so much mercy. So much. My sister had a precious, healthy baby. My Dad survived a car accident. Family and friends are developing strong testimonies. For me, the most tender mercies have been seeing my companions feel more confident than the day before….about themselves and their testimonies. Praying with Joachim in Ghana. Sipping on fresh pineapple drinks. Counting couples on Valentine’s Day, brides on the weekends or animals hats at winter. Bumping into hundreds of Danish people…and understanding what they say. Danish people understanding me. Walking by modern day apostles who are humble enough to acknowledge you and say hello. Understanding a scripture. Understanding a person. Understanding myself. Tender mercies I tell you. Tender mercies. My heart has been punched out like dough, expanded painfully and filled to the brim with the most lasting joy I’ve ever experienced. I know that God really is my Father. I’m really His daughter. He loves me. I know that He loves all His children unconditionally. Because He loves us, He’s provided a way to return to live with Him. That way is clear. The way is centered on the atonement of Jesus Christ . The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through a living prophet. I’ve come to know that this is all true. Through so many different experiences. Mainly me and God. The two of us. Through prayer, scripture study and personal experience. It’s beautiful. It’s all about JOY and ETERNAL happiness.

• Thank you all for your love and support.



• I’m not sure if I’ll ever write on this blog thing again. Who knows. Maybe if I travel the world. You’ll need to know about those adventures too, of course.



• Love you all so much.

I get home December 20th. Afternoon. Get in touch with me if you want to explore the Bay Area!

See you soon.

Bark Like a Dog

WOWZERS. Can you believe this moment is here? I will be flying home to San
Jose on December 20. Very crazy. After this, one more e-mail. Then...BAM.
H-O-M-E.

• Happy birthday Uncle Dan and Grandpa Davis!!!!!! Hooray!! Two of my FAVORITE
  people!! Thank you both for all of the support you've given me. Honestly, you two have been some of the greatest examples to me of charity, love and sincerity. THANK you for everything!! I hope you both get to celebrate with sunshine!


• Jacob in Texas is wonderful. Sister Mettra and I got to share more with him about the plan of happiness that God has for us. He's a little confused about Adam and Eve; subsequently, he presented us with a few questions. Well, he wanted to know why God would let Adam and Eve make mistakes, when he knew that they would be punished. To help Jacob understand, I shared a story about me + camping. (Lauren-you'll remember this one....) So, we were camping. The Quinns, the random Harmer, and loads of friends. Well, Marley, (Lauren's dad) says, "Harmer, take this dog collar, put it on your neck, and bark like a dog". What did I do? Of course, I take the challenge. And what happened? I put that collar on my neck, barked like a dog and got shocked. Surprise surprise. But that's the case with Adam and Eve. They knew what was about to happen. But they still had a choice. And there was a consequence. God didn't love them any less. If there was no Fall, there would be no need for a Savior. There is always a reason why bad things happen. As a side note, Jacob is from Texas. Jacob does not favor California. Oops. That's where we're both proudly from.


• Turner!! is hilarious. He's fabulous. And he is getting a trendy mullet cut.


• SPEAKING of hair cuts....Sister Mettra and I have had quite the day. This morning we woke up and went to The Original House of Pancakes and ate breakfast. After which...hair cuts!! We must look FRESH. Check. Lexie did a great job. And the pecan pancakes were delicious.


• I really liked what Sister Paravato said this week in church. She said: "My
  mission didn't change me, Jesus Christ did".


• Just in time for Christmas....videos from the scriptures: this is the gift to the world...from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.


• Shepards: this is my favorite of the bible clips


• Gratitude: brings a calming peace. Love this one. This one's for you Dad. Hang in there.


• Next week, I think all I'm going to write about is what I've learned. It will be my final e-mail. It's really hard to boil 18 months into one e-mail, but throughout the week, I'll brainstorm and try to come up with a list. You know me + brainstorming + lists. Whew! Watch out world...

Love you all so much!! have a wonderful week!! Let me know if there is
anything I can do for you!

-Sister Harmer (for less than two weeks..

Happy birthday BRETT!!!!! It's your day!! TODAY!! Hooray!! Go by the BAY. Make some clay. Have a hay day. What do you say?

• First Presidency Christmas Devotional! We get to go to this very special night!! Hooray!!
  


• Savior of the World-- the Musical drama. Personally, I loved this performance. Sister Mettra and I went to the show last Wednesday night. We arrived to the Conference Center theatre with our tickets and no expectations. I enjoyed it so much! It was wonderful!! The music was fantastic. Costumes were charming. The Shepards were my favorite. I am grateful for them. And for Mary. Overall, just what I needed to kickstart Christmas.



• Inger the Dane. I spotted this lovely grandma on her way to the restroom. I was at the North Visitor's Center desk. In high traffic hour. Christmas lights were on. It was night. About a gagillion people. And she just strolls up to yours truly. Well...Sister Harmer knows a danish accent when she hears one. But without assumption, I asked her where she was from. B-i-n-g-o. Viva la Danmark!! I loved her! She came back from the restroom and proceeded to listen to the various choir performance, whilst knitting a sock. I asked her how long it took her per sock. 6 hours...if you were curious. She was ranting that people here in the US all love knitted socks



• Barbara and Joseph!!! Sister Moore says you were here! Sister Mettra and I would like to officially give you both cyber hellos. And to tell you that we adore Red Robin and the Christmas Club (but we were sworn to secrecy about the latter).



• Thanksgiving was incredible. Turkey. Rolls. Turkey hands. Fun. Pretty sure there was a little line dancing and limbo involved. And Beauty and the Beast. I saw the last half of How to Train a Dragon. I thought the dragon was adorable. I was too distracted to pay attention to the rest, but loved that sniffly, fierce dragon.



• Preston!! I'm sure Sister Mettra's blog will be a far better description of the Preston miracle. He's in Iowa. Seeking lots of answers. We kept promising him that he would only find truth on his own. We wouldn't be able to convince him about anything. But the refreshing piece to learning more about the gospel, is the promises from God. We are promised that if we seek, we will find. Preston had heaps of questions. And he found answers through personal study, prayer and experience.
  
  


• Pillow cases--Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the cozy pillow cases!! We love them! They go with our matching pajamas now!!! And the poem to match was just practically perfect. I'm very much looking forward to having our next fishing trip. We must catch up on about 18 months worth of life.
  30,000 visitors a day--that's the projected amount of people we expect here. 1 million over the course of 30 days. True life--I serve at Temple Square.
  


• Family--I think my FAVORITE people of the week would be a darling family. A mom. A dad. 4 little boys. Bundled in scarves and winter gear. We went through the family presentation here called God's Plan for Families. (Still my favorite). The whole time, the boys were SO respectful. Offering a "thank you" here and a "oh...excuse me" there. Holding the doors for the group. Just super sincere. And honestly, at the end, Sister Mettra and I couldn't help but feel what a solid family they were. I want that. Respectful. Sincere. Good.



• I feel like my experiences here at Temple Square are preparing me for a life filled with JOY!

Well. I love you all VERY much!!

GRATITUDE

OBVIOUSLY the theme of this blog needs to be all about GRATITUDE. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR!!!

I AM GRATEFUL FOR...

• "the Spirit of Thanksgiving!". (such a great clip)


• BRETT!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! You're wonderful!! I hope you take lots of good pictures for your birthday. I told a friend of mine about you today. I am grateful that you are such a genuine friend.


• 4 weeks. Pretty soon we are switching around the schedules to morning P-days, 20 minute dinners and Christmas jubilation. Here is a glimpse of how Temple Square lights up with the special feelings of Christmas. There is JOY here. Here is a list of all the new events at Temple Square for 2011.


• Mom's pie kit! Well, if you didn't notice, we made pumpkin pie this week. Thank you Mother for the fixin's!!! It was a wonderful way to celebrate such a special season!


• Sunny. He's recovering from an addiction to meth. He's been sober about 6 months. Just found out that his girlfriend Karma is pregnant. He's pretty excited. For the first time in a long time, he is happy about the path he's on. We asked him why he chose to quit. He shared with us that he hasn't felt the Spirit, or any emotion for that matter, in a long time. About 6 months ago he felt the smallest little scratch of the Spirit. That was it. Just a super small feeling that he needed to make some changes. Since then--nothing. But if that's all he has is that little scratch, than that's enough. That taught me SO MUCH. I have so much respect for Sunny. Then, he asked Sister Mettra why she chose to serve a mission. She shared with him how she had left everything back home, even an opportunity to sing Opera in Austria. But, she chose to come here. Then he looked at her and said, "Isn't this a better journey than Austria?" Absolutely yes.


• Danish. Of course I love Denmark. I got to announce in Danish again! Happy happy!!


• http://www.lds.org/. My favorite clip of the week: Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them. I love what he says at the end. "I'm grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that offers me that kind of strength in these tumultuous times" (Elder Russell M. Nelson)


• I am grateful for.... All of the following things

The restored gospel
My family...all of them
Quality friendships
Hygge
Bike riding
The beach
Willow Street!
California
Denmark (+ Finland of course)
Music
Adventures
Forgiveness
Mountains
Fresh pineapple drinks from Restaurante Loiteria
Listening
Temples
Repentance
Chocolate milkshakes
Art
People who like to do taxes
Respect
Grandparents. Mine and otherwise.
Hope
Old movies...+ new ones
Love
Authenticity
Vegans
google.com/maps
Africa....+ fufu + Joachim
Don Quixote
Danish royalty
Oprah Winfrey
Asian markets
Leaves
Pedicures

So much love for all of you!!!!! Love you!! Thanks for everything!! Enjoy Thanksgiving!!

"cute"

Sweet Hallelujah!!!!

You may or may not be sad....but only 5 more of these precious e-mails.

And there is MUCH to be discussed about this week!!

• HOORAY FOR THANKSGIVING SEASON!!!! I like this clip about being grateful!!




• Autumn package--Thanks Mom and Dad for the Thanksgiving treats. I love that you labeled all the bags and made it so simple to make. Pumpkin pie will hopefully make it! :) Thank you for the Sees and the matching PJs! We are obsessed with them already. So soft!!! RAWR. And thank you for supplying the survival fund too.




• Paige-- Thanks for the updates!! It sounds like you are doing so well!! My mom e-mailed me about the new Stake Presidency. Pretty exciting. Pretty inspired if you ask me. So exciting to hear about the new comings and goings of life...it keeps building doesn't it?


• Jen & Eric!----THANK YOU for the "Save the Date!!!" I am so excited for you both!!! Such a cute invite! Seriously. I am so excited. Hooray for love. And hooray for Seawolf love at that. I adore you both!!!


• Kjestine!---Thank you so much for the darling package ALL THE WAY FROM DENMARK!!! I loved the story about your grandma. I was CRACKING up. Seriously. Wonderful. And I shared the candy with our dear Sister Andersen. So much love.


• Vicky--I love you so much!! Thank you for the wonderful letter. It was like I got a letter from Mom. Seriously. That really meant a lot to me. Thanks for that. I am looking forward to seeing what you have knitted over the past year. :)


• Niina!!!


• Amy--We shared a scripture with a lady named Amy. She's from Colorado. After we shared the scripture, we paused, leaving room for the Spirit. Amy broke the silence with an unexpected......"cute". Not to mention her response in a later lesson about Joseph's first vision....."awwwww". Thanks Amy.


• Brian--South Africa. We called him up. Incredible. So funny. He tells us mid conversation, very boldly, "Jenna. Amy. I've GOT TO GO".
  Us: "Oh. Ok. We guess we'll talk later"
  Brian: "No no. To church! I've got to go to church!!!"


• Cell phones--Watch out world...so long pagers!! Hello CELL PHONES!!! Just before we got too far into the 2000s, we upgraded beyond the pagers. Although, I love the pager. 143 never meant so much as it does not.


• Joe--the coon hunter in Kentucky is wonderful. Yep. That means racoons.


• Orange Street--this week Sister Mettra and I got to go to a half-way house to speak at their LDS worship service. It was such an incredible experience. I spoke about the atonement. Sister Mettra spoke about love and she also sang, "Did You Think to Pray?". I sat next to Karma after and ate lunch. She taught me a good lesson.
  Me: What are you like most about Orange Street Karma?
  Karma: Toilet seats & controlable water in the shower.


• Dad & Grandma---T'was LOVELY. Seriously. What a beautiful moment. Thank
  you for the frame! And thank you for the 120% support. A moment I'll NEVER
  forget.


• Blessings of the Preisthood
  After dad was in the car accident, I told President Holmes about it. I just shared with him that I'm grateful that Dad's alive and well. Inspired President Holmes invited me into his office. "Sister Harmer, it seems like your dad's a miracle, huh?" I pretty much broke down. I don't know why. I think I'm just feeling like all 18 months are rushing to a stop. Like at the end of a roller coaster. You know? When it speeds up, then stops with a hault? That's what it's feeling like. It's a funny feeling. But I just was so grateful for a caring mission President in that moment. I suppose I'm anxious a little bit about the next undetermined chapter. I know everything will work out and will be exactly what I need. But hey, the unknown is an adventure. He calmed most of my nerves and then was able to offer me a blessing. Basically, when someone who holds the preisthood offers a blessing, it kind of like a reverse prayer. It's from Heavenly Father, but through someone holding the proper preisthood authority. That blessing provided comfort and answers that only me and God knew about. I am so grateful for worthy presithood holders who do everything they can to bless and strengthen the lives of others. Honestly, that restored authority is what makes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unique. It's the authority of Jesus Christ. And that is what FUELS this gospel. If it weren't true, it would have ended with the martyrdom of that courageous boy who said He saw God the Father and His Son in a grove of trees.

Thank you all for everything!! I am so grateful for everything you all do for me!!! I love you so much!!!

Mucho amor,
Sister Amaaayyyyy face.

HELLOOOOOoOOOooooOOOOOO!

Nicole Marie and Lauren Marley. You both have really outdone yourselves. Thank you so much. I will be responding to you both personally. But honestly...one of the most memorable moments. Thank you so much for being the best people in my life that I could ever ask for. Both of you.

• My new life: my new companion is Sister Mettra from Orange County, California. She's incredible. For both of us, it's our final 6 weeks as full time missionaries. We get to serve together as Zone Leaders here at Temple Square. We will be serving with sister missionaries from all over the world. Mexico, Angola, Russia, Korea, Australia, Samoa and Jordan...to name a few. On Monday, when I learned about our new assignments, I actually went into the bathroom and cried a little bit. I am just SO grateful. Seriously. This is the last 6 weeks that I get to serve full time as a volunteer missionary. I choose to be here. God chooses the rest. I am so grateful that I get the privilege of serving with someone who cares about what we're doing here. And is 100% real. She gave a talk a few weeks ago. I really liked what she shared: "Is there evidence without my tag that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ?" and "We can't come closer to Christ until we move our feet". She's wonderful. And refreshing to be with. I'm really looking forward to serving with her. AND...she has a wonderful singing voice...AKA she appreciates music. AND she is hilarious. Get out of town!


• Yep. I had the privilege of meeting the wonderfully Hungarian author of the Thesaurus of English Idioms. Great person. From New York. We got to share more with him and his wife about the Beehive House. They met jogging. While she was praying. And he claims to be an answer to that prayer. :)


• We're working with Chloe. A freshman at BYU. Not a member. She is doing everything she can to find out if this is all true or not. She's attending church. Praying. Studying the scriptures. On Sunday she was part of my fast. She hasn't ever prayed on the phone with us before because she's afraid. We always invite her, try to resolve her concerns, but she still holds back. On Monday, we shared with Chloe that we want her to receive answers so badly, that we included her in our fast. Needless to say, she understood how important this is. She decided to put aside her fears and pray. It was beautiful. I wish you could have heard it. This wonderful 18-year-old girl. Trying to know if her Heavenly Father can really hear her or not. I know He does.


• Last week my dad was in a car accident. He was hit by someone running a red light @ 55 MPH. The car flipped 2.5 times, landing on the roof. He crawled out alive. He's doing ok. Recovering emotionally-but no major injuries. THAT is a miracle to me. I am so grateful that EVERY prayer is heard and answered by our Father.


• THIS IS one of the BEST clips from LDS.org I've seen in a long while.

THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING. 5 more letters and then BAM. I'm back in your lives. Or at least San Jose...for now.

Love love love,

Sister Amy

• Happy Halloween! .....Just kidding. Halloween's over. As the Christmas tree completely decorated in the front lobby of the Beehive House now indicates.




• Welp. First of all....Hooray Lashele!! So exciting! Hooray for Canada!! I'm
  so happy to hear about that!!!!


• AND...SO fun to see Will and Rebecca!! Seriously--all the Sister missionaries in the Beehive House were laughing. They thought you were family. "Yep" was my response. And I wouldn't have it any other way.


• Halloween celebrations were delightful! As a zone, we went to the Haunted Village in Salt Lake. HILARIOUS. We had a really fun time actually. I was pretty much laughing the whole time at the sisters from all over the world squealing. Then on Halloween night, we ate mucho candy, pizza and watched "Despicable Me" and "The Best Two Years". I really
  like the theme song to Despicable Me. It's catchy.


• For Sister Moisio: We went to Music and the Spoken Word last week. Andrew Undsworth was playing the Tabernacle organ. Then, not until the final song, did I realize that our dear friend, Clay Christiansen was mingling amidst the clarinets and violins with a piano. He just keeps sneaking up on us! On a beautiful note, we sat behind an incredible family. 3 kids. Tweens. Mom and Dad. The dad was baptized 3 years ago. And they were sealed as a family 2 years ago. "Sister missionaries" they said. Beautiful. Pretty sure I stared at them with a warm, probably creepy, smile, for the majority of the performance.


• Met a psychologist from Marin county this week. Made me very happy. Him and a friend were in town to visit with his grand kids. Lovely people. To the core. Bob and Bryce.


• At one of the District Meetings this week, I had a miniature break down. I just looked at these incredible women who I get to serve with. Together in the foxholes as Sister Kemsley would put it. I am so grateful for them. For the sacrifices they've made to honor the pioneers and their faith in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It's impressive really. And at the same time, for whatever reason, we feel inadequate. Not good enough. I shared with them that the times I regret the most here are the moments when I was scared. It's a waste of time. And the message isn't about anything but hope. Took me long enough to figure it out. And I'm still learning. But honestly, if it's about Jesus Christ, than it's a beautiful thing. That will bless and strengthen.


• Word of the week: efficacious. Great word. And proliferate. Also a wonderful word.


• Hooray for artists on Mormon.org!!: Rose. Brian.


• And I really like this photographer's work on create.lds.org: Nick. I'm actually a big fan of the Desktop Wallpaper options.


• I am grateful for the family and friends I have. I love you ALL so much. I love my Sonoma friends. Willow friends. Westmont friends. Family friends. NCYLS friends. YMCA friends. El Camino friends. And everyone in between. Thank you for being 110% authentic.
  
  I love you all so much.
  Thank you for everything!!!!
  -The Amy
  
  P.S. Today's agenda: Asian Market. Hawai'ian BBQ. Groceries. It's going to be a good day.

CONGRATS to Jen, Keith & Mason!!! SO HAPPY!!! Hooray for a happy happy Christmas!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Brittney!!! My Christina cousin!! I love you SO SO MUCH!!! Get ready for the best bike ride ever in a few months. Or, we could just wait for the sun and go to the beach.....:) Love you!!!!

Grandma Harmer! Sounds like apple season was wonderful! Happy happy birthday!!
Thank you!!

Brett for your letter!! I liked the artistic red tape. And I really appreciated the updates on life. It sounds like we have a lot of catching up to do. So much has been happening. Please know that you're in my thoughts all the time!

Paige! Sounds like you're doing great too. Sorry I won't make the Turkey Trot this year. I think I'll need a solid year to condition up to running more than 15 minutes. Thank you for the encouragement and support. I really means a lot!!

The Bryan family!! Thank you for the mind puzzles, the beautiful art, letters, encouragement and support and of course, the treats. You are such an incredible family to me. Thank you so much!!

Familia!! I love you all so much. Thank you for the make up and the goodies!! I really appreciated the note Mom. Seriously. And thank you Grandparents for ALL of your encouragement and thoughtful letters. They mean SO much to me. You have no idea. I treasure each one. Grandma Davis--can you draw a picture on the next one?

Margaret. I love you. You are an eternal friend. Thank you so much for EVERYTHING.

Tamarra (mi amiga) has updated her mormon.org profile!! I appreciate the tagline.

We got to talk to Michael in Ghana again this week. He's wonderful. When we called, he was eating fufu. From how he describes it, it sounds delicious. Very ghanan dish apparently. Someday. He shared with us how grateful he is for the plan of happiness that our Heavenly Father has for us. Although we're a world apart, it's beautiful to me to know that God is mindful of each of us. He knows when we're eating fufu, watching Oprah, crying, laughing, stressing out and everything in between. I am so grateful to know that He cares about us no matter what.

We met a man named Jeff. He was refreshingly genuine. His story hurt my heart. He was in Salt Lake to talk to his attorney. He's getting a divorce. He has 3 kids. Really nice guy. Kind of like talking to a chocolate bunny from See's. Really nice, but a little empty. He told us about how he used to believe that God was his father, that the Book of Mormon was true, that families were central to life. I asked him how his perspective changed over the years. What had happened? He shared with us how it was the smallest things. Stopped praying. Stopped studying the scriptures. Stopped attending church. And eventually, stopped nurturing his testimony. He stopped caring. And he said he was happy. But he just kind of shrugged it off, like, "well, I guess I'm happy". Who am I to judge and break out my happy thermometer, but I'll tell you one thing-- the pioneers are teaching me a lot about true happiness. Amidst death, heartache, illness and poverty, they still managed to find the type of happiness that lasts more than a minute. The type that lasts for eternity. I shared with Jeff how much Heavenly Father STILL loves him. No matter what. And how He wants us to enjoy eternal happiness. No need to wait for blessings. We can start improving the quality of our lives now.
Thank you so much for everything.
I love you all so much!!!!!
See you soon,
Sister Amy

Pink Mumu, sandals and zip-up El Caminio hoodie

Hello.


Well. I am tired. My body is akin to a 134 year old tortoise. Wrinkly, slow, old and often likes to be cozy inside the home.
Happy Birthday Dad!!! Hope you liked the cake I sent.....in 2012, we shall go on an adventure for your birthday celebration.
Happy Birthday Sweeney!!!!!!!! I hope you see this, but Sweens, we must eat some more gelatto when I come back. And I want to hear ALL the high school drama that I have missed for over a year!! I hope you are doing SO well!! I think of you all the time. Especially when I see guests on the square wearing Pumas.
It's been an exciting week....to say the least. On Friday, President Holmes, the mission president here, felt like we should have a mission-wide meeting. (Which, by the way, takes a little coordination and is tricky to coordinate. Matching up 150-200 people's schedules in a moment's notice--a task). Anywho....we did. Friday night we had a sit down serious talk about safety. President Holmes re-addressed a lot of the policies and procedures we have here at Temple Square, but really reemphasized the importance of why we have them.
Well...that very night--Friday--my apartment's carbon monoxide meter went off at 2am. Annoying. But we knew exactly what to do. And no one complained. Fortunately, it just needed a battery change (such is life). But...it was excellent prep for Saturday night.
Saturday night, our neighbors decided to have a bit of a fiesta. (For the record, I love listening to them...these are my favorite people. They play acoustic guitar and have Christmas lights adorning their patios. They put me to sleep, pleasantly reminded of my college years.

Things got a little out of hand I guess, because a fire started. It's SO close to our apartment complex (the shrubbery and trees joining the two buildings doesn't help...) that we evacuated our apartment too. And it was a pretty big fire too. Like a movie. Maybe I just thought that as I tried to peel my eyes open at 3am standing in my Pink Mumu, sandals and zip-up El Caminio hoodie.

Lessons learned: always be prepared. Keep sandals by the bed. This mission is run through inspiration.
And hey....here is Brandon Flowers from the band, The Killers. Who says you can't love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and be a rock star? That's my plan as it were.
Carol, my homeless friend gave me her apple the other day. She doesn't have her two front teeth. So chewing is a little tough for her. She loves applesauce though. :)
Michael in Ghana is so lovely. He wants to be baptized there so that "his soul can feel cleansed"
Barbara in Texas talked to us too on the phone. She's in the hospital actually. They will be checking to see if there is fluid in her lungs. She loves talking to the missionaries. And said, "I'm not about floppin' religions or nothin', but I am about Christ". She is so funny. She also shared with us that she knows the country singer Clay Walker. Wonderful. We shared with her the last 2 paragraphs of the introduction to The Book of Mormon to which she responded, "Oh neat! I like the way that's worded". Neat-o.
Today, we ate Hawaiian snow cones!! Lovely.
This week, try something new. Maybe a new cafe, or a new book, or even a new friend. I promise you won't be disappointed. It's my favorite thing to do.
Love you all so much. I DREAM about you more and more.

Good luck this week Jen!!

Love you all!!
Sister Amy

Money can't buy me love...but it can buy me marshmallows, which are pretty much the same thing.

Ahhhhhh...People of the World!! (I love the Spice Girls....)

Kneader's is delicious. It's one of my Utah favorites. Seriously. I'd say it's been about 1 year prior to serving here that I realized how much I cared about Kneader's. It's a bakery. Utah. Wonderful. Cinnamon rolls that are simply divine. And the warm dinner rolls remind me of Grandma Davis. Anything that reminds me of Grandma Davis is going to be a hit.

We had a Zone Leader training this week @ President Holmes' home. It was incredible. I learned so much. Sister Holmes has a darling thing on her wall that says: "Money can't buy me love...but it can buy me marshmallows, which are pretty much the same thing."

Ghana!! Yep. We have had the delight and privilege of speaking with people in Ghana this week. Sister Maneha and I called Michael in Kumasi, Ghana. He's wonderful. I was calling on behalf of his friend, Corrine, who we met at Temple Square. She used to live there for school for a while. They had had some conversations about faith, The Book of Mormon and about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But to her chagrin, hasn't really been in touch with him too much since she left in the summer time. WELL, I called Michael and he was wonderful. Go figure, I had just called him while he was reading The Book of Mormon and watching Oprah!! We are insta-friends! My two favorite things to do. He then told me that he wants to go and attend my church. Then he stopped. Corrected himself and said, "No no. This is not your church. This is not my church. This is The Church of Jesus Christ". Well said Michael. AND....they do have a temple in Accra, Ghana.

Last night= DANISH tour! 21 people. Torben wants a copy of the Book of Mormon in danish from missionaries.

I know this is a super short e-mail this week, but honestly, I feel so grateful for the privledge it is to serve here. I am learning so much about important things in life. People. Perspective. Priorities. Plans.

Watch THIS about a family that comes together when tradgedy strikes. I thought about 3 places: San Jose, Denmark and Rohnert Park. (Opportunities to Do Good)

Thank you all so much for supporting me through it.
I love you all!
The Amy

Hello Familia y Amigos!!!

JEN!! I am thinking about you, Keith and Baby Mason ALL the time!! I love you so much!!! Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you and your family!!! Other than prayers and dinner rolls, I'll need specifics... :) Love you so much!!!

This week has been incredible. I don't know how it can keep getting better every day after over one year, but it does. I love serving as a missionary--especially on such sacred ground. At the beginning of the week, I anticipated stress and havoc, but none came. Things were busy, but everything worked out--as it usually does. Coordinating schedules for the Cover Zone assignments (for the transfer as well as general conference weekend) took time, but was worth it in the end. Things seemed to flow. No hiccups. My favorite moment of the week was training on Thursday night. Sister Maneha and I met with all the sisters in the humble original church office room. As we walked through the home, we could feel the help of Brigham Young and all of the pioneers who sacrificed their lives to be in the valley. In the final room, I felt like I was wearing magic glasses. I could see about 20 sister missionaries, representatives of Jesus Christ, doing their very best. We all want to represent Him well. It was a special moment because Sister Maneha and I could testify to these sisters how we know Brigham Young, his family, and every person who ever steps foot in this home, tries their best. That's the beautiful hope of the gospel.

AND from conference, I LOVE the new youth family history site. Call me a nerd, but geneology is wonderfully exciting.

I really miss Sister Moisio. She's a forever friend for sure. She taught me so much about faith. Sincerity. Hope. And never giving up on people. The thing I love about Sister Moisio is that she's 100% real. She's not a phony. Authentic and sincere, but not weird.

Thank you Mama for the boots!! And the very special note. Guess what? Praise to the Man was sung at the Saturday Afternoon session I attended. Pretty sure I looked ridiculous. I was crying through it as I thought about you and what I'm doing here. Happy/joy tears of course. Grateful tears. Overwhelmingly humbled tears.

Thank you for everything everyone. I feel SO privileged to serve and know that this experience is preparing me for a lifetime dedicated to loving and serving other people.

Love you all so much!! Thank you so much for everything.

Sister Amy

Today, I am HAPPY. Happy as a clam. I don't know how clams are considered happy. Perhaps its the way they're shaped. Regardless, I am a happy person.

Happy birthdays are in order!! EMILY!!! And BRETT Robertson!!! And Paige Knudsen!!! And Inez!! I actually lost my birthday list...but please know that you are not forgotten! I found that precious piece of birthday paper!! :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Love you all!!!

THANK YOU Tiffany, Grandma & Grandpa Davis, Grandma & Grandpa Harmer, and Margaret for ALL your support and love. Seriously. You have no idea how much those notes of encouragement and support mean to me.

Life is good here in Salt Lake. It's been a CRAZY few days. Literally. Crazy. I will miss Sister Moisio so much. I know I say that from time to time with these companions of mine, but seriously, she is a forever friend. I learned so much while we got to serve together.

Sister Maneha is wonderful. She's Hawaiian. From Oahu!! Yay! And for kicks, she even speaks Hawaiian. She loves ice cream too. I think we'll get along just wonderfully well.

One of the 12 apostles, Elder David A Bednar, went to DENMARK!! People. I am telling you....Denmark is on the map. If I'm not mistaken, it looks like my friends Benjamin is the face underneath the arrow in one of these.! Miss you Denmark....

Something that I learned this week is to really be happy, I really need to soak in the moment. Whatever that random moment is, I can choose to love it or not. It's been really hectic trying to schedule sister missionary coverage for the Beehive House, especially during General Conference. We're expecting over 100,000 people to Temple Square over the course of 2 days. Yep. Unreal. We'll see if I'm still standing next week.

Sister Moisio and I got to be with Aunt Suzy!! Uncle Ray's sister!! She's wonderful. She let us explore the behind the scenes of the Tabernacle. She was SO generous in doing so. She was so busy, but she made time to be with us. Seriously. Angel.

I am grateful for the blessings in my life. Grateful for the privilege it is to serve my loving Heavenly Father every day by loving His kids. I hope that I am learning how to be more patient, more kind, more sincere, more understanding and more charitable. All that for 18 months? I'll take it.

Love you all so much. Thank you for everything!!!!
Much Love,
Sister Amy

We ate some parsley together

• Got an inbound call from a drunk Swedish man. Of the people in the room, I could understand Swedish. So there was Peter. Hilarious. It was about 3AM in Sweden when he called. Short conversation. He wasn't too interested in speaking Danish or English. Great 5 minutes of the week.





• We took a DANISH motor coach this week!! Happy happy!! 36 Danes!! Loved them!! Shamelessly, I have a crush on tour guide Peter.





• Follow up from last week. Remember how I shared about Hilary from Washington? Well, I called her friend, Maddie. Wonderful person. She is such a doll! I tried her, left a message, then tried again a few days later. When she answered, it was like we were old friends (honestly, I don't know how that works in such a random situation in 10-15 minutes...). But hey, I called and she says, "Amy! So glad you called back! Sorry I didn't get a hold of you, it's been a crazy week. Thank you so much for the last voicemail about Hilary. It was really great to hear she thought of me and wanted to share something so special to her. I literally started to cry a little when I heard it".





• Got my flu shot today!! YAY!!!





• Our neighbors like to play the guitar at night. They are pretty good actually. Sister Moisio and I love them. We creepily listen/stare through the blinds. My favorite acoustic picks of the week (get it, picks...) are James Taylor "I see fire and I see rain...." and Modest Mouse with Float On. Well done fancy neighbors.





• We met Corrine. Wonderful person. Served in Palmyra, New York at the Hill Cumourah Visitor's Center there. When we asked her what her favorite spot was, she said, The Peter Whitmer home. I loved that. Off the beaten path. Humble beginnings. Sacred just the same.





• This week, a visitor here named Maryanne from Minnesota pointed out some of the parsley we have here in the gardens. Yep, the two of us had a moment. We ate some parsley together. :)





• Next week, I will be updating you with new transfer info.





• Get excited...General Conference is coming!! First weekend in October...





• GIRL POWER. We get to go to the General Relief Society Meeting next week.





• 17 Miracles. Watch it. We watched it last night as a mission. I cried my face off. Here is the preview for 17 Miracles.





• All in all, I am grateful. I am so grateful for the people who sacrifice SO much for others. Regardless of who they are, I admire when people sacrifice themselves for the improvement of others. And hey, my family and friends have been some of the best examples of sacrifice that I could ever ask for. Truth.

Thank you all for everything you have blessed my life with!!

Love love love,
Sister Amy

Because you are a Covenant People

Faces too close family
I love the mormon.org profiles. You may know this already. I got a kick out of this family. I didn't even watch the video. I couldn't get over how close their faces are in all the pictures.
Restauran Loteria
No joke....this may be a confession moment. SO, we have been enjoying 1 hour lunches and 1 hour dinners. Sister Moisio and I decided to hop on the Trax here in Salt Lake. We decided to see where it would take us. Fiasco. We went one stop further than the downtown "free zone" (which, we had no idea about...) Then, on our way back, we were stuck on the train. They had an accident up ahead that they had to clear away. But hey, we had Azteca lemonade and pineapple juice. So we were pretty happy. What can you do? C'est la vive.Ron + all the Jewish friends!
We keep meeting so many Jewish people this week! Seriously. We met a guy named Ron from Long Beach. His sister actually lives in Los Gatos!! Yay!! We meet Ron:
Ron: "So, I'm Jewish".
Me: "Yay!! I love Jewish people!"
Ron: "Why is that? It's not the first time I've had that kind of reaction from a Mormon"
Me: "Well, RON....You're a covenant people!"
Arielle
Sister Moisio and I are teaching another college freshman Arielle from Arizona. Her friend referred her on the square. We taught her one lesson over the phone. Before we ended, we had this moment:
Us: "well Arielle, is there anything you'd like us to pray for specifically?"
Arielle: "Well, can you just pray that I can find the direction I need to go in? And that I'll know the steps I need to take to get there?"
Yao Ming's parents
I stayed at home with Sister Bateman for half a day. She's from Washington. She's in the same zone. She is sick. Sister Moisio went on an exchange with Sister Bateman's companion....yep--Sister Chen from Taiwan, my former companion. And what happened while they were down at the Square? Mandarin Chinese motor coach. But wait, who was on the motor coach? Yao Ming's parents!!! Seriously. Hilarious.
Sister Yao
Speaking of Yaos......Thank you Sister Yao for the precious letter!!! You are missed here at Temple Square!!! I loved hearing about your dream! :) Thanks for the lock of hair too....
I really like this one: The Civility Experiment
Hilary from Washington
Seriously. Favorite moment of the week. Thursday night, Sister Moisio and I are planning for Friday. "Hmm....what shall we plan for? What kinds of needs have people been having lately?" We decided to plan for the concern "What happens after we die?". Basically, when we plan, we plan for how WE can understand the concern more fully, so that we can help others to do the same. Even if we don't meet people with that concern, we are better suited for the week. So Friday afternoon, we are walking by the shell fountain near the Temple and we meet these two college freshman. In downtown to see the Symphony. From California and Washington. BYU. We small talk for a minute or two. They asked us why we chose to serve missions. We talked about the pioneers a little too and the faith that they had to walk over 1,300 miles to Salt Lake Valley from the east coast. What would motivate them? Then before they left, we asked if there was anyone they would want us to call for them to give them the opportunity to learn a little more about the things that have blessed their lives. Hilary looks at me and says,
Hilary: Yea, can you call my friend?
Me: Sure. Why did you think of her?
Hilary: Well, by 19 year old cousin just died this summer. My friend and I recently just had a really long conversation about what happens after we die.
I told Hilary that she was who we needed to meet. She was who Heavenly Father had us plan for the night before. I am so impressed with how personal these miracles are. Every day. I am so grateful to serve.
No big deal...but we're going to P.F. Chang's tonight. :) Yay!!
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!
Sister Amy

Even if we can't carry a tune

So, this week was a little tough.


Sister Moisio heard some sad news. A few months ago, she served in the Uttica, New York mission for a brief period of time. While serving there, she served with Sister Bentley from Arizona. They were teaching companions for 6 weeks. To our sadness, Sister Bentley was killed, while still serving as a missionary, in a car accident. Here is the article about Sister Bentley. It's been a really tough week. But honestly, a really great learning week. We've put things into perspective. What's really important. What's not important at all. And honestly, we've had a really sharp wake up call. We've got to live life to the absolute fullest. BE HAPPY. Sing a song or two--even if we can't carry a tune. I am so grateful for the plan of happiness.

I may have put this link on before, but I watched it this week again with some guests on the square and I started crying. Such a strong woman. So much courage. So much faith. I want to be this kind of woman. I love how she considers motherhood a privilege. She cherishes LIFE.
I was eating dinner in the mission kitchen.

The phone rings. Someone answers and says, "uh...Sister Harmer. Phone's for you". Yep. That would be Sister Kemsley. Stinker. I love you. I heard Carol got to see you this week. She was beaming. :)

I highly endorse alternative Sunday School. Guest speakers galore.
Larry! Hooray for shameless Bay Area plugs. He went to Del Valle High in Walnut Creek.


MORMON.ORG/ASIA/!!! LOVE THIS. SO obsessed with this. It makes me crave Boba drink.

We met Pauline and Willie this week--from Florida. They love God. So much. Southern Baptist. They were open and loving. They told us about their trip across the US and all the beauty in between that they'd seen.
--Willie: "There has to be a God. I tell my kids--you know, there's a reason why you's is breathin' this mornin'.

I am such a sore thumb at the Scandinavian language meetings. But hey, I love it. 2 Finnish. 2 Swedish. 1 Danish. And then me...California. :) That's Scandinavian for you.

August 1--Christmas lights are starting to be put up (right before the cold...). Hooray for sparkle!

I am grateful for the opportunity I get to serve full time for my Heavenly Father. This week, more than ever, I have been reminded of the important and hopeful message that the gospel of Jesus Christ really is. And what it isn't. It's about JOY. Real joy. Eternity. Perspective. Not mini-vans, warm cookies, or you know my favorite, CTR rings. It's about Jesus Christ. It's about Heavenly Father. His kids. We're full time inviters. We invite people to be a little bit happier, by inviting people to follow the Savior's example--(by the same token, not forcing or contrasty withholding the opportunity).

THANK YOU for the INCREDIBLE amounts of support you all give to me. THANK YOU. I am so grateful for your examples.

I love you so much.

-Sister Harmertime

Short this week. But incredible experiences.

• Grandma & Grandpa
• Thanks for the updates! I read parts of your letters sometime to my companions or other sisters. You are more often than not answers to prayer. For me and others. :)
• Chelsea
• Thanks for the DARLING Solvang card! It's all the rage with the Scandinavian sisters here. THANK YOU!!!!
• Margaret
• LOVED the concord! Sounds like you're having an amazing time on your vacation!!! Thank you for being one of the most compassionate friends in the world!
• Bobbi
• Thank you for the sweet updates!!! CYLO? California Youth Leadership Organization.....I am so anxious to jump right in January! Wow! Exciting changes. And congrats on your special award!! YOU deserve it!! I couldn't think of a more sincere person dedicated to serving others. THANK YOU for your example!
• Sealings! Not the roof.
• We passed a family taking pictures outside the temple. They had a teenager and a younger daughter. From the looks of it, they had just been sealed in the temple as a family. Not Ziploc. But kind of. A sealing is a binding of a family of families for time and all eternity--so beyond death. Here is a picture of the sealing room in Denmark. I almost relish in seeing moments like these at Temple Square over seeing all the new brides.
• Met Wilson Ong and his family on the square. He's an artist with some pieces at the Conference Center. Pretty incredible opportunity. "So, what were you thinking Brother Ong when you painted this?" Pretty amazing. (you can google him)
• I taught Sister Moisio: "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!" this week. We've had a lot of fun using it. :)
• We met President Packer this week briefly. It was pretty incredible. He briefly came to look at the Temple model. SO VIP. We closed off the visitors center. 5 companionships. He was only there for about 20 minutes. He invited us to say hello, so we all walked over, shook his hand, said our name and where we were from.
  
  Funny thing: I've been teaching Sister Moisio some funny English catch phrases lately. ie: "whoopsie daisy", "she threw her under the bus", etc...
  --Sister Moisio: I'm Sister Moisio from Finland.
  --President Packer: Are you lonesome for it?
  --Sister Moisio: I think so....?
• Also... we found Elder Hinkley of the 70 in the South Visitor's Center looking for Hungarians this week.

Amidst all the fame this week, they were all SO HUMBLE. Christ centered. Meek. Sincere. Precious (says Sister Moisio). I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who let me meet so many humble people with strong character. It makes me think of all the people I respect back home and in Denmark. THANK YOU ALL FOR being such wonderful examples to me!

Love you all. Just another crazy and exciting week at Temple Square. It's all true. Please be patient and loving. Too many people, even if they know better, aren't. We need builders, not destroyers!

Thank you!!!

Love you!

Sister Amy

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Short this week. But incredible experiences.

• Grandma & Grandpa
• Thanks for the updates! I read parts of your letters sometime to my companions or other sisters. You are more often than not answers to prayer. For me and others. :)
• Chelsea
• Thanks for the DARLING Solvang card! It's all the rage with the Scandinavian sisters here. THANK YOU!!!!
• Margaret
• LOVED the concord! Sounds like you're having an amazing time on your vacation!!! Thank you for being one of the most compassionate friends in the world!
• Bobbi
• Thank you for the sweet updates!!! CYLO? California Youth Leadership Organization.....I am so anxious to jump right in January! Wow! Exciting changes. And congrats on your special award!! YOU deserve it!! I couldn't think of a more sincere person dedicated to serving others. THANK YOU for your example!
• Sealings! Not the roof.
• We passed a family taking pictures outside the temple. They had a teenager and a younger daughter. From the looks of it, they had just been sealed in the temple as a family. Not Ziploc. But kind of. A sealing is a binding of a family of families for time and all eternity--so beyond death. Here is a picture of the sealing room in Denmark. I almost relish in seeing moments like these at Temple Square over seeing all the new brides.
• Met Wilson Ong and his family on the square. He's an artist with some pieces at the Conference Center. Pretty incredible opportunity. "So, what were you thinking Brother Ong when you painted this?" Pretty amazing. (you can google him)
• I taught Sister Moisio: "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!" this week. We've had a lot of fun using it. :)
• We met President Packer this week briefly. It was pretty incredible. He briefly came to look at the Temple model. SO VIP. We closed off the visitors center. 5 companionships. He was only there for about 20 minutes. He invited us to say hello, so we all walked over, shook his hand, said our name and where we were from.
  
  Funny thing: I've been teaching Sister Moisio some funny English catch phrases lately. ie: "whoopsie daisy", "she threw her under the bus", etc...
  --Sister Moisio: I'm Sister Moisio from Finland.
  --President Packer: Are you lonesome for it?
  --Sister Moisio: I think so....?
• Also... we found Elder Hinkley of the 70 in the South Visitor's Center looking for Hungarians this week.

Amidst all the fame this week, they were all SO HUMBLE. Christ centered. Meek. Sincere. Precious (says Sister Moisio). I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who let me meet so many humble people with strong character. It makes me think of all the people I respect back home and in Denmark. THANK YOU ALL FOR being such wonderful examples to me!

Love you all. Just another crazy and exciting week at Temple Square. It's all true. Please be patient and loving. Too many people, even if they know better, aren't. We need builders, not destroyers!

Thank you!!!

Love you!

Sister Amy

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Finnish Strong

Hello LIFE.
Favorite links first!!
Beatta is FINNISH! Just like my new INCREDIBLE companion (Sister Moisio).
Hooray for girl power!!

We taught a 22 year old named Logan this week. Arizona. 99% of his friends are LDS. And he knows a lot about the gospel. Logistics I suppose. He knows what a home teacher is and a companion. He's met missionaries before. So when I asked him if he wanted to again, he said, "Yeah. I'm looking for answers but not really finding any".
Me: Well, what would you like Sister Moisio and I to prepare more for you about? Anything specific?
Logan: I know it all. You better have your guns loaded when you call.
Ha! Well, Logan is hilarious. We prayed probably 3-4 times for him before we called. Well, when we called, the spirit took over. It was one of the smoothest conversations ever. Spirit-led. Christ centered. His needs, not our agenda. He hasn't prayed in over a year. How can he find spiritual answers if he doesn't ask a spiritual source? He realized what he needed to do to find answers.

With the lieu of a new transfer comes my favorite things. "Getting to know you's" and "check-ins". Room check-ins, sure, but if you know me at all, you know my favorite type of check-in involves uninterrupted eye contact (thank you Baby Mama).

Speaking of Mamas....I gave a talk on Sunday. I was asked to speak for about 7-10 minutes about this quote: "No other success can compensate for failure in the home. The poorest shack in which love prevails over a united family is of greater value to God and future humanity than any other riches. In such a home God can work miracles and will work miracles. -President David O. McKay"

Basically I focused in on 3 incredible women who live that motto. Women who help their homes put trust in God and faith in Jesus Christ.

The first was a woman who, as a teenager, was asked to serve as the mother of God's son. (no pressure). But when she was first told of her destiny, here's some reassuring comfort: "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God" Luke 1:30. With no better circumstances, she gave birth to the Savior of the world in a tiny manger. With no better medical supplies, this faithful woman turned to her Heavenly Father. Trusted Him. Put His will first. Then put her faith in that tiny baby. She knew who He was. And humbly, lived what she knew.

Then there is Lucy Mack Smith. The mother who would raise the prophet of the restoration. She's incredible. I thought about the strength that she had as she watched her young son endure a painful surgery in the early 1820s. The surgeons operated "by boring into the bone of his leg, first on one side of the bone where it was affected, then on the other side, after which they broke it off with a pair of forceps or pinchers. They thus took away large pieces of the bone". (History of Joseph Smith) When the surgery ended, Lucy was incited to enter the room, She wrote: "What a spectacle for a mother's eye! The wound torn open, the blood still gushing from it, and the bed literally covered with blood. Jospeh was pale as a corpse". I'm grateful for the trust that Lucy put in God. Through everything. And the faith that she taught her son Jospeh Smith to put in the Savior.

Then there's the warrior of today. Mama Harmer. She's incredible isn't she? I talked about a time on my mission when she really helped me put things in perspective. I once received a letter from my mom, (I'm sure after I had complained about feeling too tired or sore...). She wrote, "Dearest Sister Harmer....I want you to know I am with you always. Holding you and helping you endure, no matter what the task. Exercising, studying, giving tours, learning the programs. You are so special to so many, but most importantly your Heavenly Father. He can give you strength to move mountains, touch hearts and teach souls. I'm sure there are days you are exhausted both spiritually and physically. Just say your prayers to endure and have the strength to conquer all. Remember to always trust Him, no matter how small or big the task is....Enjoy the journey!" I am SO grateful for my mother. She has taught me where to turn. I know that her example of Christ-like charity has been my standard. I love her so much.

Thanks for a wonderful week!!

Sister Amy

A symbol of 18 months of hard work

Where do I start?

NEW TRANSFER!! Hooray! Here are the details:
Companion: Sister Moisio from Finland!! YAY!! She's Scandinavian!! She was baptized a few years ago. She's incredible. ALWAYS happy. Hard worker. I AM SO excited to serve with her!
Same: Assignment, Apartment.
Fresh: perspective.

SF Game---CAR??
MOM + DAD. What is going on with all the vehicular issues?!? If need be, I can handle business. Sorry to hear that your primary modes of transportation are being used for target practice, or anger management objects.

BOX!!!
LOVED it. I couldn't decide what was my favorite part. Nicole's annotations, the HILARIOUS card, the bongo south African class from Farmer's market, the Campbell Express, or just knowing that you all teamed up and made it together. Thank you so much. It really meant a lot to me. :)

LAMMERS!!!
WHAT IS GOING ON?? I am writing you a letter soon. My friend said you are living in NEW JERSEY?? I am such a terrible friend. I need to check in with you! It sounds like you're doing SO great. Hello to the fam bam + Callie from me!

Gray hair
Probably my favorite story of the whole week. Sister Yao is hilarious. Sister Yao (my current companion, who is flying home to Taiwan tomorrow) has faithfully served 18 months here. Subsequently, she found a gray hair amongst her very black Taiwanese hair. Well, what do you do? Well, I'll tell you what she did. She treasured it. Put it in her pocket as a symbol of 18 months of hard work. Probably not the same symbol I would choose, but hey. And then, she gave it as a gift to our mission president. President Holmes had a pretty good laugh. :) So did I.

Tiffany Call!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! I LOVED the chocolates, the Van Gogh paper and ESPECIALLY the check in. I'm a fan of the boy! I 110% support that choice. Glad you lived the dream! You are hilarious. I will be responding sooon..... ;)

Kelsey

We taught Kelsey this week. 19 years old. Incredible. She told us that she's having a hard time in her new place, but trying to get a ride to church. She's living in Vallejo, California (30 minutes from my home). When we called to teach her again, she had good news and bad news. We braced ourselves. Good news: She went to church! The bishop called back and was able to help her find a ride. What's more, she told us, "Sisters! I got the hook up at church! I got a Book of Mormon, a Preach My Gospel AND a Gospel Principles book!" Well...what was the bad news? She couldn't talk--she was spending time with some members who had invited her over for dinner. And tomorrow wouldn't work either, because she had basketball practice and was meeting with the missionaries. Doesn't sound like bad news to me. I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK. The best part is this: before we hung up, we said, "Well, we'll talk to you later Kelsey! Bye!" Kelsey: "Uh...Sisters, are we going to close with a prayer?" Oops. My mistake. Accordingly, we sent her this song: Did You Think to Pray? Because we didn't. Prayer is important! Thanks for the reminder Kelsey!
NEW Mormon.org videos!!!

KEVIN!!
Great new mormon.org video.
FAVORITES!!!
People who speak CHINESE!!!!!!! HERE and HERE and HERE!!!!
Thanks everyone for another FABULOUS week! Cheers to a fresh transfer! Only 3 more left! I come home in DECEMBER!!!

35 Acre Pop-up Book

BIRTHDAYS!!!

• HAPPY BIRTHDAY Grandpa Harmer!!! Hope you got to celebrate with homemade ice cream!! Or at least celebrated with a pioneer parade or two.


• HAPPY BIRTHDAY Lisa Elizondo!!!!!! LIIIiiiiiSSsssSSSSaaaAAAAaAAaA!!!! Preciosa. Nieta. Amiga. Amor. Numbero uno. I love you so much!! Whenever I meet people from anywhere near Southern California, I mention you. "Oh yeah! Heard of Escondido? My friend Lisa's from there!!" I can't wait to have lunch with you to sit and talk about our year and a half's worth of adventures. When do you finish with the credential program? Have you already? You'll be getting some love to your Escondido address soon!!!

Monkey backpacks

• One of the most popular things from our 5 million Temple Square visitors is the Monkey Backpack. My children will not wear monkey backpacks. If you haven't heard of them, let me explain. You put this monkey-looking-like backpack on your 2-6 year old. You make them think they're a big kid wearing a back back. But, here's the kicker, you attach a coard to it that keeps your kid within a short radius or you. No loosing children with this trap. Here's my favorite comment about the monkey backpacks:
  Me:Why hello there you! Looks like you've got a monkey on your back.
  The "cool young uncle" trailing behind his brother and sister-in-law: "It's a tail!.... it's really a leash....".

Sister Yao

• She was a Taiwanese cheerleader in high school. Favorite cheer: "Go, Fight, Win!"


• We left the house one day. She looks at me and with a sincere twinkle in her eye says, "Wow Sister Harmer. You look so cute today. Like a high school student". :) Oh multicultural living....gotta love it.

Boundaries, but no limits

• Met a really sweet Mom and daughter duo yesterday. Sally and Jennifer From Nebraska. The daughter is about to serve a mission in Chicago, Illinois. The mom is Catholic. Single mom. Just the two of them their whole lives. They've sacrificed so much for each other, so the next 18 months are going to be a little hard for them. When I asked the mom how she felt when her daughter joined the LDS church, she said, "well, I've always given my daughter healthy boundaries, but never limits. I support and love her more than anything. Perhaps she just found something I couldn't offer her". I respect that woman so much. I corrected her last comment though. I am a firm believer that BECAUSE of the things that Sally has taught Jennifer, Jennifer is that much more motivated to continue that relationship for eternity. That's what's fueling these 18 months for her. Ditto.

Ringback

• At Temple Square, we get to call friends or families of guests that visit and invite them to learn more about the history or basic beliefs of our faith--upon request of course. Because we call all over the world, we hear all sorts of things when we call. One of my favorite new trends is this "ringback" thing. So when you call, you hear a song. My favorite new ringback: "Makes Me Wanna Take the Back Roads". Love that!

The Garden & dessert

• Earlier this week, I went to the roof of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. It was so nice to be there with Sister Yao and 2 other sister missionaries, Sister Wilde from Canada and Sister Tizhanina from Russia. They reflected on how their testimonies have grown as they've served another full time. We got to look down at Temple Square (you remember that view Steph...). I couldn't help but feel so overwhelmingly grateful for the past year. I've learned so much. I have grown so much. I thought about all the different people and experienced that have happened on that sacred ground. I am grateful for how much more I appreciate the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and what that really means to me. It's taken a year and a giant 35-acre pop-up book for me to get to where I am. And I am looking forward to continuing the journey.

Next week....Wednesday is the start of Transfer #10 (of 12). I'll let you all know details when I e-mail next Tuesday.
LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Have a wonderful week!!
Sister Amy

Jeans from Japan

Way too much to get too. So bullet points it shall be.

• Grandma's Birthday!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAMS!!! I LOVE YOU!! Maybe have Grandpa bake YOU a cake. :) He's really good at making chocolate covered raisins too. :) Love you both! Thanks for everything.
• Vans!
• Thanks for the card and the darling picture!!! I love you so much!! Will write back soooon!!!
• Apple T-shirt
• A Chinese college student from Boston is showing his parents around the US. (Good son, methinks). AND he had the funniest T-shirt on! It was a black shirt. White writing: "I visited the Apple campus. But that's all I am allowed to say".
• Munkyoung's baptism
• I'm grateful for perspective. We went to a baptism this week of someone Sister Yao had taught. Munkyoung is Korean and lives here in Salt Lake. After she was baptized, she was SO happy. So sincere. So pure. I was reminded there why I am HERE. Happy message!! I'm grateful for the opportunity we get to invite others--including myself, sister missionaries and families, to choose to come closer to Jesus Christ.
• Danish friends!
• Saw some of my Danish friends this week!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!! DET VAR SAAAAA HYGGELIT!!! TUSIND TAK!
• Amy Winehouse died.
• I just found this out this week!! Rocked my world.
• Baptist couple
• Met a couple Mike and Sara who wanted a tour. Come to find out, they were from South Carolina on their way to visit Mike's brother in Canada. Go figure, Mike's brother is a Baptist pastor there. Oh wait, and Mike's dad was a retired dean at a private Baptist university. They were SO nice. So respectful. So sincere. Definitely disagreed with our doctrine, but the most respectful couple I've met. We believe that we can be together forever with our families after this life. Even though they don't believe that too, they treated us with so much respect. I left feeling so grateful for them and their sincerity and character.
• Running to the canyon
• I ran a few miles in a canyon for exercise this week and my legs felt like jell-o.
• Jeans from Japan
• THANK YOU so much Sister Hirata for the jeans and suit jacket!! YOU ARE SO HILARIOUS!! I was laughing so hard. Love you so much. I appreciated the note: "remember me through clothing". I love you so much and miss the tender moments we got to enjoy together. :)
• Seagull fountain
• You can barely see it, but in the link above, on the left hand side is the Seagull Fountain in front of the Assembly Hall here @ Temple Square. Well, this week, my former companion, Sister Chen from Taiwan, fell into said fountain. By immersion. Made my week!!!

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Take it easy!! :) I'm off to the Asian Market for more Wong Lo Kat. So delicious. :) Bye!!!

{Sister Amy}

~~A Pleantiful Pioneer Padoo to you!!~~

(Padoo is the word that starts with a "P" that I could think of to insert instead of hello"

Well. It has been a very Utah week. Let me just tell you, Utah loves pioneers. LDS, Jewish, Baptist, Catholic, Atheist or otherwise. We celebrated 1847 this week here in Utah with Pioneer Day. 1847 is when a lot of the first settlers arrived in the valley, driven here by their faith, determination and courage. We got to go to the Days of '47 Parade. SO HILARIOUS. I was cracking up. Also, try explaining "floats" to people outside of the US. Hilarious.

We met a few people this week who I won't soon forget:

--We met a man named David this week. 29 year old member. Just started going back to church in January after about 10 years. We were able to talk with him about why he came back and why the pioneers kept going too. Sister Yao and I shared the pioneer story for that fit him best--the sandstone foundation. After 9 years of putting in the sandstone foundation for the temple, the pioneers realized that it was cracking and couldn't support the whole structure. They pulled out 9 years of work and started over with granite. It took the pioneers 40 years to complete the Salt Lake Temple. David feels like he is 29 and tired of backtracking. Well, that's exactly what the atonement is for. The pioneers knew exactly what they were building. Not a condo--that's for sure. And 9 years of unreliable foundation needed to be corrected. That's what I'm trying to figure out too.

--Megan from Beverly Hills! She is classy. So nice. So sweet. You would think she has everything figured out. She's a 28 year lawyer from Southern California and gorgeous too. But she asked us why her Mormon friend are always so happy. And then asked Sister Yao and I why we were happy too. And as sincere as I've ever seen anyone, she asked me, "do you ever get sad?". Yep. I do. Really sad actually. But it's how I manage the hard stuff that I find real joy. Not the type that is always easy to understand, or even laugh about. I am grateful for the perspective that the restored gospel gives my life.

I love you all SO SO MUCH!! Enjoy the parade photos!! ALSO, my favorite was the LDS.org float. Or the Tongan marching band with the guy dragging the cooler at the end. I couldn't decide. :)

Love you all!!
Sister Amerilla