Transfer news is always exciting! So last Friday night, Elder Swinton(Visitor Center Director) made some interesting announcements:

1) Recently, the VC has found so much success and growth in the number of visitors that come in here, walk-in, and from tram tours, and also Chinese tour buses of course. So the missionary department has increased our complement(the number of sisters necessary to run the VC) from 26 sisters to 38 sisters! (which will slowly happen over time, probably within the next 6-8 months) That's so crazy! Right now we have 27 sisters, 3 new sisters. 

2) The leadership in the VC incldues the coordinating sisters (1 pair, CS, who do a lot of administrative stuff and training) and two pairs of sister training leaders(STLs), who help prepare training in the VC, but from now on the CS will just be called STLs, and we will have two pairs of Visitor Center Trainers(VCTs), who will do mini exchanges in the VC and training.

Saturday morning, Elder Swinton called me and asked if I could accept the calling of a Visitor Center Trainer. And I said yes. I'm a little nervous and scared, but I'm excited to serve. I love all the sisters here, and I'm also excited to serve them. The most fun is getting to know everyone (it's usually difficult to because of our schedules), and I'm sure being in this leadership position will stress me out but challenge me too. I kind of had a feeling I would be called to be something, or a trainer. My new companion will be Sister Leng, and she's from Cambodia.  She previously served with Sister Lee in a trio, and was just companions with Sister Ting (my last companion), and we'll be back in YSA(young single adults) Wards and MS(married student) Ward on campus! Sister Furukawa will be training Sister Dabney, who is American and will arrive tomorrow! 

Updates of the area:

1) Last week wasn't too productive in our area, to be honest. We were really busy at the VC, and didn't have time to visit people. Hua Yi and his family will be back soon, and Sister Furukawa might let us continue to teach him, because her and her new companion don't speak Mandarin. 

2) Royce has been super busy this week too and wasn't able to make it to church :( No worries, he's still pretty reliable.

3) Sister Furukawa's birthday was last Saturday too! She turned 29 yrs old hehe. And I felt like a horrible person because I never even got a chance to write her a card until the day after... it's difficult to do something for your companion when you're together 24/7 haha. But I prepared our dinner! Tomato, cheese, and pesto paninis 

Fun stuff in the VC:

1) Last Saturday, we hit 400 visitors from tram tours! That's a record, so we had a pizza party yesterday hahaha. And yesterday Sister Weygandt and I were tram scouts (we go from 12:30-3 pm just to invite everyone with little info cards, Sister Furukawa wasn't feeling well), and we hit 414 visitors! So many people coming to the temple grounds to feel the special Spirit here. Even if we don't talk to all of them, it's okay. 

2) So many miracles! Yesterday, we were short-staffed at the VC because some sisters had their preparation day, and two sisters weren't feeling so well. So for two hours, I was pretty much the only sister up front. It was so crazy! But kind of a fun challenge and I felt a little spiritually high hahaha. I met the most prepared Chinese young couple from Beijing yesterday! They were really listening to me introduce our church & beliefs, and both took materials to read. I have no doubt they're going to Hong Kong to get baptized one day. I love meeting people who are so prepared to hear the gospel. We may never see the outcome of it because we can't keep in touch, but it's so special to see the Spirit work on them. And the concept of families can be together forever always makes sense to Chinese people. 

3) Just reflection in general, I think this transfer has definitely been the one where I've gotten the most guest cards back (although we don't measure our success by that). I think it's partly due to the fact that I'm so much more comfortable just inviting people to learn more, whether I feel like they'll accept or not. I really have nothing to lose, this is what we do! I love testifying of gospel principles and trying to apply it to the visitors lives too. Every interaction we have is an opportunity for others to feel God's love and His Spirit. "Hate never promotes love, cowardice never gives courage, doubt never inspires faith." - President Thomas S. Monson

4) Saturday morning, we also went to the temple together. Sister Furukawa tries to go to the temple every year on her birthday. So cool. As I pondered in there, I just thought of how grateful I am for the fullness of the gospel. Because it was restored, we can have so many blessings of the temple, of serving missions, of having the proper priesthood authority, which allows us to perform saving ordinances. I love going to the temple; I always feel so much comfort and I'm pretty sure this coming transfer will be hard, but I know Heavenly Father is here to guide us.

5) We had pad inspections week, and I've never loved cleaning more in my life. My dad would be proud haha. I'll be moving to a new pad tomorrow with Sister Leng, and it's been recently renovated so it's the cleanest one! Yay!

6) A man named John from downtown Toronto wanted a Book of Mormon. I was probably too excited for my own good. Haha. The elders are now teaching him! Sister Andrus met a Chinese couple the other day from Vancouver, who knew church members in Toronto, so I'm excited to follow-up with their visit here. Serving here is so awesome because we can literally see how the gospel is being spread all over the world!

7) I promise this is the last one! I met a girl who came in, and she was visiting from New Zealand. She was staring at the Book of Mormon table, and as we started talking, she told me she was less-active,  but wanting to come back. I shared with her one of my favorite scriptures when I face trials, in Mosiah 24:15, and she just started crying. I gave her a big long hug and testified of how much our Heavenly Father loves us. It's so special to understand that as missionaries, we are representing our Savior Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. We're here to say what they would say (although half the time, we're not sure if it's right haha) and to comfort, strengthen, and heal others. I find that when I approach others with genuine care about who they are and inviting them to learn more, that's when I can follow the promptings of the Spirit better. 

Anyways, that's the end of the last week! This 7 week transfer has felt kind of long actually, but the end of every transfer is a little sad. But we move on quick and adjust to our new areas and companions. It's always fun to learn from different sisters. We'll be sad to see Sister Yamamoto and Sister Kim leave here... Sister Kim and Sister Kim have been the best padmates (roomies) and we had some fun times together. 

Scripture of the week: Ether 3:14-15

" 14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.

 15 And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image." (I love knowing that because we're created in His image, with similar physical features, we also have the potential spiritually to become like our Heavenly Father)

Pictures:

​Sneak shot of the sisters at the Swintons' home on the night of the announcements. Candid huh? Everyone's so cute haha. Kind of looks like "Gossip Girls"(it's okay if you don't get that reference...)

Sister Furukawa and I on her birthday! What better way to be happy than going to a temple session? 

 ​We got zone tshirts made, and we took a picture this morning, don't mine our eyes because the sun was literally too bright. 

​At the end of yesterday, I got a great tan line. This is the life. I'm going to buy some sun screen today! I just hate the smell of SPF.