All the Things

Big Papa, you will appreciate that today we ventured a little further from the Square than usual, to this cute little Japanese Market on State Street, where we ate some delicious food I'm sure you would have loved- real Japanese Ramen and dumplings... no curry, they were out. But I used chopsticks like a grown up. My hand may or may not have cramped. Anyways, I feel like you would love this little market, especially around New Year :)

A cool thing! This morning I had the opportunity to explore the big Organ in the tabernacle. This guy (I can't remember his name, but he's the assistant to the Tabernacle organist...) told us all the cool things about the Tabernacle and Organ and showed us all the behind the scenes pipe work and I didn't even get in trouble for touching everything! And after a moment of persuasion he took us through the tunnels (which we actually use fairly often) to where there were BABY ORGANS!! And so many Steinways because the church ("appreciates good sound". AND the coolest part is that on top of all the pianos and pipes that I touched, this other guy that was also showing us all these things was showing me one of the little organs underneath the Assembly Hall, and was teaching me how it worked, and then he worked the hand bellows or whatever they're called (this organ had to manually have air pushed through) while Sister Sommerfeldt (one of my MTC comps) and I played on it AND IT WAS SO COOL and he was the nicest. And that's probably the most exciting non-missionary thing I've done on my mission. 

Other than that, things have been pretty much the same around here. The weather has been beautiful, and that moon, I'll tell you what. We went running this morning (finally) and this giant full moon was setting behind the temple, in this beautifully sunrise colored sky... God always blesses me with the most beautiful skies. 

Lots of visitors last week, thanks to President's Day weekend. However, it's slowed down quite a bit, and the majority of the people on the Square are sister missionaries... So pretty much anyone that wanders in the gates gets talked to by at least 6 sets of sisters before they can get out another gate. But it's cool I guess. Days like that feel pretty long, because it's not like we can just go somewhere else to find people to teach. However, there have been many new investigators from chats and inbound calls, so, there's that. Like this one GOLDEN guy from chat. He's a preacher in his church, but is having a little trial of his faith right now, so we talked with him, and taught him, and before we could even offer the local missionaries, HE ASKED FOR THEM. Of course, not in those words, but it was just one of those ridiculous chats where all you can think is, "wow, thank you God" but also it stresses you out a little bit because they are SO golden that you don't want to mess it up, you know? Anyways, he was probably the highlight of these last few days. It's becoming more and more rare for sincere people to come on chat. I think I've told you this before, but I tend to attract the angry atheists and the bible bashing Christians (like one yesterday who told us his purpose on coming on was to show us the ONE TRUE religion... which he said was all other Christian churches besides ours... and then proceeded to fall into name-calling. Not the best way to convince someone you love them, or care about their salvation, by the way). So it's cool when we come across sincere truth seekers. 

Ah a thing! So earlier this week, we had a day that was just super unstable weather. It was bright and sunny, then it got suuuper windy out of nowhere, then it hailed these awful little ice balls that hurt my face, and then it snowed, and then it was windy again... and the next day was sunny. #utahweather But the thing! During the first crazy period of windiness, we were making our way to the South Visitor's Center, and before we walked in we looked to the left where 4 sisters had just passed each other, and this huge flying tree branch just came at them and had it come just a moment earlier it would have destroyed them aaah it was funny but also scary and I was pretty sure Sharknado: Salt Lake City was about to start. 

So, I'm cruising through Mosiah right now (Yeah, the Book of Mormon is still my favorite thing) and reading about Abinidi and I'll tell you what, that guy was legit. I think many of us understand that when we choose to follow Christ, that means we choose to "stand alone" sometimes... of course, always with God by our side, but you know what I mean. But Abinidi, he literally stood alone in front of this city of people who hated him, and ended up killing him, because he proclaimed the true gospel of Christ, and called them all out on their sinfulness. Anyways. Sometimes I feel like Abinidi is ma boy, because he never got to see the results of his dedication to God's work, and often times here on Temple Square it's a similar story. Not nearly that extreme of course. But I think we can relate. 

Keep doing the good things, family. Study the words of the prophets. Pray to God. Partake of the Sacrament to renew your covenants. Be a little better every day. God is real and He loves you. I know that's hard to believe sometimes (because I didn't believe it, for a long time), but it's true. And as you learn and live Christ's gospel, you will not only come to know it, but you will feel it. Because God is good like that. 

Make good, choose happiness.

<3 Sister Chamberlin

Spring is Here!

Not really, it's just teasing us. But it's been so warm the last couple of days!! Yay!!!

I'm so happy to hear Grandma's on the up and up. So tenacious. <3

So many incidents have occurred this week, and my brain doesn't want to remember them all to tell you about them, sorry. 

But, I do remember that we had Zone Conference last week, and it was a spiritual feast, so, naturally, as I always do after any kind of feasting, I wanted to take a nap. But alas, that was not a thing that could happen. But a cool thing. President Risenmay shared this story from his youthful mission (I'm not really sure what to call it... his first mission?) and there were a lot of funny little details and I can't do the story justice, not even a little bit. BUT he ended up finding this gentleman who was one of five men who survived Auschwitz... I think. And after they'd shared the story of the Restoration, this guy got up and basically threw down on these young boys about coming in there and telling him about God, and how he'd slept with the dead, and there is no God, etc. As you can imagine, that would be a highly uncomfortable situation to be in. How do you explain the horrors that man had experienced? So anyways, a young P. Risenmay was just praying in his heart, and ended up bearing simple pure testimony about how he did not know why God had allowed such a horrific thing to occur, but he DID know that God lives, and that He loves us, and that the fullness of the gospel of Christ had been restored. The man ended up sending them away, but kept and read the Book of Mormon, and was eventually baptized and became this incredible leader in the church. And the point P Risenmay was teaching us all day was that it is our obligation, responsibility, duty, whatever, to share the restoration with everyone who will listen, and bear our own testimony of it, so that the Spirit can testify, and if people will open their hearts, they can be changed. 

We've met some really cool people this week, some who are working really hard to put off the natural man and let God change them. It's not an easy thing to do, once we've been bound by the chains of hell. But it is possible, through Jesus Christ. How blessed are we? So blessed. That's how blessed. 

I love you all. I know God lives. He loves all His children. He know each of us, perfectly- every strength, every weakness, every flaw- and loves us anyways. That's how I hope to love people. Straight up unconditionally. Which I suppose is a lot easier to do when we are acutely aware of our own imperfections, and understand that God can still love us, so of course we can love our brothers and sisters.

This church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints IS God's kingdom on earth. This is it. And these principles and ordinances are necessary for us to become who God wants us to be. He wants so much more for us than just to be saved. He knows our potential, and He is preparing us for that. 

Make good, and choose happiness, ya hooligans. Reach out to those around you- I think Sammy boy mentioned how today's greatest epidemic is loneliness. He's right, and that's messed up. Let's cure it, okay? 

All my love from Temple Square,

<3 Sister Chamberlin

P.S. one of my favorite chapters from personal study this week was Jacob 4... so powerful. Read it. 

Happy New Year!

Full Moon on Christmas at Temple Square

This last week just flew by. Christmas was incredible. The Square
didn't open until 4pm, and we had this beautiful Christmas devotional
as a mission... There were a lot of tender feelings, especially as we
heard from President and Sister Poulsen. Those two will be greatly
missed. They've sacrificed a lot and given so much to this mission,
and to these sisters. Of course, we are excited to meet President And
Sister Risenmay, and I'm sure we will love them so very much. But that
doesn't make these last few weeks any easier.

Oh! From the devotional, President Poulsen inspired a really brilliant
idea, and I feel good about challenging our family to this, because
we're all fairly bright, and I think we can. For Christmas 2016, can
we have the Living Christ document memorized in gratitude for our
Savior? It can be a new year goal, and if we work on it throughout the
year, it should be eeeeeasy. Deal? Awesome. I will plan on it. 

Um, side note, I have never been so spoiled for Christmas in my life
than I was this year as a Temple Square sister. A lot of effort went
into trying to keep the sisters from getting homesick, and we
definitely felt so much love from the little angels around us. For as
hard as I believe this mission is, there are definitely some perks...
Silver linings, if you will.

The end of the lights is drawing near (January 3rd is the last night)
and I'm fairly certain I can still count on one hand... Maaaaaybe two
hands... The days that passed that I did not run into someone I know
from before the mission. It was fun, but I'm ready for the craziness
to settle down.

I'm way pumped for these next few months. We're teaching some really
amazing people. I wish I could tell you all the things, but I can't.
It's sufficient to say that God is so good, and so sneaky, and I just
love when He opens my eyes to His marvelous plans as they unfold. SO
GOOD. I live for those moments.

My companion is so cool. Sister Butler and I get along really well,
and are definitely learning from each other. We both come with lots of
different strengths and weaknesses, and it's been fun to see how we
help each other and balance one another. She's got good vibes, and
that's what I love the most. A pure heart. And she's just fun. We joke
around a lot, and I LOVE it.

Uuh, it's the start of a new year, 2016. I hope you've all at least
started setting some goals to stretch yourselves, to become more like
what God intends for you to be. If you haven't yet, consider that as
you plan for this year. Are your goals helping you to achieve your
divine potential? Because if they're not, you should probably rethink
them, and revisit your priorities.

I feel so blessed to be here. I love teaching the gospel, and bearing
my testimony, unapologetically, and inviting everyone to at the very
least experiment on God's word. That's all I did, experiment. And look
at me now hahaha, I'm a missionary! Whaaaat? Again, sneaky God.

Mama and Big Papa, I just want you to know that I feel like the
luckiest girl in the world to have been born into your family, your
home. I still don't know hardly anything, and I'm still trying to
understand the few things I think I know, but I do recognize the
blessing it is to be raised in a home with parents who consistently
learn and live the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I will never be able to
repay you for that. So thank you. I hope I grow up to be just like you
two.

I love you all! Make good this year. And choose happiness. 2 Nephi
2:25, God intends for us to have joy. So choose it, ya hooligans.

All the love from the sub-freezing temperatures at Temple Square,
<3 Sister Chamberlin

Singing the Sunday after Christmas

Sheppards with Bekah

Yes, Yes it is. <3

Merry Christmas

Happy Birthday Bekah!

Yoo-hoo! Big Summa Blowout!

Hi Family!

Surprise! I now have Friday pday. So, you lucky dawgs get two letters
this week.

Sister Butler is my new companion. I'm still getting to know her, but
what I do know, I like. She's from North Carolina. That's right folks,
another American companion. You know, even the one companion I had
that doesn't wear an American flag... Born in Hawaii. That's America.
Anyways. Sister Butler is way chill, and this will be good transfer.
She's one of ELEVEN CHILDREN. ELEVEN. I'm back in guest services, so
not on the Square as much as I'd like to be, but it's all good.

As usual, this week has been super busy at night for the lights. All
the sisters are sleep deprived, and looking forward to getting back on
a more regular schedule. But it is magical here, just like I'd hoped
it would be.

Earlier this week I got a nice sharp little chastisement from God.
He's so sneaky, and always keeps me in check. I was on a desk
assignment, and this woman came in seeking information that we just
don't have. She got a little short with me, and I returned the
kindness. Anyways, after being a little irritated and getting things
sorted out, she stuck around and just started shooting the breeze.
Still irritated, I did my best to slap a smile on (I'm getting better
at this, but I admit, more often than I'd like, I wear my heart on my
sleeve) and we got to talking. She shared some of her story with me,
and she is AMAZING. She lived in east Berlin growing up, and her life
was hard. She told me how she'd been baptized when she was 16, and
talked about some crazy things she's dealt with, and is still dealing
with. I asked how she was able to keep her testimony, and remain
faithful in light of all of these awful things, and she jumped into
this story about how her family joined the church. She shared how her
grandfather was raised Catholic (his parents died when he was young,
and he was raised by priests or something?). Anyways, supposedly he
was pretty handsome, and got used for publicity and fundraising and
things, and being within the system, he saw a lot of things he didn't
like, so when he got the chance, he left and joined the Lutheran
church. But he still felt like the Lutheran church wasn't right
(although better than what he'd been raised in) and told his daughter
to find something better.. I think he said "there must be something
more (or better?)... Find it" or so,etching like that. So when the
missionaries found her (this is the mother of the woman I met) they
had been prepared, and they got baptized, and have since done the work
for grandpa, who knew there was something better. Anyways, in
conclusion, she stayed faithful because she knows this gospel is true,
so there is nothing that could shake her testimony. So. I went from
being irritated to just adoring this woman, who has endured so much,
with SO much faith and diligence. I don't want her trials, but I want
to be the kind of woman that responds to adversity like she does. And
also not so easily irritated.

Well. I was not planning on telling that story, but congratulations,
you got it anyway.

Lots of good things this week. Except sleep, which is a good thing,
but was MIA amongst all the other good things. Learning SO MUCH, and
just loving so many precious little humans. It really is so cool to
see the gospel change people.

Hey! I met one of Danny's professors the other night... So that was
cool. Everyone I meet that knows him always has the nicest things to
say- I'm a proud sister.

I can't remember if I've told you already, but there's this 9ft
Steinway just chillin in the Assembly Hall for the concerts almost
every night, and sometimes we are assigned to the AH and there is
literally no one on the Square at 9am. So I take that opportunity to
play it. And compared to the little out of tune standup that I had
last year... Wow. It reminded me of driving our old Chevy suburban,
hen getting to take Dad's car out.

One of our sweet miracles this week- a woman we teach finally got a
hold of her local missionaries. She has been so prepared, God is so
good. Anyways, she and her kids are way into learning about the
gospel, but at first her husband wasn't... But he came for their
lesson, and he LIKED it. Because it's true. We're excited for this
little family. I have no doubt they will all be baptized soon, and get
to enjoy all the blessings of the gospel together as a family.

I hope you all enjoy this week leading up to Christmas! Go see the
lights in Nelly Gail Ranch for me. Temple Square is a nice
replacement, but it's not the same. I love you all so very much.
Make good. Choose happiness.
<3 Sister Chamberlin

It was Colonel Mustard, in the greenhouse, with the gun...

Find the Sheep

Feed my Sheep

Winter Wonderland

Snow on the Temple

Snow on the Gates

Let it Snow

Let it Snow

Let it Snow!

Jk, it was me, at Temple Square, with the call letter that only
allowed her to stay 19 months. Wow, I haven't even been out a year,
and I've killed two companions. When does it become "serial" status?

I will greatly miss Sister Timoteo. She has been an INCREDIBLE
companion. She truly understands her purpose as a missionary, and it
has been a privilege to serve alongside such a spiritual giant.

We had the opportunity to attend Music and the Spoken Word
yesterday... It was probably my favorite one I've ever been to. The
choir, orchestra, and bells were all there. Sarah, I gotta tell ya,
our bells don't light a candle to these people. They've got some bells
three or four times the size of my head. If it's possible, you should
all check out yesterday's broadcast. I mean, their Carol of the Bells
wasn't quite the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but it was beautiful.

The skies opened up last night, and we've had snow nonstop for nearly
24 hours. It is SO beautiful outside, and I am very excited to see the
lights being reflected by this blanket of white both in the sky and on
the ground. Again, I'm reminded of how very grateful I am for warm
socks, boots, and a coat.

This was my last week serving at Welfare Square, for now. It has been
an incredible experience, and I just love and adore our service
missionaries there. I know I've said it before, but serving there has
really emphasized to me the difference that living the gospel of Jesus
Christ can make in anyone's life, regardless of the hardships we face.
The Atonement is so real, and you can see in people's eyes, when
they've allowed the Spirit of God to fill their souls.

So, with the craziness of the season, we meet all kinds of people here
on the Square. The good, the bad, the bad pretending to be good, the
good pretending to be bad, plus those who just don't have a clue. But
I became exceptionally grateful this week for all the young men's and
young women's leaders I grew up with who were always outstanding
examples of a disciple of Christ. I know that's not always the easiest
thing to do, and definitely requires a bit of Christlike humility. So
thank you, you all know who you are.

For some reason, we've taught an exceptionally large number of Muslims
this week. People who just do not understand or believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God, and that it is ONLY through Him that any of
us will be saved- live again and cleansed from all sin.

Lots of good things are happening. There are many precious little
humans learning and living the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we've seen
some incredible miracles this week- prayers being answered in
unexpected and glorious ways, people being in the right place at the
right time, little munchkins keeping their commitments... It has been
a good week indeed.

Make good and choose happiness ya hooligans. Go be God's hands this
week, follow the promptings of the Spirit and He will use you to
answer someone's prayer.
All the Love from the winter wonderland of Temple Square,
<3 Sister Chamberlin

PS thank you my sweet celestial Sarah and Scott, you've provided "the
best Christmas ever!" for some little nuggets here.

Temple Square at Christmas

Tis the Season...

...that Temple Square is way too busy, so this will be short.

The lights are amazing (of course) and there are just people everywhere always, from 5pm on. It's all kinds of crazy. 

One thing I've learned this week (among many, come on)- a lot of parents aren't paying attention to what their children are being exposed to. FOR EXAMPLE. Our dear friends, the regular antis (like the ones who are here every week when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearses) like to come hang out outside the Square dressed up as Santa or Buddy the Elf or whatever, and pose for pictures with people. Harmless, on the surface. And they hand out these bills, that look like money, to children. And on the back? Anti material. And most of these parents have no idea what is being handed to their kid. It just makes me sad. And then these families come on the Square and the kids are all excited about these bills they've been given... it just hurts my soul. Devious little antis. But we still love them, because they, too, are God's children. 

I feel like so much happened this week, but my poor little brain can't remember, and I forgot my journal (not that I really use that when I write, but it's helpful to jog the memory, you know?) 

Oh! Um, Happy Birthday to all the little birthday humans. There are so many of you. Know that I love each of you so very much. And please give those December boys a big kiss from their Aunt Bekah. I cannot believe how fast all those little munchkins are growing... and multiplying...

So, sounds like there have been a lot of really awful things happening all over the world. And in light of Pearl Harbor day, I just pray that we all can remember that, yes, people make these horrible choices that end lives prematurely, and be devastating, BUT that is why we have a Savior. Because of Jesus Christ, death is not the end. We will ALL live again. Not only will we live again, but we have the opportunity to be made clean, and live in the presence of our Heavenly Father, who knows us and loves us, perfectly. I am eternally grateful for the sacrifice of my Redeemer, for His love, for the hope He offers. Through Him, and only through Him, we can be healed from all wounds, forgiven of all mistakes, and brought back home. 

I want to thank all the little humans I got to run into on the Square this last week- CRAZY! It's been fun. I hope you all continue to do good, and share the message of the restored gospel, because so many people are seeking for truth- and like the Eggo commercial, they're lookin' for love in all the wrong places. Help your brothers and sisters to find it. Because we have it. This gospel is it. You want to be happy? Learn and live the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no other way.

Make good, y'all. And choose happiness. 

<3 Sister Chamberlin