Tuesday, May 29, 2012

BLOG for 23 May 2012

 
This week I was assigned to Wilford Woodruff! He is incredible. 4th Prophet of this latter-day dispensation. I love reading and telling his stories. He was an avid journal writer, so we have a lot of the happenings of Nauvoo and Salt Lake because of his journal writing. I need to be better at writing. I am about a week behind, but in my planner I write key notes to add to my journal later.
President Woodruff was baptized in the freezing winter, outside in a lake. There was three feet of snow on the ground but he said, "I did not feel the cold." I love that strength about him.
 
In Sacrament we had about 400 people I think on Sunday. Most all missionaries. It's great to go to a ward where you know that basically everyone is a current temple recommend holder.
We do sign the sacrament prayers. We have a book from the MTC that teaches it so it is exactly correct. I haven't learned them yet, but I am excited to get that memorized. 
 
Well, I'll tell ya two of my favorite things that happened yesterday. I was serving with a senior sister (Sister Grygla--she is amazing!--) in the Wilford Woodruff home and not many people were coming by. We decided to take a little walk near the house. The house was still in view so we could see if anyone came. We found a grave headstone for Janetta Richards, the wife of Willard Richards. (Willard Richards was in Carthage when Joseph and Hyrum were shot and killed) The headstone was a bit dirty and Sister Grygla said, "Why don't we clean it off. Do you want to?" "Oh yes!" So we got some water and rags and cleaned. It felt so good to be doing service, bending and moving instead of sitting and waiting. She is a service oriented woman. She has fed us Young Sisters a nice home cooked meal a couple of times. She says whenever she misses her grandkids, she decides to serve.
 
Susan Easton Black, an amazing history professor at BYU, is the person who verifies all of the facts that we share in our tours here in Nauvoo. She came this morning and gave a devotional. She knows SO much church history and LOVES Nauvoo. She has a home here somewhere. She is amazing. Mom, I suggest taking a class from her for Education week if she does that.
 

BLOG for 17 May 2012

 
Oh and you wanted to know about General Authorities who come to Nauvoo. A couple weeks ago we had a member of the 70 come here. Brother Choi. He was great.
On Sat. we had Brother Lusvardi from the Church History Dpt come to observe Nauvoo. He gave a fantastic meeting and said something like: "I feel the power of your testimonies as a missionary force. The strongest I've felt here in Nauvoo and I've been here a lot."
That was comforting.
Then yesterday, we had Elder Nash from the 70. He talked about how he wants people to leave Nauvoo changed. We need to invite them to repent and CHANGE their lives to come closer to Christ; to heal. A bunch of people from the Church History Department were here and it was the responsibility of me and 4 other sisters to give them a mini tour. (So just one display.) I chose the Nauvoo Map. I had about 5 people in my group. I got to know them by name first then gave the info about the map in about 10 min. Elder Simmons, from the 70, was there and asked questions. It was a bit intimidating, but they were with their wives in casual clothes, not suits and dresses, so they just seemed like normal guests.
The YPM's are here: Young Performing Missionaries. They are GOOD! Wow. I thought they might be mediocre. But no, I've heard their practices in the the VC and they are powerful and have amazing broadway voices.

BLOG for 10 May 2012

This week I worked in the Lucy Mack Smith home again, the Tinshop, the Lyon Drug and Variety Store and got to go to Carthage! We do rotations so everyone has a chance. It was a BUSY week. Learning and memorizing parts of the history so I could teach people who came in. Not just be a tour guide, but TEACH, since I am a missionary. My favorite thing this week was testifying and having sincere people listen and accept the different commitments I extended.
YES!!!! I got the package! It was wonderful and perfect and happiness! I loved that hug idea. genius. 
Yaya! T is working for bro G! T, you would like it here in Nauvoo. The saints had to make EVERYTHING. I worked in the Tinshop and got to describe and teach how a tinsmith would make a pan. Pretty awesome. I think you'd like it. And you'd probably be like, "here Sister Zibetti, let me show you how to explain it better." haha. What wood work do you get to do with Bro. Graham?
Some updates of Nauvoo. It has been busy. Learning a new site every day for 3 days in a row was pretty intense. One of my favorite places to serve this week was in the Lyon Drug and Variety store. Why you may ask? Well, Windsor Lyon was an apothecary, or modern-day language, a pharmicist, he grew his own herb garden here in Nauvoo, dried the ingredients and made his own medicine to help those in need of a cure. But his 3 children all died before the age of 3. He couldn't heal his own children and that must've been a trial for him. He knew he had to turn to his Savior to be healed of those wounds. When he brought his last daughter's lifeless body to the Prophet Joseph Smith while he was preaching in a grove near the unfinished Temple, Joseph changed his talk topic and spoke on the 'salvation of children'. He said that some are too lovely and too pure to live here long. But we shall soon see them again. 
Joseph was a prophet of God who followed the spirit and helped comfort Windsor Lyon and his wife Sylvia.
 
When we come to the prophet, we find comfort and peace. BECAUSE he represents the Savior and his church.
My other favorite part of this historical site is using the analogy that Christ is the master physician and people come to him with a variety of problems, sins, weaknesses, struggles and pain, and he can relate to and resolve all. I know that is his role as our Savior, your Savior. His mercy is always extended.
 
 

BLOG for 30 April 2012

We are either in the NVC (Nauvoo Visitor Center) or in a Historical site. I was in the home of Brigham Young this week. Wow! He was the prophet of God to follow Joseph. Brigham has a statue in the rotunda in Washington DC being known for his settling skills. He'd waste even Lex, Kylen and Rochelle combined at Settlers of Catan. He was titled as "The Great Ameican Colonizer", settling over 400 towns. And not just towns, but a culture of people and their religion and education.
 
He was about 30 when he joined the church after hearing the testimony of missionaries who were without eloquence of speech, but testified that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and the BOM is true. Brigham said of his meeting Joseph Smith, "My joy was full at the privilage of shaking the hand of the Prophet of God, and receiving a sure testimony, that he was everything a Prophet should be." From that day on, Brigham revered the prophet until the day he died and his last words were: "Joseph, Joseph, Joseph."
 
In his home there is a Council room. That was where he with the 12 met and decided how best to take the saints west. It is a powerful room, full of the priesthood. I gave a tour to all of the sisters at the end of the day and had us all sing "We Thank Thee oh God for a Prophet". I know that we have a living prophet today: Thomas S. Monson. He is the only person on earth authorized to guide this church and the world. And I am grateful for his service.
 
I also served in the Post Office this week. There we teach the importance of communication. That is how we build relationships with others and get information back and forth. We also teach about how mail was sent and received in the 1840s. Many times mail would be lost or stolen. We liken that unto prayer; the way communicate to God is through prayer, but the message never lost or stolen. The postage was already paid for us by Christ since we pray in His name. God always wants to hear from us. "Pray always and not faint" 2 Nephi 32:9.

BLOG for 23 April 2012

This morning my companions and I ran to the old Pioneer Cemetery. (When I say "ran", I mean I like died jogging, but it was good) The cemetery was calm and kinda beautiful in it's own way. There were these two huge trees that arced naturally over the entrance. There was a little memorial with all the names of those who died in Nauvoo or crossing the plains. The headstones were so old and were of people who died in the 1850's and such. It is really a historic place.
One of my companions and I get to have an hour of language study a day. We get to see the script (actually it is called an outline now. Because these things are not to be memorized, but used as an outline with our testimonies of Christ or of a gospel principle woven throughout) of some of the plays and the pageant that will show during July. That way we can practice the songs and get a feel for concepts that we need to convey.

Yes! I loved the ride around Nauvoo. There is a wagon ride and a carriage ride. The Wagon takes you around old Nauvoo and you learn more of where and how people lived. The carriage ride is more inspirational and takes you up through the trees and the tour guide tells spiritual stories of the saints. They are both great.
I get to testify of truths everyday. The way we live reflects Christ's life as much as possible; going about doing good. We have people come into the visitor's center who came for a reason, and it is my job to find their concern and apply the gospel to them. Nothing is coincidence. Even though Nauvoo is a place of history for the church, we as missionaries testify of the same gospel truths that define our religion. These truths are what kept the saints moving forward: God is our loving Heavenly Father and we are his children. He desires for us to return and live with him again. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and atoned for our sins. Joseph Smith really saw those two beings and was called to RESTORE the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and bears witness of Jesus Christ. We have a living prophet today who is the mouthpeice for God, (Thomas S. Monson).

BLOG for 16 April 2012

This week I will be in the Pendleton Log School and in the Lucy Mack Smith home doing mini "tours" (which are really just historical facts woven with Gospel Principles and the Spirit to discern the needs of those there and apply the gospel to them.) While in the Lucy Mack Smith (the Mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith) home, I truly felt her spirit there. As we looked at her old home and her china set it all felt real. Nauvoo was really a place that the saints gathered. Lucy sacrificed a lot for the gospel. She lost 4 of her sons and her husband within a close proximity to each other, but she stayed faithful to what she knew was true. She testified that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God through the Holy Ghost and that it contains the record of those who lived in ancient America and fulness of the gospel.
Dad! We also stopped by the Tinshop. All of the little quirky, random things that I learned from you growing up, I feel like I can now relate to them because you taught me to care about details and little things that sometimes seemed insignificant, now seem important. I like to see how things function, how they were made and why. And now I get to relate them to gospel principles, which I found myself doing before the mission. So I feel very blessed for the preparation that God gave me.
In the tin shop, pans for baking cakes are made. There is a pattern for each section of the pan: the base, the cylindrical sides, and the connecting peices. That happens with a welding tool (which looks kinda like that metal rod that you'd heat up from a heated metal coil that surrounds it). As the pan has a good pattern and foundation, it becomes a good functional tool for cooking. We as God's children must establish our lives after the pattern of Jesus Christ. When we use him as our pattern and foundation, our end result will be much stronger, cleaner, more useful and more prepared to enter into the presence of God the Father.
 
We did some training in the Visitor's Center. The sisters who were here last summer did mini "tours" of different displays there. For example, the first vision statue, the Book of Mormon, the saints' travel west and their sacrifice, Nauvoo map current and old, living prophets and the Christus. (and more). It was fantastic. It is a big responsibility I feel that I have been called to. We are to teach, testify, and commit with the short time we are with the visitors. In order to teach, you must get to know them and FIND a concern or more. Then apply the gospel to them. Whether that is 'prayer' or 'Joseph Smith was a prophet', they still must be taught. It will be such a great experience as I call upon God in prayer to pour out His Spirit to guide my actions and teachings. EVERY person that comes into the Visitor Center, or comes to Nauvoo has come for a reason; member, nonmember, less active, athiest. It doesn't matter. They may not even know the reason they are there and I don't know the reason, but God does; he is very aware and he will let me know if I seek it so I can best help his children draw closer to him. That's my job and duty that I feel blessed and honored to perform.
We went to Carthage yesterday. It was a great experience. I felt that the room where Joseph and Hyrum were murdered was somber, until our Senior Couple Elder said that that room felt like the Celestial Room in the Temple; peaceful. Then I started to feel that too JUST a tad. The more I go there, the more I will understand.
 
The Senior Couples here are fantastic. The men (Elders) work in the tin shop, gun shop or driving the horse wagon and carriage rides. The women (Sisters) work in the school, the print shop, the homes of different prophets like John Taylor or Wilfred Woodruff. There are a lot of sites here and a lot of Seniors. Some sing and act in a little play called Rendevouz of Nauvoo. It's so fun to watch them.
 
 
Oh! Yesterday, we (the four ASL sisters) interpreted Sacrament meeting! It was awesome: full of awe. :) With four sisters, we all interpreted a part. I did an Elder's talk on Charity. I'm not pro, but I did a good job at getting the concept across. I need to work on facial expressions!!
 

BLOG for 13 April 2012

I'm in Nauvoo! I made it safe. You will laugh about my plane story though. I intentionally sat by someone I didn't know because I was determined to talk to others and not just my MTC companion. (or the 6 other sisters I was flying with. haha) So after I got off the phone with you we boarded the plane a little later. I didn't even look at my assigned seat, I just went for it. I met Wade! From Nevada. Total rancher. He had his famous cowboy hat that he was featured in a National Geographic with. Don't worry, he told me all about it. :) That's basically how our conversation started, I complimented his hat and he smiled. He told me about the cattle he raises and the wolves who are the predators everywhere. Our plane was going to St. Louis Missoui. His dad has an awful lung cancer and he's not sure how long he will make it past this week, so Wade took a week off of work to visit. I got to know him a lot and as a missionary ninja, I slipped doctrines about life after death, about our Savior and calling upon God in prayer for help. He agreed with some things I "taught" and was really sincere. I challenged him to pray. He said he was too preoccupied right now with his dad to try someting new and doesn't feel like he has the right to only pray when he needs help. "I need to earn his help." He said. I told him he can always pray and that our Heavenly Father ALWAYS wants to hear from us, just like our earthly parents. I asked if I could pray for him and he said yes. We talked of the Savior's appearance in America. When I asked to share a scripture, he said it'd be fine if I "practice on him". Little did he know, that wasn't practice! It was the real thing. I gave him the pass-along card with the picture of the Savior's appearance. I asked if he'd visit the mormon.org site. "I don't have a computer. I've never used the internet really." He is so cute and got out his phone. I responded, "Well, at least you have a picture." "Yes. I will keep that, and every time I see it, I'll think of you and what we talked about." He was so caring. He unleashed some of the things of his past. He cried twice. We laughed and I really started to understand him as a son of God.
Now, this whole time I was feeling REALLY sick. The last time I was on a plane, I was 16 and it was for an hour and I was sick. This flight was 3 hours. I could hardly think straight. I was only focusing on Wade's words, and calling upon Heavenly Father for strength. I had a barf bag with me from the flight attendant. Near the end of the flight, she came around picking up trash and by that time, I was feeling a little better and thought my stomach would just hold everything down. But then, we were almost done with the plane desent and my tummy didn't like a certain bump. Wade offered his hat! "No way, I'm not using it!" Not his precious hat! I stood up to go to the bathroom and a flight attendant said, "Ma'am, you need to sit down!" in a very serious tone. So I did. I asked if she had another bag and she found one.  Well, I sat down, too dazed and sick to get my seatbelt back on. I threw-up in my little bag. I think with the 3 gags, I had everything out that ever went in. I think it was pretty darn graceful for a plane ride. Wade was so nice and tried holding my hair out of the way. When it was all out, I felt SOO much better. I took a picture with Wade, while he wore his cowboy hat and I held my trophy barfbag. I had the biggest smile on my face. He was the best. He saw me at my weakest and felt bad, but I know he felt the Spirit testify of truths as I testified at my strongest when I could. I know God helped me.
Anyway! That was my adventure. 3 and a half hours later we arrived in Nauvoo. Which is fantastic and beautiful. We went to the Temple yesterday. I love my Mission President and his Wife. We had 3 meals at their house yesterday. The new sisters went on a wagon ride around Nauvoo. I also got my time period dress fitted for me. We wear those in the Summer when we are at the Old Nauvoo homes and sites. My dress is blue and I have two aprons. A pink and a white. We wear the colored aprons at the more fun sites and the white aprons at the more holy sites.

BLOG for 6 April 2012

 It was so fun to sing in the conference this time! It was really different to sing as a missionary than as a young single adult. I´m not sure why. My guess is because I feel like I had a purpose this time. To invite people to Christ through the music! All of my companions got to sing in the choir too. It was a great experience.
So me and 11 other sisters who are all going to Visitor Centers(VC), travelled up to SLC VC to be a ´´guest´´. We have been practicing ways to quickly, but effectively meet, get to know, find concerns, share a message, invite them to change and testify within 5 to 10 min. Because occasionally at VC, people can´t stay too long. We have to have the spirit to decipher needs fast and follow through with what to testify. It´s a bit tough.
We also as VC sisters, get to work in the Referral Center. WOW! I love it. We got to do a real online chat yesterday with someone in Kansas. (We HAVE to teach as a companionship.) He asked us what the requirements for baptism were. We asked him what he knew of our faith already and he said, ´´I´ve read the BoM, D&C, PofGP and part of JSH.´´ What!  He was so sincere in his questions. We did our best to answer quickly and correctly. It was really amazing. I finally felt like I was actually teaching someone! Everything I´ve learned in my life and in the MTC actually applied. I realized why people love missionary work so much. The one good thing really outweighs all the bad. There is nothing like bringing truth into someone´s life. Truth which they had once known and now need only remember.

BLOG for 28 March 2012

....This is mine and Sister Brown's (my comp who is going to Nauvoo) last week in class with our District. Next week we will be in Visitor Center Training with all the other sisters, or Senior Couples who will be serving in Visitor Centers. It is CRAZY how time is flying already. It flike I have been here for a year, but at the same time it feels like I haven't been here long enough.
David Archuletta is really coming today. One of the Elders in my District already saw him. I am so jealous!

BLOG for 21 March 2012

I have a Devotional every Tuesday and Sunday night. We don't ever know who is coming until the hour of! It makes it more intense that way. Guess who we had last night?! Elder Oaks and his wonderful wife. The talked of the importance of the Spirit. We must carry the message of the gospel to the investigators, but it is there choice or responsibility to accept it. He discussed the importance of the Sacrament. He said every member of the church should have the Sacrament prayers memorized, not just the Priests. So I need to get on that. He said that if a person was baptized at the age of 8, and is now 19 or older (missionary age), he or she has heard the Sacrament prayers over 500 times!! Why shouldn't we have it memorized!
 
Mom and Dad, you'll never believe it! The once in a lifetime opportunity has come again, but this time as a missionary. I've been going to choir here and there and recently we filled out a form that asked about our singing ability and experience. I, along with my companions and some Elders in my District, filled one out and turned it in. I had a guess of what it would be, but didn't want it if all of my comps could do it to. We all got a letter yesterday that says we've been invited to participate in the General Conference Choir! I am so blessed and so excited.

BLOG for 7 March 2012

 
I know God lives as our Father in Heaven and is Son is my brother, friend and Savior. So therefore, I know the Book of Mormon is their word and testimony. By the mouth of two witnesses shall all be established. The Bible and the BoM both testify of Christ, therefore, He lived, suffered, atoned, died and conquered death for all of us individually, intimately and infinately. I know that is real.
 
I love you!
 
All is well in the Kingdom!
 
Be an annoyer and disturber of hell, as Joseph Smith was (JSH 1:21?)
 
Yours in the Gospel,
Sister Zibetti

BLOG for 22 Feb 2012

Our teachers here are incredible. One is Deaf and just an amazing and positive man. In order to listen to our teachers, you must watch them. You can hardly even take notes and if you do, writing a word down doesn't always mean you'll remember what the sign is for it. If I were to write the sign down, it'd take forever to draw. Our teacher Brother Peterson, taught us D&C 4 in ASL. SOO hard and so different. I have it memorized in English but the ASL version has the words in all sorts of different and switched around phrases. The signs go something like this at the beginning: "Hey, inform soon event, marvelous will." Anyway it is crazy and mind blowing. I thought I knew ASL, and I do, but not the REALLY Deaf way. They are very visual communicators. I asked the teacher how I would even begin to understand how the grammar works and he said, intuition and instinct. Pah! Yeah, that'll take me a while to get, but he told me to pray for it with a real desire and I have been asking Heavenly Father for it and I know He will grant it me.

BLOG for 15 February 2012



Wednesday was probably the longest day of my life. RM´s say it is Thursday that is the longest, but Wednesday was for me because at first, I was with my family, eating, then packing, writing notes then suddenly I had a name badge, with an orange sticker and everyone saying, ´´Welcome Sister´´ like I was a nun! That first day was the worst. Since then, all has been really great.
We are in class about 10 hours a day, or more! Just learning the gospel in ASL. The Teachers are incredible. We only use ASL in class, of the teachers is Deaf. We are learning about fundamentals of the Gospel and how they apply to our missionary purpose. The first day here, we were thrown into a situation to teach 3 different investigators in a group setting with a bunch of other missionaries. I felt prompted by the Spirit to speak up in each lesson. The people who were most humble were most easy to teach.
This place is amazing. I´ve heard people say, even people here, missionaries here, complain about the strict schedule, the food, the no rest, the language, the homesickness, but REALLY the MTC is very full of the Spirit of God. Taking the Sacrament here took on a whole new importance and meaning in the fact that we should, ´comfort those who stand in need´. Which is everyone. This dedicated building and residence house is dedicated to God, and he is a man of order in all things. Everthing is planned, every meal, class, gym time, my travel itinerary will be provided later. The MTC Presidency and staff work so hard to service 2000 missionaries with about 400 coming and going every week. I feel very blessed to be here, and very loved by the Lord.