Subject: Transfer 5 week 2

This week has been packed FULL of greatness. First off, General Conference on Temple Square... can't get better than that! Only thing that would have made it better would have been a little sunshine. But I'm not complaining! Saturday we had a pump up meeting right before he headed out on the square at 8am. And as I come up the stairs onto the square from our office I see none other than Bryce Johnson and Isaac Taylor from my ward back home! They had seen a bunch of sisters come up the stairs so they figured I would too. haha well they took me to the Priests/Laurels from my ward who were waiting in the stand-by line at the Tabernacle. It was great to see everyone from my home ward.

Our schedule the whole day was Square, so we were contacting people ALL day! Which is something I am really awkward with. I'm not good with small talk, I'm better with saying "Hey isn't the Gospel of Jesus Christ amazing? I love it. You should share it with your friends! How about I call them?" But apparently this scares people off, so I had to practice small talk and bridging to the Gospel. But with lots of practice beforehand, Sister Jensen and I had some great success with contacts.

Something that was really big this conference was the protesters for the women who want the Priesthood. Now, they weren't very apparent for most of the weekend, up until the priesthood session. Their plan was to march from a nearby park to Temple Square and wait in the standby line for the Priesthood session. We were told by our mission presidency to avoid the Tabernacle area around that time, and contact people other places. Well, I was totally oblivious to the time and I was talking to a couple right outside the Tabernacle. Out of NO WHERE it starts hailing. I look to my right and see a very large group on men and women coming in a line towards the Tabernacle. It was the group protesting for Ordain Women. Never had I seen such a tremendous tangible evidence of God's wrath. I was glad that I was oblivious and was able to witness this sign from God. I know that the Priesthood is such a sacred thing, and that God ordained men for a reason. We each have a divine purpose and role in this world, and we all benefit from the blessings of the Priesthood.

We have MLC (mission leadership conference) this week and Sister Jensen and I got to give a training on analyzing key indicators and goal setting. Can I just tell you how much I love analyzing numbers? I am highly considering studying statistics in college. Well the training went really well, and we are excited to see a lot of changes coming in the near future. We had zone conferences this morning, and we touched a lot on the same things as in MLC but without the influencing other sisters part, it was more internal. 

President Poulsen shared about the story in the book of Daniel with Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and was asking Daniel to reveal what it was and what it meant. In chapter 2 vs. 31-34 it says...

31 ¶Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great ^aimage. This great image, whosebrightness was excellent, stood before thee; and ^bthe form thereof was terrible. 
32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and histhighs of brass,
33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
34 Thou sawest till that a ^astone was cut out ^bwithout hands, which smote the imageupon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

What does this dream mean for us personally? What is this clay? The clay is our weaknesses, our imperfections, our shortcomings. And we have to beware of the stone that is attacking our clay! But most importantly, we must be utilizing the refining fire that helps us distinguish our clay and dispose of it. It is through the refining fire that we are able to rid ourselves of our weaknesses. What are you willing to do to rid yourself of clay? Are you willing to go through the refiners fire? The refiners fire begins with obedience, we have to be WILLING to do as our Heavenly Father asks. President Ezra Taft Benson said "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power." If we inquire to be obedient in all that we do, Heavenly Father WILL give us the power to overcome temptation and imperfections. I strive from this day forward to be completely obedient. I will not justify commandments, and choose which that I follow. I know that I too will be endowed with power, and that I will be lifted up in the strength of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Well that's all I have time for this week! This work is great, and I am so excited to be apart of it. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the true gospel on the Earth TODAY. Feast and partake of it's goodness. Love you all!

Sister Brock