Our International Multilingual Mission

Here's a glimpse at what this Temple Visitors' Center assignment is about.  When we have our assignment at the Visitors' Center (as opposed to the Historic Sites) I serve with the young Sisters in the main building that houses the Christus, God's Plan for His Family Exhibit, The Savior of the World Exhibit, movies, temple exhibits, etc.  The Senior Elders man the Annex, a smaller building close by that has exhibits about the history of the temple, by themselves.  Last week Elder Clinger and I were assigned to serve at the VC in the morning for 6 hours on a Monday. During that morning we were visited by 8 busloads of tourists from France, Italy and Germany.  They took with them 20 copies of The Book of Mormon in 3 different languages. Last year we gave away over 6600 copies of the Book of Mormon in English, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Hungarian, Tongan, Samoan, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog,  and so many others I can't name them all!  Who would have guessed that St. George was a multilingual, international mission that had 36 people on date for baptism last month! At our 4 sites, the VC, Brigham's, Jacob's and the Tabernacle, last year over 317, 000 of our Heavenly Father's children were exposed to gospel precepts, many of them having life-changing experiences.  What an amazing blessing it is to be a part of these miracles!  

The Visitors' Center Tour Log yesterday from 9 am to 4:30 pm.  The highlight means, "A bus!!"

 A bus with French tourists

The Poullard Family

Time to share a wonderful mission success story:  At the Visitors' Center we Senior Sister missionaries spend a lot of time behind the desk, greeting and supervising, doing administration work.  The young Sisters do most of the teaching.  So on June 7, 2015, I am behind my desk when in walks a young man, his intended, and her mother.  The mother tells me he is interested in learning about The Church!  Wow!  A golden!!  So I look for a companionship of sisters to take him on a personalized tour--and there isn't one in sight.  I quickly ask Heavenly Father if this one is for me.  He says, "Yes".   So I launch off on a complete summary of our beliefs--The First Vision, the Restoration, the Book of Mormon, prophets and the temple.

I felt confident because the night before I had read the Restoration pamphlet.  I was prepared!  (The Lord qualifies those He calls.)  His interest was sincere and his questions showed understanding.  It, in a nutshell, was amazing!  So at the end of my speel, I asked him how he felt about what I told him. He said that it made sense, so the next question I asked was if he wanted to take the lessons that lead to baptism. He answered "Yes" and I was in shock!  So, I needed to find out who the missionaries were in his area and get them involved quickly before I woke up from this dream!  Another moment of amazement--his missionaries were two Sisters who happened to be working at the VC that night!! They talked to him and made arrangements for a lesson in two days.  From there it was textbook!

Nicholas Poullard was ready for baptism six weeks later after a wedding ceremony the day before.  I went to the baptism, his new member fireside where he bore a great testimony, and then happened to be at the VC about a week ago when he and his wife, Tiffany, came in to show off the new baby, Azalyn! What a joy ride of miracle after miracle!  What a gift to me from Heaven Father to be a part of it all.  My part was small but my gratitude great to be able to help a family receive the blessings of the restored gospel.  They both say the temple is next year!!  I will be back!!

                        Sisters Borba and Gautier, the teaching and baptizing missionaries, Nicholas and Tiffany and me at the baptism, July 10, 2015.

 Tiffany and Nicholas and Sister Clinger, the referring missionary.

Azalyn and mom. 

One week old Azalyn Poullard

 The soon-to-be-eternal Poullard Family