Sep 28, 2016 "POUTINE your mouth, your brains, and souls"

This week we had the same share of spiritual experiences, wonderful  guests, crazy people, and good laughs. 

The highlight was probably attending Women's Conference in the Conference Center.

Everyone in attendance was dressed so cute in their Sunday best and each talk was short and powerful. I really liked when Carol M Stephens talked about how we cannot let ourselves feel guilt and shame and pain for sins and addictions that are not our own. We as human beings sometimes let our compassion override our common sense. Even if we let that happen, the Atonement of Jesus Christ is to help us relieve that heartbreak we feel.

Also President Uchtdorf's talk explaining faith was also powerful. I'm not even going to try to explain it. Please just go and watch it. Feed your brains and your souls.

And this is a cool thing that happened. A lady we teach happened to live in the Kunitachi ward and my family went and met her: 

Tender mercies of the Temple Square mission.

And here is what happened the rest of the week:

(the sticker says "POUTINE YOUR MOUTH")

Our tiny district:

Sep 21,2016 "I AM CONVERTED"

Hello world,

Today we found a grapefruit that looks like Sister Sookhoo. The color matches her blush and everything 

Also the DoTerra conference happened this week so everyone who came to the square smelled really fresh and woodsy. Everybody involved in DoTerra; the sales people, the customers, the employees, all are so passionate about essential oils. And not just any essential oils. DoTerra's essential oils. Every time we ask them, "so what exactly is DoTerra?" All of their faces light up and they start telling us about how much DoTerra oils have changed their life, and how natural and great and magical it is. To them, the science of the DoTerra oil production is transparent and honest and justmakes sense and its healing powers have never failed them no matter what emotional or physical problems they have.

Every time we have a conversation about essential oils those DoTerra fans give us their contact information for us to purchase some from them. They love their job and when they sell it they do it out of love. If I weren't so broke I would be converted to DoTerra by now and be slapping those yummy oils it all over my body.

Meeting these people was a really trippy out of body experience. I felt like I was looking at myself from the outside. As missionaries, we too just want to share this things that is so obviously GOOD FOR THE WORLD. We see that the gospel has worked in healing all of our broken hearts, and even if nothing was broken in our lives, it made it just a little bit better (like how DoTerra oils just make you smell good even if you're perfectly healthy).

I learned a lot about my role as a missionary and how to go about sharing the gospel from these good DoTerra people. It was a good week.

Also the conference brought Karner back to Utah. HOORAY FOR DOTERRA

Other pictures:

Pretending to be Lloyd Newell

Pretending to be busy:

Pretending to be red riding hood?

Sep 14,2016 "I Believe In Miracles"

This week I have not stopped laughing. I cannot stop laughing with (at) Sister Sookhoo. Every single day that we have been companions so far, she has asked me the questions: "Do you believe in miracles?" and "Do you believe in life after love?" She is a never ending ball of energy, and I feel so excited when we go out and do missionary work together. We meet interesting people and uninterested people alike, and no matter who we are talking to, I feel like we have been able to relate everything to the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ because Sister Sookhoo was probably born to be a missionary. 

I also went on exchanges with Sister Davis, and exchanges always brings miracles so that was exciting. We took a really awesome spiritual tour together where we really felt like we were in tune with the person's concerns and needs. 

After the guest walked away we realized that we forgot to ask them their contact information. Literally fifteen minutes after the tour, after expressing some regret and probably after guest was long gone, we decided that we needed to go find her. We went outside and decided that we would just walk around the grounds once and if we didn't find her, we would go back inside. Just as we finished deciding that, we saw the guest walk around the corner and say "oh hey guys! I just went to get some food and happened to come back this way." 

Then Sister Davis got her phone number. 

It is so funny what happens when you have faith and say to God, "It doesn't seem possible, but I know it's important, so I will go out and do." 

I now believe in miracles.

This is the only picture I took this week:

It's a picture that hangs in one of the children's bedroom in the Beehive House. 

Have a happy third week of September peasants

Sep 7, 2016 "There Are Not Enough Exclamation Points To Express My Feelings"

THIS WEEK: 

Tomorrow marks one year since I entered the Missionary Training Center. Happy anniversary to Sister Nunez and I meeting each other for the first time

Donald Trump's running mate (whose name nobody knows because none of us are American) came to Temple Square to celebrate with me 

Or so people told me. We just know that there was an army of security guards on Temple Square that day. 

Transfer #8 of my life came to an end 

and I got a new companion named Sister Sookhoo from Canada 

We have been companions for about 70 minutes now. 

This week I don't know why, but I have been thinking a lot about general conference. I have never been so excited to listen to the words of Prophets and Apostles of God speak. In the one year that I have been a missionary, I have really learned the importance of prophets; prophets from millennium ago, prophets from decades ago, and prophets today. I have come to understand in my heart that prophets are one of the greatest tools for guidance that God has given us. He knew that no matter how many books he gave us, and revelations and miracles and signs we are given, that we would need an actual living human being to talk to us and tell us the things we need to know. 

In the 1995 general conference, the Family a Proclamation to the World was shared in the Tabernacle at Temple Square. The document outlines how the family is a sacred and rudimentary element of life. I hear so many people saying that they were confused when the proclamation was shared, because at the time, it was obvious knowledge. But today, they see just how important the proclamation was and how useful it is in making sure that we have successful and happy families in a world of not so happy families. 

In 1831 Joseph Smith received revelation from God that polygamy was to be practiced, and in 1842 the revelation was revealed to certain members of the church. Nobody knew why, and everybody was shocked and disgusted and started doubting the prophetic authority of Joseph Smith, but many years later as the Mormon pioneers trekked 1350 miles from Ohio to the desert of Utah, they found that although families had been broken apart and the saints that remained few, that they were able to help one another and quickly grow into a successful community because they had practiced polygamy. 

And in 1890, because again, we have a living modern prophet, he was able receive revelation from God that polygamy was to be stopped. 

I have also heard many people talk about how the counsel from general conference years ago where they advised church members to plant a garden, families were able to sustain themselves through economic challenges. 

HOW COOL ARE PROPHETS THO. I am so excited to hear what advice the prophet and apostles have to say next month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:)

Aug 31, 2016 " Weakly Update

Hello everybody, 

Here is the scripture of the week: 

"27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;"

1 Corinthians 1:27

Pictures of the week: 

Have a good week 

Aug24, 2016"Triple Scripture Gem Combo Power"

Earlier this morning we started talking to this lady who was seething as she said to us, "Why is the temple not open to the public?" Which is quite a common question, but the way she was personally offended was quite startling for P-day morning. We calmly explained to her that it was a sacred place of worship and since she was Christian, we tried to relate to her King Solomon's temple in 1 Kings but I guess she had a really bad morning because she kept referring to how we don't believe in Jesus Christ and the New Testament and etc. (note: this is untrue) Usually in these kinds of conversations I get really riled up and although I try to remain calm, I usually leave the conversation huffing and puffing myself. But today, we were calm the entire time. Every single questions, no matter how loaded it seemed, we were able to respond with clarity and calmness. At the end of the conversation the lady even said, "Well, you're very nice. Bye." 

I believe the reason this conversation ended this nicely is because scripture power is reeaaal. Because I had just been studying in the Old Testament about Temples. And I had just been reading in the New Testament about the relationship between Christ and the Mosaic law. And we hadjust had a training in zone conference where we discussed Jesus Christ visiting temples in the Book of Mormon. 

Scripture power is real. And what's even more amazing is the power that the harmony of these three important books bring. As we study these three books of scripture together, our potential of understanding of truths and teaching them is grand. It's like how in Steven Universe, each gem has its own power, but combined, THEY ARE AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE. Yep. Each book of Scripture is like a gem.

Pictures: 

This is what happens when you tell people that you will eat their unwanted pickles.

District hike

Welcome to our crib

About to unleash Temple Square Triple Scripture Combo Gem Power 

Aug 17, 2016 "The Greatest Revelation of My Mission"

So this transfer I am in the Beehive House again. As part of the Beehive House tour, we go to Brigham Young's personal office. Here is a snippet of what we usually say in the tour:

"Brigham Young was not only the second president of the church, but also the governor of Utah for a time, the superintendent of Indian affairs, and he was an investor. He had a lot of of visitors because of all these roles that he had. The books on the table were guest books, where Brigham Young's visitors would sign their name, the date of their visit, and the purpose for their visit. There were quite a few famous people that came and signed the guest book, like author Mark Twain, philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, future US president Andrew Garfield, explorer Richard Burton, and womens' rights advocate Susan B. Anthony."

This week I was reviewing the site guide, and this is what I read: 

"The President's Office also functioned as a place to receive visitors, including British explorer Captain Richard Burton... author Mark Twain, future United States President James A. Garfield..."

James A. Garfield. Not Andrew Garfield. I was wondering why in the world I would say "Andrew" instead of "James A." 

And then I had a horrific realization. Andrew Garfield is the man who plays Spiderman. I have been telling people for three weeks that Spiderman came and visited Brigham Young. 

And no one even said anything! 

On a more serious note, on another day, two nice ladies from Belgium came up to me and asked me, "So if this church was organized in America, and your prophet is American, and your Mormon Bible is a record of people in America, how do you attract membership from people elsewhere in the world?" 

Good question, lady from Belgium. I believe the reason that this church today has more membership outside of the United States that inside is because the Book of Mormon testifies to us that Jesus Christ administered not just to the people of Jerusalem, but to the Native Americans as well. Which tells me He loves us all, no matter where we are from and what our lineage is. Which tells me, maybe he even visited others (Japan?). This is God's church, and anybody who studies it comes to learn that most basic truth, that we are all God's children and these tools He has given us like the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Church, and prophets, are for all of us. America has indeed played a significant role in this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but this is not an American church. This is God's institution. Just study it and you'll know! 

Pictures:

Brother Brigham

Oyakodon!

Gre

Aug 10, 2016 "Jesus and the Angry Babies"

In one of the new Meet the Mormons videos there is a segment called "The Horseman" and he says "my job as a horse trainer is to help these horses reach their highest potential." It's kind of a strange sentence, but it's how I feel about God. I'm fine by myself, but with God, I can reach my highest potential. 

There are so many people who don't even know that there is so much out there, that they can reach their full potential with God, because they haven't even heard the word of God. 

Today I read in Romans "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

That is my thought for this week. Keep sparkling my friends. 

Pictures:

Conference Center exploring

21,000 seat! "A 747 jet plane could fit in the auditorium area" I have no idea what a 747 jet plane is, but that is a fun fact.

Mike Tyson 

Fun zone

Art