Sisters Nakamatsu, Angie, Thacker & Mulliner

Pics of the Nativity at Temple Square - Angie at night

Str. Angie, Str Thacker and her Zone Leaders

Transfers Before Christmas

LOTS to say! Because it was transfers, I will no longer be serving at Welfare Square. It was a great transfer there with LOTS of memories! Onto other exciting assignments. This transfer conference was pretty nerve-racking because 3rd transfers just KNOW their life will be totally changed: no trainer anymore, no same assignment. This is my fate: my new companion is Sister Park, from the US, not sure which state, and my new assignment is fleet. Sister Park is so sweet. I feel so lucky! Only one companionship is in charge of this, and it is a huge job! We are in charge of the sign-ups for the mission cars on P-day, GPSs, whenever sisters have local baptisms to go to, mission-wide events not at Temple Square, sisters returning from outbound that need to be picked up from the airport, sisters going on their outbound to be driven to the airport, maintenance of the vehicles, what to do if a sister gets into an accident, passing off sisters to drive the vehicles, etc! Apparently a perk of fleet is washing President's car every week (celestial car wash!). Tomorrow, Sister Park and I supposedly have to be in the parking garage starting at 4 am for the whole day to make sure the outbound sisters are leaving on time with the right car.

Sister Thacker, my companion for my 1st and 2nd transfer (my lovely trainer) is going outbound! This was so unexpected because she will only be in her 5th transfer. I know she will do great things though!

Since she is leaving, I take over all of our investigators and less-actives. We will have LOTS of work to do!

Sister Thacker and I talked with one of our less-actives, Rob, last night. He asked our last names, and we told him. He is mentally slower, but he is a very sweet soul! I told him and he said, "Steamhook?" "Uh, yeah!" "Hahah. That is funny. You must have a hook with steam coming out of it!" Hah we went with it. He's a funny one.

This morning, we called Jacqui, a new investigator in Surrey, England. She is the CUTEST thing ever. SO prepared. She has a son with autism and a husband with severe MS. We taught her the first half of the Plan of Salvation and then committed her to baptism. On chat today, we picked up another woman from England who we are going to call! I think they are drawn to us.

Our investigator, Gui, in Brazil, went to church this past Sunday! He went to all of Priesthood, where they were talking about Holland's GC talk, Sunday School, and then left after the passing of the Sacrament. He said he talked with missionaries there, and they asked, "Did you come with someone?" He told them no. He came on his own. Hahah he said they were very shocked. Not many people voluntarily walk into church like that! Well he liked it, and wants to return. It is challenging teaching people when you're thousands of miles away, but I know this work is true and will go forward with haste.

I am still in awe at how much Heavenly Father trusts us to care for his precious souls. While we were sitting in the Visitor's Center at Welfare Square, this 56 year old woman named Ema came in with a transient services bishop and asked us if we would help her return to the gospel. She had been homeless for a few days now, and has no where to turn. We talked with her for 2 hours about faith, as well as going back to church. We wrote out goals that she would like to accomplish (career, home, spiritual, exercise) in a year's time. We wrote down scriptures to go with quite a few of them, and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. When you have and idea of where you want to be in a year etc, you find a way to get there. A HUGE change was seen in her countenance. She was smiling when she left and truly had a determination to change her life around and to come closer to God. We then sent her to the Employment Resource Center, where they helped her out. We gave her our phone number, and I hope she calls! I care about her sooo much!

I want to end with a quote that a sister's dad would tell her all the time:

"The work is bigger than we are. We are blessed to be a part of it. The work isn't better because of us. We are better because of the work. We didn't do anyone a favor by going on a mission, the favors were done to us by allowing us to go."

Sister Angelique Steenhoek

The Salt Lake City Temple.

Angelique and her companion, Sister Thacker at the Music Festival.  They are holding flags because all the Sister Missionaries come in holding their Flag of Origin.

They are in the Tabernacle at Temple Square.

Preparation for the Busy Season

November 20, 2013

So I don't think I will ever have a boring week, let alone a boring day here in the mission at Temple Square. I was getting Disney World withdrawals this past week when a few things reminded me of Disney. First off, we have this investigator, Zach, who is living in Oklahoma, but is from Arkansas and Texas as well. He could DEFINITELY narrate for Splash Mountain (all you Disney fans out there should know what I mean). His accent and laugh are just beyond perfect! We called him to follow up on how his baptism went, but he had told us the Elders never picked him up like they had agreed on, so he never got baptized! They never even called back either. So we were wondering what was going on. Sister Thacker and I expressed our disappointment in the situation, but in his Southern accent he replied, "the Holy Ghost told me that I would be baptized, so I am not worried. When the time comes I guess!" Just melts my heart...!

So yesterday at Welfare Square, we had 0 tours. That has never happened since we served there! So we just had many hours of scripture study, which was so fun because we were telling each other our favorite scriptures to mark. Amidst our excitement, a service Elder comes in the visitor's center, and offer's Sister Back one of those green shield CRS rings if she purchases it. She declined since she says she gets them free from the bishop. He turns around and gives the rest of us sisters a CTR ring at no charge, leaving one for her. It was quite funny that he asked her to pay and then gave us all one. It was the sweetest thing ever though! I will miss Welfare Square and the caring nature.

Well this past week, all the sisters got to attend a production in the conference center theater called, Savior of the World. It depicts events leading up to Christ's life, as well as events right after his crucifixion. It was so beautiful and offered a different perspective I had never thought of before about Christ's life, as well as the immense courage of Mary, Joseph, Zacharias, and Elisabeth. 

All the Temple Square Sisters also put on a Musical Fireside of our own the past Tuesday. It was composed of lots of choir numbers, solos, duets, as well as an ensemble. The main purpose of this was to invite others to come unto Christ and to feel the Spirit. The Spirit was so strong. There were may missionaries that attended from the Utah Valley with their investigators, which was a little intimidating, but it turned out great. The entire General Relief Society Presidency attended, as well as a few area 70s. One of our investigators was able to show up. My sister, Aubrey Greene, and my brother-in-law, Jordan Greene, walked in in the middle of my song. I had recognized them after the fireside was over, which was good because I burst into tears. It was refreshing seeing family!

We have an investigator named Sarah who just moved to the Salt Lake City area. HOORAY!!! We are going to meet her here on Temple Square sometime. This will be our first local investigator! We taught her the Plan of Salvation on Sunday over the phone, and she is quite interested. Super funny: Me: "Hi Sarah, how are you doing?" Her:"I'm okay, how are you?" Me:"I am great!" Her: "Sounds like you just took a swig of Vodka or something. No one is that happy!" hahaha We broke it to her that we are able to be perfectly happy without those substances. Something a little funny, Sarah thinks that Sister Thacker and I are one person. We've tried explaining to her that there are 2 of us, but she said, "Bye sweetheart." Just 1. Not 2. But I think she is still going strong for being 72! 

After emailing, we are going on a tour of the main distribution warehouse (not sure what to call it). It is the warehouse that distributed Deseret products to I believe the whole western US. It is 600,000 square feet, with 50,000 square feet of freezer space. They ask us to wear a thick jacket because we will be riding a golf cart through the whole thing, including the freezer. I am soo excited! I've become a welfare fanatic. It's great!

Well that is all, friends and family. The church is so true. The people are not perfect, but the gospel of Jesus Christ is. Never forget it! Remember, we go through trials to come closer to the one who loves us infinitely. Helaman 12:3

Sister Steenhoek

Angelique and her companion enjoying a November snow.

Sister Steenhoek's November 12th post -

So the first presidency has asked the Temple Square mission to put on a musical fireside tonight in the assembly hall for the public to come to, as well as for missionaries in the Valley to bring their investigators to. I am in a small ensemble, as well as a dance number. I'm quite excited! Our mission president let the whole mission sleep in until 8am this morning because we have been having so many early morning meetings and practices these past few weeks. So nice!

We have an investigator named Becky who is the sweetest thing. She wants to get baptized like no other because she wants the power of the Holy Ghost in her life constantly. She texts us every few days asking us to pray for her that her baptismal interview will go through. I think sometimes we take having the power of the Holy Ghost for granted. I think it is important for us to utilize it to its fullest extent, to the purpose that it is used for, which is to bring others unto Christ.

We also have an investigator from Brazil, with whom we talked to this morning, and he is struggling with the idea of having to make so many commitments. He is earnestly looking for the truth, so it is just a matter of helping him to feel the Holy Ghost testify to him. We committed him to go to church for this coming Sunday, but then the phone cut out! I hope he goes....!

Super funny story: So my companion and I were giving a tour of Welfare Square, and at the Dairy we explain the process of making, slicing and packaging the cheese. Well it was nearing the end of the day, and the workers were finishing up their cleaning processes. I pointed to a tray of excess cheese and asked, "So what do you think they do with that excess cheese? They give it to local food banks." Right on cue, a cheese worker took that tray and dumped all the cheese into the garbage! That's never happened! I was in a bit of shock. hahah I was just thinking... hmmm just a normal day in the life of Sister Steenhoek. I tried to redeem myself with the fact: In 2011, $167,000 worth of excess cheese was donated to local food banks, but I think that war was lost.

Also, in what other mission in the world can you dial a number and security will remove creepy people from your presence? There is this man who is a volunteer at Welfare Square who washes windows, and we thought he was caring a little too much about the windows (and maybe being kind of creepy) in the Welfare Square Visitor's Center. We felt kind of bad, but we hope he didn't get his feelings too hurt!

We found out who our new mission president is! He will be starting mid January. His name is David Poulsen, and he served as the Mission President for a South Africa mission. How cool! He also served in Hong Kong, and therefore speaks Mandarin.

Well I hope all is well!

Sister Steenhoek

This is excerpts from Angie's November 7th post -

This week was full of entertainment. Spiritual entertainment!

I took my first YSA FHE tour last night, and that was fun! I was pretty nervous to take 12 young single adults my age around, but I think it went well. I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to teach them very much, but then I realized that the Spirit is the true teacher, and will testify to me what they need to hear individually.

I heard a new stereotype for Mormon girls the other day that I'd never heard of! We were talking with these 4 women, and afterwards, one of them said, "You are nothing like what people think Mormon missionaries are like." "And what is that?" "You know, long curly hair, serious facial expression." (Hmmmm..... can't say that I do...)

So Halloween here on Temple Square was great .We shut the Square down at 5pm, changed into our comfy clothes, had a baked potato bar, and watch the Chronicles of Narnia. So fun!!!

So it was my companion, Sister Thacker's birthday this past Sunday and it was the first day of snow as well!! So exciting and cute(: Of course we took pictures in the snow.

We taught a man name Beau Jory on the Square the other day. He is not a member, but is searching for something. We invited him to the Temple Square Mission Musical Fireside coming up this next Tuesday night in the Assembly Hall, and I think he will come. We will be singing lots of uplifting hymns and music that hopefully brings others closer to Christ, as well as strengthens their testimony in this gospel.

One of our recent converts texted us with big news the other day, and told us he would let us know what it was the next time we called him. He said, "I 'liked' the LDS page on facebook. It was a big step for me." Hahah I thought that was so cute! And I think that it is great that he was making that step for himself if it was important to him.

Hahah! One of our less-actives that we teach is just so funny. He is a total Californian with the lingo going on and everything. We asked him what he felt at sacrament meeting each sunday and he said, "when I go to the gym, I love talking with the buzzards, those old dudes that go and work out there. Its just like that good feeling I get when I go to church!" He just cracks me up.

Well that is all for now. I just have a few talks that if you get a chance, to look up:

~Absolute truth, I believe in like 1978 Sept? The quote by Joseph Smith talking about how the only way we will come to know God is if we get to know him in his own Sphere-Spiritually, NOT by the ways or knowledge of man.

~The Sustaining power of Faith in times of Uncertainty and Testing- didn't read it all, but it looked incredible

~as well as "facing the giants." It is a little video, not church oriented, but is SO powerful. It just tells how if you set a limit of what your best is, you will NEVER achieve anything greater. You don't know your best, but God does.

Hope all is well! Keep, the faith. When in doubt, forget yourself, and serve others.