DECEMBER 30, 2021 — VIRTUAL TOUR

 Also! I'm going to be giving a virtual tour this Sunday, January 2nd at 5:15 Mountain Standard time. Feel free to hop on if you want to see a little bit of Temple Square!❤

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9678912545

Here's the link. The password is ThankYou!

Here’s the link 

Here's the link. The password is ThankYou!

DECEMBER 29, 2021 — The day rapidly approaches...

 A big late Merry Christmas! The Temple Square Mission is the most magical place to spend it I think. My favorite gift this year I think was a million flosses from my dentist dad. But seriously it was such a special day, on Christmas Eve, we got together in our district and read Luke 2 and other references to Christ's birth in the Bible and Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 11, Helaman 14). Christmas morning we had breakfast as zones and opened stockings, that evening we had dinner with our districts and then watch a movie as a mission! It was called "Christmas Angel in the House" and was so cute. 

Other than Christmas, this week we had a training during Zone Council (yes u heard me right, zone council) about how to be harvesters! People tend to think, even Sisters here, that we are only here to plant the seeds of Christ in others hearts not grow them or harvest them. Well, I'm here to tell you first hand that's wrong. We came straight out of that meeting and we met this man named John. With questions out the WAZOO about the gospel and we were able to connect him with missionaries in his area to help him learn more about Jesus Christ. Harvesting ya hear.

This week has been interesting. Because I'm leaving for Argentina a week from tomorrow, Ive been saying goodbye and connecting friends I've been teaching for several months with other missionaries. It is hard to say goodbye! But it is so worth it to know their lives are changing for the better because of Christ, whether I'm part of the equation or not. This week we handed off a friend in Canada we've been teaching to his local missionaries. We asked him how he feels when he prays and he responded saying it felt like he had a friend to talk to. How tender is that? A culmination of sweet friends and memories will forever be what I remember of Temple Square.

Lots of changes are happening around here, our mission presidency was just reorganized. Today we had a going away party for them in the mission home and it was so bittersweet. You're hearing me talk about goodbyes today... well wait until next week haha. 

But new beginnings await as well! A New Year and a chance to start fresh. That's what the Atonement of Jesus Christ gives to us. New beginnings and the chance to be a new creature. 

In 3 Nephi 12:47 (or Matthew 5) Christ says

Old things are done away, and all things have become new.

So you have your charge. Let go of those things holding you back. Become new! I know everyday I want to grow and become more like my Savior and to have a closer relationship with Him. He's extended this wonderful gift to all. So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! 

Hasta luego!! Ciao!!

HermanaAmy  

#hermanaamytracy

DECEMBER 22, 2021 — :) ❤️

As you can probably imagine, Christmas at Temple Square is an absolute whirlwind. 

There we have seen too many miracles this week for me to ever doubt the divine work that is being a missionary.

One miracle that stands out to me is how people come to us at Temple Square, even if unknowingly, with something in their heart that the gospel of Jesus Christ can touch. Within even a few sentences and before you even know it, we are talking about their hopes, their fears, what they yearn for --Preach My Gospel Chapter 10 "Listening") -- and I can feel this genuine love for them. After I feel this love for them,  it becomes more than spreading the gospel, or showing them around a historic building, it becomes a desire to highlight something about Christ that can benefit their life and  their heart!

Seriously right about now everyone could use the healing that Christ offers us all through His Atonement. Christmas time is a great time of joy and love and family, but for some it brings back painful reminders of things they hope, fear, or long for. 

A verse I loved from the Book of Mormon this week is 

1 Nephi 19:9. I think it perfectly demonstrates what the Savior can do for us this Christmas and always. 

"And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men."

I love the repeated phrase, "and He suffereth it". This past week during the Tabernacle Choirs Performance at Music and the Spoken Word, in their LAST song they read excerpts from Luke 2 and sang a BEAUTIFUL Irish song. There's one phrase that says, "in His suffering there is healing". Pleeaase watch it if you can, from December 19, 2021. It really has stuck with me this week that in Christ's suffering, we can be healed! From everything, not just physical pain. But also from heart ache and longing and missing those you love. Anything you can imagine. So Merry Christmas everyone. You are loved. Healing awaits you if only you let Him in. 

Have a magical Christmas and I truly hope you can feel the power of Christ's life, sacrifice, and love for you this year and always.

#hermanaamytracy

DECEMBER 15, 2021 — ANOTHA ONE

We had transfers this morning and this will be my shortest transfer ever as a missionary! I have a new companion, her name is Sister Skouson, and we're both going to Argentina on the 6th of January to the same mission! So it's gonna be a fun next three weeks at Temple Square. We just got an absolute dump of snow last night and it feels so much like Christmas. Especially with the lights and displays it's hard for my thoughts not to be continually pointed to my Savior and His birth.

With Christmas RAPIDLY approaching its been so special for me to be reading accounts that are specifically about Christ. Something that stuck out to me this week was all of the prophecy about Jesus we find in the writings from prophets in the Book of Mormon. I LOVED reading 1 Nephi 10. Nephi desires to know the interpretation of the dream his father had, the vision of the Tree of Life. As an answer to Nephi's righteous desires and faith, the Spirit shows unto him the interpretation of the dream. 

It was so wonderful to me that the way Nephi came to understand the interpretation, was by the Spirit showing unto Him the life of Christ. Specifically verses 13-24 stood out to me. As Nephi understood Christ more and more, he was able to understand the dream! Looking to Christ is what brings us answers to the questions of our souls. "yea, and the most joyous to the soul" (v 23)

We also gave Spanish tours to many wonderful people this week. I know the Lord is blessing me with so many opportunities to bring more of His children to an understanding of His love.

Happy 10 days til Christmas!! 

Also thanks to all who sent me kinda emails and letters per my mother's request! It really made my week and I can really feel the outpouring of love so thank you ❤️

#hermanaamytracy

DECEMBER 9, 2021 — CIAO

 its chilly hereeeee but that means it's actually starting to feel like Christmas time! We carol on Temple Square and get to walk around and talk to people about the lights and our Savior. What a special time:) We have seen so many miracles this week. I know God has put me here at this time for a special reason. Every day He reveals Himself to me in small ways, shows me He is mindful of me and loves all His children. 

With that being said, God has something else in mind for me now. I'm leaving to go to my original assignment on January 6th! I found out on Tuesday and now it's just a waiting game! I've done my FBI background check and now we're just waiting for things to process! Because church headquarters is Temple Square I even went up to the missionary travel department and did the paperwork there. There is one person who does all of the travel for every single missionary that goes to Argentina from the US or Canada. Her name is Sadie and she is just the sweetest. I met her in her first week working in missionary travel as we were walking around Temple Square! She said I was the first Argentina sister missionary she met on Temple Square and now she was sending me off. Just so tender to see it come full circle.

Days are crazy with the Christmas Temple Square Schedule. We run from place to place making sure everything is going smoothly. We staff the Conference Center, Historic Temple Square, Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Humanitarian Center, and Temple Square Guest Services so it's such a time of busyness, but I LOVE IT:) the days go by so fast.

This past week on Sunday our Mission President invited us to give a gift to the Savior by only listening to hymns this Christmas season and only reading the scriptures and Preach My Gospels. For all you other missionaries out there, it's only been 4 days of doing this, but a transformative 4 days. It makes you dive into the scriptures. I feel my focus redoubled on the Savior. Try it! Join the Temple Square Mission!

Well that was all over the place but I love yall. I can't wait to hear from you:)

#hermanaamytracy

DECEMBER 2, 2021 -- CHRISTMAS TIME :)

December 2, 2021

Howdy!!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER, BETSY!!

I am so jolly right now. It has been so crazy here at Temple Square. Last week, we had Thanksgiving dinner together as a mission at a Stake Center nearby and that night the Christmas lights turned on! So since then, Temple Square has been absolutely poppin. Just hordes and hordes of people coming through the gates and we have so many to talk to we don't know what to even do with ourselves! A missionary's dream :)

Another highlight from this week was that I got to attend my sister Emily's sealing in the Draper, Utah Temple. It was such a special and spiritual experience and I feel so blessed that I got to go. She's a married woman now! Temple marriages are so beautiful and if you want to learn more about what goes on in the temple email me at amy.tracy@missionary.org! Then she had her reception in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building at Temple Square but I didn't go to that haha. I did wave through the window though!

I feel so seen by my Heavenly Father this week. He knows me so perfectly and something that has stuck with me is that families are from God. We aren't meant to be alone and we never have to be. Even if your family situation isn't the best, we can have peace in knowing that we have THE most loving people in our family, our Heavenly Father and our Brother Jesus Christ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa78oA9wcVQ

This is one of the films that play in the Joseph Smith Memorial Buildings and it reminds me every time what the Christmas Season really is about. And 3 Nephi 18:24 really encompasses that. This is Christ speaking!

"Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed."

Hold up His light this Christmas! Pray to see how He can better use you and then be willing to sacrifice on His behalf! 

I love youuuuu. Feliz Navidad! Oh my goodness and I forgot to mention so many hispanic people are coming to Temple Square I'm dyin over here. I'm such a gringa.

ALSO HAPPY CHILE DAY HERMANA KIRSTEN HALL!! BUENA SUERTE!!! YOU'RE SUCH A QUEEN!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa78oA9wcVQ&authuser=0