I Can Now Go Home

December 2, 2010

Mommy & Daddy,

Well, today is my last preparation day (p-day)! Can you believe that? I haven't emailed you yet. We have morning p-day, so I'm writing you and it's like 1145am. We had a zone pot-luck breakfast this morning. It was really good. I made papas-con-hueves to bring. We had a lot of food from other countries. I'm super full now!

This week has been a really good one. We have three new investigators! DJ from MO, we are passing him of to the local missionaries. We are teaching a guy named Adnano, he is from Mexico and is progressing now! He said he'll go to church this week. We also have Jessica #4! That's right, another Jessica. She is golden. She is from Alberta Canada. She is going to church on Sunday. It's a two-hour drive and she is totally fine with traveling that distance to go to church. I love when people are prepared to hear the gospel! They're willing to do anything to know the truth. It just amazes me how much as members of the church we take for granted. We have investigators who travel hours just to get to church. While we members only live 15 minutes away from our chapel and sometimes we would rather sleep in than go to church.

My mission has changed me so much. I now have realized what things are important. I'm so grateful that I've had this year-and-a-half to strengthen my testimony and change. I really feel like I'm different and I understand Heavenly Father's divine plan for his children. As few transfers ago in district meeting (actually it was probably more like a year ago) they talked to us about a scripture in 1 Cor. 13:11, it says "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

So for district meeting we changed the scripture so it applied directly to us. Mine said: "When I was Aubree, I spake as Aubree, I understood as Aubree, I thought as Aubree: but when I became a missionary, I put away Aubree-ish things." I want to continue to put away Aubree-ish things as I continue to grow and mature. I'm not quite sure how I can master that without being totally weird, but I'll work on that.

My testimony has been strengthened so much on my mission. I'm grateful that I've learned so much that I can teach my future family. I never would have learned all of this the same way had I not served a mission.

Thank you for all of your help, prayers and support throughout my mission. I could not have served without your help. I am so grateful that we can be together forever. I love you so much!

I know that God loves us. I know that Jesus Christ lives; He is our Savior and Redeemer. I know both God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to the young boy Joseph Smith and he restored Christ's church.

I love you both so much! Thank you for being the BEST!

Love,

Sister Garbett

P.S. I'll be home for Christmas!

P.S.S. The other morning our zone had to wash the vans at 6am. While we were down there guess who we saw! Elder Dallin H. Oaks! He came and shook all of our hands! It was really neat! He came up to us and talked with us for a few minutes. He told us to tell all of our parents hi. The night before Elder Christopherson was at our choir performance, but I didn't get to talk to him. I can now go home. Heavenly Father knew that I wanted to meet an apostle before I went home!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov 26, 2010

Mom & Dad,

Happy thanksgiving! I hope you had a fun one at grandma and grandpa's house. Did you eat a lot? My Thanksgiving was good. We went to the same place as last year. We got to watch Toy Story 3. The food was catered by the same place and I'm not sure if we ate ham or turkey this year again. I am really looking forward to a real Thanksgiving dinner.

We had three weird days this week. On Tuesday, there was supposed to be a huge blizzard coming our way, so we were all sent home at 1pm. We went to our friend's house (Sister Gilbert and Sister Williams) and hung out with them. The first thing we did was put a pizza in the oven and then we built a fort. While the pizza baked, Sis Williams made smoothies and then we drank the smoothies and ate the pizza inside the fort. We all told stories in the fort and listened to music. After a couple of hours of eating and talking we were all tired, so we took an hour nap in our fort. When we woke up everything outside was white! It reminded us of Christmas, so we turned the lights on the little Christmas tree and played Christmas music while we made cookies and hot chocolate. After that we bundled up and went outside to play in the snow for a few minutes. When we were too cold we went back inside dried off and got back inside the fort. We told more stories and played a couple games. We were the most envied room on the 2nd floor. :) Lots of sisters kept stopping by to come in our fort. We were home by 8pm to plan for the next day and then the fun was over for the night.

Thursday was Thanksgiving, so we were off the Square by noon. President ordered a charter bus to drive us so he wouldn't worry about us getting into an accident. There were a lot of fun things to do. We had karaoke, pool, ping-pong, wally-ball, arcade games, movies, more games and lots of fun! We all had a great time and loved watching Toy Story 3. We were home by 8pm and so tired, we went to bed at 9pm.

Friday was preparation day (p-day). We now have morning p-days, so it's a little weird. We had a meeting at 8am and then choir rehearsal at 9. Afterwards we went to Denny’s with our "fort-buddies" around 10am. I ordered biscuits and gravy, hash-browns and bacon. Yum! Then we braved Wal-Mart on BLACK FRIDAY! It actually wasn’t that bad. We only had to get a couple of things, so it was ok. The Temple Square lights come on tonight! It should be crazier than Wal-Mart! Tomorrow we have our first choir performance, wish me luck! Sunday I'm singing with Sister Despain in church. We are singing "In Humility Our Savior". We couldn't find an accompanist, so it will be acappella. Again, wish me luck! Then on Monday I will be singing a special musical number on the Square. I'm singing "Winter Wonderland" and Sister Gilbert is accompanying me on guitar. We'll see how it goes.

This week has been good. The work has been slow, for oblivious reasons. I love my mission. The church is true! I love you so much! See you in a couple of weeks!

Love,
Sister Garbett

"Blessed for her service"

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS

November 24, 2010

UTAH SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE SQUARE MISSION
Salt lake City, Utah 84250

Dear Parents,

Your daughter Aubree Garbett, will complete her mission here on Temple Square on December 8, 2010. We have enjoyed serving with her. She has worked hard and in doing so has become a powerful spiritual missionary. In addition, she has served very effectively for a season in the Maryland Baltimore Mission for her "outbound experience".

It has been wonderful to see her accept these leadership responsibilities and perform her duties. She is an amazing sister missionary and has made a notable contribution to this very important work.

She has had many choice experiences, which I am sure she will share with you upon her return. We will miss her, but she goes home with our love and appreciation for all that she has accomplished here.

We are grateful to have served with her, and know that she will be blessed for her service. May the Lord continue to bless her and your family.

Sincerely, yours,

=signed=

Michael H. Holmes, President
Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission

Attitude!

November 11, 2010

Mom and Dad,

This week has been great! Jessica (1) was baptized, so we are majorly trying to find investigators who want to learn more about the gospel. All of our present investigators either got baptized or stopped progressing, so we’ve been striving to find more.

Whenever we schedule a first appointment with someone we call them potentials then after our first appointment if we schedule another one they become new investigators. So a couple days ago we were working super hard and found five potential investigators! One of them was a student who we took on a tour at Temple Square. His name is Joon. He is from Korea, but is living in Wyoming. We have our first phone appointment with him tomorrow. The other four potential were found through the Referral Center. My companion, Sister Despain, found two and I found two, also.

One of the potential’s contact was amazing! This potential was a referral by a member of the church. We had talked to the member at conference. At first, he was pretty resistant about giving us his friend’s phone number, but he followed the promptings of the spirit and gave us the number. When I called the potential (Garrett) he was really chill. I just talked to him personally and shared my testimony without any reserves. The spirit was there and I invited him to receive the missionaries. He said, “Yes!” I was so excited. I began to testify of how happy the gospel makes me and will make him, then *click*. The phone went dead like he hung up! Oh-No! I called back and the answering machine picked up. I called again and nothing. I called once more and still nothing. I was so sad. I immediately started praying. I knew that he only agreed to see the missionaries because he was feeling the spirit. I didn’t know if I would ever get another chance to speak with him again. I walked into the other room and told some of the sisters what happened and how sad I felt. I walked back into my room and heard my phone ring! It was him!!!! He said the battery in his phone died as he was driving so he had to wait until he got home to call back. I got his address and he still wanted the missionaries to come to visit. We are calling him this Sunday to follow-up with how the missionary visit went! Hopefully he’ll turn into a new investigator.

I called the member who had referred and he was so excited to hear that Garrett has agreed to have the missionaries visit with him. He said he had just finished talking to his local missionaries in Provo and was trying to figure out how to get the missionaries to Garrett. He said it was so crazy because I got his referral over a month ago and finally got in contact with Garrett on the same day he met with his missionaries trying to find a way to introduce the gospel to Garrett.

Having the faith to find new investigators makes all the difference on the mission. That day Sister Despain and I really focused our efforts and attitudes on finding the people who are prepared to hear our message and Heavenly Father blessed us!

Our Mission President, President Holmes, always says he’d pick attitude over experience any day. It’s so true. I’ve been able to see that through my companion’s example. Even though I’ve been out six-times longer than Sister Dispain has, whenever she has the right attitude she is more powerful at teaching than I am. The Spirit works through the humble and diligent. I’ve seen miracles through her and I have learned so much from her!

One of the other potentials is a girl named Regina who we also met on Temple Square. She was here for a Chemical Engineering conference. We showed her around Temple Square and she was so prepared to hear what we had to say. She had lots of questions and was so eager to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. She agreed to meet with the missionaries and was willing to have us call her. She has been reading in the Book of Mormon and praying and was committed to going to church. She is now a progressing investigator!

Heavenly Father is preparing those who come to Temple Square. We are so blessed to be part of this work! The returned missionary I talked to on the phone was a great example to me. I want to be the kind of return missionary he is. He said the last two-weeks of his mission was the best and I’ve set a goal for the last four-weeks of my mission to be the best!

This church is Christ’s church! I love you so much!

Love,
Sister Aubree Garbett

P.S. The pictures of the High School is the same school where the "High School Musical" was filmed. We had a lot of fun on our P-day just being silly and taking lots of pictures!

"Daughter of God"

November 4, 2010

Mom and Dad,

I’ve had a great week. Jessica (2) was baptized on Halloween! She was the exact definition of “golden”. I’m so grateful Heavenly Father allowed me to be a part of her life at such a special time.

Jessica (1) is still on date for this weekend to get baptized. She is ready. She doesn’t fully understand everything right now, but she doesn’t have to. She knows that she is a daughter of god and desires to follow Jesus Christ. She told us that the elders don’t really teach her anything and we are the only one who teaches her. I hope that’s not true, but I think we teach simply enough for her to understand. I’m grateful that I will have so many people to keep in contact with after my mission

I’m getting a cold and not feeling fantastic. We we’re talking to a man in the tabernacle. He was in his 70‘s. He was a member of the church but he asked a lot of random questions. After we had been talking for about ten minutes he asked me what was I doing about my cough. I told him I’m taking Dayquil. He said that treats the symptoms and asked what I was going to get rid of it. I told him I thought I probably had a virus so that’s all I could do for my cough. He then asked if he could smell my breath (Yes! Random!) I asked him what was his schooling and reasoning for wanting to do that. I have to admit, he caught me off guard. He told me he is in research medicine and if I had a bacteria infection it would have a certain smell. Well. I didn’t feel comfortable with him smelling my breath, but he said he works for the church. He told me if I don’t feel better in two weeks when the doctor visits the mission to be sure to make an appointment with him. He said he was going to call his boss to make sure that I am seen by the doctor. I told him I didn’t want my mission president to get mad at me for coughing around the guests. He said he would make sure I don’t get in trouble. So it was quite an interesting conversation.

The work is eventful; needless to say I’m loving it and having fun. Heavenly Father is wonderful for keeping it exciting. It keeps me working hard and staying focused! I’m excited to see you soon! I love you so much!

Love,
Sister Garbett

Farewell Talk

October 28, 2010

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week has been really good! I’m so happy I’m staying with my trainee, Sister Despain in the Chat Zone. This is the first time I’ve had the same companion for more than one transfer my whole mission! We did have to move into a new apartment, but it was only like two doors down the hall. When we first moved in, we rearranged all the furniture so it’s set up just like our last apartment. Our room looks so much the same that I fool myself in the mornings. :)

Our investigator, Jessica (2) is getting baptized this Sunday, October 31. I am so excited for her. She is really changing her life for the good. She accepts everything we teach her about the church and she knows it’s all true. Through reading the Book of Mormon, saying her prayers and sincerely asking God and going to church, she has received personal revelation and knows the truth. She is my first baptism that I found, taught and saw baptized. When we found Aksel from Norway he had already met with the sister missionaries in Chat. We just had to commit him to call the missionaries in his area. When Jessica (2) came online, I was the one mainly chatting with her because my companion was setting an appointment with someone else at the same time.

Our other investigator, Jessica (1), is still on date for November 6, for her baptism. Her local missionaries don’t teach her like they should. They haven’t taught her lesson two or three or gone over the interview questions. They only met with her once a week and her baptism is a week a way. Sometimes 19 year-old boys bother me. They didn’t even teach her the restoration thoroughly. They just had her watch the movie, so she doesn’t understand the apostasy or anything about it. Oh well, I guess it’s a good thing we keep teaching her. We were supposed to just pass her off, but that was not going to fly with me. She needs us to teach her simply because the Elders don’t.

Our new investigator, Jessica (yes that would make her Jessica 3) and her husband seem very golden. They live with her uncle who is a member along with his wife and daughter. They went to church last week and are eager to go this week. They want to be baptized on November 13. That means we should have three weeks in a row of baptisms. They were reading the Book of Mormon before we even had our first lesson! I’m really excited about them.

Our other investigator, Lisa, REALLY wants to go to church, but her husband won’t let her. We are trying to help with that, but we don’t really know what to do. She reads the Book of Mormon and prays and she says she knows the church is true, but her husband doesn’t want her to go to church. She says she thinks he doesn’t want her to leave the house at all. Although, she is able to go to her family and she has talked to them about it. Her super catholic dad even thinks she should go to our church if it’s what she wants to do. I’m going to keep praying for her.

We have a few more investigators, but they aren’t really progressing. Efrem is in Ethiopia. He has read the Book of Mormon five times, but can’t get baptized till he goes to church eight times. He’s only been three times because he lives 14-hours away from the nearest church. He has applied for a few jobs near the church, but hasn’t heard back from them yet. I’m praying for him, too.

We haven’t gotten hold of Yvonne, our investigator in Ghana, for some time now. We’ve been calling her, but she never answers. She hasn’t emailed us back in a while either. Hopefully we can get in contact with her soon. She seemed eager to learn about the church when we first contacted her.

Sister Despain and I are doing great. Lately, it seems harder and harder for us to get out of bed and exercise in the mornings. We started a new routine. In the morning we get up, make our beds, get on our knees and have companionship prayer. It’s been really great because we start off our day already focused. We pray for our investigators and the work. My mind is set on the day and I’m more focused as I exercise and study. We have personal prayer later, which is also great because I am more awake and my prayers make more sense. :)

I’m giving my missionary “farewell” talk on Sunday. I’m not really ready for it yet, but it will be good. I’m so happy that I get to speak the same day Jessica (2) is getting baptized. My talk is on forgiveness/atonement, which I think is very fitting because Jessica (2) has experienced forgiveness through the atonement, which gave her the desire to be baptized.

I am so grateful I have this chance to share the gospel with others. I know that I was sent here to help specific people. I’m grateful I get to stay in chat with Sister Despain. This work is incredible!

I love you both so much! I can’t wait to see you in a few weeks. I can’t believe it’s almost time to come home!

You’re always in my thoughts and prayers!

Love,
Sister Aubree Garbett

13th Transfer

October 21, 2010

Mom and Dad,

Hey, how is everything going? Did you get the car you were thinking about getting? P-day was fun today but it was busy. We went shopping after emailing. I got two sweaters and food from Wal-Mart. Then we came home and changed really quickly then went to the haunted village at Heritage Park. It was really fun. But I wasn’t scared. I just kept talking to the “actors” who were trying to scare us. I told one of them he needed to make some noise when he jumped out at us because it would be scarier and he tried two more times to scare us without making any noise and I said, “You’re just as not scary now as you were the first two times. Really, you should try making noise.” I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get scared, but at least it didn’t give me nightmares.

This week has been really good. Jessica (1) is still on date for November 6 for her baptism. She is working on living the law of chastity and repentance. She says she feels like the Elders don’t really listen to her and she loves it when we teach her. 19 year-old boys just don’t get it sometimes. :) But we are only teaching her about every five days now, so pray that her Elders will step it up.

Jessica (2) went to church on Sunday! She did what we told her to do. She went up to the Elders and introduced herself. That night we called her for our appointment and she was meeting with the Elders. We called her back thirty minutes later. She was so happy! She is getting baptized on Halloween. She is ready to “live her life for God,” as she puts it. She asked us if she should only have one pair of earrings. We told her that is what the prophet counsels us to do and she was fine with it. She said she is going to take out her other set. I love how Heavenly Father prepares his children and how the Holy Ghost works on them. We barely have to do anything!

We have another investigator named Lisa. She is 24 and has two little children. She is married, but she isn’t happy. She said her husband is an alcoholic. We promised her the gospel can bring her so much happiness and peace in her home. I felt the spirit so strong as I told her that and I knew it was true. She is slowly starting to open up to us. She is planning to go to church on Sunday.

We are teaching Yvonne in Ghana. That is an interesting situation. She says she has to get baptized before she goes to Oregon to marry someone she met on the internet. We think she may be a mail order bride. We are going to make sure she meets with the missionaries in Ghana so they can better help and teach her.

The work is going great! I am loving my companion! We get along so well and we have so much fun! I am really praying I stay with her in Chat next transfer! We’ll find out my fate for my last transfer on Monday! I’ll let you know what happens!

Speaking of my last transfer, I speak in Sacrament on Halloween. I can’t believe I’m going to be giving my “farewell” talk already! I feel like it was just last transfer when my trainer spoke! Time truly flies by!

I love my mission! I’m sad it’s ending, but also excited to see what happens next for the rest of my life. Ha ha! Sister Despain calls it my 13th transfer! I think that makes it sound scary. She quoted WHB and said, “Go directly to your new area when you are transferred and meet your ‘new companion’ without delay.” Ha ha! I guess her teachers told her that in the MTC and she felt like it was valuable information that I needed before I go home (my 13th transfer).

I know I was sent to this mission for a reason! I am so grateful to serve the Lord here. I love you both so much!

Love,

Sister Aubree Garbett

Never Too Late To Repent

October 21, 2010

So, I just wanted to let you all know that the mailbox with the "G" on it has been quite empty (Except for letters to Sister Gilbert, because she is in her first transfer.) I have been trying to pretend to be ok with it, but I can't do it anymore! I only have 7 weeks left (no, I'm not counting) and this is a great time for you all to show me how much you love me. Otherwise, why would I want to go home to people who don't care enough about me to drop a post card in the mailbox? SO, I have made up a list of the last time I received a letter from everyone in the family.

• Steven: Today 10-21-10 (you can see who loves me the most)
• Stacy:8-8-10 (you may notice the gap here... yes, I went that long before getting another letter :( granted, she was prego, so she gets a little leeway
• Mom:9-15-10 (I might add that I did get a package from mom today with stamps in it and my skirt that I have been waiting for for 4 months, but there was no letter or note or anything inside.)
• Rachel: 8-24-10 (Rachel is great at writing detailed letters and decorating the envelope with stickers when she does write me)
• Angleina: Sometime while I was outbound (Shocking, right? I couldn't believe she had forgotten about me for so long!)
• Dad: Sometime before I went outbound (Also shocking, might I add that I went outbound in February and we are in the end of October right now)
• Emily: Also sometime before outbound (But I think it was even before dad wrote me)
• Joe: Either my first transfer or in the MTC (Both were over a year ago. unacceptable.)
• Keith & Brian: I have yet to receive a letter from either of them my entire mission.... I've been out for almost 16 months... sad

I hope you all take this time, not to get offended because I called you out, but to contemplate how I must feel. Look at the last time you have written me, and change your slacker ways. It's never too late to repent; well actually in this case you only have 7 weeks to show me... so hurry up! I will await your correspondence.

Cordially,
Sister Garbett

More pictures:

1. My other coat I got a few weeks ago. Also very cute, but as you can
probably see, not very warm.
2. These were my tracting shoes. They are my favorite. I still wear them. They
are my "holey" shoes!
2. Jerilyn loves me! She brought this to me, but I didn't see her. She
left it with a senior missionary couple.
3. This is the coat I bought last week! $40! What a steal! It is really
warm too and I can wear it when I get home!
4. In the Assemby hall it has been very slow lately, but will pick up after Thanksgiving.

First Baptisim

October 14, 2010

Mom & Dad

Well... just a quickly overview. We have a new investigator, Jessica (2). She knows the church is true and wants to be baptized. We found her two days ago. Jessica (1) is meeting with the missionaries and has a baptismal date for November 6. I had my first BAPTISM last weekend! Aksel from Norway was baptized! The work is going great! I love being in Chat. I’m praying that I get to stay in chat with my companion next transfer. These are some pictures we took.

1. My and my baby again
2. Some of my district again at Heritage park for service
3. Yeah, I'm cute
4. Lookin all telemarketer-like

I love you both!!! I can’t believe how fast time is passing!!! This church is true!

Love,

Sister Garbett

Conference Weekend

October 10, 2010

Mom & Dad,

Wasn’t conference great! Our mission goal was to get 2000 referrals and we got over 2,500! It was super busy and we were so tired afterwards! We got to sleep in till nine on Monday and Tuesday! It was great seeing Steven and Angelina and the kids. The kids are getting so big! I couldn’t believe how tall Rowan is. I didn’t get to spend much time with them because we were only allowed to spend no more than ten minutes on each contact, but it was so great seeing family! I saw them as they were coming to the tabernacle to watch conference.

There are always so many people at conference. My companion and I contacted lots of people and we received 46 referrals. My companion is doing really well. She is so much fun and we have a great time together. She is coming along great and is working hard.

Ok, really cool story. I talked to a few Return Missionaries on conference weekend. They were so cool and they helped me a lot. I asked how their adjustment back to "normal" life was and they gave me a lot of advice. The main thing they said was to have a plan and to stay busy. One of the guys gave me a referral. It was funny, because originally he said he didn't have anyone. Then he looked through his phone and gave me an old friend from high school. He said that it might be kind of weird because he never really knew this girl and she probably wouldn't even remember him. But I told him I would love to call her anyway.

So I called her yesterday and a man answered. I asked for Alexia and he said, "No, there's no Alexia here. Maybe this was her old number." So I just started talking to him and he was SO open. He asked if I was in Colorado (because that's where he is) and I told him I was in Utah and I was serving a mission. I asked if he had ever seen missionaries and he said he usually saw them wearing suits and riding bikes. I laughed and said, "Yep that's them!" He told me he was in the army and I said, "Thanks for your service, man!" (My companion got a kick out of that) Anyway we talked and I found out he is from Sacramento! Small world! He has been in the army for eight years and is married and has a three-year-old son. So we just kept talking about the army, missionaries, church, and I invited him to have missionaries visit him and teach him more and he said yes! Then I asked if I could call him another day and teach him more until the missionaries in his area contact him, and he said yes! We have a Chat appointment with him tomorrow night!

Man! It was seriously one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me! Heavenly Father gives the best tender mercies!

I love you both! This church is true! I love this work!!!

You’re in my prayers always!

Love,

Sister Garbett

I Love This Work!

September 30, 2010

Mom and Dad,

This week has been a lot of fun! My companion and I are having a wonderful time. There isn't a day that goes by that at least one or more persons ask if we are sisters. You can imagine how confusing that gets. We have to explain we are "sister missionaries" but we are not related. Seriously everyday! But it's ok. I think my companion is super cute, so if people think I look like her I must be super cute too!!! :)

This week I had my President interview. My mission president greeted me as I walked into his office. We shook hands and he asked me how I was doing. I smiled and told him I'm doing wonderful! I walked into his office and stood by the chair until he motioned for me to have a seat. Then he told me he was impressed with how well-mannered and lady-like I was. He said he wished all of the sisters were like me. He asked if I learned it from my mother. I told him I must have. I said although I have never been formally taught in manners I have seen my mother act that way. He told me that example is the best way to teach. He then shared the scripture John 5:19 "Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Veryly, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the son likewise." He told me that my mother lived that scripture and I learned from her. He continued to comment on how very polite and genteel I appeared. I agreed with him that I had a great example to learn from.

The work is going great. My trainee is really coming out of her shell. I feel very comfortable with her teaching our contacts. The other day I had to push her out of her shell to do the acoustic demonstration in the tabernacle, but she did it and she was great! She is a lot like me, so I know how to help her to grow. I am grateful for that. I know that Heavenly Father hears us and answers our prayers. I am always praying for you!

The other morning I had a difficult time waking up. I just kind of rolled out of bed and dropped onto my knees for morning prayer. As I was about to pray the thought came to me, “You only have ten more weeks left to do this.” I felt really sad. I love this work!

Love,
Sister Garbett

Happy to Serve

September 16, 2010

Hello Family,

Thursday is still my p-day!

We had transfers this week and I am still in Chat. I also have a new companion. She's great! She is my second companion from North Carolina and she is fresh from the Mission Training Center. Her name is Sister Despain. Right now we’ve been doing a lot of stuff for the new sisters. But once we get settle we will get even busier in Chat! I can't believe they are having a 1st transfer serve in Chat! Even more, I can't believe that they trust me to train her after I have only been in Chat one transfer!

There are some changes in Chat. We are on the square for half days now when it used to be that we were only on the Square for two-hours a day. The biggest change is whenever we get a referral on the Square we can offer to teach them over the phone until they meet with their local missionaries! So, we take someone on a tour, they say they want to learn more, we have them fill out a card, then we offer to teach them over the phone until the local missionaries arrive. So we are preparing them even more. Just like we do in Chat, speaking of, Steven in England dropped us. I'm pretty upset about it, but there is nothing we can do. He was meeting with local missionaries, planning to go to church, and then just told us and the local missionaries he does not want anything to do with our church and not to contact him again. Of course we e-mailed him anyway! He responded and said it is not the anti-Mormon information that he has heard, he knows the church is true, but he is not ready to change. We think he may have a Word of Wisdom problem. We have tried to call him many times and e-mailed him lots, but he won't contact us. So we will just wait and see what happens. I know, it’s sad, but I truly believe he will come around. I just know it.

Mom, I got your package! Thank you! Although right after I wrote you on email last week I searched through a box that I packed before I went outbound and found seven new pairs of dress socks, but thank you anyway! I’m also excited you found my white skirt! I can hardly wait till you send it to me.

I’m excited that Steven and Angelina are coming to visit, but let them know I can't take them on any tours. During conference time we do not offer tours. It is all members and we are too busy. Also, there’s a new policy that the mission President has implemented. He is not approving any family tours. It would be better for them to just come the day after or before conference and I can just say hello to them. We don't spend more than ten-minutes with each contact. It's also the same at Christmas time. But every day I am on the Square for half the day and in Chat the other half. They just have to tell me ahead of time what day they will be there and I’ll let them know what time I will be on the Square.

It’s hard to believe that I only have three months left. I drove some sisters to the airport that were flying home yesterday, and I CAN definitely wait to be in their shoes. This past transfer lots of sisters went outbound including Sister Cheng and Sister Schwager. It’s sad to think I won't see any of them again while I’m still a missionary. They will be home by conference time next April so I may never see them again, unless we do make a trip back to Temple Square in February. It's weird because people are starting to talk about Christmas at the Square and I won't be here. But I am happy that I am here now and I get to continue to serve. I think this past transfer has been the happiest transfer of my whole mission.

Well, I have to get going now! I love you! I will write you at the same time next week!

Love,

Sister Garbett

Pure Joy!

Mom and Dad,

This week has been very good and it just flew by! I cannot believe it's already Preparation-day. This week we taught Steven who lives in England five discussions. He searched online for four hours and found the number for the Ward Mission Leader. The Mission Leader gave him the Bishop's phone number and then he got the missionaries number and called them. They taught him once and then set up a return appointment with him. He is going to church on Sunday and they arranged a ride for him. We get to call him on Sunday so I'm excited to see how church went for him. I'm a little sad we don't get to call him as often as we used to now that his local missionaries are teaching him. I can't wait to add him as a friend on facebook when I get home. :)

Overall, the work is going wonderfully! I love CHAT so much! I am really praying that I can stay in Chat with my companion next transfer. I love how everything is going. I honestly think this may be my favorite transfer out of my whole mission! The Lord really knows me!!!

I love you so much! This church brings me so much pure joy. I know that it is only through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that I get to experience all this wonderful joy!

I love you! You're always in my thoughts and prayers!

Love,

Sister Aubree Garbett

P.S. I'm using my last stamp on this letter! That's how much I truly love you! But can you please send me more stamps? :)

An Incredible Week!

September 2, 2010

Hey Family,

This week has been incredible!

During CHAT, we were teaching someone in Norway and he agreed to meet with the missionaries in his area. Now he has a baptismal date for October!!!! We only taught him twice! He was so prepared!

Then someone came on to CHAT with the name "Batman" He started by asking if I knew where Robin was. I told him, "Sorry, I don't, but is there anything we can help you with on this website?" He said, "How do I tell your superior you are totally awesome?" I said, "Well, God is my superior." Then he said, "How do I tell him?" I said, "Well, you can pray. He always listens." Then he said, "Can't I just e-mail him?" Ha! Ha! Ha! Man it was funny. Anyway I continued to talk to him and taught him about the Book of Mormon. We asked if we could teach him some more on another day. He said yes. Then he asked us, "Why am I here talking to you about God?" We told him that it was the spirit and he feels it while we are teaching him. He denied it, but he showed up to his appointment the next day. He doesn't really believe in God, but we are opening him up. By the end of that CHAT he was excited to pray and wants to receive answers. After explaining to him about God and how we lived with him and how we can become like him, he said. "If what you're saying is true, this God guy doesn't sound that bad." We have an appointment with him tomorrow! By the way, he is in Portugal!

Also, we just started teaching a man in England named Steven. HE IS GOLDEN!!!!! We taught him the restoration and everything clicked. When we told him about the vision Joseph Smith saw he said, "Wait, I thought God and Jesus Christ were the same person." We explained how Joseph Smith’s first vision clarified who God the Father and Jesus Christ are. They are one in purpose but two separate beings. Then he said, "I always thought that's how it should be. It never made sense to me that they were one." We gave him 1 Nephi chapter one to read and told him he could read more if he wanted. We talked to him this morning and he told us he read the whole book of 1Nephi plus all of the testimonies! We asked if he had prayed and he said yes and he received an answer and he KNOWS it is true! We taught him the plan of salvation up to our life on earth and everything clicked. We also taught him about the Word of Wisdom. He said he never knew it was bad to drink, but if God told Joseph Smith, then it is right, He committed to obey the Word of Wisdom. We have an appointment with him tomorrow and he can't wait! SO GOLDEN!!!

I absolutely love my companion. We get along so great and work so hard. I am praying that I will stay with her in CHAT next transfer. Keep that in your prayers too! We are having so much success. I told my companion today, I never want to go home, with all the success we are having!

I love everything about my mission right now! Heavenly father just loves me! But really, I think this is my favorite transfer so far. But I have less than 2 weeks left before transfers are here again and I’ve never served in the same area for two transfers. I'm not ready for a change! In my setting apart I was told I would see the results of my efforts! I have been waiting almost 15 months for that blessing to come to pass! It is so exciting!

I have to get off line now. We are going to a candy factory to see how candy is made! It will be fun! I will take lots of pictures! I love you all so much! I wish I could talk to you all day...in time I will. Weird! I love you! BYE!!!

Love,
Sister Garbett

Bringing Souls to Christ

Mom and Dad,

This will be short since I got to email both of you today. I'm really glad I got to visit with you guys via email. This transfer is going by really slow. That's a bitter sweet thing for me. It's good because I know I'm running out of time as a missionary. But it's really hard because it feels like forever in between my preparation days (p-day). I am so exhausted every p-day! I love starting my p-days off with emailing you though. :)

The work is going good. I'm still getting used to being in Chat. I've adjusted to the the calls we get from the insincere people who come onto Mormon.org. I am also being blessed with the gift of discernment. I can now tell pretty early during the "chat" if someone is seriously seeking the true or not. We have had quite a bit of success lately. A few times we have had three out of six people refer in chat. So, it is fun. Although, many of the people don't keep their appointments. :( We are still finding lots and lots of people to share the gospel with.

I'm loving my mission so much. I'm sad my time is running short. I know that I really am bringing souls unto Christ even if it is through Chat. I know this is Christ's church and He leads it and calls men here on earth to guide us today.

I love you so much. I'm happy mom is doing so much better. You're in my thoughts and prayers!

Love,
Sister Garbett

"The Best Thing I Have Ever Done In My Life!!!"

Aug 19, 2010

Hi Family!

I can't believe how quickly time is passing! Yesterday I got my "trunky papers." :( Anyone who served a mission know what those are (departure papers). Personally, I think it is way too soon for that! I still have three more months left!!!! The mission is seriously the best thing I have ever done in my life! I know without a doubt that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord's church on the earth today! I am so happy that I can be here spreading this wonderful news with the whole world! Literally. We are teaching people right now from India, Zimbawe, California, New York, Ohio, Florida, Liberia, and South Africa... just to name a few. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings so much happiness into my life and many others. I am grateful to share this message with others!

I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Garbett

p.s.I found this on mormon.org and I love it!


Imagine you found a cure for cancer. How urgently would you spread the news of your discovery? Who would you tell? The gospel of Jesus Christ is the cure for so many of life’s ills that Mormons want to share the good news of eternal life with the same urgency.

The Lord’s Church has always been a missionary church. Jesus Christ’s life was the perfect example of missionary work. During His ministry on earth, he taught the gospel at all times, in all places, and to all kinds of people. Jesus taught the educated men in the temple, the sinners, the faithful and the unbelieving. He also called apostles and other disciples to preach the gospel so more people could hear about the blessings of righteous living. Most of their preaching during Christ’s life was to their own people, the Jews. After Jesus was resurrected, He visited His apostles and sent them to preach to the gentiles. He commanded them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Most of the Church’s missionaries are around twenty years old, though many members also volunteer to serve after they’ve retired. All prospective missionaries turn in applications to Church headquarters and one of the Twelve Apostles calls them to a specific mission around the world. They spend a few weeks in a training center where some of them learn a new language and all of them rigorously study and practice teaching the gospel. Then they set off to their assigned locations and begin their service. Missionaries’ lives are completely dedicated to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. They pay their own way and put off school, dating and work for two years in order to focus entirely on doing the Lord’s work.

A common morning for a missionary might consist of waking up at 6:30 a.m., studying the scriptures, and meeting new people to share the gospel with. The afternoon might include discussing gospel lessons with people they meet and volunteering for service in the community. A good night has them teaching the gospel to interested individuals and helping them learn and keep God’s commandments or attending a baptismal service for someone who’s decided to join the Church. They return home around 9:30 p.m. and fall into bed, usually exhausted and happy.

52,000 missionaries are currently serving in 350 missions around the world. They proselytize in every country where the government and political climate allow it. Many missionaries grow to love the areas in which they serve so much that they find it harder to come home after their missions are over than it was for them to leave in the first place.



So true!!!!

"Thine Afflictions Will Be But A Small Moment..."

Aug 5, 2010

Hello Family,

Well, we had transfers! My new companion is in her 2nd transfer. She is from Orlando Florida! We are in the "Chat Zone" and I am not the happiest camper. We have a lot of people get online just to waste our time and say crude things to us. I am working on the delete button in my brain so I can stop replaying the terrible words I read. Mom, you should teach me how to do that I bet you have to do that all the time with things you hear at work. I am trying very hard to stay positive, but so far it is difficult. I'm also a little sad because I won't be on the square very often, just a couple of hours a day.

Heavenly Father has a plan for me, I'm not sure what I need to learn, or who I need to meet, but I am really working on faith and trust in His plan. Today we were taking a couple on a tour through “God's Plan,” but I think I needed the tour more than they did. I have seen that same presentation probably a hundred times, but this time something really stood out to me. The last video clip is all about the restoration. It is so basic and goes through all of the points in the restoration in only six minutes! It's incredible. Anyway, as I was watching it this time some of the crude things I was told during one of my chats yesterday came into my mind. I felt very yucky and thought "Heavenly Father, why would you put me through this?" Just then I refocused on the video and the narrator said, "Incredibly, even the Savior was persecuted and rejected." It was a very humbling, yet comforting thing to hear. I felt a little like I had just experiences a very small fraction of how Joseph Smith felt in Liberty jail as he received the revelation "...thine afflictions will be but a small moment…"

I know I need to trust more in Heavenly Father's plan for me as His daughter. I know there are people online waiting to hear my testimony. I think this may be the place where the promise in my setting apart blessing will come to pass. The mission is always hard, but it is definitely worth it!

I love you so much! I'm learning a lot and always striving to become better. You're always in my thoughts and prayers!

Love,
Sister Garbett

"A Successful Week!"

July 31, 2010

Mommy and Daddy,

Hello! This week has been fun! Monday we got to go to Cotton Wood Canyon. It was kind of weird because I went last year in my first transfer. I wore the same sweater that I did the year before. It was a lot of fun and I got a little bit of a tan. :~) Later that day we got back to the Square in perfect timing. We met a young couple at the stop light who were on a date. We showed them the new Temple Display in the South Visitor Center. We talked to them and invited them to refer a friend and we ended up getting seven potentials!!! It was great!

We got to work at Welfare Square the rest of the week except for Thursday because we went to the Humanitarian Center. We got at least one potential a day. There aren’t very many non-members who go to those venues. So we get to work a lot with the members, which I really like.

There weren’t very many super memorable experiences this week, but it was overall a successful week. I really love the work. We have transfer calls on Monday. It’s weird because if any sisters go outbound for three transfers I will be gone by the time they return. I’m feeling like my companion and I may be together this next transfer. That would be interesting, since I’ve never been with a companion for two transfers! I will wait to send this letter until after transfer calls and I will let you know what’s happening.

Anyway, the work is going well! I’m loving it here. I’m still learning and growing. I hope all is well at home. I love you!

Love,

Sister Garbett

Happy Pioneer's Day

July 24, 2010

Mom and Dad,

Happy Pioneer's Day! This day 163 years ago the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley and Brigham Young said, “This is the place.” Crazy that now I’m a missionary here, right!? We’ve had a lot of good experiences this past week. It will be hard to hand write them all, but I love you enough to do it!

Thursday we were planning to contact at the North Visitor Center at the Jerusalem map at 11:00am, but for some reason it felt weird. So my companion and I decided to take our 10mp study at that time because we forgot to schedule that in for the day. We were on our way to the South Visitor Center when we met a woman. She wanted to know where the Joseph Smith building was. We told her we were going that way and would walk her there. As we did we taught her a little and she was so prepared. The spirit was so strong and I barely had to invite her to receive the missionaries. She was so ready to have the missionaries visit with her and deliver her a Book of Mormon.

After that we got our bags and headed home. We barely made it out of the gate when an older gentleman stopped us. He introduced us to his recently returned missionary, grandson. We talked to them and had a great conversation. The grandson shared with us that while on his mission he had had great experiences with Temple Square referrals, so he was willing to give us another name. He gave us a name of a friend from high school. My companion called his friend the next day and he was so prepared to hear the gospel. The friend, of course, received our invitation to have the missionaries visit with him. When my companion called the grandson who had referred the friend back to let him know what happen, the returned missionary almost cried with joy. He said he felt bad that he had waited so long to share the gospel with him.

On Friday we met a few really prepared people as well. A couple with their son, who was probably 27 years-old, was visiting. They came up to us and started asking questions. They were from New Mexico and said they have friends who are members of the church. The couple shared that they had been to our church and had even met before with the missionaries. They were very willing to meet with the missionaries again and their son was excited to meet with them as well. We got two referrals and a potential from them, also. They wanted us to call their other son. The woman kept talking about how peaceful she felt on Temple Square. At the end she told us, “I knew there was a reason we met you!”

When Heavenly Father prepares people, they can feel the spirit and they are so eager to refer. This church is true!

I love you so much!

Love,
Sister Garbett

4, 500 & Still Counting!

July 17, 2010

Mom & Dad,

This week was really good. Our mission has a goal of getting 7,000 referrals and potentials this transfer. I honestly didn't think it was possible, but our mission is at 4,500 right now and we still have two-weeks left. I think we will reach our goal!

Did I tell you about how my companion and I got a bunch of potentials? The other day we planned to meet two members in the Tabernacle. So we went there and saw two men sitting down, they looked like they were probably in their 30's. One had served a mission and the other had not. You could tell that they probably weren't fully active in the church. We asked the member who was a return missionary if he would share an experience from his mission with us. When he began to speak the spirit was so strong. We talked to them for about twenty minutes. We invited them to refer a friend so we could contact them through the referral center, but they "couldn't think of anyone." When that happens I then explain how our referral center works. I shared with them how our conversations in the referral center go and after that visitors usually think of someone we could call. The member who didn't serve a mission pulled out his cell phone and started writing numbers down. The member who served a mission even wrote down his parent's name and phone number. When we finished talking with them we looked at the list of potentials they gave us and we counted nine! My companion and I were both amazed by how many referrals we received. We already had a couple potentials from earlier that day and got another one later that night, for a total of 12 potentials in one day!

It is amazing how Heavenly Father blesses us when we plan and how he uses us to be instruments in his hands. I've been reading in chapter 17 of Alma in the Book of Mormon and it talks about the sons of Mosiah being instruments of the Lord. I love verse 11 "And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls." This work isn't easy, but it is definitely worth it! And with the Lord's help it is possible!

I love you both so much! I can't believe how quickly time is passing. Everyday seems so long, but as I'm on my knees at night praying, I can' believe the day is already over. I love being a missionary and I love serving at Temple Square!

You're in my thoughts and prayers!

Love,

Sister Garbett