February 24, 2014

Hello everyone! I am sure I have said this before, but this week was literally the greatest week of my life. Joy is an incredible understatement of the feelings I have had this past weekend. My decision to serve a mission is the greatest decision I have made in my life up to this point. I am eternally grateful that the Lord has allowed me to see miracles these past few days, as well as the past year. But literally, this past weekend changed my life. I will do my best to adequately put into words the experiences we had, keeping to myself the sacred experiences between me and my Heavenly Father. How grateful I am to be a missionary!

I will start with Friday, and make my way to last night! Sister Ellgen served in Surrey 1st ward, where she taught somebody who was baptized about a year ago. She was preparing her to enter into the Temple and receive more saving ordinances. Well, this past Friday night that woman went through the Temple for the first time, and Sister Ellgen got permission from President to go. How grateful I am to be her companion for multiple reasons...because that means I got to go as well! Brothers and Sisters, I have not been through the Temple in over a year. I was becoming SO Temple sick that my homesickness has literally all disappeared. I wanted to be in the Temple. Well, Friday night my prayers were answered. We went through the Temple, to support this wonderful woman Sister Ellgen had taught previously. Brothers and Sisters, how can I adequately express the feelings I had while in the session? Only Heavenly Father, the Savior, and the Holy Ghost understand how I felt. Because they were the sources of the feelings. I have not much to say about the experience, except that I KNOW that God lives. He loves me. The Temple is the House of the Lord, and what a blessing it is to have been there. May each of you not take for granted the close proximity of a Temple.

That alone would have made this weekend the greatest of my life. But Heavenly Father had even more in store. Saturday afternoon, James and Jen were baptized!! They are the ones with little Bella who was in the hospital. After months of progression, the Lord has brought them so close to Him. Months ago, they did not even know the existence of a God. Now, they tell everybody they meet that there is a God. President Tilleman gave me permission to go. These computers don't have connections to send pictures. But if they did, I would send you the most wonderful picture right before their baptism :) James bore his testimony after the baptism. It was the most powerful testimony I have ever heard somebody bear. It was about 10 minutes long! And still not long enough! He gave experience after experience of how he knows that God is there. I wish that every single person who has slammed the door on my mission could have been there to hear his testimony. Gratefully, there were several non-members there to be touched by the Spirit. It was incredible. Then, on Sunday, President also gave me permission to go to their confirmation in Willoughby Ward. President Tilleman did both of their confirmations, and then blessed their baby Bella. She now has a name and a blessing under the church records!! In his blessing, he blessed her that she would one day find a worthy Priesthood holder to take her through the Temple and be married for time and all eternity. Tears filled my eyes as I thought of the many generations that will be effected by James and Jen's wonderful examples. Bella will now grow up in the church, and influence many. And this beautiful family will next year be able to be sealed for time and all eternity in the Holy Temple of the the Lord. Words cannot describe my feelings for this family. I am SO grateful I served a mission so I could meet them and have their testimonies strengthen mine. Heavenly father sent me to them to increase my faith, not the other way around. I will absolutely be there in a year when they go through the Temple for the first time!!

Finally, late last night we were getting ready to go home after spending time contacting at a bus stop. We got a call from Nick Massimiliano, from Surrey 3rd ward. He told me that he had gotten his Temple Recommend yesterday, and had finally taken the Sacrament for the first time. I could hear the emotion in his voice as he told me about the cleansing power of the Atonement through the Sacrament. Brothers and Sisters, THIS is why I served a mission. To witness changes and miracles in people like Nick. I will keep the details to myself of working with this special family. But just know that God lives. He loves each of you.

This week's challenge is to do something specific every single day to come closer to the Savior (Hint: one of the best ways to come closer to the Savior is by bringing somebody else to Him!).

I could go on and on about the miracles we witnessed this past week. This past year, for that matter. But I will instead just leave you with my testimony. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that He lives today and that He reveals things to Prophets and Apostles, one of which will be visiting our mission this weekend. I know that the Book of Mormon is exactly what it claims to be - the word of God. Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It has brought me only closer to Him. I know Heavenly Father is SO very aware of me. I have had many sacred experiences on my mission that will never allow me to turn from that knowledge. I love Him. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord's Kingdom here in the earth. I didn't choose it to be that way, but I am so grateful that the Lord has allowed me to find that out. It is true. I love the Savior with all my heart. May each of you do everything in your power to come closer to Him, and to invite others to do the same.

I love you all and thank you so much for your wonderful support. Have a wonderful, Spirit-filled week!

Love,
Sister Biggs

February 3, 2014

Good afternoon everybody!!! What a blessed week this has been in the greatest mission on earth!!

This morning was such a sacred experience. Last week, Sister Tilleman called and said, "Sister Biggs, would you like to bring your district to go clean the Temple chandeliers on Monday?" Without hesitation, I said absolutely! So, this morning we had the incredible privilage of going to the Temple (which is closed for the next couple weeks for maintenance) and cleaning the chandeliers in the sealing room. I cannot express the feelings that filled my heart as I stepped foot in the House of the Lord. I have not been inside a Temple in over a year. I was literally getting more Temple-sick than I was Homesick. I guess that's a good thing. But nonetheless, four of us went inside and changed, and after receiving direction from a brother, we got to work. We got onto ladders and began cleaning the most beautiful chandeliers I have ever seen in my life. To me, they needed no cleaning whatsoever. But gratefully, the Temple Workers know best. As I stepped onto the ladder and looked closely at the crystals, I could see dust on them as well. So, with the little cloths they gave us to clean with, we gently began wiping down each crystal - first with a damp rag, then with a dry one. It was the most incredible thing. So many thoughts came to mind as I very carefully cleaned each crystal. I will share a couple with you, and share the more sacred ones with my journal. :)

When I first began cleaning, I was standing on the second step of the ladder, and cleaning while looking up at the crystals. It was a little bit difficult because I couldn't quite see the whole crystals, but I began dusting them somewhat blindly. After a few minutes, I took one step up on the ladder. I was now looking down at the crystals, rather than up. This smal

l step made a world of difference!! I could now see the backs of the crystals, which were quite dusty. I could also see the entire inside of the chandelier, to be able to get a better angle as I ran the cloth down each crystal. That one step made the rest of the cleaning much easier and more effective. As I pondered on this, I realized a characteristic of our Heavenly Father. He is on the highest plane. He is all-knowing and all-understanding. Because of that, He can see much more than us, and is so very aware of more than we are. When He gives us commandments, we may not always understand why. But, because He is on a higher plane, He knows what is best for us. He desires for us to be lifted higher, and as we are, we receive greater understanding and light. If we but humble ourselves and allow Him to lift us up, our eyes are opened, and so is the gateway to greater revelation.

Another thing that crossed my mind as I cleaned each individual crystal, was how much our Heavenly Father loves us so very much. There were hundreds of crystals on this massive chandelier. We had to clean the fronts and backs of each one as we made our way down the rows. It took a great deal of concentration and gentleness (something I wish I had more of!). Each one had to be carefully examined and cleaned properly. The largest one was about the size of a golf ball, and the smallest about the size of a seed. It was incredible how much the Lord allowed me to desire these crystals to be so clean, as they were in His house. It made me realize that our Heavenly Father cares so deeply about each and every one of us. He will leave the ninety and nine to bring back the one. He will faithfully and carefully "clean" each one of us if we but allow Him to do so. As we let His gentle hands mold each one of us into what He knows we can become, then we are able to shine forth the light that He can bring into our lives.

What a blessing it was to be able to clean the Temple. So many other thoughts entered my mind as I stood there cleaning carefully. After 2 hours, I only finished half of the chandelier! And as I stepped down from the ladder, I could see a clear difference from the ones I had cleaned and the ones I hadn't. I will forever cherish those 2 hours I had to be a small part of cleaning the Lord's house here on earth. I will never look at those chandeliers the same. I so look forward to being able to do an actual session there in the next few months.

This week's challenge is for you to go to the Gilbert Temple grounds. I know you might have to get tickets. So if you are a member, go and go again if it is possible! And if you are not a member and do not know what I am talking about, ask a member, my mom, or anyone you know and go with them! I pray that NOBODY will go without at least inviting someone to come with you. We all have agency :) Please, feel the power of the Spirit of the Lord as you walk around and through His house here on earth.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you and thank you so much for your support.

Love,

Sister Biggs

Here are a couple pics of her "hard at work" :)