tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358586103875487922024-03-14T00:37:35.878+01:00Sister Ashley du Plessis- Canada Winnipeg MissionSister Ashley du Plessis is serving in the Canada Winnipeg Mission as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from November 2013 to May 2015.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-36275791830486752742014-06-10T09:12:00.001+02:002014-06-10T09:12:14.646+02:00I Took Over Europe<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week was somewhat crazy and I feel like it was so long, but here's the run-down!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I got really really really sick and felt like I was going to die. Anyhow, I got lots of medication, as well as a Priesthood blessing, very kindly given to me by Elder Schmidt and Elder Schollars. I went to bed that night after hearing in my blessing that I needed to "take time to rest and recover" and was completely unconscious for 18 hours. Quite scary, but I felt much better afterwards! I guess it was just a bad cold, and now I feel much better! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's upside down, but Sister Harrison took a picture of me driving</span></div>
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(editor's note: I turned it the right way around)</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last Monday we played Risk with the Elders. It was so fun! They told us at the beginning not to take over Europe or Asia, because apparently that's too difficult, and what did we do? Sister Harrison took over Asia, and I took over Europe. Then we teamed up with Elder Schmidt and took over the world!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1442858117" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Tuesday</span></span> we taught a 12-year-old boy the Gospel of Jesus Christ...by relating it to Halo. That was quite the experience, and I will probably always think of Halo when someone talks about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After District Meeting we had a KD-party (KD is mac and cheese) and we made the biggest pot of KD I have ever seen. It was insane. This week we are going to have a Perogie Party and it is going to be epic. I will send pictures next week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">KD-Party</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We started volunteering at the Humane Society here. It's the SPCA, and <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1442858118" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Tuesday</span></span> we went over and got to play with the dogs and walk them and everything. The Elders had gone over there before and Elder Schmidt refused to show me the one room they had. Later I found out that it's the room they put the animals down in. So sad! I am grateful that Elder Schmidt knows me well enough to have kept me away. Anyhow, we really enjoyed our time with the dogs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My first time driving through the drive-thru</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because I was so sick this week, we got a text message <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1442858119" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Friday</span></span> morning telling us not to eat breakfast. A bit confusing, but about an hour after the text Elder Schollars and Elder Fratcher showed up at our door and THEY MADE US BREAKFAST! Soooo kind and thoughtful. Elder Fratcher said it was all Elder Schollars, but I am positive that he had something to do with it as well. We got so much food from other people this week that we didn't even have to buy groceries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We took a picture of a storm when we were on a reserve</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, that was the sum-up of my week! I love you!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-36695053926241968012014-06-03T02:12:00.000+02:002014-06-03T02:12:32.096+02:00'Yeah, we put the PA back in Party!!'<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't really remember much of what happened at the beginning of the week, because we mostly just said goodbyes and they were sad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyways, I drove the car down to Saskatoon, where we met with all the missionaries that were transferring and stayed there for about half an hour. Then Sister Haner drove the car down to Regina. We almost ran out of gas, but we made it to the temple just fine. We got to do a session with about fifty missionaries and it was amazing. Being in the temple made me realize that I NEED to make my goal of living of my Heavenly Father again the main focus of my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyhow, after the temple we drove to the Sunrise Sisters' apartment. They live in a house and it is so nice, BUT they only have hardwood floors and no carpet. So, for two nights I slept on a hardwood floor. I will never complain about my bed again. It was fine though, and it was quite the experience! I got to spend the day with them and it was interesting to teach in a tri-pan again. We had a lot of fun though, and I love Regina! I hope I get to serve there one day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After Regina Sister Bronson and I drove back up to Saskatoon. She is my new Sister Training Leader along with Sister McPhee. When we got to Saskatoon...I got to see Elder Barba again! Except now he is Dan, because he was released. So weird seeing him without a name-tag!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I picked up Sister Harrison and we drove back to PA. I feel more confident driving now and I am glad that I am the designated driver. Cars don't scare me any more! Yay! Sister Harrison`s first night in PA was rather...weird, haha. One of our neighbours decided to leave their car radio on the ENTIRE night and it was playing super loud music. I fell asleep to Gangnam Style and Cotton Eye Joe. My favourite was when the announcer said 'Yeah, we put the PA back in Party!!'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We got to drive down to Saskatoon again <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_535381889" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Sunday</span></span> because of Stake Conference and it was so great. The broadcast was wonderful and we got to hear from Sister Linda K. Burton, Elder Holland and President Eyring. They really geared their talks towards the youth and talked a lot about how we need to reach out to less-active members. I learned a lot and it was fun seeing everyone again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sister Harrison is great and she is also a physio-therapist. Two nights ago she hooked my back up with electrical pads and shocked me. It was great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love you and I hope you have a great week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">See you later, hopefully! :)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-53737537268176642552014-05-21T07:06:00.001+02:002014-06-03T02:13:17.306+02:00There Are Bugs EVERYWHERE!<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Well, on to my week.</div>
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President
and Sister Thomas came to PA this week and President had interviews
with us. We also had a member present with him and Sister Thomas and it
was glorious. Jodie really loved meeting with them and when she prayed
she even said "I am grateful that I got to meet the President and his
wife." So cute! </div>
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Diva is getting baptized <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_708086208" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Saturday</span></span>
at seven, and we are really excited for that. She had her baptismal
interview yesterday and she also tried on her jumpsuit. She looked so
cute in it! I am so happy for her and I am so happy that her family is
supporting her. Seeing her be baptized will really help them be active
again. The bishop told me that just before their baptism they came to
church for a year and didn't miss one <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_708086209" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Sunday</span></span>. And they even got married, because they lived common-law before. </div>
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I am still
teaching myself to play the piano and I am getting better. Unfortunately
I don't have much time to practise, but Sister Haner and I found a
keyboard in the library that isn't being used, so we are going to ask
someone from the bishopric if we can take it to our apartment.</div>
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Sister Haner and I went to help out at a yard sale <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_708086210" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">this Saturday</span></span>
and it was so nice. The sun was shining and it was really nice to spend
some time with the members who were hosting it. They are hilarious and
Sister Haner and I even got some clothes for free. The members that we
were with take in a bunch of Foster kids on a regular basis and they are
such an example to me of Christ-Like service and selflessness. I have
learned so much from them. </div>
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Because the sun
is shining and it is getting warmer there are bugs EVERYWHERE! We can't
even go outside without walking through at least one swarm of
mosquitoes. It is so bad and I really need to buy some bug repellent to
spray on myself so that I can stay free from mosquito bites. The
mosquitoes here are HUGE and I heard that it gets worse and that more
bugs are coming. Woohoo! We need to buy a fly swat thingy this week.</div>
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We get transfer calls <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_708086211" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Friday</span></span>,
so I will let you know what is happening and who my companion will be
for the next six weeks. I am sad to see Sister Haner leave (she's been
here for six months, so she's probably out), but I am excited for what
the next transfer has in store for me.</div>
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We went on
exchanges this past week and I got to serve with Sister McPhee for a
day. It was so great! We really enjoyed it and we laughed so much. We
got to teach quite a bit and I am grateful for the time that I got to
spend with her again. We were able to talk about some things and about
Brandon and I really gained a love and appreciation for her. I miss her
already, but I am grateful that she will be coming up to PA again next
transfer. Also, I will see her in Saskatoon when I drop Sister Haner off
and pick up my new companion two days later, because this mission is so
huge!</div>
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I sincerely
hope that I will get along well with my new companion, because for some
reason I feel like it is going to be a difficult transfer. Pray for me!
Haha, I'll be fine, I'm just paranoid.</div>
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Anyways...today
is my 6-Month Mark, which is crazy! I can't believe that I have already
been out that long and it is incredible how time flies. President and
Sister Thomas are confused about the fact that my MTC group apparently
goes home a transfer early, so who knows, maybe I'll go home in June
after all! We'll see.</div>
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Well, We are
going out to a Thrift Store to buy ugly sweaters so we can take a
district picture together. I will send it to you next week.</div>
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I hope that you have a wonderful week and that you all get healthy and stay safe!</div>
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Lots of love, Ashley</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-14293658622203853292014-05-21T07:01:00.003+02:002014-05-21T07:01:58.012+02:00It was incredible!<div dir="ltr">
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Well, I got to skype home today, so I don't have
very much to write about, but here are the notes that I took during
Sacrament Meeting yesterday. It was incredible!</div>
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-"Motherhood" does not mean maternity. Every woman plays an important role in nurturing and raising children around her.</div>
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-Satan attacks mothers by making them feel inadequate. He knows
that the hands that rock the cradle can rock his reign here on Earth.</div>
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-Mothers are the Lord's secret weapon</div>
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-Righteous women were endowed pre-mortally to be mothers</div>
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-Being a mother is a big responsibility, that is why we are foreordained </div>
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I
am so grateful for my incredible mother and all the life skills she has
taught me. She is such an example and an inspiration to me! I am truly
blessed to have her in my life.</div>
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It was so wonderful to see my family! I am so
grateful for Heavenly Father's plan and the knowledge that I can be with
my family forever. What a blessing!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-50575689657924851652014-05-08T05:18:00.001+02:002014-05-08T05:18:24.723+02:00I want to tell you a story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We made transfer guesses...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">May 2nd in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ptq-c80feE/U2r3FsMyBLI/AAAAAAAAAQw/TrlfiNGrD4o/s1600/DSCN0641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ptq-c80feE/U2r3FsMyBLI/AAAAAAAAAQw/TrlfiNGrD4o/s1600/DSCN0641.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, on to my week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was good, as far as numbers go. We taught more than I have ever taught on my entire mission and it was glorious. We worked really hard, but sadly the mission numbers went down, so that sucks. President is really pushing for us to work hard, because this work is so important! Anyhow, Sister Haner and I are probably going to sit down again and figure out what we could be doing to be better. Tomorrow we get to drive down to Saskatoon to attend Zone Training Meeting, and it is going to be all about online proselyting, so hopefully we will be on Facebook soon after that! I am excited for it, because so many people always ask us if we have Facebook, and we always have to say "no". Anyhow, there are about 4 people for us to add and teach as soon as we are allowed to go online. Excitement!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We finally got to meet with one of the people we were working with again (after two weeks) and it was so great! She showed us this massive moose head that she has in her basement. It's so big! I didn't know that they get that big! She also has a bunch of really amazing Native art all over her home. I am now officially obsessed with Native art, and I can totally see me decorating my future home with it! We went into her computer room to show her a video and she had this wolf pelt on one of the dressers. So big! And fluffy and soft. And she came to church yesterday, which was so great! I love her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week we celebrated Sister Haner's year mark! She is now one year old! Time flies by so quickly, it is crazy. I have already almost been out for six months and I feel like I just got here. And when I hit my six month mark (which will be in two weeks) I only have ten and a half months left! Insanity!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday we got to go over to the Yawney's home, which is always so great. I love being there, they have the cutest kids ever! Brother Yawney was away, so the Elders came over to bring Sister Yawney and her two little sons the sacrament. They brought Nevin with them and afterwards Nevin ended up playing with the boys for over an hour. It was so funny! They were screaming because they were laughing so much. Sister Haner and I laughed pretty much the entire time. Today Thomas (who is 3) came up to me and said "Come sit with me!" so we went over to the fireplace and sat down. Then he said "I want to tell you a story." He then proceeded to tell me a story about a monkey...unfortunately I didn't understand very much. So cute! The Yawney's are fantastic. They always invite our investigators over for dinner so that they can fellowship them and help them feel comfortable. They ALWAYS have us over for dinner/lunch and they just support us in any other way that they can. When I grow up I want to be just like the Yawneys. Seriously, so great. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not much else happened that I can report on. We really just worked our little feet off. We found three new investigators. One of them lives on a reserve, so we will have to figure something out for her, because we don't have the K's to drive out there all the time. We also set a solid baptismal date for <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1792651614" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 24th</span></span>, so we are really excited for that!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love being a missionary! It is seriously just the best thing ever. 'It's the coldest, hardest, toughest and the best!' I am excited to see you next week!!!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Love, Ashley</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-30607735386718850072014-04-29T08:22:00.000+02:002014-04-29T08:22:22.768+02:00If This Were The Work of Man, It Would Fail<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_775145852" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Sunday</span></span> there was a sentence that really stuck out to me in Relief Society. It's from the Joseph Fielding Smith manual and it is "If this were the work of man, it would fail, but it is the Lord's work, and He does not fail." That is so true! Firstly, it shows just how much we need to rely on the Lord as missionaries, for without Him we cannot have success! And secondly, this work is not failing! That means that it most definitely is true, as it is the Lord's work. So great!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Elder Schmidt also gave a really good talk in Sacrament meeting yesterday and said something that opened my eyes. He talked about Christlike attributes (and seeing as I have been praying for more charity and patience, I payed special attention) and said that when we pray for Christlike attributes, Heavenly Father will give us experiences that will help us develop those attributes. So if I pray for patience, He isn't just going to bless me with more patience. He will give me an experience that will make me need to have an increase of patience, which will help me develop that particular attribute. The same with charity. I was so grateful for his talk, because it was very inspiring and motivational.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
We also found five new investigators this week! The Lord truly does bless us when we trust Him completely and work our hardest (even though I was really sick and was convinced that I had bronchitis). Five of the people we are working with also came to church and they loved it! The ward was fantastic and reached out to them by introducing themselves and talking to them. I can't imagine anything worse than going to church for the first time and being ignored.</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Jodie came to Young Women's <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_775145853" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">this Wednesday</span></span> and she really enjoyed it. They built little temple replicas out of rice crispy treats and she did such a good job! She has been making so much progress and I am so proud of her. I am also so grateful that she gets support from the people that live in her home. This week she said something so funny. She was watching a movie with her boyfriend and he touched her leg...so she smacked it away and said "Don't touch me like that, it's inappropriate and Jesus will be mad at you!" She is the best and I love her.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I learned to sew on a sewing machine <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_775145854" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Thursday</span></span>. Sister Haner taught me and it was so much fun!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
The place we volunteer at on Thursdays is kind of like a thrift shop with a quilting store for people with mental disabilities and illnesses. There was this one guy who saw Sister Haner and I and yelled "I love you!" from across the room. So sweet. It's good to know that somebody loves me. There was also a new guy in the quilting room and when we walked in he said "you must be the prettiest girls in PA!" He then proceeded to be rather creepy (but sweet) for the entire time that he was there. It was funny.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I think the greatest thing that happened this week was that Corbin was baptised. Elder Schmidt and I got to skype in to Brandon to watch the baptism and it was wonderful. It was so fantastic to see him again and of course I cried like a baby. I got to see his sister, Bailey, again, I got to see Amber, Jocelyn, Michelle Palmer, bishop Palmer, Elsie Palmer, the Walker family, Sister Day, Elder Hindes, Elder Camarena, Elder Warren and my Mexican brother, Elder Barba. It was the best thing ever. I am so happy that Corbin was finally able to get baptised. He is such a great example to me and to everyone around him. It was such a blessing to have been able to spend three months teaching him and I am so grateful for all the times that he made me laugh and smile. He gets the Aaronic Priesthood soon and I am so excited for him! Agh, I love that kid.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Anyhow, that was my week. I hope that things are great over there and I love you! Have a good week!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Oh, and I totally won a bible bash <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_775145855" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Saturday</span></span>. Elder Ballard told Nevin (one of the YSA here) while he was still in the MTC that "We don't Bible bash, but when we do, we win!"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /><div>
It was so funny. This guy asked if I believed that Christ will come to Earth as a spirit, because that is what he believed. I said no, He has a resurrected body. In the book of John we read that Christ appeared to His disciples after His resurrection and they thought He was a ghost, so to prove to them that He had a body of flesh and bone, He ate fish and honey in front of them. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The guy didn't say anything after that. Sister Haner was very proud of me.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Alrighty, that is all! </div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-29428505540233904352014-04-22T00:30:00.002+02:002014-04-22T00:30:57.930+02:00"Don't find excuses, find the Saviour!" <div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ah man...don't
tell me about all the delicious food...I miss it! But...we get fed a lot
here and the members take good care of us. We had two dinner
appointments this weekend so we did not go hungry! Plus, this wonderful
lady in the ward (her name is Sister McKay and she reminds me A LOT of
you) went out and bought us groceries, so we don't even have to go
shopping this week. So nice! I almost cried. I am glad that Thor has
good friends and that he is doing well! He is so great and I talk about
him ALL the time. Pretty much everyone here knows that I have an amazing
brother named Thor and they all want to meet him! He's famous in the
Canada Winnipeg Mission :D</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well...I don't
know what to do for JJ anymore.. I know that Satan works particularly
hard on the Youth of the church. By destroying the Youth he destroys the
future of the church. I am so grateful to know that he will NEVER
succeed at that. There are so many great youth and they keep getting
more and more! I don't know what else you could do for him either...and I
don't think that he would appreciate or take my advice. So sad. I have
learned that foul moods need to be ignored, not acknowledged! They need
to be greeted with cheerfulness and charity. Super hard, I know, but I
learned that that's the only thing that works. Grumpiness is like
yeast...it needs to be fed. So if you try to always be in a good mood
around him and just ignore his bad mood (not him) I hope that things
will get better for him! I guess he has identified with being the black
sheep of the family and thinks that he isn't getting out of that
role...well, no black sheep can live in the presence of God! I know that
that isn't how the scripture goes...but I think it fits. Anyhow, enough
about JJ. Please just let me know if there is anything I can do to help
you and Papa. There was a guest speaker here <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1915532540" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">this Sunday</span></span>.
She said something in her talk that I really liked. She said, after
talking about how we all make mistakes "don't find excuses, find the
Saviour!" </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This week
was really great, we taught quite a bit and found three new
investigators! I am so happy that the work her in PA is finally starting
to pick up again. It was really rough for a while and that was quite
discouraging, but after much prayer and consideration, Sister Haner and I
worked out what we need to change/do to see more success. Sister Thomas
helped a lot with that in Melfort last week when she told us that we
need to focus more on developing Christlike attributes. I have really
been concentrating on Charity, Humility and Patience, but mostly
charity. It is something that I really struggle with and I hope that
some day I will finally have developed more of it.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh...someone
got shot last week in our part of town...the police didn't find the
murderer until about two days later, so we did not go into any sketchy
parts of the city and we didn't stay out after dark. I am glad that they
found him and that he is in jail now! </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was on a
reservation this week for a dinner appointment. It was so great! This
lady's home is FULL of Native art and dream catchers and a MASSIVE
buffalo head on the wall. Buffaloes are huge! Eric took a picture of me
with it and I asked him to send it to you, so I hope you got it! I love
being in this mission. I love the Native culture and I feel so ignorant
because I hardly know anything, but I hope to learn more!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1915532541" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday</span></span>
we drove down to Saskatoon to go meet with all the missionaries there
and pick up the two Sisters that we had the privilege of driving down to
Regina with. They were so great and it was fun to chat with them. They
are in our Zone, but they are serving in Saskatoon. I was
sooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited to finally arrive in Regina because
we got to see everyone! The mission has never gathered together before,
because it is so huge, and it truly was an historic moment. I got to see
Sister Bennett and Sister Ashton-Korn again. I got to see Sister Day,
Elder Allred and Elder Barba! It was so great! A lot of jumping up and
down as well as hugging went on. Of course I only hugged the Sisters.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I got to see Elder Barba again!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, on to
meeting the Apostle. IT WAS INCREDIBLE! we all gathered in the chapel
and as soon as he entered the church building you could just feel a
change. Then he walked into the room and we all stood...so powerful! It
was fantastic. Elder Christofferson is so funny! He made so many jokes
and we laughed so much. He spent the majority of the time answering our
questions. Then at the end he said that he wanted us to write in our
journals for our posterity to read that these words came out of his
mouth: I know that Jesus Christ lives!" It was so powerful. We got to go
up and shake his hand and introduce ourselves. So special. President
Thomas said in his weekly email to us all that Elder Christofferson said
that he had never before been in the presence of a more dignified group
of missionaries. Again, I am so grateful to be a part of this mission! I
am convinced that we have the best Mission President ever. I know that I
have said that before, but I just have to say it over and over because I
constantly get reminded just how blessed I am with him and Sister
Thomas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elder
Christofferson told us that the Prophet said he loves us. He then
proceeded to bless us with so many things. He blessed us that we would
have greater power in teaching, that we would find answers to our
prayers, that we would learn more things from the scriptures, that our
teaching would be as powerful as the missionaries of old, that we would
have strong testimonies, that we would feel a deep sense of joy and
peace in the work and that we would know that the Lord approves of us.
With all that I cannot fail!</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Please watch
the "Because of Him" video on the front page of LDS.org. You can also
look it up on the YouTube page of Mormonchannel. It is so good and it
really puts everything into perspective! Also, the music is excellent! I
love it! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope that you have a great week and I love you!</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">P.S. On the way back to PA we saw a wolf! </span></span></div>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
The Canada Winnipeg Mission</div>
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Bye bye Elder Jordan!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-86927744521161594522014-04-15T02:26:00.000+02:002014-04-15T02:26:11.909+02:00"Oh, so you're my German!"<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Well, for Easter we will be having a meeting with Elder Christopherson! So I am really excited for that.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
It is still cold, back to the negatives and it snowed again...but, I have faith that we will soon see Spring!</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
We
got our transfer calls! I will be staying in Prince Albert with Sister
Haner! Yay!!! Elder Hindes is leaving (boooooooo) and he his going to
Brandon! So I have a ton of letters for him to take down and give to all
the people there. I still miss Brandon, and I wish I could go back, but
I know that I need to be here in PA. Still not quite sure why, but
until I figure that out I'll just keep on persevering. Elder Jordan is
also getting transferred, he is going to North Battleford, so not too
far away. Elder Schmidt, who I served with in Brandon for two transfers,
is going to com up to PA, so we will probably serve together for two
more transfers. He just isn't going to get rid of me!</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
The snow melted and we had some really nice warm days, but then <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_246034922" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Friday</span></span> it started to snow again! So we're back to Winter, haha. Canada!! I love it.</div>
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</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
We finally got to reset Jodie's baptismal date for <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_246034923" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 10th</span></span>
and we are so excited! She has been keeping all the commandments that
we have taught to her and is making so much progress. I just love her!
We showed up at her house and washed the dishes and swept the floor for
her Kukum (her grandma) and ever since then her family has been so nice
to us and they really like us! Her grandma wants to make us bannock, so I
am excited for that!</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
We got to go to Melfort this weekend to help with a food drive there. We arrived <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_246034924" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Friday</span></span>
in the afternoon and it was so great to see President and Sister Thomas
again. I love them! Melfort is a tiny town of about 5000 people, and
there were around fifty missionaries there. We got to hear from
President and Sister Thomas, as well as Elder and Sister Menlove, who
work in the mission office. Elder Menlove talked all about how the funds
we receive from the church are sacred. The money that we personally
contribute to our mission doesn't even cover our rent. I am so grateful
for the support that the missionaries receive from the church. Those
funds truly are sacred and I intend on being much more careful. I am so
grateful for Sister Haner, because she loves being thrifty and has
helped me so much. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
After the
training portion of our meeting, we got to attend a fireside. It was so
good! Everyone talked about "Finding" and Sister Thomas explained that
if we develop Christlike Attributes, we will find more people. So, here
is my master plan: President Uchtdorf talked about how gratitude is a
catalyst for developing Christlike Attributes...So I am going to be much
more grateful, so that I can develop more Christlike Attributes, so
that we can find more people to teach! </div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
We had the
opportunity of meeting some of the members in the Melfort branch. When I
introduced myself to President Froc (branch President) he said "oh, so
you're my German!" I got the same reaction when I introduced myself to
one of the Sisters. She said "ooooh, you're the German!" So funny. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I got to see
Sister Smith again, who was in my MTC group and it was so great! She is
going to Winnipeg now, so I will be the only Sister from my MTC district
all the way up in PA. All the other Sisters are in Winnipeg and the
surrounding areas. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I got to meet
Elder Vause, who is the most unique and incredible human I have ever met
in my life. He made me laugh so much! He is just hilarious. Such a
character. He knows everything about movies and when we had a practice
as a group, he took his chair and placed it in the middle of the
circle...I am so excited to see him again <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_246034925" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Friday</span></span> :D</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I also got to
meet Elder Gardner, who is actually in my zone. He is currently serving
in Saskatoon. He is a convert and he joined the church when he was
eight. We chatted for over an hour and it was great. The missionaries in
this mission are fantastic!</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I am so excited to see the apostle <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_246034926" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Saturday</span></span> and I can;t wait to tell you all about it <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_246034927" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Monday next week</span></span>!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-70799989988304534792014-04-08T00:34:00.001+02:002014-04-08T00:45:27.647+02:00Well, We Got to Watch Conference!!!!!!!!!!!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
I got to go mattress sailing!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4PNY33pT2Qs/U0Mnn2jvt-I/AAAAAAAAAPY/lboiuvkqigI/s1600/-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4PNY33pT2Qs/U0Mnn2jvt-I/AAAAAAAAAPY/lboiuvkqigI/s1600/-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">So pretty much my entire email is going
to be full of my insights from the talks that were given. But first I
will update you on how my week went!</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I met a lady
from Namibia, who studied in South Africa and knows German! It was so
fun to talk to her about South Africa and speak with her in German. She
even told me where to find Biltong in PA! I am soooo excited.</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went to
visit a member that lives out of town. On the way there we passed so
many deer right by the highway. It was rather frightening. Anyhow, we
finally found where she lived, and we weren't quite sure if it was her
house or not. But we walked down the super long and windy driveway and
her massive dog ran up to us and just started barking at us. Not in a
friendly way. We didn't know what to do, so we just stood there and let
the dog bark at us. Anyhow, after about three minutes of not moving I
took the phone and called her. It was her house and she came out to get
us. So funny.</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of
dogs...there is this one particular dog that used to like me...I don't
know what I did, but now every time we go over there it bites me. It
hasn't ever pierced my skin, so I'm not too worried, but I sincerely
hope that the dog and I manage to sort things out!</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We finally got
to see J again! She has been really busy, but she was happy to see us
again and she still really wants to be baptised. She has been keeping
all the commandments we taught her about, and hopefully we will get to
teach her about all the other ones soon. She has been making such good
progress and I love teaching her. She is so great, and I am so blessed
to have met her!</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went out to a member's home for lunch <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1330997212" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Friday</span></span>.
After eating and chatting we asked if we could share a message with
them. We watched the Lifting Burdens Mormon Message and read Matthew
11:28-30. Then we sang "I need Thee every Hour". The husband absolutely
bawled when we were singing. It was so sweet, I hope he was feeling the
spirit and not just crying at our singing voices!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yesterday
evening we got a phone call from Sister B. She called us to check up on
us and ask how conference went. Then she asked if we had enough food and
all that. She is so sweet! I love the members of this ward, they are so
great and they take very good care of the missionaries!</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We have a Zone Conference in Melfort <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1330997213" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">this Friday</span></span>.
It will be a service project, and I don't really know too much about
what will be happening, but I will let you know all about it next week.</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alright, on to
my conference insights. First of all, I absolutely LOVED conference. It
was so good! Every single talk was brilliant and I took a ton of notes. </span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love how
Elder Holland talked about how we need to take a moral stand and defend
our faith with courage, courtesy and pure Christlike love. Everyone will
eventually have to defend their faith, and we seem to have to do it
quite a bit. Sometimes it can be hard, but it is so worth it! We are so
blessed to have the gospel in our lives!</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sister Linda K.
Burton talked about how we need to make daily family prayer and
scripture study a priority, as well as have Family Home Evening. Doing
these things will help us be less stressed and more at peace. I think
that everybody could use a lot less stress! So that means that everybody
needs to make that more of a priority!</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Andersen
said that the Book of Mormon is the most powerful written testimony of
the Saviour. We are so blessed and lucky to have it.</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
I loved this quote by Elder Nelson: "Even if everyone is doing it- WRONG
WAS NEVER RIGHT. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's
approval." So powerful! And so true. The world around us is constantly
changing and getting worse. Staying faithful and standing up for
ourselves gets harder and harder, but it is worth it!</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">President
Uchtdorf's talk was much needed. "Gratitude is a catalyst for all
Christlike Attributes." That sentence was like a spiritual high-five. In
the face. I really have so much to be grateful for, I really need to
start showing my gratitude! I need to stop always being in a bad mood, I
need to stop getting frustrated so quickly, I need to rely on the Lord
much more. So many things to improve on! But hey, that's what missions
are for, right? I have no intention whatsoever to go home and be exactly
the same way that I was. That would be terrible!</span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alright, this
email is getting longer than I wanted it to be, so I am going to stop
now. Subscribe to the Ensign!!! Church magazines are great! Also, hang a
picture of the Saviour up in your house. I think it was Sister Burton
who said that as we make the Saviour the focus of our lives, we will be
blessed with the guidance of the Holy Ghost and everything else will
fall into place. That is a great promise! </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope you have a great week!</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-51891354972943842912014-04-01T23:48:00.000+02:002014-04-08T00:44:30.587+02:00One Step at a Time<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">It's still really cold here, but it is slowly warming up. All the ice is melting leaving massive slush-puddles EVERYWHERE. Yesterday this massive truck got stuck in one of said puddles, and we tried to help pushing it out...we only made it worse. Oops. Anyways, the people called a tow-truck and all was well.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sister Haner and I get along fantastically. She is great. I am very blessed to have her as my companion. I sincerely hope that I get to serve with her for another transfer!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We haven't been able to contact J, which is so sad, because she is our baptismal date. I guess not any more, because we haven't been able to meet with her in over a week. So sad. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went thrift shopping on Monday after emailing and it was glorious! So funny! Elder Hindes bought a suit for only 25 dollars and then wore it on Tuesday to District Meeting. It was so funny! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On Tuesday Elder Sorenson nicked our phone when we weren't looking and deleted their number. Or so I thought...anyways, I texted them and after typing in their number I pressed send...and it said "sending to President Thomas". I almost had a heart-attack. It took a couple of seconds and then I realised that he hadn't deleted their number, he had changed their name to "President Thomas". So mean! That could have gone really bad...luckily it didn't!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At Sports Night we had a bunch of potential investigators and one of them is an eleven year old girl with the voice of an angel. Anyhow, she was talking to Sister Haner about how she loves singing and I asked her if she knew the cup song. She did. We then went to the kitchen to get cups and sang the cup song together. It was so fun! Anyhow, she is coming to Sports Night again tomorrow and I am so excited! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We met an Austrian man yesterday and I had so much fun speaking German again! It was so strange though and I really had to think about words and sentence structure. I hope that I will still be able to speak it by the end of my mission!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, if you have time, check out the ward boundaries for Prince Albert on <a href="http://lds.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">lds.org</a>. They are HUGE! One lady came to church this past <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_8272918" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> and it took her four hours just to drive here. Insanity!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love being here in PA and I love this mission! I have some exciting news to share with you next week...it is going to be glorious!! Also, I just wanted to let you know that the ward members take very good care of me! We usually get fed every <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_8272919" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> and one of the Sisters here bakes a ton of cookies for us! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week in my studies I have really been focusing on Humility. I never really considered myself as prideful, but after studying humility and getting chastised quite a bit I realised that it definitely is something that I need to work on. The more I study the Christlike attributes section in Preach My Gospel the more I realise how incredibly far away I am from being Christlike. I take it as an opportunity to change and grow, and am trying very hard to not get discouraged. One step at a time. And Sister Haner is really helping me a lot! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This gospel is so true! And the more I read the Book of Mormon the more I love it! You should watch the Mormon Message entitled "Lifting Burdens". Mission- and life-changing. So good!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/coef8G5ax6E?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, and I hope that you are excited for General Conference! I know I am!!!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Alrighty, I hope you have a great week and stay safe!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Elder Hindes wearing his suit and hat. So funny!</span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-78XDNJ8BAas/Uzszq7ehdNI/AAAAAAAAAOk/K0zpvUmr6Js/s1600/DSCN2582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-78XDNJ8BAas/Uzszq7ehdNI/AAAAAAAAAOk/K0zpvUmr6Js/s1600/DSCN2582.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elder Sorenson downloaded a picture of himself onto the computer...So I stuck his face all over the Family History Center</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TQGJIcd1DZc/UzszmxhRioI/AAAAAAAAAOc/N1wYkSpqf7s/s1600/DSCN0568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TQGJIcd1DZc/UzszmxhRioI/AAAAAAAAAOc/N1wYkSpqf7s/s1600/DSCN0568.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Balut!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xUplzVaJSN4/UzszrRp7M2I/AAAAAAAAAOo/hvL1GXqp3rM/s1600/DSCN0572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xUplzVaJSN4/UzszrRp7M2I/AAAAAAAAAOo/hvL1GXqp3rM/s1600/DSCN0572.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-35238587643486276862014-03-24T22:54:00.000+01:002014-04-08T00:45:49.848+02:00Search and Rescue<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1164216928" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">This Sunday</span></span> the Bishopric was speaking and they all talked about Repentance. It was so good! </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We have been focusing on the Less-Active members throughout the entire mission and have been seeing a lot of success. Sister Haner and I committed one of the ladies we are working with to come to church and she came! And she liked it! And she has started reading her scriptures again and is praying more. We are so happy with the progress that she is making! This mission is a "Search and Rescue" mission, and President has asked us to especially focus on the rescuing part. It makes no sense for us to keep bringing people into the church through baptism when they fall away again.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sister Haner and I get along just fine, and she makes me eat very healthily. She likes all natural products and what not. Also, she has put me on a ten-day chocolate fast, so that is coming along well and I actually feel a lot better...less sluggish and less tired. Also, I have not had a migraine since my first transfer, which is great! Heavenly Father really has blessed me with health. I have also gained four kilograms, so I guess I'm not underweight anymore! Sister Haner has made me learn to be grateful that I now have a normal body weight. She is seriously the best, and this district is incredible. I thought it would be really hard to get a district as great as the one in Brandon...but all I needed to do was come to PA! Elder Hindes (my district leader) knows pretty much everything about me, because he is so good at asking questions. I asked him how he manages to get people to tell him their life-stories, because the majority of the questions he asks are really personal, but when he asks them you just want to tell him everything! He said it's because he genuinely cares about the people that he talks to. I need to be more like Elder Hindes when it comes to asking questions. I really need to learn to have more love and charity for everyone that we work with!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, this week we went on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders. I went with Sister Harrison and it was so fun! We got horribly lost...multiple times...but hey, now I know the area even better! I have seen pretty much every corner of Prince Albert, and I love this city even more now. Sister Harrison said that I taught very well and was impressed that I knew the names of all the Ward members. We saw so many miracles on that exchange! Jodie's boyfriend, who has refused to talk to us the entire time, came downstairs and introduced himself to us. We invited him to sit in on the lesson and he almost did, but I guess playing Grand Theft Auto was more important at that time :D </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week I got given a lot of very nice things. Two children made me bracelets (I wear them whenever I know that they are going to be around) and all the missionaries got given gift cards for groceries. So nice and kind and thoughtful! We are all so grateful and it is truly such a blessing that the ward members take such good care of us. I love this ward!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to a round dance and I loved it! It was so powerful, I got goosebumps. I love learning about the Native culture and I am sad that I hardly know anything. Since being here I have developed a weird obsession for feathers and dream catchers :D</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went over to a member's home and his wife made Filipino food for us. It was delicious!!! But...this evening we are going to have a YSA-FHE activity and one of the members is bringing Balut (or however you spell it) for all the missionaries...so I might just die. I am honestly terrified, but it will sure make for a funny story to tell in ten years!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyhow, sorry to end my email on that note...everything is great here in PA, other than the fact that it is still freezing cold...but no worries, I just checked the weather and today is a toasty -22 degrees Celsius. Wahoo!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Driving to a member's home...</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-36544493408842362892014-03-20T01:19:00.001+01:002014-04-08T00:48:03.651+02:00Diabetes Treasure Chest<span style="font-family: inherit;">Quite a few things happened this week, so I'm just going to jump into it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
only piece of meat that I have had to eat all week was a small piece of
Turkey. It was great! Eating all this fruit and all these vegetables
has really been helping me stay healthy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sister Haner is seriously the best. We are the same person. She loves Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. So great.</span><br />
</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
snow here is starting to melt. That means that there are super big
slush and water and mud puddles EVERYWHERE! It's like driving through a
lake and it's really fun, except for the fact that our car is now
absolutely filthy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went over to
a member's home and they apparently take mugshots of all the
missionaries. Unfortunately I looked really bad that day...they still
took the picture of me. It actually looks alright.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I learned how to pin the squares of a quilt together and I'm sure that soon I will learn how to sew with a sewing machine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Elder Jordan made me a bunch of CDs to listen to in our car and they are
the best. He is so nice! He also gave me a tie so that I can start
trading with the other Elders to build up my tie-empire. Tie-trading is
practically a sport here, and I plan on getting very good at it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">They closed
down one of the streets because of all the slush and ice and when they
opened it up again they somehow didn't turn the traffic light on
properly, so it was always red. Anyhow, we pulled up to this traffic
light and there were about five cars just standing there, waiting for it
to turn green. We knew that it was broken, so I jumped out, ran up to
the pedestrian crossing, pushed the button and sprinted back (I slipped
and slid more than I ran) to the car. As soon as I jumped in the car the
traffic light turned green and we were able to drive. I had to laugh
the entire time, from when I first jumped out of the car to when I
jumped back in and then Sister Haner and I laughed for about ten minutes
straight. It was so funny.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We received a
banana-bread-baking-kit from a member and it was great. I was brave
enough to try some of it and I really liked it! Maybe I will conquer my
fear of bananas out here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All the
missionaries in PA provide service at the food bank and afterwards we
are allowed to go into the basement and go through the sweets and it's
like a treasure hunt. We call it the "Diabetes Treasure Chest" and it is
glorious. We picked up so much chocolate and so many other sweets...We
now have an entire cupboard in our kitchen that is filled with sweets
and chips and cookies. So much joy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I got a hair
cut. It is now even shorter, which I am not too sure about, but it sure
makes it easier to manage. Also, it was free! One of the members is a
hairdresser and said that she would love to cut our hair. Then we asked
her how much she charged she just said "For you, nothing." It was so
great!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a
recent convert here who is just the greatest. His name is E and at
Sports Night he got me to read him a talk by Elder Holland...in German.
It was so fun, and he really liked it. He is seriously the most
incredible person. He talks about the gospel with his friends and really
wants to serve a mission. He will be a fantastic missionary once he
gets out there!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We visited
another member and her husband and they have a cat that loves to nibble
on toes. Only my toes though...so that was a rather interesting
experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday two
guests, who had just returned from their mission in Russia, gave talks
in sacrament. They were brilliant. Her talk was fantastic and he said
something that really gave me chills. He said that the lost tribes are
not lost to him, they are in Russia. Hardly anyone there that gets their
patriarchal blessing is from Ephraim or Manasseh and they know someone
from every tribe. The gathering of Israel is happening! It's sooo
exciting! Also, She said that the Winter here was colder than in
Siberia. Can you believe that? I survived!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As to spiritual
things that happened this week, Sister Haner and I have really been
striving to be exactly obedient, especially in going to bed on time. The
Lord truly does bless us when we are exactly obedient. Also, we have
been trying to focus on doing everything that Preach My Gospel teaches
and we have been seeing more success! I love Preach My Gospel, and I
love Sister Haner! I have learned so much from her!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The church building in PA</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-46867070794795014592014-03-13T00:46:00.001+01:002014-04-08T00:48:35.429+02:00Well...I Am Finally in Prince Albert!!! <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I left Brandon and 6AM on </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Thursday morning and arrived in PA at 10AM on Saturday.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> This mission </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">is so big!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">PA is actually warmer than Brandon (currently +5), so I am sooo </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">grateful for that! My new companion's name is Sister Haner </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">and she is a sweetheart. She is from Utah and is a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">vegetarian. She is a great missionary and we teach very well together. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I have already learned so much from her, especially learning to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">recognise the promptings of the Spirit. They happen so much more than </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I originally thought! We teach a lot here in PA, which is really </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">good.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Elders in my district are great. They are all from Utah and their </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">names are Elder Hindes (my District Leader), Elder Sorenson (his </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">companion), Elder Hanson and Elder Jordan. They are super funny and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">are really nice to Sister Haner and I.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Our apartment is great, the Relief Society in our ward made sure that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">it was well furnished and clean before the Sisters arrived. They even </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">made quilts for our beds! So kind. Our shower is possessed, as it goes </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">from freezing cold to boiling hot and then back again ALL THE TIME, so </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">showering is not really enjoyable.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">We have a brand new car, it is a Chevy Trax and it is rather large. I </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">now have to jump up to get in the car, instead of sitting down.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The ward is great, except everyone shows up </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">at least twenty minutes late to church. So we need to do something to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">change that because it is very distracting. Anyhow, it was announced </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">in sacrament meeting that I would be speaking, so I thought that I was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">supposed to get up and introduce myself and bear my testimony, just </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">like I did in Brandon. That is what I did, and then after church </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">people thanked me for my talk and Sister Haner asked if the bishop had </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">coordinated me speaking on Sunday</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> beforehand and I just hadn't told </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">her. Apparently I was supposed to give a talk, only nobody told me. I </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">hope someone learned something from what I had to say though. We also </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">had to teach Sunday</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> School, because the teacher didn't show up to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">church because she/he was sick. So we had to throw a lesson together, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">and it worked out really well!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Anyhow, it was really hard to leave Brandon and I shed quite a few </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">tears. When we drove from Winnipeg to Regina we stopped in Brandon to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">get gas and I almost started crying again, because it only would have </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">taken five minutes and we would have been at the church building. I am </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">very grateful for the time that I got to spend in Brandon, and though </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I miss it very much, I know that I am in PA for a reason. It feels </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">right, and I feel motivated to be the best missionary I possibly can.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Transfer meeting in Winnipeg was crazy, we had over 80 missionaries </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">there. I got to see Sister Ashton-Korn again and it was a most joyous </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">reunion. I was so incredibly happy and we just talked for ages and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">laughed so much! It was great. We even got to stay with her and her </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">new companion for the night and we stayed up really late and just </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">talked. I really hope that I get to serve with her one day, but </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">unfortunately I don't think that that is going to happen.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Our mission got the go-ahead to do online proselyting, and it is the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">first mission in Canada to start that. So that will be really </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">exciting! It will be interesting to learn how to do online proselyting and I am </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">excited for this change in missionary work. The youth here are elect </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">and that is the best way to communicate with them. Things are really </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">changing here in Canada and I am so happy and privileged to be a part </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">of it all. This really is the best mission in the world!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I finally got to see Sister A-Korn again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">My new companion, Sister Haner</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The greatest person in the world </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Elder Schmidt's boots are HUGE</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-4212243789099918592014-03-04T23:40:00.002+01:002014-04-08T00:48:56.112+02:00Well...I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED!<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am rather sad, but at the same time really excited for all the new experiences that await me! When we told C and B, C looked over to me, started to tear up and said "you can't leave, you just got here!" That broke my heart and I had to book it out of there, or I would have started crying. I held it together until we got to the car. Yesterday was quite rough too. I heard a lot of "What? You just got here, you can't leave already!" I never realised just how much the members love the missionaries here until I saw the Relief Society President start bawling after she told me that her granddaughter was not pleased that I am leaving. It was really sad. I am so grateful that I was able to begin my mission here in Brandon. really could not have started in a better area. Sister McPhee is getting transferred to Wanuskewin and will be my Sister Training Leader), Sister Day is staying here and will be training. I am getting transferred to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to serve with Sister H All I know about PA is that it is way up North and freezing cold. Also, it has only been open to missionaries for two transfers. I am rather scared, but really excited too. It will take about twelve hours for me to get there...Sister McPhee and I will hop aboard theTransfer Train, which is a 15-seat family van, and drive to our new areas. I might just go crazy on the way there. This mission is sooooo huge!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week we had a record cold day. It was freeeeeeeeeeeeezing, and by freezing I mean-52...and were out and about. I thought that my face was going to burn right off. This year Manitoba has had the longest, coldest Winter in 35 years. I survived! At least I have so far. I have never before had to run from the cold, but as soon as we get out of the car we sprint to wherever it is that we are going because it is just too cold to walk at a normal pace!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I can't believe that I have already been out for three months. It's crazy! It feels like I just got here, but at the same time it feels like I have been here forever. It's so strange, but I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not very much else happened this week, as we have pretty much just been stopping by to say goodbye to people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I did have a burger that was made of deer meat. It was really good! Also, the people we had the burgers with bought us a cake that said "Farewell, we will miss you!" So sweet. I really love Brandon and I am so grateful for the people that I have met here. They have blessed my life in so many ways and I have learned so much from them</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last day at the Soup Kitchen!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">CWM with Elder B</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-40527874529466493882014-02-26T06:04:00.000+01:002014-04-08T00:51:23.294+02:00Morgan Freeman!<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week was nice and warm, and I was able to wear flats all week! It was great!</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyhow, this week is going to be freezing cold again. Today is -40 and I was stupid enough to scrape the ice off of the windshield without gloves and using the metal ice scraper thingy. My hand hurt quite a bit after that...I seriously need to be more careful or I really will get frost bite!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This past week it snowed A LOT and we decided to get up early one morning and go shovel snow for a few people. Shoveling snow is honestly the best work-out ever! I was fine for the first two hours and then I got a Hexenchuss. Not many people can say that they got a Hexenchuss from shoveling snow, right? Anyways, I persevered for another hour and the Sister Day started to feel sick as well, so we went back home. Three hours was just waaaay too much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sister Day had a stomach bug or something, because she spent quite a bit of time vomiting. I felt so sorry for her, but luckily it only lasted for about two days. On the second day we went to a member's home for dinner and had moose meat. It was really delicious! I was a tad bit skeptical, but I'm glad that I tried it. Afterwards she gave us ice-cream, and Sister Day managed to eat half of hers and then her stomach started to hurt again. By now we have perfected the plate-swap, so we quickly swapped bowls and I ate the rest of her ice-cream. I didn't get sick though, so all is well. That's what companions are for, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week our Ward Mission Leader's wife made us Cafe Rio Salads. I didn't know what that was, but Sister Day was soooooo excited. It was the best meal I have had on my entire mission. I loved it. So if Solingen ever gets sister missionaries, look up a good recipe for Cafe Rio Salads on Pinterest and make it for them. Please. They will be eternally grateful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We taught the blind pastor again and it was great! We also got to meet his fiance, who is in a wheelchair. Those two are incredible, and their relationship is so inspiring! I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them, and they even baked shortbread cookies for us! They were delicious..</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We showed the "What Matters Most" Mormon Message to a family and afterwards we asked the son if he knew who it was. He goes "Morgan Freeman!" I almost died laughing, it was so cute! When we explained that it was the prophet he just burst out laughing himself. So funny!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week also seemed to be the week that everybody decided to feed us muffins and cupcakes. I may or may not have eaten my body weight in muffins and cupcakes. Not complaining though, not one bit!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_755045514" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Sunday</span></span> A gave her first talk and we helped her write it. A tells me every week that she is praying for me to stay in Brandon. Anyhow, while we were helping her write it she leaned over to me and said "You have really pretty eyeballs". I guess the light really must have made them glisten and glow. I have never gotten that compliment before, so I'll take it! She was so nervous <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_755045515" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Sunday</span></span>, but she did a great job and I was very proud of her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday we stopped by at a member family's home to see how they were doing. They have a parrot, and when I went up to say hello to it, it whistled at me. So funny! That parrot is hilarious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week I have really been trying to focus on listening to everyone and having faith that the spirit will help me know what to say and when to say it, instead of always planning everything. It worked! I really enjoyed teaching and meeting new people this week. And it was much easier for me to bond with them, because I actually listened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week was really good, and I really enjoyed. I am so grateful for the time I have had here in Brandon and I can honestly say that the Canada Winnipeg Mission is the best in the world. At least for me it is</span></div>
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Sister Day got a tad bit sick, so I cut this out of a cookie box and taped it to the toilet. I am glad that she thought it was funny.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-8998247069405333502014-02-18T04:29:00.001+01:002014-04-08T00:53:40.208+02:00Curling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
B-Town!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week was really great, even though it started off with Sister McPhee and I still being sick. Anyhow, we dropped her off at a member's home and Sister Day and I went out to teach a lesson and we asked the entire family to pray about being baptised, and they said yes! It was such a great experience. I love that family! The Lord truly does prepare people for us...we just need to find them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We received a referral to contact a man named Reverend G. He is a blind pastor and he is seriously the most uplifting and incredible man I have ever met. We talked to him for over two hours and it was great! We asked him if he had heard about the Book of Mormon and he goes "Oh yes, I have read it! I particularly like the book of Alma and the book of Moroni." We walked out of there feeling fantastic, and we have another appointment with him <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_20820574" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Friday</span></span>. I am so excited for that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week the Zone Leaders were able to make it to District Meeting again. Elder A pulled out this really old Bible and handed it to me. Then he said "I remembered that you love really old books, so when I saw this, I bought it! It's for you." He gave me the Bible! I was sooooo happy and excited about that! I seriously love my district!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We taught a lesson to a Less-Active lady who just got a husky puppy. Tony is the cutest, but he nibbled on my hand and my feet and my bag the entire time we were there. It was rather distracting. Apparently he is teething, so he just chews on everything and I guess I must have been particularly tasty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We got up early one morning to go running and it was great! I wore those skiing leggings under my sweatpants and put on about three layers, plus my beanie with my hoodie over it and my gloves and I wasn't even cold. My eyes were watering the entire time and my tears froze! That felt rather strange, but it was worth the experience!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week is going to be warm, today it is a toasty -10 degrees and it is glorious!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to the Soup Kitchen again <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_20820575" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Friday</span></span> and we got to meet new people! There was this elderly couple from England and they were just great! He was a chemistry professor and had spent quite some time living in Scotland, and she has the voice of an angel. I loved talking to them. That was also Valentine's Day, and everyone seemed to be happy! It was the best.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_20820576" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Saturday</span></span> we were able to drive to Souris to visit a member out there. Souris is the tiniest town I have ever seen, but I loved it! And it was great to visit with the member there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_20820577" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span> we also went curling. It was soooo fun! I might just develop a love for Winter Sports out here! In the beginning I fell more than I curled, but as soon as I got a gripping-thingy on my foot I was fine. It was so fun! We won the first round and then tied the second. When I get home I will go ice-skating with Thor, because I fell so much that I'm not scared of the ice anymore! My knees look atrocious, but it was worth it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week really was one of the best out here, and I absolutely loved it! I have really been focusing on listening to our investigators, and that makes it easier for me to understand them and to figure out how best to help them. I love being a missionary and I love being in Brandon!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-42421970423539436112014-02-11T01:37:00.002+01:002014-04-08T00:54:35.477+02:00You're a Keeper!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Brandon Zone in Elsie Palmer's basement</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> I have my own furniture store??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week was so great, that I didn't even have much time to journal. We went to C and B's band concert and it was so cute! C was playing completely differently to everyone else, but it was adorable! I love those two and they will forever be an important part of my life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders and I learned so much. Sister Hull and Sister Bennett are fantastic. Sister Hull taught me so much about just loving everyone, because that's what helps them the most. People need to know that they are loved and appreciated, and she is so right! Sister Day and I spent the day teaching with her. Sister McPhee was wit Sister Bennett, who is a saint. I was able to have companionship study with her and she taught me so much about listening. Listening to my companions, to my investigators and to the Spirit. It was great. Afterwards we had a really nice talk and I gained so much appreciation for her. President Thomas really did choose great Sister Training Leaders!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Speaking of President Thomas...he came to Brandon with Sister Thomas on Thursday evening, so we got to say hello and chat with them for a bit. While Sister Day was having her interview with him, Sister McPhee and I talked with Sister Thomas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On Friday we had Zone Training Meeting and Specialised Training and it was brilliant! I learned so much about the importance of planning and not only planning our work, but working our plans. I really need to have more faith that Heavenly Father will help us accomplish our goals. The meeting took place in Elsie Palmer's basement, and it was so great! The setting was so unique and everybody enjoyed it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After Training I had my interview with President and it was amazing! I seriously do have the best mission president in the entire world. He said that Sister Day, Sister McPhee and I would not be staying together for another transfer, and hinted that we would all get split up. So we'll see what happens after this transfer is over. I still have at least three more weeks in Brandon, so I am going to enjoy them and just make the most out of the time I have left here. I would love to stay in Brandon for another transfer, but I know that President might need me somewhere else. At the YSA activity on Saturday one of the members came up to me, patted my cheek and said "you're a keeper!" It was so great to hear that, because for the longest time that family didn't like the Sister Missionaries and wouldn't even have them over for dinner or anything like that. For some reason I have always had this strange love for her and her husband, an now they are involved in the YSA program again (they are the YSA parents of this ward) and had us over for dinner this week. It just goes to show how far a little bit of love can go. I asked them questions about their weeks, I sincerely cared about them, and I am glad that I was able to help build up their trust in the Sister Missionaries. I came to realise that maybe that is why I was sent to Brandon, and I definitely accomplished that! Member missionary trust is soooo important!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Other than that, all that happened was that Sister McPhee and I got sick and were out for two days. Sister Day was an absolute champ, making sure that we all drank enough and making me chicken noodle soup. Such a sweetheart. I feel much better though, and am very grateful for modern medicine!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love being a missionary! It's the best in the whole wide world!!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-2412368881773254062014-02-03T23:56:00.002+01:002014-04-08T00:56:05.973+02:00I Will Give Room No More For the Enemy of My Soul<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week was rather slow, but we still managed to teach a few lessons. We went to get Sister Day a Priesthood blessing and it was incredible. She was blessed that she would be just fine and the spirit was so strong that I had a few droplets of tears in my eyes. In the evening we went to get her blood pressure checked and it had sunken drastically. So amazing! That same member of the ward then proceeded to talk to us about the second coming...kinda scary. He really wants to be here and be twinkled...anyhow, I couldn't sleep that night because my brain was going crazy and wouldn't let me calm down and I spent a large portion of the night getting frustrated and crying. Silly me. The next morning I just prayed really hard and I felt much better. Also, that night I decided to drink that sleepy-time tea and it knocked me out! Only problem was that it was hard for me to wake up the next morning!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to an old-age home to sing for the mother of this guy we met at the soup kitchen. It was so sad because she kept saying "I can't take it anymore". This was before we started singing to her, so I don't think she meant our singing! Anyhow, Sister Day and I both bawled when we sang 'I am a Child of God'. It was rough. Anyhow, she had that really nice picture of the Savior (the one that Thor has in his room) hanging on her wall. I could definitely feel the love that He has for her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the Young Women's activity this week we went to shovel snow in the neighbourhood. It was sooooooooooo cold! My poor hands are going to be so damaged when I get back home. It's worth it though! I don't need all ten fingers and ten toes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyhow, the Zone Leaders managed to make it to our District Meeting this week and it was so good! We practiced talking to as many people as possible and it was really fun. I practiced with Elder Schmidt, and we laughed a bit too much. Didn't learn very much during that practise, but Elder Schmidt did manage to invite me to church, give me a Gaelic Book of Mormon and ask me if I wanted to be baptised. And all in only two minutes. It was pretty hilarious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to the soup kitchen again and this guy walked passed us and said "Wow, must be the church of the Mormons!" And you know what my genius reply to that was? "Yep, we're everywhere!" So stupid. Anyhow, the soup kitchen was great. Every week I am so grateful for everything that I have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week I ate some chocolate and while it was still in my mouth I bent over to put my hair up so that I could study and I got chocolate in my nose. So painful. I hope that you are proud of me, har har.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I went on a split with M P and it was sooooooo fun!!!! We went to see some of the less-active YSA and I learned so much from her! She is amazing. She really helped me to focus on what is important and gave me great advice. She helped me get really excited and motivated and it was just fantastic. I am so grateful for her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to the German pavilion of the Winter Festival here in Brandon and it was so great! We went to go contacting and we managed to talk to quite a few people. Whenever I told them that I was from Germany they got all excited. It was so fun. People were walking around in Lederhosen and they were selling Marzipan and German cake and all that. They projected these slideshows of pictures of different German cities on the walls and when they showed Duesseldorf Sister Day goes "HEY! That's close to where you live!" It was so nice, but I do not want to do that again because it made me a tad bit home-sick.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My motto for the upcoming week is going to be "I will give room no more for the enemy of my soul" (Elder Holland). I have noticed that I always get so worked up and then my brain just goes crazy and I never take the time to just calm down. This week I learned that Heavenly Father knows what He is doing and that I can't possibly control everything. I need to trust Him more. I know that I will be happier and more successful if I trust Him more and accept that things work out the way He has planned for them to work out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am truly grateful for my experiences out here and for the many things that I have learned. I love being a missionary!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We made cupcakes for someone's birthday</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-55406199788398502272014-01-27T23:21:00.002+01:002014-04-08T00:56:56.121+02:00I Love Being a Missionary!<span style="font-family: inherit;">The weather here is absolutely strange. One day it's warm (only minus 12) and then the next day it's freezing (as in minus 35). Today it is a toasty -44. I forgot my mittens somewhere, so now I need to buy new ones. My hands froze today and I may or may not have frostbite on one of my fingers. We'll see how that goes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week I really missed Loki and Otto. Luckily almost everyone we go see has at least one dog, so I get lots of love from them! I am always covered in hair, but that doesn't matter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We had our first apartment-check last Monday, so we made sure that the apartment was super clean. It looked so nice, and we got 100 percent!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Brandon is starting to get pretty treacherous...the snow here doesn't melt, so people create these massive snow mountains when they shovel their walkways. These mountains are perfect for climbing on. So fun! They are also perfect for ripping skirts on...not so fun. Poor Sister Day ripped one of her skirts while trying to climb over one to get to a member's home. Luckily she has an incredible mom who can fix all sorts of rips and tears.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to a basketball tournament on Tuesday. C was playing his first basketball game and his mom wasn't able to make it, so we went to cheer him on. He is so cute! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wednesday was our last district meeting ! It was rather sad, because Elder M and Elder Me got transferred out, but at the same time it was really good! I learned so much and we had a testimony meeting at the end. Plus, Elder S brought us hot chocolate, so it was nice and cozy. Elder M said that "when we see people that are in danger, we instinctively try to save them. It is the same with sharing the gospel." I really liked that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At district meeting I nicked the transfer sheet from Elder A (our Zone Leader) and saw that Sister Ashton-Korn is now serving with Sister D and her trainer. So my MTC companion is serving with Sister Day's MTC companion and we are both in trios. I miss my drooling Ginger! If I could serve with her again...phew, we would be SO incredible!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thursday we went to the soup kitchen as usual and I got to talk to quite a few people. M P was also there and we chatted for quite some time. I got to know her a little bit and she is incredible! I am so excited to go on a split with her this Friday. Thursday was also the we got to meet one of our new Elders. His name is Elder B and he is from Mexico, but he lives in Calgary. He had traveled all the way from Flin Flon down to Brandon and hadn't slept in 30 hours. Our other new Elder is Elder R. Both of them are really nice and I am positive that this transfer is going to be incredible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On Friday we had weekly planning. Usually weekly planning is so stressful because it takes FOREVER, but this week we managed to make it fun. I have decided to make D&C 123:17 my motto for this transfer. I read it every day because I decorated my planner with it. I have decided not to let anyone or anything get me down. So far it's working!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It snowed so much last week! It was fine though, because the snow here is really pretty. Perfect snow flakes that glitter in the light. It was like walking through glitter!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday we taught C the Restoration and then had him teach it to us. He was so good! Then we knelt down with him and he prayed and asked Heavenly Father if the church is true. The spirit was so strong and he received a very speedy confirmation. Such an incredible experience! I almost cried.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I truly am here because of the people. I have the best mission president in the world. His wife is the most incredible person ever. I have met so many people and every single one of them has helped me in one way or another. This mission is perfect for me. It is cold, it is hard, but it is the best! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love being a missionary!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is what we do at District Meeting. Just kidding.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-57238729181335462132014-01-20T21:39:00.001+01:002014-04-08T00:58:32.414+02:00So, I Survived My First Transfer!<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I will be staying in Brandon for another transfer and will finish my training here. After that...who knows? Only the most amazing Mission President in the entire world! Our District Leader is getting transferred to International Falls in Minnesota. He has been in Brandon for almost an entire year. How crazy is that? One of the other Elders is going to Flin Flon. Apparently there are polar bears over there.. I love Brandon and I love the Ward here! The bishop's daughter got back from her mission this past week and she is just incredible. I hope very much that I get to go on a split with her!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week we were in some rough homes. I am so grateful for everything that I have! And I am so grateful that we have a clean apartment and warm clothes and enough to eat. There was this one family...oh man, we ended up cleaning their house for them because it was so bad. We also gave them milk because they didn't have any to feed their baby daughter and son. Of course the father always has enough beer in the home, and don't forget about the cigarettes and the drugs! Who needs to make sure that their kids have food? I was so angry. In moments like that it is so hard to keep smiling and to not say anything. We went up to their house, put the milk on the doorstep, rang the doorbell and ran for it. It was soooo funny. Running in a skirt and puffy jacket looks hilarious!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week we all got a little bit sick. Sister McPhee had to throw up, Sister Day has a really bad cold and I had the worst upset stomach for three days. All I ate was oats. We're all fine now, and hopefully this week will be better! I am finally sleeping enough. I can fall asleep rather quickly and don't wake up a million times in the night and then just lie there because I can't sleep. So I feel so much better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We were able to witness a Priesthood blessing this week. It was incredible. I love the Elders serving in this ward! Seeing little Chancho (Elder Camarena) get up there and lay his hands on her head was just so incredible. Afterwards she told us that she felt better already! I am so grateful for the Priesthood and for worthy Priesthood-holders!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We played basketball at YSA and I was a little bit disappointed, because that's what we did last week as well. Anyhow, I was on the same team as Elder Schmidt, who is really good, and it was so fun! I'm definitely not as bad as I thought I was. Our team was actually good!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am finally confident in my teaching abilities! I have no problems with starting a lesson and asking good questions and all that. Teaching is the best! Now we just need to find more people to teach!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I met someone new at the soup kitchen and we chatted for a bit. I am slowly losing my fear of talking about the gospel to complete strangers and I gave him a <a href="http://mormon.org/">Mormon.org</a> card. Hopefully he checks it out, it's a good website!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not very much happened this week...sorry about that! I just learned once again how much Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us. He cares about us and He wants us to be happy. I love prayer. I love the fact that we can communicate with Him whenever we feel like it. He really comforted me this week, and I really needed it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The sunsets here are beautiful. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-67290779127030118532014-01-14T00:25:00.003+01:002014-04-08T00:59:06.107+02:00Ukrainian Christmas<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This week was great! After I wrote to you we went shopping and cleaned our apartment, which was great. After buying groceries we went to get petrol, and it was my turn to hold the pump, and the silly little metal latch wouldn't click up because it was frozen...so very silly me decided to take off my mitten (-51 degrees Celsius) and try push it up with my finger. Yeah, my finger froze to the metal pump. It was very painful, but I guess that's what you get for being stupid.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went to a member couple's home for Ukrainian Christmas, which was very interesting, and the food was really good! I love that family! So supportive of the missionaries. Brother Z always says that if we ever need food, we just need to show up an they'll feed us. And Sister Z said the same about hugs. I love those two. Brother Z is also the guy that made me try the pickled herring...he's a funny man!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Tuesday we went out to contact some former investigators and it was so cold that my face turned blue...I didn't really feel cold, but Sister D and Sister M said that my face looked bad, so we got back in the car and warmed up a bit. At least now I have something funny to tell to others!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We had dinner at this Spanish family's home, and I love that they call me "Hermana" because I try to speak Spanish with them. The Spanish member's in our ward are fantastic, I love them! They are all soooo solid and have such strong testimonies!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Thursday we had Zone Training Meeting and it was great! I love the missionaries in our zone, they are incredible! Our Zone leaders are seriously the best. They invest so much time and effort into making sure that we're all doing okay and that we have everything we need. President Thomas is like that as well. He spends every single Pday sitting at his computer replying to every single one of our weekly letters to him. We have 150 missionaries in our mission...it must take him forever. I love him and Sister Thomas. We really do have the best Mission President and Mission Wife in the entire world. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Youth in Manitoba are so elect. We found this 11-year-old boy who has already almost read the entire Book of Mormon and wants to learn more. And two of our other investigators are 11 and 12. They ask the best questions and are soooo incredible! We heard this talk by a 14-year-old in Winnipeg, and it was so good! She talked about the Atonement and repentance for about 25 minutes and I learned so much form her! It seems like Manitoba is the place to be!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We washed Sheila (our car) this week and she was so nice and shiny and clean...and then yesterday the Elders decided to spray muddy snow on her, and now she is filthy again. I was a teensie bit upset, but now we get to wash her again, and I get to use the water-shooter...so fun!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We spend a lot of time with the Young Women here, and one of them told me that she wants me to move to Brandon after my mission. So cute!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay, enough about Brandon, how are things over there.. The question mark button will not work, so I apologise for that!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The work here is rather slow, but I love it! I love being in Brandon and I love being a missionary! It seriously is the best thing in the world.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have a great week!</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-21668781415677269342014-01-06T20:50:00.002+01:002014-04-08T00:59:35.084+02:00Kinda Like Elder Holland<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px;">
So, here's my long email.</div>
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This week was absolutely great, even though it was so cold that a lot of our appointments fell through. </div>
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We spent New Year's Eve at the bishop's house. It was fantastic and we all had so much fun. They had all seven missionaries over...so it was kinda loud, because we were all laughing. I loved it. There were Christmas crackers, so we all read each other the cheesy jokes and wore the paper crowns. We played this game called Croquinole, and it was so fun! His wife is an incredible cook, and she made one of the best Lasagnas I have ever eaten. It was divine. She also made home-made garlic bread which was soooo good. Okay, enough about food, onto the weather!</div>
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This week was sooooooooooooooooo cold. It was absolutely freezing. In fact, right now it's -51 degrees. At one point during the week it was colder here than on Mars...and I survived!!! I am so grateful for our car, my coat and my boots. It snowed so much this week that we had to shovel a ton of snow again. The missionaries are in charge of shoveling the snow in front of the church...and there was so much! My hair froze to my scarf and my middle finger may or may not have gotten frostbite even though I was wearing my mittens. Not funny at all. Anyhow, at least now I can say that I'm an expert at shoveling snow! There was a blizzard on Friday...that was kinda scary, but when you're inside it's not so bad. Our car got stuck in the snow again this week. Luckily enough a kind man jumped out of his massive truck and pushed it out for us. Apparently that's a thing here. Whenever a car gets stuck, everyone comes and helps you. Hurrah for Manitoba! I'm not quite sure why people live here...the day our car got stuck was also the day someone decided to stand behind the railing of the bridge and threatened to throw herself off of it. We said a quick prayer and the policemen were able to talk her out of it. The only problem was that she had been standing there for so long that she was frozen stiff. The police had to pull her up and carry her to the ambulance. Seeing that was hard, but I'm glad that she is fine and taken care of.</div>
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This week during companionship inventory I was told that I'm a very bold teacher...something I don't see myself, but apparently I teach "kinda like Elder Holland". Best compliment ever!! I still need to have more faith in my abilities, but I'm working on it!</div>
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On Friday we went to the home of a less-active lady who loves missionaries. She is an amazing cook, and I was able to give a Yoruba Book of Mormon to a Nigerian lady who then proceeded to teach me Yoruba by reading the introduction of the BoM to me and explaining it. She said she believes that it is the word of God and asked for one in English to give to one of her friends...that was quite the experience!</div>
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Sister Day is incredible, we laugh sooooooo much, but we can also be very serious when we need to. She listens to me when I'm irritated and need to vent, she says she loves my morning shower concerts (the walls here are made of paper!) and she loves to sing along. I love her! She wants me to teach her how to budget, so sometime this week we are going to sit down and do that. She has taught me so much about diligence. Even when it's freezing cold outside and we're actually not supposed to go out she puts on her boots and her coat and is so motivated and willing to help and teach people. I have so much to learn from her still, and I hope that we stay together for at least one more transfer. </div>
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I absolutely love Brandon and I wouldn't mind spending my entire mission here. Although no, I would love to maybe go to Regina and serve with Sister Ashton-Korn, because I really miss her! But first I want to stay here a bit longer.</div>
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At the less-active's house who loves missionaries I almost got run over by a Great Dane. I love dogs, and the dogs here seem to love me, but that dog was so huge that I got quite a fright!! He's just a gentle giant though and he was the sweetest thing. Poor Sister Day hates dogs so she was absolutely petrified. I felt really sorry for her, but she didn't complain!</div>
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I have started reading in the book of Isaiah...and so far I haven't had that much of a problem understanding it! I read it really slowly and think about each sentence and what it means, that way I don't get confused. I love it!</div>
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This week C and B finally came home. I was so great to see them again! C is getting excited for his baptism and we are too! He is such a sweetheart. And even though it seems like he doesn't really pay attention during the lessons, he still soaks it all up. We ask him a ton of questions to make sure that he understands what we teach him, and he is always able to answer all of them. I am so impressed with him.</div>
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This week I gave a <a href="http://mormon.org/">Mormon.org</a> card to someone at the soup kitchen and he actually called back! He is the nicest man and he is just generally interested in learning about the church. I hope that we can help him some way or another.</div>
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I still absolutely love being a missionary, it's the best!!!!!!!!!!</div>
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I love you and stay warm in you 10 degree weather! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-52229753730996807132013-12-31T08:46:00.002+01:002014-04-08T01:00:50.217+02:00Billy May's Ghost<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This past week was great and I was really really really happy to see and talk to you on skype. Only six months to go, then we can skype again! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aaaanyhow, we went to the Ward Mission Leader's house for Christmas dinner and it was divine. Their children are the sweetest and I had so much fun! The WML works for McCain, and so he gave us a bunch of coupons to get free stuff. Also, the place I bought my coat and boots at gave me a 20 dollar gift card, so I bought a shirt for free! Woohoo! Life of a missionary, you always have to budget and look out for free stuff. But it's great and I have learned to appreciate what I already have so much more.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This week it was below -40 again and it snowed A LOT. So we drove around with our snow shovel and just helped a bunch of people by shoveling their snow for them. One family hadn't shoveled their snow in quite a while, so it was so dense and icy underneath, that it was pretty much impossible to get rid of...not even the Elders were able to clear their pathway...and then along comes the crazy German. I got rid of ALL the ice and Sister Day and Sister McPhee were able to shovel it away. It was fun. Buuuut the next day my knee was really swollen and stiff and my shoulders hurt like crazy. I'm fine now, but those two days were really rough.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even though this week was the coldest I've experienced so far, we did have one day where it warmed up to a toasty 0 degrees! It was soooo nice! We were seriously considering not wearing jackets, but then our brains started working again and we bundled up before leaving the apartment. Yesterday it was absolutely freezing again. It was so bad that we were told not to go outside for too long. We walked from the car to the church (about twenty steps) and my shoes froze. I wasn't wearing my boots because of church, but I might wear them next Sunday. Also, I breathed on my hair and it froze. So I couldn't touch it until it defrosted, because I didn't want it to break off. We had originally planned to go looking for this one former investigator, but we had to cancel that. Instead we dropped off some chicken noodle soup at the house of another investigator, because her daughter was sick. That was fun.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I already mentioned the snow...there is so much that ALL the cars just slip and slide around...so far nothing has happened, and I am positive that nothing will happen, but the streets here are just one big ice-rink. Thor would love it, he could just whip out his ice skates and skate around the city of Brandon!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This week our car got stuck twice. So funny. We've always managed to get out just fine, but only because the people here are so nice and willing to help out three girls wearing skirts and boots.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's a girl in the ward here who loves science, so we always take about explosions and stuff like that and now apparently I'm her favourite Sister Missionary. That's a lot of pressure! Now I have to start being a good example as well?! Just kidding, I'm trying my best. So far nobody has complained about me. This Thursday the Elders as well as Sister Day and I were quoting Nacho, and Elder Schmidt said that his favourite quote is the one where Nacho is talking about how he knows the gospel...so I quoted it and said "People think I don't know a buttload of crap about the gospel, but I dooooo." That got me some weird looks and I apologised for using undignified language. Did I tell you about that? It has been quite hard for me not to say words like "cool" and "awesome", but I've been really good. Sister McPhee is the best at reminding me. Whenever one of those words slips out she'll say "what was that?" as if she didn't quite hear me, and then I'll correct it and not feel too bad.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Thursday we got this giant box of pralines from "Billy May's Ghost". It was from someone from the ward who is just the sweetest person ever. We sent him a text message thanking Billy May's Ghost, because he didn't actually want us to know that it was from him. I love this ward so much. The people are fantastic and so willing to help and support the missionaries. The bishop is just incredible. He teaches Anatomy and physiology at the college here, so you two would really get along well!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am glad that things are going well in Solingen ward. The ward finally needed to wake up and start helping the missionaries. It was no wonder we weren't seeing any success. I am glad Elder Ruff finally managed to get the members pumped up for missionary work. He is an incredible missionary! How were the pancakes?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I absolutely love being a missionary and this really is the best mission in the world!! I know I tell you that every week, but it's true! Thank you so much for supporting me and being amazing. Have fun with Peter and I will write to you in 2014!</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-79127199807016715402013-12-23T23:04:00.003+01:002014-04-08T01:01:47.611+02:00Most Rewarding Work Ever!<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don't think that I'm going to write you a long email today, because then I won't have a lot to tell you on the phone. I don't know if I told you this last week, but we will be skyping at two from here, so that would be nine over there? I hope that that's okay.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm trying to teach myself Spanish...so far it's going okay. We have a lot of Spanish speaking members here in Brandon, and I would like to be able to talk to them when they invite us over for dinner.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">So...today is freezing...it's <b>minus</b> <b>46 degrees</b>. I walked outside without my gloves on and within about twenty seconds my hands were stiff. Sister MP doesn't like it when we go outside without our gloves on, because she's scared we're going to get frostbite. She's so nice and she really takes good care of us. It was so cold today that when we were sitting in the car our hands and faces were steaming. I have never ever seen that before. Also, when you walk outside here you can't breathe in through your mouth, because the cold air makes you cough. And when you breathe in through your nose everything freezes, which is the weirdest feeling ever. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went to Zone Conference on Friday and stayed in Winnipeg until Saturday morning, but I'll tell you more about that on Skype.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's official! C is getting baptised! I am soooooo incredibly happy for him. He is the sweetest! He wants to get baptised on the 14th of January, we'll see if we can prepare him on time. We've worked out this plan so it should be fine.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went to a members house this week and she had a picture of her daughters dog on the fridge, and he looked like Otto!! Only smaller. I really miss Loki and Otto. Can you please send me pictures of them? I would love to see them and show the pictures to my companions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went to a bible study group yesterday and it was great. I'll tell you more about it tomorrow though.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">People here really love Christmas and they looooooove decorating! Some of the houses look really crazy with all the lights and blow up snowmen etc.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alrighty, that's enough for today, I'm really excited to see you on the 25th!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love you lots and I love being a missionary! It is the hardest, but most rewarding work ever!</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035858610387548792.post-89953307165033026242013-12-16T23:12:00.001+01:002014-04-08T01:04:06.976+02:00Merry Christmas From the Brandon Sisters!!<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is so cold here, but so far I haven't lost any fingers or toes, so all is good. We had -33 degrees one day and that was rough, because I still didn't have my coat or my boots...yeah, I finally got those today.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the last night in the MTC we had the privilege of hearing from Elder Cook. It was absolutely fantastic. I don't even remember what exactly he said (I did take notes though) but at the end of his talk he said that he knows that Jesus Christ lives and that he has heard His voice. I knew that apostles were special witnesses of Christ, but just hearing him say that...it absolutely blew me away!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, the flight here was really good, I got to sleep for an hour, and then we already had to get up to go to the Travel Office, where they made us wait for like half an hour...They took us to the airport in a bus, which was really nice, because usually missionaries get dropped off at the Train Station and then they have to take the train to the airport. Everything was fine, we did self check-in, so it was only 60 dollars for the bags. And everyone at the airport was really friendly. I slept for about two hours on the plane to Minnesota and then we landed there. It was reeeeeally cold there, so I was able to get a feel of what it would sort of be like in Winnipeg. The plane to Winnipeg was tiny! It could only fit like twenty or thirty people in it. And the flight was really smooth, I really enjoyed it. When we got to Canada we had to wait outside for our bags and I almost died it was so cold. When we finally got inside we got a couple of stares (I'm getting used to them) but the people that actually worked at the airport were super friendly. One lady was like "it's the missionaries!" That was definitely a proud moment for me. I was the first in my group to make it through immigration, which is weird because I'm from Germany and they were all from the States, but hey, I'm not complaining! The Mission President and his wife, as well as the APs were there to greet us. Can I just say that we have the best Mission President in the entire world? And his wife is just incredible! I am so happy that they will be there for my entire mission. We got to spend the first night in the Mission Home and eat real food. I almost cried. It was glorious. I even had some of Sister Thomas' banana bread and I loved it. I might learn to like bananas out here! I doubt it though, but that banana bread was delicious. The Mission Home is beautiful, and it was so nice to be there. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The day after that (Thursday) we went to the chapel and had this orientation meeting for all the new missionaries. There we were also assigned to our areas and trainers. While at the MTC and in the Mission Home I had the feeling that I was going to stay close to Winnipeg, or even in Winnipeg...lo and behold, I was assigned to serve in Brandon, a city only two hours away from Winnipeg. I am serving with Sister Day (who was in my MTC group) and Sister McPhee, who is our trainer. I love them both! I am so incredibly happy with this assignment. Nothing to complain about. Our apartment is the cutest, buuut...we don't have duvets. So that kinda sucks, but we will be in Winnipeg on Friday, so we'll look in the mission office for duvets. So I have been sleeping in the warmest sleeping bag ever. It is amazing, except for the fact that it all bunches up around my waist and I can never really get in or out of it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brandon is the best. I love it here. It's really cold, and there is so much snow EVERYWHERE! On our first night our car actually got stuck in snow and we had to push it. We weren't really successful, and then out of nowhere this huge, burly Canadian man shows up and just picks the car up and pushes it. I was impressed. And a little bit shocked. But more impressed than anything else. It's so cold, that when snow gets in your car, it doesn't melt. It stays there for days. And we have to plug our car in at night. Our beautiful car that we named Sheila. I love her, she takes me everywhere and I never have to walk. You know you're in Canada when you walk outside in -12 degree weather and feel like taking off your coat because you're too warm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Ward here is sooooo nice! Very much like Solingen. People here cannot pronounce my name, but they all try so hard! And I just love it here. I'm sorry, I think I've said that before, but I really do. We have an eating appointment for every day of the week. I am going to get fat. I already have difficulties zipping up my skirts. But I really worked out hard this morning. Jokes, I didn't, you know me. But I tried.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also tried pickled fish yesterday. One of the ward members brought out this jar of pickled fish and crackers and told us to eat it. Sister Day was hilarious, she put a piece in her mouth and spat it back out, gagged and apologised to the member. He thought it was hilarious. I cried because I laughed so much. I actually managed to swallow my piece. I did eat a ton of crackers though. It was so funny. I absolutely love that family. We are spending Christmas Eve with them and We're spending Christmas day with our Ward Mission leader. I am so excited.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We had a lunch at this volunteer organisation thingy where we help out, and I accidentally sat next to the mayor (I had no idea who she was at the time) and I gave her a <a href="http://mormon.org/">Mormon.org</a> card! Plus, this week we got a new investigator and I gave out my first Book of Mormon with Sister Day yesterday! And one of our investigators wants to be baptised! I am so happy for him! Everyone said the work here would be slow, and it is, but it's still better than what I expected.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh, another thing that really shocks me here...the prices! EVERYTHING here is so expensive! Three dollars for a small loaf of bread. Three dollars!? We are sooo incredibly lucky that the members feed us so much.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alrighty, a lot more happened, but this email is getting super long. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Snazzy Christmas tree at the airport</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">With Sister Day and Brother Z. just before eating pickled fish</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Future Missionary!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Merry Christmas from the Brandon Sisters!!</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11743162808631525689noreply@blogger.com0