Well...I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED!

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!

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!

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!

Not very much else happened this week, as we have pretty much just been stopping by to say goodbye to people.

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

Last day at the Soup Kitchen!

CWM with Elder B

Morgan Freeman!

Last week was nice and warm, and I was able to wear flats all week! It was great!

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!

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. 

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?

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.

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..

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!

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!

On Sunday 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 on Sunday, but she did a great job and I was very proud of her.

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. 

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.

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

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.

Curling

B-Town!

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!

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 on Friday. I am so excited for that!

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!

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.

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!

This week is going to be warm, today it is a toasty -10 degrees and it is glorious!

We went to the Soup Kitchen again on Friday 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.

On Saturday 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.

Saturday 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.

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!

You're a Keeper!

Brandon Zone in Elsie Palmer's basement

 I have my own furniture store??

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.

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!

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. 

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.

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!

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!

I love being a missionary! It's the best in the whole wide world!!

So, I Survived My First Transfer!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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 Mormon.org card. Hopefully he checks it out, it's a good website!

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! 

The sunsets here are beautiful. 

5 degrees celsius!!!! Warmest day of the week