feel, believe, know

This week was long! But it went by fast? Time is weird and sometimes, almost nonexistent out here.

So lately we have been focusing a lot on FINDING-- but more importantly finding the KINGDOM BUILDERS. It's really interesting, because in Toronto, it is impossible to talk with every single person because there are SO MANY OF THEM, but that's when we get to walk down the streets and just look into people's eyes and think
"whose ready?"
"whose a kingdom builder?"
"who does the spirit want us to talk to next?"
and then you just go and sometimes people are interested, sometimes they aren't. But no matter what, it is ALWAYS important that we are talking with SOMEONE about the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the beginning of my mission, that scared me! I was like "no thank you..." but now, I want to talk with everyone and just know what their story is and who they are and what they're all about. It's hard! All the time, it's hard! But it's worth it-- oh so worth it.

One evening this past week, our zone went downtown to where the Book of Mormon musical was playing and it was so fun! We felt like the Army of Helaman marching downtown to contact people and pass out materials and teach people! It was so great. Sister Coleman and I actually starting talking to a guy and then it began to turn into a discussion about the Restoration. We recited the first vision to him and it was in this moment that I felt the spirit testify through us more powerfully than I've ever felt before. We were in a crowded part of downtown where there was music and honking and yelling, yet it was like everything stopped. It was incredible. I love missions and I love this gospel!

Our main investigators right now are Yesol and Calvin and Tiffany! I love them. And they are all Korean, except Tiffany, she is Chinese! They are the cutest.

Yesol is making progress! She wants to be baptized and knows she needs to, but she didn't feel that she had a testimony. She hears people in church bear their testimonies all the time and she didn't feel that she had anything like that to share; so remember-- a testimony is when you can say, I feel, I believe, I know. It is THAT simple. She has a testimony and it is so simple and so perfect.

Calvin is a stud. He doesn't actually have a belief in God, but he is soo willing to do things to find out if He is there! He prays every night! What a sweet man.

Tiffany is the BOMB.COM (had to say it because it is what she is)-- so apparently we found her while contacting people at Seneca college a couple weeks ago! Apparently, we handed her a card, talked a little bit, and that was it. But then she showed up to the church yesterday and said she really wanted to start coming to church and learning more and meeting new people. She even read passages and was commenting in Relief Society! What a cool girl! She is promising.

This week we also visited a less-active named Shaunna. I had heard her name sooo many times since I came to this area, but we have never been able to meet with her.. until the other night! We went and visited her and we just chatted a little bit. Soon she began telling us about her testimony of the Book of Mormon and why she didn't feel ready to come back to church. She started to get emotional and then we had the opportunity to tell her how normal she was and to testify to her what Nephi expressed when he said, "I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." (1 Nephi 11:17) "We don't know the answers, but there is a God in heaven who does!" (Elder Cardon)

This week we also had a member of the Seventy come visit, Craig A. Cardon! It was wonderful! I felt rebuked and loved all at the same time, it was great. He spoke some great words to us and the spirit testified. Something he said that I LOVED was:

"We are here more because of what we feel rather than what we know."

I have SUCH a strong testimony of the spirit. To back up CS Lewis, I have to say that we truly are spirits having a mortal experience, not mortals having a spiritual experience. We KNOW things because of what we FEEL-- that is truth. We feel love. We feel kindness. We feel light. We feel truth. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ promotes all of these things. I'm grateful for that.

I love my companion, Sister Coleman! I love serving in this portion of the Lord's vineyard! I love my Saviour! and I love y'all! Be a missionary this week!

xoxo