sniffles and other sick stuff

this week requires a list of my thoughts since I can't put them into proper sentences:

we were going to meet with our cool friend Slava, but he bailed. Seed planted!

our cute friend Shoko from ESL came to sport night and had fun with the YSA!

a less-active, Chris, took us out for all-you-can-eat sushi-- and this is the real stuff. yummmm.

we met with our cute investigator, Karen! She really just wants to put more into knowing if the Book of Mormon is true. So we made her a cute project of some scriptures to read, some talks to listen to, and some mormon messages to watch! Prayers that she will FEEL something as she seeks the spirit. (she also gave us these cool vitamins (what every parent want to hear) and a nice prada candle, so that was cool. We burn it every night and feel super posh.

Friday we had district meeting! I love my district! We are all sooo different but we are one big family, I love it!

Also, being sick on a mission is THE WORST. When sick, you really just want to bum around and sleep and cry and stuff, but on a mission, you gotta get moving! So it's teaching me discipline, but it's also teaching me about turning outward. Its funny how when we are talking to other people and worrying about them and concerned with their needs, that we forget about ourselves and find more happiness while doing so.

So yeah, the weather is getting colder, but it's nice! I just kind of want it to stay the way it is right now, and not get colder. Too bad I probably won't be able to feel my feet within the next couple of months.

Also, Sister Coleman and I hit 8 months this week. WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?! We hope we stay together just one more transfer! President made an announcement recently that we would be staying in our areas longer, instead of being transferred as frequently. This will allow us to gain the trust of members and investigators and really strengthen our love for people here! So.... maybe 6 transfers in Toronto YSA??? PRAYERS :)

That's also something I was reminded of this week during studies, that the prayers of the righteous are what hold this world together. It really is through the righteous prayers of righteous people that wickedness doesn't prevail. When we pray for another individual, they are strengthened. I know this, because of so many prayers that have been said for me. So thank you, I'm really grateful for all of y'all. xoxo

This week we met with a guy named Nick. He was actually stopped by other sisters, but because he is YSA, they passed him off to us. So we taught him and the member that came with us was a less active and it was such a cool experience. Nick has a strong christian background, and so with people like him, it's hard to explain baptism and about the apostasy and how the priesthood has been restored but ONLY in THIS church, and so they'll act like they are understanding everything about it and then when we invite them to be baptized they are like "oh yeah I've already been baptized" soooo haha we always have to reexplain that in a round about sort of way, but it's always good. Church is true and we can't deny it! But the cool part was after the lesson, when we met with the less active, Ulisses, he told us about how he wants to start coming back to church and that he regrets not going on his mission (he is 25), but that he knows the church is true and that he wants to raise his family in it, etc. He is so cool, but its really interesting to see how real the light of Christ is, but also the natural man. Because when we talked with him, deep down, he wants so badly to do good and be good, but when the natural man is the one that is being acted on more frequently, it becomes harder and harder to grasp that light within.

Anyway, it's a work in progress. I love being a missionary for this reason---  because people just open up to us and tell us their personal stories. No one does that with just anyone; but people do do that with missionaries. It's cool that we have that authority that makes people recognize that we are people that can help them. So yeah :)

We also met Dwayne! He is cool and plays soccer and is very open to learning more. Good things are ahead!

We also met with our Chinese friend names Ben. We actually met him OYMing weeks ago, but we met with him yesterday! He really is only interested in helping us out with ESL, but we taught him the restoration and he asked great questions ("Is there a prophet today?") <----- when they ask this, it means they are listening AND understanding. But he is cool! Hopefully, he comes to church!!

And yep. Please pray for Calvin, Yesol, Tiffany, Ben, Nick, Ulisses, and other people you love!

"...for “unto whom much is given much is required” (D&C 82:3), and at times the demands of discipleship are heavy. But shouldn’t we expect the journey towards eternal glory to stretch us? We sometimes rationalize our preoccupation with this world and our casual attempts to grow spiritually by trying to console each other with the notion that living the gospel really shouldn’t require all that much of us. The Lord’s standard of behavior will always be more demanding than the world’s, but then the Lord’s rewards are infinitely more glorious—including true joy, peace, and salvation."

Amen, Sheri Dew! I love this. Life isn't easy, but because God loves us, it can be beautiful. Have a great week!!! I love y'all!