Dear Sister Howle,
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Canada Toronto Mission.
Well, this week was long! Therefore this weekly update will be laaame.
Monday
we visited the Pulsiphers and had FHE with them. We read the parable of
the 10 virgins and talked about the importance of spiritually preparing
ourselves for when the Saviour will come.
It's happening one day, people!
Later
that night, we visited our investigator Hilde and the Chinese elders
came and gave her a blessing for her back. It was neat to hear in her
blessing how much her Heavenly Father loves her. Power to the
priesthood!
hello from Gotham city!
We
also have been visiting more families in the ward. I love those people.
I really admire how these families and I'm grateful to see how none of
them are perfect, but they do what they can to love like Christ and put
Him at the center of their lives.
It's
also funny to hear conversion stories of all these older members and
how they turned down missionaries so many times! Haha seeds have to be
planted before flowers can bloom! (I'm still sick so if that's cheesy
and makes no sense, sorry).
Friday
we have Zone Council! It was so great. Sister Jensen (another sister in
the ward) and I were asked to demonstrate the role-play on how to use
the pamphlets more effectively and simply. It was scary and fun!
Afterwards, Sister Pettus felt sick and pulled out of the musical number last minute so guess who filled in for her?
yep.
I
sang Silent Night with Sister Jensen and two other elders and it was
TERRIFYING. But I loved it. I love singing! I just needed a push to go
up there!
This
week, we have met a lot with Mike! Haha we love Mike. He always prays
that we will have dreams where we are flying over things or prays for
our future husbands, he's a special one.
We
even went over to teach him and ended up showing him and his mom and
sister the "He is the Gift" video. The spirit was so strong and my heart
was just a pounding! I love the spirit and I love my Saviour. He loves
us all so much.
How about that Christmas Devotional?! The music was beautiful, the words were uplifting, and the spirit was edifying.
So yeah, everyone go watch it! And share the wonderful spirit of Christ with all those who mean something to you.
I love being in Hamilton! I love being in a family ward! I love Sister Pettus! I love the Christmas season!
This past week was too good. (Except when I hit my HALFWAY mark...)
churchin
Monday
we visited the friend of a member. She is old and German and ended up
telling us about her childhood and started crying. I can testify that
old German woman do not cry, but she did! We were then able to testify
to her about the Atonement and about how much her Saviour and Heavenly
Father love her and how the trials she endured have taught her how to be
a good mother to her children. It made me grateful for my German
grandmother who blessed my life with the love and guidance I needed as a
child.
Tuesday
we had a special zone conference with half the mission! It was AMAZING.
The means of our vision is switching gears a little! We will be working
A TON with members and I'm so excited about it.
We also talked about the new He is the Gift initiative that the church is producing! It is AMAZING.
2) and then to think about how Jesus Christ is God's gift to you
3)
and then share that with your friends and everyone else! Share it on
your social networks, send it to a friend, invite a stranger to watch
it.
Let us flood the world with the gospel. Discover the gift, embrace the gift, then share the gift!
After
the meeting, our mission President and His wife surprised us by showing
us the movie, "Meet the Mormons"-- IT IS SO GOOD. EVERYONE GO WATCH IT
AND JUST CRY YOUR EYES OUT WITH TEARS OF HAPPINESS.
yum.
So
this week we visited a lot of members! I'm excited to get to know more.
Yesterday in sacrament, I was invited by the Bishop to share my
testimony and I bore testimony of the simple truths I know about the
restored gospel and about our Heavenly Father's love for each of us.
Good thing I did not specify where in Texas I was from because it gave
some members a reason to come up and ask me, so I got to know lots of
members that way!
One night we had dinner with
the Pulsiphers. They are C E L E S T I A L. I love them dearly. It was
truly one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. I left their
home a different person. I am so grateful for them and for the spirit. A quote they shared with us was,
"...the
one power, even beyond sight, that can burn doubt out of us and make
it, as it were, impossible for us to disbelieve—is the Holy Ghost."
I KNOW that this is true. This ^ is how our Heavenly Father communicates to us-- through the Holy Ghost.
Yesterday, Satan was suuuuch a stink!
So
there we were-- tracting (also, something I never have done in YSA, but
it's so fun!). We saw a couple leaving one of the houses and so we
approached them. The husband began asking us a little about who we were
and about our main message and we shared a portion of the restoration
and he immediately began telling us that what we believed was false
doctrine. The woman whose home they were leaving said she even met with
missionaries in the past and said she read from the Book of Mormon and
prayed about it and felt she was SINNING (what?). The man went on
further to tell us more about what we believed (I love when people do
that!) and said that we do not believe in the same Jesus Christ as he
does and that we are a cult and that he cannot even wish us luck on our
missions because we are preaching false doctrine (as he pretends to
shake our hands and then slowly and so proudly pulls away).
Man!
I feel bad for them. I feel bad because Heavenly Father loves them so
much and they don't even know how to return to live with Him.
This restored gospel of light and happiness and hope and TRUTH teaches us how to return to live with our Heavenly Father and everyone needs what we have. Think about who in your life is ready to receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and then invite them to partake of the sweet goodness we feel and value!
big hugs to Megan Berge and Hillary Owen for RETURNING WITH HONOR.
I feel like you both went into the MTC yesterday, and now you're home. I
know that you were both such good missionaries and did wonderful
things. I love you!
So
this week was crazy. But here I am. In a family ward. In Hamilton
(which is Gotham City for all you Batman lovers). We sisters don't go
downtown, but it's still great! I miss Toronto YSA more than anything
I've ever missed as a missionary before (besides my sweet companions),
but it was my time to move on and I'm grateful that the Lord is already
helping me grow in ways that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. He
knows!! We don't, but He does.
It's
really weird being the companion that has come into an area where I
don't know any of the streets or members or places or ANYTHING. It's
been really good, though, because I have never really had to turn to the
Lord so much! I love the feeling of not having to rely on ourselves,
but instead, learning to rely on the Lord and take counsel from the
Spirit. I love feeling close to the Lord. It's such a beautiful feeling
of love.
So
my new companion is Sister Pettus! She is from Hurricane (huur-i-cuhn)
Utah! She has been out a little over a year and she is so great. She is
so good at bringing the spirit when she testifies and I loooove that.
She has only been in this area for a transfer, so we are kind of
learning how to build it up together as we go!
She
actually had a birthday this week so a big THANK YOU to Kelly for the
leftover birthday things I happened to have that hopefully made her
birthday a little colourful and fun! :)
This
morning, I was reading something called the "Sister Susan Fulcher case
study" -- it's so good! If you know anyone that is a missionary or going
on a mission or if you want to be a better member missionary PLEASE
READ THIS AND SHARE IT. It has changed my perspective on missionary work
and I know that it will help us bring more precious souls into the
gospel.
"It's
funny, but I don't even feel discouraged when I ask someone to learn
about the church, and they tell me they're not interested. I know I just
offered them something more valuable than a $100 bill, and if they
don't think they need it, I just offer it to someone else. And I always
hope that the people who reject the invitation felt that I loved them,
and felt God's love for them. At some point in their lives, they might
remember how they felt, and remember that it came from God through me."
We
don't know who is prepared, but the Lord does and they need what we
have. So let's do our duty to God and preach the gospel. Our ward
mission leader actually put together invitation ideas. You member
missionaries out there should try some of these!:
-invite someone to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional with you on Dec. 7th
-invite someone to church during the month of December
-invite someone to join you for family home evening
-invite someone to read the Book of Mormon as a gift with your testimony inside
-invite the full-time missionaries over for dinner during the month of December
-invite
the Saviour to assist you and guide you with your invitations and your
desire to share his gospel as you join in hastening His glorious work
I am grateful to be a representative of the Lord. I know that His hand is in this work.
Please
reach out to someone you don't know this week. Be a friend to them and
love them and help them to feel God's love through you. You never know
who might be praying for someone like you to come into their life.
Yep,
I'm getting transferred to Hamilton! I'm leaving my dear area of
Toronto and all the YSA here! How dearly everything and everyone will be
missed.
Toronto YSA is where I was changed and
raised and shaped and tugged and stretched and tried and built, and I'm
super sad to leave, but I'm also happy because I know it's time for me
to move on
and I know the Lord knows me, because everything that has happened to
me on my mission is evidence that He knows me and what I need and who I
need. I'm excited to move forward!
Also (here comes the missionary in me because I'm about to use an analogy)... a new area is suuuuuch a
small portion of our mission, and a mission is suuuuuch a small portion
of our life, and our life is suuuuch a small portion of the eternal plan
that God has for us. So when challenges arise, remember that they will be but a small moment.
So
this week was actually a little rough! haha. Downtown Toronto has some
crazy people and there is always just lots of wickedness and sad things
happening everywhere. My tender, missionary heart can't even handle it
sometimes!
As missionaries, at least for me, I think we forget
that there really is a lot of hurt in the world out there. We forget
that there is a lot of sadness and cruelty and sin and abuse. But that
is why the Atonement of our Saviour Jesus Christ was not performed in case we needed it, but because our Heavenly Father knew that we would need it. The
Atonement of Jesus Christ is not beyond the reach of any one of us.
Change IS possible, joy IS available, and the love of our Saviour and
Heavenly Father is and always will be present, perfect, and unchanging.
The things I've seen and felt, the good, bad, and the ugly, have all
been for a reason. I'm grateful for that.
On
Saturday, we had SMT! I kept feeling like we should talk about charity
and I couldn't figure out which direction to take with it or how to
really apply it to ESL, but I went with it. We started talking about
what our missions have taught us about charity and the spirit was SO
PRESENT. It was so great to hear, not only the testimonies of what these
missionaries have learned about loving others, but also about what they
have learned from the examples of their companions. (shoutout to my
former companions for teaching me so much!!) LOVE IS ALL WE NEED IN THIS
WORLD.
Yesterday was oh so good. A few
investigators and less-actives came, the talks in sacrament were so
perfect, and a girl that I handed a mormon.org
card to on the subway WEEKS ago showed up at church with her friend!
Man, miracles happen! When I first talked to her, she didn't seem
thaaaat interested, but then she came to church?! So great. And after
church, the Elders had another baptism and it was so happy. We got to
teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ during the "changing" time and it was
so special. I love teaching and testifying!
After church,
we had some lessons and Robert got Sister Coleman and I gifts! He is the
best gift-giver because he got Sister Coleman legos (general conference
family tradition for her!) and he got me a selfie card game (because I
always take selfies on his phone)- he knows us too well! ONE DAY ROBERT
WILL GO ON A MISSION. PLEASE PRAY FOR HIM :)
Gifts from Robert
That evening
there was a missionary fireside! President and Sister Clayton spoke. I
love them! Sister Clayton speaks soooo tenderly. These were a few of my
favourite things from last night:
"We don't know what we don't know."
Let us ask ourselves each day, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me do?"
"Give Him a place in your heart."
I
love being a missionary! I love the gospel! Please think of the people
in your life who need what you have-- pray for them, love them, invite
them to partake of the things that can bring them the joy they need.
About a year ago, last
October, there was a Halloween stake activity. There was a bright, 18
year old boy there, named Elliot. There were no warnings that peanuts
were in any of the food items, and Elliot had an allergic reaction. He
ran outside and called for help immediately; by the time he got to the
hospital, damage had been done to his brain. Doctors said that the
damage was so severe that he would be completely immobile and mentally handicapped
for the rest of his life.
His
sister Eloise, was on a mission. She had the choice to either return
home or stay on her mission. She knew that in order for her family to
receive the strength and blessings they and Elliot so desperately
needed, she would need to stay. When she returned home at the end of her
mission, she went to the hospital to visit Elliot for the first time in
18 months. She saw him, she held his hand and said in his ear "Elliot,
I'm home."
Despite
being immobile and completely unresponsive, tears came out of Elliot's
closed eyes. He knew she was there, and he could hear and feel her.
I've
heard of Elliot's progress since being here and have heard of so many
miracles that have happened since his accident-- one of them being that
he has returned home with his family just last month. He still resides
in a hospital bed, but he is there-- body and mind. He feels when people
touch him, he blinks twice when he understands, his eyes get big when
he tries to see, he can almost, barely say "hi". Sometimes he will look
around the ceiling frequently or just stare in one spot for a very long
time-- angels are there taking care of him.
Saturday
night I had the privilege of meeting Elliot for the first time. He has
quickly become my favourite human. I tried soooo hard to fight back
tears! But, I'm such a softy, dang it! Pray for him and his family. I
love that boy and I admire his family so much. The strength they have
and the blessings they have received from this trial has been such a
testimony-builder for myself.
Elliot :)
I know that this is a very frail
existence that we have chosen to be apart of. But this life isn't it,
there is so much more. The beautiful things we see and the tender
mercies that are apparent and abundant in our lives, are only glimpses
of what our Heavenly Father has in store for us. He loves us, and He
hasn't forgotten us, and never will. It reminds me of the lyrics to hymn
number #136:
He lives to grant me rich supply.
He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint.
He lives to hear my soul's complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears.
He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart.
He lives all blessings to impart.
He does, I know He does. I've felt it, and I know you can too as you turn to Him.
This
week was good though, but this transfer went but so stinkin' fast!! I'm
praying that I stay JUST ONE MORE. Maybe I can bargain with Heavenly
Father? We'll see how that goes...
This week, we also met with our investigators! Yesol is still hanging in here! She will be baptized one day!! Pray for her!!
We
met with Ben, too! He was sooo sick and still met with us to talk about
the Book of Mormon. What a good guy. He is the one who comes and
translates at our ESL class for us and plays the piano beautifully and
has long hair-- he is a kingdom-builder, for sure.
After
we met with Ben. our member that came with us was leaving to go hang
out with the rest of the YSA, and sometimes being YSA while serving
in YSA is hard! But we went on being missionaries and went to visit our
dear Shaunna-- and it was one of the most spiritual moments of my
mission.
She
talked to us about how she is so ready to start coming back and asked us
questions about how to know if Heavenly Father has forgiven us and so
many other tender things that cannot be written. It was so good, and I
love her so much! It's so cool to see how her testimony is not only
becoming more apparent, but is also strengthening.
We
also had Zone Council this week. We role-played talking to people on
the bus and at the end. We all went into a small room and watched the
"Because of Him" video and then our zone leaders opened the baptismal
font and the spirit FILLED THE ROOM as they began testifying that this
is what it's all about. MAN I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. Testimony
meetings with other missionaries is one of the most powerful things to
be apart of.
Also,
the greatest baptism in the history of baptisms happened yesterday.
Mordecai is this African girl that has the most solid, powerful, pure,
testimony. She literally smiles with her eyes! She came out of the water
laughing and crying. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. She said that when she told her
mom at first, her mom left her room and didn't talk to her for 2 hours--
but it was because she left and cried because her prayers had been
answered that her daughter was being baptized. After she bore her
testimony, her mom was bawling and they just held each other. It was so
precious!
Sister
Coleman and I and Elder Lasley and a member (Jesse) did the musical
number, too! I played Come Thou Fount on the piano and they sang the
lyrics to Joseph's Smith's First Prayer. It was fun :) and we also
taught the Restoration during the baptism-- the spirit was so strong.
This
week was the best week ever. I love my mission, I love these people, I
love the spirit, I love love, I love this gospel, I love my Saviour.
The
church is true, if you don't know it, I invite you to get on your knees
right now and pray-- ask your Heavenly Father and He will answer your
prayers. I PROMISE. Gain your own spiritual witness.
This week was the best week ever, with the exception that a few unfortunate things happened.
Ah
man! There were just so many miracles this week! This week, Sister
Coleman and I put forth an extra effort to talk with everyone. It's
interesting, if you want to see some miracles, you talk to some people;
if you want to see loads of miracles, then you talk to loads of people!
Even
though not everyone was interested or super prepared, we met so many
great people. Alanna, Jack, Fuat, Eric, Melissa, Josh, Matthew, Rose,
etc. So many cool people! I think sometimes we underestimate mankind!
But really, people are cool! and have great stories and perspectives on
life; and as missionaries, so many stories and perspectives are shared
with us. I love it.
Throughout this week, it was neat to see how when we just got out of the way and opened our
mouths, that the spirit just gave us words to say!
The other day,
we prayed and felt like we needed to go to Bathurst station. So we took
the bus and subway there, got off, and just started walking. We met a
guy named Samuel. At first he was like "nooo I'm good, it's
okay, I've found my spirituality" and because it's the missionary thing
to do we kept walking with him and talking. We talked to him about music
and life and then he started to ease up and open up. He began
telling us about how he is homosexual and how it was really hard for him
when he was younger because he tried to repress it and hide it and he
would go to church and pray that it would be taken away from him and it
was just a really hard time, and how over time he just began to accept
it and even embrace it.
It was really interesting because as we talked,
we began telling him about the Atonement and how the fact that he has
overcome many obstacles in his life is evidence that the Atonement has
already had an effect on him and his life and how it can continue to do that. We talked
about how Christ loves him and has felt everything he has. It was
really cool to see how to spirit completely changed his countenance and
how he truly felt God's love, even if it was for just a moment.
I
know that we don't know everything. We don't have all the answers. But
there is a God in heaven who does. But something I do know, with all of
my heart, is that the enabling power of the Atonement is real. I know
that it turns hearts and changes lives. I know it because I've felt it
in myself and I've seen it in others. I love my Saviour and I know He
loves us. Our trials are but a small moment, but if we endure them well,
our Heavenly Father will exalt us on high!
This
week we also met a really cool guy. We were almost about to just pass
him and keep walking (hating so hard on the natural man these days), but
we talked to him (and Sister Coleman later admitted that it was simply
because he wore his hat like Harry Styles-- thinking of you, Sierra!)
anyway! We talked to him, and I don't know whether to be offended or
flattered, but he was super surprised that we were really normal and
"not freaky". Anyway. As he talked to us, he told us how he and his
girlfriend just got in a fight the previous night. He talked to us about
his life story; we talked to him about our message and what it does for
people. Then he said, "...it's funny. Talking to you both about this
stuff has made me not think about everything that's been happening."
The spirit is real and it literally touches people so that they can feel that God is real.
We
also met with a guy named Daniel who Sister Coleman found while we were
driving one day (really discouraged and having a bad day actually, but
she saw him on the side of the road and 5 minutes later turned around to
go talk with him- she's so cool), and we taught him the Restoration. He
believed it and wants to continue meeting to one day prepare for
baptism. He also went to institute and made lots of friends!
(Also
at institute, before we left the church, we saw a table with hundreds
of loaves of free bread! so, you can probably guess what happened
next... #missionlife #naturally)
This week, our
less-active friend Chris took us to eat, too! He always takes care of
the missionaries and he is actually such a good missionary himself! What
a kind, Irish lad. We think we'll keep him.
Saturday
and Sunday was Stake conference! Crazy because last time stake
conference took place was 6 months ago and I was with sister Waldron.
And Sister Coleman and I just hit out 8 month mark/anniversary
yesterday. Precious, we know.
Common
theme in stake conference: choose, feel, do, believe, act now, don't
procrastinate, hold to the faith you have, testimony comes after we act,
etc. I felt the spirit so strong when a returned sister missionary bore
her testimony of the Book of Mormon and missionary work! I, too, love
this work! We must always defend our Saviour by vocally standing up for
the truth of His restored gospel and by helping others.
"The sweetest thing to know in mortality is that our Heavenly Father has worked through us."
Also,
a girl named Jacquelin walked into church yesterday and said that God
told her to wake up, put some church clothes on and head over here, so
she did. (BECAUSE THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME). She loved
it! And she wants to prepare for baptism. And! two less active girls,
who are like best friends, came to church yesterday and loved it.
This week was beautiful.
Except
for last night when we forgot our apartment keys in our car that the
Toronto sisters took so we had to borrow our zone leaders' mini van and
spend the night with the Don Mills sisters, and then bus and subway all
the way back downtown early this morning to pick our car back up....
ripple effect. Every decision we make affects so many people. My
testimony has strengthened on this concept.
Well, the
church is true! And a late thank you/shoutout to Aubrie and Crystal and
Crystal and Sirima and Hayley and Carly for the birthday packages and
cards! I love y'all!
Also! The new depression mormon message is beautiful! Everyone please watch and share it!
This week was the week that we saw the fruits of our labors! Wow, so blessed.
So, where to begin, really?
Sick Sister Howle
REWIND:
Okay,
so one day a few weeks ago, we were going to meet up with someone
downtown. On our way there, we were kind of lost, so we asked this lady
that was walking toward us for directions. We chatted and she told us
her name we Beth. We told her who we were and started talking about our
Heavenly Father and this earth and the restored gospel. Something I
loved that she said was, "It's stupid to think this is by chance and it's vain to think it's all about us." Amen, sister friend.
She was so cool, but not interested at the moment. She never gave us
her number, but we gave her ours and she wished us good blessings as we
went our way.
FORWARD:
This past week, we were
headed to an appointment with a potential investigator named Brian. When
we got to where we were meeting him, he stopped answering his phone, not
too uncommon. So, we decided to talk to people in that area. As we are
walking, we find a really cool guy named Adam who actually met
missionaries years ago! We got his number and went on, convinced that we
went to that area to find him. After a while, we are heading back and
guess who we see? BETH. She gave us the biggest hugs and told us she had
been thinking about us the day before! (ahhhhh) and then when we went
into her antique shop there on the street, we pulled out this record
there and guess what it was? Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
SIGNNNNNNNSSSS.
Sister Coleman & Sister Howle
She gave us her number and address and wants to meet sometime soon!
THEN, Brian ended up actually calling us back because he forgot his phone! So it was a great day!
This
past week, our friend Chris came teaching with us a bunch! He is such a
good missionary! He is a convert and has a strong testimony, just a
little shaky at times. But! When he teaches ad testifies with us, it's
so powerful! It made me reflect on my own testimony. As missionaries we
learn to just cut the fluff and keep things simple, but with that, I
realized that I want to work on being sincere and personal when I bear
my testimony! So, it's coming along!
(If anyone else feels the
same, I HIGHLY recommend studying chapter 3 of PMG and making a list of
blessings that you have received from each of the principles taught! I'm
doing it, too!)
We also went on exchanges. I love our Sister Training Leaders, Sister Hsiung and Sister Bodine!
Church
was so good yesterday! We had quite a few investigators
finally come to church and
it was fast & testimony meeting and the spirit was so strong! I love
the YSA! So many of our ivestigators finally came, that Sister Coleman
and I didn't even attend Sunday school or Relief Society because we
needed to meet with them before they left! Briefly:
-hyunee came back! she first came in July, but came back and wants to learn more about the Book of Mormon
-Yesol came! She felt the spirit and missed many people. It was so good for her to be there with everyone! She loved it!
-Calvin
FINALLY came for the first time. He loved it! He said it was very
impressive and that he felt honored to be there. ahhh. And he brought
his friend! Yessss! So good.
-Daniel came and met so many
people and even told other missionaries in the church that he knew the
church was true. (Sister Coleman actually found him when we drove past
him one day and after 5 minutes, turned around because she felt that we
needed to talk to him-- super prepared!!)
-Karen. Oh man, is
she special. After 8 years and a bailed baptism date so long ago, she
felt something different and special at church; particularly when they
talked about the sacrament. Through her tears, she admitted that she
just wanted a big sign-- we told her that she has gotten so many of them
already. She is praying about a date for baptism this week :)
-Jacquelin came even though it was hard! The spirit prompted her to come church!
Before
my mission, when I was preparing, I started to feel this love for
people that hadn't met yet; in testimony meeting yesterday, I expressed
that a portion of that love was for them-- the YSA and our investigators
there. I NEVER WANT TO LEAVE THESE PEOPLE! I love them so much!! I am
so
grateful that I've been here for so long because this area has changed
me. It's been such a blessing to see it grow and to see the miracles
that take place here. Toronto is my sacred grove. I love this place and
these people.
