Go forth with faith!

Transfer calls aaaaaand.....

I'm staying in Toronto YSA! I love this city and the people here!

This morning, the assistants called and said they didn't get around to calling us last night and had transfer news for us.....MY HEART STOPPED. They told Sister Waldron that she would be getting a new companion named....Chevy Malibu. 

NOT FUNNY.

So now we get a car! But still not funny.
First of all, I just want to thank every single person that contributed to my charity project a year ago for my Living Prophets class at BYU. This past week, I have thought a lot about the importance of having charity and how essential it is in missionary work. I read through everyone's responses from my project and wrote down everything that describes charity and learned that there are so many ways to express charity and to BE charitable! I'm excited to work on loving people perfectly, the way Christ does.

"There is nothing that will persuade someone more than loving them." 

^^ Truth.

Also, there were a lot of people that gave us a lot of fruit one day, so that was really nice!

Last week, Sister Waldron and I went to Kensington Market where they have all these thrift stores and hole-in-the-wall food places. There were so many hippies and hipsters and I just can't get over how I always feel like I'm in a movie here in Toronto! Every single part of downtown is different and I feel like I'm in a different part of the world everywhere I go. Crazy city, but I love it!

We visited a girl named Marcela this week. She was one of our potential investigators and she and her family are from Slovakia. We went to share a spiritual thought with her and her family, but realized it would be a lot harder than we thought, because of the language barrier. Language barriers are my favorite because it forces us as missionaries to teach super simply and to just testify-- that is when I learn to just get out of the way and that is when the spirit is the strongest.

David is so good! When we taught him the Word of Wisdom last week, he said he had quit drinking three weeks before-- God was preparing him! He is so cool. He is preparing for baptism this next Sunday!

Rodolfo is so cool. He has such a sweet heart and is so determined to follow Jesus Christ. He, too is getting baptized this month!

We are also teaching an Albanian guy named Besnik. He is so funny. He always talks about chips and tv and other random things. He's a keeper. Set for baptism this month!

This week we taught a girl named Snow. She is AMAZING. We met her outside the subway station last week and she was super interested in meeting with us. We met her this week and taught her the restoration and she realized that baptism is so important for us to understand where we stand with God and how when we are baptized, we know who we follow and serve and are bound to. She accepted baptism for the end of this month! She is so cool.

We also taught Jonathan. He has so much potential! I'm grateful that God has a plan for each of us and that, no matter where we are in the stages of our lives, God is always there to lift us up-- if we let Him. 

One day we got on the subway and a man said hello to us and told us he was going to die. He then went off about how we believe in fantasies and made-up things that make us feel good. Then another day a man was asking us a bunch of questions and was getting super frustrated and didn't believe the things we testified of. Then another girl told us that the book of Mormon isn't history and that we shouldn't need to add to the Bible because the Bible is enough. All these things just make me think of how grateful I am and how lucky I am to have a knowledge of this Gospel. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God called to restore Christ's church to the earth, and that this church is the Lord's kingdom on the earth. Truth is restored, people! And we have full access to God's love and direction. How blessed are we to live in this dispensation!

TerriAnne. She is an angel. She has been through so much in her life but knows so perfectly how important it is that we stay near to God. God loves His children so deeply. TerriAnne's example of humility and desire to know God is so admirable.

This weekend we had Stake Conference and Elder Holland and President Eyring spoke to us over a broadcast. It was so good! I learned wonderful things.

Let us all go forth with faith to tell the world of Jesus Christ the Lord! Bear witness He is God's own Son; proclaim His wondrous word! Go forth with hope and courage strong to spread the word abroad that people of all nations are children of our God.

Share the Gospel with your friends, share the joy!

Love y'all!

how great reason have we to rejoice!

I have said it once and I'll say it again...I live in the great and spacious! It's all about living IN the world, not OF the world. It's a balancing act, I tell ya.

A lot of our appointments cancelled this week, so we had loads of time to contact. We went to Ryerson University this week-- you would think YSA people would be more receptive to a message of hope and happiness and truth, especially if it means being able to stand out amongst the crowd! So, because everyone was suuuuuper nice to us that day, we called Oliver and told him that we need him to come contacting next time-- we know that if Oliver stands next to us while we share a message of the gospel with them, they would be too intimdated/scared to run away or not listen... so we got this next time! We also went to Queens Park and did "Questions of the Soul" surveys-- it was SUCH a beautiful day and there were so many people out, so it was perfect! 

On Friday to Saturday we had exchanges! I went to Mississauga with Sister Stoddard and its so beautiful there! Partially because it reminded me of Utah--without the mountains. During our exchange, I learned so much! I'm so grateful to be able to learn from other sisters and be reminded of my strengths but also recognize where I can improve. The Lord always helps us by building us up, not tearing us down-- that's Satan. Everything we do and say and are all begins with a thought. We must always keep our minds a holy place so we can distinguish between good and evil in everything. 

To prepare for exchanges, we studied Alma 26 along with the topic of how I find joy in missionary service. Alma 26 and 27 are so amazing! Read them and reread them! I realized that verse 1 describes perfectly how I find joy in missionary service:

"And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?"

How great reason have we to rejoice. No matter what we go through in life or what we don't understand or what we lack, etc-- the fact that the fulness of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth to never be taken away again is reason enough to rejoice. The gospel is true and we get to be apart of it! How great reason have we to rejoice! The church is true and God loves us. Blessings are so abundant in these latter-days! Let us choose to partake of them.

Without Christ, nothing would be possible. For Gospel Principles yesterday, Sister Waldron and I got to teach about the Atonement. I found myself so jumbled with my thoughts and words, but my simple testimony that I was able to bear reminded me that our Savior and His infinite sacrifice is perfect and that, because of Him, all things are possible.

http://easter.mormon.org/ 

(Kell, could you imbed this video instead of making it a link? If so, that would be great! If not, no worries :) thank you! the pics are not great sorry ha, I'll try to send more. its hard because we can't look like tourists, so we basically can't take pictures during the week, which is the only time we are downtown where all the cool buildings and cathedrals and things are)

Have a great week! Remember the Savior and always serve others because you love Him!

one long minute

I have realized that everyday as a missionary is like one long minute. It's weird. I get up in the morning, do our daily things, then one long minute later, I'm back in bed for the night. Time flies!

"Sis W and I have Sunday night cereal (basically every night, its fine)"

Last Sunday, we were blitzing ESL flyers and we ran into this 18 year-old named Solomon. He was really reserved, but agreed to meet up with us sometime. He didn't give us a phone number, but said he is Christian and studies the bible a lot. A few days ago, just a day before we were scheduled to meet up with Solomon but not knowing if he would really show up or how we could even get a hold of him to find out, we get on the bus to go downtown, and who do we see? Solomon. I really have come to see that God is so involved in the details of our lives. He is aware of every one of us, individually. It is kind of awesome to think about how God plans so "randomly" but so perfectly for us to cross paths with people each and everyday. Can you imagine Heavenly Father's weekly planning at night?!

 

So, our zone leaders live in the same apartment building as we do, just a few floor below us. One night we were running home (#exactobedience) and as we were running past the building, when we hear "DISOBEDIENCE" and they pour water over the balcony onto us! So...we put tape in their doorway (face wax?) and then they put peanut butter on our door handle and so now a war has begun. Missions are fun!

"A view from our apt (PENTHOUSE whoop whoop)"

One day this week, we had no appointments, so we got to contact and blitz all day! It was so great. We rode the subway and went downtown and met so many prepared people along the way. We ended up walking through this beautiful park and talked to a guy named Jonathan. He is so great and ready to change his life around. It started to rain so we got his number and began heading home. As we were walking we stopped and decided to go back and teach him (thank goodness for gazebos). We went back and he said he was leaving soon, but we met another guy named Michael and we taught him the whole Restoration. He isn't YSA, but hopefully a seed was planted and one day he will get baptized. I realized how blessed I am to talk to people every single day and listen to each one of them open up about who they are and what they believe. I learn so much from people and I am beginning to really see things from their perspective, rather than just my own.

"What a member feeds us basically every week. SO GOOD. I love colombians and their food!"

We have a current investigator from Ecuador named David and he is so cool. He almost got baptized twice, but was passed off to us because YSA is obviously the place to be. Recently we taught him the plan of salvation. It was great because he said that the hermanas taught it to him before in Spanish and he didn't understand it, but when we taught it to him in English, he understood a lot better. Thank goodness the Spirit speaks all languages.

On Sunday, we taught our sweet Korean Tom. It was unforgettable. President and Sister Scott joined in on our lesson and we read from the book of Mormon with Tom. We wanted to go over baptism again because, with the language barrier, we knew he didn't quite understand. As we read with him 2 Nephi 31, we got to verse 10 and Tom read in the best English he could. After he read it, we asked him what he understood from that verse. He paused, looked up and said, "Follow Me". Of all things, Tom understood one of the most important things our Savior has ever taught-- to follow Him. The spirit was present and helped Tom to understand baptism much better. He has accepted it and will be baptized on June 15th!

During personal study one day this week, I was reading Alma 19. This is the chapter about Ammon and King Lamoni and Abish. First of all-- the FAITH of these people! Ammon was such a faithful AND diligent servant of the Lord. Faith without diligent works is dead. Abish had been converted to the Lord for years and when the perfect opportunity to share the gospel came, she "ran forth from house to house, making it known unto the people." She recognized the power of God in her life and wanted to share it! King Lamoni and the queen had a change of heart and shared it with all the people in their kingdom. But my favorite part is the very end of the chapter when the Lord pours out his spirit upon them; the Lord is able to bless them by pouring out his spirit among the people because THEY BELIEVED HE COULD. They had been truly converted and had no more desire to do evil. It all was because of their faith.

The church is true.

Have a fantastic week!

Why do angels have wings?

I'm so happy that I got to skype yesterday and see and hear from my favorites! I love y'all more than life!

I hope everyone got to see the beautiful Mother's Day video on Mormon.org. If not, check it out and share it on all of your social networks (and hashtag it #itwasmom)! Even though mother's day was yesterday, we can celebrate mothers ever day! Like a kind Pakistani man on the bus told me, "every day is mother's day!" We should always be celebrating the lives of our families and friends every single day. We all have such precious people in our lives!

Speaking of precious people, we spoke to a bunch of them this week. We talk to a bunch of people every week, but this week my goal was especially to ALWAYS be talking to someone about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm learning to balance "not caring what people think" and "caring about people" so that I can boldly testify to strangers about the message of the restored gospel.

This week, we met with Leighton. He is so cool. He told us a lot about how he is trying to get in tune with his spiritual side and how in order to do that, he has been reading a few books. Since meeting with us, he has decided that he wanted to stop reading all of those books and just read the book of Mormon. He believes that the book of Mormon really can give him a greater understanding about life and help him find answers to his questions. So yeah, #truth. He also read to us a poem he wrote about how he feels about his current state in life. It was AMAZING. He mentioned how science and religion are not at odds, but rather science is just too young. He is so right! We invited him to be baptized and he says "...I am so down for that!" We are too, Leighton. We are too.

The best thing happened this week. Well not the best, but I enjoyed it.

We were teaching two Muslim guys. They are very devout to their religion, but they are very open to learning more as well. Toward the end of our second visit, we committed them to read the book of Mormon. Then, one of them got up and left and came back 10 minutes later.... he bought my companion and I each our own copy of the Quran! How sweet and tender of him. We told him we couldn't read it while on our missions. But then I told him how the book of Mormon helps us get closer to God more than any other book. 

The book of Mormon is the word of God and we are so blessed to be living at a time when the restored truth is on the earth to never be taken away! Blessed be the name of the Most High God!

While contacting yesterday, we ran into a couple and we talked for a good half hour. They are related to some members back in London and they are seriously some pretty cool humans. Before we went our way, the man said" Why do angels have wings?........because they take themselves lightly!" Something I am learning to develop it the Christ-like attribute of patience. I am learning that, not only do I need to be more patient with others, but I need to be patient with myself! The Lord works on us a little bit at a time, we just need to let Him!

I love y'all! Have great week!

M A N I F E S T A T I O N S

Shoutout to Sirima for a letter! Tender mercy, thank you! :)

This week we had Zone Training and, ah man, it's such a spiritual lift! We learned about how to teach people, not lessons. The best way to do this, is to discern investigators' needs. If they are giving shallow answers to questions, then they will have a shallow baptism. True conversion can't happen if they have unresolved issues or concerns that haven't been addressed! We must be worthy conduits of the spirit so that the spirit can work through us and help us know how to discern needs and help those we serve. We also talked about all the goals we want to reach together as a zone and as a mission. We are aiming for 60 baptisms in June! 

One investigator we are meeting with is Ahmed and he is from Saudia Arabia. We found him walking on the side walk in front of us a week or so ago. He was going to a free event at the science center...but no one was even there? We started talking to him and within two minutes he was telling us that he was trying to find out if God was real and he was praying that God would give him a sign. Then he said "Maybe...you two are the sign." Coincidences do not happen! God knows His children and knows what their needs are and he works through us to help them. This past week we met with him again and we read from 3 Nephi 11, when Christ comes to America and the people are able to see and touch Him. Ahmed struggles to "know" how things are true. He doesn't understand how he will just "know" if he reads and prays. President Joseph Fielding Smith explains it perfectly how we can "know" when he said:

"When a man has the manifestation from the Holy Ghost, it leaves an indelible impression on his soul, one that is not easily erased. It is Spirit speaking to spirit, and it comes with convincing force. A manifestation of an angel, or even of the Son of God himself, would impress the eye and mind, and eventually become dimmed, but the impressions of the Holy Ghost sink deeper into the soul and are more difficult to erase.”

There is nothing more convincing and powerful than a manifestation from the Holy Ghost!

We are also meeting with a sweet Korean guy named Tom. We met him through ESL, but he was also interested in learning more about the Gospel! Whoo! Tom served in the DMZ! Crazy scary! But he is here in Canada studying right now. There is quite a language barrier with him, but thank goodness for members who served in Korea who are willing to join us for lessons to translate and help teach.

Our previous investigator Ying Chen dumped us. I would be more devastated if he hadn't insulted our intelligence and called me a tomboy over text, so for now I'll just be simply sad and pray some other missionaries in the near future can help him better than we could. It is really sad that a lot of people in this world struggle to understand how much God really loves them. Yes, bad things do happen to good people. But God sees the bigger picture and this life on earth is so temporary. 

We also met a cool guy named Leighton. He is a logical thinker and likes when things just make sense, but lately he has been feeling something missing, spiritually (THE GOSPEL). We taught him the restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon. Thank goodness he loves to read!

We also met a guy named Vinh who we found near Chinatown! He has a Buddhist background, but doesn't practice much himself. He is very positive and loves having an optimistic mindset. He really likes the idea of looking back on his life one day with no regrets and a peace of mind. We related that to the plan of salvation and how this plan of happiness that God designed for us helps us to understand our purpose and path in life so that we can make the most of it and ultimately look back with no regrets and peace of mind. He isn't interested in "converting", but he was extremely interested in the Book of Mormon. Thank goodness that's where all the power and truth is found!

Friday night before we went home, we found a guy walking on the sidewalk and started talking to him. His name is Mansoor and he has lived here for three years and has no friends. We started talking about the gospel and the special message we have to share and HE wanted to get OUR number and meet up with US...usually people are running away from us, but he wanted to learn more! We met with him the next night. He will probably get baptized, buuuuut he really, really wants to be best friends with us and sit only with us at church and only be friends with us, so we may have to pass him off to the Elders haha.

Also...Oliver Prince got baptized yesterday! What a STUD. He is so strong and faithful! He is also famous and knows Drake? So that's pretty cool. I asked him if Drake would be interested in taking the lessons with us soooo don't be surprised if those rap songs turn into hymnal raps in June! All I ask is for a #mormon.org on instagram, Drake. 

Also, the YSA ward here is so good to us! Such friendly people! I love them so much!

I have officially started the Purification Challenge! It is where I fast for 30-40 days from bad habits and things I want to rid myself of and where I work on implementing good habits and work on attaining worthy goals for myself. The process is to help my spirit and mind and heart be pure so that the Spirit can work through me and touch the lives of those I serve. I am so grateful that God is able to help build us up and give us strength beyond our own!

The Book of Mormon is true. The Church is true. Christ lives and God loves us. 

And happy week for all mothers everywhere!

I love y'all! 

Goodbye London...Hello Toronto!

First of all...a special shoutout and big thank you to the Stamps family and Sister Stamps' seminary class! Oh my goodness, the package and notes were so sweet! I loved the drawings and the cards and the sweet words written. Thank you so so much! I love y'all!

So Toronto is the biggest city I have ever been in in my entire life! Holy cow, I feel like I am in a movie, or the great and spacious building. Speaking of cows, the first few days in the city all I could think of was "where are all the cows?!" Just a small town girl living in a lonely world or gospel-less people! There is so much diversity and so many eccentric children of God here that need the gospel, it's just wonderful! Subways and buses are a little scary, but oh so prime for talking to people and finding the elect: those that are prepared to hear the message of the restored gospel.

My companion is Sister Waldron and she is such an angel. I feel like we have been companions for weeks now, but we have only known each other for 6 days! Crazy. I learn so much from her every single day about how to be more kind-hearted and sincere and all of those Christ-like characteristics I need to work on.

We are both so excited to be serving in Toronto YSA! This area just opened about 7 weeks ago and its the most coveted area in the mission, so we consider ourselves pretty blessed. This area has so much potential and there is so much work to do here in Toronto! So exciting.

In this area, we also have the opportunity to teach ESL! Teaching English is so exciting! I love helping people from so many different countries learn how to speak English while tying in the gospel at the same time-- so tricky, eh? 

This week we had Zone Training/Skills and Interviews so that was amazing. We talked a lot about what holds us back from contacting and how to more effectively contact and it was so great, especially because that has been my biggest struggle out here. I would normally feel more comfortable with just leaving people alone and letting them go on their way and not bothering them, but the most important duty EVER is to proclaim the message of the gospel! I am constantly reminding myself that everyone needs the gospel and every person I see could be prepared but I will never know it if I don't open my mouth! I also am trying to remind myself that it doesn't matter what strangers think of me because one, they'll never see me again anyway and two, they need the gospel whether they want it or not. So yes, they are going to hear about it. Moral: EVERYONE SHARE THE GOSPEL. Whether that be posting links on social networks or bearing testimony to strangers, share it. We have a special message that everyone needs. This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God. 

At Skills and Interviews we also got to visit with President and Sister Scott. I love them! I'm so grateful for all the love they have for us.

We have 3 investigators preparing for baptism! Citlalli is from Mexico, Ahmed is from Saudi Arabia, and Oliver is from Toronto! They are moving in the right direction and will be so blessed.

I started rereading the Book of Mormon with a question in mind. My first question for my new way of reading the Book of Mormon, thanks to Elder Bednar, is "How can I be a more consecrated missionary?" It is amazing how the Book of Mormon has always and will always be the exact same words, but has the power to change our whole perspective and teach us something new when we approach it with an open heart and open mind, being ready and willing to be taught by the spirit according to what we need to learn and understand.

The Church is true and the book is blue! It's that simple.

“After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel."  -Joseph smith

Remember-- share the gospel! Love y'all!

Holy Is He, Blessed Am I

So last night we got the most unexpected phone call...

SISTER BALDERSON AND I ARE BEING SEPARATED AND TRANSFERRED!

I'm going to Toronto! And YSA again! How fun, I just love those young single adults.

It's a bittersweet thing for me because we won't be here for our two baptisms next week, but I'm are excited for new opportunities and experiences.

This week I really reflected a lot on the Savior and His Atonement. I find that I get easily frustrated when people don't know what they are missing out on (aka the gospel) or when they know what they should be doing (aka making good/better choices) and they don't. I think I sometimes find it easier to love people when they are easy to love, but something that has taken me a while to finally learn is that true, Christ-like love is exhibited especially when you love, without restraint, to ALL-- even those who are hard to love.

This Easter was special. The hymn I Know That My Redeemer Lives went through my mind many times this week. It truly conveys how purely and perfectly our Savior loves us and it is such an example to me of how I can be better at loving people and seeing them for what they can become.

I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead.

He lives, my ever-living Head.

He lives to bless me with his love.

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need.

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 lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end.

He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath.

He lives, and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

I do know that my Redeemer lives. He is so perfect in every single way.