April 8 - email

Things are Waaaayy different over here, houses are teeny tiny like fort Edmonton park houses, legit looks like that!  Definitely poorer side of Canada but people are more humble and just willing to talk also. Definitely helps me to realize what’s important and feel really grateful as well, for all I have. Serious ... Kerry’s cabin at the lake is like a big house compared to the houses here. Most people live in apartments etc. Definitely way different, but really cool to see!

Did you have a Easter dinner somewhere?

Yes, us and the Elders ate a lady in the ward haha she’s funny but crazy; she loves us though, called us yesterday just to see how we were doing.

Do you have dinner apts each night with ward members?

No we haven’t, we’ve have had 4 dinner apps but the ward really, is loving.  They gave us sooo much food this weekend at conference at the church, because we watched it at the church. We will get more dinner apps as the calendar gets time to move around in church this week.

Have you bought new shoes? Are you sending the brown shoes home? Maybe you should get some funky rubber boots.

No I haven’t I have been wearing my boots every day, I might buy some new shoes since I will be sending my shoes back, maybe? There’s a shoes fixer in Superstore which is right by our apartment so I’m going to ask what they can do, if they can’t I’ll send them home and get other shoes sometime ... if I ever have time!!

Do you want any cd’s of blakes sent? And is there anything you need sent from here?

We only listen to the Mormon tabernacle, anything by them, So I’m going to send my iPod home and if you guys could please take all the music off and update it with some EPIC amazing Motab music! Thanks!!!

Have you started any of your exercise programs?

Yes each week we have a scale out of 32, we rate ourselves on; wake up on time, study on time, work out 6 days so we have to report so I do it, I did 5 times last week . I want to start running and eating healthier!

Okay WOW this week went by soooo fast! It has been an awesome one. We have truly seen the Lord lead us to people that are ready for the Gospel and something I feel so blessed to have the Lord Trust me to be a part of.  I loved conference this weekend, we watched it in the Church where members came and watched.  We had 3 investigators watching conference at church yesterday (originally was going to be 7) but a family from Vietnam, that we met, couldn’t come cause their son Min whose the only one that can speak English real well was sick. I felt so honored and blessed ecstatic to be a part of this work of missionaries! I love being a missionary! Everyone in our ward has such amazing families built so strong on the principles of the gospel.   Watching them all sit together during conference, you can just feel the spirit that they all carry inn their homes and in their lives. I experienced my first bit of trunkyness (missing home) (NOTHING to worry about) haha Just watching them during conference and knowing you guys were all in the theatre room at the same time watching conference made me think of you all! But then I put my heart and mind in the lords will and realized I am here spending time away from my amazing family that’s sealed for eternity so others can have the blessing that the gospel principles brings to a home and family! It’s crazy, for the Saturday and Sunday morn session its 1pm-3pm here then 5-7 such a time change! Dad the Beds look awesome! And Mille well give her a hug and kiss goodbye for me! I had sooo many emails this morning 14! From Brynn, Mikyla, Taren to Brad Jones? And others! So I’m going to be very busy but don’t worry this was my priority after my letter to President Leavitt.

Alright so the week! We have been teaching a girl named whose 21 we got her on baptismal date for May 4th! I gave the invitation and it was the coolest thing ever!!!!She came to conference and got goose bumps from the choirs. So were going to try to teach her 2-3 times this week and she’s really excited, she understands the holy ghost and how baptism and following commandments will help her to have the constant companionship of the Holy ghost her whole life. It’s really cool, her best friend is less active(la) we have been teaching her too.  I truly feel like I was meant to meet these two.  The less active girl is 21 and has a two yr old and her other son past away last October.  She has a really hard life but we are going to do what we can to help her turn to the lord through all her troubles and rely on him. We are basically teaching them both everything as (best friend) was baptized at 10 but never was active or understands the gospel. But there other friend Kyle is meeting with the elders as well so they all are cleaning their lives up!

So Larry oh man larry such an awesome guy! Man missionary work can be so hard I stress about him sooo much!! And you will see why. So we have been teaching him this week, he knows this gospel is true he completes all our reading assignments, he comes to church, and we have him on date for baptism April 27th! He even wants to be baptized earlier. He completely understands the gospel, and he’s kind of like me he wants to get it all at once but he needs patience to understand that our message and understanding comes with time.  We found out he has some things in his personal life he needs to deal with  So Sis huppe and I are just praying our for him that things will work out. But he told us that the day we called he was praying to god asking god if gods still in his life (because of the situation he’s in that he can’t talk about) and then while he was praying RING we called- he picked up the phone and there we were! haha so crazy! And he said the only reason why he listened was because he was praying. I mean he can’t help but to realize that well THE GOSPEL IS TRUE EVERY ALLEIJUAH haha.  So President Leavitt is coming up tomorrow and is going to interview him and well we will go from there.

So sis Huppe and I, when we knock on doors we plan the night before where we are going to knock, we start with prayer then we choose 10 streets together  Then on our own we select 3-5 streets and whichever ones that are the same we go and knock. So it’s truly a knocking on streets from God! And as we do this we get lead into the arms of people that are ready! Whether it be a street contact on the way to the street or at one of the houses. So we have a lot of potentials who we are hoping will turn into investigators.  So we came across this one family from Vietnam, they are soooo kind! They welcomed us in and the son and daughter whose 21 and 16 can speak English.  We teach them, and then they teach their parents in their language. So first time we were teaching them in the living room they were really receptive, but when he would translate it to his dad it, appeared to us his dad didn’t like it.  So the whole time me and Sis Huppe are praying our hearts out! But at the end of the lesson Min was like my dad wants you two to come over for dinner Monday night for Vietnamese food and wants to learn more! So we’re going back tonight to teach the restoration, and show them the DVD in their language and we ordered BOMs in there language etc! They are totally ready to just me taught.

And another guy, we knock on his door from the Philippians and he’s like YES I want you guys to teach me and all my roommates.  He said his cousin just became mormon at home and he wants to learn all about our church. He came here 4 months ago as well from the Philippians, his family is still there.  McDonalds’ brought him over to be a manager, he’s trying to get his family over! He is so loving, humble and excited to learn. Him and his roommates schedules are very busy, you can tell they work like dogs to be able to get there families over, but we will be teaching them all hopefully sometime this week if not next week.

We have run into many other people and we talk to EVERYONE haha I love it, just spreading the word. Studying I was lil frustrated at the beginning of the week because memorizing is not my cup of tea.  I fasted about it and things are coming together and the spirit just spits things out of my mouth in lessons where I’m just like okay I guess I did memorize this! It’s hard some because some people that we are about to begin teaching are in finals right now so it’s hard to find the time to meet with them.  I cannot wait for exams to be over and getting these investigators progressing!

A less active girl who we are meeting with on Tuesday is actually the MVP on Nakitas basketball team!! Yes Nakita Newman, so she gave me Nakita’s number and I’m going to call her today!

There are sooo many people that truly have been prepared for sis huppe and I.  I feel so blessed, there’s lots of work to be done, and seeds to be planted for those that aren’t ready. And I’m going to do everything I can to help these people come to know for themselves the truth of the BOM, the gospel, Joseph Smith and how we do in fact have prophets and apostles on the earth today.

I have learnt to have faith in myself this week and in the lord because he truly can lift us beyond what were capable of, it’s amazing. There’s times where I’m like kay there’s no way I can do this I am not capable, smart enough! But those feelings are the adversary trying to slow down the work of building gods kingdom. When you remove all thoughts of fear to faith and allow the lord to lessen the load all things are possible. I love serving every day, and it brings happiness that I never have felt. I know this is Gods gospel, Christ church. I know that there is no other way to everlasting joy than through god. I love testifying to people these things and when they act like I don’t know what I’m saying ... I’m just like listen I lived as you have lived and nothings compare to the joy from Christ’s gospel. Sis Huppe and I are quite bold, but being sisters and just smiling all cute you really can get people to listen to you a lot longer than they would, I love it! haha.

We put up posters around the university campus about conference and bible videos! We’re going to do mormon.org posters to and maybe set up a booth at campus. There are a lot of catholics here, but also a ton of foreigners that are so humble. I have learnt also to trust sharing the gospel and the spirit that is felt with sharing it, to not be afraid. Watching the members here, they are all so ready to help in missionary work, it really is inspiring. Being a missionary I definitely come to realize that I’m going to be a way different member at home in a ward, like when I get home I’m not going to move out of highlands ward because it’s a crappy ward. I’m going to stay there because it needs strong members and build the ward family up! Share the gospel!!

Anyway I’m going to send back my shoes, iPod, maybe pictures cause I’ll try to send pictures now,  just takes so long!.

Anyway there’s so many more stories o wait I’ll share one more haha, it was such a tender mercy! So wednesday sis huppee and I were walking (we spent 16hrs this week walking, contacting ppl) And the wind was like smacking our faces with cold air, it was ridiculous but I was like singing hymns in my head to get me through it and thinking of the saints in Joseph Smith time walking through the snow and icy water and was like "okay this is nothing I can do this!"  We were like lets go knock in that apartment building! So we got in there somehow and started knocking, talked to one guy he was nice. And then the apartment manager came and yelled at us and was like GET OUT no selling, and I was like we’re not selling sir. He was mad and not only demanded we get out but escorted us out.... so I was kind of like okay bit much, kind of funny I apologized etc. but sis huppe was about to cry. But in all fairness it was a hard day and then there was the cherry on top! So we continued to knock on upper Queens St. and that’s when we met the Viennese family! They were honestly just ready waiting for the gospel. So after we were like THE GOSPE L IS TRUE EVERYBODY the lord knows us!

Anyway, sorry if my email seems so one-sided and not about everyone at home.  I really do love you guys so much and love hearing from you! Dad keep up the work with the bunk beds you’re a great example of someone that knows hard work and doesn’t give up. Mom I love you and don’t feel worried about me with Millie and Millie will be happy with that family.  It’s the most selfless thing you could do, it’s like a mother giving a baby up for adoption that can’t take care of her takes a lot of love for that baby to give up if you know you can’t give it the best life haha. Linds I love xoxox gossip girl kills me every time! And Taren thanks for the email I love hearing from you and I can’t wait to see your baby I wish I could be there helping with your cribs and stuff. And is Kamry ready to pop now or what? So I will be expecting baby pictures next email day? Blake thanks for the advice for mish. Although he didn’t answer my question about how long his weekly planning took? And has my phone been sold yet at all? Hope all is well with the Heavenors! I pray for you all. Love you guys!!!

Love sister Pizzey :) xoxo