Week 69, 1/25/17

Hey fam!  This week was absolutely great!  Things are really starting to pick up here.  There was a ton that happened this week so I will try to make this short and sweet and remember everything that happened.

   

Tuesday evening we taught Sylvia again and it went pretty well.  We brought a member with us who was more "chill" I guess you could say, and the lesson sometimes seemed like more of a casual conversation, but I think that was crucial in order for her to have a desire to investigate further, just because the type of free spirit personality she has.  She said at the end: "I was hoping to get a good feel for the acceptance level of people in your church, and I feel really good about it right now."  She didn't come to church on Sunday, but we are meeting with her again tomorrow and we are excited :) We also had SMC with President Hardy that night, and a spontaneous Chapel tour with some Sikh people who walked in the church after that meeting which went really well, they both felt the spirit very strongly when looking at a picture of the Savior's second coming.  

  

Thursday was one of the most spiritually action packed days I have had in a long while.  We had MLC in the morning, which is always an inspiring experience.  We talked and counseled about a bunch of things, and President Pattison taught us some awesome things.  I left that meeting feeling as you could say, "motivated out the wazoo!" It was an awesome opportunity for me to notice a couple things that I could focus on to become a better leader and a better missionary.   

Literally right after MLC we went back to our area to an appointment we set up while tracting a week earlier.  We weren't super hopeful, because we have like 2 "appointments" of the same nature fall through every day, but we went and they were expecting us and they let us in! Their names are Rxxxxxt (he is from Zimbabwe) and Mxxxxxx (she is white as can be), and they have 3 super cute little kids.  Based off some questions they had at the beginning, we felt like the Holy Ghost was telling us to teach lesson 2, so we did, and focused hardcore on eternal families.  It went really well and we are going back on Sunday (a little bummed we have to wait that long) to teach them again.  We are super excited and praying so hard for them!   

E. Bonny can you tell us if this group shot is from MWZ, RBZ, E\NZ, SMC or ZTM??

Saturday while we were tracting, this Muslim guy let us in and we had a really good conversation and we answered a lot of his questions about our beliefs.  I have talked to a lot of Muslims and i feel like I know quite a bit about what they believe.  I was really curious so I asked him how they believe in the Bible (or some of it at least) and they believe Jesus was a great prophet, but they don't believe he is the Only Begotten Son of God and the Savior of the world. We got into an interesting conversation about that, and I was able to understand a bit more of their beliefs.  I still don't get it though.  Makes no sense at all to me.  I came out of that lesson with a strengthened testimony of the Savior for sure.   

We had a bunch of administrative stuff to do this week. Sometimes it is easy to let the admin become a black hole and take longer than it needs to, but this week we were trying really hard to be laser focused and get it all done as fast as possible.  I hope I can develop that into a skill for life, not just a burst of motivation this week.  That is about all of the highlights from this week.  Oh except one more thing.... GO PATS!!!!!!!!  I hope you all have the best week!  

Love you all!   

Check out our wheels, complete with custom dirt graphics!

 Weekly Scripture: Alma 32:15-16 15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed--yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty. 16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.

                                   Go Patriots!!  - thats right, we are patriots (every morning!)

Week 68, 1/17/17

Hey homies.  This week started out super cold as usual but then one day it got super warm and it hasn't cooled back down and we are LOVING IT!  It is hovering right around or slightly above zero degrees most the time and it feels like we are at a beach resort.  Tender mercies.   

This week was a good one, Elder Anderson and I are finally getting settled in here in Ellerslie and some good things are happening.  We are finding a ton of people who say they are interested and seem like it and tell us to come back later, but then our appointments fall through.  Out of the 12 lessons we had scheduled this week, we actually taught 2 of them.  There were a lot of other small miracles though, and that is always how missionary work goes so I'm over it haha.  

Doing crafts at a retirement home (my fav!) with E. Woodruff   - exchange in Leduc

We are still doing tons of finding, and we have some pretty funny experiences every day.  People are whack.  Wednesday I got to go on exchanges with Elder Woodruff and Elder Wells down in Leduc!  So I have now been to all my previous areas on exchanges.  It was a good day, nothing too crazy happened.  We have a lesson tonight with Sylvia, the new investigator we found last week, and we confirmed yesterday and it shouldn't fall through... we are praying so hard!   That's really all there is to talk about this week... 

I have been studying the Sermon on the Mount quite a bit lately.... it is so good. The Savior teaches so eloquently what is really important in life.  If you are trying to be more Christlike, read those chapters (Matthew 5-7).  Weekly Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  Laying up treasures on earth can sometimes seem more fun and pleasuring in the moment, but laying up treasures in Heaven is what brings lasting happiness and joy.  Life (at least for me) is kind of a constant battle between choosing between pleasure in the moment and disappointment later, or work and sacrifice in the moment and lasting happiness and peace.  When we really strive follow the Savior we will have some inconvenience and things wont always be easy, just take His life as the ultimate example of that. 

I testify that when we focus more on the doing the things Christ would do is how we become a true disciple of Him, and that path is the only path that leads to lasting happiness :) Its like President Monson so wonderfully and simply said, "Choose the harder right, not the easier wrong."  I hope you all have a super hard week!    Haha kidding thats not what I meant.  

Love you guys!   

Zone pday Nerf bash  (yeah, we're kinda into Nerf!)

Week 67, 1/9/17

What up y'all  First off I got a bunch of late Christmas stuff in the mail from you guys, thank you all so much you're all the best :)  This week has been kind of crazy, tedious, different, and good.  As those of you who actually read my emails may remember, last Tuesday President split up the dynamic duo and I randomly got transferred to the Ellerslie Ward because this zone needed zone leaders.  The whitewash (that's what its called when both companions get transferred into the area at the same time, basically it just means neither of us know the area or the people one bit) has been quite the challenge so far.  

Out of the three times I have whitewashed on my mission so far this time is definitely the most challenging, because we got left with very little information about the people in the area, and it's all scattered throughout different apps/documents.  It feels like a big puzzle.  I'm always down for a good challenge though. Elder Anderson is totally awesome! I'm amazed by how blessed i have been with great companions my whole mission.  We don't have a whole lot in common but we get along great and both want to work hard.   

As for the area itself, its pretty small.  It is covers a little bit of the south-central part of the city.  So I got moved from the southwest to the south central :). We live in a house.  It's pretty old and small, but it's still our very own house so that's kinda cool. Apparently next week we will have some other elders moving in because they have cockroaches.  The ward seems totally awesome!  We haven't met that many members yet but they seem to love the missionaries and have a strong desire to share the Gospel.  

 We have a couple recent converts who are a big focus right now: Amber and Mary.  They both got baptized a few months back but are now struggling.  We haven't been able to meet with them yet.  Thats kind of the stage we are in with everybody.  We have just been calling and stopping by tons of people trying to set things up.  We have a few appointments set up for later this week, we are pumped.  Oh and don't worry, we definitely did lots of frigid tracting this week as well :).   

Sunday night we had a pretty awesome miracle.  We both fasted that day to be able to find a new investigator.  We tracted a bunch of townhouses (my favourite) that night and after like 4 in a row of pretty hardcore rejection we weren't expecting too much success on the next row of houses, but we knocked anyway and the very next door a woman named Sylvia let us into her entry way to warm up real quick, and started asking us a bunch of awesome questions and we taught her about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon, committed her to read and pray and set up a return appointment!  She seems super prepared. She is currently seeking out more truth and guidance from God in her life, and is super open minded.  I am REALLY hoping she isn't just another "one and done".  She seems so prepared and I really believe God led us to her.  

 Well the more time i spend writing this, the less time I have to destroy in our zone Nerf war we are having today.  I hope you all understand.  I love this work, I know it is the work of the Lord.  I know the Book of Mormon is true, I know God and Jesus Christ live, Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour, our prayers are heard and answered, we have living prophets and apostles on the earth today, life is good:) Party on! (Shout out to uncle Sean)   

Weekly Scripture: Alma 37:37 37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.  

                                  Epic Nerf Battle

Week 66, 1/2/17

Elder Mathewson in Hinton

Hello fam:)  There is good news and bad news this week.  But I have a lot to write about and not a lot of time so I'll get right to it.  I went on exchanges with an awesome Elder named Elder Mathewson in Hinton on Wednesday and Thursday.  Hinton is the town that is closest to Jasper and it is right where the mountains start, so I got to be right by the mountains all day, I loved it!  Not a lot to say about that exchange other than Elder Mathewson is awesome and Hinton is awesome.  So needless to say, it was an awesome day.   

Now on to the bad news... Saturday morning we got a ridiculously unexpected call from President Pattison and he told us he is moving me to the Ellerslie Ward on Tuesday to be a zone leader for the Millwoods Zone.  Transfers aren't for another 2 weeks, so yet again I am getting moved into an area mid-transfer where neither me nor my companion have served before.  My companion will be Elder Anderson, and I hear he is super dope.  The reason for the transfer is because currently the Assistants are acting as Zone Leaders as well for the Millwoods Zone, and apparently its just a bit too busy for them, which makes sense. So yes, you guessed right: CHAOS STRIKES AGAIN:):):). If I'm being totally honest I'm still in the "trying (and failing) to have a good attitude" phase of all this haha.  There are a lot of negatives I could list but I will spare you all my complaining.  I'm just bummed and was super looking forward to killing it these last two weeks with Elder Klunker, I'm gonna miss being his comp way bad. I'm sure I will grow a lot from this experience though.   

The FAM back in Slave Lake - Luv em!

Now on to the good news!! After we got that call I knew I only had a few days left of being a zone leader over the zone that my first area, Slave Lake (the promised land), is in.  So we planned an exchange with the Slave Lake Elders for the following Monday while I still could. Sunday night after Elder Klunker and my last tracting sesh together (😪) we headed up north to meet up with and exchange with the Slave Lake Elders, and the exchange was seriously the best exchange of my whole mission, and probably one of the best days of my whole mission!! 

Throwback Tuesday pic in the Promised Land.  Recognize this spot?

 

E Gorski - Mandatory exchange selfie

I got to see all of my favorite people who I love so much.  We helped Len shovel his driveway, the Parks fed us a great lunch, we met with my homies Desiree and Nick and taught Nick a dece lesson, after that we MET WITH THE FAM:):):) The whole fam was pretty much there, we hung out and talked with them and kids for a while and then taught Blake and Bev a really spiritual lesson about the importance of the Book of Mormon. It was so good to see them again, I honestly cant even describe it. After that we tracted for a bit and then had supper with the Leishmans and Desiree, super fun to see them again:). After that we went and visited Lawxxx, and it was the greatest thing ever but also the saddest thing ever because he is struggling quite a bit right now.  We had a really good conversation with him though, and we all felt the spirit very strongly.  Pray for him!  The whole day I just felt right at home, and Elder Gorski and I had some really powerful teaching experiences together! I feel like I was able to help Elder Gorski out and teach him some things that will help him, and I learned some things from him as well.  Such an amazing day, and such a tender mercy to be able to experience it all.   

My new comp, E. Anderson and my previous four comps, all in one glorious room!

That is it for now.  We will see how it goes for us in Ellerslie. The only thing I know about it is that its in the southern middle part of Edmonton.  Ill give y'all some good updates next week.  I love this work, even though it breaks my heart sometimes!!   Elder B

Weekly Scripture: Alma 32:41 41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.  

Are we rockin' the comp onesies or what!  E. Klunker doesn't look too thrilled ;)