Week 3, 10/13/15

Ready to go to work

1st week in the mission field completed!  Some interesting things about Canada: all the speed limits are super slow, everything is measured in the metric system, dinner is always called supper, bathrooms are called washrooms, any dessert that is in the form of a square like a brownie or lemon bar, or anything like that is just call "a square", they have their Thanksgiving day on October 12th, so that was yesterday (I'll talk more about that later), pretty much everybody here owns at least one dog and a big diesel truck, and people really do say "EH" all the time - haha.

Well here's how my week has gone: On Tuesday morning, pretty much Monday night, we had to wake up at 1 am to get ready and get to the travel office and get to the airport in time for our flight.  So my whole travel day I was running on less than an hour of sleep!  It felt like the longest day of my life and I was so tired the whole time.  When we arrived in Canada we met our mission president and his wife, they are super awesome by the way.  We spent the night at their house, and I'm not gonna lie that night was pretty rough with stress and homesickness and whatnot.

The next day we met our trainers, and you would never believe it, my companion's name is Elder Ridge Payne and he's from Spanish Fork Utah hahaha!  It's such a small world.  So I was pretty stoked about that - it turns out we know a bunch of the same people and we have a ton of things in common.  He's only been out here three months, but he knows what he's doing and he's a great missionary.  

Lesser Slave Lake

A little about the area I'm in and what I've been up the past few days: I'm in a place called Slave Lake, its about 2.5 hours north of Edmonton, and sits at the east end of a huge lake called Lesser Slave Lake.  There aren't many decent sized towns north of it!  Apparently it kind of has a reputation in the mission for being not so successful for missionaries.  I've kind of seen why the past few days knocking so many doors and not getting invited into one house. It's a little discouraging but we are staying positive.  We did find like 8 people who said to come back at another time, so we have hope for them.  So basically all I've been doing is knocking doors and meeting the branch members.  We did help a lady move the other day too.  I mentioned earlier that it was Canadian Thanksgiving yesterday, but people here just have their feast whenever they want, so the past 3 
nights we have been fed a Thanksgiving feast, and I'm definitely not complaining haha.  Well that's how my week has gone!  I'm excited to find more investigators and get teaching this week!  I love you all, be safe and happy <3

Week 2, 10/5/15

WOW this week flew by!!  Every day was busy and exhausting and full of learning and teaching.  A couple highlights from the week:

General Conference:  I got sooooo much more out of conference in the MTC than I ever have before!  It took a toll on my butt though, I'm pretty sure it's permanently damaged from sitting on the tiny bleachers for so long hahaha.  My favorite talks were probably Uchtdorf's on making the gospel more simple, Holland's on mother's love, and I loved all the new apostle's testimonies too.  They talked about feeling inadequate at first when they got the call but how God qualifies and is with those He calls.  I loved hearing that because that's pretty much how I have been feeling as a missionary and it was reassuring!

Look what Skyhawk I ran into...Big T  -  Elder Christensen

Unfortunately that's pretty much the only highlight I can think of my brain is so tired.  Every day is just full of sitting in a classroom, practicing teaching investigators, and eating!

Don't worry, I shared.  (wink, wink)

I'm excited to be leaving to Canada tomorrow!  I thought I would be super sick of the MTC by now, which believe me I am, but I've also gotten super tight with a lot of elders in my district and zone and I'm finally back in my comfort zone, so it kind of stinks to be leaving my comfort zone again, but that's how we grow right?  Well I love you all, the church is true:)  Here I come Edmonton!

-Elder Bonny 

Week 1, 9/28/15

My awesome comp

Hello everyone!  I'm still alive after 5 days in the MTC!  I'm not one for long detailed emails, so I'll just be brief.  This is hands down the hardest thing I have ever done.  Everyday there are so many times where you just feel so down and inadequate, but there are also so many great testimony building experiences and I feel like I have already grown a lot.

 The roughest was Saturday night... my comp and I taught a pretty cruddy lesson and the whole week I had been feeling super unprepared and like I was a terrible teacher.   I felt homesick and just really wanted to communicate with my family…I was really down. Then came Sunday morning.  During testimony meeting and the evening devotional I got answers to my prayers and it seemed like everything everyone said was directed right at me and helped me a lot.  Made me realize the Lord really is with us and answers our prayers:) 

I have felt the spirit felt at so many times throughout the da.  It is so strong!  My district is full of awesome missionaries, including my companion, who is 26 years old and still decided to go, so that tells you right there that he is awesome.  I've already come so close to my district and I love all of them, they all help so much.  I still have a long way to go till I can actually teach decent, but the Lord will get me there haha.  The church is true, love you all!