Letter #4 Tuesday, August 3, 2010
AHOY FROM THE LAND OF CANADA!!!
Well, I'm definitely in the learning curve right now. I'm serving in the area of, Tuscany! While my trainer, Sis. Riley, and I were driving to our home she told me a little bit about the area. Tuscany consists of people that are well off financialy and are very comfortable. So, the area I'm serving in is a difficult because people are not willing to hear about the Gospel because they already have those things that they need. Our main goal or focus in the mission is to do missionary work among the members and not focus as much on tracting because it's not very effective. I've had to learn to wrap my brain around that concept, because from the missionary stories I've heard from home it seemed like all you did was tracting, tracting, tracting....and more tracting. But not so in the Canada Calgary mission, it's a different up here. This past week Sis. Riley has taken me to many homes of the members of our ward in Tuscany. I love the members!!! They are so wonderful and open PLUS they make great dinners :) Sis. Riley and I don't eat dinner very often at home because usually the members are willing to invite us over for dinner and a lesson.
We're living in the basement of a ward member who's name is, Sis. Jones. She's from Scotland and has a VERY STRONG accent and it's the best! Our living quarters are very very nice and don't forget the memory foam mattresses! We've been able to teach a few members throughout this past week and I'm learning how to teach better and better. Plus, Sis. Riley helps me during role plays as we're trying to figure out ways to teach better.....she says I need to teach more simply...and breath. Ha ha and it's true! Learning how to teach the Gospel simply is so important especially trying to teach people who have no concept or understanding of it yet.
We have three investigators that we are focusing on (I'll go into more detail in the next letter with the rest). There is Victor who is from Cameroon, Africa and before I came Sis. Riley and her comp. were able to teach him all the lessons which he learned to accept....until they came to the Word of Wisdom. Victor is soooooooooo close to getting baptized but the Word of Wisdom is stopping him from progressing. He has a deep desire to be baptized, but he wants us to change the rules about the W of W so he can still join. As I've come to learn when we're asked to observe the W of W the principle is not the 'science' of it. Yeah, we can be healthy and our bodies feel better but that's not the whole point. Our bodies are temples. When we destroy our temples by bringing in harmful things the spirit leaves. That's the principle of the W of W, we keep it so the spirit can dwell within and guide us. So, imagine if we changed the rules for Victor. Ok, you can be baptized and you can still drink etc. It's all in vain. The spirit can't enter and be with him, because he 'does not dwell in unholy temples.'
One thing, I just want to bear my testimony of how aware Heavenly Father is in our lives, whether we know it or not. For example, when Pres. Trent set me apart he told me study the Atonement and the desires I had to accomplish things would come to be. Then at the MTC one of my teachers, Bro. Haskins, asked me specifically to study the atonement, and then, once again, when I was opening my call to my first area my 'travel intinerary' told me to specifically to study the atonement. This has shown me how very aware Heavenly Father is aware of me and that He is also very aware of all His children and the specific needs that they have. We just need to look, and we can see Him right there continually calling to us individually. He's really there. I testify of that.
Oh there are so many other things I want to write!!! But, stay tuned for next week's letter :)
Well, I'm definitely in the learning curve right now. I'm serving in the area of, Tuscany! While my trainer, Sis. Riley, and I were driving to our home she told me a little bit about the area. Tuscany consists of people that are well off financialy and are very comfortable. So, the area I'm serving in is a difficult because people are not willing to hear about the Gospel because they already have those things that they need. Our main goal or focus in the mission is to do missionary work among the members and not focus as much on tracting because it's not very effective. I've had to learn to wrap my brain around that concept, because from the missionary stories I've heard from home it seemed like all you did was tracting, tracting, tracting....and more tracting. But not so in the Canada Calgary mission, it's a different up here. This past week Sis. Riley has taken me to many homes of the members of our ward in Tuscany. I love the members!!! They are so wonderful and open PLUS they make great dinners :) Sis. Riley and I don't eat dinner very often at home because usually the members are willing to invite us over for dinner and a lesson.
We're living in the basement of a ward member who's name is, Sis. Jones. She's from Scotland and has a VERY STRONG accent and it's the best! Our living quarters are very very nice and don't forget the memory foam mattresses! We've been able to teach a few members throughout this past week and I'm learning how to teach better and better. Plus, Sis. Riley helps me during role plays as we're trying to figure out ways to teach better.....she says I need to teach more simply...and breath. Ha ha and it's true! Learning how to teach the Gospel simply is so important especially trying to teach people who have no concept or understanding of it yet.
We have three investigators that we are focusing on (I'll go into more detail in the next letter with the rest). There is Victor who is from Cameroon, Africa and before I came Sis. Riley and her comp. were able to teach him all the lessons which he learned to accept....until they came to the Word of Wisdom. Victor is soooooooooo close to getting baptized but the Word of Wisdom is stopping him from progressing. He has a deep desire to be baptized, but he wants us to change the rules about the W of W so he can still join. As I've come to learn when we're asked to observe the W of W the principle is not the 'science' of it. Yeah, we can be healthy and our bodies feel better but that's not the whole point. Our bodies are temples. When we destroy our temples by bringing in harmful things the spirit leaves. That's the principle of the W of W, we keep it so the spirit can dwell within and guide us. So, imagine if we changed the rules for Victor. Ok, you can be baptized and you can still drink etc. It's all in vain. The spirit can't enter and be with him, because he 'does not dwell in unholy temples.'
One thing, I just want to bear my testimony of how aware Heavenly Father is in our lives, whether we know it or not. For example, when Pres. Trent set me apart he told me study the Atonement and the desires I had to accomplish things would come to be. Then at the MTC one of my teachers, Bro. Haskins, asked me specifically to study the atonement, and then, once again, when I was opening my call to my first area my 'travel intinerary' told me to specifically to study the atonement. This has shown me how very aware Heavenly Father is aware of me and that He is also very aware of all His children and the specific needs that they have. We just need to look, and we can see Him right there continually calling to us individually. He's really there. I testify of that.
Oh there are so many other things I want to write!!! But, stay tuned for next week's letter :)
Letter #5 Monday, August 9, 2010
Hi Family!
Well, this past week has gone well. On Monday for P-Day we went to Banff and it was B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. I'll send some pictures your way. We went to two lakes which were amazing and then we went to downtown Banff afterwards and went to their candy store. I can't remember what the store was called on Harry Potter, but I think the store that we went to was just like it! There was candy everywhere, and since I'm a true Ireland I got a bunch of chocolate bars....I didn't know I was missing something in my life, but I had found it. The chocolate here in Canada is sooooooo much better than in the states. Holy cow! I was very impressed. I'll send some down your way in a little while.
Sis. Riley and I have made a goal for this upcoming week to committ two investigators for baptism. There is Brother A, who has a Catholic upbringing but his wife is very active in the church and she's amazing. Before I came Sis. Riley and her comp. tried to committ him to baptism but he said he wasn't ready yet. From what I understand from Sis. Riley, Brother A is literally 'at the door' to being baptized. He knows the church is true, he has a foundation, but he hesitates to be baptized for whatever reason that may be. We're doing a church tour with him which is basically teaching the first lesson, but in visual form at the church. Sis. Riley is going to extend the invitation and we both have a good feeling about this.
The next person is, Brother B, who I mentioned earlier in my past letter. The only hold up he has is the Word of Wisdom and it's been really difficult trying to get in contact with him because he's trying to set up his own business. The neat thing is that he called us a few days ago telling us he was still alive and that he was busy but still wanted to meet with us. He's also 'at the door' we need to seek guidance from the spirit to help him resolve his concerns. We hope and pray that things will work out for both of them.
Yesterday we had dinner at a member home and they had a non-member friend, Brother C, who was interested in the church. Before hand Sis. Riley and I thought it would be important to emphasize on the atonement. After dinner we sat down and shared some scriptures about the atonement. Mine was from 3 Nephi11:14-15 where the Saviour asks everyone to feel individually, for themselves, the marks in his hands, feet, and side. I bore testimony that even though we can't literally or physically see the Savior with our own eyes like the people of Nephi did, the invitation is still the same for us individually. He asks us to come, to see, to feel for ourselves and be healed. Then Sis. Riley shared an awesome quote and then we showed a 'Mormon Message' by Elder Holland called, "None were with Him." Afterwards Sis. Riley sealed our message with a testimony. The spirit was present and Brother C seemed affected by the Spirit that was there. We're hoping that we can be able to teach the lessons to him, he seems very interested. Delivering a spiritual message is nothing when you don't have the Spirit with you. He was definitely there though.
Work in the area of Tuscany these past 1-2 weeks have been slow, BUT the Lord has blessed Sis. Riley and I with many sheaves! :) The mission goal is to have 20 lessons in a week, in the past year no one has reached that goal, Sis. Riley and I have 15 set up! So, we are in range to accomplish this goal! On Saturday members from our ward were willing to have us over to teach them this upcoming week and it's added up to a good amount. Through these lessons our goal is to increase the members faith and encourage them to do missionary work. Tracting in our area is not effective, so, through the members that's where we find success in teaching non-members. Family please do all you can to support the missionaries, through you they can find people to teach that they couldn't find elsewhere.
Well, the mission field is definitely a place to learn and grow. Line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. There are times where it gets discouraging and challenging but I remember something that Ben Carson said at his homecoming talk, "When you're going through hard times remember that something good is waiting for you right around the corner." The key is to 'walk' to that corner and not just 'stand'. We have to put our faith into action. It's hard here, but I know it will be rewarding as I forget myself. I know that as I do so that the Lord will help me become the instrument that he wants me to be.
Random note, the Calgary Alberta Temple is actually being built in my area! The church that we go to is right by the construction site! Our goal as a mission is to have 2600 baptizms before the temple is dedicated. So, you could say that we are trying to baptize a whole stake. Your prayers are in high demand! :)
Love you! Debbie
P.S. I forgot to tell you, the Prime Minister of Canada lives a few houses away from us!
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