Happy

Hi friends and family, 

WHERE ARE YOU? 

ARE YOU HAPPY? 

This week in our mission conference with Elder and Sister Johnson they shared a story about a close friend that would call them asking these two questions and invited us to ask ourselves these same questions. So now I'm asking you: where are you and are you happy? If you're not happy what can you do to change that? 

As I have pondered on these questions, I've been able to adjust a few things, including my focus! Centering it even more on Jesus Christ and His charitable example. Being more sincere in my prayers and doing everything with real intent. 

In the Toronto Stake Conference Elder Carter, an area seventy, shared some words that touched me. While talking about faith he shared an experience Elder Bednar had with someone he was going to give a blessing to. He asked this man who was sick, "do you have faith not to be healed?" meaning do you trust Him enough to be okay with whatever the outcome is? That is the faith that matters to Him and that is the faith I hope to have. 

In the Toronto Stake Conference, we also had the chance to hear President Ensign share the beautiful message of the Restoration and I pray I never forget the feelings I felt while he share the first vision. I loved his emphasis on the truths that prophets, scripture, activities in the temple, priesthood, authority, miracles, angels (LOTS OF THEM) have been restored just as they were in the past. 

I know the message us missionaries get to share is true. I know it is centered around Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. I know that because He lives, I can live free from guilt, sorrow and pain. I when I ask myself "where are you? Are you happy?" I can answer with a confident YES! 

A few miracles this week.

-We had a humble daughter of God reach out to us asking for help to get back on the covenant path! As she opened up to us we received spiritual promptings to know what to say!

-We were able to put Melissa on date for March 13!!! When we asked her how she felt she responded "I WANNA DO IT!!" She texted us after the lesson asking how she can prepare for her baptism! She is so amazing and so prepared!

-We met with our friend Tawsif and followed up to see if he prayed about baptism and he's now preparing for March 20th!!!

God is at the head of this Church! He loves you. I love you. 

Have a super duper dynamite week :) 

In the Big City

 

Hello hello lovely people! 

How was your week? Hope you felt extra loved yesterday on Valentine's Day by those around you but especially by your loving Father in Heaven! 

First week of the transfer and I'm loving every second of it! I'm serving in the Toronto YSA now and everyone is so cool here. This is the place to be!!! It's nice being in the big city again and we are so so busy seeing miracles daily! 

We started off by doing lots of service and two different food banks and the other volunteers there are awesome. I want to be their best friends. While we were giving out hot meals downtown the sunset was pink, and my heart was just full. Tender mercies haha!

I have no doubt in my mind that this is the Lord's work and that the fulness of His everlasting gospel has been restored to the earth again today so we wouldn't have to walk in darkness. I've seen hearts change this week. I am witnessing conversion within the hearts of so many. I'm seeing people sacrifice habits and addictions because they love God. They want to show Him that He is the most important part of their lives. They are such examples to me. 

We had a neat lesson this week with our friend Matthew. He is agnostic and so he doesn't believe in God to begin with and talking with him really gave me a greater perspective. He doesn't know what to have faith in, so this allowed us to really teach, testify and invite through the Spirit. We simply invited him to just pray and ask if God loves him. He gave such a sincere prayer at the end of the lesson. He said "Dear God, I have a lot of questions. I'm just looking for clarity. Amen." We know he will get his answers. 

This week we also had lessons with Melissa, Tawsif, and Evan and felt prompted to invite them all to pray about a baptismal date! 

To top it all off my companion is a sweetheart and the most diligent missionary I know. It's her last transfer so we are working so hard, and I love it. She grew up Catholic and has only been a member for 3 years, so her testimony is powerful and it's beautiful to see how she's able to relate to SO many of our friends. She teaches with the power and authority of God and knows what truths to focus us. She's also someone who prays with all sincerity and when she's praying, you know she's talking to God. She just serves with all her heart and inspires me! I hope to be half the missionary she is one day! 

I feel like my thoughts are all over the place but just know that I know with a certainty that God lives and loves YOU.

If you have questions and want to know if God really knows you send me an email or a message over social media. You are all AMAZING. Have a fantastic week.

Oh yes and also, I thought I'd let you all know I ate chicken liver this week Sister Urzua is introducing me to some funky things and it's hilarious.

Bye Bye Trenton & Belleville

 Good day mates! : )

What a week it has been! How are you all surviving? I heard it is very chilly at home right now. We find out this week if the lockdown will be lifted or not so that will be very exciting. 

We got some transfer news this week and I am so so so sad to be leaving the beautiful land of Trenton and Belleville along with my sweet companion Sister Kozlow, but the Lord has called me to work in another area of His vineyard! I'll be moving to Toronto YSA which is right downtown! A little opposite of where I'm at right now, hahahaha. I'm also getting the amazing Sister Urzua!! We have served around each other in the past, so I am feeling extremely blessed! 

This week my highlight was doing a virtual home evening with the BEST part member family. We played games, shared a message and ate cookies & hot chocolate together :') I love that family so much and I sure am going to miss them! Their future is looking bright as the husband’s heart is softening to our message! 

As for my studies, I'm in love. Still the best part of the day. Personal revelation is real and possible! Sister Kozlow was struggling to see how she feels the Spirit and so we went through a chart in Preach My Gospel, and this was eye opening for me!!! After being with her for three months I was able to point out specific moments and times where I knew she knew she was feeling the Spirit. After having this conversation, we both felt more confident in the power of the Spirit. :) it is SO REAL and He does speak to us today, both collectively as a church through our living prophet, but also personally. I know that as you take time… REALLY TAKE TIME to sit down and ask Him what you need to hear, I promise He will answer you. 

I'm sending so many hugs your way this week. "CHOW FOR NOW" as our friend Chrystal would say!

Pure & Simple

 Hi friends and family, 

Hope you all are doing well. Thank you for the emails and love. I will respond soon! :) 

This week great mostly because it is always a crazy time with Sister Kozlow. She makes things fun. I'm going to miss her next transfer. 

We've been strongly encouraged to go on walks everyday so that we can survive "prime time" which is from 6-9 spent staring at the screen… plus all the other time on the phone haha! We took the Kingston sisters on a few trails at the Batawa ski hill, and it was SO refreshing since we are still in lockdown. 

This week we got a call from some lovely missionaries serving in Saskatchewan. They had a referral for us and we video called him with our mission president’s wife to teach the restoration and it went so well because the Spirit led. Having Sister Ensign join was the greatest because she bore such powerful testimony, especially because she could relate to him since she did not grow up in the Church. Testifying of the glorious message that God is still reaching out to us today and that the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored brings a joy I hope to never forget. This same friend YEMI came to church on Sunday, not only to the devotional but he asked for the Sunday school link as well haha. Also, we dropped a Book of Mormon & a children's Book of Mormon off in a bag at the chapel and messaged him a photo of where we put it so he could go pick it up. He was so excited to let us know that he got it! Yemi is so prepared, and a precious soul sent from above! His love for God inspires me to be better. I love missionary work! 

As my time as a missionary gets closer to the end my love for God just grows stronger and stronger. Christ is at the center. He is the reason for everything good. There is nothing I love doing more than testifying of this. The message we share is simple, pure and true.

Love you all SOOOO much! Please let me know if there is anything I can pray for.