Hey y’all, hope it's been as great of a week for it as it was for me! Sorry to hear about the internet, that sounds miserable to live without being able to use the internet whenever you want ;) And that's exciting to be getting a Christmas box, I will anxiously await it! I have a present for you too, I know we set up a time to call but I'm going to have to ignore that a little...BECAUSE I GET TO SKYPE HOME! We found out last Monday night, so sorry we won't really get to talk about the timing. But since Dad's in charge of the ward just tell him to change any conflicts, I'm more important.I I'm going to call you on skype at 2:30 Houston time, 3:30 here in Toronto (Sorry, Sister Tuisku has a harder time difference to work with so she's going to call before me.) If that really won't work and I need to call at 1:30 Houston time like we planned, I guess just email President Scott and ask if he can call and tell me, I won't let his call scare me this time. Also Mom, yes I did decide to keep the boots, they work great. I just need something a little warmer than panty hose to keep my toes warm. And the coat is fantastic, everything I have works great, I just need a few more layers. And before I forget, I won't be emailing next Monday because it's Boxing Day and so everything will be closed (Don't ask me what Boxing Day is, I still don't know other than it's the day after Christmas.) Same for the Monday after that because it's right after New Years so the library will be closed, both those weeks I'll email you on Tuesday.
So this week was a MIRACLE week! Our focus as a district was on miracles, we had to call each night and tell them a miracle we saw that day, and I loved that, I think the attitude adjustment really helped me. And we have an investigator! His name is Steve, we were supposed to meet him on Monday but he never showed up and didn't answer our calls so we were really bummed because we thought we had been stood up. But he called us back about a half hour after we left and it turned out we were just at different Tim Horton's. He was just as sad about it as we were so we set another appointment for Wednesday and he did come. He's incredible, he told us right off the bat that he wants a closer relationship with God and has this desire to be baptized that he can't really explain. We were like, wait seriously? Because our purpose as missionaries is to prepare people for baptism and help them gain a relationship with God... It was crazy perfect; we met him again Saturday and taught him about the restoration. When we told him about Joseph Smith's first vision, we asked how he felt and he said "I guess the closest word to describe it would be joy." We were like, SERIOUSLY?! That's amazing! He rocks, he has a baptism date for January 8th. MIRACLE! He has a lot to overcome before that, he's had some really hard stuff in his life and is struggling from the effects of that, but he has a lot of faith and such a desire to know the truth so I have total faith that he'll be able to do it. We called our district leader and told him when he agreed to be baptized and about a minute after we hung up the zone leaders called to congratulate us and we were both like, WE DID NOTHING! We haven't taught him anything, we didn't even find him, it's been 100% from God, I love it! So this week we're working to get more investigators, the whole experience with Steve was a much needed confidence boost and now I'm totally ready to find every person in Owen Sound who's ready for the gospel!
In other exciting news, we got a brand new car this week! I guess there's been a long history of missionaries not having a good car in this area, Everyone in the ward was excited we finally have snow tires. But the ironic thing is that this is apparently a freak warm winter, we get snow but never more than a few inches and then it melts. Apparently there's usually a meter and a half of snow (which again I had to have translated for me, but basically I should be up to my shoulders in snow for December here). It's been such a blessing, I'm super grateful, not only because I don't wake up wanting to cry every day, but because there is a LOT of work we need to do in the cities other than Owen Sound, and that wouldn't be possible without this beautiful weather of only -10 degress C.
So here's something you'll enjoy, one of the thing I spend most my time doing is singing. I know, not exactly my strongest talent, but since coming to Canada I sang in training with Elder Kenning and Elder Welch as the musical number, sang as a musical number in zone conference with 6 other missionaries, and we're doing what's called a living Christmas Card where we go caroling to friends of members and then present a short Christmas message by either showing the nativity DVD or reading from Luke. I think I'm getting like a blessing from the Spirit that I'm able to sing well enough to not ruin the Spirit, every time I get complimented I have to resist the urge to laugh. I think mostly what's happening is that Sister Tuisku has this AMAZING voice that it covers mine enough that people think I'm talented as well. (She sang in Finnish at the last home we went to, it was so cool.)
Well, I think that's mostly it. Hope everyone has another good week, you're all in my prayers! I can't wait to see you on Christmas! Love you and Merry Christmas!
So this week was a MIRACLE week! Our focus as a district was on miracles, we had to call each night and tell them a miracle we saw that day, and I loved that, I think the attitude adjustment really helped me. And we have an investigator! His name is Steve, we were supposed to meet him on Monday but he never showed up and didn't answer our calls so we were really bummed because we thought we had been stood up. But he called us back about a half hour after we left and it turned out we were just at different Tim Horton's. He was just as sad about it as we were so we set another appointment for Wednesday and he did come. He's incredible, he told us right off the bat that he wants a closer relationship with God and has this desire to be baptized that he can't really explain. We were like, wait seriously? Because our purpose as missionaries is to prepare people for baptism and help them gain a relationship with God... It was crazy perfect; we met him again Saturday and taught him about the restoration. When we told him about Joseph Smith's first vision, we asked how he felt and he said "I guess the closest word to describe it would be joy." We were like, SERIOUSLY?! That's amazing! He rocks, he has a baptism date for January 8th. MIRACLE! He has a lot to overcome before that, he's had some really hard stuff in his life and is struggling from the effects of that, but he has a lot of faith and such a desire to know the truth so I have total faith that he'll be able to do it. We called our district leader and told him when he agreed to be baptized and about a minute after we hung up the zone leaders called to congratulate us and we were both like, WE DID NOTHING! We haven't taught him anything, we didn't even find him, it's been 100% from God, I love it! So this week we're working to get more investigators, the whole experience with Steve was a much needed confidence boost and now I'm totally ready to find every person in Owen Sound who's ready for the gospel!
In other exciting news, we got a brand new car this week! I guess there's been a long history of missionaries not having a good car in this area, Everyone in the ward was excited we finally have snow tires. But the ironic thing is that this is apparently a freak warm winter, we get snow but never more than a few inches and then it melts. Apparently there's usually a meter and a half of snow (which again I had to have translated for me, but basically I should be up to my shoulders in snow for December here). It's been such a blessing, I'm super grateful, not only because I don't wake up wanting to cry every day, but because there is a LOT of work we need to do in the cities other than Owen Sound, and that wouldn't be possible without this beautiful weather of only -10 degress C.
So here's something you'll enjoy, one of the thing I spend most my time doing is singing. I know, not exactly my strongest talent, but since coming to Canada I sang in training with Elder Kenning and Elder Welch as the musical number, sang as a musical number in zone conference with 6 other missionaries, and we're doing what's called a living Christmas Card where we go caroling to friends of members and then present a short Christmas message by either showing the nativity DVD or reading from Luke. I think I'm getting like a blessing from the Spirit that I'm able to sing well enough to not ruin the Spirit, every time I get complimented I have to resist the urge to laugh. I think mostly what's happening is that Sister Tuisku has this AMAZING voice that it covers mine enough that people think I'm talented as well. (She sang in Finnish at the last home we went to, it was so cool.)
Well, I think that's mostly it. Hope everyone has another good week, you're all in my prayers! I can't wait to see you on Christmas! Love you and Merry Christmas!
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