Tuesday, December 30, 2014

 Merry Christmas from Canada!



December 29 2014

Joyeux Fete!
I hope that everyone was able to have happy holidays! This week was really great and one of the best Christmas’ ever. Most of our lessons were about Jesus Christ this week and there is not a better subject to talk about. They always tell us when in doubt talk about Jesus Christ because it really does bring the best spirit. Some amazing members who were in my last ward have some daughters in the YSA that I am in and they invited us over for Christmas Eve. I love French food... to much ha-ha I had to eat some for me and for my companion because she is allergic to all gluten and lactose. I wasn't complaining until I had to walk it off the next day. For Christmas we got the opportunity to go to my first companions house that lives here. She always told me when we were together that she lived in the woods, but she wasn't kidding. She lives way far in the woods and it felt like a real Christmas in the woods. After Christmas we had some extra time and so we went street contacting for an hour and I have to say it was my favorite part of Christmas. We had some really great contacts that were interested to learn more. One younger guy past us and wasn't willing to stop he checked a subway and the doors were locked so he came walking back. My companion with a big smile on her face says wow you came back to listen to us that so great! He was confused and said but really why in the world are you standing out here in the freezing cold on Christmas. I told him it was because Jesus Christ has done so much for me this is the least I could do for him. I think he was really touched by it and we bore more of our testimonies with him and a prayer. He told us he had never met anyone around his age that believed the same things he did. It was such a great way to end our Christmas I really loved it. 
New years is this week and I Can’t believe this year has gone by all of 2014 I was able to be a servant of my heavenly father and I have loved it so much! I challenge you all to make goals for yourself for this up coming year!

“To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you have never before done.” -Richard G. Scott

I love you all tons! Bonne Anee

-Soeur DIck

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

 Went on splits with this sweet sister.
 Merry Christmas from Canada!!!


Merry Christmas.. Feliz Navidad... Joyeux Noel!



 It’s the best time of the season and I’m so glad i get to experience it as a full time servant of my heavenly father! This year our president had every district have a song and share it with other people to brighten their day. We decided as a district to go to a near metro stop and sing all the Christmas hymns in the hymn book. NO we for sure do not have the best voices but luckily that doesn't matter. We really got to see people smile on peoples faces that were hustling to work. We even had some people stop and sing with us or take pictures with us! At all times we had two missionaries contacting people and giving out he is the gift cards. It was so great to spread the Christmas cheer in that way.
We had our zones training and Sister Arriaga and I gave a training. It was based of off commitments and how we can give better commitments with everyone we meet, teach, and even members. It went really well and it will be cool if that can really help our zone improve. We did two splits this week and one of the splits i went off the Montréal Island with some sisters and participated in their district activity. They went around door to door to some member’s house and non-members houses singing and passing out he is the gift card. It was really fun and everyone loved it here they thought that caroling was only in the movies! On Saturday we had our zones mission Christmas party with president and our branch Christmas party. they were both really great and always fun to share the spirit with each other. I would like to share some of the Christmas spirit with you. I feel the spirit so much when i think of my brother Jesus Christ that’s what this holiday is about anyways right! I am so thankful that for 18 months i have been able to wear his name and share and testify of another testament of Christ the Book of Mormon. In the book of Mormon 1nephi 11:12-22 it says

12 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.
 13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.
 14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?
 15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.
 16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?
 17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.
 18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
 19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
 20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
 21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree, which thy father saw?
 22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

I am so thankful for our Saviour Jesus Christ! I know that he lives and that through him we can return back to our Heavenly Father! I wish you the best Christmas full of love!

-Soeur Dick

Monday, December 15, 2014

 Saying good bye once again


 Sister Davis from my last area

 My Beautiful new companion!!

December 15, 2014

hej! 

I’m still alive!! I survived one big snow storm this week. I thought it was never going to stop it just kept going for days and days! You have to hold on to your belongings and your companion because they very easily get stuck in a snow bank! This week was sad and happy it is always hard to say goodbye to a companion going home. I have done it four times now and its never easy, but it is also so cool to see all the amazing things that they have accomplished on their mission. Sister Rios is such an amazing missionary and I'm so happy i got to spend her last transfer together. She strengthened my testimony with her strong conversion. 
I picked up my new companion on Wednesday! Her name is Sister Arriaga and she is from Denmark, but her dad is from Spain so she has a wicked Spanish accent. She has been out one transfer less then me, but she has been in her first area for the whole time! nine transfers and only two companions. She was in the country, country the capital of Poutine so she is trying to get use to this busy down town stuff! She is a crack up and we never stop laughing she usually has the whole metro cart cracking up and no one can trick her because she knows so many languages. I am excited to help this area grow and grow with her!
As missionaries we have all been really focusing on the "he is the gift" as missionaries we have hand out cards to give everyone to see the awesome video! We try to give out as many as we can a day and we keep running out. Its such a great conversation starter to talk about Christ and the real celebration of Christmas. We have been getting some good potential people to teach through this contacting. 
This week we had our awesome investigator come teaching with us and he did such a great job. He was testifying about how he know this church is true and how he knows he can communicate with his father and heaven. He brought such a great spirit to the lesson with his testimony and it was cool for our less active to see someone who isn't even a member yet with a great testimony. We also got to teach a less active this week that i have heard about since I was first with my trainer Sister Houde because it is her best friend! It was so cool to meet with her and help her! 
This past Sunday i gave a talk in our branch. Giving a talk is one thing but doing it in another language is another thing! I gave my talk on becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ and by having the five principle of Jesus Christ faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end we can become his disciples. 
This week we are going to have a busy week because my companion and me have training at our Christmas zone training. I wish you all a happy week and snow from us to you!

Love, Sister Dick
 My MTC Companion and my current companion!
 Me and Sister Kinghorn (we are related somehow!!)
 Flash mob
 Me practicing my Latino pose, says  Sister Rio!

December 8, 2014

Salut!
Last week of the transfer flew by packed with activities! We finished our last two exchanges with our last two teams this week. The first one we were sent on a scavenger hunt on one of the universities here trying to find a referral we received. I’m getting pretty good at getting into all the dorms around here! The second one I went on was on my 15th month mark and I got to spend it with my MTC companion and another sister we came in with! I was in the area of my first companion Sister Houde she had us over for breakfast and we got to help her set up a family mission plan with her and her husband. This week I had my first mission leadership council. This is where all the zone leaders, Sister Training Leaders, The assistants to the president and President Patrick get together and council for what this mission needs and then come up with a plan of what to train on for the next zone training. It was really cool to be apart of and we got to plan all the Christmas things going on. As most of you might know the church has come out with the "he is the gift" with the video, the banner on YouTube, the banner in new york city, and the he is the gift give away cards. We have been able to get them in English, French, and Spanish and have been a great contacting tool! With this being Sister Rios last week everyone has been feeding us, which is weird in young single adult wards. I have never had so much poutine! One of the ways we have been finding new investigators is calling some of our potentials on our list. We called this one number and asked for the guy and she said he had died last month we testified of the plan of salvation and how families can be together forever and if she would be interested to learn more. she said yes and we were able to meet with her. She is really awesome and has been searching for churches because she wants to be baptized but she hasn’t found the right one! This past Saturday was the flash mob that the Montréal stakes did. We started at the stake center here practicing and getting into groups. They had certain groups at a time ride the metro to this big shopping center here in Montréal. They had all the groups stationed in different areas we were to act as normal as possible until one girl started singing coming down the escalator and then 6 men started to join her until one group started and then the next until we were all singing and moving in to the middle of the center. It was super cool and sounded amazing! It was so great to spread the real Christmas spirit. there were cameras and go pros every where to get it on film after it ended we all had cards to hand out to people telling them to find the video on line. it will be ready on the 13th and you can see it by liking the Montréal stake on FB! Transfer calls were on Saturday and I’m staying and receiving Sister Ariaga she is from Denmark but half Spaniard so she can speak Spanish! I’m excited to work with her in this awesome area! I love you all so much and I’m so thankful to have you all with your support. Always remember the true meaning of Christmas!

-Sister Dick