January 13, 2014

HELLO!

This week was super crazy.  Lots of things going on, let alone receiving a new companion! On Tuesday we were able to meet lots of people before Sister Houde left the next day. Everyone was so sad to say good-bye but not too sad because they knew she would be back soon. We were able to meet with Taylor and it was such a great meeting.  We committed her for baptism on January 18th this Saturday! It is so exciting I can’t believe that I am going to have my first baptism. Special because she is the most amazing person I have ever met. It has been a lot warmer here this past week, but that’s not always a good thing because we have also been having freezing rain, so it’s literally a slip-n-slide around here! You just plant your feet real good and slide down the sidewalks! Sister Houde and I watched from across the street 10 people hit the ground hard on the same ice patch! Someone probably should of put a sign up, but I think everyone was too preoccupied watching how many people could possibly slip at the same spot! As missionaries you are not aloud to do winter sports but many times I feel like I’m just ice skating along the street trying to keep my balance! With slippery condition there is some good aspects and that is helping older ladies with there groceries.  We were able to do that a couple times this week and it’s so cool how service helps missionary move a long! I also read Alma 18 and its so amazing how service can show people that we are representatives of our Savior Jesus Christ!! I received my new companion on Wednesday and she is super awesome! Sister Olson has been out for 15 months she started her mission out in Ottawa in the ward that’s by us and was there for six months and then she got transferred to Québec and was there for 7 months so this is only her third area. She is from all over the place because her dad is in the military her most recent home was Great Falls, Montana.  Her mom is from Sweden so her first language is Swedish. She is super shy and has already taught me that I talk too much. I am really excited to help her finish her mission out with a bang! She has already seen how busy this young single adult ward can be. We have had many lessons with people that have all come back from break. We had a zone training meeting with all of the Ottawa missionaries and even President Patrick came to it. Its really cool they have these trainings for missionaries because even though we are studying all the time its nice to get more trainings on things. This week we got someone new to teach in the funniest way. This girl was praying and asking heavenly father to please help her find a church. She was driving around trying to find a Baptist church and she accidentally took a wrong turn and got lost in our parking lot!  Someone invited her to come in and she decided to do so. We were able to teach her and she is super awesome she went to bible school for two years so she is super smart. She came to church this last Sunday again and I thought she was texting through sacrament meeting but she was actually taking notes and writing every word down that she didn’t know that the speakers said. After church we were able to answer all her questions that she had. We also got a member referral this week and it’s amazing how great it is to teach members friends. They are so responsive and they already have a great fellowshipper. The senior couple in the ward are really great help to us, they are like my parents. They come to a lot of our lessons and they feed us when we have no more food in the house. They are from Utah and they came out the same time as me, and they will be going home the same time as me. Taylor even asked Elder Adams the husband to baptize her.  He was so happy he started to cry. They have seven daughters so they really know how to deal with girls! Sister Houde called me yesterday to see how everything was going and if there were any lessons she could go to this weekend. She is coming up to go to Taylor’s baptism and she was asked three weeks ago to give a talk in a French ward by Ottawa. I’m so glad that she doesn’t live to far so that she can always visit. This week is going to be so great and I wish you all could come to Taylor’s baptism. I love you all so much have a fantastic week!!!

Love,

Sister Dick