looking like a hippie!

without my daddy around, I got to lick the chocolate bowl

 Saying my Good-byes in Laval

 Halloween from my mommy (mummy!)

October 27, 2014

Salut!

Winter is getting close here in the great land of Québec and I have learned to not mess around with winter here. We went out and got my companion the warmest coat we could find! I don't want her to become a popsicle. We have still been walking lots this week and with the cold weather i received plantar fasciitis, so now I have to wear my tennis shoes its quit the classy getup. This week we got to see a less active from Argentina and he had such a strong accent from there my companion turned to me and asked what language he was speaking ha-ha thank goodness for the gift of tongues! We were eating lunch with a member and she told us something terrible happened in Ottawa so i called the Adams in my last area and they told me that a shooting had happened at parliament in Ottawa and 12 elders were now hiding out in their apartment. It is so scary when things like that happen but I hope it helps that area to see life is so short. We had interviews with president this week and it is always so great to talk to him. He told me a funny joke that I have not heard yet. He said do you know what Nephi’s horse is named and I said no.. And he said, “Be unto you” and do you know how I know that?  Because he clearly states many times in the Book of Mormon WOAH! Be Unto You!

The ward had a really cool Halloween party for kids this week and we had two families that are investigating the church come to it! It was so cool for them to interact with the ward more. 

We always seem to have interesting meals here but this week we were eating at a family’s house and another person asked what kind of meat we were eating and she says cow tongue. I kept my cool and looked over at my companion as she was downing the meal. I could tell she didn't understand what they said so after I asked her if she knew what she ate she of course didn't but after I told her I think she brushed her teeth ten times ha-ha. 

On Saturday we got our transfer calls and... I am leaving this area to go down town Montreal to the other young single adult ward there as a sister training leader for the Montréal zone. I am really excited for this new calling, but very sad at the same time. This area has been so good to me and I can never recall all the miracles that I had here. As a Sister Training Leader, me and my companion, Sister Rios from Texas but originally from El Salvador will take care of the needs of the Sisters here in Montreal. It is the biggest zone in the mission and it has around 14 sisters in it. We will also have the opportunity to have trainings from President Patrick and give trainings to the zone and zone trainings. I feel so blessed that the lord has given me this opportunity to be a leader in this mission and I hope that I can serve them well. It was so hard to say good-bye to everyone on Sunday one of our investigators was crying all through church. You really learn to love these people sooo much. The one good thing though is this area is in my zone so I will be able to go on splits here to see everyone! My companion will stay here and receive a sister who has been out 6 months but knows no Spanish. She is going to be an awesome teacher to her and these people here in Laval I trust her so much and I know she will do awesome! I love you all so much 

-Soeur Dick

October 20, 2014

MI Familia!

Well this week has felt like I entered a marathon. We dont have very many miles we can drive on our car so we put on our good ole trusty Sister missionary shoes and hit the side walks. Walking has a lot of good advantages you get to contact lots more people and hear their stories of this one time they saw missionaries, you dont feel as bad for eating all the Halloween candy your family sent you in one seating, and when you drop your pillow on your head you dont hear another thing until two minutes later when the alarm goes off to wake you up to do it all over again. 

 This week we got to go on splits with the Sister training leaders in Montreal. I went to Montreal for the day in the young single adult ward and my companion stayed here to run the area. It was a lot of fun, but weird going back to ysa for a day. I have gotten use to the family routine now teaching older people and families i have lost my vocabulary about university all my words are now how are the grandkids? When we came back to split back it looked like my companion was going to roll down the stairs some how they managed to accidentally have 3 spanish dinner appointments in a row. They both looked like they were going to die haha. 

We are now teaching an english class for all those who want to teach, but because we teach so many spanish people it has almost turned into a french class. Never did I think I would be teaching a french class in spanish! Pleassse someone still needs to teach me french let alone spanish! They seem to understand though and it has been fun helping them to learn french more so that they can get more out of church because it is in french. 

We were suppose to have a baptism this saturday, but unfortunately the girls dad has decided to not let her be baptized for now. I hope his heart can be soften so that he will allow his daughter to make this promise with her heavenly father. I know through our teachings to him he can be touched. 

These past few weeks we have really been working with members to help them see the wonderful blessings of fasting! The stake has seen a decrease of fasting and wants to build our stake up. A lot of people forget that it is a commandment and when we obey commandments we are entitled to have blessings from our heavenly father! I love this scripture about fasting omni 1: 26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should comeunto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.

When we shared this with a member he told us of a women in our ward who fasted and prayed every single sunday that her son would return to the church and after 10 years he came back and is now married in the temple and a leader in our ward. I know miracles can happen with this wonderful gift and when we pay our fast offerings we are helping Gods children. This gives us a way to be more like our saviour jesus christ! I love you all so much and i hope you have a great week. Much love from Canada.

-Soeur Dick

October 13, 2014

Bonjour tout le monde!

Its turkey day today here in Canada. That’s right they cant wait to celebrate it in November so they have it in early October. The sad part is these Quebecers don`t seem to even celebrate the holiday no good sales on turkey or cranberry sauce or stuffing! One year ago this Wednesday I flew in to Canada on Thanksgiving Day! I am like a real Canadian now eh! 

This week was different because we ended up having lots of different service projects for different members or investigators. I love being able to do service projects to show our love for the people as well as teaching them love. 

  A cool service project we got to do was to decorate the gym for my first companions wedding sister Houde. I had to laugh at my self a couple times thinking back to the time we spent together talking about random subjects and I can never remember anytime that we asked each other what do you want your wedding to be like and her being like hmmm I want real live tree branches hanging from the ceiling, but if she did say that I guess I didn’t hear her because that’s what we did we were hanging real live tree branches from the ceiling and putting real live gold fish in mason jars for a center piece on tables it was just one big live wedding ha-ha. 

On Friday we had a really awesome zone training to help us better study the things we were taught at our last zone conference with Elder Carlson from the 70. He told President Patrick that we are the most obedient and spiritual mission he has ever visited. It was super great to hear that from someone like him. In zone training we really focused on how Jesus Christ leads and how we can follow his example. We are trying to work on planning more in detail so that we can get the trust from heavenly father to put people into our path. I love the story in John 21 where Jesus ask peter 3 times do you love me... then feed my sheep. We in times of wondering why in the world are people still doing something when we have told them and explained to them to feed my sheep give them love just like Jesus always showed love to people. Love can soften peoples hearts it’s the essence of the gospel as explained by Thomas s. Monson in last Aprils conference. 

After zone training I had to change our tire because after the 4th time of being flat these past two months it is done for! Good thing God always prepares and I could remember how it was done from changing one in Ottawa one time. When we took it into the garage they wanted to put our snow tires on so we had to get our snow tires off our balcony. We had quit the adventure as we chucked them of the balcony to the grass. President Patrick allowed us to go to Sister Houdes wedding and it was really great. She looked so gorgeous and happy. Sometimes though I’m not going to lie I felt like I was having a dream as I looked at one of my companions in a wedding dress kissing a boy I was thinking to myself noooo Sister Houde what are you doing in a wedding dress with a boy! I got the great opportunity of seeing all of my recent converts from Ottawa the senior couple I love dearly and a lot of other people from my old area in Ottawa! President Patrick was able to come, as well to support one of his missionaries it was really neat for her! 

This week we will be preparing for a baptism for a 12-year-old girl we have been teaching and who has been receiving the missionary lessons since 2009. It is so great to see someone have such a strong testimony at that age! I hope you all have a great week and happy thanks giving from Canada! I am so thankful for all of you!!

-Soeur Dick

 Sister Houde's wedding

 Our awesome zone

 Beautiful fall colors

Testimony of a Convert

Beautiful Testimony of one of Carlee's newest converts. She wants to share her testimony with everyone now that she has it.  Carlee asked that I put it on her blog this week.

On the Internet, there’s a funny picture- or meme. It’s of a cat lying down on his owner’s keyboard. The caption reads “food dish is half empty; starvation is imminent.” That cat looks pretty freaked out! If you have a cat, you’ll understand the humor of it all. Now, why would I be speaking about a picture of a cat during my testimony? The reason is simple; I believe it goes hand in hand with my testimony about faith.

  As I’ve been investigating the church for a little while now, I’ve gotten the true pleasure to meet with the missionaries and a lot of you lovely people. And I’ve been encouraged to pray and read the scriptures- which I have been doing. Doing so has been a true blessing because, for the first time, I don’t feel empty anymore. I’m not wandering around, looking for something to believe in. I feel true joy, a kind of joy I’ve never felt. I feel the Holy Ghost working inside me. It is really a miracle.

  Now, back to the cat picture. I know it’s a funny comparison but I like it! You see, the food bowl is our soul. The cat food is... the scriptures and prayers! We need to fill our “bowl” with “cat food” every single day to keep ourselves going. If not, we’ll end up like that cat- fearing starvation. We will be starved from the joy of reading the gospel and feeling the work of the Holy Ghost- we will be starved from faith! Our food dish will be “half empty” and starvation will be imminent. And we’ll end up being that cat, laying on the keyboard - freaked out!

  My goal is to keep my faith strong, to study the scriptures and continually pray. Doing so has strengthened my faith so far and I hope that I can continue keeping my “food dish” full, so that I am filled with this faith. In Alma 32, faith is compared to a seed. It’s an analogy that I hold dear to my heart. Faith starts out as a little seed that we plant in our hearts. We nourish it by reading the scriptures and talking to our Heavenly Father. Then if it is the good word, we will know because it’ll start to grow and grow inside of us. It’ll become so big and strong and soon we’ll be able to eat the delicious fruits inside of it. It will be pure, it will be white. The purest of pure, and the whitest of white.

  But if we forget about the seed, it will wither and it won’t grow. Just like the cat fearing starvation. This is why it is important to talk to God and read the scriptures. So that we can be filled with our faith and we won’t go hungry! Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, we are so able to have the freedom to do this. I don’t read the scriptures because I’m forced to- I do it because I want to. He suffered for us so that we don’t have to. Because of His atonement, I was able to receive these blessings and I know that our sins are forgiven. He has given me life and a purpose and I couldn’t be more thankful. Yes, life is hard. It’s very very hard, but because of Him, it’s not permanent.

  Brothers and Sisters, I stand here before you because I know this book is true. I feel it in my heart and my soul. I’ve received happiness from the scriptures. I know that this church is true and I can’t wait for the day I can be a member of it. I hope that, as I continue on this journey, my little seed will turn into a beautiful tree with the most delicious of fruits. And those fruits, I wish to share with everyone. And I say all of this with my entire heart, through Jesus Christ, Amen.

 Fall is coming to Canada

 Hiked a mountain in Montreal on our P-day

 It's getting cold here!

October 6, 2014

Happy October!                                         

I hope you were enlightened as much as I was by the wonderful conference addresses we were able to hear by our amazing leaders of the church! 

This week was a really good week it started off a little rough by hearing one of my recent converts had lost his testimony of the church. Its never fun to hear that when your memories are so fond of him having such a strong testimony of the gospel. I do know that everything happens for a reason and things like this can strengthen you. I have been praying a lot lately on why and how I can help this. I came to find something that heavenly father has been teaching me for a long time. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple. That’s that its simple The Gospel of Jesus Christ is: Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, The gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. If we knew and applied only these things we can return back to our heavenly father. The other things in the gospel are amazing and they help us a lot, but even if a person didn't even know the Plan of Salvation, but knew this they would be okay. I came to find that teaching these principles are those most important that help these people understand that and always exercising them everyday. If you don’t keep exercising your muscles everyday they are going to go away if you don’t keep exercising your testimony on the gospel or the Book of Mormon it is going to go away! I know you can have questions just like soooo many of our leaders said this weekend this church was restored on a humble prayer because he had a question! We must go to the right source for our questions though at that is our heavenly father have the patience to speak to him and LISTEN. 

 This week we were able to have five new Spanish speaking investigators. They are all so great and all come from different back grounds. They are from Chili, Mexico and Colombia. 

The family from Mexico was so amazing they just sat down and said we are all ears! When we testified about families being together forever they were amazed and said how do you know that!! The lady from Chili had a dog when we came to her house it would not stop barking and believe me it is hard to hear Spanish over noise and it is really hard to hear Chilean accents, but as soon as we started with a prayer the Dog stopped barking all the way through the lesson until we ended with a prayer and then it continued barking it was amazing. 

  I loved Conference so much it was so amazing to hear from our devoted leaders of the church. I came in with some questions and it felt like the first session wasn't even over and they were almost all answered. I love how conference can be directed to every individual of the world. One of my goals this conference was to be prepared for it. I have been preparing for a month by reading lots of conference talks and pondering on questions. It was amazing as they talked and read scriptures I kept finding myself saying o wow I just read that scripture today or last week I know exactly what they are talking about. It was cool to see how much you can really get out of conference even though for so long as a kid I thought I was bonus Sunday where you got to stay in PJ’s and pretend like you were watching the television when mom passed by =) I guess we all learn someday. Our Spanish investigators just loved when the two elders came on and gave their talks in Spanish! It was so cool for them to hear them directly in their native tongue.  I loved all of the personal revelation talks and how we should listen and apply the things prophet teaches us. If you didn't get the chance to see conference please go and watch it! The last cool thing of the week was I got news that an investigator that I was teaching in Ottawa is getting baptized. It was so cool to hear that she continued her progression in the church and is now getting baptized! 

I love you all so much!!

-Hermana Dick