Canada is real...real cold!

Bonjour-Hi!

My Mission President,, President Patrick, his wife, Sister Patrick, 

me, and my new trainer Sister Hoffman!

Guess what everyone, Canada is really a place. AND I'M HERE. Yes, it's still a little chilly, people do say words weird (like how the bathroom is called a wash-room, like what the heck, and also about is aboot, I giggled so hard the first time I heard it), and everyone really is obsessed with the maple leaf. BUT I LOVE IT! 

I met my trainer on Thursday and her name is Sister Hoffmann and she's from Arizona but she was born in Venezuela, so she speaks fluent Spanish, English and French. So yes she's amazing, and I'm making her teach me some Spanish. We have a ton in common. We tell each other we are basically the same person, but she's just a little more brown. She's the oldest of 5 too, her parents are divorced, she went to BYU-I (the semester before me) and she wants to do something in the health-care field as well! I really do love her a lot and I look forward to the next few months with her. We will be together for a total of 12 weeks so that I can finish my In-Field Missionary training, so at least I'll be suck with someone I like! 

I'm in a city called Kirkland on the east of Montreal, it's an English speaking area, with one heck of an amazing ward. Our first night here, we were contacted by some members and they invited us over for dinner. Then the same thing happened the second night, and since then we've had other opportunities to visit with these wonderful members and all I can say is I don't know how I got so lucky to be sent here as my first area. I was pretty worried about my French when I was told by my Mission President that I would be serving in an English area, but thankfully, since it is still Quebec, there are tons of people who speak French. We've had quite a few lessons in French with mostly Haitian people. Haitian people are the BEST, let me tell you. They're so humble and ready to hear about the gospel. The other night me and my companion had the opportunity to visit two Haitian's, a recent convert, Glaurie, and her cousin Elsie who is looking into the church, and they made us some rice with soup that was blended up black beans, and this pork that was seriously the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. And then we got to share with them the new Easter video the Church has made about Christ's Resurrection (if you haven't watched it yet, I highly recommend you do, it's a beautiful video, here's the link: https://www.mormon.org/easter) and the spirit was there so strong as we testified of the reality of Christ's Atonement, and how because of it we can change, and be made better through Christ. What a beautiful time of year this is, where we can celebrate the Resurrection of Christ and appreciate what that means for us. 

 

In my area we have a car, because we cover Kirkland but also like 4 other towns and another island that's right next to Montreal, it's called Parrot Island, and I haven't been there yet but updates will follow on how many parrots I spot. But because we have a car, and we aren't walking around, it makes it harder to meet people and talk to them about the gospel, so are plan is to park in a general area and then just walk around and hopefully meet some people who would want to hear our message. 

Anyways, I have to go, but I hope everyone has a great week and remembers how much Christ and Heavenly Father loves us! That simple truth is really the most beautiful thing. Oh also, Quebec smells like a really heavy mix of cigarettes and maple syrup. It's splendid. 

With all the love in the world,

Soeur/Sister Thomas

 

Saying goodbye to my MTC Compainion!

Leapy Day, Month Mark, And The Day I Met Dave Franco!

Hello People from the Outside World!

What an eventful week it has been. Seriously I don't know how the days fly by so fast, yet at the same time I feel like I've spent my whole life here. It's quite the conundrum. But, as you can tell from the subject line of this email, IT HAS BEEN A BUSY WEEK. 

So. Let's do this.

* Last Monday was one of my favorite holidays, it's quite allusive and only enchants us with its presence every 4 years, and that's why it is just so darn special, but that's right, you guess it, LEAP DAY! Oh man Leap Day in the MTC was so fun. My district decided to rename it "Leapy Day" to make it even FUNNER (not a word I know), so of course, we made our teachers leap around the class before we started working and it was best thing ever. Picture a tall, lanky man from Belgium and massive, brown man from Tahiti jumping around a classroom, and you might get a taste of how enjoyable it was. We did take district pictures to commemorate the best day out of every 4 years, and one was an attempt of us all jumping, so I'll make sure to attach those pics for your viewing pleasure. 

 

 

 LEAPY DAY, YAY!

 And yes, Elder Hansen was the only one who didn't get the memo

 for not leaping, but regardless, the picture is priceless.

 

* GUESS WHO'S BEEN ON A MISSION FOR A WHOLE MONTH. ME. How the heck that happened, I have no idea. But I only hope and pray that the rest of my mission doesn't go by so fast because I just wanna be a missionary forever. These past few weeks at the MTC have taught me so much, I've learned so much more about my Savior, God's great plan for us, and how I can best share His plan with everyone around me. I feel like everyday I just get smacked up by the Spirit (in a good way) and learn so much more than I ever thought I could. Going on a mission has been the best decision I've ever made and I thank my Father in Heaven everyday for this opportunity. BEING A MISSIONARY IS THE BEST.

 

OUR VALIANT ATTEMPT. LEAPING FOR THE GOSPEL!

* Okay, I know you've probably all been skimming this email, waiting for me to talk about Dave Franco, so buckle up because here it comes... I MET DAVE FRANCO AT THE MTC... kinda. It might as well have been because we found this Elder who looks EXACTLY like him. Same height, same weight, same teeth, same everything (these things later confirmed in person, with Elder Franco himself, because yes he does know these facts about Dave Franco, because he gets it THAT MUCH). Me and the other sister first noticed him in the cafeteria, when I was dead convinced it was the real Dave Franco here for like a movie role or something, and then we started talking about it with some other sisters at our residency and it turns out, the rest of the MTC agrees with. Even the Elder's district/zone affectionately call him Dave. So, after serious deliberation and careful planning, we figured out how we would get a picture with this MTC celebrity. It was only mildly horrify asking to get a picture with him, but me and the other sisters DID IT AND WE GOT A PICTURE WITH DAVE! And I'm still not convinced it's really not him, so if you see anything in the media about Dave Franco becoming Mormon, just know that you first heard it from me. Also, I could be totally wrong and you might think he doesn't look like Dave, that's totally possible, because I have been out of the real world for a month now so my perception of celebrities could totally be tainted. But for now I'll just go on bragging about how I met Dave Franco at the MTC. 

 

THEE MTC version of Dave Franco. 

Disregard the squinty eyes, the sun was out and trying to burn our cornea's but 

EVIDENCE IS EVIDENCE

On a different, more spiritual note, man oh man is this life full of blessing. Yes hardships too, but I know that Heavenly Father is giving his children, us, blessings up the wazoo. Me and Sister Barnes had the opportunity this week to teach someone who isn't a member of the Church; we've actually taught her for a few weeks, but this week we had an extra special lesson with her. For the whole hour or so that we were with her, we talked about Christ. It was as if the scripture in 2 Nephi 25:26 came to life, "we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." Because as a missionary that is what I'm supposed to do. Testify of the Savior and His redeeming love. The love of Christ, better known as charity, that can make man whole, heal a wounded heart, and strengthen knees that are weak. As we spoke of Christ, and His love for us, I got to feel how much Jesus Christ loved her, and let me tell you, it almost overwhelmed me. I know that Christ lives, and that He loves us so much. Much more than our feeble mortal minds can comprehend. And that He is always there for us. That He has given us a path to follow, an example to look to, and a hand to hold. His love is real. Never forget that. 

So as you go about your week, remember that no matter how hard things may seem, how unfair life maybe, or how week you may feel, Christ's love is there. And it's enough to heal, make right, and strengthen anything. So remember Christ, turn to Him, and be made whole. 

That's all I got. I truly do love you all. ALSO, only 11 days to CANADA! YAY FOR THAT.

With as much sincerity as there are teeth in a shark's mouth,

Sister Thomas

 

 

District trip to the Provo Temple