Hi everyone!
It`s been a beautiful, cold, snowy week in Montréal, but we are loving it here and our hearts are happy. There have been lots of changes and moving pièces in the mission this past week and it`s keeping us on our toes! We had another team of Sister`s move into our apartment for a few days, and that was good to spend more time with them, and talk with them about each of our respective areas. And then this last Friday we started an exchange (where one of the companions comes with me to my area, and the other goes with my companion to their area) with another team of Sisters and we are not sure how long this exchange will last, but it has been so fun! So since Friday I`ve been companions with Sister Poulton, who`s from Texas and has only been on her mission about 2 months. Ìt`s been funny to see how many things we have in common and to laugh together and to work together. It`s been a blessing for the both of us.
cute Sister Poulton
with one of our investigators cats after we went over and painted a few rooms in her house
(yes, the second house I`ve painted on my mission, I think I`m getting pretty good)
Speaking of how she`s only been on her mission for a few months, it`s been really fun to help her with her French, but there`s been one thing I`ve noticed about teaching with her that I absolutely love, and it`s that it doesn`t matter what I even say in the lessons, because it really is her words that the people remember. Now, what I mean by that is because I`ve had more experience in French and feel a little more comfortable with teaching, I am able to present a point of doctrine and testify and teach about it, which is great and everything, but when she talks, with her more limited and maybe a little more broken French, the people always pay attention. Each word that she uses is deliberate, and they know that, so even if she isn`t grammatically correct, the people undestand and are always so touched by the testimony she shares and the spirit that she brings. We`ve seen it over and over again in teaching scenarios and it`s been fun to help her realize the power that she has. I`ve learned a lot from her about how to teach the gospel to people, and I`m very grateful for that.
I`ll highlight one of those expériences to give you a better idea, this week we met Julie, who is a friend of a recent convert in my last area, Kirkland. And Julie has been in and out of the hospital for awhile because of some lung and throat problems she has, which has been very difficult for her. The other night we received her information from the missionaries in Kirkland and stopped by to visit her on Saturday. And, after getting lost a few times in the hospital, we found her and from the moment we walked in the door we knew something was different. As we walked in and introduced ourselves and told her we were sent by one of her friends, her whole face, which was rather solemn when we walked in, change into the biggest smile. She was so touched that we came to visit her and we were all a little teary eyed because the spirit in the room was very special. And then we started talking with her, told her about ourselves and she told us about her life, and some of the difficulties she`s been having, and then with Sister Poulton leading, we introduced the Book of Mormon to her and offered her one as a gift. Again, she was touched and could immediately feel of it`s importance. She asked us to write a little something in the front of it so she could remember us forever, and we left with happy hearts as we planned to come back the following day, Sunday. So, we stopped by before Church yesterday morning to see her again, and her countenance was just different. She was bright and happy when we walked in and it was tender as we started talking. She shared with us a powerful experience she had with the Book of Mormon the previous night, and it was then that Sister Poulton offered a very powerful testimony of the divinity, truthfulness, and power found in the Book of Mormon and in reading its pages. And I know I`m now only explaining it in very few words, but we will never be able to deny what was said and felt that Sunday morning in the hospital room. Julie now knows, after searching for something more in life for years and asking God to guide her there, the Book of Mormon will have an impact on her life, and will give her what she has been looking for.
After asking her if we could capture the special moment
Julie let us take a picture with her in her hospital room. I really love her
That is true, the Book of Mormon is true and there is power in its pages.
I realize this email was little longer today, I apologize if it`s too long, but then again, I`m happy I can share my special expériences with everyone, because things like this don`t happen everyday.
I hope everyone has a great week! Be safe.
Sister Thomas
Some very very nice members let us come over for dinner yesterday and made us a beautiful feast of French food (because they`re from France, yay!) and it was amazing. It was a dish called raclette, which is kind of like fondu where you melt the cheese, but then we put it over potatoes and a rice and meat dish, it was so good.
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