Happy, Happy, Happy!

Hiiiiiii,

Oh man this week has been so good. So busy but so full of happiness. First off, P-day got switched from Monday to Tuesday because of VICTORIA DAAAAAAAY (which is basically the equivalent of Memorial Day in the states). It was so fun, we got to do a service project in the city of Montreal with a ton of different faiths, where we cleaned up the streets and planted flowers. We even got a free shirt out of it so double yay. 

 

 

a few weeks ago when we did service project outside with some members. We didn't bring any jackets, but when evening came it got super cold, so the member let us borrow some winter accessories. We were also eating dinner outside, so double buckets of joy.

 

This week we had a super cool experience with a couple from Iran. They were baptized in the church a few years ago but haven't really been to church since. The husband is Reza, and his wife Yalda. And we've been meeting with them for awhile, and they said they had a copy of the Book of Mormon in Farsi (which is the same thing as Persian) but that it was only a selection of a few chapters that was translated. Rewind to a month ago, after having first met them, we went to the mission office and found a Book of Mormon in Farsi, but it looked really big, so we thought it might be the entire book translated. Now press play and you'll find us (after several times of stopping by and trying to get a hold of them) FINALLY seeing them and giving them this Book of Mormon we found in Farsi. We told them we thought it was complete and Reza was so surprised, that he check 4 times to make sure it was the whole thing. He counted the chapters out loud, making sure he had each one, from each book. He asked us how many chapters were in Nephi, and Alma, and Mosiah, etc. and made sure that that was how many they in the Farsi translation. And after he was sure it was complete, he went silent and started reading. We continued to talk to his wife about it, but for the rest of the time we were there he sitting there, wide-eyed, reading this book with all the fervor of his heart. AHHHHH it was so cool. To see someone holding in their hands that sacred book, in their OWN language, was one of the most special things I've ever seen. It was amazing to know that the gospel is being taught to every "nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. 14:6.)

We also had another lesson with our perfect investigator, Gabriel. He is the answer to so many of our prayers. We were able to have a beautiful lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and after it was over, he asked us what the church thought about men having piercings, he having both ears pierced, but felt it was justified because they were crosses. We began explaining, but he had to leave, so all we were able to tell him was that it was discouraged. We then went back and saw him a few days later, wanting to explain more of the answer to his question, and before we even started talking he lifted up his curly hair and showed us that the piercings were gone. He said that he had woken up the next morning, after we had the lesson with him, and just felt no need to put on his earrings. He said that if couldn't wear them to church on Sunday than what was the point. It was beautiful and amazing to see a person acting as their own personal agent, deciding to do things that God and his prophets have asked us to do. He is such a special person, and both Sister Hoffmann and I feel that it's such an honor to teach him the message of the restored gospel. 

Man, Quebec is such a special place. A place that will have my heart forever. I love being a missionary. 

Hope you all have a safe and wonderful week,

Outside the basilica notre dame in Old Montreal, where we went a few P-days ago. 

It was still super cold and windy, i.e. why I'm wearing the scarf and jacket. 

Stupid Canadian weather.

D'ou stat daram (which is I love you in Farsi)

Sister Thomas

j'ai pleuré

Hello everyone!

Hope everyone had a wonderful week. It was so busy for us and it went by so fast but man was it just an amazing week. 

We went on exchanges with some other Sisters and we stayed here in Kirkland, and divided and conquered. We were busy all of Tuesday as we tried to find people to contact and get to all the lessons we had planned, but it was so good and we found 5 people (two of whom are a super cute couple from Iran who were are going to give a copy of the Book of Mormon in Farsi) who are potentially interested in the church and it was just an all around success. 

We also got to celebrate a birthday of one of our less active members. Her name is Bridget she's from Nigeria and she's like 7 months pregnant, but she was SO excited for her birthday. We brought over a cake with Sister Roy and had a little party for her, it was so cute. She's told us before about some of the crazy things that have happened to her, but also about how she is so grateful to God for everything that he has given her. And in Nigeria, it's tradition to name the baby after how you feel, so she said she's going to name the baby Great if it's a boy, and Gracious if it's a girl, because she has felt God's greatness and His gracious attitude help her through this pregnancy. Go figure, but one thing this baby will know is how much its mother loves God. 

Bridget's birthday partyyyyy :)

And finally, I titled this email "j'ai pleuré" which translates to "I cried" because yesterday was just PERFECT. Gabriel, one of our investigators, CAME TO CHURCH! And it was Stake Conference, so he was able to see all of the members of the church in the English speaking side of Montreal. It was an AMAZING conference and he was there to hear every word. We talked to him after the meeting and asked what he thought, the first thing he said was "God is NOT dead!" He was so surprised and happy to see how many people still believed there was a God, and that He was our loving, and merciful Father in Heaven. He said he would come back next week, and that he would bring his whole family, because he just felt so good there. He is literally the definition of a miracle. Donc, (aka "so" in French) it's obvious why I cried. 

Anyways, I hope everyone has a wonderful week. We watched Elder Holland's conference talk again this last week with a less active member, and I just wanted to attach a little quote, 

"Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going. If you fall, summon His strength. Call out like Alma, 'O Jesus, … have mercy on me.' He will help you get back up. He will help you repent, repair, fix whatever you have to fix, and keep going. Soon enough you will have the success you seek." (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/tomorrow-the-lord-will-do-wonders-among-you?lang=eng)

What a true statement that is. Christ can help us. He will repair and restore us, He is our Shepard and He is always there to lift us and all we have to be doing is trying. Trying to love Him, and keep His commandments. Trying to be better, trying to align our will with His. Trying to be patient in trials, trying to be more humble, and trying to be more aware of His love. Remember that this week. 

Sis. Hoffmann and I trying to enjoy the sun 

for the literal second that it was out. It's an eternal winter here. SOS.

Love you all!

Sister Thomas

The Gift of Charity

Rebonjour!

This week has flown by! I have no idea how it's already May, and apparently Canada doesn't either, it's still cold and windy here, so me and Sister Hoffmann are just praying and begging for some sun. Literally S.O.S

Sis Hoffmann and I flashing some shades a member gave us

This week has been pretty rough. Our investigator pool is shrinking and we are desperately trying to find people who actually want to hear about the restored gospel. On Tuesday we drove to an area and spent the day there trying to contact people, and no one wanted anything to do with us. We met a few people who were nice, but mostly got responses like, "please don't come back," and "try someone else." But we did get one that was pretty funny, we went to family who had been investigating the church a few years ago, and we approached the dad as he was working on his car outside and he told us, "You girls impress the bleep out of me, especially when people tell you to get the bleep off their property- you just keep going. Now, I don't have spiritual faith. But, I have faith in my motorcycles." He then went on to explain how he believes in reincarnation and how he wants to come back as a trash can outside of a McDonald's. As you can tell, he was quite the character. 

So because of our lack of success in finding people to teach, this week we did a lot of unplanned service. We had the opportunity to help a member clean her house, a house that had been neglected for years and years. She had reached out to the missionaries after she had tried to contact other members of the ward and she was denied. And because she was desperate, we were more than willing to help. It took hours just to get parts of the house in order. But as me and Sister Hoffmann prayed and pleaded with the Lord to bless us with charity and love for this member, we were able to do difficult work effectively and with smiles on our faces. We truly felt the pure love of Christ working within us and as we went about helping this women. We read in the scriptures how important serving our fellow man is, but one thing I want to emphasize is the huge blessings that come because of the service we render. God truly is mindful of us and our efforts to help one another. That when we "are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death," we are promised that we "may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life." (Mosiah 18:9)

 

HELEN'S BAPTISM. 

AH, she's an angel the Elder's found and she was baptized yesterday. 

She met some LDS kids on a cruise ship, was touched by their example,

 ordered a Book of Mormon when she got back and started working the with the Elders in Kirkland. 

She is the definition of a miracle. She has such a beautiful and pure testimony and it was 

SO cool to be able to participate in her baptism.

Blessing ABOUND when we comfort people, when we serve people, and when we love people. I have sure seen that to be true this past week. And Sister Hoffmann and I have faith that as we continue to work and to labor as Christ's representatives, that miracles will continue to come, and that we will find people to teach and to share the message of the restored gospel with. 

Hope everyone has a great week and remembers how much God loves us. 

Keeping it chill in Canada,

Sister Thomas

HI EVERYONE! 

It's been another amazing week here in Kirkland! Miracles continue to abound as we share the message of the restored gospel. It's been so cool because this week I've realized how much the Lord is working with us as His missionaries. We had an amazing experience as we went to visit a less active member, named Nile. We drove to her house, and as we rang her apartment, it became clear she wasn't home, but knowing we were in the area for a reason, we went walking around and started contacting people on the street, telling them about the gospel and about the Book of Mormon. We were walking for probably about an hour and then we turned a corner and we saw Nile walking right there! We were pretty far from her house and we were about as surprised to see her as she was to see us. We then just started talking to her on the street and had a beautiful lesson about how God can rebuild us and make us stronger. We invited her to reread President Uchtdorf's talk from conference, I'll add the link in here: (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/he-will-place-you-on-his-shoulders-and-carry-you-home?lang=eng). The spirit was there so strong as we testified of how much God really does love His children. 

This week me and my companion have also been working a lot to give away Book of Mormon's to the people around us. We've been approaching people in there homes, on the street, in stores, and have been introducing them to this amazing book. Sister Hoffmann and I affectionately call it "Book of Mormon on Legs" where we testify of the Book of Mormon and the power and peace it can bring into people's lives if they read it and prayerfully seek to know if the book is true. There is an AMAZING video about the Book of Mormon on the Church's website and I invite all of you to watch it! Here's the link: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-11-018-a-book-of-mormon-story?lang=eng 

WATCH it and understand how valuable the Book of Mormon is and how essential it is in our conversions. 

 

Sis Hoffmann and I at the MONTREAL TEMPLE. It's so cute :) 

 

One thing I've also learned this week is how absolutely necessary prayer is. First, let me explain how much missionaries pray, we pray ALL the time. We haven't counted  yet but I'm guessing Sister Hoffmann and I pray about 30 times together a day. We are ALWAYS asking for divine guidance in our lives, so we know where we need to go and what we need to be doing with this short amount of time we have to be the Lord's missionaries. And let me testify of how amazing that is. When we pray to have the Holy Ghost with us,  helping us to know what to say when we are talking with people, and helping us to know who we need to visit, true miracles can happen. 

For example, a few weeks ago we were in a neighborhood and decided to knock on a certain door, a really nice lady opened and we started talking with her. She said she was busy unpacking from a trip and that she couldn't talk for long, but she let us say a prayer with her, right there on her front porch. And Sister Hoffmann gave this beautiful prayer asking Heavenly Father to help this woman, who we had only known for a few minutes, and after she finished the prayer we looked up and saw that the women, her name is Johanne, was crying. She was so touched by the way we talked with our Father in Heaven and said that it was just what she needed. Since then we have planned to visit with her and I'm excited to see how we might help add to this amazing woman's faith. 

There's a beautiful quote about prayer I found this last week from Howard W. Hunter, "If prayer is only a spasmodic cry at the time of crisis, then it is utterly selfish, and we come to think of God as a repairman or a service agency to help us only in our emergencies. We should remember the Most High day and night—always—not only at times when all other assistance has failed and we desperately need help. If there is any element in human life on which we have a record of miraculous success and inestimable worth to the human soul, it is prayerful, reverential, devout communication with our Heavenly Father." (Here's the whole talk: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1977/10/hallowed-be-thy-name?lang=eng)

 

Remember who we are talking to when we pray. Remember that God is first our Father, and He wants to communicate with us and He wants us to communicate with Him. 

Remember that God has given us the Book of Mormon as another testament of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Introduction of the Book of Mormon says, "Concerning this record [the Book of Mormon] the Prophet Joseph Smith said: 'I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.'"

I know those words to be true. I know that we can all become closer to God and to His Son as we read the Book of Mormon. It's a beautiful, miracle-working book that I love with my whole heart. 

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week,

Sister Thomas

 

 Super cute chocolate/ice cream store. Man I love Montreal :)

The Ramblings of A Missionary

Hi!

POUTINE from La Banquise

Honestly I have no idea what I want to write in this email. There is so much that happens in a week and trying to record it in an email sometimes works, and other weeks it doesn't. This is one of those weeks. But here are some bullet points. 

* Satan controls the gas prices here in Montreal. Literally every time we decide to wait a day to fill up the price jumps like 15 cents! And they do gas weird in Canada (because metric system). They sell it by the Liter and it's pretty pricey. One liter is like 115 cents and when there's almost 4 liters to a gallon, it adds up fast.

* I've decided that Canadian French sounds like a mixture of Russian and German. I'm lucky that Sister Hoffmann is here for when we talk to Quebecois people because I seriously have no idea what they're saying. Wish me luck for when I get transferred out of this area. 

* A home is not a happy home unless love is there. As a missionary I've been in so many homes where there is no love circulating between the family members. And it's sad! Especially when there are children involved. There's a reason why there are so many hymns and primary songs about speaking kindly, forgiving, and always remembering to love one another. President Monson even gave a talk in 2014 about love being the essence of the gospel. And it truly is. Every piece of doctrine we have in the church is taken back to the love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for us. Without love, we wouldn't have the Plan of Salvation, the Atonement of Jesus Christ would have never been possible, and we would never be able to make it successfully through mortality. Love is the motivation factor for every good thing we have in this world. As a missionary, I've been praying for the gift of charity as I try to teach these people the happiest message they could ever hear. And it's with love and a heavy heart that I have to be okay when they decide to reject the things we teach them. Again, being a missionary is hard. We face rejection, and physical, mental, and spiritual exhaustion a lot, but as I've prayed for the gift of love, I've been able to continue getting up everyday, because I know how much it is worth it. 

Sorry that was so scattered. Welcome to the brain of a missionary. Hopefully next weeks email will be better. But I hope everyone has a great week!

Love,
Sister Thomas

 Me snuggling one of our investigators Nadeja. Love these people.

Buddy the Elf's Dreamland - aka CABANE SUCRE

Hi everyone!

Me and the fab Sis Hoffmann

What a wonderful and BUSY week it's been. This week we had Zone Conference, where all the missionaries that are serving in the stake got together and we had various training's on how we can improve our missionary work, and it was amazing, but it was a WHOLE day thing. We started at 9 and we left around 5 so we didn't get much else done that day. And then we went on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders who are in the city (aka Montreal, just the English speaking side of it) and I got to use the Bus & Metro system and it was SO COOL! I was constantly surrounded by a bunch of people, and I was able to talk to them all about Christ and what I get to do as a missionary. Such a cool experience. It made me less worried for the day I might possibly be transferred to a Bus & Metro area.

CABANE SUCREEEE

On Saturday Sister Hoffmann and I got to go to a Cabane Sucre (aka a Sugar Shack) with a member! IT WAS THE COOLEST EXPERIENCE EVER. The place practically worshiped maple syrup because EVERY dish was either cooked in it, or had maple syrup on it. It was awesome. I felt like I was in Buddy the Elf's Dreamworld. Coolest thing ever. We all got INTENSE sugar rushes so you can only imagine our conversations. The members here are really amazing, and every day I'm just more and more grateful for their wonderful example. Because almost EVERY member in Quebec is a convert, they all have these amazing conversion stories. It helps me know there are people here who are prepared to here this glad message and it gives me continual hope for every investigator I teach. QUEBEC IS SO COOL. 

Sister Roy, AKA an angel

I'm convinced April Fools Day extends for the whole month of April here because this months weather has been A JOKE. It's snowed 2 times in the past week and has been raining every other day besides that. Except for Sunday. Yesterday was BEAUTIFUL, the sun was out and the sky was just singing. Such a tender mercy. AH Life is so cool as a missionary. 

Okay that's all I have for now. Remember how much God loves us. The world, and the way our amazing bodies work, is a testament to that. Remember that the word of God is what nourishes us, so read the scriptures EVERY DAY. It's a NECESSITY for our spiritual well-being. 

OH and Romans has become my favorite book in the Bible. Read chapter 5. IT'S PERFECT. Here's a link to it: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/rom/5?lang=eng 

SO GOOD.

Love you all with my whole heart,

Sister Thomas

2 Months Down AND Genreal Conference

Rebonjour Mes Amis,

Can I just rant and rave about how amazing it is to be a missionary again? Because man it just gets better and better! I can't believe I left home just two months ago. Craziness. Crazy amounts of gratitude in my heart for the opportunity I have to serve as missionary. I've gotten to meet people for all over the world here, and share with the glad message of the Restoration, what could be cooler! I've even started keeping a list of the countries these people are from.

Here's what I have so far: Chad, Nigeria, The Philippines, The Congo, Haiti, France, Madagascar, Taiwan, New Zealand, Brazil, China, Iraq, Romania, Egypt, Belgium, and Spain! And man, the list just grows every day. I'm so grateful to be in such a diverse mission. Christ's gospel is really spreading across the whole earth. Just in different ways than we think.

Us and Jye, a recent convert, 

watching the first session of conference together! 

Forever in love with General Conference!

 

Lets talk about how PERFECT General Conference was. Me and my companion have not stopped talking about it since last night. I had so many questions answered and so many troubles in my heart calmed. My love for the restored gospel of Christ grows and just about explodes when I watch men of God speaking to the entire church and telling us what we need to be doing as a people, as communities, and as individuals. I cannot express how lucky we are to live in this amazing time where we have a Prophet of God here on the earth! That is the message that I have the privilege to share with the people of Montreal, that there is a Prophet on earth once again, God does speak to us, and He is our living, LOVING, merciful FATHER in Heaven. That is something I cannot specify enough. To be close to God, we have to realize His true character, and that is that He is a real being of glorified flesh and bones who loves us more than our mortal minds can comprehend. That He is the literal Father of our spirits and wants nothing more than for us to come back to Him after this life. 

That is a truth that the restored gospel has shown to us, time and time again. Let that a doctrine be the firmest part of our testimonies. Because if it is, everything other doctrine will fit perfectly next to it, every other principle will make absolute sense, and every ounce of faith we have will contribute to that truths original glory.

I know these things to be true, both in my heart and in my mind. I'm grateful for all of you and I pray for you each day.

 Another picture from last week, 

Sister Hoffmann and I on our nature walk with Laurel. 

She's so wonderful! 

(and it's in black&white, so that's extra fun)

With all the love a mere mortal can muster,

Sister Thomas