Wonderful Week

All I have to say is this week was good news goats** :)  SO many great things happened and I will try to do it all justice so that you really can know how great it was! The week started out with a training meeting with the mission president and other people in the mission. I got to see some of the sisters I met at the MTC, and it was so good to see them. It is always nice to see missionaries who have been going through the same things as me.

**What is good news goats?
"haha, it's just something I say, Riley always says, "bad news bears" when something is bad news, so I started saying, "good news goats" when things are good. Just one of those weird things I say I guess. haha"

So Wednesday of this week is when some pretty cool stuff started to happen. Sister Tuia and I were riding the bus around trying to contact people, and at one point we were about to get on a bus and I noticed a guy staring at us. I thought, "Okay.. people usually stare at us... so why does this seem different?" Anyway we get on the bus and this guys follows us to the back and sits down by us. He then leans over and asks, "Do you have any literature??" It literally took me 10 seconds to reply because I was so shocked. No one ever approaches us and asks us for anything. I said yeah and gave him a Book of Mormon and started talking with him. He said that his mom had been baptized into the Church in Turkey and he recognized the name on our badges. He said that he has been trying to change some things in his life and get back to church (can you say, Golden?). We talked to him and got his number so that we could set up a time to meet with him. We ended up meeting him this morning and he is interested in learning more. I really see potential in him and I am so thankful we were able to meet him. This is one of those instances where if you work hard and are obedient Heavenly Father really does put you at the right place at the right time!!

Friday was another day full of awesome things... I am just going to type what I wrote in my journal that night for times sake.. :)

 "I loved today! LOVED everything about it! And I am so thankful I can finally say that. Heavenly Father blessed me big time today and I am so grateful! The day started out with District Meeting which was great as always. We talked about how Charity is the catalyst of missionary work and I am discovering every day how that is so true. After the meeting they gave us mail and I was super pumped because I got a lot! So grateful for all the awesome people I have in my life! (Seriously though thank you for all of you who are sending letters. Mail makes a missionary so happy! Keep em' coming and I will try to write back as much as I can!) 

After District meeting we went to meet Gill, the man who had asked for literature on the bus. This started a chain reaction of incidents that prove God really does work in mysterious ways! We missed the bus so we were late and couldn't get a hold of the member who was supposed to come with us. Because of this we took another bus and met a Lady named Helen who was SO great, we will be seeing her tomorrow. (Since this Helen has come to a Relief Society activity, church, and we will be meeting her tomorrow. See.... God works in mysterious ways!) When we finally got to Gill's we couldn't meet him because we needed a third girl, he was so understanding and said, "Things happen for a reason." 

Which they totally do, because us not meeting him led us to meeting another man at the bus stop. Turns out this man is a member of the church who fell away after he got divorced years and years ago. We got his information and gave him a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and I really hope we can meet with him soon. Then we went to Tim Hortons to get a bagel where we had a funny experience. This man was Skyping near us and I saw him holding up women's shirts to the screen. I started laughing and said something and he turned around and said that his wife is in northern Iraq and doesn't like the clothes there so he shops for her and then sends her things. I told him that he is a good husband and then Sister Tuia and I left and laughed for a good 5 minutes (writing it now it doesn't seem so funny but in the moment it was one of the funniest things I have had happen in weeks! haha) 

God timed things perfect again after this, when we decided to walk through the mall to catch the bus. We ended up seeing Natalie (a girl we met the other day who is a teen mom and looking for something in life) who I have been thinking about lately.  I just really feel for her. The Gospel is something that will really help her and I hope that we can teach her and get her to see that. 

After that we rode the buses for a bit and I got my first real contact! I started a conversation with a guy that ended with me getting his number and committing him to try and pray! :) He says he would like to learn more so we will be calling him soon and hopefully we can meet with him. 

We then had dinner with some members. Super good Korean food, super awkward conversation... I have a love hate relationship with dinner appointments. ;) 

After dinner we had our teaching appointment with Aubin. It was SO good! This was one of those things that missionaries talk about, and I was able to experience it for myself. We taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Spirit was SO strong. I finally had the experience where I didn't have to think about what I should say, the Spirit just taught through me and it really was super powerful. We invited Aubin to be baptized and he said YES! 

I really wish I could describe how great it was, it was just one of those moments that makes all of the bad days worth it.  After this I can see how missionaries are sad when their missions are over. Experiences like this don't happen just to anyone on a given day. As missionaries we have the authority to teach and to invite people to be baptized in the True Church. That is a pretty big deal when you think about it. :) Today is a day that I need to always remember. Because when things get tough I just need to remember that this is why I am here. To find those people who are ready and to teach them so that they don't have to miss out on the truth anymore. :)" 

Okay, that was pretty long, but it is a good description of how great that day really was! This week some members bought us all you can eat sushi... best day ever. :) This week really was so good. I am happy and really starting to love this work. It is so awesome that everyday I can meet new people and bear testimony and promise them that the message we have to share can help them and will change their lives if they are willing to let it.

Pic from the MTC
Thanks Elder Lee !

Sister Tuia and I started this transfer in a new area that literally had nothing to work with. And now, with the help of the Lord we have people to teach, we have people who want to be baptized, and we are really starting to move the work forward. It takes hard work, but it's worth it. I thought this week about how my decision to serve a mission will change lives. If I wasn't here all of these people I have been meeting would have continued to go about their lives not knowing about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is pretty cool when you think about it and motivates me to talk to everyone. Everyone in the world needs to hear about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether they choose to accept it or not, everyone needs to hear. :)

 Okay, that may have been SUPER preachy but hey..... if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it must be a duck. I better take full advantage of this whole being a weird missionary thing because it isn't going to last forever, eh? ;)

 Love you all.... thanks for reading my blog! I hope I didn't bore you too much today! :)