General Conference Recap, and a new investigator !

And.... it's Monday again! 

I hope that everyone enjoyed General Conference! Soooo much to learn and sooo much to take in. I will be looking forward to the Ensign coming out so I can read through everything again. I think the Saturday morning session was my favorite. I can't even remember specifics, but there were a lot of things in that session that really stood out to me! It was so fun to be at the chapel with different members, especially those who are recent converts. Great to see them there soaking it all in for the first time.

With Max at the General Conference broadcast

General Conference was also made really fun by the fact that Michelle and Natalie Julian from Hamilton came to Kitchener to watch a session of it with us. :) They came to the Sunday morning session and then we talked for a little bit after. Michelle brought us cupcakes from the place that she works. It has been so long since I have seen them so it was really fun to see them again. 

Michelle and Natalie Julian from Hamilton came to visit me! They came and watched the first session of conference with us on Sunday and then we talked for a few minutes after and she gave us cupcakes (mine gluten free of course) haha It was soooo good to see them. I already am trying to figure out a time that I can come back post mission and stay with them for a week. I told Michelle that was my plan and she was said, "stay for a week, stay for a month, heck stay forever.. we don't care!" haha

Another really good week. The weather is starting to warm up which makes me happy! Aside from General Conference we had Zone Training, and we also found a new investigator who I am pretty excited about! He has a pretty cool story too. A couple of weeks ago we got a media referral (which basically is that someone got on mormon.org and requested missionary visits and then we get a text on our phone with the information that they gave) We spent a few weeks trying to contact this guy and were able to set up an appointment with him for Saturday between sessions of General Conference. 

We went to his house and he was SO cool. He is from Sudan and he told us a little bit about how he got in touch with the church. He said that years ago he worked with a man named Jordan who was from Utah. He said that on their breaks Jordan would tell him about the Gospel and that he eventually gave him a Book of Mormon. But because their breaks at work were so short they never really got to get into really good conversations but he said what struck him was Jordan's testimony. He said that he had been to so many churches but what he found different is that Mormon's talk about things and say that they "know" them to be true. So Jordan went back to Utah and he never did meet with missionaries or attend church. Until a few months ago when he went back to Sudan to visit his father. He said that he discovered that the Church was in Sudan as well, and he attended a few meetings but he never got to sit down and talk with missionaries about the church. So when he came back to Canada a month ago he got online and looked up how he could meet with missionaries.... and, this is where we come in. :)

The lesson with him was really, really good. It was one of those lessons where everything seems to go perfect. The Spirit was really strong and he understood the things that we were teaching him. He is a very sincere man and I am excited to see how he progresses. As well as his family. We weren't able to meet with his wife yet, but I am hoping we are able to soon. 

Sister Fragapane, Amanda and I in our rainboots

And in other good news... Amanda's baptism is this weekend! Really excited for that! And... other good news.... Treena (Amanda's sister who was baptized last week) well her husband has agreed to be baptized at the end of April... Pretty cool if you ask me. :) So much has come from Janet choosing to listen to the missionaries.. She even said that the other day when she was out teaching with us.... She saw that most people don't actually want to listen to what we have to say so it was great to hear her say, "I am so glad that I listened when missionaries came to talk to me." 

So... life is still good. :) This transfer is quickly coming to an end which I am super bummed about but... such is life.. everything good, and bad, eventually comes to an end! 

Have a great week!

Happy Week :)

Well.... there goes another week already!  Tomorrow is April and today the weather actually feels a bit like Spring! Unfortunately I think it is supposed to get cold again for the rest of the week but... we are going to enjoy this good weather while we can. :)

Snow and it's almost April.... :(‏

This week was another good one, as usual! :) 

Saturday we had the opportunity to go to the Temple. We had to wake up super early and drive there, but it was totally worth it! :) It has been a year since I have been able to go so it was really nice to be back there again. It makes me realize how grateful that I should be to have so many temples around me in Utah. Growing up with it, it seems like the normal thing, but then to be here and see that most people have to travel an hour or so to get to the temple I realize how truly blessed I am to have so many temples so close. And then not being able to go for a year also helps me to see that I need to go often when I get home. I think a lot of people know the temple is there and know that they can go at any time so they put off going.  It is always important to remember to go... even if we feel like we are busy or don't have time. That is one thing that I have learned not being able to go to the temple. :) 

Outside the Temple

     Elder Healey and I‏

           Elder Prochnow and I

Sister Puruganan and I 

We have also been talking A LOT about Family History work in this ward and the ward is getting really excited about finding family names and taking them to the temple so that they can perform those ordinances for their ancestors. Family History work is something that seems to be a big focus of the Church lately... so.... go do some family history, kids! You won't regret it! :)

In front of our Chapel 

Sister Fragapane and I even did the sharing time in Primary yesterday and taught the kids about Family History... It really is for everyone to do, and I think that is pretty exciting.

Saturday night was the General Women's Meeting and we got together with some of the Sisters in the ward and watched it at the chapel.  The meeting was really good... I would suggest watching it if you haven't already. There are some really good musical numbers in it and it is super powerful. The main message that I got out of it is that as sisters in the Gospel... young and old,  we  need to be united in our purpose. They also talked a lot about how age isn't a barrier, and I think I have really come to learn that on my mission. I sit in church here on Sundays and look around and see all of the friends I have made and realize they all are different ages. I feel like I am as good as friends with Sister Young who is in her 80's as I am with Audrey who is 4 years old, as well as all of the other sisters in between. And I love it... I have met so many amazing people who have influenced my life and they are all of different ages and have different stories.  Anyway.. I just thought that was a pretty cool thing that I learned and.... now I am just super pumped for General Conference this weekend. :)

So crazy to think that I was in this area 6 months ago when General Conference came around and now I am here again! :) For what will be the last General Conference that I will have on my mission! Pretty excited for it... after listening to Elder Bednar two weekends ago, the Temple and Women's meeting this past weekend, I am good to go for General Conference which I still claim to think that for missionaries General Conference is like the Super Bowl. haha 

Bishop Pockett shared this quote From Elder Holland with us yesterday at church that he got from the LDS.ORG website....

" If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.” —Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

And I know that is something that is so true... So... everyone watch General Conference this weekend and listen for those things that will be answers to your specific questions. Conference really is such a great opportunity to learn the things that we need in our lives. :)

Things are great here! Amanda, Janet's daughter, should be getting baptized April 13th and Janet's other daughter Treena was baptized yesterday in another ward. Pretty incredible, and I am so thankful that I am able to be a part of it. :)

I hope that everyone has a great week!   (More pics below )

On our way to Brother and Sister Sellar's house.... Sister Fragapane's first experience with the Mennonites, she was pretty excited. She tried to get a picture of the horse and buggy but she ended up just getting the horse.. still a pretty cool picture

We went to visit Anne with Sara and we thought it would be a good idea to walk through this puddle because we were all wearing rainboots.. well turns out both Sister Fragapane and I have holes in our boots... 

Anne is like 78 I think, and getting an Ipad, so look at the book that she has started to read.. I told her she has to get a Facebook now so that we can keep in touch easier after I get home

At P-day last week

Elder Parker, Sister Mak, Sister Hsuing, Me, Sister Fragapane, Elder Koceja, 
Elder De Wall and Elder Prochnow

We wanted to plan some sort of party and it is happening!
We are going to have an Easter Brunch on Good Friday. We were at the Olsen's making the poster and the invitations and stuff to advertise for it. 

Wonderful Week !

Another week has come and gone at what feels like record speed. Time is going by so fast these days! I guess the closer I get to the end, the faster it is going to go which is really sad. :( I just keep learning more and more every day that I need to make the most of every second because time is slipping away too quickly.

Sister Fragapane and I

The Relief Society had an activity this week and at the end of it one of the sisters showed a slideshow of pictures that she had put together of the ward and... I am in a lot of them. haha I was here for Halloween, Christmas, various baptisms... I look like I am a member of the ward!

Oh and good news! Janet's daughter, who is in the other ward and being taught by other Sisters, is getting baptized April 6th! Pretty amazing to see how the Gospel blessed not only Janet, but she is now able to share it with her daughters. 

We were all in Brampton to see Elder Bednar and then this is all of us eating lunch after. A TON of missionaries

So our special training meeting with Elder Bednar was on Saturday and it was incredible. The meeting was at the Stake Center in Brampton and all of the missionaries in the mission were able to attend. 

The people at the meeting were; Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 

Elder Bednar

Elder Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy,

Elder Soares

Elder Foster of the Second Presidency of the Seventy, 

Elder Foster

and Bishop Davies of the Presiding Bishopric

Bishop Davies

 as well as their wives. That is a pretty good group if you ask me. At one point Elder Bednar made a comment of how an opportunity like that will never happen again in our lives and... he is right. haha Truly a once in a lifetime, incredible experience. I really don't even think words can describe how great it was. It was a 3 hour meeting that did not feel that long at all. I probably could have sat in that room for a week and learned from all of these great men and their wives. I learned a lot and I know it is an experience that I will never forget. We really are so fortunate to have Prophets and Apostles on the Earth today. Being able to be in the room as one of them really helped to strengthen my testimony of that. I really wish I could describe all the things that were talked about and the Spirit that was there, but unfortunately that is one thing that can't really be conveyed. So I will just take what I learned, and my testimony of it.. and go and share that with others. :) 

Elder Palmer, Elder Healy, and I 

And Elder Wihongi and I... He was my Zone Leader in Hamilton

It was a wonderful day and it really got me excited for General Conference. There is so much to be learned and I am so grateful that it is time for General Conference again. We also found out this week that we will be able to go to the temple this weekend!! It has been a year since I have been able to go to the temple so I am really looking forward to it. 

Toronto Ontario Temple

This will be a fun couple of weekends! I really have been so blessed to have all of these experiences!

General Conference - All good !

Elder Healey, Elder Ikeda, Hermana Sandall, Hermana Reid, Me and Sister Colvin
Meeting to watch General Conference

Well another week has come to pass here in the Canada, Toronto Mission! I hope everyone watched conference! And well if you didn't... thank goodness for repentance and the internet ;)  A few of my favorites that I would suggest watching. Edward Dube's talk from the Saturday morning session. Elder Holland's from the Saturday afternoon session and President Eyring threw down in the Sunday Morning Session. All good, but those were some of my favorites. I wish I had my notes so I could share with all of you some insights but... oh well. I am just thankful that we have a Prophet of God on the earth today as well as his Apostles and other great leaders in the church who are so inspired and speak to us about the things that we need to hear. The Spirit was continually testifying to me throughout the whole conference that this is all SO true. We are lead by a Prophet of God and this is Christ's Restored Church... it's pretty incredible, eh? We better tell everyone. ;) 

Elder Ikeda and Elder Healey

Saturday morning the Norells, from my last area, came and took Sister Colvin and I out to brunch and then watched the Saturday morning session with us. I just love them! Brother Norell had to be in Kitchener that morning anyway, so it worked out perfectly. Barb brought me veggie straws from Costco, and it was just so good to see them. Made my day! :) It is crazy how you can meet people and then 4 months later they feel like family. I can't imagine having never met some of the people that I have met so far on my mission.

Sunglasses that Sister Norell gave me
I LOVE THEM !

So.... other than conference, nothing too exciting happened. The leaves are starting to change so you better believe that we are always on the hunt for leaves that we can press. They have become my favorite book marks and little treasures to send to people.

I went on an exchange this week with a Sister that is from Idaho but went to Utah State as well. Turns out she lived in the apartment building next to me and she knows people that I met my freshman year. The world is seriously so small... especially in mission life. It seems like I am always running into people who know people I know.

Well I think that is about it for this week. At the bottom of the post are some random pictures of my apartment.  I will have to be better about taking pictures this week. We are going to be on the finding grind this week. A lot of our investigators, we have had to drop, so looking forward to getting creative with that.

Also... let's talk about how P-day isn't until Wednesday next week.... talk about forever. Thanks for nothing Canadian Thanksgiving.... just kidding. :) My full intentions are to celebrate two Thanksgivings this year.... and then every year for the rest of my life... ;) Now if only we could find someone to feed us.. haha

Have a great week and a half, and have a happy Canadian Thanksgiving all you Canadians out there! Heck... if you are American you might as well celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving Monday on my behalf! :)

p.s. Sunday is my 8th month mark!

Bottom bunk  #wazzup

My desk

The living room we never go into
(above and below)

Our kitchen

First Transfer

Too funny !!  Karly with Sister DeRuvo

Well I made it through my first transfer as a missionary! (Can you believe it!?) I had a good feeling that I wouldn't be staying here in Guelph and my feelings were correct! We got the call last night and I will be moving to Brampton! And I am PUMPED! Everyone refers to Brampton as "the hub".   The Temple, mission home, mission office and all other sorts of great things are there. I am really excited. I will be "whitewashing" an area called Heart Lake North with Sister Tebbs. Whitewashing means that they took 2 missionaries out and will be putting 2 new in. So that will be exciting! We'll have to find our way around pretty quickly. :)

So it is totally crazy that I am companions with Sister Tebbs,  and I will give you all a little background story on that. It all starts with my Sophomore year of college when I met some boys who had gone to Copper Hills High School (Brenton, Emilio, Luis, and Matt) We became really good friends and thus I was introduced to a lot of their friends from school, one of them being a kid named Andrew Newbold. Now at this same time Sister Tebbs was going to Western Wyoming where she met Andrew and they started dating. I had heard about her from the boys, and I think I even met her once and had seen pictures of her. Fast-forward a few years to the MTC. I see Sister Tebbs walk into the cafeteria and I was pretty sure that is who she was, so I went up to talk to her. She said that yeah she dates Andrew, and we laughed about what a small world it is. And then the world got smaller. Her companion says, "It's so funny that you came to talk to us, because I just saw you and said to Sister Tebbs that I needed to talk to you!" So then I found out that Sister Tebbs' companion is friends with Ashley Grigor (who I met in Ecuador) and Ashley had told her that we were going to the same mission, so she had looked me up on Facebook  SO.... long confusing story but on that day we discovered that we were all going to the same mission and that we all kinda knew each other.
Now here we are today... Sister Tebbs and I will be companions in a new area! (keep in mind we have both only been here 6 weeks!!!) Should be an adventure! :)

I am sad to be leaving Guelph, because I have grown pretty attached to the members and our investigators. I worked so hard in the area to go from nothing to something, and I kind of feel like it is my baby and now I am abandoning it! I know Sister Tuia will take good care of it and I already made her promise that she will keep working hard and get all those baptisms we have been working on. I also made her promise that when those baptisms come, she won't send me pictures to rub it in my face. :)

 I don't have a ton of time today but let's talk a little bit about  General Conference! If you weren't able to watch it, you should look it up and watch it soon. It was SOOOO good! Here are some of the big things that I got out of it. :)

1. Be obedient to the commandments!!!!! (especially that chastity one! :) 
2. Be member missionaries! :) (us full time missionaries love that, by the way:) 
3. Hold on to the Faith you have even if it isn't much. If you have nothing else just BELIEVE 
4. Keep your covenants! 
5. Family is SO important! Do everything we can to keep our families a place where we are safe from the world. 

I am SO thankful that we have a Prophet who leads and guides us today! Saturday and Sunday were proof that those Prophets and Apostles are called of God and we need to listen to the things we learn from them and APPLY it in our lives. It is not enough just to know the scriptures or know the commandments.... We must LIVE them! Thank you for all of your prayers, emails, letters and support! :) Love you all!

 Enjoy the Pics below !

P-day, outside of our basement apartment

Three companions - Prescott, Tuia, DeRuvo