WHAT A WEEK! :) Which I guess is a good thing to be saying considering it was my second to last week of full time missionary service. :( A lot happened this week so I will just take it day by day so I don't forget anything. :)
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| We finally went and played tennis! |
I hope all you Americans had a wonderful Canada Day! ;) We sure had fun here! The ward had a BBQ at the Chapel and it was SO much fun. Tons of people came and we had food and played soccer and sang Oh Canada. I love everyone being together at ward activities. I am really going to miss this ward, so it was good timing that we were all able to get together.
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| Me almost getting my face taken off while I pretended to play soccer. haha |
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| Brother Marjanovich, and President Taylor and us. |
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| Us with Minh |
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| Karly Parker and I! She is such a nice girl and they have a great family. And it seems like Karly and I have a lot in common.. more than just our name. haha |
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| Oh Canada ! |
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| Me, Brother and Sister Arce, Brother and Sister Marjanovich and Sister Mendenhall |
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| A picture of the whole group at the church on Canada Day! This reminds me of a "Where's Waldo" picture. haha Can you spot me?? |
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| Sister Clifton, Sister Mendenhall, Sister Herfort, and Sam Healey and I helping out in the Kitchen at the Ward Canada Day BBQ |
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| With Brother Arce |
Later that day we went down by the Lakeshore near where we live to check out all of the festivities there.
There were A TON of people and we were able to talk with a few people, and then later that night Sister Healey came down with her kids and we got Gelato. We also were able to watch the fireworks show from our balcony. It was a really fun day!
WEDNESDAY: BED BUG DAY
K really... the bed bug thing is not a joke. haha I probably shouldn't be writing for the world to see that we found a bed bug in our apartment, but honestly it is too funny to not talk about it. It is ironic in so many ways that we found a bed bug the 2nd to last week of our missions.
I guess Heavenly Father was just testing our patience.. once again.. I think that the whole Test of Patience is a never ending thing in this life. :) Luckily I think there was only one bug and we cleaned it all up and vacuumed everything and put some powder under our beds to keep bugs away so I think we are good!
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We haven't had any bites soooo... I think we are good.
I guess I will be leaving my suitcases outside when I get home!
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So Wednesday wasn't all about bed bugs, thank goodness! We went to a dinner appointment that night and ended up getting a new investigator. The member has a friend living with her who we are now teaching! We have taught her a few times now since Wednesday and she is great!
THURSDAY: MEET THE PRESIDENT MIRACLE
Thursday we went to Hamilton and were able to meet President and Sister Clayton... They. are. WONDERFUL! It is amazing how with about 300 missionaries and them only being here a week they were able to have so much love for us and I really felt that as an individual. Meeting them made me even more sad to be going home. I wish that I could be here and serve with them! But.. all good things must come to an end. This mission is in really good hands, though. The Clayton's are amazing people.
During our interviews we were having an instruction and we were setting goals for how many baptisms we would like to see in our Zone in the month of July. With only two weeks left, and with Minh wanting to get baptized but facing some opposition from his mom, I didn't think we would see a baptism in our area at least while I was still here. But then as I was sitting there I got the impression that we should say that our area is going to have a baptism in July and that Minh was going to get baptized before we left. So I looked at Sister Mendenhall told her that we were going to baptize Minh in the next two weeks and then raised my hand and said that our area would have a baptism. I wasn't sure how we were going to do it, but I felt like it was going to happen. We just so happened to have an appointment with Minh that afternoon and I felt like we should text a particular member, Sister Taylor, and have her come with us.
We went to teach Minh and things were going good as usual.. we had told Sister Taylor that we wanted to set him with a new baptismal date and so in the middle of the lesson Sister Taylor says, "So Minh.. are you going to get baptized before these two Sisters leave??" To which Minh said, "I would like to." So we told Minh that he is 100% ready to be baptized and that he could be baptized Sunday if he would like to. He said that he wanted to, and even though is mom isn't totally agreeing with his decision, her heart has softened in the last few weeks and she will support him.
And just like that we were planning a baptism! :) I could not have been more thrilled! It really felt like all our hard work was paying off. Two Sundays left in my missionary service and one Sunday we would have a baptism and the next a Confirmation. I could not think of a more perfect way to end my mission. :)
FRIDAY: BEAUTIFUL DAY
We had a lesson with Minh at the church and then he had his Baptismal interview! And then we went to our coordination meeting and had a small 4th of July Celebration!
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| This was on Friday and it was the most perfect day. We taught Minh outside the Chapel with Brother Marjanovich and it was such a great lesson. I am really, REALLY going to miss teaching people as a full time missionary. |
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| The Canadian in me celebrated on the 1st and then the American in me celebrated on the 4th! Sister Mendenhall made this cute flag for me and then when we went to our coordination meeting at the Lowachee's on Friday they signed the back of it and we all stood and sang the Star Spangled Banner and then we ate watermelon to celebrate! |
SUNDAY: MINH'S BAPTISM
It was a perfect day for a baptism! ..and for a final fast and testimony meeting. The Bishop invited us to share our testimonies, and it was a bitter sweet thing knowing that that is the last time I will share my testimony in a sacrament meeting as a full time missionary. I'm thankful for the testimony that I have, and it has really strengthened as I have served!
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| Minh's Baptism |
After Church was the Baptism! President and Sister Clayton came which was a pleasant surprise! It was really great to have them there. The baptism couldn't have been more perfect. All of the talks were wonderful and at the end Minh bore the most powerful testimony. I am SO thankful for being able to be there for that. It was such a great day and I am really happy for Minh.
So.... this week was really great. SO much happened and it was a lot of fun... it also went by super fast!
And now... I will be starting my last week! I can't actually believe it! I am grateful for all of the experiences that I have had here and am looking forward to making this coming week another good week.
I will try and email next week for a bit and then it will only be a few more days and I will be home! I am really sad to think about leaving Canada and all of the wonderful people that I have met here but... all good things must come to an end! I am excited to come home and see my family and to move on to life's next adventures!
Thank you all for all of your love and support as I have been here serving!
