Week 38: General Conference and MMA

Question time:
1.  Update on investigators and reactivation?
     Jason-- Is a new investigator! We found him while on exchanges with Sister Davidson (S. Lundin's trainer). He is a gold medal MMA fighter! We are meeting with him next week! 

     Poonam--Is doing awesome! She is super sweet! 

2.  Favorite talk at conference and why?
     Elder Brent H. Nielson- Man, It was soo good! I love the story of the Prodigal Son! I love it!!! "we have to watch, and wait with patience and love." SOOO GOOOD! 

      Elder Jeffrey R. Holland- Duh! When isn't his amazing! The brother new exactly what to do and waited for him to move first! Then we he went towards him, the brother reached out! Just like Christ will! So amazing! 

 

3.  Favorite opportunity for service this week was and why?
      We moved a Less-active lady on saturday morning before conference! So much fun! I haven't done that in forever! 

4.  How did you spend Easter?  Any new traditions or something you liked doing?
      We went to General Conference and then went to a members house for lunch and she made chicken cord on bleu and funeral potatoes! WOO! Go Utah! and then went to general conference and then went to a members house for dinner and taught a lady English! 

     This lady is living with the member as of last Sunday! This Lady  is a member and is from Hungary! She came from Hungary with 1000 dollars and a 2 month visa and nothing else not even a place to stay or anyone she knows! She got here and asked the taxi to take her to the mormon church! He took her to church and showed up just before 9 am to attend sacrament meeting! The member asked her if she had any place to stay and she said no, so now the lady is living with her! The member was showing the lady pictures of her granddaughter serving in Hungary and the Lady jumped up and said She is the one who taught me English! coincidence I think not!

5. I looked out the window of my apartment (or door) today and saw....
    a little snow!

6.  A goal for the week is?
     To study the basics! and to study patience and love and find ways to apply them! 

7.  My companion and I bonded this week over...
     Conquering fears and trials together!

8.  Favorite tracking experience this week, good or not so good.
     So we found this farsi family a little while ago! and we forgot to send the address and it was a miracle that I found it by myself because Sister Barton and I forgot to write it down! So Sister Davidson and I decided to tract the area! We found Jason! He is HUGE! He said he is a gold medal MMA fighter and wrestler! and he was interested in learning about How Christ can help him in his life! WOO! He even invited us back! 

9.  Last song that helped you through something..
     Israel, Israel God is Calling and I believe in Christ! 

10.  I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and I felt his love most this week when...

     I brought questions to conference and got answers! Oh man it was so wonderful! love promised blessings! 

Sister Stoker and a weird lane they found while tracking

HUMP DAY

HUMP DAY!!!!!

I sent Sister Toni Stuart a package for Easter and something for her Hump Day--which would be on April 2nd.   The package came early and she got it on a pday on March 23rd.   She wanted to open the HUMP day Package.   I told her she could do what she wanted but I needed pictures.   She said Sister Barton was trying to look inside the package and so she thought she would just open it.   The pictures are great.

HUMP DAY PACKAGE BEGINS

I can hear her laughing

When I bought this camel online, I thought it was the size of a bean baby, NOT!

Elder Gibb checking what all the noise was about

I sent the following poem to Sister Stuart:

THE CAMEL IS THE SYMBOL OF A SEASONED MISSIONARY
By Cheryl K. Carpenter
As you come to the nine month mark of your mission, I am sending you
this camel to remind you how far you have come, and where you are
going.There are many similar characteristics of a great missionary and
a camel.

The first is the "hump". Yes, you have crossed the mark and now are
over the hump of the first half.  But remember the hump of a camel is
used to store food for the long journey. Camels can go for long
periods of time without food, but he must store his food in his hump.
A Missionary has learned from so many experiences, but a wise
Missionary will store the knowledge she has gained, and put it to
greater use the second half of her mission.

Another important symbol, is what the camel does to be prepared to
carry his load for his Master. A camel sometimes protests his heavy
load, but he drops to knees for his Master, and once started, he
patiently carries his load. As a missionary sometimes the load seems
heavy and difficult to carry. But when you drop to your knees and
succumb to the Master's will, he will carefully lead you and you can
bear the load patiently, and do your Father in Heaven's work as he
would have you do. This is why the camel's knees are heavily padded,
as a Missionary, your knees are calloused from the many hours of
kneeling in prayer.

The camel has high set eyes, that enable him to see long distances. A
Missionary has her eyes set on higher things, she follows the Spirit
that enables her to see the Children of God, those who are seeking
answers, and she teaches them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The camel has broad, two-toed feet, that keep it from sinking in
desert sand. A missionary has a broad knowledge and a firm testimony
of the Gospel. This enables her to teach with boldness and stand firm
in her testimony. The people you teach do not yet have the blessing of
such a sure-foot, but as you teach with love and the Spirit, you will
help them gain their own testimony that will help them walk on firmer
ground. One that will lead them back to their Father in Heaven.

So you see, a Missionary has a lot in common with a camel. Put this
camel where you can see it often. Dedicate yourself to do as the camel
does. Serve your Master well and patiently over the long journey. You
have come a long way, there is still much ground to cover. Continue to
move forward, serving with love, until your mission is complete and
your Father in Heaven will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful
servant.

I asked Sister Stuart what she did for hump day and her response was: We had a member come with us all day.   We saw an amazing less active, we went tracing and we saw Marcella!! (She really is doing the work of the Lord).  

I can't believe it has been 9 months.   I miss her everyday but I would not want her anywhere else.   She is learning and growing in ways she never could without her mission.  The lives she has touched will be forever affected by her and the love of the gospel she has and more importantly that they will know they have a Heavenly Father that loves them and has an amazing plan of Happiness for them.  

Week 37: Sister Stoker!!

So question time:

1.  Update on investigators and less actives.
     Recent Converts:

        Marcela is doing wonderful! She went to the temple for the first time on Wednesday and we got to go with her! It was AWESOME!!! She was baptized for her grandmother! It was soo cool!

        Kamal- we are going to dinner tonight and he has been out of town

      Less Actives: 

         S. Bertoia- We are going to start Family History this week with her! YAY!!! and came to church yesterday!!!!!!!!

         S. Carelli- Has a deep desire to come to church! AWESOME!!! 

2.  Tell me something you learned about yourself and about your
companion this week.
        I love being clean! Wait! What? Did I just say that?! Oops!

        Sister Stoker is awesome! She is the oldest of 6. She has a twin brother  on a mission in texas. and she is From Clearfield, Utah.

SISTER STOKER AND SISTER STUART

3.  Favorite teaching moment and why?
      Teaching Marcela the New Member Lessons! She is awesome and is experiencing so many miracles in her life right now it is awesome!

4.  What was your favorite thing from the woman's conference?
      All of it of course! Cheryl Esplins talk was awesome! oh and the Family is of God music video! I sang along with it! Thank you primary! SHOUT OUT TO ALL MY PRIMARY KIDS! :) love them all! 

5.  Most challenging thing this week and how did you overcome it.
     loosing my voice! It is still a work in progress! :)

Funny Faces with Sister Stoker

6.  Favorite Service opportunity.
     We got to clean this really less active lady's house! She hasn't let missionaries in for a while! It was awesome! 

6a.  TONI--HUMP DAY IS THIS WEEK WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?
      ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

7.  Strangest or funniest thing that happen this week?
      Getting Riley's letter: 

"sister Harman is listening to a VERY important voicemail to get a phone number we really really needed for service this weekend,and just as I am turning around on this really really muddy road...sister Harman drops the phone and...presses # 7 you guessed it DELETED!!!! and then I get distracted and guess who gets stuck in the mud...yupp...the sister missionaries in Lamoille valley.... well sister Harman is so kind to go out and try to push our only 2 wheel drive car out of the mud and of course I am on the gas pedal and guess who covers her comp in mud...I DID! so my companion Is covered in mud from head to toe... I am laughing so hard that...I LITTERALLY wet my pants...no joke it happened..."

Oh man I could totally see this happening! Riley I love you my Rusty Blonde Sister You!

8.  Easter is this weekend coming so share with us your testimony on
the Savior.

    I know that He lives and he loves us! We are never alone because of him! He rose again so that we may live again with him and through the atonement all mankind may be saved! 

Watch these!!!

    helives.mormon.org.

http://www.lds.org/video/holiday-videos/he-lives-celebrate-easter-because-jesus-christ-lives

 

Week 36: Temple and Transfers

Jeanette and Sister Stuart at the temple

So Question time:

1. Update on investigators, and reactivation efforts.
     Marcela-- was confirmed yesterday as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! She is AMAZING!!!

     Poonam-- Is progressing toward Baptism on April 5th! She is doing well and loves to make us Indian food!

    

     LA-- We have dropped cookies off at almost every Less active and Members in our area! They are loving it!

2. TONI--Transfers--what is happening?

     So Sister Barton is Going to Oakville South with Sister Sudweeks

     I am not killing this area... Which is super weird. But I am staying here with......Wait for it........ Sister Stoker! ha ha ha this is going to be fun!
 
3. Funniest story (these are my favorites so spare no details)
      Oh I got a Learning Farsi book! I completely flipped! Sister Barton still thinks I am crazy! Well this is going to be interesting! I don't know how they read scribbles! It is so weird! I also Got French learning books! I don't know how this is going to work here in an Italian area though!

       Ha ha so for our Zone Picture today they want us to wear a cat shirt! Oh how I do not like cats!

       We were Teaching Marcela and Rony! And we asked them to read the strength of youth and they did and they were asking us which words they should and shouldn't use! Soo funny!

Crazy District Picture Brampton

  
4. Most spiritual moment of the week?
      Definitely going to the temple! I can't even explain it! It was amazing! I saw Sister Lundin at the temple, I almost cried when I saw her!

      I also got to see Jeanette do Baptisms for the Dead for her own family! Oh my goodness! It was amazing! I loved it!

Tiffany, Jeanette and Sister Stuart at the Toronto Temple

5. Favorite teaching moment or contact?
      Last night we started teaching Marcela the New Member Lessons. We started again with the Restoration! It is amazing to see how much she has grown. And the testimony she has of Joseph Smith and of Prayer! She is absolutely amazing!

6. Something you learned about yourself that surprised you...
      That sometimes I am too strong for my own good! I am too stubborn sometimes! I just need to let someone help me! I have learned a lot about my testimony and what I need to do to strengthen the faith I have! I am doing well! and I love you all!

7. What do you see when you look out your apartment window?
      The ground!!!! ha ha ha we live in a basement apartment and there are only 2 windows in the whole place!
One you can see the neighbor's house and the other is the ground.

PICTURES sent from the Ramirez family 2 hours before the call of transfers

8. Share testimony of the temple. Toni I heard from Sister Gibson
200 missionaries were in the temple the other day. I would have loved
to have seen that. I hope you took some pictures.
      The Temple is the place to be! It is where we can be sealed by the priesthood power together as a family forever! I can't even explain the happiness you feel there! The Spirit is so strong and there is so much to learn there! I love being able to say that I am worthy to go into the House of the Lord! I love the opportunity we have to seal our families together now and with those who have passed! I am so grateful to be a member of this wonderful church!

Sister Barton, Jeanette, and Sister Stuart

Week 35: Eternal Perspective

Question time:

1. Update on investigators and reactivation efforts.

    Marcela-- She is soo excited to receive the Holy ghost this week!

    Janelle-- We did not get to meet with her this week, because she has to go to a funeral in Alberta.

    Nick-- is awesome! But we have not been able to meet with him this week yet either! 

     

    Sister Bertoia-- She is absolutely amazing! She married a non-member and has two kids! She is amazing! She realized that she wants to come to church more and she wants to be sealed in the temple with her family forever! She is so cute!

2. Favorite scripture of the week.

     Matthew 11:28-30

         28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give  you rest.

             29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

          30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

3.  Funniest moment of the week?

     So all day my District leader and us were talking in Scriptures! Oh man it was awesome! and soo funny! 

for example: Elders--Hebrews 14:16-17

                   Us--  psalms 56:11

Duck Faces with Ely (Marcela's sweet daughter)

Winky faces with Ely!

4.  What did you like the most from your zone conference?  Favorite
talk or topic?

     Oh man! It was amazing! It was all focused on Prayer, the Godhead, and the Atonement! 

     All of us literally had to re-evaluate our prayers! It was amazing! and We learned so much and definitely had a super spiritual experience.

     My Favorite of Every Zone Conference is Departing missionaries with in the next 3 months give a farewell testimony! Man the spirit is always soo strong and you learn so much! It is soo good!

Zone Conference with Brampton, Ossington and North York

5. What is a typical day in Brampton like for a missionary.   What do you do?  What is your favorite thing about Brampton?

    So Brampton is in our area but not our assigned area, which is Woodbridge and Bolton! So the typical day is studies, then finding usually OYMing or Tracting. then 1 or 2 lessons in the evening and then we go home and plan for the next day! Favorite thing about the area is the Members and the open roads and lots of trees!

6. Best Companion moment of the week?

    Well I Talked to this family playing hockey on the street! And I was trying to get them to talk more about hockey and I even asked if they could teach me! The dad just laughed and said we don't play we just do this for fun! After the Conversation Sister Barton just looked at me and laughed and said Really???

Ahhh! I tried! 

7.  Something you learned about yourself that surprised you..

     That My Testimony is stronger than I ever could have imagined, that I still have room to grow and that I can and have changed!

8.  Strongest testimony-strengthening experience of the week.

     Seeing Prayers answered as I was specific in what I needed! I know that he is there and that through sincere and direct prayer, when you are doing what is right... He WILL answer you according to HIS timetable! 

9.  My favorite part of the day is when...

     I look back at the end of the day and see the seeds planted.

     So a while ago in Don Valley with Sister Lundin, we were being pounded with people who we found were SUPER hard to love. We told Elder Gunnell this and he challenged us everyday to find one person who was hard to love and write 3 good things about why God loves them. I still try to do this and I have found more reasons that God loves people than I ever thought! I found that as we find why God loves people we end up finding love for them too!

10.  Share you testimony of the plan of salvation especially around
how families can be together forever.

       When I was 6, we had the opportunity to adopt Riley, Ryan, and Braxton! We then had an opportunity to be sealed together in the temple for all of time and eternity! I still remember being all together as a family, looking into a mirror that went on into eternity. I still think back at that picture that is etched into my brain. I have known that families are suppose to be not just for time but for eternity since I was a little kid! Now I find that I look back on these memories often, thinking that No matter what happens I will see my family again and I will be able to spend a happy eternity with them! I know that the Plan of Salvation is sooo true! I know that God loves us and wants us to be happy! He also knows that we have to sometimes go through the bitterest of times to truly accept the sweetest ones! 

I love you all! Don't you ever forget it!

Week 34: Love you eh?

Going to the Temple!!
Kamal, Sister Stuart and Barton

Things are looking up!

So question time

1.  Update on investigators and reactivation?

Marcela-- Her Baptism was absolutely AMAZING!!! The spirit was there! She testified of everything she knows to be true! She is so awesome! AHHH! I love her!

Poonam-- Came to church!! YAY!!!! and Marcela's baptism! She is so cute! We are trying to meet with her this week!

2.  How was going to the temple with Kamal?  Why should we be doing
our missionary work through genealogy?
     It was amazing! He was so happy! He went inside and he said he had questions that he had his prayers answered! He was so happy that he could be baptized for his dad and grandpa! He is so eagar to do more! 

     WHY NOT?!?! You literally uniting your families here and in the eternities! You gotta love it!

Kamal, Sister Stuart and Barton doing Family History

3. What was the funniest thing that happened to you this week?  (spare
no details)
     Ha ha ha So we had a Baptism eh? So we get a follow up call from our DL Elder Gibb last night and we secretly got 2 new investigators in 1 hour late last night and We answered the phone 

Us " Hi it is Sister Stuart and Sister Barton"

Him " So you had a baptism.....Did you reach standards?"

Us "WOOOOOO WOOOOOO WOOOO (indian noises) AHHHHHHH WOOOO AHHHHHH!!!!!"

Him "AHHHHH NO WAY!!!"

4.  Most spiritual moment of the week?
     At Marcela's Baptism! She got up and bore her testimony! She looks at Sister Baron and I and I just started to cry! I didn't even stand a chance! 

Marcela's Baptism

5.  Favorite teaching moment and why?
     Teaching Marcela! Because EVERY time you talk to her you learn something new and you can instantly feel the Spirit when she starts to testify of this gospel!

6.  Tell me something you learned about YOURSELF this week (a quality,
etc, that you didn't know you had etc)
     That I am becoming more Patient as I put myself in the other person's shoes! It is so hard sometimes! Patience comes from love first!

7.  I felt The Lord guiding me the most this week when...
     Were lead to find 2 solid investigators in the last hour of the week! As we prayed for people to find! It was amazing! 

8. My FIRST thought this morning, as I woke up was..
    Is it really Monday? Why is it so dang cold in here? Did yesterday really just happen??

Toronto Temple-Ward Missionary's Car

9.  My favorite study session this week centered on...
     Finding Faith in Jesus Christ and Increasing that faith will increase EVERYTHING else in your life! It is just that simple! I love it! 

10. If I could talk face to face with the Savior, I would ask Him....

     What I could do to be more like him......

Sister Stuart a Missionary of the Lord's

WEEK 33: PROGRESSION!

LOVE YOU ALL!!

When are the next transfers?  

   Transfer calls are March 22nd and Transfer day is March 24th

Do you get to go to the temple this week with Kamal? take pictures. 

   Yes we definitely do! I am so excited! GUESS WHAT?!?! Jeanette will be there as well! I am sooo excited! This is the First time I have seen her since before Christmas! YAY!!

Question time: 

1.  Update on investigators and reactivation efforts? 

     Marcela-- She is getting Baptized this week!! AHHH!! I am so Happy and Excited!      

Poonam-- (kamal's wife) She understands everything!! AHH! So this week we brought with us a YSA member named Ekam to teach with us! She speaks Punjabi and was able to translate everything! She Is looking forward to being baptized on April 5th.

2.  What is your current favorite scripture and why? 

    That is a hard question!

     I like Ether 12:6, 27 because it tells us what faith is and tells us that we will only gain a witness after the trial of our faith and as we turn over our weaknesses, he will make us stronger:

 6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore,dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves

 before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

   

  and Moroni 1:2-3 because this is the attitude we should have!

2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.

 3  And  I,  Moroni,  will  not  deny  the  Christ;  wherefore,  I wander  whithersoever  I  can  for  the safety  of  mine  own  life.

3.  What has been your biggest challenge this week?  What has been your biggest success? 

     Staying within our K limit! (This is the number of miles they can do in a month 1700 Ks)

     We Broke our record for Member Presents this week in our area since it was made in august of 2013! 7 Member Presents! YAY!!!!

4.  What are you looking forward to this coming week? 

     Going to the Temple with Kamal on Saturday and seeing Jeanette there as well! and Then Marcela getting baptized on Sunday!

5.  How was your walk with the Savior this week? 

     Pretty good! I have been studying more about his life and it has been great!

6.  Any big things happening in the mission?  New direction?  Visitors? 

    Not That I have heard of yet but we will find out next week! 

7.  My companion and I this week bonded over? 

    Jamaican Patties... YUM

8.  Five things I am grateful for this week and why? 

    Food-- I just really love food

    Service-- service to others is how we serve God and how we find ourselves

    Progression-- Is something we cannot go without

    Patience-- the gateway Christ like attribute, once you've mastered it everything else seems to flow (still working on it!)

    Sports-- A very good way to relieve stress and keep you fit