Hello my favorite people! Just another week in paradise! We had some pretty amazing experiences this week, but I'll start off with the funniest part of the week.
Tuesday night, we did something that was so Canadian! A part member family had us over for a Fondue night! I don't know about you guys, but when someone says fondue, I think either cheese or chocolate. Apparently that is not the Canadian way! Fondue means using fondue pots to deep fry chunks of moose meat! And you have to try and eat as much as you possibly can... so not what I could have ever expected! I don't think I've ever eaten so much meat at one time. I still feel fat after a week of recovery! but it was so worth it, we had a blast!
I have a new companion! Her name is Sister V, and she is from Middleton, ID! Two Idaho Girls, Cherry Grove is in for some crazy adventures! She's been out for 13 months, and her whole mission has been in Edmonton, so being out in the middle of no where has been a bit of a shock for her! We are having so much fun together, and she is an incredible missionary! Her testimony blows me away, and I have no doubt she will work miracles here!
Friday, we were volunteering at the cafe on the military base. We had been trying to get ahold of the guy we met a few weeks ago that wanted to learn more, but we weren't really getting anywhere. I kept praying that we would get to see him one more time before our volunteer time was finished. Prayers are answered! He walked in about 30 minutes before we left! We asked if we could teach him, and he agreed to meeting later that afternoon! We met at Tim Hortons, and IT WAS SO HOT! There AC wasn't working, and so it was the hottest lesson I've ever taught! haha #canadaprobs I'm so glad I came somewhere that's hot only 4 months a year. We had a great lesson with him, and he's totally open to learning more! The only setback that he has right now is seeing a need for God in his life. He's only turned to God when he needs him, so I pray that we can help him see the need for God in his life.
Friday night, we went to a member's house for a "spontaneous" drop by. Haha they have 2 grandkids who are less active, and they come to their house every Friday for dinner. So we planned it all out, and we dropped in! Both of them were there, and we ended up having a great time! They both love guns, hunting, anything redneck! haha So all we had to do was ask them about those things, and next thing we knew, we had scheduled a time to help them with projects at the house! It amazing how taking interest in what other people love will open doors. Although I'm in for a lot of conversations about guns and hunting and engines, I'm so glad we are able to help bring these wonderful people back.
This week has been a little all over the place for our investigator W. He finished the Book of Mormon!! It only took him 2 1/2 weeks! He absolutely loved this book, but he decided to do some research online about it.... Ah! Satan is so sneaking! He found pages upon pages of Anti-mormon information, and you could just feel the contention coming from him. He came to church on Sunday and informed us that he had a lot of questions to talk to us about in our next lesson. I knew exactly what he meant, and I was terrified! haha He's such an intelligent man, and he researches everything! But I knew that if we followed the Spirit, we could talk him through it.
We brought some strong members with us as backup. Haha and then we let him express his concerns. It's amazing how awful people can be! haha the mood became tense pretty quick, and all of us were ready to jump to the defense, but as we let his concerns come out, we were able to get rid of all of that negativity and bring it back to faith. W has expressed time and time again that he wants to have faith, but he doesn't know how.
I was reading a talk by Elder Holland called "Lord, I Believe", and he said so many great things about faith. I decided to share this part with him, "hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.....The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue—it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know." I have a testimony of useful personal study! Haha it was exactly what he needed to hear, and it gave him something to hold on to. Then Sister V shared a powerhouse of a testimony about God's love for him, and the Spirit was tangible! It was so cool, and I know that Will is getting closer and closer to fully accepting the gospel. Sadly, he's heading to California for a month, but we'll have one more lesson with him before he leaves.
Well this week has been so amazing, and I can't believe that half of my mission is already complete! It really goes faster than anyone tells you! As I've thought about the last 9 months, I have so many wonderful things to be grateful for, and I have no regrets. But I do know that the next 9 months are so special. I am so inadequate of this role as a missionary and so imperfect, but I'm going to work harder than I have in my whole life to accomplish what the Lord has in store for me. It's been the best decision of my life to serve a mission, and I will forever treasure this time I've had here in Canada. I'm so glad I've still got 9 more months to see the gospel change lives.
Have a wonderful 4th of July everyone! I'll be sporting my red, white, and blue anyway! I love you!
Sister Bethany Christensen
#blessed
Tuesday night, we did something that was so Canadian! A part member family had us over for a Fondue night! I don't know about you guys, but when someone says fondue, I think either cheese or chocolate. Apparently that is not the Canadian way! Fondue means using fondue pots to deep fry chunks of moose meat! And you have to try and eat as much as you possibly can... so not what I could have ever expected! I don't think I've ever eaten so much meat at one time. I still feel fat after a week of recovery! but it was so worth it, we had a blast!
I have a new companion! Her name is Sister V, and she is from Middleton, ID! Two Idaho Girls, Cherry Grove is in for some crazy adventures! She's been out for 13 months, and her whole mission has been in Edmonton, so being out in the middle of no where has been a bit of a shock for her! We are having so much fun together, and she is an incredible missionary! Her testimony blows me away, and I have no doubt she will work miracles here!
Friday, we were volunteering at the cafe on the military base. We had been trying to get ahold of the guy we met a few weeks ago that wanted to learn more, but we weren't really getting anywhere. I kept praying that we would get to see him one more time before our volunteer time was finished. Prayers are answered! He walked in about 30 minutes before we left! We asked if we could teach him, and he agreed to meeting later that afternoon! We met at Tim Hortons, and IT WAS SO HOT! There AC wasn't working, and so it was the hottest lesson I've ever taught! haha #canadaprobs I'm so glad I came somewhere that's hot only 4 months a year. We had a great lesson with him, and he's totally open to learning more! The only setback that he has right now is seeing a need for God in his life. He's only turned to God when he needs him, so I pray that we can help him see the need for God in his life.
Friday night, we went to a member's house for a "spontaneous" drop by. Haha they have 2 grandkids who are less active, and they come to their house every Friday for dinner. So we planned it all out, and we dropped in! Both of them were there, and we ended up having a great time! They both love guns, hunting, anything redneck! haha So all we had to do was ask them about those things, and next thing we knew, we had scheduled a time to help them with projects at the house! It amazing how taking interest in what other people love will open doors. Although I'm in for a lot of conversations about guns and hunting and engines, I'm so glad we are able to help bring these wonderful people back.
This week has been a little all over the place for our investigator W. He finished the Book of Mormon!! It only took him 2 1/2 weeks! He absolutely loved this book, but he decided to do some research online about it.... Ah! Satan is so sneaking! He found pages upon pages of Anti-mormon information, and you could just feel the contention coming from him. He came to church on Sunday and informed us that he had a lot of questions to talk to us about in our next lesson. I knew exactly what he meant, and I was terrified! haha He's such an intelligent man, and he researches everything! But I knew that if we followed the Spirit, we could talk him through it.
We brought some strong members with us as backup. Haha and then we let him express his concerns. It's amazing how awful people can be! haha the mood became tense pretty quick, and all of us were ready to jump to the defense, but as we let his concerns come out, we were able to get rid of all of that negativity and bring it back to faith. W has expressed time and time again that he wants to have faith, but he doesn't know how.
I was reading a talk by Elder Holland called "Lord, I Believe", and he said so many great things about faith. I decided to share this part with him, "hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.....The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue—it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know." I have a testimony of useful personal study! Haha it was exactly what he needed to hear, and it gave him something to hold on to. Then Sister V shared a powerhouse of a testimony about God's love for him, and the Spirit was tangible! It was so cool, and I know that Will is getting closer and closer to fully accepting the gospel. Sadly, he's heading to California for a month, but we'll have one more lesson with him before he leaves.
Well this week has been so amazing, and I can't believe that half of my mission is already complete! It really goes faster than anyone tells you! As I've thought about the last 9 months, I have so many wonderful things to be grateful for, and I have no regrets. But I do know that the next 9 months are so special. I am so inadequate of this role as a missionary and so imperfect, but I'm going to work harder than I have in my whole life to accomplish what the Lord has in store for me. It's been the best decision of my life to serve a mission, and I will forever treasure this time I've had here in Canada. I'm so glad I've still got 9 more months to see the gospel change lives.
Have a wonderful 4th of July everyone! I'll be sporting my red, white, and blue anyway! I love you!
Sister Bethany Christensen
#blessed
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