December 7, 2015

What a week! There have been so many miracles! I love it here in Canada, I love Spanish, and I love the people!

After arriving at the airport in Canada we met our mission president and his wife. They are the best! They are the cutest and super loving. Right after leaving the airport, missionaries took us straight to the streets to go contacting!!! Haha, on the first day in Canada!  I always expected people to ignore us, slam doors, or want nothing to do with us. But I was surprised at how many people listen. Canada is so diverse! While contacting on that first day, we met this woman from China who was going to school in ______. We asked who Christ was to her. She said she didn't know. She was super open and wanted to learn more! We got her contact info and set up an appointment (which sadly we had to pass her on to the other missionaries). We talked to many other people on the streets and even knocked on a door. It was cool hearing people's beliefs and being able to share ours with them. I had always heard that God prepares His people, but I got to experience that first hand!! It was amazing to see that what we are doing as missionaries is finding those people who are prepared to hear His message.

The next day we got our trainer and companionship! I'm in a trio again! Hermana ______ is from Arizona. She is our trainer. And Hermana ______ is my companion again!! It is so fun being with these Hermanas!

On our second day in Canada, first day in our area, we went right to work. We were supposed to have a lesson with one of our investigators named ______, but it fell through. So we decided to go contacting instead. We walked up and started talking to this man across the street. We asked him about Christ and how he would feel if he could be with his family forever. He opened up to us and told us his whole life story. He had been through the highest highs and was now in the lowest lows. He was rich, married, had a golf course in his back yard. But then he lost everything: his wife, money, and his house.  Although he was still in a hard time he told us, no matter what you loose, never loose your heart and never loose your smile! I believe His trials prepared him to hear the Gospel. It humbled him and will help him change his life for the better! We told him of how happy the Gospel would make him. Then I asked him if he wanted to be baptized. AND HE SAID YES!! We had a follow up lesson with him and taught him about the Plan of Salvation. He said he wanted to change his life around. We set up a baptismal date with him! I am so exited to see how much he will progress in his life and how much of a difference this Gospel and Christ will make in his life! 

This week we have met so many people!! Miracle after miracle after miracle has been happening. We had this lesson with a less active and part member family. The mother had been baptized but was no longer going to church. We came in and showed her family the LDS Christmas video "A Savior is Born." Then we talked about Christ. She was really closed off, and not very willing to work with us. The next couple of days we prayed for her and studied what to teach. We felt that we needed to ask her questions, and be a little bold. We went in and asked questions and just kind of reminded her of how this Gospel has helped her and why she wanted to be in this church. The questions helped a ton. It was more of a conversation and she was able to direct the lesson to where it needed to go because we were aware of her needs. She said before when she read the Book of Mormon, it gave her peace. She said when she read it, she didn't feel lonely even when she was alone. I was so happy. This is because when we read the scriptures, it brings us closer to Christ. He is always there for us. The spirit was so strong in the lesson. It was such a perfect lesson. Everything she said was a perfect reminder of who Christ and Heavenly Father meant to her. She was a completely different person from the first time we met her! It was amazing! We invited her to come to church, read her scriptures and pray everyday. And she said yes. That was a big step for her! There is no way she would have said yes if it wasn't for the spirit. At the end of the lesson, we asked each member of the family if they would say the closing prayer, but nobody would. We asked the mom again, told her how to do it, and then all three of us didn't wait for her answer but folded our arms and bowed our heads (haha, we didn't plan this). It was the right kind of push that she needed. Her prayer was beautiful! She prayed that their hearts would be open to God one more time, that they would find a ride to church, and that she would have energy to read the Book of Mormon every day. 

There are so many people, and so little time when it comes to misisonary work.  I have never cared about people as much as I do with these people. We have found one of the hardest things is that people have agency, haha. It's hard when you know something will bless them and give them exactly what they need. It will give them salvation and the ability to live with their families with God forever. But they just don't go to church or do what we ask them to. But it is a working process. It's hard to see that the blessings don't come until after you exercise faith. And that is what we try to teach everyday. 

My area is in _________. We serve in the English second ward, and the Spanish branch. I love these people. The Spanish ward is so loving!! I can't believe how sweet the Spanish people are! And the English ward is amazing! I am so blessed. And we don't ever have to worry about not having enough food, because they feed us so often!! 

There is SO much more to tell, but no time to explain it all!! I love you all but more importantly Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you!! Pray and read your scriptures; you will be blessed with guidance, and feel God's love every time you read! Yo quiero mucho! 

Sister Sharie Rowley