Apr 29

FREEDOM!!

Hey there everyone!

Sorry again that I sent about nothing last week... It was one of those days where you just have too much to do. :P But! I'm free from days like that. Hah!

Hold on, I'll explain. :)

So this week was wonderful. The last two weeks were both wonderful, actually. Elder Murphy and I have been really trying to improve the way that we work here in Laval, and it's starting to pay off. We've been having more quality time with more quality people. It's a good feeling. And en plus, as if that wasn't enough, I feel like we've been learning SO MUCH about how to be good missionaries! It's been a really intense couple weeks. Really busy, but really good. :) 

The start of this week was an odd thing that doesn't happen alot, but is nice when it does. We had all of our lessons fall through on Monday, so we got to spend a little bit of time with the member that we had brought along and just get to know him. His name is Guy (pronounced Gi, like the thing you wear in Karate) Simard, and he's the coolest members of the Church I've ever met. One of those guys (Hah! Get it?) that had a really rough life before finding the gospel. It actually took him three years after meeting the missionaries before he had PERMISSION from the area authorities to get baptized.... so that should say all you need to know. But! As of this month he's been faithfully attending church for the last seven years, and a faithful member for the last four. He has the smallest appartment I've ever seen in Québec, barely enough money to survive, almost no contact with his family, and he's the happiest man I've ever met. Why? Because of the gospel. He comes out teaching with us a minimum of twice a week (if we take him less he calls us and complains) and he's been talking about taking his vacation time in June to come knock on doors with us. It's impossible to describe guy, so I attached a picture of me and him. He's everything you can expect to find in un vrai québecois. :)

It was good to spend some quality time with guy. Then, the next day we met with an inactive member and his girlfriend. They recently made the decision that she needs to get baptized, but they didn't really care much in which church. We just happened to knock on their door the same week.... coincidence?! She's awesome. She understands the gospel WAY better than her member boyfriend. Usually we invite people to read and pray, and they never find the time because they don't think it's that important. She complained because we didn't give her enough chapters for homework, and said she's already been praying. 

That's quality. :) Or, as we say in Canada, That's a miracle. :D

Other than that some highlights from this week were picking up an elder with no companion who had carpooled up from ottawa with the sisters (don't worry, he's not apostate, just a special situation. :P), and ZONE COUNCIL! Oh, we had a name change, it's called mission leadership council now. No no, I promise, it really IS important what you call it. ; )

And then, the biggest event. Saturday. transfer calls. FREEDOM!!!!

I'm being released as a zone leader. :) That's the good news. No more stress,  just a little small town area called Hawkesbury (in ontario, in ENGLISH.... that's the bad news...) and only a little baby district to worry about. I'm super stoked. :) The bad news, of course.... is that I have to leave my beloved ward, and my beloved branch, and my beloved companion, and my beloved investigators...... it's really bad news actually.... I've always said that being transferred is my least favorite part of missionary work, and it's still true. But! I've learned here, I've loved here, I've seen the work go forward here, and I know the Lord has something in mind for me elsewhere. An important part of faith is believing that The Lord knows better than us, right? Right. So! Sorry there wasn't more spirituality in this letter. That one I'll have to do better on... but! I love all of you, and the next time I write you, I'll be in a different country! (Not literally..... but if you ever come to Québec you'll agree that it's really not Canada. :P)

À la prochaine!

 

Elder Christensen