Sister Syd: Canada Week 33: The Book of Mormon is wonderful!

Hello hello friends and family! I hope everyone's week was good and full of memories during this crazy time!

My week was full of service and lessons and it was oh so good! The weather is finally getting to be so nice up here and we were able to be outside quite a bit! It was lovely!
I was able to meet a couple more members of the ward here this week. We also had a couple suppers around an outdoor fire - maintaining social distancing rules of course. We had hot dogs, or "smokies" as they say here, s'mores and ice-cream. We listened to stories from the members and memories they had made and shared some good gospel discussions. It was awesome! With another couple we had supper with, we talked about counseling with God and how we have so many things to be grateful for! God's hand is in everything - He truly is in the details of our everyday! We just need to put forth effort and action on our part to look for His hand - it is always there. This has been one of my favorite things to study and strengthen my perspective on. I have kept a tender mercy journal on my mission and have written down how I have seen His hand in each day - it has been really amazing! I know that prayers are answered and I know He is always listening and watching out for us. He loves us more than we will ever comprehend in this life.

We were so blessed to serve members this week. One family called and asked if we could help out in their yard and of course we said yes! We were able to help rake leaves and pine needles and clean things around their property for a couple days. It was so nice be outside and serve our members. Another member invited us to come and help with his firewood stock. We wheeled the wood by his shed to him and he would cut it up and then we stacked it back up. It was super fun! I think wood is so pretty and smells so good! While we were working he told us stories from gathering the wood to different hunting trips he had taken. It was so cool to hear more about his life and get to know him more. We were also able to go to another member's home to help cut up pig meat! They had a pig just hanging in their garage and they showed us how to get meat from the different parts of the pig and cut it up. We even ground some of the meat. It was a pretty neat experience!

Another fun thing this week was a visit from two sister missionaries in our district. They got permission to come and spend some time with us. It was nice to have them here and have fun with them! We shared some cool studies and one of the sisters taught my companion and I how to cross-stitch! It was a lot of fun!

As for the title of this email - the Book of Mormon is so wonderful! I studied it a lot this week and I was able to strengthen my testimony of it and the beautiful messages and blessings that it contains! I have always loved that we refer to the Book of Mormon as the 'keystone of our religion' because it truly holds our religion together. In Preach My Gospel it says that this book holds us together because it is a witness of Christ, it contains the fullness of Christ's doctrine and is the foundation of our testimonies! How incredible is that?! It truly testifies and is able to convince that Jesus is the Christ! It also testifies of the Bible's truthfulness by clarifying and explaining Bible passages. It can also answer any question that we may have - both temporal and spiritual. I have tried it and can testify that it is true! I am so grateful for the power that we can access as we prayerfully read the Book of Mormon. I have read one chapter in the morning and before I go to bed every day for the past couple weeks and there has been such a difference in my days and in my attitude! It is so incredible how wonderful it is! One of my favorite verses I came across this past week was 2 Nephi 4:20-21: [20] "My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. [21] He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh." One part that particularly stuck out to me is, "He hath filled me with His love." God has filled me with so much love time and time again. Love for myself and love for those around me and I could not be more grateful for that! His love is so powerful! Another verse that stuck out to me is 2 Nephi 33:10, "And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and He hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good." What an incredible promise! Even if you don't have a belief or testimony of the Book of Mormon, if you believe in Christ your belief in it's words can come! I have seen it in my own life and I will forever cherish my testimony and the words shared in this wonderful book!

I just want to end with my simple testimony of the Book of Mormon and of God's hand in our lives. I know God is there. I know He loves me and is listening to me and each and everyone of us. I know the Book of Mormon is the true word of God and that the promises and blessings found within it are true. This book brings so much peace into my life and I will forever be grateful for it.

I love and miss you all and hope that everyone has a splendid week! Keep the faith! Keep smiling! God never ceases to be good! He is always there!

Love, Sister Merrill