It was another good week here in Canada! The work was a bit slower, but God still didn't cease to be good! I know that I will continue to see the goodness of God over and over again on my mission because I already have. No matter how hard it gets, or how slow things feel, I know there is a reason for it all. There is a quote I found and have come to love on my mission that says, "The gospel has been given to heal our pain, not prevent it." I can't remember who said it, but I love it. We have the gospel to give us hope, and with it we can overcome anything!
Even though not a whole lot happened this week, we tried our very best to work hard each day finding people. We walked and tried to talk to people we came in contact with. Most, except maybe 3 people, turned us away. They just weren't interested or straight up ignored us. It's okay though because God counts our efforts no matter how small or insignificant they are. It doesn't make it any less hard, but it does provide us with a hope and peace knowing that we are in God's hands. I know the more we trust in Him, the more we will recognize when people are ready. We also tried to set up some appointments for the week, but people were rather unresponsive. We were able to have some fun supper appointments with some ward members so that was good. I am so grateful for the members here for taking care of us and serving us. On Thursday we went into Edmonton for an in-person district council meeting. We met at a park and sat six feet apart on the grass. It was kind of strange, but worth it to see other missionaries. Something I have really enjoyed here is helping members with their gardens. I have loved serving them by working with them to get their gardens planted and ready. Friday morning we helped some members plant their huge garden plot. There were six of us planting and there was still more to do when we had to leave after a couple of hours. It was crazy but so fun! This week my companion and I made a bunch of banana bread and took it to members and neighbors. It was so amazing to serve them in such a simple way and to see how much they loved and appreciated it!
Despite the slow week, we were still able to teach a few lessons. Then Sunday was filled with miracles upon miracles. We had a bible study with a guy from Australia who commented on one of my Facebook posts. It was very interesting - can't say I have ever done a legit bible study with someone before. He had a lot of good scriptures to share with us so that was cool. We even got to talk a little about the Book of Mormon. We are going to meet with him again and share more verses in the Book of Mormon. We were also able to help another woman we are teaching from Kenya figure out how to find missionaries in her area. Yesterday God was just so good and even helped us set up Sunday lessons. We were invited to a sacrament service with the same family as last week and they had their two non-member grandkids there again. We had a very special fast and testimony meeting and the spirit was so strong! I am so grateful we are able to worship and partake of the sacrament in home during these crazy Covid-19 times until church resumes. We also had another lesson with Raj. We shared Alma the Younger's experience with him. He felt that he related a lot to the story which was really neat. The member we have fellow-shipping with him shared his conversion story and that truly brought an amazing spirit to the lesson. The spirit present during that lesson was stronger than it has ever been before. It was awesome! Unfortunately we had to drop a person that we have been teaching this week. He expressed his perspective and thoughts to us and said he just wasn't interested to know more or to find out for himself. We still had a good visit with him. I am truly grateful for the variety of opportunities and experiences that God provides for me daily.
I want to share a few things from my studies this week. I studied in Come Follow Me yesterday and I LOVED it! The lesson was Alma 5-7 and it was all about conversion, being spiritually reborn, and changing our hearts. One thing that particularly impressed me was that conversion to Christ is in ongoing process. It is continuous. It is a daily effort on our part to choose Christ everyday! It is loving Him enough to allow Him to change us. Sometimes this change can be painful, it can be hard, but it is worth it! I loved the section in Alma 5:14-33. It lists "introspective questions," we can ask ourselves. M.Russell Ballard said, "I need to regularly take time to ask myself, 'how am I doing?' It's kind of like having a personal, private interview with yourself...As a guide for me during this private, personal interview, I like to read and ponder the introspective words found in the fifth chapter of Alma." I found this to be very profound and have thought a lot about it. I love that Alma provided us with a set of questions to we can ask ourselves today. As we ponder our answers it will help us see where we are along our own path of conversion to Christ.
Another thing I loved from my studies this week was from a talk my cousin invited me to read and study called, "Plow in Hope," by Neal A. Maxwell from April 2001. There is a section where he talks about recognizing God's plan and that we need to develop a mindset of letting "God's will be done." He says, "often we say 'thy will be done' but we need to learn to say, 'thy TIMING be done.' " It is one thing to trust in God's will, but another to remember God has his own timetable. We need to trust in His timing. This related to another thought my mom shared with me a while back that I loved and remembered this week. It says, "You may be ready for what God has for you, but somebody else who is going to be involved is not ready yet. God must do a work in another person or in another situation before your prayers can be answered. All the pieces must come together for it to be Heavenly Father's perfect time. All the pieces must come together for it to be right in His time frame." It is all up to God and His timing. Maybe we are ready, or feel ready for something we have been praying for, but somebody or something that is involved isn't ready yet. "Faith in God includes faith in God's timing." -Neal A. Maxwell.
I just want to end with my testimony that I know we are given trials and hard things to give us experience. Whether we are supposed to learn something from it now, or in the future, or in the next life, we won't always know, but we can rest in the assurance that it is for our good. Just like Joseph Smith's experiences and as he was in Carthage Jail - he was reminded by God that "all of these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." (D&C 122:7)
I love and miss you all! I hope everyone has a wonderful week full of love and happiness, even if it is hard. Remember God knows all!
Love, Sister Merrill
Even though not a whole lot happened this week, we tried our very best to work hard each day finding people. We walked and tried to talk to people we came in contact with. Most, except maybe 3 people, turned us away. They just weren't interested or straight up ignored us. It's okay though because God counts our efforts no matter how small or insignificant they are. It doesn't make it any less hard, but it does provide us with a hope and peace knowing that we are in God's hands. I know the more we trust in Him, the more we will recognize when people are ready. We also tried to set up some appointments for the week, but people were rather unresponsive. We were able to have some fun supper appointments with some ward members so that was good. I am so grateful for the members here for taking care of us and serving us. On Thursday we went into Edmonton for an in-person district council meeting. We met at a park and sat six feet apart on the grass. It was kind of strange, but worth it to see other missionaries. Something I have really enjoyed here is helping members with their gardens. I have loved serving them by working with them to get their gardens planted and ready. Friday morning we helped some members plant their huge garden plot. There were six of us planting and there was still more to do when we had to leave after a couple of hours. It was crazy but so fun! This week my companion and I made a bunch of banana bread and took it to members and neighbors. It was so amazing to serve them in such a simple way and to see how much they loved and appreciated it!
Despite the slow week, we were still able to teach a few lessons. Then Sunday was filled with miracles upon miracles. We had a bible study with a guy from Australia who commented on one of my Facebook posts. It was very interesting - can't say I have ever done a legit bible study with someone before. He had a lot of good scriptures to share with us so that was cool. We even got to talk a little about the Book of Mormon. We are going to meet with him again and share more verses in the Book of Mormon. We were also able to help another woman we are teaching from Kenya figure out how to find missionaries in her area. Yesterday God was just so good and even helped us set up Sunday lessons. We were invited to a sacrament service with the same family as last week and they had their two non-member grandkids there again. We had a very special fast and testimony meeting and the spirit was so strong! I am so grateful we are able to worship and partake of the sacrament in home during these crazy Covid-19 times until church resumes. We also had another lesson with Raj. We shared Alma the Younger's experience with him. He felt that he related a lot to the story which was really neat. The member we have fellow-shipping with him shared his conversion story and that truly brought an amazing spirit to the lesson. The spirit present during that lesson was stronger than it has ever been before. It was awesome! Unfortunately we had to drop a person that we have been teaching this week. He expressed his perspective and thoughts to us and said he just wasn't interested to know more or to find out for himself. We still had a good visit with him. I am truly grateful for the variety of opportunities and experiences that God provides for me daily.
I want to share a few things from my studies this week. I studied in Come Follow Me yesterday and I LOVED it! The lesson was Alma 5-7 and it was all about conversion, being spiritually reborn, and changing our hearts. One thing that particularly impressed me was that conversion to Christ is in ongoing process. It is continuous. It is a daily effort on our part to choose Christ everyday! It is loving Him enough to allow Him to change us. Sometimes this change can be painful, it can be hard, but it is worth it! I loved the section in Alma 5:14-33. It lists "introspective questions," we can ask ourselves. M.Russell Ballard said, "I need to regularly take time to ask myself, 'how am I doing?' It's kind of like having a personal, private interview with yourself...As a guide for me during this private, personal interview, I like to read and ponder the introspective words found in the fifth chapter of Alma." I found this to be very profound and have thought a lot about it. I love that Alma provided us with a set of questions to we can ask ourselves today. As we ponder our answers it will help us see where we are along our own path of conversion to Christ.
Another thing I loved from my studies this week was from a talk my cousin invited me to read and study called, "Plow in Hope," by Neal A. Maxwell from April 2001. There is a section where he talks about recognizing God's plan and that we need to develop a mindset of letting "God's will be done." He says, "often we say 'thy will be done' but we need to learn to say, 'thy TIMING be done.' " It is one thing to trust in God's will, but another to remember God has his own timetable. We need to trust in His timing. This related to another thought my mom shared with me a while back that I loved and remembered this week. It says, "You may be ready for what God has for you, but somebody else who is going to be involved is not ready yet. God must do a work in another person or in another situation before your prayers can be answered. All the pieces must come together for it to be Heavenly Father's perfect time. All the pieces must come together for it to be right in His time frame." It is all up to God and His timing. Maybe we are ready, or feel ready for something we have been praying for, but somebody or something that is involved isn't ready yet. "Faith in God includes faith in God's timing." -Neal A. Maxwell.
I just want to end with my testimony that I know we are given trials and hard things to give us experience. Whether we are supposed to learn something from it now, or in the future, or in the next life, we won't always know, but we can rest in the assurance that it is for our good. Just like Joseph Smith's experiences and as he was in Carthage Jail - he was reminded by God that "all of these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." (D&C 122:7)
I love and miss you all! I hope everyone has a wonderful week full of love and happiness, even if it is hard. Remember God knows all!
Love, Sister Merrill
Canadian treat!
Serving by baking and sharing
District Council - "Sistrict"
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