Sister Syd: Canada Week 71: Choose to live in the here and now!

Hello hello my wonderful friends and family! Another adventure filled week has come and gone. Every day seems to bring something new - sometimes it's exciting and sometimes not so much - but we have the power to choose how we see it. I hope you all had a good week.

This week we were blessed to have virtual exchanges with the sister missionaries we are over. It was SOOO much fun to be with them (even if it is through a screen). They are each so amazing in their own way, and I am grateful to be serving with such strong, faithful sisters! They are also wonderful examples to me and I am grateful that God placed me right here right now to serve with them. We also had a Sister Training Leader's call and it was also fun to be with all of those beautiful sisters. We have thoroughly been enjoying the uncharacteristic warm Canadian weather that has allowed for us to go on many nice walks to find new people and get fresh air. Honestly it has been one of the biggest blessings God has provided this winter with all the Covid restrictions and increased time inside. We even got to say hello to the Elders in the area this week who don't live too far from us. Sadly, this past week we had a lot of our lessons cancel and our Internet decided to stop working...but no worries...we were still able to have a few lessons and became expert car lesson givers! :) It was fun to meet with more ward members and visit with others and share testimony with each other. It was just wonderful. We were able to teach a couple investigator lessons and help them progress in a positive way. As always, we continue to try and pray to find others who may need us. We also fill as much time as we can serving others as well as our weekly planned service. A highlight was walking President Cowley's dog Moose again. Well - I say it is us taking her for a walk, but in all reality, it is more her taking us for a walk! She is sure an excited fluffy thing, and we love it! Sunday night my companion and I went live on Facebook with a Come Follow Me study. It is posted on our group Facebook page called Finding Christ in North Edmonton if you want to check it out. It was super fun, and the message we shared what just the reminder I needed! ♡

As for my thoughts - there are many - but this week I want to share of the importance of focusing on the here and now. I continually strive to do this each day, but I tend to worry about things to come, and over think the things to do come. New light was shed on this idea as I listened to talk given in one of our sacrament meetings yesterday. The man's topic was about looking to the future. He shared that as we look towards the future, we can get there by doing small and simple things, and by focusing on each day and even each moment as they come. He said this begins as as we focus on our breath in each moment. Too much of life is focused on the end result, or the finish line, and we tend to overlook the life we are living right now. People can also look to the future as a means to pass through the now. If there is one thing I know - it is that the future doesn't change if we don't change right now. Nothing will be different if we don't work towards it each and every day. We are taught this in Alma as he talks with his son Helaman. Alma 37:6, "...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." It is in the small and simple steps we take each day that we will bring about great change with Gods divine help. We can shape the future we desire with the choices we make NOW. Thomson S. Monson said it best, "Decisions determine destiny." We all need to enjoy the moments as they come. We need to allow ourselves to acknowledge and feel each emotion, each adventure, each opportunity, whatever it may be! I know that God has great things in store for each of us with every step we take.

Sorry my email is a little on the shorter side this week, but know every word is said out of love. I am so grateful for my Savior and the chance He has given me to try over and over again - every moment of every day. I am grateful that God has given us the power to choose - to choose gratitude, happiness, positivity, growth and more. Each day is a chance of new opportunities IF we look for and seize them. God has big plans for each of us. His work is a great work and it is an honor to be a part of!

I still love and miss you all! Always remember to smile! ♡

Love, Sister Merrill