Master, the Tempest is Raging

Do you know the hymn master the tempest is raging? That hymn helped me a lot this week. I'm getting better at talking to people! On Sunday, Sister Rios and I helped the primary with an activity. For the activity we were time travelers. I played a Nephite who saw Christ and Sister Rios was Mary Magdalene. the primary kids loved it! Oh, on Thursday night we had dinner with Sister Sheedy. We were talking, and I mentioned that I'm Guatemalan so she told me that that reminded her of this quote from a movie, "it's because of my Guatemalaness isnt it?" It was so funny! I'm totally saying that now! Someone was telling us that missions are like 2 minutes in the Lords time, and that that is why they are so important and why we need to make them count because it geso by so fast.

This area is not an easy area. It's really hard, actually, but that just means we have to give it our all! Investigators aren't falling into our laps and we don't have baptisms every week, but that doesn't mean we aren't working hard and doing our best. Every night when we get back home and we are just so tired I know that it is because we did our best. Even, though, days are hard and sometimes things don't work out, I know that this is the most important thing that I could be doing right now. I know that "these afflictions are for but a small moment and that if i endure well I will inherit the kingdom of God." D&C is so great, especially as a missionary. The scriptures really just mean so much more when you put your name in them. It's like the Lord is speaking to each of us personally.

Kelly and Loretta made some great progress! On Tuesday, they were asking questions and being more involved! Oh, and they didn't smoke while we were there! Elder Rangel and Elder Culombe gave the training and it was great! Also he can't say Gonzalez, which is pretty funny. Canadians in general just can't seem to say Gonzalez. Also, I have been called Sister Gomez so many times, it's annoying! There was a really bad snow storm on Wednesday, and I have never seen snow fall like that! Here, the snow falls like its trying to attack it's nuts! We went to DQ and got blizzards to celebrate Sister Rios' 9 months out and I was like, "Sister Rios, are we Canadian now? Eating ice cream during a snow storm?! haha!" There are so many crows here, and I was telling sister Rios that they are bad luck! We went to go visit a less active who lives in a nursing home, and while we were waiting we struck up a conversation with this guy, Bernie. It was so amazing, and you could tell that he really needed that. AH it's just so amazing how the smallest things can be great blessings! Seed planted! Also, on Saturday we are having one of the 12 apostles come and speak to us! So exciting!

Progress!

Sister Rios and me

The Sisters we went on exchanges with

This week has been great! We had a zone activity on Monday that was way fun! Elders are sooo crazy, though, hahaha, they make me laugh! Since I am the only new person in the zone they all introduced themselves to me, which was cool. We had exchanges that day as well and I went with Sister Sherwood and stayed in Cornwall. My companion, Sister Rios, exchanged with Sister Cuttler, who was her trainer when she was new to the field! That makes Sister Cuttler my grandma trainer since she is my trainer's "mom trainer" haha. ;)

I had to use a map to direct us for the first time and it was pretty scary but luckily we didn't get too lost! We spent Tuesday in Cornwall and then drove up to Montreal in the evening because we had zone conference on Wednesday. Do you remember how I said that Elders are crazy? Well, we get this call from the zone leaders and they are talking to Sister Rios, but the phone is on speaker so I can hear them, and they're like, "Is Sister Gonzalez there?" and sister Rios says yes and passes me the phone. Then they say," Hi, it's Elder Johnson and Elder Williams and we are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." All I could think was, "Yes. I know. I'm one too. Where is this going?" Then they asked me if I'm from Utah and I said, "Yes I am". After that they asked me if I could play the piano and I said that I could a little so they asked me if I'd like to play at the zone conference...I said yes! I went ahead and played the piano for Zone conference and I was terrible, but Sister Rios said I did a good job and it was my first time playing while people were singing! I played, "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet".

The ward family

We had a lesson on Thursday with a new investigator, Elizabeth, and we invited her to be baptized...she said yes!!!! WOOOO! That was SO great! Here are some of the good things that happened missionary work wise, Lorretta and Kelly came to Church!!!! WOOOOHOO! AND I am starting to feel love for her! We also had a lot of 'less actives' at church and at the Relief Society activity, which was great!

Here are some funny things that happened. Sister Rios was like, "Sister Gonzalez, do you think if we fasted every week the weather would get nice?" Haha :) I also called Kelly on accident. Whoops. I asked for Elizabeth, thinking I was calling our new investigator's home. Turns out Kelly used to have a wife named Elizabeth because when he answered he said, "No, my wife has been dead for five years." I felt sooooo bad! ...But it was kind of funny, heehee. ;) Brother Hynes, our ward mission leader, called me Sister Rodriguez and Sister Gomez in the same day!! Haha, it was so funny

I love being a missionary and being out here in Canada is great! When I was with Sister Sherwood she told me that she was so impressed with my teaching and the fact that I made efforts to make calls and participate in lessons! That made me so happy because every day I try to be better and make this the Lords mission! I was thinking this week that I wanted to say that I gave my 20th year of life to serving the Lord, but the more I thought about it the more I thought that I want to say that about every year of my life. That way when He asks me, "What did you do in this year of your life?" I can say, "Lord, I served thee."

I love you ALL SOOOOO Much! I wish I had more time but missions are crazy time warps! You'll be seeing me soon! Next week is my one month in Canada! Can you believe I have been gone for a month, counting the MTC?! It's nuts! Thanks for the emails I love seeing a full inbox!

Piano Guy Jams and One Month Out!

"Quan, Quan!" That's how duckies quack in French! ;)

Ah so much happened this week, lets see if I remember it all and if I have time to write it all! SO...we totally jam out to the Piano Guys and the Called to Serve CD's in the car, haha! Thanks, Mom, for buying them for me! :) We were so busy this week, it was super, yet stressful! We visited Loretta, our investigator that smokes a ton, and it was so hard for me. We kept trying to teach her but she just kept saying the same things and not letting us teach her! We did what we could, though, and we have visited her three times. Every time we've visited she has asked me if I am Mexican (Arrrrrgh).  Anyway, on Wednesday we went to Hawksberry to meet an investigator that moved into our area and she just seems so ready to accept the gospel! We met with her later on in the day and had a good lesson. 

Poutine

Me and my Tim Hortans!

I tried maple ice cream for the first time, it was soooo good! Ice cream just tastes better here! I also had my first poutine and Tim Hortans hot chocolate and doughnut! Poutine is so greasy and is only tastes ok. Tim Hortans is amazing, though! Mmmm, doughnuts! Oh, and something funny happened this week. We were walking to one of our investigator's house and we saw this guy on the street, so Sister Rios told me to contact him. I walked up to him and said hi. Then he asked me if I had a light. I told him, "no, sorry", but the funny thing is that I actually checked my pockets for one even though I knew I didn't have one! Later on, though, I thought I should have said, "Yes, we have a light. The light of Christ. Would you like to hear more about it?" Haha, I should have said that. :) 

Yesterday, on my first fast Sunday here, we met Loretta at her friend Kelly's house. It was a pretty big miracle that he would invite us into his home! We gave him the Bible he asked for and he said he would be interested in going to church! Hopefully he will. Loretta was much better this lesson and was like, "When can I see you again?", which is a huge improvement! 

We had dinner with the Lupien Family and they are so awesome! They are both form the French part of Canada so I got to speak French with them and I said the prayer to bless the food in French! They said I did a good job! I was so happy! They fed us a ton! I try so hard not to eat too much but everyone is always pushing food on me, it's like, "fine, I'll have some!" haha. :)  Two of the Lupien's daughters are on missions but their eldest son is struggling a bit with his testimony. On Tuesday I started to wonder why I'm here. I have a hard time relating with most people here since I grew up in the church, but then when we were sharing a message with the Lupien family it hit me that I'm here to help the youth. The youth here struggle a lot so when we talk with them I realize more and more that I'm here to help them.  

We saw some great progress this week! Five less actives and three investigators came to church, that was awesome! I love being a missionary, it is the best thing that I could've done! I can see how in just one month I have changed so much. I love and miss you all sooooooo much and love seeing your emails!

Love, Sister Gonzalez 

P.S. Canadians are not as nice as everyone says they are, maybe its just the part of Canada that I'm in, but still. ;)