"So what if I was just a painter, painting houses on the rich blue coast.."

So the reason for this particular title is that this line stuck in my head this week.

All week.

It never went away.

Then when I really got to thinking about it my mind started wandering to what I would be doing if I were home right now. I'd probably be working for minimum wage, enjoying beach life, my family, and talking with friends. I'd be gearing up to go back to school to finish my Senior year and figure out what to do next. I'd be in my own little realm where I know who I am, where I fit, and what my role is.

But here, it's a whole different ball game.

In Canada I'm just part of a larger army that gets shuffled around every 6 weeks or so. (Not that that's really happened yet.) As a missionary I come and go in a flash. With every person/family I play a different role. I don't really know where I fit in other than the fact that I wear a badge the bears the name of Christ, and do my best to follow Him. There are days I work on the fly, I just go with it and pray the Lord is guiding my feet. So far so good. :)

But the point is if I was back home doing my own thing I never would have been here. I never would have met the woman who told me she sees God when she looks at my face. I never would have met the little boy whose face lights up when I walk into church on Sunday. I never would have met the women who are my Sisters in arms so to speak, and helped lift them as they lift me. I never would have met the Elders who have showed me what kind of men I want to surround myself with.

I would have surrounded myself with my phone/friends, my homework, my family, books, and movies. Here I surround myself with children of God, some who know of their heritage, some who don't. I surround myself with the scriptures, and hymns, and prayers.

Here I surround myself with the best of things.

And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

So here's to all you who've stayed with me. I love and miss you all.

Stay excellent.

With Love from Can-Win

"..A more faithful soldier to the end.."

This week's lesson has been on diligence! Woooo!

We had Zone Conference this past week which was fantastic! There was lots of great training, practicing, reminders, and just all around goodness. My Zone Leaders presented a portion of training on diligence and what it means for us as missionaries to show it. They gave an analogy of a fireman, a police officer, and a doctor. A fireman saves lives from burning buildings, a police officer upholds the law, and a doctor saves lives in the operating room. All three are jobs of authority, leadership, and weigh heavy at times on those who do them.

But what happens if the fireman doesn't sharpen his axe or take care of his truck? What happens if the doctor tells someone he won't operate on them because the last patient he tried to save died? What if the polic officer was just too tired and didn't respond to an emergency call?

In short: people die.

As missionaries we don't save lives, we save souls. So what happens when we don't practice our skills in the mornings to keep them sharp and honed? What happens if we refuse to work with someone because the last person we taught didn't want to be baptized? What if on a long day I'm just too tired to go tracting for the last fifteen minutes of my night?

People are lost or stay lost.

So I've been called to a new standard of diligence. To work like everything depends on me, and then allow the Lord to do the heavy lifting.

I love you all. Be good. Stay excellent.

With Love from Can-Win

Life's Tough! Get a Helmet.

    So this week has been kind of a rough one, but so good at the same time. My new companion Sister Bennett and I are hard at work and loving life. But, you know, I have blisters and a pair of busted flats. My shirts are starting to look worn, and keeping track of mileage/money WHILE being concerned about the eternal welfare of souls placed in your care can be a little stressful.

But I'm growing.

    My last companion, Sister Harrison, loved reading the book of Isaiah, because there were so many plant analogies. There was almost always something that could be compared to our faith, our hope, our strength, and the way we grow when we're under pressure.

    There are days I spend 15 minutes on my knees just begging for patience and mercy, because this work is hard. I come home exhausted. I wake up exhausted. There is continual room for improvement, there is continual upheaval, dismissal, rejection, and disappointment.

And there is so much joy.

    Someone here told me that when life hits you hard and knocks you over, you pick yourself up by your bootstraps, dust your skirt off, and keep on truckin'. So that's what I do.

    This is the hardest, toughest, best, and most miraculous thing I've ever done in my life. This is an experience that leaves a person changed. I love Canada. I love the people that tell me no, not now, or not ever. I love those that allow me into their homes. I love the missionaries that bolster me up, that lock horns with me, and those that help me just take life as it comes.

    Life is good. I got a helmet. :))

With love from Can-WIn

"Wait on the Lord, be of good courage.."

Alright friends, so I know I've been a little MIA, but there's been a lot going on. My companion is transfering to a new ward and I will be training a new missionary fresh from the MTC. Can you say "Ahhh!"? :) It's been really hard watching SIster Harrison say goodbye to everyone, especially knowing I'll be her last one in this area. Ew.

Other than that life is pretty grand. The weather has been beautiful, our investigators haven't been ditching our appointments nearly as much, and the work is just mocing along quite nicely. If any of you haven't had the chance to watch the "Work of Salvation" broadcast, I highly recommend it. It's not just for the missionaries, but for the members and ward leaders. So good!

M.J., our baptismal date is progressing beautifully, and she's so excited to be baptized! I'll send pictures of that home for all of you to see. :)) We have two other investigators we're working with, and more on the way. (Hopefully)

This week's topic has been trust/patience with the Lord. There are days it's so hard for me to realize that everything happens in the Lord's time. His timetable is the only one that matters, regardless of how I think or feel. I have investigators or people I know and I just want to run up to them and shout "BE BAPTIZED! THE GOSPEL IS GOOD! YOU'LL LOVE IT!" But you know, that's probably not the greatest idea. I just want so badly for everyone to feel the joy I do, to know the things that I know, because when you do life becomes a lot less scary. There's nothing quite like the love of the Savior.

But really.

So go and study the Atonement sometime this week. I promise that as you do so, you feel feel the love of your God and Savior, and oh! is it a wonderful feeling.

 I love you all. Be safe. Be happy.

 With love from Can-Win

"Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea..." -Ether 2:24

Life has been...weird this week. Good, but weird. My leaders (District and Zone) have been giving Sister Harrison and I some extra things to study and read since we're kind of on our own, and it's been so helpful. So here we are, just truckin' along...meeting new people...teaching investigators..then BAM!

I get sick.

For the WHOLE WEEKEND.

It was really rough. Sister Harrison and I were not pleased. One thing we learned from this little escapade is that sometimes the things you think you want, aren't what you really want, (like extra study/sleep time), and that this is not an idle work.

We struggled this weekend. Being locked in a house is not a fun thing, espeially when you're used to being out and about more often than you are inside. But luckily we had wonderful Elders who took extremely good care of us, as well as a few members, and couples. The highlight was when our Zone and District Leader came and gave us the sacrament because neither of us could attend either meeting. So. Good.

This week I've finished the Book of Mormon again. This book of such a game changer, I don't understand how anyone can live without it. (I guess that's why I'm here, eh?)

So I've been reading in the book of Ether, the story of the brother of Jared. For those of you who don't know, this story is very near and dear to me, as it is part of the reason I'm here in Canada. (For more info check out : The Title. The Mission. The Dream.)

In chapter 6 it talks about how the barges that the Jaredites built were "many times buried in the depths of the sea.." (vs. 6) but that as they cried unto the Lord, He did bring them up again. In verse 8 it says "And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land.."

There are times where we are buried in the sea, when the waves never cease to crash in around us, and it seems like we will never see the surface again. But the Lord will always bring us back to the surface, and He never ceases in driving us onward to our own promised lands.

Even if we can't quite see that far.

On that note, I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and enjoying life wherever you are. XO

With Love from Can-Win

p.s. This weeks people to find are Justin Trapp, and Jessica Casper. If anyone can get me in touch with them I'd be grateful. :)

"To every land and people we'll go..."

Alright, this will be a short one because I"m running out of time. But that's ok.

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. I know that we are being led by a true Prohpet, Thomas S. Monson, and that his councelors and the quorum of the 12 lead the Church in righteousness today.

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, that he was called to restore the church, restore the priesthood, and start the work again. I know that through him and the power of God, the Book of Mormon was translated.

I know the Book Of Mormon is the word of God. I know that it's teachings and principles are applicable to me today, despite the fact that it's the history of a people who lived anciently.

I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He lives!

I know that I have been called by God and a prophet to serve as a missionary for this church.

The work is moving. The future is bright. God is good.

That's my testimony. That is what I know, and I'm learning more each day. And life...

Life is just peachy keen.

I hope all of you are hangin' in there. I love and miss you all.

With love from Can-Win

"This is my work and glory...if ye love me feed my sheep.."

Just another day in the life of a Sister misisonary. It's been slightly stressful due to our, (Sister Harrison and I), trainer leaving us to go train a new sister while we train each other. o.O Urch! It's amazing how many tiny details go into missionary work that you don't know about until you suddenly have to do them yourself. (Sorpresa!)

But other than that life is good.

Sister Harrison and I are a companionship now. We've been together since the MTC, two months yesterday. She's probably ther biggest blessing in my life right now. The next weeks would be so much harder without her steadiness. She reminds me to breathe and "consider the lillies" when I start getting tense...or worrying...or getting frustrated. Ah, companionships. There's a reason we go in two's. :)

The best experience of this week was this past friday night. Sister Harrison and I went to a dinner appointment at a less active members house that we had almost considered cancelling. The couple in particular doesn't have much food, and we didn't want to make things harder for them. Nevertheless, we went anyways and brought a small side dish to share. When we walked in the door the first thing we noticed was Brother St. G in his white shirt and tie, grinning proudly from ear to ear. The second thing we noticed was that Sister St. G had tried her very hardest to clean up the living room, and set the table with a cloth, napkins, and ceramic plates. The plates were mismatched, and the meal was simple, but it was one of the most humbling experiences I've had to date. Sister Harrison and I talked about it afterwards, and we both said we felt the Spirit so strongly we knew the Lord was pleased with their efforts.

Uh! Life is just so good as a missionary. It really is. We're working with an eight year old boy and his mother right now. She's less active, but he wants to be baptized so badly he asked Sister Harrison and I to come teach him. It's so good.

 I can't think of anything else to say. But I hope everyone reading this is having as great a day as I am.

 

Keep on keepin' on, friends.

With love, from Can-Win.

You Know You're a Can-Win Missionary When...

1. You get anxious if you find yourself alone for more than 5 seconds.

2. You start skipping songs on your LDS cd's because you think they might be inappropriate/ against the white handbook.

3. Your slang consists of words like "Pros", "Apostate", "Dramastic", and "Urch!"

4. Mondays become your favorite day.

5. You spend two hours walking in the rain to get to an appointment who cancelled and didn't tell you.

6. 9:30pm feels like midnight.

7. You don't dive for the vollyball during p-day activity because you might bump into an Elder.

8.That ten minute nap you took felt like a four hour coma.

9. You forget your planner at home and all of a sudden you have no idea what's going on.

10. If you aren't wearing your name badge you forget what your name is.

11. In response to being asked out on a date you ask if they want to learn about Jesus.

12. You hear the word "awesome" or "cool" and you feel like someone just swore in front of you.

Ah, life is so funny these days. :) Miss you all. Stay safe, and stay happy.

With love from Can-Win

"Stand and Be Not Moved"

Moroni 1:2-3

This week has been a glorious one. I have received so much spiritual enlightenment it makes my head spin a little bit. Elder Foster came and addressed us for Zone Conference and it was absolutely marvelous. The whole mission is really pushng now to get every single ward fired up and burning with the Spirit of God.

 There's a song called "Work" on the Cd "The Work: a national tribute to missionary work" and it is so good. It talks about how if we wanna get things done it's gonna take work. My favorite line is "Bringin' in the harvest for the Lord.." Uh! Life is good here in the field.

 Lately I've been studying the concept of being faithful and steadfast. (Hence the title.) I am so in love with this concept, of being so grounded in the Gospel that nothing can shake you. If you haven't watched the Strength of Youth 2013 video on mylds.org I encourage you to do so. Right now. Go watch.

Alma 56:47

 Life is hard here in the field, and so very different from everything I ever thought it would be. But it's so good.

Side story: this week we as a companionship had an adventure on the bus for the very first time. It was so funny. We took three investigators on the bus with us to Church and then walked another mile to get there, showing them how they could do it themselves. Well since we left our car at their house we had to take a bus back to get it just after the London ward meetings started and Gateways' had finished. SO I don't want to walk the mile back to where the bus stop is, and Sister Rush says "We'll wait for 15 minutes to see if the 90 comes, if not we walk." Well just then the 85 came around the corner and we look at each other and she says "Or we could just take that one and pray it stops near where we need to go." And that, my friends, is exactly what we did. :) Moral of the story: the bus is way fun.

 In the meantime, I hope all of you are doing well, and learning to "be not moved". I am definitely learning this lesson. There are days I look down at my badge and wonder "How did I get here?" And then Sister Rush`s voice comes to mind and I hear ``God sure must love you.``

 And you know what...

 He surely, surely does.

Doctrine and Covenants 87:8

With love from Can-Win

Don't Give Up!! (It's just the weight of the world.)

So I've been trying to figure out what I wanna post about, and plan it out and make it all lovely and smooth sounding. I even wrote out a rough draft!...and then forgot it at home. Oh well. Basically what you're gonna get is a list of 10 things I've learned so far here in the field:

1. The field is white already to harvest, but don't overwhelm yourself by trying to do too much.

2. Even a 15 minute nap can work wonders, (even if it's face down on your scriptures. Ooops.)

3. Make sure you delete notes to specific people if you decide to forward it as a mass message. (Haha, Sister Harrison)

4. Companionship Inventory is vital to the health of your relationship with your companion(s).

5. Freedom comes at a price. (Or in our case a parking ticket.)

6. Be prompt. (Or the Jehovah's witnesses will steal your appointment while you're parking).

7. Missions are weird. It's best to just accept that now. They're great, but weird.

8. Stickers will always make friends! (That's why I know all of the primary kids names, and none of the adults.)

9. Always, always be faithful. Even when your faith feels barely there.

10. Nothing could ever prepare you enough for this. Ever. But it's one wild ride. :))

That's pretty much it. My going's on in a nutshell. Someday you all will get a longer post with more details, but for now this will have to do. :) Keep on keepin on, friends.

With love from Can-Win.