So here's the update! This week we got a media referral (meaning someone made a request online) asking for a Bible. We called, set up an appointment, and went to drop it off. It turned out to be this 12-year-old boy who just wanted to replace his old, falling-apart Bible that he used at his church every Sunday. We were a little disappointed, but we asked if we could talk to his parents. His mom came to the door and it turns out that she knew about our church and had attended a few times back in Haiti before she moved here! And she said we could come back and talk more about it! Woo hoo!
We also went to Montreal last Thursday with all the other new missionaries and their trainers for a meeting. It was great. We got winter coats and poutine - who could ask for more? :D
And today we had a sisters activity with the other sisters in our zone. We went hiking in Gatineau.It was super fun, and really pretty! It was super weird to drive 20 minutes and suddenly have everyone speaking French. That's one of the cool things about Ottawa, though. Sister Cunningham and I love it here. For the most part, it's really great! But then there are other times where it takes us an hour to catch a bus, or we get caught in the rain, or we have to change our route to avoid a protest, or we awkwardly have to cross the biggest Terry Fox run I've ever seen (twice!) to get to church. But those moments are, fortunately, far outweighed by the good times!
I've actually been thinking lately about a question that our mission president asked us at our meeting in Montreal: Why is missionary work important? The answer, to me, is obvious. If there were no missionary work, no one would hear the Gospel. If no one heard the Gospel, no one would have faith, repent, or be baptized. No one would be saved, and the whole plan of salvation would be frustrated. Life would be meaningless. The Atonement would have been in vain. Serving a mission can be hard. It can be disappointing and discouraging. But remember, "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God... and if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father" (D&C 18:10, 15). That's what keeps me going - realizing that I could spend these 18 months having the hardest time of my life, experiencing every trial and hardship I can think of, and it would all be worth it if I help even one of God's children return to Him. I hope that you back home who have been blessed by the restored Gospel can remember that, and remember to reach out to those around you. It might be uncomfortable, but realize that no amount of comfort can compare with the eternal joy you will feel when you help someone come unto Christ.
Sister Shaver
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