So for those of you who haven't already heard, there's a big change happening here in Granby tomorrow. This last Saturday we received an unexpected call from the one of the Assistants. There are early transfers this month for some Elders who are going home early for school and so Elder Losee got pulled into it and is moving away. He's been here 10 months which is ridiculously long! But he will be going to Hochelaga in Montréal and he's going to be District Leader! I'm so excited for him! He's going to do great! But as for me I'm sticking around for some more time. I'll be getting my new companion Elder Noel... Sadly Christmas has already passed haha! Oh man that joke is probably going to get used a lot by the members here haha! :D But we're excited for the future, still did some good work these last days and Granby is thriving :)
Spiritual Thought!
Philippians 3:13-14. We found this scripture for our lesson last week and I realized that I may have used it for my last letter but it is just so good so read it again! Especially with this change that is happening we have been reflecting a lot but also reevaluating where we are and where we can go :) So don't let the past hold you back and look forward to the future which is in Christ Jesus :) Also if you are looking for a supplementary study to that, go look up "Remember Lot's Wife" by Elder Holland at a BYU devotional in January of 2009. We found it today and it talks a lot about this topic :)
Monday 29th:
Got myself some Christmas gifts :) We went to L'Aubanerie and I got myself two 1$ ties there then at Sears I got a sweater and a classy tie and... LONG JOHN'S :D Yeah the winter is picking up and stuff now :) But that night we got called up by our ami Gustave and so we went over and had a little lesson with him. Turns out he's quiting smoking all on his own now! And he's looking to the future with starting up a family which is awesome! Maybe this year he'll get baptized too!
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| 1$ ties! :D |
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| New Sweater and Tie for Christmas |
Tuesday 20th:
So we went jogging that morning...Geared up really well for it as a picture shows haha :)
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| Jogging get up! |
But for lunch we went out to the Clarks and I found out that they were the Mission President for the France Toulouse mission!! And they just got back from a mission to Russia!! And I've heard that they served another mission too!!! They're amazing! But it was so awesome when they had questions of how they can help us and just wanting to help Granby in any way possible! I love members like them!!! Later we had another interesting lesson with Andre talking about interesting theories he has about the old testament but having truths weaved into it that we point out to him. Really opens the mind a lot when someone talks about how Moses was just a regular Tesla or something like that but anyway, afterward we went to Subway with him to grab a bite. While we were there we talked a lot and then saw another of our amis there, Damond! It was super strange when he just started talking in English with us because we had no idea he spoke English haha! that night we made some pass bys and went to Pierre's and he welcomed us in and met some relatives of his! we got to meet his brother in law who is from Maryland. Turns out he knows the DC Temple and has taken the sister missionaries there out to lunch once a long time ago! So awesome and small world! He could not get over though that we were only 19 and 21! He didn't even believe us or that we were american because we speak english too well haha! (Oh and I also finished Job in the Bible... :))
Wednesday 31st:
Started Psalms! Yeah there's a lot of them... Working slowly through them! In District Meeting we did a study activity where we chose a question and then searched for scriptures to answer it in only 5 minutes. We chose the purpose of life almost jokingly but then in our quick little study I found 2 Nephi 25:27. At first I didn't see any connection but I really pondered over it and what I believe was revelation came to me. The purpose of life is in Christ. If we ever are questioning the purpose it is always in Christ. I liked receiving that bit of light like that :) Then being New Years Eve we went out knocking at the end of the day :) We started out each contact wishing them a happy new year and a lot more people were open to talk which was awesome! And then they were the ones asking us about what we do! Inspired!
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| Language Study :) |
Thursday the 1st of January 2015...
Wow: Yeah 2015 is here and it's just another day in missionary work haha! I did realize thought that honestly we never have to wait til a new year comes to change. The Atonement is always there just waiting to be used to our benefit :) Make each day better than the last! But in my study that morning I read Alma 26:22 which says that if you do certain things such as have faith, repent, and do good works, you will know the mysteries of God. That is a promise that I am going to cash in whole heartedly because I hunger and thirst after the mysteries of God! I love the scriptures and learning from them :) That afternoon though we went to Gustave's place and I got to put together an Ikea dresser! I was so thrilled because I got to build something with my hands! I missed doing that more than I realized haha :) Engineering still running through me ;) That night we were at the Lévêsques for dinner. While we were there we got a call from a number we didn't know which almost never happens!!! We answered it and it was Mara who we met last Saturday on the road with Kalila!!!! We were amazed that she even called us! But she was following up on us with the help we said he could give her and then right there we handed the phone off to Soeur Levesque and she took it away! By the end of the call, Mary knew about primary, family home evening, the restoration, the Plan of salvation, and was committed to come to church. Members are fantastic!!!
Friday 2nd:
We had a lesson that day with Damond about baptism which went great! Although we had to tell him to study the chapters we left him and not just read which, let me tell you, is a fantastic feeling haha! But he was more open in asking questions which we loved. Then we even set up two rendez-vous with him for the coming week! After that we had a rendez-vous fall through but we remembered we needed to go get some stamps at the post office to mail off mileage for the month. Then between getting out of the car and going to the door we talked to a group of young adults about our age. it was awesome because Elder Losee just wanted to compliment the guy on his steam punk top hat but it opened the door to a great long conversation! Sadly though we couldn't get a number or anything but gave them ours with lots of hope! But while we were there talking with them who should walk by but our ami Samson!! We hadn't seen him for a long time so it was cool to just have him show up in centreville :) Oh and then we got our stamps finally ;) We were the Gasnier's for dinner that night which was awesome! We discussed their family and the gospel the entire time!! Amazing stories because they were investigators for 5 years!!! But now they are so strong and we love them so much! Then who should show up but our good friend Astin who is a long time friend of the Gasniers and one of our amis! :D So awesome!
Saturday 3rd:
Alma 46:21, the people came running to support their Christian cause. That hit me heard and really invigorated me when I read it :) The power of the scriptures is just so awesome! Later we got a returned call from Monique and she had fantastic news that we didn't even have to push for! She chose a new baptismal date by herself!!!! March 20th!! Super excited for that because she's going to be much more invested in it because she chose it :) Then we had a lesson with Adrianna and Jeffrey and committed them both to read the Book of Mormon. Then Jeffrey prayed to close our lesson! So sincere and awesome!! There's something about investigators praying that just warms the soul :) We then mounted to Farnham and watched the Testaments with Shelley :D Sadly though we forgot to bring the popcorn this time.... But we're building her a foundation of faith! She wants to be baptized but we want it to not just be for the fun of it and it's going well! On the way back we were impressed to go stop by an ami who we haven't seen for a long time. we stopped by and he was there! Manuel and his wife Melissa were there and welcomed us in very warmly and we had a lesson right there! It was awesome! We got real with them and they got real with us in telling us that they don't accept the Book of Mormon as the word of God but that's ok because there has to be a trial of everyone's faith. But they still want to work with us and they are just fantastic people :) Then that night we had the unexpected call from the Assistant. Elder Losee is transferring to Hochelaga as District Leader and I'm getting Elder Noel (pronounced like hole). Crazy changes!
Sunday 4th:
Got to the Cegep and brought everything inside and then we got a barrage of calls telling us that church was cancelled... Man it was so sad! But then we took the opportunity to go out and see people! We had a lesson with Monique which was great! She has been reading but she also has a big problem with accepting that Reincarnation is false... But we gave her the tools to find out for herself! She has also been sick for a while so we took the opportunity to teach her about the priesthood and offered a blessing which she accepted! Got to see Sister Riggs and all her cats one last time with Elder Losee. When looking Elder Losee up on facebook it was super weird to come across my bearded picture right before my mission... Quand même! (anyway) That night we had a rendez-vous with a potential with the Levesques but it fell through so we tried another person but they weren't there but I had the feeling that there had to be somebody else we needed to see right then. Turns out my prompting was right when we went and saw Mara who was going to come to church. We had a first lesson with her and committed her to start reading the Book of Mormon. She's got a fantastic foundation in the gospel already and now we get to add what has been revealed in the modern days! :D
Monday 5th:
Very strange having Elder Losee pack up all his things. I'm definitely going to miss his quirkiness and jovial personality. But the Lord has called him to another place and that's where he needs to go!
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| Comp pic - Elder Losee and Elder Brooks :) |
And now it's time for me to learn from someone else and see all the more things to do. It's all pretty exciting things! Who knows what this week will hold with a new companion and new adventures! :D The missionary life is the best!
Take care everyone and I love you all!
Love,
Elder Kennen Brooks :)
Elder Kennen Brooks :)
A few more pictures from last week.
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| Cemetery trip :) Found the Brousseaus finally ;) |
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| Me and Kalila at the Graveyard |
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| Chez Ben, best poutine in Quebec |
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