I think that today I'll talk a little bit about ministering because that is something that I am really focused on improving now. In the world we hear a lot about administration such as companies and managing things but the scriptures talk so much about ministering. So what's the difference? The difference is that ministering is serving and getting personal with people. Now that I am a zone leader I am so much more aware of how important ministering is in everything aspect of the work of salvation. We need to take time to care for each person individually and make sure they are receiving the spiritual nourishment they need. I love it because its a chance for me to love so many people and get more and more a glimpse at how Heavenly Father sees each of us :) So this week, look to minister to someone. Whether it is someone you are already really close to or someone you barely know, go after that one person that you want to help this week :) Because what it all comes down to is Love :)
On to the week!
Monday 25th:
When we docked in Ottawa I finally got to see Elder Soll, my new companion and so a bunch of us hopped into my new pickup. Yup we have a 2012 Chevy Colorado pick up truck :) It's awesome :) But that night Elder Soll offered us all blessings for the new transfer since myself, Elder Jones and his new missionary Elder Chambers were all going through big changes. It was very welcome and one thing that I really took away from mine was that I would be working a lot with members here. I guess that could include missionaries as well but I'm excited to see what the future will bring!
So that night we had dinner with the Gasniers and it was awesome because they are doing so well! After we took pictures together and said goodbye somewhat Frere Gasnier said to me that I could count them as a "mission accomplished". That made me really happy :) (The Gasniers were a less-active couple that lived in their building that called them in March wanting to know how to come back to the church.)
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| The Gasniers |
We also got to see Sylvain that night and it was sweet when he prayed for my safety and success in my new area during the closing prayer. (They met Sylvain when he was riding his bike and came back to talk to them because they seemed nice.)
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| Sylvain! |
Then we went out to see Manuel and after he brought up a lot of his old concerns we brought it back to the Book of Mormon. He kept saying that he couldn't accept it because he just hasn't felt the Spirit reading it. SO we asked how much he read... 5 pages... Elder Noel and I burst out laughing because it was kinda sad. But we told him that an answer won't always come that easy and that he needed to put in some more effort. But we left on good terms as usual and hopefully things will go better for him in the future.
Tuesday 26th:
I finished the Book of Mormon transfer challenge!! :D It was awesome! :D My testimony of that wonderful inspired book grows each day and that day I got to talk about nothing else but the Book of Mormon :D
We got to visit tons of people that day. Clarks, Mara, Armand, Tania, Fr. Donovan, and Kalila.
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| The Clarks |
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| Mara |
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| Armand |
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| Tania and her boys |
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| Fr. Donovan |
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| Kalila and Lolo |
Then we had a wonderful "last supper" of SUSHI! :D The Levesques had us over and the Fremonts were there too.
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| Last "Sushi" Supper |
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| with Fremonts and Levesques |
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| The Levesques |
Right after we got to see Nannette and have a nice little lesson.
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| Nannette |
We also stopped by Santino and asked for a picture and then his whole family gets involved and all dressed up so we can take a photo haha! It was awesome! :D
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| Santino & Family (that speak kurundi) |
But I found a cool connection because right before turning in, we stopped by the Gasniers one last time. Then I realized that they were the first people I ever visited and the last as well and what a difference there was between visits! :D
Wednesday 27th:
We headed up to Montreal at a decent hour. It was fun to see a lot of familiar faces there.
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| Elder Noel |
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| Elder Losee (he finished his mission with this transfer) |
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| Elder Gutierrez, Me, Elder Bengtzen & Sister Kinghorn – the group from the MTC that all didn’t move til now |
Then my old buddy from BYU Elder Harter tells me another member of our YSA ward came in that day! Later I found out it was Elder Ryan Jenks and he was coming to my district out in Ottawa! :D Too cool!
But after a while we had to get out of the mission office quick, run to the metro (with 3 50 lbs suitcases) and then ride the train over to the greyhound station. It was crazy but we made it :) Then we took a 2 1/2 hour bus ride out to Ottawa. I got to know some of the other missionaries which was nice. Elder Jones from the MTC was coming out too and we live in the same apartment even.
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| Elder Ryan Jenks from my BYU Ward! |
When we docked in Ottawa I finally got to see Elder Soll, my new companion and so a bunch of us hopped into my new pickup. Yup we have a 2012 Chevy Colorado pick up truck :) It's awesome :) But that night Elder Soll offered us all blessings for the new transfer since myself, Elder Jones and his new missionary Elder Chambers were all going through big changes. It was very welcome and one thing that I really took away from mine was that I would be working a lot with members here. I guess that could include missionaries as well but I'm excited to see what the future will bring!
Thursday 28th:
We had a great district meeting with Elder Jones my new district leader. But afterward I got to meet Angie and Drake, a cute couple that love us and the gospel and church and everything. Angie was raised in the church but excommunicated but now she's back to stay and she's bringing her 4 year old daughter Aubrey and her fantastic boyfriend Drake :) They are such a cute family and they are quitting smoking too like bosses! They're practically ready to be baptized but we're going over the lessons again with pamphlets to help them be solid. Then we went downtown and I met Bro Kossack, a less active hermit who leaves in the basement of an apartment building next to the boiler room. He has a huge testimony of the Book of Mormon but is kind of disconnected from society. But I have to say that speaking English with everyone is weird... Contacting in English is the weirdest thing. I way more comfortable talking to strangers in French haha :)
Friday 29th:
Friday we left our apartment at 6:00 to get to the bus station to go to Montreal for Mission Leadership Council. It was all the zone leaders and sister training leaders with President Patrick and the Assistants which was tons of familiar faces again. It is very different being in a leadership role now. Lots more to worry about but I'm excited to serve :) Then we got to eat pizza with President :)
Saturday 30th:
We got to have blueberry wheat pancakes with Angie and Drake which were delicious! :D I love them so much haha! Then we got to see Bro Hales who is hilarious! When he opened the door he said "Oh he even looks like he's from Utah." But our lesson was filled with Nacho Libre quotes but we got super spiritual and I came away with something for myself personally. We talked a lot about Faith and based it off of Elder Bednar's talk about Fear from this last conference.
Then after that we stopped by the Champlain East apartment in downtown and gave Elder Jenks a blessing since he's really stressed and all with the transition. But we finished the night out by going to see "Mom & Dad". Haha Sister Guerard insists that missionaries call her Mom because she knows that missions are hard and she is there for anything whether it be a need of food clothes or counsel. She's too cool because she is only recently coming back to church and she's on fire with the Spirit! :D We had a super delicious meal of pulled pork, salad, and potatoes... and I managed to flip first my fork onto my lap... and then my whole plate onto my lap.... Yup they're definitely going to remember me ;) But we had a good laugh and thankfully I was wearing one of my 1$ ties haha :) But Sis. Guerard's husband is not a member but still open to missionaries so she was grateful to have us over :)
Sunday 31st:
We had a decent ward council but there was a little too much logistics for my liking. I want more talk about the people haha! :D But at church (in an actual church building :}) we sang with the ward choir! I loved it! I also took the chance before the meetings started to meet as many people as I could and I got to a good amount :) There were some awesome testimonies shared including Sis. Guerard talking about how the church is just home and she loves it. I also took the chance so that members could get to know me a little more and Elder Jenks did the same :) Then Sis Guerard taught an awesome gospel principles lesson with Angie and Drake making awesome comments. It was just awesome but it is so weird for me to have so many people in a ward unlike my little Granby branch haha :)
After church we were able to swing by our investigator Danette. We didn't have a member to come with us but when we pulled up, two other cars pulled up too and out comes Sister Beacher and Sister Harrington that recently were assigned to fellowship her. So we all visited together and it was so inspired because they said things we just couldn't because we're only missionaries. It was awesome! The spirit was so there and Danette cried and really opened up and so now we are all aware and going to support and help her through these tough times. :)
That night after dinner we were just going to pass by some less actives and then they let us in for a visit :D The Days are so awesome because they are super musical and he is a big writer and just about to publish stuff so we got to hear all about it :) Then we talked about the scriptures and had a good discussion :) Then we checked how they were doing with the Book of Mormon and found out that Bro Day has never fully read it. His wife said it was because the language is hard to understand and just different from what he's used to. Then I asked him if he spoke French and said I liked comparing the two languages. Turns out French is his first language. He's now going to try reading it in French :) Super excited :)
Monday June 1st:
So we made some zone leader weekly calls then helped out some Sisters with a move. We then went out to lunch with the Elders from our zone at a diner in downtown on Elgin street :)
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| Lunch today at a downtown diner (Elders Soll, Jones, Chambers, Tallon, Jenks, and Me) |
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Downtown Graffiti  |
Then we rushed home to get more stuff done and do groceries and laundry and we ran out of time due to zone leader responsibilities. So we shot off a quick email and ran off to an exchange with Elder Jenks and Elder Tallon.
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| Elder Soll and I (emailing from the Family History Center in their church building) |
I took Elder Jenks with me which was cool because I already know him decently from BYU. But we went to the Days for a pizza dinner. We talked more about the Book of Mormon and I loved it when Bro Day explained the promise found at the end of the introduction. Super powerful :) And then we made some pass bys and calls and our day was over :) Pretty fantastic :)
So that was my week! It's crazy with all the changes but we're just running as fast as we can without breaking down :)
I love you all so much! I love what I'm doing with all my heart. I'm not just doing a good work; I'm doing the Lord's work :)
Love,
Elder Kennen Brooks
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