When the time is come, preparation has past (July 28, 2015)

So this week I was reminded once again of this simple formula.

Preparation+Opportunity=Miracles.

This week I had an awesome experience with Elder Jones on an exchange.  We went out looking for a prospective elder on our list.  He lived in a kind of trailer and when we knocked on his door, a woman answered in French and was a Temoins de Jehovah (Jehovah's Witness).  So she wasn't very interested.   We got back in the car and started driving back out of the little community and Elder Jones asked if we'd ever knocked that area to which I replied no.  We drove a little further until Elder Jones burst out "We need to knock!"  He couldn't put off the impression any longer so we parked and got out.  We knocked 10 doors, all in French (which was fun) with no luck.  But then we knocked one more.  A girl our age answered the door.  We spoke in French for a while.  I started talking about the Book of Mormon and then she realized we were anglophones which she was very happy about because she didn't understand much.  We told her about how we're missionaries and all.  Then she mentioned that she has a friend who just went to Edmonton to do that too...  I asked about if it was the bishop's son who recently left.  It was.  Soooo cool :)  We left her with a Book of Mormon and got her info to come back after testing :)  MIRACLE :)

Elder Jones and I left super uplifted knowing that we had heeded a prompting and seen the results of it :)

So don't put off promptings.  Prepare to follow them now so when they show up, you're ready :)

Monday the 20th:
That night we watched Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration with Irena and she cried.  It was awesome :)  She believes the church is true but something is still holding her back.  She's doing well though :)  And I love Joseph Smith so much :)  Especially since I have been to many of the sites in the midwest having to do with church history.  It's the best :)

Tuesday the 21st:
So Tuesday I was on exchange with Elder Jones from Gatineau.  He's awesome and doing really well.  We had that awesome miracle of knocking.  I seriously was blown away by it.  Just that it was so strong for Elder Jones and that I felt prompted to go pass by that one name on a list of prospective elders.  It was super cool :)

Wednesday the 22nd:
I went on a back-to-back exchange with Elder Pulsipher who came into the mission with me.  It was fun to reunite some old MTC buddies :)  We had a great lesson with Annalee teaching about temples and family history.  Her mom has done tons of genealogy so it's super easy for Annalee to do.  But it's such a breeze teaching her.  She already knows so much because she's read up a lot in the Gospel Principles book.  :)  She's awesome :)  All she has to do is get married and then she can get baptized.  Unfortunately the marriage process is complicated here in Quebec :P  But she will be getting baptized in the coming month or so :)

That evening we had 3 back-to-back lessons.  First we taught Leslie about obedience from 1 Nephi 3-4 :)  She's doing great as well and she's excited to get baptized in a couple weeks.  The members are doing a great job of helping her feel welcomed and loved :)  We saw Mariette & Etienne and started teaching them the Plan of Salvation.  I was super surprised when Etienne brought up the fact that Adam ate the fruit so that Eve wouldn't be alone.  You don't hear that from investigators everyday! :)

Elders Pulsipher, Jones, and Brooks

Thursday the 23rd:
We went to the Kanata district meeting where we talked about fulfilling our purpose at all times of the day :)  That night we got to teach Irena.  We followed up on how she was doing and eventually got to the fact that she has a big problem with tithing.  So we dug a little deeper and found that she just doesn't feel like it's possible for her since she lives paycheck to paycheck.  We didn't have time to go more in depth to it but we left her some homework to read through the beginning of 1 Nephi 3 :)

Friday the 24th:

Friday we were in Montreal all day for mission leadership council.  I love getting to council with the other leaders in the mission and being able to rub shoulders with President Patrick more.  He's a spiritual giant. Afterward we stuck around for interviews.  I had a chance to talk with Sister Boulay in the office which was awesome.  She said that I have a strong spirit and that she could tell I was a valiant one from the pre-existence.  It was pretty powerful because it reminded me of things in the scriptures like Abraham 3 and D&C 138 about the noble and great ones which all of us are.  :)

Then I had my interview with President which was very edifying.  I talked to him about my goals and some of the missionaries I'm worrying about and it was all great.  Then at the end he looked at me and gave me some wonderful compliments.  I was very grateful for his guidance and love.  Then we took the metro back to the bus station and after getting on the bus we got home to Ottawa around 8:00.  A long day but very worth it :)

On the bus from Montreal to Ottawa

Saturday the 25th:

We taught Annalee about Priesthood and Auxiliaries with the Beacher family.  Annalee can't be stopped.  Even when she has big questions like about not being able to get sealed with her fiancee if he doesn't join the church, she always mentions that it won't deter her from the church.  She also said that she is very excited for her kids Chelsea and Jason to grow up in the church.  So many blessings that I take for granted :)  I love seeing that impact :)  Later we got to teach Drake and read with him some.  He's doing well and continuing to read. He has a stable job at a fundraising place and he's killing it :)

Sunday the 26th:

We had Stake Mission Correlation with the Stake President and President Patrick.  It's such a great opportunity to sit in counsel with these leaders :)  Afterward, a member of the stake presidency was talking with someone else about a fireside the stake young men were doing and they were wanting someone to talk about how scouting helped them prepare for a mission.  So me being the nosy person I am volunteered myself since I'm an eagle scout.  So in a couple weeks, we're going to a literal camp fireside :D

Ward council was awesome because we went through all of the prospective elders in the ward and chose some specific ones to work with :)  We told them about Irena's problem with Tithing and they mentioned that a slot in the sacrament meeting program just opened up, so the ward clerk was chosen to give a quick talk about tithing. Super cool :)

Sacrament meeting was just awesome :)  The final speaker brought props (which is totally against the rules so don't do it :) ).  He brought a bust of Christ and then a giant dino skull.  He used them as an analogy that things can seem really scary like a dinosaur would, but with Christ anything is surmountable :)  Pretty deep stuff :) 

I also accompanied a vocal duet on piano during the meeting and later tons of members complimented us on it.  Winning some hearts with what my Father gave me ;D  And now the musical number selector wants me to do more.  Reminds me of pinball ;)

That night we had dinner with the bishop's family who are awesome :)  We talked about people in the ward and who we're working with :)  Then before turning in we got to go on a visit with on of the members :)  Twas awesome :)

Monday the 27th:

So our day was craaaazy.  We got dressed up in service clothes and drove out to Hull.  Then we helped the Gatineau Sisters move everything out of their apartment and into four cars.  We drove 20 minutes to their new apartment then moved everything up to the fourth floor (thankfully we had an elevator to help with smaller items).  But then Elder Soll and I went on a quest to get some plywood.  Yeah it took us about an hour to get it for the Sisters bed frame.  But we had fun :)  It was quite the day-long workout though :)  

Then we took a queen bed from the Senior couple's old apartment which became the sister's new one down to Ottawa for a different senior couple.  Yeah that took a while too.  We finally got back to Gatineau with just enough time to do groceries.  And yes.  Milk has begun to be sold in jugs.  We nearly leaped for joy :)

Then the evening was jam packed.  First we went to the Browers and played street hockey with them :)  I did pretty well for a first-timer :)  We had dinner with them and shared a message before having to run.  Then we taught Irena.  We focused on linking her concern with Tithing back to faith and it was great.  She is willing to pay it but doesn't see the ways.  We're going to get her a meeting with Bishop so they can talk about it more though :)

We ended the day by taking Bro.Andrews with us to see Bro Lytle.  It was so awesome.  They've both gone through divorces and hard times but they were able to really connect and build each other up better than we could.  We had the plan to talk about the Restoration but then Bro. Anderson turned it into the Restoration of Bro Lytle.  So cool :)  The Spirit was super powerful there :)

So life is crazy busy and going really well :)  I'm a happy camper, albeit a rather warm one with this heat wave, but all is well :)  I love this work :)

Have a wonderful week!  I love you all so much :)

Love, 

Elder Kennen Brooks :)