Monday the 21st:
After emails we headed down to La Salle and met up with some other missionaries for lunch then we all took the metro downtown to Old Port. It was super fun! Our first stop was the Bible House store. Yup a store devoted to the Bible :) But I got myself a nice French Bible since the one I received at the beginning of my mission was a little beat up since the cover was a kind of plastic. But this new one is just great, and even has tabs :) Then we went all over walking around and being all touristy which felt really weird... But it was a nice mentally relaxing afternoon :) Unfortunately my camera died on the metro and my backup battery was also dead... But Elder Bengtzen took pictures and I'll forward them on :)
That evening we went to dinner at Soeur Salvant's and she invited her anglophone friend Wade over and we started teaching him :) He's going through some rough times so the Gospel is just what he needs :)
Then we rushed over to Fr. Jaeger's where we taught Raul the 11 year old about Joseph Smith and the Restoration. It's great to be able to teach someone so young. Hopefully we can help him understand it all :)
Tuesday the 22nd:
In the morning we were over at the mission home where we set up in President's office to do transfer planning. Pretty much we had a projector displaying where all the missionaries are currently and then we moved them around based on inspiration and discussion as to where the Lord needs them. It really is a fantastic process. Also the new missionaries coming in a just amazing and I'm so excited to meet them all!
That evening we were out in Lachine where we had dinner with the Vinet family. Sr Vinet is of hispanic heritage so the meal was simply delicious :) But we had a great discussion about family history and even set up a Family Mission Plan with them. The miracles will be coming soon! :) Then we saw Everett to end our day. We went over some requirements in D&C 20:37 on the baptismal calendar we gave him and he is right on track! I can't wait!
Wednesday the 23rd:
We had a very edifying district meeting together discussing the false choices Satan tries to stick us with, for example "My companion and I just don't get along so either we need to be transferred or we'll both be miserable." But those aren't the only two choices! This is why counseling with others and God is so important so we don't get caught in the trap of false choices. Afterward we went to the mission office and continued our transfer planning with President :)
Then for dinner we were at the church with the Narcisos and Fr. Leveille as well as the Sisters. It was great to have the old bishop and new one and to show our support for all of them :)
Thursday the 24th: Exchange with Ottawa
We met up with Elder Jones and Elder Soll out in Hawkesbury and then I went with Elder Soll in the familiar red truck to Gatineau :) It was too fun being back together again. We had lunch with Bro. Clegg and talked about how some things may have been prophesied in the Book of Esther and what not. But the best part of the day was that evening at the church. It was Annalee and Chad's wedding! :D It was so good to see them and Jared and some ward members. I actually played prelude for the wedding which turned into a 30 minute prelude haha :) Elder Soll joked that I got my piano practice in for the week :) Then the Bishop who was officiating suggested starting with a prayer and Jared's hand shot up volunteering himself. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much his attitude has changed :) A highlight from his prayer was this: "Please bless Chad and Annalee that they have fun getting married..." Haha too great :) Annalee was super nervous and Chad was just casual and somewhat joking in his nearly silent way :) But they were married and I'm so happy for them! :D (Then to fast forward a little bit, on Saturday, Annalee and Jared were baptized!!!! I WAS SO HAPPY!!! :D :D :D)
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| Annalee and Chad are married!!! :D |
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| Jared! :D |
That night we also got to pass by Sister Guerard and talk to her for a bit :) She really missed me which was sweet :) It was good to see some of those people I really grew to love :)
Friday the 25th: 15 months.... what.... 0_0
We got on a bus early that morning for Montréal for Mission Leadership Council. Sister Azimi-Tabrizi got to teach the entire Restoration on the way and get this woman's information to hand off to the missionaries in Mascouche. Too cool! :D But Mission Leadership Council was a pleasure. I was conducting and we got to focus on what the leaders came with since we didn't have a meeting to plan for. We focused a lot on bridging the gap between doctrine understood and applying it all. What we found together was that this bridge is hard work and planning. It's so true because without good planning we aren't able to really reach our full potential as missionaries. But then we also talked a lot about Elder Golden's visit happening mid-October. There's lots to be done for that, including lots by us the assistants, but I'm super excited for the opportunity. Then the last bit before lunch we talked about the Temple Open House. I really wish I was a sister missionary for that because they are the ones who get to do the tours. So jealous! But I just am temple hungry right now haha :)
Then after lunch we made some slight changes to transfers with President. Following that, Elder Lund and I led a meeting with the office staff to help them get up to date with everything going on. It was pretty cool being two 20 year olds counseling with some very experienced people :)
That evening we got to teach Sr. Mei with Fr. Jaeger for home teaching. We talked about Patriarchal Blessings which was so inspired because apparently that's what other people have been talking to her about too! The Spirit was Fr. Jaeger's guide! :D It was very uplifting and a good reminder for how important those blessings are in our lives :)
Then we got to see Everett again! We went over the Baptismal Interview Questions and he's on fire! We just have to finish teaching commandments and lesson 5 and he'll be good to go! :D He's really changing and doing so well :)
Saturday the 26th:
For the morning and some of the afternoon we were with a big group of missionaries organizing and putting together all of the VIP invitations, addressed from the First Presidency, to the Montréal Temple Open House :) Somehow I got pinpointed as someone tech savvy so I got put on computer duty helping everyone else know what times people needed to be invited for. It was pretty fun leading the project somewhat. But by the time we finished we had prepared thousands of invitations. It was amazing! I'm so excited for the Temple!!! :D
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| My view while helping with Temple Open House VIP invitations :) |
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| The invitations :) |
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| Me at my post :) |
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| The CD give-aways for the end of the VIP tours. Beautiful packaging! |
Right following we went to the mission office where we prepared the transfer email with the mission organization and other necessary info for all the zone leaders to make their transfer calls. And that took the rest of our day haha :) But it was necessary so that these missionaries can have a good next 6 weeks :)
Sunday the 27th:
I had a great study on how we can become like Heavenly Father which boiled down to me studying many different characteristics of Heavenly Father. It's important to know who he really is so we can try to acquire those attributes that he has :) And we can't do any of it alone so that's where the Atonement comes in :)
At church there were some tears shed when they found out that Sister Schuerch is leaving after her 9 month stay but Everett also came to church! :D He's on fire! :D We had some great lessons too where we all were edified :)
After church we got to see Luc and Angelie but unfortunately the fire has diminished in them. It's just been so hard to have lessons with them that the Gospel isn't as much a priority as it used to be sadly.
That night in passing by we got to see Fr. Richoux and taught him about the Priesthood including its restoration. It was so beautiful to be able to teach him about the trust and responsibility that God puts in us to do this portion of his work of adminsitering ordinances to his children.
But to end our day we visited the Martineau family. We visited them the week before and they're members but go to the English ward but barely understand it at all.... We taught them about the Sabbath Day from the trainings we received from the Apostles. It was so powerful helping them understand that the Sabbath Day isn't about dos and don'ts but about what Sign do I want to show God and how can I make the Sabbath a Delight. The Spirit was really able to help us teach in unity through that and all were edified :)
It was a great week! And this one is going to be great as well :) I'm excited to meet all the new missionaries because they're applications made them sound pretty phenomenal :) I hope you all have a wonderful week and I can't wait for General Conference!!!! :D It'll be quite the event having three new apostles called! A day to remember :)
I love you all so much! Can't wait to see Dad and Jonah on Saturday :D (in the choir for the priesthood session)
Love,
Elder Brooks :)
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