Oct 23, 2018

Bonjour! This has been such a good week! We had very little success finding new people to teach, which was a bit sad, but we saw so many miracles within lessons. I was able to see so many times where an aspect of the gospel just clicked with our amies. They really began to understand the why not just the what. I know that i have only been here for about a month, but this has been one of the best parts of the mission, seeing people change and seeing them grow, and seeing how they become better. We teach a lot of African immigrants. When we start out they feel the spirit so strong and love the gosple, but then it starts to really change their hearts. They start becoming more independant and self reliant. They buy cars so that they can drive themsleves to church because it is that important to them. The men get better jobs becuase they want to be able to support their families better. Those things seem unrealted to the gospel but it`s all so connected. When people truly begin to undertstand this plan, when people know where they came from, why they are here, and what they have to look forward to, it changes them and truly makes them want to be better and live better lives. I saw that so mcuh this week. We also had the great oppertunity to go to Montreal this week for a new trainor training meeting. i was able to see everyone from my district in the MTC! it was such a tender and wonderful time! All of our French has improoved drastically!! They have all grown so much. I literally had the best district ever! President Phillips shared a really great analogy about miracles that stood out to me, going along with our theme ¨faith enough to move mountians¨ He told us of an experience he had in Mozambique where his car sunk down into the mud. No one was around to help or call. But he said that anybody can move a mountain with two things: a shovel and some time. So he found a shovekl and started digging. he dug for hours and then out of no where a jeep pulled up and was able to pull them out of the mud. Most of the time, miracles will come only after the trial of our faith. God wants us to learn and he wants us to work hard for all that is good. But he knows we can`t do it on our own so after we have given it our all, then he sends the jeep to make up for what we can`t do, to pull us out of the mud the rest of the way. And after all of the work, the miracle is worth it and even more speacial than it would have been had he sent the jeep within the first 5 minutes. Heavenly ftahe wants to bless us, but he also wants us to grow and learn. Because he loves us, he gives us both the oppertunity to grow and the miracle. So while often times it seems like we are forgotten by God, He is really just blessing us doubly. I have a testimony that this is true. I know that I might now always see how He is helping me, but i know that He always is more than I could ever imagine. I will remember that with finding this week. Thank you so much for your replies! I so love reading them! I dont often have time to respond but they truly mean so much to me! I love you all so much! Love, Soeur Bates