February 26, 2019

Bonjour! This week flew by! Seriously I don't understand how it is already almost March! The time flies when you are hard at work I guess! We had some great experiences this week. Sr Stephenson and I did a special fast for the gift of tongues. And we also did a language fast the same day. So we gave up food water and English all day Saturday haha! It was rough. But it was the best day ever for finding! We found a family who didn't speak hardly any French at all, only Spanish, But with the little Spanish I knew and the little french the knew, we found out that their families are members in Peru! We were able to schedule a time to come back. We passed them along to the Spanish elders. I have such high hopes for them. That was the first house we knocked! Miracles do not usually happen that early on, so we were so grateful for it! The whole night was very good. We knocked a lot of doors and a lot of very kind people answered. We had a lot of contact with people from different countries that didn't speak any French at all. There wasn't a lot we could do except leave our card or a pamphlet behind. There are so many languages here that I have never heard of! One Muslim woman let us in and gave us orange juice. Her little boy translated for us. Sweet little guy. We shared a video with them and even though they didn't believe in Christ as the Savior, they really loved it. It was very special. We had a lot of similar experiences like that this week. It has been bitter cold this week! Last night we had 75 km winds and it was -30. But we went knocking anyways. Everyone was like, what are you doing out in this weather?? Go home!! I love knocking in storms though. It feels like an adventure. We had a beautiful lesson with a woman named Lourdia. We showed her a video of Christ's baptism. I chose the one in English instead if French by accident though. I was so embarrassed. She could not understand what they were saying, but by the end, she was crying. We knew that she felt the spirit so strong. The spirit speaks the universal language and she felt it. We invited her to baptism and she said that she would pray about it and talk to her husband too. We really really hope that she remembers what she felt in that moment and desire to have that with her all the time. She is so awesome. I love being a missionary so very much. It is such hard WORK but it is by far the most rewarding. I find joy in the fruits of my labors. I love tasting of the fruit. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I love that he never changes in a world that changes so much. I love the feelings of joy I get as I serve my Heavenly Father's children. I hope that you all are doing great! I love you all so very much! Much love, Soeur Bates

February 19, 2019

Salut mes amies! What a week! First of all, CALLING! That is the most exciting news i have ever heard! I just got done talking with my mom and it was such a blessing! This change is so inspired. It was so cool to be able to share my experiences with her about the week. I feel like this is going to help missionaries and families everywhere to really get more and more excited about missionary work! I know I am! We had the coolest experience last night. We were in this neighborhood, doing pass bys and we said hello to this cute girl walking by. She stopped and said, Hey, you're missionaries! I didn't know there were girl ones! Haha. She told us that her brother has been taking lessons with the elders. She told us that she wants to get closer to God. So we gave her our card of course. Then this morning, she texted us! SHE texted us. (That almost never happens people) We are meeting with her on Friday. Her name is Winnie and she is a doll. Such a grande benediction! We have also been very blessed with sunny days this week so we were able to do some street contacting (also, everyone is more friendly when the sun is out). I never thought I would ever feel comfortable going to up to people on the street and talking with them. Now, it doesn't bother me too much. French is continuing to come. I have noticed improvement in my ability to understand. I still have a long ways to go! But its coming. I really can't believe that I am already 1 third of the way done with my mission! It doesn't seem real. The time goes by so quick I cant even believe it. Yesterday, we had dinner and language study with a member and she really reminded me about what a blessing it is to be out here serving a mission. She told us that the feelings she gets when she is around missionaries are close to the same feelings she gets when she is in the temple. That blew me away. There really is so much power in this mantel. I am so grateful and blessed to be here, sharing what i hold so dear to my heart. This has been the best opportunity for me to change and grow. It is helping me get out of my shell, grow my faith and meet new people. My ability to love has grown tremendously. I mean I have met people from, Congo, Cote D,Ivoire, Pakistan, Lebanon, Cambodia, France, Bolivia... There is no way I would have had those opportunities if it weren't for my mission. I have never felt such great joy than from serving these beautiful people. This message saves and it brings a peace to their lives that NOTHING else can, and I get to be the share it with them. wow. I love this work. I know that the field is white and the time is right😉 These are the last days and what an exciting time to be alive. I know that this is the Lord's church, I know that He is the one directing this work. I love Him and I know that He lives. I hope that you all are doing great and finding joy. I love you all so much! Love, soeur Bates

February 12, 2019

Salut mes amies! Wow what a week! Time really seems to be flying by! I can't believe that I have been in Laval for 2 weeks already! This place is really growing on me. It was hard at first because it is very different from Quebec, but the ward is solid, the people are kind and the work is moving forward! We have been teaching this great lady named Lourdia . We had the most amazing Plan of Salvation lesson with her. We drew it out and and explained to her what the true meaning and goal for our lives is. She was so excited and wanted to know how to get there. I have literally never seen her so excited! We told her we would come back and explain it next time. She was so excited that she wanted us to come back the very next day! (Then she cancelled on us and we had to reschedule it haha, mais c'est la vie;) They had the lesson with her yesterday, but we were on exchanges so i wasn't there. Apparently it went very well and she knows now that her next step is to come to church. She committed to come on Sunday! We are so excited! Shes seriously so awesome! Very elect. Exchanges yesterday were so good!! I was with sister Garcia in Mascouche! I really loved that area. It had a great spirit about it. I learned oh so much! We tried a new approach to knocking and it went very very well! A couple people said that we could come back and some said that they would come to church! It was so cool! I gained a lot of insight with how to better and more effectively learn French. It has been hard because both sister Stephenson and I are still so new and don't speak as well as we would like. It has made the work a struggle sometimes, but the Lord has blessed us with very patient people. We have been working a lot with members. In the lessons that are really hard to understand, the members make up the difference. It has been a huge tender mercy. The Lord blesses us in so many ways that seem ordinary but are truly miraculous. (Go and read the bible dictionary under the word miracles. It really changed my outlook on things today) I had a gift of tongues experience on exchanges. We were having dinner with this family that was VERY Crois. And they spoke very fast, oh mon do. I didn't understand a whole lot when they were talking to each other, but when they said anything directly to me, i understood it completely and I was able to respond to some harder questions in a way that actually made sense! I definitely surprised myself! I know that it was the spirit helping me. The Lord gives us what we need not what we want. I want to be able to understand everything everybody says, but instead the Lord helped me understand and say only what i needed to hear and say, in the very moment that I needed it. It was incredible! I know that this is the Lord's work. I say it every time. but i am so grateful to be a part of it! It is so many people! I love my Savior! Love, Soeur Bates

February 5, 2019

Bonjour! comment ca va mes amies? This has been a week of change and it has been so great! I love Laval! Its super different from Quebec but that's okay. i am excited to be here and the ward is amazing! It's actually notorious for being like the best ward in the mission!. Every single person is so kind and welcoming. And very involved with working with missionaries. It is SO nice! There are a lot of cool people here. Most speak a little English since its so close to Montreal so that has been very nice. Last night we went to a member's house to have dinner and language study. It was very nice to have firsthand help! My new comp is sister Stephenson and she is stellar! Such a hard working missionary and so ready and willing to do whatever the Lord asks. I love her already. She is just one transfer younger than me so we are both very much on the same level with French, but I have already seen improvements. More than i would have seen if I were with a fluent companion. The Lord has a way of really forcing us to grow sometimes, and man its hard, but man i am so grateful for it. its like the story of the little bush. When the gardener cut his branches down he cried and said. "how could you do this to me?" But in a year when he was laden with fruit, he said "Thank you gardener, for loving me enough to hurt me." That's one of my favorite stories of all time. Its so in our Heavenly Father's nature to do what he knows will be the very best for us. I have been studying his nature a lot this last week. I am so grateful for the knowledge that he is my literal Father. To understand that one doctrine changes everything. It changes the way i serve and the way i look at people. It has actually changed my whole outlook on life. I love him and i want to live my life every day to make him proud. I am grateful for this time to be a missionary, to grow and develop. Im grateful that he is letting me help others do the same. It is a joy indeed. I hope that all is well with you all and that you are happy. I love you and am so grateful for your prayers and support and love. I feel it. Love, soeur Bates