April 30, 2019

Bonjour tous! This week has been SERVICE ORIENTED! And it has been marvelous. There have been a lot of floods with all of the rain and snow melting and it has caused a lot of trouble, even for members in the ward. So we have been helping a lot with that. We picked up trash at a nearby park where the water had brought in a lot of garbage and we also helped a member whose basement had flooded. We went there twice and we will be going back next week as well. There is also another member who has been very sick. We have been going over to her house very often to help her make food and clean because she has been too weak to do hardly anything, the poor thing. It has been such a blessing to help others. It makes me grateful for my own health and safety and home. I am so lucky to be so well taken care of and blessed. The weather is trying to decide whether or not to warm up or not. Some days its chilly and windy, other days it is so pleasant. After this long winter, I am ready for the sun! The longer I am here, the more and more I love the people I work with! The members here are so so sweet and so missionary minded! We invited a member frere. Senechal to come with us to a lesson with Lourdia and Ètienne. We have been working with them for MONTHS to come to church. But they live far out and they just weren't super dedicated so it was hard. But frere Senechal offered to give them a ride to church on Sunday. Their WHOLE family! They came in and all sat on the front row. It was the cutest thing I think I have ever seen!! We were just so so happy!! They had such a wonderful time! The members were so so great and welcomed them and made them feel loved and because of that, they had a wonderful experience! We hope that they will desire to feel the spirit they felt here so much that they will do whatever it takes to get to church. That is true conversion and that is our goal. We had a lot of meals with members this week too which is always my favorite thing! I feel at home with my family when the members invite us over and that is such a sweet blessing. Also, we get tired of microwave quesadillas sometimes so home cooked meals are always much appreciated haha! I feel like I blossomed a lot this week. Some weeks are just better than others and this one was great because we were so busy and focused on good. Nothing feels better and more rewarding than that! I felt a lot of love for our amies.. more than usual. I truly truly love them and I feel like they felt it. We saw some progress with a lot of people. I hope we can keep doing what we are doing and help them to see all of the blessings that are in store for them within this church and gospel. I love my mission! We were in the homes of member and amies representing about 7 different cultures this week! I am working with and teach so many different people and I love it so very much!! We passed by a lady from India, named Kamal. She had some friends over and they let us come in and talk with them and share our message. They gave us this Indian treat called Kihr (I think...) anyway, it was delicious! Kind of like rice pudding but better. She said we could come back whenever we wanted. We talked with and taught a lot of people from Haiti and Guatemala as well. I love the cultures. I love the people. I love that we are all children of the same loving Heavenly Father. I appreciate all that I am learning. I love this work so so much! I love representing my Savior. I read something that struck me the other day in a missionary manuel that said, you are not here to represent yourself, but Jesus Christ. That comforted me because it reminded me that I don't have to worry about what others think of me. I can "make a fool out of myself for the Lord" and not be bothered if people reject me because its not ME. And it's not my problem. I am here as a messenger of truth. The people who are prepared will recognize that, and those who don't will continue to be prepared. This work will keep moving forward and I am so proud to be standing in the ranks! I love my captain and my Savior Jesus Christ. I am so proud to wear his name. I love him. I hope you all are well and happy and seeing the good in the world. As long as God lives, it is there. Love, Soeur Bates