May 28, 2019

Bonjour tout le monde! Another great week! We had a cool opportunity to go to a service in the community. Half of the people there were from the Ward so it was a super cool way for the community to see so many people representing the church! We cleaned up all of the garbage in the park that had been brought in from the floods. It was a lot of fun and it was nice to talk with people from the community! There was lots of finding time this week and we got a lot of potentials! It was awesome. There were so many cool finding miracles! At one point, we were driving and sister Atwood said, "oh there's a potential named Merveille in this area! But we don't have her apartment building...." Then about 2.7 seconds later, I saw two ladies walking on the sidewalk with a baby. I found myself pulling over and parking the car. We ran to talk to them just as they were going into this apartment building. We followed them inside and started talking to the one lady. She was super nice and we asked her name and you know what she said? MERVEILLE. NOT a coincidence! it was so so cool! She told us to come back next Sunday! It was incredible! We also had exchanges yesterday and that was so wonderful! I got to go to Montreal Est with sister Ellis. Man I love sister Ellis! She trained my trainer so she is pretty much my mission gramma! She is very wise and fun and taught me so much. She is finishing soon which is sad, mais c'est la vie. It's a weird thing saying goodbye to other missionaries. You feel like everything will be the same forever. The people, the areas, but then everything changes overnight! The only true constant is the Savior. I am so grateful that his love is unchanging. I am learning more and more that he is only letting me be a part of this great work. He could definitely gather Israel without sister Bates and he could do it a lot better than her too. But he is letting me be a prat of it to help me, not his other children. Like, sure I am serving people and doing good things, but he could do it so much better himself if he wanted to!! I have really come to understand my purpose on this earth. He sent us here to grow. He has given me so many opportunists to grow, my mission being one of them. Only 9 months down and I have already learned so so much! I am excited to see what the next half brings. This Saturday is transfer calls. I feel like I might leave, but we shall see.. It makes me kind of sad to think about because if I do I will miss Lourdia and Èthienne's baptisms but that's okay. I know whatever happens will be the best for me. I am so grateful that He is in charge here. I know that I can trust my Savior. I love him very much. He is so patient and so kind with me. I am grateful for how he walks beside me every day. I hope that you all are well and happy. Thank you for your prayers and messages of encouragement. I sure do love all of you! love, soeur Bates

May 21, 2019

Bonjour mes amis! This week was lovely. We had a lot of great lessons. Actually a lot of our amis took some big steps. Kessie told us out of the blue that she received an answer that she needs to start coming to church. We had been practically begging her for such a long time and she wasn't budging so we kind of dropped it... So when she told us that we were both kind of screaming for joy on the inside Haha. We also had two lessons with Thomas who we met on exchanges. He's such a sweet guy. We had a breakthrough with him because he is very opinionated and really likes to talk. Super sweet though. Anyways, we showed him general conference talks and we watched part of one from president Nelson and he was totally hypnotized (and who can blame him, its president Nelson!) He was softened and humbled and told us that he felt like he found an answer. We also had a lesson with Carlloick and Nathalie, (but mostly Carlloick because Nathalie had to step out) I love this kid! He is so so spiritual and hungry for truth. He just lit up when we talked about the story of the iron rod. I have a lot of hope and see a lot of potential for him. We hope they will come to church next Sunday. We also had so many service opportunities with the members. I love serving! I feel a lot of love for the members here and of course I love our anis something fierce! I dont really want to leave now but I honestly have no idea what is going to happen this upcoming transfer. There are lot of changes coming. President Phillips will be leaving us in July so next month will be our last zone conference with him... It makes me really sad. But president Low sounds incredible and in July we will be merging missions with Halifax! I am so excited for that and honored to be able to serve in the same mission as my daddy. To think we could be walking down the same streets in just a few months! Wow... I also hit my half way mark on Wednesday. I can't believe that. 9 months down, 9 months to go. It feels like a dream. It goes by so fast and sometimes not so much. I love being here. Every day I see new things to be grateful for. I would never have learned French if it weren't for my mission. I would never have met these beautiful people. I can't imagine my life without them! I love my mission and I love the people! But most of all I love my Savior because he made it all possible. He gave me everything so I am honored to give him 18 months. I love you all and hope all is well! Much love, Soeur Bates

May 14, 2019

Bonjour a tous! Another wonderful week! We went on exchanges and I stayed in Laval with sister Buckhave which was super cool because Laval was her mission birthplace! We spent the day going by all of the people that she had taught and dropped but who had potential. And we were able to make two new amis! Thomas and Carlloick! Ah-mazing! For the first time in I don't even know how long, I woke up SUPER excited to go finding! I really don't like finding... i really don't. But yesterday, I was so pumped!! And we got some potentials because of it! We went for a run in the morning and went to the river (which was super high because of all of the flooding) It was lovely. We also went out and got sushi for lunch. And we helped two members who were having troubles because of the floods. AND we did a lot of passbys. It was a super full day! One of the passbys was the son of someone we are teaching who I had never really met before. He is only 15 but so so spiritual. We read in the Book of Mormon with him and he was just so into it. I have so so much hope for this sweet kid. He was very mature in his responses and I see so much potential for him. We also had a really cool experience at the beginning of the week. We were trying to do this passby, but her address didn't exist (I hate when that happens..) and so we tried another passby who lived near by. We buzzed her door and it rang and rang but no one answered. We were about to leave when a lady walked out and stared at our name tags. She was like, please give me 5 minutes to get my mail and I will be back and I will receive you! She told us that her name was Naima. It was actually her!! She told us later on that her door buzzer was broken. It was so amazing that we just happened to be there right as she walked out and it just so happened to be her! There are no coincidences with the Lord! On Saturday, we had like 5 lessons back to back! It was ludicrous. Also, the missionary that found frere Labarre came to visit with her family so we all had lunch together at St. Huberts. It was so cool! I am really excited to come back with my fam! Okay but the best part of this week for sure was Saturday night we had a lesson with Lourdia and Ethienne and taught about how in the temples, families can be sealed for time and all eternity. That was it. They agreed to be baptized!!!!! We both were just so so happy! We went to the car and cried and said a gratitude prayer because we have been working so so hard with them! Those are the moments that make those super hard days so worth it. I am so committed to these people and I want the very best for them. So when they finally make the decision to be baptized, I am just filled with inexpressible joy! I love the work I have been called to do. Tomorrow, I hit my halfway mark... I can't even believe it. The time goes by too fast. I am hopeful and excited for the next 9 months and I am grateful for the 9 months that the Lord has given me here in Laval and Quebec City. I love this place. I am so blessed to be here. I love you all and I hope that you are happy! Thank you so much for your responses. They mean a lot to me! love, soeur Bates

May 7, 2019

Bonjour tout le monde! It was another great week! We had a couple of really great lessons over the commandments. It is really interesting how some weeks, there are common threads. This week we taught a lot about the commandments, other times it's different. We used an activity a lot where we draw a person and then as we teach each commandment, we draw a bar over them. By the end, with all the bars, the little person looks like he is in a cage. It doesn't seem like the most fun time. How can you be happy when you are stuck in a box of rules?? then the sharks come (I am so bad at drawing sharks lol...) And suddenly the commandments take on a different meaning. They are not put into place to keep us from having fun or to keep us naive from the rest of the world. On the contrary, they keep us wiser, and they protect us from the sharks of this world. Because it's no secret that they are out for blood and there are more than ever before. We also had a lot of finding time. It was good because the sun was out! (for the first time in like months!) And when the sun comes out everyone is happier and a lot more willing to talk with us. Like, we can count on it! haha! Yesterday was glorious! It was like 26 degrees (I think thats like 75 F or something close) We walked around a neighborhood and found 3 new people to teach!! It has been a very long time since we have had that much (measurable) success! We just felt so so good afterwards! I find so much more satisfaction in my work when we are out and doing. Which has been a little bit difficult for me as of late. I have never been outgoing. In fact talking to people actually scares me a lot.. still! And has been a really big stretch to be the senior companion because sometimes I reallllly don't want to go finding. But this week especially, I have just really worked hard on just going for it anyway. I am not perfect. I am not where I want to be yet, but I am trying. And we have seen miracles. Just yesterday one of the new people that we found was actually a family from India. They had two little girls who reminded me of my little sisters. Their names were Jerica and Jonika. SO cute!! They said we could come by and bring a book of mormon in their language. I am very excited for this coming week. There will be zone conf tomorrow and we have a lot of really great lessons planned. My amis are so very dear to my heart. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given to teach them. I feel a very real love for them and I truly want them to have all the happiness that they can. The hard part sometimes, is that I know how they can!! I can see and I can understand, but sometimes it's hard to help THEM understand that, haha. There is a section in preach my gospel that I really love where it says (paraphrasing) that they may not understand why now, but they NEED the blessings that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring in their lives. And they need them now. In a very real sense, this gospel saves people. Nothing brings more hope and peace and joy, this is all true. But it literally puts them on the covenant path that will lead them back to their Heavenly Father. That is a core truth of this gospel that I know without a doubt to be true. If the way were broad, then everyone would take it. But the way is narrow and straight because the reward is not cheap. How grateful I am to be a missionary, to be a guide to show people the gate to get on that path. It is baptism by Christ's authority only. There is only one door and that is it. I love the simplicity of this truth and of this gospel. I can think of no greater work. I love serving as a representative of my Savior Jesus Christ! I love him! I hope that you all are well and joyful! I love you all! Thank you so much for your prayers and emails! I so appreciate them! Until next week! Love, soeur Bates