June 25, 2019

Bonjour! This was such a full week! I feel like this is the busiest I have ever been as a missionary! Its exhausting and its amazing! So we went on exchanges last Tuesday and it went so well! I was with sister Rodriguez in Chapel Hill. I love her so much! One of the best things about being a missionary is that we get to feel a small part of the love that God has for his other children. Just that small part is so immense! We clicked really well and I was able to help her. We are so similar. We did a lot of passbys and got some return appointments! And of course we ended the day with chocolats favoris! Yumm. We have still been doing a lot of bus contacting. We are working hard to try to find more people to teach and so far it has been rough, but I know that there are people being prepared for us. We just haven't found them yet. But we will! I had a sweet tender miracle this last week that I wanted to share. Last week while on the bus a man saw my name tag and asked about it. I told him that I was a missionary and he thought that was amazing! He started telling me all about his life and some hard things that he was going through. We were having a really great conversation when I had to get off at my stop. I was only able to leave him with my card. I didn't even have time to catch his name... I felt so bad that I hadn't been able to share more with him. I prayed for this stranger all week. I prayed that he would call or that we would get the opportunity to see each other again. A week later, we were walking to the bus stop and we got there just before the bus was about to leave. We almost didn't make it. So I got on and there he was. He recognized me and we continued our conversation! He said that he has been looking for peace in his life and that it probably wasn't a coincidence that he met a missionary twice in the same week after having prayed for an answer for so long. He said that he would like to come to church and would like to talk more. It was such a testimony to me that God is very much aware of each individual person. He knows that man and he knows his needs and has already provided the means by which to help him. It also built my testimony that faith and prayer have power! Faith through prayer that week was strong enough to make our paths cross again. Do not ever underestimate the power behind a faith driven prayer. That is how miracles start. And work is how they are accomplished. We need both. Working with the Zone leaders and district leaders is a lot of fun. I am learning so much from them. There are so many super great missionaries serving here and I am truly blessed to work alongside them. This week President Low is coming to start interviewing all the missionaries, and then President Phillips will be leaving us. I can't believe it.. It is going to be quite a change, but I am not worried. Heavenly Father knows what he is doing and I trust him. I trust the leaders that he has called too. I know that they receive revelation for those who are serving under them. I know that this is the way that God directs his church. It is orderly and efficient and yet it focuses on the one. I haven't met president Low yet but I know that he is called of God to direct this mission. I know that God's love is real. I have felt it in very real ways and I cannot deny it. I know that this work is his. I know that he is hastening it. I know that Christ is at the head. I have come to know him more in these past 10 months than the rest of my life combined. I know his love for us. I know that he wants us to have his joy and I know that he has given us the means to do it. I know he lives! I love him. I love you all dearly and i feel your prayers and love. Thank you! I hope you all have a wonderful week! A le prochaine! Sister Bates

June 18, 2019

Salut!! Another great week here in Ottawa! We had a lot of spiritually uplifting things happen. We had our last zone conference with president and sister Phillips yesterday. Man, it was a bawl fest... I look up to them so so much and I can't even express the gratitude I have for the opportunity I have had to serve under them. They have changed my life forever. The mission merge officially takes place on the first of July. I feel so excited! My mission is going to be HUGE. It will cover three different time zones! We also had a great stake conference the Sunday before. It was wonderful! It was my first one in English since I have been here! So that was wonderful. We and the zone leaders and had the great opportunity to sit in at a meeting with elder Bennet, an area 70. He was incredible! I felt a bit out of place, but I learned so much! It was cool to hear him speak the next day too. One amazing thing that happened this week was that we got to visit Jen! Jen is the cousin to brother Montreuil in Quebec. So I knew her from my first area when she would come to visit! It was so cool to see her! We had a fun time catching up and had a super spiritual discussion. It was powerful and we were all crying! Other than that, this week was full of visiting all of the other district's district councils which is always fun! We did a lot of service! I got to work in a soup kitchen! I have never done that before and it was a lot of fun! I love the feeling of being in an industrial kitchen. It makes me really want to have my own one day!;) We also helped out with, Bishop's storehouse. That was super cool! I am always surprised and impressed with the organization of the church. We are planners and doers! We set up the gym just like a store and then went and helped the people to get their groceries. It made me so happy. We had a super awesome lesson with this cute girl named Amanda. She came to the church and we gave her a chapel tour and taught her the restoration. Somehow she convinced me and sister Johnson to sing I Am A Child of God. She was touched by it. She is so sweet and has great potential and a lot of faith! I love this place. I had a lot of very sweet experiences this week at zone conference. I gained a greater witness than I have ever felt before of God's love. I know that I am his child. I know that all he does is to help me. I know that he knows me perfectly. I know that I have the potential to be like him. I know that he will help me do that. I just know. I love you all so very much. Keep on keeping on! Much love, Sister Bates

June 11, 2019

Bonjour tout le monde! My first couple of days in Ottawa have been a dream! The people here are sooo kind! I can't say enough about this place! The city is absolutely beautiful and so quaint! I feel so lucky to be here. We have been doing a lot of bus contacting. It's the first time i have done contacting on the bus and I thought it would be scary, but I actually really really enjoy it! Also I am serving in a YSA ward which is kind of the best thing ever! We have already gone to a lot of activities. It's fun and invigorating to be talking to so many people my age! We are working with some super cute people! But we will be doing a lot of finding these next couple of weeks because the sisters dropped a lot of people before I came. My new companion, sister Johnson, is the absolute cutest! This is her last transfer so I will be "killing her" lol I've always wanted to do that haha. But it's really the best because she is so full of wisdom! We get along really well and she is so funny! District council was great too. My district leader is elder Hsu, who came out with me. He does a great job. We also have a senior couple that.apparently always does object lessons with food Haha. This last time they made us a fruit salad and compared every ingredient to something we need to do in order to become a successful missionary. On Sunday we went to visit a sweet lady who goes to another ward but loves sisters. Her name is sister Cloud and she is the coolest lady of all time. She used to be a biker and has been to every state except like 3. She had some super great stories! Last night we got to go to FHE. The young adults were super kind and patient with my limited basketball skills. We had a very fun time and i got to know the members better. Sister Johnson and I have been discussing a lot of deep things during comp study and we had a cool conversation about desires that I wanted to share. Were were studying the living Christ and there was a spot where it talks about how Jesus Christ was able to be the savior because he had developed his desires to be exactly aligned with God's. I have been thinking a lot about that. Often times I do things because I have to or because I know I should, even when I really dont want to do them. But I know that I want be like him until my real desires line up with his. And so how do we train our desires to be in line with God's? I think that it is something that only the spirit can teach and guide us to do. We know the spirit sanctifies us. We know that we came here to earth to learn and prepare for godhood. We know also that we can't get there without Christ. I have made it a goal especially for this transfer to make Christ the focus. He is the bridge between us and God there is no other way back but by him. I know that his grace is sufficient. I know he has the power to help every person become like our father in heaven. But it is up to us to allow him to help us, because he will not force anyone to be saved. I am grateful for my savior. Everyone always asks me why I decided to come on a mission and my answers have varied. But as I have really thought about it, the real answer, is him. I could think of no better way to show my gratitude for the numbness things he has done and continues to do for me, than to serve his people the way he would serve them if he were here. That is why I came on a mission. Because of him. I love him. I will proudly be his defender and his servant. He gave me his entire life. I am proud to give him 18 months. I want to invite you to have a Christ focused moment every day this week. Whether that's reading about him, studying his life, or just talking a moment to think about him. It brings everything into perspective. I love you all and hope you are well! Thanks for your love and support! Love Sister Bates!

June 4, 2019

Salut!! This week was super full of ups and downs. We had some pretty rough moments at the beginning, but then everything got better from there! We got transfer calls and I will be leaving dear old Laval and going to Ottawa!! I am also going to be a sister training leader (STL) so that's terrifying! I am so excited to get the opportunity to work with all the lovely sisters there! I am sad that I won't be in a French speaking area anymore. I really hope I don't lose it all! But I know that I am not here to learn French, but to bring others to Christ through the restored gospel. I think that it will be refreshing for me to teach people in English. That will be a major stress taken off of my shoulders haha! I think I will be able to better develop the teaching skills that got a little muddled in the language. It will be so good. I am so excited for the change! We had a lot of goodbye lessons with a lot of our amis yesterday too. There are so many friends here that I just love with all of my heart! My favorite was with Lourdia. She has been going through some difficulties, but I was able to testify that Christ is ready and willing to help her, but that she needs to be willing and ready to follow him. The spirit was strong. Nothing like leaving an area to bring the courage to be bold! It's sad to say goodbye to them when all of your energy over the last few months has gone into them and into helping them progress! But they will be in good hands. And they will forever be in my heart! The time is just flying by! I know that over the next transfer I am going to learn so so much and I know that it will only go by quicker from here! I am so grateful for the last few transfers that I have had here in Laval. This area was a growing area for me, that's for sure. I learned some hard lessons and I was stretched. It wasn't the most pleasant experience at times, but I am grateful for what I learned. I know stronger than ever that this church is true. I know that Christ's way is the most freeing way to live. Satan does a darn good job at convincing us that it's too hard or it's less fun, or that we aren't worthy. But he's a liar. To follow Christ brings more freedom and joy and peace than anything this world could offer. I know this is true. I hope that each one of you are seeing the blessings of the Lord each day. I promise they are many. As always, thank you for your prayers and support. I love you all! A le prochaine semaine! soeur Bates