Energy in the grass? LOL

Dear family, friends, and wonderful people,

 

Funny story of the week: This random man named Kcoasst (yes, that is the correct spelling…and yes…he changes names daily to fit with the aura the sun puts off every day…) walked into church yesterday. Now, that doesn’t happen very often as a missionary. You normally just don’t have people walk into church that have read almost the entire Book of Mormon. He is in Alma, and he said that he is really loving it! Great! Golden Investigator! Baptism! Hallelujah. Of course, things just always have to get complicated. We asked him why he had decided to walk into church that day. His response…? “I went around to all of the churches in Kitchener…and I tasted of the grass…whichever grass held the most energy…that’s where I decided to go…the grass in front of your church…held particularly the most concentrated energy. After I meditated on it…I felt as if eagles led me to this building. It is time for my destiny to be decided.” He then proceeds to get down on his knees and starts speaking in tongues in the middle of the Gospel Principles class. Awkward.

 

Things aren’t always *that* exciting when you’re a missionary, but it is always a roller coaster ride! Like this area! Things are a little bit different here, and I am still getting used to it. For instance, we share a car with the Kitchener-Waterloo West Elders. Now, sharing a car with Elders…it’s pretty interesting. We find some pretty cool random things. Like a lighter in the shape of a nun holding a cross (someone gave it to them on the street) dirty socks, pop bottles, you know you know. The Elders are wonderful in this ward, though! Elder Healey is from Salt Lake, and a wonderful district leader! Elder Ikeda is from Japan…and is literally a doctor. Like the ones in the hospitals. It’s…intense…they help us out a lot though, so it’s all good. We can forgive them about their car etiquette. (And it’s really not even that bad) 🙂 We also ride buses–and talk to people that way. That’s SO different than what I am used too. But I am really getting the hang of it, and someday, I really want to serve in Toronto where bus contacting is golden finding! Who knows, it could happen?! Kitchener is much bigger than Simcoe, but the area that we only work in has about 60,000 people approximately. It’s a lot of fun, so it’s almost like we work in a tiny area, in a bigger city! We don’t go downtown, because that’s not in our area, so we don’t meet too many crazy people. 🙂 The ward is wonderful and very supportive. Another Funny Story! I had a primary teacher when I was about 11–his name is Brother Schulske (sp?)–and he was one of my favorite teachers! Well…we went to church on Sunday…and he was there! Apparently the University of Waterloo hired him, and so now he and his adorable family are in this ward. Isn’t that so weird? Seriously. I tripped out a lot. Who would have thought that I would be in the same ward as my old primary teacher…in a different country..?!

 

The work is slowly, but surely progressing. Things are starting to pick up, we have found some families that we are working with–and I am really excited about that! Yea for helping the work move along! Keep praying for this area, because we know that the Lord has some wonderful plans for it! More about some of these people that we are working with next week.

 

Anyways, I need to go. The apartment is a mess (not our fault…long story) and we need to go clean it! We are also doing exchanges tonight with the Sister Training Leaders! I will be staying in Kitchener-Waterloo East with Sister Waldron, and Sister Mitchell will be going to Brantford with Sister Tuia. Miracles are going to happen!

 

I love you all, and I thank you so much for the support and love that you have shown me! Keep the Faith! Choose The Right! Read the Scriptures! Remember that I love you!

 

Love always,

Sister Colvin

 

p.s. Just a hint…my birthday is in a couple of weeks…and I will be 20!!!! Yea!!! 🙂

 

p.p.s. 🙂

 

Transfer!

Dearest family, friends, and people I hope to meet someday,

 

I am very sorry, but I do not have hardly any time today. I have to go pack and go say goodbye to people. 😦

 

Transfers have happened. I am leaving Simcoe and my wonderful companion, Sister Taylor. I have been assigned to Kitchener/Waterloo East. This is about an hour and some away. I am very excited for this new chapter in my “mission life”. I know that this is where I am supposed to be going. I know that the Lord wants me to be in this area for specific people and for specific experiences.. My new companion is Sister Mitchell. I don’t know her very well, but she did come out to the mission at the same time as me. At least, I think so. There are SO many sisters now, it’s hard to keep track of all of them. 🙂

 

Simcoe has taught me so many valuable things that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I learned how to be a missionary here. I learned how to love ALL people here. I am so honored to have been trusted with this special area. I know that I have learned what I needed to, and it is time to move on–no matter how heartbreaking it is. I have grown to LOVE this area. The people. The branch. The work. The apartment. My companions. Everything. There have been challenging times (such is missionary work)…but I have been molded and shaped into something that I thought I could never be. A disciple of Jesus Christ. I know that there is so much more for me to learn, and I cannot wait to have those challenges and trials! I want to learn as much as I can! And I know that when I have faith, that things are going to work out.

 

For now, that is all that I have. Next week will be an exciting email full of wonderful stories and the Spirit! I love you all and please be safe!

 

Love always,

Sister Colvin

 

Cherishing every minute!

My dearest family, friends, and people who are still wonderful, 

 

I am praying that this is not my last week in Simcoe. Transfers are on Sunday and I have grown so attached to this wonderful area, branch, and the people. I have learned so much from the companions that I have had and the people that I have been privileged to teach. What a blessing it has been to be in Simcoe! And,who knows? Maybe I will be here longer?! I definitely hope so! 

 

The weather this week has been BEAUTIFUL! It has been sunny, no humidity, and a slight cool breeze coming through. I wish that all weeks were like this.It is wonderful to talk to all of the people at all of the festivals and carnivals and such. Good weather really helps us missionaries out. 🙂 

 

Our health is doing a bit better as well. We do have to go to the doctor today and get some tests done, but we have been in contact with the Mission Nurse and President Scott, and everyone is taking good care of us. Just please continue to pray for us. 🙂 

 

Our investigators are doing well. Colvin is planning on being baptized this Sunday. Please pray for him that he will be able to keep all of the commandments! Those are what he struggles with. Hopefully he can see the blessings that come from living the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity, and he will push through and be baptized on Sunday! Neville is wonderful, as always. But he will not be able to be baptized this transfer. He went to a “Caribbean Party” in Toronto…and sufficeth to say…he is struggling with some commitments. But, I have faith that he will be able to find that desire to live the commandments that God has given us. I know that he will be ready someday. We found some new investigators this week that are seriously awesome! We haven’t been able to teach them a lot, but they really have sincere desires to know the truth. The work is moving slowly but surely in the promised land of Simcoe. 

 

1.  You mentioned you “thought a change might be coming” in relation to
your companion.  Was that wishful thinking, promptings from the Spirit, or
other information that leads you to that conclusion?  🙂

 

Definitely not wishful thinking! Sister Taylor is an amazing missionary that is very close to the Spirit. I have learned a lot about serving others and the Atonement this transfer, and that was partly because she is/was my companion! I don’t know about the other two…I guess only time will tell! 🙂 

2.  When you had your turn at being “biking sisters,” where/how did you
get the bikes, helmets, etc.?

 

Bikes we borrowed from the members. And I went and bought the helmets/bike locks because Sister Taylor was out of money. Haha. What is it with me and companions with no money? Maybe I need to teach them how to budget money? 🙂 

3.  Any news about using technology in the field?  How about building tours?

 

No news yet. We give chapel tours all of the time as missionaries. So, I don’t quite understand what you mean…

4.  Is there anyone in the branch that loves the missionaries?

 

Um…EVERYONE?! They all love us…at least I think they do… 🙂 
5.  Did you get some letters from girls camp?

 

YES. And I bawled my eyes out. Ask my companion. I was a wreck for half an hour. I loved it so much. I wrote a letter to the Stake Young Women’s Presidency and the Camp Committee…should I just send that to you, Mommy?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTIONS! But, that is all that I have time to write this week…due to unforeseen circumstances. 🙂 

 

Anyways, I love you all so much, and I Promise that the next email will be better. Keep the faith! Read the Scriptures! Love Everyone! Blessings will come! 

 

Love forever, 

Sister Colvin