Splits on a Bike!

Sister Zerkle

Hello from Oshawa!                                                                                                                        April 28, 2014

This week could have possibly been the happiest, most tiring, busiest week of my mission thus far!! Next week is looking like it's going to be the same :) It's going to be a good transfer! I love my new companion, Sister Zerkle, with all of my heart! She is hilarious! Some of my favorite things about her are: 1. She doesn't like to write in her journal, so she draws comics in her journal of things that happened that day. It's hilarious! 2. She has incredible, fluffy hair that she sometimes ties in a knot of top of her head and it looks fantastic! 3. She LOVES Megamind! She and I try not to quote it all the time, but sometimes it just happens :) 4. She is an INCREDIBLE missionary!! I am very humbled and grateful to be her companion. She works hard and works smart. 5. On transfer day when we became companions, we got in the car, and usually the car ride back to the area consists of "get to know you" questions, but Sister Zerkle and I had been on an exchange just two weeks prior, so we already knew each other and we were able to just get right to work! It's been a blast!

WE FOUND A FAMILY!! We first met the husband in the lobby of their apartment building when we were dropping by a member family. He was wearing a Las Vegas t shirt, and that's where Sister Zerkle is from, so it was a good conversation starter! We talked with him for a little while and gave him a mormon.org card. I didn't think much of it because that is a very normal thing that happens all the time. But a few days later we were there again, and we decided to knock on a few doors on the top floor, so the first door we knock on a lady named Yaima, answered the door and invited us right in! She explained that her husband met us a few days ago and that she wanted to learn more. She only had 10 minutes so we explained about the Book of Mormon and gave her one. They are from Cuba and have only been here for seven months. She knows enough English to carry on a conversation, but since there are so many uncommon terms we use in the Church, teaching her in English would be like someone trying to teach me Chemistry in French! So we need MEMBERS! We taught her the next day with a Latino sister in the ward and it was the most spiritual lesson I've ever taught. Probably because I wasn't teaching. The Spirit was. We basically read the Restoration pamphlet together. She had one in Spanish and we were following along in English. The Spanish speaking Sister would explain if she had questions and Sister Zerkle and I testified very simply so she could understand. It was incredible! When we got to the first vision, I simply said to her, "This is important. Read it slowly and think about it as you read it. I know it is true." Usually we recite the first vision by memory when teaching it, but the Spirit hit me like a brick wall as she read it slowly in her own language. There were a few seconds of silence after she read it and it was so powerful! We helped her recognize the feeling of the Spirit and even though she speaks Spanish and I speak English, we were most definitely on the same page and were understanding each other. When we asked her to pray about Joseph Smith, she looked at us like we were crazy and said, "I know it's true." She was so excited about the Book of Mormon and told us we could meet with her every day if we can! :) We are going to try teaching her husband as well. He came in from work at the end of that lesson and told us, "This home is your home." And Yaima said he likes coming to church so we think he will be just as receptive as she is. Since 10ish months of my mission have been in YSA work, I've never taught a family. So I am really excited about them! They have a five year old son who is adorable!

I went on my first exchange this week as a sister training leader and it was a blast! I went to Ajax and served with Sister Wise for a day. We rode bikes the entire day, and it was my first time riding a bike on my mission!! With the helmet, bike, backpack, and my name tag I felt like a real, live, true, stereotypical missionary! I probably had a goofy smile on my face that whole day just because I was so happy and proud to be a missionary!

We'll be going on two exchanges this week. One tonight, and the other later in the week. We're still trying to figure out how to make it all work out because we have MLC (misionary leadership council) this week and Zone Training, so it will be a puzzle to fit it all in!

I am so happy :) I know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. I am so grateful for revelation. Personal revelation and revelation given to our leaders. It all comes from our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. I know our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real. They are just as alive as we are. All we need is to open our heart, ears, and minds to realize it. I love this gospel so much. I know it is true. Have a great week!

Love and Prayers, Sister Felix

Quote of the Week:

"Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them."

-Jeffrey R. Holland

Friends, Sushi & Indian Pants

TRANSFER to Oshawa

                                                                                                                                                                  April 21, 2014

Transfer news!! It was a very humbling transfer call last night... President Scott called and extended a calling to me to be a Sister Training Leader. I will be going to serve in Oshawa with Sister Zerkle! I'm very excited, but a little nervous. I know this is God's will and it will help me reach my divine potential. It will be my second time in a family ward! I'll miss YSA work, but I'm excited to teach families again. Sister Taylor is going to Ajax, Sister Dyer is going to Etobicoke, and Sister Harris is staying here.

We found a new investigator this week named Lisa. She comes from a Buddhist background and is incredible! We were only able to meet with her once because she went home to Ottawa for the summer, but hopefully she'll continue meeting with missionaries there.

Yesterday was quite possibly one of the most spiritual of my mission. Easter Sunday in the Kingston branch. Amazing. I sang in the choir :) Brother and Sister Roberts spoke. Brother Roberts is a surgeon and he talked from a medical perspective about Christ's suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and death on the cross. He said he's only seen one patient bleed from their pores and it comes from extremely intense pain and blood losing the ability to clot... There is a medical term for it. I can't even imagine the Savior bleeding from every pore. I don't really understand or comprehend everything he was talking about, but there is no denying what I felt. There was not a dry eye in the room as this humble surgeon testified of the reality, divinity, and miracle of the Atonement. The Spirit bore witness so strongly of the Atonement in that moment.

Then after church the Elders had a baptism. Our investigator Lucas came which is super great because he's getting baptized this Sunday! Ron and Nancy were baptized and it was an extremely spiritual experience. He and Nancy are in their 60's and the sweetest little couple! At the end of the service, the branch president invited Ron to say a few words. He stood up and said something like this: "I want to thank you all for coming on this special day. (then he started to choke up with tears.) I am so happy. So incredibly happy!! Thank you again for coming and supporting me and my Nancy." Then he sat down. It was something in the way that he said, "I am so happy. So incredibly happy" that made me start crying! Again, the Spirit like a wall of truth hit me and testified again to my heart of the importance and truthfulness of the message I share. I know it is the most valuable thing in our lives. What a blessing it is to have this pearl of great price!

Well I've got a lot to do today, so I hope all is well with all of you. I know this is Christ's church. He is the head. It is built upon His gospel. It is true.

Love and Prayers, Sister Felix

Quote of the Week: "The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."

-President Ezra Taft Benson

Obedience

Hello!                                                                                                        April 14, 2014

Week of miracles. I have a testimony of obedience. There's a reason it's the first law of Heaven! There were so many incredible things that happened this week that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been obedient. One of those miracles was that we had two investigators at church! Lucas and Donald. We found out Donald is 31, so we passed him off to the Elders because he's not YSA, but we think he really liked church! Lucas really liked it too. Lucas fits in really well with the YSA members.

This area, Kingston YSA, will be closing at the end of this transfer because that's when all the students leave.  It's a seasonal area. So it will open back up in September when the students come back. But we both know that we're leaving, and it's a weird feeling. Usually with transfers we don't know whether we're staying or going, but we know for sure we're leaving. So it's really weird. I'm excited to see where I will serve next though! I'll let you know next week.

I went on exchanges this week with Sister Zerkle! She is incredible! She is from Las Vegas, Nevada, so it was fun to make connections! I knew the High School that she went to! Some of the people in our Las Vegas ward went to that school, so it was pretty crazy. She trained my MTC companion, Sister Stoddard, so I've known Sister Zerkle my whole mission, but I didn't really know her! We got really close on that exchange though. It was a super fun day! She is companions with Sister Waldron right now. So I got to see Sister Waldron this week too. Always a highlight and a pleasure :) She gave me flowers for my birthday! And an adorable card. Oh how I love her!

I don't feel like I have any crazy or earth shattering stories to share this week. But I did have a cool moment during the sacrament. I was reading the prayers and really thinking about the words. Elder Oaks talk from the Priesthood session of conference has got me thinking a lot about the Priesthood. So I was thinking about the words of the prayers, and the priesthood, and I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and feeling of forgiveness. It is seriously the most incredible thing! Feeling the Spirit everyday of my life is a goal that I have. Because I know that if I can feel that, I must be doing something right.

I hope you all have a great week! And find someone to share the gospel with!

Love and Prayers, Sister Felix

Quote of the week:

"Now is the time for labor. Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the House of the Lord, burn in your hearts, like flame unquenchable." -Brigham Young

And here's an EASTER MESSAGE for all of you :)

These are the words of my FAVORITE Easter Hymn! And an Easter Video! 

http://easter.mormon.org/

O Savior, Thou Who Wearest A Crown

1. O Savior, thou who wearest

A crown of piercing thorn,

The pain thou meekly bearest,

Weigh'd down by grief and scorn.

The soldiers mock and flail thee;

For drink they give thee gall;

Upon the cross they nail thee

To die, O King of all.

2. No creature is so lowly,

No sinner so depraved,

But feels thy presence holy

And thru thy love is saved.

Tho craven friends betray thee,

They feel thy love's embrace;

The very foes who slay thee

Have access to thy grace.

3. Thy sacrifice transcended

The mortal law's demand;

Thy mercy is extended

To ev'ry time and land.

No more can Satan harm us,

Tho long the fight may be,

Nor fear of death alarm us;

We live, O Lord, thru thee.

4. What praises can we offer

To thank thee, Lord most high?

In our place thou didst suffer;

In our place thou didst die,

By heaven's plan appointed,

To ransom us, our King.

O Jesus, the anointed,

To thee our love we bring!

General Conference

Hello!                                                                                                                April 7, 2014

I think it finally might be spring :) There is only a little bit of snow left. I didn't even have to wear snow boots this week! And it's about 46 degrees Fahrenheit today! Righteous living! :)

Wasn't conference AMAZING! I loved it. So much. Too much. That's probably not possible to love conference too much though :) Especially as a missionary! We watched both of the morning sessions at the church and then we watched the afternoon sessions in a member's home. The afternoon session on Sunday we watched at Jake's house. He's a recent convert that was baptized at the end of November and he's SO solid. There were about 14 YSA there and three were not members! A missionaries dream! Two were Jake's roommates and Taylor brought her friend. 

Here are some of my favorite conference highlights:

• Defend your beliefs
• Agency is essential for Christlike service
• Share the Gospel. FOLLOW UP!
• Obedience is taught by example
• President Uchtdorf's talk about gratitude was PHENOMENAL. Love it. When he was talking about how gratitude is a way of life, I was thinking about how choosing to live a life of gratitude ensures a brighter future because we are choosing to turn on the light. We will see every situation in greater light and joy because gratitude is a change of perspective. A righteous change of perspective.
• I loved Elder Ballard's invitation for every member to obtain a copy of and study Preach My Gospel :) (wink wink!)
• Gary Stevenson's talk was incredible as well. So applicable for me in so many ways!
• Acting as agents impacts our circumstances. Love Elder Bednar!
• Forgiveness should go hand in hand with love
• There will always be opposition where there is truth
• I loved all of it, these are just little parts from my notes :)

This is also what I decided: I used to think that I had favorite apostles, but as each member of the twelve or First Presidency got up to speak, I would get so excited! I realize I love them all! I always loved all of them, but I just have this deep love and appreciation for each of them individually that I didn't realize I had. 

We had Zone Training this week and it was incredible. Elder Orr and Elder Peterson are our zone leaders and they prepared an amazing meeting. We talked about preparing members for teaching appointments and having them invite the investigators to church because getting investigators to church is SO MUCH more effective when working through members. Because almost always when investigators don't come to church it's because of a social concern. Members help break down those barriers. Equally yoked :) That's what we need to be. Members and missionaries. President Monson knows best. At the end of the meeting they had something called "Spiritual Food" as the last thing on the agenda... I wasn't quite sure what that was supposed to mean. And I got even more confused when we all moved into the room with the baptismal font and there was a piano and a table full of candy, chips, chocolate, doughnuts, cookies, etc. The Zone leaders asked, "So who's hungry?!" Sister Taylor was the first to volunteer to select some food. So she took some gluten free chips. (because she's gluten free. I dont know if I told you that.) And the Zone Leaders turned to Elder Eaton and said, "Elder Eaton, will you do 10 push ups so Sister Taylor can have those chips?" My heart dropped. I had heard this story before. If you have not heard or read "Push ups for doughnuts" go read it now. Then read the rest of this email. I tried to attach a copy. But I can't find it on lds.org, and I can't go on google. But you can :) So go read it. And like it describes in the story, they went around the room and each Elder and Sister selected a treat of some kind and Elder Eaton did 10 push ups for each one. The craziest part about this, is that I've heard the story before, but actually watching Elder Eaton sweat and shake and collapse after doing so many push ups brought tears to my eyes... We then sang "I Stand All Amazed" and there was not a dry eye in the room. It was an incredibly powerful moment for me. 

I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ who did an incomprehensible amount of suffering that is not even comparable to push ups. I know He lives. He taught and lived His gospel and expects us to do the same. I know that as we re-read and apply what we learned at conference we will feel ourselves become happier and more Christlike. What a glorious time in which we live! Let's choose to live this glorious life in gratitude okay? :)

Love and Prayers, Sister Felix

Quote of the Week: "Love each other more. Love each other better." -Bonnie L. Oscarson

University, Prison, Army Base:)

Hello!                                                                                                  March 31, 2014

We currently have no investigators. Zero. We dropped them all because they have either dropped off the face of the earth, are not keeping commitments, or told us they don't want to learn anymore. So this week we're going to have some amazing finding miracles I'm sure! 

One amazing finding miracle we had this past week was on Tuesday. One of my favorite things about Kingston is that it's a university, prison, and army base town! So the streets are FULL of college students, people fresh out of jail, and army guys. It's awesome! Lots of the houses for a few blocks around the campus are just full of students. 5 or 6 college students in each house. So it's a great place to tract! We were out tracting around there on Tuesday, and we were just about to get in the car to go home for lunch, when I saw a lady through the window on her front door. The Spirit told me very subtly that I should go talk to her. I excused the immediate thoughts of doubt and inconvenience and went and knocked on that door. It turned out to be a house of apartments and she was the cleaning lady. But she was amazing! She's from the Philippines and has been here for one year. She had heard about Mormons because according to her,"they are EVERYWHERE!" She is Seventh Day Adventist but is looking for a congregation to find fellowship. We had a great talk with her and her cleaning friend. They weren't interested in meeting with us, but they said they might come visit church sometime. Even though they weren't interested in immediately coming to church and meeting with us, it was a good experience for me to learn again how the Spirit speaks to me. I keep having experiences like that and I am grateful for them. Sister Taylor reminds people we teach, and it's a good reminder for me to, that if we're feeling the Spirit it's a good indicator of our worthiness. The Holy Ghost doesn't dwell in unholy places. Therefore if I'm feeling the Spirit, or fruits of the Spirit, I am worthy. If I'm not, then I've got to change something because it's my fault.

For those of you that saw it, wasn't the General Women's Broadcast incredible?! I loved it. If you haven't watched it yet, go watch it. I promise it's amazing. I felt such a sense of unity. There was an adorable Italian mother sitting in front of us during the broadcast with her three daughters that are still elementary and middle school age and they were just so sweet to watch. It was one of those simple moments that I'll probably never forget. Simple but spiritual.

It's funny how many times I forgot yesterday that it was my birthday! Haha. It just wasn't at the front of my mind because we were busy being missionaries! Being 20 is pretty fun though :) My lovely companion and my other apartmentship sisters surprised me with nanaimo bars on Saturday morning! So that was amazing! I had never heard of nanimo bars until I came to Canada, so I think they're a Canadian thing, but I'm not totally sure. They are coconut, chocolate, vanilla custard bars and they are amazing! I had them for the first time when I was with Sister Dyer, and she remembered how much I loved them. Sister Taylor set an alarm on our phone for a minute after midnight so she could be the first one to wish me a happy birthday, so she did just that. I don't remember any of this because I'm a heavy sleeper, but I guess I said thank you, which gave her the impression that I was awake and coherent, so she sang me happy birthday at midnight! And I thanked her again after she sang! Haha :) We all had a good laugh over that. There is a YSA in the branch named Aubrey who has the same birthday as me, so a few of the YSA members made dinner for both of us. They asked me if I had any requests, so guess what we had? Cafe Rio!! Vegan style! (Because the chefs are vegan) It was so good! The YSA members here are so good to us. So good!

Thank you for your love and support. I am ever grateful for this part of my life. Yesterday during sacrament meeting, I didn't have the opportunity to bear my testimony, so I just wrote bullet points of what I know in my journal. This I know: 

• Heavenly Father lives. He is involved so intimately in the details of our lives. He has a resurrected, perfected body of flesh and bone and is the literal Father of our Spirits.
• Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He lives and also has a perfected, resurrected body.
• The Holy Ghost is the ultimate comforter.
• Joseph Smith was called to be the first prophet of this dispensation. The church, gospel, and priesthood was restored though him.
• The Book of Mormon is divine. It is the word of God. We can draw closer to our Heavenly Father through reading it than any other book. 
• I AM EXACTLY WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO BE. This is the most comforting feeling. To know the path I am on is pleasing to God.

Love and Prayers, Sister Felix

Quote of the Week: 

"I emphasize the personal blessings of temple worship and the sanctity and safety that are provided within those hallowed walls. It is the house of the Lord, a place of revelation and peace. As we attend temple, we learn more richly and deeply the purpose of life and the significance of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us make the temple, with temple worship and temple covenants and temple marriage, out ultimate earthly goal and the supreme mortal experience." -President Howard W. Hunter