It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas a little late

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day the temperature spiked very unusually -- at one point it hit 20*C -- and then yesterday we got covered in another blanket of snow and it is currently -11*C. This was my one chance to have a white Christmas and it felt like I was back in Carlsbad. The only day that I actually really wanted it to be cold, I didn't need my coat. We went caroling in short sleeves. Oh well. We have plenty of cold now.

Fortunately, I've been in training my entire life to feel the magic of Christmas even without snow, and Christmas was indeed magical. 

 I got to skype with my family :) There are a lot of people in my family. They kept having to shift and give different people turns to see my beautiful face. Highlights: Madeleine sang me a song about Christmas that had hand motions and everything. As far as I can tell my family still thinks I'm funny, and (thank goodness) they're still funny, too. 

Last Tuesday we had a mission-wide Christmas devotional, which was absolutely wonderful. I really love President and Sister Patrick. Most of the devotional was musical numbers performed by missionaries and Sister Patrick read to us out of Luke. I got to see my MTC district again, which was way fun :) At the end, when President and Sister Patrick wished us all a Merry Christmas individually, President assured me that he hasn't forgotten about me haha and I told him that he's welcome to keep forgetting about me, I've been very happy in Terrebonne with Sister Schmuhl for my whole mission thus far.

This week we're passing off a few of the people we teach to the Elders because we're making more of an effort to, as sisters, only teach women, and have the Elders only teach men. This will significantly thin out our teaching pool, but it's definitely a good direction to be taking. So, this week we will be concentrating on finding new friends! We are going to talk to everyone and invite people to take part in the good news of the gospel, because we love them. I love my calling :)

I love my Lord and Savior. This season, I have enjoyed nothing more than talking about Him all day every day and having the opportunity to share the joy of His birth. Going forward, I am excited to give Him greater focus and always learn more about his life, without waiting for it to be Christmas again.

Merry Christmas, I love you all, mais le Seigneur encore plus :)
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes,

Soeur Lonas

Merry Christmas!

It's snowing right now! It's magical! Everything is white and beautiful! It honestly is the craziest thing to me that snow is normal for other people. I just find it so thrilling. Sister Schmuhl thinks I'm crazy, as does the population of Quebec when I am spinning in circles in the church parking lot and they are walking as quickly as they can from their cars to the Uniprix across the street.

I am so stoked for Christmas, I LOVE Christmas! We're eating with pretty much every family in the ward this week so that's frightening -- I've actually made progress on losing some of the weight I gained over the last 6 months but by the time my family sees my on Friday I will have gained it all back. So that's a bummer. But hey! Family! I'm so excited to see you! :D

Our ward Christmas party was the last Friday, it was amazing. Terrebonne knows how to party. It's funny how without a lot of other examples around of wards and their parties, the Mormon culture is not as clearly defined and a ward gathering turns into a very real dance party. I have never had such a hard time keeping a mission rule as I did on Friday night keeping the no-dancing rule. It was really hard. Especially with members trying to pull us on to the dance floor saying "Don't worry! We won't tell anyone!" hahaha. Listening to Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber and Queen and Abba was kind of a little bit torturous. But, at the end of the day, it also reinforced my testimony of why we don't listen to normal music as missionaries. It was pretty hard for both of us to concentrate during planning that night and going to sleep I could still hear "Shake it Off" playing in my head. If I try really hard, I still can.

It's been pretty hard to meet with people, which is understandable because everyone is busy for the holidays, but it makes things tough. However, the people who have let us in have been very clearly softened by the spirit of Christmas that is in everything right now. I have been especially impressed by the testimonies of Christ shared with us by non-members. I love feeling unified to people of other faiths by our similar desires to follow the example of Christ.

We have our mission-wide Christmas devotional tomorrow and in preparation for that, we have been asked by President to read and study the gospel of John in the New Testament. In doing so over the last couple of weeks, I have come to realize that I need to spend more time studying the New Testament. I know the stories of the life of Christ and have heard them my whole life, but reading the actual text is very different and I've realized what details are traditionally left out and which ones are in fact fabricated. My testimony of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ has been strengthened daily in studying John's testimony. It really happened. Christ really is the Son of God and He really suffered for our sins, sadnesses, and pains because He LOVES us. So much. Just after finishing John's testimony the other day, I turned to where I currently am in the Book of Mormon and one of the first things I read was 2 Ne 9:21. All of the Book of Mormon testifies of the Atonement of Christ

2 Nephi 9:21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.

All of the Book of Mormon testifies of the Atonement of Christ but it has never been so powerful to me as it was immediately after reading the closest thing we have to a first hand account of the Atonement. I have so much love for Jesus Christ. He is my brother and He is your brother and He is the reason we celebrate Christmas.


I love you all! Merry Christmas!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥Soeur Lonas

Discover Why

Monday, December 14

So I forgot to mention that transfer calls were coming this last weekend because I just assumed Sister Schmuhl and I would be staying together in Terrebonne for her last transfer on the mish....and we are! So we really do get to have Christmas together and I really do get to kill her (send her home) in February! I've never heard of companions being together this long who weren't Sister Training Leaders. We are thrilled. Honestly, I just feel so blessed and grateful to get to be with her for this long and in such a wonderful area. Especially because, meanwhile, Sister Shelley is leaving (really sad, she's adorable and we love her) and Sister Beaumont is training AGAIN in Mascouche. I do not envy her. I am perfectly happy with my five transfers of being trained by my Schmuhl mama. 

In other fun transfer news, one of my STLs is dying (going home) and the sister coming in to replace her is Sister Perdue!! I am so excited. We're going to get to go on exchanges together, which is super funny and super cool. Yeah, I totally won this round of transfer calls.

I don't know if I've mentioned the Terrebonne elders ever? But they're awesome, so it's super sad that Elder Noorda is leaving to go up to Quebec (even though that's a really cool area), but Elder Mecham is going to be training here, too! New missionaries are so good, they have so much MTC energy (get it? funny, because I'm still basically a new missionary).

And our Sacrament meeting yesterday was centered on missionary work so we sang a song with the Elders which was really fun and went very well and I also gave a talk. Yeah, that was pretty terrifying. I'm pretty sure my French reverted back to me in French 1 and my accent was horrific but c'est la vie (oh good, I haven't forgotten everything). It's done now and it was fun! Great learning experience.

Also I love Christmas! So much! It is such a fun time to be a missionary! We've gone caroling a few times with the Mascouche sisters and it's so cool, we do all four parts (Sister Beaumont is sick, she does bass). It's a big hit. Less actives can't NOT let you in after that, it really is incredible effective. Honestly, we've had some amazing lessons with less-actives this week whose hearts have been touched by the spirit of Christmas. This is such a special time of the year. If you haven't seen the new video yet -- https://www.mormon.org/christmas -- we share it with a million people every single day, and it's still great. I actually like it better in French, but it's good in English, too. I invite you to "Discover Why" Christ was sent to Earth, either in beginning a structure of faith now or deepening your appreciation of the birth and life of Christ by studying the scriptures and sharing the restored Gospel.

I know that Christ lives. I know that our Heavenly Father sent him here to live and die and live again for us, and I know that this and everything else our Father does for us is motivated by his infinite love for each one of his children. I love being a member of Christ's church on the earth, especially during this season of Christmas. I love my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I am so happy. I love Quebec, and more specifically I love Terrebonne. Good thing, too, I'll be here for a good while. I absolutely adore my calling as a representative of Jesus Christ.

It's been a great week, I hope it has for you, too! Don't forget why we celebrate Christmas amidst all the other fun things about the season :)
I love you all! Souvenez-vous qui vous etes,

Soeur Lonas

Worst Kiss Ever

Wonderful week :) but this will be a shorter email

Larry has a calling now as the second counselor in the Young Men's presidency! He's doing great.

Our most recently fixed baptismal date: January 2nd. Please keep Oliver in your prayers. He's such a sweet man, and his testimony is strong. He's just had some bad experiences with members before... super sad.

Somehow I've gained the reputation in our zone as making super good crepes? I've made them two times. I mean, I'm flattered, although I don't feel like this particular compliment was very well deserved. But I'll take it!

You meet some weird people when you're called of God to talk to everyone. I was on exchanges in Montreal a couple days ago and totally got kissed by a man on a bus, so that was eventful. He told me that I looked like a princess and should live in a castle...you would see the humor in this if I'd been humble enough to allow any pictures of myself that day. Anyway, I felt like the worst person in the whole world, but my Sister Training Leader got a kick out of it.

I've started studying the gospel of John this week and it has increased my testimony so much of the Savior and increased my appreciation for everything he has done and continues to do for me personally. And using the Joseph Smith translation has also been really interesting. Morning studies are wonderful, and it is such a blessing that personal studies are followed by companionship study because then we get to fangirl together about how great the scriptures are. I love me some Sister Schmuhl scriptural fangirling.

We had our interviews with President this week which was like spiritual therapy. I love President Patrick so much. I miss my parents more than I can describe and nothing could make me not miss them, but I'm very grateful to have such amazing mission parents who also love me and to whom I can turn for counsel.

Culinary accomplishment: made cookies without a recipe from leftover pumpkin soup and brought it to some of our less actives. We didn't try any of them because we're trying to cut out sugar as much as possible but I got some compliments. One woman asked for the recipe...I just said it was a secret; I have no idea what actually ended up going into those.

Oh yeah, Sister Beaumont and I cut each others hair! So I have bangs, now :)

I love you! Watch the Christmas devotional if you haven't already, it was amazing! Merry Christmas! :)
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥
Soeur Lonas

Missions and Christmas

Biggest news of the week: Larry decided he's going to serve a mission. He met with the bishop about it yesterday to find out everything he has to do to prepare for that, but he's planning on going in less than a year, right after he has the opportunity to go through the temple after a year of membership. I feel like I fangirl about this all the time, but I could never say enough that he is a miracle. His testimony strengthens ours every day, we're very grateful we get to keep meeting with him as a recent convert (although now we switch off with the Elders). He has overcome so many challenges throughout his conversion process and I know those experiences have prepared him for people somewhere who are waiting for him, specifically. They are waiting for the hope of the Atonement he will bring into their lives.

Speaking of missions, our ward had a farewell yesterday for Johnathon, who's been a HUGE help to us these last five months (I cannot believe how long I've been here) and he's going to Long Beach, California! I'm so jealous he gets to leave and go to California just as it's getting cold. He keeps asking me if they even play hockey there, I don't know how many times I've told him that in the US hockey is just not what it is for Canada. But he's going to be an amazing missionary, his story is incredible.

It's snowing here, now, which has it's pros and cons. Well, one con. It's freezing. But I had forgotten that I really do love the snow. It is gorgeous and when snow is falling, everything feels like Magic Christmas Sprinkles Land. Maybe that's just because I've seen it snowing so rarely in my life, and I'm sure it will get old before too long, but for now I'm loving it :)

I weighed myself this week, that was not the best decision I've ever made. But I still have so many reasons to feel good about my personal appearance; my leg hair is longer than ever.

I'm struggling to think of what else happened this week that might be interesting to people who aren't me and Sister Schmuhl. But let's be honest, I've pretty much lost touch with who people even are who aren't me or Sister Schmuhl. We've been together for a very long time. Still love her! I feel very blessed to have her as my companion, it's amazing how you can be with someone for five months and still learn from them every day.

We're going caroling tonight to share the new church video "The Savior is Born" with the world, hoping we don't freeze! I love Christmas!

I love all of you! Thank you for still reading my letters! Stay warm, share the new church Christmas video with your friends, and remember who you are ♥
Soeur Lonas

Miracles (and more food, of course)

We were allowed to come to the chapel to watch the cultural celebrating for the temple Saturday night which was so cool! I learned so much more about the culture of Quebec and gained an even greater appreciation for the people here. And it was pretty dang cool having the whole program go back and forth between French and English and actually understanding the whole thing!

And then the temple was dedicated yesterday and that was so special. President Eyring gave the dedicatory prayer. Tomorrow, it will be up and running. We've already seen so many miracles and blessings from this temple and I cannot wait to watch more unfold as members have the chance to go and do work for ancestors they've been researching for the last year and half. Lorenzo had the opportunity to be in the temple for the dedication with our bishop and his family and it was an incredible experience for him, we could not be happier for him and the strides he's making in his life.

We got three new investigators this week! Michel contacted US while we were in the grocery store and he and his ten year old daughter, Florence, are now learning about the restored gospel. Meeting with them was really cool, we had an awesome member with us and the spirit was so strong. Our other new investigator is named Marie-Victoire and she is the wife of the less active brother of another one of our members (yes, confusing). Our first lesson with her was last night and she totally agreed to be baptized and said we could set a date next Sunday when we meet again. Miracle. God is just too good.

Another example of God being just super nice, we were eating with a member this week and they were asking about our Christmas traditions back home and stuff and among many things we said, I mentioned that cherry pie makes it feel like a holiday to me because that's my dad's favorite, and Sister Schmuhl said they always play UNO on Christmas day. After that, they invited us to come over for Christmas dinner and to skype our families at their house and said that we would all play UNO together and then after we gushed about how that was just the nicest thing anyone had ever said, I asked if I could make something to bring and they asked if we could bring a cherry pie. I love baking but I think I love baking even more for people that I love. I love the Barboza-Gomez family and whereas before I was just trying not to think so much about how quickly Christmas was approaching, I am so excited now! I love it here.

This less-active woman Melissa texted us this week and invited us to supper, and it ended up not working out because she had a work thing come up, but later we were talking to her active mother about it and found out that Melissa told her mom that she was so touched by the Spirit at the temple open house that she's thinking about taking the lessons again and doing it with her nonmember husband, and that the original idea to have us over for dinner actually came from her husband, which is awesome! We're hoping that works out this week.

Culinary accomplishment: Last pday, I cut up our pumpkin and made a pumpkin pie out of it -- homemade all the way down to the crust. So, I'm feeling pretty capable. Since then, i have used that same pumpkin to make Mac and Cheese using pumpkin instead of noodles, pumpkin soup, and the dinner plan tonight is pumpkin pancakes. Sister Schmuhl is patient with me :)

We've eaten really good food this week. The Latino members of our ward feed us VERY well. I really need to learn how to make tortillas like that.

It has been a really great week :) I'm pretty convinced that there is nothing more fun than being a missionary. Smile every day, remember that you never know how many people appreciate it but it's absolutely more than you think!

Oh yeah, and I'll hit my six month park this week -- frightening. Still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. And my (hesitant) return date is November 22, 2016, so that's pretty weird. I'm so happy to still have a good year left to keep learning all that the Savior would have me learn and try every day to be more like Him in my service of the people of Quebec. I can't stress how much I love this province. It's very humbling to realize how much more everyone here is doing for me than I could do for them.


I love you all so so much,
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes
Soeur Lonas

That dweam wiffin a dweam

Great week. Really just so many great things. I don't even know where to start.

So I'll start with talking more about the temple open house, it continued to be such an uplifting and edifying experience. Miracle after miracle after miracle. I believe it was impossible for anyone who attended not to feel the Spirit, and it was impossible not to want to make changes to increase the influence of the Spirit in your life -- I know it had that effect on me. We had more less-active members at church yesterday than we ever have before, and they are committed to come every week.

As hostesses we spent all of our time either in the reception tent to greet people after they went through the temple, or in the video rooms getting people situated before they went through and watching the introduction video with them. Watching the introduction video over....and over......and over again. It is a fantastic video. Parts of it really did never get old. Other parts did. It's 12 minutes long, we can quote the whole thing in English and in French. And it's funny, the first time you watch it you don't think it's about marriage. After the fiftieth time, you realize that marriage is all you can think about and that's all any of the Sisters can talk about and that you're slowly being brainwashed by this video. The last two days, we couldn't even watch it anymore, we would just start the video and step out. So that was a fun side effect of all of this, and Sister Schmuhl and I completely planned out our weddings during the slower hours of the day.

Our new morning Larry workout is going very well! We're no longer sore like we were, but I can definitely feel the difference from this morning's exercise after not doing it yesterday.

Here's a funny thing: I haven't shaved since sometime in the middle of September. My legs look like Chase's. And no one needs to know, because I'm never not wearing tights! Haha, it's pretty funny looking at all of our legs next to each other, you really wouldn't know we were women."(from another letter last week, inserted here to provide context for the following paragraph):

Our leg hair is coming along nicely. Maybe I'll send a fun pic home soon. After all, when progress is reported, the rate of improvement increases (wish I had the exact quote on me...didn't think I would need Preach my Gospel to write this letter). (“When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates.” A circumstance probably not foreseen when the phrase was written.)

During personal study this week, I've been reading the General Conference magazine. I LOVE watching and listening to Conference and I definitely wouldn't substitute anything for that, but there's something special about being able to read the talks and go at your own pace and highlight sections and take notes in the margins. I love that. I have felt immensely grateful all over again for inspired leaders and modern revelation.

I am so grateful for temples and I am excited to be able to go and do a session, hopefully in the next couple of weeks. I have missed the temple so much these last few months and being there every day has made me SO excited for after the dedication. Which, by the way, is this Sunday :) stoked.

Life is good! Terrebonne is treating me well. I, of course, am freezing, but they're saying that it isn't nearly as cold as it usually is by this time of year and they're actually predicting a pretty "mild" winter. Of course, all things are relative, but I feel very blessed! AND the heating in our apartment starting working two days ago! Turns out, all we had to do was tell the landlord it didn't work. Whoops.

I'm a happy camper :) Jesus loves everyone. The Gospel is true. God has called prophets in our day.


I love you!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥
Soeur Lonas

My cup runneth over

Words cannot describe the immense love I have felt from my God and Savior this week.  Yeah, I'm not going to try to describe it either because I don't really want to start sobbing while sitting at this computer and then have to go to a lesson with mascara streaking down my cheeks.  But this week has been incredible.

Last Monday every sister in the mission came together for a last training in preparation for the temple open house.  This was a very special experience in itself, the mission isn't allowed to have sister conferences anymore so it was the largest group of sisters ever to be gathered in the mission.  Our training was given by Elder Richards of the Seventy.  We sat in the chapel of the stake center together and he taught us about being guided by the Spirit -- we were told for when we greet people in the reception tent after their tour not to say anything to anyone that wasn't directed by the Spirit.  Just to be there as a smile and presence and a person to turn to with questions.  After teaching us in the chapel, we walked over to temple and went through.  In the second Endowment Room, we all sat again and Elder Richards taught us about the Priesthood and the role of women in the church.  I have never felt the Spirit so strong as I did sitting in the temple with every sister in the mission, President and Sister Patrick, and Elder Richards.  That was a once in a lifetime experience I will always hold very close to my heart.  I am so blessed to be a daughter of God.

Since then, hostessing (adding THAT to the computer's dictionary) at the temple has been so special.  We've been grateful for the Terrebonne Elders and their help holding down the fort here because we're usually out in Longueuil.  We have met so many amazing people.

Everything is just really good.  In reteaching the lessons to Larry, we got to the Word of Wisdom and ended up spilling the fact that we're both pretty insecure about gaining weight on the mission so he has us on a new exercise routine and has given us some dietary advice (he's an MMA fighter and a chef -- good friend to have) and now it hurts just to laugh.  But we're always in a REALLY good mood after exercising in the morning and we're feeling better about ourselves so we've decided it's worth it :) 

Things are great!  We'll be at the temple every day again this week and then next week it's getting things ready for the dedication.  Good things are happening.  It's a wonderful time to be a latter-day saint.

I love you all! 

Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥

Soeur Lonas

I'm going to see every season in Terrebonne

Ok, so first things first, we knew that transfer calls were going to be early this time around because President said he wanted everyone to be in their new areas before the start of the temple open house. And then on Wednesday morning we got a text saying that transfer calls were going to be that night -- it was difficult to stay focused that day. But we got transfer calls and Sister Schmuhl and I are both staying here! Again! I'm pretty sure I'm going to live in Terrebonne for the rest of my life! Good thing I love it here :) And this was a particularly significant transfer call because Sister Schmuhl only has two transfers left. Chances are slim to none that she would be put with a new companion for only her last transfer on the mish, so we'll be together for the transfer after this one, too. And she and I flushed into Terrebonne and they wouldn't flush it again that fast, so when she dies (goes home) I'm definitely staying here. And then I'll probably have at least two transfers here with whomever else, so basically I'm here until spring (which doesn't come to Terrebonne until May). Since Wednesday, I've felt more comfortable REALLY settling into the apartment. I'll be here for a while.

There was a special temple open house last night just for missionaries and investigators/less actives/recent converts/recently reactivated members and it was absolutely amazing. We went with Larry and a less active woman we visit, Sally. Such a special evening. Already seeing the miracles pouring out on everyone who has made the time to go. The temple is breathtaking, I cannot wait to be able to go again. Tonight the sisters all have our final training to be hostesses, and mine and Sister Schmuhl's first day as volunteers is Wednesday. We are very blessed with how much she and I will be able to help at the temple, I honestly have no idea why but no one else is on the schedule more than we are. The next couple of weeks will be crazy trying to take care of our area while spending about half of our time on the island, but we are so excited. The Spirit is so strong there.

This week has been a lot of inviting people to the temple open house, and trying to be creative in how we go about it. Favorite finding activity yet: showing up at houses with rakes we borrowed from a member and offering to rake people's leaves. We've had the funniest responses haha, would you believe we've actually been told no?! But it's really helped to open the door into talking about what we do as missionaries and why we're here and we've always been able to leave them with an invitation to the open house -- even the old man in the bathrobe who told us no :)

Halloween is a huge deal here, which isn't my favorite but there you go. We told people we were dressed up as Jehovah's Witnesses. We think we're funny.

Jack is dong great :) We taught the Word of Wisdom this week and we were pretty nervous about it because he has SUPER crazy work hours so we were planning on having a good long talk about coffee and then we started the lesson and he doesn't like coffee, only drinks herbal tea, and quick smoking years ago so basically he's perfect and going to get baptized and we're feeling good. Church is true. There are people who are prepared and searching for truth and that is why it is important to talk to everyone.

Talking to everyone is a lot easier with the knowledge that everyone on earth chose God's plan and is here because they once knew the truth of the gospel. We don't even teach them anything, we just remind them.


The church is true, the book is blue.
Remember who you are! 

Be safe, I love all of you!
Soeur Lonas

Jesus Loves You

Let's reflect. Love is what motivates people to do most of what they do, if not all, and it is by far the most powerful motivator. I know that when things are hard here, I can completely change my attitude by pondering on the people here whom I love so much and want to help come closer to Christ, and the work becomes easy. When I'm scared of going home after the mission, I only have to remember the feelings I have when I'm with my family and all anxiety associated with the end of my mission disappears. I have felt my capacity to love grow and I know that will only continue as I learn more about my Savior and strive to comprehend the love he has for us.

 
With that, we know that Christ thought of us individually as he suffered not only for our sins, but for our sadnesses and our weaknesses and every trial he knew we would face. During personal studies this morning, it occurred to me that he was not going through our names in the manner of checking items off a list. As he thought of each of us, by name, he remembered why he was doing what he did and received the strength he needed to continue. He needed to think of us, individually, because only the greatness of the love he has for us could motivate towards that great of a sacrifice.

Larry blessed the sacrament yesterday, which was SUPER cool! And he's been referring his old gangster buddies to meet with the missionaries and they've totally accepted the discussions, which is just hilarious and also amazing. They live in Montreal, so we don't get to meet with them, but we're excited to hear updates on how that's going.

Jack came to church for the first time -- stoked. He loved it. The church is true. Seeing Larry and Jack introduce themselves to each other was sweet. We're going to baptize all the Haitian men.

And we had zone conference this week with Elder Golden of the Seventy, I learned so much! Hearing from a general authority is such a special experience. One of the things he said that I think has impacted me most was that the parable of the ten virgins is a warning to the members of the church. And not only that, but the active members. All ten virgins were waiting for the coming of the bridegroom.

 
He also told us to be using the name of Jesus Christ more in our teaching, starting when we introduce ourselves. And he instructed us specifically to introduce ourselves not as "Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" but as "Servants/Representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ". He said that the name of Christ can get lost in the name of the church, and that people already know who we are by the time we're introducing ourselves, they can see our tag. Because the light of Christ is in everyone, when we use his name worthily, it will resonate with them, and when we use his name unworthily, it will offend them. He then qualified this statement by saying that people being offended does not mean we're unworthy to use the name of Christ, more often just that everyone has agency, but that even those people will feel the spirit and remember it if we follow this counsel.

I have to go, but I love you all so much!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥
Soeur Lonas

Excusing vs Forgiving

Well, autumn was fun. It's really cold! It's beginning to feel a lot like Canada.
So, you know how you can start singing Christmas songs after Thanksgiving? Well, Canadian Thanksgiving was last week so now we sing a Christmas hymn every morning to open up companionship study, which is maybe the best thing about that fake holiday. Very fitting, it's already colder here than it ever gets back home! It snowed the other day during our morning run :)

Larry has the priesthood! And he's doing great. He is a miracle, and such a good example to us every day of holding strong against adversity.

The next person and date to pray for is Jacques, scheduled to be baptized on November 15th. He's totally going to get an answer to his prayers by this Saturday and then we're home free.

Last night a member that we're really close to asked kind of shyly if she could know our first names. Telling her was a very spiritual experience for me. My first name has become something very personal and close to my heart. Sister Brunet still calls us Sister Schmuhl and Sister Lonas but having her know my first name created a very special bond. Also, I realized that I love my first name. Thanks, parents :)

I was thinking this week about the difference between excusing and forgiving. We are commanded to forgive all men, and this includes ourselves. We repent, and then we forgive ourselves. That is a huge blessing and beautiful part of the gift of repentance. However, that is different from excusing our actions. Justification is not a step of repentance. That's a lesson I needed to learn.

I made little cheesecake delights this morning because Elder Mecham's birthday is tomorrow and we aren't having district meeting this week (usually that's when we would have treats). I feel very sympathetic towards other missionaries who also don't have family around to celebrate birthdays with! Also I just love baking, so we had Lorenzo creepily find out his favorite dessert. Sister Schmuhl and I got a little overexcited about the fact that we were finally able to celebrate someone's birthday together.

We're super excited about the temple open house, it's getting closer! After it's open, we're going to be able to go once a transfer. I'm so excited, I miss the temple so much.

Culinary accomplishments of the week: cheesecake, sugarless banana muffins, hard-boiled eggs (definitely should have figured that out earlier in my life), thai peanut butter sauce.

Something funny about Sister Schmuhl that I'm mostly writing just so I never forget: she refers to inanimate objects as "he". When she likes something, it's "He's a good friend."

Sister Schmuhl and I are pretty sure this is our last transfer together, but we're going out with a bang! Working super hard, being exactly obedient, preaching the gospel to all the world! We are as the armies of Helaman.

Things are great! I'm really really happy :) The harder we work, the happier we are. God truly blesses us so much and it is according to our obedience. Being a missionary is the best thing ever!

I love you all!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥
Soeur Lonas

Temple open house, Thanksgiving, and funny cat videos

(Canadian Thanksgiving was Monday, so Rebecca's P-day was moved to today.)

For some reason, everyone and their brother emailed me this week -- super nice, so many great emails, but I have very little time left to write!

Larry was confirmed this week, and he's doing great!

We found out that all the Sisters in the mission get to host the temple open house next month, I am SO excited!! We had our first training for that this week, I could not be more thrilled. What an amazing event to be a part of. When President asked the temple committee if the Elders could do something, too, he was told that policy is for Elders not to be allowed anywhere near a temple open house or dedication haha...poor Elders...but it was super funny.

No one invited us over for Canadian Thanksgiving -- thanks, Canada. But I made us a great and very American Thanksgiving dinner out of things we just happened to have, which was entertaining.

About a week ago when we were looking at conference talks to share as part of a Thanksgiving message, we came across THIS GEM . And we watched the first 35 seconds probably ten times. This is as close as it comes to watching funny cat videos on Youtube over and over and over again.

So many miracles this week! I'm doing great!

I love you all!

Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥

Soeur Lonas

Great. Weekend.

I want to say that General Conference was better this weekend than it has ever been before, but I know that my appreciation of it is a result of my own increased spiritual preparation more than past conferences being sub-par.  This has made me a little bit sad, realizing how much more I could have gotten out of General Conference before now but I'm trying to just strengthen my newfound love for it and determine to never forget again how much it means to me.  
That said -- best General Conference ever!  One of the cool things about being a missionary is that even when there was a talk that didn't make me think "That totally applies to me!" I could think "That totally applies to _______!" What a blessing.  And then, of course, there were the talks that were totally given just for me and I just got to soak in the enlightenment while everyone else had to wait for the "Customized for Sister Lonas" talk to be over.
There are SO many specific things I would love to share concerning what I learned from Conference (I'll probably be including little things for the next couple of weeks) but one thing I learned is from Vern P Stanfill -- The light and comfort the Savior extends to us is far too precious to lose to pride. That might be an exact quote, it might not be, but whether it's in my own words or his I just love it, and the thought came from him either way.  I know that pride is something I really struggle with, and I work every day on trying to recognize when I am having feelings of pride and how to eradicate them completely.  It's really hard for me.  But I know that I cannot feel the spirit when I am being prideful.  My pride is not precious, everything the Savior offers is.

I really love the General Authorities.

And punctuating my General Conference weekend were preparations for Larry's BAPTISM, which really did happen :) Larry is a brand new member of the church and he's doing great.  He's super happy to have been baptized, and excited to receive the Holy Ghost in sacrament meeting next week and then prepare himself to receive the priesthood.  Seeing his progression has been an absolute miracle in the truest sense.  For the rest of forever, if anyone ever asks me if I've witnessed a miracle, I will think about him and the way the Atonement of Christ has completely changed his life.

AND I made a delicious dessert for after his baptism, so there have been culinary as well as spiritual successes for everyone to enjoy.

Some other things about this week, last PDay a less active member called us and asked if we could do service for her and we said "Absolutely, we can." because before we hadn't been able to meet with her, but then it turned out that the "service" she wanted us to do was letting her do our makeup and take before and after pictures for some job thing.  So we got permission from our district leader just because it was so weird, but then we totally went and the whole time she was doing our makeup she just went on and on about how beautiful we looked and then when we actually looked in mirrors we were surprised to find that Sister Schmuhl looked like a clown and I looked like a prostitute. This was an experience I didn't expect to have on the mission!


One of our members broke into Larry's house in her overzealous effort to return his phone he left in her car.  We're grateful he still wanted to be baptized.

The new sister in the apartment is Sister Shelley, she's from Utah and she's way cute :) And she can sing, which is a blessing, so we were able to continue with our plan to sing at Larry's baptism and that went well.

I'm a happy camper!  It's a glorious time to be a Latter-Day Saint!
I love you all very very much!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥

Terrebonne, continued ...

So I'm sticking around in Terrebonne (SO HAPPY!), as is Sister Schmuhl but no longer as my trainer!  We're just companions now, as I am a fully fledged missionary #movingupintheworld



Sister Carpenter has been chopped, she's transferred out to Greenfield Park which is an English speaking area and Sister Beaumont (came in with me) is TRAINING in Mascouche! So, as exciting as that would be, I'm feeling very blessed.

One of my friends from the MTC serving in the West Indies (Elder Kwak) is training one of the elders the Terrebonne ward recently sent out (Elder Duplessis) which is just so exciting :) I've gotten really entertaining emails from them both.  It's a very small world, especially in the church.  It's got me thinking about all the amazing people I have met in the last four months (cannot believe it's already been four months) and how much each of them have changed me for the better.  Missions are supposed to be about serving others but I'm pretty sure I have been blessed and edified and served more than anyone around me, and definitely more than I expected.  

STOKED to hear about Josh's mission call, missions are just the coolest!  And what an amazing mission.  Hey, you there, you should go on a mission.  Everyone's doing it.  

All four of us sang in the Mascouche ward yesterday, a really pretty arrangement of "I'll go where you want me to go" in French.  I've missed singing so much, I felt very blessed to be able to do that, especially because it was right after we found out Sister Carpenter was being transferred.  After transfer calls, the song meant a lot more to all of us.  

And hopefully I'll get the chance to sing again soon, Lorenzo asked me and Sister Schmuhl to sing at his baptism which, if all goes well, will be this Sunday after the last session of General Conference.  Things are looking a little rocky at the moment with that but we're really hoping and praying that it will all be okay and that we'll have good news on that front by next PDay.

Speaking of General Conference, I am so excited for this weekend!  What an amazing opportunity we have every six months to hear from our beloved prophets, seers, and revelators.  I'm not sure yet if I'll be able to watch it in English or if it'll be a good eight hours of language study but the spirit is the same in every language (if there's nothing else I've learned on my mission, it's that).  I WAS able to watch the women's session in English and it was incredible :)  Our leaders are called of God and inspired in their teachings.  One of my favorite things that was said, I believe by President Uchtdorf, was answering the question "Can we only have happiness in eternity? Can't we be happy now?" to which he responded "Now is part of eternity." God created us to have joy. 2 Nephi 2:25.  

The open house for the temple in Montreal is now this transfer, I am so pumped!  It's been such a blessing to watch and help people get excited about the temple, members and nonmembers alike.  We and the Elders did a fireside last night on temples to (further) prepare people for the open house and it went really well. 

I am grateful for temples.  I am grateful for the priesthood.  I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father.  I am grateful for Sister Schmuhl and everything she has taught and continues to teach me about loving people with all of your heart, might, mind, and strength.

I love you!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥
Soeur Lonas

The moose mentioned in last letter :)

I ate moose!

Could I BE any more Canadian??  And it was delicious. Don't worry, we took pictures.

I'm pretty sure that we ended every single day this week saying "Well that was just our weirdest day yet." and then the next day would just be weirder.  SO many surprises!

I don't even know what to say in this letter, there were just so many ups and downs and I don't want to jinx it BUT one of our investigators now has a baptismal date for October 4th and we're feeling very anxious and hopeful about that.  So stressed.  Missionary work is so exciting!

Every single one of our dinner appointments cancelled on us this week which was a bummer but I got to do much more cooking than normal and that made me feel like myself :)  I really love making food for people.







And a member gave us a LOT of bread. It inspired a photo shoot. :)

 I've been reading Jesus the Christ by James E Talmage -- what a good book!  It feels so good to feel like I'm developing my own relationship with my Savior every day in more ways than one.  We cannot know Christ by knowing of Him, but knowing of Him is helping me learn how to get to know Him better and strengthen my personal relationship with Him.  I just love Jesus Christ so much.  I am trying to make more of an effort not to take his Atonement for granted, which is so hard because it is actually incomprehensible for me right now.  I cannot understand everything He went through for me.  But I can do my best to make sure it was not suffered in vain by repenting daily and using that as an opportunity to be better.

I love being a missionary so much.  I am completely blown away every single day by the love I feel for the people I serve and serve with.  I always think about what mom says -- "everyone is just doing the best they can."  So true.  People do really silly things.  But it makes sense to them, and they're just doing the best they can with the resources they have right now to go through life.  That doesn't always make it easy to love them but it can make it a little easier.

This weekend was so stressful, I wish I could share all of it with all of you and I'd probably cry even though so much of it was so good.  Just one thing, we are so grateful when ward members realize the value of a person's desire to learn more about the gospel and are willing to be a part of it.  There is so much power in member missionary work.

I love this quote from one of my friends serving in France "If you want to feel what heaven is like then I would ask you to love everyone around you and give them service, and then you will see that heaven is always closer than we think!"   Thanks, Elder Connell :)

Transfer calls will be coming on Saturday, I am already really worried about it and have had dreams about what I believe is every possible outcome so we'll see which one comes true! We're just waiting to see who gets kicked off the island.  It's totally like a reality TV show.  Whatever happens happens and I'm sure it'll be great, but if I'm honest I hope I get to stay here in Terrbonne with Sister Schmuhl :)  because things here are wonderful.  But it'll also change a lot if either of the Mascouche sisters peaces out so we'll just have to see!  So many possibilties!


I love you!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥
Soeur Lonas

We go to sacrament meeting to change, not only remember.

What a great life this is :)

Zone Conference yesterday was the most amazing meeting I have ever been in.  We have an amazing mission president.  I am just so blessed with my mission president and with my companion and with our area and our ward and the people we visit.  God is absolutely looking out for Terrebonne.

The focus in Zone Conference yesterday was on the sacrament and keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  Some new things I learned were that the sacrament is a look forward into the coming week, not a look back at the previous week and that we are making a new covenant every single time we partake of the sacrament.  We promise to always keep the commandments when we partake of the bread, and those words are not repeated in the prayer for the water.  That is because it is a covenant and there is no purpose in doing it twice in a row, five minutes apart.  We go to sacrament meeting to change, not only remember. And it was brought to my attention by Jeffrey R Holland that the sacrament is the only ordinance we repeat for ourselves.  President Patrick said (quoting an apostle but I forgot to write down who) that because we repeat this ordinance and covenant for ourselves, it is not the highest ordinance, but it is the most important ordinance because it is the one that keeps us on track.

On the Sabbath, I learned that it is not about lists of what we can and cannot do on Sunday, it's about whatever sign we want to show to our Lord and Savior.  The Sabbath is a gift from God to us, because He loves us.  He loves us so much, individually and personally.

Those are just a few of the things that hit me most, but I really learned so much.  I'm looking forward to studying more this week and throughout the rest of my life to deepen my own understanding of why exactly we got to church on Sunday.  And I'm very excited for church this week :)

In my own studies, both personal and companionship, I feel like I'm finally beginning to understand the Godhead a little bit (the word for the Godhead in french is le divinité, which is cool).  It's helped me feel a greater love on a more personal basis from both my Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.  They are one in purpose and in all they do, but they love each of us on their own as well.  

My temporal accomplishment of this week is that I can finally French braid my own hair, which means that when I get home I will be capable of being an independent woman.  I'm making great strides in my life. :)

There have been more Canadian geese around lately, which was just hilarious until it was pointed out to me that they're flying south.  Not funny, anymore.  It's gotten a lot colder this week and I'm told that it'll basically be winter in about 2 or 3 more weeks.  They weren't lying when they said Canada has a very short autumn.  It's really not funny.  In all seriousness, I am absolutely terrified. 

But, I can only hope and pray that if I am obedient and diligent, the Lord will keep me from freezing to death!  I love the scriptures so much.  I love Sister Schmuhl.  I love Quebec and I more specifically love Terrebonne.  I love my mission president and his wife (she reminds me of my mama).  I love the missionary schedule.  I love getting up and running every morning. I love having the opportunity every day to watch people being touched by the Spirit. I love Jesus and I love Heavenly Father.

And I love all of you :)

Remember who you are, make good choices, soak up every bit of sunshine you can,

Avec beaucoup d'amour,

Soeur Lonas

Comme Si, Comme Ca

This week was comme ci, comme ca. Really good things, really rough things.  I'm actually watching a really adorable video that Emily sent me of Eden over and over again to procrastinate writing this email because I just don't even know what to say, it was so up and down.

Main rough thing was that our investigator with the baptismal date of Sept 19th up and moved.  To Montreal.  Her family basically disowned her (we think because she wanted to be baptized) and they either don't have or aren't willing to give us her address or phone number, so we have no way of contacting her.  The last time we saw her was at church the Sunday before last, when she was just so excited about being baptized.  We really don't know what could have happened.

So that's really sad, but we can only move forward and focus on the people we have to work with.  We did have some really amazing lessons this week, and then on Sunday we had a combined third hour and President Patrick came and talked to our ward about member missionary work and family mission plans and we can already see the way it has really softened people's hearts.  So many more members in our ward are excited about missionary work which just makes our job so fun :)

This is kind of a funny highlight, but I think one of my favorite parts of this week was yesterday when this older sister in our ward invited us over for lunch.  She's 75 and works full time, lives alone, and when she had the day off yesterday for the holiday she just said that she felt very strongly prompted to invite us over for lunch.  She isn't on the ward list (don't know why) and she works in the primary during church so we'd never met her, but she was just the SWEETEST little grandma.  I already knew that it means a lot to me when people make me food, but I was really feeling that yesterday.  I just think one of the sweetest things one person can do for another person is make them food. But anyway, after we ate this really delicious lunch that she made us she pulls out this gorgeous cake that she made that morning and after we'd taken good healthy servings of that she packed up the rest of it, along with the leftovers from lunch and extra food she had in her fridge and sent us home with all of it.  I have been blown away by how nice our ward is to us, and this was a perfect example.

I love personal studies.  I love the Book of Mormon so much.  I love being a missionary.

I really am a very happy camper :)  Even with our investigator moving, we are so blessed to feel that we have truly done all we can do with her.  No regrets.  God knows our hearts and he knows hers :) I love our ward, and I think some of them love us!  Please be good to the missionaries in your home wards.

I love you all so much!
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥
Soeur Lonas

p.s. someone please tell Josh to email me, I'm pretty sure he would fit into Quebec better than anyone else I know and funny things happen all the time that I just think he would really appreciate

God is Good

I didn't realize how much I talked about ice cream in my letters home until my mom mentioned it in an email hahaha. But I know (or hope) I'm keeping it under control because I didn't eat so much ice cream this week, and yet somehow it was still the best week so far.

You can really see happiness in people.  It shows in their faces and posture and spirit.  Watching the light of Christ grow in others as they learn to accept Him and use Him in their lives is the greatest joy I've ever experienced.  We've seen so many miracles this week, and we've been so blessed as we've walked and biked around for miles and miles.  Our ward is so good to us, but more importantly, God is good to us.  

One of our investigators has a baptism date for September 19th, we're so excited for her!  She's been in Haiti for the last three weeks, but she got back on Wednesday and came to church this week.  Bishop showed her the baptismal font and we talked about how her baptism will be and I cried.

One of our other investigators (the same one I talked about last week) committed to a baptismal date of December 13th and said that she is finally sure she's received a response to her prayers and she is firm in her desire to be baptized.  She texted us the night she felt God's answer and I cried.

We've been trying to meet with this man who was a brand new investigator of the last sisters ever since we got here and every time we went to his house, he wasn't home.  And then this week, God decided the timing was right and we went to try one more time and not only was he home, but he is the most spiritually prepared person I have ever met.  People like him are such an inspiration to me.  After about a thirty minute visit, he committed to be baptized.  We're hoping to set a date with him on Friday.  Stoked.  

The gospel makes people's lives better.  It really does.

I used to think I was pretty good at directions and maps and orienting myself but I've somehow gotten really bad at it.  I feel like mom every time I step out of someone'e house and have no idea which way to turn to get back to the car.  #unexpectedmissionarysideeffect

Two different people this week asked me halfway through our conversations if I was from France and they were really embarrassed that I wasn't because they saw that as a total insult, but I am so flattered!!  

It's been an awesome week, we have been so blessed.  I'm addicted to missionary work.  It's the best thing to be addicted to.  I am so happy!

I love you :)
Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥
Bisous,
Soeur Lonas

Writing in English is getting harder!

I still speak English fairly often, but never to anyone who doesn't also speak French so even when I do speak "English" it's more of a French-English hybrid.  I keep having to remind myself that I can't just switch back and forth in emails or I will lose all the English-speaking friends I DO have.

This was a great week :)  so many things to tell...

The ice cream problem (namely, me liking it too much) is very real.  Last week after emailing, we went to a magical place.  But it requires some back story.  So, I have been hearing about this place called Chocolat Favoris since I was in the MTC.  It's basically where you get an ice cream cone and they dip it in chocolate but it's so much more than that.  Ice cream flavors are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or maple (classic Canada) and chocolate flavors are endless and when the cone is dipped, the chocolate is suuuper thick and glorious.  So we've been hearing about this place (including from President, it's his favorite thing in the world), but we heard that it's only in Montreal so when we were there for zone training and stuff a couple of weeks ago we looked for it a bit but didn't see it and we don't have internet so we couldn't look it up and so we just returned to Terrebonne and decided we could ask someone for an address in a transfer or something.  But then, Sister Schmuhl and I were eating at a member's house and Sister Munoz (nicest woman) started telling us about this amazing ice cream place she went to in Terrebonne with a couple other sisters in the Relief Society because she wanted us to try it on PDay and she couldn't remember the name but just kept saying "Chocolat.....chocolat.....je me souviens pas!!" and Sister Schmuhl and I just looked at each other and Sister Schmuhl said "Chocolat...favoris?" And Sister Munoz was like "OUI C'EST CA" And this was just the most exciting thing.  So we had her give us the address and didn't tell the Mascouche sisters anything except that we had a surprise for them and last week after emailing we blindfolded them and took them there and it was amazing and there are pictures I'll send.  The ice cream cone was bigger than our faces.  It was a truly magical experience.

Also, we have to bring our car to the body shop tomorrow because it has this dent in the front (not our fault, it's been there since before we got here) so we're not going to have a car for the week.  We're still trying to figure out exactly how we're going to do that because we really do have a pretty big proselyting area and we frequently have to make good 30-45 minute drives to meet with people but it's going to be good!  We're excited.  We tested out the bikes the other day and that was very entertaining, there's a picture of that on one of our cameras I'll try and send, too.  Too good, too good.

Our stake did this huge blood drive on Friday and we volunteered at it, which meant we got to talk to sooooo many nonmembers and we got some numbers and addresses that we're way excited to contact this week.  

The day after the blood drive, our ward and the Mascouche ward did a joint barbecue for their big annual activity thing -- it was a REALLY big deal.  We also got some good contacts from that, one in particular that we're meeting with tonight and we're way stoked about :)  Also, Sister Schmuhl and I got roped into competing in this huge croquet tournament and neither of us had ever played before but EVERYONE participated and was talking about how they had legitimately been practicing for this thing with their families for weeks and then Sister Schmuhl and I totally won and the ward respects us more now which is just the funniest thing.
Here we are at the BBQ. We decided to all match (and share clothes) so that is just great. So fun.

AND we got a couple of new elders in our district this week because Elder Fierro (who was serving in our ward and as District Leader) and Elder Simoes died (mission-speak for "went home").  The new elder in our ward is named Elder Mecham, he's from Palm Springs area and he's been serving in English his whole mission so he's struggling with the language but it's been nice that we've had a chance so speak up a little more in Correlation and Ward Council just because we're more needed, now, language-wise.  And it's nice realizing how well we really have gotten to know the ward members over the last transfer :)  I love this ward so much.

Our most solid investigator had a bit of a hiccup this week where her mom decided she is no longer down for her being baptized so her date is being moved from September 20th until December, because she turns 18 December 3rd.  So that's a little bit of a bummer, but we were so thrilled for her that she still has the desire to be baptized and that she is diligently preparing for that.  We decided this morning during studies that when we meet with her this week we are going to invite her to finish the Book of Mormon before her 18th birthday -- and that we are going to do it too, in French.  That way we will be as equipped as possibly to discuss it with her.  We're so excited!  And we really really love her, she is an amazing girl.

I feel like every week I either have time to tell y'all about what I'm doing or about what I'm thinking, never both.  Bummer.  But I'm glad to update you all on my activities!  It was a really good week!  It's hard talking about people we actually meet with because I don't want to use names, they're way too tech savvy.  But we meet with great people :)

I love you all so much!!

Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥

Bisous,

Soeur Lonas

Not of WHAT we are capable, but BY WHOM we are capable

One transfer down!  So this makes six weeks in Canada -- crazy town.  It's been an awesome week :) First, before I forget, I got a letter from Dad at my apartment and it got here way fast (about 5 days), so send letters to my apartment and packages to the mission office. 

Yeah, good week :)  I'm still recovering from fun adventures last week, haha, but it was really only the first three days after the hike that I was really struggling.  Now I'm doing awesome!  And sorry I didn't write much last week; my fingers really were pretty stiff from multiple mosquito bites and it was mildly painful.  But, no longer a problem, I can grace you all with extensive rantings seeing as I am no longer handicapped (haha...get it...."hand"........).  That same night we had a lesson with one of our investigators and she is now preparing to be baptized September 20th :) We are so so happy for her and so humbled to see the Lord's hand working miracles in her life.  She's one of the sweetest girls I've ever met, 17 years old. We have good times with her and her best friend who is a member.

I gave a training this week in district meeting on humility, which was, of course a much more profound learning experience for me than for anyone listening to my training.  My main epiphany from studying for, and then giving it, was that the difference between pride and humility has nothing to do with of what we believe ourselves to be capable, it's about by whom we are capable.  We read 1 Ne 15:7-11, Proverbs 28:26, and D&A 12:7-8.  It was humbling for me  the way I had studied humility all week in preparation and yet there were so many comments and insights given in the meeting that were completely eye-opening for me and inspired further studying the next morning.  We hear so often that people don't want to pray because they don't feel worthy -- which sounds like humility.  Ding dong, you're wrong. (Not how we generally put it to the people we teach).  When we are humble, we recognize that we need God's help and ask for it at every opportunity.  When we are humble, we understand who we are, and who God is, and our relationship to Him.

I'm trying to think of funny stories from this week for y'all.  It's hard because Sister Schmuhl and I are together 24/7 and we laugh all day long but it's at stuff that probably isn't even funny.  It reminds me of when Chase and I are like "Aw man, if only other people knew how funny we are!!" but then if anyone is actually with us, they have absolutely no idea why we're laughing.  But I am so grateful to have a trainer who is funny, and thinks I'm funny, and we think the same weird things other people do are funny :)  We have fun.

Oh here's something, a few days ago all four of us (us and the Mascouche sisters) were at the church for something (don't remember what) and we were starving but couldn't leave for a while so all of a sudden the four tubs of ice cream in the church fridge got much more tempting.  They'd been in there for like three weeks.  We decided that at three weeks, church food becomes fair game and then we ate one of these giant tubs of ice cream all in one sitting, and another one is currently in our home freezer half empty.

Which brings me to an #unexpectedmissionarysideeffect
I mentioned last week that I have very little self control now when it comes to food.  Another effect that is unfortunately paired with that one, is that I feel the effects of what I eat MUCH more now.  Both immediate and long-term effects.  I have extensive theories for both temporal and spiritual reasons for this, but I don't have a lot of time right now, so suffice it to say I miss the days when I really didn't give a second thought to what I was eating.  But I also think I enjoy my food more, now! Didn't think that was possible.

The gospel is so true, I love being here and my ward is seriously amazing.  They are so nice to us, and Sister Schmuhl and I were just saying yesterday that if one of us got really sick and we needed something, there are so many people in the ward we would feel more than comfortable asking for help, which is a great feeling.

God loves me so much, and He loves you just as much.  It's absolutely incredible.  Jesus is there for all of us, whether or not we're willing to accept His help.  We need Him. 

Sorry I spend so much time talking about food, it's probably more of a problem today because we haven't had lunch yet, but I love you all so much!! Please keep me in your prayers, along with the people I teach and the Terrebonne ward.

Souvenez-vous qui vous etes ♥

Soeur Lonas

Death Hike 2015

Ok, so I'm really sorry I didn't say my PDay was going to be different this week, but now you know!  It was because we were going to all go down to Montreal as a district and the train doesn't run on Mondays so we requested to have our PDay changed.  That was approved, and then we realized it was going to be super expensive for us all to take the train down there and then we would have had to buy food and stuff so we decided to do an activity just here in Terrebonne.
And that is how it came to pass that I am sitting in the church emailing right now with dead bugs in my hair, completely muddy, and 30+ mosquito bites (that is not an exaggeration).

Dad would have loved this hike we just did.  We got lost, we fell in the mud, some people lost shoes, everyone lost pride.  It was good.  I just reached into my pocket and found a small frog.  This is not a joke.  Really, Dad prepared me very well for my mission.  

Tender mercy of the week:  Shake It Off was playing in Walmart when we went grocery shopping :)  best day ever.

Potential missionaries: please read D&C 4 and know that it is directed at you.

I'm starting a new series called #unexpectedmissionarysideeffects

1) I no longer have any self control at all when it comes to food.  Sister Schmuhl and I really have to keep each other in check.  I'm blaming it on stress.

2) I wake up at 4am every day and can't get back to sleep.  

Some of my bites are on my fingers and they're making it kind of hard to type so this'll be a shorter email.

The gospel is amazing.  Watching people discover Jesus Christ is my new favorite activity.  The gospel changes lives. I just really love being a missionary.  I love Terrebonne.  We were warned that we wouldn't see any success in this area, and we chose to just ignore that and move forward -- I am so grateful we did.  We're already seeing so much potential for this area.  I'm so excited for our ward.

I love you all!!

Souvenez-vous qui vous etes :)

Soeur Lonas

Hope -- continued

Ok, so as you all know if you've been reading my blog, hope has been on my mind a lot recently.  And after that email I sent about it before (two weeks ago?) I asked my trainer whether or not it is a commandment to have hope and she didn't know but it sparked some really wonderful conversations.  So hope has been a general theme of my journal entries and our spiritual thoughts with members, and I've done some studying to find out whether or not it is a commandment--nothing really intense, which is probably why I hadn't found a very direct answer.  Then my mom sent me this email last week and it was just the coolest because I hadn't even told her that it was a question I'd specifically had but she sent me this quote:

"Hope is a gift of the Spirit.  It is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the Savior. This kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment, and, as with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope. Hope in our Heavenly Father’s merciful plan of happiness leads to peace,  mercy, rejoicing,  and gladness. The hope of salvation is like a protective helmet; it is the foundation of our faith and an anchor to our souls."   --- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 2008

And that was just one of the coolest things I have ever read.  I'm guessing my mom didn't feel like she was sending me that out of any huge spiritual prompting, but I know it was by the spirit that she did choose to send me that particular quote.  It answered my pretty specific question exactly.  The gospel is the coolest.   Having hope is a commandment from God.  God loves us so much.

On the note of commandments, it is a commandment to be perfect.  We know that this is impossible because we are imperfect beings--which is why we are given the gifts we are given, that we may be made perfect through repentance by the power of the Holy Ghost and through our Savior Jesus Christ.  We can absolutely be perfect, if we allow him to help us get better every day.  It is not unrealistic to strive for perfection, because it's all about trying to be better every day.  It is not good enough to be "good enough".  You are an example to many more people than you could possibly know; be a good one.

Oh and by the way, this was an amazing week in every way.  We've had some car trouble, Sister Schmuhl got sick, I've had an issue with my eyes and have been wearing my glasses for five days (don't worry, mom, it's just about better), and we walked 8 miles one day to get to a dinner appointment, but we were BUSY this week teaching less active members and investigators and we saw so many miracles.  The gift of tongues is real.  It is impossible to learn a language this fast without some serious help from God.

And I'm SO happy to be serving my mission somewhere where bisous are a thing! That's the thing where everyone greets each other by kissing both cheeks -- we only do it with the women because we're missionaries and all but man, it's so fun.  It makes me feel so European and happy and cultural.  It's awesome.  I love Quebec.

Quick fun fact about my ward:  they haven't had a baptism in two years, and the last couple of converts they have had either moved or went inactive.  Don't worry, there are about to be big changes.  But that's where we're at right now.  Please pray for the ward missionary leadership.

To the YW in my home ward:
Being a young woman is really hard.  I don't think I realized it was hard until I was about 17 but all of it was hard.  I didn't know it was hard because I was too relaxed about my own life, specifically in my relationship with God and with Jesus Christ.  It is not enough to sit back as a spectator in your own life.  Act, do not wait to be acted upon.  Protect your virtue and your testimony with everything you have.  God will help you if you let Him.  Pray for His help every day.  Strengthen yourself before you need the strength, because I promise you that you will need it.  I love you, as do your leaders and your parents, and, most of all, your Father in Heaven.

Being a missionary is just my favorite thing!  I've never been so happy. 
I love you all,
Souvenez-vous qui vous êtes,
♥ Soeur Lonas