To be honest, I forgot it was Independence Day in the states today until my mom reminded me just now, but for over a week I've been singing patriotic songs in the apartment (my French companion loves it) and doing my best to embrace my culture to get ready for America's birthday. Except on Canada Day. On Canada Day, I pretended to be Canadian.
It's really fun being in the capital of Canada on Canada Day! It's a really big deal. I'm grateful to be serving in Ottawa right now, because they don't really celebrate the holiday over in Quebec because they would rather not be a part of Canada, anyway. In Quebec, July 1st is moving day. But all the way out here in the outskirts of the mission (sometimes I feel like we were banished here, in the land where the rest of the mission forgets about us and we don't get mail and we never know who was transferred where), we got to see fireworks and everything!
So, here's something funny. Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting, right? And you know how our ward is in English but does French translation? Normally, people submit their talks early to the translators (or if you're us, you just write your talk in both languages), and then the translators read off your talk in French while you give it in English. So, after I gave my talk a couple of weeks ago, we were musing about how in the world they do it on fast Sunday and the general sentiment was "Well, I'm glad we don't have to worry about it." Ha. Jokes on us. We got a call asking if we could do the simultaneous translation during fast and testimony meeting because the normal translators were going to be gone for the holiday. So, THAT was entertaining for all the French speakers!
We went to the temple this week! That was nice. Another one of my ancestors is endowed now, so that's really good. I love doing family history and I love going to the temple.
We have a new mission president! We still haven't met him, we were planning on meeting him tomorrow at zone training but we were just told that Sister Hilaire and I are going to have interviews with him tonight, so we get to see him a little earlier. I'll let y'all know if I like him or not. Kidding, I'm sure he's great, it's just still weird not having actually met him. The mission feels different without President Patrick.
Y___ is moving to Gatineau...so that's a bummer. It's not too far, though, and there are still missionaries there, so it should all work out fine.
I have a testimony of the Restoration of the Gospel. I know this is Christ's church and Joseph was a prophet. How fortunate are we to have modern prophets to help us know how the Lord would have us apply unchanging doctrines to a constantly changing world. I'm grateful for religious freedom and for opportunities we have to defend that and other rights. I love The United States of America and it will always be my home, as much as Canada grows to be more a part of me every day.
I love you all! Remember who you are and make good choices ♥
Sister Lonas
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