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 ♥