Winter-peg

So I know you are all wondering so I'll share the visa news at the start.... No visa yet. I'm staying in wintry Winnipeg for another 6 weeks. We had transfer calls on Saturday and I'll continue working in the Waverley ward for this transfer and staying with Sister Alder and Sister Geddes!

I'll be honest this week was the hardest yet. I only mentally prepared for 6 weeks in Winnipeg and even then I never believed it would actually be a reality. Thursday night it hit me that there was a huge chance I'm staying here. By Friday I was positive that I'd be in Winnipeg for the Christmas season and I was just so so sad!

I think lots of things factored into how I felt but my dislike and discomfort with the cold along with the difficulties I've faced in my companionship were the biggest. I was sure I could not do this all over again - another 6 weeks in the same situation.

Looking back I had a very negative mindset - I kept counting down the weeks until I could GTHOH (get the heck outta here). I was praying after I found out I'd be staying and asked Heavenly Father why my visa had not come yet. The answer came quickly (if only all the prayers I've prayed got resolved that fast!) It came in the form of a thought " Jenna you have not yet learned what I have send you here to learn." It hit me then - I have been counting down, suffering through my trials and difficulties but I have not embraced the mission. This is MY mission just as much as Roseville is my mission. I then decided to give up what I want, what I feel is right or best. I am letting the Lord run the show. He does a much better job anyways. 

So today is a new start I will not count down , I will not hold back but I will give it my all and embrace this time that I have in the Canada Winnipeg mission. It feels better than my previous mindset.

We have a companionship goal to only sign our prayers at home now. I think I'll become much stronger in ASL by doing this. Brother Gilson still holds ASL classes at the church on Wednesday nights- I love that we get to help out with them. The weekly turn out for the class is great - lots of investigators come as well so it is a fantastic missionary tool. 

We had exchanges this week (where we switch missionary companionships and areas for a day) with a tri - pan (three missionaries) it was a little different and we swapped off a few times. It was nice to work with different people and see a new area. I was with the sister training leaders Sister Wray and Sister Martin. They are fantastic!

This week we had two baptisms in the church building. We invited all our investigators to come see what it is like but no one showed up to either. It was a sad thing! With the re- dedication of the Montreal Quebec temple there were no regular church services so we had a small devotional put on by the missionaries at the church last night. We again invited everyone in our teaching pool and two people came!!!

Liz showed up and she loved it - this was the first church event she has made it out to. It was great! We found a young women and her brother to watch Liz's kids while she was at the church and we had a member pick her up. Buck also came to the devotional. He is a friend of one of our investigators who is visiting from out of town. We also had a wonderful lesson with him this week at the mc Donald's close by. He lives super far north in a reserve where there are no missionaries.I hope that one day he will remember his experience in the gospel if he moves out of such a secluded area. He is so ready to know more about God and his son Jesus Christ. 

We had a funny experience this week. At al lot of the lights downtown there are homeless people in between the intersection with cardboard signs. This one guy had one that read " anything helps" We had a proselyting copy of the bible in the car but no food or money. We rolled down our window and handed it to him. He asked " Are you Mormon?" and we said yes- he then said " I'm a member - I was baptized but I AM SO INACTIVE!" he screamed that last part and as we drove away (the light changed) he yelled out at us "SIN IS EVERYWHERE!!!!!" It was the funniest thing, just the way he said it. We all died of laughter! You really do see and experience so much as a missionary. This 18 months I'm sure will bring some of the most entertaining stories. 

My ponderizing scripture this week is found in the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 

1 Nephi 10:19

"For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round."

​I like this scripture and selected it for my ponderizing verse for the week because ​God is the same in the past, today and in the future. Finding answers is possible and if you seek it out (to know the truth of anything) He will let you know!

I have to run but thank you all for your emails!

Sister Taylor