January 30, 2012!!

Hello my dearlings!

How is everyone? It sounds as though some of you are stressed, sick, or crippled. Dear oh dear. What shall we do? I hope everyone starts feeling better this coming week. I'm certainly praying for you daily, if not hourly. I love you.

This week has been interesting. Really. If you can believe it I was an absolute stress case. Really. I talked to Pres. Cannon and he told me to essentially take a chill pill and hand everything over to the Lord. Sounds simple...and of course he was right.

Yesterday we gave talks in our ward. The funny thing about speaking is that I feel like I learn more than I'm sure I help others learn. I, of course talked about Alma. I love the book of Alma. I actually finished it yesterday and felt this little pang of sadness. My talk went well, if you were wondering yes I cried. I can't talk about the Savior without crying. We actually had two Chinese investigators at church yesterday named Comet and Jeffery. When I went to talk to them they said "Sister Perkins you miss your home? We don't like to see you cry. It makes us feel like cry." I told them if they don't keep coming to church I will cry and then they said, "The woman with the tears scare us." I love our Chinese investigators:)

We also have been working with Robert who is incredible! We've been working with him for about a month now and he will be baptized on February 10. Everything we've taught him he loves! He adores President Monson (who wouldn't right?). I keep telling everyone he's our platinum investigator. He'll be moving to Saba in the Caribbean in April, so we have just a couple months to get him fully immersed in everything. He's going to be an amazing member missionary!

We have a member here in Dows Lake named Shu-Ling Sun. She is a recent convert form China. She made us dinner the other night and we were talking about our investigators and she said, "What do sisters do besides investigations?" It took a lot to not laugh in that moment. And then we invited us to come out with us and she said, " I would love to do investigations with you!" She is actually pretty incredible in lessons, she is the one who committed Comet and Jeffery to church.

So in Canada they have something called "freezing rain" it's basically the pits. What happens is that the freezing rain cause ice to form over the snow. Boo! Also, it's really scary to walk on. And yes, I fell. Imagine this one moment I'm walking and the next I'm lying on the cold frozen rain. It was kind of like a comedy. Also, the other day our car was actually frozen shut:( Best time everrrr! I will be happy when we stop having freezing rain.

This week I studied in Alma 53 and I was really struck by verse 17 because rather than see the Nephites break their oath the two thousand stripling were willing to lay down their lives to protect them. It just made me realize that that is honestly the best thing we can do for those we love. Help them keep their covenants that they've made to the Lord, because after this life our covenants are the only thing we take with us. It hit me really hard. I wish I had known half of the things I've learned on my mission before I got here. My life before would have been a lot more productive. Do me a favor? Read your scriptures!

I'm so grateful for everything the Lord has given me. I'm so grateful for each and every one of you. I'm especially thankful for this work and the opportunity that I have to be here in Ottawa as a missionary. Next week I won't be able to write until Wednesday, because we're having Zone Conference and a Zone activity. My first one:) have a warm and cozy week without freezing rain! Je vous aime!

Bisous Bisous

Soeur Perkins

4 MONTHS!!!

HOLY GUACAMOLE!!!!!

Holy Guacamole! I've officially been out for four months! It's a weird feeling. It's a crazy seeing the calender pages turn. Sidenote: Elders Meza and Leon bought me an "orphans" calender and when they gave it to me they said "Orphans listen to me! Listen to Ignacio! I know that it is fun to wrestle, but you cannot do it! Because in the Bible it says not to wrestle your neighbor."

This has been a really neat week! We had Sister's conference in Montreal at the mission home. It was fun to be with President and Sister Cannon. President is really funny when the Elders aren't around. We had a pretty in-depth discussion about the way men and women communicate, it was hysterical! Then he teased me about the phone in the toilet incident. Got to love Prez. While I was in Montreal I got to go on splits with Sister Sandoval! We went to a D.A. with this lady from their ward called the Bahama Mama:) She made curry and it was really good! It made me miss Benja's. On our way back to Ottawa I asked my comp if she had the phone, and well, she didn't. Nope we left it in the mission home. Luckily, our ZL's were in Montreal so they brought it back the next day with a picture of toilet as our screen saver that Prez C took himself. Yes. I'm THAT sister.

For the past week our landlords have been out of town and they have some friends house sitting. For some reason every day they have played "Benny and the Jets" on the piano. I'm pretty sure whoever is playing it is learning it because they play the same parts over and over and over and over. It's kind of ironic, because in the MTC every Thursday we had service and every Thursday after service I had an Elton John song stuck in my head (tiny dancer, piano man, etc) And then there was the solid week where I had "Benny and the Jets" stuck in my head. I feel like it's a sign;) Kidding.

When I was in Montreal I got a big beautiful package from Mama and Papa Bear! Those where the most amazing skirts! Mom you are amazing! I also loved the secret surprise in the plaid skirt! You send the best packages! Also you have about 120 requests from members and other sisters to make skirts for them.

This week I was thinking about friends what a good friend is and how I can be a better friend. I was listening to a talk by John Bytheway and he mentioned Luke 5:17-25 where the man with palsy is lowered through the ceiling by his friends to be healed by the Savior. And then by the faith of his friends this same man is healed. It made me wonder if I'm a good friend. Am I the type of friend that makes the gospel easier to live? I came to the conclusion that I could be better. I feel like we all have the responsibility to help our friends come closer to Christ. Charity is the pure love of Christ.

Yesterday we had the opportunity to hear from the Canada Montreal Temple President and his wife. They also started the BYU Jerusalem center. During Sunday school he showed a slide show of pictures from Jerusalem. Confession: I have actually never had a desire to visit the Holy Land, mostly because of the violence. But after yesterday, I would love to go to Jerusalem. It looks like a beautiful place. And can you imagine walking the same streets the Savior walked? Incredible. Mom and Pops don't worry, I'll come home first;)

Thank you for humoring me and reading my weekly emails! I love Canada! I love missionary work! Thank you for your love and your support. Read your scriptures! Say your prayers! Eat your veggies! Don't forget the little frozen Sister Perkins in the land of Canadia!
A la prochaine! Je vous aime beaucoup!

Bisous Bisous!

Soeur Perkins

January 16, 2012

WEEK 18!!

Hello!!!

This week was memorable, let me tell you. The Lord has a sense of humor. Canada is good. Cold. But good. It's been -18 for the past few days with a wind chill that makes it about -30-40 this is all in Canadian, mind you, I don't know the conversion for Farenheit:) Our toes are cold, but I can assure you our hearts are warm.

This week was insane, let's recount. So last Monday we were finishing up here at the church with all of our P-day activities and I decided to use the WC before we ventured out into the polar ice caps. Well, I had our phone, which is like unto our lifeline, in my pocket. I do my thing and go to flush the toilet as I'm flushing the toilet I notice a little square black thing that looks a lot like my phone going down, down, down. "Oh no! Sister WEBB! I FLUSHED IT!" "Okaayy" "The PHONE!" "What?! Why did you do that?" I have no idea how the phone got from my pocket and into the toilet without me noticing, but that is exactly what happened. Don't worry the story gets more mortifying. My ZL's and Elders Meza and Leon were still here so we come storming out of the WC. "Our phone. Down toilet. Bad." "What?" So then I get to recount the whole thing which is horrifying and in the back of my head I'm thinking .... President is going to send me home! The church pipes are going to explode. So we got a couple of #'s and I had to call Sister Cannon, who thought it was HI-larious! So long story short we have a new phone and I am now "that" sister. The one who flushes phones down the toilet.

Let's see...Tuesday we got escorted. Yes. Escorted off of a bus because my comp didn't have the right numbers on her bus pass. Don't worry we made it onto the nex bus okay, it was mostly a misunderstanding:) We got splattered by snow sludge from a speeding car. Just like in a movie. We met Nilda, who turned out to be a little crazy and calls EVERYDAY. But we love her.Oh the list could really go on and on. Oh yeah we saw the crazy Egyptian guy on a different bus going an entirely different direction. My novel "People I meet on the bus" is going to be epic.

This week we had a lesson with a Chinese Ottawa U student named Comet. That is his "Canadian Name". I would've chosen something like Jermajesty, but whateves:) Anywho. Comet has a lot of questions about God, so we decided to bring a member named Kyle. Kyle is an RM and probably one of the best ward missionaries ever. But for some reason I think he thought we said Comet was deaf not chinese, because as soon as Comet walked up Kyle started shouting. "HI COMET! I'M KYLE!" Comet-"Hi Klyle." "KYLE!" "Klyle." Don't worry I was laughing into my cup of apple cider. Then we started talking about God. I said "Comet, who do you think would be the best person to ask all of your questions about God?" Comet-"(nervous laughter)" Kyle- "Comet, if you have a question about psychology would you ask a chemistry professor?" Comet-"Yes." Kyle..Klyle-"No. You would ask a psychology teacher." Comet-"My sister is study psychology." So next time I think we're going to bring a chinese speaker:)

We also taught this guy named Robert. Robert is the epitamy of a Golden investagator....actually he might even be like platinum. He is amazing! We've only known him for a week and he has alreay made AMAZING progress! He has a date for Feb. 10th and loves the church! He is literally a miracle. Pray for him, please.

My heart has been very tender lately. I can't really explain it. I'm happy really, truly, but I feel like my heart is so aware of the people around me. I've also been glued to the George Albert Smith manual. It's incredible!!! I also read the ensign article about him. Amazing! I want to be as incredibly loving as that man, but I fear I am a walking distaster and I'm here to be a clown instead. Anywho, as I was reading the George Albert Smith manual this quote really struck me. "What a joy what a comfort, what a satisfaction can be added to the lives of our neighbors and friends through kindness. How would I like to write that word in capital letters and emblazon it in air. Kindness is the power that God has given us to unlock hard hearts and subdue stubborn souls." Do me a favor this week...be just a little kinder. Go out of your way to do something for someone else. As George A. Smith has said Kindness is a power from God. Shouldn't we be more liberal in it's use?

I pray that you have a beautiful week. Full of warmth. I love warm. I love heaters:) Remember your BOM reading! Don't forget little Sista P here freezing her tootsies off in Canadia:)

I love this gospel. I love the Savior " Then sings my soul my Savior God to thee...Oh what joy shall fill my heart!" I love you.

Bisous Bisous!

Sister Perkins

P.s. Never abbreviate George Albert Smith, because his initials are GAS.

Monday Jan. 9, 2012

MONDAY JANUARY 9, 2012

Hello!

How is everyone doing? I hate to admit it, but I'm doing really well. I really love my new area. I'm in inner city Ottawa. It's amazing! I feel a totally different energy in Ottawa than I did in Gatineau. It's a little scary at times, people are not super friendly, but it doesn't really bother me too much. I'm living with members again and this apartment is beautiful! Really.They've done a really good job making sure it's clean and free of mold:) Love it!

In this area we take the bus a lot too which is an interesting experience, I'm going to start writing a book called "People I meet on the bus". Let's see we've met: The crazy egyptian who thought my companion was his daughter kidnapped by Germans, Terry who knew a million facts about fire trucks, the Greek guy in a wheel chair that told me he ate 6 free hamburgers from Harvey's, and the list really could go on and on. Do you understand why it is necessary that I write this book? It would sell. I just know it. My Companion's name is Sister Webb, she's from California and we basically laugh all of the time....except for when I lose my voice. Don't worry Mom and Dad I'm taking care of myself, but for some reason I lose my voice here a lot. Let's see... Oh I went to my ward for the first time yesterday. Pretty exciting! The ward is funny and awkward...but that's what you get with YSA:) However, we have some incredible recent converts! I feel like there are a lot of stories just waiting to be told in this area....especially from the bus.

Last week before I left Gatineau we had an English class. It was EPIC! We had Oula and Tchoa. We played some games to teach them directions like: go left, straight ahead. We blindfolded Oula and had Tchoa tell him how to get to his chair through our nifty obstacle course. We are such gooooood teachers! My favorite experience of the night was trying to explain the difference between children and chicken. Oula said, "You can say kids or you can say chicken, right?" Wrong. Only on a farm. I had a really hard time not laughing.

On Saturday night we were contacting in this GINORMOUS apartment building. We were in the elevator with this really nice YSA guy. This is the part where we should have contacted him. Instead we were awkward and watched him get off on the same floor we were getting off on and then we said good bye. Well about 45 minutes later we knocked on his door. I'm pretty sure at this point he thought we were stalking him...which sometimes I feel like I'm a professional stalker...besides the point. So I pretend like I hadn't watched him walk into his apartment 45 minutes earlier. "Oh wow! You live here?" Less stunned man from the elevator, "Uh yep." So, then I give him our door approach and he says, "That's pretty cool. But I'm an Atheist." I'm not fooled by Atheists, that's just another way of saying I don't have time for religion. So I start asking him where he thinks we came from and why we're here. He said he had no idea. He wasn't interested, but let us say a prayer with him. I felt like he had a lot of potential, so I'm going to keep praying for him, and maybe one day I'll email you to tell you all he called us:) There's always potential for potentials.

My mission has really been the biggest blessing in my life up until this point. I feel like a new creature. There is a happiness and a groundedness(made that one up) that comes from this work. I can't really explain it. I feel like now more than ever, I really know who I am. Every hard or difficult thing I've encounted here has been followed up by incredible blessings. I really didn't want to leave Gatineau. There was some wailing and gnashing of teeth. But I knew it was God's will and I promised him I would be obedient, but I wasn't all that excited. I've been so blessed for that obedience. It reminds me of Mosiah 4:9 "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all things which the Lord can comprehend." I promise that as you strive to keep the commandments that God has given you and honor the covenents you have made nothing with ever go permanetly wrong. The gospel of Jesus Christ is real. I've watched the light come into someone's eyes as we've taught the cleansing and healing power of the Atonement. We really have no reason to be sad or afraid. Tout ira bien.

Thank you for all of your love and support! It means everything. I am able to be the missionary I am because of you, because of your prayers, and because of your examples. Those of you that have accepted the challenge. I'll be checking up on you:) J you didn't say when you would finish? Also, mom when are the members from the branch planning on finishing? Let me know:) Have a beautiful week! A la prochaine! Je vous aime!

Bisous Bisous!

Soeur Perkins

I forgot to send you the poem!

Master where shall I work today?

My love flowed warm and free.

He pointed out a tiny spot

And said, tend that for me.

I answereed quickly, oh no, not there,

Not any one could see

No matter how well my work was done;

Not that little spot for me.

When He spoke He was not stern,

But He answered me tenderly,

Little one, search that heart of thine;

Are you working for them or for me?

Nazareth was just a little place.

And so was Galilee.

I love you daddy!

JANUARY 2, 2012

WEEK 15!

Did you party like it was 1999?

Bonjour!

How is everyone doing? How was your New Years? Did you party like it was 1999 and the 2000 ball was about to drop? Let me tell you this New Years was memorable...I'll get to that later. I spent some time on New Years Eve thinking about how many blessing I have been given. Really. 2011 was quite good to me. And if someone had told me a year ago that I would be in Canada today I would've have told them to jump in a lake. But I feel so blessed to be here.

Big news: We had a really epic New Years party in which we played Gadianton Robbers, which is the missionary version of Mafia. EPIC! And then our ZL's tried really hard to pawn off their Christmas reject candy on us. And then we got our transfer calls on New Years Eve...I'm getting transferred to a YSA ward in Ottawa. I wasn't super excited about it. In fact I threw myself a New Years pity party. I really x100 love my area in Gatineau. The people are incredible. I love my ward. I love my investigators. I love my companion. But after a lot of praying and reading I can now honestly say I'm excited for this new opportunity. YSA wards scare me though, but I have not been sent to Canada to fail. So there. Boom Roasted. It will be great. But as always your prayers are needed.

This is the part where I humor myself, because I'm so funny....So we work a lot with the less actives in Gatineau. We had a meeting...appointment...rendevous with a less active and we had to meet him at a Starbucks in Ottawa (classy I know) because he lives by himself and well we can't visit him at his house alone. So, we're waiting at this Starbucks and my comp goes to use the WC and so I'm waiting and the guy behind the counter asks if he can help me. Well I don't want to look like I'm just hanging out in Starbucks so I play it off like I just don't know what I want. I said, "I don't actually drink coffee, so you can imagine how difficult this is?" And so he tells me to get this spiced apple cider drink which was amazing...While his fellow coffee co-worker is making my drink he starts talking to me in French and asks me where I'm from yadda yadda. I told him I was a missionary for my church in the meantime I pull out my wallet and he says "No, no, no. This one is on me." This is a big fat no no in the CMM. You can't allow random strangers to buy things for you! So I insist, but he works there so I can't really force him to charge me. Then my companion comes out of the WC and I'm holding this pipping hot cup of apple cider and she gives me one of those "what did you buy?" kind of looks. I felt like a big goober. I'm not a bad missionary. I promise.

This week in my studies I thought a lot about the power of a testimony. How when we learn something for ourselves it gives us much more conviction. I also thought a lot about the will of our Father. I remember a very distinct moment on the plan ride here just six weeks ago. I remember thinking that this is the first time in a long time where I really had no say in what was happening in my life. But because I had submitted my will to my Heavenly Father I had found so much joy. I really love being a missionary. So this brings me to another point...I emailed last week asking who was going to take my BOM challenge. Dad. You are my one true friend. I'm just going to assume the rest of you forgot. So I'm going to invite you again:) Why? Because the BOM will be a strength to you in more ways than you can imagine. I love what Sister Thompson said in her conference talk "Our testimonies fortify us and strengthen us as we face challenges in our daily lives. It is our testimony, combined with our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and our knowledge of the plan of Salvation, which helps us through these times of trial and hardship." Don't be a fool! Take the challenge:)

I hope you all have a lovely week. I miss you and cannot say how much I love you all.

Bisous Bisous

Soeur Perkins

2028- Sister Perez and Sister Burock. I love these women! I have so many good things to say about both of them.

2024- Tandice and Tchoa. I showed them how to do their make-up for Tchoa's birthday:) They are so sweet!

2018- That's right Perkins, Canada! I'm kind of a big deal here.

2015- So what's not right about this picture? First of all the halo:) Secondly, that's a meter for their tithing for their congregation! from 2010!!! What's wrong with these people?