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?

WEEK 14 December 26, 2011

So how is everyone doing since I talked to you all....yesterday?:) I'm doing really good...still. Sorry that yesterday was a little hectic. The life of a missionary:) I'm really glad that I got to talk to everyone. Here is something I forgot: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MONICA! Oh my goodness! I'm so happy that you were born. I'm also so happy that you are my sister. I love you, seester. Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISS SHARAY!!! I can't believe how old you are now. My babies are getting so old:(

Christmas here in Ottawa/Gatineau was great! I really couldn't have asked for a better 1st mission Christmas. Really. Jaclyn and J I got your presents last night from my District Leader. You guys are amazing! J I can't believe you tied all 6 million of those knots by yourself! The Cd's were much needed, I'm pretty sure you read my mind on that one. Jaclyn you always send the best things, I'm wearing the socks as I type this:) Monica...I think the Canadian post sacrificed your package, JK. I'm sure it is either in Montreal or will be soon. After I talked to you last night we met some people from our district at Parliment and it started snowing again! Surprise! It was a lot of fun.

So as a missionary we have the pleasure of visiting less actives. In the Gatineau ward we have A LOT! There is one woman we visit about once a week named Josephe. Josephe was baptized about 6 months ago and just needs a little bit of help.....She came from Haiti with her two boys and is trying to go to school. Everytime we visit her we always start with a song. So, if you know me at all you would know I laugh at the most inconvenient times. Well...let's just say Haitians are not very good singers. Really. So we're singing "The First Noel" only it doesn't sound like it. No. It sounds like something much more painful. Josephe is singing "No-ELLLE NOEL! NOOOOEEEELLLE!" And this is the part where I'm trying to think of every sad thing that's ever happened to me in my whole life so I WON'T die of laughter. Oh Haitians. Also, another Haitian fact: they ALWAYS sound angry on the phone, but almost never are. I don't understand it. If I was going back to doTERRA I wouldn't be afraid to take any phone call now.

We have been teaching this lady from Iran named Nikki. Nikki is great. She doesn't actually speak French so we teach her in. Very. Slow. English. Very. Slooooow. We were worried when we first met her because she wouldn't tell us her religious beliefs. We were worried that she was Muslim, because teaching Muslims is a "no no" in the CMM. But she told us she doesn't like Muslims because they are too pushy. So who knows....Since her native language is Persian she has been reading the BOM and is crazy about it. She told us she hasn't read a book in Persian since she left Iran. She told us that she wants to get baptized because she trusts Jesus. She said "I don't know why, but I trusting this Jesus. I think he's a good man. Not like other men." Love Nikki. This is the part where I petition for prayers. My companion and I have set a goal for 2 baptisms before January 31. This is kind of a high goal, especially for Canada, but I honestly feel like it can be done. We have so many investigators like Nikki who are teetering on baptism. We need your prayers, not just for the goal, but for helping this mission become a baptizing and converting mission. If there is anything you could do for me it would be to pray for those two baptisms.

This week I was reading Enos and I was so touched by that brief little chapter. I love that he says " And my soul hungered, and I kneeled down before my Maker and I cried unto him mighty in prayer and supplication for mine own soul." I have felt this way a lot on my mission, both in the MTC and here in Canada. My soul has hungered for the comfort that only our Savior can give us. After hours of fervent prayer the Lord speaks peace to Enos and tells him that his sins are forgiven, and from that moment all Enos wants is to preach to the Lamanites to bring peace to them as well. This is the part where I committ you again to read the Book of Mormon and highlight every time the Savior or Heavenly Father is mentioned. If you accept this "engagement" (French) email me and tell me what day you plan to finish and then I will follow up with you. Why? Because I'm a missionary. And also because I promise this will change the way you feel about the Book of Mormon. Like brother Tad R. Callister said in General conference "this book is either from God or it's not." Challenge accepted? Email me:)

I'm so glad I got to hear your wonderful voices yesterday! I love you all like a Quebecquoi loves poutine:) Canadian humor:) So funny. Everyone be safe! Read your Scriptures! Say your prayers! Eat your veggies! Scatter Sunshine! Je vous aime!!!

Bisous Bisous!

Soeur Sabrina Perkins

p.s. No-eeeel! NOEL! NOellleeee! Oh my entire life:)

1968- Ignore the fact that I look hideous in this picture...This is me and Sista Sandoval in Montreal!!!

1969-The Baker's on Christmas Eve! I love these people. Brother Baker is a hoot!

1974- Isn't Parliment amazing! P.s. that is Elder Meza and Elder Leon (my dad and brother, tee hee)

1986- I know, I know, I'm very festive. Seester Pace and I...oh and snow.

Week 13: Joyeaux Noel!

Bonjour! How is everyone doing? From your emails it sounds like everyone is really busy! Short concise, scattered emails:) But I love them all the same. Before I forget Merry Christmas!

Today we are driving to Montreal for our zone Christmas party with the Cannon's. I'm pretty excited, since I've only really be in Montreal for a total of 12 hours. For Christmas Eve we will be spending it with the Baker's. I'm really excited because the Baker's are like Grandparents to us. They are so sweet! Then Christmas Day...well we'll let the ward figure that one out. Everyone has been fighting over who gets to have us over. As far as Christmas phone call.....I'm thinking it will be after 2 your time. I may just call to tell you when I'm calling:)

Last week Sister Pace and I were driving to Ottawa to go on splits with the Sisters in Ottawa. As we were driving we saw a sign that said "Best Quality Leather Garments in Town." We really wanted to stop and take pictures, because honestly church headquaters needs to hear about this:) Kidding. But when you're a missionary you really only have gospel jokes. For example, last night we were at a dinner appointment with a family in our ward. They have a son who was supposed to come so there was a place setting set but he never came. The mom said something about how we waited and waited and he never came. That's when I turned to Sister Pace and said "It's like we're waiting for Elijah to come." Oh so funny. I bet you all miss how funny I am. I know Sister Pace thinks I'm hysterical....I know I think I'm hysterical.

I was with sister Ariiotima in Ottawa. Ottawa is the only area in our mission that everyone really speaks English. The problem is Sister Ariiotima doesn't speak English. So I'm saying "Hi" to EVERYONE and NO ONE would say hello back. Welcome to Ottawa. We walked by Parliment and I smiled at this Haitian and said "Hello!". He stopped and started talking to us. I kept trying to tell him who we were and what our message was but all he kept telling me was "Girl, what are you doing tonight?" "Preaching the Gospel." "No, no, no, after that." "Everyday. All day. From 8-9:30 I preach the gospel." He didn't believe me. Afterwards he gave me his number and told me to look him up on Facebook....I don't know if it's worth it.

We had our baptism with Josie this week and it was beautiful! Josette (yes) Josie's mama gave an amazing talk about the baptismal covenant. It was really touching because Josie had some non-member family there and I know they all felt the spirit. The whole thing was great! Josie's uncle Winsor came to church the next day and told us we could meet with him after the holidays.

I really hope everyone has a beautiful Christmas! Sorry my email was scattered and crazy....maybe it's because I know I'll be talking to you in 6 days!!!! I love you all!

Bisous Bisous

Soeur Perkins

Pic above: Sometimes I'm really funny. Really though.
1949:Josie's baptism! I love this little munchkin!
1937: Sister Ariiotima:)
1936: I look funny in this picture, but that would be Parliment in the background.
1926: This is Jaden. The child I'm going to kidnap before I leave Canada. Isn't he the cutest pie?

Week 12: Seigneur j'ai tant recu, je dois aussi donner.

(This was taken before she left but this is what I like to think she is doing, haha.)

Bonjour!

Hello hello! how is everyone doing? I'm doing really well. Your letters are amazing! Keep them coming! Everyone seems to be doing awesome.I know that the Lord is blessing you. Mom and Dad you are too much! I got that package and I looove my sheets and blanket. Really. You are the best! I'm sorry it cost an arm and a leg to send it but I can promise you it's going to good use.

This week is very exciting becauseI will have my first baptism on Saturday! Her name is Josie and she is in a part member family. Her parents are from Haiti her mother, Josette, is incredible and she has helped her daughter so much as she has prepared for her baptism. Josie actually speaks english and she loves the Beebs. She actually reminds me a lot of Sharay. I'm really excited and kind of nervous, because well I've never been in charge of a baptism before.

This week we did a lot of contacted, which I'm not very good at. When people say no thank you I'm usually like "Okay. Next!". My companion said that wasn't okay, so she's been making me be more pushy. Well...the other day we were contacting in an apt building and this lady opened her door. As soon as the door opened a horrible ordor leaked out. It was incredibly bad!!! Like every bad smell in the world was congregating in her house. So we go through our door approach and of course she says "No!" and I can barely choke out "pourquoi?" and then I turned my head and took a huge gulp of air. My comp lost it. In front of this lady! Needless to say. We are not going back:)

So everyone has been wondering about the weather. Surprisingly, we don't have snow yet. It's snowed but it hasn't stayed. It's been cold, but bearable. Also, my companion is great! I only get annoyed when she stops talking during a lesson and makes me struggle through with my cave man French. My favorite is when people say "You can speak in English." Most of our investigators are from Africa. Yeah. We kind of stopped talking to most Canadians. Don't judge us, it's just that the immigrants are waaaaay more receptive.

So, this week my comp and I visited a less active recent convert named Silvano Kirika. He's a refugee from the Congo and was baptized in March. He hasn't been to church in a long time. So we set up an appointment to meet with him and he wasn't home when we got there. So we called and he said "Oh I'm so sorry! I forgot and I'm out running errands. Do you think you could meet me at the mall?" We ran around and around trying to find this man and had about 15 minutes left until our next appt. We toyed around with the idea of telling him we couldn't make it. But in the end we decided we really needed to meet with him. When we finally sat down we could see instantly that something was not right. He looked exhausted and there was so much pain in his eyes. He immediately started telling us about his wife who is stuck in the Congo, the governement won't let her leave because of the war. He told us he has been praying so hard to find work because right now his job forces him to work every Sunday. My heart was aching the entire time I was talking to this man of incredible faith. We talked for a little while longer and then I felt prompted to promise him that he would be able to attend church again with his wife. Tears welled up in my eyes and his and he told us he felt a peace he hasn't felt in a long time. We said a prayer in that crowded mall and I poured my soul out to Lord begging that this man would be blessed in broken and almost incomprehensible French. We told him we would stay in contact and then went to our next meeting. That night I started to write the whole instance in my journal and I couldn't help but cry. This man has incredible faith. And even though he said we helped him, I'm more convinced that he helped me. My eyes are welling up even as I'm typing this. I don't know at what point it happened but I have a deep and profound love for the people I have met here.

Family it's almost that time again. I get to call home on Christmas so I'm planning on calling around 2 or 3 our time, which would be 12 or 1 your time. I'm excited to talk to you all! I also have a small selfish Christmas wish. Do you think Jordan could conference in or that I could talk to him for like 5 minutes or something? That would be a really good present:)

Okay since I'm a missionary I'm going to leave you all with a commitment. When I arrived in the CMM Pres. and Sister Cannon challenged us to read the BOM and highlight in yellow every time God or Jesus is mentioned. They gave us those paperback BOM that you cand get for a couple of dollars. This experience has changed my view of the BOM. I love what I've learned from doing this. In this last general conference Elder Tad R. Callister said "this book does not merely claim to be a moral treatise or theological collection of insightful writings. It claims to be the word of God, every sentence, every verse, every page." So this is my commitment for you for the new year.

I love you all. Really. If you thought I loved you before you better believe that I love you even more now. This is God's church. The Book of Mormon is true. Have a beautiful week and remember that tout ira bien!

Bisous Bisous

Soeur Perkins

P.s. Congrats Adrienne on your call to the Quezon City mission! I love you girly!

Week 11: I'm Officially An Awkward Missionary!

Hello everyone!

This has been a really crazy P-day! We've been running around all day like chicken's with our heads cut off. But all is well. So if I don't have time to write letters please don't hate me:(

So last week my companion had to go on splits with some sisters that were having problems so I had to be Senior Comp! It was super scary because I had to drive...in Canada! I was not prepared for that. But we survived, so no worries:) Just so you don't worry mom there isn't snow yet so it wasn't even dangerous. Oh but we were driving in Ottowa....enough said:)

Last week we met one of our investigators who lives in Ottowa, we didn't actually have too much hope for the situation. When we got to their apartment the door opened and three small children began attacking my legs. The smallest one was like a little monkey. After we were able to pry the children off the parents sat down and we sang a very sad version of "I am a Child of God" then the parents shooed the children to the back room to play. We started the lesson a little nervous that it would end badly. George (the father) asked a few questions about the priesthood. After we were certain we lost him,he said "I'm going to pray and if God tells me to get baptized in your church my wife and two oldest children and I will all get baptized." We sat there a little stunned because George is a very faithful and sincere man. Please pray for the Abojdi family. We love them so very much!

We also met with another family last week. Sister Pace actually taught them when she was here in Ottowa a year ago. The family is from Barundi(sp?) and they are amazing. The mother swung the door open and gave us great big hugs and bisous bisous. Then this is where sister Perkins became a real missionary(my awkwardness level was at an all time high)...the father walks into the room and comes up to give me a big hug. So I give him a weird arm hug thing and he looks at me like I'm nuts. All of the while sister Pace is just laughing at me. So rude! I was mortified.

Our ward mission leader is a little crazy. His name is Frere Oula and he is from the Ivory Coast. I'm pretty sure every time he says my name he says it differently. Soeur Purk, Soeur Peking, Packing, Per, Purking. Also his watch has a picture of his face on the...face. It's really bizarre.

Mom and dad I sure love you. Really. Thank you for everything you have done to help me get to this point. I always tell our investigators (i wish you could meet all of them, even the crazy ones) how awesome my family is. This week I read the talk by Elder Hales from this last conference and he said "We may not know when or how the Lord's answers will be given, but in HIs time and His way, I testitfy, His answers will come...Let us not give up on the Lord. His blessings are eternal, not temporary." I testify that I know this to be true. The Lord will never let a prayer go unanswered. Remember you Lord, because He remembers you. Go to the Lord with all your worries and he will make your burdens light. I love you all so much!

Bisous Bisous!

Soeur Perkins

p.s. Dear J, Yes. The Canadian mail system is terrible! Be patient. You're the best!