Teaching Institute

February 29, 2016

Dear Family,

Our car was in the shop getting its bumper fixed from Monday to Thursday, so we rode the bikes... which was horrible because there are so many hills in the town, and it's bad when you haven't rode a bike in months and are so out of shape... and it decides to rain for two days, but we made it work.

For FHE we were at the Beck's house and we played a game called Celestial Pursuit, like Trivial Pursuit but with LDS questions, spiritual, history, scriptures, oh it was pretty hard not gonna lie, but so fun. I just wanted to take all the questions cards home and study them.

We had a awesome meeting with brother Cartier, who is in charge of the seminaries and institutes across the maritimes. He personally sat down with us for like two hours and answered questions we had pertaining to being institute teachers and training us on ways to teach classes, it was the coolest experience.

For district meeting I did a doctrinal discussion with a group of missionaries and I felt like I needed to do it on fasting. And I love doing these things because I feel like I get more out of it than they do by studying and preparing but I think it's like that for most things that take study and preparation. I applied a lot of what I learned from brother Cartier in my discussion and I feel like it went so much better than it might have.

We had dinner with the Harlows on Wednesday and we walked in the rain to their house and were just completely soaked, we knocked on the door and her reaction when she saw us was so funny. She made us take what was wet off and we wore some of brother Harlows clothes while she dried ours during dinner, gotta love the members and all that they do for the missionaries.

In celebration of my year mark Elder Quinton bought me lunch and I also burned a white shirt, traditions.

The struggle right now is that we don't have any investigators so it's finding, finding, finding. But you always feel good doing it, even with some of the crazy experiences you have.

I love the Lord, I love this work, the time is going by pretty quick.

Love You!

Love Elder Ray

HUMP DAY!  I am over the hump.

Result of walking in a rainstorm. Did you know that it rains sideways here?

I wonder how many pictures I can get of Elder Quinton without him noticing.

Halfway There, Livin On A Prayer

February 22, 2016

Dear Family,

We got to do some service for a museum this week where we helped clean and move/store artifacts. It was pretty cool, but it's probably not the kind of museum that you are thinking of. It's a small one where they display like old farm equipment and inventions, basically things from the 1800's. It was still fun though.

We thought we had mice in our attic, which we do. But they were all hiding and wouldn't come out because of the squirrel that was in there as well, who we named Scraps. But we killed him with a rat trap, I guess peanut butter is too hard to resist. Well, I should probably relate this to the gospel so, at times when things seem too good to be true, they probably are. When we avoid and resist temptations, we will be saved from the "traps" that could be harmful to us. Now the mice are out roaming free in the attic, but not for long.

Because the missionary work is pretty slow here and not too much happens with investigators, well, as much as we would like it to, our goal, in the Bridgewater ward, under the direction of President Pratt, is to teach the members how to be member missionaries, and build an institute class. Because we are not always going to be here and the members are, and know the people, and the area a little better, we are training them on inviting people to come unto Christ in many different ways. Elder Quinton and I are working on and creating a curriculum for the members. As for institute Elder Quinton is the Institute teacher for the semester and I am here to support, participate, and influence the class, which is about four people so far, but we are working on it. Investigators are still a focus though for sure so don't worry about that. Every mission is different and needs different things, baptizing or building up the members, it's all the work of salvation. So what if others don't think we are being successful because we don't baptize, I know that I am successful and am fulfilling my purpose in the areas that I serve, and I love it.

Love You!

Love Elder Ray

Bridgewater

February 15, 2016

Dear Family,

It has been a change of a week, obviously, but a needed one. I have only been in Bridgewater for a few days but it is awesome being back in a ward. It will take me more than a week to get to know people, not like Montague. All areas are different in their own ways so every place is a new adventure.

The past couple of days were pretty good. We visited a less active and talked with him about his experience in the church. He was once a temple worker a few years back but at this point considers himself to be an Evolutionist; an Atheist...How does that happen? Besides that he was very nice and pleasant to talk to.

Elder Quinton is awesome and so funny, and there are also sister missionaries in this area, where I haven't worked around sisters in just over nine months.

This place definitely has potential and I am excited for the upcoming transfer.

#Testi-Money

Love You all!

Love Elder Ray

Transfer to Bridgewater

February 8, 2016

 Dear Family,

From Monday to Wednesday morning I got to go to Summerside on an exchange with Elder Barr. First time in Summerside in the six months I've been here. It was great to work in a new area for a bit, not seeing the same small town like I do every day. Funny thing is, Elder Barr's companion accidentally took the areas phone with him, so for two days we did everything without a phone. Let's just say, missionary work is kind of hard without one. Elder Barr is awesome though, and he is also waiting for his visa to go to his mission in Dallas Texas.

Sunday night we taught a lesson to the twins of some members in the branch about Baptism because they are turning eight in April. We used a cool object lesson that they loved. If we didn't do something to capture their attention for the lesson it would have been much harder.

Turns out my time here in Montague has come to an end. Six months is quite a long time but I always knew there would be a time that I would have to leave. It just came faster than I wanted it to. I am so grateful for the time I have gotten to serve here. I truly will miss the people that I have met and taught and hope to visit again after my mission. I have seen hearts softened, miracles happen, and lives change. I feel so close, so comfortable here, and am sad to go. But I think that's why I need to go, it will just be harder if I stay longer. Being in a branch is an amazing experience. A small group of people who are so strong in the gospel are keeping this place alive. I will be heading back to the province of Nova Scotia, where I was for the first six months of my mission and will be serving with Elder Quinton in Bridgewater. The apartment there is sick though, it's a cabin in the middle of the woods, I've been there a few times before from past exchanges.

It was an adventure serving with Elder Kleinkopf and Elder Smith, our squad. It was so fun and I have learned much from them. We have experienced and grew together and sometimes it seemed like we weren't companions, but roommates. I will miss them and will definitely see them around. It will be sad when Elder Smith goes to California, but hey, maybe I will drop by and visit him toward the end of his mission. But Elder Kleinkopf, ya know, lives five minutes from us in AZ so no doubt we will see each other around.

Things will always change, you just got to go with it.
Alma 29:9
Love You's!
Love Elder Ray

Snow

February 1, 2016

Dear Family,

We had a lesson with David this past week where we just spent the whole time addressing concerns and asking questions. Turns out he doesn't really believe in a lot of what we have been teaching him the past five months but never brought any of it up. Which kind of frustrates me because every time we taught something he would agree with it, so why would he do this? We do want to continue meeting with him though for a bit just to see if we can resolve any questions or concerns, which could take a while.

Thank goodness for skype because we had a few lessons over it due to the snow storm this past week, and yes the shoveling continues. I better have buff arms by the end of the winter, haha.

Elder Smith's birthday was on Saturday, he's 19 now. Elder Kleinkopf and I made the mistake of buying him a cap gun, where he just uses it to scare us. We told our investigator Jennifer, who works at the group home with mentally disabled, that it was his birthday. She had us come over and the people there made him birthday cards and we ate cake with them, it was awesome.

Can't think of anything crazy that happened this week, but I'm sure something will this next week.

Love you!

Love, Elder Ray

That's s(no)w fun!

Branch member Laura Brown

Birthday cake at the group home