This past week has been absolutely crazy. After 6 great months in Kenora and just over a year in total in Ontario/Minnesota, I am getting shipped off to Regina, Saskatchewan to serve in the YSA Ward
there as a Zone Leader with my MTC buddy Elder Dunn. Wow. I also will be in close contact with Elder Bodily (one of my most favorite people ever) as he is a district leader there and an Elder McDanel who is currently serving in Dryden, ON will also be heading out to Regina serving in a ward there. That Zone covers all of Saskatchewan...sheesh... probably lots of travel, but hey, I like
travel. It will definitely be a different experience and I am absolutely going to miss Ontario! So much is going on here in Kenora, Dryden and I-Falls/Fort Frances. As a district we have 7 baptismal dates and had 9 people to church. Dryden had a baptism this past week and Fort Frances--yes, the tiny branch of Fort Frances--is having their first convert baptism in 5 years! After many years, missionary
work is finally taking off in northwestern Ontario and the Church is being strenghtened by members and missionaries alike. I mean, the Dryden elders are working with a sincere pastor of another church in town who is seriously contemplating baptism! He heads a congregation of about 60 people and even if a few people came from that church to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it would be a HUGE boost to the small branch of Dryden Ontario. In Kenora, we had a few huge miracles with one investigator in particular--Irene--who initially said "you can come and visit, but you will NOT convert me". Well Irene, we did not convert you, the Holy Spirit did--as He will to
anyone who seriously studies the doctrines of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and why it had to be restored. She is terrified of crowds, yet we did a number of things (long story) to help her feel
comfortable and she came to church and will be baptized January 13th. She picked the date and said "Friday the 13th. I'm not superstitious, and for those that are, I will take their good luck!" So Kenora is having a baptism on Jan. 13th. Bittersweet that I am leaving, but this past week and the one prior have finally helped me feel like I have been a successful missionary in Kenora, ON. It is tough sometimes and I felt a pressure to perform by being one of the first elders back in Kenora for a long time, but with the progress that others made recently, I feel successful. I know that I should not base my feeling of accomplishment just on other's receptiveness to the gospel, but it is a huge boost after 6 months of diligent work and many struggles to finally see people making huge progress. So, enough of that, can you tell that I just love it here? It is heartwrenching to leave, but I will on Wednesday and I will be in Regina by Thursday evening, and to infinity and beyond after that because I have no idea what awaits me after that, other than: P-day activity because I will be in a big city again, but more importantly I will be near the temple. I hear that I will get to go once every 3 weeks and that I get up at 4am to do so. It'll be worth it.
I'm glad that you told me a bit about some of the temple things going on. I really wish I could have been there. You left me on a cliffhanger, you have to tell me more than what you did, that was just
cruel. I was thinking about it on Friday.
Later today I will be going ice fishing for the first time! I am so excited! Elder Perkins and I were given this gas-powered auger by a member and I am ready to go-to-town with it. The branch president is taking us out at 3.
Wow, you got to see Morgan and Spencer? Are they going down for school or just a visit? I love them both. Well that's about it for now. I would like to hear more about your experiences next week.
work is finally taking off in northwestern Ontario and the Church is being strenghtened by members and missionaries alike. I mean, the Dryden elders are working with a sincere pastor of another church in town who is seriously contemplating baptism! He heads a congregation of about 60 people and even if a few people came from that church to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it would be a HUGE boost to the small branch of Dryden Ontario. In Kenora, we had a few huge miracles with one investigator in particular--Irene--who initially said "you can come and visit, but you will NOT convert me". Well Irene, we did not convert you, the Holy Spirit did--as He will to
anyone who seriously studies the doctrines of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and why it had to be restored. She is terrified of crowds, yet we did a number of things (long story) to help her feel
comfortable and she came to church and will be baptized January 13th. She picked the date and said "Friday the 13th. I'm not superstitious, and for those that are, I will take their good luck!" So Kenora is having a baptism on Jan. 13th. Bittersweet that I am leaving, but this past week and the one prior have finally helped me feel like I have been a successful missionary in Kenora, ON. It is tough sometimes and I felt a pressure to perform by being one of the first elders back in Kenora for a long time, but with the progress that others made recently, I feel successful. I know that I should not base my feeling of accomplishment just on other's receptiveness to the gospel, but it is a huge boost after 6 months of diligent work and many struggles to finally see people making huge progress. So, enough of that, can you tell that I just love it here? It is heartwrenching to leave, but I will on Wednesday and I will be in Regina by Thursday evening, and to infinity and beyond after that because I have no idea what awaits me after that, other than: P-day activity because I will be in a big city again, but more importantly I will be near the temple. I hear that I will get to go once every 3 weeks and that I get up at 4am to do so. It'll be worth it.
I'm glad that you told me a bit about some of the temple things going on. I really wish I could have been there. You left me on a cliffhanger, you have to tell me more than what you did, that was just
cruel. I was thinking about it on Friday.
Later today I will be going ice fishing for the first time! I am so excited! Elder Perkins and I were given this gas-powered auger by a member and I am ready to go-to-town with it. The branch president is taking us out at 3.
Wow, you got to see Morgan and Spencer? Are they going down for school or just a visit? I love them both. Well that's about it for now. I would like to hear more about your experiences next week.
Love you,
Elder Galbraith
Elder Galbraith
So I forgot to mention that Elder Perkins is training a new missionary in Kenora and that my MTC companion currently serving in I-Falls, Elder Mitton, will be the new District Leader for the Ontario
District.
District.
No comments:
Post a Comment