Boom Boom Pow

HI FAMILY!

Another week passing by so quickly! I can't believe I'm already having another p-day. Wow. Anyway! This week was great. Not as wow as I was hoping but still good. I don't think I mentioned before but the day I got here I was assigned 'designated driver,' of course, nothing ever changes right? haha So I drive the car and Sister Fenn is in charge of the map....haha we've only gotten lost a few times and I am finally getting used to the area which is good. It's so confusing though, the street names are all so similar! There is like Edgemont Rd, Edgemont Way, Edgemont Cir, Edgevalley Way, Edgevalley Rise all within the same community of Edgemont, it's ridiculous! Oh, Canada.

So on Wednesday and Saturday's we help out at the retirement home and put on a game of Carpet Bowling. It's great. There is one pin at each end of the hall and their are couples as teams that try to knock them down. It was confusing at first but now I love it! The old people there are hilarious too! And so sweet. I have my favorites, that are usually on the same side of the hall as me: Nadia, Anna, Ed, Margorie, and Joseph. Let's just say we have a lot of fun and that our side of the hall is waaaay more exciting than Sister Fenn's side of the hall.

And this week we've been doing a lot to help out one of our investigators, Justin, with his wedding. He and Lorena got married on Saturday and we were able to go to the ceremony and the reception. We have been helping out a lot with planning and setting up and cleanind and decorating and so forth. They didn't have much organization for this and it was all pretty much pulled together in a week. But all the women in the ward really stepped up to make it work and even though on Friday night we were really worried it was going to be a disaster it was miraculously fabulous by Saturday afternoon. Power of prayer, people. And now Justin and Lorena are happily married! We are meeting with them tonight hopefully. So yay!

Oh my goodness. So on Friday night, Sister Fenn and I didn't have a dinner appointment set we we decided we would just go to the Stake Adult party to get our dinner. We thought it was going to be your average get together party but no. Were we wrong! We walked into the gym at the stake center and it had been transformed! Into a jazz club. There was a live jazz band and lots of furniture and the ceiling was beautiful with all kinds of lanturns and fabric. The food was great and there was even a lemonade bar where they were fresh squeezing lemons and limes. Sister Fenn and I got Mojitos haha they were delicious. And there was a dessert table and a candy table! We were set for dayzz. I've never seen anything like it. But the Arbour Lake Ward, actually the whole Calgary West Stake is pretty wealthy and have lots of connections.Practically all the houses here are three stories minimum and have some of the prettiest views of either mountains, city, or lakes. Ah-mazing. Like my jaw drops everytime I go inside some ones house. I wish you could see the trailer park here. It's a joke. The nicest "trailer park" I've ever seen, that's for sure.

Funny story! So earlier in the week, I think Tuesday, we parked our car in front of the Sutor's house and just walked to our next appointment to save on 'clicks' aka miles. And something came up at our last appointment with two girls in our ward, Thandi and Sandi. They are sisters and I guess they have been having lots of family troubles that haven't quite been resolved and Sandi wasn't doing so well with them, getting super depressed. I would have never guessed thought because they are both so cheery and happy all the time. So when we got to the Palmer's house ( our ward mission leader guy) and had a little sit down with Thandi talking and crying about her little sister I was so caught off guard. So we all drove over to Thandi and Sandi's house and Brother Palmer and his younger brother, also Brother Palmer, gave Sandi a healing blessing and then gave Thandi a blessing too. It was so powerful to be in that room and the Spirit was so strong it was almost unbelievable. But by the time we were leaving it was like 10:15 which is WAAAY past our curfew. So when we got back to our car that was parked in front of the Sutor's we had like a billion missed calls because Sister Sutor got so worried that our car was there and we weren't that she started calling like everyone and their mom. The next day we got more calls from our district leader and our zone leaders because I guess the rumor that was going around was that we were kidnapped! haha one of the elders told us it was because my scripture bag creates quite the target victim for us haha It was quite dramatic.. but nothing to worry about.

So, it's been raining a lot. And not warm rain like in Mesa, this stuff is cold. But when there is rain, that means there are rainbows!! My favorite thing. We were able to go to the Calgary temple Friday morning and when we went in it was raining but when we came out there was the most beatiful rainbow and the greatest view! My camera was incapable of capturing that beauty unfortunately. But I'm sure you could imagine. The temple is so pretty! And so new! They just had the open house here in November I think? Don't know for sure...but everyone was quite excited! The Cartson temple is the next closest and it's like a whole eight hour day trip to do that. But it makes me so excited for the temple in Gilbert to be done soon! I don't know when it will be done but keep your eye open for it because Mom and Dad and family, it is so beautiful and when there is an open house it is open to the public to go through and get a tour of all the rooms before it is dedicated and I think that would be a really great experience for you to see what it's all about inside!

Everything is going so great. It's hard. It's definitely hard. But it's so worth it. My relationship with my Father in Heaven is strengthened every day and I rely so much on Him for help, especially with patience. I know that He loves me and answers my prayers and I know that He loves you too and if you pray sincerely seeking for answers He will give them to you too!

I found a great scripture in 2 Nephi 2: 8 and inspires me every day as to why I'm a missionary!

I love you so much and I am so happy that everything is going fantastic for you. I am beyond excited to have a new neice coming on the way!! and I'm expecting so many pictures along the way. Please keep me updated and I love you and miss you tons.

I hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sister Davis

p.s. Mom the water bottle you sent me had literally saved my life, thank you!

p.p.s. So random but what's the name of that book that we used to read as kids that had the mom, dad and kid elephant that they wore crowns and were kings or something?

Tuke

Hello from Calgary!

So everything is just fabulous. I'm not going to lie, the first day and night were super hard. It is different going from MTC with a group of twelve missionaries that are so so close to just one companion in a stranger's house. Sister Fenn, my comp, is really great but she is no Sister Harris. That was one thing that was a difficult transition. I thought it was never going to work but I just got down on my knees and prayed so hard for patience and for love and for unity between us and bam! day two was so much better.

The work isn't exactly what I expected..I don't know exactaly what I was expecting but I was thinking more investigators but instead people on the street see us and book it another direction or just avoid eye contact major haha I guess that's nothing too surprising but still I was hoping for more! haha But we have been doing a lot of member visits which is really nice. They are all so sweet and have really amazing stories. One of my favorites is Joyce Simpson. She's like 79, from Jamaica, lived in England, and then moved to Calgary. Her conversion story is so miraculous for lack of a better word. She had a dream about eight years ago where she was trying to find something and then low and behold two boys in ties helped direct her there. Then two days later she had a knock at the door and the missionaries were there! She told them "Come in, I've been expecting you" she said they were pretty confused haha but she's had lots of dreams/visions that testified the truth of the Gospel to her and it's just so special. She's awesome.

And we also got to visit the Sutor's in the ward. So nice. She made us these ginger snaps and they were absolutely amazing!! We've spent some time over there just being friends and comforts to Sister Sutor, her brother is in the hospital with all sorts of problems so she wasn't able to come to church yesterday because she was visiting him. Lots of prayers and fasts for her brother and they are working! He should be getting worse but he has gotten so so so much better over the past week yay!

So a little bit about Calgary. First, there are all different types of people here! We've had dinner with different members each night and I've had Ukrainian (It was called bosch? like a stew with beets and potatoes and some sort of meat, and then for an appetizer water chesnuts wrapped in bacon) and Korean (like little lettuce wraps with rice, egg stuff, onions, this spicy homemade paste sauce and thick Korean bacon) and all kinds of good stuff. Surprised I'm eating bacon? Yeah me too. But there is absolutely no possible way for me to be vegetarian here haha so I just gave that up and am being very thankful that I am even being fed! haha Second, it's like pretty cold here. I'm wearing full sweats and fuzzy socks to bed every night with the fattest down comforter in the world. One of the members, SIster Takahashi made sister Fenn and I little rice bags out of socks, so we drew faces on them and named them too! Mine's Tuke, which is what people call a hat here, and her's is Zed, what people call the letter 'z' And during the day I'm usually wearing my light jacket. But it is sunny and everyone is going on and on about how nice it is right now haha It's not bad at all I'm just a wimp. And every time we go into someone's house it's custom to take your shoes off at the door...so sometimes me toes get cold inside. Sister McIntyre, the members we live with in their basement, gave me a pair of slippers right when I arrived. I think that was the first question she asked me was if I had any slippers haha She's from Hong Kong and is so funny and sweet. Her husbad is some sort of doctor here and their youngest son is on a mission somewhere I forgot. But they are just so nice! Oh and bathrooms are washrooms. And the bunnies are so huge! Like I saw one run across the street yesterday and I legit thought it was a kangaroo. No lies.

But yeah it's great. We taught a lesson yesterday after church to a girl named Lisa. Her mom is a recent convert of almost a year and Lisa wanted to know why her momma was so darn happy so she started coming to church a few weeks ago. So we taught her the second half of the restoration which includes Joseph Smiths first vision when he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It was a really amazing lesson and the Spirit was so strong. I was tingly all through my body down to my toes and it was so calming. Lisa felt it too. She has a lot of questions and we try our best to answer all of them. She wants to be baptized just doesn't know if she's quite ready yet though.

Brother Palmer is the ward missionary leader which means he is in charge of all the missionaries in the ward, just catching up and making sure people are getting taught when they need to be and progressing and so he helps us out a lot. He reminds me of Curt Brown so much. He's super friendly and caring, but not afraid to ask direct questions and speak his mind. It's a good thing he's totally amazing cause we talk to him like every day haha

But yeah, that's what's going on here! I hope everything is going well at home. I miss you all like crazy but I know that this is exactly where the Lord wants me to be right now. Every time we teach a lesson or share part of this wonderful Gospel with strangers I just get this distinct feeling in my heart that confirms why I came on a mission. Every day just gets better and better and I love to watch other people's relationship with Christ and our Father in Heaven progress and develop. It's a really wonderful thing.

Welp, I just wrote you a freaking novel. Haha Sorry. Just so much has happened! We definitely are keeping busy.

What's new with you? I hear it's bloody hot...out by the pool? Still can't believe Fletcher is working.. How's Lynx? Someone please give Stella and Suzie a hug for me. Anna how's my nephew or niece coming along? Happy late birthday, Logan! Lynx's is coming up soon too huh? Give him a squeeze for me! Poppy, how's work, life, everything? Momma, did your cards come yet? Ha. Can't wait to hear about everything!

Love you long time,

Sister Davis

p.s. check out 3 Nephi 11:21-41 and Alma 26:12 in that Book of Mormon I gave you. They're some amazing words in there reminding us of the importance of the Lord.

xoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxox

The Princess Is Here!!

I'm in Calgary! Woohoo! And it's great. We got in yesterday afternoonish with a group of 29 of us missionaries, some spanish but mostly english speaking. It was hectic and fast moving of course and by the time I put my head on my pillow I was out.

We stayed last night in a member's house, President and Sister Palmer, and their house is BEAUTIFUL. like I didn't want to touch anything and break it but they are just so sweet and made us some real good snacks before bed and a yummy breakfast this morning.

So we got our new areas and companions last night and I'm going to be in the Calgary West zone for this transfer with Sister Fenn. SHE'S AMAZING. I already know that we are going to get along just wonderfully so I'm supes totes excited for that! We are just taking a little bit of time today to go shopping for food and email and then we are off to work! We have a dinner appointment and a lesson to teach tonight too and I'm way excited!

It was pretty sad though to say goodbye to my district from the MTC. I will miss them all dearly. The night before we were all leaving (monday) all the elders gave us sisters a departing blessing. Elder Whitlock said mine and it was great. Gives me determination to do well! I know that Heavenly Father loves me and that I am here in Canada because this is where he wants me to be. I know that this is the true church and the fullness of the gospel that I will be teaching to the loving people of Calgary! I can't wait to get started! YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

I love you all and I know that Jesus loves you too!

Love,

Sister Davis

p.s. give Stella a big hug for me, but please don't squish her.

pics:  my district going to calgary; me and sista harris being excited to serve the Lord!

 

Week 2

Holy macaroni! I can't believe it's already been another week. We leave on Tuesday morning to go to Calgary!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!

This week has been awesome. Hard, but awesome. Sister Harris and I are still getting along great which makes things a lot easier, and plus my district is WAY amazing which helps as well. I love it. So last Saturday after I emailed you guys we were able to go to the Provo temple as a district, which was lovely as always. But the best part was afterward and we were all getting together to take a picture. So we all know that the more people the harder it is to take a photo so we are all pretty rowdy and such and then Elder Whitlock is trying to show off his waterproof camera and just chucks it into the fountain....without even thinking. We just all look at each other and are like HOW in the heck are we going to get that out. The elders all have long button ups on and can't reach far enough down so Sister Mortensen comes to the rescue and as she's leaning over the edge a gust of wind comes and her skirt flies up in the air! I was dying laughing as I dove to put it down!

And then a few days after that we are all sitting in class doing our personal study so it's dead quiet and then all of a sudden someone rips one, loud. Sister Harris and I just look at each other and are like did that just really happen and we look around the class and then Elder Farb just slaps his palm to his forehead and says "that was louder than I thought it would be.." We were dying laughing, like we had to excuse ourselves from the room. It was bad.\

And one last funny story. So our classroom is on the fourth floor of the building so we (sisters) always take the stairs because that's really our only source of exercise so one night we are leaving the class and the elders are getting into the elevator as always and persuade us to go to so there are eight of us in the elevator and Elder Call comes up with this brilliant idea to jump so we're like okay! so as the elevator is going down we jump and of course, it stops. it breaks down. we were stuck in the elevator for like twenty minutes until campus police came and let us out! we were laughing and praying our little hearts out asking for forgiveness because it's one of the rules here to be "exactly obedient."

And even though we can all be a little goofy and have so much fun together we also have really great spiritual moments together that just touch my heart like I've never felt before. On Monday we taught our investigator Charly (who's really our teacher Sister Metzger who I love so so much!) and it was the best lesson ever! She is really progressing and I'm glad that she's able to know that Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father loves her so much. And they love you too! They love all of God's children.
The spirit here is just so strong. I see Kim almost every morning in the cafeteria and I just love seeing her darling face! She told me the other day that I was glowing? Ha I'm going to give the credit of that to the Spirit because it definitely is the reason.

I've grown so much in the past what ten days? I feel so much more love from God and a closer relationship to my savior Jesus Christ. I love love it here so much. Sorry I don't have much more time today and I wanted to attempt at getting pictures on here today so I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Love, xoxoxooxoxo,

Sister Davis

p.s. thank you for the letters and notes and packages! (Bro and Sis Kent, thank you really!) It's amazing how much love I get from a jar of Nutella...

pps katherine.davis@myldsmail.net is my email :)