Hi Everyone! I am FINALLY back at the library so this email will be a lot easier to manage. First things first, I know it is a month late, but it time for the Christmas SHOUT OUTS!!!!!
To the Hudson Family, Thank you for the card! The update on what's going on back in the great Edmonton is awesome!
To the Palmer Family: Thank you for the card and picture! The picture was really funny. I enjoyed it.
Thank you to the Hadley family for the card, with special thanks to Sariah for the wonderful art on it. It is an awesome card!
To the Rolfson's, the card was awesome! And the Purdy's chocolate was really tasty too. Thanks!
To Sister Yamamoto, Thank you for the card and talk. It was a really powerful talk and was really helpful.
To the Rutherford Ward Relief Society: Thank you for the Christmas Wishes. Sister Bugga that card was really well made, and thanks Mom and Sister Mosiaco for the little note too! It was really nice.
To the Livingstone's: Thanks for the card and life update! It is always neat to hear what is going on. I always seem to forget things are happening back home. Probably a good thing :D
To Grandma and Papa, Thanks for the 5x5 rubik's cube and card! It will be awesome to learn how to use!
To the Smith Family! The Catan game is awesome! It is a really nice game thanks! And the Lindor Chocolate and Sour Patch Kids were perfect choices. Yum!
To Grandma Sorochan: Thank you so much for the gift! That was very kind of you!
Ok now on to the week. Everyone, I hope you will forgive me when I say this, but I remembered everything to bring for p-day... except my study notes. Whoops. I promise to bring them next week. No really I do. Have faith. Maybe pray for me. Just kidding :D I will do it. You wait and see.
Oh as well, Congratulations to Matthew Loewer on his mission call!!!!!!!! That is so awesome my friend! Montreal is about to become 1000% more LDS.
We have a new schedule as missionaries! It is designed to help us be "agents unto ourselves". It is less strict. They now give us a set of things we have to do in a certain chunk of time, but however we want to accomplish it is up to us. The big changes are companionship study is now in the afternoon, not the morning. Daily planning is now in the morning before we got out, instead of in the evening after we come in. P-day now starts at 8 instead of 10, so we don't exercise Monday morning, instead we do a little bit of personal study, plan, and get ready. Dinner must be completed by 6:30. My favorite part of this is that the evenings are now much more open to journal writing because now all we have to do is update records! The scripture our mission President asked us to look up with this is D&C 58:26-28. Elder Jones however by accident was told to look up Alma 58:26-28, and this was before we found out the new schedule and was supposed to hint at the new schedule. Look it up. You will laugh.
Fun joke for the week is last week in Fast and Testimony meeting someone got up and said that our ward is the IHOP Ward. The Internation House of Old People ward! It's funny because it's true. What else is true though is that it is the BEST ward EVER! I love the Vintage Hills ward. The members here are just fantastic. If I had time I would go on, but this statement shall suffice for me.
We saw Jimmie this week and last week Elder Williams had the genius idea to have her read the children's book of Mormon. It worked great. Jimmie went to the lds bookstore herself and in the first day of having it read the first 12 chapters of it. We have committed her to pray before and after reading and invited her to use the regular book of Mormon along side it.
We did a lot of walking this week just street contacting. We have been working really hard and have been rewarded with a few more set appointments than usual for this week and a referral with some real potential it is looking like. His name is Vinny. Here's hoping!
Elder William's is super great. He is teaching me a lot and we are getting along really well. He is great at telling stories and has a lot of them. Makes street contacting really fun. Fun fact, he was a pole vaulter before his mission!
Everyone, I love this Gospel and how it helps you. How it changes you and teaches you. I love how much my Savior helps me and does for me. As I study the scriptures I really am able to see what He has done for me, and am really able to bring the Spirit into my mind and heart so that I become who I want to be. I am still very new at all of this and struggle to succeed, but it is that struggle that teaches me faith, diligence, love, and hope and many other good things. I learn so much through these trials. This Gospel really is true. I am so happy to serve and to be a missionary.
Love,
Elder Kynan Sorochan
Oh Yaaaahhhhh!
Elder Hadley signed the jersey!
Saying goodbye to Elder Hadley
My new companion Elder Williams