Québec City Week 2

Week two FLEW by! We`re still figuring things out a little, but now we`ve met most of the people we`re supposed to be teaching and most of the ward. I love the people here. Some of them are really interesting - we have one investigator who has been taught by the missionaries for 20 years, for instance. She`s hilarious.

Me with President and Sister Patrick and my companion Sister Davis

There was a multi-stake conference yesterday and we got to hear from Robert D. Hales and a couple other general authorities in salt lake, which was awesome. :) They talked about the importance of missionary work, among other things. 

Also, car washes here are kind of expensive, so last P-day the elders kindly washed our vehicle for us and then asked (half-jokingly) for cookies as payment. So we made cookies and brought them to district meeting, which was so funny because the elders have no idea how to make cookies (apparently) and they were a little over-excited.

Speaking of food, here`s the recipe of the week: avocado + milk + a little bit of maple syrup (the good kind) + a blender = the most canadian shake I`ve ever tasted. Also very yummy. :) A member made this for us a week ago. So good!

Last thing - as a mission, we are all reading the whole book of Mormon this transfer. It`s 13-14 pages a day, and I LOVE it! If you`re not reading the book of Mormon daily, do it. That is all.

Love,

Soeur Shaver

FIELD

Bonjour!!!

I guess I`ll just get right to the point - I`m serving in Quebec City, speaking French! I don`t even know where to start to sum up the past week! When we arrived in Montreal, our mission president explained how the language thing works here. In almost every other mission in the world, missionaries speak their assigned mission language their whole mission unless they are formally reassigned. Here, the Brethren generally make sure that each missionary speaks French and English by the time they`re done in the MTC. If they already speak both, sometimes they learn a third (Spanish or Chinese). Then you just kind of have to speak whatever language is needed where you serve. Even here in Quebec, calling members and investigators on the phone is weird because you never know if they`re going to answer you in French, English, or Spanish. Good thing my companion and I speak all three!

My trainer and I flushed into this area - meaning that we`re both new. When we arrived, we didn`t know a single person here, nor did we know how to get anywhere. We`re good friends with the map now. She spent the first 9 months of her mission in Laval, and this is only her second area. Crazy, right? Basically, this is an adventure for both of us. But it`s a lot of fun. I already love it here, even though the accent is sometimes hard to understand. Believe me, the first few days in the field, I was driving the struggle bus. Mainly because every time I opened my mouth, it was filled with Spanish. Awkward. Maybe by the end of my mission I`ll be able to switch between the three languages without mixing them up too badly. 

That`s the important stuff. I love being a missionary. I`m so excited to get to know this area and these people better!

Avec amour,

Soeur Shaver

VOCAL POINT CAME TO THE MTC and btw I'm leaving in two days

Buenos días!

Yeah. It was SO COOL! Vocal Point is even better in person! They kept telling us all day last Sunday that we would have a devotional but that it wasn't a speaker. They just said it was a "special treat." It was really weird though because it felt like we were at a concert...in the MTC....what? Soooo it was kind of both the best thing and the worst thing at the same time. When they finished, a sister in my district turned to me and said, "I think I need to repent...." 

Here's my zone 

I hope everyone enjoyed conference last weekend! Conference at the MTC was wonderful. By the end, my hand was starting to hurt from writing so many things down! One thing that was really funny was that the opening song of the first session was "Glory to God on High" - which we sang in the MTC choir like 3 or 4 weeks ago (same arrangement!) so everyone was really excited about that. Also, at some point they sang "Consider the Lilies," which a friend of mine sang as a musical number last week (and totally killed it). 

Our Tuesday devotional was also super cool - a member of the 70 who's over the Asia area came and talked to us about how to teach those without a Christian background. Hermana Perdue and I got to shake hands with him. We also got to be ushers that night. 

Hermana Perdue and I match every other day. Without trying..... and Elder Malolo likes to photobomb

Our zone got to host new missionaries coming in this week, and it was really fun! I hosted a sister who had never been outside of South Africa until this week. Also, my companion and I made some new friends who just came in! They're a couple of elders who don't speak English - only French. One is from France going to Halifax and the other is from Quebec but I don't remember where he's going. There's also an elder in their district from mainland China. (!!!!)

That's all I have to say this week! Next time you hear from me, I'll be in the field! I am SO excited!!!

Hermana Shaver

ps - my new (hand-sewn) yellow skirt - it's a long story!!

Our district makes the best jokes

Happy Conference/Easter weekend!

I'll start with the exciting news - we got our travel itineraries!! I'm going to have to get up at 3 AM to leave the MTC the day I leave, but that's okay. Plane rides are for napping. Also, Hermana Perdue and I auditioned to do a special musical number last Thursday and they said yes, which means we were put into a pool of people who may or may not ever actually be called upon to perform at a devotional or other big group meeting. Cool, right? The panel in front of whom we audition is made up of the wives of the MTC presidency, and they are some of my favourite people. I think that the MTC president and his wife just know us without having to look at our nametags anymore.

With our approved audition papers!

However, this week was pretty rocky for my district. There was a lot of tension Wednesday morning because some people were impatient with other people's behaviour and there were some pretty bad attitudes going around. But we talked through it and kinda sorta fixed things - but not really. Then, while my companion and I were off-campus for a check-up appointment, one elder got really mad because someone else threw and broke his ring, which apparently meant a lot to him, and he ran away. By that, I mean his companions had no idea where he was. A search party was sent out. They did finally find him, and he had to have an interview with the MTC district president. All I knew was that he was missing when he burst into the room where we were, tears rolling down his face, shook hands with us, said, "I love you guys," and took off. One of the other elders was crying too, and we noticed he had all his stuff from the classroom. So we had to run after them to catch up, at which point he explained that he was being sent home and had to undergo counselling before he could come back and by the way, April Fool's. Hahahaha so basically, he is NOT everyone's favourite person right now! But I grudgingly have to admit that his prank was executed flawlessly. 

At my check-up with a chiropractic tool...

We also got a new sister in our district! She's in a trio with the other companionship. We now have 5 sisters and 3 elders. Does that feel weird to anyone else?

A cartoon of my district.

Last thing, to throw some humour in there! Hermana Perdue's and my favourite activity at the moment is parcour. In other words, we'll be walking down the path when we suddenly yell, "parcour!"  and do something really lame like jump two inches off the ground and kick a pole while flailing our arms. We get some funny looks from other missionaries. It makes us laugh.

Spring at the MTC:)

That's all for this week! Enjoy conference, everyone! :)

Hermana Shaver

Silliness, prophets and... protestors?

Hello!

Is it P-day again already? This week felt like it went by super fast. I'm already more than halfway done at the MTC! On the one hand, I'll be really excited to get out of here (as much as I love it, it starts to feel like voluntary prison after a while) but I also feel like two weeks isn't enough time left to be ready for the mission field. One awesome thing that I've forgotten to mention is that both of my wonderful teachers speak some French! It's great!

So, my district is hilarious. In the little spare time we have here, a lot of funny things happen. I made a paper crane one day and the Elders somehow made it into an inside joke which I don't even understand where they flap its wings and say, "donde!" every time... There are a few too many "donde birds" in our classroom right now. Also, we now have a mascot: Resurrected Santiago the Maple Cow the Bunny our Guardian Angel. (Maple cows are a Canadian joke the Elders made up. I have the purple cow power. Mwahaha.) 

Our "mascot"!

My companion and I re-wrote the song lyrics to "Do you wanna build a snowman?" as a door approach. It goes like this: Do you want a Book of Mormon? / It's a testament of Christ / You don't have to read the whole way through / just Alma 32 / It comes without a price / It was brought forth by a prophet / named Joseph Smith / He'd want you to read it too! / Will you read the Book of Mormon? / Here's your Book of Mormon / Okay, bye. 

I am SO excited for General Conference!! Sadly, the MTC choir will not be singing in it (they're only supposed to do that once every 2-3 years). As we've been teaching a couple of member lessons to volunteers at the MTC, we've been inviting them to share General Conference with their friends, and I'd like to extend the same invitation to all of you! Invite someone to watch a session with you or from home, or post your favourite talk on social media. Start thinking about it now! 

The last thing I have to say is a little more serious. There were a few days last week where there were protesters standing outside the MTC. There were only ever 2 or 3, but they were very loud. Last Saturday when my zone walked to the temple, one man followed us most of the way there. He walked a short distance behind us, yelling things like, "You're all going to hell!" and "Hey, you! You with the jacket! You need to repent!" and "If you keep walking, you're walking into fiery damnation!" . . . We ignored him as best we could and sang hymns as we walked up to the House of the Lord. You don't know how many missionaries would have loved to stop and talk to him - but we were asked not to, for safety reasons. That was not the first time, nor will it be the last, that something like this happens to members of the church. I have a strong testimony of the Gospel, and millions of others across the world do, too. We would not put up with that persecution and hatred if it weren't true. We wouldn't serve missions if it weren't true. We would not be as incredibly happy as we are if it weren't true. I testify that our message IS true, and that that fact does. not. change. 

I hope you're all doing well. I love reading your emails and getting Dear Elder letters from you. :) Have a great week, everyone!

Hermana Shaver

Spanish, cats, jokes, and devotionals

"I only know one word in Spanish; Aloha."

That's a favourite joke of ours in my district. Also, since two of our Elders are going to Spain (actually only one now - one of them left on Monday for the Spain MTC) they're supposed to pronounce most Cs and Zs like TH, and Hermana Perdue and I think it is the funniest thing to just say ALL S sounds with a lisp. Our favourite line: Yo se que Jesu Smith es un folleto. 

Actually though, our Spanish is getting better! (Slowly.) The other day we did practice member lessons with real member volunteers and it was so fun! One was from Utah but served her mission Spanish speaking, and the other was from Honduras and really didn't even speak English. Our investigator lessons are usually pretty exciting too. One investigator asks really hard questions though, like, "Why Joseph Smith and not someone else?" and "My friend is very dedicated to your church but her life is still so hard. Isn't religion just giving people false hope?" We really like opportunities like that...but it's not always easy to explain.

We found a cat on campus! It was a REALLY exciting day. Speaking of cats, my companion sometimes likes to tell me stories right before bed. A few days ago she randomly said, "Hey, have I told you about my cat in China?" The story started out pretty cute but ended in the kitten dying of illness after two days and her burying it with a spoon while grumpy Chinese people yelled at her. Thanks, Hermana. Another really funny thing that happened this week was in the cafeteria yesterday when an elder (whom we kinda know but not really) walked up to us and was like, "Guess what. I just got my wisdom teeth out." He wasn't kidding either, and he was still very much on drugs haha, so that conversation was really entertaining. Not sure where his companion was at.

Oh! And as for general authorities this week, we heard from the first counselor in the Primary presidency, a guy from MTC authorities, and Elder Clark from the seventy. Elder Clark's talk was amazing. I don't know if it's published yet, but future missionaries should seriously all read it. That was Tuesday night. During the Sunday night devotional, we heard from a newly baptized korean girl who had been hired as a TRC investigator and actually been converted, thanks in large part to six sisters who are now serving in Korea! So cool! Also, on the topic of talks, Hermana Perdue and I get to speak tomorrow in the sacrament meeting held for the cafeteria staff - in ENGLISH! We are so excited! :)

Love you all!

Hermana Shaver

P.S. One last thing: Does anyone know how to get a hold of Mike Chen? Or know if he went to the Provo MTC? Because we found some interesting things in our ceiling this week, some of which was signed by a Mike Chen (not too long ago). If someone would look into that for me, I'd be very happy. :)

Baptisms, Apostles, and Massages (only in the MTC)

Hello again!

MTC life is really cool. I love the language, I love my district, and even the weather is getting pretty nice. The hardest part is the constant exhaustion and lack of breaks. That, and the stress of teaching people I've never met in a language I don't speak about complicated ideas upon which their eternal welfare depends. No biggie, right? (Actually, all of our investigators are paid actors, so it's not actually that bad.)

So I guess once you've been here for a few weeks, you get to practice street contacting on other people at the MTC. Last week my companera and I kept getting targeted because of our Spanish name tags - but the Elders spoke really fast and we didn't understand everything. So we've learned to just kind of smile and nod, and when they stop talking, say, "Sure, we'd LOVE to get baptized!" It works pretty well.

 My district:)

Elders Tanner and Denton; Sisters Howell, McCarty, Me and Perdue; Elders Renner and Malolo

Also, the cool thing about this MTC in particular is that we get General Authorities all the time. Last Sunday we had Carol McConkie from the YW general presidency come to relief society, and someone really high up there in the MTC leadership speak in the evening. then on Tuesday, Quentin L Cook came! That talk was broadcast to all the other MTCs. I sang in the choir, and it felt like I was in MoTab. There were big screens showing us what it looked like to everyone watching from other MTCs, and the cinematography looked exactly like General Conference. Pretty cool, right!? 

Also, we got feedback from our first investigator yesterday. He got to break character and tell us about how we did. Apparently we did really well. He told Hermana Perdue and I that our lessons were incredible (yeah right..). It's hard to believe, but I'll take it! It must be really fun to have his job. The language blunders alone are hilarious. The other Hermanas walked in once and said they wanted to give him a massage (mesaje) instead of a message (mensaje). Because that's totally appropriate. We got a good laugh out of it though!

trilingual life

My zone which is now outdated since half left for Argentina this week.

 Post-it quotes in our hallway.

MTC graffiti!

Love you all!

Hermana Shaver