September 16, 2013

Hello my beloved brothers and sisters!! What a blessing this week has been in Victoria. I hope and pray that each of you had a wonderful week as well!

I don't have much time, yet again. Our mission has fasted and prayed and we, as a mission have decided that we will set a goal for every companionship to baptize in October! This may seem easy for some areas. But Canada is not the highest baptizing mission in the world, to say the least ;) Anyway, it will be our highest baptisms yet, and it would be an absolute miracle to witness. The only problem is, is that we right now have nobody even progressing in our teaching pool! We will have a baptism, but it will be the last weekend in September. So we must find somebody who is prepared! We are basically ONLY finding all day everyday except for a few appointments with some investigators. This will be a tough week. Finding has been very difficult lately, but I KNOW that the Lord has people prepared for us to find! President Tilleman has promised us that as we do all we can under the influence of the Holy Ghost, we CAN each baptize in October. It is up to us to work hard enough to be worthy of that blessing.

Frazer is a 10 year old boy we have been working with (along with his mother Nenette). I think I have mentioned them once or twice before. Anyway, Nenette is not willing to get married to her boyfriend Earle who she is living with, so she unfortunately is not ready to be baptized. However, Frazer is SO prepared! Today we will be setting a date for September 28th. What a blessed day that will be for that young boy to enter into a saving ordinance with his Father in Heaven, and hopefully set a memorable example for his mother. She is soon to follow, I am sure!

I don't know if any of you remember me talking about Brother Bender in Osoyoos a LONG time ago. (well, it seems like a long time ago..). Anyway, he was a non member who is married to a life long member. He has met many missionaries, but just never decided to get baptized. On exchanges in Osoyoos, we invited him to be baptized and he graciously accepted for the first time in 30 years. Finally, brothers and sisters, this past weekend he was baptized. As I read his name on President Tilleman's weekly email, my heart rejoiced and tears filled my eyes. After 30 years of meeting with missionaries, he has found the truth that HE knows to be true. President Tilleman was talking to me about the baptism because he knows how much that meant for me to hear. And he said when he asked Brother Bender about what made him finally decide, he said, "President, it was the last 4 sisters you sent to me." (Sisters Haight, Parkinson, Okano, and I). I bear you my witness that the Lord places us exactly where we need to be - not just on missions, but throughout our entire lives. That was such a humbling experience to hear about.

On a quick side note, this past week I got to eat chicken gizzard and chicken hearts. For those of you who know me, you are aware that I was VERY excited for Canada because they just eat normal food! I know these things are not pretty normal. But that was a rough experience. However, that's not what I am worried about. It was a Filipino family who wants to have us over again. This time they said they are making balute (no idea how to spell that). Anyway, that's the Filipino dish that most people know about - the chicken egg with a baby chick in it that has the beak and nails and everything ready to go. I am not sure how this is going to go. But Derek had to eat it on his mission. So I guess the Lord just wants me to give it a taste! Don't worry, I am NOT complaining about the food here :) I love it! I am just excited that I finally have something that is weird and not normal for an Arizonan. :) I will let you know how it goes!

This week's challenge is simple - pray about and find the person who is in need at this time and do something for them. Whether it be a homeless person who needs a sandwich, or your mother who just needs you to make some dinner for the family one night. Just do something for them. I love the section in Preach My Gospel that says "Go About Doing Good". That is what we need to do! As followers of Jesus Christ, we must do as He did and care for those around us. I would love to hear how it goes!

Anyway, I love you all so much. It has finally hit the rainy season here, so that's fun. But it was bound to come sometime! I thought it would help with knocking on doors because people would feel bad for us and let us in :) I guess it doesn't quite work that way....Well, I hope you each have a wonderful week this week!! I love you and thank you for your support!

Love,

Sister Biggs