"It's been good to get that extra week under my belt, I felt like I've come closer with the ward and our investigators and it has been good. I've really tried to contact a lot of people... usually getting rejected but there are times that I talk with them and get their info so that we can pass it off to the Spanish missionaries or YSA or French Sister missionaries that work the same area as us... and ever so occasionally US! Ha I feel pretty confident in my ability to speak french well and clearly with the people (well, usually I do) but then when it comes time for them to respond to me... that's when it all goes down hill. Usually I look at Elder McMurrin to have him help me when I try to make the calls or when we're talking to somebody on the street. We were actually talking to a member at church this past sunday and I was having a hard time understanding him and I looked at Elder McMurrin for help but for whatever reason he didn't help me and I was glad because it forced me to really really apply myself and figure out what was being said.
"It's really funny to hear mom say that in argentina nobody had a cell phone, let alone a land line. In Montreal, most everyone has a cell phone and that's really crucial for us in our work. We ask every person for their number so that we can give them a reminder call before our appointment. If we don't get their number, the appointment never works out and we get smurfed (we show up, they aren't there). And that is very very frustrating!
"The thing about Canada is that most members here are 1st generation members. It's beginning to be 2nd generation members, but they're not quite that far in their progression. It's really up to the missionaries to keep them going and help them out.
"So Molly made mention of this - the work is definitely hard in the mission field! I've actually thought about this since being here. The MTC is great and I love the teachers that I've had (Soeurs Pace and Cutler and Freres Magre and Wilcox) they truly taught us how to be good teachers and missionaries, but there is nothing that can be said for on the job experience.
"So a lot of times we start stating our purpose as to why we knocked on their door and a lot of people say no. So we ask if there is any service we can do for them. The way we say that is «Est-ce qu'il y a quelque choses nous pouvons faire pour vous aider?» But what I said on this particular instance is est-ce qu'il y a quelqu'un nous pouvons faire pour vous? So is there anyone we can do for you? Then I hurriedly changed it to Quelque choses!!! My comp was trying hard not to laugh!
"Then a few days later we were at a D.A. with a less active, Daniel Bolduc, and the less active's best friend who is not a member. I asked what bezu bezu bezu meant. I had heard my comp say it on the phone. They said kiss. So that brought up another question. «Then what does baiser mean? I thought that was to kiss. They laughed so hard and then explained.... that it was a vulgar way of how you make a child. And it all made sense as to why Soeur Pace was like «you don't need to worry about that !!!!» when I asked her. Ha definitely was embarrassed.
"We were tracting the other day and knocked on the door and a man answered. He was muslim and was not the nicest to us. I asked if he had friends that might be interested in our message and he was like «Well, we are in Quebec, nobody is interested!» And went on and I couldn't really understand him. So we left his house and then were knocking the floor below him when we heard him come out and say something. We couldn't understand him and so he had to come to our level. It was really nice of him because he had just washed two apples and was giving them to us. There are a lot of muslims here in Montreal that we knock into and while they do not want to hear our message, they are nice to us."
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Again, it has been refreshing to get an email from Travis. Rich and I were talking yesterday about how differently you feel when it's your own sibling serving a mission. In my mind I still picture Travis as the cute 8 year old who would wear his "Future Missionary" tag to church each Sunday. It is thrilling to see him grow and get more life experience. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to have appointments fall through and people not caring to listen to their message; but this will teach Trav valuable lessons- ones that will help him for the rest of his life.
It is such a blessing to know of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Much of life presents trials and obstacles to over come, and the gospel makes taking those challenges in stride possible.
I am so thankful Travis has made the personal choice to serve a mission.
We love you, Trav!
-Jessi
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