Saying Good-bye to Kingsway

Well, we just got transfer calls yesterday morning and I'll be heading over to Cherry Grove on Wednesday morning! Cherry Grove is about 3 hours north east of the city, right by Saskatchewan. It's a pretty Mormon populated town. Good new, I get to drive a truck! Bad news, I leave Kingsway, literally my home...  :(  A big piece of my heart will stay here. But I convinced the ward to take pictures at FHE last night. I've taken lots of farewell pictures. I'll send them all, just don't get bored of my face... :P

The crazy thing is, I knew I was going to Cherry Grove. It's exactly where I've been speculating I'll go for the past week.  I just laughed when President called and told me that's where I'll go. It's crazy how the Spirit prepares us for change. I knew I was training last time too!



This weekend was incredible! It started off with breakfast with Kayla, our investigator, who's a chef. That was delicious. We got to meet her mom, step dad, and former AFY councillor who came up for her BAPTISM that night. PS... don't mind my crazy fave in those pictures, I was really excited! I relate to Kayla so much and she is such an amazing kid. I'll miss her for sure!

Before her baptism we had the mini mission, where a bunch of YSA and youth went out with missionaries to experience missionary life. I went with the Mandarin elders recent convert, Bai Quan, it was so great! But so windy that day! Then we went out to an awesome build your own burger place in town, and then headed back to the stake centre for the baptism. It's a good thing we were early because the font wasn't even started! We called so many people and then we started filling it with pots from the custodial closet because it takes an hour to fill, and we were 15 minutes before the baptism! It was crazy and such an adventure but we wouldn't have had it any other way!

Kayla has a beautiful testimony and she's so amazing, and her baptism was so refreshing. The Spirit could be felt so strongly, her mom and step father and sister all attended and they were all so supportive and sweet. Her confirmation on Sunday was just as beautiful. It was so great. I know that there was purpose in meeting and teaching such a beautiful person. I wouldn't trade it ever.



Fast and testimony Sunday, I wasn't even positive I was leaving at that point but I had a hunch. I felt really prompted to bear my testimony... bad game plan, kind of. I was pretty teary eyed. I love and know everyone in my ward. And I know Christ does too. It'll be sad to leave, but I know that Sister Gambler will take care of them all for me. :)


Sunday night we had a "Why I Believe" fireside, that was awesome.  I got to give a talk on my conversion story. Then yesterday we stopped by a lot of families to say goodbye. There are pictures of us with Sister Fregene, the Svenson family and I, and the Demetrioffs and I. I love them all so much. At FHE we got sticky notes on our back and everyone wrote compliments on them. I had a lot of heartfelt goodbyes.  Lots of people were hugged in heart, and I had a few thank me for helping them with this or that. I love them all so much, and I hope they realize how much they all impacted me.

Well, I need to pack... a lot! So adios!

Love you all!


Love from Sister Baker

PS. I've accumulated so much stuff, but thanks for all the packages.  :)

I've Grown So Much Here - 6 Months Out!

Well...

 

I'm rounding down to the end of my time as a trainer, and near the end of my time here in Kingsway YSA ward.  I've been here my entire mission, nearly 6 months now!  I've learned to love everyone I serve around and I wouldn't trade my time here for the world! 

 

 

 

 

This week is bound to be a busy one... the mini mission and "Why I Believe" fireside are both this weekend! Hopefully we have a good turn out!  They asked me to speak at the fireside, so that'll be a nice way to end my service in the ward.  Transfer calls are next Monday.  That's when I'll most likely be moving to a different area and leaving my little trainee. :(  It'll be tough to go... really tough, like probably as hard as leaving home was or harder!  

 

 

I've come to love these people so much as I taught and served them!  We have a baptism this Saturday night too though, with someone I've been working with for the entire past 6 months I've been here! Watching people grow closer to Christ is an amazingly spiritual experience.  I've learned so much just by testifying to others about what I know is true.

At the food bank this week, they taught me how to use the lift to transport pallets.  I didn't break anything or kill anyone, so I'd call it a success! :)  We had La Poutine and Mucho Burrito all in one day this week, so I guess I'm basically on an international mission... Haha!

 

 

Well, that's about all I have for the week.  Thanks so much once again for all your love and support! Next week I'll tell you where I'm going next! :)

There are so many amazing articles in this month's Ensign.  Some favourites are, "What Can the Book of Mormon Teach Us About Happiness," "The New Testament's Message of Repentance" and "True Greatness" ...oh! and "When Others Prayed for Me" Praying for people earnestly and by name blesses them and us as we learn to be selfless and loving to everyone around us.

 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2016/02?lang=eng 

Love always!

Sister Baker


I've grown up so much here!  Haha!

Some of the winter landscape here...

Why yes, that is a giant baseball bat!

Games, McDonalds and Missionary Work

Friends and family!

 

This week! has been so long! But so good too!

We had a world wide devotional for missionaries on Wednesday that was awesome! It was so cool to know that everyone was receiving the exact same message from the church leaders and Apostles! Something David A. Bednar talked about a lot was how we use the Spirit. He talked about how we as missionaries, have the responsibility to bring the message unto people's hearts, but that they only way it will go into people's hearts is through the Holy Ghost.  He talked about how it is our job to help them recognize the Holy Ghost and to create an environment and atmosphere where He can bring the gospel into their hearts! It was so good! Afterwards we had a zone conference where we talked a lot about planning more effectively and how to better do our paperwork and that was also really good!

 

Yet another training we had was yesterday for all the YSA and language missionaries, since we do things a little differently! We talked about the do's and don't's of YSA activities and such and it was really informative. So a lot of meetings this week, I suppose, but it's still been super busy! We've taught a lot, and we're seeing a lot of progress!

One night, we were craving McDonalds after a lesson so we went to get fries and pies and their blueberry maple pie thing is so good! I think that that's a "Good Thing to Share," (shared in last weeks post) which is a great video by the way!  If I haven't told you to watch it yet, you should. That's something we've been watching a lot since this month we are focused on missionary work and specifically, invitations! Remember to invite people to act.... and no isn't the end of the world if it's just a "No!"

 

There was a basketball tournament over the weekend, so that was fun! We had someone we're working with bring three friends! It was awesome even if we still lost!  It's only cuz we're a tiny ward! :P  

The YSA played board games and card games for FHE last night and some of them looked so fun! I'll have to invest in a few!

 

 

Well, I'm not too sure what else to mention for this week! We're planning a mini mission for the ward in two weeks, so that's something to look forward to... and we have a baptism that same night so lots of good things! I can't wait!

Ditzy moment of the week.... Yesterday I slipped on my sock and tripped over my humidifier!  Needless to say, I had a sore funny bone, hip and water all over the floor... go me!  But you laugh at silly things and move on.  That's all you can do!

Love you all and keep working hard! Seriously, watch some of the Bible videos... talk about powerful!

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/?lang=eng

Love always,

Sister Baker

Short Notice For Home

Hello Friends and Family!

Wow! What a crazy pday! It's taken me so long to email because Sister Rogers just got sent home so we had to rush to pack all of her things up! It was crazy short notice but she will receive the medical
attention she needs back home! She's taught me a lot these past few months and it's really brought our apartment closer as we've all served together. :) She is so loved and will be so missed!

 

 

This week has been a lot of craziness. We've been constantly switching off to get everything done. I've had the chance to work with some youth as I've helped in the Londonderry ward.  It was really neat to see the youth formulating personal mission plans for 2016.  I hope that you all have goals to invite those around you to come unto Christ somehow.

I'm not going to be able to write much else so I'll keep it short!

The Mandarin Elder's investigator, Bai Quan was baptized on Saturday. It was such a sweet experience and we all love her so much. It's been so neat to see her progress and grow over the months!

I love and appreciate all of your emails and letters so much! Have a wonderful week!

Watch the videos "Good Things to Share" and "He Lives."  They're great!



GOOD THINGS TO SHARE

 

HE LIVES -Testimonies

HE LIVES - Easter Celebration

 Love from Sister Baker

Hard to Believe.... 5 Months Already!!!

Hello family and friends,

So today marks five months since I left on a plane to serve the Lord. Wow what a time it has been.  I have learned so much and it feels like I've actually been here for way longer, but also way shorter...

I really don't have a lot of time today (always excuses, I know....sorry!), but I have had a really awesome week! Last week we played board games for P day (a preparation day).  Haven't done that in a while.  Apples to Apples (game) had some interestingly spiritual answers. Haha!

On Wednesday we went to a lesson with the French Elders (who were on splits) so poor Elder Chacon taught the whole thing by himself, really, although I was pleased that I could comprehend much of what was said... enough to occasionally respond in English.

We've been going on splits (when missionary companionships exchange companions for the day with another companionship) still a lot this week.  We've met with many of Londonderry's investigators with the one sister who isn't sick. Hopefully the doctor's appointment today goes well and we get some answers.

Some RM's (Return Missionaries) couldn't find the place we were meeting at for a lesson. This McDonald's napkin apologized to us.  Haha!  #rmswithnocellphones

We had an idea to do a mini mission (very similar to the kind back home) and just got permission to go ahead with it on the same day that an investigator plans to be baptized! So Feb. 6th will be a busy day indeed! So excited for big things though!

Church was awesome on Sunday. We had ward conference and we all learned so so much! Something that the stake president said that really stuck was that although perfection is our long term goal, for now it is just progress and progression is awesome, no matter how slow it may be!

Another great insight was that although the sacrament prayers need to be said perfectly, there is no limit on how many tries one gets to say it correctly. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the same way. We have endless amounts of chances in mortality to repent, if we choose to use them. I love Kingsway so much! It'll be tough to leave!

There was also a YSA (Young Single Adults 18-30) broadcast that we were privileged enough to go see.  President Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve had some awesome insights on things that we can do to become better "millennials" including learning who we are, expecting and preparing to accomplish the impossible, learning how to access the powers of Heaven, and following the prophets. It was an
awesome address and helped me to become more spiritually focused. If you get the chance to watch it... watch it!

https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/worldwide-devotionals/2016/01?lang=eng&vid=4697908084001

 I hope everyone is doing well back home! I love you all so much!

Thanks for all your love in return!

Sister Baker

Finger Painting and the Best Tool We Have

Hello friends and family!

What an amazingly spiritually packed week!

We have a Sister in the apartment who's been sick for a few weeks, so we've been switching off a lot to help them do work too.  We have been busy helping to cover two areas!  But it's been so good! I've seen so many miracles and blessings.  The gospel truly changes hearts and lives. :)

We've been talking to people a lot about the Book of Mormon lately and it's really a tool that we all have right in front of us that we take advantage of a lot!  Elder Holland's testimony of the Book of
Mormon is such an inspiring video and it really has helped me to gain a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the gospel.  Now I want to share that with everyone that I meet!

Something that I was struggling with was talking to people about the gospel.   You'd think that the name tag would make it easier, but sometimes it's much harder.  I'm afraid to offend others or push them.  Something that I've learned though, is that inviting people really isn't scary.  People have their agency to decline, but if we don't talk to them about spiritual matters, then who will?  So I've really been pushing myself to have gospel conversations right away (not just small talk) because opening your mouth is easy, but what you talk about is important too. :)

On Sunday, we had an amazing Fast Sunday.  I always love fasting on my mission because as I sincerely fast and pray for specific things or questions, I receive very tangible, real answers.  This Fast Sunday was no different.  As a stake, we were asked to fast specifically for missionary work. That wasn't hard to do, but I found myself fasting for one investigator in particular and that same Sunday she expressed to us an interest in being baptized.  How cool is that!?!  She told us that she couldn't see herself raising a family anywhere else and that is totally true for me too.  I love the standards and morals that the gospel encompasses. :)

Anyways, we finger painted for FHE.  What a blast!  Sister Gambler and I may have had too much fun!

I ran into a friend from Toronto who was visiting Edmonton, Terence, and got to hear more about what's happening back home.  So that was nice!

We had the wonderful opportunity of going to the temple this morning.  That was really exciting!  I love the temple and everything it stands for so much!  What a beautiful week it has been so far!  I can't wait for more good things to come!

Oh yes!... I finally got a few packages that you all have been telling me about.  Thank you so much! I love all your Christmas love so much!

Have a wonderful week!  I love you all so much!

Sister Baker

PS. Two cool videos I saw, Legacy and Labour of Love.  Check them out!  They are so cheesy(dated) but awesome! Haha!

 

 

LEGACY

 

 

LABOR OF LOVE