Feb 27: Welcome to the Weekly Season 2 Ep. 5 choose to be a believing Amulek

Hello! Hello!

God is guiding ALL OF HIS SHEEP! The lost ones, the seeking ones, the ones that have strayed off, and the ones that have already been gathered. 

I have seen this to be true with Emilia, who has been looking for a long time to find the true church. I have seen this with our friends David and Carmine who love the way they feel when they learn all of these new things. I have seen it with my dear friend Jennifer who is a returning member after 30 years of being completely inactive, she now reads conference talks and scriptures daily and shares what she's reading with us (this has been a huge blessing to me, as earlier this week the talk she shared with us, was exactly what I needed to read that day), she also is willing to make the bus ride to church when noone can give her a ride even though it's inconvenient and requires her to walk 20 minutes from the bus stop to the church. 

And I saw this yesterday when a mom, Joahanne and her daughter Abby walked into church. Joahanne is a member but has been gone from the church for 20 years. She was so happy to be back yesterday, and her daughter was welcomed so quickly by the young women. All of these people have, at one time or another, said the same thing. That this is what they have been missing, and that God has guided them here. 

Indeed the lord is guiding, or attempting to guide ALL OF HIS SHEEP! I have seen this week those who choose to hear, hearken, and heed the guidance, as well as those who hear, but choose not to know. 

In Alma 10 Amulek testifies to the wicked people in Ammonihah his conversion experience from an unbeliever to a missionary of the Lord. I have seen the unbelieving Amulek, and the believing Amulek. 

Of his experience Amulek says,

"Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart."

Our friend Jill, who I love with all my heart, is at the present time choosing to not hear, choosing to not know. She loves my companion and I. We met her miraculously at a bus stop and instantly knew that she was feeling the spirit. We have been teaching her for a few weeks now. Jill loves having us over, her 2 year old daughter is attached to our hips when we visit. We have great spirit filled lessons, and I know without any doubt that Jill feels it too. But she chooses to get caught up with the worldly perspective, the nitty gritty questions that im sure we've all had at one time or another that require us to seek answers from God to learn for ourselves. She listens to what we say every time, but she will not choose hear. She remembers the things we discuss but she will not choose to know. But I know one day she will. And I pray that if it be the Lord's timing, that day is soon. 

How can we choose to Hear Him? How can we choose to listen with open hearts and know Him? This week I invite y'all to think about how you can choose to hear and know your Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. 

These are some talks and tidbits I found in my personal study this week as I pondered these questions. 

Invite Christ to Author Your Story

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/42johnson?lang=eng

Hear Him

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/45nelson?lang=eng

How I Hear Him: Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/hear-him-launch/how-i-hear-him-holland?lang=eng

Love ya all many many bunches! Go give them Heaven!

Love,

Sister Court

The Weekly Fridge Phrases:

"Come and fear not... Come and go forth"

-Alma 7:15

"Lose the old self to find the new self"

-Neil A. Maxwell 

"Live the script He is writing for you."

-Sister Hoy

Feb 21: Welcome to the Weekly Season 2 Ep. 4 Praise to the Man and Moms playing Golf in Heaven

! Hello! 

Update on Emilia: 

SHE IS JUST SO AMAZING! Oh my lanta I love her. We call her every morning to say prayer with her and she offers the most beautiful prayers to our Father in Heaven. I am so happy for her, that she has found the gospel of Jesus Christ and that she is so excited to be a part of it!

We had Zone conference this week. And it was absolutely remarkable. A lot of zone conference was focussed on studying about and discussing the 1st Vision. How can we as missionaries paint the best picture we can of this amazing and miraculous event. The 1st Vision surely did happen! It is true, and because this is the case it should be talked about with boldness and excitement! IT IS EXCITING that God speaks to his children on earth today! 

Joseph Smith is a prophet called of God, and through him, Heavenly Father brought to pass the restoration of the True and everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. I am doing what I'm doing so that I can share the excitement and blessings of this gospel with the beautiful people of the world. 

I talked to so many people this week. Met so many beautiful souls! But not very many of them seemed to be very interested right then. However! I do know that I was at the right place at the right time for all of those people. Especially for a wonderful old man named John on the bus who liked me because I wasn't a Jehovas Witness and I had nice braids in my hair. His mom had passed away the day before from alzheimers. On that day, John didn't need some 20 year old gal to convert him. He needed a kind person he could cry with and tell his golf stories to. He needed someone who knows what it's like to lose a loved one to the terrible disease. I am grateful I could be that person for John this week. I hope his mom is playing golf in heaven:)

Sometimes people just aren't ready right now to jump all in or to accept the gospel at full force. But when we serve, smile, and show kindness, we are fulfilling our missionary purpose by inviting others to come unto christ because we are showing them christlike love. We are giving them a little piece of our savior. I pray that those pieces get built on overtime for all those wonderful people, that one day they may come even closer to Him by holding fast to the love of Christ and being baptized in His name. 

I am a missionary, a representative of Jesus Christ. And I promise that God loves you. He sent His son to die for you. Jesus Christ established His Gospel to show you the way to return to the glorious presence of Heavenly Father. So please! Share that love with everyone around you! Be excited about the things you know about Jesus and spread them to your circle of people! The beautiful humans of the world need it!

My mission president's wife loves sharing fridge phrases... sayings that are so good that you gotta put them on the fridge... so here are this week's fridge phrases:

-Be awkward for Jesus

-as long as the Lord sees fit

-walk out the door with joy

Love ya all many bunches! Go give em Heaven!

Love,

Sister Court

Feb 13: Welcome to the Weekly Season 2 Ep. 3 Finding Bust n' Bash, and 👏MIR👏A👏CLES

 Hello! Hello!

On Thursday we were doing lots of bus and subway finding. We had a goal to find 4 new people to teach that day and I determined to find them. I was working really hard to talk to as many people as I could on every single bus ride, switching seats, saying hey to everyone, flashing the tag, all the stops! But no one was interested, not a single conversation was going anywhere. I wasn't going to let that discourage me though, we had 4 souls to find! However, I then had a couple back to back run-ins with individuals on the bus/subway who really weren't having it with the gospel. 

Did you know that Joseph Smith made up the history of the Americas and that Jesus Christ is an extra terrestrial alien? Because I sure didn't. But that's what these guys thought they knew. I felt so disconnected from the spirit during and after these interactions. It was the loneliest feeling. It's hard on the bus or subway because sometimes there is nowhere to go or move to, as was the case this time, the bus was packed!! You just have to sit there and try to ignore it. My head was going a million miles a minute, I didn't even know how to process what had happened or what I was feeling. I never want to feel like that again, so far away from my Savior and Heavenly Father. Sis. Hoy was amazing though and helped me talk it out and we prayed together to bring the spirit flooding back. 

If how I was feeling just then is how those people who want nothing to do with the gospel feel all the time, my heart pours out to them, because that would be a terrible way to feel 24/7. If only I could give them the love I feel from my Heavenly Father like a little gift with a pretty bow and a note saying,  "dear so and so, I love you. You are my child. Love, Your father in Heaven" then I would give a million boxes away!

Sis Hoy is going home at the end of this transfer and I have been praying for miracles! For the work to get rolling in the area! That these last few weeks we have together we will be able to bring so many souls to Christ. 

Christ centered faith coupled with Christ centered effort equals miracles!! We have been working and praying so hard! And we have seen so many miracles! For the sake of uncle Jace and the length of this email.... I'll only share 1. 

#1

Yesterday at church Emilia, who has never been to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints before walks in, and when we meet her she hugs us and says that she's been looking for the Church of Jesus Christ, that God led her here, and she wants to be baptized by immersion, and that as soon as we hugged her she knew this was the right church, and that she had come home. 

She was crying, I was crying, sis. Hoy was crying. Everyone was crying! God answers prayers, he leads his children, and he HAS NOT CEASED TO BE A GOD OF MIRACLES!!

Emilia is the most amazing lady I have ever met in my life. Her story is miraculous. I don't think I can record just how amazing she is. But here's the recap:

-she heard a pastor say one time that she needed to find the church of Jesus Christ. So she googled the church of Jesus Christ. And the church on 95 Melbert Rd. Was the first one that popped up. And when this past Sunday came, she knew she had to come.

-so she came! God's timing is perfect because Emilia came on the same Sunday that the other sisters in the ward had a friend getting baptized! 

-she is already reading the doctrine and covenants and has her own copy of the Book of Mormon. She saw them online and just ordered them!

-Emilia loved everything about church. Relief society was all about the doctrine of belonging. It was an INSPIRED lesson!

-the sisters friend, Debbie (who has my heart forever because she is amazing, and I've known her since the sisters started teaching her) got baptized, and it was the most perfect thing in the most chaotic way. But Emilia felt the Holy Ghost so strongly. She just turned to everyone around her and told them she loved them so much over and over. And when she watched Debbie get baptized she clapped and clapped, so the whole ward clapped and clapped. I've never clapped at a baptism before, but it was so beautifully joyful!

-Emilia is on date for baptism for March 5. But honestly, that date could very likely move up!

This last Sunday was such a spiritually strengthening and uniting day. For Emilia, for Debbie, for sis Hoy and I, and for the entire Etobicoke ward. This ward needed this day. The way everyone just came together, hearts knit in charity and understanding was mind blowing. 

Everyone pray for Emilia!! 

Lastly, I studied this talk this last week and absolutely loved it, I think a lot of yall will too!

Charity and Learning by Aileen H. Clyde

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1994/10/charity-and-learning?lang=eng

Ok y'all! I love ya many many bunches! Go give em Heaven!

Love,

Sister Court 

1. zone council

2. DEBBIE!!

3. Subway surfin

Feb 6: Welcome to the Weekly Season 2 Ep. 2 Channelling Coffee Shop Sister Court

Hello! Hello!

Let's get into the nuts and bolts of it all....

First of all every one go tell mama bear Mando that she is a queen because every Pday she knows exactly what pep talk I need to hear. 

This week I've been learning to channel coffee shop Kathryn. Before I came out on my mission, I worked at a coffee shop. I knew everyone's orders, I suggested drinks to people that i thought they would like based on the questions I asked. I talked to everyone who came in, I got to know them, i sat with the coffee shop crew regulars and bantered with them,  i made one and all feel at home in the little Kim&Co Cafe. I made coffee, good coffee. I don't drink the stuff, I don't know anything about it!

So here is what my mama bear reminded me last Monday.... 

I know Jesus, I know how to perceive needs, I know how to talk to people, I know how to be a friend to everyone. So all I gotta do is breath and just be. If I, the only "mormon" gal in town can run a coffee shop, then i certainly can share the joy and blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God didn't call me on a mission to be this idea I have in my head of what a missionary should be. He called me on a mission and sent me to Toronto to be me. He called me because the strengths and gifts I have are needed in the area I'm serving. He called me so that I could consecrate those gifts to him for the benefit of His children. He will help me become the person he needs me to be, but who that is, is up to him. In the meantime I need to breath and just be. Just be the person I know how to be. I know Jesus, I love the scriptures, I love missionary work. 

So y'all I invite you to channel your coffee shop you. Breath and just be the best person you can be. 

There is however more to breathing and just being than simply just waking up and going. So here are some breaths we gotta take that will make being and becoming who the Lord needs us to be a joyful and transformative experience. 

First Breath: intentionally involve the Lord in what you do

This week my sis Hoy and I set goals for the people we wanted to find, like we do every week. But this week we were extra intentional to involve the lord in our goals. Additionally I set some personal goals. One being that every time I was about to get on a bus or ride the subway I would say a prayer to be able to open my mouth and talk to at least one person. Miracles I'm telling ya. Miracles. We reached our goal of finding and teaching 10 new people this week and were able to get 4 of our friends to church. This is His work, whether you are on a mission or not. He wants you to be involved in what you do! So breath and make him a part of it. 

Second Breath: trust that through the power of the Holy Ghost, God will make your weaker parts stronger. 

In 2 Nephi 33 Nephi is great at talking to the people, he is great at preaching, but the writing thing is where he lacks. He's not great at it but he records what he does because the lord commanded him to and he trusts that the lord through the power of the Holy Ghost will make his literary abilities stronger, that his writing will make sense and be used in the way the lord needs it to be used according to the understanding and benefit of His children (that's us!!). 

I'm the flip flopped version of Nephi. I am great at the writing thing. No problemo there (which is great for y'all). The talking thing, the speaking in the moment and knowing what needs to be said.... not so much. I get in my head a bit. I overthink and wonder why I can't say what the spirit needs me to say. I'm learning that when I'm in the moment I need to just breath and trust that even if I don't have all the words thought out or strung together, that the Holy Ghost will speak through me to touch the hearts of those around me. Breath and trust. 

Third Breath: don't look beyond the mark

You know in the Bible when Moses holds up the serpent on the staff and all the people gotta do is look at it and they'll be safe?? But some people didn't because that would just be too easy, and those are the people who perished?? Yeah well, guess what? It's that easy. 

Jacob 4:13-14

13. Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old. 

14. But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.

The gospel is simple. And the spirit testifies of the truthfulness of the gospel. Which means the spirit testifies in simplicity, in ways that we understand. Confusion, and frustration come when we try to overcomplicate, and overthink those simple truths. In a state like that the spirit is hard to discern. That's what Satan wants. He wants us to be confused, to seek for answers where there aren't any. He wants us to look beyond the mark, beyond Christ, beyond the gospel which teaches as things are, and really will be. Don't do that. Breath and look at the mark. Breath and look to Jesus Christ. 

Fourth Breath: let it go 

In times of my life when everything has felt out of control, that control has always been mine to take back. The decision has always been mine to make in order to regain stability. Whether for school, a job, etc. Even when I made the decision to serve a mission. Life felt out of control, so I decided I needed to serve the Lord as a missionary. But the funny thing about that decision is that as soon as I made it, thus taking control of my life again, I gave all that control away, right back to my Heavenly Father. This mission is not mine to control or organize to perfection. It's God's. And that my friends is a hard thing that this control freak, perfectionist of a sister is learning. I can control myself and the space I create for myself to feel and be led by the spirit. And that's about it. So breath and let it all go. 

Taking these breaths is a process, that is, at times really challenging and overwhelming. But everyday I'm learning. And everyday channeling coffee shop Kathryn looks a little different. And this sister has had a very humbling couple weeks. But I thought I'd share because these four breaths are for more than just me. They are for everyone to take. So breath and just be. Breath and let Heavenly Father work through you to become who he needs you to be. 

Breath. 

And just be. 

Sorry for the long one this week :) I love ya all many bunches! So go give em Heaven! 

Love,

Sister Court