April 24: Welcome to the Weekly Season 12 Ep. 5 some smiley thoughts n' things

 Hello! Hello!

•f•r•i•e•n•d•s• update:

Kai- pray for him! We haven't been able to meet with him in a little bit because he us taking care of his friend who is very sick. We are working with him to adjust his baptism date. Pray that he will find comfort as he cares for his friend and that he will find time to meet with us again soon.  

Earl- the sweetest spirit I have ever met. He is so close to the spirit and gets excited about the simple truths of the gospel. When Jesus asks us to be as a child, I think He means be like Earl. Earl is preparing for baptism at the end of May and is coming to church for the first time this Sunday. Pray for him that he'll be able to find safe transportation to church. 

Will- literally so cool! He gets the gospel! He loves Jesus with everything he's got! He has the sincerest desire to come closer to God. Pray for him that as he prays about being baptized, he will have the courage to take a leap of faith even if he doesn't know the whole plan in front of him (we could all probably use a prayer or 2--or maybe like 7 in my case--in that department haha)

This week was full of magical moments where I was just so aware that God sees me, and Jesus is beside me. And that they both just love all of their children so much! I have a note on my phone that I record the moments my heart smiles on people like Jesus Christ's countenance smiled on the Nephites in 3 Nephi 19:25. Essentially they are moments that I can very clearly feel and see the people around me as the saviour does. They are very precious moments to me. So I thought I would share a few with you:) 

1. We were teaching our friend Earl about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We were talking about faith and he told us that to him faith is like hope. So I asked him what brought him hope. His eyes got shiny and he had the biggest grin on his face as he told us that we brought him hope, the sun brought him hope and the cardinal and blue Jay he saw that morning brought him hope. He truly finds God in every little thing. 

2. We were at a little Café doing some studies. The whole world turned magical. The sun shone through the window. The baristas behind the counter knew everyone coming in. The people around us were reading books or writing in journals. Out of no where a dog came in and sat beside me. Everyone was smiling. A mom and son shared a cookie on the bench outside. Everything was just wholesome and happy and I could see the light of Christ that each of those people had, even though many of them don't know that they have it. If Jesus would have walked into that café I think he would have smiled on all of us too.  

3. We were sitting in the food court at a little mall to call all of our friends. When we stood up to leave, we noticed a group of friends gathered around a table doing what appeared to be family history. We went to talk with them and learned that they had all been friends for 30+ years and get together every Monday to chat and catch up. And play cards. Except that day when one of them had found a ton of photos and things that he didn't have before. He couldn't wait to show his friends! So combing through them all was their activity that day. Our Heavenly Father wants us to be connected. Connected to each other, connected to our families, and connected to Him. 

4. We walked into a Tim Hortons for a lesson. The gal in front of us held the door for us and when she turned around to walk in the tims she saw someone that she hadn't seen in fiveever and clearly wasn't expecting to see. They were both so excited and wrapped each other in the biggest hug. It was such a sweet human moment.  

People really are just a wonderful thing! I'm grateful for them all. I cherish the small people moments ️ I invite you to see them and cherish them too. The world becomes a much happier place when you're looking for reasons to let your heart smile. 

I love you all many bunches! Go give em Heaven!

Big loves,

Sister Court 

Weekly Fridge Phrases!!!

♡Sometimes we need our plans put through a paper shredder and torched by a flamethrower in order for us to see that we have to put our own plans aside and trust in gods timing 

-Ethan salt

Hehe I clearly didn't take very good notes this week, so you just get the one fridge phrase

April 17 2024: Welcome to the Weekly Season 12 Ep. 4 here a ray and there a ray

 Hello! Hello!

Our friend Kai!! He has accepted a date for baptism! He is so excited to follow his Lord and Saviour! He came to another friend's baptism on Sunday. We showed him a picture of Jesus being baptized after and he said that he couldn't wait for his turn in a couple weeks! He is ready for the restored gospel! 

I've been studying witnesses of the spirit. As I studied, I read in pmg which says guidance of the holy ghost requires spiritual work. We may not receive a pillar of light all at once but if we are diligent we can receive ray by ray that will accumulate to make our pillar. 

As I prayed to close my study the other day, I prayed that I would have the open heart to recognize the little witnesses of the spirit & that I would have opportunities to be extra diligent. At a gas station later that day, I met a man. At first I just made small talk about the weather and was about to leave after filling up, but I remembered my prayer and got back out of the car to share with him my missionary purpose. Haha he wasn't receptive at all. Not rude, just very devout in his faith. He began telling me that so many people are looking for the answers to life's questions. And asked me, "where were you before you were here? What happens after you die? Why are you even here? What's the purpose of life?" He meant for them to be rhetorical and didn't grant me any time to share what I believed the answers to be. But as he shared with me what he believed the answers to be. As he did so, I felt the witness of the spirit testify to me the truth of the real answers to each of those questions. I know the answers to all of those questions because I have a loving heavenly father who has a plan for me that is centered on His son Jesus Christ, whose atonement makes the whole plan possible. 

I testify that before this life we lived as spirits with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. There Heavenly Father presented to us a plan and Jesus Christ volunteered to be our saviour. We are Gere on earth because we chose to follow that plan, knowing full well that we were going to be given trials and opposition. These things are meant for us to have so we can learn and grow and use the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That is our purpose, to allow the enabling power of Jesus Christ to lift us to a higher and holier person. I know that after we die each of our spirits will go to the spirit world and each one of us will be resurrected and judged according to our works and desires of our hearts. We will have the opportunity to have eternal life and exaltation with our families forever if we have chosen to live in a way that grants those blessings. 

That moment was one the rays that day. And I'm so grateful I was able to be receptive to it. 

I invite you to ponder these truths and internalize them! Ask God for your own spiritual witnesses of them. I promise they will come ray upon ray. 

Love you all many bunches! Go give em Heaven!

Big loves,

Sister Court 

April 10: Welcome to the Weekly Season 12 Ep. 3 and then there were 2 and THE prophet

Hello! Hello!

First of all, the trio has become a duo :(( a sister in another area went home unexpectedly which meant that there was a gap to fill else where. Sister Lee was the one chosen to be yanked away. This trio was honestly such a dream it was just so much fun and we have been working so hard. We had such a good groove. Sister Brooks and I will just have to keep the groove going 😎

General conference was a miraculous weekend. We worked so hard and invited EVERYONE to watch. Not everyone watched. In fact like no one we invited to during the week did. BUT! Junior and Tersa and their family did! Junior told us he thought it was amazing! He had the biggest smile on his face. As we were sustaining the general authorities Saturday morning, his kids were sustaining them too, with so much enthusiasm. It was the sweetest thing! 

In between sessions on Saturday a family that Sis. Brooks had talked to a week ago- and gave our info to but didnt get contact info from them- walked into the church because they had remembered that something was going on, but couldn't remember the time. We gave them a church tour. They loved it! And asked all the right questions. They couldn't stay for conference but we sent them the link and one of them watched on Sunday! 

Then right before the Saturday afternoon session was about to start another man walks into the church. He was a referral that we had texted but he never answered so we weren't expecting anyone to come. His name is Kai and he is a new Christian. He knows he needs to follow Jesus because he had a dream that Jesus came to him and told him that He was his Saviour. Talk about prepared. He loved the Saturday afternoon session of conference and said he would come again on Sunday. AND HE DID! On Sunday afternoon he was there. We told him that in this session we would get to hear the living prophet on the earth speak to us. He was so excited and the whole session waited in great anticipation to listen to President Nelson. When president Nelson started speaking Kai looked at him, pointed at the screen and whispered, "This IS the prophet of God." Goosebumps. He knows it! He feels it! We will teach him again this week. And I can feel in my heart that Kai will be a lifelong disciple of Christ. I am so excited to see how God works with this son of His to bring him closer to Christ.  

My conference highlights!⬇️

1!! A temple in Victoria!! Oh my lanta! Are you kidding!? My heeeaaaarrrttttttt! Yall don't even know how happy I am! What a beautiful place for a House of the Lord! And what a needed place for there to be a House of the Lord! 

2. I came to conference with a list of questions that I have had on my mind the last few days and while I didn't find or recueve a direct answer or an epiphany that provided all the solutions, I did recieve the process by which I will be able to find the answers I seek. 

The answer is found in Temples! And Covenants! While I'm a missionary I don't have the opportunity to go to the temple very often (especially right now as the Toronto temple is closed). But I can study the covenants I have made there. I can recommit to living them every day even though I can't go to the temple. So that is what I'm going to do. I am going to study the covenants I have made with my Heavenly Father. And I am so excited to do so! 

I want to invite you (if you have made covenants with God whether in the baptism font or in His Holy House) to reflect and study them. How can you live them more fully?

Another fun tidbit:)))

We got to watch the eclipse! So cool! Almost got attacked by Satan geese but ya win some ya learn some I suppose haha

I love you all many bunches! Go give em Heaven! 

Big Loves,

Sister Court 

Ok ok it's about time for some fridge phrases!!

♡the Book will never lead you astray! NEVER! 

♡Here a ray and there a ray -Alexander Dushku

♡covenants don't take a day off -Dallin H. Oaks

April 3 2024: Welcome to the Weekly Season 12 Ep. 2 Because of Him🥚🐣🌸😇

Hello! Hello!

Oh my lanta friends! It was Easter! It truly is the most wonderful time of year! Because of the message of Easter Christmas has significance. Because without Easter, the birth of Jesus Christ would have just been another birth. I know that the life of Jesus Christ is the only perfect life ever lived. I know that Jesus Christ performed the single most miraculous and impactful event in all of history as He suffered and payed the price for each and every one of your pains and shortcomings. I know that the death of Jesus christ wasn't the end. I know that He was resurrected and He lives today. And because of Him I have hope for a better world and because of Him I know that I will always always always have someone to guide, protect and heal me. Jesus is the Christ. He is my Brother, and He is my Covenant Father. I love Him and I am so grateful I get to share Him with so many people.

We are teaching the most wonderful family right now. Junior and Tersa have 5 kids and we were able to reach them about the plan of salvation this past week. We brought a white board and markers and had the oldest boy draw out the plan as we taught. It turned into more of a tool to keep the younger kids entertained. But they were all engaged. I saw each member of this family realize the blessings of God's plan of salvation. It was a very exciting lesson! Om Easter sunday they all came to church together for the first time. They don't drive and have too many young kids to bus the 90 minutes it takes to get to the church. So we found them rides- plural because no one has room to take all 7 extra people. BUT they needed one more carseat, so we hunted all over facebook marketplace. AND THEN by God's hand, we found one in the mother's lounge of the church building! 

It was the perfect service! The primary sang and then the bishop invited everyone to share their testimonies of the saviour at the pulpit. Many of the primary children stayed and shared their sweet, simple and pure testimonies. Our family of five kids loved it and the kids can't wait to go to primary!

I've never taught a whole family on my mission before. So this new experience is thrilling, and fills my heart to the very brim with a joy for Jesus Christs Gospel! I truly know that because of Him families can be together forever!

Junior and Tersa are praying about a day to be baptized. Do if y'all could keep them in your prayers that would be wonderful! They are so ready, and I am so excited for them to experience the blessings the gospel will bring to their family! 

I love y'all many bunches! Go give all the individuals and families Heaven! 

Big loves, 

Sister Court

Weekly fridge phrases!!

♡the Lord WILL magnify our efforts but there needs to be effort there for Him to magnify -sister Lee

♡will you PLEASE know that He knows you?! -president stacey 

♡I am here to make Heaven full -Josie Jean 

P.s. Apologies for the lack of pics this week...