April 3 2023: Welcome to the Weekly Season 3 Ep. 4 Smokarine, Hurts so Good, Raymond still Sucks

Hello! Hello! 

For those of you reading who were at the Honeypot in Wainwright, AB for the provincial team lunch of 2019... I regret to inform you that I have slipped back into old habits. 

We had a very interesting member meal Saturday night, as soon as we walked in I smelled fish and I knew I was in for an adventure because well, I don’tlike fish... turns out I was in for a much wilder adventure than anticipated. This member is so poor and prepared an entire meal for us, which we were not expecting at all. Seriously so kind and charitable of her. Of course I have a little bit of everything on the table, including the fish which is called smokarine and is cooked with the bones and scales and everything.  The member is telling us about the whole preparation process, which is not helping my case at all. I'm holding back my gag reflex and innocently reach for my glass to wash down the sea creature I'm chewing on.....

My friends, that was some very spiked pear juice. 110% fermented. This member has given us wine. Accross the table, Sister Uwazny is having an allergic reaction to something, Sister Hannant looks like she's gonna vomit, and sister Soifua has no idea what is wrong with everyone and hasn't had her satans slurpee yet. The member is munching away, drinking her devils elixir, oblivious to the fact that it's alcohol. Bless her soul. By the end of the visit, this member is confused why our glasses are still full of the adversaries acid, "DRINK UP, DRINK YOUR JUICE!" And oh my lanta Sister Uwazny downs it swollen throat and all. And we leave, not knowing what on earth has just happened. In hindsight we probably should have informed her that she was giving us alcohol... but I guess you win some, you learn some. No $5 at the end of that story, just 4 tipsy sisters. 🫠 jk we weren't tipsy... just in shock. 

P.s. never again will I eat smokarine...

On the plus general conference was fantastic! AND!!! A temple in Lethbridge?!?! ZIP UP THE TENT! It's not in Raymond so we're counting our blessings. Just joshin' I'm so jazzed for SOAB!

This week was slower. I don't think we taught a single lesson. They all fell through because of weather, or people getting sick, or just not showing up. So in theory that would mean that we would have had lots of time to talk to and find more of God's beautiful children to bring closer to christ. Unfortunately that's not the case. It was slower, it has been harder to get out and stay out of the apartment. I think this is because of recent events that have occurred. Sister Hannant is a little apprehensive to talk to people in person. Which is totally fair. The culture shock has been another big adjustment for sister Hannant that I think causes some apprehension. Again, totally fair, and we're working through these things, praying for discernment and charity. It's hard for me not to feel guilty because I want to talk to all the people. There are good, and beautiful souls in the world, and I want to find them because I love them even though I've never met them, not despite of, but because of all the diversity. God is the author of diversity and I thrive being a part of it. 

 I loved Elder Stanfill's talk yesterday about perfectionism, and how christ perfects our humble offerings. It made me reflect on the last week differently. Christ is the master of the perfect harvest. And through me and other missionaries he is gathering the harvest in His perfect order, perfect timing, and perfect pace. I know this to be true, and I know that as long as I put forth my best labour, christ will perfect it for his eternal purposes. If only I could remember that in the moment, not just in hindsight. Haha

I love being here in Etobicoke. I've been here a while. And I will go anywhere the lord needs me to. But if that meant staying in etobicoke for another transfer I would be ok with that:) 

I also love training. It's hard but I love it. I feel like I'm being stretched and it's so good, so hard and so fun. You know when you stretch after a long hike and you're muscles feel so tight and it hurts in the best possible way?? Yeah thats what training feels like and I love it. 

Anywho... love ya all many bunches! Go give em Heaven!

Love, 

Sister Court 

Weekly Fridge Phrases:

♡Home with a capital H

-Gary E Stevensen

♡Undo the plans and follow the spirit

-Carl B Cook

♡my dear brothers and sisters, RELAX

-Deiter F Uchtdorf

♡Christlike Poise

-Mark A Bragg

♡the savior perfects humble offerings

-Vern P Stanfill

March 27: Welcome to the Weekly Season 3 Ep. 3 NOT THIS WEEK SATAN: Micromanaging God, Letting God Prevail, And Then There Was One

Hello! Hello!

Satan this week has just been working so hard! 

I'm sick...hate being sick. I feel so unproductive because I'm tired. My brain and body isn't programmed to just sit and do nothing. AND WE DONT GOT TIME TO BE ICKY SICKY. But, Sis. Hannant keeps reminding me that God knew I was going to get sick and His work isn't going to stop just because I'm out for a bit. She's right. So maybe I should take a nap and stop writing on pass along cards in an effort to feel effective. 

This transfer, I've been studying trust and rest by reading a myriad of conference talks. I'm learning how I can trust in God's timing more in our daily schedule and with our friends, and how we find rest in doing so. The zone conference we had this week played well into this. Something president Stacey said in his instruction hit me over the head with a 2x4. 

He said "the terrestrial world is a world of lists." If you know me, you know I'm a list maker, a planner, I don't do well not being in control. I love lists and checking items off, and getting everything done. Which is great! Lists are good! BUT I can't get everything on the todo list done myself or with my companion. The list is never ending and there is no way I can finish it myself. If I could then I wouldn't need my Heavenly Father or Savior. BUT I DO NEED THEM. 

Which means there are tasks on the eternal todo list only they can finish. And in their timing. I can't micromanage God, that's not how the celestial kingdom works. And my goal is to make it to the celestial kingdom. So, when I come with a list of things to do and do my best to accomplish them, God will accomplish the work he needs done at that time as he seeth fit, and I have to trust that God will prevail for the benefit of His children. That's the difference between terrestrial living and celestial living. 

I have seen that as I have followed Emilia along on her journey. From gathering her into the fold on this side of the viel to being at the temple with her this weekend as she  gathered her husband and parents on the other. God has prevailed. In His perfect timing, his children have found the gospel. He gives us agency, and lucky for us, multiple opportunities to choose Him. He guides his children to where they need to go. He places us in eachothers paths for very special and specific reasons. And I know that Emilias family is jumping for joy that finally Emilia has found the gospel so that she can help them accept it too. How anxious they must have been, waiting and waiting. Do spirits in the spirit world get impatient? I don't know but they certainly let God prevail, I'm confident they'll make it to the celestial kingdom. And I can't wait to see Emilia there with them. 

I have also seen God prevail as we were preparing two of our friends, Carmine and Salman, for their baptism yesterday. Both so excited to be baptized, both had great member present lessons where the spirit was so strong, both seemingly sp ready to be gathered. So when Carmine suddenly wasn't talking to us we were kinda concerned. He finally responded to our texts asking if he was doing ok, with a long essay of a message explaining that he didn't want to participate in the discussions anymore and that he was not interested at all in being baptized. 

I felt a little discouraged, a tad confused, but mostly just sad. I have seen the Gospel change Carmines life. Carmine has seen the gospel change his life. Everytime we met with him he expressed how grateful he was to have found this, that his life was back on track, and for the first time in a while things were falling into place. He is my brother, and I have a big place in my heart for him. I was sad that after all the light he had seen he was still turning away. It would be fair to say that in this moment, letting God prevail was hard, because why would God let someone turn away? Well, that would be because he gifted us our agency, he wanted us to choose him. 

At zone conference president Stacey said "God loves us and will be patient with us forever!" His love and patience for his children will never run out, and neither will mine! I have no doubt that in his own time, and in God's time, Carmine will come back.

 In the meantime we had other things to focus on! Salman!! His baptism was wonderful, he is so excited to be a member of this church. The behind the scenes of getting everything ready was a tad rocky (water in the font draining after being filled, programs not printing right, speakers canceling last minute) but everything worked out the way it was supposed to. Salman kept thanking me for finding him again and bringing him into the fold. He knows that we knew eachother before, and I know it too. I told him in the premortal life I would find him again and God made it happen here on a subway in Toronto. 

And so God prevails. He gathers his children. And I am just a vessel for God, filled with His love that is waiting to be shared with all the beautiful people!

I love ya all many bunches! Koodos to you if you read all that and didn't just skip to the pics:) Go give em Heaven!

Love,

Sister Court 

♡Weekly fridge phrases:

"Get up, take my grace, and walk"

-sister Stacey

♡God knows that I know He knows

♡"You gotta have a sense of humor when you're anything in the church because you see so many things that are off the charts stupid."

-pres nelson to rulon and Linda Stacey when extending the call to be mission president and wife 

♡LET GOD PREVAIL

March 20- Welcome to the Weekly Season 3 Ep. 2

Hello! Hello!

OH MY LANTA!! I am absolutely overjoyed and blessed to be a part of this great and marvelous work! Many miracles! heres one big one made of many smaller ones from this week.

Sister Hannant and I taught some really amazing lessons with our friends Salman and Carmine. Both are on date and both of their dates have b been moved up to this coming Sunday! All of the lessons we had with them this week we were able to get a member to. I knew that member involvement was important before, but after this week I have a very strong testimony of this concept. 

Having members at lessons is a big blessing we as missionaries can give to the friend and the member. Each of the members that joined lessons were the perfect person to be there at that time. The experiences and testimonies they shared were inspired and tailored perfectly to the needs of our friends. Salman and Carmine have made connections in the ward with these members. They admire them. They look at them and see walking proof that this church is true! Both are excited to pay tithing, giving up coffee is no problem. They have already seen the promised blessings of living the word of wisdom and law of chastity. Carmine quit smoking and drinking almost as soon as we started meeting with him 6 weeks ago because he wanted to feel the same way he did with us all the time. We didn't even ask him to, he just did it. Salman wants to do everything he can to motivate the missionaries so that everyone can learn the things he is learning so he brings chocolate bars and chips to church.

These people have been converted to the Lord their whole life! They just needed to be gathered into the fold! And the members! They see these miracles first hand just like we do as missionaries. What a special thing we can offer to them when we invite them to join lessons! I saw their faith and their testimonies grow this week as they watched our friends' ready to do anything to be part of the true church. 

I feel like Ammon in Alma 26. I want to stand on top of the tallest mountain and joyfully yell at the whole world that every single miracle and blessing they see is from God. "My joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God." Alma 26:35

Sister Hannant is amazing! She talks to people, relates to people, and the way she talks about the Atonement is so so beautiful and touching. The way she promises blessings makes me wish I wasn't a member so that I could experience those promises for the first time as an adult. I love her and admire her! She handles all the crazy situations (and there have been crazy situations, particularly in the last 2-3 days) that come her way head on with a great calm and collected attitude. 

Sidenote: We have been working with our dear angel friend Emilia to build her family tree and it is so thrilling! I've missed doing family history work! We added her husband and are preparing his name for her to take to the temple. She asked my mission president if he would be baptized on behalf of her husband and president Stacey of course said he would be honored. Oh my heart smiles big for that day to come soon!

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

Love,

Sister Court 

Weekly fridge phrases:

-slow to anger, quick to forgive

-special spirits, special chores

- I have not come to frustrate or torment the natural man, but to kill it

-"life will become much easier when we finally understand which hands to shake and which ones to hold" -Wendie Van Zyl

March 13 : Welcome to the Weekly Season 3 Ep. 1 Remember to Breath and Trust and I'm Pretty Sure I'm Teaching Megamind

Hello! Hello!

Training is going wonderfully! My trainee, sister Hannant is from Australia, and we have been having a lot of fun learning what we each call certain things. Like a sweatshirt is a jumper, or sweatpants are trackies. I love it so much!

I feel like my brain is going a million miles a minute sometimes. I don't want to forget anything or anyone. I want to be the most effective and efficient missionary I can be. Because my new companion is a greenie, I am the one who knows the area and everyone in it. It feels overwhelming at times not to have a second brain who also knows the area. But I know that soon I will. Soon enough Sis. Hannant will meet everyone and know everyone. She is already an amazing missionary. She has no fear, talks to people, shows interest in them, and has the greatest desire for all of them to learn the gospel.

I also know that I do indeed have a second brain that knows EVERYTHING. He is my Heavenly Father. He gave me His son who has felt all of the things I am feeling. He has experienced the moments I feel overwhelmed. He has experienced all the feelings of the people in the etobicoke area. He knows who they are and he knows their needs. He knows how to help me use my strengths to help and strengthen them. I know that my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ will not forget me, and they will not forget the Etobicoke area. We are etched on the palms of His hands. I know that through the Holy Ghost all the things that need to be brought to remembrance will be. I just need to have faith, work hard, and never forget God and Jesus Christ! As long as they are always at the forefront of my brain and my heart everything and everyone else will be taken care of the way they need to be according to the will and timing of the Lord, which is perfect. 

One of my goals this transfer is to study trust and rest. I know that with trust in the Lord I can feel rest in knowing that "in the end, for the righteous, all will be well." (Neil L. Anderson from the 2022 Christmas devotional) All is well and will forever be well. This transfer I will take a breath and remember to trust. I trust Him, I trust my mission president and I am working on being better at trusting myself. 

On another note one of our friends, Salman is the most interesting person I have ever been blessed to meet. This is the friend I met on the subway, came to church and then BORE HIS TESTIMONY in fast and testimony meeting. Have y'all seen Megamind?? I'm pretty sure this man is Megamind. He is bald, and wears these big glasses with thick blue frames (that look really cool and I think my mama bear needs to add them to her collection). He also has this massive brain. He thinks so logically about everything. And with any other person, this would be a massive roadblock, but Salman uses his crazy logic to build his testimony and relationship with God. 

He read about Joseph Smith on Wikipedia and came to the conclusion that everything Joseph Smith saw and did really happened.  This man uses numbers to logically prove everything he learns in the gospel. Loves the numbers 3, 9 and 12. I'm constantly trying to decode everything he shares. We never quite know where his head is at. But I do know that he really really wants to be baptized. And baptized he will be! He describes feeling the spirit as having an earth quake in his heart. 

I think there will come a point when logic and numbers won't suffice. There are things in this life that we can't prove with math. We have to trust that they work, that they will continue to work. We can't see everything, we have to have faith, we have to trust. Sometimes we have to, breathe and turn our brain off and listen to the things in our heart, the things the spirit says even if we can't comprehend where it will take us. 

So today I say breath and trust. 

Love ya all many bunches! Go give them Heaven!

Love,

Sister Court

Weekly fridge phrases:

-be not afraid, only believe mark 5:36

-God knows what will help your faith grow Russell M. Nelson

March 7: Welcome to the Weekly Season 2 Ep. 6 Another Missionary Monday on Taco Tuesday

Hola! Hola!

Sorry uncle Jace this one's gonna be a long one.... but there is so much that I wanna tell all ya'll!

Welp! This last week was a wild ride. An amazing and miraculous and crazy wild ride. There was so much happening. The inevitable fact that sis Hoy is going home kinda hung in the air all week. But with Emilias baptism and lessons with our other progressing friends, there wasn't time to think about that. 

When a crazy week like this last one comes around, I think a lot of people would say to put your head down and focus on the grind of the work, but I think that when a week like this last one comes we have to have our head up and focus on the grind of the work. Weeks like this when there are so many things going on mean there are going to be so many unplanned opportunities to further the work and gather the kingdom. 

We can't just look at our feet and follow them to the known destinations. We have to look up, head on a swivel, ready to face whatever is in front of us and do our best to take every opportunity God may place in our path in between each planned opportunity. And he will place them there. I know He will because that's what happened this week. 

I met Diego at a Tim Hortons on our way to catch a bus to a lesson. He had seen missionaries a long time ago and saw my tag and wanted to learn more. We meet with him this week and he wants to begin coming to church. On our way to a different lesson I met Salman on the subway and he soaked up all the information I shared with him, took all my pamphlets and a book of Mormon to read. He came to church on Sunday, HE EVEN BORE HIS TESTIMONY. He stayed for the baptism and I was able to put him on date following the baptismal service. 

Had I kept my head down and focussed only on getting to the bus to make a lesson I would have missed Diego. Had I kept my head down on the subway and only focussed on getting off at the right stop to make a lesson I would have missed Salmon. When you focus on the work with your head up there is no time to think about the inevitable things about a mission that seem daunting or stressful. So keep your head up, be ready to serve in whatever way that looks like in your life. People who need you are there, but you have to look up and see them. God has opportunities and blessings in store for you that you can't even imagine being there, but you have to face the day looking forward at what is coming. 

Oh my lanta! Zip up the tent! Emilia!! The lady of the hour! She was baptized on Sunday. What a Heavenly and miraculous day. The joy that continuously exudes from her body only increased. I didn't think that was possible. If there ever was sunshine in someone's soul, it was all in Emilias soul on Sunday. And she shares it with everyone! I believe in angels! Because there is no way that Emilia is just any human. She is an angel and she is a miracle. I will never forget the day she walked into the church being led by God. And I will never ever forget the day she was baptized. Oh I could go on and on, but I'll save that for the phone call with my mama bear:)

It's the end of the transfer, which means Sister Hoy goes home. She has been such a blessing these past 12 weeks. I love her all the many bunches! Anywho that means this sister gets a new compy... and I don't know who that will be because I will be training a brand new baby missionary! 

I am grateful for the opportunity to train this upcoming transfer. A little nervous... maybe a tad more than a little... but I'm excited. I guess I shouldn't have laughed it off when president and sister Stacey said I was going to be the new sister Hoy. Haha😬 I'm ready to learn, and I'm ready to work. 

Anywho love ya all very many bunches! Go give em Heaven!

Love,

Sister Court 

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