July 5- Welcome to the Weekly Season 5 Ep. 5 Hiking Up Mt. Rowe, and a Line Up at the Watering Hole

 Hello! Hello!

While I was in KW my mission president said a lot that we as a mission were hesitating to invite friends to be baptized. And we needed to invite sooner. And I remember feeling that that was true, and feeling like we needed to invite more people to be baptized, but frustrated at the same time because we didn't have people to invite to be baptized. And I really wanted to find the people to invite because I have such a strong desire to help my brothers and sisters live in the celestial kingdom.

 My prayers were focused on that! I prayed everyday to have opportunities to act on my mission president's council and to help me know what we needed to do and where we needed to go. Well the answer to all of those prayers was to be transferred to Mississauga. We have so many friends, we find so many lovely humans! And I'm sorry to say that the first 1.5 weeks I was a tad timid about bringing up baptism, our lessons weren't going any where. So this last week Sis Waldron and I looked at all our friends and set a goal to be lovingly bold, and invite 4 tp be baptized and accept the love and blessings that come from being closer to Jesus Christ into their lives.

 And would you believe it! We invited our friend Ally to be baptized, our friend Ime accepted the invitation for November, after she has recovered from her upcoming surgery, and our friends Andre and Kiera accepted the invitation for July 29 all on the same day, and then just yesterday we had an amazing lesson with our friend Noel who we found through a recent covert and he accepted a baptism date for August 5! 

It's almost like if you invite someone to do something they have the option to do it, crazy. But all joshing aside, The spirit that accompanies any invitation when it's extended with love is the kind of spirit that propels the individual forward. The spirit propels me forward and makes me feel like I have the energy climb 15 mountains. And oh my lanta how beautiful those spiritual mountaintops are! 

In my studies this week I studied the power of the spirit in conversion. And it occurred to me that there are multiple switch backs that have to be taken to help our friends get to the waters of baptism and continue to have their own mountain top moments. (Picture below) 

Sister Waldron and I taught an instruction about this to some other missionaries we serve around and used Mt Rowe, a mountain in Waterton, as our analogy. 

We can't stand at the top and call our friends to meet us there at the waters edge, (or whatever your invitation is) we have to go to them! Walk the switchbacks with them, show them that Christ is walking with them too. Sometimes you may have to repeat the switchbacks but the beautiful thing is that as long as they are taking a switch back they are progressing upwards even if it doesn't seem like it. When we walk with them we can help them see their progress and in turn, our testimonies and conversions are also strengthened. It's a spiritual win win win all around! 

I invite you all to invite the people you love to do something that will benefit their life! Maybe that's inviting them to pray, read the Bible or book of Mormon, come to church, or maybe it's an invite to implement a new habit. But when you extend that invitation, help them accomplish it! Walk the journey with them. I promise you it's a blessing to them and to you, watch the hand of the Lord in their life and watch it more in your's!

I love you all many bunches! Go give all the beautiful souls heaven!

Love, 

Sister Court 

Weekly fridge phrases! These are gooders!

♡don't get lulled into carnal security -2 Nephi 28:21

♡lift up your heads -literally everywhere in the bom

♡live less by the list and more by the Lord 

♡Jesus Christ is the infinity and beyond

June 28- Welcome to the Weekly Season 5 Ep. 4: Teaching 2×2, pretty sure Noah's ark didn't leak though:/

Hello! Hello!

We have been teaching so much! It is the best! Sis Waldron is an inspiration. She teaches me as shes teaching our friends. I've been setting goals to improve my teaching, and right now i have three that i'm actively working on. 

1. Promising blessings throughout the lesson, 

2. Being Bold when bringing up baptism, 

3. Using the scriptures that flow into my head as our friends are sharing. 

God fulfills His promises! We taught a lesson to our friend Mansor who is on date for July 16. He had been ghosting the elders who passed him to us because he's been busy finding work as he's new to Canada. In this lesson I promised him that if he made learning about God & progressing towards baptism his #1 priority, the other aspects in his life would fall into place. Guess what! Not even an hour after he confirmed his next appointment with us, he had a job interview. That promise came from God! GOD FULFILLS HIS PROMISES & HIS ARM IS STRETCHED OUT ALL THE DAY LONG! 

In a lesson with our now friend that we taught with another set of sisters, Jonathan we were having a very meaningful conversation about the Holy ghost guiding us to know our purpose in life. And I felt my heart start going fast b/c he needed to be invited to be baptized. Sis Waldron read my mind because we looked at each other and, in unison nodded. So the invitation was extended & when our friend said maybe, the other sisters we were teaching with backed up the invitation i extended. He is now praying for a date that we will soon be following up on. BE BOLD AND LOVING!

 In preparation for a friend who doesn't speak very good English I was studying how we can be more simple teachers & I read 3 Nephi 9:15 which so simply testifies who Jesus christ is & I felt the same witness I've recieved so many times before. That Jesus is my savior. That's how we can teach simpler. We can use the Book fo Mormon. AND IN HIS FIRST LANGUAGE because the book of mormon has been translated into it! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is plain and precious. There is no better place to find evidence that Jesus christ is the son of God than from the word of God & the spirit of God. 

In other news.... our apartment has flooded not once but twice this last week. Not a great vibe but a vibe none the less. It's made for a couple fun adventures and very wet feet🙃. 

In other other news.... in my studies this week I read a talk from our Prophets wife, Wendy Nelson titled "becoming the person you were born to be" and she extended a 30 day invitation to pray to God in gratitude for the scriptures and ask the question we most need answered that day, flip open your scriptures and read hntil you find an answer, and watch it change your life. 

So I have been doing that the last couple days and the Book of Mormon can answer EVERY SINGLE QUESTION! I promise you that! The Book of Mormon coupled with the spirit is the best way to find the answers to the questions of your soul no matter how simple or complicated. I invite you to this 30 day invitation. Pray and open your scriptures, the Bible or the Book of Mormon and read. 

Send me your experiences because I'd love to hear them! And learn from yall! 

Have a great week! And go give em Heaven!

Love,

Sister Court

Weekly fridge phrases: 

♡"let Jesus christ be your liahona." -sister Stacey

♡"Encourage your friends to verb"

-sister Waldron on wanting to help our friends take action

June 21- Welcome to the Weekly Season 5 Ep 3: Zoram and the Heavensent ET

Hello! Hello!

Welp! We're in the good ol' GTA, in the same zone and district I started my mission in. Dropping sis sattler off at the airport was a very big sad. Made my heart frown a lil. But my heart is so smiley that shes doing ehat God needs her to be doing! Im so proud of her. 

I've only been here 4 days but Mississauga is a fun time! My lil greenie, Sister Waldron is absolutely fantabulous!  She was previously in a trio being trained. She was so cute the other night after we had turned off the lights she says, "thanks for being the best third mom!" Oh my lanta we are having a lot of fun together. I am so excited for the next 4 weeks of this transfer! 

I studied relying on the spirit a lot this week. As part of my studies I read Carl B. Cook's talk "Just Keep Going With Faith" from this last general conference. And something that stuck out to me this was this quote "undo the plans and follow the spirit". 

When Sis Sattler and I got the call to let us know what was happening with our area, I was immediately overwhelmed. I just assumed that I would stay in Waterloo. That was my plan, to stay and keep building the area, to keep teaching our friends, and find more. 

And then I read this talk and remembered that God's plan is always better than the one I prepare for & think is so perfect. I began thinking about the friends we had, and how beneficial it would be for some of them to have elders, or to be taught by the other sisters in another congregation. We had lessons with each of our friends and were able to introduce them to the new missionaries that would be teaching them. Each one was so spiritual and 110% confirmed to me that the changes happening were what needed to happen for Gods work to keep moving forward in His time. 

Side note: my friend Keyrthi who I mentioned in my last email is preparing for baptism on July 7!! Oh my lanta that lesson was the most tender and spiritual experience! I am so happy and excited for her!

The other thing that was overwhelming to me was that I would be whitewashing again (actually reopening the area) and training a baby missionary again. This was a little bit of a scary thought to me. The last time I trained it was so good, I learned A LOT, but it was hard. I felt like Zoram (go read the talk linked at the end OR even better read the story in the book of mormon itself in 1 Nephi chapter 4, also linked at the end!) and initially felt like running. But Nephi snatched Zoram and God snatched me and if He didn't, my mission president certainly would've. 

I was reminded that we can't run from opportunities to increase our faith & recieve love from Heavenly Father, even if those opportunities seem hard and scary. As I continued my studies this week, I was struck by this thought from preach my gospel, "your confidence and faith should be in Christ, not in yourself." And as I looked back at the transfer we had I saw just how true and crucial that statement was.

Sometimes you don't have a whole lot to be confident in. Maybe you're sick, tired, and the ride is a rollercoaster. But when you have confidence in christ and you're filled with His love, the work keeps going and everything that needs to be done will get done. I know this! And I have confidence in God to take perfect care of everyone in Waterloo. 

And now I'm here in Mississauga and it couldn't be a more heavensent ET (emergency transfer). With confidence and faith in christ, the work is going to roll forward. And there is so much work to do here! I'm excited to be back in the GTA. the quieter pace of Waterloo was a needed breather but I love being busy. I am so grateful to be here! And I am so excited to be training again, to use all the things I've learned the last 2 transfers and be the vessel Christ needs me to be for the people here, and for my companion. 

I am so grateful for Sister Waldron! She is fabulous and has such a desire to learn and be obedient and to be pushed. I love her so much! 

So I guess long story short is this.... (here are your spark notes Jace) God is good, his plan is always better, with confidence in that plan, all will work out. He grants us opportunities to learn and then gives us more when we're ready to learn more and when it's expedient for us to learn more. 

Love you all many bunches! Go give them Heaven!

Love, 

Sister Court 

I guess it's about time for the Weekly fridge phrases:

♡"If you're giving first class effort it better be going to a first class cause" -elder Cronin 

♡"he worked in me to do his will"

♡"the spirit doesn't make me speak better, it helps me say what needs to be said." -elder palmer

June 14- Welcome to the Weekly Season 5 Ep. 2 ET is the Game Mississauga is the Name

 Hello! Hello! 

Soo.... Sister Sattler heads home for a service mission in like 3 days..... and I....

Leave the Loo at the same time. We got a call on Saturday letting us know what on earth is happening and found out I was getting Emergency Transferred (ET) out. This area isn't closing per say but it is being given to the elders in Kitchener 2nd ward, so they will be double covering. I'm headed back to Brampton Zone, (which is the zone I was born into) to re-open the Mississauga area and train another baby missionary! I'm excited! But I'm sad, my heart loves all the people. But there are more people to love! And I am so excited to love them!

We were able to get in contact with our friend Puja! And we have been meeting with her. Unfortunately she doesn't feel the need to be baptized anymore but wants to keep learning about Jesus Christ, because he adds so much to her culture. She said she noticed the difference in her life when she was meeting with us vs. When she wasn't. I think now that she's meeting with missionaries again, and hopefully will start coming to church, she'll feel that spirit again and remember her desire to be baptized. We have a lesson with her this week with the K2 elders so she can get to know them before sis Sattler and I leave. 

 Our friend Keyrthi has a brother in Salt Lake who is a member and family in India who are all members, and told her that if she found the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when she moved to Canada, she would find family. The sister missionaries in Temple Square called us b/c her brother told them about his sister in Waterloo. We've met with her twice, both lessons her brother in India, Kiran, FaceTimed in. It's been amazing because he speaks their mother tongue so when there's a concept Keyrthi doesn't understand in English he's able to explain it in Telugu and bear testimony of it. It's the most beautiful thing. She has been to church twice and loves it. She's hesitant to accept a baptism date because she feels she doesn't know enough. But her brother said he would read the Book of Mormon with her and help her understand more so that she can understand what baptism really is. At church on Sunday we told her we were leaving and she was so sad and nervous. We are passing her to the YSA sisters and assured Keyrthi that she was going to love them and make so many friends. We have a lesson all together this week to help make that transition smoother. 

Joseph, although not ready for a baptismal date has made so much progress the last 8 weeks. To most people maybe it doesn't look like that, but to me he has. I can feel him feeling the spirit more in his life. He is so mindful of the things we teach him. And every lesson we have is planned not just by sis Sattler and I but Joseph too. We set goals with him about what he wants to learn more about and send him talks and scriptures to read before hand. And when e meet its always so spirit led. I think elders will be amazing for him. 

I spoke in sacrament meeting on Sunday and as I was writing my talk I thought "this is going to be great! A talk I don't cry while giving." Ha! Then we found out I was also leaving....

As I was closing my talk I felt an overwhelming outpouring of love for the people in the congregation, including Keyrthi and Joseph, and the members sitting on the stand. It was the craziest, most magical experience....And yes, I indeed did cry. The spirit I felt, and I pray everyone else felt, was just so strong. These people have been home to me. We tell our friends all the time that they will find a home and a family in the church. That promise extends to everyone. It takes all kinds and all quirks to make a ward family. I am just so grateful that I get to experience so many even just for a short while. 

I have a testimony that the Lord's got it, He knows. His timing is perfect in my life and in the lives of our friends. I know our friends and the kw ward is in God's hands. He won't drop them. In the moments that my brain moves a million miles a minute I pause to remember to breathe and just be, breathe and trust, breathe. In my personal study I was reminded of one of my favorite scriptures 

Job 12:9-10 

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

God is the breath of life, He has each and every one of us in His hand. His grace will catch us when we fall. 

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

Love,

Sister Court 

Here are the Weekly fridge phrases:

♡Who are you not to be who you are? -Sister whitsitt

♡We are living in a time of high adventure 

-marens institute notes 

♡when temptation knocks at the door, let Jesus answer. -bumper sticker

♡we're all jenk and weird -elder Remillard

June 7: Welcome to the Weekly Season 5 Ep. 1, What Day Even is it?? Doesn't Matter, They've Been Numbered

The last 10 days or so have just been weird. It's Wednesday?? Last pday was Thursday and we did weekly planning on Mondays?? My internal calendar is adjusting to that.

Sister Sattler stepped on a rake?? And she is now going home for a service mission. Not because of the rake... for some other mental health reasons. Shes excited and feeling good about it! Its been a long road for her of prayer and divine guidance. Life's a crazy thing to be a part of, the mission is a crazy thing to be a part of. But I wouldn't want to be a part of anything else right now. 

It's hard to watch my companion (who is also like my best friend) go through a roller coaster of highs and lows that physically and mentally just drain her. I just want to put a big bandaid on all of it and fix it. But that's not how bandaids work and that's not how God works either. He works by teaching and guiding. And I think both sister Sattler and I have done a lot of learning this last while. Oh my lanta how I love her, and have needed her. 

I had interviews with president Stacey this week. And when I told him I would take as many days as God would give me with sister Sattler he said, "God will give you nine more days." Welp ok nine days it is. He then told me he didn't know what he was going to do with me....thanks prez. But thats because there is now an odd number of sisters in the mission and you can't just pull a whole person out of your pocket. Whatever it is will be exactly what the Lord needs to gather all the beautiful souls and give them Heaven. 

On a different note... 

It amazes me that every time I meet someone new I immediately love them. I immediately have the desire to see them in the celestial kingdom. It amazes me even more that that love increases every time we meet again. I can feel the spirit testify to them of the love God has for them. Being a vessel of love for the Lord is probably my favorite thing ive been able to experience as a missionary. Don't get me wrong there are people we meet and talk to that im just baffled at. They leave me scratching my head. I still love them, but from a distance haha. God will send some more love their way and one day their hearts will be open to feel it and accept it. 

It's a short one this week... you're welcome uncle Jace😊

Love ya all many bunches! Go give em Heaven!

Love,

Sister Court 

Here are the Weekly fridge phrases:

♡"slow by slow, small by small."

♡"be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2

♡"I knew the lord was there, I was just too dumb to accept it." -Bro. Douglas Chartrand in testimony meeting

♡"Thanks so much for joining us here in the dynamic that is reality." -bishop lipop on the chaos of his daughter's baptism

June 1: Welcome to the Weekly Season 4 Ep. 6 Missionary Monday on Taco Tue.... wait Thursday?? P.S. cheetos Mac n' cheese ain't it

Well hello! Hello! 

Before we get into the nuts and bolts of sister court's happenings, here's a •f•r•i•e•n•d•s• update!

Puja- haven't been in very consistent contact with her since our last lesson 😕. Don't really know what's going on, but i cant even imagine what it would feel like to have to tell my hindu parents that I wanted to be baptized as a Christian after being raised in in a completely different culture. So pray for her! 🙏

Joseph- after praying very hard about a baptism date he declined the invitation and insisted that there is something else he has to wait for in order to be baptized. So we're working on figuring that one out. Talked a lot about God's grace this last week. Pray for Joseph to recieve grace so he can have charity for himself! 🙏

Spencer- blocked us.... literally don't even know what happened. So pray for him that he will have safety riding his bicycle and that his heart will be softened again one day. 🙏 

Sister Sattler keeps me on my toes. Haha it's one thing after another health wise with her. And then just when she's starting to feel better some thing else comes along. She was finally getting over a nasty cold and then yesterday, while we were helping a member weed her garden, sis Sattler stepped on a rake that went through her shoe and into her foot.

 ☆DONT BE ALARMED☆ 

She is ok, the wound is being kept clean and all is good, she just can't walk right now or put weight on her foot because of the pain. We've been doing a lot of resting this transfer to get sis Sattler back up and going. And we've laughed through it all b/c at this point, to us, its just comical. Through it all, it's humbling to see the work of the lord continue to roll. We're still teaching people, we're still finding people, miracles haven't ceased, God is still God, Jesus is the Christ, and they are both so so good. 

That being said, as I mentioned above, we're struggling with our friend Puja. Who we had on date for the 3rd of June. We haven't been able to meet with her since our last lesson almost 2 weeks ago. And she has become very inconsistent in her communication with us. Her family is Hindu and so is her husband so that was something that was a concern for her. Totally fair, I can't imagine having to tell my Hindu family that I wanted to be baptized Christian. I wouldn't want them to feel like I was abandoning my culture. 

And I don't want Puja to feel like she's abandoning her culture. I want her to feel loved and welcomed as she is, and I want her to still celebrate and appreciate her culture and see the ways that the gospel of Jesus christ adds to & compliments it. I've been praying a lot for guidance to know how to be the best vessel of the Lord for her, how we can help her continue along this path. All things in God's timing, I know this. Its a beautiful trail the gospel is. And we're each at different viewpoints, switchbacks, ridges, slopes etc. I know this, so onward we go!

On a different note, before the impaling, Sister Sattler and I went to meet a new friend, Bini, to give her a Bible. We arrived at the apartment and her and her husband invited us in to chat and show us around. They are the sweetest couple. Bini took us to her room to show us her wall of Bible verses that she loves. Her family is Hindu and so is her husband but Bini loves Christianity and her family supports her in that wholeheartedly. She was so thrilled to have a copy of the Bible and insisted that she make us tea.... 

Except we don't drink tea.... explaining that was hard but she really wanted to give us something as a thank you so she began puttering around their time apartment kitchen looking for something, anything to give us. And she pulls out Mac and cheese. But not normal Mac and cheese. No no no, flaming hot jalapeño cheddar cheetos Mac and cheese. 

Now friends... I'm not a picky eater, I'll eat pretty much anything except fish (Paula from Etobicoke already gave me a run for my money in that department), and I cannot handle spicey food. But for Bini I'll fake it till I make it....

I almost didn't make it. Bini scoops out all that she has made and divides it between just sister Sattler and I. And then I had a massive bowl of very spicey noodles in front of me and embarked on a very long and painful journey. My soul left my body. I wish I was kidding because then the amount of a wimp I am would be comical...but I'm not kidding when I tell you that my nose was dripping, my right eye was involuntarily crying, and my tongue was numb. At some point I couldn't even taste how spicey it was anymore but I was still just sweating and experiencing all the ridiculous symptoms. BUT I ate that whole bowl! AND we have another visit with her... So wins.🏆 

Sister Sattler also doesn't handle spice well, but that wasn't the low point for her. She is lactose intolerant and this was very creamy very dairyfilled. I'll cut to the chase and leave it at this.... the bathroom in the Asian supermarket next to Waterloo park is an excellent place to detox your system via throwing up your insides🤮 The rest is for your imagination 😑.

It's been quite the week for the sisters in The Loo. Love ya all many bunches! Go give em Heaven!

Love 

Sister Court 

Here are the Weekly fridge phrases!!

♡"you have moments that you are just so in awe, it's awesome." -sistee Cox on not being able to express how much love of God she's feels

♡"sometimes we need a good spiritual shake." -sisyer Palacios diez

♡"mercy needs a mediator." -elder Randall 

♡"humility is knowing when you suck."

-sister stevens

♡no more zero days!

May 23: Welcome to the Weekly Season 4 Ep. 5-Feeling like the grinch, God's been calling since before Noah's ark, YOU ARE READY!

Hello! Hello!

This past week was one of those weeks where my heart just feels so so full. Like it's just overflowing with all the love a sister can have for God's children. 

Our friend Puja is on date for baptism! She just amazes me every day. I LOVE her. I just can't believe how blessed I am to know her. We had an very spirit filled lesson about commandments, we had a member join us and together we all set a goal for a date. Puja really wants to be baptized. She knows this is where God needs her to be. She is just nervous to talk to her family and her husband about this commitment she wants to make. They are all very devout Hindu and she doesn't want to cause conflict with them. 

We had a nice discussion about how when we set goals with God, He helps us accomplish those goals by giving us strength. After sharing that and bearing our testimonies to her, she felt peace about setting a date. I'm praying so hard for her and for guidance to know how we can help her. She is my sister and I just love her so much! My heart has grown 10,000 times, as I've witnessed her faith and testimony grow since our first meeting with her. 

I've also mentioned our friend Joseph who has been investigating the church since antediluvian time 🌊🚣‍♀️. In the short time that we have been his missionaries I have learned a lot from him. I have also seen him grow and make significant progress. 

This past week we had a lesson about covenants and why it's important we make them when we perform saving ordinances. Again, we had a member with us who knows Jospeh very well. Which just added to the experience. I felt inspired to invite him to pray to be baptized on June 25. He was a little shocked...😳and so was I...BUT he accepted the invitation and we are following up with him on Wednesday when we meet him again!! I am so filled with christlike love for this man. I know where he's headed! And it's a beautiful thing!!

This week we met a guy on Facebook named Spencer! He's a tender soul, very respectful, very openminded, loves to be outside, loves his bike, and rides it everywhere even though he has a car(he just bought it for a sense of independence), loves yoga and meditation, and he holds up a peace sign everytime he talks about something he loves and respects..... friends he's got all the Hippie vibes! 

Sister Sattler and I met him for a lesson yesterday and He is so kind and so eager to learn. And has so many questions, but knows that there aren't answers to all of them right now and the answers will come at the proper time. Amen!! We taught him about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and gifted him a Book of Mormon. He looked at this special book, looked at us and said "do you think I'm ready for this?" 

YES YOU ARE SPENCER! Like zip-up-the-tent-let's-meet-tomorrow-and-everyday ready! God knows he's ready, God sees his desire to learn, and God is lovingly calling him! I am so excited to keep teaching our new hippie friend Spencer!

My testimony today is this: God is calling His children! And He loves His children. If I feel this much love for these people who I've only known for a short time, their Heavenly Father has to love them even more! And that's just mind-boggling to me because I love them with all I got. Heavenly Father loves! He lives! He knows! And He sees! He works through the weak and simple (that's me) to help His children feel seen, known and loved. How humbled I feel to have been given this opportunity to love and serve my brothers and sisters! Lastly, if you have the desire to learn more, you are ready and God will work with that desire in His perfect time (ALWAYS His time) to help you feel ready! For whatever it is. 

Update on personalizing the area: we started doing Saturday morning nature walks! Only one person cane to the last one BUT the response from the community has been great this last week and we are excited for the better weather that we should have this Saturday! I also stated offering free mini photos hoots which has been recieved VERY well by the community! I'm looking forward to getting to know more people in the community and interacting and talking with them in normal, natural sister Court and sister Sattler ways:)

Anywho.... happy reading! Have a great week! Go give all the lovely humans heaven!

Love,

Sister Court 

Also, as per usual, the Weekly fridge phrases:

♡"the only magic is Jesus." -5 year old Toby Bender

♡"I'm planning to live!" -sister Cox

♡"I just love Jesus now, so I'm Christian."🥹-Herry in the  CTM miracle call