Communication is Key! - Week 36 (Transfer 6, Week 5)

Heyyyyllooooo everyone!!!!!!

So I wasn't going to write an email this week. But just two seconds ago I changed my mind.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness. It's amazing to be alive, and I mean that with all the sincerity of my heart! Today, in the lovely land of Ontario it is -15 C. Pretty sure that's not actually that cold in terms of F BUT it sure feels cold when you are out talking to people until long after dark. Good news: we have lots of snow to show for it, and I have warm gear so I can enjoy it.

This week was....discumbobulating to say the least, and discouraging at most. But I learned an incredibly important principle of communication. Let me explain:

My companion Sister Tang is INCREDIBLE. She is from Hong Kong and as her first language speaks Cantonese and as a second she speaks Mandarin. So coming here to Canada to adapt to the completely foreign lifestyle of "missionarydome" as well as learning the language and all the other things that missionaries have to learn, plus the culture shock, and plus on top of that she is naturally more shy and reserved....holy cow. I can't imagine how overwhelming that must have been! So this transfer I have learned so much from her about how to communicate. But this week I feel like I took everything I have learned from her these past 2 transfers and solidified it into a concrete thought:

It's important to communicate how you are feeling in a way that is effective and productive.

BOOM. I feel like I've stumbled upon this fountain of chocolate or found the secret hidden in...some super awesome somewhere.

For example: Sister Tang, being the valiant, noble one that she is, has a hard time saying when something is bothering her because she is afraid to offend. So first, we worked on simply just communicating it. But we have both come to realize, that it's not only important to express yourself, but also to express yourself kindly and effectively, with an awareness of the understanding and culture of everyone around you! It makes a huge difference! When you are able to tell others your thoughts in a way that they understand them, and then find a solution to the problem in a productive way, things happen and not only happen, but they WORK.

It's been so cool working with so many different people; I've come to understand what a huge effect everyone's cultures, family, and background has on the way the communicate and view the world.

Anyway, I just thought that was super cool this week so I thought I'd share. I love you all!!!! I testify that the Savior lives and that He makes it possible to be better every day. :) One miracle that happened this week: Cathy, our RC, is preparing to go to the temple and has quit smoking! We are so proud of her. Love her to death.

Well, love you all!

S. Osman

Christmas with the Savior's Name on My Heart - Week 35 (Transfer 6, Week 4)

Hello All!!!!

Christmas was awesome. All of the missionaries always talk about how cool it is to be a missionary during Christmas and I'm like....reaaaaaallllyyyy. But then they were right, and it was!

Christmas morning we went over to the S* family. They are soooo awesome. We love them! Most of the people in that house are either non-religious, don't believe in God, or do believe in God but are mad at Him for some reason except for Brother S* who is our Branch Mission Leader. He is one of the kindest people I have ever met. He loves his wife soooo muchhh! It's so cute! They have an amazing family. Him and his wife are taking care of their adorable grandson. (Will attach a picture.) Anyway, so we had lunch with them and shared a short little message about the Savior. They were all very respectful and the Spirit was strong and we were so grateful for their love. I love people like that. Afterwards we went Caroling. This old lady answered the door and Sister Tang said, "We just want to sing you a song!" She said, "Come in!!!" So we went in. Hahahah! There we about 10 people there, having Christmas dinner around the table. We sang them all Silent Night and bore our witness of the Savior and His divine mission. The room went silent as they listened to us and their eyes all filled with tears. It was soooo sweet! Such an amazing moment that I was so grateful to spend with this family that I didn't know, but felt I had known for a long time. So that was a good experience. Also, the "man of the house" happened to own a recording studio and said we can come record a song for free. So yeah...we are going to...Get ready for me to send one home for you all to hear!!!!

It was so amazing to talk to my family. Felt like I had never even left. I love you guys.

Anyway, just want to let you all know that I know the Savior lives. I know families are forever. I know that I am supposed to be here, and I'm grateful that I got to spend Christmas with the Savior's name on my heart.

Love you all!!!!! Happy new year! I can't believe I'm old enough to be alive in 2016. Like holy cow this earth has been alive for a long time and I'm on it right now....such a crazy thought...epic.

Thank you for all of your cards and notes and gifts and emails and pictures, etc. You made my Christmas.

Love,

Sister Osman

Remember Who it is that we are celebrating. :) Merry Christmas - Week 34 (Transfer 6, Week 3)

Hello Everyone!!!!

Merry Christmas!!! I hope pictures are enough this week, cuz that's all I have time for. I love you all. And Merry Christmas! Remember Who it is that we are celebrating. :)

One of the BEST emails EVER!

Just a good week! - Week 31 (Transfer 5, Week 5)

Sudbury, Brampton, Weston, Barrie zones

Hey Everyone :)

This week was...it was good. :) We are seeing a lot of miracles here in Stayner, but there is still a lot of work to do.

This week we got to meet a member of the seventy. His name is Elder Perkins. We drove 2 hours to our meeting with him in Bracebridge, and then the meeting lasted from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. It was LONG but it didn't feel long at all. I was not expecting the overflow of the spirit that accompanied this man. When we got there in the morning, we were exhausted of course, but every word that Elder Perkins said seemed to speak directly to what I needed. I love being a missionary, but sometimes it's really hard and it was soooo good to receive guidance and direction and confirmation that Heavenly Father knows me. It's interesting--as a missionary you are always the one that teaches and helps others to feel the Spirit, so when the situation is turned you feel overwhelmingly relaxed. It felt so good to just be able to sit and listen and ask questions and get answers. I loved it!

Also, this week the Montreal Quebec temple was dedicated and we were blessed to go! It was awesome. And 3 of our new converts were able to go!

So since I have been here in Stayner we have been working with a part-member family. This week their daughter N* was baptized and it was such an amazing experience! N*'s mom has really been struggling with the gospel. It's been cool to see her faith renewed as she has helped her daughter to prepare for baptism. They were all able to go together as a family for the temple re-dedication. It was awesome!

Ummmm what elseeeee happened this weekkkkk. I dunno, I can't think right now. It was a good week.

Well people, miracles are happening everywhere. So long as there are still people in the world that have faith, miracles will continue. Our faith has power!

Love you all!

Sister Osman

P.S. Everyone should go look up Malachi 3:1-10 and read it in conjunction with 3 Nephi 24:1-10. It's so cool!

P.P.S. Everyone should go listen to northern wind by city and colour. I thought of that song this week for the first time in forever. It just popped into my head and I was like "whoa song you gotta leave." But anyway, go listen to it.

London, Hamilton, Kitchener zones

Oshawa, North York, Ossington, Kingston zones

P.L.U.V.I.O.P.H.I.L.E - even in icerain --Week 30 (Transfer 5, Week 4)

Hey everyone!

This week was really amazing. :) C* was baptized. It was amazing. Then confirmed on Sunday. Our ward council is working together better and our branch is changing. I love seeing change.
Sister Tang is hilarious.

Highlight of my week:

We woke up one morning to do weekly planning, and by the time we finally finished around 3 or 4 in the afternoon and went down to drive to our appointment, the car battery had died because we left the lights on. So for the rest of the day we were stuck walking and it was pouring rain. So, we were walking down the street in the POURING rain. It was so cold and the wind was blowing super hard and the rain was turning into ice. There was this lady who passed by us so of course I stopped right in front of her and started, "Hello!...." And she walked RIGHT on past as if I were invisible. I looked at Sister Tang who was laughing me, with this sheepish look on my face and said, "Dang it. I FEAR NO MAN!!!!" Sister Tang, with a smirk on her face, in her silly Chinese accent said, "She's a woman." Hahahah I had to laugh so hard. And we just kept on walking in the pouring rain/ice. Our branch president finally was able to make it to our house to jump our car around 8 that night. We all stood around trying to get everything to work in the snow (the rain turned to snow) but Sister Tang and I weren't cold. We had been having such a fun time walking around in the weather. Finally we got the car going and President Zaugg said, "Now you know what you ladies are going to do right? You are going to drive this car around for 30 minutes and I'm going to follow you to make sure that nothing happens to you." We got in the car to drive, with all the snow, in the dark, with our EFY music and I just felt so glad that I got to go on a drive. Seriously, I had just been thinking about how I would love to just go for a drive. And we did. Anyway, I don't know if any of that makes sense. But oddly enough, this day was the highlight of my week even though so many other good things happened. I hope you all enjoyed yours as well!

Love

Sister Osman

From another email:

This week we saw so many miracles mommy. Arghhh I wish I could tell you them all! But it's too much to write in an email and it's not the same anyway. One cool thing though: Sister Tang and I were doing our nightly planning and she felt impressed that we needed to drop by the B*s. So we did the next day and right when we got there, brother bothwells friend was there. He had been investigating the *** religion and was so frustrated. As we talked with them he literally said, "There are so many different churches out there! How am I supposed to know which one is true? How am I supposed to know what God really wants?!" Oh my stars we were like AHHHHHHHHHHHH! That sounds just like Joseph Smith. We shared with him the first vision and he listened very well. Although he said he is tuckered out by religion right now and wasn't too interested in meeting this week, he said that maybe some day. It was so cool! Also, C* got baptized! We took pictures on Sister Tangs camera and i will send some to you.

Happiness is Homemade‏ - Week 28 (Transfer 5, Week 2)

Sister Tang & Sister Osman at Brother B*'s house, 2 Nov 15!

Mik left her camera charger in another area, so I had to befriend some branch members in Stayner & the dad of her companion in China to get to the goods. :) We get along splendidly via google translate as we don't speak a common language. So their pictures are Mik's for now. I sent her a charger today. :)

Anyhow, here is last week's letter:

Hey everyone! Sorry about no email last week, I didn't have time. :)

This week was amazing! We are seeing miracles in our companionship as Sister Tang and I learn to work together and communicate with each other. I've discovered that the gospel is all about lifting people and I hope that this transfer I can lift Sister Tang and help her see how much she is valued and loved! 

Stayner branch is amazing and the people here really try. Hopefully we can help them try harder. hahaha :) 

Well, I don't have much to say this week. But happy Halloween everyone! I hope you all had a lovely one. (That's for you missionaries out there too. #weeklyplanning You understand.) 

I know the Savior lives. I know He loves each and every one of us! 

Love,

Sister Osman

P.S. From another email:

Things are going great here in Stayner branch... There are some really amazing members as well here who dedicate a lot of time, money, and love to helping us and the Lord and for that we are very grateful. Our branch mission leader is Brother S* who is incredibly dedicated and kind. He calls us every day to see how we are doing and to chat about his sister or whatever else he wants to tell us and to get an update of the days successes. On Sunday afternoons he has adopted the habit of coming tracting with us after church since he can't spend the gas money to come with us any other day of the week. This week he called us and left us a voicemail that said said, "Hey Sis I just wanted to let you guys know that I hope you like craft dinner (macaroni and cheese in Canadian) because I bought you five boxes just in case." Then he hung up. Hahahah, we were laughing so hard! He is awesome. The progress here is slow but it's coming. Sister Tang and I are VERY different. I mean, Chinese culture is extremely different, but we had a good talk last night and I am receiving more insights as to how I can help her feel loved and feel that I trust her. It is no easy thing coming from China to a western country with a new language to a tiny branch where the work is hard. Sister Tang amazes me! I don't know if I could have done it!