It's an HONOR! -- Week 22 (Transfer 4, Week 2)

Oh Canada!

Hey Everyone :)

This week has been truly humbling. I feel like this week has been an accumulation of every experience I've had on my mission so far, and every effort I've put in. It's so hard to try to explain the many miracles I've seen while I've been here in Canada and the many times I have felt the Savior by my side on a daily basis. I've come to truly recognize and understand the presence of the Spirit and the way that he talks to ME on a personal level. At times in my mission when I have felt alone, He has been there and for that I am so grateful. :)

This week was incredible! Sister Price and I have been working so hard to be UNIFIED and to put all of our ideas and efforts into the people here. She has taught me so much about what it means to be a real friend. It doesn't matter if we don't have much in common, or many of the same interests, or a different style, or even a different way of going about things. It only matters if we have a common goal and interest: to do the work of our Father in Heaven. I've found that so long as we consistently and constantly have our eyes set on the same goal, and are both equally committed to making that goal possible, then everything else will fall into place. This same principle can be applied to EVERYONE involved in this great work i.e; the ward members, the other missionaries, our leaders, our families, our friends, God, and all of these amazing people around us. The gospel is all about WORKING TOGETHER! And oh my stars, how the world changes when everyone is working together towards a common goal, towards Gods goal. So much of missionary work is about aligning your will with Gods will, the same way Christ demonstrated throughout His life in the garden of Gethsemane and on Calvary's hill. All that being said, I am so so so so so grateful for everyone's unique qualities and talents that set them apart from the rest of the world. Everyone here has a unique and very important purpose. :)

This week we were working very closely with our friend G* and with the L* family. G* is on track to be baptized Oct 4th and it is so cool to see how the gospel has already started to change his life. When we asked him in one of our lessons what it meant to him to know that he had the opportunity to be a part of God's one and only church he said very simply "It's an honor." I was stunned and so humbled. I recalled so many times before my mission, and maybe even during, when I had taken my knowledge of the gospel for granted. Truly, everything I have is because of my Father in Heaven, and every opportunity I have to be someone better is because of my Savior. I am so honored that my dear Friend would give His life for me, and that my Father would give His Son. It's an honor.

It's also been cool to see how the gospel has been changing the L* family! Their 9 year old son is ready for baptism on the 27th of this month, and his family is returning back to church after 10 years! I'm so grateful for the missionaries here in this area who served before me who paved the way for all of this progress!

A couple shout outs this week:

Shout out to the Burnett family! Your deck looks great. So glad it's done. C, you know what you should be doing. Do it. :) I miss you guys!

Shout out to my mom and dad. The cup cakes were the best. Thank you. :)

And shout out to my Uncle Jared and Aunt Anne. Ich liebe dich. Vielen dank!!!!

Love you all! I hope you know how much of a difference you make! The missionaries NEED you. You are our best ally.

Love,

Sister Osman

P.S. Since you asked, here is a normal day for us:

Tuesday Sept 15:

6:30 am wake up. Work out for half an hour. Which usually ends up being us laying on the floor doing leg lifts because we are so tired. Hahahaha
7:00 am get ready for the day! I usually lay on the couch for 10 min before I can get ready. Sometimes not.
8:00 am Personal studies!!!! We study for one hour by ourselves. I've been reading Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage and I am almost done! Also, I've been reading the Book of Mormon, and the a lot of the bible. I know my stuff A LOT better now. :)
9:00 am Companionship studies! Sister Price and I study together for an hour and make plans for all of our lessons. We role play the lessons and choose scriptures that people will need to hear and experiences that we have had that will help them. We practice practice practice!
10:00 am. Time to go out! If we don't have appointments we start tracting or talking to people on the street.
10:30 am. We had an appointment with * for one hour. He is a New Convert on the verge of less active. :)
11:30 drive to next appointment and make calls in the car.
12:00 pm * -he's a less active. We meet with him for an hour.
1:15 pm we go and see *!  also a less active. We pick up members to come with us in the 15 min between lessons.
2:30 pm We go teach * our investigator!
3:45 pm We go and teach * our investigator!
5: Dinner/make everything ready for other appointments
6: Go and teach *,* and *! A cute investigator family.
7: Go by a couple of potential investigators for an hour/tract
8: Virtual ward council! And make calls!
9: go home! plan for half an hour for the next day.
9:30 update teaching records, clean stuff
Then we get like an hour to take a shower, get ready for bed, chill...etc
10:30 go to bed!!!!! SO TIREDDDD

Yeah we are busy. :) Usually we are supposed to take a lunch break but we haven't had time. hahahahaha

This is G*. What a cutie!

Cupcakes from my mom & dad

Ward picnic

Out tracting with Sister Price

Cambridge for the win! - Week 21

Hey everyone!

Cambridge is amazing. The first day here, walking down the street, I just felt this overwhelming sense of peace. It felt like...the calm after the storm. The incredible thing is that Christ has the ability to calm any storm. Our area is quite large, but by the end of the week I had already met about 50% of the ward. I really feel like there are so many people here that I was meant to meet.

Another cool thing is that there have been A LOT of changes to the mission! President Clayton is very inspired. We now have new "key indicators", or numbers, that track EVERY area of the work. So we now track the progress of New Converts, Returning Members, and Investigators in our key indicators and we have new standards! Every companionship in every area should now have 2 investigators at church weekly, 1 baptism per transfer, and 1 ordinance date per transfer for New Converts and Returning members. And we are now required to teach at least 20 lessons per week. So we have NO TIME to tract at all. But it's soooo cooool because we still find people. I don't even know how, they just find us. But this week was INCREDIBLE because we taught 30 lessons! That is the most I've taught in a week my entire mission. But it totally works. It's awesome. So we are even more busy than before, but I love it because it really requires Sister Price and I to WORK TOGETHER.

And that's the other cool thing: Sister Price is amazing. I love her so much. She has the Spirit with her so incredibly strong. She is so kind and knows how to serve others. She is almost 21 and has been on her mission for almost a year now. She is 6ft and has red hair and is just the sweetest thing ever. We have had a ball of a week. So busy. Such a whirlwind. And she is now the designated driver, so I get to make all the calls while we are in the car. Which I LOVE because then I get to set up as many appointments as possible while we drive. It's awesome.

Well I love you all so much! I really hope you are all doing well. Also, if anyone has news about Coldplay and if they are going on tour soon, then please let me know. :) I need to know.

And everyone should go listen to Hazy by Rosi Golan because that song has been stuck in my head the past couple days and I don't think it will leave until everyone listens to it. So just do it. :)

Okay byeeeeeeeee

Love,

Sister Osman

Goodbye Georgetown, transferred to Cambridge Second Ward -- Week 20

Mikkia did not have enough time to write yesterday. So here is an excerpt from an email that she sent to me, so you know what is going on. We don't have her new address yet, we will pass it on when we get it. 

She met her new companion Sister Price today and she is so super excited for what the future will bring! Mikkia is doing well! Thank you for all your prayers!

"Okay so the assistants to the president called with transfer news last night. I was supposed to go back to Georgetown (which is why I only packed stuff for a week) but apparently President C says God wants me elsewhere after all. so I am going to the Cambridge Second Ward. No idea where that is. but that means that tonight we have to drive all the way back to GT from here (St. Catherines), get all my stuff, prepare everything for the elders who will be coming in (which is so stressful because I have to force myself to remember EVERYTHING I've learned about the area in the last 5 weeks and write it all down in a way that elders can understand hahaha) and then tomorrow morning we will be driving back to Brampton for transfers. My new companion's name is sister Price. I have no idea who she is but I'm stoked! 

Also, this week was so amazing. It was so nice to just have a vacation. At least that's what it felt like. But we taught some really hard investigators who almost convinced me that we are wrong. BUT I PRAYED SO HARD FOR SO LONG AND I READ THE SCRIPTURES FOR SO LONG AND I WENT TO THE TEMPLE and I ASKED God about it. And he answered my prayers. Again. But this time, more real than I have ever experience. In the Celestial room. The temple truly is...a gateway. It's so real. Mom, there are a lot of things that I still don't know and haven't received answers about yet, but this I do know: temples are real. God is real. Christ is real. And that's the end of it. No one can convince me otherwise ever. I know today there are still prophets on the earth. I know many things are restored. And I know many more things still need to be restored."

Love, MIK

Emergency transfer, Niagara Falls, and that lovely Raccoon...‏ -- Week 19

The Brampton Zone!

Hello everyone!!!

Oh my stars....where do I even begin? I swear, this week has been 6 months long but has also flown by. Well for starters Sister Anthony and I had an emergency transfer...it's a long story and I'm not sure how much I should tell but just know that the Lord is very aware of each and everyone of us and I am so grateful that President Clayton is so inspired as to what our mission needs right now. :) On Saturday Sister Anthony and I were still working in our lovely area Georgetown and by Sunday I was back with my old companion Sister Jolie for the day. Then Sister Jolie and I drove over to the mission home (in Brampton) where I received more news about my transfer call. I am now in a Trio companionship in Saint Catherines which is very close to Niagara Falls. My two new companions are Sister Bell and Sister Chelson and they are the sweetest girls ever. I feel like I'm on vacation here...it's weird. BUT I will only be here in Saint Catherines for the week. After this week I will be heading back to Georgetown and I will be having a new companion...I can't wait to find out who she is! But I am so excited to serve with these two lovely ladies for now. It's funny, as a missionary you go into peoples homes who you have never met, you tell your name to every stranger and give them your phone number, you live in places that you didn't even know existed, and you sleep in a bed that you have never seen with a blanket that isn't yours. Haha I love being a missionary because it has taught me to be sooooooo trusting and to just love everyone! :)

On other news: back in Georgetown earlier this week Sister Anthony and I noticed how every time we left food on the counter, it would be gone in the morning. Just completely eaten. This happened with an entire pizza, two cakes, and some macaroni and cheese. Well anyway we soon started to realize there must be a bigger animal living in our apartment than just a rat (although there are those too. But not to worry, we are getting that all taken care of. When I get back...) and decided we needed to figure out what it is. Well....it's a raccoon. But don't worry mom, it's okay. It's very cute. But we haven't had a chance to get rid of it yet because...well we got transferred....

So today I am in Saint Catherines and we got to go see Niagara falls!!!! It was SO BEAUTIFUL but man, I am so tuckered out. But I know that Heavenly Father is right here beside me because when I think I just can't keep going, He gives me more energy. It's awesome. :)

Also, one of our returning members named Brother M* will be going to the temple this Saturday for the first time!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!! Heavenly Father has blessed me so much. :) I love this gospel. It honestly has blessed my life in so many ways.

Well lovely people, I so appreciate your letters and e-mails. They mean so much to me! Keep writing. :)

Love,

Sister Osman

My new companions and district I

My new companions and district II

I found a tiny turtle while hiking

Oh hey look its 'Murica

Oh hey look its 'Murica

Becoming a better version of me -- Week 18

Hey Everyone!

This week was great! Missionary life is so much fun and you learn so much in the process! I truly feel like I'm becoming...a better version of me. It's interesting how your perspective on life changes when you start to see things the way our Savior see's them. He has taught me a lot of compassion and love towards everyone. Especially this week. :)

Well I honestly don't have much time to email this week, but I have loved reading all of your emails. Thank you so much! I will try and have more time next week. I just got too caught up writing other emails. Haha :)

Love you all! I know our Savior lives. I know His grace is real. I know it's sufficient. For anyone, at any time. I have felt it and I have seen it both in my own life, and in the lives of others.

One quick story from this week: ummmmmmm lemme think. Yeah never mind. It seems I have forgotten everything....

Oh yeah! Do you all remember Dennis who Sister Jolie and I had been working with the last two transfers before this one??? Well guess what?!?!?! He has completely quit smoking and he is going to be baptized very soon. Please pray for him!!!!

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Osman

Brampton Zone at Salvation Army Gardens -
Hopefully this photo belies Mikkia's enthusiasm :)

Brampton / Georgetown Exchange Selfies!
Sister Anthony, Sister Osman, Sister ?, Sister Jolie

When words fail, music speaks! -- Week 17

Hey everyone!!!!

Sorry last week's email was so short! This week was so amazing. :) Sister Anthony is the biggest goofball ever. We have figured out our "groove" and we have so much fun with the work. We were having dinner with this little old lady named Sister S* yesterday and she said "You ladies are so much more fun than the elders! You guys just sing and are so cheerful about everything!" Hahaha I mean the elders are amazing and all....but.......they don't sing.

Speaking of singing, last week in sacrament meeting I gave a talk and accidentally told everyone over the pulpit that I am a music major, not really realizing what that would entail. Needless to say, I was asked to sing in sacrament meeting this week. And of course I did. It felt AMAZING. I got to sing a solo all by myself. A gorgeous hymn called 'Where Can I Turn for Peace' and I loved every second of it. Any excuse I have to practice piano/sing/etc. I take. :) But then the relief society president came up to me at the end and asked me if I would play all of the music for the Christmas program come December. Of course I said yes! But who knows if I will even still be here. Haha but at least it will give me an excuse to start practicing!

Anyhoo, what was I about to say...? I can't remember....

Oh yeah! Okay so Sister Anthony and I have started playing a game when we tract--we wait until we can hear the person coming to the door and then one of us picks a completely random word that the other has to use in the conversation with the person at the door. Haha it is so funny! We try squeezing these random words like carrot, superman, or sprinkling system into these contacts. It makes us laugh so hard and the people at the door are always way more open to hearing what we have to say. I love being a missionary because it has taught me so much about how to talk to people in any situation and how to care about anyone, even from the second I meet them. Plus it teaches you how to get along with anyone and work together. Life is so much easier when you are a team player! But when you are working as a team constantly, you have to be someone that is reliable too. So it teaches you to be a lot more aware of how your decisions effect other people. You learn to be more thoughtful of the other person. In the end, you realize that if the other person is happy, then you'll both be a lot happier so you work your hardest to take the load off the other person's shoulders. It's cool. :) I'm grateful for it.

We found a new investigator named A*. Haaha it was so funny. Usually Sister Anthony and I contact people using the restoration. But we were about to knock on this guys door and she said, "we should try using the word of wisdom" I was like hahaha okay? And he opened the door and sister Anthony just started talking. The whole time she was looking at me like, "what am I saying" but then the guy was just like, "yeah I found god and quit smoking and drinking and it changed my life. that totally makes sense." We were like ja;wrogijwRAG"GRpojrf;aow freaking out. Hahahahahaah so we ended up talking to him for like 45 min right there on his doorstep and made an appointment to go back and share our message with him. We went back last night and oh man, A* is so prepared! He just told story after story about his journey and life. He talked about doctrines that are unique to our church before we have even taught them and says,"he is searching for the truth." Well, A*, you have found it!!!!!

Ummm cool story from this week:

We went over to a members house. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She has several little kids and is now undergoing chemo. She has lost all of her hair and so her kids are afraid of her. It's so sad! But anyway, we went over to see her and there was a little girl there and her mom who were hanging out with this lady and her children. It turned out that both of them were members as well but hadn't come to church in quite a while. The little girl was so excited to hear a message about Jesus! Her mom was upstairs sleeping when she opened up one of the pamphlets we have and pointed to a picture at the back. She said, "my mommy and I used to go there (talking about a picture of church). Why don't we go anymore?" At the end, we gave all of the little kids bouncy balls (Sister Anthony and I always carry a ton to give to the kids and to bounce around while we tract) and they just loved them! Anyway, a couple days later at church, the whole family showed up. But guess who else came too?? The little girl and her mom! They hadn't been in such a long time but had finally come again. The little girl had asked her mom if they could come! And there they were.

Well, I love you all!

Special thanks to my roommate Marianne and my brother Caelan this week for making my week. You guys know why. ;)

Also, special thanks to my mom and dad. I love you so much!

Love,

Sister Osman

Learning to rely on Heavenly Father! -- Week 16

Hello Everyone!

It's been another lovely week here in the land of Georgetown/Acton/Brampton/Glenwilliams/etc....

Well, this week was great! We found 15 new investigators. (I honestly don't know how. It's unheard of....) It's crazy because Sister Anthony and I are both so new to the mission. We have no idea what to do with these people, but we sure are trying. But one day we tracted for 5 hours in a row and knocked 106 doors and we found 4 new investigators that day! It's cool; as a missionary you learn how to speak with the Spirit. You start to learn the way to phrase things at the door so that people will understand your message. You learn to find out what interests people right when you see them, and how to approach certain people. You learn how to stay motivated and happy even when you've been on your feet for forever. You learn how to help people see you are passionate about the message you share. You learn how to use your body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions to outwardly demonstrate your inward emotions and thoughts. You learn how to rely on Heavenly Father. You learn to pray even in the middle of a conversation. You start to talk to God randomly cuz you have no one else to talk to. You learn to teach VERY SIMPLY. To the point that you feel dumb. But people understand. You learn how to always pull the conversation back to the message that you share.......you learn how to answer ever question using the Book of Mormon. It's crazy. 

The other day we ran into some doors sales men who were so impressed with us that they asked us to come and demonstrate our message to their entire staff at their company. WHAT A HUGE OPPORTUNITY! And another guy asked us to come do motivational speaking at his fundraiser. It's so cool. I've learned so much. I've grown so much. The way I talk and think is different. They way I interpret peoples emotions and sentences has changed. It's crazy.

Anyway, I honestly don't have much to say this week. I'm just super tired! I hope everyone back home is safe and happy. I love you all!

Sister Osman