23 December, 2013: SKYPE!!

We got to Skype with Calvin on Christmas Day (at about 7:30 PM). We are so grateful to the brother who shared his home with Calvin and his companion on Christmas Day, and let him Skype with us! It was wonderful to talk to him! I got some video of the conversation too, so I can watch it over and over! :-) Merry Christmas to all of you (yes, I know it's the day after Christmas) and we wish you a very Happy New Year filled with blessings of peace. I should mention that the scarf Calvin is wearing is an Ottawa Senators' (ice hockey team) scarf. Our own Binghamton Senators are affiliated with the Ottawa Senators.

Hey all!!!!!!!!!!
 Boy this wek was busy! We had splits with the Zls, then a christmas party, and Two live Nativities. We also had the lady who cancelled her baptism show up to the nativity with her child!!!!!!! YES!!! She still wants to get baptized, so we are super happy about that. Also, one of our investigators came to church. She is super cool! She really enjoyed church, though it was a little on the wierd side. We had a lot of singing in complex formations. It was interesting, and fun. 

   so thats what happened this past week. This week we are going to try to get out to see as many lonely people as we can this week to bring them some holiday cheer. Its so fun to go to someones house, and help them out and see the joy on their faces. Thats been something i have been trying to work on, looking for ways to help people out. I feel like we all need to be more accepting and christian in general, but especially at this time of the year.

  Oh! So We had two cool expiriences thisweek with our neighbors. So one of them, this nice older lady across the hall from us gave us some cookies for thanks giving, so we made her some cookies and gave them to her. Well, she returned the tin we gave the cookies to her in and as she did so, she was like "My mother taught me to never return a dish empty!!" So She had given us some chocolates in return. And the lady who lives directly below us came up and gave us some chocolates, and wished us a merry christmas. So, we were like "WOW thanks!!!" So we are going to have to think of some cool ways to do nice things back to all of them. This will be fun! 

   Any who, I hope all of you have a great Christmas. Remember that Christ our Lord is the center of this wonderful season. Remember the life He lived, and the things and miracles He did. This is a special time to remember the Light He brought into this world.
I love you alll!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reach out to someone else this Christmas!

Love

Calvin

16 December, 2013

Momm

 Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much for the presents!!!! And, now that you sent them to me, I might just have to hand deliver them, OH DARN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) [Calvin had asked us to send some gifts for a family he knew. We sent the family's gifts in the package with his gifts, to save money on postage.] I am sooooooooo happy, because this week quite a few people progressed in our area! Oh yeah, I went on a split with [the other Elder from our Stake] this week. That was a lot of fun. We had some crazy miracles this week. Here's one:  so we were walking down the street, and we suddenly had the idea to make cookies for our investigator whom we haven't seen in a while.  So, we quickly made a mental inventory and came to the conclusion thaat we needed some chocolate chips. So we passed by the woman's house to see if she was home, but she wasn't. So we went back to the end of her street to get on the bus, and we saw this supermarket. Now, we are in the middle of Chinatown. There are only chinese supermarkets which are full of weird creepy sea food, and odd spices, and nice old Chinese women. So, this was a Chinese supermarket, but we were like, maybe just maybe they have choc chips. Now that I think back, that wasn't the brightest train of thought, but we were in a "let's follow the spirit" mode, so we went. We went in for 3 seconds, and said hi to everyone as custom, and this woman accosted me and was like HI I know you! turns out she had overheard me talking about religion with this other guy on the bus and she was super interested, but didnt want to butt in, so she left without saying anything. So now we meet her in this random Chinese market looking for chocolate chips (which they didnt have btw). So we got her number and now I think the sisters are going to contact her. Wow. The LORD is there, and He knows His sheep!!!!!!

 Hey, i love you all, and Christmas will be over skype at this less actives phone. I have no idea right now when we will call. probably early to late afternoon.

I love you ALLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you all have a great christmas

Love

Calvin

9 December, 2013

Hello all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  So, this week was interesting. We realized early this week that the person with a baptismal date had that date THIS WEEEK!!!!!! So, it was a scramble to get things ready, and then she cancelled the baptism. So, that was a bit of a releif, because I didn't want her to get baptized that fast, however, I do feel she is ready to be baptized, I am not sure if she is ready to be an active member of the church, which is what we want. So that took up a large part of our week. Oh, momm, so [the other Elder from our Stake] is my district leader, If i didnt already tell you, and this week we are going to be going on splits together. I hope it goes well! Umm, apart from that, I am just trying to get to know the area, the bus routes, the investigators and less actives, the members. Etc. But this week had a rewally crazy fun side because we had a ward activity for Christmas, and the Ward decided to get creative with it, and made "A Night In Bethlahem." So, basicaly we all dressed up as if we lived in Bethlahem, and went to the Gym, wherein the place was done up like it was a marketplace in Bethlahem. So we ate food that was from the time, and location (which was all really good, btw) and then we had little activities to do, like look up your  name in Hebrew, and learn what a carpenter did, etc. It was a huge success, and at the end of the activity, certain members acted out the Nativity while the rest of us sang hymns. It was super cool! I got a few pictures.

  I am going to ask president about taking videos on your mission, because apparrently he did that or took recorkdings for his journal entries, and I thought that would be a cool idea for my journal. anywho, I love youy all and will talk to you all later!

LOVE!!!!!!
Calvin

Back in Ottawa

2 December, 2013

Hey all!!!!

 So, I am FINALLY BACK IN OTTAWA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAUUUUGGGHHHH!!!!!!!! It's been quite a start as well! We have a baptism coming up this week, and they are soooo cool! Also, bus contacting on the bus is sooo boss! Not much to report now, except I feel wierd being in english.... But I love it. So, momm, I am in the same district as [the other Elder from our Stake] and all the District leaders in my zone are people I know super well, and love a lot, so this is going to be all fun and hard work this transfer. Oh, tell dad that I got to eat with a legit concept artist who moved the dayafter. NNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Lord just wants me to have emails, but nothing else!!! But we had a cool discussion before he left, and he showed me a little bit of his work. So that was cool. The game he is making looks fun. Its about cowboys who fight demons in gladitorial arenas. 

Anywyas, i love you all soooooooooooo much, keep up the good work, and I will send pictures soon!

Calvin

Transfers

25 November, 2013

Hey all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 So, this week was really fun. we were on splits just about all this week, so I served a day in the spanish area ( I felt like a greenie again) and then I went to montreal with one of the assistants. So, I was out of my area ALL this week. Also, we had a zone training meeting this week as well, which was SUPER special and sooo spiritual. So all that was incredable. But, I was out of my area ALL WEEK!!!!!! Geeze, but it was fun. We also got transfer calls this week, and I am going BACK to Ottawa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and serving with one of my BEST friends on the mission, so I am all sorts of excited! They split the Ottawa zone in half, and I get the half with CHAPEL HILL IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  [Chapel Hill is the first area he served in.] AAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Also, [another Elder from our Owego Stake, who is serving in the same mission, but who is Mandarin speaking] is going to be in my zone, in the new mandarine areas, that were just started last transfer! This is going to be an interesting christmas!!

  However, I am soooooooo sad to leave the RIV SUD. I am going to miss all these people here. But, I have many emails, and I will come back to see them after my mission! I have to ! Its a sin if I dont, i live soooooooo close! Any ways, now I just have to make sure my luggage is less than 50 lbs, otherwise I wont be able to go. 

Hope you all are having a wonderful time! 

Momm, I love you!! keep hanging in there!

Chantal, study hard, and keep being awesome! 

Love

Calvin

What a day!

After a night of being up with a puking child, and about 2 hours of sleep, I got this email from Calvin. I happened to catch him while he was typing his emails, and messaged back and forth a little bit about his application to BYU for next Fall. We need to make sure he has been accepted to BYU before we send all the portfolio things for him to apply to the illustration program, so I have been trying to get his general BYU application finished before the end of this month. I also got photos, but I can't post any of them because they have his companions and fellow missionaries in the pictures. Sorry. :-(

So, Not too much by way of News.We had a few people come to church for the second time this week, which was AWESOME!!!! and we had a crazy baptism situation, where we didn't have the key to fill the baptismal font, and by the time we got it, it was REALLY late to fill the font, but we started boiling water for the font, and filling it up as fast as we could, and in the end we got the font filled with water that was actually almost too hot!! We were so happy and we had an investigator and less active show up to the baptism. So, that was the big thing, besides that we learned at the feet of a seventy today, which was FOU!!!! Sooooooo crazy! That was our week, Elder Piper, Service, baptism church. Eat breathe sleep. So cool! 

So that was essentially this week. 

Happy Veteran's Day!

Hey momm!!!

 So, this week was super awesome!!!!!!!!!! We had an investigator come to church who is super solid, and we are hoping that he will [make] a date for baptism soon! we also had a miracle where a less active member showed up to church this week, and he brought his two little girls with him! He wants to come back, and when we visited him this week, after he committed himself to come to church, we asked him, `would it be alright if we called you this week?`and he said yes, but take my word that I will be there, I am a man of my words and if I say I`ll be there, then I`ll be there!  so that was super awesome! we are so excited because the sisters in our ward have a baptism this week, and it looks like she will be super solid. She has been coming to church for a while now. so thats exciting. as well, we have had miracles with another less active man. he came to church this week, and he sang in the choir, and is doing really well. the members are doing a FABULOUS job with fellowshipping him. they invite him to family home evenings and stuff like that. Also, the guy I told you about last week, who showed up to the church and took us being here as his answer, we finally saw him this week, and he is set with a date for baptism for the 1 febuary 2014, which is his birthday!! right now we are trying to get him transfered to the ward closer to his home, but he wants to go to our ward, and be baptized here, so we will see how that works out.

Also, we had a super awesome mission leadership council with a member of the 70 there. It was one of the most powerful expiriences I have ever had!!!!!!! He opened up to doctrine and covenants section 1 and explained how the Lord`s vision is that all men and women speak in the name of the Lord, as moved by the Holy Ghost. It was a super eye opener! The spirit was soo strong there. The work of the Lord is moving forward faster than ever!!! 

  I hope that all is going well, know that I pray for you all, and that I think of you often.

LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Calvin

Yay! Another Update!

[I have started with the letter I got today, and put the last two weeks' letters after today's.]

4 November, 2013
Hellllooooooo everybodyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Momm!!!!!!
So, this week was crazy!!!!!!!!!!! We had such SUPER spiritual expiriences!!! I will try to get the best ones that I can remember. So, Tuesday night we were sitting in the chapel after a lesson there, and we were trying to make calls, but for some reason we could not stay focused. We were talking, then would remmeber to do our calls, then we would get sidetracked, so basically we spent an hour trying to do these calls, and finally we were like `OK, last call then we gotta leave` Then after the call, someone knocks on the door. We are like `ok, just a member who doesnt have a key`. so we let him in. The first things he says are Hello, I was receiving the missionary lessons from the sisters two years ago, but I couldnt get baptized because of a delicate family situation, but now things have changed, and i want to get baptized. So we were like OK' we can help you!!! And as it turns out the best part of this story is that he had left work that day, and prayed to Heavenly Father, and said `ok Lord, today is the day, I am going to the church, and if someone is there today to tell me this is the true church, then I will take that as my sign to join that church. `and we were there when he showed up. HOW CRAZY IS THAT????????????  So, we are going to take it slowly with him. 

  Another story, earlier that same day, we FINALLY got a lesson with this woman, and we brought one of the brothers that we dont usually go out with. Turns out he was PERFECT. he was doing really well helping us explain things and at the end he asked her if she would like a preisthood blessing and she accepted, and it was a VERY powerful experience. And, she CAME TO CHURCH THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so excited, and I hope all is going well at home, and abroad, sorry today was so short, but we have little time to write. 

I love you all!!!!!!!

Calvin 

28 October, 2013
Momm, 

So, what happened this week... tons happened this week, we had splits with some other missionaries, we had a really good stake conference in the presence of Elder Olsen, our area seventy, and we had one of the most spiritual mission leadership councils I have ever had in my life!!!! Mission leadership council is when the Mission President, the Assistants and all the Zone Leaders get together to talk about the mission. i love every second of it! This one was good, because president talked about what he learned in the mission president`s seminar with Elder Nelson. He said it was amazing, and shared what he learned from it with us. Wow, we have a lot to talk about for this weeks zone training meeting. I`m looking forward to it. 

 Then we had some amazing miracles yesterday! After stake conference, we went and had a lesson with a kid. That was a good lesson, and I feel like my comp taught in a very unified way. Then, we went to a less active`s house for another meeting. This was one of the most spiritual lessons I have ever had in my life. This man is ``the most active less active you will ever meet`` to quote Elder Christensen. We showed him this video   http://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/members-and-missionaries?lang=eng

and he loved it!!!! We also showed him where he can find alll the Motab songs online, and he LOVED it!! He called us later to thank us again! Sooo cool! 

 Momm, Know that I  love you, I think of you lots, and make sure you keep doing awesome , fun things! 

Chantal, I love you!

Love!!!!!!!!!!!!

Calvin

21 October, 2013

[I should preface this with a few comments. I have started to write to Calvin AND Chantal, and another friend of ours, so my letters to Calvin have expanded a little. Also, I used Google translate to translate this because my brain hasn't been very well lately so I can't really think to translate, but I did edit the translation a little so it made more sense. :-) ]

Momm, 

  Jèspere que toute va bien pour vous toujours. Chaque semaine je suis TRES reconnaissant pour tous l`aide que Dieu vous donne. C`est incroyable pour moi! cette semaine etait tres bien! On a eu un neauveau Dirigeant de mission de paroisse la semaine passe, et il a lu toute les manuels au sujet de cette appel. Aussi, il a lu le hauter l`ouvre du salut ( hastening the work of salvation) et precher mon evangile, et il est le meilleure dirigeant de mission de paroisse que jài eu depuis un longtemps! On a haut de travailler avec lui! Aussi, on a plannifie le baptême. C`etait formidable! un des choses qu`il nous a dit c`est qu`il veut que nos amies de l`eglise sont enseigne chez les membres. Ca sera TRES bon pour nous parce que avec ca on va avoir les amis chez les membres ( qui peut etre les fellowshippers pour eux) ou ils peuvent ressentir l`amour que les membres ont pour eux. ca va aider les membres aussi de ressentir l`esprit travaille a travers eux. Je peut temoigne que cette esprit que les membres vont ressentir ( et vous aussi) est l`un des plus grandes sentiments qu`on peut jamais ressentir. Je l`ai ressenti! Combien des amis de l`eglise est-ce que les soeurs (et les elders) ont maitenant? Est-ce qu`il y a des amis qu`nous pouvons inviter chez nous pour un souper, ou un soiree familiale? Ca sera un bon excuse d`en avoir! 

  En tout cas, cette semaine on a eu des beaux expiriences avec l`esprit. On a passe chez un potentiel apres que on a prie pour savoir ou on dois aller, et il a accepte un autre rendez vouz! L`oeuvre progres! Oh! Et on a eu un lecon avec notre amie, C`etait tres bien passe! Elle veut se faire baptiser. Mais la lecon etait un miracle parce que ca fait 3 semaines qu`on l`a pas vu! Et, ELLE EST VENU A L`EGLISE CETTE SEMAINE!!!!!!!!!!! AAUUUGGHH! 

En tout cas, merci pour tout vos corriels! Je vous aime!

I hope that all goes well for you always . Every week I am VERY grateful for all the help that God gives you. It `s amazing to me ! this week was very good! We had a new ward mission leader this week, and he read all the manuals about this calling. As he read the Measuring Up's work of salvation (Hastening the work of salvation) and Preach My Gospel , and he is the best ward mission leader that I've had in a long time! I'm excited to work with him! Also , it was baptism Plan with [an investigator and the new ward mission leader]. It was great! One of the things that he told us is that he would like the investigators to be taught in the homes of the church members. It is VERY good for us because with this, the investigators will have friends among members (who may be the fellowshippers for them) or they can feel the love that members have for them. it'll also help members to feel the Spirit working through them . I can attest that this spirit that members will feel (and you) is one of the greatest feelings that we can ever feel . I felt it! How many investigators do the sisters ( and elders ) have now? Do they have investigators that we can invite home for dinner or a family home evening ? It will be good to have an excuse to invite them!

  Anyway, this week we had some beautiful experiences with the spirit . We went to a potential after we prayed to know where we should go, and he accepted another appointment! The work is progressing ! Oh ! And we had a lesson with an investigator and we took a member with us and that went very well ! She wants to be baptized. But the lesson was a miracle because it's been three weeks that we haven't seen her! And SHE CAME TO CHURCH ` THIS WEEK ! ! ! ! AAUUUGGHH !

In any case, thank you for all your corriels! [Yah, see, Google translate had no idea what this was either] I love you!

Hey I love you all!

Chantal, work hard, and have no fear! Study hard, and get to know your teachers! They have TONS of info for you! 

Momm, LOVE YOU!!!!!

Calvin

Starting from this week, and adding the previous two weeks

14 October, 2013

Hello all!!!!!!!

 So, this week we had TRANSFER CALLS!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAUUUUGGGHHHH!!!!! But [my companion] and I stayed the same, so we are going to have fun this transfer. i am determined to have more fun! Because if your not having fun, your not doing it right! So, this week was one of the harder ones, because my companion and I basically dropped most of the people we have been seeing. People are so busy these days, they hardly have any time, which sucks for us because we are rarely on or near the top of people's lists, which I understand. We just yearn for more solid investigators. We usually go for sketchier people and more poor people because they are the ones who live on welfare and want something, anything to hold onto in this life. But I enjoy working in richer areas, because people are much nicer, and when you do find people, they are usually MUCH more solid, because if its important, they MAKE the time for it. Plus members love seeing people who arent so weird! Its another point, we like to share, if the members help us teach their friends and family, if they give us solid refferals, then these people are more likely to stay in the church, and put their effort into the church. Its just a question of priorities on all sides. Anyways, that was my rant for this week. Other than that, we had an investigator tell us that he wanted to get baptised last week, then he asked for a break from religion, and now he came back to church, and is wanting to get baptised soon! So, we are going to have to really explain to him what it will take to be a member. He's an interesting man, and I hope he gets baptized for the right reasons, and decides to do whatever is asked of him to the best of his ability. He could do lots for the church. 

  As for the rest of the week, we had a good week working with less actives! Sunday, we had TONS of people there! We had LOTS of people go out to our samedi de sauftage ( basically we go visit less actives, and try to get them to come back) It was a BOOMING success! THis was great, because this sunday, we had the ward conference, and we had the stake presidency there. So, there were LOTS of great things that happened this week for us. Oh, we got a new Ward Mission Leader. We are SOOOOOOOOOO excited to have him as our Ward mission leader, because he will do this job right! [Calvin mentioned him in his letter the 30th of September] I cannot wait to work with him. He also is a gallery artist, and added bonus, not that I get to talk to all these artists much about art, we are so busy with missionary work! Im gonna miss this ward when i leave. They are all so cool. Man, its sooo odd to see people who dont speak french who live here. Its nice being in a bilingual country. c'est cool, c'est chouette, tiggido ca slide! 

 any who, I hope all is going well for you all. Momm, By the way, the man eating dog loves us now! Some random dude gave us dog treats which we gave to her, which changed EVERYTHING! [I did tell him to bring dog treats but does he listen to me? Noooooo. But he'll listen to some random dude. *facepalm*] Soooo cool, I wish though we could give human treats to the guy that threatened us this week. That was interesting. I'm just glad for all your prayers that keep me safe! [I pray every single day that he'll be safe. Sometimes two or three or a hundred times, as I'm sure all missionary moms do.]

 Well, love you all, 

Chantal, study hard! Work hard, have fun 'cause if your not having fun, you aint doing it right!

Momm, Love life! It's soooo awesome! Be a good mission mom to those sister missionaries,  and the elders too, I guess. [There is more I can do for the Sister missionaries, like invite them to dinner during the week, but I try to make sure I help the Elders as much as I can.]

Love!

Calvin

7 October, 2013

Hey Momm!!!!!!

So, I felt the spirit super strong this conference. On a personal note, I thought of you throughout all of Elder Holland's talk. I was touched with the tenderness I saw in him talking about people who struggle with problems like depression. I was so glad the Lord showed each of us how much He loves us, using one of His chosen apostles to convey this message. I got from that talk that we all need to be sensitive to each others problems, and we need to show forth the love we have for each other. The messages I got from conference were that each member can help with this work, in very real ways, and they are exactly what missionaries are looking for. I also got that yes, we each have a role in the family, and they are each very important, and NONE can be diminished, nor ignored. I  got that life is tough, but count your blessings, and its ok to ask the Lord for help. The Lord will help if we have a desire and faith! Also, we must be humble, and be willing to turn OUT to help others. This conference was one of the better ones I have seen, and not just because President Monsen said so! 

Momm, I know you are being good missionaries, I stress this because i want to be the awesome missionary who used his influence to help out his family back home, and the missionaries back home to do the great work there! [I asked him what a Sister missionary might like for her birthday because one of our Sister missionaries here had a birthday and she was coming over for dinner that night.] Let's see, what would a sister want for her missionary birthday? probably some way to get all the member presents she wants that week. So, probably something like a member to come with her for all the lessons that day, or a solid refferal, and a member to introduce them, or a FHE with a nonmember family in a members house. Something like that.

  This week for us was good, but hecktic. One of our investigators was picked back up this week ( after he had dropped us) then he wanted to get baptized this week, but then he had an interview with the bishop, that didnt go soo well in his opinion, soooo he asked us for a week long break from religion. So, that was what was going on this week. Also, we got a few less active members to come to conference, and some investigators as well! So I was STOKED this week. It was fun! 

 So that was my week. Nothing too new, just the same old. But I'm having a lot of fun! 

Love you all! 

Calvin

[For those of you who are wondering what the "Conference" is that he's talking about, it's a General Conference we have every 6 months in our church. It is broadcast from Salt Lake City, UT and you can peruse it here if you'd like: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2013/10?lang=eng  ]

30 September, 2013

Momm,

 I have seen this week how the Lord works through everyone. We had a lesson with an investigator who was curious about the church, but he wasnt going to go anywhere really, so we had a lesson with him, and we brought a member from our ward there. It was incredible! The lesson started out with the man going on about how he is feeling towards the world at this time, about different world events, but the conversation turned more spiritual, we read with him 3 nephi 11 and he thought that was cool, but then the member jumped in and testified with power about the book of mormon, about how he knows its true, and the whole lesson changed. The investigator got super interested, i feel he was touched by what was said, and the spirit was SO STRONG! It was funny because he was testifying about stuff like archaeological evidences for the Book of Mormon, and other things that we werent sure how they would fit in with this investigators' needs, but it was PERFECT for that investigator! I was so amazed! Then, we brought another member to a less active lesson, and this member was the one who baptized the less active. We have had trouble going anywhere with her, but while he was there, it helped out SO much! 

  This week has just been full of miracles for us! 

Thank you momm, for all that you do for me. I am so blessed to have a mother as faithful as you, someone who cares about me, who worries about me, and who is just so amazing! I love you sooo much, and I miss you tons! 

Love

your son

Calvin

23 September, 2013

Momm,   Well, this week was full of miracles! We had to do splits with another Elder so his companion could go to the temple with a recent convert, and it was super fun! we did our studies in the chapel, and got to sing our morning hymn with the piano!!! But the best part was that we walked out of the sacrament room, and saw half of the chicoutimi branch!!!!!! We flipped out, saying hi, and catching up with all thats going on!! I was soooooo happy!!! So, thats one of the miracles we had this week. One of the others was our less active friend brought us to his friends house to meet his friend who is now a new investigator. Then, the next day [another] investigator came to church and LOVED it!!! That was super cool! We also had a potluck, and TONS of less actives that werent there at church came to the potluck! I was SOO happy, and astounded. It was a great success! So, our week has just been FULLLLLLL of miracles! Oh yeah, one of the less active ladies has us walk her man eating dog at night, which is really fun, because the dog is super nice when you both are away from her owner! Super fun! [Sounds like Bailey, so he has had lots of practice! Maybe he should bring treats?] Oh yeah, I got into a bike accident this week. [WHAT? These are not the things mothers like to hear!] I paid the price for the follies of my youth. [Um, not quite, but good try.] We were racing on a dirt track, and I was on a street bike. So I have some small scratches all over. Figured Id tell you since its an interesting thing that happened this week. Dont worry momm, I think i learned a lesson. (or did I) So, that was the week in a nutshell. Oh yeah, we challenged one of our investigators to quit smoking this week! She gave us all her cigarettes and her lighters as well! I have been contemplating making a lighter bandolier from all the people we help stop smoking, and having each person sign their lighters. Maybe... Anyways, things are going super well! My companion plays D&D, video games, and loves nerdy things, and we found an investigator who is SUPER into stuff like that, so Im having tons of fun! Love you!!! Keep up the good work!!! LOVE!Calvin

Pictures!

I hope his companion is taking this picture! And Calvin is driving!? Eek!

I'm assuming this is a road to Chicoutimi.

Waiting for the ferry to Rimouski. If the ferry was closed, Calvin had to drive from Chicoutimi to Quebec City and cross the river there, then drive all the way back up the other side to Rimouski. This ferry is at the headwaters of the St. Lawrence River.

Yay! The ferry!

A book vending machine on the ferry. I have never seen one of these before.

The steak and lobster dinner Calvin promised his fellow missionaries.

I'm assuming this is a picture to show the white pull tab in case someone is stuck in a trunk? You get some WEIRD pictures from your missionary sometimes!!!

The Last Three Weeks

3 September, 2013

Momm,

 Well this week was interesting. We had to do exchanges with 3 teams this week, the assistants, drummondville, and lemoyne. I was in our area for 2 out of the 3 of those days, so I got to learn the area better. Transfers came, and [my companion] is leaving. So, I will be receiving a [new companion]. I have heard a LOT about him, because he served in Many of the same areas I served in, and trained one of my former companions. So I'm excited to have him. I'm super excited about one of the Less active members who is here in Longueuil that we are working with. C'est un homme avec un temoinage fort de Jesus Christ et Dieu. On a haut parce que il a confie beaucoup des choses en nous pendant notre lecon. On peut mieux l'aider fortifier son temoignage de l'eglise et nos prophets. Il a beaucoup de potential d'etre un detenteur de le pretrise formidable!

Okay, so basically he says the less active member has a strong testimony and he asks lots of questions during their lessons, and they're working to strengthen his testimony of the church and our prophets. He has a great potential to be a strong priesthood holder.

  Est-ce qu'il y a des membres moins pratiquant, ou des familles partiellement membres que je peut ecrire pour les aider? J'ai beaucoup pense a cela

He wants to know if there are less active members or part-member families in the Greene Branch that he can write to and perhaps help them. He's been thinking a lot about it. Then he shared one of his concerns and how he wants to help - and admonished us to be better missionaries ourselves.

[I am so grateful that Calvin cares so much about these people he has come to love, and that he is realizing the blessings of the Gospel. I have seen great blessings in our lives this year because of living the Gospel. For those of you who read this, and have questions, please feel free to ask us about what Calvin is doing and why we feel it's so important. Yes, missionary work is about preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but it is also about teaching people about who we are. Should you be worried that we will try to convert you to our religion? No. Not at all. My main goal with this blog is to share what Calvin is doing, and to let each of you see how his life is changing while he is away for two years. If you have questions, we will answer them as best we can.]

Mama, Papa, et mes soeurs, je vous aime!!

Avec tout amour

Mom, Dad, and my sisters, I love you!

With all my love

9 September, 2013

Hey Momm!!

  Donc, cette semaine était tres occupe, on a fait beaucoup des choses. Avec les transferes, on a fait un reunion de zone, puis un echange, et on a eu beaucoup des autres choses. [Okay this week was really busy, we did a lot of things. With transfers we had a zone reunion and an exchange, and a lot of other things.] I gotta do this email in english to be fast. So, I have a new companion, and he has a lot of energy. He is driven to keep this work moving forward. He already served in this area, so he already knows everyone here, and he has some ties that could help us in the long run. We are VERY busy now. We have one investigator who we are trying to help stop smoking, but we feel she could get her date for baptism. She even CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!! We were soooooo excited, and one thing that helped her out was that there was one family with one little child who was super excited to see her there, and they kept smiling at her in sacrament meeting, and making her feel very welcome. So, I was super greatful for that. We also had a less active brother come to church again!!! So that was super cool!!! We are making progress with our area, so we are excited about that, and I hope we can get things really going. [My companion] is bound and determined to bring all his former investigators and friends in the ward back into the fold. I'm excited to see how all this will turn out! 

 Yeah, so thats' the life of a missionary, pretty repetitive. Well, I hoep all goes well, for all of you, sorry this letter is short but we have lots to do!

  Momm, know how I love you, and that I think of you often, and I hope that all goes well for you! 

Love!!!!!!!!!!

Calvin

16 September, 2013

Momm

So, this week went well. We are SUPER busy. [My companion] is FULL of energy, and love for the work, and this ward. Its super cool because he served here before, so he is finding all his former investigators, and all his converts, and we are working super close with them to get them to come back. Lots of them are reacting really well, and are becoming super solid investigators. so, big news. Well, our Hatian investigator is doing really well. She is committing to stop smoking, and one of the other members, who is Hatian, helped us a lot during the lesson we had with her. We are REALLY excited about her. The other news was we were SUPER close to helping our excommunicated member quit smoking. SOOOO close! But he just needs a little bit of time. So, we are going to keep working with him on that. One of our other investigators, has accepted a date for baptism in january, but he just left for vacation for 3 weeks. Argh! But, we will have plenty of time to work with him when we get back. Oh, another miracle was that we got in contact with our investigator from mexico, who we lost contact with for almost a month, but we just found again!!!!!!!! We have another rendez vous with her this week, so we are SUPER excited about that. also, we met this kid, who thought we were TJs and we said we were mormons, and he was like, I wanna be a mormon, so we were like COOL! when can we come over, so he gave us his adress and phone number. SOOOOOOO Cool!

Momm, and family, 

know that I love you

I think about you often, 

but not tooo often!

LOVE!!

Calvin

So that brings us up to date so far! Sorry it's been 3 weeks! But Chantal did start BYU Idaho in there and I cannot believe how many phone calls and texts it takes to get a college student settled, and her schedule figured out - because one of her professors said she should take this 4-credit class NOW and she had to drop two 2-credit classes to make room for it. AGH!

Gasp! I am actually posting the same day?!

I used Google Translate to help me with what Calvin wrote today. Here's what it said:


Hey momm!
Dont worry about Chantal! You Will Be ble to skype her EVERYDAY if you want to, or call her up on a phone. And email, and instant messages, and all lots of ways to communicate. It'll be WAY better than me on my mission. That I just hope she gets as much as I was growing expirience.
Ban, so this week was very busy, due to the fact that we had our conference area, aves of trade, then one of our missionaries had a temple trip with one of his converts, ca it was cool, but he was the third wheel in our group. But the week ended, and another that is occupied PLUS begins, because we need to do three exchanges this week, and it's called payment transfer this Saturday. Wow, talk about was alive. oh, so we board the area on Friday. it's crazy ... In any case, in our neighborhood, we focus on working with people less active. With that, we hope to find more friends. OH! Something cool this week was that we had a less active father back to the meeting of St. cene! It was very happy, and also his family. Everyone was atonne he returned. The Lord benis us this week! With i-pads, we do not know when we will have them. Personally, I hope it's after my mission, because I know there have many missionaries who will use it in a bad way, and I do not want to quibble with them about it. But that's life. It myself, I'm not perfect-plus. Momm, some things you can do as a family to help the missionaries is to invite people you know are interested in the church home for a party or a dinner, or some things like that, and then you can invite missionaries to us at the same time. It is how we give referances to the missionaries. Also, you can go with the missionaries to contact people who are less active we know very well. It will help them a lot. Even if there are Features that what has come over leglise and their tresa knows well, invite missionaries to go with you to this person, to contact him. Sorry for this little discourse about the missionary work, but now I understand that the members do not know what we must do as members to help the missionaries. Oh, also, be good friends with the friends of the church missionaries! Prompts them to dinner! It will help them a lot!
In any case, know that I love you! I think about you a lot, but not too much.
I love you!
Calvin
Oh, one of our less active, she told me to say that she said "your parents, they will be proud of you."

[OY!]

Here's what he wrote:
Hey momm!!!

Dont worry about Chantal! You will be able to skype her EVERYDAY if you want to, or call her up on a phone. And email, and instant message, and all sorts of ways to communicate. It'll be WAY better than me on my mission. I just hope that she gets as much a growing expirience as me. 

Ban, donc, Cette semaine était tres occupe, au cause du fait que on a eu notre conference de zone, aves des echanges, puis un des nos missionnaires a eu un voyage au temple avec un de ses convertis, ca c'etait cool, mais il etait le troisieme wheel dans notre groupe. Mais la semaine a fini, et un autre qui est PLUS occupe commence, parce que nous devons faire 3 exchanges cette semaine, et c'est l'appelle des transfères cette samedi. Wow, ca c'etait vit. oh, aussi on a le conseil de zone  ce vendredi. c'est fou... En tout cas, dans notre cartier, on se focalise sur le travaille avec les gens moins actif. Avec ca, on espere de trouver plus des amis. OH!!! Quelque choses cool cette semaine etait que nous avons eu un pere moins actif revienne pour la reunion de sainte cene!!! On etait tres content, et aussi sa famille. Tout le monde etait atonne qu'il est revenu. Le Seigneur nous a benis cette semaine!  Avec les i-pads, on sais pas quand on va les avoir. Personellement, j'espere que c'est apres ma mission, parce que je sais qu'il y aurais beaucoup des missionaires qui va les utiliser dans un mauvaise facon, et je ne veut pas chicaner avec eux a ce sujet. Mais, c'est la vie. Moi meme, je ne suis pas parfait non-plus. Momm, quelque choses que vous pouvez faire comme famille pour aider les missionnaires est d'inviter les gens que vous savez sont intéressé dans l'eglise chez nous pour un fete, ou un souper, ou quelque choses comme ca, et puis, vous pouvez inviter les missionaires chez nous au meme temps. Ca c'est comment on donne les referances aux missionaires. Aussi, vous pouvez aller avec les missionaires pour contacter les gens qui sont moins actif qu'on connais tres bien. Ca leur aidera beaucoup. Meme, s'il y a quel q'un qui ne vienne plus a leglise et on leur connait tresa bien, invite les missionaires aller avec vous chez cette person, pour le contacter. Desole pour cette petit discourse au sujet de l'oeuvre missionaire, mais maintenant, je comprends que les membres ne savent pas qu'est-ce que nous devons faire comme membres pour aider les missionaires. Oh, aussi, sois les bonnes amis avec les amis de l'eglise des missionnaires! Invites les pour souper!! Ca leur aidera beaucoup!

En tout cas, sais que je t'aime! Je pense a vous beaucoup, mais pas trop. 

Je vous aime!!! 

Calvin

Oh, l'un de nos moins actives, elle m'a dit de vous dit que elle a dit "vos parents, Ils vont etre fier de vous." 

I'm glad his French is coming along, but . . .

These last weeks Calvin has written to me in French. I am so happy his foreign language skills are improving,  however it has been 20+ years since I have spoken French at all on a regular basis, and my mind isn't what it used to be, so it takes me a while. (Plus my translator MOVED TO UTAH on me!! AGH!)

8 August, 2013
Momm,

 Donc cette semaine etait tres bien! On a trouvé quelque familles partiellement membre d'enseigner, ou ban d'essayer! Puis, on a eu un rendez vous avec notre dirigeant de mission de paroisse et avec le 2me conseiller de la college des anciens, donc, on a trouvé BEAUCOUP d'information. On a haut, parce que on a deux amis de l'eglise avec un date de baptême. Alors, l'oeuvre progrès tres rapidement. [Rough translation: This week was really good. We found some part member families to teach. Then we had a meeting with leadership and we learned a lot. (something) we have two investigators with a date for baptism. The work is progressing quickly.]

 Aujourd'hui on a tué un oiseau avec notre voiture. C'etait un peut triste mais on veut prendre d'avantage de cette situation. On va le prendre d'un marie d'un membre, et lui demander s'il peut taxidermie le oiseau. ca nous donnerais un occasion de parler avec lui, et on peut avoir un oiseau!! Dit a papa que il y a beaucoup des membres ici qui sont des artists! L'eveque est un concept artist aussi. I will continue in a sec  [Rough translation: Today we killed a bird with our car. It was a little sad but we took davantage of the situation. The husband of a member is a taxidermiste and we asked him if he would stuff the bird. It gave us an opportunity to talk with him and we'll have a stuffed bird! Tell Dad that there are a lot of members here who are artists. Our Bishop is a concept artist too.]

[As I was reading this and translating to the family, Sophie became worried about the little bird. "Was it a baby bird?" she wanted to know. We only had this first message, so I typed back to him. Then we got the second longer message below, and then this short message:]

Non, C'etait pas un bebe, c'etait un adult. Vous avez traduit le message tres vit! [No, it wasn't a baby, it was an adult. You translated my email very quickly! Okay, so maybe my skills aren't as rusty as I think they are, but for those of you who speak French better than I do, my translations are VERY rough. I have the greatest respect for those who translate our scriptures and our church magazines!!] 

Ok, Je suis encore la. Oui, on fait pas trop grand choses cette semaine, Plus les choses comme le porte a porte, et les passbyes. Pas beaucoup, mais on vois les fruits. Je peut voir les fruits, et la vision de cette paroisse.  Il va devenir tres grand. Des choses qui nous aide beaucoup c'est le fait qu'on a des dirigeants qui ont l'enthusiasme pour leurs appells. [Rough Translation: Okay, I'm back again. Yes we didn't do big things this week, just door to door and passbyes. Not a lot but we have seen results. I can see the work and the vision of this ward. (RGH!! For some reason this computer won't let me write the exact translation of the sentence!! GRRR!) It w i l l be (HAH! outsmarted the thing!) very large. The things that help us the most are members who have enthusiasm for their callings.]

  oui, mama, tout le monde part, mais c'est bien, ne t'inquiète pas, ils vont retourner. on va pas vous lesser tout seul dans le monde (mais vous etes pas tout seul, vous avez toujours papa) on va retourner, je te promis. Chantal va retourner, mais peut etre elle sera mariée. j'ai aucune idee. 

 En tout cas, je t'aime, je vous aime tous, et on va se parler plus tard. 

JE T'AIME!!!!!

Calvin  [Rough translation: Yes, Mom, all the world is leaving but it's okay, don't let it trouble you, they will return. No one will leave you all alone in the world (but you are never all alone, you always have Dad), we will return I promise. Chantal will return, but maybe she'll be married. I have no idea. In any case, I love you. I love you all and we'll talk later (when he gets home I'm assuming). I LOVE YOU!!!!!

*another mail later*

Oh, le nom de notre Eveque est Gingras. Si papa veut le rechercher. Il travaille a ubisoft, sur assasins' creed.

[The name of our Bishop is Gingras. If Dad wants to look him up. He works at Ubisoft, on Assasins' Creed.]

*and I didn't find this email until about Wednesday*

OH! est-ce que tu peut m'envoyer un recit pour calamari? Je vois les calamari chaque fois on est dans le magasin, et je veut l'acheter. Oh, et est-e que papa peut m'envoyer quelque photos de l'art de Jerry Beck? SVP!!!! Merci, je t'aime!

[OH! Could you send me a recipe for Calamari? (shudder, ICK) I have seen calamari every time we're in the store and I'd like to buy it. Oh, and could Dad send me some photos of Jerry Beck's art? Please? Thanks, I love you!]

19 August, 2013

Hey Momm!!!! 

   Well, all is going well here, wer are working hard, trying to get stuff moving in our area, and things are coming. We are seeing success, and I can see this area progressing. We've found TONS of Part member famillies, so we are trying to focus on them. 

  Il n'y a pas grand choses qui s'eppasse cette sermaine. C'est just qu'on fait notre travaille. Oh, on a eu in petit accident en moto cette semaine. C'etait just un scratch, donc, c'etait pas des choses TROP grand. on n'est pas blesse, on est tout en santé. Oh, notre zone a un autre district, donc ca nous donne 4 districts dans notre zone, et ca nous donne, comme 29-30 missionaires dans notre zone. Quelque choses comme ca. Plus de responsabilité, challyn, je le déteste, mais c'est fun d'avoir quelque choses de faire. Vous avez conduit un audi, SICK!!! C'est fun. Moi, j'ai conduit un jour cette semaine, et je suis un peut dessous, parce que je dois practiquer un peut plus. J'ai perdu beaucoup de qu'est-ce que j'ai appris a chicoutimi!! GRR. Mais c'est bien. Hier c'etait bien pour moi d'aller au reunion de sainte-cene, l'esprit la bas me manque pendant la semaine. ET, au reunion de sainte-cene, on a eu un membre excommunie venir !!!! Avec sa blonde!!! On etais TRES content!!!!! 

Momma, je t'aime, et tu me manque beaucoup!!! tous les membres de notre famille! Je vous aime!! 

Calvin

[Rough translation: Nothing big happened this week. Just working. Oh, we were in a little car accident this week. Just a scratch, so, nothing TOO big. We're not wounded, we're fine. Our zone has another district, so that gives us 4 districts in our zone and gives us 29-30 missionaries in our zone. Something like that. More responsibility, challenge?, I don't like it but it's fun to have things to do. You drove an Audi? SICK!! That's fun. Me, I drove one day this week and I am a little down because I have to practice a little more. I have lost a lot that I learned in Chicoutimi! Grr. But it's okay. Yesterday was good for me to go to a meeting. The Spirit will stay with me all week. And at the meeting, an excommunicated member came! With his girlfriend! We were very happy. Mom, I love you and I miss you a lot! All our family members! I love you all!]

It's August? Already?

I have no excuses. Just apologies. I'll have to admit to myself that I am not good at all at keeping up with this blog. I keep trying to do better and I do worse. Maybe I should try to do worse? Then I'd do better? Hmmm. I'm pretty sure reverse psychology doesn't work on me. In any case, here are the emails since July 4th (remember we went to Boldt Castle the week of the 4th):

8 July, 2013
Hey Momm, 

 So this week was really busy. apart from the baptism, it wasnt the best week in the world, but with the baptism it was!!!!!! I'm so excited that it happened, but I want to make sure she understands everything. We just gotta get those new member lessons going! So, super excited abut her! 

   We also have a baptism coming up in 2 weeks. Super nice guy, who truly wants to follow Christ. He was Muslim before, but he believed that Christ was the Son of God, instead of just a prophet, as most of the Muslim community does. Really cool guy, who accepts everything we teach him. 

  Other than that, things have been going well. I love my companion, and we are getting along really well. I just hope I can learn everything he has to teach me!

  It's been the same for the last while, tracting, lessons, DA's (tons, by the way), striving to be more obedient, and just loving the mission. Oh, this week, we went to Montréal for zone study, and to meet our new mission president. He is truly prepared. I was nervous that I wouldnt feel the same love for them as i felt for the Cannons, but that was quickly taken away. They are going to do a great work here. President Patrick is already stressing member work, and working with ward leaders. Luckily our Ward leaders are already super on the ball with everything! Members are sooooooo important, especially inviting investigators over to their house. And inviting friends to your house to eat a meal goes a long way! The person who was baptized this week was super prepared by the members, the members invited her over to eat all the time, they were right there for her the whole time. That is a missionary's dream member family. I just hope that when I get off my mission I can do the same!

  So, yeah going to Montréal was super fun! It's COVERED in graffiti tags, and pictures, and cool stuff like that. I will probably NEVER be a missionary there because I wont be able to pay attention to what i'm doing, I'll be so distracted by all the cool stuff going on around me! 

  So, I'm glad to hear all is going well at home, and that everyone had such a fun time at the castle! I was just thinking during sacrament and priesthood about all the things I'll have to do with you all when I get back! Especially spending time with the girls. I thought a lot about that only because they were talking about families, and stuff like that

Well, Love you all TONS!!!

Calvin

15 July, 2013

Momm

Ok, now for the real email!

So, those baptisms didnt work out. We have one whom will have to stop smoking for him to get baptised, but that's not bad, because he still wants to get baptised, and he is getting professional help to stop smoking. [I included this little bit because I think it is amazing that someone would pay the money to get professional help to quit smoking just so they can be baptized. This man must have incredible faith. And I am humbled that he is asking for help to overcome a habit that he cannot overcome himself. I think there are a few habits I could use help overcoming.] the other one is still on!

Well, this week was slow. We did TONS of knocking because all of our investigators went away for the week, but we found tons of cool people, and had one SUPEr creepy experience. I'll have to tell you about it when I get home, it's too creepy.** But, this week went well besides that. Last night we went to a meeting with the mission president, the zoneleaders of quebec zone, and the stake president and his councillor, and the stake mission leader, it was cool and they outlined for us what they want to do for this stake, and taught us about keys, and line of authority, and stuff like that. It was super cool. So, we got home last night, with our mission president's permission, at 10:39. The other elders in our appartment were worried about us, they had called and texted twice. 

  Well that's a look at my life now. I have just been thinking a lot about the blessings I have received from the mission, and I feel soooooooo blessed! One of the Elders, Elder Lucas, who is from tahiti, we were talking about who we were going to mary, and he was like, "You will marry a beautiful woman, that's one of the blesssings of your mission! that's how the Lord pays you back," and I was like , "Yeah,but he has ALREADY paid me back with all these blessings DURING my mission! " It's nuts. 

 tell Sophie that I think about her a lot, and I plan to spend LOTS of time with her, and do fun things with her! Did I twell you about the dream I had a while ago where I came back, and Sophie spoke fluent french? That was super fun! 

I am so glad your concert went well, and that everyone adored sophie! 

Is Chantal heading out to college soon? I hope she sends me pictures of her experience, and I cant wait to write her about it.

tell Miranda that I cant wait for her to blow me away with her next art work. How much did that guy pay her for the book?!?!

Love you!!!

Calvin

**I wrote to him about this experience and I explained that he cannot just say he had a creepy experience and leave me to wonder! Not that I necessarily WANT to know the details, just that I want to know he's safe.

22 July, 2013

Hey Momm!!!!!!

  So, that scary expirience, wasnt too too bad, it was just some creepy lady, that's all. It was just weird. But, off of wierd stuff, we had an ok week this week, goal wise. We had to do knocking, and passbyes, because our investigators were all out of town, but we did some Less active, recent convert work, which was great. it's kind of sad, sometimes, seeing people who got, or are getting discouraged with the church, but we still go over and see them. So, oh, we also went and blitzed another missionaries area. They have been having a hard time, because last transfer they dropped all their eternigators,** and now they are working with nothing. But they are both still super happy missionaries. So to help them out, we both went over there to work in their area, and we brought pizza! [pizza makes everything better] That was fun. Sunday was the most exciting, because all three of the most recent recent converts were at church, and one less active! So, that went well. However the biggest news is that we got our TRANSFER CALL!!!!!!! We are stayig companions, but swapping wards with another team of missionaries. SOOOO wierd, but I'm excited to start over with a clean slate, and get to work.  The members were kinda sad and confused, but we are going to split the other Elders so we can mutually get to know each others area. So, that is the biggest news. I'm super happy to hear that the girls want to go to church, now we just gotta get them there. [I explained that I had headaches the last two weeks, so the first week I didn't go to church, just stayed in bed and Todd didn't wake Miranda or Sophie up when he left, so they were both very upset when they woke up and their ride to church had left. Then I had a migraine at church and had to go home. It's difficult for everyone to go to church and to STAY at church when I have headaches like this.]

 Thanks so much for helping the missinaries out!!!!! I know how much we LOVE members that help out, so keep it up!!! 

I love you sooooooooo much, I hope all keeps going well, and i hope your migranes get better!!!

Love You!!!!!!!!!!

Calvin

**"eternigator" is someone who has been investigating the church and asking questions, and investigating the church and asking questions, but doesn't show progress towards baptism. Though the missionaries love them very much and do all they can to help them and to answer their questions, if they aren't committing to anything, sometimes the missionaries have to stop visiting them. Sometimes the missionaries will stop visiting for a while, and then start visiting again at another time.

29 July, 2013

Momm,

 Hello Everybodeeeeeeeee!!!! [He must have been channeling Grover when he wrote this. Sophie LOVES "The Monster at the End of This Book" and this is how Grover starts the book.] So, this week was pretty hectic, because we flushed into an area. So, when we got to work this week, it was filled with knocking, and stopping by member's houses, so we could get to know them. That was fun, but the rest of the week was full of zone and area orginizational stuff. Meeting with the 1st councillor, stuff like that. Then i had to give a talk this week in sacrament, and I was nervous that I wouldn't take enough time so my companion would have to fill in with a half an hour long talk, but I actually went way overtime with my talk. So i was happy that i could ramble on in French, but my companion and the other speaker only had 2-3 minutes each. oops. [MY son? Rambling on in French?! Wow!] Oh well, I was happy. So what else happened this week, oh, we had zone leadership council this week, so my companion and I got to go into montreal again. I enjoy montreal, it's full of graffiti, and is super busy. However, I dont think we should drive on the island if we go, because drivers are HYPER agressive. Busses will literally cut you off even if you are  halfway through passing them, and they won't care. Zone council was cool. President wants to turn our mission into a mini Utah, where missionaries don't tract, they just drive from lesson to lesson, getting referrals along the way. Also, president cracked down on rules, such as you can't learn another language on your mission, unless you are called in that language. So I packed all the Hatian Creole stuff I had been reading away. Momm, I highly reccomend you pick up Hatian Creole, it's SUPER easy. It's just like French, but NO conjugations. It's cool! Anyways, I'm in an appartment with 2 spanglephones, and one white kid who was called in spanish in addition to french. so, half the conversations are in spanish, and sometimes the Spanish elders bring home leftovers from their spanish [dinner appointments]. 

  Momm, dont worry about me. I'm fine, I wont get run over, I always look both ways before walking, I mind the pedestrians..... I'll be fine. :) We arent even NEAR trains. (however, one did explode near here, causing the biggest train wreck in Canada history)  [yah, I read the news about that and IMMEDIATELY found a map and looked up where it was. I was very sad to learn that so many people were missing or had already been accounted for as dead. Such a tragedy, and in a small town. I was heartbroken for the people of the town and their families.] And IF i die, I WILL visit you as a spirit, and I will say sorry, and you were right, etc. but until that day comes don't worry. I love you too much to be THAT careless. I promise that i follow the rules of the road, according to my knowledge. My companion too. The only things I'm struggling with are speaking my language, and getting to bed on time, and I think that's it. 

  Anyways, I love you All, and I hope all is going well for you!!! 

Keep going well

Work hard!

Kick the missionaries out after an hour at the house!

Help them out as well!

Do your home teaching!!!!!!!! and visiting teaching!!!!!! I'll tell you, LOTS of our problems would be solved if members did their home and visiting duties!! 

Love!

Calvin

5 August

Momm

  THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH FOR ALL THE PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they made my day!! I'm glad Sophie loved her toys. It's really funny, but when I went to the post office to send the package, (we had to do it on a day other than P day, because we were super busy) and while we were there, immediately this guy walks up to my companion, and starts reading his tag. My comp's tag is in spanish, so non one, but spanish people can read it. It's super effective for finding people! So, my companion starts contacting this guy, and the guy starts to go off about how Elijah and Jean the baptist had something no one else did, so we got his number. [I left in the French spellings. :-) ] Meanwhile, another lady, who was quebecoise, and she started speaking to all of us in perfect english aboput God, and all that. Then this other guy walked up to us, while these other two are going off about some stuff, and he said, "you mormons?" We said yes, and he said "good day" and walked off. It was such a cool experience! So, thanks for letting me know it was Sophie's b day!!!! Umm.. I will write more later, the mac dude is kicking us out. Bye! LOVE!!! [They write to us from the Mac store in their area. Blessings on that Mac store, wherever it is! May their business triple!]

*later that day*

So, I'm back, what else happened this week... well, we are still trying to get the area in good working order, but its hard because the bishop and ward mission leader are both on vacation, so we dont have too too much information about the area, so we are just passing by what people we can, and are doing a lot of knocking. I love the ward here, there are a LOT of artists, and the bishop himself is working at Ubisoft doing concept art sketches and storyboarding. soo..... i'm pumped for that. Oh, this week we also helped a hatian family paint their living room. with the 1st counciler in the Elders quorum, the sister missionaries, and another member of the ward. It was lots of fun to hold a PAINTBRUSH again. anyways, that's all that really happened this week!

Je vous aime beaucoup!Et Sophie, bon anniversaire!!!!! 

Amour, 

Elder Messinger

[We are very happy that Calvin was sent to this mission, and that he's had so much interaction with people in the video game business. Calvin wants to be a concept artist, and he has made some wonderful friends, and learned a lot about what his focus should be in school, and additional skills that will make him more marketable in the industry. This has been a testimony to us that the Lord  will do all in His power to help us achieve our goals.] 

Happy Canada Day and Happy July 4th!

We "waved to Calvin" in a Northeasterly direction from Boldt Castle.

  This past Monday was Canada Day (July 1st). Todd's factory is shut down this week, so we've had him home with us all week! We celebrated Monday by visiting Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay, NY. I wrote to Calvin on Sunday night and told him that we would wave to him from Boldt Castle. We took pictures as proof that we waved to him. *smile*
  Apparently Calvin's p-day has been changed from Monday to Tuesday. AGH! So here's his email from TUESDAY (it takes a lot to adjust to a new p-day!!).
  Happy July 4th to all my American friends. Here's something to think about:  http://www.purewatergazette.net/asimov.htm

Momm

  I don't know what is going on with P-Day, my personal theory is that they are just changing it because then we can have our Zone Activity the day just before the Zone Study, so it's easier on clicks, and yesterday was Canada Day, so nothing was open to go shopping. So that is why you haven't heard from me in a while. [It's only been a week!] I hope you haven't been freaking out tooo much, one missionary wrote to his parents the week before St Jean Baptiste day [June 24th], and told his family he was super sick, and that he would write the next Monday.... that email didn't come Monday, so the frantic mother called up the Cannons. [This isn't the first story I've heard of a mother calling the Mission President when her son didn't write an email on p-day] So ...

  This week was busy. We have a baptism coming up this week, and so we have been preparing for that, and then we had splits, and some other stuff to prep for zone activity, plus  zone study, and then trying to do missionary work on top of all that. It's been nuts! But I'm super happy about it. Its fun to be busy. [My companion] and I decided that we will do a huge Zone drawing for our zone. that's going to take a lot of P-Day hours, but it should be fun. 

 Other than that, all is going as it usually is. I have seen the power of member referrals here, for example our baptism this week is Quèbecoise, has two kids, and is super open to all our teachings. She was a member referral, and it turns out she was SUPER open to the message. then, that same family gave us another referral who has already been reading the "Gospel principles" manual. She also has a baptismal date. Member referrals are GOLDEN!!!!! 

   So, one of our investigators, the third with a baptismal date, we had a lesson with him about the Word of Wisdom, and he started off the discussion by telling us about an experience he had the night before. With tears in his eyes, he told us how he had been reading the Word of Wisdom pamphlet and how he read that smoking and drinking are against the will of God. He started crying as he described the horrible feeling he had, when he realized that he had displeased God. So, we are working with him to stop those bad habits. It was really special to see someone who truly wanted to do Gods' will, and that the mere thought that he had displeased God hurt him so much. That was a humbling, spiritual experience. 

   I'm so glad you and dad had some alone time [Todd and I went to the temple on Saturday. It's been a while since we were there together inside the temple. We usually go with the youth on their temple trips and Todd goes inside to help with the work but I have to stay outside with Sophie], and that all is going so well for you! All your fun stories are my favorite part of emails. I did feel your love this week, and I'm glad that you had such a cool trip [to Boldt Castle]! 

Love

Calvin

Catching Up . . . Again

June 10th we got a forwarded Kaldt To Serve (the mission newsletter) from Calvin. It was really fun to see how missionary work is progressing in his mission! It also had a transfer list and we noticed that Calvin has been transferred to Montreal. My apologies to my family and friends who speak French and noticed the missing accent aigu there. It's late and I'm tired, but I promised a certain young man I would update the blog today and since Sophie wouldn't let me update it earlier, here I am at 11:47pm.

Hey Momm!!!!!!
   We had a big week too! You know how missionaries fall asleep before their heads hit the pillow? that hasnt happened to me yet, but I am DARNED close. One of our investigators told me to go home and take a nap, which I did during my dinner hour. 

   So, we got the transfer calls this week, and I' going to be a Zone Leader in LeMoyen Rougemont, which is in Riv Sud. (south of Montreal) My new companion is Elder Baker. [GASP Zone Leader!?]*

   This week we spent a long time out of our area. We went down to Quebec City monday, and had zone study tuesday, and did this MASSIVE contacting extravaganza. My companion and I contacted on a street corner for about 7 hours. That was fun, I got to meet many new people, and learn a lot about street contacting. [they posted some of the numbers from this contacting and it was astounding the work they accomplished. They contacted 10,000 people in one day!] Then we went to Alma on wednesday, which was fun. After we got home, [an Elder] taught us how to make dream catchers. Then we got back to our place thursday. We did service for this one lady for about 3 hours ( of painting, YAY!!!!!!!!!!) and she gave us dinner!!! Poutine and fried chicken !!!!!!!!!! then walked to our next appointment. I forgot a tie to change into, so i went the rest of the day without a tie. We had one lesson that night and then went home. The day after that Friday we spent about 11 hours in the sun about 9 of those was spent doing "service" for a golf tournament. They asked a service community center if they could get some volenteers to help them out, so we were reccomended. I was expecting to do some hard labor, and we had no way of getting there, because our truck's klick limit was cut. But the golf people paid for a taxi and we got there just safe. So then what happened? We sat at a hole each and watched people play golf to see if anyone got a hole in one. I was like "WHAT!?" That's all they wanted us to do. no one got a hole in one, and the golf course fed us lunch, which was nice. They gave us porc ribs, an eclaire, a really good baked potato, coleslaw, bread, and soup, along with a pepsi. We introduced ourselves as the missionaries the whole time, and I saw a guy there I had taught in Alma on splits. He was pretty happy to see me. [gee, how come I'm never asked to do service like that?!] Then we had to walk an hour home, because we didnt call any members for a ride. So we were super tired, and super sunburned. It was fun. Then we did some passbyes, and port a port. saturday was more service over at this guys house, who gave me a ghetto sword he made himself. Then we had a great lesson, then did some knocking, and went home for transfer calls. 

sunday at church we sang in the choir and the lady we did service for came to church!!! Then [three of us] all bore our testimonies for everyone ( before the choir sang) Then church went as usual. We went and had a lesson (we almost got smurfed with 2 members yikes!!) and then did our weekly planning, and went to a house for dinner. after that we passed by some people, and I basically said goodbye to some of our investigators. 

   so that was this week

I am zone leader number 2. I have no idea whjat responsibilities I have, but I will effectively be a district leader for a whole zone. 

  Well, Love you lots!

So glad to hear sophie is ok, and that DAD GOT THE JOB!!! Chantal, felicitations! I hope college lives up to your expectiations, and fufills your wildest dreams! Miranda, Keep on being awesome!!! 

I love you al!
Calvin

* There are different callings that missionaries can have. Every missionary starts out as a 

- Greenie, which means they are inexperienced in the mission. Usually they are called

- Junior Companions too, meaning that they have been out less than the other companion.

- Senior Companion - the one of the two who has been out longer - usually.

- District Leader - in charge of statistic reports for the district (remember that's from 6-12 missionaries usually) and does some training of missionaries in their district. I think Calvin went from Junior Companion to District Leader, but don't quote me on that.

- Zone Leader - in charge of districts, so anywhere from 12-30 missionaries? They are in charge of statistics for the Zone, and helping to train and encourage missionaries in their zone.

- Assistant to the President - usually the most responsibility a missionary can have. I'm not sure what they do, except help the Mission President acclimate new missionaries, drive new missionaries or perhaps transferring missionaries, work in the mission office, help to train missionaries in the mission.

June 17, 2013

Momm, 

  Dont you worry about writing me long letters since you were the ONLY ONE who wrote me. You dont have to worry about that anyways, because it takes me only 10 minutes to read my emails to you. 

  Well, here I am doing my emails on a MAC!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sooooooo happy! Everything is so easy and makes sooooooooo much sense!!! Anyways, yeah so we do our emails in the mac store, so I get to use really nice technology to do my emails now. 

  Here it is, South of Montreal, I'm having a blast here! My companion is super awesome. He was called here in French, but then President asked him halfway through his mission to learn Spanish, so he is one of the EXTREMELY few white guys here who goes home tri lingual. That's a big help too because our ward is HUGE, and it has people from EVERYWHERE. We have Hatians, latinos, Francophones, Africans, Quebecois, tons of different nationalities here, so tons of the members are bi or tri lingual. So, its a lot of fun. For example, we went to a dinner appointment with a spanish family, and the parents spoke french and spanish, and the kids speak french english and spanish. That is basically the story of this ward. 

   Oh, so we are in a four man apartment now, three anglephones, one francophone, two from canada, two from America, and one from Tahiti. [I count 9 people, but really there are only 4 missionaries in his apartment.] It's a lot of fun, and [one of the Elders] has started teaching me Tahitian. It's really fun. Let's see.. oh, one really crazy story this week, so this lady was contacted on our street right outside our home, and later that night, she knocked on our door at 10:30 at night. I wasnt there for that, but when I came in, we had another expirience with her. While we were training the District leader and trainer in our zone, they were both new at it, ( ok, the trainer wasn't, but we basically gave his greenie a run down of how things go) so , during that time, I heard this woman screaming " ouvre la porte! Ouvre la porte!" and banging on the window of this van. I thought it was some mom, whos kid had locked her out, but no, she was freaking out at the man she was staying with. It was so weird. Then, he pulls away, and she starts screaming at anyone who will listen about this.  I see all this happen from our balcony at our coisplex appartment. So then, the next day, the sister missinaries talk to her on the phone, and she tells them that she has been kicked out of that guys house. So we go home, and we see the moving van, so we are like " ok, lets help her out." I didnt really want to, but [my companion] did, so whatever. So we go, and she is trying to get out as fast as she can, and she's freaking out at this guy, Who we think initially is the van's owner. Then he starts explainging to us that she goes from house to house, staying with friends, and boyfriends, and she doesnt really stay in the same place for long, because no one can deal with her personality. So, I'm thinking " ok, this guy is a social worker." Not true. So, the lady is bossing us around, trying to separate [my companion] and I, and trying to half do all the moving herself, and making us help her, meanwhile saying insults at the guy who kicked her out. Meanwhile, [my companion] is trying to call the sisters to get them out here so they can meet the lady. Then, she backs the truck to the side of the appartment so that we can start loading up all her plants into the truck. Then, she sees a friend and asks if she can keep drugs in her refrigerator. (she asked us before, and said they were syringes, and needed to be kept cold, and out of the blue, I just say "We dont have a fridge" No Idea why, but it just popped out of my mouth. We didnt want to keep those things in our fridge because, I didnt want her to have a reason to come back to our appartment, and we werent sure if they were really perscription drugs) So, then she started ranting at this friend, mostly because she is just freaking out in general, because she has no where to go, and anyone who doesnt help her out immediately, or shows hesitation at all at this point is against her, in her mind. So, she's getting herself worked up, and then all of the sudden we hear a huge CRASH. (oh, btw, by this time the sisters have JUST arrived) WE all look, and [the van owner] just backed the van into a fence, and almost drove it right through the house. We were like " what the.....?!" And the guy who owns the house is like "What is happpening to my house?!" The lady is speechless, and we are all trying not to just bust out laughing. So us and the sister walk around the corner of the street, to let things work out, and then come back when she starts shouting for us again. But, we got her loaded up in the van, and the sisters talked to her for a while, so it all went well. We got pictures of the fence too, we'll have to show them to you later. 

 Well, thus far, all is going well, and I'm excited to get to work. 

I'm really sad to hear about Brother Owens!* He was a super awesome example for me, and I'm glad he will have the opportunity to teach others in the Spirit World. 

Well, I hope you all are doing well! 

Love

Calvin 

*Brother Owens is a dear friend of ours who passed away. We have known the Owens family for almost 16 years. We have worked with them in our church callings, Todd has gone shooting with Dave, we have watched 4 of their 5 children grow up (their oldest son was on his mission when we moved into the branch). Brother Owens made these fabulous Molasses cookies for his Sunday School class. He served as Branch President when we were first in the Branch in 1997, he served on the Stake High Council, he served in his local Scout Troop. He loved the little children in the Branch, and was their truest advocate for love and affection. He loved to cuddle the babies in the Branch. Many a baby fell asleep on his shoulder - including Miranda and Sophie. I think his favorite calling was in the Nursery. And after branch social activities you could always find him in the kitchen doing dishes. His life was cut short by cancer, and we will sorely miss him. This little bit of writing doesn't do him justice, but how do you describe a spiritual giant of a man in a few lines? How do you describe a man whose life was filled with family and friends and a deep love for all of them? If the world had more Dave Owens in it, there would be a lot less heartache and sorrow and the very gates of Hell would rattle on their hinges.

25 June, 2013 - [notice this is a Tuesday! I waited all day long for a letter on Monday and it didn't come!!]

Momm

  I am soo sorry that I couldnt tell you that i wouldnt be able to write, but they switched p-day and they did it the weekend before. so we had no idea. Anyways, things have been crazy because the Cannons are leaving this week. [The Cannons have served for 3 years in the mission. President Cannon has been a fabulous mission president, and his wife, hmm. How do you describe the surrogate mother of a few hundred young men and women, who also helps mothers who are worried that their son has warm boots for the winter? Yah, she's that amazing.]

So, to start, 

Chantal FELICITATIONS!!!!!!!!!(confetti, fireworks, singing llamas) I am sooooooooooooooooooooo proud of you, that you SURVIVED high school!!! Agh! I'm gonna have to throw you a party when I get home, but know that I am celebrating up here! Go far, and keep it up! Well, what do you plan to do now? Well, go on to BYU i do, [Chantal will be attending BYU - Idaho in the fall. It's often referred to as "BYU I Do" because a lot of LDS young adults get married while they're in college, especially if they attend an LDS college] and get married, and have a billion kids, and be a world famous biologist, and discover the cure for cancer, and save the world!!! I am so proud of you! Keep going!

Miranda YOU ALREADY SOLD AN ART PIECE!?!?!?!?!  where did that come from!?!?!? For how much??? I quote [my art teacher at BCC], " you can sell it, but NO LESS than $50" Oh my gosh I am proud of you!!! 

Sophie HI SOPHIE!!!!!! I had a dream about you the other day in which you spoke fluent French because Momm had taught you. It was super cool! I love you lots, and I might teach you French when I get home, if you dont already know it by then!

So, this week was absolutly NUTS!!! we had TONS of stuff that was going on. We missed the missionary conference because we had a dinner appointment with some members and our baptismal committed was there with her whole family, so we missed it. The next day, we had a dinner appointment at her house with her, which was a super awesome surprise!! It was great because on ste jean baptiste day, we can't proselyte after 5pm because drunk crazy people come out at that time. 

Other than that everything went well!

I will send you pictures next week! LOVE

Calvin