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!