FORTY

Bonjour tout le monde!

That number is getting up there! Forty weeks already! That's crazy! Anyways... I only have a few minutes to write today because we are actually driving down to Québec City today and we still have a few things to take care of in Rimouski. So I'll just hit the highlights and share a few photos!

The best part of the week has actually been an ongoing thing— Elder Ruby and I have started to take our planning a lot more seriously and have been trying to get the most out of our days together because we have a feeling that they might be limited (transfer calls are this Saturday!) So we have been adding a few extra things in our planners every day: a personal goal for the day, a miracle we saw that day, three good things that happened, and a lesson we learned. I've loved doing that. I would even suggest for all of you to start keeping track of those kinds of things! We are here to become someone and I'm completely convinced that we can spend a lot of time spinning our wheels if we don't put our lives into gear and make the most of our days.

So I'll share a few good things that happened this week, lessons I've learned and maybe a few goals and miracles.

Monday we miraculously had just enough money left to buy groceries! And we even bought a good supply of fruits and vegetables to start eating healthier. I also won a game of monopoly that day... And I accomplished my goal of finishing my email in one hour! That hardly ever happens so take the next five seconds and celebrate with me by clapping your hands! ....

Tuesday I learned that the priesthood is real. We were able to give two priesthood blessings that day to people that really needed them. We met a lot of amazing people while knocking that day and found a few new investigators. And Yvan prayed with us for the first time! But the miracle of the day definitely went to Jasmine Hallé. Remember her? She was the lady that left the Church that we took a rose to on Mother's Day. Well we passed by to see if she had any clothes she would like to donate (we were doing a clothing drive, kind of...) and we ended up talking for a few minutes with her and her son. That was a miracle!

Rimouski!

Loved this!

Wednesday we had a great lesson with Louis! It was picture perfect! We started the Plan of Salvation and he absolutely loved it! We also got invited to dinner next week with Eric and Sheila (the ones that speak English and ran away from Montréal because people swear too much there.) Lesson learned: if they don't want to change, they won't. 

lol 

Thursday we planned to contact a bunch of outstanding referrals that have been impossible to get ahold of and... we contacted three out of five! Miracle! I had a goal to be extremely nice to Elder Ruby because the night before I was being a little impatient and completely picky with something that happened and according to him I accomplished my goal! That felt good. He's such a great companion. Oh also, I hear a few people graduated that day! Congratulations Hannah, Nicole, and the rest of PG's class of 2013! 

Friday morning I learned quite an interesting lesson. One of the members of the branch died early this week and we were asked to dress him for burial. I never did meet him because he lived on the other side of the St. Laurent out in the woods. But according to Frère Lévesque he is the reason why missionaries are in Rimouski. So that morning I learned how to dress a dead man. Interesting! We also had dinner with the Dupont family in La Rédemption to celebrate Catherine's graduation from Cégep. We also so the Provencher's again after what seems like three of zero signs of life!

Our counter top isn't level... (And our floor was quite untidy...) (I've started eating three eggs every morning with a bowl of oatmeal! Best ever!)

Not even ten minutes later we broke the microwave plate... Unlucky morning!

Saturday morning  I went running in the rain on a high school track in the morning. Elder Ruby hurt his back and waited for me in the car. We spent some time getting caught up in the books. We aren't very good at updating our area book and so we took some time to get those all up to date. That morning I learned how to be humble and say sorry while gaining a new respect for my leaders. We got a call that morning and we were told that we were going to lose more than half of our kilometers. Meaning that our mandatory trips to Québec City were going to take up over 75% of our monthly limit. (We lost quite a few kliks...) I was pretty upset about it and said some things that I shouldn't have because I panicked and... well. Let's just say that it is better to take a healthy number of deep breaths when in a crunch than trying to say everything that's on your mind in one. I eventually got humbled as I was reading the Book of Mormon and called a few people to say that I was sorry. Lesson learned: be nice!

Elder Ruby and his makeshift ice packs. Popsicles! 

Sunday was wonderful! We had a great fast and testimony meeting in church and heard from a few people that haven't been to church in a long time. I'll have to update you more on Frère St-Jacques another time. That man has an incredible story! We had dinner with Chantale and Yvan and then taught a lesson about prophets afterwards. We payed a visit to Sister Hedge (the one that we call every Sunday night who lives about eight hours away) at the hospital. She had come into town for her bi-annual checkup. We gave her a blessing and taught about symbols. She gave us four jars of homemade jam. Looks like I'll have to start liking jam! 

Well, that's all the time I have today! Enjoy this picture of a bird outside of my window this morning!

À la prochaine!

Elder Ellis