Week 26 - Joyeuse Saint Valentin!!!

Bonjour!

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day and are having a great President's Day!! This week in Rimouski we went to the funeral for our member Chantale's mom. It was a really good service and at the end Elder Shaw and I, along with a few of our members, sang "Je suis enfant de Dieu" (I am a Child of God). We sang it for her mom in the hospital a few weeks ago and she asked Chantale to sing it for her everyday until she passed. There is such a powerful Spirit that is brought when that song is sung. 

This week were able to meet with our two new investigators Sarah and Noémie. We went back over the Plan of Salvation with them and answered their questions and we introduced the Book of Mormon to them. They are both bilingual and since we weren't sure which language they were more comfortable with, we gave them each an English and French Book of Mormon. It was kind of funny because they asked how long they could borrow the books and when we said they were theirs to keep for free the looks on their faces were priceless haha. 

They were so happy and when we read Moroni 10:3-5 with them the Spirit was strong and we talked about how Heavenly Father answers prayers. Elder Shaw compared it to the best cake in the world. We could tell them that it was the greatest cake in the world and they could see it, but until they tried it for themselves they wouldn't know for sure. Sarah said something I really liked. She said that it was cool to her that it was her own personal spiritual journey and that we were there as her guides to help her and to answer questions. I really liked that because 1) it was a really cool analogy and 2) it showed me that she really understands that it's up to her to find out for herself the truth of what we are telling her.  It also showed me that she understands the things she needs to do to make that happen. They are amazing. We love them so much and we are so happy they are progressing. 

Our friend Mark, who is really good friends with Sarah, told us that she has started reading through the pamphlets. Nothing is more music to our ears than to hear that our investigators are going above and beyond the commitments they have made with us. 

Although we are losing our building in a few months we are seeing blessings! Investigators are progressing exponentially, members are returning to church, and we have been receiving investigator referrals. We are truly being blessed. 

In church yesterday the lesson was on trials and why they are necessary for our growth on this earth. It was a lesson I needed and it strengthened me. It reminded me that trials help us with our conversion and that the main points of the Plan of Salvation are Agency, Adversity, and the Atonement.  I also realized how each is necessary for a different reason for our growth and development. That's not to say that trials won't be painful, hard, and wearing on us to a point where we may feel we can't continue, but it is to say that Heavenly Father is aware of us in everything we go through and that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ He knows exactly how to comfort and strengthen us through everything we will go through. 

I love you all and I love our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. I know they live and they are right beside us helping us through this life. Again I love you all and I am praying for you all!! 

Stay safe, stay faithful!

Love,

Elder DiReda