Week 38 - Ottawa, Tri-lingual Companion, and Service

Hey everyone! Last week was crazy busy so we didn't have much of a p-day or any time to email. My punishment for not emailing my parents was I contracted food poisoning on Thursday.  It was not good that's all I'm gonna say about it.

So, as most of you know by now, I'm in Ottawa! My area is a suburban type area that reminds me a lot of home as far as the landscape (minus the mountains). When I first got to Ottawa I realized a few things. 

1. My companion and I were both new to our area which in the mission field is referred to as white washing 
2. My companion speaks fluent Spanish and French and is learning English so I will be able to continue working on my French and learn a bit of Spanish even though I'm in an English area. 

The first week was interesting as we made A LOT of calls and drop-in visits trying to meet members and set up appointments. I learned that when you're both new to the area people are more willing to let you in. 

We've met an awesome member who wants desperately to change his life around to come back to church and overcome his cigarette addiction so we've been helping and teaching him a lot as well as his two sons and girlfriend. We met with an engaged couple, one of whom is a friend of Mark Parent (my friend from my last area). 

We had amazing discussions with them about religion and life and their story, all while they took us on a walk around Parliament and the river in downtown Ottawa. 

We've walked a members crazy ridge-back dogs. They are strong and like to run, which is fine because we need exercise as well. On one of these occasions before we even got to the park the dog I was walking, Chomps, started pulling me trying to run so I indulged him. Wasn't quite a full sprint but it was a decent run. As we were running there were big trees that normally wouldn't be an issue if chomps could read my mind but alas he can't and Chomps decided at the last minute to dart to the other side of the tree and I found myself clothes-lined on the tree by the leash.  My companion sure had a good laugh. We've also done a significant amount of service in these past two weeks, but then again it is springtime. We've helped people move, prepare their gardens, rake dead grass and leaves, and build fences. It's been a crazy yet productive time here. I've been terrible at taking pictures since I've been here but I will be better this week. 

Love you all! Keep doing the little things and take a little more time to find the tender mercies of the Lord in your lives. He works in mysterious ways. It's really cool and sometimes a bit funny to see the ways He looks out for us and sends us blessings. 

Love,

Elder DiReda

Week 37 - First P-Day in Ottawa

Hey I don't have much time to email today. We have service all day for different people. I'll answer your questions all next Sunday (Mother's Day) and more. Love you so much parentals!!! You're the best!!!!

Week 36 - Tranfers

Hey everyone! Sorry this won't be a long email I've been crazy busy these past few days and will continue to be until Wednesday because I'm getting transferred to Fallowfield, Ottawa! Where is that you say? Well here is a small map and some pics that show you where I will be going.

I'm moving from a Branch to a Ward and from French to English. I'm not sure which will be the bigger shock to me. We've had a great week though with service and visits. It was really cool because on Tuesday we were doing service at a food bank and there were young adult guys there helping also. 
They were young men who had dropped out of high school and their service was related somehow to them getting their GED's. We got to talk to them a bit about life and religion and stuff like that. It was really cool because they talked to us as normal human beings. I know it sounds weird, but some much of the time when people we don't know talk to us they speak to us and treat us like we are aliens, or sometimes like Jehovah's Witnesses which isn't much better from their vantage point.  But these guys talked with us like friends. It was a tender mercy for me because as a missionary I sometimes feel isolated and like everyone is treating me like I'm not a real person. I frequently look back on letters and cards that have been sent to me since I've been on my mission and there is one in particular that has advice in it that I've tried to incorporate into my life. 

My friend who wrote me this letter is currently serving a mission right now and she said that when trials have come her way one line of scripture has continuously popped into her head, "Be still and know that I am God." It is relieving and comforting when unexpected situations and trials come our way to remember that God has a plan for everyone. He has a plan for us right now in our lives. He has a plan for us to overcome the things that we struggle with. Remembering that He is aware of us and cares about us, the Almighty God knows us individually, has brought me comfort and strength. D&C 121:7-8 "7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; 8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." 

He will never abandon us even when we feel lonely and abandoned by everyone. We are never strangers to Him but sometimes He can be a stranger to us if we make it that way. We need to continuously reach out to Him in gratitude and love asking for His divine help and grace to surround us. 

I love you all and wish you all the best for this week! Stay safe! Stay faithful!

Love,

Elder DiReda

Photos:

1. The best juice ever!

2. Our healthy Sunday lunch

3. Salomé, Caleb, Elder Perkes and I on a mini hike

4. Mustaches with the Worner's

Week 35 - Zone Conference

We had Zone Conference this week which was really great! We went back over the Missionary Broadcast that occurred a few months ago which was incredible. A few things that really struck me from the trainings were:

1) If we want a stronger desire to teach and share the Gospel, we should learn and study more on the Atonement,

2) We are the instruments, not the Spirit, and

3) Commitments include: An invitation to act/change, a promise of blessings they will receive if they keep the commitment, a testimony of why the commitment is important, and a follow-up later on.

I really liked these points that we discussed during this Zone Conference because they answered questions I had and they humbled me. As I've mentioned before I don't like talking to people randomly on the street. I don't know why but it freaks me out and I hate doing it. I've been trying to get better at doing it but it's continued to be a large struggle for me. 

1) If we want a stronger desire to teach and share the Gospel, we should learn and study more on the Atonement. This should have been more obvious to me in the past but I'm grateful it was mentioned in our training. It makes sense. If we want a greater desire to teach and share the Gospel with all those we come in contact with then we should study and learn about the Atonement. Why? Because if we have a greater understanding of what the Atonement really enables us to accomplish and become, we realize how imperative it is to share this knowledge with everyone. The ability to become clean from all sins, pains, afflictions. To start again and to progress. To be able to live with our Heavenly Father again. No one deserves to not have that knowledge and opportunity.

2) We are the instruments, not the Spirit. I don't know why this is a lesson I am constantly in need of being taught but hopefully one of these days I'll get it. For a lesson we prepare and go over what we are going to share, questions we want to ask, and the commitment we want to extend. One important thing to remember is that we as missionaries can only take the message to their hearts. It is the role of the Holy Ghost to take it into their hearts. For me it has been far too easy to think of the Holy Ghost as the cheat sheet or the backup. By this I mean that during a lesson if I would reach a point when I didn't know what to add or ask I would have a silent prayer in my heart asking to know what to say next. Instead I should always be asking and focusing on the Spirit as the lesson progresses to always be attentive to what He wants me to say next. He isn't there for us to use when we get stuck or lost, rather we are there to say the words He needs us to say so He can bear powerful testimony of their truthfulness. He is the writer and we are the scribes. 

3) Commitments include: An invitation to act/change, a promise of blessings they will receive if they keep the commitment, a testimony of why the commitment is important, and a follow-up later on. I learned this for the first time in mission prep. before my mission from Jacob Ferrell shortly after he returned from his mission and since then I have managed to forget repeatedly to extend commitments in this manner. Extending commitments is good but without the promise of blessings and testimony there is less power and importance that comes with the invitation and without the follow-up there's almost no point in asking them to do something in the first place. When we invite someone to act we are helping them repent, or change their lives to be in accordance with the Lord's teachings. Too many times I have invited someone to read a specific chapter or chapters in the Book of Mormon without the blessings and testimony. To them it must seem like I'm giving them meaningless homework and without the motivation of getting a grade they may forget about it the minute we leave their homes. If we promise blessings however and testify it tells them the why. Why it's important to read or to keep the specific commandment. How I know this will bless them based on experiences from my life, and the Holy Ghost can bear a strong testimony that what we are asking them to do will bless them and it is what Heavenly Father wants us to do. 3 simple lessons that I continue to relearn over and over but someday I'll get them down. 

One more thing I'd like to share from this week was a discussion we had with Michael (the member we have phone lessons with 3 times a week) from 1 Nephi 1. This chapter I've probably read more times than any other chapter in the Book of Mormon and it amazes me how what we talked about with Michael never came to my mind. Lehi is the prophet and he is praying for the people of Jerusalem when he is taken away in a vision where he is shown incredible things and is told to warn Jerusalem of destruction that will come unless they repent. Lehi then went and preached to the people to repent so as to be kept from destruction. The people reject him and seek to end his life but as the chapters go on the Lord warns him and his family to leave to the desert. What we discussed with Michael was the immediate obedience. He believed what he was shown. He could've passed it off as a weird dream but rather he accepted what he was shown and acted on it with obedience and faith. He was then rejected. He could've then dismissed what he saw in the vision because what he was instructed to do didn't seem to make any difference and that he was foolish for following that prompting but rather he continued to be faithful. He knew that the Lord's plan was greater than his own and he submitted to what the Lord instructed him to do. 1 Nephi 1:20 "...But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." I know that was true in Lehi's time and I know it is true today. 

The Lord's tender mercies are all around us because of our faith. He will deliver us as we strive to do what He asks of us. He may not deliver us in the way that we think He will, but He will deliver us. 

Transfer calls are this Saturday! It's crazy how quickly transfers are going by. It's even crazier to me that I'm almost finished with my 7th month in Rimouski. Time flies! 

I love you all and hope you all have incredible weeks! Stay safe! Stay faithful! I promise you that the Lord's blessings will be poured out upon you as you do what is right. I have seen it in my own life and I know it can be in yours too. God is no respecter of persons so if He is blessing me then each and everyone of you is able to be blessed. I love you guys!

Love,

Elder DiReda

Week 34 - God's Love

I love the weeks following conference because the lessons with members and investigators are so much stronger. The Prophet and his Apostles can put things into words much better than I will ever be able to. 

We focused a lot on Elder Uchtdorf's and Elder Holland's Sunday remarks on never giving up and always continuing on because with the Lord we are never shattered beyond repair nor are we beyond His saving hand. 

What I noticed most about our lessons recently is those we teach have opened up so much more about questions and concerns they have. What struck me about these experiences is how much better we were able to answer their questions and address their concerns when we simply let them do 90% of the talking. We listen as they explain their specific concerns and describe their experiences in an effort to resolve them for themselves. We pose questions here and there for better understanding, but what was amazing was how they would talk themselves through their concerns and eventually find the answer for themselves. 

For example, in one of our lessons we talked about God's love for each one of us and the member we were visiting with talked about how she always struggles to feel and recognize God's love for her. She talked about how she knew that He loves all His children so the question wasn't whether or not He loved her, but how she could discern His love. We listened and asked her what she was thinking it would feel like and what she was expecting it to be, and she thought about it and started by saying she thought it would be an overwhelming joy far above normal everyday happiness. 

We then talked about how God works through small and simple means and that even though occasionally there are amazing spiritual experiences, more often than not it's in the little feelings, the tender mercies of life, a feeling of peace and comfort, a feeling of gratitude when we think on all the blessings we have in life. Thinking about it now I've found it's similar to the things my dad would do and would have us do for my mom. Granted there were occasions when he would buy her flowers and a gift or a card or they would go on a date night, but mostly it was the small things he would do and would encourage us to do. Tidy up the house, clear the sink of dishes, vacuum and/or sweep, dust, take out the garbage, have our homework done earlier, and doing a load of laundry. The small things that are easily overlooked but can make the whole difference. 

God's love is similar. I've recently started reading in the Old Testament and after the flood the Lord made a promise to Noah that He would never again destroy the earth by flood and as a sign of His promise after each time it rained there would be a bow across the sky. A rainbow. A simple thing we are all to accustomed to but a sign of God's love for His children that has existed since the time of Noah. Then there is the beautiful springtime, which we associate with rebirth, when things blossom and bloom and erupt with color and a newness of life.  He created this world for us to live on, but He didn't just create it to sustain life. He filled it with beauty and variety. And there are infinitely many other tender mercies and signs of His love that He gives to us daily that often times we bypass without thinking twice. If we ever question His love for us we need only take time to look around us. The hymn "Count your Blessings" has so much more meaning to me now that I have taken time to read and really think about the verses.

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
2. 
   
3. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
4. Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
5. Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
6. And you will keep singing as the days go by.
7. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—money cannot buy
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
8. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

God has truly given us so much we need only think about it all and we can be quickly overwhelmed with how much God has given to us and done for us. I hope and pray that you never doubt the love our Father in Heaven has for you individually, but if you do please look at the world around you. Look at everything and everyone God has given and sent your way. Living a righteous life is not living an easy life, but because we have Christ on our side supporting us it is a much easier and by far a much happier life. 

I love you all! Have a great week! Stay safe, stay faithful!

Love,

Elder DiReda

Week 33 - La Conférence Générale

Bonjour à tous! 

This was a slower week for us lesson wise, but we accomplished a LOT of planning and goal setting so that was awesome for us! Although our teaching pool right now is small we are seeing miracles among our members. When I got here we visited a less-active member who wasn't reading her scriptures very often and who hadn't been coming to church. Now she's an active member who's constantly reaching out to other ward members to help strengthen them and include them. She's talking about our beliefs to her family and friends, and she's working towards her Patriarchal Blessing and going to the Temple. This has been truly incredible to me. She is the only member in a family of atheists and she's not only retaining her faith and standards but also expounding upon them. I love this Branch and I love the members with all my heart! 

I sincerely hope each and everyone of you was able to watch some, if not all of, General Conference. This picture I think adequately describes how conference goes for me.

 

How amazing to be able to receive guidance, support, and counsel from the living Prophet and Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ twice a year at the least. I loved the promise of Elder Eyring to start out the Saturday morning session of conference. "There will be an opportunity for our hearts to be softened in the next few days." I loved that promise. 

We all have aspects of life in which we need our hearts softened so that we can become better disciples. Listen with the Spirit and make those necessary changes and we will be happier and more at peace. The greatest leader was also the greatest follower (Elder Owen). In life we are all leaders and all followers. We set examples for everyone around us and as members of the Church we carry with us at all times the name of Christ. We follow the counsel of the Prophet and the Apostles, and we follow inspired guidance from our parents and friends. We are always following the good example of others to become better ourselves. "When thou art converted, help thy brethren." See yourself in the Temple. It is a realistic goal. Work towards the blessings awaiting us in the Sacred Temple. No matter our difficulties and struggles, there is no broken soul that Heavenly Father can't mend. He will come to you, but He won't heal us against our will. Seek for His healing touch. 

Finally, I'd like to mention a bit from Elder Holland's closing remarks. His message really struck me and was really an answer to a few of my prayers and questions. Don't give up! The Gospel, the scriptures, the messages from the Prophets and Apostles are meant to give us hope. Satan takes those and makes us feel the truths are unrealistic and unobtainable. We get credit for trying even if we don't succeed.The Lord blesses those who want to improve, and try to improve. When we stumble on the road of life, call out to the Lord for help. He will help us get back up, and continue on. The first and great commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, but the first great truth is that God loves us with all His heart, mind and soul. May God bless us tomorrow to remember how we felt this weekend during conference. 

I love you all! Stay safe, stay faithful, and continue on! 

Love,

Elder DiReda

Pictures:

1. Chocolaterie

2-4. Crazy faces with Salomé 

5/6. Conference

Week 32 - Cabane à Sucre

Salut à tous! 

How's springtime? I only ask because we are still having snow storms so I'm not too positive Québec even has spring. Anyways this week we had a great lesson with our investigators Sarah and Noémie. They both opened up more and we helped answer their questions using the Book of Mormon. For example, they asked why God allows bad things to happen in the world so we turned to 2 Nephi 2:11 and talked about opposition in all things as well as agency and how agency is a gift from God given to everyone, but the problem with agency is the consequences that follow certain actions. They also asked about how to find the motivation/strength to change their entire lifestyles around to live in accordance to the Gospel. With that question, we left them with Alma 32 to read.  We will talk with them about that next time.

On Saturday we were invited by Mark and his family (he was back in town from Texas for Easter) to go with them to their cousin's Cabane Sucre. This was my first cabane sucre and I had no idea what to expect. I had heard rumors that it's a giant potluck where you drench what you eat in syrup, as well as it being an event where you see how syrup is made from the maple water from the trees through all the processes. My experience was neither. Basically what happened was they gave us these small wooden spatulas and we stood behind this long trough-like structure made of wood that was filled with snow. 

Fresh maple syrup is then poured onto the snow in front of us and as it cools you wrap your wooden spatula in it and eat it like taffy. For a solid 10-15 minutes they would come around and pour more and more and let me tell you it was rich! So good though! That was only stage 1. Stage 2 was a plate of maple butter the size of my palm. SO MUCH SUGAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Inside the little store where you can buy maple products the air was thick with the smell of maple. I thought I was going to get a sugar high/diabetes just from being in there! Such a great experience though! 

How was everyone's Easter? We had an incredible talk and lesson on simplifying our discipleship (Elder Uchtdorf) and choosing liberty and Eternal Life (2 Nephi 1-2). We learned about simplifying our lives and focusing on basic truths as we move through more complicated times in our lives. What an incredible series of lessons for Easter as we reflected more on the Atonement and Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. As we each spent time (introspection) considering things we need to change in our lives to be better and the mistakes we need forgiveness for I thought about how, at least for me in my life, the things I've struggled with have resulted from a lack of the simplifying. 

Busy days, late nights with homework and sports, left me in a condition where I never made time for scripture study and fervent prayer the way I should have. Without those two basic things in my daily life I became more stressed, less patient, more quickly angered, more selfish, judgmental and arrogant. Alma 37:6 "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple means are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." 

Even during my mission I've learned this lesson time and time again. Days are long, the work is at times hard and stressful, but we start everyday with a few hours of fervent dedicated study and prayer to start the day right. It brings the Spirit and puts you in a good mindset to go about the day in whatever lays before you. It brings a happiness and a feeling of love that is hard to lose. It puts the Savior and our Heavenly Father at the forefront of our minds where we constantly think of them and may say more silent prayers throughout our day. It teaches us things we may need that very day such as a message of charity, service, and kindness. 

By small and simple means, great things are brought to pass. Being in that mindset with the companionship of the Holy Ghost we are better able to be where the Lord needs us to lift another or to be an answer to a prayer. Never give up on the little things. They pave the way for miracles. 

I love you all and pray that you all had a safe and joyous Easter! I hope as we advance toward this General Conference weekend that we all do a bit of introspection and searching.  And I hope that as we listen to the words of our Prophet and his Apostles that we have open hearts and minds to find the things the Lord wants us to know. 

Stay safe, stay faithful!

Love,

Elder DiReda

Mark, Elder Perkes and I

Mark and his Family

Mark and I by the St. Lawrence 

Trough of snow and maple syrup

Don't even think about taking my
maple goodness

My wooden spoon

Elder Perkes loves maple syrup!!!
And so do I!!!!!!!

Maple butter - yum!!!

Week 31 - Easter

Well this week was chaotic to say the least. Since Elder Shaw was leaving after serving here for 9 months every one wanted us over for a last visit. On Monday we had dinner with the Puglisis and the Worners. The Puglisis made real Italian lasagna. It was so good! I'm not sure how they made it, but I know it involved eggs, ham, noodles, sauce and other ingredients that made it amazing!!! It was one of the best meals I've had since being out here! On 

Tuesday we visited Sœur Lafourtune, Chantale and Yvan and had one last English class. It was a lot of fun. It was cool to see the impact Elder Shaw had on the people we visited. It reassured me that we are making difference in people's lives and in the importance of the relationships we are establishing with these amazing children of God. 

On Wednesday we drove to Québec City and Elder Shaw got on his bus and left for Montréal. A few hours later my new companion Elder Perkes rolled in on another bus. Elder Perkes is from Logan, Utah, loves improv., doodling, and quoting movies/tv shows/comedians back and forth with me (similar to what my brother and I would do with the comedian John Pinette). 

While in Québec we went on splits with the Elders of St. Foy. Elder Noorda and I visited a member and shared with him the Easter video and gave him some pass along cards (if you haven't already I encourage you to watch it and share it). 

We also visited a member and had a discussion about General Conference. His name is Max and Max is amazing. He always has gospel questions that take us off on some tangents but we were able to help him answer his questions and we had a strong Spiritual lesson that ended with him committing to come to the institute to watch the Priesthood Session of General Conference. 

On Thursday we went to District Meeting!!! That doesn't seem like a big deal but when you spend 6 months hearing half of the meeting through the telephone it's a huge deal to be there in person! We talked about the Easter Initiative and how to best use the video and the cards. 

After District Meeting we went with the Ste. Foy Elders and got ice cream at Chocolat Favori. Now what they do is take a cone with vanilla ice cream and they dip it in hardening chocolate of your choice. Holy Cow it's incredible!!!!! Elder Perkes and I drove back to good 'ole Rimouski after that and I introduced him to Yvan, Ruud, Sœur Lafourtune, Michael (over the phone), André and Kathleen, and everyone else he met at church. 

I love this time of year and the power and Spirit that comes with the time of the Glorious Atonement of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection. The Spirit has been so strong as we've shared the video and talked of Christ with our members and our investigators. Why wouldn't it be? It's centralized on the single most important event in history. Through Jesus Christ and His Atonement we can find new life. We can be cleansed from our imperfections and start again. The Church has a 12 step program for addiction recovery and with each step there is a video and a story of someone's journey to recovery. One story that has really struck me powerfully is Step 6: Change of Heart: Become entirely ready to have God remove all your character weaknesses. With this step and video this man has gone through the steps but doesn't feel better. He was still pained by everything he went through. At one point he recounts reading back through all the steps to see what he missed and on step 6 he could't remember truly praying and asking Heavenly Father to remove his character defects so he decided to do it.

"I didn't know what I was expecting to happen so I just thought to myself, if He was here, in front of me right now what would I want Him to say? And I thought well I just want Him to take it and say thanks I got this. But instead at that moment I heard a question and it was, will you let me take this? I realized I had done all this work to be relieved of this misery and that question, will you let me take this completely changed the trajectory of my recovery in my life. I had a good friend tell me recently of an African proverb that says, If there is no demon within, the demon outside can do you no harm."

We are all on a road to recovery from a state of imperfection and pain to incomprehensible happiness and perfection and that road is entirely dependent on our acceptance and faith in our Savior Jesus Christ. We have to be willing to let Him take our pains, sorrows, trials, and sins from us. When we allow Christ to enter our lives and to take our burdens we feel a giant weight be taken off our backs and we find the light in the dark times. I testify that is true. I have experienced it in my own life and my life has been changed because of it. I testify that Jesus is the Christ and He is our Savior and Redeemer and He will heal us if we let him. Three of the most meaningful words, in my opinion, that someone can say to us is, "I love you". How much more powerful are those words when we feel Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ saying them to us. Answers to our prayers are all around us, we just have to know where to look. 

I love you all and hope you have great weeks and as always stay safe and stay faithful! 

Happy Easter!!!!!

Love,

Elder DiReda

Service with Elder Perkes

Chocolat Favori with the St. Foy Elders

No explanation necessary

Elder Shaw and I with Soeur Lafourtune

Week 30 - 5 Transfers Come and Gone

Bonjour à tous!

This week was the last week in the transfer so we received transfer calls! I will be staying in the boonies of Rimouski and my companion/trainer Elder Shaw will be going to Montréal to be a Zone Leader. So this week we will again return to Québec City. 

This week we were able to meet with our members quite a bit. We helped the Dupont's and Worner's put in their new washing machine and I, under the direction of Salomé (the Worner's 4 year old daughter) cut out a door and window in the washing machine's box to make a house. It turned out pretty good if I do say so myself ;). 

We met with our two investigators Sarah and Noémie this week and we had a good discussion on the commandments and how they aren't restrictions but rather a path to blessings. For example we talked about abstaining from alcohol and how to some people they see that as restricting them from partying and having fun with their friends, but in reality when we refrain from drinking we avoid the consequences that come from losing control of our judgement when we drink too much and we also have corresponding health benefits. 

It was a really good discussion and they asked really good questions. They are progressing and learning so much. It's so incredible how much they are doing on their own. We went to Québec City this week for Zone Training so we were gone from Thursday afternoon through Saturday afternoon. We had a lot of fun. In the training we were instructed on goal setting and on accountability. What struck me from this training was how the two go together. With goal setting the focus was on centering our goals on Christ and relying on revelation and inspiration when making the goals and in working towards them. For me the tie in was when, after a long day of working towards a particular goal, we pray at night and give an accounting to the Lord of our day and all that we did toward accomplishing our goal. 

We report on the things we did that worked well and the things that maybe didn't work so well. From there as each day goes by we work harder to maximize the things that work well and fix or eliminate the things that didn't work so well. Each day is an improvement. Thinking about it, it seems really basic, but for some reason it really struck me when they taught it at our Zone Training. For me it was a reminder to continuously try harder to be better each day. It's far too easy to get stuck in a rhythm and to become comfortable in a routine, but it's important to continuously look for things we can improve on and change. 

After the training we went and ate poutine with the Elders assigned to serve in St. Foy. It was really good. Interesting fact about poutine: when you are really hungry it is extremely good.  However, after it is digested it sits in your stomach like a rock and acts as a triple dose of tryptophan. After poutine, we changed and went mall contacting for a bit then we met a less-active member for dinner. 

We went back to his home and talked with him and his dad. I've been able to visit these two twice now since I've been on my mission and something I love is each time we are there before we can say or start any lesson the dad will always ask if we can have a spiritual picnic. When we have spiritual picnics we talk about a favorite scripture or an experience we've had. This time we talked on Moroni 10:3-5. We focused on three things in these verses: 1) It's up to each individual person to learn for themselves if the Book of Mormon is true 2) The Holy Ghost will answer our prayers to know if it's true if the person asking is sincere and 3) By the power of the Holy Ghost we will know the truthfulness of all things. 

What I love about the third point we talked about was the word choice. The truthfulness of all things. We won't necessarily understand all things, but by the power of the Holy Ghost we will know the truthfulness of all things. This is an important aspect of the scripture because each person will have questions or maybe a few doubts about aspects of the church here and there, but what this scripture teaches is that although we may not understand completely or totally agree, through the Holy Spirit we can know of its truthfulness. 

What an important process in the development of faith. To have something we struggle to understand and accept and then know of its truthfulness. Then comes the trial of faith as to whether or not we will act and live according to the principle even if we don't completely comprehend it. 

All in all it was a really good week with good lessons both taught and received. That's what I love about being a missionary. I learn just as much as I teach. 

I love you guys and hope you all have an amazing week! As always stay safe, stay faithful, and know that you are loved dearly by Our Father in Heaven. 

Love,

Elder DiReda

Salome getting ready to direct me
in the construction of her playhouse

I think she likes the window

The smiles say it all!!! I think she'll 
hire me again when she adds on.

Week 29 - Worner's, Court, and Ice

Bonjour à tous!

For starters this week the Worner's are back!!! It's been amazing to see them and spend time with them and hear about life in good 'ole Utah. It's so great to have them back! They are such a strength to us! 

Also, we went to court this week which was interesting. Back story: Last summer the two Elders that were here were knocking on doors trying to find potential investigators and they were outside talking to a guy when another guy came out of his apartment shouting and waving a knife and he proceeded to attack the guy they were talking with. Police showed up and the guy was arrested and that was that. Well the court case was this past week so one of the Elders who witnessed the attack had to come back to Rimouski to testify, since the other has since finished his mission and returned home. 

So this Elder, Elder Stothart, is on a 8 hour bus ride from his area of Cornwall to Rimouski when I get a call from the court saying that the guy pleaded guilty and there wouldn't be a need for Elder Stothart to come back. Unfortunately he was already on the bus so we were told that if we came by the court the next day with all the relevant court paperwork that Elder Stothart would be reimbursed. It was kind of confusing, but we went to the courthouse and the court reimbursed Elder Stothart and that was that.

The weather has been weird with a lot of freezing rain so the walkways are really icy. Elder Stothart and I managed to slip multiple times. We were walking to the courthouse and we were crossing at a crosswalk and just as we reached the sidewalk I lost my balance and almost fell. Immediately after that I hear a groaning and I turn around to see Elder Stothart on the ground flat on his back. On the way back from the courthouse it was a downhill walk... so I bet you can guess what happened. I slipped and since it was downhill gravity took over and it turned into basically an unintentional slide tackle into Elder Stothart. Gotta love ice.

In religious news, we had several good lessons with our members. They've been reading in the scriptures more and have been more involved since we started reading the Book of Mormon over with them which has been incredible. I hope one day I get to meet our member Michael. He works up north, a plane ride away, so he is unable to make it to church or even to Rimouski, but we call him multiple times a week, read in the Book of Mormon, and discuss different things that we liked and learned. What I love about Michael is that when we discuss different verses and chapters he doesn't focus on the well known scripture mastery. He talks about verses that sometimes I don't think twice about and we have a good five minute conversation on the different spiritual applications. He is such an example to me about ongoing conversion. He could quite easily just say I'm too busy and too far away I'll just read my scriptures when I have the chance, but instead he arranged a system many missionaries before me to have them call him and have lessons with him. 

In church we had a great Sunday School lesson about three different Liahona's we have in our personal lives. We have the Holy Ghost, Patriarchal Blessings, and our own consciences. All three guide us to make righteous decisions and be better people, but similarly to the Liahona Lehi's family had, it works better with faith. Faith to accept God's will over our own and faith to do whatever is asked of us. Faith is a principle of action and of power. I know for myself personally I still have a lot to work on when it comes to faith. I hope that we all improve and become better day by day continuing to be more faithful, more obedient, and more responsive to promptings we are given. As servants of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ we should always be on their errand but to do so we have to be attentive to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. 

I love you all so much and miss you just the same! Have a great week and as always, stay safe, and stay faithful!! 

Love,

Elder DiReda

Week 28 - Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Its Off To Work We Go!!

This week was packed with service! On Tuesday we went to Sylvie and Vianney's around 8:00 a.m. to help them redo their wood floor. We started around 8:30 a.m. and ended around 9:00 p.m. In all fairness, that includes meal breaks and English class which is an hour and a half, but it was still a long day. It was hard work, but it was well worth it. I learned so much and they are an awesome family so I was happy to spend the day with them.

On Thursday, we made and delivered my mom's Oreo cookies for our investigator Noémie's birthday and then went back to Sylvie and Vianney's to paint their kitchen ceiling with a second coat of paint. We finished that fairly quickly and then went out to dinner with them.

Friday we had service at the Friperie (second-hand clothes shop) which was awesome because we haven't been in several weeks because we have been really busy so it was good to make it back and help them and talk with them.

This whole week we were battling colds so we were out of commission a few of the days with nasty headaches and coughs but we were still able to have some really good lessons with our members.

On Sunday, I was asked to give a talk on the parable of the Prodigal Son which I liked because there are so many perspectives to consider when looking at that parable. For my talk, I focused on two. The first perspective I considered was from the father's view -waiting, hoping, and praying for our "sons" or our families and friends who may have lost their way or haven't yet found their way.

I liked what Elder Brent Nielson of the Quorum of the Seventy said when he spoke about this parable. He said, "after all we can do, we love that person with all of our hearts and we watch, we pray, and we wait for the Lord's hand to be revealed."

A lot of the times we help our friends and families the best we can but it seems like it isn't making a difference. What Elder Nielson focused on in his talk was love. To love, to serve, and to wait for the Lord. Sometimes the only thing we may be able to do is to love them and to wait, but that alone can work wonders. As we think about and pray for these individuals I have found that we are given opportunities to be there for them. To offer advice, support, to be a friend, whatever it is we are there for them to show them we love them and care for them and to provide an opportunity for the Lord to soften their hearts and for them to feel His love.

The other perspective I talked about was the perspective of the prodigal son. We are all prodigal children of our Heavenly Father. We are all imperfect and we all make mistakes, but as we repent and continue to do our best we become closer to Him and we return to Him. I love how Elder Nielson described it, "The Savior's words in the parable as He describes the father greeting his prodigal son are powerful, and I believe they may be the description of the experience you and I will have with the Father when we return to our heavenly home. They teach us of a father who loves, waits, and watches. These are the words of the Savior: 'When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him' (Luke 15:20)"

What an incredible experience that will be when we are reunited with our Heavenly Father. We must be in the world but not of the world. We must be examples of righteousness and continually improve ourselves and reach out to others. I pray that we may all have opportunities to be the answer to someone's prayer and to be a shining light to those around us. I love you all so much and I know this church is true and that our Savior Jesus Christ is merciful and is aware of everything we go through and He is there for us. I know that our Heavenly Father is waiting lovingly for us and is ready to welcome us back into His presence with open arms.

I love you all so much and I miss you just the same. Continue in righteousness, and as always, stay safe and stay faithful!

Love,

Elder DiReda