June 22, 2015
Hey Everyone!

     Had a fabulous P-day this week! A very sweet woman in the ward took us to the Lost villages,  which is where they literately moved people's house- whole villages and re-located them so that they could expand the seaway. It was really interesting. Then we got to see the dam by the area.

    Sorry I didn't write last week, but nevertheless we had some tender mercies these past two weeks.

    One day, two weeks ago, we had just finished praying and were just shooting off a text before we went into a lesson when this man on his scooter rode right past our car and when we looked we recognized this man as someone that I had contacted at the mall a few months ago but wasn't really interesting in us coming over to give him our message. I wanted to go talk to him but he was already driving down the road and I told Sister Lindquist, "If he only turns around I will go talk to him." And in that moment.... he did just that-turned around. And Sister Lindqusit was like, "Go, Go, Go"  I jumped out of the car and we were able to talk to him and see how he was doing and he recognized us and even told us that we could come by and share something with him sometime:) It was just amazing to see him change from the last time we talked to him. 

    Than another miracle happened yesterday. Back in October I had contacted a lady on the street who we made an appointment with but she wasn't home when we had showed up. However it was when we were going to her apartment that we found Charlie. We went over to Charlie's house last night and she was sitting at his table and we invited her to join us for a lesson and she did and said she really enjoyed it. It was than amazing to see Charlie go grab a Book of Mormon and ask her if she had one and than bear testimony of how the Book of Mormon had helped him in his life and how if she read it and prayed about it, it would help her too:-)

     It's just  amazing how months ago we had talked to these people and thinking that nothing had resulted in it and than looking back from today to see that it did make a difference. It's amazing to see how the Lord places people in our path. He's in the details!

Love you all and hope it is a good week!

Sister Rawlings

June 8, 2015

Hey!

     This week was really tough, we were feeling pretty exhausted and it seemed like a lot that could go wrong did. But we really persevered and tried our hardest.  I really felt like the Lord sent me lots of little tender mercies through others. Like when we called a member to see how she was doing and she just seemed to say just the right thing or during exchanges Sister Schmuel relayed some part of a talk with the President to me that just really made me feel re-energized. 

     The family that we've been working with have been pretty nervous to come to church so yesterday we had a church tour and invited a member they know. It went really well, the spirit was present and that really was the key. They felt a lot more at peace and at the end there little boy turned to me and said "Can you and me say a little prayer?" It was so cute as he started, he peeked up to me and said, "what do I say next?" It was so cute as we said a little prayer. Afterwards when they were leaving he told us, "This is a pretty magical place!" which I had to agree with too:D

We also started volunteering at a long term facility place on the island. It was really fun, we got to help them paint by number and  this coming week we are starting to help with their gardening project! They taught us a word or  two in Mohwak including hello which sounds like Seago. But the big miracle that we saw was that we met this man who told us that he was a member! He had been adopted by people in the states and that he had grown up Mormon! Which was huge since we had no idea that he was there! 

Love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Rawlings

We made a cake for Elder Udave's birthday.

Blowing dandelion wishes!

Look what I found in the cupboard...way to represent Idaho!

June 1, 2015  Book of Mormon and the Spririt

Hello everyone!

It's been a very busy week! 

This week we had some really powerful spiritual lessons. We contacted a family that we had previously been teaching a few months ago but hadn't been able to get a hold of and they invited us over to their house. They explained that they were experiencing a passing of a loved one and that they felt like they really needed to call us.  In the lesson we were able to explain the Plan of Salvation and it was truly amazing to see the comfort that the plan brought to them. We asked if we could come back and explain more and they asked us if we could come back the very next day, which we did. The spirit was very strong. We had prepared a few scriptures that we felt could really help them and so we turned to one of them. While reading  I felt like I needed to turn to Mosiah 16:7-9 and I just put my finger to hold the page, We talked about another scripture and than a few minutes later he asked us a few questions and than an amazing thing happened-I looked at where I had turned to in Mosiah and it was a perfect answer to his questions. We read the scripture and he understood, it was truly a miracle to see how through the Holy Ghost we can be guided on to what people need.  It was truly amazing to see at how the Book of Mormon can answer the questions of our very soul and can give us that peace and reassurance that we oh so need in living in these challenging times. 

We also saw Ash just about everyday and had some powerful lessons with him. One of my favorite things he said last week was when we invited him to pray to truly know about the restoration, and he was like, "Not to be rude, but I've already prayed and I know."

Last lesson with Ash.

 We were like-that's awesome!

 He's been thinking about a specific baptismal date and it is just amazing to see his faith grow. He moved this last week, just outside of our area but he is really working at changing his surroundings to become better. It was sad since we won't be teaching him anymore but I know the Elders will do their best.

Right before a lesson with Sister Billido

Overall it was just a wonderful week, a lot of doors were opened to us that haven't been in the past couple of weeks.
​

Thank you for your prayers! 

Love 

Sister Rawlings

Giant Camp Chair.

May 25, 2015   The Island, Poutine, and a Barbeque

Hello Family and friends!

Meghann took us for Poutine.

Wednesday- Meghann took us to get Poutine (Sister Lindquist's first poutine) We went out to Long Sault.  Poutine is made up of fries, covered in gravy with  fresh, local St. Albert's Cheese curds. And according to everyone the most important part is the "Gravy", the gravy makes or breaks the poutine. It was really fun and we were very appreciative of Meghann taking us out to the best place in the area.

Sister Lindquist's first time trying poutine.

Transfer calls were Saturday. I will be spending my 7th Transfer with Sister Lindquist in Cornwall. Which will put me at a tie for the longest serving missionary in Cornwall. I'm excited, there is a lot to do here and a lot of people to help. I've been thinking about the song, " I'll go where you want me to go" and I think that the words, "I'll stay where you want me to stay dear Lord" should be included. I realize that this is the Lord's time and that he can put me, or keep me wherever he wants. I know that he knows best and that his plan is always better that we can ever imagine. I trust God and in his timing and so I'm excited to be able to spend more time with the people I love here in Cornwall, and to see what the Lord wants us to do.

We also barbequed with Sister Gaudet.

 This weekend we had some really great lessons with Ash and Luke, who are both really progressing, and I feel so blessed to be apart of their journey.

Sunday was great, we had ward conference. We snapped a quick picture with Sister McDonald-who we just love!​




We also ventured off into a new part of our area- Cornwall Island. To be honest I was terrified that we were going to get stuck over there because you have to go pass Canada customs to get back to Cornwall. But we put our trust in the Lord and headed over there. We found a great service opportunity over there, so we were very excited.  It is really beautiful over there, so I took a few pictures.

Stop sign in Mohawk- We were told that they don't have a word for stop so it actually means stand.

 

Love you all! Hope you have a fabulous week!

Sister Rawlings

May 20, 2015  Real Intent

Hello Family and Friends,

      This was a really great week! We had an amazing zone conference yesterday with the main theme focused on helping people read the Book of Mormon with real intent and realize that the reason why you read the book is what you will get out of the book.

       In one story by an elder he said that he knew of a family whose father told his teen that if he read The Book of Mormon that he would give him an xbox. The motive for the young man- an xbox. Why did he read the Book of Mormon- for an xbox and what did he get out of the Book of Mormon when he finished- an xbox. 

       Lesson- The intent that we read the scriptures is what we will get out of them. If we read the scriptures because we need to check them off our daily to-do list than we will check them off. But if we truly thirst for the scriptures and have the intent to know if they are true with a sincere heart than we will find out. If we are searching for an answer to a question with the intent to find it we will find it. God answers questions, "Ask , and it shall be given you; Seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you; For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)

       God answers the questions of our soul, I truly believe that, and that he listens too and cares for us.We had a big miracle happen when we were visiting a recent convert in the hospital. As we were walking into the hospital we saw, Ash who we haven't seen in over a month and we were able to talk to him. It was a big miracle.

       I am so grateful for the atonement and for Jesus Christ atonement. Surely he hath borne our griefs and our pains and I know that he is the true source for peace. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission and to be a part of this great and sacred work.

I love you all!

Sister Rawlings

Walking with Luke to a lesson.

The Seaway!

May 11, 2015

Hey everyone! 

 This week has been slower, We had to drop most of our investigators unfortunately. But Luke is doing really well! One comment he made in a recent lesson was how the more he reads the Book of Mormon the smarter he feels. I can fully agree with Luke, The Book of Mormon is a powerful book! Last week after having finished the Le Livre de Mormon  I truly saw the power that I felt from reading it. When I first started I understood a word here or a word there but as I read it was miraculous to me to see my comprehension of what I was reading grow. I know that the Book of Mormon is from God and that through reading it we can truly grow closer to God and that truly through the power of the Holy Ghost we can know for ourselves the truthfulness of the book.

Matching Sunglasses! Went on exchanges with Sister Gammon in Kirkland!

Wednesday while walking to a members house we stumbled upon this very picturesque church.

Hit Half way point this week! Crazy! We all celebrated our 9 months by going out to eat together at this cute little French Bakery called Premiere Moisson!

 Je'taime

Sister Rawlings!