I'm Alive!

Hello to the world's best missionary fan club! Before you all start to call up my mission president, I'm alive and well! No, I didn't get attacked by bears or beavers or hockey players. Just ran off with my clan of 18 year old elders for the weekend, went camping, sang Celine Dion songs... Ha! Teasing! I wish my excuse was that glamorous. Seeing as Quebec closes down the entire city on Labor Day, we had to move our P-day to today. Saddest story of my life! I worried about everyone all day.

This week... was miraculous! Seriously! So many miracles I don't even know where to begin! First, let's just start off with the miracle Sister Cutler pulled off in finding her way from Quebec City to Montreal without a map, GPS, or directions. But it was the greatest day! I got to see ALL of my peeps and go back to my old area and my old chapel! Holy cow... can you say waterworks? I feel like I just left my little old NDG! It was such a weird experience to see all of my old haunts. I got to give big old bear hugs to Sister Varela and Sister Landeen, two of my old comps, and my FAAAAVE Chinese elders from the old district! Ha ha don't worry, didn't give them bear hugs. Rain check on that one! But still, it was super fun to be with my old peeps in my old area. Afterward we went and got POUTINE!!! (so sick of this tradish, btw) and invited a Kenyan woman studying at MIT to have lunch with us! She was too, too cool. Super ready for the gospel. Except she was only passing through Montreal for the weekend... still. Six sister missionaries weren't going to leave her empty handed! So we dropped her a Book of Mormon to read on her flight to Kenya! Love little moments like that. There are such cool people out in the world! Montreal is full of all sorts.

Alright, so on to the coolest experience of my mission. On Wednesday night Sister Rios and I were just chillin doing our favorite hobby, aka knocking on every door in the neighborhood. Super obnoxious, right? Dang hooligans. Anyway. This man opens the door and just looks at us funny. Nothing new there. Then I bust out my, "Salut! On est missionaires de l'Église de Jésus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours!" And then he was all, "Whoa whoa whoa! Trop vite pour moi!" MIRACLE OF MIRACLES! An ENGLISH speaker! So immediately we chatted him up. And this guy says, "Funny you should knock on my door... I've been wondering where I could get a Book of Mormon. Do you know where I could buy one?" You should have seen me as I dropped to the floor! We ran as fast as lightening to the car to grab one in English, and Sister Rios was so excited that she went flying off the stairs of the apartment and scratched up her whole body! Ha ha it was seriously too good to be true. I was almost positive this guy was an RM playing a trick on us. So we go back, teach him the Restoration at the door a little. And HE asked US for a return appointment! I was speechless. So we go back a couple days later with a member, sit around and partake of a vegan feast that this guy has prepared for us. Seriously, too cool. It went super well! He asked us our conversion stories... like seriously, who does that? And Sister Rios has a killar conversion story (convert of 1 year and a half!) so naturally his mind was totally blown.

The next Saturday was our Epluchette de Blé d'Inde activity for the whole ward. Such a success! We were able to bring a couple of the daughters from my favorite Côte d'Ivoire family, which was also a miracle in and of itself. And it gets even better... our new ami showed up! So we gave him a church tour, showed him the baptismal font. Only problem is that he wants to get baptized in a river... ha ha SOOOOO we will see about that! But it makes sense. He's just super into nature and good vibes and all of the important things in life, so I dig it. Afterward we played an intense soccer game with some of the elders, our investigators, and this super foxy hot mama future sister missionary Roxann. Seriously, it was such a fun night. 

Transfer calls were also on Saturday.... and we're staying together! I'm super pumped. We have a lot going for us in our area right now. I love this place, love the members, love the people, love the scenery. Wouldn't have it any other way! On Sunday we had even more miracles. Our new ami showed up to church! Doesn't speak any English, but the spirit works in all languages. The craziest thing happened... he's like... "Hey, can I do one of those testimony things?" And I'm like, "Uh, yeah!" So HE BORE HIS TESTIMONY! First Sunday at church! He's seriously a rock star haha. Not a dry eye in the house! Seriously, it was the best moment of my entire mission. He gave the sister missionaries two shout outs for being awesome and bringing him the gospel. We were seriously celebs afterward! I was glowing from head to foot. Ha ha way cool experience. 

Today was pretty sweet. While all of y'all went back to school, I went and bowled it up with the district! Ahhhh yeah! And it was disco night/afternoon? I was having MAJOR flashbacks to my 10th birthday party eleven Septembers ago when I was discoing around to the Bee Gees. NOSTALGIA! Right in the childhood. Ha ha it was super sweet! And the elders were dancing around... tsk tsk. I would have joined but... once you get Sista Cutler dancing... the trouble starts. Ha ha so I bridled my passions. But I did throw on my BYU "Cougar" shirt, just for good measure. It was a lovely P-Day.

Well, I love you all and miss you terribly! I hope everyone has a wonderful week, a wonderful September, and a wonderful back-to-school! Sending missionary prayers your way! Also, SHOUT OUT to Grandma and Grandpa Nelson for celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary this week! Thank you for being such a great example. Seriously, the perfect marriage and the perfect couple. LOVE YOU to the moon and back! Well, I best be off, but I hope you all are doing just splendid! Have a faaaaabulous week! BISOU!

Love,

Sister Syl