Christmas Miracles

     This week was crazy especially with Christmas. Most of our investigators that we are teaching told us to come back after Christmas so we did not have too many lessons this week but we were able to meet with someone that we met a couple weeks ago named Joes and it was a really good lesson. He has been really trying to change his life and to become better and he has been thinking about going back to church. He was a little skeptical about the Book of Mormon but we were able to explain it and told him how we just invite people to read it and to pray to ask God if it is true and he was very willing to find out for himself so it was a really good lesson!

     We were also able to meet with a guy names Matt that the YSA sisters found and he has been really prepared. He recently got into a really bad car accident and knew that he should not be alive but God saved him for some reason so he has recently quite drinking and smoking to change his life for the better and for his kids. It was such a great lesson and we had a great member there who was able to testify about how this message that we share will be able to help him change for the better and help him find true joy in his life. It was such a great lesson and our member gave him a ride and told him about church and Matt was really excited and wanted to come this Sunday! 

   This year we were also not allowed to visit with members all day on Christmas so Elder Hunter and I have some bikes so we took those out for most of the day and did a lot of finding and what was one of the Christmas Miracles was no one yelled at us for knocking on their door on Christmas which was awesome! We also dropped by a less active and he told us how he had called us a few hours ago and we never got a call but we just decided to drop by which was inspired! He told us how every time he needs the missionaries to come by we just show up! Then we were able to teach him and his wife, who is not a member, and had a really good lesson and what was even cooler about it was his wife normally does not sit in on the lesson and then after that we went to a dinner appointment and the member, The Gordon's, had their whole family, who are not members, there and we were able to share a great message about families and how important they are!

   This week has not been normal but has been really cool! Christmas is really different as a missionary but it is really great because all we do is teach about Christ even on Christmas!

Love Elder Slack

Time has come for new shoes

Had an interesting little chat with Will in regards to the 'ton' of snow they got in Abottsford

William Slack
to me

yep they fit really well though and are waterproof! which is nice because it snowed a ton here yesterday during church and when I say a ton I mean like 2-3 inches so not that much.

Christine Slack	Dec 28 (2 days ago)
to William

well, when you grow up in Mesquite, 2-3 inches is a ton

William Slack	Dec 28 (2 days ago)
to me

yeah I know that is why I thought it was a lot and no one else did!

God always blesses us as we do our best and do all that we can, not always in the way that we expect but he always does

 Well this week has been crazy! We have had a ton of people to go by. It snowed here on Thursday and lasted for like 4 hours so it felt like I was back home when we get snow. I was glad because last year the snow was just cold and I thought when I got sent to Abbotsford that I would be free and clear from it but it is also supposed to snow on Christmas Eve so hopefully its not too cold

  This week we went to see an investigator that they were teaching named Nancy and what is really crazy is I remember meeting Nancy when I was here the first time. We have also knocked a lot of places that I knocked when I was also here the first time. One thing that I have really learned is that it does not matter if people have been talked to before or if a street was already knocked, people will be prepared! We have found so many people in places that I have already been. 

  We also had a huge miracle happen on Sunday. We saw a family that we are teaching on Saturday night and they said they were coming to church but they never came but a former and her daughter randomly came to church out of no where. We are now going to start teaching them again! It was so cool because we were supposed to have 4 people come to church but none of the people we had confirmed to come came to church but Laura and her daughter came. God always blesses us as we do our best and do all that we can, not always in the way that we expect but he always does.

Our Christmas Tree

Me and Ross, A member in Brookswood that we would visit every week and read the Book of Mormon with

Me and Elder Haase

   I have really learned a lot on how the Lord works and how the Lord always hastens his work and he will do it through us if we let him!

   Have a Merry Chirstmas and Remember what Christmas is really about!

Love Elder Slack

{Dec 7, 2015} A Night in Bethlehem

Well this was an interesting week with a lot of very funny moments, like yesterday we got to church and figured out that Elder Harris grabbed the wrong suit jacket so he was high priesting it to all of our meetings and to church which was pretty funny at least for me. Lately we have been talking to a lot of people that say they are not religious but they always say Merry Christmas. So, we were at one door and Elder Harris was talking to a lady and she told us that she was not religious even though she had a ton of Christmas decorations on her house and so he went to give her a card and said "we have a really cool video on this website all about Christmas and you don't have to love Jesus to love Christmas" and after the lady shut the door. I just about died laughing so hard but that is how the world seems to be now, that Christmas is just an event and not about anything more than presents and a big man in a red suit.

 

   Besides that we were able to have a really good week. Ken, the guy that Elder Mattingley and I Baptized received the Priesthood and we took him out to a lesson for the first time so that was Awesome! I has been really great to see how much he has grown and changed from this gospel! He is almost a completely different person that when I first met him. We also were able to see our investigators Sabas, who is from Mexico, and we brought a member that speaks Spanish and we taught him about the Book of Mormon. He does not speak very good English but he told our member that he does not understand everything that we say but that he does feel good. We had a very good lesson and our member was able to talk to him a lot about the Book of Mormon and what it was about. He was very excited to read it but he is going back to Mexico for a month and will not be back until January 15th so hopefully Elder Harris will be able to reconnect with him when he gets back.

   Also we got transfer calls on Saturday and I am getting transferred to Abbotsford 2nd ward or I guess I should say I am getting transferred back to the Abbotsford 2nd ward because they have 2 sets of Elders in that ward now. So, I served in Clearbrook and now I am going to the other set of Elders, but they both cover the same area and the same ward so it should be pretty awesome because that ward is really cool and I really like it there.

  This week our ward also had a Christmas activity called A Night in Bethlehem and it was so cool! They decorated the gym to look like Bethlehem with little tents with shops and activities and they had a play of the nativity and it was awesome. It was way better than the standard dinner and it was really centered on Christ and what Christmas is Really about!

Well I have to go Love ya Bye

Love Elder Slack

The Spirit of Christmas

This week has been really different from most, probably because it was Christmas this week. But it has been a really great week! We went caroling with the Mathiesons on Monday, which was really fun not because I like or am good at singing but because the Mathiesons are really awesome and are a lot of fun, which is probably why we go visit them every week.

The Mathiesons

           Besides that nothing too interesting happened until Thursday except we did get to go visit Harmon and Sukhi, who are a Sikh couple that we are teaching and they are so cool they are really open to visiting with us and are really seeking for the truth. One thing that I learned on Christmas Eve is that people are not that nice and not too open to 3 teenage kids knocking on their door so we decided not to go tracting on Christmas because we figured out people are not going to like us knocking on their door on Christmas day.

           Well, Christmas Day was really cool except we still had to wake up at 6:20 and go exercise and had to do studies before we could open presents so we had to wait until 10 am to open presents which I have never done in my life!! It took all my self-control but it was really great because I got a really nice sweater and a fresh sweater vest, which is really sweet. I also got some sick ties that have Captain Moroni and Angel Moroni on them and I also got a ton of candy! Which is probably not the best because I am probably going to get really fat and then have to get sent down to Vancouver so I can walk off all the weight I gained. 

Bring on the candy!

Then!! We got to Skype our families which was really awesome because we weren’t even allowed to Skype until the Monday before Christmas so it was really sweet except we couldn’t figure out how to set up Skype so that we could all Skype at the same time but finally we got it all figured out and it was really cool except Krista was crying and I don’t even know why, she got an iPhone and an iPad for Christmas so I don’t know what she was so upset about ;) 

 

Broadcasting to the TV for the whole family to see

When he finally called...

After that our Bishops wife made an awesome breakfast, which ended up being for lunch.

Picture that Bishop's wife texted home

Then we basically just went and visited The Peirsons, Mathiesons, Brooks, and Fraziers. It was really nice to be with family even if it wasn't our own.

Hangin' with the Fraziers

           Then on Friday we weekly planned and then went on exchanges and Elder Tolman and me went down to Merritt with Elder Eshrich. It was really interesting because Merritt only has about 10,000 people and they only have 20 active members. That is because a lot of the people are druggies and that is not being mean because we went and tracted for almost 3 hours and half of the house smelled like weed or the people were drunk.  So, Merritt is pretty interesting to say the least. For dinner we went to a member’s house and talked mostly about football, baseball movies and his mission.  He served in Norway and he told us that they were encouraged to go to harry potter in the movie theater and we found out that Norway is a lot different than here and some crazy stuff happened to him that I am not going to talk about.

Christmas Day also happened to be Elder Tolman's birthday. Happy Birthday Elder Tolman!!

Elder Tolman, me & Elder Kelly

It snowed...again!

Elder Tolman's snowman

Well, I have to go because time is up but talk to you next week! 

Love Elder Slack

Have a very merry CHRISTmas and remember what CHRISTmas is really about!

This week was pretty sweet and a little disappointing when I found out that my sister got an iPhone 5 when I specifically asked for her not to get one until she was 16 so I have really realized how unfair life is this week because of that ;)

           Besides that this week was really awesome! Monday was pretty hectic because we had to go to about a million different stores to buy things and to get Christmas presents for people so it was petty crazy but we finally got everything done and went to a dinner appointment with Bishop S’s family and unexpectedly Blaine, the bishops son, had his girlfriend over, who is not a member, and so we had a really awesome lesson with her and the family. Overall we have been really blessed with lessons and having members at the lessons. This week we had 11 lessons with investigators and had members with us which is the most I have ever had and at least 4 of those were unexpected, like, we just went to a members house for a visit and they had a non member there. We have had a lot of unexpected blessing come to us.

           Actually we went out on Tuesday night to go visit some investigators and the lessons fell through so we just quickly went to another investigators house, Joey if anyone remembers Joey, and we really haven’t visited with Joey too much after he told us he didn’t want to be baptized and felt he didn't really need to meet with us anymore. We went over there and taught a really good lesson about the Book of Mormon and he told us that he has really felt lost recently so we taught how the Book of Mormon and prayer are amazing ways to find answers and to help us with difficult decisions in our lives. He seemed to be really open to meeting with us again and we committed him to start reading the Book of Mormon.

           Probably the coolest thing that happened this week was on Thursday morning. We went to the Church to weekly plan. When we got there the parking lot was full of cars and we couldn’t figure out why until Elder Kelly asked what was going on and we found out that there was a Christmas Concert going on at the school across the street. So we went inside and Elder Kelly received divine revelation that we should go buy hot chocolate and make it then we should hand out hot chocolate to the people when the concert is over so that is what we did. We called the Kamloops 1^st Elders to help us and they came over and we went ant talked to a bunch of people as they where going back to their car and handed out a ton of cards and pamphlets to people but sadly not many people took the hot chocolate so he have like 3 gallons of hot chocolate left in our Fridge but that doesn’t matter because we talked to a lot of people and that is all we really wanted to accomplish. It was really cool and pretty successful. Then on Friday we got a referral!! From someone who went to Mormon.org and requested us to come over and visit them and sadly we have not gotten over there yet but it is so cool to actually get someone to come to us and tell us they want us to come to them. 

           One thing I have really seen this last week is how The Lord is hastening his work and it’s going to happened whether we do anything or not. There are people who are out there who are ready to hear the gospel and they are waiting for us. They may not be waiting for 2 teenage boys to knock on their door but they may be waiting for their friend to talk to them. It is not just missionaries who are helping them hasten His work but it is the members who are also a huge part of it. Even though missionaries do it full time for 2 years, there are people who won’t listen to missionaries but they will listen to their friends. So have a very merry CHRISTmas and remember what CHRISTmas is really about.

If you didn’t know I actually get to Skype home on Christmas because our mission president is Awesome!! We don’t have to be old school and call which is Awesome!! Anyways...

Love Elder Slack

​Elder Kelly's sister sent us some really "fresh" pillow cases

One of our Christmas trees with our presents

Our sweet District!!

Me Elder Woolf, Hawkes, Walker, Tolman, Esrich,and Kelly!

​My "fresh" (I see a pattern here...new word??) new hat. I feel I have really adapted to Canada very well.

The humble circumstances of Christ's birth

Well this week has been pretty Awesome!! Because we had a lot of lessons and found a lot of new investigators to teach and we also got some of our current investigators to progress and to help them with some of the things that they are struggling with. It has also been a sad week because one of my best friends on my mission, Elder Wood, and I know you asked about him dad and yes we have a special friendship bond that can never be broken, left Kamloops and is going home on Wednesday so that was kind of sad but that's the mission life. 

Will and Elder Wood in their matching suits "Looking Fresh", farewell Elder Wood!

It was also really awesome because Elder Walker, my MTC companion, is in my District and Elder Kelly is the District Leader so he went on exchanges with Elder Walkers companion and Elder Tolman and I got to go on exchanges with Elder Walker so we reunited the MTC duo. It was awesome to be in the field with Elder Walker because he is awesome and I thought I might never see him in the mission but it was really cool. 

The Dynamic Duo has been reunited! Elder Walker & Will

While we were on exchanges we didn't have a ton of lessons but we did get to have quite a few member visits and they were so great. We went and visited Ray, who is a YSA in our ward, and he served a mission in New York City, Chinese speaking. He was really cool and we taught a really good lesson about the video the church put out "He is the Gift" and we have been committing all of the members that we teach to give a Book of Mormon to someone they know this Christmas season and share with them the same thing that brings them so much joy and peace.

Working out in our apartment

The 'tripanionship' of Will, Tolman and Kelly

One of our trees with our new fireplace, Thanks Mesquite 2nd Ward Relief Society!!

      We also had Zone Meeting on Wednesday and we were told to read the talk by Elder Holland called "Maybe Christmas Doesn't Come From a Store", which is crazy because that is the same talk that my Mom sent me 3 weeks ago. When I read it one thing that he really talks about is how humble the circumstances that Jesus was born into. Which is something that I have never really thought about but as I was studying I realized that Jesus could have been born in to a Kings family and been treated very well and been someone of great importance and still accomplish the Atonement the same but he was born in the most humble of circumstance and probably lived the hardest life that anyone has ever lived so that he would know the pain that everyone goes through in this life so that no one could say they had it worse than Christ did. He literally was born in a stable, was a carpenter, was homeless and went through the Atonement at the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross for all of mankind. There is not one point in Jesus Christ’s life when we can say that he had it pretty good and that life was easy for him. There is no reason for us to be prideful and not use the Atonement because he did it all for us. He lived that life for us. Not for himself because he was perfect and didn't need the Atonement to live with God again but God and He knew that we couldn't accomplish it with out that so he volunteered to give his life so that we may have eternal life. He loved us so much and wanted us to live with him again. This is something that I never really thought about until I came on a mission and started to really discover this gospel and what Christ truly did for us. This time of year is when we should really focus on Christ and what he did for us and it is a time when we should share it with others who do not know it so they may feel the same joy and peace that Christ has brought in to our lives. This is the time to share the true meaning of CHRISTmas and what it is really a holiday for. So during this Christmas season really reflect on the savior and all that he has done for us personally and strengthen your personal relationship with him. This is something that I have really been trying to do over the last few days and it is something that brought me even more joy in my life. This Gospel is the thing on this Earth that can bring us the most joy in this life and this time on earth can be so much more enjoyable if we just put Christ in our lives and truly rely on him and also to share this with others even if it is hard. Trust me I know how hard it can be sometimes but if we rely on Christ we can did it!! Talk to you next week

Love Elder Slack

He is the Gift

Well, this week has been really Awesome!! We got our new car on Monday and Elder Tolman finally came up to Kamloops so now we are in a Tri which is a little weird because our house is set up for 2 people not 3 so we have had to adjust some stuff to fit 3 people and now our bedroom is pretty much just beds and no space. Elder Tolman is really cool and he is from Coquitlam, which is just outside of Vancouver. He is Autistic but a very high functioning Autistic so he has to be in a Tri. But he is really cool and he farts like crazy. Really I do not know how he does it, like I didn’t know that someone could have that much gas in their body but it’s actually pretty funny. 

Elder Kelly, Elder Tolman and Will

Elder Tolman, Elder Kelly and Will

  We have had a ton of lessons this week with investigators, less actives and members. It has been really awesome and we have been super blessed, unfortunately we do not have anyone that is really close to baptism but we have found a lot of new people to teach and I’m kind of starting to get comfortable with knocking on doors which is nice because that is something that I really struggled with at the beginning of my mission and I still get pretty nervous but it is getting easier. We have had some awesome lessons this last week especially with members because we have been sharing the "He is the Gift" video and really talking about the true meaning of Christmas and how this is a holiday to celebrate Christ and to show others the love that Christ has for them through service and through gifts. One thing that I really thought of is how much I got caught up in the other things that happen with Christmas. We should always remember that Christmas is to celebrate Christ because he is so important to us and he has shown us so much love and continues to show us endless love. There are a lot of people that do not believe or even know the love that Christ and during Christmas people are a lot more receptive to the message of the Gospel and we need to share the gift to help those who do not know the joy that comes from Christ and his Atonement. Well, I have to go and I hope you all have a very awesome Christmas and Share the Gift!! If you haven’t watched it GO WATCH "He is the Gift" and then share it!!!

Love Elder Slack

P.S MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

"We saw a lot of blessings.."

Well, this week has been really interesting and very different from the others. If you didn’t know we crashed our car on Monday and we have been on foot for the whole week and have walked about 30 miles since Tuesday and it’s snowed 3 times in the last 6 days.

Still snowing and no car 

 We saw a lot of blessings on Tuesday. While we were walking up to a former investigators house we stopped at three houses to help people shovel their driveways and they all said that we could come back and so we set up return appointments!! A lot of stuff like this has happened this last week, like a less active family just randomly showed up at church this week and we set up an appointment to go visit with them. It has been really cold here this last week anywhere from -10° to -25° celsius (-13° to 14° fahrenheit) I know that it doesn’t sound really cold but it feels a lot colder when we are walking outside for 5 hours a day. 

  We did get an American Thanksgiving on Thursday because there is an American family that lives in our ward and moved here a year ago. It was so good and very awesome but they couldn’t make rolls as good as Grandma Bette's. At least we got an American Thanksgiving and they have an awesome bear pelt hanging up on their wall.

Bear pelt at Gilespies

 We had a really good spiritual thought about the Atonement and how important it is in our lives. It’s not just for fixing mistakes but it can be used for every aspect of our lives and is so much more than being forgiven of our sins. It can be used when we are sad or in pain or need strength. We do need it because as humans we cannot make it to live with Heavenly father again without it. This shows how much we need Christ in our lives because without Christ this life would be hopeless. Luckily we do have Christ and we need to rely on Christ because we cannot get through this life with out Christ. This week has shown me how much Christ does help me and helps all of us with everything and I really learned how grateful I am for things like a car and for a heater and I am really grateful for the members in our ward that drove us around and let us come visit them so that we wouldn't have to walk around in the cold. I also realized how much I dislike the cold. I almost forgot but I had to speak in Sacrament, which, if you didn’t know, I really do not like doing and the heater in the chapel wasn't working so it was like 14° celsius (57° F) during sacrament and it was freezing up on the stand. That was a very interesting experience that we had at church this last Sunday. Two talks that I read to prepare for my talk that I thought were amazing where "You Matter to Him" by Elder Uchtdorf in the 2011 November Ensign and "We Never Walk Alone" by President Monson in the 2013 November Ensign.

Love, Elder Slack

P.S We do get a new car today and Elder Tolman is coming up tonight. If you didn’t know we are getting a new companion and we will be in a Tri this transfer.

Our sweet Christmas Tree

Me and Elder Kennedy

Elder Smith, Elder Wood and myself