Still in Nanaimo for now

Still in Nanaimo for now
Elder Samis on the ferry

Wednesday 13 January 2016

January 11, 2015 - Area 5: Port Coquitlam

Out With a Bang

It has come. The last full week of my mission is here and it looks like it will be both busy and unpredictable. Emotional too I should add! I don't even know where to start really. We only taught a few lessons this week but it looks like we'll be very busy indeed in the days that are to come! We've been blessed by the Lord a lot this week.

On Tuesday Elder Okamoto and I decided to see a potential who we hadn't contacted in a few weeks. Her name is Valarie, a very kind woman who knows a bit about the church. She used to go to another church as a kid. Now that she has 6 kids, she hasn't been able to go for a long time with all the business. She still firmly believes in Christ though. We seemed to see her at the right time because her Father has been in poor health since just after Christmas. We taught her on Thursday and set our teaching expectations as well as an invitation to read the Book of Mormon. She accepted and we'll be seeing her this Tuesday for a follow up.

Another interesting appointment was one we had planned with a Chinese lady named Jessica. When we came to her house we sat down and she brought her 2 children into the room, a boy and a girl. They're really smart kids and though Jessica wasn't sitting in, we taught them a simple version of the restoration which they seemed to be fascinated with. They are quite young, but they go to a Christian school in which they read the bible so our lessons shouldn't be too hard for them to grasp.

Oh, another fun story so there's this Chevron gas station in down town Poco where a young lady named Zara works. She's a little older then us. We often stop where she works to get gas, buy snacks, use the washroom, etc. We're not totally sure what her ethnic back ground is but we figure she's probably Persian. She works there often and we usually see her when we stop in. Over time she's taken notice of us being around and asked us a few questions about what life is like being a missionary. On one occasion she told us that she met with missionaries in the past. Next thing we know, the other week she gave us her number she's willing to start taking the lessons!      

These were the 3 biggest miracles we saw this week. We have a number of other potentials and former investigators that we'll be working with though beyond this week. The ward members have also been trying to make one last attempt to make me gain weight before I leave with a number of dinners this week. We have at least 3 appointments with investigators or members everyday until Saturday! Talk about going out with a bang! Jessi's family is also coming back from their vacation soon, so pray that they'll be able to stay in our teaching pool.

And how to I feel over facing the reality that my mission is ending? Well, its hard to describe. It will certainly not be much fun having no job or school the day I get home. In terms of people getting baptized, I do wish I could have been more successful but there is still hope for those I have taught after my mission I suppose. It isn't about the numbers after all.  I've truly been amazed with how far the Lord has taken me as I've tried long and hard to do my best. My relationship with him is stronger then ever. While there has been many hard moments here in the field, there has been those genuine moments that outweigh those hardships pretty easily. I'm so pleased that we'll be able to be so busy while I'm still serving here! 

I don't have any information about how my flight to Edmonton will work yet. There's also a missionary broadcast on the 20th of January (the day I am supposed to go home) and Elder Okamoto and I have been assigned by our zone leaders to set up for it so I haven't got the slightest clue how that will work. It is possible I could be leaving either a day early or a day late. Don't stress out dear parents, I will let you know! So, until I sign into this computer one more time, farewell and may god be with you all!


Elder Maclean Samis   

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