P-Day #7 - Kind-of...Flying to Canada, Customs, Night at Mission President's and On To My New Area... Destination....Unknown!!!

Elder Thompson and Elder Perry at the Provo, UT MTC

Hey Mom and Dad,

It’s your long lost son, ha-ha. I am doing well and my p-day is on Monday, but I'm e-mailing you on Sunday. I'll explain why later...

Elder Perry and his District at the Provo, UT MTC
Elder Jacobson(Left), Sister Allen, Elder Sorenson, Sister Huntsman, Elder Thompson, Elder Perry,
Sister Jones , Sister Goold and being held by Elder Pistole is 
Elder Amison

Elder Perry and Elder Thompson flying to Toronto, Canada

Since I talked to you last, I have flown to the Toronto, Canada airport and gone through customs. That was fun and I don't really want to do that again.

Mission President and Sister Shields 
with Elder Perry
Canada Toronto Mission

We stayed at the mission home for a night. President and Sister Shields are really nice and they even made us grilled hamburgers for the night we stayed with them. We got to go street contacting with the assistants to the president. We talked to a lot of people and even got some potential investigators out of it. It was fun just talking to new people and seeing their reaction to random strangers talking about Jesus Christ. The city was big and I knew I wasn't in Oregon anymore. The city is about the size of 3 Portland’s.

2016 Nissan Rogue, Our Mission Transportation

We stayed the night and then traveled all the way to Sudbury, Ontario which is "very north". It took a full day to travel but I felt like I was going home because the drive between Hillsboro and Vernonia is very similar. City followed by open space and then trees. We got to Sudbury at the home they called the Ice Castle. It is a small town, a little bigger than Vernonia. We got a brand new 2016 Nissan Rouge to drive around and me and Elder Thompson are certified drivers. The mission president said that most of our mission will be the north and that we are going even farther north.

In Sudbury, we met a lady who when we knocked on the door. She said she wasn't religious, cussed at the door then opened the door. She thought we were Jehovah’s Witnesses and we then explained that we were Mormons and LDS members. She said she wasn't interested but her four-year-old asked who God was and where he lived and she couldn't tell him. She said that we could come back and teach her son and her about God and she said that she would come to church. We didn't see her at church today so I don't know how that is going to work. 

Elder Thompson (Center) and my
other apartment Companions

The Elders here are awesome. I had a companion trainer named Elder “T” because we couldn't pronounce his last name. He was Tahitian. President Shields doesn't know what he wants to do with us yet. They are opening a new branch in Val-d’Or and so either Elder Thompson is going to Val-d’Or and I’m going to Rouyn-Noranda or the other way around.

We had stake conference and the Elders were asked to sing in the choir and with only two practices we sang “O' My Father”. People said we did really good and I believe them. We did alright. I have met so many new people and have gotten a few potential investigators when I have asked them.

My Current Mission Home in
Timiskaming, Quebec

I am now in Timiskaming because in Rouyn-Noranda, we don't have any computers right now so we drive to here to use the internet. Mail to the mission office will get here whenever they run it up here or when we have zone conference, which could take months. Tomorrow is p-day and we will be going to Rouyn-Noranda. I will be staying for another week and then president will see if the apartment is ready in Val-d’Or, Quebec.

The lake is in Timiskaming and I liked the view. All the elders here are awesome and there is no place I would rather be.  I have lost 20 pounds and I feel that I'll keep losing some weight. It’s mostly the walking, I guess. 

Elder Perry in his "Selfie" and Lake Temagami

I am doing great and am happy. The change is getting better and I am getting used to it. I am now with new trainers in a tri-companion ship and basically we are rotating out with them because they are going home in December. I think it is funny when people think that we are Jehovah’s Witnesses and then ask us questions that Mormons know but Jehovah’s Witnesses don't know. We laugh and joke with one another about the day and then plan for the next day. I write in my journal every night and then our TV is watching the youth videos on DVD and different Mormon Messages. We still can watch TV alright.

My French is getting better and I have been able to have a basic conversation and understand what native French speakers are saying. The members here are great and the stake conference was about the size of our branch in Vernonia. I felt like I was home. It was nice. I might email tomorrow but I’m not sure.

I love you and miss you. I will email you later. Also, share this with Megan, Grandma and Grandpa because the mission field is very busy.

Love You,

--

Elder Perry

Canada Toronto Mission