Hey Mom and Dad,
You are probably still sleeping but I am awake.
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| Elder Perry On Top of the World in the Canada Toronto Mission in Quebec, Canada |
This week has been good, we still don't know where I am
going, the word is just stand by and wait for the Val-d’Or apartment thing to sort
itself out. I want to know because I want to get a rhythm down and not wonder
where I will be for the next year. The French Elders don't get transferred very
often because there are so few. We are getting a new French Elder this week and
we have all been wondering how the companionship's are going to be sorted out.
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| Elder Carman (Left) and Elder Feth (Right) Enjoying some Poutine for a Lunch Break. They are my companions, They ROCK! |
The Elders here are treating me good. We laugh and joke
around with each other and we do the work. They say when you are up north too
long you become weird and not the average missionary. This is proving to be
true but I really wouldn't want average because then life would just be boring.
We met a man who said his name was Bruce Lee. (he was definitely not). He also
told us that he needed to go and fly away. I guess he was going to meet with
Superman. He was a little high on something but it gave us a good laugh. We
went back later when we thought he would be off the high but he opened the door
and the smell of pot filled the hallway. He is probably not going to be taught
right now.
I did buy a heavy coat and it’s a nice Colombia and well
made. We looked around for good deals but they didn't have anything in my size
that was on sale. The Elders helped me look and I tried to communicate the best
I could with the lady who was helping with the coat. She said it could handle
-40 easy so I said “OK”.
We helped a lady move some furniture in her basement this
week. Her basement was really dusty and cat hair was all over everything. Even
with my allergy meds, I still had an allergy flare up. We got home after and I
got in the shower and recovered for the rest of the night.
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| Elder Perry at the Largest Gold Mine in Canada |
We went to the largest mine in Canada. It's just outside of Val-d'Or. It produces about 140,000 ounces of gold every quarter. Now, that's a "Gold Rush"!
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| Poutine is Fries covered with Brown Gravy and some Cheese Curds |
I got to try talking to people by myself and I think that it
went well, all things considered. I had the famed poutine and it was ok. I
think it would have been better with country style gravy but it was lunch that
day so, it was awesome. We taught the lady who owns the restaurant and she gave
it to us for free. She was so nice.
I got to use the self-checkout at Walmart in French and I
thought it was the coolest thing. Things up here are all French and it is full immersion. I like it because I am getting better at responding to questions and
understanding what people are saying.
I helped mow a lady’s lawn today. Thousands of miles away
and I am still mowing lawns like at home. She had a John Deere mower like our
neighbor Linn Buckner’s at home in Vernonia, which was nice. I met a guy who
reminded me of Linn. He lived by himself with his dog and wore jeans and an old
hickory shirt. Every time we go over to those two people it is like I am
walking next door and saying hi to our neighbor and asking how he is doing. It
feels like home and I love it. Tell Linn “Hello” from me!
All the early mornings, all the miles spent walking up and
down streets, all the mistakes in language, are all worth it. I am so grateful
to be here. We had church yesterday and it was completely in French. I was able
to bear my testimony and I think it went well. The people were smiling. I don't
know if they liked what I said or if they were laughing in their minds because I
was probably making a bunch of mistakes. Either way it went well.
We had some new investigators come to church after just one
street contact, which I think is awesome.
The wind is blowing today which I think is cool because it
reminds me of when grandpa and I went on our last fishing trip and our hands
got numb. The wind is like that but I still like it here. Most of the time the
temp is 10 degrees Celsius or 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but it will start to drop
soon.
I do read your emails but the only time I can read them is
on p-days because we don't have computers anywhere else. We stayed with the Timiskaming
Elders last night so we could have an early start.
Please share my love with Megan, Grandpa and Grandma and share
this email
It’s good to know that things are going well with the cars.
One thing I have learned and have been asked about here in the
mission field by our church leaders, is that if we want our young
men and women to serve in the mission field and stay close to the gospel, “What
should they be doing?” I told them, “They
should all do the Missionary Challenge ” like we did in the YSA where they have to follow
mission rules. Also coordinate with the missionary’s and have them go on splits
with the missionaries. That has really prepared me for a mission and I am so
thankful I had the opportunity to do the challenge before I came out here.That
really prepared me for a mission.
How are the Shay Boy’s doing? Have they got baptized
yet? Tell Johnathan Levenseller to keep up the good work and give him my email.
I’d love to hear from him. My Email is jperry@myldsmail.net
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| Super Elder Perry with his Companions on P-Day in the Meetinghouse Computer Center |
One thing that I have learned is that life is about the
choices you make! That really decides who you really are. I have learned that
things that mattered to me before really don't matter. My goals have changed in
life. I am not really sure what I would like to do with my life now. My focus
has gone from career goals and living for my cares, to family and how I can
become a good husband, father and man. Missions really shape who you are and
who you become. I think I am becoming better that I ever would have, if I had
not gone on a mission. Encourage the young men, please focus on the church
because as we see in the scriptures, those who focus on the world, will
eventually find out that true happiness is found in the safety and comfort of
Jesus Christ and that the world will not give eternal happiness.
I love you and pray for you every night. Stay strong and in
the words of 17 Miracles "It will all be worth it".
I love you and will write next week.
With Great Love,
--
Elder Perry
Canada Toronto Mission
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