Tuesday, March 28, 2017

P-Day # 34 – Setting up for Women’s General Broadcast, Working with Less Actives and The Belly Bomber…

Elder Perry in the Mission Apartment in Kitchener, Ontario Canada

Hi Mom and Dad,

This week has been a VERY slow week. Of our 2 investigators, 1 had a family issue he was dealing with, so he cancelled. The other is not making hearing the Gospel a priority. It’s sad to see that we are offering Eternal Gifts and investigators just seem to take things lightly. That darn agency thing gets in the way every time. But, we’ll keep preaching on. We have been trying everything it seems but nothing has worked. We are trying to help the members with their missionary work so that we can get a few new investigators from them, but it’s a slow process. We have quite a few less actives. Retention is just as important as the actual Baptism.

We, my companion Elder Hanks and I, set up for the Women’s General Broadcast this week. As we were setting up chairs and tables, I started thinking…. I moved 2600 miles away, moved to another country and I’m still doing the same thing as if I was at home. Helping my Mom set up for Women’s Conference” ( My Mom's the Relief Society President & Mom always said I was her 3rd counselor ) ... How Ironic! 😊

The Belly Bomber!

Going on a Mission will teach you many things, for me I have learned to start cooking for myself. Pre-mission, I was making Macaroni and cheese, and a few other things too. This morning I created what I call a “Belly Bomber”… Hash Browns with ketchup, scrambled eggs, with a generous topping of bacon slices…Ahhh, is there nothing bacon can’t do?

Hopefully things will get busier and we can invite more to come unto Christ.  Keep doing your callings and Missionary work!  
The Missionaries need the members too.


Love YOU and pray for YOU Every Day and Night,

Elder Perry
Waterloo Ward
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada Toronto Mission

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

P-Day # 33 – Hard Week Finding Investigators, Bishops Storehouse & Finding a Great Restaurant!!!


People think I look like a Canadian Police Officer.
If my jacket was red, I'd look like a Mountie!

This week has been a rough week in terms of finding new people.

We went searching for our “former investigators” and went through the last of them. We had no success in finding them and the people who did answer their doors weren't interested. We then commenced with the “potential investigators” with the same result however, we did have a couple of blessings from the Lord.

We were trying a “potential investigators” and we knocked on the door. There was no one who answered but a man pulled in the driveway. We asked him if he was the person we were looking for and he said no. The person was not home but we started talking to him about the Gospel and he seemed interested. We gave him our pass-along card with our number and we gave him a Book of Mormon. He tried to pay us for it but we said it was free. He was surprised and thanked us for talking to him.

We then started walking to a “potential investigator” in the area and we realized that we had forgot the apartment number. So, we had to walk back. As we did, we were able to talk with two guys who stepped outside for a smoke. We were able to share how we share a message of happiness and peace. We shared a card with him and with his friend that we talked to. Had we just kept walking we would have never talked with those people and they would have had to wait more time to hear the gospel

We had one “former investigator” come to church after we had stopped by their house and left a card at the door when he didn't answer. He was a native French speaker and I was able to speak with him in French and he seemed to like the meeting. It was really nice and I was able to use my French to help him feel welcome.

We had tried to go to some Elderly Retirement homes, but they have “No Soliciting” signs in the window. We were going to volunteer in the local school, but since we didn’t have children enrolled in their school, we cannot volunteer they said. We have been trying to find "new investigators" but with no success. We will keep trying though and I know that the Lord will bless us for our efforts.

On a Happy Note, we got to do the Bishop Storehouse this week and that was pretty fun. We set up tables and helped people get their groceries. There was a lot of food left over because people didn't come to get it so they gave it to the missionaries …..Bonus! 

Also, the person in charge of our meals found out that we didn't get fed this week. So, after Relief Society we looked at the calendar and now we have a meal appointment every day except Friday and a member fed us dinner yesterday. We are so thankful for the members that take the time to have us over and feed us. Not only with the good food, but it’s good to get to know the members and leave them with a spiritual thought. 


We did find the Best Restaurant EVER… It’s called Smoke’s Poutinerie, www.smokespoutinerie.com , and it rocks.

 Regular Poutine is fries with gravy covered in “Squeaky Cheese”, but this place has a bunch of extra toppings to put on. It’s sooooo good!

Well, I'd better close for this week. I can't believe in a few weeks, I'll have been out 8 months, 1/3rd of my mission. Unbelievable!

Remember I Love You and Pray for You Ever Day and Night, 

Elder Perry
Waterloo Ward
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada Toronto Mission

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

P-Day #32 - Transfers, New Investigators and Trying to Bake a Cake!!!

Elder Hanks(Left) and Elder Perry(3rd From Left)

This week has been a really good week for us.

Sunday was transfers, but Elder Hanks and I did not move….YEA!!!! I like Elder Hanks. He and I get along great. He’s pretty funny. He’s been out 8 months, but only in the Kitchener area for 2 weeks longer than I have been here. He was wired up about transfers the other night and went to the refrigerator and just started to eat a block of cheese. This may not sound too funny, but I guess you had to be there…it was funny!

We were able to have our first lessons with our new investigators. We started teaching our investigator Roy and were just getting to know him. He had somethings go on in his life and he wanted to see if we could help him quit drinking. We got to know some of his concerns and he just wants help with the Word of Wisdom and knowing if God is really there. We were able to let him know that God is there, and has not left. We were then able to teach him how to pray and as he began to cry from the Spirit, he was able to feel that God was there and heard his prayers. We then were able to set a return appointment and then taught him the Restoration which he accepted the commitments right away and we will be setting up a return appointment with him this week.

My Attempt to Bake a Cake 

We taught our other new investigator, Linda, and answered her questions about life after death. She wanted to know the church stance on smoking and drinking so we will be teaching her the Word of Wisdom for the next appointment. We would have taught her more at the time, but she was getting hammered right in front of us and had already downed a couple of beers...How Ironic! Now that's funny right there!

We were able to see an inactive who wanted to be told what to believe but all we could do is say you need to read and pray for yourself. We talked with him for a while (3 hours to be exact) at a Starbucks and he seemed really happy to talk to us. We committed him to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. We will try to set up a return appointment with him this week.

Elder Perry in his "Punisher" Bennie
This week has been really productive and we have gotten the area organized so we can do some major work. Now that all is organized, it’s “nose to the grindstone time”!  Doing the Work is a PERFECT 10 week. 

Know that I Love You and Pray for You Every Night & Day!

Love,

Elder Perry
Waterloo Ward
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada Toronto Mission

Monday, March 6, 2017

P-Day # 31 - Ask & Ye Shall Receive, Being Speechless and .....DUCK!


Elder Hanks and Elder Perry on P-Day

Ask and ye shall receive:  This week has been a week of miracles. We have been working really hard on finding people to teach and we hadn't seen any success for the whole week. Then on Saturday, we were walking through a parking lot and this random lady was walking by. I gave her a simple “hello” and she looked at our tags. She then said “Could I give you my number and we can meet sometime? I would like to talk with you guys". I was speechless but I managed to get the words out and get her information. We will be contacting her this week to set an appointment and help her in any way we can.

We continued through our day and worked through the less-actives with little success. 

On Sunday, after church, we were able to assist in administering the sacrament to a man who was not physically able to come to church. I think we were able to brighten his spirits and he seemed happy.

Later in the day we got a call from a lady who said that we had been calling her and that her cousin needed help. She then put the cousin on the phone and he said that he felt lost and wanted to know about our message. He had some things happen in his life and felt that he needed to get back on the path. We were able to set a time to meet with him and will be teaching him this week.

The Lord provides as long as we continue on the path and are diligent in following his commandments.

Funny Story, Last P-Day we played kill ball, which is like dodge ball with no rules. I guess I need to learn to 'DUCK"🦆 because I got hit at least 3 times in the face. How do I explain to an investigator why I have a black eye? Perhaps maybe that would be a conversation starter, a missionary with a black eye, 😎haha! Now that's funny right there!!!

Well, it has been a good week.

Remember I pray for you Every Day & Night.

Love, 

Elder Perry
Waterloo Ward
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada Toronto Mission