Week #4

Sister Fisk and I are living in an apartment above the radio station here in Presque Isle! I like this apartment better than the one in Halifax because it doesn't smell funny. We live about 25 minutes away from the church in Caribou. We drive there and back probably 2 or 3 times a day! lots of driving! Everyone confuses me with sister Yadernuk. They say we look and act so much alike! sister Fisk's companion before me was Sister Yadernuk, so people think that the companionship just stayed the same! 

We went to a members house for dinner the other day, and I got to see one of those big Newfie dogs that grandma and grandpa Payne's neighbor told us about! They are HUGE!! it stepped on my toe under the table and I think its broken ;)

Sister Fisk and I have picked up two new investigators. That was a neat experience. We taught the restoration (and I recited the first vision from memory) to them. Their names are Lillian and Shane. Shane is Lillian's son. We gave him a video of the restoration and he said he will watch it, and also a Book of Mormon! We will be meeting with him next week!

I got to meet a man named Jeremy at church yesterday! He was supposed to get baptized on Saturday, but he has to work through some things and has to wait a long time before he can be baptized. He was so sad that he couldn't be baptized because he was so excited. But boy, is he dedicated! He got his new scriptures and he was showing them off to everyone! Even though it will be hard, I believe that he can make it through until he can be baptized! His testimony is so strong! I can't wait for him to be baptized!

I also was assigned to play the piano for relief society at church! I didn't get a choice, they just told me which songs I was playing and I did it!

I am going to give the elders in my district hair cuts today. President Pratt spilled the beans that I cut hair :)

I love my Savior. I know he lives for me and he died for me. Not only for me, but for all of us. I believe in angels, I have felt them strengthen me and I believe that they are with us, watching out for us, and rooting for us! I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet. And that the church was restored at this time for a reason. And that the timing of the restoration was perfect. I have a testimony of prayer and revelation. They are gifts from God. I have learned that he does not always answer our prayers in the way that we expect or in the time we want them. But he does answer them. I have experienced him answering my prayers and I have experienced his guiding hand as I have needed his help and direction, especially while on my mission!

From Sister Payne

Here is a list of some funny things I have noticed about Canada

-if anyone is speaking to a girl of any age they say "me love"

-EVERYBODY says "Ey" some people say "Hey" instead

-They say "where ya to?" (this can mean where are you going, where did you come from and what are you doing. you can never really be sure)

-Money smells like maple syrup. Its true. I have smelled it!

-$1 coins are called Loonies. $2 coins are called Toonies

-The alphabet letter Z is pronounced "ZED". XY Zed

-people here say "Wicked" to describe things. 

It is wicked cold outside! or that game yesterday was wicked cool!

-Every singe building you go in smells like smoke. like cigarette smoke. yuck

-All of the house numbers light up in red so you can see them in the dark

-There are moose/caribou crossing signs EVERYWHERE

Week #2&3

I don't really know where to begin! I only have a few minutes to email!

But I spent a week in Lower Sackville which is a town close to Halifax. I was put into a trio for a week until I got my visa (which still hasn't come yet). I was companions with Sister Olsen and Sister Taylor. Something interesting about Sister Olsen is that she is 32 years old! But they were fun and took me out the first day to do some contacting! It was scary at first! We rode the bus around town and contacted on the buses, and we also had a hot chocolate stand at the bus station. Then we went knocking for a while around a few neighborhoods! No luck though..people here are tough!

On Saturday night we went to a members house for dinner, their names are the McLennan's. One of their daughters has a boyfriend and a best friend who are both investigators! Her name is Kaitlyn and his name is Roy. Roy is pretty much the next John Mayer :) looks and acts exactly like him. anyways we taught Kaitlyn and Roy the restoration and the spirit was so strong! Kaitlyn started to cry and she said she didn't know why and she couldn't stop!But she was so happy! So we explained to her that she was feeling the spirit! She definitely has a testimony and I think she will be baptized soon :)

Canada is SOOOOOOOOO cold!!!! I knew it would be cold...but man...it bites! 

Monday took an interesting turn! We woke up at 6:30 and the AP's called and said that I needed to be ready with my bags to go to Presque Isle Maine in 20 minutes!!! I thought that I was leaving the next day! So I packed everything up and hopped into the transfer van with the AP's. Their names are Elder Craig and Elder Hansen. We drove 8 hours, including a few detours, to get to Presque Isle. I met my new companion Sister Fisk, she is pretty nice. I thought I would get to settle in..but I headed with Sister Fisk, Sister Hull and Sister Yaddernuk (the other two sisters staying in our apartment) to stay at another sisters apartment so that we wouldn't have to drive as far for Zone Conference back in Canada. WOW! crazy few days. Crossing the border 3 times in the same day.

That's all I have time for today!! Love you all

Love Sister Payne!

Week #1 - Surviving the MTC

I survived my first week at the MTC! Days here seriously do feel like months. I felt like I have been away for so long! 

Day 1 at the MTC was a crazy and overwhelming day! I said goodbye to my family, met my escort who was from New Zealand, and then I picked up my name tags and cried. I couldn't believe what I was about to get myself into! Then I was escorted to my residence and then taken to my classroom to meet my companions and district, and immediately I felt at peace. I was completely immersed with the spirit and that's how I have felt almost every day since being here!! It really is amazing! We sit in class literally ALL day, studying and teaching. Normally I would hate that, and hate role playing...but it is so much fun! Kyle you were right! Its like being with your friends all day and it is a BLAST. 

I will send pictures of my companions and my district as soon as we figure out how  :)

My companions names are Sister Anderson and Sister Yi, and I LOVE them! Its hard introducing myself as sister Payne. Not quite used to it yet! But sister Yi is so funny, she said she wants to call me Jennie Kaye all of the time, and she wants to name her daughter after me because she thinks its the prettiest name hahaha!! So good job mom and dad. i guess? ;) love the Elders in my district too! Elder Lee, Elder Applegate, and Elder Skiles. My district only has 2 tripanionships. We had one guy never show up, and one sister never show up (which is really unusual) so we are both in trios. I know it is a huge blessing though. We are not all going to the same place, some of us are going to Canada, some going to Seattle and some going to Arizona. We all have all become best friends because we tell each other everything and we are with each other the entire day! 

I did get sick my first day here..figures. but I am finally feeling better today! Now everyone in my district has colds..woops :)

Dad I have been running on the track that they have in the gym, so when I get back we can do another race!

I don't know why everyone says MTC food tastes so good..its just like school lunch..the only thing I really like here are the cookies. They call me the cookie monster now. 

Good thing Grandma Cathy sent us chips and salsa!!! Thank you grandma! My companions and I were so grateful to have some food that tasted good! Sister Yi said it was the best thing she has ever eaten in her life and i think she ate most of it ;) all of the Elders were really jealous. Thank you for the letters everyone (It seriously feels like Christmas when we get mail) Its what gets us though the never ending day! That hope that we will have mail haha! 

I think I had my breaking point though on the 3rd day here. I could not feel the spirit anymore and I wanted to go home. I didn't think I could do this. I think I prayed the entire day straight to get that spirit back and I couldn't figure out WHY the spirit left me in the first place! Because I couldn't feel the spirit, teaching our investigators didn't go well. So I decided to talk with my district about it, and it turns out that everyone was feeling the same way. We had a really long discussion together and everyone shared their testimonies about the savior and our purpose here, and instantly the spirit was back. We talked about what we can improve and what we can do better so that we can always have the spirit with us. I can really say now that I know what it feels like to not have the spirit, and I wont ever take it for granted ever again! Since that day where we all hit rock bottom, we have been on fire! Teaching our investigators had been AWESOME! Our teaching skills have improved immensely.

Sunday was an amazing day too. Full of tender mercies. Of course, I went to choir practice and guess who the MTC choir director is...RYAN EGGETT! I was so excited to see a familiar face. but wait..there's more. We sang the song Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer!!! (different arrangement from the hymn) That is one of my absolute favorite songs that we sang in the UVCC choir on one of my first tours, and I about died. That song is exactly what I needed to hear. 

"Curb the winds and calm the billows, bid the angry tempest cease. precious savior dear redeemer, let us never from the stray."

There are times in life where you feel like you are completely surrounded by roaring waters and crashing waves. Times when you don't think that you can possibly make it through. 

In the story of Jesus in Mark chapter 4, Jesus and his disciples are on a boat, and the storm comes and Jesus is sleeping. His disciples think they are going to die and they ask, carest thou not that we perish?! but Jesus wakes up and commands the sea to be still. 

Just like that story, he does care! He can calm the storm in our hearts and help us over come any challenges that we have. I know because I have experienced him calm my heart during my time in the MTC.

 And so... my companions and I have been humming that song every day since:)

Love, Sister Payne

MADE IT!!

I made it through my first day at the MTC. (it was only a half day, but it felt like 10 days) I am doing good though! I am feeling more and more excited! Meeting so many people from so many different places. My companion's name is Sister Anderson, she is the one I talked with on facebook before I left. I am actually in a trio right now because sister Ye's companion never showed up! She is from Colorado but originally from Korea. And they are also my roommates! I am out of time!! Love you all! Did dad go and buy the TV yet?

Love Sister Payne