The one with transfers and a lot of French

Bonjour à tous! How has everyone been this last week? Happy Halloween this next week! Have fun and be safe! Life is all good here in good o' Nova Scotia. It's starting to get cold here but I'm loving it. This last week has been an adventure and a half so let's jump right in.

Last Thursday we woke up at 5:30 and got ready and took Elder D'eon and another elder to the Bus station to go to New Brunswick. Transfers have always been weird because you get so used to people and then they are just gone like that. Anyway, we dropped them off and then back home to eat some breakfast and so some studies. That afternoon Elder Thacker and I took a different elder to the bus station to pick up another elder and take them to their car so they drive to their new area. I guess that's the perks of driving a truck. I get to help everyone with transfers because I can hold more suitcases. After that we went over to the airport to wait for our new companions. We had about 8 or 10 missionaries arrive at the airport from Montreal so it was cool to see the new ones and some older friends. My new companion is Elder Constant from Lyon France! He is super cool and speaks perfect French, English, and Italian. Elder Thacker also is training along with another sister in our district. So after we picked them all up, we took them around and dropped them off where they needed to be and then we were finally back off to Bridgewater. We went immediately to a members house and had dinner with them and then went home and unpacked our stuff. 

Friday was pretty good too. We spent some time with a member who just recently lost his wife. He is doing pretty good right now but this is probably going to be a rough week for him but we are going to do what we can to help him through it. Later that night we had set up a lesson with this Girl named Kaysha. We met her at the mall with one of her friends. Her friend was not interested at all but she seemed pretty interested and she took the Book of Mormon and said she would read it! She has been pretty cool and she knows that learning more about Jesus will help her in her life. That was about it for that day.

Saturday was really fun. We started the day off in Liverpool at the library. That's where we have our conversational french group. They are always excited to see us come there and were even more excited when they heard Elder Constant start speaking French. One of the members that goes there with us bought us tickets to a city dinner thing so that we could go eat with them but also speak French with all of them more because everyone else in the group is also going. They said it would be a great way to meet more people so we are going! It should be fun! After that we did visit sister Russell. She is still doing really good and continuing to learn more about the gospel. She is awesome. After that we did some studies and weekly planning and then played some volleyball that night. We didn't have a ton show up but enough to play some good games and have fun. 

Sunday was nice. We went to church and Elder Constant introduced himself to everyone during Sacrament meeting. We also started a new program activity thing with the youth here. We gave them all a fake missionary call to the Bridgewater mission. It will be a 3 week long mission in their ward and we gave them a list of ideas of things to do and points are with each task. Its a little competition between the families. We were not sure how well it would take off but as soon as we handed it all out, they got started on it right away! We had a couple people take selfies with us and post it on social media right then and there. We have even had people handing out pass along cards to their friends. It has been super awesome to see them take off like that and be excited about the work. We were also able to get in contact with Kaysha on Sunday and we asked her how her reading of the Book of Mormon was going and she is already to the 10th chapter of 1st Nephi! She is on fire and feels the Holy Ghost as she reads it and has been asking us questions as she goes as well. It was a pretty good day. 

Monday was pretty good. We went around to a couple of people but no one was home so we went over to a French immersion school and asked if they needed any help of if they were interested in having a native come and speak to them. They seemed interested and excited to have our help. We also were able to meet one older lady as well and do a little bit of service for her and listen to her tell stories. It was pretty good but kinda slow. 

That's about it for the week. There might have been more but that's all that I remember for now. I hope you all have a wonderful week and a fun Halloween! I know that this church is true and you can too by following God's commandments. Keep being awesome and I love you all so much! 

Elder Beckstrand

Lunenberg Library

The one with transfers and training, again.

Bonjour! J'espère que vous allez bien et que vous avez passé une bonne semaine. I just want to start off by apologizing for the short email this week because I finally have the chance to go to the temple this week so we are going! I'm so excited. This week here in downtown Halifax has been really good and quite different from all my other areas. We also got transfer calls this weeks and I am staying in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia and I am training, again! This is technically my 5th time training which is crazy. Anyway, here is what happened this week.   

Last Wednesday we had district council which is always good. I think we had 14 people there because the zone leaders and site training leaders were there. It was my biggest district council yet but it was good. After that we went on exchanges with the zone leaders. It was really good and I learned a ton about working in a big city but we just did a lot of street contacting and finding. We then all had dinner at 5 Guys. We thought we were cool because it was us five Elders at 5 guys aha. Pictures to follow. We then went back down by the pier and boardwalk and contacted a few more people. As we were walking  down, I saw these two guys playing with Kendamas so I had to stop and jam with them for a second. They were really surprised that I knew what it was and could do it aha. They were really nice and have studied our doctrine before but not interested in that stuff at the moment. It was just really cool to see how the Lord prepares us in so many different ways and let's us develop all of these random gifts or talents to use for the building of the kingdom of God on the earth. Still trying to find someone on a unicycle aha. Later that night we got white hot chocolates from Tim Horton's and drank them on our balcony. 

Thursday night we were able to play some basketball with a ton of non members. It was really good. We started off with a prayer and then played a couple games of 4v4. We had a couple guys ask us about the church and then one of then kinda invited himself to church on Sunday because he wanted to see what our church was like. It was really cool. I also found out that I'm still terrible at basketball but it's kinda fun aha. 

Friday we started off by going to do some service at a food bank. The elders have been going there for a while now and everyone there knows them so they were all confused but happy to see three of us. We helped unload a truck from Costco and sorted through all that and the boss dude there gave us quite a bit of food. After that we had Weekly planning and did some finding and had dinner with a member. We ate and them we acted as non members and had her teach us something. It was really good. I was impressed of what she knew. We kinda went a little hard on her buy throwing almost everything we have heard at her but she defended her faith well and learned a few things. We the ran over to the church and had institute. It was my first time ever going to that so it was really nice.

Saturday morning we had this wonderful  broadcast with Elder Bennette, Elder Christofferson, and Elder Ballard. It was awesome. It was just for the missionaries of the North America northeast area. They talked and testified of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our roles in that as missionaries. It was kinda like a pump up from the apostles having them give us ideas of what to do and telling us and reassuring us that we can do this. After that we went out to Bridgewater for the rest of the day. We were supposed to have a lesson but it fell through and so we just did some finding. We then had a dinner appointment with the Whiting family. They have a connection in some way with Elder Thacker so that was cool to be able to have them meet up. After that we went back to Halifax. 

Sunday was pretty good. We had a kid from basketball come to church and stay for the linger longer so that was cool. Later that night we had a member devotional with the same people from the missionary one. 

Monday and Tuesday were both good. Filled with a lot of finding and street contacting. We also had a FHE with the YSA. We just gathered together and had a short spiritual message and then played some board games and helped the non members be friends with the members. It was a lot of fun. Not much else happened. I was able to just go to the temple after 16 months! It was soo good and no one should ever wait that long. Go as often as you can. It is such an amazing place and is so special. If you can't go right now, talk to you your bishop and go! It's so important. 

That's it for this week. I hope you all have a good time and continue being awesome! Love yall!

Elder Beckstrand

Note from Penny:  I HATE when Josh does this!  He gives me these incredible pictures with no explanation!  So, I Googled Mulgrave Park and FELL IN LOVE! 

If you know me then you know that I like to dabble in paint.  Right now in our 8th grade Art class at Pine View Middle School we are talking about Street Art and different street artists, which I find fascinating!  One of my dreams would be to have an entire wall to put a mural on.  I have done some things on walls but never an entire wall.  That would be AWESOME!  I wasn't planning on picking Josh up from his mission but I am now!  I MUST see Mulgrave Park!

 Not in Mulgrave Park.  hahaha.

The one with Thanksgivings

Bonjour à tous! I hope everyone has had a wonderful week. This week here in Nova Scotia was another doozie. I'm am currently not in Bridgewater anymore. I am in Halifax working with the YSA elders because Elder Lee got his Visa and left for San Diego yesterday. I will be spending the rest of the transfer here. That puts this transfer as the craziest one yet. I spent the first two weeks in Sherbrooke, two weeks in a members house in Bridgewater, two weeks in our own apartment, and now two weeks here in the city of Halifax in a trio doing YSA. That puts me at 5 companions in this one transfer as well. Any way ahah, let's get right into this quick summary of the week. 

Last Wednesday we had district council in Halifax. Our council this week consisted of 14 missionaries which is bigger than the New Brunswick zone aha. We have a big district but it makes life fun and they are all great. After the council we drove back to Bridgewater and did some work there. I don't remember a whole ton of what we did but it was fun. 

Thursday was pretty good. We got out and tried to be creative while we contacted and tried to find. Not much was worked for us that day but that's why we get the next day to try again. Downtown Bridgewater is so small we kinda walk around it twice in about half an hour if we don't stop to talk to anyone. Later that night we went to our ward mission leaders house for a dinner/correlation meeting. We always take our shoes off here as missionaries because its respectful and that's what people normal do here but these members have 6 dachshunds that just run around and do what they want aha. About 10 steps into the house I stepped in a puddle of dog urine but I didn't want to say anything to them so I just waited the hour through and then took my sock off as soon as i got into the car ahaha. We had our French classes after that and I taught without shoes or socks on ahah. We had the same three people come to class again so that was fun to see them again and watch them progress. We also just sneak as much gospel related topics into our class as possible. It's been good. 

Friday was Shayne's Birthday! Happy birthday! We found a opportunity to do some service in a clothing bank for the hospital so we went over there after our morning studies and helped out. All the ladies there were so happy to see us there because the elders used to go there but haven't for a while because they were taken out. It was nice to be there and help out but we were not sure if it would be helpful to our missionary work to be actually doing that. Well God blesses us and helps us out when we have doubts or questions because right after that we had two ladies stop us in their car and gave us referral. They had a brother or a friend who had recently had a stroke and was looking for God so he reached out to the Jehovah's witnesses. They reached out to us because they said anyone is better than them ahah but because they said they know the church a bit and like what we teach better. After that we met with a sister in our ward who is the mom of about two families here but they are both less active and it really hurts her to see her children and grandchildren less active. She is such a strong member though and she goes the temple every week and prays for them. For all of you who might be in a Situation like that were you have a family member who is less active or has fallen away, just keep praying and have faith that one day you can be an instrument in their return to the gospel. I know it can happen. Even if you are not in that Situation, still find someone you know who is less active and pray for them. The power of prayer is so real. After dinner that night we had volleyball with the youth in our ward and we had a less active show up and play. It was super cool. 

Saturday we started like other Saturdays here so far with our awesome little French group in Liverpool. We are realizing that everything that we do here is with all these ladies over 75 years. They are all super sweet but they are all set in their religions. After French class we went back home and changed and then went over to a less actives house to help then stack wood. They had about 4 or 5 quarts of wood. I didn't know how much a quart of wood was until I got here and 1 quart is about 4' ×4' ×8'. Its a good amount. They were super nice and said that they would try to start coming back to church. After that we went back and changed and went and visited another couple families. 

Sunday was really good. We had a fast and testimony meeting which was good because we had conference last week. Priesthood was good too. We practiced what to say to non members about what we did during the weekend. Trying to involve the church in our everyday conversation. It was really good. After church we visited a couple more people so elder Lee could say goodbye. After that we had Thanksgiving dinner with two member families. Canadian Thanksgiving is in October for some reason but they celebrate it all weekend long. it was really nice because I missed both Thanksgivings last year in Quebec. After the dinner we just went home and packed up and called it a day. 

Yesterday was good but kinda sad. We got up and did a little studies and then drove down to Halifax. We got some lunch and then picked up Elder Thacker and Elder D'eon and went to the airport to drop off elder Lee. It was kinda sad to see him go after just a short time but it was good. After that we went and street contacted in downtown Halifax and then went to our YSA branch Thanksgiving dinner. And that kinda finished off the day. 

Its been a weird week but an even weirder transfer and we are not done yet ahah. I'm excited to see what happens. Keep being awesome and going to the temple and what not. I love you all! A la prochaine

Elder Beckstrand

 Me, Lee, D'eon, Thacker

 Back row, Burton, Rhodes, Mcullum, Wang, Hsu, Lee, Thacker, D'eon, Me
Front, Mcullum, Mavy, Prudent, Bates, Clark

The one with Conference and the Patriarch

Bonjour a tous! How is everyone doing? How did everyone enjoy conference this last weekend?! There were so many great talks and inspired changes that happened. Other than just the conference, this week was pretty good. Here's what happened. 

Last Wednesday we went down to Halifax for a district council. It was pretty good and I had to give a training on Recognizing spiritual promptings. I didn't have a whole lot of time to prepare for it but I definitely recognized the spiritual promptings during my training and it turned out pretty good. After that we stayed in town and had exchanges with our district leader and his companion. My district leader is Elder Thacker from good ol Lehi Utah. It was really fun just talking to him and finding people we both know. Exchanges were really good because I was able to work in a bigger city and learn how missionary work is done there. It was really cool. We did a lot of finding but didn't really get to teach anyone but we did plant a ton of seeds. 

Thursday was good as well. We started off the day by doing our studies with the other elders and then going back home to Bridgewater. When we got home we found out that we had no power in our brand new power so that was fun. We made a couple calls and found out they forgot to pay the electricity bill so we would be without until the next day. We took our food to the church and then just continued with our day ahaha. We went and had a really good lesson with our recent convert here. She is amazing and we can definitely see the blessings God is putting into her life because of her recent changes. She has been in look for a couple jobs lately and has checked everywhere and it just so happens that the only person we are teaching just had her partner at her clinic leave and is looking for someone with her exact knowledge and training. We made a couple of call and are now waiting to hear what happens. I know God blesses his children as we keep the commandments. I know as well that nothing happens by chance. There is a reason for everything and we know from 2 Nephi 26:24 that "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world". Sister Russel accepted the gospel and is trying her best to do the Lords will and because of that, she is being blessed! Later that night we went to the church and had our second week of French classes. It was a lot better than last week ahah. I had a basic of idea of where their French knowledge was and how I could help so that was nice. After that we headed back to our dark apartment and kinda just camped out the night with flashlights. We went and sat in the truck for a bit to write in our journals. 

Friday was kinda slow but still good. We walked over to the library and did some studies and family history work. The librarian was super nice and talked to us for a little bit. She knew the missionaries before but isn't super interested. She was nice enough though to let us set up a family history booth in the library. That was interesting but we will see how that goes. That night was our first night of volleyball in this ward! It was so much fun and it was such a great way to connect more with the youth here. They are amazing and we had enough show up to play 5v5. They all have thought of other friends they could bring next time as well so that's awesome! 

Saturday, Sunday and Monday were all just one big spiritual high. Before conference on Saturday we went to a different library (yes mum, I know this might be weird that I'm visiting all these libraries willingly) because we were told that there was a group of French speakers that met up to practice their french every Saturday. There were about 7 of us there at the group. There was me and the other 6 ladies were all over probably 70 years old. It was really fun. We just sat around and talked about life for an hour and they did end up asking a lot of questions about church. One of the ladies even invited us over for lunch after so that was awesome! After that we watched all 4 sessions of conference in four different houses with 4 different meals. That really makes conference go by quicker and helps you stay awake. I was actually kinda sad when it was all over because I felt like it went by too quick but I'm grateful for what we did get and for the chance that we have to do it again in April! Last little thing before I end my email. Yesterday we were out visiting members and decided to visit our stake Patriarch because he is in our ward. He is such an amazing person and a spiritual giant. As is all other Patriarchs in the world. We were talking to him and we learned a lot and we realized that no one prayed for them. Everyone and their dogs pray for us as missionaries and I'm so grateful for that. Everyone also prays for the Prophet, the apostles, family members, those that are sick, but no one really prays for the Patriarchs. If anyone needs prayers its probably those guys. He also told us that the calling of a patriarch is a very lonely calling because he gets to meet a couple people for just a short amount of time and then they leave and everything else is just between him and the Lord. He can counsel with the stake president if we wants but there is not much they do together. All this to say, please, please, please, Pray for your patriarchs and all of them around the world. I know I'm grateful for my patriarch and the blessing he gave me. If you don't know what that is go ask you neighbor or your local bishop. Also if you are a young worthy member of the church, Please pray to know when you should get your blessing. It is truly amazing because the church is true! I love this church and all of you!

Love, Elder Beckstrand

 Thank you Brother and Sister Kahanu For the Tie!

Later that afternoon Josh and his District went to Peggy's Cove.  Here are the pictures he sent.