This was a very...bittersweet week. We had Zone Conference in which we all said our goodbyes to President and Sister Scott. They leave at the end of the week, having finished their three-year service as Mission President and Wife here in Toronto. They have had such an describable impact on me over the past year. I love them so much! It is hard seeing them go, but at the same time I really am so excited to meet our new Mission President and his wife, President and Sister Clayton. I can't describe how much I have learned from President and Sister Scott, and the opportunity to learn like that from someone else as well really is amazing.
At the Zone Conference, President Scott shared with us his "Departing Advice" that he generally shares with the missionaries as they are about to go home. He figured that since he was going home and we would get to hear it from him at the end of our missions, that he'd share it with us at the conference. A lot of what he said got me thinking about the importance of setting goals for my life, and making plans as well. I've always been good with goals, but plans on the other hand...in many ways I've dropped the ball on that. And so I've been working on setting some realistic, achievable, force-me-to-grow, goals for myself so I can go on to make solid, committed, I-swear-I-will-follow-through-on plans! I'm excited, can you tell? :)
And then, in terms of firsts, Guang Yao made his first covenant yesterday and was baptized!!! Yay! He was so smiley the whole time (minus the picture, apparently he had to make a "cool" face for the picture. Teenagers.) It was a really great service, he and one of the other companionship's' investigators both were baptized. And to top it off, two of the youth performed a musical number as well! It was beautiful! The ward was so supportive and it just made me so happy :)
Also, the Bishop of nine years here in Bayview was released this Sunday. Bishop Lee has served for so long and so well, I'm glad that I got to serve under him for the last six months. Our new Bishop is Bishop Cheng, the previous first counselor. I'm excited to work with him, he really will do an amazing job.
But wait, there's more! Our car has been having some repairs and stuff done, and so we've been on buses! That's right! I'm a (temporary) bus missionary! I'm still getting used to it, it's a lot different, but I'm improving!
And! There was a big mission-wide change this week! No more areas! Well, there are areas. It's just that the areas are only defined by ward boundaries. If a ward has more than one set of missionaries, all of the missionaries can work anywhere within the ward. So now, my area is...ALL OF TORONTO! Downtown, North York, Scarborough, etc. It'll all ours! It's going to free the work up here so much! So excited!
So, all in all, a really big week. Apologies for no email last week. This week and all of it's craziness sort of make up for it, right?
Love you all lots!Sister Makena Bauss 包爱蕾姐妹
At the Zone Conference, President Scott shared with us his "Departing Advice" that he generally shares with the missionaries as they are about to go home. He figured that since he was going home and we would get to hear it from him at the end of our missions, that he'd share it with us at the conference. A lot of what he said got me thinking about the importance of setting goals for my life, and making plans as well. I've always been good with goals, but plans on the other hand...in many ways I've dropped the ball on that. And so I've been working on setting some realistic, achievable, force-me-to-grow, goals for myself so I can go on to make solid, committed, I-swear-I-will-follow-through-on plans! I'm excited, can you tell? :)
And then, in terms of firsts, Guang Yao made his first covenant yesterday and was baptized!!! Yay! He was so smiley the whole time (minus the picture, apparently he had to make a "cool" face for the picture. Teenagers.) It was a really great service, he and one of the other companionship's' investigators both were baptized. And to top it off, two of the youth performed a musical number as well! It was beautiful! The ward was so supportive and it just made me so happy :)
Also, the Bishop of nine years here in Bayview was released this Sunday. Bishop Lee has served for so long and so well, I'm glad that I got to serve under him for the last six months. Our new Bishop is Bishop Cheng, the previous first counselor. I'm excited to work with him, he really will do an amazing job.
But wait, there's more! Our car has been having some repairs and stuff done, and so we've been on buses! That's right! I'm a (temporary) bus missionary! I'm still getting used to it, it's a lot different, but I'm improving!
And! There was a big mission-wide change this week! No more areas! Well, there are areas. It's just that the areas are only defined by ward boundaries. If a ward has more than one set of missionaries, all of the missionaries can work anywhere within the ward. So now, my area is...ALL OF TORONTO! Downtown, North York, Scarborough, etc. It'll all ours! It's going to free the work up here so much! So excited!
So, all in all, a really big week. Apologies for no email last week. This week and all of it's craziness sort of make up for it, right?
Love you all lots!Sister Makena Bauss 包爱蕾姐妹