February 16, 2015: Dead Rat

Hello Family and Friends! 

I hope you are all doing great! Its been such an interesting week here in Surrey.

I went on exchanges with one of my Sister Training Leaders and was in the downtown part of Surrey. We had some training earlier in the week about shaking things up when we go contacting... So we decided to go inside the mall to contact! Before we got out of the car Sister Johnson said a prayer and she prayed that someone would recognize us and that people could see happiness and light in our faces. Well contacting at the mall was a little out of our comfort zone because we both hadn't done it before... But we go in and were talking about how we could go into Old Navy or H&M because there would be lots of people in there. But... I kind of got a feeling that we should go the opposite way than those stores... So we did! So we start walking and sister Johnson saw this tea shop that other sisters have talked about so we go in and the worker offers us some free samples that we got to explain why we couldn't drink them. But there was one other lady in the store looking at the shelves... So we being the sneaky missionaries we are, start looking at the shelves on each side of her. Then Sister Johnson makes a comment like "this store is really cute" or and something like that and the lady was like "Hey! Are you missionaries?" and we were like What??? Apparently she lives under a senior missionary couple and they took cookies down to her last week! So that was a cool experience! The whole time at the mall was really fun because we had to think of creative ways to get people talking to us! Then we decided to walk outside the mall the long way back to the car and we talked to so many people who know members of the church or told us they saw happiness in our faces so it was so cool. Heavenly Father answers prayers! 

This week President and Sister Burt got to come teaching with us! We wanted them to meet Valentine but he cancelled that morning... So we arranged things to teach Brittani at a members home. Brittani took forever to get ready and we were 45 minutes late for the lesson... But it was pretty good. President basically just talked about life lessons... Which is good for Brittani. But it was cool that President would come teaching with us! 

This Sunday Elise came to church! (She is the investigator that has a job, house, car, and husband!) Earlier in the week we taught her the Plan of Salvation and she really enjoyed it. And she just loves the Book of Mormon and has felt happiness and more peace since starting to meet with us. She is awesome! We are hoping and praying that we can set her for a baptism date soon! 

Well, today is an exciting day because we are taking the skytrain to Vancouver! And transfer calls are tonight! It will be so weird if Im not in Surrey anymore! I love you all so much! Thanks for all your love and support! The Gospel of Jesus Christ really does bless our lives so much. Commandments keep us safe! Have a  great week! 

Love,

Sister Lofthouse 

#thatcitylifetho #planofsalvation 

February 9, 2015: Happy Family Day!

Hello Everyone! 

It is family day here in BC. So shout out to my family. Love you guys. :) Its been a pretty good week here in Surrey! 

We got to teach our investigator, Brittani, in a member's home! Which is so good for her to see really how much the Gospel blesses families. She has had a rough past but yesterday was her 3rd time coming to church and we can see her faith increasing. She is also making some really good friends in the ward which is good because her friends right now are holding her back. But if she keeps things up she can be baptized this month. Keep Brittani in your prayers! 

We are teaching this cool guy named Valentine. He is from Nigeria! We taught the Restoration and he is really open. He was so amazed and in awe that we have a prophet today! He felt the spirit so strongly while we were meeting with him and already has a strong faith in Christ. And he is amazed about how big the LDS church is growing in Nigeria. He is very open for having a Pentecostal background, but unfortunately his family is not... He has a wife and 5 kids but none of them are open to meeting with us yet. Pray that their hearts will be softened! 

A funny/cool story from this week. We met this Fijian-Indian man, Aziz, at the bus stop and set up a return appointment with him but we only talked with him for a few seconds because he was getting on his bus. Well a few nights later we knock on his door and his wife opens and says he is over at a friend's house... But then she was like "wait.. are you LDS missionaries?" And we were like yes... Apparently her ex-husband went into the church employment center for some help a few years ago and met senior sister missionaries there and they became good friends to the family. So the lady let us in and made us some hot chocolate and introduced us to her family.So we were talking for a while and this man walked in the door and didn't really pay much attention to us and we didn't know if it was Aziz or not because we couldn't remember what he looked like! So that was awkward so we just kept talking to the lady and finally the man walked into the the room and sat down so we just assumed it was him. We introduced the Book of Mormon and gave it to him and asked it there was anything we could pray specifically about before we left and the lady said to pray for Aziz because they have been having troubles ever since they got married. So sister McKee goes in to talk about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families and marriages and then they informed us that they already separated a week ago and that Aziz is just staying there until he can find a new place to live... So that was awkward. But Aziz was going to come to church yesterday, which is cool because he is Muslim and is so open, but he didn't make it because he was called into work.  

Thank you all for your love, support, and prayers! Hope you all have a great week! 

Love,

Sister Lofthouse 

February 2, 2015: Lunch at a Chinese SEAFOOD Restaurant...

Hello Friends and Family! 

It has been such a wild week. But I hope you are all doing well! 

We got volunteered by a our Bishop to help out at a funeral for a ward member's brother-in-law. We were just going to sing with the Elders but the Elders can't really sing. So we borrowed a violin for sister McKee to play at it. And Sister McKee and an Elder gave a talk. But no one were members there. The funeral was for this Chinese man so it was interesting to see all rituals and things that they do. But we were invited to lunch afterwards... At a Chinese Seafood Restaurant and they got us an 8 course meal... We were sat down at a table with all old people so they didn't really speak English so they had a younger guy sit by us and translate. The first dish came out and it was this soup. And we asked the guy what it was and he said it had crab, squid, and fish STOMACH. Yeah it was pretty gross. Then a plate of shrimp and squid came out. Sister McKee and I were a little rusty with our chopstick skills so one of the nice old ladies helped by putting food on our plates... I ate the shrimp and I went just to take a bit of the squid... ROOKIE MISTAKE! One does not just take a little bite of squid. Way too chewy! So I had to eat the whole thing. But it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. :) Over all it was an interesting experience! 

One night this week we had a lesson with a couple potential investigators but their address was on a main street so we had to park in a dark ally. Well, of course, their house is the sketchiest looking one around! So we walk up to it and this guy is standing outside... So we tell him who we were looking for and he said they were inside. But then 2 other men walk up and it turns out they are paramedics! The house is some kind of assisted living recovery house and someone was really sick inside. So we just walk in with the paramedics and find who we were looking for and try to share something with them in the hallway well they are helping the guy out... It was crazy! But the couple is really cool! 

We had the biggest miracle happen this week! A week ago we went on exchanges and Sister McKee was knocking some houses and they knocked on this one house of this really sassy lady, named Rachel, that had NO interested and was really rude. Well the other day we got a media referral named Rena, and we go to the address for the appointment and Sister McKee was shocked! It was Rachel's house! So we go up and knock and we are kind of scared... But she opened the door and let us in and said she was sorry and that she lied about her name before. She grew up with her mom forcing religion on her so she fell away and didnt really believe in God and stuff. But she has had a hard life and has had her 3 kids taken away for a while and the government keeps threatening to take them away again. Well, the other night she hit an all time low and cried and prayed all night. The next day she got a call that her case was closed! She was shocked that God answered her prayer and she wanted to tell someone! She wanted to tell us! Well a couple days after Sister McKee talked to her, some Elders talked to her and she was with a friend and so she took the mormon.org card to be nice. So she searched in her garbage and found the card and put her name in for us to contact her! She wants to change her life and get involved with religion and God again! We left her a few verses in Enos to read and she ended up reading the whole chapter. She came to church yesterday! Its such a crazy story! God is a God of miracles. He softens people's hearts. :) 

Well I hope you all are doing well! Thank you for your love and support! Love you all! 

Love,

Sister Lofthouse

We went to White Rock last week for P-day and it was beautiful!! 

January 26, 2015: The Runaways...

Hello Family and Friends! 

I hope you are all doing great! We have had the wildest week in Surrey yet! 

I will start out again with some funny stories. :) We were going on exchanges one night and were meeting the other sisters at the church and me and Sister McKee got there a little early so we were calling some people trying to set of some appointments. Sister McKee called this one lady that was interested in family history. The family history center is at our church building. So she is talking on the phone and I thought I had a paper with the hours but then I realized I didn't. So it was awkward... So we both just look at each other and Sister McKee was like "Uhh... just a second... We dropped the paper..." We both get out of the car, run across the parking lot to the church, unlock the door, run across the church, and then look frantically for a paper saying the hours of the family history center all while this lady is still on the phone. By this time I have just lost it and am laughing so hard. Then Sister McKee just kind of makes up hours... Then we see the hours hanging up on the door. So sister McKee had to be like Jk... these are actually the hours... It was so funny and awkward!! :) 

Then while we were on exchanges... I was with Sister Hemenway. And we were just about to exchange back for the night but we had a few minutes so we decided to drop by a couple former investigators... So we pull up to this one house. And on our record it says it is on this side basement door. So its pretty dark but we walk around and knock on the side door. And the door had a window with frosted glass. But we see this figure come closer and closer to the door... But it is the creepiest thing ever! It was like a hunchback and walked as if it didn't have feet.. It just glided over! Then it just stopped at the window and was looking out at us! So we were like what the heck... And we just look at each other and sister Hemenway was like "I got to run... I'm running!!" So we booked it away from there and ran back to our car!! We made it back safe. :) Haha it was too funny :) 

This week we met with a woman named Elise. Get this... She has a job and owns a house!! Miracle! She is from Manitoba and is in her late 40's. But we got to know her background and she grow up Roman Catholic but saw corruption in it and doesn't like how things are very ritual. But she does have faith in God and we shared Alma 37:37 where it talks about prayer and she really liked it. So then we introduced the Book of Mormon and she was very accepting to it. We gave her 3 Nephi 11 to read and then pray about. But the cool thing is... While we were giving the background to the chapter and was explain how Christ showed himself to the people in the Americas she was like "Whoa... I've heard this before. I can't remember when or how I heard this, but this is so familiar. I have goosebumps right now!" It was so cool! It gave me goosebumps when she said that! The Gospel really does ring familiar to people. The Spirit is awesome!! 

Another miracle from the week was church! Brittani, an investigator that we were teaching in October and November came to church yesterday for the first time! She is a little wild and she has a 8 month old baby but she came! She didn't realize it would be so long... So we were just like "Surprise!" :) Haha. But also this random Fijian-Indian lady just showed up to church!! She said she lives close by and thought she would just come check it out. Also cool, because our bishop is from Fiji and just started a Hindi sunday school class! So she really enjoyed it and said she will come back next week! :) 

Well, I hope you all have a great week! I love you all! Thank you so much for the love and support! 

Love,

Sister Lofthouse

We had our white car in for repairs and borrowed another one from the mission office... We got a call that our car was all done and fixed up so we were planning to take our borrowed car back to Richmond that morning... But we go to leave and the car was making awful noises when we put it in gear... So first we look a selfie. Then we prayed. Then we tried it again and it sounded worse. So then we just made some phone calls for 30 minutes. Tried it again and the sound was gone! So we drove to Richmond. Haha :) 

January 19, 2015: The Run Away...

Hello Everyone!! 

It has been such a fast week here in Surrey!! I thought I wound start out with a funny story. Last night we were going to this man's house for a lesson and it was our first lesson with him and he lived in the basement suite in the back so we go around and knocked on the door and he didn't answer. So we call him and he answers the phone but its awkward because we can hear him on the phone as well as in person... So we were confused and we asked him if we could still share a message with him and he said yeah and we hung up. So then we walked around the house to see where he was and we come around and we see him start sprinting down an ally! It was a first. Someone actually ran away from us. :) Hahaha it was sooo funny.  

This week we met with a new investigator named Ashley. She is 19 and has a 3 month old baby. But get this... She doesn't smoke, drink, do drugs, or live with her boyfriend!! She has been prepared! Her dad was over at both of the lessons and they really liked the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation! We set her to be baptized on Feb 14th! But she is awesome and so sweet and cute. :) We are excited to continue to teach her and help her prepare for baptism.

Also, if anyone was wondering what ever happened to the investigator we were teaching for a while named Janet... She moved to North Vancouver at the first of the year and is being taught by sisters over there. She texted us and told us she is getting married and baptized on Feb 14th... And she is marrying a guy that was baptized earlier last year!! So hopefully we will be able to come to her baptism. :)  

Other cool story. A few weeks ago, me and sister McKee were street contacting at this bus exchange at night. We went up to this man and started talking to him and he told us he wasn't interested but that some Elders were teaching his neighbors. Well, we told the Elders in the ward about him and they decided to knock on his door and after talking with him for a while the Spirit softened his heart! He has come to church the past couple of weeks and is preparing for baptism on the 31st! But he always tells everyone that these two little sister missionaries just came right up to him and was like "Hey! How are you doing tonight!?". He is awesome though. Everyone in the ward thinks he is already a member. So cool! 

Well, Its been a great week. I hope you are all doing well! I love you all so much! Keep the people of Surrey in your prayers. :) 

Love,

Sister Lofthouse 

January 12, 2015: Sister McKee and I Are Still Together

Hello Everyone! 

Me and Sister McKee are staying together for another transfer here in Surrey! So crazy. We thought for sure Sister McKee was leaving. :) Its been a great week though! 

We are teaching this Fijian Indian Family. The son, David, and the mom, Ella were baptized in Fiji years ago. The girlfriend Matlan is our investigator and she is awesome!! She was so accepting of the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chasity. David has a bad drinking addiction, but with God nothing is impossible. They came to church yesterday and they all loved it! Ella got to see old friends and Matlan felt and recognized the spirit. So cool! She is scheduled to be baptized on February 7th! :) 

 There is a recent convert in the ward named Kelly, who has been less active since I have been in the area and her children are investigators. Curtis works with her and she came to church yesterday. Curtis is our main man to help us get her back to church! We feel that this is the month that her kids, Haley and Nick will get baptized! Pray that their dad's heart will be soften so they are able too! 

Sorry I am running out of time, but we have had a great week! Thanks for all the love and support! I love you all! 

Love,

Sister Lofthouse 

Funny picture of Sister McKee at Curtis' baptism. So funny! Haha :) 

January 5, 2015: I Can't Believe It Is 2015

Hello Family and Friends! 

Hope you are all doing well! I can't believe it is 2015. So crazy! Hope you all had a good New Years. :)

This week was pretty good! We had a couple lessons with Curtis. He is doing great! He said he went to a recovery New Year's Eve Party and so there wasn't any alcohol there but there was a coffee bar and people kept asking him why he wasn't drinking coffee and he told them he was baptized Mormon. And they didn't believe him! Haha. But it was also funny because we asked him what he promised to God when he was a baptized and he was like "To go to church... ALL 3 HOURS... pay tithing, word of wisdom, law of chastity..." And we were like yeah! You can just call those the commandments. :) But we did have a scary moment yesterday... It was like 2 minutes before church started and he still wasn't there... So we were kind of freaking out and called him and he said that he had to take a cab but he was on his way! It was snowing and it turns our his car didn't start... But he made it in time for his confirmation! He had such an awesome blessing that it made me tear up a little. Curtis is awesome!! Continue to pray for him and Noheel! 

We also saw lots of miracles with finding new investigators this week! We called some potentials and we set up an appointment with a man named David. But we couldn't remember who he was until we saw him, but he is fiji-indian. We went into his house and he introduced us to his girlfriend and we sat down. Then he introduced us to his mom and we was just smiling creepily and was like "So I wanted to surprise you... Me and my mom are baptized members!" So me and Sister McKee were like what??? They were baptized in Fiji a long time ago and have been less active for a while and David has a bad alcohol problem. But we taught the Restoration and his girlfriend liked it so much and was excited to read and pray about the Book of Mormon! We set her to be baptized on the 31st... But something came up and they couldn't make it to church yesterday... 

A few weeks ago we met this man whose name is Voitek and he actually graduated from the same addiction recovery place as Curtis and knows him and also Bishop. Then one night this week we were eating dinner at the Bishops house and was telling him how we were going to meet up with him and the Bishop was like "Voitek? Yeah, he is ready to get baptized." And we were like okay! So we taught Voitek the Restoration and set him to be baptized on the 24th but something came up and he couldn't come to church so we will have to move the date back a little.

 Also this week we were able to meet up with a young mom named Julien. Turns out her family was taught by elders when she was really young. She is truth seeking so we are excited! She is trying to move her work schedule around so that she can come to church. But we set her to be baptized on the 31st! We are excited to continue to work with these people! Please pray for them that they will continue to have the desire to be baptized! :) 

Transfer calls are tonight! Which is super crazy!! We think that Sister McKee is going... Which will be sad... But we are excited!! Thank you all for your love and support!! Hope you have a great week. Love you all so much! 

Love,

Sister Lofthouse  

Our district. :) Sister McKee looks like a hunchback... Haha :)