We had a really awesome Christmas here on the Canary islands. We stayed at the Larsen´s house (the missionary couple here) on Christmas eve. that night we read the "Forgotten Carols" It is the cutest most amazing Christmas story ever! You have to look it up! that night we had a fireside and... oh man Hermana Larsen is the greatest. So there´s 10 missionaries on this island, she emailed all of our mothers and asked for our favorite Christmas treat and she Made ALL 10! crazy right! I mean 3 of us said orange/cinnamon rolls but I mean she is wonder woman! Then the next morning we had breakfast and then a gift exchange. Then we helped her cook a huge Christmas dinner and then ate it and then Skyped my family. It was crazy and I loved it. 

My investigator is at only 3 cigarillos a day, so we almost have his addiction taken care of, that´s really good. 

Our investigator that´s a friend of a member is doing super well! She´s all set to get baptized the 10th! I love her so much it´s crazy and what´s really cool is I´ll probably be  able to go  through the temple with her next year! I´m only super stoked for that!

Our investigator from Cabo Verde is really good, she has a lot of questions but she really wants to know. She has a lot of friends missions so that is so  cool and helps her a lot I´m sure.

This week we´ve been trying to contact a lot, it´s great because people are way more open at Christmas... well for the most part, some people just want to run around and say that I´m interrupting their shopping... we´ve met some really cool people so that´s awesome! 

Also random note... there is a random fad going on here that I do not approve of... people, fanny packs are coming back to the Canary islands! Is that true about other places?!?!?!?!?!? The majority of people don´t wear it the proper way either... they wear it as what I like to call a "pec pack" like a shoulder bag and it just chills on their chest... it´s weird and we counted 50 in one week! It´s so crazy! Is this a thing in Canada? I´m really concerned for the fashion choices of you all...

So in Spain the New years tradition is to eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds... and by eat I mean at least get them into your mouth so that´s our plan i guess. Also we have a medio dia  (big meal from 2-4) appointment so that´ll be good. Also kids are setting off firecrackers CONSTANTLY! It scares the living daylights out of me... but apparently it´s totally normal so let them have fun with their traditions!

Also note for all of you that don´t write me... it is my birthday this Saturday. The one day of the year i DO expect you to write me... I´m turning 20. What wait... oh ya definitely 20. I can´t really believe it but oh well here´s to another 20. It´s only 1 of 2 birthdays I´ll have  as a missionary too. Oh man that´s weird.

I love and miss you all! 

Hermana Charissa West

Spain Madrid Mission

Calle Fuerteventura 4, 2, Office 8B

28703 San Sebastian de los Reyes

Madrid

Spain

A Nativity built in the sand!!!

 Making tomales, we are washing grape leaves!

Well this week has been awesome! 

Loida our investigator was baptized last Saturday!!! It was really great to be a part of that. She´s so great and staying off cigarettes won´t be easy but it is definitely possible. This whole week my companion and I were concerned because she literally just stopped a month ago. BUT she really wanted to get baptized on her birthday (Dec 7th) and there was a really powerful lesson had with her and a member who had previously smoked. Just goes to show that motivation needs to come from the inside and members are key! Us missionaries need members who have gone through similar things as our investigators. Honestly it´s just a miracle, she´s been smoking for 45 years!!!! It´s great. She´s so happy. Also I had to give the talk on the Espíritu Santo (Holy ghost) it was pretty good but not perfect.

This week we´ve been working with our investigators and have trying to get better at Guagua (bus) contacting. Because we need to split up so we don´t intimidate people. It´s been a struggle because I can´t understand perfectly but it´s been good. I´ve met a lot of really great patient people. I love it. 

So about my ward, my bishop is great, he served in Ireland and has a young family but he is a solid member of the church,  our ward missionary is Canarian through and true and just got home from his mission 6 months ago. His name is Fran, we just shot a big interview type thing with him for Canary tv... so basically I´m famous. Haha not really but it was kinda cool. We have some amazing members here. One of my favourite families are L and M and P. L is 12 and M is her grandmother and P her uncle. P is inactive but L&M come very often and to all the activities. The are from Bolivia and I love them so much! There´s also a wonderful lady from Honduras we eat with almost every Thursday. She´s so great, I just love her so much! Then there´s the Young Women! They are so strong.. I just love them. 

Basically just a lot of love when it comes to the ward here in Las Palmas.

It´s been a freezing 18C here, honestly it is SO cold to these people.... hahah so funny. Also my companion and I bought matching Christmas pajamas basically we´re set for Christmas.

Hope you´re not freezing to death!

Love Hermana West

The city of Terror, one of the most beautiful places I've ever been!

 Me on the beach!

 Sis. Trone and me with Loida!

Alright, So zone conference this week was super sweet! I loved learning from our President, his wife ans his assistants, it was great. The best was that I got to sleep in a SUPER comfy hotel bed though... It was like a cloud. Plus because we had 3 in our room I had not only my companion but a super awesome sister I know from the mtc who is from Colombia stay with us. It was a party.

We´ve been really busy and really wet... We´ve had a huge storm here and have gotten soaked every day since zone conference. BUT today it has been nothing but blue skies! Haha look at me a Canadian complaining about rain in November!!!! Haha too funny. Anyways it´s been fun though because people take pity and let us inside. 

We have an investigator Y on date for baptism and she came to chruch for the first time this week! She has the cutest little daughter too, it was fun. We´ll see how she´ll progress now, I´m excited, we met her at english class too, talk about a GREAT finding opportunity.  

Our investigator L is still heading to baptism on Dec 6th, she´s really excited and she´s doing well so far without her electronic cigarrette. I just hope she´s ready. 

Cool miracle is a member has had a friend come to church with her and we´ve started teaching her, she LOVED the plan of salvation this week. Anyways we hope she gets answers to her prayers soon! 

Cool scripture that talks about Isles of the sea... 2Nephi 10:21

I hope everyone´s doing well, especially my 75 year old abuelo and my 18 year old prima! Haha I love them! Keep warm Canada, I know I am. 

Hermana West

My Zone in the Canary Islands!

It's been a crazy busy week this week! Which is always the BEST when you're a missionary. 

We've got 6 progressing investigators, one of which is tentatively getting baptized on December 6th if she can stop smoking and if her family ca make it. 

So basically this week has been so great because we've had so many wonderful spiritual lessons with investigators and everything. Sometimes it's really hard for me to speak... honestly feels like my brain is going to explode sometimes. But when I need to contribute the Lords definitely provides! I love all the tender mercies and being able to share experiences and my testimony with investigators.

I'm on the island Tenerife right now for zone conference! It's sweet because I get to see some sisters from the CCM and also... Elder Smith! Haha it was so fun to see someone from home! So we came here on a boat.. this morning I was a bit sea sick but now I feel great! We played soccer this morning as well! LOVED it! Everyone says I play so well because of the "Canadian hockey blood" in me... Not true but I sure schooled some elders today it was fun. 

I'm excited for zone conference tomorrow and I'm even more excited to get to work the day after! Honestly I love everyone here they're amazing!

Cool miracle for the week. We met with a male less active in a park, he's kinda younger and it was a good lesson. But then he pointed to an older man sitting on another bench and said "El es miembro menos activo tambien" aka He's a less active member too. Anyway we saw him that time And 2 days later on the same bench! Then He came to church yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It made my day, I mean I was glad all our investigators came too but to have him there made my day! I love finding lost sheep! 

Anywho I don't have too much time today but I LOVE this work, Spanish is a cool language but I do not speak it very well, and I know God loves us all and fellowshipping is key! 

Love Hermana West

I'm not sure why I'm so blessed to be in this wonderful place but I am! I love the weather, the wonderful nature and the magnificent people. Every day I just feel so blessed. Last Pday we got some fro yo and ate it on the street. I'm sending a pic, it was wonderful! 

So we've been working on getting some investigators because we only have 2 solid ones and they're both just working on word of wisdom issues. 

So, we have a mission couple on this island in charge of teaching seminary, they also keep a blog that has stuff about all us missionaries as well. this is the link if you want to check it out:

codyandcherylmission.blogspot.com (there are awesome pics and stories of Hermana West in the last 2 blogs, her mom checked it out)

So cool miracle of the week, we went to go teach our investigator R, who is 26 but when we got there (with a member for numbers) he wasn't there... but his 18 year old sister X was! So, we taught her the first lesson ad she ate it all up, we're meeting with her again tonight! I just love how we're blessed with someone new to share the gospel with.

We're teaching a man from Ghana, he's so amazing! He just asked us questions and we answered them and he just said "I really like your answers (the lesson was in English so I was able to contribute a bit more than usual)

We are at the Larsens' house right now, it is in more of the outlying area and in the mountains, the view is breath taking! 

We had dinner at a member's house that kinda lives far away last night, it was also a breath taking view.  Honestly it's unreal the things I see every day. 

I'm still getting along with my AMAZING trainer... She's honestly great, she's teaching me how to work hard and plan effectively! It's great.

One thing that really surprised me was how SIMILAR church is here! Honestly, other than it being in Spanish it is the same meetings and same spirit. Shouldn't have been so surprised but it was great. 

I love this work and I am so excited to be here in Las Palmas. Which is we directly translate is is "The hands" Cool parallel because missionaries are God's hands! Haha not really a lot of sense but it's cool. It's also cool to see the scriptures in Spanish because it doesn't translate directly which can sometimes give scriptures a slightly different meaning. 

Love,

Hermana West

Las Palmas

Okay, So crazy week right!?! I´m on the island of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands for my first area with my amazing trainer Hermana Trone from Oregan. She´s new to the islands (only got here 1 transfer previously) but a seasoned veteran to the mission. She has 3 transfers left including this one we are in. She´s a great hard worker, super fun and honestly just amazing! I´m so grateful to have her! Her Spanish is amazing too. Honestly she sound amazing!

Here on the island there are a TON of less active members. You might know that the now stake here on the islands was only made a year ago! Previously it had been a district. It´s so warm here... I love it but I´m kind of dying of sweat. No don´t worry I´m drinking lots of the bottled water I have to buy here because we can´t drink tap water on the island. The members of our ward are amazing! I loved church with them yesterday and we´ve had dinner with a few families. I love the people here so much! the people here are from all over, Mozambique, Ecuador, Columbia... So basically everyone here speaks without the theta... so I´m quickly loosing my Spanish lisp. It´s hard but I´m so new to Spanish that my trainer agrees this is definitely better. So I definitely sound more like a South American Spanish speaker now. 

My hair is so frizzy because of the humidity here. My companion finds it endearing and compliments my ¨voluptuous" hair all the time... I kinda hate it though. 

My Spanish is definitely a lot better, thanks to Hermana Trone but I still don´t feel confident in it yet. Don´t be mistaken though that doesn´t keep me from talking. Just makes me want to either cry or laugh after each lesson and contact. 

So it was Hermana Trone´s birthday on November 1st. I won´t tell you how old she turned but I will tell you she graduated from Stanford with a degree in biochemistry. Basically she´s legit. Anyways on her birthday we had pizza with the other missionaries here in the same ward and the senior couple on this island bought her rootbeer so we bought ice cream and had rootbeer floats. I don´t think I´ll have those again until I´m back in Canada. Rootbeer is pretty expensive. The senior lady (Hermana Larsen) also made us cinnamon rolls. Basically I´m equally loosing my weight in the amount of sweat I´m perspiring but gaining it back in cinnamon rolls. I´m okay with it to be honest. They´re sooo good!

So the buses here are called the "guagua" (pronounced wawa) we take it everywhere it´s super fun but I just love the funny name. 

We have a couple investigators on date. A HUGE problem here is helping people quit smoking. So Any suggestions? I want to help them so much but I know it´s hard. One of our investigators hasn´t smoked all week! Another is off cigarettes but uses an electric one, it´s a good step but she needs to stop using it too if she´s going to be baptized. Basically the work here is good, reactivation is a big goal and I LOVE IT! Honestly my companion couldn´t be better. 

If people ask what I´d like for Christmas I´d love handwritten letters and pictures, those would be my favourite! 

Nathan Smith is on another island BUT in 3 weeks we have zone conference and I get to go to his island for it! I´m excited to see him! 

I love you, I am honestly in paradise, I will take more pictures this week and send them next week. We´ve just been busy so I haven´t taken any.

Love,

Hermana West

Oct. 27/14

Hi, I have a small amount of time to write to you to let you know I´m entering the mission field tomorrow! I had my first interview with president on Sunday, he is a great man! Please pray for me tomorrow! I don´t know where I´m serving within the mission or who my companion is, but I am SO excited! Have a great week, I´ll email you next Monday, that´s my next Pday.

Hermana West

Oct. 23/14
This week was good, it´s been the best so far. Last Pday we went to the mall the Gavia. It was so cool! Also there´s an Ikea IN the mall, so obviously that´s where we ate lunch! SO GOOD! I also found a notebook I HAD to buy... Superman and lights up... that´s all. Last night I had a cool experience with a sister. The one that speaks French and is learning Spanish but only her companion and the secretary speak French. It´s a struggle for her. I felt impressed to share Mosiah 4:27 with her. She loved it and she gave me a wonderful necklace from Tahiti! I love her, she´s staying 2 extra weeks and I think she´ll pick up the language by then!

Funny story from this week is the conversation I had with one of my teachers... about the Lizzie
MacGuire movie. Made me happy that Hilary Duff is enjoyed by more than just me hahaha. We've been learning about subjunctive verb conjugations this week... Talk about hard but cool. Basically
everything I say needs to be conjugated that way. I feel like everything I've said has been nonsense to every one but it's great.

I'm heading out to the field on MONDAY! I'm so excited to meet my trainer and everything. Those of us staying in Madrid go to the mission home here in Madrid. Those in the Madrid mission going to
North or Canary Islands leave asap on Tuesday from the CCM. We have interviews with President on Sunday and then he gives us our devotional Sunday night!

Our fake investigators both  have baptismal dates and are progressing. Tomorrow will be our lsat day to teach them both. The park last week was with my favorite sister here Hermana McWhorter from Arkansas. She is AMAZING! I just cannot describe how much I love her. She has helped me so much. We had a great time proselyting together and are sad because she is going to the Barcelona
mission next week. But I am so glad I know her. I have made SO many good friends here. I am so stoked to enter the field! My Spanish is not great but I know I'll be blessed.

Love you,
Hermana West

This week has been a Little crazy, all the native Russian speakers are now in the field and all the native Spanish speakers are here in the CCM now! It’s fun because I can practice my Spanish but hard because I realize how not great my Spanish is… It’s crazy to think I’ll be going out in the field on October 28^th because my Spanish is nowhere near where I’d like it to be. But I am so excited! I really love the temple here and that we’ve been able to go every week on Pday. Last pday we went to the Prado museum. We saw some great and really famous art… that I know nothing about. My companion is an art administration major though… I learned a lot. Today we’re going shopping. That’ll be cool to experience Madrid!

This week has been particularly hard on everyone here. We’re all kind of in a stale mate of I love the MTC but I want to be helping real people. It’s been good to see us all come together to help one another though. My fake investigators are good. Isabel is learning a lot and bringing her family to a lesson with us! And Jose is having Family home evening with his family next week. I can’t wait to get into the field so I can experience Madrid and learn! But I do love all the missionaries here.

One crazy thing that happened this week is one of the girls that came in and thought she was a native Spanish speaker… does not speak Spanish nor English… she speaks FRENCH! 4 of us missionaries can sort of speak French and one of the secretaries can as well. It’s been a struggle for us missionaries, her companion especially and the teachers to try to teach her. She’s got a great heart though, hopeful she can pick up the language alright.

Love you

Hermana West

So a pic of one of the Russian sisters I love! Us pointing to where we’re from because this was such a chance encounter!

Also my teacher Hermana Ganaza… aka my mom’s Spanish twin! She reminds me so much of my mom!

So we watched the morning sessions of General Conference live (which is from 6pm to 8pm here in Madrid) and then the morning after watched the afternoon sessions. I loved it! Our leaders are seriously inspired! I especially loved the general woman´s meeting that I finally got to watch on Sunday!

The food is good. Lots of soups and cereal. Not a ton of variety but I haven´t starved yet! My room has 3 sets of bunk beds and closets for all of us. All 6 girls in my district live in my room! It´s kinda crazy but a lot of fun! 

I have loved this week! It has definitely been hard but inspiring all the same. General Conference was good because of the inspiration and excitement but bad because I wasn´t doing missionary work. I just want to be out in the field telling people about general conference and then watching with them so that they can begin to feel God´s love for them! But I definitely loved the opportunity I had to watch all 4 sessions as well as the woman´s broadcast.

My favorite thing this week is my new investigator Isabel. She is just a teacher acting but I feel connected to her because of the trials in her life. She is separated from her husband and has 4 kids. One of which passed away 3 months ago. I love her so much and the spirit when we teach her is so strong so I know that even though I can´t say everything I want to in flawless Spanish she stills understands what she needs to hear.

I love my Saviour Jesus Christ. He is one amazing brother!

Love,

Hermana West

We got to go to the Madrid zoo for PDay! Lots of monkeys!

 Me and my companion!

Alright,

So best story from this week, every Saturday we go to a park here in Madrid and contact everyone in the park, it´s hard because my Spanish is not very good but it´s fun because they put you with a different companion and I feel like I´m doing´actual missionary work. In the MTC there is also a learning Russian program. So some girls who have been learning Russian just left on Tuesday. I love them so much, they are amazing women! One of them was my partner for the park last Saturday. It was her last time and she said that everyone except her has met someone who speaks Russian in the park except for her. I prayed so hard when I found out she was going to be my companion that we would find someone that spoke russian. I didn´t care if I didn´t have any other success but I wanted that for her. Well, we had lots of success! We met 1 English speaker that was so prepared, got his info and gave him a libro de mormon. Then we found A RUSSIAN COUPLE! They were posing in front of a ststue and we offered to help take a pic so both couold be in it. When they said ¨ruso¨aka Russian in Spanish her face lit up! I have never seen anyone so excited! Sister Killpack is her name, she´s serving in Russia right now doing amazing things! She talked to them so well and gave them a russian BOM! Talk about miracles!

 

Anyways, we´re getting new fake investigators this week. My Spanish is coming but I know it can be a lot better. When teaching lessons I throw French in all the time! It´s funny, like my brain thinks its not English so it must be Spanish! Haha, I love it and the CCM is amazing! I love all the people here. We just had transfers so there´s a ton of native Russian speakers here for the next 2 weeks! So that means a group of 50 missionaries, not actually that many.

I love this work and I am so glad I have this time to prepare to meet the people I am meant to teach here in Madrid!

 

Te amo,

Hermana West

Sis. Killpack and me!

 Somewhere in Madrid!

THe MTC or CCM in Spanish is so great! I love all the people here!

We have been having lots of classes learning about Spanish and things every missionary needs to know, such as how to use a planner. FYI I already know how to use a planner.

We got to go to the temple today! It was amazing! I loved it but I miss the Calgary temple and my best friend Becky I used to always go with! Also... Grandma West if coordinating a temple session wasn´t enough imagine having them be able to use 6 possible languages... I felt so bad for the temple workers, their job is hard!

One cool thing this week is our 2 mock investigators... Victor and Ismael. I have a hard time understanding and responding in Spanish but it will come. I love being a missionary. My companion in Hermana Sykes from Salt Lake City, Utah. I am one of 3 Canadians here. There are 2 elders one from Quebec going to France and one from BC... who just happened to be in Langley YSA when a certain Elder Crowell (my cousin) was serving there!!! Too cool right?

I love the CCM. A bug is going around but I haven´t gotten sick yet! WHOO

I have basically the coolest district in the world! I love them so much!

I love the whole mtc personelle actually! There are only 27 missionaries here! We´re in the top 3 floors of a building on the same lot as the temple and a stake centre.

My adventure of travelling and being in Toronto was crazy I almost didn´t get my visa until the next day because it had been approved but not processed yet... oh man so we went back 1.5 hours later and she had done it for me! Only because I showed her my boarding pass for 5 hours from then. Haha so I had breakfast with the APs. They´re really awesome!

Love,

Hermana West

Me in front of the Madrid Temple.

The Spain, Madrid Temple!

She's in Spain!

Here is the Spain MTC (Mission Training Center) address where she will be for the next 6 weeks!

Hermana Charissa West

Calle Fuerteventura, 4, Segunda Planta, Oficina 8B

San Sebastian de Los Reyes, 28703

Madrid

España

Alright, so first of all... I leave for Spain tonight! I am so excited! The wait is over and I am rejoicing!

We had a mission tour from Elder Martino yesterday so today is Pday! I learned so much from it!

First of all! How you can know who to share the gospel with! Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you know anyone that has had a baby recently?

2. Do you know anyone that has lost a loved one recently?

3. Do you know anyone struggling with teenage children?

4. Do you know anyone that is going through  a hard time recently?

Then when you think of people that fall under these categories, pray for them, talk to them, invite them to have a lesson from the missionaries about what their concerns are!

Missionaries are willing and able to teach but have a hard time finding! Then have missionaries teach lessons IN YOUR HOME! You are doing things that help you have the spirit in your home where as our investigators are not. We need the spirit to teach and it is so much stronger in member's homes! Just think about it.

Elder Martino taught me a lot about what I need to do to be a better missionary, I am blessed to have so much time left in my mission so I can apply his teachings!

A quote from yesterday I loved is "If it is to be it is up to me" It is so true! If we want something to happen we need to do it ourselves!

Sister Martino talked about how we need to use the life lines that we have in our lives such as friends, family and prayer. They can't help us if we don't want to use them.

President Manion said something powerful to me as well. Some missionaries will wake up late or stay at appointments too long or in other words be disobedient but not "too" disobedient. So President said, "Don't rationalize the little things, you're not smarter than the prophets of God" I loved hearing that.

I love this work and am excited to go to the MTC!

Love,

Hermana West

                                         My Edmonton district!

 This picture is of my twin Sister Wangsgaard and I! We're both turning 20 on January 3rd! Too bad she's from Utah... :P

My week has been crazy but good, with 2 areas we are busy ALL the time! There are always lessons to teach and people to love! Both my wards are amazing! The work is good!

W have a set of elders in each ward, 2 in Ellerslie and 2 in Meadows... We have given them a LOT of referrals... They're like "What do you do?" It's funny, we're just so busy and when we need to double book ourselves we call the Elders and let them know.

We've been trying really hard to use our time effectively, because we have SO much area to cover and we don't have a car half the time. It is important that we use this valuable time as missionaries to be what Christ needs and wants us to be.

We have been trying to meet with members of the Meadows ward. The bishop is so cool, his wife is amazing! They have 2 eight month old twins and a 18 month old. They are so busy and truly are humble to let the Lord lead their lives. I met the Ords and she used to be a young women's leader in forest heights!! So cool right?!? Then we met with this family that has 4 kids, they are So sweet! I loved meeting them all!

What we've been encouraging people to do is read chapter 1 of Preach my gospel, because when members understand our purpose as missionaries better they can use us better! We are here to help you in your missionary endeavors! Don't forget that.

It's been a long week but I wouldn't change it for the world!

Love you,

Sis. West

These are my companions!

Hi Everyone,

We had a couple cool experiences this week:

-Helping clean through a hoarders apartment, she has a dog so there's pee and poop all over the floor. We took 4 hours and cleaned the closet, the bathroom and her yarn room. We're going to be going every Friday

-Another is this wonderful woman who is currently living with her abusive boyfriend. We were able to teach her about the atonement and it was a powerful lesson. She is hopefully bringing her son to church on sunday, I think it will bring help and light that she needs into her life

There is a cool power that comes with the three of us together! I LOVE it! Sometimes it seems as though the other 2 take over in lessons and I am not saying anything, but, when I get the chance to speak I'll have been praying for them and for myself the whole time they were talking and when I get to speak I don't even know what I'm saying. It's the spirit every time... I can't describe it well enough, but what I have to say IS NOT IMPORTANT! What the spirit has to say through me is! I love teaching, it's my favourite!

D&C 105:5-6

I love being a missionary, I love my companions even though both of them talk a ton, I feel happier with all 3 of us.

Hope to hear from you soon,
Charissa

So what is happening with me is I am serving in Millwoods "Meadows" area, but a sister is going home early for school tomorrow so we are combining with her companion that's staying and becoming a tripanionship. So we will cover both Meadows and Ellerslie area! I am excited, it will be crazy but I'm sure it'll be fun too! My new comp is gluten free though... so eating at houses should be interesting :/ So my new comp is Sister Jones!

We had some cool experiences this week, one of which we ran into a lady on the street and testified of the BOM. She was like "that would be so great" She has a 5 year old daughter and she is so sweet! We're hoping to meet with her this week to start teaching her!

Another is that we had dinner with this new couple in our ward, it was like I had known them my whole life, they are the coolest and their little daughter is adorable!

We also had a "missionary bbq" we were supposed to bring investigators or less actives to. we brought a sister and her nieces and nephew. They loved it and the sister made a friend in the ward, hopefully she'll be more willing to come to church!

The recitation I've been trying to memorize this week is D&C 4. It is amazing I love it! Read it and you'll see why.

Love Sis. West

For the next 3 weeks (for sure) you can mail letters or parcels to:

Sis. Charissa West 
305-8925 51 Ave
Edmonton, AB
T6E 5J3
(this is the ED mission home address so even if I am gone before your mail gets here they will forward it to me)

This is a picture of me with my Edmonton Mission President and his wife, Pres. and Sis. Manion, and my first companion, my trainer, Sis. Ballentyne.

I love serving in  Meadows Ward (in Millwoods), the members are great and really supportive. What I've been really trying to help everyone with is growing closer to their families because that is what has been sticking out in my mind. I really like the scripture D&C 130:2. It says our families will be even more amazing in heaven because it will be coupled with glory! It's really amazing!

 

My family is going through som hard times right now but I love them and the are only going to be made stronger through this.

 

I have also been studying the talk "Your 4 minutes", if you get a chance you should re-read it too! Use the most of your life right now, it'll be worth it!

 

Love,

 

Sister West

Well, it's 10:45am and I just dropped off Sister West at the Edmonton Mission home with her Mission President and his wife, President and Sister Manion. They are SO excited to have her and made her feel so special and loved already! She is spending the day meeting the new missionaries that are flying here from the Mission Training Center (MTC) in Utah and they will be spending the day together.

Tomorrow Sister West will be assigned a companion that will train her (her trainer or "mom") and then she will be assigned in an area within the Edmonton Mission. She will not be allowed to email until next Monday so if you want to hear from her you'll need to email her first at charissa.west@myldsmail.net.

Sister West had a huge smile on her face last night when she was set-apart and today as she got ready to leave! She is so happy and excited and ready to be a missionary! I know she thinks of all of you and loves you and prays for you, her family and friends.

August 11, 2014

Oh man you guys! I'm getting set apart in approximately 8 hours! 

I am so excited to be a missionary! I can't wait to serve the Lord and His people! 

One scripture I was shown by an amazing scripture that fits my situation by Sister Adamson, a great friend of mine! It is Doctrine and Covenants 31:3 "Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare gladtidings of great joy unto this generation."

My missionary plaque scripture is Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

I am doing this for my Heavenly Father, anything I accomplish is His. 

I love the Lord, I know  the gospel is true, I love the Book of Mormon.

Keep reading scriptures and praying! I love you all, keep up the good work!

See you in 18 months! 

Love,

Sister West

PS: Check here weekly and my mom'll be putting up my weekly email!