Big hearts and big stomachs!

"Oh man! I am soooo full of food and happiness. At the end of the week, we looked upon our learning...we are FULL haha. We went to 2 members homes Christmas day and they fed us so much food it was crazy! and then upon leaving the last appointment I felt to drop by a certain home where we had been previously pointed towards before....good thing it was a filipino family who offered us MORE food! needless to say....we were litterally rolling down the hillsides upon our visit with them... haha

This week we had our opportunity to email our families and I loved to see my beautiful family again! Thanks so much for always being there for me and for my companion...your prayers and your wishes for our happiness and the happiness of those we labor amongst does make a difference...I know prayers are heard! so thank you! all of you! for being a part of my life, whether great or small..you all make a difference! :)

We had a pretty cool experience this week at at a members home... it was Sunday night and we had a time to spend with a family from Ghana...they had us over for dinner. We arrived earlier and so we knocked on some doors around the building she lived in. We knocked on the neighbors door and a lady came to the door. She told us she was Muslim and not too interested in our message but she welcomed us warmly. We talked with her for a little while and we listened mostly. She shared how she lives alone and how her daughter doesn't talk to her anymore because of some problems at home. She said goodbye nicely and we left to the members home again. We kept a prayer in our heart for this poor widow. We heard the son in the home ask if the lady next door was okay. We told them her story. They then without hesitation opened their door, knocked on their neighbors door and welcomed her to eat with us. She agreed and came to the home. We spent time together that night and we sang some church songs together. By the time we left that night, the lady was so much happier and she had a undeniable joy in her eyes that had so much goodness and light in it. it was the Spirit :) We left that night with a great gratitude in our hearts for the great examples of neighborly love these people showed in opening their homes and hearts, arms and time for a lady who was in need and alone.

Every day we can bless someones life. I know it is true :) We can be lights to the world through living as Christ!

Also this week, we have been praying for opportunities to be more Christlike and to help someone on Christmas....we didn't do too much hectic things on Christmas...but I noticed one thing...we had spent a lot of time with the humbled and the meekest of the people we knew in the area. We sang to people in the hospital and comforted those with depression on the streets...we ate humble meals in the smallest homes. It was a beautiful experience!

Also Christmas caroling to families from all over the world this week. This is a picture of just one of them! We were with a member from Jamaica also! he is lovely!

Have a happy new year and blessings to all of you!

Salam Walakum asala moulekkum wa rahumut dalahi wa baka tahe!!
(This is urdu arabic(from bangladesh) for "God bless your family with peace")

Have a wonderful week and I love you!

Go help someone ;)

Elder Wehi"

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Scarberia!

"Seasons greetings to all! and a wonderful merry Christmas to everybody! This will be both Elder Ray and I's 2nd Christmas in the land of snow, polar bears, and freezing wind chills (yay for wind chills!).

Its pretty funny because we have 70 languages in Scarborough alone, and I am preeeety sure I have talked to at least 1 person from each culture in the world since being here for almost 22 weeks. Its been fun! its been spiritual! Its been uplifting and the rewards have been joyful! We love serving here!

some neat experiences for this week

#1 Christmas lights! - we were walking down the road when we saw a very well lit house and decided to ask the people at home if we could take a picture with it and send it to y'all. They agreed and we were happier than kids in a candy store! after we continued on to spread some more Christmas cheer!!

#2 Canada gloves keep you warm! - we were walking to contact someone that referred themselves to be taught by us and we were passing by a bridge, and we stopped to take a picture. That day I was also wearing some gloves we found in our apartment. They were VERY Canadian! hah. you got to be wearing some pretty warm things this time of the year in Canada...its pretty cold eh.

#3&4 Christmas time with Pres and Sis Clayton and the missionaries! - We had a Zone Christmas Conference for all the missionaries in Kingston, North York, and Oshawa. We sang Christmas songs, talked about the true meaning of Christmas, and shared a time to sing 12 days of Christmas in which we got to be the coveted 5 golden rings! It was awesome! we sang our hearts out haha! Thankyou also to everyone that send Christmas packages and letters, I am so grateful. I couldn't do this without your prayers and kindness. Thank you all so much! You are the best!

This Christmas time, may we all strive to remember the baby Jesus in word, thought, and action. May we ever resolve at this time of the year to be kinder, more understanding, and compassionate to our fellow travelers. May we strive to be a little better today than we were yesterday, and a little better tomorrow than we were today. God bless you all to find the Savior in your hearts and in all you do: Have a Merry Christmas! I love you!

Elder Wehi"

What shall we give?

"If Christ was here on earth, what would he be found doing?

I often ask myself this question when I talk to people on the streets. When we teach others about Jesus Christ. When we travel by foot among the towering building and low street valleys of the metropolis that is Scarborough. What would he do? In every situation. What would he be doing?

I feel like I am coming, little by little, to understand more clearly and simply what his character would be like. And a scripture I testify to be one of the most important of all holy writ to me is this: Matt 25:35-40

35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying,Lord, when saw we  thee an hungered, and fed thee?or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in?or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

My dear brothers and sisters, it is Christmas time. We need only drop the last syllable and it becomes the spirit of Christ. I hope and pray that each of us find it within our hearts to reach out to the sick and the weary, to help them on their way. - Mosiah 4:19-21

There are those all around you who you may not even know are struggling. Those who are discouraged, and those without hope. Being blessed with an understanding that there is hope and that there is courage, let us be the ones to reach to those who have none, who have no hope, and to the weary and tired traveler. I ask of you never to turn aside the needs of others for your own. For I promise that God will look after you as you look after His other sheep, or in other words your family and friends.

I feel to promise you that if you pray for an opportunity to serve God, it will come your way. Christ called his apostles when they were working, and so as you continue throughout your day and work to bring about the prayer you gave, look for the opportunity to serve and it will present itself. Always Remember this important scripture in your service to others: Mosiah 2:17

Let me provide some examples of service, especially that we saw this past week.

Joey: We were walking to an appointment close to home when we saw a man distressed at a telephone box. He hung up and told us that he wanted to see his wife but he didn't know where she was. He looked cold and so we gave him a jacket to wear before we got him home. We walked into his home and he only had a bed that lay on the ground and no box spring and he had a couch that he sat on all throughout the day. He said because of arguments his wife had taken their 2 year old son and moved away. He was alone. He was sad and he kept saying: "I just want my wife to come home for Christmas." I couldn't help but feel inside me a greater yearning to help this man. We testified of Jesus Christ from the Scriptures and offered to come back. We left with him our jacket and before we left he prayed and he was smiling afterwards.

Sandra: Sandra was found when we knocked on her door. She is living in a 1 room shelter for those who are homeless. She said that she had given up hope for years because of how her life had turned out. She told us all of her troubles and worries and we listened. At the end she told us she wanted to come to church and feel greater peace in her life. We offered her our words of comfort and she felt better. by the end of the visit she said that she felt better. When she came to church the next day she gave a simple testimony on how she now knew that she could be happy and have hope to know that God was there for her.

The Homeless shelter: We were walking along a sketchy part of town down some back roads in the downtown area of Scarborough just on the border before downtown Toronto. We were walking just before a bridge when we looked to our left and saw a really worn down and abandoned church called the "church of God". We  looked through some sets of windows near the basement and saw beds upon beds lined up in the basement and we saw some people moving fuzzily between the windows. We went to the front door to go and see if we could go and look. We were approached by a man who demanded money from us or to leave. We talked with him but he wouldn't listen. We waited until someone came to the front door and let us in. We saw people lined up on the steps sleeping and then when we went underground we saw it all. People and families. Stricken with illness and despair. We waved out at the crowd and a couple of hands waved back. We could not do much more than to say "Merry Christmas", but it filled me with such a firm feeling that I had to be more grateful for what I do have because there are many who do not have temporal needs. Even in the midst of all the sadness, I for some reason could feel a sense of overwhelming love from God that he knew their needs and that everything would be okay. We left and continued on through the night.

Man we love serving here in Scarborough! Its such a nice place and I have come to love it with all my heart. There is no where I would rather be. I have never been happier in my whole life than right now serving a mission. I would recommend anyone to serve a mission wherever they are, because it has changed my life and brought me so much joy and happiness that I cant express.

We love being missionaries!

#A Savior is Born! Share it! :)

Elders Ray and Wehi"

A miracle for the week!

"Christmas Time is coming! its a blaze here in the Scarborough area with Christmas Spirit. The missionaries and members are getting ready to share the true meaning of Christmas and its great to see. I have come to love serving here in Scarborough. This has been my 14th week in this area and I love it. Elder ray my companion has been here for 26 weeks now. We are old guys to the members here hah. We have seen hard and good times here and all have come to help me to know that this is not only our work, but it is Gods. I know this.

I am doing great!...striving to not eat too much because we will be eating...well....quite a bit...especially when at Filipino members homes during the Christmas time. Having a big appetite at this time of the year is never a good thing hah.

We also wanted to thank all of you that have helped us to come so far, especially giving us such a help on the mission. For all those who have sent encouraging words or gifts to my companion and I, We appreciate it all. We are so grateful for your prayers and your well wishes. thank you again so much! We couldn't do all of this without your support and encouragement so thank you again!

We had a Christmas party for all the members and their friends this week! Everyone came with hungry stomachs and there was many happy hearts. It was good to see everyone so happy. We managed to squeeze everyone together for a photo at the end. There was a big turn out so it was brilliant. We also made a banner with the words: A savior is born. We will be giving the Photo as a Christmas Card to all.

I I love being a missionary. I can testify that this is the best 14 months so far that have ever had before in my life. I have come to know Jesus Christ much more personally, and because of this have come to feel Gods love more times than I can count. I now that this work is important and is fulfilling.

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We saw a really inspired miracle this week from always talking with everyone and Always asking for referrals.

We were coming back from a returning member lesson when we felt impressed to talk to a man at his house. we did. He wasn't interested at all. He kicked us out of the yard. We kept walking on and preparing to go to an appointment.

We saw on the path in front of us before the bus stop a young couple. They didn't look like they would be interested, but pushing aside judgment, I strive to listen to what the Spirit would tell me to do. The spirit said to me strongly to talk to them. we went over to them and nothing came to my mind to teach, so I asked the only thing I could think of at the time: "Who do you know can benefit from our message?" The young mans face lit up and he straight way pointed us in the direction of his parents home.

We took his referral and went to the house. It looked like a shelter from the outside. We walked in and to the door where the young man had said and we knocked. A shorter lady came to the door and asked us what our purpose was. We said we were sent to them, by their family and by god. She let us in and the next 20 minutes she shared with us her whole life story and her husband who was also there did too. They told us they had nothing left but clothes, a little food, and a roof over their head. Their family was scattered and their hope was diminishing. They felt so poor and we could tell they were also poor in spirit.

We felt impressed to share with them the video 'a savior is born'. which you can see at Christmas.mormon.org. As we watched it they and us got emotional and we all testified of Christ. We all felt the Spirit so strong. The lady knew we had come from God to her and she told us she wanted to come to church.

The next day she did and loved it! She got up in class and bore her testimony that she know knew God was looking after her an she said these special words: "I feel that Jesus Christ is with me now. I feel him all around me." she wants to come back to church next week and she feels that when she prays now, god will be there to listen to her.

Following the Spirit is so important in doing Gods work, and I know that God and His Son Jesus Christ are literal beings, a father and a son. I know that they are at the head of this work, and it fills me with joy to see others finding happiness and joy through Jesus Christ.

This has been a little Christmas miracle so far and we are looking forward to many more to come.

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“Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we’re on our knees but while we’re on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us.”—President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
http://media.ldscdn.org/images/media-library/by-speaker/president-thomas-s-monson/monson-quote-christmas-1183546-gallery.jpg

- Your servants, the missionaries
Elder Ray and Wehi"

Transfers!....or not?

"wow, its another transfer week! and guess what!? We are staying again! FOR CHRISTMAS!!! YAY! We are so happy! We love serving here in Scarborough. I have always felt a special connection to this place and I love calling it my home at this time. I love the members especially and the faith they have. Its always a testimony to me when I get to see how members in Canada act like the Savior, just like Ive seen in Australia. Truly we are united with one cause to be more like Christ! I love this church with all my heart, and I especially recognize that Christ is at the center of it all. I love him and know he loves me. I know this is true. I see it every day.

When you get used to staying in an area for a long period of time, you really get to know the place so well. my companion Elder Ray has been serving here for 4 transfers now, which adds up to about nearly 19 weeks so far and I know he knows this place well because some nights I will hear him in his sleep talk about the people and he will sometimes teach them the Gospel too haha. Oh man I have the best companion. always being a missionary....even in his sleep! wow dedicated! hahaha.

Its been a great week. We had our ward mission leader leave the ward and we now have a new ward mission leader who is a great man. They had me give a talk on missionary work on Sunday and it was brilliant being able to share my experiences on the mission and to recognize how much I have seen the hand of god in my life serving this mission. I also got to see two members from Trenton Branch on Sunday too because they were there visiting family.

We did a lot of service this week! We find that, like President Monson has said, "there are hearts to touch and their are lives to brighten. There are souls to save." We love doing service as it is what we are called to do: Called to Serve :)

Do you ever know how much good you do? not really ever do we know. I promise that 100% of your efforts to do good counts. Every single portion no matter how much you might see that makes a difference. For those who do not feel that there efforts are making a difference or for those who feel alone. I can testify that as you strive to do good to others, God will in his time help you to find more substance in your life. There is more to find within us when we give of ourselves to others in a righteous way.

OH and BY THE WAY!!! CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!! so I have a gift for you! its all yours. all you have to do is watch it, love it, and share it! Its actually a video from the church about Christmas and the reason we celebrate it. I have watched it and I have felt the Spirit remind me of Gods love so I definitely can recommend sharing it with those who are in need of the Christmas Spirit. You might know someone at work, school, at home, at the shopping center, at church, maybe you met them on the street or at a bus shelter the other day, the list goes on! I know that there is someone in your life that needs to see this video and feel Gods love.

The link to the video is here: Christmas.mormon.org

Check it out! Its great! You can share it on Facebook and all :)
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN! :D

Make it a good week!
Loves
Elder Wehi"