A Week in the Life of Elder Talbot

It was mostly in the positive degrees this week which just made all the snow go away and made a couple of the days feel like Spring was already here. Which is pretty ankle breaking cause it's still January. 

Monday night we got to go to the Curry family for dinner and FHE. The Currys are awesome, really cool family. Brother Curry is/was the ward mission leader. They tried making shepherds pie in a crockpot and it just turned into a soup. It was still really good but they were all embarrassed about it haha. We had ward correlation after FHE when he accidently told us and his kids that he was getting released. He didn't know who our new ward mission leader would be so we spent the rest of the week guessing. 

Tuesday We helped out at the bishop's storehouse. That was my first time being involved with something like that before. It was definitely a humbling experience. We did some finding activities that yielded no fruit yet. The start of our ESL class was today. We were not really expecting anyone and no one made it so we just kind of ran through the thing it was pretty fun. 

Wednesday we walked a lot talking to people, we had some good contacts. We went to some not English restaurants to see if we could advertise in their place and some places let us which was cool. We don't really know how to advertise this cause it's not like Toronto where you can put posters wherever you want. Our plan is to just try to get people that know people that don't speak English and get referrals that way. 

Thursday We had supper at the Hardt family. They are a young couple pretty new to the ward. It was awesome. On Sunday he was giving us some crap about the appointment and it being super spiritual so we planned a super good message for them and the whole thing there was a super strong spirit. Last week we had knocked on this door in Fonthill and we went back last week and met the wife of the guy we met. And she was super nice and they want us to come back. We tried getting our district some vegan Beechwood donuts but they were closed unfortunately. After that, us and Niagara Falls elders went to stay the night in Hamilton for Zone Conference the next day in Kitchener.

Friday we had Zone Conference and they gave all of us our smartphones. That was the focus of the meeting and I am really excited to have them. Not only to learn how to use a smartphone to not waste time but I am really excited to further the work. 

Saturday we had ESL again but no one came. Our basketball thing went really well. There was 2 non members and some other people. It was really fun. We had dinner at a Filipino family and we had chili over rice and then took Anthony out visiting with us. We ended the night with the Currys for our last Correlation.

 

Sunday church was really good and we found out that our new ward mission leader is Brother Hardt! We will miss brother Curry but we are really excited to be working with Brother Hardt. We went out with Anthony again on Sunday to go visit people which was really appreciated cause we were both sick and low on energy.

Spiritual thought comes from Alma 27. I found a nexus between this chapter and my life. But I don't have any more time so I will explain more next week. haha

Love you all. 

Elder Talbot 

It Has Changed My Life

So it was like -5 for like half the week and then 5 for rest of it. (23-41F) Really nothing bad at all. The wind sometimes wrecks me but that's about it haha. 

Monday I got to have zone sports for the 1st time in like 5 months. It was quite fun. Got to see some friends that I hadn't seen for a while. Played some ball. It was fun. My basketball skills didn't digress which i thought it would have. 

Tuesday we got some vegan donuts with a member. I was super skeptical cause I am about unvegan as it gets but it tasted really good actually. I had a cranberry lemon fritter. Elder Olson had a coconut cream. 

Friday a senior couple came down and taught us all how to start and teach an English as a second language class. They are super awesome. I am pretty excited for that. They gave us pizza after which was cool.

We did a TON of finding this week. And we got a bucket of potentials for this week which will be really good. If you could pray for us that would be cool. 

Two people came to church last week that we hadn't met before. One lady is looking into our church and the Pentecostal church but she really liked our service and she said she will most likely be back next week. Another guy was really cool. He is a former and he said he will come back next week with his family. It was a super cool Sacrament meeting. Fun Fact, both of the people were introduced to us by members after the meeting. It was awesome seeing people reach out to everyone like that.  

Our Saturday basketball went pretty well. 8 people were there that time and a lot of people also said they will come out this week. 

That's about it I think. Next week I will write a better email haha. We get smartphones this week which will be pretty weird but I am really excited for how good it will be. 

Spiritual thought is I just love this gospel. I am so grateful being able to be a part of it. My mission has been the best experience and better than I could've ever imagined. I have been trying to testify of the Book of Mormon while contacting people, and I have seen it help myself so much. I just love that book so much. It is true and has changed my life.

Love you all.
Elder Talbot

Pictures. 

This is Mexico the dog. He is cool. We live below some awesome members and the dog comes downstairs sometimes and gets let in. It is pretty fun and stress relieving to have a dog. 

District leader Johnson's apartment view.

My parents on a volcano 

Mexico the Study Buddy

Niagara at night

Elder Johnson's apartment view

Parents in Hawaii at Haleakala Crater

I Love This Gospel

It was a bit of a roller coaster this week with the weather. Tuesday and Wednesday were around -5 to -10 (23-14F) and then Thursday was 15 degrees(59F) which felt super nice. It was balmy. Then Friday it dropped again and dumped a bunch of snow and went back to -5. 

Tuesday was pretty fun. We had interviews with President Shields in Hamiliton. Man that is a weird place. It just seems weird and the stories I have heard back that up. Then we went home and a YSA named Anthony took us out for dinner and then helped us teach two different appointments. The 2nd one was with Ope who is a new person we met. She is really cool. We taught the Restoration and the spirit was there strongly. She took a Book of Mormon and seemed intrigued. 

Wednesday we had dinner with the Bonfields. They are super funny. They were making jokes the entire time and giving each other crap. They had their son back from school for the week and he just keeps all of it going. We were both dying laughing the whole time. They are a great family. After, we went to Young Mens and played a handball/gatorball type game. It was pretty fun. The youth program here seems really involved with each other and they are all really cool. 

Thursday had a super crazy story that I will tell next week cause I have no time left cause we went to Hamilton.

I got to give a talk on Sunday. First time being the closing speaker. Didn't end early so success.

I love this gospel. 

Bye

Elder Talbot 

Whitewater and Whitewashing

Well, if there was the one good thing about the constant super low temperature it is that I am pretty well accustomed to the weather down here. It was about -5 (23F) the first couple of days and then it dropped down to 15 below (5F) and everyone was freaking out about how cold it was. Today is 2 (35F) degrees and it is going to be pretty warm the whole week.

This whole whitewash thing was a lot easier than it was last time. When I whitewashed into Brampton with Elder Lowry I felt like I was running around with my head cut off half the time. The sisters that were here left the area book well updated and the apartment was nice and clean. We didn't really know what we should do but we have it figured out for the most part. 

Thursday we walked around a lot and knocked some doors, and while we were walking a guy called us on the phone and asked if we were the hospital. When we told him we were missionaries he just said "Well that will do." It was pretty funny. We met with him for a few minutes that day and he said he had been looking for a church. He said he is going to come to church and then he will meet up with us another time. 

Sunday night we were early for dinner, so we just knocked a couple of doors and got two return appointments across the street from the member. Their kids saw us and so they were all pretty excited. The appointments are for tonight and tomorrow night. 

The ward here is really sweet. We have met a good chunk of the members and they are all awesome. The ward is about 120 on a average day. There is a bunch of people that are into basketball so we got a sports night going which will be fun. 

Elder Olson is from around Red Deer Alberta. He has been out for a transfer less than me and he is a fantastic missionary. He likes basketball and musical things. We get along really well. He is a really hard worker which is sweet. 

Spiritual thought comes from Alma and 3 Nephi. So Alma 7:11-12: 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

This talks about the Savoir and what he is going to go through and what that enables him to do. 3 Nephi 17 starting in verse 5 he does exactly what Alma 7 talks him about doing. 5 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them......9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

I read these two scriptures on different days and it just really stuck out to me. The Book of Mormon is pretty incredible. 

I went to Niagara Falls today for Pday as a district. They are all frozen so its pretty sweet and cool looking. It was quite nice. My camera died so I don't have all the pictures that have people in them.  

1-2 The Falls. 

3 Adam and Oan

4 The Newtons. 

Niagara Falls, Canada side

Niagara Falls, American side

Elder Talbot, Adam and Oan

Elder Talbot and the Newtons

Jesus Always Understands

It was pretty darn cold again last week. It was hovering around minus high 20's and low 30's and it just freezes everything. Even if we plug the car in it struggles sometimes. But I got transferred. I got sent about 10 hours south of Timmins to a place called St. Catherines. It is next door to Niagara Falls which is pretty sweet. The weather right now is like -3 and is SUPER humid which is not so fun but I will take it. This morning it was -6 and snowing and that felt really nice.

Last week with the late Pday there was not much time for things but we got to do a bit. We met with Angie & Don. They are doing pretty well. She bumped into some anti so there was things to clear up but she told us she didn't believe the video. They are really sweet people and they really like the missionaries and have been keeping the small commitment we've left. 

We had district meeting in Rouyn Noranda, Quebec. That was really good. I have really liked the two live district meetings this transfer. I have been trying really hard recently to learn by the spirit, and I have been able to do that pretty well. It has made a world of a difference. Elder Hunter is a really good district leader. 

We got calls on Saturday from the assistants to tell us that we were getting whitewashed, so we had to pack pretty fast and clean up the apartment a bit. We went to Sudbury Sunday night and then to Brampton Monday night and then I headed to St. Catherines with my new companion Elder Olson. Which is my second companion named Elder Olson. I will tell you guys more about him next week cause I have only known him for a day. We bluewashed the area which means there used to be sisters here but they just moved them and put us in. Which is pretty fun, the sisters left the apartment pretty clean and left like 100% more food than I had left in Timmins. Which me and Elder Bagley left just about no food.

Yesterday we got to the area and we got to meet 3 families. They are all super sweet so far and I am really excited to meet the rest of the ward.

Elder Johnson is my district leader. He is in the St Davids area which covers the falls. He is pretty cool haha. Elder Hafen and Elder Coffey are also in my zone. It will be nice seeing missionaries again and being able to play sports. 

Spiritual thought is Alma 7:12. 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

Which goes along with 3 Nephi 17. In Alma it is talking about how Jesus went through the atonement so "that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." And 3 Nephi it is showing Jesus doing exactly what Alma was talking about. It was really cool to make that connection and seeing Jesus help so much people, and it helps me understand that Jesus always understands what we are going through in our life. 

CALE BYBEE one of my favorite missionaries is engaged. I was shocked but I am quite happy for him. 

Love Elder Talbot 

1. The engaged man himself. Cale Bybee. 

2. #RIPelderbagley2k18

3. Carpooled with Elder Kimball and Morris to Rouyn and packed our car full. 

Cale Bybee and Elder Talbot

#RIPelderbagley2k18

Carpooled with Elder Kimball and Morris to Rouyn and packed our car full.

The Gift of God's Son

*I forgot to send this last week. I had it all typed up but I guess it never made it out.*

Last week wasn't totally freezing but this week is going to be pretty nice. -30 or so all week. Right now is about -33 which just feels great on the face and any other exposed skin. There is a bit of snow but not too much. 

We had Zone Conference, which takes out like 3 days of the week cause of driving. We carpooled with some French missionaries. One of them is from France and he is really funny. The drive took forever like usual. The meeting was really good. We talked a lot about the last zone conference that we had when the 70 came to visit. The spirit was really strong there and I learned a lot of good things. 

On our way back to Timmins, we got to stop in New Liskeard for a district lunch with a senior couple there. They are super sweet people that are doing really well. 

It was Christmas this week, as you probably all know, it was really good. The day before Christmas Eve we went to a family party which was really fun. They had a sweet nativity scene at the end with the little kids. It was pretty sweet. They tried using a real baby but he started crying right as they put him down. To end it off they had some music bells and we played some songs.

Christmas Eve we went to a supper/party. It was really fun. That one was pretty relaxed and I was able to Skype for a bit while my sister that is on a mission was skyping home. It was fun talking to her.

Christmas we also went to a family party for lunch and then got to Skype home. It was nice talking to everyone. My family is doing good. It's always nice to talk to them and see how they are doing. 

Spiritual thought for the week comes from Helaman 14:17-19. 17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord. 18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness. 19 Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death.

I was reading that chapter this week for personal study and I loved how Samuel was talking about the Savior. The gift that was given to us of God's Son gave us the most wonderful opportunity to repent and be forgiven of our sins. 

I don't have too much pictures this week. 

Love

Elder Talbot 

Singing for some folks that fed the missionaries a lunch

Family Skype Christmas Eve, including Sister Talbot in Australia!