Happy Canada Day!

Well everyone, I learned from my Canadian companion Elder Salter that today is in fact Canada Day, the celebration of Canada becoming it's own country.  

So before you bust out the red, white, and blue hats and the fireworks, take a moment to sit down, relax, have a nice cup of maple syrup, and enjoy your Canada Day, or as I like to call it, "the 1st of July."

I could use many words to describe this past week. I'll name a few of them:

Hot.

Miraculous.

Exhausting.

Hot.

Exciting.

Long.

Busy.

Hot.

Bike.

But above all, the word that can describe it best is this one: Fantastic. 

All week was just super busy and awesome. But to conserve time I'll only share the most important details. 

So Tuesday, we were invited to lunch by an old couple in the Ward. They live in a retirement community, and it is seriously the coolest retirement community ever. I'm honestly considering retiring there some day. First of all, lunch in their "cafeteria" was actually like a 5 star restaurant. We ate so much food. But after lunch they showed us around and that place is so nice! There's billiards and card tables at every corner, there's a theater that plays old classy movies, there's a library, there's a barber shop, there's everything you can ever need, and there's also a lot of really nice old people who really appreciated that Elder Salter and I were wearing dress shirts and ties. So that was great.

One of the other days this week we biked up to the gas station at which Omar works as the chef in the  restaurant. He made us Philly cheese steaks and didn't charge us which was really cool.

On Friday we met with Reza again! He was the one who requested the Persian Book of Mormon. So Friday we stopped by to deliver it since he was busy earlier in the week, and he let us in and we talked some more. He is so excited to read the Book of Mormon, and he said that he's going to read the whole thing within a week. We made sure he knew he didn't have to feel rushed, but he said that he loves reading and doesn't have anything else to do. So that's cool! He's had some amazing personal experiences as well so that has been cool to discuss with him. 

So Saturday, it was a special day indeed. Such a good day. And every day is a good day, but Saturday was just extra good. Elder Salter and I just got super hyped up and we went out first thing Saturday morning to go spread the Gospel. We began by trying to visit a couple members of the congregation but they didn't answer. So we then went across the street to the apartment complex that we had previously decided to knock doors in. We get there and Elder Salter goes "Let's do building E" So we did building E. On the first floor, no one answered their door. On the second floor, one person answered the door except the lady was super weird and not interested and it was kind of awkward. Then the third floor. No one answered their doors, until we came to the very last door. And a woman answered. And she said it wasn't a good time because they just came back from an early flight from, guess where, Michigan. So, instant connection right there. And she said she would like us to come back another time to talk. So that was super cool! It just shows how even when we think our small efforts aren't doing anything, like knocking on a bunch of doors with no one answering, sometimes that's what it takes, because it shows the Lord we're trying and we're ready and willing to be led to those who He is trying to lead us to, so that we can be an instrument in His hand. 

But the miracles didn't stop there, after leaving that complex, we decided to go try and find a man who is named either Kelvin or Eugene. Some other missionaries told us he called them saying he wants to meet, so they gave us his address and phone number. And we've been trying to contact him but he doesn't answer his phone and his address doesn't exist. It's pretty strange, the house numbers just skip the number we have for him. So we decided to just knock the houses on the street and see if they know a Kelvin or Eugene who lives on the street. And we started going down the street, and it was so hot. Unlike the shaded complex, we were right out in the sun and it was like 113°. And there was a moment where we were like, no way we're knocking all these doors in this heat, but we quickly reminded ourselves of how it isn't about us and we got ourselves hyped up again. And the first couple doors didn't answer. Then we saw a lady outside and we talked to her. She was not interested but she was very nice. Then we knocked a couple more houses and no one answered. But then the next house, we knocked on the door and a woman answered. She was on the phone with someone but she still talked to us and she took our information and said she wanted us to come back. Her name is Delma, she's old, as you can tell from her name being Delma, and she is just super nice. It's super awesome!

And riding back afterwards I was just overwhelmed with gratitude for being made an instrument in the Lord's hand. We don't knock doors all that super often, and of all the many doors we could knock, we don't know who lives where and what people are ready to listen to our message. And so we just have to do our best, and the Lord put us in people's paths or put people in our paths. A perfect example of this is Kelvin/Eugene' s nonexistent address. I'm honestly starting to think he's not even a real person. But we had that address, we couldn't find it, and it was on the most random, tiny little street that I would have never in a million years thought to knock the doors of. And we did. And we found Delma. It is just so amazing. I am just so grateful to be a missionary and to be able to be placed in situations where the Lord can use me to help and serve others. It is amazing.

I know that Jesus Christ lives. That we are all a part of our Heavenly Fathers plan for us. I know that Jesus Christ's Gospel has been restored. I know that the Book of Mormon contains God's word and that is on the earth for our blessing and benefit. 

I love you all, and I hope that your week to come is everything that you hope it to be and more. 

Til we email again.

~Elder Oswald

P.S. - Attached is a picture of me and Elder Salter celebrating Canada Day