So this week was my first full week as a sister training leader, and it was BUSY. I don't think I truly understood how it felt to be tired until this past week. However, despite the constant running around, it was amazing! 

This past week sister Paine and I were able to find 2 new investigators. They are a couple from the Congo, and they are living here with their children. The were found because another set of sisters had contacted their son, and he was less than interested. However, the mother was very willing to let us into her home and listen to our message. They are the best! The wife is definitely more interested than her husband. He's a non-practicing Catholic and agrees with everything we taught...up until the book of mormon. He has a firm belief that the bible is complete, so we'll have to work on that one. But the wife has started to read the book of mormon and wants us to keep coming back!

We were able to go up to Montreal for the Mission Leadership Conference (MLC) this past Thursday. This required us waking up super early and spending several hours on a bus, but it was so worth it! They have MLC once a transfer and it consists of all the zone leaders and sister training leaders in the mission, as well as the assistants to the president, and president and sister Phillips. We spent about 2 and a half hours discussing how the mission is doing, and how we can help them improve. One big focus of this past MLC was consecration. We want all of our missionaries to be consecrated to the Lord in their missionary efforts. One thing I really enjoyed was the training that was given by Sister Phillips. She talked about how as sister training leaders and zone leaders we are the pillars of the misson. There is a lot of weight being put on every single one of us, but its because Heavenly Father trusts us. Something they even did was create another zone in Montreal! The zone was massive, and they felt it was too much weight being put on the set of missionaries. 

Next month we will have the privelege of having Elder Bennett of the 70 come and visit us! It is a super great opportunity for this mission to receive an apostolic message directly from one of Heavenly Father's appointed servants. Elder Bennett will be visiting each zone and has specific instructions on how he would like us to prepare so that we are ready to receive the better message. I consider myself to be extremely lucky because he will be having a special training with all of the mission leadership as well! I can not wait to hear what message he has prepared for us, and I can only hope that we are humble enough to receive it.

I got to go on my first exchange this past week! I was able to go with sister Ortega who has been on her mission about 6 months now. We had all these amazing lessons set up, but of course they all fell through. Thankfully sister Ortega is awesome and even though it was pouring, and freezing, she was willing to go out and work. We spend the day doing passby's and contacting. It was a great chance for me to get to know sister Ortega better and see that she has amazing contacting skills! She was super confident and willing to knock on every door and use all the french she knew. 

This past weekend we had Stake Conference! Our stake President and Mission President set up a dinner for everyone that the missionaries are working with. We brought 2 of our returning less actives and it was the perfect setting. The spirit was tangible. Both presidents allowed the people there to ask any questions that they had, or share their testimonies. It was amazing to see how a lot of the people were struggling with the same issues, and they were able to bear each others burdens and build each other up with the light of the gospel. It was amazing.

Last thing I would like to share would have to be during our general session of stake conference on Sunday. The young women's president gave a talk and as part of it, she asked every primary child to stand up. As they stood up, she hummed a hymn and asked them to start singing it as soon as they knew what it was. In unison they all sang 'I love to see the temple' and the spirit was unreal. I don't believe you could find a single dry eye in that room. The spirit each child holds is so powerful. 

Well, that will be all for the week!

Love you and miss you,

Hermana Garcia 

Scripture of the week:

Revelations 3:12

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city ofmy God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Quote of the week:

"We're missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints"

"Oh, I don't like that one! Bye honey!"