Letter 15

So I'm kinda an emotional mess at the moment... which yes means there are quite a few people at this library wondering whats wrong with me but no need to worry i'm mostly just sooo grateful! I'm so happy to hear Britton got here safely and that Laurie's delivery went so well... but man do i want to hold him! I just can't express how much happiness my family brings me and it's hard to be away but I know that Sacrifice brings for the blessings of heaven! We had wonderful and challenging things happen this week. THe family we're working with is still progressing amazingly but they said it's the wrong time to talk to their families in india and they are very afraid of what will happen when they do and so their baptism is going to be pushed back until they tell them because they don't want to do it behind their backs. It's hard because we want them to recieve the blessings of baptism so much but we also understand how important family is and why is so hard for them. Pray for them. They say in india it's very community and family centered so they are afraid they will think they are turning their backs on them. Pavani's birthday party was saturday night and we gave her the book of mormon stories book and the next day she had read 11 chapters! And Srini and Sara are progressing so much with the Word of Wisdom.. so many miracles are happening. They are so fun. They fed us so much food again and this time we ate with our hands. I didn't know that there was a right way to do that so my companion and I just went at it with both hands and i couldn't figure out how to do it without sticking my whole hand in my mouth. They gave us a demonstration and you should of heard Srini chear when I finally got it! Another huge miracle is that our investigator went to the addiction recovery program! We went with her because she is was scared and it was amazing! I haven't felt the spirit that strong in awhile and I know it's because of the amount of humility in the room. These people have so much courage to come and turn to God for help for all sorts of addictions. One girl wasn't addicted to any substance but had had some really negative experiences growing up and she needs help applying the atonement. The booklet they give is so wonderful both sister simons and I wanted one after. Our investigator absolutely loved it and is excited to go again and has been doing the booklet. I can't tell you how happy it makes us to have her call and be upset that she can't find Moses and not for all the other reasons she usually calls us. She is really progressing a lot. I really encourage anyone who is struggling with an addiction or even if you are addicted to negative thinking about yourself or you need help forgiving someone to go to these meetings or get the manual. It is very powerful. I'm so thankful for the atonement. I'm so thankful to be sharing this message and hear people say i've felt a difference as i prayed or i found an answer in this book... AMAZING. A big thing they talked about in the meeting is about how we can't dwell in the past.. theres nothing we can do to change it and we can't dwell in the future because no matter what we can't control it, we have to dwell in the present and then we will succeed and find happiness everyday. One of my favorite scriptures i've memorized is 2 Timothy 2: 7 " For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Don't be afraid to do what needs to be done to grow, with God you are powerful and he will help us stay sane! I love you all so much! I know that there are many blessings in store if we live righteoussly and ask for them! Love me!

A visit with sister Savage

Monica's (awesome) aunt Jana served a mission in Canada and is still close friends with Ruth, who is a member and lives in Monicas area. Ruth was able to go visit Monica and sent me the following message and picture about their visit.

I met Savage II yesterday. I guess technically though, she is Savage IV since now her aunt and two sisters have served missions. We won't count the guys from the family. In the old testament they didn't include women and children in the census, so we will only count women for this purpose.


Monica is lovely and she has a really good companion, Sister Simons. They get along very well and laugh a lot. Anyone who has served a mission must know what a great blessing that is. We met at the Bayview chapel and talked for about an hour. I heard about your families and Jana, she thinks you are the bees knees as an aunt and particularly loves Robin and the time they spent together as little girls. We laughed about the hilarious Christmas letters Robin wrote. She is learning the Canadian way: say sorry for EVERYthing and throw in an occasional pardon to change it up a bit, her pronunciation of "about" as "a boot" (according to Americans) is perfect and she knows to ask where the "washroom" is rather than the bathroom, although those terms are interchangeable here really.

From Sister Savage

Two transfers already! (Letter 14)

So transfer calls were last night and i'm staying in Don Valley with Sister Simons! yay! I love it here. We have a great Zone and we're working with such great people so i'm excited to have at least another six weeks here! It was a pretty normal week till saturday. On saturday we taught english class and then we met this lady at the church who had called the elders and wanted to meet with missionaries. She talked for about two hours and us for about ten minutes.. there really was no way to stop it.. we tried to end the conversation but she'd start reciting something or talking about something else. Sweet lady but she had a lot of conspiracy theories all involving her. so then we went to the Duodo's for dinner they are an amazing family from Ghana. She fed us foo foo in peanut butter soup with meat chunks in it... the soup and meat i liked a lot but the foo foo was a struggle for me. It didn't taste like much but it was like this big white potato glue ball.. we got to eat with our hands which was fun. I was trying to take big bites of foo foo to finish it quick but I couldn't swallow sometimes. Then our lovely mission president's wife came out teaching for the evening. Our first appointment wasn't there so we were writing a note when marysusan called and wanted us to come over. It was great to have sister Eyre there because she has a lot more in common with marysusan. Then we went and taught srini and his family the word of wisdom and it was awesome! Oh ya something exciting did happen before sat on friday i met up with someone aunt Jana met on her mission, Ruth Jarvis! It was way fun to sit and chat.. she is awesome and brought us flowers and pure maple syrup. Oh and saturday afternoon a member of the bishopric called and asked me to give ten minute talk on the restoration the next day.. so even though it was last minute is was ok because I talk about the restoration all the time! we dropped by Srini again last night and they invited us to eat dinner with them... wow it was some spicy indian food but really good. They just sat and laughed at us.. Sister Simons was struggling more than me and we did look pretty funny. Our eyes were watering and we were sniffing a lot. I kept finding myself blowing on it like that would help some how but it wasn't that kind of hot. I love to spend time with this family. We talked to them and they really do want to get baptized but they are nervous about telling their families in India.. it's a big change but we told them to keep praying and have faith that everything will work out. So this morning we did laundry and when I went to get my cloths out of the dryer they were still soaking wet! It didn't work and we didn't have any more money on our laundry card. bummer. We played sports today at a park for Zone lunch and I think I got a little sunburned which is nice cause I love the sun! We will hopefully have time today to go buy some summer clothes cause all of mine are for winter and it's getting way to warm. I really love and appreciate all of you. I love this experience and opportunity and privelage so much! I hope all the best for you all! Keep in touch!
Love SIster SAvage!

April.. let me refer to my planner.. 12 (Letter 13)

Hello! Well this has been a very very great week! I loved General conference and then we went to the temple on Thursday. The peace there is so amazing. As a missionary you don't really sit for that long ever and it was so wonderful to be in the Temple and feel so calm. I love the temple. I read a scripture while i was there and I can't remember where but it said not to be afraid for i am in your midst, You truly can feel the Savior in your midst at the temple. Sunday we met with the indian family we've been teaching and watched finding faith in Christ and after I asked how they felt and Srini and Sarah immediately said it's true. We are working for them to be baptized may 2! That will be such an amazing day cause thats your birthday barb and i'm soo glad you were born plus it will be an amazing blessing for a really amazing family to be baptized. Keep them in your prayers! I can't tell you how happy they make me! They came to cake auction activity sat night and loved it! It is wonderful to see them fit in so well and enjoy church so much. I asked pavan the 16 boy what he had done that day and he said I've prayed twice and i'm going to again before I go to bed :) At first i thought he said played and but when i said played what he said no I prayed and it made my day! Then another huge miracle. We had a missionary musical fireside last night and it was amazing. There are so many talented missionaries. Marysusan who we've been trying to get to stuff for weeks but she always cancels right before came and she loved it. We've been truly blessed. This is the most humbling and rewarding work ever. I've never felt so much responsibilty but so much assistance at the same time. I was talking to the mission president about how sometimes i feel like i'm not enough.. and he told me flat out that really that attitude is the same and thinking that the Savior isn't enough.. and he is and therefore I am. So it was great to be reminded that I do know that with the Savior's help i'm enough.. we're all enough. Focus on him and how with him all things are possible and there is no way we can fail. I'm so grateful to know the truthfulness of gospel and I know that I have so much to change and learn but i'm excited! Thank you for your prayers on my behalf, I KNOW they are making a huge difference. I'm so thankful for your support and love and I love you more and more each day i'm gone. I'm excited for eternity with all of you! I hope you can understand this.. when i type fast everything just runs together!
Love Sister Savage

Letter 12

So I only have six minutes and then it's going to kick me off! I love you all! funny story is that I was tracting the other day and this sweet old lady came out with a shoe and was talking about my shoes in whatever language she was speaking but we couldn't understand her and before I knew it she was trying on my shoes... she was a sweetheart. All is well. I LOVED CONFERENCE. We are so blessed to be led by a prophet and apostles. I Know they are called of God and I know that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored! What a blessing! be happy and I hope that all is well.. I'll try and write more if I get another booking on a different computer!Laurie if you could just collaborate these messages that would be great. So we went to a members house for dinner and they had this massage bed thing that was amazing and a foot massager.. it was lovely. Then we noticed a huge bear head in the driveway coming out of a garbage bag. We asked if they were getting rid of it and they said yes and it was a whole bear skin. So we used it on april fools day but it moreso just confused the elders than scared them. We get to go to the temple on thursday and I am way excited. I love the temple and how peaceful it is there. We are so blessed to have temples all over the world. Wow. There really aren't words to describe how amazing and miraculous the growth of God's kingdom on earth is. I am so thankful to be a part of it. Thanks for all of your great examples I love you!
Love SIster Savage