A piece of cake week-liter​ally!

So I don't mean it was an easy week but I mean that we ate soooooooo much cake this week. It was sister Arnold's birthday and we made a cake and people gave us cakes and we made other cakes for other peoples birthdays and we just ate cake all week. Breakfast, Lunch, dinner. It's getting a little springier which I am grateful for. Easter was nice.. I had to speak in church and it was an emotional time but I sure feel different this Easter. I am just so thankful for the Atonement and resurrection. I know they are real. I am thankful that we don't have to do this alone. I have been thinking a lot about how important our thoughts and attitudes are towards ourselves and others. This is quote that I like and I dedicate it to you dad cause it made me think of you,


" A good thing to remember

A better thing to do

Work with the construction gang

Not with the wrecking crew"

We need to focus on building up not tearing down. I think of what you would always say dad.. are you part of the problem or part of the solution. I am amazed at how often I hear others and myself tearing down what we should be building up. I learned a lot this week. We saw really big blessings amongst our challenges and it was wonderful. thanks for all your prayers. I feel them. I am so blessed. I don't have very much time but know how much I love you!

Love Sister Savage

Oh we still haven't caught those silly mice... they don't like anything! We think we have them trapped in the furnace room.. hopefully.. we haven't seen any the last two days. I just can't believe how smart and tricky they are. I have another rodent story. We were driving home and we had ten minutes and we were thinking what can we do when we saw this raccoon that had knocked over someones compost garbage bin and was rummaging through it. We decided to scare it off as an act of service. So I drove up real close and the lights were right on it and it just stared at us while it's little hands kept on rummaging through the garbage. It wasn't scared at all. finally it walked off and we picked up there garbage. I just couldn't believe how defiant that raccoon was. I heard Toronto has more raccoons than any where in the world. I'm not sure if it's true... you should look it up and let me know.. Have a great day!

I forgot to post monicas letter last week so I just got it up. She hasn't emailed yet this week.

April 18th Letter (last week) MOUSE Drama

So the other morning I was half asleep clipping my fingernails over the garbage can and all the sudden a mouse jumped out... ahh! since then we've seen it a couple of times and we always manage to make it to the couch in about a second flat. We bought some mouse traps.. the kind that you don't see the mouse it just says when it's caught. We put peanut butter in there cause everyone said that works well. We have been so disappointed that it has yet to be caught. Two days ago we were doing our comp study and we saw it run into my wardrobe. so we grabbed the trap and put it in there and then taped my wardrobe shut so no escaping was possible. We left it for two days so I wore the same thing twice. Well we checked this morning and it still wasn't caught so we pulled everything out.. that thing must be so sneaky. Well I found some dark chocolate that I forgot about in a bag and it had a big whole and the mouse had helped itself. So now we have peanut butter, cheese and chocolate in the trap and we are hoping we can catch it finally! I'll update you next week. Which will be on Tuesday because we are having preparation day late for Easter. I went back to my old area this past week on an exchange and we went and visited this less active girl that I met at the beginning of my mission that we used to go read with and she was so so shy but so sweet. She has been going to church and it was so amazing to see the difference she is so confident and I was so happy the whole time we were with her. The gospel really does change people! I hope you all have a great Easter. It is especially meaningful to think about and remember that all sin and death has been overcome. I am so grateful for that knowledge. I am so thankful for our Savior. I am thankful to be a missionary. I am thankful for all of you! Have a great week!


Love sister savage

always learning

We had a pretty good week :) It seemed like a lot didn't go the way we planned but we still saw a lot of good things come from the week. Last weekend we went and visited an older sister from Barbados who has had both her legs below the knee amputated. She wasn't feeling to well and she had to excuse herself and then a minute later we heard a really faint help me come from the bathroom. I went in and she has one prosthetic leg that she uses for support to get out of her chair but in the process it had come off and she was draped across the bathroom counter with just her arms to hold her up. I was desperate to help her but so afraid that I would hurt her or make the situation worse. I was trying to ask her what she needed me to do but she couldn't really tell me and so I wrapped my arms around her and she was heavier than I expected and I was so worried about squeezing too tight. I got her into her chair and we were all pretty flustered. I've pondered a lot about this experience. I share it cause it has helped me understand both sides of suffering a little better. Sometimes we are the ones draped over the counter unable to support ourselves, unable to say what we need, desperate for help, scared, embarrassed, and helpless. I've been there. Then there are those who could help and there are a two options. Some just avoid the situation because they are not sure what to do and are afraid of making things worse or think someone else can take care of it better. This may leave those in need feeling confused or alone. Then there are those who help the best they can, they give support and reassurance that you don't have to do it alone that you won't fall and if you do they'll brace you. Often times it is uncomfortable and unsure for both. some may squeeze too tight or say something that makes it hurt worse but we have to be understanding and grateful that they are trying to help. I am so grateful for all those who have reached out to help me as I've gone through an emotionally traumatic experience I understand why some have distanced themselves and I have learned so much. It's best to just try. That's what I got from conference too.. we shouldn't shy away from suffering. No where is it said that suffering should be in silence. I read a great article in the ensign and it has helped me a lot. I wonder about faith a lot.. I read that when we are healed or are prayers are answered in the way we want than it is a faith promoting experience and when we aren't healed and are prayers aren't answered the way we want and we stay faithful it is a faith perfecting experience. I read in Hebrews 11:40 "God having provided some better things for them through their sufferings, for without sufferings they could not be made perfect." We are never being punished just perfected as long as we remain faithful.I know that's true. I love all of you and am so grateful for the support I've been given! I am so grateful for spring too!


Love sister savage

A novel:)

This is going to be long one cause I just loved Conference and I kept wanting to call someone and tell them what I was feeling. So many of the talks were just for me! I usually can pick a couple favorites but I just couldn't this time. Jean A stevens talk reminded me of my sweet nieces and nephews who have taught me so much about faith and I miss them so much. She said that sometimes life experiences rob us of our childlike faith- I've felt that but in thinking of all the sweet children I've known helped renew my faith. I remember asking a little girl how she felt about God and she said He is my hero. Her simple faith increased mine. Walter F Gonzalez tlaked of the power of love-love is my favorite. Kent F. Richards shared the purpose of pain and reminded me that it is a privelege to become more aquainted with the Savior through our pain. Oh and then Quentin L.cook addresses a concern I had developed just that morning. I read in Timothy that women should be in silence and not be allowed to teach-ouch. but then his sweet talk assured me of the equality of men and women and the divine role I have as a woman. I love how Henry B Eyring called us to action in serving and loving the work. Boyd K packers talk about leaving int a lon made me yearn for the many people I've met who have been offended and can't let it go. Letting go isn't easy but it's liberating. Russel M. Nelson spoke of how death is a part of life and assured me my prayers are heard and heavenly fathers promised to answer them. I also like when he spoke of the angels around us. Richard j. Maynes talked of celestial traditions as families and wonderful memories of family scriptures and prayer came. Especially when I was little and would kneel in the middle of the circle and everyone would do a family kiss at the end of the prayer and they'd all kiss me... I'm pretty sure i'm not making that up but i just got a little worried. Cecil O Samuelson jr said we can't have higher expectations for others than we do for ourselves. Also that when we are too hard on ourselves it can be as bad as being to casual. Dallin H Oaks spoke of desire and making our greatest desires help us overcome our physical ones. This hit home especially when he talked of sleep... I have been praying for help with that one and Heavenly Father has been blessing me. Wow Even my sleeping problems were addressed. M Russell Ballards talk was helpful. It applies so well to missionary work. We talked to a couple who served there mission in africa and they said everyone they taught got baptized. Those are th ekind of big nuggets I had hoped to find on my mission but now I see i have a wonderful bag of gold flakes and I am so grateful for every flake. Dieter F utchdors talk was wonderful I am guilty of waiting too long on the road to damascus and I see how moving forward and striving to be the answers to other peoples prayers will help answer our own. Paul V Johnson talked of why we face trials and how we will be tested with what matters most to us. Thats true. Our family is the most tender and treasure thing in my life and losing mom didn't tug at my heart strings it cut them all to pieces. BUt I know that they will be healed and made even stronger. David A Bednar analogy on light was very illuminating:) WE have to appreciate the gradual revelation instead of begging for the light switch.President monson talked of how temple attendance will help us withstand all of life's problems. I'm excited to go more often someday. Ruchar G scott spoke of the powerful motivation our deceased loved ones have on us to be with them again. I loved hearing of the sweetness in his marriage.. love makes even death ok because we know it never ends. D Todd Christofferson shared the current bush stary which I love. God loves us enough to cut us down. Lynn G robbins confused me at first with all his to be's and to do's but I loved that message of being and not just doing. Benjamin Hoyos our understanding my not be as deep as our testimiony. That's true I don't know how but I now Christ atoned for all of us. C. Scott Grow talked of the miracle of the atonement and how I'm so thankful for the effect it 's had on my and on so many that I love. Elder Hollands talk was what I was feeling. I once wrote a paper on the phenomenon of migrations but woah general conference is way more phenomenal! I kept turning to my companion and saying why isn't every one a member of the church this is amazing. I loved the prophets last words of the empty linen and tomb.. How grateful I am for the resurrection. As you can tell I learned so much and had so many prayers answered! IT was great. I was glad we had some come but it made it so hard when people didn't show up cause it was just so great. I love you all so much! I think you are amazing.. next week i'll write of another important lesson I learned this weekend. Have a great day! I'd love to hear your thoughts on conference as well and how all you are doing!


Love Sister Savage

This was written so fast and so please excuse all my mistakes :)
This is a picture of my and my new companion sister Arnold