You Are Loved!

Bonjour!

What a week!!! Well it started with heading down to Edmonton last Tuesday and having P-day Wednesday! Why did we go to Edmonton???

Well Elder Brian K. Taylor of the 70 came to town with his wife–he spoke just this last conference and it was awesome!!  Go watch, listen, read: Elder Brian K. Taylor

Elder and Sister Taylor with Sister and President Pattison

So anyways, Wednesday night I was invited out to the MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) meeting and was instructed with several other missionaries how to better minister, and shepherd those around us–missionaries, members, and everyone else!

"The Wish List" - training from Elder Taylor

Then Thursday we had the awesome privilege to listen to him and his wife all day!!! They are so amazing!! Words are inadequate to describe the amazing feeling of the Holy Ghost and all that we learned. However he did help us out by giving us some tips and tricks to work with members to FIND more, to teach more and to baptize more!! Watch out Alberta, here come the Canada Edmonton Missionaries!!!

Group picture at Mission Tour

Girl party in Edmonton for Mission Tour

Celebrating another month mark with my companion (Sister Ekton)
with my 15 months and her 3 months we complete a full 18-month mission!!!

French hats!

We drove back Friday and we've been hard at work implementing our new training! It has been a blast!

I know that Heavenly Father loves us all and that we are here to bless His children. We are here to learn and grow by making choices that will help us return to live with Him! I love what Elder Taylor said: "know that God sanctifies your most difficult days.” 

Lots of Love!!!

Sister Tatjana Zumbach

Where, oh where has the time gone!

Bonjour!

Sister Eckton and I enjoy going contacting at this big park and found a giant dragonfly!

Well I am emailing today because Grand Prairie is receiving its first snowfall today, so President Pattison asked us to drive down to Edmonton yesterday meaning we have P-day today in the city. So we had a road trip with the Fort St. John/ Dawson Creek Sisters (Sister Herzog & Sister Wilson).

We stopped at a donut shop on our way down to Edmonton 

The rest of the week went by so fast! We had several lessons again including an English class that we started Tuesday nights.

English class 

Chuan moved her baptism a week so she could have family attend the service so that is exciting!

Chuan Writing Heavenly Father in Mandarin

She made us these very yummy Chinese dumplings. 

We also met with James (from Kenya) and his daughter.

James, his daughter and us

We had a great lesson talking about Baptism. He said he wants to pray and know for sure that he should, which is awesome, since we don't want to push anyone or force them into baptism haha he loves meeting and talking about the Gospel. He finds it is the best church he has attended and he says he has attended a few lol.

This week I received a dreaded call from the mission office... on the other side of the line Sister Hatch asked me where I planned on flying home to.... ha ha ha ??? it was horrible because that means I return home in 3 months... Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where, oh where has the time gone!! 

I love every up and down that has been sent my way over the last 15 months. I have learned and grown so much however have also helped others learn and grow so much too! It is truly an experience that at the least blesses you, but it is never only you it is blessing! 

Have a great week!

Lots of Love!

Sister Tatjana Zumbach

Around the World

Bonjour!

What a week! Last Tuesday evening Sister Mitchell, Sister Hathaway and I had a lesson with Shine Soe (someone Sister Mitchell had met on exchanges). It went really good even with a language difference, as his mother tongue is Burmese! 

With Sister Paxman

Sister Eckton and her past companion with me and Sister Mitchell and Sister Hathaway

Wednesday was an up and down day... it all started by packing the car with my many things... hihi and saying goodbye to Sister Hathaway and Sister Mitchell and getting a new companion! Her name is Sister Eckton! She came out with Sister Hathaway's group so I'll be finishing her training. She is from Provo, Utah. She is also the oldest of a large family (6 kids) and the first of her siblings to go on a mission! We then had the great fun of driving to my new home for the next six weeks 5 or so hours away.... it is not as north as Peace River, nor is it as small but Grande Prairie is now home!!!! 

Car ride back to Grande Prairie

So yeah, it has been a crazy couple of days! We had several lessons this week, most planned some not haha but it had been great! We met with Chuan who is getting ready to be baptised in 2 weeks!! She is so cute, sweet, and is originally from China. Then we are meeting with a family that speak Sinhala,

Going to our Sinhala lesson! #BookofMormonPower!

and we also found another family from South Africa that may speak a Click language... ??? and then there is James and his daughter who are from Kenya! So all these awesome people from all over the world!! It has been so so so fun! We are starting an English class tonight too so most of them will be coming haha 

After meeting each one of these individuals and families, I am reminded that we might come from different places, we may speak differently and we each have different cultures, however the Gospel of Jesus Christ is there for everyone to be blessed by it! Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's love is universal! 

As one of my favourite songs says: "We are children holding hands around the world, like an army with the gospel flag unfurled. We are led by His light and we love truth and right. We are building the Kingdom of God!" I am seeing that happening here now! I'm so excited and grateful for the opportunity that Heavenly Father has given me to be part of this at this time!

Until next week!

Sister Tatjana Zumbach

Extra pictures:

In front of Grandpa's house in Edmonton...

...Sadly, he was flying home from Victoria as these pictures were taken so missed our visit.

Found some matching dresses while shopping

District Council which turned into Zone Council ... ha ha

When Nearly Everything Falls Apart...

Bonjour!

Last Tuesday we went to West Edmonton Mall with Sister Ball and Sister Tela. It was a fun trip.

Well, you might be wondering what my title is about... haha so this week has proved the last long week of the Transfer. Over this transfer everyone we were teaching, has either had opposition or decided that their life was too crazy to balance meeting with us... so the start of the transfer here in Kingsway is going to be Fresh!! 

CTR rings picture with Violet!

Also, both Sister Mitchell and I had breakdowns this week, so our poor little Greenie had to carry our team, okay not really though because thankfully it was two different days about two different matters haha ?

Hot chocolate Tim's run... yep cause it was cold here...

Name tags

I got highlights in my hair!

We went on the LRT this weekend had some funny experiences, including someone basically sitting on Sister Hathaway and then turning right in her face and asking "my friend, do ya got $2?" I did not witness this but it was so funny having her reenact it afterwards! Lol

The Elders had a missionary fireside for the FHE activity Monday night and it went really well!

District lunch with homemade pizza and bread sticks! Yum!

Missionary fireside

We talked about our roles and the members' roles in doing missionary work, the Spirit was strong and inspiring. I know that there is power when the full-time missionaries and members work together to help those who do not have the restored gospel in their life! It has blessed my life so much and I am excited to do my own member work after my mission!

Have a great week!

Sister Tatjana Zumbach

The PENTO-Pan

Bonjour!

So it has been one crazy week!!!!!!!!!! Why? Well we were in a Pento-pan exchanges! Meaning, Sister Ball who is our Sister Training Leader did exchanges with the three of us all week basically SOOOOOOOO because we were in different sets of two and three we called ourselves the pento-pan!

 It was really fun! Sunday and Monday Sister Ball and I were together. Tuesday and Wednesday Sister Tela was with Sister Mitchell and me.

 Then Friday and Saturday Sister Tela was with Sister Hathaway and me. 

We went to Stony Plain and Spruce Grove Wednesday to have some lessons. It was such a great, busy day!

Thursday we had a lesson with Degoli! Yeah!!!! So happy to see him again! He has been working out of Alberta and the only contact we have is his phone. But we had a great lesson and hope he will start going to church closer to where his temporary job is!

We had three people come to church this Sunday! Two of them were member friends: Jerry and Marrisa, Jerry we just started teaching this week. Then there was Wendy! She had just walked in to church! Turned out she had been in Canada for 5 days from China. =) So that was pretty awesome! Never had so many people come to church!

We went singing at the hospital again yesterday and it was so sweet! This cute little couple was sitting and would clap after each song, so we asked to take a picture with them! There was also another lady who took a video to show her sister's husband who is not doing well enough to come see us in person. So that was touching.

This morning we went off to West Ed as our Pento-pan! Which is why this email is so late! Haha

Have a great week! Lots of love!

Sister Tatjana Zumbach

14, the Golden Month Mark!!!

Bonjour!!

So this week we had so many meetings to attend!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

So last Tuesday evening we went and drew out the Plan of Happiness out by the lake, it was so much fun!! We had several people comment on it and ask questions as we drew it out, and two more people texted us throughout the week asking some questions. 

Drawing "Plan of Happiness"

Wednesday we had Zone Conference! Probably the best yet!!! It was super Spiritually uplifting!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday we had several meetings in the morning with the Elders to plan our fireside for in a couple of weeks, and then met with Violet in the afternoon, before we headed off to do other things on Edmonton. We then had dinner, mingling and a devotional with the new Missionaries and their trainers.

The following morning as a companionship we matched for the Trainers and Trainee meeting. Following that we did a comp I with our STL Sister Ball and her companion Sister Tela. We have been having some being unified issues which has brought contention so we were able to all talk it out, our cry lol so now everything is so much smoother!

Then  Sunday and Monday Sister Ball and I were on exchanges so that has been fun since we both came out together so there it doesn't feel as much as an exchange more like a fun 24 hour companionship!! To celebrate our 14th Month make today, we went out for dinner last night and got DQ!!!!!!! 

With Sister Ball at Dairy Queen

We also had a lesson in the middle of planning our day yesterday, so that was unexpected! (see picture below) 

I know that Heavenly Father is aware of our needs and wants. He provides a way for them to come to pass if we are worthy of them and if it is in our best interest, sometimes that happens quick, other times slower and event possible not until the nest life but blessings from God do come.

Lots of love!!!

Sister Tatjana Zumbach

A Great Week!

Bonjour!

Well to be honest I can't really remember half of what happened this week ha ha ? However it was a great week! Full of different adventures!

Here are some highlights:

We had a great Saturday, helping the Edmonton Food Bank collecting donations at the Heritage Festival happening over the long weekend!

Helping out at the Food Bank

 Helping out was fun, but let me tell you all! That Festival is amazing!! The amazing variety of different cultures, the performers were all so fun to take pictures of or with! 

Heritage Festival

We had a combined lesson with the Zone Leaders with Emmanuel and his son Emmanuel as they will be starting to teach them so they can attend the family ward! It was a fantastic lesson! The Spirit was strongly felt as we showed them, and his less active friend Eric, around the church building.

So because of the Holiday Campus was closed, so I had an idea to go to the adjacent Hospital and sing there. After asking a couple people we were told of a location we could sing. I feel there was way more meaning singing there! We were thanked by those who were listening. One of the fathers I was able to talk to mentioned how they had recognized some of the songs including Count Your Many Blessings. He said how that was important and thanked us for singing. Because of the location of our singing, I know we were able to bless so many more people than what we saw. 

Singing

We also had dinner with Romal and his family, before the Belmead Elders showed up for a lesson, as they would be sharing to teach so he could interest with members his age. It was a very yummy dinner, and the lesson had the Holy Ghost present so that was cool.

I know that we have blessings in every day. We simply need to open our heart to recognize them! I'm grateful for the blessings I have received on my mission. I am grateful for the blessing of having the a Saviour, even Jesus Christ.

Lots of love!

Sister Tatjana Zumbach