December 28, 2015 - new comp Elder Thomas Scott, sang at Christmas conference, "All the time every hour we are doing something planning thinking about what we will do next! This is true missionary work!"

Area: Mont-St-Hilaire (near St Hyacinthe), Quebec, Canada 

Companion:  Elder Thomas Smith

Yeah it was fun to skype everyone and call you just right before! Did Devin ever say anything about my French? I am quite curious if he did! 

1. What is your new comps first name, where is he from? (Utah?)  You mentioned something about snowboarding and Warren Miller...

2.  What do you like about your new comp?

3.  Tell me anything!!  

4. Tell me something in French!  

5. Did you do anything else on Christmas?  What are you doing today?  

6. Tell me something you've been thinking about lately.  

1- His name is Elder Thomas Smith, and yes he is from utah haha.. yeah so he skies and from what I have heard he is an amazing skier! He has been skiing since he was young and we talked about warren miller and some other things I didn't know actually that he did and every year he goes to warren miller as well! He tore his ACL about 3 years ago in switzerland skiing and he also has torn his meniscus a couple times. the point is He is awesome and I am so excited to be with him!

2- I love how diligent and fun he is! We are very similar in many ways so everything has just been a blast and we have been working soooo hard! All the time every hour we are doing something planning thinking about what we will do next! This is true missionary work!

3- Umm this week was a really funny week! As I said before we have just been working super diligently so there are always things to do! IT FINALLY SNOWED! It only took forever! we got like half a foot probably not too much but it also fropped like 10 degrees! right now it is -10 and it is the middle of the day so I am sure by the time i email you next that it will be in the -20's! which will be fun I love the cold! So yeah we have been shoveling peoples driveways and just giving service and it has been a blast with the snow and the cold! There have just been a lot of changes this week and I am super happy! Life is good! 

4- je sais que il y a beacoup de chose que je peux dire! est-ce que devin est la toujour? je veux parler avec lui si il y a le temple a fair ca! 

5- So besides skyping we had a lunch and a dinner appointment and for the rest of the time we made little care packages with candy and notes and we drove around and gave them to all the people who were alone this christmas! We tried singing as well and well.. it went both ways haha! But it was super fun! The highlight was still skype of course!

6- I thought about DAD! Because it was his birthday! I hope that all went well with that and I want to know what everyone got for christmas! Other than that I have just been thinking about missionary work! the usual it was a good week! I dont know if I have too much else to report on but it was a really fun week! Oh and we had the mission conference! i Forgot to talk about that! so I sang 2 songs in front of everyone and that was so fun and the food was good and we got 2 new missionaries in our district and life is just perfect! 

I love you so much have an amazing week and tell me when my letters get to you! love you!!

-Elder Masse'

December 21, 2015 - pics! transfers! "It was so nice to work out I love chopping wood it brought much peace", " I am so great! I am so happy this was probably the best week I have had on my mission so far !"

Area: Mont-St-Hilaire (near St Hyacinthe), Quebec, Canada 

Companion:  Elder Rosenlof.... new companion Elder Thomas Smith

Sorry that emailing was sparatic we had interviews with the mission president etc. so it was crazy schedule but it is time for me to go ! love you see you soon elder Masse'

.

christmas!

 

this is why i got a haircut.. going crazy..

Guess who ate all the protien powder..

these are my planners! Our sisters are the best!

 

where the magic happens!

 

this is our amazing kitchen ! so much food!

 

 view from the church this is mont st. hilaire!! love you have a good week! sorry about the trees. haha

I am so great! I am so happy this was probably the best week I have had on my mission so far it was soooo fun! It was busy and we did so many things just WHOO! So fun ! That is way cool! Tell the Christensens I say hi :)

  1- anytime I get a package it is christmas 2- I havent really sent you a list 3- I got 1 package so far and IT WAS A TREE!!! haha that was pretty funny.. not going to lie! I also got the Life of Jesus christ and his apostles THANKYOU SO MUCH! I love you! so I guess to tell you what I want for christmas or in general and I think I already gave you most of these things. 1 - this is kinds from dad you and natalie but You should ask Dad to find the biggest USB he can find and just load it with talks and with music - vocal point, motab, classical other church approved songs.  I really like hugh b brown, and hartman rector jr, both amazing speakers! 

2- as I said just an album FULL Of a billion pictures of the family and just everything!

3-Could you also get me some of the songs that we sang for choir that are approved? you could probably put them on the USB but i really would like some recordings of john and I singing and some of the songs we sang in choir.

4- as always protein powder .
 5- a new oil vile with maybe a little container of oil they sell at Deseret store. I think that is it..

 Anyways so this week!

0- Skype so.. it will probably be between 1-4 on christmas.. just be prepared.. The lady has not called us back so that we could finalize the information so.. yeah.. just be ready throughout the day.

1- I did not get transferred BUT! elder rosenlof did.. so we will change this tuesday during our mission christmas devotional. So i will stay here and My new companion is elder smith! he has been out a year and a half I think? not sure but yeah that is transfers haha elder rosenlof will be going to the island of montreal.

2- see # 0 

3- We went to sorel that was pretty special because well it is just super far away.. it takes us like 200 kilometers round trip which is ALOT. cause we only have 1900 per month and we try and go there twice a month.. yeah not easy haha. But this week was so fun we were all over the place in st julie, st hyacinthe, sorel, contre-coeur, beloeil etc. You name it! This next week we get to go to montreal! etc.  BUt I had an amazing week I will elaborate on it more at the end of this email.

4- What Dont I LOVE ABOUT MY FAMILY! I always think about you I think a big thing is just how close we are! I know that now matter what it is there is always 6 other people that have my bag at all times. I miss my family dearly and I look forward to the time when we will all be together again laughing and playing games! making fun of each other and just having a good time! I have truly come to cherish the importance of family out here Nothing means more to me now. 

5- I love that it is a rather relaxed city it is very similar to Newberg. Not too busy but there is traffic and there are people walking everywhere and it all just seems familiar! The Members are GREAT!! and it is really sooo beautiful here it puts me right at home. 

6- Haha.. Which one? I have done that quite a few times now! The last time was this saturday to a man that had a problem with horses in the book of mormon lol. It's okay we will help him get over that problem! A lot of people say that they will be baptized because they will! They say they will if they know it is true. Just need persistence! 

7- DISTRICT MEETING! I loved this past district meeting we got 2!!! new missionaries in our district from the 10 that arrived 1 sister and 1 elder! It was so fun there is now 8 of us in our district so it is such a blast we laugh and learn and it is seriously so fun! 

8- 1 of  the new missionaries told a really cool story in the MTC about a man that had gone to see 5 doctors to get different opinions on his cancer and they all said that he needed to start treatment immediately because it was malignant and so this man asked for a blessing from this missionary in our district and so he gave him one and the next day he went to the doctor and the cancer was gone.. HOW COOL IS THAT! that is a pretty amazing miracle. 

SO this was such a fun week! let me tell you a little why!  so 1- I GOT TO CHOP WOOOOOOOOOD YEEEEES! I was so happy when one of our investigators said he needed help chopping wood I was stoked and when we got there it was real wood chopping I am talking like these huge 5 foot diameter 2 feet thick stumps and we only had axes and wedges! we worked for 3 hours and we were going hard too! He kept just calling me out like " Elder Masse is a mad man " Just all this funny stuff because I was just going at it! It was so nice to work out I love chopping wood it brought much peace but something happened as well while we were doing all of it. This was my journal entry :  SO the very last piece of wood to chop everyone else is stacking the rest of the wood so I know that I can cut it in one swing so I lift the axe over my head and with the thundering power of Masse' strength I brought the axe down. The air exploded with wood! I chopped the piece on the stump into 3 and i cracked the bottom foundation stump and I shattered the handle of the axe... I completely destroyed everything haha.." I felt pretty bad.. I wise father once taught me though if I borrow something to always restore it in better condition than I found it;) love you dad. So I am going to go buy him a new axe cause well that is who I am. SO that was that experience! So fun! I was pretty sore afterwards for a couple days.

2- I will be singing in front of the entire mission with our district leader.

3- our relief society is the best and they bought us an entire box of presents! I have a picture of it but it was seriously the nicest thing ever! there was like 25 presents plus cards in each of our boxes! I LOVE OUR WARD! 

That was basically it for this week but the members really loved elder rosenlof so they were sad to see him go but it was a really good sunday yesterday! I had an amazing week! well I love you hope you have a good week! I want to know everything! 

-Elder Masse'

December 14, 2015 - 12 weeks in Montreal, "I went from a pebble to a mountain. I have seen the divine nature of this calling. I have seen miracles and my faith has grown so much in this gospel. There is no way that I would be able to do this if I didn't know that it was true. But as I have been obedient I have seen miracles and these experiences have grown my faith so much and it is just this continuous cycle and my testimony grows more and more each day of this gospel and of the scriptures etc. It has brought me peace! "

1.      Transfers!  Did you get transferred? 

2.       What’s something you love about Quebec?

3.      Spiritual experiences?

4.     What made you laugh?

5.      What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

6.      What are some Christmas traditions there (or how is it different there)?

7.       How has your testimony grown since you’ve been a missionary?

1- so no didnt get transferred because they moved transfers to next week so i have no idea.. so I cant really answer any of those questions haha SORRY!

2- poutine haha! I ate it almost every day this week and I think that my heart almost stopped! But, I love the weather definitely this week was well.. I want an awesome winter so to speak but this week it got to like 50 degrees! I was just mind blown last year at this time it was in the -20's so.. I have no idea! but i do like it! it reminds me of oregon! I love the culture and there are people here from all over the world which is really cool I have met people from Devins mission and europe south america! Name any place! 

3- yes all the time haha. I think that a really cool thing this week was that i fasted for a new investigator and boom! we got a call from another set of missionaries with a referral and we got a new investigator this was amazing! I think Another really cool experience was that we went on splits and there was this lady that the elder had been trying to give a baptismal date for a long time. She had a son die and she was just having a hard time in her life and I testified of eternal families and I talked about our family and aideyn and it was really powerful and I challenged her to baptism and she accepted So that was pretty awesome! 

4- haha... Well there was a couple near death experiences that made me laugh. I will save those for another time but one of our recent converts again just went off about how there is this place in quebec where all the beautiful women come from and he was just using the word belle, and jolie... and elder rosenlof and I were just laughing so hard. Also eating dinner with a 83 year old man who is pretty firm in his beliefs and he just made some pretty crazy comments about the arc of the covenant and also the 2nd world war and it was pretty funny I had no idea what was going on 

5- 1- Dad's book that takes #1, I also love going to the movies on christmas eve. I love opening 1 present on christmas eve of our choosing and also getting new pajamas. I love the FEAST! and the christmas orange. And looking at the lights in portland. but mainly just being together as a family and spending time together watching movies or doing other things. 

6- umm.. I have no idea haha It doesn't seem like there is too much difference here they put up lights etc. We actually got some presents! and we have been invited to eat at like 6 peoples houses.. I may die haha. But i cant answer that one very well haha..

7- Comparatively? I went from a pebble to a mountain. I have seen the divine nature of this calling. I have seen miracles and my faith has grown so much in this gospel. There is no way that I would be able to do this if I didn't know that it was true. But as I have been obedient I have seen miracles and these experiences have grown my faith so much and it is just this continuous cycle and my testimony grows more and more each day of this gospel and of the scriptures etc. It has brought me peace! 

yeah!  Christmas is almost here! I cannot wait to speak french with devin! I know that it is not perfect but, i know that we will be able to communicate somewhat haha.

Other things - this week! As I said I ate poutine almost every day and it is actually so good... I know how to make it so I am definitely bringing it to college with me! umm I think in 10 days I am singing a duet in front of the entire mission and I dont have music and we haven't practiced.. soo we will see how that goes! umm it was a long week not totally sure why! but I also finished 12 weeks! in 11 weeks haha.. and yeah this week was good it was just crazy long! 

OHHH highlight so we had this christmas party this week and I was so excited!! we had invited so many people and just like 2 hours before it starts we get a call from an investigator saying that she needs help moving. at 6:30 which is when it started.. we said no at first because of the christmas party then we thought about it and we said to ourselves " what is more important" sooooo. we told her we would be there and we did! and we helped move all her stuff from her 3 story apartment down to the bottom floor in the truck and there was a couple people there but they were all old and out of breath because they were smoking and so it was basically just us and we went up and down that flight of stairs more than I can count. There was this chest of drawers or however you spell that and they were deciding how to get it down and I just picked it up by myself and carried it down 3 flights of stairs! I love being a masse' sometimes haha but then we made it back in time for the party and all was well and It was just so fun to do service! I love helping people move! It was a pretty good week! well l love you have a good week!

-Elder Masse'

      

Canada Montreal Mission Tour Picture

http://ldscanadamontrealmission.blogspot.ca/

Mission Tour with Elder Golden - November 2015

We were recently privileged with the opportunity to have Elder Christoffel Golden of the First Quorum of the Seventy tour our mission for several days.  He spent several days instructing our missionaries during zone conferences. 

Montréal, Mount Royal, and Longueuil Sud Zones

(Elder Masse is on the left end, middle row)

Our Vision

"Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord's vineyard to brings souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will asist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work."

~ President Thomas S. Monson

December 7, 2015 - "I have come to realize what really brings me peace and some of the things I want from this life. I learned that "masse" means sledge hammer and now everything just makes so much more sense haha I have also learned to limit myself or more so what my capability is and when I reach that point not to be disappointed that I cant do more. you learn a lot about yourself as a missionary."

My district!  I love them!

This is how you eat breakfast haha

I take alot of notes..

this was at the Baptism!




Area: Mont-St-Hilaire (near St Hyacinthe), Quebec, Canada 

Trainer: Elder Ross Rosenlof

I am always great haha you know this;) I keep forgetting that I will be able to skype you soon! so so so weird! you will get to hear my french haha. 

Questions! 

1. How was your week?  Tell me something that happened to you this week

2. What made you laugh?

3. What is something you love about Quebec?

4. What have you learned about yourself recently?

5. How would you describe the people of Quebec or in your area?  

6. How does your mission feel the same or different from the Oregon Salem Mission?

7. What are you looking forward too?

8. What do you want for Christmas?

1- It was good! It was a pretty slow week but it was really really fun! We had a great district meeting and there was 3 baptisms this week in our district so we went to those etc. It was a hard week but it was really really fun! to me specifically? umm.. this week.. i dont even know lol.. this week was a blur! 

2- umm. Always being with my district! Whenever our district is together we have SOOOO MUCH fun haha we laugh and tell jokes and just yeah! So that is definitely something umm at the bapstism there were 2 little kids just wrestling and one of them licked the other in the face haha just in front of EVERYONE and someone was trying to give a talk it was just crazy but it was a fun time.

3- umm POUTINE haha who does love poutine? it is actually so good.. But i love the weather! and nature! there is a long list the people, the weather, food, culture etc. 

4- About myself? That is a hard question haha. I have come to realize what really brings me peace and some of the things I want from this life. I learned that "masse" means sledge hammer and now everything just makes so much more sense haha I have also learned to limit myself or more so what my capability is and when I reach that point not to be disappointed that I cant do more. you learn a lot about yourself as a missionary.

5- umm. they are very warm once you get to know them but they can be kind of "sheltered" so to say before you get to that point but once you get them going they just never stop talking haha.. 

6- There are many things that are similar but I think there are more differences I have come to realize how just blessd I was specifically with all the experiences I have had with the Oregon Salem Mission. I wish that I had used it more to my advantage but even know I have so much experience it has really come in handy!  We are really going through a lot of changes right now to become better! I am excited to see what will happen after 2 years. 

7- haha. what am I not looking forward to? time in general! I know that the biggest thing is time. I need time to learn the language time to learn how to be a missionary and really learn how to be an effective teacher So I am just excited for the future in general and also just the snow and winter! I am excited to see how cold it will be! ALL THE SNOW!

8- that is the golden question isnt it haha.. everytime I get a package it is like christmas haha! umm definitely more pictures maybe just like an album of pictures? of memories etc. That would be nice.  I will have to think more deeply on that one ask me next week and I will come up with a list!! 

i was looking at the ward directory and i noticed that where I lived had changed so i looked at it and i saw on the map where you live etc. You are in the georgia stake etc. But my companion who really loves geography noticed where you were living and just commented that it is a super nice place and that It is a big vacation spot.. you guys are just having a blast there haha I cant believe it! 

Transfers are next week.  this transfer is 5 weeks long and the next one is 7 weeks.

This week there isnt really too much more to report on it was a fun week but slow haha! Anyways love you so much! Have a good week!

-elder Masse'

------------------

 Dear Elder Masse',
     Happy Sabbath to you. 
     Today in class  we talked about the most important gifts Heavenly Father has given us. We started with Jesus Christ Himself, His Atonement, and the Holy Ghost. What would you add?
     Continue votra bon travail avec diligence inebrantable.
                                Love, 
                              Gramma
Dear Grandma! 

I would add the ability to choose ( agency ) because above all else this is really what gives us our freedom to exercise the atonement in our lives to do the things to feel the spirit and be able really to do those things that you love most. So i think along with all those are definitely agency but also eternal families there is nothing in this world that means more to me than my family so I would add that to the list. Well I hope those were to good things! I love you so much grandma!

-Elder Masse'

November 30, 2015 - "when i woke up it was -10 degrees Celsius haha.. it also SNOWED yesterday like no other and it was so awesome! " "i hit 100 days on my mission this week ". "I [am] grateful for...it really came down to 3 principle things Family, Friends, Jesus Christ.

SNOOOOWWW I WAS SO HAPPY!

I walked in -4 degree weather for 2 hours haha my glasses fogged up and I could barely move my face haha

Area: Mont-St-Hilaire (near St Hyacinthe), Quebec, Canada 

Trainer: Elder Ross Rosenlof

Language: French

1. What made you laugh this week?

2. What have you been thinking about lately?

3. Tell me what it looks like when you go outside in the morning.  Smells, sights, sounds…

4. Have you heard from John or Gordan?  How are they?

5. What’s  a normal day look like for you?  What did you do this week? Any special plans for p-day?

6. What was one of your favorite things that happened this week?

7. What people have become especially dear to your heart? 

8. Do you need anything?  

Bonjour ma mere!  je suis ici!



this morning when i woke up it was -10 degrees Celsius haha.. it also SNOWED yesterday like no other and it was so awesome! well kinda it prevented us from doing what we scheduled because the roads were frozen and we tried driving and we were just slipping all over the place..

I am amazing as ever haha Again always happy always smiling! what more is there to say?? 

1- umm.. Great question probably when our crazy recent convert started describing this lady and I could understand what he was saying it was pretty funny but I was also very confused about the context of the story.. Other than this! Just life! There is laughter everywhere people act funny, talk funny! Everything is worth laughing about!

2- umm.. this week? I thought about a lot of things.... some things specifically as always is home but not in a " I want to go home" More of just like a thankful and happy kind of thought. It was thanksgiving this week after all so I thought a lot about what I was grateful for and it really came down to 3 principle things Family, Friends, Jesus Christ. There are many many others but I truly so thankful for my family and I thought about everyone a lot this week and how they are doing and what Gordon, John and Craig must be feeling like and how their missions are going etc.

3- Well specifically this morning when I walked out everything was blanketed in WHITE! whooo! and It is really cold but there is a stillness and peace and you can smell a campfire kind of smile from the chimneys! It is so so so amazing I absolutely love it that is one of my favorite things!

4- Gordon* haha Yeah I write them each week! It sounds like they are amazing haha Dealing with them same stuff I am dealing with here just a couple thousand miles away. I miss my two bros and after 2 years all the just missing and love is going to be rekindled and I think the three of us may just explode when we see each other..! ! !

5- Today? today is just a normal p-day we will go to the store buy groceries relax maybe make some sweets... chill in our nice warm apartment and read the scriptures etc. haha. But a normal day is we leave around 1 from the apartment because we have an hour of personal, and language study with 2 hours for companion study and an hour for lunch! along with getting ready, eating breakfast, and working out. After that! Then we go and visit members, less actives, we teach, we find, we walk! We eat dinner we drive to places! It is just a constant finding and teaching effort all day everyday haha. 

6- Probably when we went into a house to teach a lesson and it was nice blue skies and not too cold and then when we walked out there was like an inch of snow the skies were overcast the sun was gone haha and it was just snowing like crazy! I was SO HAPPY all I had on was my light rain jacket and it was like -3 degrees and I went out and all the snow from the roof fell on me because right as I stepped outside the wind just blew it all right on me! I just laughed though it is really really dry powder it would be so nice for snowboarding! 

7- who hasn't haha? I thought about this a lot my senior year and i mean really it is my family, and all my close friends, john gordon, alenka, josh, craig, david etc. All the people  that I have grown to love so much! Out here? Denis and My companion elder Vanaquer Elder Baldabinos etc. Everyone! I LOVE EVERYONE haha! 

8-  it would be extremely useful would be like quick meals to make that are simple! like a bunch of just quick recipes. You could ask natalie and devin what they cooked and write them down and send them to me that would be amazingly useful! Other than that I believe I am good for now! I Would like Madams email though and also mr. hawthornes is you can get it to me I would like to email them!

Well other than that. i hit 100 days on my mission this week which blows my mind.. that means I am 1/7th done how is that possible! it snowed!  Well love you so much! have a good week!

-Elder Masse'

November 23, 2015 - est-ce que vous etes la?, "when i woke up this morning it was -6 degrees...yes! " " If you want to change the world, you can't be of the world."

Area: Mont-St-Hilaire (near St Hyacinthe), Quebec, Canada 

Trainer: Elder Ross Rosenlof

Language: French


est-ce que vous etes la?

the weather has been going up and down when i woke up this morning it was -6 degrees # yes! 

Je t'aime - it means literally i you love

1. How was your week?  Tell me everything!  

2. What's hardest about being a missionary in Quebec?  What lifts you up on hard days?

3. What made you laugh and smile?

4. What adventures did you have this week?

5. How is your French coming along?  Can others understand you?  How's your lessons going?

6.  Do you study Spanish & French, or just French right now?

7. What spiritual experiences did you have?  Do you have a favorite scripture or chapter you've been reading?  

8. What do you think was a major thing that prepared you for a mission?

0 - I am great I am slightly jealous of the new house haha moving was always hard but there was always pros and cons it was like starting fresh and that is something that I have come to love so much about my mission is that at 18-19 thats really all you want and that is really what makes the difference that opportunity to start over with all this knowledge you have and really become the person you want to be. The best way to do that is a mission because it humbles you it strengthens you and it changes you into the person you want to be.

1- My week was great haha it was interesting we got dropped by 4 investigators this week buuuut they said we could contact them in December so I am hoping that will work out. umm other than that i mean everyday is basically the same haha there are variations and miracles everywhere but the same general structure! Umm temple dedication yeterday which was amazing there was 5 general authorities including president Eyring and president causee who spoke in the MTC while i was there!

2- umm the hardest thing? well the language barrier is pretty hard but once you overcome that... your success is in the people ...there are always people being prepared and miracles everyday! Umm what lifts me up? I dont know in order for me to be lifted up I have to be thrown down first which is pretty hard I am pretty diligent and optimistic buuuut. All I really have to do is smile and in order to smile I just think of my who I am my family, my friends my memories and I remember why I am here and that I am giving that same happiness to other people so I need to keep going.

3- umm.. Our recent convert Denis always makes me smile.  He always brightens our days etc. umm i think one thing that made me laugh? There is a million things one specifically? Probably when someones told us the story about how they passed a kidney stone.. ( we were just as confused as you are) But it was really funny when it happened. ALSO I found this thing i will show it to you in a picture.

4- umm it was a pretty strightforward week I mean dont really have time for a lot of adventures.. Cause I mean I am working 24/7 to be a missionary so dont know If i have much to say about this one..

5- French isn't that bad I can speak that isnt the hardest part the hardest part at this point is understanding what other people are saying haha there are some pretty bad accents here... BUT i got asked if I was from france twice this week! BOOM thats whats up thank you madame!

6- No I am just studying in french because I can't do both.. I have to learn one then the other I tried in the MTC to do both and it doesn't work it just jumbles and you dont learn anything in the end..

7- What spiritual experiences dont I have? umm this week? Just being guided to find people there was a man walking by and at first he walked by and we didnt say anything and wow ( never let anyone get by you as a missionary ) So i turned around and I asked him if he knew who we were and he ended up knowing us and he had been baptized but he wasn't on the records.. needless to say we found a lost sheep!! I read scriptures all the time haha.. Ether 12;27 my mission scripture we share all sorts of things.

8- I still think the biggest things came from the family Everything that I am is because of our family and that just goes into Being a great missionary. I am who I am because of my family and friends. This is the single greatest tool that has prepared me.

Other things i forgot to mention so we had zone conference this week with surprise flu shots haha.. President didnt tell anyone until they were there so there was really no escape haha so we got those and that was just funny and yeah other than that zone conference was good and life as a missionary is just fantastic! okay well  I love you all and I hope you have a good week. Stay strong and remember " If you want to change the world, you can't be of the world." - Elder Masse'

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- from Elder Vanaquer, Elder Masse's companion from the MTC (from France):

"Hey Sister Masse ... Ive just received you letter ... thank you so much, this is so nice!!

I miss your sone elder Masse haha Im serving in ottawa in spanish, its kind of hard because of the language but I keep courage! We have jsut 10 members spanish, its a groupe! So, its interinsting ahha sorry for my english sister, but I really want to thanks you for your letter, really, thanks you.

Avec amour"

Nov 16, 2015 - "Today is my 90th day as a missionary" "You get to decide who you want to be and when you finally decide that it changes you for the rest of your life. I am living the life that I want to be living now." Week 7 in Montreal! "bonjour ma mere ca va? je suis ici"

Area: Mont-St-Hilaire (near St Hyacinthe), Quebec, Canada 

Trainer: Elder Ross Rosenlof

Language: French

bonjour ma mere ca va? je suis ici   je pense que tu peux mettre les deux ensemble et faire "bonjour"

1- Haha.. those are 2 completely different people now. To be honest I dont know if I was truly ready to leave home at that time. Everyone talks so much about how much they want to leave and how they are ready to move on and I said this too but I dont think i was really ready. The boy that showed up the MTC was missing home, and he didnt know heavenly fathers plan for him. Its hard to describe what the difference is. It felt like just yesterday but, it has been an eternity. I have grown up in this short time. today is my 90th day as a missionary. in 90 days I have changed physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally. These changes have only come as I have been put in these difficult circumstances and been forces to decide who I wanted to be. This is the best part of being a missionary. You get to decide who you want to be and when you finally decide that it changes you for the rest of your life. I am living the life that I want to be living now. when I entered the Mtc I was probably more ready than most. I was ready to learn the language I was so so so motivated and I still am. But i think i was relying more on myself than anyone else. Now i have learned to put it into the hands of the lord and just go where he wants me to go. My life has changed because of my mission.

2- Yes i feel successful. Success is a personal measurement that cannot be based upon the merits and achievements of others. Otherwise you will never feel successful and you will always ask yourself why you aren't better. I did everything I possible could this week. I worked with my heart might mind and strength i was exhausted! And it was so wonderful so wonderful to finally kneel at my bedside and say " i did it I got through the day, heavenly father please give me a good nights rest so that I can do it all over again tomorrow." then i do. Everyday. This week i found people that havent been contacted in 3+ years who have just been lost and now they are found because we made that extra effort. It was a great week.

3- Haha thats a funny question because in district meeting the question was asked " what makes you happy?" and when it got to me they said " What doesnt make you happy??" because I am always cheerful here! Always smiling.. but specifically? Umm I always smile well.. I always smile i can't think of something specifically right!

4- My district is comprised of 8 missionaries 2 sisters and elders and it is actually super big comparatively. It is almost half our zone.. and I LOVE THEM ALL! the sisters are the best and I love all the other missionaries half our district is being trained and we all just love each other and we laugh and we talk about what we can do to support each other and our district is really a family! I adore them! Umm well define how close? because no one will ever be as close as John, Gordon and I but i mean we are pretty tight and we laugh and just make jokes etc. We only see them once a week so.. Yeah but I love them to death!

5- Umm that is a good question.. You may have to ask  them haha! But i believe they see this dedicated missionary who really knows his purpose and is always willing to work hard. They notice how cheerful and optimistic I am and they can see that I really have a love for this people and many ideas on what we can do to help raise them up.

6- I realized this week that there is an underlining principle so to say that governs everything. It goes as follows : If you want a certain result you have to put in the right ingredients for that result. An apple seed that has been planted, watered, fertilized, and raised correctly will not grow into an orange tree. The correct ingredients mixed together create the wanted result of an apple tree. This same principle is applicable to everything. If you want more happiness in your life all you have to do is put the " ingredients" for happiness into your life and you will be happy. You can apply this to missionary work and literally everything spiritual and physical. While at the same time you can look at yourself and see this same result. You are the result of ingredients. You are the result of several experiences in the past that have put you where you are now. The most defining and biggest ingredient for me is my family. because of them I am who i am. My merits, my achievements, where I am is a result of you, of dad, devin natalie camdeyn and aiden. Nothing could have prepared me more than seeing the hard work, dedication, love, optimism etc. that was provided for our family. Everything I am is because of how my family influenced me and I will always be thankful for that. 

7- umm.. Thats a great question..Characteristic of a missionary in quebec? well he has to be prepared for the cold! Something funny in general is all the little quirky things that the people say here! and when people try and speak english. it doesnt always go well haha like someone said " whatever turns you on " .. I dont think he understood what he was saying.. But they always through in the canadian " Eh" but in french its " Lo ' for instance bien- lo or other stuff.. it makes it hard to understand and they really do say eh.. like all the time! 

8- Thats hard haha what do you want?  je sais que...... ma mere est le mieux. est le plus belle.  (Mom's note:  he gets extra brownie points for that!!!)

Well thats just about it this week i thought a lot about peace and I have come to realize that peace doesnt come from the absence of things going on. This is what I thought it to be. No peace comes differently for each person and everyone finds peace in different things and activities. But the true source of peace will always be Jesus Christ and so I truly have found peace on my mission,. Life may be hectic and hard and crazy at times but I am still at peace. Love you! have a good week!

-Elder Masse'

1.  How do you see yourself differently now than when you first got in the mission field?

2. What were your successes this week?  Do you feel successful?

3. What made you smile?

4. How is your district?  Have you made friends with other missionaries?  How close are the other missionaries to you in proximity?

5. How do others see you?

6. What is one way that being a Masse and growing up in our home, help prepare you for a mission?

7. What is something fun about being a missionary in Quebec?

8. Tell me something in French!!!