November 28, 2016 - Laval! Pic! "I am so happy! I Have been working so hard here in these last couple of days and I have been seeing the fruits of those efforts! Things have just been working out. Well in one way or another no day is perfect but Elder Shakespear is a total boss and things have just been going awesome! I am happy as can be and I have nothing to complain about. It is like coming home here there is a huge ward, it is french, we have a really nice new apartment, ( different from the one I was in last time I was here ) Everything is just perfect!"

Area: Laval, Quebec
French Speaking

Companion: Elder Shakespear
DL

1- I am so happy! I Have been working so hard here in these last couple of days and I have been seeing the fruits of those efforts! Things have just been working out. Well in one way or another no day is perfect but Elder Shakespear is a total boss and things have just been going awesome! I am happy as can be and I have nothing to complain about. It is like coming home here there is a huge ward, it is french, we have a really nice new apartment, ( different from the one I was in last time I was here ) Everything is just perfect!

2- There is just one ward in laval well one in french and one in english I am in the french one! But it is so great here! I am really close to the island of montreal and well I am also on an island which is cool! Our church currently starts at 9:30 and it has my entire mission haha.. but starting next year it will start at 1. Which means on Sundays basically my entire day is taken up.

3- So Elder Shakespear is from Utah! I think this is my like 6th Utah companion haha but I have loved all of them of course so I am happy! But he is seriously the greatest! He is the hardest working missionary I have ever seen and I am being serious all he wants to do is work work work and so that is what we do. We come home exhausted every night and we do it all over again the next day it has been wonferful! I really admire him a lot. He has only been out for 2 transfers so I am quite a bit older than him in the mission but he is a total stud. He loves to learn and is very humble. He is basically the perfect missionary haha. I am so excited to be with him!<

4-Well I love the fact that I have already been here before! So I know the ward already and I know where most of the things are so I dont have to waste anytime adjusting to a new area we just got straight to work! But I love that there are so many families here! Everywhere you look it is just home after home. There are so many people here that are ready for the gospel we just have to go find them! They also just closed down a branch and so now the ward is really really big! They have to se the overflow and it is wonderful! I love having so many members! I have a feeling that many miracles are to come in he future!

5- I love it so much! Teaching in french again is a little weird I am used to teaching in english now but it is fine! I am pretty good in french so I dont really have any problems with it! I love having church in french and I can already feel myself just switching languages! It is wonderful! life is so good here!

6- Really just consecration and effective use of time! That is something a lot of people struggle with just knowing what to do when everything falls through right? It happens a lot even in normal everyday life. On sunday we had an amazing day planned! The whole day was full of lessons and every single one fell through back to back to back we got called saying that the people couldnt meet with us and it was fine we just did the best we could with what we had! It worked out to we went and found people and it worked out! God really blesses us and we work through the little things that come our way.

7- bien je suis tellement reconnaissant pour l'occasion d’être en Laval encore! Les membres sont super mon collègue est super aussi! Je peux pas demander pour d'autre chose! désolé je sais pas quoi dire haha sauf que je suis très content et je t'aime!

I will! :) Love you have a great week!

1. How are you!! 

2. How is Laval??  What ward are you assigned too?  What time do you have church? 

3.  How are things with your new companion??  Tell me everything about him. 

4. What do you love about your new area? 

5. How is it being back in a French area?

6. What have you been thinking about lately? 

7. Tell me something in French!  

Send me a pic of your companion!  

November 21, 2016- Pic! Baptism of Renee! Thanksgiving Leaves, "We have the seeds of divinity within us." I pondered that for a little while of course it made sense to me all my life I have been told that I am a Child of God, but then it hit me. We are meant to be divine. We are meant to be something greater, BECAUSE we are the sons and daughters of God he even expects us to become somethings greater. To follow in his footsteps and work our way towards perfection. Of course it is no simple or easy task but it hit me how much he loves us and why we must love everyone around us because no matter what they have that seed of divinity inside them and that means that they can change. It means that they can repent and become better and in the end be..

Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

I read your letter and I am so happy to hear that things are going well! I am excited for Christmas and it will be a wonderful opportunity to see the family!

1- It was so awesome! I described at least some of it in dads letter so you will have to look at it because of time constraints but life is so good mother! I have never been so happy! What can I say more? The baptism with Reneé was so awesome! I have never seen someone shine so much after a baptism she was glowing and everyone could see it the spirit was so strong! In church the next day she talked about receiving the Holy Ghost and she could just feel a warmth come over here. She has really changed my entire mission. 

2- well....... 1- I am.. leaving! I will really miss this place I have grown so much here but I am excited for a new opportunity! I will be going.. back to LAVAL! Can you believe it haha? I only served 1 transfer there so obviously there was still something else I needed to do there! I am so excited though my companions name is elder Shakespeare and he has only been out for 2 transfers so he is fresh of the block! I am really excited to work with him and help him out in any way that I can! I am also the district leader of 3 companionship's 2 elders and 1 team of sisters! It is going to be such a blast! I loved Laval! 

3- Well.. Now that I am being transferred I am not totally sure.. Lots of driving. I will be going back to Montreal on wednesday today and tomorrow will be packing and saying good bye and well. I am not sure what will happen the rest of the week.

4- Hm..Well.. I can think of a couple things first After I baptized reneé her just leaping forward and putting me into a death grip haha! She gave me one of the biggest hugs I have ever gotten, definitely caught me off gaurd and everyone laughed! Other things.. well we found a new investigator this last week and we invited him to come to church and he came and well.. the short of it is during sacrament meeting her started like yelling out and moaning and we had to escort him out of the sacrament room for a second and talk to him but in the end it was alright. The things that happen to you on your mission..

5- Yeah! Well at least that specific one they use the poppers and the theme is je me souvienne It is a very common phrase used here. It is on all the license plates. Other than that I cant really think of any.. Everyone here is super Catholic so a tradition they have is to open their presents at midnight Christmas morning so by the time day time rolls around everyone is asleep haha.. 

6- I can't remember if I have talked about this before but elder Bennett came to visit our mission a couple weeks ago and something he said really intrigued me and it has stuck with me since that day. He said 'We have the seeds of divinity within us.' I pondered that for a little while of course it made sense to me all my life I have been told that I am a Child of God, but then it hit me. We are meant to be divine. We are meant to be something greater, BECAUSE we are the sons and daughters of God he even expects us to become somethings greater. To follow in his footsteps and work our way towards perfection. Of course it is no simple or easy task but it hit me how much he loves us and why we must love everyone around us because no matter what they have that seed of divinity inside them and that means that they can change. It means that they can repent and become better and in the end be.. Simply Divine. Of course there is much more I have thought about on this subject but the point being that God loves us. He knows us. Each one of us is meant to be something great and we should never judge someone based on where they currently are but look at them in what they can become. Take that second to see them through God's eyes. What is God's plan for him or her and what can I do to help them a long in that journey. God lives and he loves his children. 

7- I am just so excited for this new adventure I want to get going! It is nice to stay in an area for a long time but it is nice to get out of your shell and go and explore! Often times we say "If only I knew then what I know now, I would have.. I could have.. etc" Well this is that opportunity for me! I am so excited to go back and use everything that I have learned to help out that ward! Now is my opportunity to make a difference and be better than I was before and I am definitely going to seize the moment! 

Well I think that is everything for this week. 

Love you so much have a great week!

-Elder Massé

1. How did the baptism go?  I want lots of details!!

2. TRANSFERS?!?!

3. What does your upcoming week look like? 

4. What was the funnest thing that happened this week?

5. Are there any special Christmas traditions in Canada?  Do they do the poppers like they do in England?  Are there French traditions they incorporate?

6. Spiritual thought? 

7. Tell me anything! 

----------------------------------
Thanksgiving Leaves:

Oh man.. I am grateful for so many things!

1 Eternal Families

2 Jesus Christ and his Atonement

3 Our Divine potential

4 Our ability to Repent

5 Modern Day Revelation

6 Knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

7 Reneé Tremblay

8  A Loving Father in Heaven.

Those are just some but you know that I am beyond grateful for you mother. You light up the world and I will never be able to truly thank you for everything you have done for me in my life but I am glad that I get the rest of eternity to at least tell you how much I love you! You are the best! <3

Have an amazing week, Happy Thanksgiving

- Avec Amour Elder Massé

November 14, 2016 "This week has changed my life.. It really has. We had a visit from Elder Bennett from the 1st quorum of the seventy and he spoke to my soul. I just felt the spirit testify to me of the truthfulness of the things that he was saying and my only desire was to immediately apply them into my life and change. I wanted to become better and I did instantly I instantly applied those changes into my life and I am better now because of it. I have never seen so many miracles in one week. "

Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

1. How was your week??  How are you?

2. What was new or exciting?  

3. Who are you teaching as of late?

4. What have you been thinking about lately?

5. What advice do you have for dad or the ward council....

6. Tell me something in French@

7. Tell me anything!

1- This week has changed my life.. It really has. We had a visit from Elder Bennett from the 1st quorum of the seventy and he spoke to my soul. I just felt the spirit testify to me of the truthfulness of the things that he was saying and my only desire was to immediately apply them into my life and change. I wanted to become better and I did instantly I instantly applied those changes into my life and I am better now because of it. I have never seen so many miracles in one week. For instance. Woke up had a full set of studies went, found and taught a family, left - taught another investigator she said she was ready for baptism and will be getting baptized this weekend, got a media referral, passed by got a hold of someone we had tried to get a hold of for 2 months, found another family, passed by someone he wasn't there.. man walking to his car we talked to him he was the person we were looking for, found another new investigator and committed her to coming to church the next day and put her on date instantly, contacted a media referral, got a media referral from the Sister training leaders contacted them and committed them to coming to church the next day before we had even met them!  ( they came we taught them before church with the bishop ) In between filling out our progress record and going to coordination we found another new investigator and contacted a referral. Basically.. it was the craziest day of my entire mission and I loved it every single thing we did was successful in one way or another because we devoted ourselves completely to the Lord and his work. God lives and I know the he loves his children.

2-  Seeing Elder Bennett and having an MLC this week was so amazing! We learned so much we spent roughly 14-16 hours in his presence and I have pages upon pages of notes. Not of what he said but of what I felt and how I could change to help myself and those people around me. So that was basically the most exciting thing of my life haha. Other than that.. just the work is going forward! I have baptized with every companion in this area. This weekend Renee will be getting baptized. She has asked that I baptize her. Thoughts of her bring me to tears because she is a witness to me that God lives, that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and that we are truly sons and daughters of God and we have divine potential. I cannot disclose all of the things that were going on in her life. But I can say that as these weeks have gone on I have personally watched the Atonement of Jesus Christ change her. It mended her and healed her and she is a completely new person. She has accepted Jesus Christ as her savior. She knows that she has a father in heaven and I am so humbled that I got to be here to watch her grow and change. I was there since day 1 and it has changed my life. If nothing else were to ever happen on my mission I would not mind. This single experience is enough to change me for the rest of my life. I will never forget it.

3- Our teaching pool has just exploded a cool experience was this. After the MLC with Elder Bennett I had a burning desire to share the gospel it was probably 5 degrees but we walked all the way to the bus station just so we could talk to everyone on the way there. On the bus I sat next to a man and for 2 and a half hours we spoke in french and I taught him the Gospel. We even said a prayer on the bus. I got his address and his phone number and a return appointment. That experience is one of many recently and I have just had the greatest desire to share this great message with everyone I come in contact with.

4- I have seriously been thinking about what the next weeks and months will bring. What I can personally do to become more consecrated. To become better. I know that this is where I am supposed to be. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and that there is something that he wants me to do here so I plan on doing everything that I can to accomplish that.

5- Attached are a couple of my favorite documents as a missionary there are more but those are the only electronic copies of them that I have. You may already have them.. but I hope they are of some use to you! I would just say that the biggest thing I see here is that leaders focus on planning activites and planning things out and talking about problems which is fine. It is not my domain to correct them they are 100% fulfilling their callings and I have no complaints. I would say though the most effective ward councils that I have seen have been the ones that focus on the people. That really care about the work the missionaries are dong. The 3 key indicators of member and missionary correlation which is the 2nd document has changed my entire mission. It has been so useful. It is a way to measure the ward and the missionaries on their level of coordination I think you will find it useful.

6- ben.. c'est quoi que je peux dire.. ca fait plus que six mois depuis j'ai utilisé mon francias.. il a besoin d'aide. mais je pense que bientot je vais partir de cette cartier et je vais me trouver dans une cartier francaise mais on verra! Peut etre ce serai en espagnol mais je ne sais pas.. toutes est possible. je vais vous dire la semaine prochaine parce que on va recevoir les appels des transfer! J'ai peur! Je t'aime beacoup passez une bonne semaine! 

7- My life has changed so much on my mission. I love it so much. I love my companion, my area, the ward, the people I am teaching they are all wonderful and they will be a part of my life for eternity. I know if there is much to say more than that.

Love you lots have a great week!

-Elder Massé

November 7, 2016 "Well the underlying desire to become better stems from the hope that one day things will become better. I look around and I see my family and friends and how happy they are and that drives me in a similar manner to become better and be happy and live a life patterned after them. So at the end of the day when I think about what I aspire to be and what I want it is to be and live a life like Jesus Christ. I have grown in so much love for him. I read about the life that he lived. I see the miracles that stem from what he brought into the world. Knowing what he did and how it made everyone around him better motivated me to do the same. As I have been a leader in the mission for a while I have developed the true desire to make the missionaries around me better. I just want them to have firm testimonies. I want them to be happy. I want everyone around me to feel the love of our heavenly Father and knowing that I have the ability to help them do that motivated me everyday to get up and work as hard as I can."

Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

1- It was super good! We had halloween on monday which was super fun we are living with a missionary from tahiti elder O. and so we carved pumpkins and cooked the seeds it was so cool! He loved it and it was such a blast! It was also his birthday this week so listen to this story!  So it is his birthday as we are shopping and looking at things on monday I asked elder oopa if he was going to buy anything. He looked at me and said " Elder Masse J'ai pas l'argent.. Je ne peux pas acheter les choses.." Elder Masse I don't have any money.. I can't buy anything. It just hit me that everyone that comes out does not always have the same opportunities and blessings. He worked for years and had just enough money to pay for his mission but nothing else. He gave it his all. So in that moment I was determined to make sure he had an amazing birthday. Throughout the entire day we slyly asked him what things he liked. Knowing he couldn't afford them he pointed different things out and then we walked away. While he wasn't looking we would go back and grab the different things he had pointed out and we went and bought them for him. Seeing his eyes light up on his birthday was truly amazing. He had not celebrated his birthday in the last couple of years because he had been too busy. He didn't have the time or the money and seeing his gratitude even though they were all little things that we had bought him was truly life changing. Honestly one of the best days of my mission.

2- Not really just regular halloween and we stayed in our apartment and studied and made dinner while everyone else was cooking I made a cheesecake yes sister millers cheesecake and it was so good! But yeah we carved pumpkins and cooked the seeds it was super good!

3- Well besides monday.. I would say probably driving for 2 hours in a car with brother lloyd and president schlacter! We drove out to a less active that lives really far away and it was awesome! He owns this international school and it is basically a scout camp he takes animals in and he rehabilitates them so I got to see a bunch of falcons and hawks. A bald eagle, snow owl, great horned owl, There was so many cool animals! Other than that we went to a ladies home to help do service and she told me my future haha.. Not that I has asked but she said I would go into the field of Mathematics and I would work for the Pentagon so.. Not bad I guess lol.

4- Honestly? hm. that is a good question. Well the underlying desire to become better stems from the hope that one day things will become better. I look around and I see my family and friends and how happy they are and that drives me in a similar manner to become better and be happy and live a life patterned after them. So at the end of the day when I think about what I aspire to be and what I want it is to be and live a life like Jesus Christ. I have grown in so much love for him. I read about the life that he lived. I see the miracles that stem from what he brought into the world. Knowing what he did and how it made everyone around him better motivated me to do the same. As I have been a leader in the mission for a while I have developed the true desire to make the missionaries around me better. I just want them to have firm testimonies. I want them to be happy. I want everyone around me to feel the love of our heavenly Father and knowing that I have the ability to help them do that motivated me everyday to get up and work as hard as I can.

5- I think something cool that happened this week that will be a tender mercy is the fact that starting tonight we will get to take a priest on a mini - mission for a couple days! I am so excited I am hoping that we will be able to inspire him and really help him know what it is like to be a missionary. I am so excited I will tell you how it goes next week!

6 -Other than that things are so great!I am just loving life and I know that this week is going to be crazy we are having a zone conference with a member of the 70 and it is going to be awesome I am so excited! Anyways all is well I am happy! 

Have a great week!

-Elder Masse

1. How was your week? 

2. Did you do anything special for Halloween? Does Canada have any special traditions?

3. What was the funnest thing you did this week?

4. Who or what inspires you to be better?

5. Any tender mercies or experiences that stand out?

6.Tell me anything!!

October 31, 2016 - Snow!! Elder Ham's Birthday! "we are also living with a missionary from tahiti elder O. I love him to death. I got a video of his reaction to his first snowfall. That was also a very tender moment. I don't know if I have ever seen someone else so happy. He was throwing snowballs and laughing all day!"

Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

1- Saturday - So I was on an exchange with the other elders so we woke up and we helped someone move and then went and found 4 new investigators right after! We taught them in our work clothes haha.. So that was awesome and then we were exhausted so we decided to go eat some food and we got those Lebanese taco thingies and they were so good! After that we helped someone else move into a new apartment and basically the entire day was full of service.. and it was elder pink hams birthday so we sang to him and overall it was a really good day! I don't think it was as exciting as back home though! How was that! Obviously throughout the day my thoughts were towards home so I hope that everything worked out and I am so excited to have a bigger family now! 

2- Hmm this week was really peaceful. I can't even describe the love that I have for the weather. This week it SNOWED! So I think one of the best moments this week was when I was doing some community service and working in a soup kitchen and I looked outside and.. IT WAS SNOWING! I was so happy I can't even describe how I felt! I was so happy to see it I don't even know why. We got 5-10cm and it snowed all night and we woke up to a blanket of snow in the morning. Definitely made me smile!  also I don't know if I told you this this but we are also living with a missionary from tahiti elder O. I love him to death. I got a video of his reaction to his first snowfall. That was also a very tender moment. I don't know if I have ever seen someone else so happy. He was throwing snowballs and laughing all day!

3- Definitely just the little miracles I think one in particular was we showed up to brother L. house and he said  that he has someone he wanted us to teach and we got a new investigator on the spot but to make it better this man is 73 years old he is in a wheelchair and honesty he is the best missionary I have ever seen! He shared the gospel with everyone he sees! He constantly asks for pass along cards and lately he has really been trying to get his hands on a tag so that he can be like one of us. 

He is the sweetest old man.

4- ben.. haha cette semaine c'est super bien passe! Je peux pas dire toutes les chose mais je veux dire que mes pensiments ils était chez nous. j'ai fier de devin et Miiko et j'ai hate pour le moment que je peux les voir encore. Apart de ca.. je ne sais pas. Je t'aime beaucoup et je suis content avec toutes les chose qui et en train de passer maintent en ma vie!

5- hmm.  Well about what? All I can't think about right now is how excited I am for the winter and for Devin and the family and for everything that is going on right now! I know that my time is running out in this area but I love it and I am excited for whatever adventures are to come in the future!

6- Hmm On  my mission ether 12 has really come to mean something to me especially versus 4-6 I love the line the said that those who believe in God can hope for a better world. What better message is there than that? The message of the gospel is of hope. It is of joy. When we choose to have faith in God and believe that he is there everything in our lives becomes better. We can be assured that as we trust and rely on him that everything will be okay because he is there for us, he loves us, and we are his children. 

7- This was super great! I am so excited to have another sister and I am looking forward to the day that I get to see all of the family together! Other than that I don't think there is too much else to say about this week.. It was just awesome and I am happy! What can I say more?

LOVE YOU!

-Elder Masse

1. What did you do Saturday?

2. What made you smile?

3. What were your successes this week?

4. Tell me something in Francais.

5. What are your thoughts!

6. Do you have a devotional or scripture for us?

7. Tell me anything!

Oct 29. 2016 -Pics! Cardboard Cut Out Picture for the Wedding!

Elder Masse's cardboard cut out for his brother's wedding!

October 24, 2016 "It is interesting as time goes on as a missionary you just start to get 'it' I cant always explain what 'it' is but everything starts to just work out. Success starts to happen, you start to work harder, You see miracles. It is amazing. I am getting to the point in my mission where I dont want to go home haha.. I know that I must return one day but It feels like that day is an eternity away. All I want to do is just serve and help others and spend the rest of my life in this great service. I cannot imagine it any other way. I am the opposite of trunky haha.. I dont know what that word would be but I love my mission so much. So to connect the point this week was amazing! There are so many awesome changes that are happening with president phillips and I have already seen so many miracles and positive results because of his loving influence! Our mission is changing for the better!"

Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

1. How was your week?
2. Did you get your package? What do you want for Christmas?
3. Any words/letter for Miiko & Devin?
4. What is something you do with your district/zone? What games are popular?
5. What successes are you having?
6. What have you been thinking about lately?
7. Tell me anything!


I dont have too much time today so I will just write the family so sorry to anyone else.. but I am here I will respond as quickly as I can :D

haha.. that is so funny! I cant wait to see pictures of what it looks like! Sorry I dont have as much time this week but I will focus on just the family! I want to make sure you feel my love and know that my thoughts and prayers are towards home as you prepare for Devins wedding this week! 

1- It was so great! It is interesting as time goes on as a missionary you just start to get 'it' I cant always explain what 'it' is but everything starts to just work out. Success starts to happen, you start to work harder, You see miracles. It is amazing. I am getting to the point in my mission where I dont want to go home haha.. I know that I must return one day but It feels like that day is an eternity away. All I want to do is just serve and help others and spend the rest of my life in this great service. I cannot imagine it any other way. I am the opposite of trunky haha.. I dont know what that word would be but I love my mission so much. So to connect the point this week was amazing! There are so many awesome changes that are happening with president phillips and I have already seen so many miracles and positive results because of his loving influence! Our mission is changing for the better!

2- I did! Well if it was the vest and the tie.. That one? I also saw your letter in there and it is sitting on my desk awaiting saturday. That is a great question.. I am still thinking about it. Sorry I know that that information would be useful by now but I have not had the time to give it much thought. Also I feel like I have so much stuff haha. I just want to buy everyone souvenirs and get memorabilia haha. I will think about it more.

3- Yes. I will send it separately! 

4- mm.. Get work done! Haha Well we dont have zone activities in our mission if that is what you mean but we are allowed to have a district activity once every transfer and usually we just go to parliament or we go to Gatineau park. Rideau mall! There are a couple really cool places in Ottawa that I will have to show you when you come! Games.. I know a lot of missionaries that like to play munchkins haha.. Chess, checkers, There are a couple others. I have tried to teach some missionaries how to play cribbage but lately I have been way too busy I work all day sometimes we dont even have time for dinner and at night we do calls or prep for upoming district meetings and then we just crash at 10:30 and start it all over the next day. These last couple weeks have been particularly busy.

5- Well currently we have 7 people on date which has never happened on my mission. Also we have been teaching so many member present lessons. The standard of Excellence is 4 but this last week we taught 7. We have just been getting so much work done! We should be having a baptism soon as well we will see what happens but things are just going great! 

6- I have been thinking a lot about diligence and consecration. We will be having a member of the 70 come soon to visit our mission and I think that is really going to make a difference. I will represent my zone and we will have an hour to hour and a half long interview with him about our zone and what we can improve on.. Talk about intimidation! It will be amazing though I am excited for what is to come. My thoughts though on those subjects have just been that as we choose to be diligent and change the little things in our life for the better that is where we see the biggest improvement and change. In the little everyday things that we do. 

7- Well Life is super good! It is starting to get cold here! It is snowing in Montreal and it was supposed to snow in Ottawa but it has not happened yet. Winter is finally coming and I am so excited! Other than that.. I dont even know what to say. I love my mission so much. It has changed me. I dont feel like the same person at all.. I would say as well that I am not the same person. Anyways love you all have a great week!

Love you all

-Elder Massé

October 17, 2016 - Pictures! "I am doing so well mom I cant even tell you! I have everything I could ever ask for. Honestly being a missionary is the greatest thing. I can't even imagine what it will be like otherwise. I wish I could just do this for the rest of my life. I get to study all the time the best subject in the entire world I get to be surrounded by the people I love all the time and my sole purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ all the time! It is the best things ever! I get to bring joy to everyone that I meet I couldn't ask for something greater than that." "Alright here we go! So this week was amazing honestly.. I have never taught so many lessons in one week my entire mission it was so great! "

Elder Damas!

Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

Alright here we go! So this week was amazing honestly.. I have never taught so many lessons in one week my entire mission it was so great! Every singly day we were super busy and overall it was a great week! 

1- Okay perfect! I think I will be sending a package home soon as well with little nick nacks and things in it so yeah! 

2- oh wow.. I will really have to think about that one give me a little bit of time! 

3- I am doing so well mom I cant even tell you! I have everything I could ever ask for. Honestly being a missionary is the greatest thing. I can't even imagine what it will be like otherwise. I wish I could just do this for the rest of my life. I get to study all the time the best subject in the entire world I get to be surrounded by the people I love all the time and my sole purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ all the time! It is the best things ever! I get to bring joy to everyone that I meet I couldn't ask for something greater than that.

4- Well usually as a zone leader and transfers week rolls around it is not the most productive week because you are crazy busy but despite being crazy busy we got so much done! We taught more lessons than I ever have we took one day to take a returning member to the temple for his endowment. Most of the day wednesday was spent making sure everyone got to their new areas! So much happened but it was amazing. I think something really cool that happened was when we went on member splits this week. I got to go with newly called bishop graham and there was a point where we took the wrong exit and well we ended up talking for an hour about everything and it was a tender mercy. I saw dad in him and I was grateful for that one opportunity to know what it must be like for dad right now. Even though I am not there I understand what he is doing, what he feels, and definitely how he is acting as the bishop.

5- Oh man haha. Well I think something that comes to mind is. Throughout our whole lives we are invited to make a difference in the sphere that we are put in, and that is what counts. One person can make all the difference for the people that are close to him or her and that he affects. That is our goal. Not to convert everyone at once but to take each person one by one who is in our sphere and help them towards Jesus Christ. Guide them and lead them and help them know truth from right. This makes our jobs seem so much simpler and easier and it is! All we have to do is extend beyond ourselves and reach out to those people that surround us. If we dont they will never have the opportunity to progress. Something funny though that I realized is that as a missionary my sphere expands for 2 years and includes every single person that lives within my mission boundaries so I have a pretty big sphere of people that I need to share the gospel with. Roughly 10 million or so haha. 

6- I just want to work crazy hard! I dont think I will be here much longer but I want to make as much of a difference as I can! There are people that need me and really as a leader I am supposed to be showing the example so I will do everything that I can this week to make the difference in every single way that I can. I will really be working on being diligent in everything that I do.

7- Hm.. that is a great question.. definitely between 2 they are all turquoise or blue. All good looking ties though! One of my favorites is the one that you sent me on my birthday and the other is one that I got from Elder Nilson.

8-Really that is so cool! tell Cam that I am super proud of him and everything that he is done! And of course aiden as well! I love them both! I miss just hanging out with them honestly! I loved just spending time with them and laughing with them and doing stuff with them. I loved late night taco bell runs and playing games with them. Those are the memories that count in the end and really make up who we are.

Well I love you all! You are the best I hope that you have an amazing week and I will try and get what I want to say to devin officially next week is that okay? I think I will record a little video or something will that work?

1.       I sent you a package so let me know when you get it.

2.       What do you want me to send you for Christmas?  I will need to get your package out right after we get home from the wedding.

3.       Do you need anything?

4.       How was your week?  What were the highlights?

5.       What have you been thinking about lately?

6.       What are your goals for this week?

7.       What tie is your favorite that you wear the most?  Lol

8.       What do you miss doing with Cam and Aiden?  (They are home today btw)

October 11, 2016 - Pictures!! Thanksgiving!! "I will be....... staying! For another transfer will Elder Seelos! " "I have come to appreciate so much more everything that I have. Being a missionary has given me a lot of perspective about the world. Other peoples lives. I am grateful for; my family, my friends, my mission, Heavenly father, Jesus Christ, My health, My brothers, Talents, the opportunity to serve, knowledge of the gospel, hope, charity, love, patience, the scriptures, You name it. I love everything! I will never be able to thank Heavenly Father enough for all that he has given me."

Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

1- This is what happens when you get up at 6 and it is freezing outside so you decide to stay in the apartment haha..

2-This is our squad! I will miss elder Buck! 

3- This is on exchanges! 

1- I will be....... staying! For another transfer will Elder Seelos! That makes 5 here! I am super happy to still be here! It is an amazing area and I love elder seelos so I am happy!

2- Good! So that was our district thanksgiving day feast and it was a blast! I made Mémé's potatoes so of course they were super good and for the sauce I used poutine gravy! They were so good! It was a big feast though and it was very good! Other than that yesterday was the official day and we went and ate a members house and it was this big thing with 12 people and the food was so good! I think it was all gluten free too but it was delicious! We had the opportunity to share the gospel with one of the recent converts father who is now a member and who knows I think we will be seeing more of them! I am super excited! 

3- Hm.. Well Monday we had a little bit of time left after p-day so we decided to go and contact this old referral that looked like it had never been contacted and we found.. a FAMILY! It is a big family of 6 and they are all from africa. Honestly 80% of all our investigators right now were in Devins mission. Crazy cool but somehow most of them speak english which is really nice! But that was monday and then we saw them for 4 days in a row it was so cool! They have an amazing story and it is so cool to talk with them and get to know them. Throughout the rest of the week we visited 3 district meeting had 3 exchanges and went all the way out to Petawawa which is the farthest west art of our mission! It was so cool out there I love it! You will have to look it up on google maps and I will send you some pictures as well! Other than that.. Saturday we had tranfer calls which are always a blast I am staying but basically my best friend in the mission Elder Buck will be leaving which is sad, but he will be opening a new area training, new district leader. So I am excited for him. He will do great! I dont know if there was anything particularly difficult this week just managing everything and making sure that everything went smoothly we had a lot of stuff to do this week.

4- So definitely finding the family! That was so amazing! We just had all these amazing miracles with seeing people and currently we have 7 people on date for baptism and there should be 3 more soon. That is more than I have ever had. Elder Seelos and I are just killing it out here in Champlain I am loving it! Definitely a very good week in the mission! 

5- So many things. Especially as a missionary I have come to appreciate so much more everything that I have. Being a missionary has given me a lot of perspective about the world. Other peoples lives. I am grateful for; my family, my friends, my mission, Heavenly father, Jesus Christ, My health, My brothers, Talents, the opportunity to serve, knowledge of the gospel, hope, charity, love, patience, the scriptures, You name it. I love everything! I will never be able to thank Heavenly Father enough for all that he has given me.

6- I have really come to appreciate the scriptures on my mission particularly the book of mormon. The thought that comes to my mind though as I think on the scriptures goes to Mosiah. Particularly on the subject of culture in relation to King Noah and King Benjamin. Near the end of King Benjamins reign we read in the words of mormon that he had established peace throughout all the land. He has established a culture of peace and of a people that worshiped and respected God and His commandment. As the story goes on we see an entirely different culture in the sight of King Noah and his wicked Priests. His people became blood-thirsty and a wine drinking people. All because of their example and what they did. When I think of these two stories I see the importance of righteous leaders. What the ward council does established the culture of a ward. What the stake council does establishes the culture of a stake. Similarly as a zone leader or district leader. The things we do and say set the culture that other missionaries follow. As I think back upon my life I have a very deep appreciation for you mother as well as dad for all that you did. For the rightous example that you set for me because that is what I grew up to be. As we seek to be righteous leaders and follow Jesus Christ. We set the standard and example to the people that are looking up to us and it creates a culture wherein everyone will start to do the same thing and eventually you create a God serving Missionary oriented people if that is the Example you set. That is what I have been thinking a lot about lately. Love you! Sorry I wrote it fast so there may be some things that dont make sense!

7- Life is just great! I am excited for the changes that are to come! I know that this is going to be a crazy awesome tranfers so many things are going to happen! We will be having a 70 visiting us soon and we will have a couple special meetings with him. I am really excited! Other than that it is finally starting to get cold again which I am happy about! I hope that this winter gets cold! Last years was not as good so I am hoping that I will be able to bring out the whole shebang of things this year! Other than that everything is just dandy! 

1. TRANSFERS?!?

Same area? New area? New comp? Don't leave out any details!!

2. Tell me about Thanksgiving! Sis Scott sent pics... it looked amazing!!

3. What did your week look like?  Best parts, hardest parts...

4. What were your favorite things that happened this week!

5. What are you grateful for?

6. Any thoughts or spiritual thought for our family?

7. Tell me anything!

October 3, 2016 - General Conf Weekend! Transfers Calls this Week, "I have been thinking about what it means to be consecrated. I think of the consecration of the oil that we use for the healing of the sick and afflicted. It has been set apart for a specific purpose it shouldn't be used for cooking or anything else anymore because it has been set apart for that purpose and to do anything else with it would really just undermine its ability what it was meant to do. Similarly we have been set apart and chosen by God to go around the world and to teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we arent doing that we are not fulfilling our purpose. We have to be consecrated to a specific purpose and goal and I think sometimes we get lost in the means of things instead of the ends. We make the means the ends and forget what our actual purpose is here"

Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

1- Conference has honestly become one of my favorite things as a missionary. There is just pools and pools of revelation that we get to swim in and if you go into ready to learn and listen to the spirit you are going to come out with the knowledge of what you need to do to change and become better and strengthen you testimony. I love conference so much! I did both actually! I got to watch the sunday afternoon session with some members and we ate dinner with them afterwards and it was great! We got to talk about the talks that we liked and everything that happened and it was a very edifying experience! I am doing so great! I am loving life, my companion, and my area! I could ask for anything more! I really like it here and it would be nice to stay for at least a little bit longer. This week is transfer calls so we will just have to see! 

2- I really liked Elder Nelsons about joy. I really appreciated some of the comment about how we can be joyful despite the circumstances that we are in. I think that was one of my favorites. What more could we ask for then to be joyful? Men are that they might have joy! 

3- This week was interesting because we spent 2 days in montreal and then we had Conference so we didnt get as much work as we would have done but despite everything that happened we were still able to make some really good plans for the zone and what we can do to help everyone out! So success would include actually making it to MLC on time because of traffic! Being able to watch General Conference! This was my 3rd time as a missionary.. I will only get to watch it 1 more time! That is crazy.. But everything is just fine and dandy! 

4- I have been thinking about what it means to be consecrated. I think of the consecration of the oil that we use for the healing of the sick and afflicted. It has been set apart for a specific purpose it shouldn't be used for cooking or anything else anymore because it has been set apart for that purpose and to do anything else with it would really just undermine its ability what it was meant to do. Similarly we have been set apart and chosen by God to go around the world and to teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we arent doing that we are not fulfilling our purpose. We have to be consecrated to a specific purpose and goal and I think sometimes we get lost in the means of things instead of the ends. We make the means the ends and forget what our actual purpose is here. So with that I have been thinking about what I can do to give that last little bit of energy. Am I keeping 5% for myself and not for the Lord? Then I am missing out. I have been thinking about what I can do to give that last 5% and also what I can to do motivate others to do the same. Each persons 5% is different, and what drives us is different but often times our goal is the same and we can find universal motivation in Gods love. Understanding that we are his children and we are here to help the rest of his children that dont have the same blessings as us receive those blessings.

5- Honestly just getting the members to do work with the missionaries. Missionary work is not solely to be done by the missionaries in fact it is to the contrary. Missionaries are simply there to help in the work of salvation of the ward. Not to do it all by themselves. Helping each auxillary and Quorum identy where they need help is really good and having the missionaries help the fulfill those goals is even better. There are broadcasts such as Hastening the work of salvation which are really good! It teaches each member of the ward council what they should do to fulfill their calling and help the members do their part. Making sure that the missionaries are at ward council. I have so much to say on this topic haha..

6- mm see number 4 haha. But I mean I am always thinking about my family and my wonderful mother at home ;) <3

7- I will do my best haha.. I am really bad at taking pictures but I may have 1 or 2

8- We switch off every single day so it is pretty equal in these last 4 transfers though I have driven roughly 13,000 kilometers. So overall in my mission.. probably something like 27,000 kilometers in total I have driven a chevy cruze, subaru impreza, chevty colorado, and a nissan rogue. I have driven quite a bit.. 

Anyways love you you are the best! 

-Elder Massé

1.       What did you think of Conference???  Did you watch the sessions at the Chapel or at a members home?
2.       What was one of your favorite talks/quotes?
3.       What were your successes this week?
4.       What are you thinking about lately?
5.       What has been a successful tool for missionary work in your ward?  Any tips for the ward council or Bishop?
6.       What are you thinking about lately?
7.       Are you going to send me some pics??
8. Do you drive more, or does your comp??

September 26, 2016 - Best week of my mission so far!! Pics! Kinder eggs, Bro Graham, Obedience,

1- us Opening the kinder eggs! 

2- All the kinder eggs we got..

3- Does this car look familiar?

Comp:

Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

It was a super good week! probably one of the best of my mission... honestly dads letter was amazing.
It was just a succsessful week, no stress, general conference is coming up I get to go to montreal this week! I couldnt ask for anything greater! 

Did I tell you about that tender mercy? If I had to pick one person in the ward that remind me of you and dad it would be the Grahams. They are honestly my favorite family in the ward. They remind me of home. Something crazy that happened this week as well is that brother Graham was set apart as the new bishop in our ward. He was the 1st councilor in the stake presidency so it was unusual but it happened. Even though I was not there for the moment when Dad became the bishop it was a big tender mercy to see it right in front of me as I got to see brother Graham become the bishop. It was like seeing dad up on the pulpit again. It was a beautiful experience.

He will be taking the picture and sending it to you tonight so I will make sure I look good haha. Okay sounds good I will give all the info to the Grahams.

1- Honestly It was just a great week! It was just an effective week we got so much done! We found 3 new families this week which was so cool! 2 of them were from Cameroon and they spoke English! So I will get the opportunity to teach them I will keep you updated on their progress. Other favorite parts.. Well definitely exchanges! That is always amazing! I got to do a baptismal interview this week for a man that will be baptized next weekend. Seeing the bishopric change this sunday was also a very cool experience! Other than that things just went really well! 

2- I Have been thinking a lot about obedience! As missionaries we say quite often obedience brings blessings but exact obedience brings miracles. The more obedient we are the blessings we qualify for and this concept of obedience applies to everyone all throughout their lives. As we have real intent and we are obedient we grow are faith. We enact the Atonement of Jesus Christ into our lives. We live the Gospel Of Jesus Christ in our lives. This life is a time to be tested to see if we will be obedient to the commandments. So much of what we do comes down to just how we live each day in trying to follow the savior. So I have been thinking about what I can do to follow the savior more in my life. What I can do to increase my obedience.

3- Finding people and teaching defnitely are 2 big ones that I noticed from this last week. We have really been emphasizing the need for teaching and finding to be on a constant rise or at least consistent one with another so we have been really trying to do that and It has been working! We have been teaching a lot of lessons but also we have been able to find a lot of people as we have been teaching and it has been a miracle to meet so many new people. I teach people from all over the world. So many different cultures are combined here. I cannot wait for you to get a little taste of it when you come here! 

4- What do I not love about him? He is my best friend. I get to hang out with my best friend each day and do everything with him. I get to teach the gospel, laugh, change peoples lives. It is the greatest! He is so chill all the time. He is a really hard worker but he is extremely patient and loving! We mess with each other all the time and we just do it all together! I have not once been stressed out since I have been with him. We have been able to get through everything together without any problems whatsoever whenever there is something that comes up we just council together and we get through it. I love him! 

5- I will do my best haha.. yes I will Have you ever heard of a kinder egg? Well I think it was 2 weeks ago we found this fake money in the closet that goes to a store called candian tire. Well it turns out that this fake money actually counts as real currency so waht did we do? We spent it all on kinder eggs! Which are these little chocolate eggs you can fit them in your fist but they have little toys inside of them and they are super cool! They are illegal in the United states but I will try and send you some and it should be fine haha.  

6- I honestly still smile all the time! I just love life and everything about it and there is nothing greater than being a missionary! I smiled when it rained and when it was 4 degrees during the night but I still had the window open and the fan on high. ( my companion likes the cold though so it is okay) I laughed at church.. There is this little primary kid and I love him to death but every time he sees us his sole purpose is to just kick us and to attack us and we cant do anything about it lol. So I laughed as he attacked my companion and then I ran as he chased after me. In the end it all worked out haha. I think he is growing on me haha.

7- These was super good! Dont know what else I can say..I think something funny this week or maybe it was 2 weeks ago I dont know I am losing track of time. Basically we were having a lesson and we were doing it outside and this homeless man walked up to us and started talking to us. He was drunk.. great lol.. So we were kind and talked back to him and I asked him if he was alright and he may have said the greatest line I have ever heard . " Boy look into my eyes I am bordering perfection! " It really appeared so the man was old probably in his 60's with a really long beard and tattered clothing but his name is Casey and he is a pretty cool guy haha. The people you meet as a missionary.. 

Anyways love you have a great week! 

-Elder Massé

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1. What were your favorite parts of the week?

2. What are you thinking about lately?

3. What successes are you having?

4. Tell me something you love about your companion

5. Are you going to send some pics?

6. What made you smile/laugh?

7. Tell me anything!!

Sept 19, 2016 - Zone Training! Short email...

 Comp:
Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader
Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward


I am doing super well though! This week was awesome full of a lot of stuff! It was zone training so of course I was extremely busy. Also this was the 6th one that I have planned for as a zone leader haha. I have done a lot here. 

sorry I have to go but I will do my best to respond.

1- Teaching and finding new people! 

2- Keeping the sabath day holy and teaching simply

3- Exchanges, and zone training, 

4- Read your scriptures everyday

5- Get them to do stuff they want to work. Put them to work

6- What it means to serve a mission. What I can do to change and cbecome better

7-  I love you! Sorry I have to go.. 

1. Tell me about your favorite experiences this week!

2. What kinds of things did you focus on for zone training?

3. What was the best part of your week?

4. What advice do you have for Cam and Aiden about how to prepare now for a mission?

5. How are the ways you feel a Bishop can best support the missionaries in his ward?

6. What have you been thinking about lately?

7. Tell me anything! 

September 12, 2016 - Elder Seelos is the best! This week was full of hard work and miracles! Favorite quotes

 Comp: Elder Seelos (Kaysville, Utah)

Zone Leader

Area: Ottawa Ontario Stake, Champlain Ward

I am doing super well though! Life is great! Elder Seelos is the best! I dont think I could really ask for anything more! This week was full of hard work and miracles so cant get much better than that! 

1- It is going really well! Our ward has the most recent converts in the stake. If not the most then the second most. It is a very good area to be in, one of the best. 

2-Well specifically for this month we are focusing on keeping the Sabbath day holy and getting investigators to church and helping them understand the why being the Sabbath. As well as teaching repentance and baptizing converts. The gospel of Jesus Christ really defines our lives and we use it everyday as missionaries and members of the church. Our goal recently has been to help other people identify it in their lives and help them live it more fully. 

3- I went on an exchange with elder Dalmasi! It was super fun! He has wanted to train for a long time so.. I became his new missionaries for the day. I took on the name Elder Miller ( haha.. Just felt right.. ) and I let him train me the entire day. I acted like I didnt know anything and I stopped speaking with a nice french accent and went super anglaphone and it was so fun! He may be having second thoughts about training now.. haha. Hopefully not but he did a great job! I remember trying to contact a women who only spoke chinese.. That was funny. We didnt speak any of the same languages but I had a chinese planner with me and I tried to communicate through it and well.. I tried haha.. It was pretty amusing, but in the end she has no idea what I was talking about.  

4- That is super good! I would keep that up. I would just say that no matter what if you eat too much of anything it is not good for you. Everything has to be done in moderation. There is a certain pattern that he can follow while he is training and tapering etc. but.. honestly I cant remember.. I know that george does though maybe he could help you out? I wish I could help but I dont remember all of my swimming food facts etc. I remember some days I would just carb out and eat like 6 potatoes and an entire boc of pasta, but then there are days when you just eat nothing but protein.. He will have to mix and match! but roughly he could do somthing like 2500 to 3000 calories diet. 30%  protein, 20% fat, 50% Carbs and get him vitamins so that he gets all his vitamins each day. 

5 - that is a great question I love the people here because they come from all over the world. It is a true mixing pot. Usually missionaries go out and they teach the world but here the world comes to us and we teach them. Everyone of every shape, size, color, and race. That is what I love about the people here. There of course are canadian stereotypes but on the same block you could have someone from every single continent. I love this place because there is no other place in the entire world like it. There is no where in the world where you can go to a place and just by crossing a river have the language and culture change almost instantly. Signs everything. It is so cool. Ottawa has changed my life and it honestly one of the coolest places I have every been to in my entire life. Definitely here and parliament and montreal there are a lot of things! 

6- Fav quote.. Here are some really amazing mark twain quotes that I like 1- Do something everyday that you dont want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain. 2- Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with. 3- Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the lowliness, sail away from the safe harbor, and catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Scriptures - I think something I have come to appreciate is ether 12:4 and the conversion story of alma in chapter 36. 1 because those who believe in God can hope for a better world. When I hear that I think of how loving God is and I think of our divine potential of what we can become. When I think of the conversion of alma and that nothing could have been as harsh as his pain but at the same time that nothing could have been as exquisite as his peace and joy it reminds me of The atonement of Jesus Christ everything that is unfair baout this life can be made up for because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. I have come to know him on my mission. Nothing can take that away from me or the peace that I feel as I choose to follow him as one of his disciples.  Tender Mercy - I think some tender mercy's came this week in just having things work out where we least expected them. Having a lesson cancel, but because of that having enough time to pass by someone that we wouldn't have been able to see had we not left at that moment. This happen with an investigator we had been trying to see for 3 weeks. We couldnt get a hold of him. He has lost our phone and so that was definitely the miracles of the week.

Have a great week! 

-Elder Massé

1. How is the work in your area going?  

2.  What is the mission focusing on?                                   

3.  What were your favorite things that happened this week?

4. Do you have advice for Cam on swimming?  

5. What's something you love about the people there, the place, something you want us to see when we come there eventually?

6. Fav quote, scripture, thought, tender mercy or moment?