December 27, 2011

Hi Everyone,

         It was so good to hear from you all I loved talking to all of the family!  I really miss all of you and your kids! Thank you for the works of encouragement and love REALLY thank you! This week has been great! I love Christmas time and all the singing that goes with. I have been singing everywhere I go and this is the only time that everyone doesn’t look at you weirdly (well only some do instead of everyone!). I feel like I don't have anything new to tell you because I got to talk to you two days ago.

   The rest of my Christmas was spent reading while my companion called her family, and visiting less active and investigators. I want everyone to know that I'm being taken care of out here! Really I am! I have eating more chocolate in the last week then in my entire life. If I were to give blood it would come out looking like chocolate syrup!  Oh wait… I did do something else on Christmas I went caroling with the sisters and elders in my district. It was nice to be doing some thing fun with people my age and to get to know them, most of them were really bad singers but they tried hard. : )

    Today we taught a sister named Kim they have been teaching her for a long time and she has never understood the story of how Joseph Smith got the plates. Last time we were there she told us that he stole them form the Catholics, with all of there gold. They have told her the story time and time again, but this time, some how, she got it and understood why we need a second book to help people understand the bible. Yah!  A really cool thing that also happened was that her two sons sat in on the lesson we asked them to read with their mom and they told us that they are two busy with their new stuff and she lectured them about putting God first and reading "God’s book"  she called it “God’s book” PROGRESS!  I really think things are going to start moving with her.

      Thank you everyone for everything I really love you all, stay strong, and thanks for taking my challenges. 

Love,

 Sister Cannaday

December 21, 2011

         Ok, so, a lot has happened this week and it's all great! We are teaching all the time and everywhere. My favorite thing so far is helping families get ready to go to the temple, THIS IS WHY I'M HERE!  Getting a family ready to be sealed is such a blessing every time I teach. I get to tell them of all the blessings that come from the sealing power and the special sprit and peace that you feel when you know that your family will be together forever!

     This week I got the chance to eat with the Ives again. They are the family that I ate Thanksgiving with, but this time they had all 6 kids home. It was so much fun the sit a table where there was a brother and sister fitting over the rolls on one side, a sister who was in her 20's trying to give her little brother dog kisses, and a mom and son tell us stories about the little ones that they didn't want us to know.  The best party was when I was trying to give them a message it went something like this: I asked, "What is your favorite part of Christmas?" the only answer I got was "NERF WARS!!!!!''  from all of them at once. Every year they get a set of nerf guns and have a full out war. This just reminded me of all the years of egg fights, rubber band wars, and laser tag. I then told them about our family and how those are my fondest memories not because I got to case pain to my family members, but because it was really the only time in the year that we spent with each other. Those wars made us the loving family we are today. I love all of you and I want you to know that I will miss you this Christmas. My family means the world to me and I hope I can give that to my kids. Thank you, Mom and Dad!

         Hey for Christmas I want PICTURES! I can print any out please send me pictures of your kids! I’m going to miss every one of you!

         One more little story for this week! On Thursday we got to give a needy family a Christmas, it was way neat and we told them that If they ever need any help we could come over and help. Yesterday we went over and helped her get ready to Bug Bomb her RV that her and her two kids are living in. Well if you ask the missionaries for help you are also asking for a lesson :) so as I was vacuuming up roaches I was also baring testimony of the first vision the sprit was so strong! She is now going to take the lessons. It is always worth it! This gospel is true no matter what you are doing as long as it’s with love. (Even vacuuming up roaches!)

Love you all very much and Merry Christmas,

Sister Cannaday 

Letter From Jill's Trainer!

This was put in our weekly news letter... I thought all of you might want to know how I'm doing!! : ) 

 

 

This is my trainer ...

Aloha president! Just wanted to tell you thank you so much for this opportunity to serve with sister Cannaday! She is amazing! :) We are both training each other! seriously! She is definitely one of those missionaries, that if you pull me out of this area now...she can handle it! She amazes me! I can see her training in 12 weeks if you asked her to! She has definitely come prepared! Miracles have happened already this week! On Sunday a young man walks in looking for a place to sit. Wearing a black hoodie, and black jeans, with a backpack...I could tell he had no idea about church. Morgan Hill 1st ward is so amazing...that after sacrament meeting they all came up to him and introduced themselves and took him straight to bishop...we didn't even get to him yet! So we finally got to him, and he told us that he met some sisters on the street that gave him a mormon.org card. So he checked out the website and really wanted to learn more, he came to church. He stayed ALL THREE HOURS! (Holy cow that was cool)...we invited him to take the lessons which he accepted, and so we scheduled something for Friday. He told us afterwards that his sister and brother in law were interested too, and that they wanted to attend with him the following Sunday...fast forward a few hours, we were searching through our former investigators and came across a girl that the sisters taught and dropped August of this year. So we decided to give it a shot, and see if perhaps she might be more prepared now even though it was a few months later! So we visit her, and she gives us a warm smile and invites us in, then says, yeah my brother just went to a Mormon church today and said that he loved it! And sister Cannaday and I asked is your brother’s name Burton!? And she said yes! She said, wow....I think this is a sign! So thank you to

the sisters who opened their mouth and handed Burton brown a card...he and his family are so prepared! I'm so grateful we have this opportunity to bring them into the gospel! HOORAH FOR ISRAEL

Sister Taulogo

December 13th

         I can't wait to see picture of the new Baby!!!!!

         I have had a really busy week. Another one of my investigators is getting baptized! That’s two!! Everything is going really well and I really love the work. So the story of the week… I love going up to everyone and talking to them, but last week I had a experience that hurt my feelings a little bit and made me a little scared to talk with everyone. Well… I decided not to let that one experience bring me down and I told myself that I was going to contact everyone no matter what. After I made this commitment I looked down the street and there were men standing in front of a store and one of them was a big black guy that was rather frightening. I went forward with faith! I walked right up to them and said "Hi" they replied with smile and then when back to their conversation. I just stood there and smiled (oh I didn't only want to talk to everyone, but I want to teach them the restoration) until they looked back at me. They weren't too thrilled when they looked and I was still there, but I pulled out a card and asked if they would look at a website for me Mormon.org as I spoke their faces softened and the big black guy said “Now how could I say no when you smile at me like that?” I know that it wasn't my smile it was the sprit that was there! When I act in faith I know that I will find the people that are prepared to hear the message and I will bring them the message that they are looking for. When you act in faith the Lord will bless you and you will know what to say and when. Never forget that the Lord loves you and knows who you are.

         It was stake conference this week and there were many great talks. I will mail them to Jenni because I don’t have time to write them now, but the one that stood out to me the most was one on coming to church and how everything that we are asked to do isn't because the Lord wants it that way it’s so the Lord can have a reason to bless us not only with the things we need, but also with what he want to give us to.

         I love you all so much be good and remember who you are

Love Sister Cannaday

December 6th, 2011

Hi everyone,
Things are moving fast out here and we already have one baptism date and two that we be set soon.  I really love being here and serving the Lord. I would tell you some really cool story, but this week was just full of teaching lessons and contacting. I found out that I get to call home Christmas day, so all of you should get together and tell me a time that would work for you if you want to hear from me. 

There is this neat old couple out here Brother and Sister Smith. Sister Smith called mom to make sure she knows I'm all right. If you ever need to get a message to me you can call her. They call here Sister Underground. The really cool thing about them, is that the have been married 50+ years and Bro. Smith just got baptized last year and they are getting sealed this January and Sister Taulogo and I get the great privilege of helping them get ready to go to the temple. He just keep saying where were you girls 50 years ago? I love going over there and teaching them they are just like another set of grandparent.

On sunday we had to leave the house a little early and guess what? There was frost on my windows! I had to scrape them my companion (who is from Hawaii) just stared not knowing what to do. It made me laugh.

One of the sisters that we are teaching, Amber, is all ready becoming a missionary. Last Sunday was her first time at church, she found out about the wards relife society luncheon, and she is planning on coming! The other day we were teaching her and she told us that she invited a friend who lived next door to come with her. She has only had two lessons and already wants to yell from the rooftops that this church is true. WOW some people are just waiting for us to find them!!!

This is my challenge to you this week please invite a nonmember or inactive to your wards Christmas party or to come with you to church Christmas day I know you are in Utah, but that doesn't mean there isn't missionary work there to be done. : )

I love you all and can't wait to hear from you please tell me any funny stories that happen with your kids I miss them just as much as I miss you!

 Love Sister Cannaday

New Address!

The address directly to Jill's apartment is:

Sister Jillian Cannaday
1907 Shafer Ave
Morgan Hill, CA 95037

We Have Pictures!

Jill being Jill! : ) 

Jill's mission president and wife! Brother and Sister Watkins

Jill's companion, Sister Taulogo! She is from Hawaii! 

A picture of all the missionaries that go there on the same day as her! 

The family she had Thanksgiving dinner with!

2 of the missionaries on the plane with her!

The missionary she sat by on the plane ride over!


DON'T FOR GET TO WRITE LETTERS! : ) 

ADDRESSES!

Here's the BEST address to send letters:

Sister Jillian Carol Cannaday

California San Jose Mission

3975 McLaughlin Ave Ste A

San Jose, CA, 95121-2631

Jill prefers letters not emails because it takes her too long to read the emails, but if that's all you can do it's better than nothing... Here's her email as well:

jillian.cannaday@myldsmail.net 

Thanks for supporting her : ) 

My First Week In The Field! Nov 29, 2011

Hi everyone how was your Thanksgiving? Thanks for the letters they are wonderful to get.

      My new area is Morgen Hill, and I love it here! All the people are really nice, for the most part, and the town is so small that the biggest store is Target. The weather is beautiful! It's just chilly enough and just right to make the leaves change color right now. My trainers name is Sister Taulogo she is from Hawaii and is super funny! We laugh all the time and every now and then I randomly get tackled to the ground. (It's all out of love.I think...) The house I'm in is part of a members home and it's really big! I have been told that it's the mecca of all missionary apartments and I believe it.  Oh and the ward member feed us every night. : ) 

      I spent thanksgiving with a family in the ward here that reminded me A LOT of our family a few years ago. They are a big family with 6 kids the oldest is married and has two little ones that were running around. They poke each other and, stab each other with forks, and the little ones where playing under the table. But the part that made it feel the most like home was ...... The throwing of the rolls!! NO one passed them they just flew though the air like it was the most common thing in the world. Good times! I felt like I was at home. Oh and Brooke I ate more green bean casserole than anything else.

   The work is starting to pick up and some of the investigators that other missionaries taught we are now able to go teach and create a relationship with them, which is really cool. On Sunday I got to bare my testimony to the ward and tell them a little about myself. While I was talking a boy walked in, looked around, and sat down towards the back of the room. We got to talk to him after and he said that he has been in a dark place for a long time and would like to come back to a church and feel that light again. Well... he stayed for all three hours and came with us to the gospel principles class! They taught about baptisms for the dead in a way that made it clear to understand! He ask if he could come with them to the temple and do baptisms too? Wow! We explained that we could go to the temple but not inside and he still wants to go. We are taking him on Saturday so I get to go to the Oakland Temple!!! How cool!?

    After church he told us about his sister and her family and asked if they could come with him next week to church, we calmly said that we would love for her and her family to come, but inside I was jumping for joy.

    Later that night we had sometime before the first appointment and were visiting some old investigators and came across a girl named Amber so we dropped in on her and guess what... it was his sister and because he loved church so much and told her about it she is going to come and bring her mom, husband, and son. And to top it off she asked us if we could give her a Book of Mormon to read for next time! That was way cool! We also are teaching her on Wednesday and then again on Saturday!!!!

    The Lord is GREAT and is putting the right people here and us in the right places for us to teach them. I love this work. 

I love you all and you are all in my prayers!  

Love,

 Sister Cannaday 

 

November 22, 2011

Hi Everyone,

    I get to write you a little early this week because I don't get a  P-day. I just found out that I get to call from the airport in the morning if I have time so if there is a number that you don't know pick it up it's me.

    This week has been really great and really hard! I have learned so much here! I really don't want to leave this place the spirit is so strong and opens your mind up to the stuff God wants you to know. It's just.....    WOW.....

     I fly out tomorrow at 8am and get there at 9am. I can't wait to see my mission, where I'm going, and to meet my new companions (or i guess i will just have one now right?)

this new chapter of my life is so cool and fun. I wish I could tell you all that has happen and that you could meet the people I'm meeting.

      On Sunday everyone prepares a talk for sacrament meeting and then they just call 3 of us up on spot! Well... I didn't have time to prepare a talk because I was working on my lessons I was going to teach so... guess whose name gets called... that's right me.... I didn't know what to do. I was first too so I didn't have any time to collect my thoughts or anything. I went up there opened my notebook and pertended that I had something! Despite not having a talk ready I gave a great talk!l It was about Christ and my faith in him. I talked about the story of the bush and the grandener and how God has a plan for us and we just need to trust in him and everything will work out because he knows who he wants us to be.

    This week we got to be taught by the new kids that are just coming in and than tell them what they can work on. We watched a mess of a lesson where one elder knew so much and was trying to tell the investigators too much everyone was so frustrated that no one know what they were talking about no one even the person teaching.  After awhile the missionary gave up and ended the lesson. Then Sister Shoell told me to do something that a elder did to someone my first day. (She is way to shy to do this she would have died) I stood up pulled my chair right up to his, looked him in the eyes and said tell me the gospel and what it means to you? the missionary look around collecting his thoughts, I slammed my hands on the desk and said " NO don't think tell me from you heart. Open your mouth and let the spirit talk" The Spirt filled the room so greatly that by the time the elder spoke everyone had tears in their eyes. He said "this work is every thing to me ..... The Savior came so that we could go back to our Heavenly Father." If I have learned anything here it's that inn order to be a great missionary you have to teach clear simple doctrine from your heart. If you do that you can move mountains.

    I love you all! Thanks for the letters and I will send you my new address as soon as I get it. 

Sister Cannaday

FIRST EMAIL!

Hello Everyone!,

         My email works now yay!!!! Last week it wouldn’t let me email and I could get it fixed in time to write, but it’s working now!!!!!!

            I have been loving it here! I can’t wait to hear from you all again!  I love you all so much! And I thrive off of your letters!

         I only get 30 min to read and write emails so please write me letters instead of emails because it takes me way too long to read them.

  

         I have loved the MTC I have two companions and they are the best! I really love them! They are so nice and kind. One is from Sandy her name is Sister Shoell and the other one is Sister Qunnelly who is from Lee's Summit Missouri. They are way funny and fun to be with all the time, I don't know how people get sick of their companions because I couldn’t do this without them.

    The food is ok, but my body doesn’t like it at all! My tummy is always rolling around like it has a wild animal inside, but by the tender mercies of the Lord there is BYU ice cream every Wednesday and Sunday that brings true joy to my life. : )

    My district is rock’n they are all 19 and they act that way most of the time, like 90% of the time and the other 10 % you know that they are 19 for sure! But they are the first of many that I have this newfound love for everyone that I meet. The sprit is strong with this one. ; )

    They have changed the way they teach in the MTC that really don't teach you any doctrine you are suppose to prepare before you come. What they teach us is how to teach, feel the sprit, and know what they need to be taught. We get actors that come in and pretend to be investigators and we teach them real lessons. Some of them are members some are investigators and some are just nonmember that want to know more. But the cool thing is that we feel the sprit for these people and we can really feel the love that God has for them and can teach to their needs. IT IS SO COOL!!!!!!

    The sprit is so strong and I love having it with me the way that I do right now!

I'm out of time I just want to say that I love you all and send me letters and pictures they really make my day

Love,

 Sister Cannaday

MTC Address!

Here is Sister Cannaday's address in the MTC:

Sister Jillian Carol Cannaday

California San Jose Mission

Provo Missionary Training Center

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT, 84604

She has been in the MTC for a little over a day now and I'm sure everything she is experiencing is good, but a bit overwhelming at the same time! So go write her a letter I know she would appreciate hearing from you! The more support she gets the better! : ) 

Sister Jillian Cannaday

Jill got set apart as a MISSIONARY on Tuesday, November 1st! She received a great blessing and was promised may wonderful things because she has made the choice to serve the Lord! She will be missed very much while she is gone, but we are so excited for her to have this once in a lifetime experience!  As soon as we hear from her from the MTC I will post what she has to say on here for everyone to read! 

In the mean time here's a cute picture of her being a cute little missionary!