April 25th

         Ok just so everyone knows I'm not dead or hurt I’m just super busy. We don't e-mail on our p-days here because the library isn't open so we have to just find the time in the week to write and there just has been no time. Every bit of time that we set aside for email the spirit tells us that we need to be somewhere less and that truly is where we should have been. This week was truly full of great teaching opportunities and the spirit. We found three new investigators, and two are golden. We taught this couple the first vision and that there is a prophet here today and they almost jump off the sofa with excitement. This was all said is Spanish so when they started to up off the sofa I wasn't sure what in the world was happening, and if I had miss understood the whole thing. They were yelling "Toms S Monson" over and over again. They were just so excited to know that God was still calling people to teach his gospel. We can't wait to go back and teach them I love finding people that are truly looking to find the truth. Another investigator we found lives a like bit off the beaten path and it makes you feel like you are in a movie driving through the jungle to get to their home. But she is ready to hear the gospel too. She visited her sister in Utah and put her self on a referral card for us to come teach her, before we could tell her anything she asked what time and where church was, ask us to come back, and asked for a Book of Mormon!

The only word that we could get in was “Halleluiah”!

Something else cool we got to do is help put temple clothes on one of the sisters that past way because none of her children are members. It was so sweet and neat because the spirit was so strong the whole time we where dressing her and she just looked so beautiful when she was all dressed. I was then reading in church on Sunday and found this quote from George Albert Smith:

" I have felt, since I was asked to speak at this funeral, that perhaps I would not be able to do so. My emotions have been stirred, and I have found myself incapable of controlling them, but since I came into this building a beautiful, sweet influence of peace has come into my soul. …

“Instead of mourning I feel to thank our Father in heaven for the Gospel of His Beloved Son that has been revealed anew in our day. … To know that life is eternal is a wonderful blessing,—to know that throughout eternity the blessings that this good man has lived for will be his. His mortal life has been terminated but this is only part of eternal life. He has laid the foundation deep and secure upon which he has built and will continue to build throughout eternity. The joy that he has experienced here upon earth will be added upon. …

“As I think of the experiences of people in the world, on occasions of this kind, I marvel how we have been blessed. I have no more doubt about eternal life and the immortality of the soul than I have that the sun shines at midday. … It is a sad thing to part with our dear ones, even temporarily. We send them upon missions, or they go to other parts of the world to live and we miss them. When an occasion like this occurs it seems that they are more distant, but as a matter of fact they are not, if we but understood. … Instead of extending the condolence that sometimes might go to those who are bereaved, I feel more like rejoicing this day that I know that this is not the end. …

“… So today, as I stand in your presence, when perhaps tears should be flowing, my soul is filled with comfort and satisfaction. I pray that that comfort may be in the lives of each of those who are bereaved

Everyone stay strong and remember the blessing it is to be a member of this church!

-Sister Cannaday

NO EMAILS

I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM JILL IN WHAT FEELS LIKE FOREVER! I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON BUT I'M SURE SHE'S JUST WHY TO BUSY TO GIVE US AN UPDATE! I WILL POST WHENEVER I HEAR FROM HER NEXT!
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!

April 10th Lots of Pictures!

THANK YOU everyone for all the happy birthday wishes! I have never had so many in my whole life! You all made me feel so very special! I have to explain the picture of the cake. Mom sent me my favorite cake mix and frosting and I wanted to make it for my birthday on my birthday. We were going over to an investigators to have a little party / lesson and I wanted to bring it. First the cake didn't look very good to begin with because I had a really hard time trying to frost it, then we had to bring it with use and leave it in the car for two other lessons, and then on the way to the investigators house my companion tried to stop something from falling on the cake and instead stuck her hand in it splattering the cake all over the car and myself. The cake was a hot mess by the time we arrived, but it still tasted really good!!! Thank you mom! Thank you Jenni for the box of sunshine it was oddly needed the day it came and was greatly cherished as well. 

Covering two areas makes you feel like half of your brain is gone, but it is never boring and the Spanish is coming along great! I love the people so much and the food! Haha!  I truly believe that they think they are feeding a small army when they invite us to come over for dinner! And you have to finish everything on your plate or they take it as you not liking them.

We now also go to church from 8:30am.-4:00pm. and feels like the whole day has passed us by. It really is a humbling experience meeting all these new people and growing to love them so fast.

Thank you all again for the birthday wishes!

Love you all very much

Sister Cannaday 

Storm Time!

Flowers from Troy! 

Fun at an aquarium! 

Playing at the beach!

Jill's BIRTHDAY!

Shaky face picture!

April 6th 2012

     I am now learning to speak Spanish! I love it and the Lord is blessing me in so many ways! I have only been studying Spanish for two weeks and I can read Spanish, slowly, say a very simple pray and testimony and I understand about 75 % of the conversations in our lessons. I know that it is Heavenly Father trying to make this a little easier for me. This also means that we have a lot to do and I'm also the Sr. companion. I have no clue how we are going to do this, but the lord will provide away if we have faith in him. I have been praying a lot and asking ‘how in the world we are going to do this?’ In personal study the first day I opened up to Alma 37 :40 “And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day." (The Lord answered my prayers! The only way that we can do this is by listening to the sprit and being guided everywhere we go!)

41 “Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works." …(That by doing the little thing we are going to make the big impacted on those around us.) ..." They were slothful and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey. 

42 “Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions. (If we don't go forward with faith were aren't going to go anywhere with anyone that we teach. We wont be able to be there for them when the Lord has prepared them to hear what we have to say.)

I love when we find answers your payers in the scriptures! He really is there and He really is listening to what we ask, we just have to truly seek after the answers.

         This week we went to the store and my new companion was trying on a dress; by the way I love my new companion we get along like two pees in a pod! :), I was sitting outside the dressing room and a girl the worked there saw me and I said "Hi" she than said “You are with the Mormon church right?" that put a great big smile on my face. "Yea I am! How do you know that?" " Well I went there once" ... This started a great conversation about the church and she stared to tell me how it could be true but she never prayed about it to know and she wished she had. I got her number and told her I would call her and right before I got up to leave she told me "Thank you for smiling at me and being a nice I know you must have been a Mormon because you are so nice and I just really needed it today."  Heavenly father puts you where you need to be when you need to be there. He really will direct your path if you just ask him to. I can promise that the road he will put you on is so much better then the one you would pick for yourself. Even if you would be happy on the one you pick there is just no words for the joy you will find on the one He is saving for you.

         I know that this church is true and that the Lord knows and loves each of us. Never forget that the world may turn their back on you but you have the almighty God on your side. I love you all and pray for you every night. Thank you for everything you do!

- Love, Sister Cannaday

March 29th

This is all the email I got from Jill yesterday! ...

We are now taking on a new ward and it's a Spanish ward. That means I'm speaking Spanish! Yah! There is so much to do and I don't know how we are going to do it but the Lord will provid a way!

 Love you all, Sister Cannaday

Ps Sorry this is so short this is all I had time for 

March 20th

March 20^th 2012

        

         This week has been crazy and fun. We got to go up to the temple again this time with an investigator named Nina. Who, this week, told us that she wants to be married in the temple and set a baptism date. Yah!!!! It's so cool! 

         Our stake was having a Stake Relief Society conference at the temple when we went and the temple president talked to us. He told us of a story of a 93 yeas old man that went to the temple every week from the time he got married. The temple president over heard some one ask him why he still comes after going so much he told them "Three reasons: 1. I was asked to but a prophet and to me that makes it a commandment. 2. I enjoy it; it gives me strength and peace in my crazy life and 3. I learn something every time I go.” The temple president went on to tell us that if all of us follow this mans example that every single one of us would make it back to our father in heaven.  There was another story that was shared that I really liked from general conference 2005 here is the story:

         There was one group of people who, although their village was destroyed, did not suffer a single casualty.

         The reason?

         They knew a tsunami was coming.

         The Moken people live in villages on islands off the coast of Thailand and Burma (Myanmar). A society of fishermen, their lives depend on the sea. For hundreds and perhaps thousands of years, their ancestors have studied the ocean, and they have passed their knowledge down from father to son.

         One thing in particular they were careful to teach was what to do when the ocean receded. According to their traditions, when that happened, the “Laboon”—a wave that eats people—would arrive soon after.

         When the elders of the village saw the dreaded signs, they shouted to everyone to run to high ground.

         Not everyone listened.

         One elderly fisherman said, “None of the kids believed me.” In fact, his own daughter called him a liar. But the old fisherman would not relent until all had left the village and climbed to higher ground. ¹

         The Moken people were fortunate in that they had someone with conviction who warned them of what would follow. The villagers were fortunate because they listened. Had they not, they may have perished.

         The prophet Nephi wrote about the great disaster of his day, the destruction of Jerusalem. “As one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews because of iniquity,” he said, “even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord.” ²

         Since the days of Adam, the Lord has spoken to His prophets, and while His message differs according to the specific needs of the time, there is one consistent, never-changing theme: Depart from iniquity and journey to higher ground.

         As people heed the words of the prophets, the Lord blesses them. When they disregard His word, however, distress and suffering often follow. Over and over, the Book of Mormon teaches this great lesson. In its pages we read of the ancient inhabitants of the American continent who, because of their righteousness, were blessed of the Lord and became prosperous. Yet often this prosperity turned into a curse in that it caused them to “harden their hearts, and … forget the Lord their God.” ³

         It was so refreshing for us to get to be on the temple grounds. We found out that we get to go to the temple on the 3rd of April ever general conference we will get to go though the temple which will be so nice I miss the temple so every every much!

         We have found three new investigators this week and did 13hours of service. I was a great busy week and every night we slept every every well.

         Thank you for all the prayers and your love! I know I couldn’t do all that we do without it. I hope you have a great week.

        

 -Love sister Cannaday

March 7th and 13th : )

March 7^th 2012

Family and Friends,

         Wow! Can you believe it’s March? Time is going so fast! This time is really a gift give to us from God. Just like any gift that we are given it all depends on how we spend it. We could spend this gift invested in our families and fulfilling our divine purpose God has for has or let it dwindle away being filled with "I'm to busys" and "I’ll do it tomorrows” we really will reap what we sew. Yesterday Elder L .Tom Perry of the 12 came and talked to us. I GOT TO SHAKE HIS HAND!!!!  It is such a gift to be able to be taught by a prophet of the Lord. He said something that made me think "everyone of you be the missionary that God knows you can be, be obedient, sprit driven, celestial missionaries. Be the missionary your mother believes you are."  I know that, Mom, you think I’m the best missionary out, but I know that my brothers and sisters have even higher expectation for me. Thank you! I have been trying my best these last couple months to live up to those and mostly to the expectations of the Lord. Nephi told his bother that he would not return home with out fulfilling his mission of getting the plates and I'm telling you that I will not return until I have filled my mission. Kreguer my swim coach use to tell us leave everything you got in the pool give it your all. I'm leaving everything I got everyday I'm here and I will return will honor to Utah and to my Heavenly Father because I know this work is true! That the true church was restored by a humble boy and that President Monson is the living prophet today.

         This week has been full of up and downs! We have started to teach two new families and the spirit truly has brought us to them. The spirit has been so strong as we teach. On Sunday one of our investigators came to church sat down next to me and said, " I want you to know that the Book of Mormon is true! I just know the book is true!" It was fast Sunday so every time any one said anything about the Book of Mormon she would lean over and remind me that the Book of Mormon was true, and that she wasn’t going up there and telling everyone but she knows that it is true. After sacrament meeting she told us that she wasn't planning on coming, but something told her at she needed to go, so she did. Than as she walked into the meeting something told her the Book of Mormon was true and she know it in her heart then something told her that she needs to go to the temple so before she left we set a time to go to the visitors center. She is acting on the promptings the Lord gave her in faith and she was truly led. It is so exciting to see the change in the people we teach!

          Thank you everyone for everything that you do so I can be out here! Never forget God doesn’t give us commandments so he can tell us what to do he ask us the follow him so he can bless our lives I hope everyone has a great week

- Sister Cannaday

March 13th 2012

Hi everyone,

          I think this might be the first time you might have better weather then me. It’s raining and will be raining for most of the week. This week has been really short because I got really sick this week. I got some kind of a cold flu that lay me up. Most of the time we still get out and teach when we are sick, but there was no way I could do that this time. On Thursday I got home from district meeting at 12 and just slept the rest of the day. I wake up at 6pm and then went back to sleep at 8pm. I was not feeling well at all!

         We had 3 investigators at church this week which was way fun, but hard to answer all of the questions. For one of them it was her 4th time at church and she already talks as if she is a member of the ward! How exciting! But she wont set a date to be baptized just yet.

         On Friday we were super excited to have interviews with the mission president, but he canceled and invited us to his house for Sunday dinner to have them then. But when we got there he wasn't home so we helped his wife make dinner and when he got home from a long day of meetings he was just too tried to have interviews. He told us just to chill and hangout with his family which is really hard when you are on your mission. It was a lot of fun though just to spend time with him and his family. 

          I'm feeling great now and every thing is still moving being a missionary is really fun. : )

 Alex and Alan thank you for the e-mails it is really nice to hear from you and yes you can email me I will just print then off and no it I still can’t see the picture Sorry. I love you all and be good!

love Sister Cannaday.

(Just for you Charla : )