Canada 9-2-09

Hola!I don't know if I told you in the last emails, but wednesday is my Preparation day and is when I will be emailing. This has been overall a really good week. The people in this area of calgary are so diverse. I'm amazed at how many different cultures and languages there are. I assume that Alberta has good incentive programs for refugees, or it is easier to come here than the united states. A lot of the Hispanic people come here as refugees. I think that this helps with the work because they are searching for a new life adn new people to meet, for jobs, or meanign in their lives. We have a lot of investigators right now. Two committed to be baptized in two weeks and a couple more that are progressing. The biggest struggle right now is that the people love us and love our message adn believe that we're people of God who are bettering their lives, but they don't understand the need to keep committments. To read adn pray for themselves, and that their salvation is at stake. That baptism is essential for them adn will bring them closer to their Savior adn Heavenly Father. This is something that we're goign to try adn get better at over the next couple weeks. There's people from all types of Hispanic countries here and a great way to establish trust with them is by talking about their native country. We often knock on doors that have flags in the windows or stickers and flags on the cars. Theres a lot of clues that I'm learning to tell what country someone is from. We have two with a baptisimal date named Jose and Salena and they have an 11 month old baby. They're refugees from Nicaragua and are our "golden" investigators right now. They only real challenge is that he works on Sundays right now One other progressing investigator is Freddi from Columbia. He has a 4 year old son and his wife died a coupel years ago. We taught him the first lesson in his home where all he had was a bed and a tv. We sat on some fold out chairs. I felt such love for him as we taught and it was a spiritual experience. He said he needs a stronger testimony to accept a baptidate, but is progressing well. It was great to hear him pray out loud, probably for the first time after our lesson. These are our people that we ask for your help praying for this week. That they will grow strong in their testimonies and desire to follow the Savior. I understand about 70 percent of most conversation that people say, so I'm reasonably able to communicate and understand the context. But, my funny story for this week was something I didn't understand. A member invited us over to meet a friend of hers who has had a lot of health problems at her house. We got there adn it was an older man from Peru. She asked us to give him a blessing and we did adn taught about apostasy adn the priesthood adn restoration a little before the blessing. The spirit was strong adn Right after the blessing, she asked him how he felt. He said something and pointed to his arms adn rubbed down his arms adn his body. I thought that he said he felt tingles all through his body. I was excited adn wondered why my companion didn't start talkign about the spirit and helping him recognize that was what he felt. I almost started to, but decided not to. After the lesson, I found out that he said he had sweat all over his body frmo walking to the house adn was a little sore. He didn't understand that she was asking how he emotionally and sp=iritually felt, he thought she meant physically I guess. I laughed after I found out what really happened afterwards. The good news is that we're goign to continue teaching him at her house though. Thank you for all the love adn encouragement. I feel so loved by these people. They have such a charitable and open culture. They absolutely love the missionaries here, so they're taking care of me. Thank you also for the forwarded emails from those from the MTC. I love and respect your thought adn comments and you're in my prayers and dear to my heart. I'll send pictures next week, I honestly just haven't taken any here in Calgary yet. We're working hard adn I believe we're being blessed for our obedience. Even though my spanish isn't great, I feel that the people can understand the feelings of my heart from what I say. I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing well at home!
I love you all.
Elder Dunlap