Not in Canada for Long!!

Monday July 17, 2017

Hey fam, what a crazy and very long week it has been! We arrived safely to Canada on Wednesday, had dinner and interviews with the mission president, and then stayed at the mission home that night I was the only one there that played the piano so I had to play the 3 songs I know. I have a feeling I am going to need to brush up on my piano skills.. Should've done that before:) The next morning we had a mission orientation that lasted a while and then they told us who our companion would be and where we would be serving. 

My companion is Sister Stokes!! So maybe we are kinda somehow related through Ted's family!? She is from Blackfoot, ID. She seems to be pretty nice and hopefully will train me well:) So far I've been with her for like 3 1/2 days and we haven't had any problems so that's a good sign. I will most likely be with her for at least 12 weeks because that's how long training usually lasts but we will see what the Lord wants! 

So I am actually not in Canada. Hahaha I'm sure you weren't expecting to hear that. I am actually serving in the Warroad, Minnesota area. Which is the farthest south the mission goes I'm pretty sure. There are only two areas in the US and I am in one of them. What an honor:) It is a very small town and not much going on. The only thing that keeps it running is the Marvin's Window company that everyone in the town works at. Our area also has several other small towns that are around it, except for they arent that close. We havent been able to go to many of them because of K's (or mile restrictions) that we have. Every companionship in the mission has a car. That's a blessing, but we still get to walk and tract a lot so we save our K's and stuff. That's what I have been doing for most of my time so far. We have knocked doors a lot. Haven't seen much success which is a bummer but I have a good feeling about this week. Hopefully we can get some appointments and meet with people who are interested and see some progress! I have only been to one lesson with a less active who has lost her testimony so we were trying to help her gain that back. Like I said though, I have high hopes for this week!! 

We have also been doing a lot of work with less actives. The branch we are in has quite a few members but quite a few are less active. We gave talks on Sunday so that was a good way to introduce myslef to the ward. Everyone is very nice..(all 30 of them:) and half the ward is children. I guess the thing here is to have 8-10 kids in each family:) We also got to sit in and help with singing time in primary because they were short people so that was fun. 

We got to have dinner with our Branch President and his wife and 8 children yesterday so that was fun, and crazy. He was able to give us some names of people we can go visit. I have realized while being out for almost 4 weeks that members are so important to missionary work. They are the ones who help people come and keep coming after they are baptized. SO PLEASE HELP THE MISSIONARIES!! And feed them:) I know you probably don't have as many opportunities living in Utah but there is always work to be done and people to help. Dont be scared:) 

In Branch Huddle (or Ward Council) yesterday I met a guy named Jon Meikle. Funny story, so I guess he somehow came across the Jon Meikle we know and was travelling through smithfield last year so he decided to stop by and meet him because they have the same name and he's never met anyone like that. It was kinda funny, so next time you see Jon Meikle you should ask him about it. Except for the guy here pronounces is Meekle. But it was still kinda funny that he just showed up on the Meikle's door step one day to meet him. 

Tomorrow is Zone Conference in Winnipeg so we are driving there today and going out with some missionaries there. They have two lessons planned so that should be exciting I will get to actually teach a lesson:) Unless they fall through. Crossing my fingers though. It's about a 2 1/2 drive so I'm not really looking forward to that but that's alright. I get to sit in the front so hopefully I won't get sick. 

I think that's most of everything that's happened. The weather has been pretty nice, Not too hot. It's been kinda cloudy and a little rainy but not terribly hot which is good for tracting! 

My address in Minnesota is

Sister Bayli Godderidge

9, 523 Nelson St NE

Warroad, MN 56763

Or if you want to send things to Canada you can send it to the mission office

505 Academy Rd 

Winnipeg MB R3N 0C9

Canada 

We dont get the mail that goes to the mission office until transfers or until we go to winnipeg so I will get mail and such faster if it's sent to MN.. Plus it's probably cheaper? I will just let you know when transfers are and such because you wont want to send anything around that time unless I get transferred. 

Also if you send stuff to Canada it has to be under $60 Canadian money because they have to pay to get them. So don't send anything too crazy:) Or don't send anything at all, I don't expect you to. 

Thank you for putting a package together to send with the member that was passing through. I got it last night when they got home and it was awesome:) 

Pics: friends from the MTC, (The girls are going to the St. George Visitors center so tell them Hi when you go;) and then some of my district and teachers from the MTC

Travel Group

On her Way!

Siste Bayli flew out of Salt Lake to Minnesota and then Minnesota to Canada! She had a little time in Salt Lake to use the pay phone and call us around 5 am. Then she called again in Minnesota and talked with all the kids.

Some random stranger took this picture and sent it to my mom from the SLC airport at 5am. So thoughtful and nice of them!

After Bayli arrived in Canada the mission office sent this picture of her travel group and let the parents know there missionaries were safe and sound. 

Week 3 MTC

July 7th, 2017

Hey fam!! How's it going? It was a good week here at the MTC and I can't believe it's already Friday again! How was your Fourth of July? Saturday they let us stay up late and watch the fireworks from inside one of the new buildings but we couldn't see them very well. That's okay though! Fast Sunday was good! We got to watch a talk by elder bednar called character of Christ. It was amazing. I think we might watch it again on Sunday just because it was so good. It's a shame that only missionaries can see if or else I would tell you all to go watch it. I just love elder bednar so much more after hearing it. 

So when all of the apostles were here me and my companions were walking between classes and we see someone that wee recognize walking towards us. I knew it was one of the apostles but I just couldn't remember his name. He walked by and said hello and then after my companion was like hey that's Boyd k packer! I was like oh yeah okay I knew it was one of the apostles. But thinking in my head I was confused because I thought he had passed away. Anyway, we get to class and are telling all of the elders in our district that we saw Boyd k packer! And we thought they'd be way excited because one of the elders is named after him.. well long story short they thought we were idiots and it wasn't possible because he passed away. We then figured out that it was actually elder Ballard. We had a good laugh. Then in class the next day we were doing a roll play and it was super serious and sad but one of the elders in my district said something that really wasn't even that funny but I just lost it. I don't know what was wrong with me but I could not stop laughing. It was really bad. I think I've hit this stage where I'm just really tired and so everything is funny even when it's not. It's rough, but at least I'm laughing right!? 

Wednesday we got to be hosts for the new missionaries. It was sooooo hot but it was fun! There were 700 new missionaries that came in. Every time I saw a mom or family or missionary say goodbye I had to look away because it made me sad. But then I thought about all the amazing experiences they will have and it was all good. I saw a bunch of people from sky view though so that was fun! Daisy gets here next week so it's a bummer I can't do it for her but that's okay I'm kinda ready to leave. 

Speaking of that, I got my flight plans. We leave the MTC at 2:30 AM on Wednesday morning. Our flight leaves at 5:55 AM and goes to Minneapolis, we get there at 9:20 which I think is 8:20 your time? So I'm going to try and call once in salt lake probably around 4:00 or 5:00. Then once in Minneapolis. But who knows how much time I will actually have, so sorry that's kinda annoying but just be ready between those times! I don't if you will want to try and do like a conference call type thing or just try to go to mom and dads house between those times if you want to hear from me. The phone card I got can make two calls that are up to an hour and a half. Or if you'd rather have me call multiple people and do shorter calls I can do that too. Just let me know what to do before Tuesday when I have to return the iPad! If you want to do the conference call thing you'll have to do that on your end. So just talk about it and let me know what to do and who to call and I'll do my best! But if you can't all talk to me that's totally fine too!!:)

They moved our class to the new building this week so we get to be in there for the last week so that´s exciting. We had a really good lesson the other day and the spirit was so strong! It just reminded me of how much I want to be here even though I miss you all like crazy! 

Also a bunch of girls that were staying in the rooms around us left this week so that was bitter sweet. They are all going to Boise, Idaho. It's so fun to meet so many people who are in the same shoes as me! Oh and we met another sister who's going to Winnipeg, shes from Finland!! 

One last thing.. So remember how I said that the mission home had moved and you send stuff to a different place once I get to Canada. So that girl was confused.. I'm not really sure what addresses I told you but I think the original one was this.. Either way, once I get to the field I'm pretty sure you send stuff to this address! and I think that's the one Britni put on the cards. But correct me if I'm wrong. Don't send stuff to the other one! I guess that's the mission presidents house, not the mission office. So anyway, the mission office is not moving and that's where you send stuff once I get to Canada. Or I will probably also have an apartment address where you can send letters. Either way, sorry for the confusion! Here's the right address! 

Sister Bayli Godderidge

CAN-WIN Mission

505 Academy Road

Winnipeg, MB R3N 0C9

Canada

Sorry again for the long email. Here´s two scriptures for the week..

2 Nephi 5:27-- If we choose to be happy, then we will be! So I hope you all just choose to be happy and optimistic.

Mosiah 24:14-- Christ can lift our burdens, that is why he was sent to this earth. Turn to him and let him lift your burdens!!!!! 

Love you all, can´t wait to call you on Wednesday!!

Week 2 - MTC

June 30, 2017

Hey friends and fam!! Can't believe it's been a week! Tomorrow is Canada Day! The
days go by super long but this week has gone by fast! I am learning
and growing so much! I've learned that I have a lot of weaknesses. But
good thing those weaknesses can become strong through Christ right!?
I've learned to have patience with myself and with others! Still
working on that too! I have a really awesome district and they are all
teaching me SO much! I'm going to be way sad to leave them because
I'll probably never see them again. This week was exciting! On Tuesday
we had a devotional and 10 of the 12 apostles were here!! Everyone but
hales and Nielson. It was crazy and SO cool!!! Elder Bednar talked and
I loved it! The spirit was really strong! We sang in the choir so it
was probably the closest I'll ever get to singing in the Mormon
tabernacle choir:)
We are teaching "investigators".. I use quotations because they don't
tell us if they are actually members are not. I don't like it, it's
kinda weird. But I guess they do that so we take it seriously. I'm
realizing how much I don't know about the Book of Mormon. I really
wish I wouldve read it more before I left. Good thing I'm here:) It's
the best!
We play a lot of four square. I'm getting pretty good. But that's not
good because then I'm more competitive.

The new MTC is so beautiful!! The paintings are so amazing and there are windows everywhere! I try to go in there as much as I can! If you ever get the chance to come down and do a tour when they're doing it you definitely should!!! 
We had a demo lesson this week about hope through the atonement of
Christ. The atonement is the center of the plan of happiness so we
have to use it!! Christ died for US. So don't waste that sacrifice he
made. I'm learning to repent everyday because I unfortunately I make
mistakes everyday. But I know that I have to have faith and hope
through Christ's atonement, because we can all be saved and have peace
if we turn to Christ!!
Moroni 7:40-42
Love you all! Have an awesome week!!

Love, Sister Godderidge

(Pics are of me and my companions, district, and zone!)

Week 1- MTC

On Jun 21, 2017

 I made it and got all checked in. There are a lot of people and it's kinda overwhelming but everyone is really nice and welcoming. I'm sure I'll be fine! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

On June 23, 2017

Hey fam, I'm sure you weren't expecting to hear from me so soon but I got lucky and my P day will be on Friday's while I'm at the  MTC. Just a head's up, this email is going to be really scattered and random so I apologize before. 

Saying good-bye was really hard but I got control of my emotions after a couple hours and things have been good since. They keep us busy so that's good. One thing I have noticed is that I don't think I've ever prayed so much in one day as I do here. 

We pray for everything, which is good but will take some time getting used to. It's kinda crazy right now because they are training the new mission presidents here at the MTC so everything is kinda different then it usually is. At least that's what they tell me. I haven't been super impressed with the food. Maybe that's a good thing so I don't eat too much and gain weight because we really don't exercise that much. I think all of you would go crazy:) 

They gave us iPads to use at the MTC but we have to return them once we leave. I try not to use it too much so I don't become dependent on it. They are kinda nice because if we have one we are allowed to read our emails any day we want. We just can't reply until Friday. There is also something called dearelder.com where you can write a letter for free and then they print them out everyday and give them to us. My unit number is 293 if you ever want to send one of those. No pressure though!

I have two companions one is Sister Peacock, she is from St. George and the other is Sister Gillespie and she is from Alberta Canada. We are all going to Winnipeg! We are the only sisters in our district and have 6 elders. 5 of them are going to Philidelphia (I think I spelled that wrong) and then one was going to California but he just got a letter and he's going to West Virginia now which is actually where he is from so that's kinda crazy!! I really like all of them. THey all have really strong testimonies and want to be here so that really helps me too! I'm learning a lot through their examples. But also it's only the third day so we'll see how these next few weeks go:) It feels like I've been hear forever and the days have gone really slow but everyone says after your first Sunday time goes really fast. Speaking of that, I got assigned to be a greeter! That has always been a dream of mine so I'm excited for that on Sunday:) 

We get to go to the temple today and then we'll have another half hour to email after that so I will try and send pictures then. I realized I dont have a camera cord so I cant plug my camera into the computers and not all of them have an SD card reader so hopefully I'll figure something out for that. Funny story.. I took my camera out for my first picture here and the person who was taking it dropped it. It's got some scratches now, and it was kinda broken for a minute but I think I figured it out. So that's off to a great start haha. 

Also, my foot that the doctor poked and cut into is super swollen. It doesnt really hurt but it looks really swollen, probably just because I'm on it all day. Hopefully that'll get better soon though! I'm not too worried.

Anyway, sorry that was kinda long. If you don't read it all I understand:) I will try to condense it next time, everything is just so new so I feel like I have a lot to say. I will try and send pictures later.

Love you all so much!!!

-Sister Godderidge