Toronto, eh?: "Behold, her mission is given unto her, and it shall not be given again." D&C 58:16

Dear Family and Friends,

My heart is full, as you can probably imagine. I can't believe I hit my 18 month mark last week. It kinda feels like I just got here. But, it has been a good chunk of time, and I've learned so much about my purpose as a daughter of God. As I have served His children with all of my heart, I have come to feel a greater love for my brothers and sisters. I have truly come to understand that every person is a child of loving Heavenly Parents.

"I Believe In Christ" was stuck in my head all week.....

Particularly the part that says - "He is the source of truth and light...."

I had such a tender experience while contacting on the street. We saw a man walking out of his house and toward his car. It would have been easy to just keep walking because he was definitely in a hurry. I called out to him and asked if we could just give him a card before he got in his car. We ended up talking to him for quite awhile. His name is Chris, and he has had some rough experiences in his past that have led him to not believe in God. He said - "I've never had any sign that God is there, so why should I believe?" That question just pierced my heart. There are signs all around us of the reality of a Creator. We got onto the topic of the Plan of Salvation, and I felt prompted to pull out a pamphlet. Maybe I should back up a bit before I finish the story..... The clouds were thick and the sky was just a dismal gray. In fact, there were little snow flakes coming down, and it was really cold. Okay, so as I pulled out the Plan of Salvation pamphlet, I bore my testimony that he is a child of God and that he has a purpose for being here on earth. The sun then broke through the clouds and landed right on us. The warmth was undeniable. Everything got brighter. He then pointed to the sky and said "Maybe that is my sign." God is so good. He is so aware. As Chris got in his car, he said, "I know I'll have a good day today now." Heavenly Father's plan is so perfect. It was such a testimony to me that we need to share the Gospel with everyone. We never know who the Lord is preparing.

Every month we get our apartment inspected by Brother Diebel, who is a nice old man. He came to inspect it on Wednesday, then he offered to take us to lunch with his wife. My goodness, God loves us so much, because we almost died multiple times. We were honked at probably 10 times in 5 seconds. I just closed my eyes and prayed that we wouldn't get in an accident. After they dropped us off, Sister Womack and I just burst out laughing to the point of almost having tears. But! We survived.....and lunch was awesome. We had Taco Bell, which is sooo much better in the States.

The leaves are beautiful. I love walking around and talking with people and soaking up the beauties of the earth. We decided to tract a bit this week and met some funny people. We knocked on a particular door, and when the man answered, he had the biggest smile on his face. He said, "It's the Mormons!" Then he went on to tell us he wasn't interested and shut the door. Hahah, but it was nice to see such a a big smile!

We dropped by an amazing part-member family. Brother and Sister Humphrey are both returned missionaries. In fact, they met in the MTC. One of their two children is baptized, and the other one is not. They are super nice, but don't feel like they need church right now. However - lots of potential with them!

We had dinner with two Brazilian families this week! Love it. Also, we found a man from Thailand and taught him!! His name is Synfaph (probably not spelled right....) and he is so cool! I thought it was such a tender mercy because Dal and Jess are in Thailand right this second! It definitely softened his heart. We even had a Thai Book of Mormon, so now he is reading that!

So I was kinda having a bummer day, and I wasn't feeling all that great. We went into a lesson with Mehdi and Sadena (couple from Iran), and I was saying a silent prayer in my heart that I would be able to be an effective instrument in the Lord's hands. It was one of the most powerful lessons I've ever been in. I wasn't even in the equation, but I felt like I was speaking for the Lord. It is the best feeling in the world. I totally believe in the gift of tongues, even if you're speaking your native language.

I had my last Zone Council Meeting last week, and I got two boxes of Cookie Crisp from the Cushnie's in Hamilton!! They don't sell that in Canada, so everyone was super jealous. :)

The Jacobs family are doing well, but they still haven't come to church. :( Carlo is getting closer and closer to receiving his answer though. He is beginning to understand the apostasy and restoration. The Spirit is really working with him.

As we were teaching Madison, we asked her to describe how the Holy Ghost feels.....she said, "It feels like you are on top of the biggest roller coaster and you get a warm fuzzy feeling!" Best answer from an 11 year old ever.

Maxine Elliott came to see me yesterday, and she brought Hawaiian Haystacks!!! Best lunch ever. Haven't had those in 18 months.

The whole Sacrament Meeting was devoted to Remembrance Day which is this Tuesday. One of the speakers was Brother Frank Smith, who served in the army and he is now in his 90's. At the end of his talk he said, "I am no hero.. I just spent time where I was needed." Such a humble statement. I feel like I can relate. I am no hero, but I did the Lord's will where He needed me.

The church is doing this new project called "The Billion Graves Project." Basically what you do is take pictures of headstones, and then they're put online making it easier for people to find their ancestors. We went yesterday to a cemetery with some other members to take pictures. It was such a cool thing. I felt so good while I was doing it, knowing that I was helping others. Sister Womack and I had "family history" cards with us, and we met the most awesome lady, Melanie. See - you can even find people in a cemetery! Doing the work for the living as well as the dead!!

That pretty much sums up my week. It was a very good one indeed. I am one happy camper. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I love this work. It has turned into my passion, and I will never stop being a missionary. I hope you all have an amazing week!

I'll conclude with the topic for my email -

"Behold, her mission is given unto her, and it shall not be given again." D&C 58:16

So time to CHERISH the last week of my mission!

SEE YOU SOON!

Love,

Sister Corinne Hardcastle

"Have Faith, Have Hope, Live Like His Son, Help Others On Their Way"