Sister Gochnour: Don't Count The Days, Make The Days Count.

Sister G and Sister lewis

Hiiiii cute family. Thank you for your prayers. Sounds like you all had a happy fall break and now it's back to work and school - YAY

We were so blessed this week. I can't even describe my feelings of gratitude for the miracles we witnessed - pure, inexpressible joy.

I just have time to summarize the highlights..

On Tuesday we drove to Charlottetown for an exchange with Sister Lewis and her trainee Sister Bowden. I got to spend the morning working with Sister Lewis which was so fun!!

It's cool to see how far we have come. I was so nervous to talk to people all those months ago....we reminisced on the long, cold, dark nights of knocking in Fredericton. We were so determined to find a new investigator yet we never did.

We laughed at the rejections we had experiences and the good times we had had, as we walked along the boardwalk on a beautiful, warm fall day on Prince Edward Island - it was a dream.

We talked a lot about how our missions and our lives - they are not really about numbers or rewards but about people. Our companions, the members, our investigators, our families, and friends - that is what really matter or rather those are who matter. How we treat others. The difference we make in the life of one of our brothers or sisters. We can't ever forget that.

Dog Bite

Later we switched and I spent the rest of the day with Sister Bowden in Charlottetown (Sister Lewis and Sister Dougherty went back to Summerside and found us a new investigator!!!) - it was a little bit of a struggle at first because

Sister B did not know her way around Charlottetown and I had never been there in my life so I was flashing back to those moments in New Glasgow, no GPS, no clue where anything was but just relying on God to help us survive and we did. It turned out to be a great night. AND it ended with a badly bruised finger...A DOG BIT ME!! We were knocking, it was getting late and the first door that answered was a lady who was trying very hard to keep her little pit-bull inside the house. He escaped onto the porch and she made it clear that he wouldn't bite so I bent down to help herd him back inside the door and he BIT me!!! Pain shot through my finger but I didn't say anything, just finished the conversation and we walked away..we left and I looked down at my finger, luckily the skin was not broken so we carried on. It hurt for a few days but now it is just a lovely bruise and a good story :)

Wednesday we taught Raymond. We met Raymond when we were out knocking one afternoon. He is in his late 50's and lost his wife 5 months ago to breast cancer. We had the most incredible, spiritual lesson with him. It was a testimony to me that angels really are preparing the people all around us and that God truly and divinely led us to him. We talked about the Atonement and eternal families, about the value of the Book of Mormon and daily prayer. He told us that he felt something strongly in his heart. A feeling he couldn't describe and one that he hadn't felt before. We explained that he was feeling the Spirit - testifying to him that the words we were speaking were true. After the lesson he remarked that his skin was still tingling. I told him that the Spirit can easily leave and committed him to read and pray diligently before we saw him again on Friday so that he wouldn't lose those feelings. We left and I wanted to scream as we got into the car. I was so happy and so grateful.

On Thursday we painted nails for the little old ladies at the senior`s home and played capture the flag at sports night :)

Friday morning we planned for the week then we went out to work.. our day was packed with an hour of finding at 3, a lesson with Raymond at 4, a dinner appointment with a member at 5, and another appointment with a member at 6, then an hour drive to the bridge (in Borden) so that we could start another exchange with the Amherst sisters at 8. Sooo we went out to knock. The rain was falling lightly but the wind was blowing hard and fast. As we knocked the rain picked up until it was absolutely POURING!!!!! And we were not dressed for the weather. Every inch of my body was soaked and we figured that it would be totally rude to leave a swimming pool of water in Raymond's living room so we hurried home, we had 10 minute to change and get to the lesson. We made it..wet haired and ready. We taught him the Restoration with the elders and it went very well. We hurried from one place to the next but in the end it all worked out. We arrived safely over the bride and slept SO great that night.

Saturday I was on an exchange here in Summerside with Sister Smith, she has only been out one transfer less than I have so working with her was so much fun. She is a great missionary. The weather could not have been better. We spent a large portion of the day just walking through neighborhoods, over the crunching leaves, talking to everyone that we saw, offering service and bearing testimony of Jesus Christ. Another dream. Later we taught another new investigator Sahara. She is 17 years old and so anxious to learn and to strengthen her relationship with God. She goes to the Baptist church with her family but doesn`t feel like she is progressing much. She wants to know what else is out there in the world. We had a great lesson with her. We read from Mosiah 18 and asked her to tell us what stuck out to her. She said, ``What have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord...nothing! I have nothing against that!`` At the end of the lesson we knelt down in prayer and she offered a beautiful, heartfelt prayer to Heavenly Father. It was an incredible day.

Sunday began with no power..so we got ready in the dark but eventually it came back on and we were able to study without flashlights. Church was peaceful, there were 37 people there yesterday!! Sundays are always so wonderful.

I feel that every day really counted this week. Each day brought new lessons, new miracles, laughs and struggles. We cannot sit around and wait for the time to pass. We can't spend every minute of every day praying and expecting God to do everything for us and then never getting up and getting to work. There is a balance in everything that we do. I love the quote...

``PRAY like everything is up to God,

ACT like everything is up to you!``

We must live our lives to the best of our abilities. And make the most of every minute.

I love all of you. I love being a missionary. I love the people that I get to meet and the beautiful island I get to live on. I love my Savior and am so thankful that he has led us to so many amazing people this week. I am thankful for the Spirit and it`s converting, life changing power. I am so grateful that God hears and answers every single one of our prayers in the way that He knows we need it.

Thank you for your love and support. Have the best week.

Love, Sister G by the Sea

PS - sorry this letter is so long, i hope it makes sense..