Scorched Earth

Good afternoon folks! We had a good productive week here in Slave Lake and hopefully we'll be able to continue to increase and magnify our efforts this week. Our area is quite large geographically and we had to go down to Edmonton for a Zone Training Meeting last Wednesday. So lots of driving and listening to Truman G. Madsen.

We have a recent convert here, a very nice girl in her early 20s. Shes been taught all the recent convert lessons so we've  been trying an experiment. Wéve been teaching her about the history of the early saints! It has actually worked out really well. We teach her  in in the Parks apartment and the two of them assist us in the teaching.  She really seems to be enjoying her life now that she's embraced the gospel.  

The family that we've been working with has been experiencing a lot of sickness and troubles with extended family.  therefore, we have not been able to teach them much in the past week. Once we get the parents married, well have six baptisms. It's kind of nuts, we might not even have enough baptismal clothing in the church to get it all done at once. What a terrific dilemma eh. Sorry, the silly computer I'm using will not allow me to use the question mark key or a number of other ones.  Hopefully one of these days something will happen there and we can double the size of this little branch. 

The town of Slave Lake burned to the ground back in 2011, or at least a large portion of it. We're suppose to have a pretty bad summer coming for fires so the fire department has been burning controlled tracts of grass around the town for the past week.  Hence the title of this email. 

We were able to stop by a Filipino potential last week whom the missionaries tracted into a long time ago, but never taught. Turns out that was a good thing because he speaks hardly any English and understands just about as much. We were able to teach him in Tagalog  and help him to understand the restoration and Book of Mormon. I've taught a bit to Elder Hunsaker as well and he was able to contribute a couple phrases and words. He said he'll be baptized if he finds the book to be true. 

Well folks, not too much else to report! I'm doing well and the work moves forward. 

Love Elder Higginson

                                         ZTM

ZTM

 

Wabasca Native School

 

16 Going on 17

Greetings from Slave Lake.

I'd just like to start off by saying that today was exceptionally good. We went over to Marks were I found a sweet new pair of shoes. The ones I got from Uncle David served me well for the first sixteen months of my mission, and I think perhaps the time has come to retire them. Or I could send them home to put in a display case. Not sure. My Eccos are still in really good condition, because I only wear them on Sundays and to meetings. So I'm doing pretty well as far as attire goes for the moment. Also, today I finally got a keyboard and case for my Ipad on sale. What a day.

The work of the ministry is good up here! We are still working with the family, and we just need to get the parents married -then we can get at six of them baptized for starters. The others will come after we finish teaching them everything. The father is definitely the most gung ho, and would have probably have been baptized a month ago if he could have. Such wonderful people. We read with them in 1 Nephi chapter 4 this week. When we got to end, we found a parallel between Zoram and the family. Zoram was invited to go down into the wilderness and dwell with Nephi and his family. Nephi also invited him to keep the commandments. It says in verse 35 that Zoram "did take courage" and essentially made an oath to endure to the end. When we invite people to join the church, we are inviting them to repent of their sins and keep the commandments. We are inviting them to join our ward families and to serve their fellow men. We are inviting them to endure to the end. If those we teach act upon the message and join the church, then their posterity will have a much greater chance to accept the gospel and bless the lives of others. Zoram's posterity must have had a great impact upon the people of Nephi, probably for good, at least initially.  Ammoron wasn't a big help, but that's beside the point. I guess that's my spiritual thought for today.

Other investigators are doing well, and we've found a couple new ones this week. We walk a dog twice a week for a lady who had a brain injury. It's nice because we basically get to go street contacting at the same time. we were following behind this rougher looking man and he turned around and started talking to us. He turned out to be a super nice and friendly guy who was going to see a relative in the hospital. By way of the conversation, I brought up that we were sharing a message of peace about Jesus Christ. He perked up and said "I love Jesus Christ, he saved my life! I was stabbed really bad out in the woods near Wabaska, and I prayed and an ambulance drove by out of the blue. I'd love to talk to you guys sometime about your message!" So hopefully we'll be able to teach him here this week.

Well, I'm doing well and the work is good. I've been out for quite a while and I am starting to realize more and more how little time I have. It's terrible! Don't any of you try and make me trunky though. I still have all summer and fall to pound the pavement! Take care and I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Higginson

 

 Today for preparation day we did a little shopping. :) The wonderful pair that uncle David gave me have finally worn out. There is a hole In the bottom and we come across a lot of puddles in this
town. These were pretty cheep! Also I got a case with a key board which I'm using now to send this to you. I haven't had to withdraw personal funds from my card in like a year. Pretty sure my card has
expired anyway haha.

 

 We were trying to contact a guy, but it looks like it was the wrong
house. On our 3rd attempt we came across this, which we got a kick out
of. We ended up finding the real dude just after, so it's all good. :)

All the towns a network of Puddles

Greetings from the Cold and dreary North. A lot has happened since I last emailed. I'll give you a watered down version. 

First about the Town. A large portion of Slave Lake burned to the ground in 2011. Most of it has been rebuilt though. The roads are not very good and there are puddles everywhere. Inconvenient seeing as I punctured the sole of my shoe a week ago. But I've still got a good pair. And I found a sweet leather set in the apartment. The living quarters are sick! my companion and I both have our own bathroom and shower. well furnished and very new apartment. we also have a senior couple in our area!!! They live directly below us.

So about the Couple. The Parks are wonderful and a couple of hard workers! They've been here about 9 months and President Park is branch president. We really enjoy having them here and they feed us every Monday. We basically are also his counselors in the branch, because his real ones live quite a ways away. 

The Branch is small and has an interesting history. Lot of weird stuff in such a small place off in the boonies. That has got a lot to do with the reason that there is a missionary couple serving as leadership here. Should be exiting!

The work here is pretty good. We've got a family that is getting ready to be baptised here. A family of ten. We also have a number of other people who are getting close! but we still need to find a few more investigators so we don't end up with nothing to do after all these people get baptised. We're finding a number of Filipino's so hopefully we'll start teaching them. 

The companion is good. Elder Hunsaker is from Syracuse Utah and went to the high school that is closest to Hill Airforce Base. He's a hard worker and we get along swell. He liked political debate and guns back home. nuf said.

Well I'll be sure to send some pictures here in a bit. We're driving a Chevy Colorado!! Living in this province has caused me to really like trucks. And now we're in one finally. I'll send pictures of just after we cleaned it. It's for sure not clean anymore haha. So many puddles and pot holes everywhere in this town. Anyway, I've got to get going, but I wish you all the best of luck this week! 

Love,

Elder Higginson

 

 Our sweet ride. It got a bit dirty after this but thank goodness it
rains a lot. I guess.

 

The town of Slave Lake. Population: about 7,000

 

Moose on the way up from Edmonton