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| Before Mission After Mission |
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Friday, August 3, 2018
Last E-mail
Welp,
This week we have been zippin around getting from appointment to appointment. not much to say, really.
We were able to see some of the members I have served around for the past 2 years.
Sunday was really the finale of it all. We had a very missionary focused church service. A member gave his farewell talk and the 3 of us missionaries that are going home from Don valley ward also bore testimony. The ward held a farewell party/munch and mingle after the meetings where we were able to say goodbye to all the members.
That night we had dinner with sister Barbara Ann and dessert with the Dyquiangco family who fed us halo halo (beans, sweet corn, Jack fruit, jelly, coconut, shaved ice, ube ice cream, condensed milk, milk), ube ice cream, queso ice cream and balut. Filipino Ice cream is A1.
It's been real here in the Canada Toronto Mission.
I truly cannot express the love I have for this place and the people here. My testimony of the Savior and his church has grown so much and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve the Lord here for the past 2 years.
Some major mixed emotions coming to the surface this week as I am excited to come home and see everyone again and as I am leaving Toronto.
I guess I'll be seeing you all soon!
-Elder Bakker
This week we have been zippin around getting from appointment to appointment. not much to say, really.
We were able to see some of the members I have served around for the past 2 years.
Sunday was really the finale of it all. We had a very missionary focused church service. A member gave his farewell talk and the 3 of us missionaries that are going home from Don valley ward also bore testimony. The ward held a farewell party/munch and mingle after the meetings where we were able to say goodbye to all the members.
That night we had dinner with sister Barbara Ann and dessert with the Dyquiangco family who fed us halo halo (beans, sweet corn, Jack fruit, jelly, coconut, shaved ice, ube ice cream, condensed milk, milk), ube ice cream, queso ice cream and balut. Filipino Ice cream is A1.
It's been real here in the Canada Toronto Mission.
I truly cannot express the love I have for this place and the people here. My testimony of the Savior and his church has grown so much and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve the Lord here for the past 2 years.
Some major mixed emotions coming to the surface this week as I am excited to come home and see everyone again and as I am leaving Toronto.
I guess I'll be seeing you all soon!
-Elder Bakker
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Final Korean BBQ at the Parks home.
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| Balut (duck egg) |
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| Dyquiangco family |
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| Halo halo |
9 Days
Friends and Family,
I'm moving right along into my last week!
Time has just flown by.
This last week we were able to meet with a lot of good people, found some new and lost new as well. you win some you lose some I guess.
We got a referral from some YSA sisters nearby and we set up an appointment with the lady. Met up with her in a park, shared the restoration and the Book of Mormon with her and everything went super good! She seemed to be taken back and excited to come to church. She also was eager to read from and pray about the Book of Mormon. We left the appointment and 2 days later we messaged her asking how she was doing and how she felt about the message, she replied later that day and basically just said, "I didn't get what I asked for, I'm not interested anymore." Unfortunately instant gratification in a our world today is so obtainable, the whispering of the spirit are pushed aside by those who wont listen. Curious question, are we too focused on the here, now and getting what we want that we aren't receptive to what God wants for us?
The rest of the week went well and we were able to meet with some of our investigators.
We had a really great experience with one who at the beginning of our lesson was talking to us about shrooms help us receive revelation and promptly suggested that we try some. Ha. We then promptly went into the Word of Wisdom and shut him down which he understood. but we also were able to teach all of the restoration and he told us, "If I ever actually become a Mormon, it will be solely grounded in what you taught me the first time we met that I can receive my answers directly from God."
What a guy.
Exciting times are coming.
see you all soon!
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
I'm moving right along into my last week!
Time has just flown by.
This last week we were able to meet with a lot of good people, found some new and lost new as well. you win some you lose some I guess.
We got a referral from some YSA sisters nearby and we set up an appointment with the lady. Met up with her in a park, shared the restoration and the Book of Mormon with her and everything went super good! She seemed to be taken back and excited to come to church. She also was eager to read from and pray about the Book of Mormon. We left the appointment and 2 days later we messaged her asking how she was doing and how she felt about the message, she replied later that day and basically just said, "I didn't get what I asked for, I'm not interested anymore." Unfortunately instant gratification in a our world today is so obtainable, the whispering of the spirit are pushed aside by those who wont listen. Curious question, are we too focused on the here, now and getting what we want that we aren't receptive to what God wants for us?
The rest of the week went well and we were able to meet with some of our investigators.
We had a really great experience with one who at the beginning of our lesson was talking to us about shrooms help us receive revelation and promptly suggested that we try some. Ha. We then promptly went into the Word of Wisdom and shut him down which he understood. but we also were able to teach all of the restoration and he told us, "If I ever actually become a Mormon, it will be solely grounded in what you taught me the first time we met that I can receive my answers directly from God."
What a guy.
Exciting times are coming.
see you all soon!
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Too Close for Comfort
Life has been good.
We have been grinding and pushing along. Been pretty heavy hitting week. We had a bunch of lessons and zone conference!
Our zone conference was pretty heavy. The North America North East missions all received new instruction and there is a HUGE focus on obedience and there are quite a few changes happening. Mainly focusing on us missionaries not seeing each other throughout the week and gathering in groups. Oof, hard task in the city.
It was also my last zone conference so President Shields asked all the departing missionaries to bear their testimony. Usually there are like 3 or 4 people going home per zone conference, but the group going home with me is massive so we had 16 missionaries bear testimony. It took 45 minutes, and that's with all of us sticking to 2-4 minutes. yikes. In total I think there are somewhere around 27 missionaries going home with me. That is a hefty turnover.
We met with S during our English class and she is as happy go luck as ever. We were helping her with her pronunciation and somehow we ended up teaching the word of wisdom and committing her to keep it, she said she will do it too!
D and M are also doing great, we have met with them twice now and they are great. we taught them the plan of salvation and it seemed to really make sense to M so as D had questions she would answer them for him! Unfortunately they will be going back home for 2 weeks and I wont be able to see them again... they will come back and Elder Brown will continue the process here.
The last thing that happened this week was saying goodbye to Bishop Holdaway, his wife and kids. I have been serving in the Don Valley ward for a good 15 months now so I have been able to see the progression in the ward and I have seen all the hard work he has done. He accepted a job in Delaware as CEO of Barclays US. sooooo ya. He will be missed.
hope you all have a good week!
--
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
We have been grinding and pushing along. Been pretty heavy hitting week. We had a bunch of lessons and zone conference!
Our zone conference was pretty heavy. The North America North East missions all received new instruction and there is a HUGE focus on obedience and there are quite a few changes happening. Mainly focusing on us missionaries not seeing each other throughout the week and gathering in groups. Oof, hard task in the city.
It was also my last zone conference so President Shields asked all the departing missionaries to bear their testimony. Usually there are like 3 or 4 people going home per zone conference, but the group going home with me is massive so we had 16 missionaries bear testimony. It took 45 minutes, and that's with all of us sticking to 2-4 minutes. yikes. In total I think there are somewhere around 27 missionaries going home with me. That is a hefty turnover.
We met with S during our English class and she is as happy go luck as ever. We were helping her with her pronunciation and somehow we ended up teaching the word of wisdom and committing her to keep it, she said she will do it too!
D and M are also doing great, we have met with them twice now and they are great. we taught them the plan of salvation and it seemed to really make sense to M so as D had questions she would answer them for him! Unfortunately they will be going back home for 2 weeks and I wont be able to see them again... they will come back and Elder Brown will continue the process here.
The last thing that happened this week was saying goodbye to Bishop Holdaway, his wife and kids. I have been serving in the Don Valley ward for a good 15 months now so I have been able to see the progression in the ward and I have seen all the hard work he has done. He accepted a job in Delaware as CEO of Barclays US. sooooo ya. He will be missed.
hope you all have a good week!
--
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
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| Brother Park and brother De Vera and LDB cookies |
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| Bishop Shane Holdaway, Alissa Holdaway and the missionaries |
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Lobster Fest
Heyo
Super good week this week!
Started off with some good coordination meetings in Don Valley and Don Mills!
I've never been to the one in Don Mills, but it's run by Bro. Lim. He works at a place called Castle Loma, and he was telling us about all of the times he hosted Drake for parties... ha, yikes.
We were planning an event, for our investigator to go tour the temple, but unfortunately he is going back home this week.... he messaged us and said that he won't forget what he has learned and that he will follow the gospel! Gonna miss him.
Other than that we were able to go to Hamilton (which is a about an hour away) met up with some potentials, and dropped by some good people. And then we were able to go to FedEx and pick up a package........ Shout out to little Dutch Boy Bakeries for making specialized Canada Toronto Mission cookies! That was a huge surprise from the fam. Thank you much!
Also shout out to Andrew for finding the Fisherman Lobster Clubhouse! We just got back from a lobster tower feast. They come out show you the lobster you are going to eat (live) then let you take pictures with it and then they bring it out to you Hong Kong style. 5.12 lbs of lobster later.... oof.
Hope you all have a great week!
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
Super good week this week!
Started off with some good coordination meetings in Don Valley and Don Mills!
I've never been to the one in Don Mills, but it's run by Bro. Lim. He works at a place called Castle Loma, and he was telling us about all of the times he hosted Drake for parties... ha, yikes.
We were planning an event, for our investigator to go tour the temple, but unfortunately he is going back home this week.... he messaged us and said that he won't forget what he has learned and that he will follow the gospel! Gonna miss him.
Other than that we were able to go to Hamilton (which is a about an hour away) met up with some potentials, and dropped by some good people. And then we were able to go to FedEx and pick up a package........ Shout out to little Dutch Boy Bakeries for making specialized Canada Toronto Mission cookies! That was a huge surprise from the fam. Thank you much!
Also shout out to Andrew for finding the Fisherman Lobster Clubhouse! We just got back from a lobster tower feast. They come out show you the lobster you are going to eat (live) then let you take pictures with it and then they bring it out to you Hong Kong style. 5.12 lbs of lobster later.... oof.
Hope you all have a great week!
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
Friday, June 29, 2018
Week 100
How goes fam?
Life is going well here in Toronto!
Elder Brown and I are doing well and things are moving forward!
We have enjoyed some sweet music from Marvin Goldstein, heard about Iran almost having a draw with Spain, moved some friends out of their apartment and had some great interviews with President and Sister Shields!
It has been a a weird week to say the least. Now all missionaries around me know that I am going home in a couple weeks so its a constant reminder that time is running out.. and then talking to President Shields knowing that my next interview will be my departing interview....
The highlight of the week was definitely teaching M. He has to go back to Iran in the next couple weeks but he is one of my favorite people I have taught on my entire mission. I would dare to say that if the permanent residency policy wasn't a thing he would be baptized and be a great member.
Hope you are all tuning into the Iran-Portugal game!
Time is closing in but there is plenty of time here and work to do and I plan to squeeze every bit out of it!
Have a great week.
--
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
Life is going well here in Toronto!
Elder Brown and I are doing well and things are moving forward!
We have enjoyed some sweet music from Marvin Goldstein, heard about Iran almost having a draw with Spain, moved some friends out of their apartment and had some great interviews with President and Sister Shields!
It has been a a weird week to say the least. Now all missionaries around me know that I am going home in a couple weeks so its a constant reminder that time is running out.. and then talking to President Shields knowing that my next interview will be my departing interview....
The highlight of the week was definitely teaching M. He has to go back to Iran in the next couple weeks but he is one of my favorite people I have taught on my entire mission. I would dare to say that if the permanent residency policy wasn't a thing he would be baptized and be a great member.
Hope you are all tuning into the Iran-Portugal game!
Time is closing in but there is plenty of time here and work to do and I plan to squeeze every bit out of it!
Have a great week.
--
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
Friday, June 22, 2018
Iran vs Toronto Police
Quick shout out to Pops, Happy Fathers Day!
Been a pretty crazy week with the World Cup and all. I didn't think it would be that crazy here but Iran beat Morocco and everyone flipped, at least the Persians did. We went over to Yonge street and people had parked their cars sideways across the road and blocked it off completely to traffic. There was music blaring, bike cops chasing people down, just the works. Also, it was surprisingly good contacting! Happy people make soft hearts!
Other than that we have just been blessed. Jdub stands on Yonge, Home cooked Korean BBQ and Sunday Grub at the Rollins. Can't complain here!
Transfer news came last night with a bang!
I'm staying in the Don Valley Ward AGAIN! ha I don't know exactly how long it will be but by the time I go home it will be roughly 15/24 months spent in this ward! Gotta love it. To be honest, pretty surprised they never gave me a calling....
Welp hope you all have a good week!
Smile, God Loves You!
--
Elder Jack Bakker
ارشد جک باکر
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