Sister Madison Rees

October 27th - Serena did her very last primary program and will be going to Young Women's this January! We knocked on a door and Kirna a mother visiting from India answered the door. We said we were sharing a message about Jesus Christ. She said "Jesus Christ?" "Come in" as we talked to her she said that she was praying for her husband in India that he would have water and she said God blessed him with it. She was so grateful we came and fed us food she was making for her family. October 30th - Tonight we went late night tracting and had many pass along cards and were going to hand them all out before 9pm. We handed every single one out but still had 5 min. I reached into my bag not looking and pulled put a card! We went to the closest home with lights on. We knocked and then a man in the basement opened the door and jumped back he didn't realize we were there. We shared the Book of Mormon and testified of Hope. He said he...

My fingers are just struggling with writing!!  Talking is sooo much better!!  So forgive me, this is a quick note! On Sunday, Efe and Owen sat together on the bench waiting to pass the sacrament.  Efe was beaming as he walked row by row and handed the tray to the members.  It was fun to look at Owen and see his eyes looking over at his Dad almost as if he was checking to make sure his dad did everything right.  I love seeing this family progress!  We met with Fernando and taught him 4 different lessons!  With each invitation he committed and said he would live it!  Sunday he came to church - he is excited to be baptized this Saturday.   One of the other workers named Carlos is interested and we taught him again.  Arnesto does not have interest.  Jose has been out of town, but will be meeting with us this week!   We have had the Patriarch - he served a Spanish mission, the 2 boys Raphel ...

Guess What?  You will not believe it?  We met, taught, and committed a man to be baptized on November 2nd!   Just 4 days before I return home!! Here is the story: A member in our ward here has a company and has hired 3 men for work for so many months.  They introduced us to all three men.  They have come to church a few times since working for them.  Anyway, they only speak Spanish!  So to teach them we had to call President Ensign and get permission and we had to talk to our Bishop to see if we could go forward and teach them.  They both said, "Go for it!" The member introduced us and then we set up an appointment with them, an Elder who speaks Spanish and the members.  So we have 3 men that we are teaching.  So pause in this story and I will be back.... The day after we set up the appointment with these 3 men we decided to call on some people that we had not talked to for awhile.  We called a number and it was a di...

I am filling out paperwork and write-ups about stories and experiences from my time here in Toronto Canada.  They want us to submit some.  Instead of a letter I will just let you know that I am preparing to share my last testimony with the mission at our Zone Conference this week.  I can't believe it is already here!  Wow!  How do you put into words the love I have for the people here and the gratitude I have for my Heavenly Father to give me this opportunity to serve!  From where I started to where I am is incredible at how much Love I have felt from my Heavenly Father and Peace and Joy I have felt because of the Savior.  The Spirit has been my dear friend and companion.  I am grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! Love, Madison

A little more about Efe's baptism 2 weeks ago - Efe Omamohwo was Baptized and Confirmed September 28th and 29th. Owen gave a talk on Baptism and Claire gave one on the Holy Ghost and then Claire and Serena sang 'I'm trying to be like Jesus' together. The last sang that we all sang was families can be together forever.  Efe bore his testimony the Sunday he was confirmed about how he received a blessing to quit drinking coffee and he said after the blessing he had no desire to drink coffee.  Something that was amazing to see was that Efe and Juliet put their wedding rings back on.  They both are working together better than they ever have and look so much happier than they did when I first met them.  Efe will be receiving the Priesthood soon. They are working toward getting sealed in the TEMPLE!! We were walking down the road reactivating and contacting and we saw this women and her husband walking their dog. We asked them if they knew anyon...

EFE was Baptized on Saturday!    It was amazing!  The Spirit was so strong.  He had made mistakes with his family.  He made choices that hurt his wife.  When we met Juliet and Efe they were separated and living in different cities.  Through their choice to Follow the Savior and keep the commitments (commandments) they have changed.  They found a way to forgive one another and to allow the other person to change.  They put their Love for God higher than themselves and they are different people because of it!!  Thanks be to God for His Power, His Love, and His Grace!! I see Efe and Juliet in the Temple with their 3 children!  I see generations changing because of these choices.  I see their ancestors shouting for joy that they too can be brought to Christ through His ordinances.   I am feeling constant Joy!!  It bursts from every part of my being!!  How grateful I am to be a Member of the Church of Jesus...

I am so grateful to be in Burlington for my 5th transfer, and last transfer on my mission. I also am companions with Sister Pearson still who I love so much Sept 16  Monday evening we did a tree of life activity with Sister Mifsud and her 11 year old daughter, Sister Anstee, Karen, and Ethan. We took then into the primary room and blind folded them. We read the story in 1 Nephi 8 and then had all the lights in the church off and led them through. It was very fun! At the end we needed to take Karen and Ethan's bike to there house.  It was too far and late for them to ride home. Members took them in their car and we took the bikes and were taking Sister Anstee home as well. It was almost past our curfew and so we left everything up in the church and said we would come back tomorrow. We tried leaving the first time and the door wouldn't let us lock it. We went in to check if we had everything then tried a second time. It wouldn't lock. Then we went ba...

Here is my week!  We had some amazing experiences with so many people!  What a blessing! Sept 11 We were on our way home for dinner and saw a women pushing a stroller with her 2 children. I felt prompted to talk to them so we parked our car and basically ran to them before they left hahha her name was Reilly and her 2 sons David, Jay from Africa. We shared the Restoration and she was shocked when we said that Jesus Christ visited the people in the Americas. She has a strong belief in the church she is in but was interested in what we shared.  Sept 12 Today we were tracting and a women said she attends the Ukraine church. Then I asked if she was from Ukrania hahah Sept 13 We went to visit Sister Anstee and after we tracted her neighborhood. We went around and no one was letting us in. We went around the corner and saw someone outside going to the door and then thought it was a mail man. We went up to him and shared that...

My Mission President allows each missionary to go to the big city of Toronto to visit before they leave the mission.  So we traveled there this past week.  I still have to download pictures and get them to you later, but it was so fun to see!  But confusing to try and find our way around.  It was definitely an adventure!!  EFE (Juliet's husband) has committed for Baptism!  We have been meeting regularly with him to help him prepare.  He has had many questions and has needed some time to make some decisions.  He really wants to be with his family forever, so he is doing all he can.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ changes people - I see it right before my eyes!  What an absolute miracle!! He is getting baptized on September 28th!  We will have transfers right before, so I am not sure if I will be here, but the family has mentioned they want to come to Utah to meet all of you and visit!   I love training Sister Pears...

August 19th  We were talking about Owen receiving the priesthood together.        Juliet-  "He's scared."             Owen- "No, not really."       Brother Hickman- "Are you excited?"             Owen- "I'm excited to get the priesthood so I can be a super hero!" We had more communication with Juliet's husband.  He works in Brampton so it is difficult to meet with him, but he wants to continue learning!   August 21st We went tracting basically all day and I wore a sweater that morning because I was cold and then it got really warm in the afternoon hahh not good. We played a game while tracting and had to say a word in every conversation. I was given the word "butter" and I said "Something we believe is that not one church is "butter" then another." hahh and Sister Price laughed so hard she had to walk away hah.  August 23nd Sister ...

This week has been the hardest, happiest, saddest and most rewarding week I have had on my mission. This is my 4th transfer in Burlington and I love it! Sister Price stayed and we are training Sister Pearson.  So last week I missed taking the Sacrament at Church.  We were meeting with some people and had to be in 2 places at once.  I felt such a loss not to take that moment to renew and focus on Christ.  The week was full of more difficulties then I have ever experienced at one time.  I longed for the Spirit and yet at times I felt distracted, frustrated, and tired.  Then on Sunday (a few days ago) I took the Sacrament and I felt God's Promise so clear that I too could be clean and pure because of the Savior's sacrifice for me.  When I took the bread I could feel my body clean and when I took the water my Spirit felt clean as well.   What a peace and an assurance came to me.  God not only promises that a person can be clean when they...