November 25

My week was pretty good, not quite as busy as last week, but still super busy! The coldest it has been here was -20 on Saturday and I don’t know what the windchill was but it has snowed at least 5 out of the 7 days this week so it’s always snowing!!!! It warmed up today though, only like -7.

My week was pretty good, not quite as busy as last week, but still super busy! The coldest it has been here was -20 on Saturday and I don’t know what the windchill was but it has snowed at least 5 out of the 7 days this week so it’s always snowing!!!! It warmed up today though, only like -7.

We have a scheduled baptism on Dec.14 and one on Dec.28 and hopefully another within a week or 2, but all our investigators are progressing.  Some very very slowly and some rather fast, all in the Lords time!

Great to hear that everyone and everything seems to be going by smoothly!

Monday we were busy shoveling snow and cleaning the house, getting haircuts and getting an Ontario License. (That’s what the $80 charge on my Credit card is, please remember to pay that off and I will get reimbursed for that) Then we had FHE with one of our investigators and all kinds of other stuff.

Tuesday we had a district meeting, helped out at the Mission and were busy all day doing other stuff, stopping by people and finding new investigators and following up on referrals.

Wednesday we helped out at the foodbank and then we saw some people and taught some lessons and were super busy with that. We then had our bible study and had a McDonalds feast to prepare us for our fast the next day.

Thursday we fasted for our appointment with J all day and went and helped out at the DNFC with the lunch and cleaning up. We contacted a referral but before though we met with another investigator and had a lot of our questions answered with how to move forth with him and had the best answers to our questions and we took a huge step forward in figuring out what J’s main concern with Baptism is and are now moving forward and should be seeing some great results in the next little while! Truly humbling to see the great blessing that come from fasting! Then we came home starving and ate bacon and an apple for dinner.

Friday we were busy with receiving Media Referrals and sending this Atheist guy who lives about three hours away (But is still in our area!!!) a Book of Mormon along with our separate testimonies, and a few pamphlets to him because he stated he didn't want to meet with any missionaries or anyone, just wanted a Book of Mormon so we did all that we could do with that and gave all our contact info to him and are now just hoping for the best. Then we had a great lunch prepared by one of our investigators. His wife wanted to add you on Facebook and then facetime you because she thought it was ridiculous that we can only contact our family twice a year! Then we had a great lesson with him, who I have seen huge changes in his life since I have been here in Dryden. At first it was only her who would invite us over and now most of the time he is the one who is more involved and interested! It is truly great to see. We taught him a lesson and then helped him take his couch and put it in his truck because it was broken. We then taught A and went to the Vahovick’s for dinner and then helped President Vahovick put his truck back together!

Saturday we had a bit of a slower day.  We did our weekly planning and saw a lot of people and investigators. We weren’t able to teach lessons but it was still good we contacted some referrals and ran into a former investigator who we tracted into because Elder Elliott felt prompted to go to this certain house and we set an appointment to see him next week! Met lots of other great potentials too.

Sunday we got up and shoveled and ``snowblowered`` the sidewalks at the church and J and M came as per usual and they both stayed for all three hours, which was great! We had good talks and good Sunday school and priesthood lessons. We had a ward council meeting and had another fast, and finished some training for Elder Elliott. We stopped by a family who showed lots of potential but they sent us away. Then we visited and had a great talk with our Investigator L and his Wife, who just lost a really good friend.

Today we got groceries, gas, cleaned the house, went to Elglis and now we still have a lesson, FHE, and another lesson to follow. Tomorrow we will be busy going out to Sioux Lookout (a town an hour and a bit outside of Dryden in some direction) to visit some less actives and to dedicate one of our new member's house. Then on Wednesday we are headed up to Kenora for district meeting and then Exchanges, so always a busy time here and it’s great!!

I love you too!

-Love Elder Shane Dola

November 18

My week was really good! Thanks again for the package and thanks for sending the other stuff! I haven't got it yet but hopefully soon! Great to hear that things are going well back home except for Mackenzie and 12 cavities! Great to hear that so many people came out to Brandon's farewell! And great to hear how involves Mrs.x is getting! Keep up the great missionary work! 

I love you too and sorry I don't have time to write much else today. We have been busy helping people all day. Yesterday there was over a foot of snow and people weren't prepared! We also set 2 baptismal dates this week. Hopefully they will be able to meet their dates! Love you very much and keep letting your back get better!

-Love Elder Shane Dola

P.S. It has to be out there somewhere! It has just got to be!! They can't order them in? I have not traded a tie since the first day I was in Winnipeg 6 months ago! Love you!

November 11

My week was pretty good, the shingles are almost all gone. The Tambres had Elder E and I over on Monday night and x came too and we had a birthday cake and celebrated my birthday and then on Tuesday a lady who volunteers at the Dryden Mission made me a cake and then on Wednesday y and his family made me a cake so I was all caked out, had a good birthday though. I got the package on Thursday! Thank you so much for everything I really like the green tie! Thank you so much for everything else too! Please thank Grandma and Grandpa Dola for the card and please thank Grandma and Grandpa Schultz for the car and the chocolates and the card! Elder E said he loved the chocolates too!

Great to hear that everyone is doing so well and that Brandon made it home safe and sound!

Today was Remembrance Day so we went to the Memorial service and today it was -22 with the wind-chill and my toes and face froze off so afterwards we went and I bought (ordered them!!!) some sorel boots that are good to -100 so I should be good now, so if you could could you please go online and pay off my VISA Credit Card using my monies! Thanks! We also saw z and set a baptismal date with him!

But yeah last Monday we had quite the adventure going out with this 82 year old man helping him split wood followed by him taking us to lunch (Sister Tambre is in the process of writing up the story so stay tuned!) Then we had the dinner with x and the Tambres, followed by FHE.

Tuesday we had a great day. We were able to teach the P's a really good lesson where all the kids were at school for the first time so they all were able to focus more! We also had a great time serving y at the Mission and afterwards we were able to have a lesson with him.

Wednesday we helped at the foodbank had a good lesson with x, had Dinner with the Haesslers and had a Elders Quorum meeting (We are the councillors to the Elders Quorum President) then we had our Bible study.

Thursday we drove up to Fort Frances via the Tambres and it had snowed and stayed on the ground for the first time this year so the roads were a little rough and we almost hit a chicken in the middle of the road. Then we had a great Zone Training Meeting and every companionship changed in the entire Zone except for Elder E and I. Then we finally got mail, having waited for about 8 weeks, and opened our packages on the way back. Got home around 5:00 PM and then headed out to the Vahovicks and helped them out by putting their horses in the barn and had dinner and then we helped make sausage.

Friday was a great day. We weekly planned and saw the P's, taught a lesson to a referral we received a few weeks ago, and were finally able to get video chat to work (the only way we could teach him seeing as he lives in Red Lake which is about 3 hours away but still in our area!) but it was one of the greatest and most spiritual lessons/experiences I have had on my mission. He was so open and just so excited to learn what we had to say and it was amazing to see how greatly he could still feel the spirit, even with him being 3 hours away being taught on a poor quality video-chat on Facebook. After that we went and had a lesson with L and had dinner at President McDonald's and his family and shared a quick message with them following us teaching one of our less-active members.

Saturday we had our Elders Quorum breakfast, which was fantastic. We had 1 of our Investigators and two non-members there and there was a total of 10 of us. We had bacon, eggs, sausages, toast, pancakes, hash-browns, orange juice, milk, everything you name it. It was a very successful event. After that we helped President McDonald prepare some things for winter and then we went and taught x and were able to meet one of her daughters for the first time! Then we went out to y's place and cut a ton of wood and had dinner with his family.

Sunday Elder Elliott and I were the speakers and both gave talks. Z and X were both there and are both doing really well! After that we had a really good lesson with an investigator who we were finally able to set up an appointment with, which was great! And we were able to bring President Haessler with us. After that we had a great dinner over at the P's and tried teaching them a lesson as well but they had like 6 kids over so it didn't go according to plan, but it was still great to see how everyone we see trusts us 100% and are willing to serve and help us out too!

-Love Elder Shane Dola

P.S. Thanks so much for the package and everything in it, and if you send a Christmas package the only thing that I absolutely need is this purple tie! Thanks, love you!

This is the tie that I so badly want.  The purple one.  

November 4, 2013

Sounds good to hear that you are doing so well! Keep it up! You should send me some Cinnamon buns! My shingles are getting better I think! So I know that the prayers have been working! I speak next week on Sunday! Haha yeah I think Brandon might be a little cold for a while! The weather has been a bit warmer lately; it hasn't really snowed too much lately and if it does it isn't ever cold enough for it to stay on the ground! But it hasn't been too cold, fluctuates a little bit between -5 to about 8 degrees. Yeah sorry though I don't have any pictures this week and don't have much time at all to write. We have been super busy. Even today we were helping this 82 year old man split some wood (literally everyone, all they do out here is cut and split fire wood! I, since I have been here, have done probably 50 tons of firewood!) But things are going well, can't complain, and our investigators are doing well. So are members and less-active members and we keep finding more people all the time, so things are great and we are extremely busy! But I love you lots and hope you have a great week, and don't forget to pick up Brandon on Friday!

-Love Elder Shane Dola

October 28, 2013

I'm doing pretty good it seems like you guys had a pretty busy week! That’s great!

It has been snowing on and off all week but when it last is only last for a few hours, and if there is ever any snow on the car Elder E loves to use the snow brush to clean it off, he really gets a thrill since he is from California and I had to explain to him what the snow brush even was! He asked if we just run the hose or hot water on the car when it gets really cold to melt off the ice because that’s what they do in California if there is ever any frost or ice on their cars.

I have not received the package yet and we just got transfer calls Friday so Elder E and I will be staying here for at least another 6 weeks and won't be going in to Winnipeg probably until the end of then and I don't know when the next time anyone will be coming way out here, so I really have no idea when I will get it most likely with in the next 6 weeks sometime!

But I love you and hope you have a great week!

Monday we had P-day and FHE with X and the Haesslers, Tambres, and X.

Tuesday we had a district meeting and helped a lady paint her garbage container, helped out at the mission, were able to contact a few people, had a lesson and discussion with one of the less-active members, and felt prompted the night earlier to stop by one of the gentlemen we know and talk with him and he started asking questions but we didn't have time to answer all and teach a whole lesson so he told us we will meet later next week to teach him, and this guy his whole life until recently hated Mormons and would have nothing to do with them until recently where he warmed up to us and now to the point where we are going to teach him now!

Wednesday we helped out at the food bank, taught X a lesson, were able to get quite a few referrals, saw a few of our other investigators. X called us and told us to come over and gave us both really nice coats and socks for free, he is such a nice man just wants to help out which is such a great blessing!  Then we had a branch activity at this mini-golf place which is super nice for such a small town and a few non-members came out to that along with quite a few members.

Thursday we were busy helping out with lunch at the DNFC and met a really great couple there (the ones who prepare all the food every week), and we helped X sort books at the mission and then helped X and his family cut firewood and had dinner with them.

Friday we weekly planned, taught a lesson with the lady we helped earlier that week paint, contacted a few others, and had the Youth Joint activity where we carved pumpkins.

Saturday we finished paint the garbage bin, stopped by a ton of people and made a few more contacts and received a few more referrals, set up a few appointments and then we spent the night at the best Western at a fundraiser that X was putting on and we got to go and have a phenomenal meal, break down more barriers and meet quite a few people. It is really amazing how many people know who we are in town ever since even I got here. It was really good.

Sunday one of the speakers was sick so Elder Tambre and I and President Vahovick shared quick talks last moment to cover the time, Elder Elliott spoke and the spirit the entire meeting was phenomenal and it was great. A former investigator came for the third week in a row to sacrament meeting, 3 of our investigators came X (stayed for sacrament and had to go), X (Stayed all three meetings) and X (He hasn't been at Church for at least a year and came out to sacrament and Sunday school) Overall it was a great day at church and afterwards we were able to visit X and X and teach X a lesson with the Tambres. Then we went home and went to the hospital to get the rash which started to appear on my back about a week ago and I thought it would go away but was getting worse and is extremely itchy and sister Tambre said I should get it checked out because she thought it looked like shingles so anyway we went to the Hospital and got it checked out and I have Shingles! They said there is nothing they could do about it because it was too late but did some blood work and will get back to me later this week, but don't worry it doesn't hurt at all really it is just really itchy, I am quite well so you have no need to worry!

-Love Elder Shane Dola

October 21, 2013

My week was really busy as per usual, but things will most likely be slowing down a bit. Investigators are doing pretty good not progressing as fast as I would really like but that's just me being impatient and the Lord letting me know that it is in His time and that I need to work harder and work on the Christ like Attribute of Patience. It was snowing and has been snowing/hailing/raining/sleet these last three days. Sometimes there is sun and it will be warm but usually it's been between 0 degrees to 7 degrees.

Don't have much time this week but:

Monday we had P-day and a Thanksgiving dinner out at the Scotts.

Tuesday we helped out at the mission and had a lesson with one of the Less-active members along with other service opportunities.

Wednesday we helped at the Foodbank and helped another Lady clean her windows and had a great lesson with X out at the Vahovicks. It was fantastic

Thursday we went out to Aaron park for the last time and helped close up the park and split more wood, volunteered at the DNFC, had a dinner at the Haesslers and had our Last Yoga Night with X.

Friday we weekly planned and visited a few of our investigators, had another lesson with X, and had a good bible study.

Saturday we were super busy cutting and stacking wood and visiting people and went to the Freemasons dinner, which was great. We were invited there by one of our investigators, and met tons of people and had a great time and some of our other investigators were there also. After we were able to have a really good talk with X.

Sunday was busy. X came to Church the whole three hours and that was the first time. We had a really good Ward Council meeting where we were able to follow up on General Conference Talks, had a really good lesson with X and said he still thinks he wants to be baptized and is praying to know when he will be ready for that.  After that we had a great dinner at the Scotts.

I love you!

-Love Elder Shane Dola

October 14, 2013

We had home-made turkey dinner on Saturday with  the senior missionaries here in Dryden and then Sunday we got invited over to some of our investigators dad's house and had another home-made Turkey dinner with their entire family, and today we have another home-made turkey dinner at one of our Part-member families house out in the bush and got invited to another house today for another Turkey dinner but we already have the other one to go to so we had to turn down a turkey dinner. So yeah, I guess needless to say we have had and will continue to have our fair share of turkey dinners this Thanksgiving and thank goodness we didn't have to cook a turkey, if we did I would have probably just thrown it in a pot of water and boiled it or something!

  

This past week was pretty good. We had lots of people come out to all of the weekly activities that we put on throughout the week, including on Monday we had some members come out to our FHE which was great, and that night when we were planning they decided to give us a call and told us to come downstairs from our apartment and so we did and found President and Sister Haessler with probably over $100 of groceries for us because they decided that we were starving and that "the lord's servants need to be fed so that the work in Dryden can continue to move forward." It was such a great blessing and such a great example of true Christlike love and charity, especially because we know that they don't have a ton of money in the first place! Definitely made my week and helped me see how much a little bit of charity for others can make someone feel loved. It was great to be on the receiving end this time around!

Tuesday we visited members homes following up on things from conference and helped out at the Dryden mission for a bit, had dinner and went and visited some more of our investigators and went looking and trying to find new ones as well! And then we went to the church and worked on some family history training.

Wednesday we had our district meeting and went back to sister T's house and helped her brother finish filling in the hole and other landscaping, then we had dinner at the Haesslers and had our first bible study (people actually came!) and it was a great night and a great study!

Thursday we went out and helped at Aaron park by splitting and bagging more wood and then we went to the DNFC and helped clean up there and invited them to Yoga and had some [pretty good conversations. We went over to fill out some volunteer forms at a place and were able to have a lesson with X. She just got back from a trip and told us how she had tons of prayers answered and how things have been going better for her lately. Then the X had us over for Dinner and then we had Yoga night and brought the same less-active member out there and we had a pretty good turnout again.

Friday we did our weekly planning and stopped by some of our investigators and mowed one of their lawns and then we went over to X with the Tambres and had another good lesson and talk with her and then we came home and the Kenora Elders came over for exchanges the next day.

Saturday we helped out the Haesslers and fed their cats (all four of them) and their fish while they are out of town, did a bit of tracting with the new elder Gardner that I went on exchanges with then all four of us went to the Dryden mission and helped out X and he was so excited and happy to have all of us there to help. After that we split up again and went and had some visits with some people I had never met but finally got to meet and contacted some of our other investigators. Then we came home, had a turkey dinner with the Tambres, and then the Kenora Elders went home. We went to President Vahovicks and helped him put up some more fluorescent lights in his shop and had a good correlation meeting with him.

Sunday we had a record of 20 people at church it was great, had two separate investigators come along with another former investigator and also a new member who moved to Sioux lookout came and others from far out of Dryden also came. We had good gospel principles classes and good priesthood classes. Later we did some more training and bible study preparation, went and had another turkey dinner with one of our investigator families and her extended family and had some really good conversations about the church and what we do and what we believe. It was super effective and the dinner was great. Later we went back to the church and cleaned out the baptismal font and then we tried to unclog the drain and raw sewage started to back up which was pretty gross!

-Love Elder Shane Dola